Love is in the Air

Hey guys!! You only have 3 days left until Valentines Day so you better not wait to much longer to tell those special guys or gals your true loving feelings for them.

Every Valentines Day is the same for Ross and I. We usually just go to dinner somewhere and then catch a movie. However; there are so many other things that couples can do that cost the same and sometimes even less then dinner and a movie. This post will be more for couples or people who have someone to go out with on V-day. Not having a boyfriend/girlfriend or someone to go out with doesn't mean you can't have a good day. Send yourself flower for heavens sake - so what if people think it's stupid. I LOVE buying myself flowers, simply because I like them. Yeah it's nice to get them from someone else but if you like flowers then buy yourself flowers! Also, don't be afraid to go eat dinner somewhere nice and splurge a little on yourself. Don't let what other people think of you stop you from living your life. Just go in with your head held high and get that table for 1. Just go out and enjoy the evening with yourself. Let it be a day of pampering for yourself! 

Back to the point of this post.. V-day date ideas! I'm not going to put in the same boring ones that everyone always thinks of (movies, dinner, night in watching Netflix, etc.) Although those are fun and that's probably what we will do that isn't what this post is for. This is for those of you who are looking for something new to spice up the night.

1. Go ice skating!

Even though I can't ice skate I still love going because it's something I can do with Ross that is free from technology and we can just enjoy each others company. It's not at all expensive so if your determined to go out for dinner you could just swap the movie for the ice skating. At our local ice skating rink the price is $5.00 per person to skate with a $2.75 charge for skate rental. That's not a bad price considering you can skate for an unlimited amount of time (until they close of course.) 

2. Paint & Sip

If you're a more creative couple then search your area for a paint and sip class. I didn't think we had one around the area until I searched Google and found one right down the street from us! If you're not sure what paint & sip is it's where you go in with your favorite wine, beer, or even soda and you paint a picture on canvas while following along with the instructor. It's super simple and so much fun! They provide the canvas, paints, brushes, and apron. The prices can vary depending on which picture they are painting the night you choose to go. The night we went the price was $35 per person. It was so worth it though. If you're in the Ames area click HERE and it will send you to the paint & sip website located in Ames. If you're in the Iowa City area click HERE and it will send you to that website.

3. Enjoy a musical, play, or concert

Since V-day is on a Friday this year there will be plenty of opportunities to go see a musical or play. The prices for these types of things can range from free up into the hundreds of dollars. Check out your local theatre or events center's website and see what they have playing this weekend. Ames has a place called the Iowa State Center and on V-day there will be 2 bluegrass bands playing together. There will also be free wine and chocolate sampling. The price for tickets for that show range from $39.95 - $47.85. People under the age of 18 the ticket prices are $28.75.

4. Go skiing, snowboarding, or tubing

These are always fun to do but only if you're wanting something to do that doesn't include spending every minute with your date. You're going to be going downhill at different times and possibly learning the basics of these things at different rates. If I had to choose one to do I would definitely choose tubing. You can both ride the tube at the same time and it's easier then sledding because you don't have to walk back up the hill. Just hook your tube onto the hook and you get pulled back up. In the Des Moines area? Click HERE for more information. A tubing/zipfy (zipfy is a type of sledding) 2 hour combo pass is $18 per person. Skiing/snowboarding 2 hour combo pass is $30 for a lift ticket and $15 for either a ski or snowboard rental. This activity is a bit pricier then the others but if you add together how much you spend on dinner AND a movie it probably comes out to about the same price.

5. Wine tasting

If your a wine lover (and of legal age) this would be a great date night idea. Visit your local winery or even ask a local restaurant if you could do sampling of their wine. Here in Ames there is a placed called Della Viti. You go in and purchase a wine card and then you swipe the card at machine where the wine you want to taste is located. It will subtract the money from the card based on the serving size you choose. You can choose between a taste, a half glass, or a full glass (5 ounces). They also have a full service bar if you're not that into wine but you went because your date loves it and you're a nice person. Want to check out their site? Click HERE for more info!

I really hope these ideas help some of you when deciding what your plans will be for that day/evening. If dinner and a movie is still your thing though by all means keep doing that. There is nothing wrong with some old fashioned dates. I know that Ross would much rather sit inside all day long, curl up in a blanket together, and watch Netflix (not old fashioned but you get the point) then do any of the things I mentioned above. These were just some ideas for those of you who do want to spice it up a bit.

XOXO

-K