Are you busy Friday night?

It is so important for married couples to date. Whether you've been married for a year or for what seems like an eternity, you need to spend time alone together reconnecting and regrouping. As a parents of three young children we often find it difficult to schedule date nights. Either the budget has been wiped out on new shoes for the kids, no babysitter is to be found or sleep is higher on the agenda. We often find ourselves sitting at home on Friday nights flipping through the television channels, half asleep, before one of us says, "Alright, I'm done. I'm going to bed." To which the other out of guilt or obligation says, "Okay, me too." And off to bed we go. BUT on the nights we do have a date scheduled we find ourselves rejuvenated even after a long week of work and with an almost giddy attitude. It's amazing the transformation that comes over us. We shower and dress and primp and do all the little things to impress each other that we did before we got married and it's so much fun!

This past Friday was one of those nights. All the things needed for us to go out on a date lined up: babysitter-check, extra money in our pockets-check, reservations-check, movie times checked-check, coupon for restaurant-check. And what a great time we had! The evening started at a fondue restaurant for dinner (due to a craving, confirmed by a coupon) then was followed by a movie with friends. We got to the restaurant to discover our coupon had been misprinted (one of those too good to be true things) however, the restaurant would still honor it! We enjoyed an intimate four-course fondue meal tucked away in a corner with a great view of the outside courtyard. The food was great and the company even better. We were able talk uninterrupted and enjoy eating without cutting meat for anyone but ourselves, cleaning up spilled drinks or reminding those gathered around the table that eating dinner was not a race.

After our bellies were full with cheese, salad, lobster, steak and chocolate covered strawberries, cheesecake, brownies, pound cake, well, you get the point...we left for the movie theater. At the theater we met some of our friends for a movie that we all agreed was hilarious and not just a "chick flick." As we walked out of the theater, hand in hand, we were a little saddened to acknowledge the night was over but thankful for the time we got to spend as a couple, not just a mom and a dad or a man and a woman but as a couple. Husband and wife. That night the moon was a little brighter, the air smelled a little sweeter and our marriage a little stronger.

What's for dinner? Banana Cake. Yeah, I know, but we had a late lunch (Eric's awesome burgers) and the kids didn't complain.

Banana Cake

Cake
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup margarine or butter, softened
3/4 cup mashed ripe bananas
1/4 cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
Frosting
2 cups powdered sugar
1 (3oz) pkg. cream cheese, softened
2 tbsp margarine or butter, softened
1 tbsp milk
1/2 tsp vanilla

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 8x8 inch square baking pan. In large bowl, beat sugar and 1/3 cup margarine until light and fluffy. Add bananas, buttermilk, vanilla and egg; mix well. Add remaining ingredients except nuts; mix well. Stir in nuts. Spread batter in pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely.

In medium bowl, combine all frosting ingredients; beat until smooth and creamy. Spread over cooled cake. Store in refrigerator. Enjoy.