Mother-Daughter Dates 2026 So Far
This year we decided to try a little something different with our parent-and-kid dates. The kids each get $20/month for their date, and can roll any left over into the next month. L has been using hers every month, and W has so much saved up he can probably pay for something extravagant.
The kids decide which parent they’d like to do their date with, and we schedule it on the calendar. I was supposed to make a jar of date ideas, but it’s only still in spreadsheet form.
Based on our banking statements, most of our dates thus far have been eating out on errands and buying video games to play together 😆
Just Dance
L has kind of become obsessed with the video games Just Dance ever since we borrowed them from the library. She gets “Superstar” and “Megastar” high scores on most of the songs. They memorized the moves to the songs just from playing the game, and I realized this while watching them dancing their little hearts out in coordinated moves through the glass outside our dental office.
It’s an old game that doesn’t work with our “offline” Nintendo Switch which we refuse to connect to the internet or pay for subscriptions, so I’ve been watching out for old copies people are selling online. We’ve collected 3 in the last few months, and she gets so excited playing nonstop on the weekends with her brothers and I.
In the pic above: Look who has been playing “Just Dance 2020” (new to us) for 2 hours.
Apparently she also scored the winning soccer goal at school from the half line during PE that day ❤️ she said it was a hard team they were playing because it had a lot of soccer players from outside school, and she was the only one who played on her team.
I love how joyful my kids are when dancing, and that we work off quite a bit of calories having fun together!
April – Feels Like Friday
Lily said it feels like Friday instead of Monday, because we did a bunch of stuff we normally do only on Fridays- got checked out early from school, went to a dental appointment, went to the library, bought Pan Dulces at a Mexican bakery, are watching a movie with the pan dulces and milk past bedtime… yeah I guess it does feel like a Friday.
Orchestra
L has had a few orchestra performances, concerts, and an Art Gala that she’s worked very hard on with her viola. Her instrument is usually in the background, but her teacher has given the violas some featured parts in their programs. I’ve been so excited to see and hear her beautiful music live! We have gone out to eat afterwards where I praise her and she recounts all the ways she messed up lol. My daughter is amazing!
Mama’s Hair Salon
“Welcome to Mama’s Hair Salon! This here is my Baby Assistant who will be checking my work. We hope you enjoy the baby noise and spit up with your hair cut today!”
Lily laughed so much at the sight of me and Baby Henry. I guess it was rather ridiculous cutting hair while wearing a baby, but he wouldn’t accept any other solution.
L wanted me to cut her hair so we tried it out! I asked her if she wanted to try some face framing or curtain bangs and she was up to trying it a little bit haha. No pressure or anything with messing up the front of her hair where everyone would see… 😅 We will have to invest in a round brush and blow dryer if we want to go all out with the bangs, so maybe next time.
Where we cut her hair was half an inch too short to donate! 😅 Next time we will measure it out first lol.
She LOVED her new haircut! Especially the front pieces! So I’m glad it turned out well so she doesn’t forbid me from touching her hair.
Shopping + Lunch
In the almost 9 months since Baby was born I haven’t been able to shop for clothes for the kids. They’ve outgrown everything, and the weather is all over the place with seasonal changes! L has been wearing my pre pregnancy clothes and needed some warm weather stuff, so we went shopping while Jer watched the boys. She loved all the cute flowy things she tried, and even got a bathing suit!
We had lunch at Zao’s Asian Fusion where we split a burrito that had all the fixings and upgrades like pan seared steak and yakisoba noodles, and she got a delicious side soup.
Lunch was followed by errands like grocery shopping, and we were glad to feel happy and full to make it through! She does so much at home and church and school, and still makes time to create thoughtful handmade gifts for her friends’ birthdays coming up. I always want her to feel special and treated when we go out.
Movie Night
We set up the Nugget Couch in my room, moved the bassinet into my closet, and put a small tv in its place. I brought out my Popcorn chips I’ve been saving for an occasion like this, and we watched Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants which we borrowed from the library.
Snuggling under the blankets helped while cringing from the 16yo girl characters pursuing and being pursued by college aged guys. I cried when America’s character poured her heart out to her Dad about why he doesn’t spend time with her or wants a new family. I’m glad there was more to the stories than just Boys, and that there were some real friendships with old and new friends.
We have a few more movies on our list. L chose “Confessions of a Shopaholic” and I got “The Princess Diaries”. We couldn’t find “Princess Bride” but that’s definitely one we both enjoy!
At the end of the day when life is busy we’re just trying to fit in time together wherever and however we can. I’m going to that orchestra concert to support her? Let’s get something together after. We’ve got to grocery shop on the one day this week where Dad can watch the baby? Let’s grab a chicken bake and talk in the car.
I’m hoping that our dates over the summer can be a little more “planned” but we shall see!
Love, Kat
