Series: Dating Idea Summer 2011: Des Moines Farmers’ Market, Part Two

This summer we’re going to feature dating ideas in Central Iowa and around the region.  One of the biggest struggles modern day couples are having is keeping their friendship alive over time.  When they are dating everything’s fine, but after marriage and finishing college and mortgages and student loan payments and figuring out the career deal and having and training and feeding kids, many couples put the friendship aspect of their relationship on hold.

THOU SHALT NOT DO THIS!

Dating your spouse is one of the easiest ways to stay connected.  It’s also one of the easiest things to let slide and then after 5, 10, 15, 20 years of neglect, people wake up and pull out the “we’re not compatible” card, which, of course, is a load of crap.  We all change over time.  We ALL CHANGE OVER TIME.  So….we need to spend a chunk of that time developing common interests that are mutually invigorating.  We live in a free society.  You can do whatever you want.   So get busy and start hanging out.

On an earlier blog I featured the Des Moines Farmers’ Market generically.  I told about it and what my wife and I like to do there and posted their promotion video.  (See this blog here.)  Today, I’d like to post some pics from my wife and my recent trip to whet your appetite.  Keep in mind, if you live outside the Des Moines area you can check in your local area for the best of the best farmers’ markets.  Even the small ones have delights and you can go home and fix your favorite summer meal.  Ohhh, baby!

By the way, we’re also going to feature favorite dating ideas in our weekly podcast.  If you’ve found a creative and inexpensive way to have fun with your spouse, fill out the form on our podcast page (here).  If you take pics and would like to contribute to a future blog post on dating your spouse, email the pics to inquiry@thrivingcouples.com.  Include a note saying we can include them in our post.  Give us a little commentary along with it.  I certainly don’t know everything there is to know about fun things to do with one’s spouse, so share your creativity with the rest of us so we can keep those friendship factors flowing.

Here then are some pics and commentary from our recent trip to the Des Moines Farmers’ Market (Every Saturday, May-October from 7:00 to noon, downtown Des Moines):

Kum and Go has pop on sale for 69 cents this summer.  That’s a deal.  We don’t go on any road trip unless we have Corn Nuts.  You can tell we’re from the Midwest.  If you’ve never had Corn Nuts your life is sorely deprived.

This pic is from the 2nd floor of the free parking ramp on 3rd Street, looking east on Court Ave.  There are 7-8 blocks of venders.  By 9:30 the place is packed.  We got there at 7:30 before the rush and left around 8:45.

This is a sample of a booth that featured a local artist with her crafts.  She was there to explain her work.  There are many other artisans as well.  It’s a great place to pick up that unique gift for someone this summer.

Mary Sue’s favorite treat at the Farmers’ Market is Mao’s crab rangoons.  Way good.  They are the best we’ve tried….ever.  On the west end of Court Ave.

The Master Griller just down from Mao’s has smoked bar-be-que to overcome that early morning craving.  I get their smoked pork loin sandwich, with lots of their very good home-made BBQ sauce.

Dogs are welcome at the Farmers Market.  This is a bit much.

Way good breakfast pizza.  After crab rangoons, a pork loin sandwich and breakfast pizza we’re ready to do some serious shopping.

Lots of very pretty things.

Produce and plants are seasonal.  For example, in early spring there are a lot of seedlings ready to go in your own garden.

At most of the street corners and in between there are different entertainers.  These guys were playing 50-60’s rock and were pretty good.  They sounded like the real deal.

One of many dog conventions a the Farmers’ Market each Saturday.

You’ve got to admire all the hard work these folk go through to get their products to the public.  It’s hard to beat fresh honey from the farm.

See the next pic for an explanation of these way-cool bird houses, made locally from local products.

Is this cool or what?  What a great gift idea.

We cap our day with a whoopee pie and split it for supper.  We had the pecan rolls for breakfast on Sunday.

I’ve a weakness for funny license plates.  This one is funny twice.  If you find any this summer, send us a pic, and we’ll post it.

Have a great summer having fun with each other!

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To see the first in this series of blogs on Dating in the Summer of 2011 see:

Awesome Date or Family Time Idea: The Des Moines Farmers’ Market

Dr. Wall introduces the uninitiated to the Des Moines Farmers’ Market as an idea for you and your spouse or your whole family.  If you haven’t checked in out, it’s time to put it on your MUST DO list.

See these other blogs from Dr. Wall on having fun as a couple:

Part Four: Living As Roommates: What if Your Wife or Husband Was Priority Number One Instead of Your Kids?

Dr. Wall continues his series on roommates vs. husband and wife by looking at the temptation parents have to invest in their kids and ignore each other. This is fine for roommates; not for husband and wife.

Make Fun, Not Relationship War

Dr. Wall proposes we find creative solutions to our relationship problems by introducing fun into the equation.

Part Five: Improving Your Relationship: Dale Carnegie on Marriage: Fun

Dr. Wall continues his series about lessons on marriage from Dale Carnegie’s business classic, How to Win Friends and Influence People, by encouraging us to have a little fun, already.

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Dr. Bing Wall is a therapist specializing in marriage and relationships and issues facing single adults with a practice in Ames and Urbandale, Iowa.  To set up a time to see Dr. Wall click here or call 888-233-8473.  For more information about Dr. Wall click here.