The final two envelopes

I've been beat at my own game.

After ten months of envelope surprises, Hubby has gone and trumped me.



And so it begun. My weekend of cards.

Year of dates: Cosy pampering bliss

I've found the past few year of dates months a chore.

Firstly, we didn't really liked each other. Secondly, I spent the date clenching my butt cheeks to make Jane Fonda proud as I held in the contents of my stomach. And finally we were so flat out fitting in life we struggled to fit the dates in.

But as April rocked around life has settled. We're in a good place, which was handy since this was an intimate date that was a little squeezy.

In my wisdom, April was a pampering date. I must've known we'd need the massages after house blitzing and going back to work.

Year of dates: BamBOO and Rockpool

As my morning tea leave starts to wind down and the day to return to work looms closer, I'm finding we're busier than ever.

Lots of last minute catch ups, beach sessions and, being the control freak I am, lots of organising so I can make the most of non-work time with Mini Me and Hubby. Time really does seem to go faster when you're older. This article best explains it - it's all relative. Lightbulb moment.

It's funny that amongst the busy-ness, I also find I'm more boring than ever. When people ask what's been happening, I'm stumped. I actually do more, see more and have lots of stories, but I can't seem to remember them as I rush around. Which makes my writing a boring list of activities. Hence the winding down.

But I have managed to squeeze two dates in this weekend with Hubby.

First was February's outdoor cinema and second was March's progressive dinner.

Thank you Scoop Magazine for the tickets I won to see Dallas Buyers Club at the new outdoor cinema at BamBOO, next to Luxe Bar in Mt Lawley. Run by the Luna Cinema people, they turned the under-utilised outdoor amphitheatre into a summer movie venue. With deckchairs and beanbags, it's pretty comfortable but what sets this outdoor cinema apart from all of others is the cocktail bar ready to shake and stir a tasty beverage to accompany the night under the stars. 

And with the tasty Ace Pizza next door, you can grab a quick pizza before, or order it take away and eat during the movie. Which is a nasty thing to do for those without pizza. Even though we had smashed a cheesy Porky's Revenge, followed by the half baked dessert (snickers semi-freddo - OMG), I was leaning towards my neighbour salivating at their tasty pizza.

It was a great grown up night and surprisingly I didn't fall asleep!

Then on Sunday we stuffed our face full of tasty food. With so many weddings, the events that go with it, and general frantic-ness we decided to swap the progressive dinner with a World's Greatest Shave charity lunch at Rockpool that we were invited to by my uncle. Organised by Ahrens to raise money for Leukaemia Foundation I could not wait to get my mouth around some signature steak. Wow, that sounds naughty.

The menu did not disappoint. A earthy but zesty onion and Beetroot tart was followed by the tenderest beef imaginable that I didn't even need to chew the meat as it melted in my mouth. I was stuffed but managed to eat half of my light and fluffy pavlova.

With full bellies, the official proceedings begun. Honestly I'm a sucker these days. As the Ahrens General Manager explained how they rode to the function on kid's bikes, which would then get donated to sick kids across WA, I started to well up. This mummy thing has softened my heart into a sloppy ice cream melted mess.

The Ahrens guys did a fantastic job with auctions and raffles, and from the last count that I made, would've raised over $25K. They probably raised more but I had to sneak home early to Mini Me, while Hubby kicked on to see his beloved West Coast start their season.

While date number two was not the romantic night we planned, we found trying to cram in the dates was actually more stressful than relaxing. But spew we're still baby free, had some adult conversation and frocked up.

In saying that, is it bad that I can't wait for the year of dates to end?

While a great idea, life does fill up quickly and it's hard to find the time. Which is ridiculous to say as I write that. Maybe next time we should make it a seasonal thing.

Year of dates - F-ing February Date

February was an F-themed date night for our year of dates.

It start off iffy. We were a month behind due to family (aka babysitters) being selfish and flying overseas and our dance card was filling up. So that one is postponed.

Then the 1st Feb came along and my brilliant idea to scoot along the coast in a scooter and have a picnic lunch fell flat because the company folded. Feeling forlorn I fretted until a fabulous find came into focus - FringeWorld and Francoforte. Freaking fabulous.

Year of dates - sailing the ocean

Marriage is a lot like sailing. During the sunny calm waters you relax and soak it in.  For the rocky times its all hands on deck as you work together to get through it.

I didn't think of that analogy as I booked November's date. I was thinking, how awesome would it be to learn the ropes on a tall ship.

November date - sailing on the Leeuwin

Year of dates - Red carpet cinema treatment

Love is in the air, but not at our home. That's the smell of nappies and coriander (I'm going through a Thai-cooking phase).

No, it's outside. Four couples very close to us are engaged. Their love and happiness is infectious. And expensive. We've had three engagement parties in a row, and one more in November. Don't even get me started on the weddings.

But all this love was in stark comparison to what is happening in our home. We have just been too busy for romance or even each other. Then you start to neglect and be mean.

Which is why September whizzed by and we never scheduled our next date a month for a year. We opened it, but couldn't find the time to leave Mini Me with a babysitter and go out one night. And this month was a simple Gold Class movie night.

But better late than never and here we are doing September's date in October - Gold Class.