Competing For Our Hearts

Think back to my Valentine's Day 2009 post here and you'll remember that my wonderful friend Jodi and I were treated to a Scavenger Hunt 'O Love and a very memorable evening planned by our two amazing husbands. This year was our turn to plan the Valentine's Day adventure! I think we had more fun planning the date than anything. I've never laughed so hard in my life.
(Here we are at the start of the date (*notice the very round belly).)
(Here are the true love birds (and our great friends), Jodi and Sean.)

We like to keep things fun, while also adding in a little romance and craziness to the evening. This year, we decided with the Olympics Opening Ceremonies coinciding with our planned Valentine date night, we'd do our own makeshift Olympics, Valentine style. We thought about having true "sporting events", but given my current "condition" (7 months pregnant), we thought it might be more fun having the husbands take one for the team.

Our Olympians arrived promptly, having no idea about what exactly we had planned. We started the date by giving each of them a gift to open. First, came their Valentine Olympic shirts: Team Carver & Team Elwell. Next, came their main gift and their first event.

Event #1: "Spend $100 Cash Dash" (The boys were given the challenge, $100 each and one hour to head to the local mall and spend up to $100 on a sporting good item of their choice.

Apparently spending $100 in an hour is not as easy for men as it is for women. (I could have blown that in a few minutes.) Each of the guys found one shirt and had most of their money left over (I think they needed us with them to tell them that whatever they tried on "looked good".)

Nevertheless, they met us at the next location, a little nervous for their next event: The Target Men's Department.

Event #2: "I'm 2 Sexy 4 Your Love Fashion Show". This was by far the most embarrassing of the events, yet I must say, both men were great sports. Their challenge included finding the most ridiculous outfit for their opponent to put on which then had to be worn down the make-shift catwalk. They had to strut their stuff and sing, "I'm a model, you know what I mean, and I do my little turn on the catwalk." (We had alerted the Target fitting room attendants of the little fashion show, but had not anticipated such a large crowd in front of the dressing rooms. It was hilarious!)

Here they are sporting suit jackets, board shorts and their business socks.
This is Josh's token "putting out the vibe" move. (He's watched Zoolander and A Night at the Roxbury a few too many times.)

Next up, Walmart & Event #3: "Shake Your Groove Thing". As I'm sure you've guessed this event involved hula hoops and competitors shakin' what their mama gave them (hips). The Walmart employee did not seem happy that we were messing with their hula hoops. Josh was the winner of this event, which meant Sean got to sing "Hoop there it is" as Josh kept the hoop going.

Because one can never get enough Walmart, Event #4: Post Date Dessert also took place here. The guys each had $10 to purchase something for a little after date dessert. We'll leave it at that. :)

I think the men were relieved to finally get out of Walmart, but weren't so sure they liked finding out that their next stop was McDonald's.
(Don't worry, Jodi and I aren't mean enough to make them stomach Mickey D's for their V-Day meal...but, we are mean enough to make them sing for a couple of Big Mac appetizers!)

Event #5: "We're Lovin' It" Unfortunately, this event wasn't as funny to the McDonald's employee as it was to us. After waiting in line for a minute or two, they were asked the token "May I take your order?" Josh, responding to the challenge replied in a sing-song voice, "We'd like 2 all-beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions on a sesame seed bun." Jodi and I were dying laughing. But what was funnier than Josh singing his order was the look of cluelessness on the McDonald employee's face as she tried to figure out what exactly THAT was. She stared at her cash register touch screen trying to make one of the buttons fit. Finally, a little frazzled, she asked Josh what it was he was intending to order. Apparently, she was too young to appreciate the jingle. Sad day. We learned we are officially old. Upon receiving their order of 2 Big Macs, Sean was left to sing, "Da, da, da, da, da...I'm lovin' it."

So, we sat and shared a couple of Big Macs as a little appetizer before our real meal.

Event #6 was cancelled due to circumstances beyond our control. It would have been the most fun event for the guys. We had planned a hoop shoot contest at the YMCA, but unfortunately when we arrived, all the courts were in use and our dinner reservations couldn't wait. So we proceeded to the real portion of our date.

Dinner: Iron Chef Restaurant. We loved our meal. The Iron Chef is a Japanese Steakhouse where your food is cooked on a grill right before your eyes. The chefs transform the art of cooking into a performance of juggling agility as they toss around knives and ingredients while masterfully perfecting your food. It was very entertaining and especially delicious.

We finished off the date at the movie theater seeing Valentine's Day, with an A-list cast so long, I can't even imagine the payroll.

Josh surprised me that night with a dozen beautiful roses and a new LG enV Touch phone with email and a texting plan. (The phone was even charged and ready to go. So thoughtful!)

I look forward to seeing what the boys come up with for Valentine's 2011! I won't be 7 months pregnant then, so bring on the main event!