After a long day of work, kids, meals, cleaning the house, etc., we moms and dads need to relax, decompress, and regenerate together. So from one tired mom to another (or whoever you are), here’s a little list of all you need for a romantic stay-at-home date night – complete with a list of delicious gluten-free treats, and a wonderful massage. 

A work in progress.

For those of you who don’t know me – which is probably almost all of you – I’m going to let you in on a little secret about myself: I am not a romantic girl. But as often happens, opposites attract, and I married a guy who cries during Return to Me. 

But regardless of my personality, I know the importance of date nights. When you have five six crazy kids running around you like banshees all day (well, technically only five of them can run – one’s just learning to walk) you NEED time alone with your spouse! And even if you’re not being overrun by kids, a little one-on-one time for couples is a must-have for a healthy relationship!

Being the unromantic type makes planning date nights a tad tedious for me, though. While I’d be happy with a movie and a bucket of ice cream between us, my husband is more of a “let’s do something special” kind-of guy. So lately I’ve been working on more “something special.” Wanna know how?

Melt: Massage for Couples

Thankfully, something special doesn’t mean you have to leave the house. After the kids are locked in their room until they fall asleep snug in bed and the dinner dishes are washed soaking for tomorrow, my husband and I have been settling down and trying something new.

Through the Melt series, done by Australian massage therapist Denis Merkas and his wife Emma, my husband and I have been learning how to give each other killer massages. (Please note that the use of the word ‘killer’ is completely idiomatic, in case you were worried.)

Couples massage? Sounds way romantic, right? Yeah, and way out of my comfort zone! But getting out of your comfort zone can be a good thing, and in this case getting out of my comfort zone actually feels amazing!

The Melt videos are beautifully and elegantly filmed and teach couples how to give each other simple, soothing, in-house massages. With no fancy equipment needed, and easy-to-learn techniques, the routines are the perfect complement to your stay-at-home date!

Denis goes through everything: the best positioning for giving/receiving massages (and it’s not the bed – what?), how to properly apply massage oil (and what kinds to use!), as well as simple, easy-to-remember techniques that go way beyond a simple back rub. The massage routines don’t take long to learn, but they’re an amazing way to unwind and relax with your spouse. 

My Take on Melt

While my husband and I chose to watch the sessions after our kids went to bed, they’re clean enough (no nudity or awkwardness) that you can watch them with the kiddos around, and the individual sessions are short enough that you can watch them in your down time (what’s that again?) during the day. In all, it took us three nights to get through the 2+ hours of Denis’ material, and it was totally worth the time spent!

Now, besides being unromantic, I’m pretty ticklish. Before we started the videos I was a little nervous that I would be tensing up and laughing hysterically the whole time. But as we got into the massage I was pleasantly surprised to find that the techniques Denis teaches both soothed and relaxed my achy mom-muscles. Even after just going through the basics, the massage my husband gave me almost put me to sleep, and the morning after our first session he even remarked that it was the first time in a long time he’d woken up and not been sore somewhere.

So, what are you waiting for?

Sound like a date night you’d love to give your spouse? Denis is giving my readers (that’d be you) 20% off the retail price of the entire package of Melt courses. (That’s only $89 (usually $147 in total.) You’ll get lifetime accesses to all the sessions, which includes learning 3 massage routines that cover basic and advanced massaging techniques, as well as massaging highlights.

• The Basic Series starts with going over some common massage mistakes and teaching the foundations of massage, ending with a 5 minute follow-along massage routine.
• The Highlights Series shows you how to find the tough spots and work them out. This series covers the neck, shoulders, lower back, arms, head and ends with a 15-minute massage routine.
• The Deep Tissue Series is left to the very end for good reason – it’s amazing stuff, but it shouldn’t be over-emphasized. This series also ends with an epic 30-minute massage follow-along massage routine. 

Head on over and grab this fabulous deal and bless your husband/wife with a perfect date night! Because, as Denis and Emma, the creators of MELT say, every relationship deserves a little massage.

Click Here to Get Melt!

Before You Melt…

Need some tasty treats to go along with your massage? A few of my gluten-free blogger friends and I have put together a list of some of our favorite date-night treats for you and your special someone to enjoy!

Drinks

Paleo Black Betty (Blackberry & Sage Cocktail) from All the Nourishing Things

Easy Paleo Dark Chocolate Eggnog from Raia’s Recipes

Cranberry Coconut Daiquiri from Raia’s Recipes

Instant Pot Mexican Hot Chocolate from Cook With Me Darling

Elderberry Water Kefir from Raia’s Recipes

Quick Fix Dark Hot Chocolate “Shots” from Raia’s Recipes (pictured)

Sweet Treats

Triple Chocolate Mousse Shooters from Raia’s Recipes

Paleo Chocolate Nut Butter Tart from Raising Generation Nourished 

Paleo Chocolate Coconut Bars from Raia’s Recipes

Keto Chocolate Chip Cookie Cheesecake Bars from All the Nourishing Things

Paleo Salted Walnut Butter Blondies from Raia’s Recipes

Death by Chocolate Paleo Blender Brownies from Delicious Obsessions

Raw Banana Brownie Parfait from the Unconventional Baker

Healthy Grain-Free Cranberry Cheesecake Bars from Recipes to Nourish (pictured)

Finger foods

Sweet & Salty Chocolate Bar with Fruit & Nuts from Raia’s Recipes (pictured)

Chocolate Rum Balls from the Unconventional Baker 

Sprouted Candied Nuts & Seeds from Raising Generation Nourished

Toasted Coconut Truffles, from What the Fork 

Crunchy Cinnamon Sugar Chickpeas from Strength & Sunshine 

Homemade Honey Roasted Peanuts from Raia’s Recipes

Bacon Wrapped Cheese Stuffed Dates from Recipes to Nourish (pictured in pin)

Peanut Butter Turtles from Raia’s Recipes

This post is sponsored by Melt: Massage for Couples.