it's a date...

Today I went on my first date in the past 6 months. The last time I went on a date was when I was spending a lot of time with Aries. Since then I just haven't wanted to go out with anyone, even people who I know I would have a good time with. I was really hesitant about this whole thing, but my dear friend Kayla (an LDC first year who is quickly becoming a forever friend) just set it up and told me to find someone to bring in our group. And so I did! I asked one of my friends from choir, Sean, who I've known for a little over a year now. He's one of the few people I would trust with my life, and coming from me that's saying a lot!

Holy heck, this date was a BLAST. Kayla and I discovered that we really CAN use the grid system while on our way to pick up the guys. We also learned that the grid system does not seem to apply to apartment complexes, and that Sean is color blind...he texted me that he lived "in the big blue apartment building" that is, in fact, brown. Not even gray-blue. It's brown. We had a good laugh about that one.

Our activity for the afternoon was a super simple, super fun, super inexpensive one. Here's the gist of it:

Walmart Pick-Up Game
Object of the game:
Fill carts with random items and then be able to put back as many of another couples' items as you can before the time is up. Winner has the fewest number of items left.

Items needed:
-Each couple needs some sort of clock or timer with an alarm--a cell phone will do just fine
-A large cart--Walmart will supply this for you

How to play:
Go to Walmart with a group of two or more couples (even numbers of couples, and not too many or it'll be crazy).

Each couple gets one cart. Establish a base in some part of the store, like near the photo center, the shoes, the electronics, etc. Once this is set, you have 30 minutes to go through the store as a couple with your cart, finding a designated number (we did 35) of the most random, obscure items you can find to put into your cart. The other key: stay away from the other couples! You don't want them to see where you've been or what you have. After you have 35 items, return to the base with your items.

Now that all of the couples have returned, SWITCH CARTS with another couple. Each couple needs to set a timer for 10 minutes; you have 10 minutes to put as many of the items in your new cart back as you can. After a coundown of "3, 2, 1, GO!", all of the couples head off at the same time to get started. Go through the store putting away the items as you go, but do it fast (don't run though--you don't want to get kicked out of the store). Once the time is up you have to return to the base with all of the remaning items.

When everyone is back, count the remaining items in your cart and compare with the other couples. The team with the least number of items is the winner (if you like you can decide beforehand on a prize of some sort)! Then switch the carts back so that your team has the cart you started the game with. Return all of the items that you found. Meet up at the front of the store to return the carts and you're done! Game over.

This was super fun. Super, super fun! I got to know Sean a little better, and we got to play a silly game that was actually pretty intense! It's amazing how quickly ten minutes goes by. You'd be surprised. I sure was!

Yay for cheap date ideas! The Walmart thing was free (except for the cookbook I've been wanting for months that I saw and had to buy--I am SO excited!), and lunch wasn't expensive at all! We went to Noodles & Company on Kayla's recommendation, and I believe that she is a genius. It was so good! Well priced, too. For two people it was only about $14, and the food was really good and very filling. Perfect, yeah? Yeah!

So much fun. I loved it. :)