All posts tagged: New England

Eric and Stacey

21 Things You Didn’t Know About Us

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We spend a lot of time sharing date ideas, marriage resources, and recipes for two with you so we thought it was time we’d share a little about ourselves. Hope you get to know us a little better! Stacey: I have an obsession with sharks, especially great whites. I think they get a bad rap and great white attacks are because of confusion or curiosity. I do fear bull sharks though due to their territorial behavior. I actually had an encounter with one on the shores of South Carolina and was nudged in the leg a couple of times. I took it as a warning and Jesus-lizarded (is that a word?) across the water. My bucket list is swim with a Whale Shark. Eric: I don’t have an acute fear of spiders but I would safely say they are probably one of my least favorite animals on the planet. Eight legs just ain’t right and there is no way you can convince me otherwise. Stacey: Eric and I actually first met at church. It was …

Attention Engaged New Englanders!

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This post contains sponsored links from Holysmokes Productions, because well, we gotta keep the lights on and keep delivering great (free) content to you! We would never recommend anything we don’t believe in. If you use the code below from Holysmokes Productions, we will receive a very small percent of the profit. If you’re engaged or have a life event you want to capture and live in the New England area, we’re talking to you! We’re teaming up with Holysmokes Productions and for a limited time, they’re giving a $100 discount exclusively to Tonight’s Better Together readers. If you are thinking about getting any videography done for your proposal, wedding, birth, or any other memorable life event, mention the code TBT&HSP1 to the talented artists over at Holysmokes. Holysmokes Productions is a talented boutique company that uses documentary filmmaking to tell authentic stories. They capture all the love and feels of your special life event so those memorable moments can be relived over and over again!

Our Top Ten 2017 Posts for Marriage Resources and Date Ideas

Our Top Ten 2017 Posts for Marriage Resources and Date Ideas

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We’ve successfully reached a second year in blogging and we have a lot to celebrate. We have an ever growing and amazing community of 5,000+ readers, we’ve written 94 posts, and have spent countless hours planning, researching, writing, photographing, and learning. We’ve even started a monthly newsletter, and have collaborated with fellow relationship bloggers and date night worthy products and services. The long hours haven’t been easy but it’s certainly been worth it! So in celebration of our two year blogiversary, here’s a round up of the top ten articles that became everyone’s favorite over the past year. If you’re not a weekly reader or if this is your first time here, this is a great way to get to know us. We invite you read and join the community. 1. 50 Questions to Really Get to Know Your Spouse Maybe you’ve been married for a while and the conversation has run dry. Maybe you’re newly married or engaged and want to know your partner on a deeper level. Or maybe you two are so …

Antique Store Scavenger Hunt Date Night

Antique Store Scavenger Hunt Date Night – with Free PDF Download

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A scavenger hunt at an antique store is the perfect winter date idea for those rainy or snowy nights when you want to leave the house and do something other than the age old dinner and a movie. It’s fun to dig through the past finding a few treasures but mostly trash. It’s also a great budget date night! And who knows, you might find a sweet deal on an item or a fun trinket to commemorate the night. Here’s a list of thirty items to find. Split up and race each other if you’re the competitive type. Don’t forget to take photos for proof! Or find the items together, laughing at all of the odd novelties along the way. Download the scavenger hunt list here. Print and check off the items as you find them. Child’s highchair Glass chandelier Tea set Suitcase Copper teapot Sowing machine Toy car Child’s doll Type writer Globe Tea tin Cook book Gaudy broach Fur coat Hand mixer Candelabra Jacket with shoulder pads Turquoise jewelry Apron Clock Sequined dress …

What can rest do for your marriage?

9 Effective Ways to Stop Stress from Hurting Your Marriage

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We’re living in a world where everything is instant, households require two working parents, and stress/anxiety are a quickly growing psychological struggle for the masses. It’s so easy to get caught up in the trials of daily life without realizing the lasting impact it may have on your health and relationships. I’ve admittedly been a busy bee for the past couple of months. My nose has been in the laptop or a phone for far too long and I haven’t been enjoying the small things. In the grips of working 70 hours a week in my day job, running a blog part time, serving at church, and domestic duties, I have been stressed and consumed with everything I need to do. So much so, that it affects my physical health and my attitude in relationships. My husband on the other hand is really good at rest. He can shut off the stress of to-do lists and immediately switch to having fun playing a video game or relaxing on the couch with me. All the while, …

25 ways to love your wife

25 Ways to Love Your Wife

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If you’ve been married for a minute, you may have heard of the book “The 5 Love Languages” by Gary Chapman. If not, it is a must read for anyone looking to win at the game of marriage, meaning everyone who aspires to live life with their best friend! My wife and I have found this to be a very useful tool in identifying how each of us prefers to be loved. Not sure what you or your spouses love languages are? Take the quiz! As the title of the book suggests, there are 5 love languages: gift giving, quality time, words of affirmation, acts of service, and physical touch. The titles are fairly self-explanatory; however, the book describes the implications of how the reader can adjust to their partners specific love language. On the flip side, the book offers you the opportunity to determine your own language and help you communicate that to your partner. The 5 love languages go both ways and here at Tonight’s Better Together, we wanted to give you simple …

DIY date night ideas: Time capsule with questions and free PDF templates

Time Capsule Date Night – With Free Downloadable Templates

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Time capsules are a fun community, school, or family activity. But they also make a really fun date night activity. Who doesn’t like dreaming and reminiscing together? It’s also a simple and easy idea that costs $5 or less to make, and can be made any time of the year. It’s fun to create together and even more fun to open at a later date.   What you’ll need 1 mason jar with lid (we recommend a wide rim so it’s easier to fit your hands inside) 2 pens 1 printed photo of the two of you from this year Front page of today’s newspaper Print the Date Night Time Capsule PDF template. It includes: “Don’t Open Until…” Label Goals and Predictions Guide This Year’s Events Guide 2 Letterheads   Instructions Download the Date Night Time Capsule PDF. Choose a date to open and write it on the label. Then tape the label inside the mason jar with the label facing out so you can read the date. This prevents any future weather or other wear …

7 fun New Years resolutions for marriage

7 Fun New Years Resolutions for Marriage

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Who said resolutions had to be painful? Here are seven easy (and did I mention fun?) marriage resolutions you and your boo can do now. Here’s to a year of building your marriage and having fun too! 1. Schedule a date night once a week Setting aside some time for a date every week will transform your marriage. That’s the whole reason why we’re doing this blog! Sit down with your honey and choose one night per week. Marking it on the calendar or choosing a specific day of the week really makes date night feel intentional and special. Need ideas? We have hundreds of them! 2. Find a hobby you can do together You married your best friend after all! Finding a hobby you can do together will bring the fun back into your marriage and build a stronger bond between the two of you. Find something you both like to do and be more intentional about doing it. If you or your spouse already have a hobby you individually enjoy doing, do it …

The Ugly Sweater Date Night Hunt

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Christmas is a time to get cute, cozy, and tacky. If you and your other don’t already have an ugly sweater, it’s time to go shopping! The name of this game is to find the ugliest Christmas sweater for your partner. This date night is sure to bring lots of laughs (and a little cringing too). We headed to the mall together and found a sweet little shop that definitely has some cringe-worthy sweaters. I scored “A Christmas Story” leg lamp sweater for my husband. He some how found an ugly knit with a Chihuahua and decorated cactus, paying homage to my high school years living in Southern California’s deserts. We not only had a lot of laughs, but we’ll be ready for the next ugly Christmas sweater party that comes our way. The Ugly Sweater Date Night Hunt Rules: Download and fill out the Ugly Sweater card and swap with your partner. Then head to your local thrift shops, vintage boutiques, or mall together to find the ugliest Christmas sweater for your significant other. …

Christmas Recipes: Grandma’s Gingerbread Cookies

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The best part of marriage is creating Christmas traditions together. In a world of Christmas cookies, there are so many options to choose from. How can we possibly make a decision? We default to what we know and trust; family traditions. One of our favorite Christmas cookie recipes is my grandmother’s soft and chewy gingerbread cookies. It’s time to break out the Kitchenaid! Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F.  If you are using metal cookie sheets, line with parchment paper. A candy thermometer would be useful but we have never used one. Baking is all about the love, right? Ingredients: 1 cup dark molasses ½ cup light brown sugar ½ cup white granulated sugar 4 teaspoons ground ginger 4 teaspoons ground ,cinnamon ¾ tablespoon baking soda 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temp (We’ve used salted butter with no problem) 2 large eggs, lightly beaten 6 cups sifted all-purpose flour Place the molasses, sugars, ginger and cinnamon in a double boiler over medium heat. We actually don’t own a double boiler so …

Homemade Spiced Apple Cider Recipe

Homemade Apple Cider Recipe to Spice Up Your Date Night

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Get into the holiday mood with this delicious (and easy) spiced apple cider recipe. Why make it a date night activity? It takes 10 minutes to prep and while it’s cooking for three hours, you can enjoy dinner and a movie on the couch while the smells of spiced apples and oranges fill your house. More of the outdoorsy type? Go apple picking and use the apples you gather for the recipe. Homemade Apple Cider Recipe 12 cups of water 10 apples of the sweet variety (Fuji or Gala apples are great choices) 7 cinnamon sticks 1 orange 1/2 cup of maple syrup 1 tablespoon of whole all spice 1 tablespoon of whole cloves 3 tablespoons of light brown sugar 1 tablespoon of cinnamon powder A package of cheese cloth to help strain the apple mixture Wash and cut your apples into eighths and cut the orange into fourths. It’s fine to keep the skin on both fruits as you will be boiling, straining, and discarding them . Put all of your sliced apples, apple …

How You Can Use Myers-Briggs to Better Your Marriage

How You Can Use Myers-Briggs to Better Your Marriage

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Have you ever taken the Myers-Brigs test before? If you haven’t, it’s time to understand you and your spouse a little better. I believe that if you can understand the cause of what makes people make the decisions they do, you can really understand how to thrive with in your relationship with them.  With this free worksheet, learn how to communicate, motivate, protect, and care for your spouse. Don’t know what the Myers-Briggs test is? In short, it’s a test to give you accurate results of your psychological indicator type (I’m an INFJ and Eric is an ESTJ). Remember that everyone is unique and with 16 categories, there may be a couple traits that might not be exactly you. But it does gives you a deep understanding of who you are and what motivates the decisions you make. This test is used by psychologists and counselors helping clients to understand their complex personality, and even large corporations helping their employees thrive in their work environment. I’m sure you’ve taken Facebook quizzes before, but this is …

Salem, MA Must Try Restaurants: Opus Review

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If you have been following our adventures here at Tonight’s Better Together, you know we took a trip to Salem, MA. While on said adventure, we happened upon the restaurant Opus. This restaurant is a mash-up of cuisines; however, it all somehow works together. When you enter Opus, you are transported into multicolor décor accented by local art. At the time of our dining experience, they happened to feature nothing but Beetlejuice inspired art. If you love Beetlejuice, then this is the place for you! So other than the peculiar décor, this restaurant is best enjoyed in leisure attire. The place kind of sprawls so this is not an intimate experience but a great choice for a Friday or Saturday night out. There is a basement level that hosts live music, a separate bar, and arcade so there is always something going on to shake up your evening. The great thing about Opus is that they can pretty much cater to any craving you might be having. After a long day of walking and exploring …

Salem Massachusetts

How to have the Perfect Day Adventure in Salem, MA

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For anyone looking for a wonderful day date, Salem, Massachusetts may fit the bill with its rich historical past. Much of it is related to the Salem Witch Trials of 1692 – 1693, but there is so much more to the storied past of Salem. We just so happened to adventure through Salem around Halloween, which means that it is brimming with historical re-enactments, witch impersonators, and tons of other ghoulish fun. Salem is nestled just north of Boston along the coast and offers the adventuring couple many options to choose from. Here’s a list of recommended witchy and historical fun for you and your boo. 1. Hocus Pocus House You should definitely stop by the Hocus Pocus house on the way into town. This is the actual house featured in the film Hocus Pocus. It’s a little far away from the bustling downtown of Salem, so make sure to stop by on the way in or out of town. 2. Best parking in town For centrally located parking, head to the visitors center and …

Halloween inpsired date night: carve pumpkins and listen to spooky podcasts.

Halloween Inspired Date Night: Pumpkins and Podcasts

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Get into a spooky mood with this really fun and imaginative date night idea. Find a local PYO pumpkin patch and pick out your perfect pumpkins together. Then head home, turn down the lights, light up the candles and listen to spooky podcasts (check out the list of spooky and creative podcasts below!) while you carve pumpkins. It’s the best of both worlds for the Halloween season – scary stories and ghoulish pumpkins. What you’ll need: Pumpkin carving kit Newspapers or trash bag to cover your working area Pumpkin carving stencils Candles to create a witchy mood A podcast from the list below Recommended Rhode Island Pumpkin Patches: We have two favorites. The first one is Sweet Berry Farm in Middleton, Rhode Island. Why do we love it? Not only can you find a plethora of pumpkins to pick, they also have a store where they bake fresh pies, serve up ice cream and also have tasty cider to warm up with. Fair warning: it is a favorite for a lot of Rhode Islanders, so …