Date Night

DATES WITH THEMES

Enjoy spring with a fun April-themed date night!

LIBRARY WEEK

To celebrate National Library Week, April 4-10, we gathered some ideas from others online who have done library dates and put those ideas together to make our own custom date. It was basically a series of challenges. We first each had to go find a book from our childhood that we loved and then meet up to read them aloud. Next, we each went in search of a book with a funny joke. When we met back up, we had so much fun telling jokes to each other that we couldn’t stop at just one. Next up, we went hunting for several books with short titles that, when stacked up, would reveal some kind of message or description of something or someone. This was my favorite challenge of our date. I opted to find books with titles that describe me, while Dean went with a sports-themed stack. The final task was to go together to the DVD section and pick out a movie to take home and watch. All in all, this was a fun and different date that exposed us to many different areas of our library.

LAWN AND GARDEN MONTH

April is National Lawn and Garden Month, and I can’t think of a better place to go in observance of that than the Ewing and Muriel Kauffman Memorial Garden. Opened in 2000, the garden showcases unique trees, perennial beds and annual beds, with the annual ones being changed out at least four times a year. The changing variety means there is almost always something new to see if you visit multiple times a year. We finally went there for the first time in April 2021 and weren’t going to miss it this year either. We have found it to be a beautiful and magical place. Admission and parking are free, and the garden is open from 8:00 to dusk daily. If you go on an off day or off time, it is quite peaceful and serene. My husband and I highly recommend adding this to your date day calendar. And when you do go, be sure to really stop and smell the roses.

PICNIC DAY

April 23 is National Picnic Day, and we think picnics make for a perfect date! My husband and I both love alfresco dining and being in nature. Plus, picnics can be customized to fit any budget. Sometimes, it’s simple sandwiches and chips; other times, it’s something more extravagant. We also love that you can have a picnic at any time of day for breakfast, lunch or dinner—or just snack time with wine and cheese. We have done all of them and had fun with each. And though the food and the time of day are important, the scenery is also important. We have enjoyed picnicking at Loose Park, Shawnee Mission Park, Smithville Lake, Berkley Riverfront Park, English Landing Park and Oak Grove Park. Many times, it’s just the two of us, but other times, we’ve been at a concert, play or movie with other picnic and event lovers.

Hannah Berry is a freelance writer who lives in the Northland with her husband. They love to explore Kansas City and try new restaurants and activities.

FOR MORE GREAT DATE NIGHT IDEAS, GO TO KCPARENT.COM!

“I recently adopted a puppy and I was wondering how much I should walk her. I want to socialize her as much as possible and give her plenty of exercise. She is six months old, fully vaccinated and dearly loved.” – Hadley Davidson

“Congratulations on the new furry family member! It is recommended to give a dog between 30 minutes and two hours of exercise per day depending on the size, breed, and health of your pet. I recommend breaking that up through walks or backyard play if you have a safe yard where she can free roam. Socializing your pup is such a great idea at this age. If she is not displaying any fear aggressive behaviors, I recommend taking her to pet stores or stores where dogs are allowed for additional socialization. You can bring treats and ask others to give her a treat to help with socialization.”

– Ashley Flores, CPDT-KA

“We got a new dog from a family member that could no longer keep him and I travel frequently. I have been boarding him when I am away, but I wanted to get your feedback on how to safely fly with my pet. Do you think plane travel is safe for animals? Is there any training I can do to better equip him for flying? I will not be able to take him on work trips but hoping I can take him on family trips.”

– Gracie-Mae Frederick

“I recommend asking yourself what is best for your pet and would he enjoy flying? It is preferred that he fly in the cabin with you, which is easier for smaller pets or Emotional Support Animals (ESA). If he is a larger dog and enjoys being boarded and going to doggy day care, I recommend that if he cannot fly in the cabin. If he cannot fly in the cabin, talk to your vet to make sure he can safely fly and avoid doing it during hot summer months. You can also talk to your vet about medications for your dog to ease the stress of the plane trip.”

– Ashley Flores, CPDT-KA

There are supplements for dogs that help with nitrogen, but I don’t know how effective they are. Let me know if you try one! You can train them to pee in a certain area like a rock garden or block off areas where they normally pee to help let that grass grow. You can also reseed your lawn with more urine-resistant grass seed.”

– Ashley Flores, CPDT-KA

“I have two dogs that like to pee in the same area of my backyard and it is destroying my grass. I haven’t been too worried about it since the weather has been poor, but now that spring is coming soon, I was hoping you could give me some tips on how to keep the dog’s urine from damaging my yard.”

– Harvey Whitlow

“I recommend watering your grass deeply. Nitrogen from their urine is what causes browning in the grass and water can dilute nitrogen. Ensuring they have plenty of drinking water can also help.

Featured Pet

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