Night out without kids

Now this is an adventure in itself, a night out without kids. Actually it was two nights without the kids. Can you hear the choir singing? We met friends the second night (someone else was turning 40 first). They have a six month old and this was their first full night away from their little bundle of joy. It's something that does take a little getting used to. I remember the days I felt guilty about leaving my children. Now the guilt comes from being excited to be away from them. As all parents know, this does not mean I love my children any less, but I love my own time just as much. Someone told me that it is beneficial to get away from your children every once in awhile. She said it makes you a much better mom when you come back. I don't know if I'm a better mom, but I still cherish every free moment.

Here begins the adventure of our first night out without the kids. We had a wonderful dinner and decided to see a movie, in the movie theatre, on a big screen. We were starting to get cabin fever by watching DVDs every Friday and Saturday night (we definitely get our money worth out of Netflix). We had over an hour to spare before the movie started, so we decided to have drinks in the bar. As a married couple with kids, we don’t have many opportunities to just sit and enjoy our company. You would think we would cherish this moment. However, after a short while and a drink (or was it two) we took our antsy bottoms on a new adventure to the department store. Can you see how I have become a true mom because I use the term bottom? In my household that word may become tushy, but since I am telling a grown up story the word will remain bottom. A year earlier I remember a similar night of drinks and spare time before a movie and we ended the night in the department store. I have heard many stories of parents making a trip to the big box hardware store on a night out without kids, so at least we bumped it up a notch with trips to the department store.

The reason for the trip last year was because I wanted to buy a certain color of Fiesta dinnerware. Yes, Fiesta dinnerware. For those out of the loop, Fiesta dinnerware is a popular brand of china. The popularity comes from the multitude of colors and the ways these colors compliment each other. The most interesting aspect of Fiesta dinnerware is that the glaze on the original tableware contained lead. Antique hunters may have fun trying to find an original red Fiesta tableware. The original red glaze was known to be radioactive with high levels of uranium, so you could do some interesting experiments with an original plate. I wish I knew about the radioactive component as a child. I could have played some fun mind games with my younger sister. As she wondered why she was the only person in our immediate family with blazing red hair, I could have told her that our mom, while pregnant with her, ate off this radioactive red plate. Careful little sis, don’t touch people or you will transfer a current to them.

This time it was my husband's suggestion to head to the department store for Fiesta dinnerware and not mine. I was still trying to figure out why he would want to look for Fiesta dinnerware, but I decided to indulge. O.k. I figured I could go for some more Fiesta dinnerware, even though I thought I had all my favorite colors.

We walked in the store and focused our attention toward the kitchenware. The popularity of Fiesta dinnerware could be seen from afar as we gazed upon a complete rainbow wall of bright colorful plates, mugs and bowls. Crayola would be proud. Among this display I glimpsed the garden color of a plate not in my current collection. Lime green. Actually it was lemon grass, but it was close enough to lime green for me. I could see myself now, sitting on the back porch in the Adirondack chair with the sun beaming down and a nice icy margarita in my hand with the lime slice delicately sitting on the edge of the glass, as I leaned over and took a bite of nachos from my brand new lime green plate.

"I was thinking of getting the lighter blue", my fantasy interrupted by my husband. The color was actually turquoise, but I guess I won't quibble with the names created for Fiesta dinnerware.

"Why light blue?” I inquired. We just bought his favorite cobalt blue last year.

"Well, I really don't like the red plates", he replied.

"How can you not like red?” I said.

"It's too Christmassy. The light blue looks more like the water in a swimming pool and reminds me of summer,” he answered.

I'm not seeing it, but do I have to see it. My lime green provided me a much better interpretation of summer and couldn’t the red represent Independence Day.

"Well, I really like the lime green.” I said. We went back and forth for awhile. And yes we did buy some Fiesta dinnerware and made it in ample time for the movie.

Now you are probably wondering, what color did this couple purchase of Fiesta dinnerware on a night out without children.

Why we did what any couple that wants to compromise without giving up their own preference. We purchased both colors.