Back Yard Date Night

This post is sponsored by Blue Diamond Almonds

It’s not easy to admit this, but the reality of my life is I don’t prioritize myself or my marriage as often and regularly as I should be. I am fully invested into the wellbeing of my children, and during the summertime especially, the kid’s inconsistent schedules are challenging to work around.

Entertaining at home and setting up “date nights” in our back yard has become our new favorite thing to do. We will often host our friends for dinner or drinks, or we will set aside an hour to talk and snack together while the kids are playing at the neighbor’s homes or with their grandparents. For these special, formal yet perfectly casual date nights, we treat ourselves to a little conversation and music, along with cheese plates, vegetable crudités and Blue Diamond Crafted Gourmet Almonds.

Often for me, the ceremony of date nights get in the way of actually carving out good time spent with my husband. If it’s hiring a sitter or making dinner reservations, or even picking out what I want to wear- we find that it’s easier to make sure we are regularly taking time for each other when it is easy to organize. The nights when we can take an hour or two without fussing over dinner preparation beforehand are the times when we are most invested in each other. Foods that feel festive and gourmet without the labor that goes into meals are our go-to’s- the Black Truffle and Pink Himalayan Salt varieties are our favorites, especially paired with olives and feta cheese. With the skins removed and slightly oiled, the almonds are smooth in texture but are perfectly crunchy, a really dynamic flavor that stands alone or complimented with a variety of foods and beverages.

Sometimes the ceremony of parties and date nights can be accomplished by paring down the excess and ramping up the simple details like great music, friends and delicious foods. I personally love the extra time I get to spend with my husband without compromising on the quality of our snacks-we really enjoy the Blue Diamond Crafted Gourmet Almonds whether we are sitting on the beach or hanging out in the back yard. Most importantly, it’s easier to prioritize ourselves when the process isn’t too complicated.