One Secret to Success for a Working Mom, Expand Your Village (Jack and Jill of America)

Jack and Jill of America member and her daughter Recently, I have become keenly aware that good kids are created by accident. They become good because someone made a concerted effort to pour positive things into them--things like, honor, discipline and respect for others. These qualities are taught through lessons and by observation. For that reason, I have been actively considering how to give my children more examples of people who embody those qualities.  Indeed, raising my children to become good people is my most important job.

Date Night: Oscars Style

Andre and I at "Meat and Potatoes" on Valentine's Day
I believe in the power of date night. We were so committed to having our date night on Valentine's Day that we braved a blizzard. I had to plan an outfit that was warm, but didn't make me look like Frosty the Snowman. I chose Black leather pants, a Robert Rodriguez sweater, and chandelier earrings. I was proud that I pulled it off!


I have written about our commitment to date night in prior posts as well.

Former Posts About Date Night

  1. Date Night Ideas 
  2. Summer Date Night 
Dating life is hot, sexy, and fun! In contrast, married life contains a lot of obligations that are mandatory, but mundane. Doing those tasks isn't fun at all. However, failure to have them done is maddening! Because of that, most of us keep score about certain details, despite ourselves. These mandatory, but mundane, tasks are boring not sexy. Keeping score and nagging   reminding somebody else to do those tasks is not sexy. If you let it, married life can kill romance.

In contrast, date night is all about the sexy!

Date nights give you the opportunity to reclaim that which made you a couple. They remind you about what got your family party started. They help foster romance. They also force you to discuss something other than who failed to fold the laundry, clean the bathroom, or make the bed. Indeed, if you have lost it, to borrow a phrase from Justin Timberlake, date nights help you bring sexy back!

Love: Reese and Jim (at the SAG Awards on January 25) have been married since 2011 and have a two-year-old son together
Reese Witherspoon and husband at an awards show

Although Andre and I have some pretty fun and hot date nights, I don't think they compare with having a date night at The Oscars. Unless they introduce a "Best Blogging About Nominated Movies" category or I change careers, I ain't going.  So, it's nice to experience the event vicariously. I was thrilled to see someone compile a post about parents who had a date night at the Oscars. Here's the link, Celebrity Parent at The Oscars . Enjoy!!!

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