After our first baby was born, my husband and I knew how difficult it would be to enjoy eating out. When you have a new baby, going out to eat is very hard. Not only do you have to take the baby along, you also have to care for the baby while you are out...feedings, diaper changing and just keeping them happy becomes quite a chore. So, we decided that if we wanted to go out to eat, we would only do so on very special occasions and we would find a sitter for the baby. Now that we have three children we find that going  on dates is so much more important. When you are a busy parent, you tend to focus on children and can lose sight of your relationship with your spouse.

Every year, hubby and I enjoy going out to eat on our anniversary. Our favorite restaurants consist of fine dining selections as well as family-style places. The spectrum of choices is vast, as we live around several large cities and can choose from many different restaurants. If I lived near Boston, I would definitely have many Boston Back Bay Restaurants from which to choose. The picture above is what I would consider a fine dining experience to the fullest...wow. The ambiance is gorgeous and the table looks so elegant. This would definitely be a good choice for date nights!!
My husband and I love eating out sans-children for many reasons...

1. We can chat about life. It seems that life is so busy and there are so many things that we could talk about but don't simply because we are so pre-occupied with our family. When there are decisions to be made, focus is key and some days that focus is lacking.

2. We can enjoy each other without distractions. Children and fancy restaurants just don't mix. No matter what kind of restaurant I go to, we are constantly moving the silverware out of reach, telling the children to sit down and hush their voices, making sure they are not ripping apart the menus or opening sugar and condiment packages. I can actually look at my husband without worrying about constantly watching the children and their behavior.

3. Our marriage can become stronger. When we got married, it was just us. Now, we have three children and believe it or not, our marriage has tough days. Trying to juggle life and children can be stressful...especially having three children under the age of 4. But, we manage and making sure we get plenty of date nights keeps us focused and helps us to bond and cement the love that we have for each other.

So, this year we are celebrating 6 years of marriage and I cannot wait to see which restaurant we choose to eat at! I am looking forward to yet another night of fun, romance and time alone with my man!