Where's the TV?

Until a few months ago that was one of the first questions people asked when they came into our home. "We don't have one," we'd respond, to which we'd receive a remark of disbelief, a stunned facial expression, or most commonly (and my personal favorite), a combination of the two. Brooks & I don't have moral convictions against TV. We just don't have one. After people got over the initial shock of hearing the news they'd ask, "What do you do?" or "How do you do that?" Here's our answer to those that ask:

1. We read. 

Brooks & I started reading together when we were dating. We read our first book Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy independently & talked about it casually. The next book we read aloud, mostly Brooks reading to me. It's one of our favorites. Other reads we've enjoyed include: Sacred Marriage, The Meaning of Marriage & The Hunger Games trilogy, to name a few. And every year we choose a Bible Reading Plan as a means by which to read through Scripture together on a daily basis.  

2. We talk, like friends do. 

Pretty simple. Check this out if you've forgotten how to be a good friend to your spouse, family member, or roommate.

Normally we don't look this cute doing so (engagement photos, ha)!

3. We cook & we eat. 

We value our health, so we make an effort to buy groceries on a weekly basis, to research nutritious (and delicious!) recipes, & to try new things. Sometimes we cook together, sometimes I have dinner ready when Brooks gets home. Either way, we sit down at our dinner table, enjoy good eats, & catch up. 

4. We exercise. 

Again, we're passionate about pursuing good health. We enjoy going to the gym at the same time when our schedules allow it, & after dinner in the evenings (when it's not too stinking hot) we walk around our neighborhood. 

5. We travel. 

Our travel bucket list is growing by the day with family + friends scattered throughout the world. We make it a point to pay them a visit. We also keep a list of places of interest that are nearby, and explore them when we're able.

If you walk into our house today, you will now find a TV in our living room. My parents gave us gift cards to Best Buy to purchase one for my birthday. We are really grateful for it. While we still don't have cable or dish, we do enjoy watching movies and the occasional mini-series (Downton Abbey, anyone?). Hear me when I say: TV isn't a bad thing. We just don't prioritize it when there are so many other fun things to do!

 What do you + yours enjoy doing besides watching TV?