dinner at eight :: italian style - part 1

{Dinner at Eight is a special project I am doing with my friend Rebekah this year - planning date nights at home for our husbands every other week, putting the kids to bed early and being intentional about our marriages! Read more Dinner at Eight posts HERE!}

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So this week's Dinner at Eight is going to be a little bit different. I am going to be sharing it in two parts- one today and one hopefully tomorrow. 

You see, this week has been rough. In almost every sense of the word. I have been tired, the kids have been naughty, my heart is hurting (about several situations that are completely out of my hands), and...did I already mention that I am so tired? 

Anyway...

Last night was supposed to be Erik and my Dinner at Eight, Italian style. But I just couldn't.pull.it.together.

I almost tried to. To rush around, stressing myself and the kids out. But I decided to just let it go and try again a different night. 

So today, I am just going to share my plan for my date with you. Then tomorrow, I will share photos + details about how it all went. Sound good? 

Here's the plan:  

• pull the little square kitchen table into the living room  for something different
• cover it with a tablecloth ( hopefully red + white checkered + vinyl (!), if I can find one at Joann's...)
•  lots and lots and lots of white tea lights in little canning jars, Rebekah-style  
• fiestaware plates (as usual)- maybe the green + red this time...or would that be TOO Italian?
• red wine 
• garlic bread
• a green salad with homemade balsamic vinaigrette
• this pasta for the main course (we've never tried it before, but it looks like a good hearty man's meal!)
• creme puffs for dessert (don't know if they are truly "Italian", but they are yummy! and super easy because I can just grab them from the freezer section at Costco today)
• the conversation will include lots of reminiscing about our trip to Italy five years ago
• and the night will end with a showing of one of the following movies (I am still undecided. Or maybe I will let him choose!): Roman Holiday, Gladiator (needed to throw a guy/action movie in there), or Return to Me. I am kind of leaning towards Return to Me because we haven't seen it in forever, but of course, I always love Audrey Hepburn...

See you tomorrow!