I flipped off of a trapeze and lived to tell about it #datenight

If I can’t brag about myself on my own blog, then where?

First watch the 30-second video below in which I, Whitney Moss, not a stunt-woman, but a 40-year old mother of two, perform a little trick after a short trapeze class. Then, I’ll tell you more about it how this happened.

ARE YOU SO IMPRESSED? I was. I have a video just like this of my husband Ryan, which is even more impressive because he is much bigger and less flexible than I am.

Ok, what’s going on here is that we have a brand new sponsor on this site and I’m pretty eager to introduce you to them. It’s a website called HowAboutWe.com, and it’s a dating tool for couples. That is, a catalog of interesting experiences that bring new shared adventures to your relationship, perfect for couples who are in a rut, like most every parent everywhere.

They told me that their mission is to help us stay in love. Mission accepted.

After a long series of nights on the couch where my husband and I participated in the stimulating activity that I call “laptop-ignoring-each-other”, I was more excited than ever to go on a date with him. We needed to shake off our sofa butts and do something that would make us laugh.

After browsing HowAboutWe.com, I was tempted to do one of the crafty things, like a Couples iPhoneography Class or Learn to Make “Next-Level” Smores, but decided our first date should be something physical. There was an indoor snowboarding class we could take, promising all the fun of a day on the mountain but without the cold and bruises. Then I spotted Trapeze Arts Lessons for Two in Oakland.

I have always wanted to take the trapeze class and Ryan claims he wants to skydive, so I figured he’d be willing. A couple weeks in advance, I booked it through the HowAboutWe.com website (they gave me a free membership to try) and got a confirmation email. I emailed the babysitter. This is not crazy spontaneity, people; this is parenthood. Anyway, Alma said that anticipation is more than half the pleasure of a vacation, and she read that in the New York Times. I do not read the NYT much, so if Alma was lying and she actually saw that on The View, take it up with her. (Updated: Alma sent me the link to the NYT.)

The long-awaited Friday night arrived and I dressed for my date in leggings and a tshirt which I hoped would not reveal my belly if I turned upside down. I threw a dress and what passes for heels in my closet into a duffel bag and left my house to pick up Ryan from the BART station, only after reminding the babysitter that 911 is the number to call in a real emergency.

The trapeze gym was indeed expecting us and we joined a small class of aerial arts virgins. To our total disbelief within ten minutes, I was climbing the platform to take my first swing. A net beneath the trapeze and a safety belt were there to catch a fall, but nothing was going to prevent us from falling from that ladder.

In retrospect, it was a thrill and I’m tempted to go back for more, however during the session, I was terrified each time I stood up on the platform. Ryan, who is sensitive to motion and cannot ride tea cups or carousels, completed the class, but felt increasingly dizzy and nauseous towards the end. When we arrived at a restaurant for a late dinner after the class, he could hardly speak. This was not the most romantic part of the night.

Sharing the experience of flying through the air is what will go down in our marital memories. Dedicating a night to adult fun is the investment we’re committed to. I can’t wait to try more of the date ideas I’ve favorited since then. Thanks to HowAboutWe for inviting us to get off the couch.

Sign up for free and browse all the amazing dates on the website. If you become a member, save $50 on your first date through this link. Stay-tuned: Heather and her husband Alec will be creating a modern woodcarving of a city map together for their first HowAboutWe date. We hope this sponsored series of posts will inspire you to book some exotic dates with your partner.

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Whitney

RookieMoms.com co-founder Whitney lives with her husband, son, and daughter in the San Francisco Bay Area where she writes about parenting, crafts, and activities that moms can do with babies in tow. She and Heather also publish 510Families.com, a site for East Bay parents.