Tuesday Coffee Chat

I missed this week's Tuesday Coffee Chat, but when I went back and read the topic I just had to join in, even if two days late.


Show me Love. Now is your chance to get all lovey-dovey. Share a craft, share a poem, share a date night idea.

For Valentine's Day in 2010, some girlfriends and I put together a The Amazing Race: Valentine Edition for our spouses. It was so incredibly fun, one of the funnest things I have ever planned and pulled off. The post with the details of that date night is as follows:

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Oh how I have been dying to post something about this! But, I couldn't breathe a word or even drop a hint because it was such a big surprise!

For well over a month my friends Berry, Deidra, Tamara and I have been planning The Amazing Race: Valentine Edition for our husbands. I saw this idea on My Insanity, and immediately enlisted these friends to do it with me. Saturday night was the first chance around Valentine's Day that we had to do it.

Our husbands were told that we were meeting at Nick and Deidra's so all four couples could go out to dinner. When we got there, we had a couple of cocktails and then the wives slipped into the bedroom. We came out wearing t-shirts that said "I love my Husband". We told the guys that we were all really gathered for the race. They were in shock, and one of the husbands was even a little perturbed (come to find out, he hates surprises!)




The men were given their uniforms: Matching t-shirts that said "I love my Wife".



They were given a pink pouch with around $1.10 in change, mostly pennies, and their first clue. Then they were told the rules:

1. They had to wear their uniform at all times.
2. They had to follow the clues and complete all Roadblocks.
3. They had to video each Roadblock being completed.
4. They had to use the pouch of money to buy each of us a gift.
5. They had to get each of us a bouquet of flowers without spending any money.

We took all of their wallets and cell phones. The driver was given his license and his cell phone.



And they were then given Clue #1 that said:

It's time to make those cards, but in order to do it right, you'll need to go to the store, where Nicole makes memories on a Friday night.

They guys had to go to our local scrapbook store, where a real crop was going on, and make Valentine's cards for each of us with supplies we provided. Then they received their next clue.

Clue #2 said:

Now you're heading to an Island, where you'll have a Funtastic time. You'll be swinging and sliding, and finding a clue when you climb.

They had to go to Funtastic Island, a large community playground (in the rain) and one of them had to search the slides and other equipment for their next clue. They were to text me at this time to say that they had completed this task.

Clue #3 said:

Next drive across town, to a Firestone who is a delight. One of you will perform a Roadblock, that's sweet and spicy and such a fright.

They had to go to our friend's house where one of them had to eat some chocolate covered insects and sour cream and onion insects. Then she gave them their next clue.

Clue #4 said:

Your next stop is a pizza place, near Uptown not down. Hopefully they'll be love in the air with your tune, and not (A)more frowns.

They had to go to Andolini's Pizzeria and the remaining two guys who hadn't done a Roadblock yet had to sing That's Amore to the patrons of the restaurant. When they completed that Roadblock, they got their final clue and the pizza and spaghetti we had ordered for dinner.

Clue #5 said:

Now go (b)o(w)ling, not to the alley but the house. There you'll find your prize: not a million, but your spouse.

This led them back to Jace and Berry's house (their last name is Olinghouse) where we were waiting for them. We had set a beautiful table and made homemade breadsticks, salad and dessert. We enjoyed a great dinner and lots of laughs.









They came in wearing the red bandanas that we had tied at the Roadblock locations. After dinner we went to the living room for them to present their cards, gifts and flowers to us. It was so funny! Personalities really came out!







We couldn't get the video to run at their house, so we are working on it to give to everybody. Some of the highlights were: them talking about how gay they felt in their matching t-shirts; how they would rather be killed than to spend a Friday night scrapbooking; how much fun they had at The Dollar Tree picking out gifts and how long it took to stand there and count out their pennies to pay; how they bought one of our gifts from our friend and then took a flower arrangement of hers to give as flowers to one of us; how when they went to the restaurant they actually had a stuffed singing bear that sang That's Amore when you pressed a button and the store owner gave it to them!

Each of the men were given a Skor candy bar with a note attached that said, "Your hard work paid off so now you'll 'Skor' tonight ".



I'd like to thank Rick, Jace, Nick and Jeff for being such good sports. The gals and I had a blast planning it and keeping the secret and pulling it off!