Do any parents still do fun things together?

[Anonymous]

I got a little depressed this weekend that I never do anything fun anymore. We have free babysitting (in-laws in town) when we need it, but still, DH and I have only seen 1 movie in the past 6 months. I am looking for suggestions to be inspired to get out of the house. Sometimes it is way too easy to just stay home and watch TV. Any fun things that couples do together?

[zumbamama]

There's museums, indoor swimming pools, movies and perhaps some parent/child classes you could enroll in.

As for us, we hardly go anywhere in the winter. Neither of us want to leave the house when it's this cold, so we do a lot of art projects, plant projects inside. When it's warm we are everywhere! I can't wwwwwaaaiiiittt for spring! We're all sick of being cooped up inside.

Last night I picked a play fight with DH. We sparred, wrestled to the ground, I practiced some self-defense moves, and then it ended up in a family tickle fight. We were all howling with laughter. That was fun : )

[Anonymous]

You mean like sit in the same room staring at our respective laptops?

So, that would be a no. We also have in-laws in town, so no excuses not to do fun stuff other than we just don't seem to have anything to talk about any more. But that's a whole 'nother post.

[zumbamama]

I guess I really didn't offer any inspiring advice to go out of the house. If I were me, I'd want dinner/dancing. Or go to a concert. Or a show at the Kennedy Center. Go try a new restaurant.

[zumbamama]

Anonymous wrote:You mean like sit in the same room staring at our respective laptops?

That sounds like us!

[Anonymous]

zumbamama wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You mean like sit in the same room staring at our respective laptops?

That sounds like us!

OP here - that sounds like us too This is what I am trying to avoid.

We are vegetarians and I am a pretty good cook (if I do say so myself) so dinner out is often not that exciting as our options are limited. Any show recommendations? Any good places for 29 yr olds to go dancing?

[zumbamama]

If you like salsa, Cecilia's in Arlington! Terra Mare Restaurant in Seven Corners has open dancing lessons every week. And Caribbean Breeze in Clarendon also has dinner/dancing. RODA movements in Takoma has couples dance workshops (tango, samba, etc.) I'm sure there are tons of dinner/dancing places.

[Anonymous]

My DH and I regularly go out with friends to eat, drinks, etc. Now that the econ. is a bit in the shitter, we have found it better to spend time at our home and others homes. Why spend the markup on the wine?

We often rip out the Cheap Eats section of the Washingtonian and try those restaurants...save $$ but have fun!

[Anonymous]

You know what, you have to MAKE yourself go out. I do the exact same thing, sit there with my laptop, and him with his, and then before we know it we haven't gone out in months. When we do go out it's because we've made a conscious effort to set aside every Friday or every other Saturday or whatever to GO OUT, and just arrange the babysitting and then GO. If I sit around waiting for inspiration, sadly, we almost never get out.

One idea -- concerts are really fun for us. If a singer/band we like comes to town, we really try to get out and see it. So keep an eye out in the Post listings for stuff like that (that's how we do it).

[Anonymous]

zumbamama wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You mean like sit in the same room staring at our respective laptops?

That sounds like us!

Yup, us too!

[Anonymous]

Any concerts that are just cover bands? Like local bands playing familar rock-type music? We'd rather not spend $75 each to sit in the bleachers of the Verizon Center?

[Anonymous]

oh i'd never go to verizon for a concert. go to nissan pavilion, merriwether (when the weather's nice of course), or else the birchmere. maybe the ram's head. rock'n'roll hotel. black cat. or jazz at: bohemian caverns. blues alley. hr-57.

it's a lot of fun.

[Anonymous]

"We also have in-laws in town, so no excuses not to do fun stuff other than we just don't seem to have anything to talk about any more."

Join the club. Kids are marriage buzz killers.

[Anonymous]

can I borrow your in-laws. We don't have any family within 1000 miles and can't afford a sitter so we can't go out. I have a list a mile long of things I'd love to do.

Newseum
Museum of the American Indian
Dinner out - without booster seats and sippy cups
Inner Harbor
DC Improv
Old town Alexandria
any one of 100 movies that we've been wanting to see
have sex

take advantage of the free childcare.

[Anonymous]

Funny/Sad about staring at the respective laptops... Count us in that club!

My husband is a movie enthusiast (read: 5-at-a-time Netflix membership and pre-baby watched one movie a week at the theater), and it recently dawned on him that, for the first time in years, he did not see even one Oscar-nominated movie. I am considering 'kidnapping' him one day in the middle of the week, when I know he has no meetings or deadlines, and taking him out to a matinee. The baby will be in daycare (read: in good hands) as usual, and we'll zip over to a nearby theater (within walking distance to the daycare center!) and be back in time for pick-up.

Nothing fancy, nothing expensive, but totally unexpected!