When the Kids Go to Bed
I wish I could say that when Chris gets home from work, the house is quietly anticipating his happy arrival. I wish I could say that we are all clean and pretty and ready to shower him in kisses when he walks in the house. The truth is that when Chris gets home, both dogs are barking to be fed, Bean is usually cranky because he’s hungry for dinner, Gracie is sleeping through it all, and I am frantically trying to find something to make for dinner because I’ve forgotten to lay out the meat to thaw.
But Chris doesn’t miss a beat. He comes in, kisses everyone hello (even sleeping Gracie), rolls up his sleeves, and starts helping out. It’s pretty awesome and I’m a lucky, lucky wife. Over the commotion of dinner and bath time, Chris tells me about his day and I tell him snippets of mine. He tells me about funny emails he’s gotten and I tell him about Bean unraveling the entire roll of toilet paper into the toilet and then pulling it all out and dragging the wet mess into his bed for some reason. He tells me about what’s happening at work and I tell him about Gracie smiling at me today.
And then, bliss. Or rather, bedtime.
Bean goes to bed around 7:30 or 8:00 and, while I love that guy, the quiet that falls on the house when he heads off to bed is welcomed after a long day. When Bean goes to bed, that’s when Chris and I really connect. That’s when we sit quietly together with glasses of wine and contemplate how meaningful our life is. That’s when we sit for hours and gaze loving into each others eyes.
Or, it’s a time when we pick our noses with Bean’s toy hand grabber.
Please ignore my teenage pimply skin. I blame Gracie.
Yep. When the kids go to bed, Chris and I really dive deep into our relationship and examine who are are as people.
And what we discover scares us. Like, Chris prefers 2 liters of Coke and I prefer cans of Diet Coke. HOW WILL OUR MARRIAGE EVER LAST?!?!
So, instead of thinking any deeper, we go back to playing with Bean’s toys.
It’s just better that way.
17 Comments
Tressa
You two are funny!!! Enjoy your weekend. Happy Easter!
Life of a Doctor's Wife
You guys are too cute.
Shelley
Haha. When Eydie Gorme was asked in an interview how her marriage to Steve Lawrence lasted so long, she answered it was because they never had a meaningful conversation. You guys are on the right track!!!! Have a great weekend!
Waiting for Bulgaria
Funny! I think it’s great that ya’ll know how to have fun together.
Alaina
Ha, you crack me up…
Kat @ Living Like the Kings
When Peanut goes to bed we grab dinner and eat it while watching meaningless television. Or even worse, we watch 2 separate televisions if there is a remote struggle. But we do smile lovingly at each other from time to time 🙂
Mindee@ourfrontdoor
I have always thought of bedtime as “clocking out” – like at a job. Once the kids are in bed, I’m off the clock and can relax.
Woe to the child who comes out of their room!
Melissa W.
LOL!! I thought we were the only ones that did that stuff! We do LOVE some bedtime too!!
Jessica W.
I love how cute and how real you are. 🙂 Let me touch on just one thing you mentioned in passing. Forgetting to thaw the meat. I do that ALL the time!! Best solution I have found? A pressure cooker!! I can throw in a frozen 3lb pot roast and in 2 hours have it be done and falling apart. A-maz-ing!! And throwing in frozen chicken breasts and a jar of salsa for shredded chicken for tacos in 30 minutes? Love it! I got this one from QVC, it’s digital, easy to use and doubles as a steamer, slow cooker, and rice cooker. http://www.qvc.com/qic/qvcapp.aspx/view.2/app.detail/params.item.K22739.desc.Cooks-Essentials-4-Qt-Digital-Stainless-Steel-Pressure-Cooker.cm_scid.zone I bought it terrified I was throwing the money away but I use it several times a week. It’s worth every penny!! Not to mention the Godsend it is in summer, it doesn’t heat up the kitchen so it’s perfect when I’m not setting foot near an oven or stove. Just thought I’d share!
Ashley @ A Recipe for Sanity
Precious! Those moments are some of the most important in a marriage. They just allow us to have fun with each other…picking our noses. 😉
Jess @ Diary of a Misplaced Kiwi
Ha ha, we also love bedtime in our house too! We are currently working our way through the complete box set of M*A*S*H (for the second time!) which means we don’t have to focus too much, and we can also internet.
momiss
Whatever works. lol
Rebecca
Oh bedtime…what a blissful, blissful time of day! I’ve never been such a fan of 8pm in my life!!!
Amy L Butler
Hilarious. Working opposite shifts with my husband and being tired sucks, but we try to make the most of it. Sometimes being silly is the only way to get through it all 🙂
Maybelline @ Naturalmente Mam¡
LOL! you r so cute!
Christina
This is one of my favorites, Katie…the finger up the nose? You are my kind of girl. 🙂
And I am super sorry about the TP on the bed. Oy.
mindy@thesuburbanlife
Oh, how I can relate with this post! I wish I could say that “bedtime” was emotional and intellectual around my house but it’s often a race to claim back the TV or enjoy a stiff drink (or three). And I make no apologies. Except for the 3rd drink part. That’s entirely inappropriate. =)