"Choose Your Own Adventure" Date

This date was inspired by the "Choose Your Own Adventure" books I used to read in Elementary School.  I was a pretty outgoing kiddo....but I was also SUCH a bookworm!  :)  Seriously!  Even now...when I pick up a book, the whole world disappears....and my husband has to say my name at least four times before he can get me to respond! :)  

First the INVITE!!  The wording was "fashioned" after the wording that is on the books....you can download the invite HERE or HERE. (The second one has "Love Your Amazing Woman" at the bottom.)  You can insert it into a Word Document to make it any size you'd like.  You can either insert the date info with text boxes OR handwrite it on after it's printed.  Just print it onto white cardstock...I mounted it on some colored paper as well....and taped it on our Master Bathroom mirror a few days prior to the date.  

Jamie LOVED it!

Our group all met up at our house and we handed the guys FIVE envelopes.  On the front of each envelope was a poem about a restaurant.  The guys had to read the poems aloud and figure out WHICH restaurant the poem was about.  They were then allowed to open the envelope of the place they all wanted to eat at...and that is where we headed.  

Each girl made up a poem/riddle/clue (in advance) for a place they knew their husband would love to eat.  The choices were: Cafe Rio, Fudruckers, Island's Restaurant, Pei Wei, & Farmer Boys (...we were trying to keep it a "low-budget" night...). 

After the guys figured out all of the clues...they couldn't decide which place they wanted to go to - they liked them ALL!  My husband finally put the top three choices on the ground and called our little yorkie to come over.  The envelope Jaxston (our dog) walked up to was Island's Restaurant!

(Picture of the materials used....you can download a zipped file at the end of the post!)

We then divided up into two groups....for the two cars that would take us there.  And...of course....since this is an ADVENTUROUS date....we had to do something fun in the car on the way to our restaurant!!  Each driver was handed an envelope full of "Car Tasks".  At each stoplight, we took turns pulling out a task to complete!  It was HI-LA-RI-OUS!!! 

(Copy & paste the above image into a Word Document - then you can make it as big or as small as you need to fit onto whatever size envelope you have.  These are the directions for the Car Tasks.)

 I tried to take pictures of the others doing their tasks.  In our car, we decided it would be more fun if we ALL did each task...here are some pictures of the differents ones we had to do (you may need to click on the pictures to make them bigger...):

(A HUGE thanks to the other girls AND my CUTE sisters for coming up with a lot of the tasks!  I did a modified version of this date with my husband, brother, & sis-in-law.....a few years ago.  My sisters helped me come up with a lot of the tasks we did.  Good thing I saved them!)

We recieved a lot of fun AND funny reactions from people in other cars.  Some people in one car even started dancing along with us!!  

After our eventful car ride to the restaurant...we arrived, were seated, and we ordered our SUPER yummy food.  I then introduced the "Restaurant Tasks" envelope.  Each person had to choose at least one task out of the envelope and complete it sometime during our meal. 

(Copy & paste the above image into a Word document - that way you can make it as big or as small as you need.  These are directions for the Restaurant Tasks.)

 It was SUCH a hit that the group decided to try two tasks each.  I  didn't get any of the pictures of the tasks because most of them were verbal....but I CAN say that we were laughing a ton!  Here are a few of them:

When the waitress comes to the table say, “This food is SCRUM-DIDDILY-UMPTIOUS!!!!!” (If there is no waitress – say it to one of the employees that works there.)

When the waitress asks “How is everything?” loudly proclaim, “I’m having the BEST night of my life!!!” (Try to say that phrase at least 2 more times before dinner ends.)

Mention MC Hammer in three sentences throughout the dinner.

Tell about your first date with your spouse.

Make Star Trek door noises whenever someone passes the table.

(Nathan - you did a GREAT job with this one!  LOL)

I have to tell you a little bit about ONE of my tasks! The task was:

Go over to another table, ask them how their food is and if they are enjoying their dinner. Perhaps you can offer to take their plates/trays if they are finished.

 I chose a table consisting of two parents and a child.  It looked like they were just finishing up....PERFECT!  My group was all done, and I was hoping that I could quickly complete my task and then we could all walk...er... sneak out.  

I walked up to their table and asked how their meal was.  They looked at me, a little puzzled...(probably because I wasn't wearing the standard uniform...)...and told me that they really enjoyed their meal.  I then asked if they needed anything before they left.  They replied that they were just fine, but thanks!

I turned around to see our group trying to stiffle laughter and we all quickly walked out.  THEN - as we were standing in front of the restaurant, talking before heading to the two cars, that FAMILY walked out!!  My husband spotted them and loudly proclaimed, "Hey! There's the family whose table you went up to!!"  Totally his personality to do something like that!    

They came over and we chatted with them for a minute - I told them that they were part of a game we were playing and I thanked them for being such good sports.  They thought it was pretty funny as well.  They told me that they were a little confused because they hadn't seen me all night!  The wife asked what I would have done if they had actually asked for something.  I let her know that I would have passed it along to their waiter.  :)  Overall, the "Restaurant Tasks" were a blast and it kinda reminded me of the game, "Curses".  (If you have never played that game - I totally recommend it!)

Before leaving the restaurant - the guys were given FIVE more envelopes with clues/riddles on the outside pertaining to different activities we could do.  Their choices were: Laser Tag, Miniature Golf, Rock Band, Game Night, or watching the dueling pianists at the Paris Casino down town.  You can see which choice was the popular one....

We headed back to our place and had a blast playing Rock Band.

Right before the date ended, I was able to snap a photo of the guys with their "Choose Your Own Adventure" choices....

(One of the couples had already left - SORRY - Steve & Kelly!!)

(Nathan, Dustin, Jamie, & Ezra)

You can download the ENTIRE "Choose Your Own Adventure" Date zipped file HERE!  I included blank cards for you to write your own clues/riddles OR if you have the same restaurants and activities in your town, you can use the ones we made up.  

Have fun planning YOUR "Choose Your Own Adventure" Date!!