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Dating Challenge – The First Date!

July 5, 2016 by Flight Wife 1 Comment

Dating Challenge – The First Date!


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Last week I put out the Pilot Marriage Shake-Up: Dating Challenge! for anyone who wanted to participate, and it got a great response! (So great, in fact, that we now have a Facebook group if you want to join us and share your own experience/get even more date ideas.)

A couple days after I published that post we went on our first date, planned by me. My husband kept trying to guess what we were doing, but no dice.

Here is me with my giddy face on, getting ready to drive him to the super-secret location…

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So what did I have planned?? A visit to the Splatter Room at a cool little place called Pinspiration in Phoenix. This place is a dream; you walk in, pick a project you like, and then get to make it and take it home. They take care of the mess and the supplies, you just get to create. Awesome, right?

Anyway, the Splatter Room is pretty self-explanatory, you go in, hurl a bunch of paint at a canvas, and voila, you are now an artist. But the best part? They also throw in a cheese plate and champagne. There’s a bar, people. I was sold.

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We headed inside and I could see the inquisitive look on my husband’s face, a mixture of hesitation (What the heck is this place) and resignation (sigh, of course she picked something Pinterest-related). My husband is not the excitable type. He could say he’s excited and still look like he does when he’s watching the news. Which is probably a good thing for a pilot, I don’t know.

But anyway, he took a look around and noticed the bar, and I heard the audible sucking in of air as he gasped a little and whispered, “Oh, they have IPAs here.” He may not be an excitable guy, but he is definitely a beer guy. Wife points!

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Luckily there’s a bar!

Finally, I told him what we were doing and it looked like relief washed over him. I don’t know what he thought we would be doing, but apparently splattering paint seemed way better. Is that some excitement I sense??




We were given some zip-up painting onesies and booties and told to suit up. Then we were brought to a back room where there was literally paint covering every surface of every wall. This was gonna be good.

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The lady who had been helping us turned off the lights, and all of a sudden there were black lights and a disco ball and the paint was glowing. Party time!

We started off a little shy, but in no time we were launching paint across the room onto our canvas. We started giggling, and then when one of my paint brush heads broke off mid-throw and smacked against the canvas leaving a giant splotch, we started laughing so hard we could barely breathe. Of all the things I know to be therapeutic, I had no idea that flinging paint would be one of them. It was awesome.

We randomly decided to each draw a heart right in the middle, and decided our masterpiece was finished.

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While it dried, we were led back to the front to enjoy our drinks and cheese plate (delish!) and I decided to tell my husband what was next – dinner at a little place nearby we’d never tried. On the inside, I was hoping it was as good as the reviews said it was because I really wanted to keep this momentum going. Before we left, he told me that he had really enjoyed it and that I had “set the bar high for our next date.” Success!

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We put the painting in the car and walked to the restaurant. As soon as we walked in I relaxed. This place was totally our type; laid-back with a swanky vibe, and we even got seated in the couch lounge! Fun!

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We ordered our drinks and food decided to go over the 1st date questions. They started off simple enough, and then got more interesting.

Now let me tell you, my husband and I have been together for 12 years, and married for almost 10. We’ve both heard the same stories over and over, (usually inducing eye rolls) and we know each other very well. But as we talked over these questions, I learned things about my husband that I didn’t know.

How was that even possible?! I think I’ve just forgotten to check in. I got lazy, and figured I already know him as much as I ever will, but that’s apparently not true. People change. I’ve changed in 12 years, so why wouldn’t he? It was eye-opening, to say the least.

We ended up talking hours, like we used to when we were first dating.  Why has it been so long since we’ve talked like this? I already knew the answer to this, even as I asked it. Life, kids, work, stress. All of it gets in between us. But as we talked, I felt those things melt away, and I felt feelings for him that have been kind of dormant re-blossom. This is the guy I married, don’t you remember him?

This is what reconnecting looks like :)

This is what reconnecting looks like 🙂

Suddenly I remembered the staring-at-each-other part of the date, and reached for my phone to start the timer. We faced each other and settled in, and kind of nervously laughed for the first ten seconds or so. But then it turned into comfortable silence, and it just felt nice. A few seconds before the timer was going to go off, our server came by and our stare was broken. Dang it! We decided to try again later that night.

Once we got home and paid the babysitter, we headed to bed. We got into our PJs and after we were under the sheets, we tried the staring again. This time it was quiet, no distractions. It took us a few seconds to get comfortable again, but it wasn’t as awkward as I thought. It was like taking a moment to just be together.

The best part about the whole night had been just being together. For a few hours, we didn’t have to be Mom or Dad, we didn’t have responsibilities, and didn’t have any of the day-to-day worries that usually plague our relationship. We were just us again. And it was magical. This is how we fell in love, I thought, those familiar feelings filling me up again. Our only goal had been to have a good time and enjoy each other’s company. But we got more out of it. So, so much more.

I can’t wait to see what he has planned for next week! (Update: Here’s how the second date went.)

I urge you to try the dating challenge, we’re only one date in and the results were even better than I was expecting. To see the guidelines and join for yourself, see the original post here.

Happy dating, friends!

Xoxo,

The Flight Wife



The Flight Wife’s Last-Minute Father’s Day Gift Guide

June 9, 2015 by Flight Wife 4 Comments

The Flight Wife’s Last-Minute Father’s Day Gift Guide


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Crap. Father’s Day is in less than 2 weeks, and if you’re anything like me, you still don’t have a gift yet. In fact, if it weren’t for making myself write this blog post, I probably still wouldn’t have anything until a few days before. Don’t get me wrong; I’ve been the benefactor of many awesome gifts to my husband. Some of which include a surprise hot air balloon ride, an iPod touch (I was super broke at the time and saved up for it), and his favorite, a huge beer making kit that kick-started his brewing hobby. No Mr. Beer kits here, I got him the real deal. Man, I’m a good wife.

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But it seems like every year it gets harder to come up with something creative or that he’ll actually like. And he’s often not much help when he doesn’t know what he wants either. Usually I can pick up on something he’s been checking out online or take note during our conversations if he has mentioned something he wants. But sometimes I got nothin’.

I took an impromptu poll on my Facebook page  yesterday, asking other pilot wives what gifts their husbands have loved. The consensus was clear; our guys like gifts that are personalized for them and their hobbies. And no, I don’t mean personalized like putting their name on a pen. They like stuff that has to do with their interests, things that make life easier, and things that are fun. Or that involve food. Like bacon. Mmmm, bacon. Lingerie is always a hit, too. Serving bacon while in lingerie? I think I just found my gift.

Anyway, I put together a list that hopefully offers something different and unique. If you’re stuck on what to get your husband for Father’s Day this year, I hope this helps. And I even added a few for the budget-conscious wife (pretty much synonymous with pilot wife most of the time), because I’ve been there.

***Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with nor have I been compensated for listing any of these products… But I totally would if they offered. Anyone?? Anyone?? Damn.***

 

For The All-About-Aviation Pilot:

flashSmith & Wesson Captain’s Flashlight $40

Every pilot needs a good flashlight, and this one has great reviews.

 

 

 

 

giftPilot Pocket PLUS $24

This handy little gadget holds accessories right on the window, in sight. I think I might get one of these for my husband, he leaves his sunglasses on planes ALL the time!

 

 

 

 

 

plane wineAirplane Wine Holder With Corkscrew Propeller $57

How cool is this?! A little pricy, but it’s on Amazon for $57 ($70+ elsewhere) and it’s Prime shipping!

 

 

There’s also a matching beer bottle opener, bottle stopper, and corkscrew  ($12-$15 each) if you don’t want to shell out as much.




 

For The Pilot Who Cooks/Grills:

 

spiceGourmet Grilling Spices $25

I love when my husband grills, because not only do I not have to cook, but I also get to eat delicious food. Win win! These spices look amazing, I can only imagine how good a juicy steak would be with the peppered habanero. Yum!

 

 

GRILLiDevices iGrill Mini

Are you freaking kidding me?! The stuff they come up with, I’m telling you. Stick this thermometer into your meat on the grill, and head back inside where you can view the temps from your phone. No more waiting around the grill getting smoke in your face. You can even set an alarm for when it reaches the perfect temp. Awesome.

 

 

For The Beer-Loving Pilot:

 

beerLibbey Craft Brews Beer Flight $25

My husband would love this. Pair it with a few different craft brews you can easily pick up at a Total Wine or BevMo! and you’re set.

 

 

 

chillCorkcicle Chillsner Beer Chiller, 2-Pack $24

I bought my husband a pair of these and he loves them. You keep them in the freezer and then stick them into your beer bottle and drink (the top is drink-through). Beer stays cold the whole time! Don’t forget to drink a few gulps first, you have to displace some liquid before it ends up on the floor. Not that I’m speaking from experience or anything.

 

 

 

For The Techie/Gadget Pilot:

SPEAKERiHome® iBT73 Color Changing Bluetooth® Mini Speaker $30

(Found it cheaper at Bed Bath & Beyond than on Amazon, where it’s listed for $33)

This speaker is probably one of the best purchases I have made. It’s a powerful little sucker!  And fits perfectly in the palm of my hand. The picture shown is how it looks when it’s open, it actually squishes down and closes. The best part is that it’s wireless! I can play music that’s already on my phone or just stream in Pandora. I can take it on the lake when we go boating, or out to the backyard by the pool. Super handy and convenient. The only downside is that the charger connects to USB, but I’m pretty sure I could use one of those iPhone hubs to plug it into the wall, I just haven’t tried it yet. Other than that it’s perfection!

 

 

ORGANIZERGrid-It Organizer $12

This awesome organizer puts all your little gadgets and necessities in one place, perfect for taking your stuff in and out of your flight bag. Also good for organizing your items when you have to stay in hotels often.  And the price is great! There are different colors and sizes available, this one is 8×12 inches. There’s another one that hooks onto a tablet as well. Pretty cool!

 

 

ninjaWallet Ninja 18-in-1 Credit Card Sized Pocket Tool $9

This handy little pocket tool includes screwdrivers, a bottle opener, a box and letter opener, and ruler. And it all fits neatly into your wallet. It is approved to go through TSA (no blades and no knife included), but users have reported them being taken. (Shocker.) Best to keep this at home, but travel with it at your own risk. I think my husband needs one, he’s always misplacing his screwdrivers!

 

Sexy Gifts:

art Love Is Art Canvas And Paint Kit $58

I had never heard of this before I started doing gift research, and this intrigued me… So basically, you get this canvas (and a big sheet of plastic that comes with it) and you slather paint on yourselves and then have sex on the canvas. What?! Then you hang your sex art wherever you want and use it as a reminder of your love.

Sign me up!!! I actually think it’s a very unique gift that could be so fun! Can you imagine hanging it over the fireplace while your neighbors/in-laws/friends ask where you got such an original piece? Oh, the possibilities. I think we’ll make one to hang above our bed. I’ve been looking for artwork when this whole time we could have made our own! Genius, I say.  It comes with black paint, but you can also purchase colors for $5 apiece. Also, read the reviews, they are entertaining as well.

truth Sexy Truth or Dare: Pick-A-Stick $13

This game looks fun! Nothing like a little Truth or Dare to spice things up in the bedroom. And who doesn’t love a good game? Pretty sure there’s no losing in this one. 😉

 

 

 

 

 

For Wives On A Budget, And Gifts For Any Dad:

Some of the best gifts are from the heart, or are handmade with love.  Here are some gifts that don’t cost much, but are definitely worth their weight in gold, and guaranteed to bring a smile.

Photo Album

Albums filled with pictures of you and your kids are a great little reminder of your love while your husband is away. You can customize it however you like, and it doesn’t have to be expensive. Bonus points if the kids hold “I love Dad” signs or other Father’s Day related sayings.

On the flip side, you can always give your husband a sexy reminder with an album of your pictures for his eyes only. I don’t know any husband who wouldn’t want that!




A Cooked Meal/Breakfast In Bed

One of the pilots I asked told me he would love nothing more than to come home to a delicious dinner made by his wife.  There’s something about someone cooking for you that makes you feel taken care of. Whether it’s breakfast in bed or a special dinner, making your man some food is thoughtful and sweet.

Indoor Picnic/Date 

Set up an indoor picnic in the living room and rent movies or watch your favorite recorded shows together. Have drinks and snacks ready, and get some pillows and blankets for a nice night in.

 

COUPONSCoupon Book

I love coupon books, since they are full of fun little things you can do for each other that don’t cost anything but time. Here’s a really cute one from the blog iheartnaptime that is a free printable! You can download it here.

Handmade Gifts From The Kids

Anything your kids make for your husband, whether it’s cards or crafts are sweet and endearing. Check out Pinterest for ideas like handprint crafts, painted mugs, decorated picture frames, and more.

Still Stumped?

It never hurts to ask – you may be surprised that what your husband wants is simple or even easy to find. And if not, there’s always bacon served in lingerie. Guaranteed to be a hit!

Xoxo,

The Flight Wife

***Have any gift ideas of your own? Comment below!  I would love to hear them. :)***

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