Birthday Date Nights

 I forgot to mention that the Sat. before Nathan's birthday we had a Stake couples dance for Valentines.  It was probably the best date I've ever had, at least in the last 8 years!  Nate and I were able to go out to dinner for his birthday and then for mine a week later (thanks to several really good friends and neighbors willing to babysit for us!).  He chose to go to Coney Island Diner and we ended up getting a TON of yummy food:  chili cheese fries, a foot-long hotdog, and a burger for each of us.  It was one of the best diners either of us have ever been too and perfect for Nate's bday dinner.  Then we drove to the Stake Center, where we had a formal dancing lesson on how to do the cha-cha, fox-trot, and some swing.  I have learned all those dances before, but it was a first for Nate, and we were both laughing our heads off it was fun and funny.  We had never gone to a real dance together and it was a blast being able to learn and laugh together.  I'll be nice and say that I was slightly better in the dancing arena than my dear husband, but he is so good at taking criticism or at laughing at his faults that it just made me love him even more.  Sure, I was dancing with a robot, but he was a sweet and fun robot that I would love to dance with any time!

 For my birthday date we went out to eat at the Olive Garden then went shopping at Kohl's for some much needed new clothes to add to my wardrobe. 

 I got stuffed Chicken Marsala, which ended up not being my favorite dish.

 Nate got some kind of steak fettucine and liked it but wasn't in love.  I think we'd both prefer the cheaper and better tasting Coney Island Diner if we had to choose again.  Oh well,  it still tasted really good.

 Nate had fun finding really ugly things for me to try on for the camera.  I obliged :)

Gotta love fur.. sorry to say this did not end up in my closet!  But I did end up getting 10 new shirts and sweaters, and two pair of pants for less than $100!  They had great clearance and we had a good time.  Well, I did anyway, and that's what really mattered on my birthday date, right?