i am definitely the kind of gal that likes to get fancy and go out to a nice dinner with her stud of a man every once in awhile, and we do that every so often. but lately bryan and i have been taking the less expensive route when it comes to dates, and what i’ve realized is that our relationship rarely grows over a conversation had during appetizers or the main course, and instead deepens at the least expected times, in the more casual moments of life.

in la jolla over the weekend, it was a walk on the beach after sunset, while the waves receded back from high tide. tonight, we scooped ice cream and chopped strawberries in big starbucks mugs at home instead of heading to the frozen yogurt place, and drove to a lookout point where we could see seattle and the bridge and the point. we ate our ice cream and mostly talked about silly things, including what we remember of our first few dates together, much like this one but without the mugs and with a lot more butterflies in the stomach and mint gum.

but the connection is made and obviously felt between us in those moments of spontaneity, which leads me to believe that more than just the two of us can agree that these homemade cozy dates are the most important dates we’ll ever say yes to.

so i guess my challenge is this: go on a free date. it doesn’t even really matter who it’s with. it could be your dad, or your niece, your best friend, your dog i suppose. the only guideline is that whatever you do together must not cost anything. make popcorn and play scrabble outside on the lawn. find a new park and play on the swings. window shop downtown without stepping foot into a store. go to a bookstore and search for some good children’s books to read aloud. have a dance party in your kitchen.

be a cheap date and, if your experience is anything like mine, the results will leave you feeling rich.