5 Year Anniversary

Get a baby sitter and pack a picknic, take him to a beutiful park or other nice outside spot you both like. Take something yummy to drink and enjoy dinner and the sunset together... this assuming it is warm enough for you to go out for dinner where you live, cause it isn't where I live!

Hi K.,
A girl friend of mine wrote 365 reasons she loves "her husband" and then put it in his palm pilot (one for each day). Some of them were just silly, but he loved it and I thought is was a wonderful idea. If he doesn't have a planner you could do a "flip calender" type thing. Happy Anniversary!

Hi K.
I have sometimes made a "coupon" book for my husband or kids when I couldn't think of what to buy. I make up coupons on the computer for things I know he will like and sometimes attach a small gift that goes with it for example a coupon for a batch of homemade cookies with a bag of chocolate chips, or a foot massage with foot lotion ... you get the idea. You can do things you know he will enjoy and appreciate but still keep down the cost & he will know you really care - after all it's the thought that counts!

Check out my new website, www.onlinelegacies.com
You can make a Photo Montage of pictures of you guys set to music and download it to your computer for cheap! It's really cool and makes an awesome and different present!
K.

Something that my husband did for me one year, was make a little photo album of memorable photos from the years we had been married. It was really fun to look at the pictures, and it only cost him a few bucks for a little album.

Add some spice...wink. Start the day with a hint of what is to come. A clean wash cloth wrappped in a nice ribbon. Say nothing. During the day send him an email or text message with one word ( a food item) "bread". Right before he comes home call him to pick up matches, nothing else just matches.

When he gets home use the matches to light the candles, enjoy a lovely dinner that has bread as one of the items. Then enjoy a long bubble bath or shower using the wash cloth. Get the kids to grandma's for the night if you can. If not see if a friend will watch them so you can enjoy a quite dinner.

Being with my husband for 13+ years, I have found the little things are what make me fall in love with him each day. Try not to talk about the kids all night. Talk about what he does for you that you love. Does he refill your coffee without you asking. Does he take the kids so you can have a few free hours? Does he notice when you have had you hair done. Does he make you laugh? Find ways to fall in love with each other everyday.
Congrats on 5 years!

Have a friend, neighbor, or someone take several photos of you and your children. Pick out the best one and take it to Walgreens or your favorite photo place to be cropped and enlarged in black and white. 8x10 size would be ideal! Find a nice frame and tah dah! He will know how much you appreciate him as a husband and father when he sees this photo of his precious wife and children. It's simple and not too costly. I did this for my husband one Valentine's day.
Happy anniversary!

My 5 year anniversary s coming up, too. I'm having boudoir photos taken for him and made into a little book as a surprise, I bet your hubbie would love that, too? You can research photographers locally and probably find a pretty good deal. Then on the big day, after a nice home cooked dinner and the kids are in bed... you can show off that lingerie in person! :)
Happy anniversary.

My husband and I just had our 5 year and we didnt have any money. What I did was I had my dad watch the kids for the night and We sat at home and watched our favorite movie together. it was great! We had no kids and no worries. He said that was the best gift.

Write heart shaped love notes and leave them where he will find them. On the bathroom mirror, in his work clothes, car,
be creative! Make sexual comments, tell him how much you love him, what a great husband he is. promise a back rub.
Just an idea.
C. B

I don't know if it is possible, but surprising him at work with a homemade fruit basket with homemade goodies would be thoughtful and surprising. Also, if you it is too hard to go out the day of your anneversary, you could cook dinner, but make a meal you would get at your favorite resteraunt. You can google recipes online and there are a lot of copy cat recipes from resteraunts. We love Johney Carinos, so one year I made their spicey shrimp and chicken because we couldn't go out on the day. Add candles and dessert and you've got a special romantic evening. Congrats on 5 years!

hi, you could try getting a sitter, for the night. put on something sexy and have a quiet dinner with candles and than a nice aromic bath together, with soft music and candles. very romantic, inexspensive, and lets you both just focus on each other.

When I looked up 5 years I found that it was the 'wood' anniversary so I ended up getting my husband a grill so he could throw some wood on it and cook. He thought that was pretty clever. You might try finding something that goes along with the anniversary year (but you will have to explain it as men don't follow those things).

I am in the same boat as you are. In May it will be five years for us and we also have two kids. I found out that the theme for 5 years is wood. With that is mind I know how much my husband likes plants so I was planning on getting him a bonsai tree. However, I am not sure how they cost. But you could stick with the wood theme and find something that he does like in wood. I hope this helps.

Make his favorite dinner (or any meal) and take special care in your appearance for the time you spend with him on that special day!

My husband loves getting his Valentine's Day card from me every year because I use pictures taken of us in the last year, and create a card that says "I" on one page, a heart on the second, and a "U" on the third - all using pictures on 12 x 12 paper. You could write in a journal about the first 5 years of your marriage, and give it to him and continue the writing back and forth, as another form of communication.... You could do a picnic and surprise him! You could send him a special invitation for a "night in" with lingerie, after all, that's who it's really for anyway!!! Have fun!!

get a bottle of oil for massage. lay out a sheet or blanket on the floor with some candles and maybe a space heater. give him a great back massage in the nude, have chocolate and strawberries after. Just taking the time to make this happen will be enough to last him for a long time! the actual massage and fun playing with you will be a great present! I did this for my husband on his birth day and spent no money!

I noticed someone else had written this also but we too spent the night in the same place we had our wedding night. It was a great way to spend the five year so we could remember it.Good luck!

our last anniversary i tryed to spice things up a little and gave my husband a night at a bed and breakfast. i also gave him a basket of fun things including some lingerie and and a few other spicy gifts. i also included some liquid chocolate that he was able to do whatever he wanted to with. he had a great time. he was really happy with it.
sometimes when you have to kids you need to remember the romance.
M. g

Don't laugh now, you asked for suggestions! One year for our anniversary and we didn't have a lot of money, I sent the kids to Grandmas for the night, fixed a special dinner, candle light the whole bit, then just about the time my husband was due home from work, I got myself ready. (It was winter time, and I knew he would be hanging his coat up in the coat closet.) I hid in the closet when I heard the garage door opening, and when he opened the closet I handed him a hanger....NAKED....was a great night, tho dinner was cold! Whatever you do, good luck and congrats!

K.,
We are also going to be celebrating our anniversary soon. We are going to do dinner and then from there I am unsure but we don't usually do gifts so this year I thought I would suprise him with one. Some things that wouldn't be to spendy are a picnic in the park, give him a massage, go for a walk somewhere special to the two of you, and give him a little of all his favorites that would send a message that you notice the little things. For instance his favorite candy bar, movie, something that is his favorite color. Most importantly just enjoy each others company.

hj

My husband and I were married on a hot air balloon in the spring. It was amazing. We have been on an air balloon a few times for different reasons. I was thinking you could take him on a morning ride with brunch in a basket. Also, one year we did a morning ride in the winter and then went to our hotel room to receive a couple massage, lay by the fire and relax all day long without kids. You can get massage companies to come to your home too. Hope this helps!!!

You may consider a photo gift for your husband. My husband loves to have pictures around, but hates getting his photo taken. So, I have often taken our daughter and myself to a photo studio for surprise pics for Dad. I have pics taken of our daughter and some of the two of us together. You could do something similar for your two kids and yourself. Keep it simple - wear similar colored shirts and jeans or khakis - things already in all your closets.

If you go to a studio like JC Penny (great prices - go to websites to print off coupons) or even Sears, Target or Walmart studios. Often there is a coupon for no sitting fee, and a free 8x10 - JC Penny also has $3.99 sheets of photos (all one pose). Try and make the appt at least two weeks before the anniversary so your order is in. At some studios, you can always pay a bit extra for them to print the photos while you wait. Then, while you're in the store, pick up a simple frame and a card. One stop shopping!

It ends up being a photo that your husband will love, you will cherish, and he is totally surprised!

Just an idea!

I don't really have any suggestions, but I LOVE Connie S's idea. I bet your husband would too. I know I am going to have to try that one before coat season is over.

everything depends on what you like to do, are you a consevador in terms of doing things or do you like to try new things? what you 2 like to do? i would recommend going to a spa and getting a masage together is a great experience, or going to a place like Zermatt or the Homestead (great seeting, great fod, nice place) and I can tell you the names of the marketing person who may give you some discount or something...Let me reply to ____@____.com

soniathomas.com

Why don't you send him a picture of yourself every hour on your cell phone while he is at work. Nothing trashy, just something to get him excited about your Anniversary that evening. Get some candles and make him dinner that can be eaten on the floor on a bed that you've made. I guarantee something romantic will be far more memorable than some gift. Men love being surprised by there women. Sorry if I have said too much..

Congrats on 5 years! For my 5 year I actually put together a scrapbook of sorts. I am not very crafty so don't get scared by the terminology. I just gave each year that we were together a "theme" and then mixed the pages up. My husband had to choose which page went with each year. Example, first year was easy, it had a photo from our wedding on it, plus photos from our first home and honeymoon. Second year more tough, we took some fun trips and got a dog, 4th year was our son Connor, and so on. He loved taking a walk down memory lane and he said for our 10th anniversary he would make the 5 pages and I could guess. So just an idea that takes no money but actually was a wonderful reminder of why we are together and how lucky we are to have each other and our family too!!

We went to a resort town during off season. The fanciest room in the fanciest hotel was only 250. The town was only 2 hours away. We went to dinner and breakfast. We drove around. We didn't spend as much as we thought we might, even after buying stuff for the kids and those who watched them, I think we came in under 400 total.

I have a fun idea that my husband did for our 5 year that might work for you. He surprised me by kidnapping me and drove me blindfolded to the hotel where we spent our wedding night. He even remembered the room number we stayed in 5 years previous and reserved it for us. We just stayed the one night and did dinner and a movie as well.

I would pick one thing that you know he'll really appreciate, even if it's just putting full effort into your appearance and get a babysitter for at least a couple of hours so you can have a little well earned extra couple time. If you know someone that you is willing to trade sitting time with you then you can get them to watch your kids for free and probably even at their house so that you can have more "free" time with your hubby at home instead of spending money somewhere else.

Good luck.

I've found that wih my husband doing stuff together or for him is all he wants. If you can have someone, a family member or trustworthy sitter, watch your kids at their house.
Plan a senuous night. Low lights, candles, (don't have to worry about kids) and lotion. Do something he wouldn;t expect. Rub his feet with lotion. Blindfold him, it makes it more unexpected and makes the sensations all the more intense. I did that for my honey and he was so suprised. No one had ever rubbed his feet before. Hand massages, especially if he's a blue collar worker. Also, just having a nice dinner, order out, and watching a new release. You probably don't get to the movies too much.

Good luck and have fun.

Give him a Nickle of the date you were married.

I recently had a 5 year anniversary too. I took pictures from our wedding day all the way till the present and put them together in a picture movie. I made sure to get all the pics that represented events and fun things that we did together. It was fun to sit down and watch it with him and talk about all of the fun we have had. It only costs $5 for the dvd-r if you know how to do it yourself. I think I am going to do this every 5 years to keep an updated record.

My suggestions is to find out what your husband's "love language" is. Dr. Gary Chapman wrote this pretty simple book and it has done a world of good for our marriage. Basic idea is that we don't all receive love in the same way (for example, my best friend doesn't necessarily hear "I love you" when her husband just says it, but really feels it if he cleans the toilet). The languages are quality time, words, acts of service, gifts, and physical touch. It is interesting once you start speaking your spouse's language how much better thing become. So, I see lots of great suggestions for different ways to celebrate - figure out what would be most impactful for him and go for it! Have fun - 5 years and kiddos is a great milestone!

Hi. Im approaching year 11 and each year gets harder! But what I have learned is that is doesn't have to cost much, just has to have thought put in it. For our 5 year I created a scrapbook of adventures we had together - so you might try that. Best of luck!