Hey all! Gray just posted their first book review on Patreon, so...if you are as nerdy as them you can go check that out lol (link in the description). Otherwise hope you enjoy this convo about keeping the spark alive! :)
I cant' believe It's been 10 years. I still remember when I discovered your channel with one of the cutest, most romantic and funniest declarations of love, with that video montage celebrating your 6 months (only!) together. How time flies and how far you're gone together. You're amazing. Bear hugs from France.
Married to a board game geek here! So have some of our favourite games to whip out for two people: - The mind (cooperative card game) - Hanabi (cooperative card game) - Spirit Island (cooperative strategy game) - Tokaido (travel through Japan and see who has the best trip) - Magic Maze (cooperative game with limited communication) - The Game (cooperative card game)
I found out i was pregnant about a week after lock down began and most of my family is gone. So i've only been away from my 3 year old for about a total of 50 hours his entire life at this point. He was born with a health issue that the few people i had left wouldn't take seriously when I took him to visit that could have been deadly, so they were ruled out as baby sitters. Parents, please, please make every effort you can to find a village if you are in a similar situation as me with no other trusted adults or family around. It's so important for you and your kiddo's well being and growth. If you are single, have a date night with yourself.
All of this is such great guidance and examples of maintaining intimacy for parents and partners. You're both doing great and I'm glad you have the support of your families.
As a fellow Twin City-ian I have to recommend “Ole store restaurant” in Northfield. We were there last weekend and they are for sure my favorite pancakes (other than the corn pancake from Victors, Top two for me for sure) 🎉 Also just had some plumbing work done by Gittleman and we were VERY pleased with the entire experience. Friendly, prompt, clean work and a lovely outcome.
Wow!!! I've been watching since your first date!!! This is amazing to see the growth and development as individuals, as a couple and as a family. Absolutely beautiful 😍 I can't believe it's been 10 years. Truly amazing ❤
Lovely to see a 'couple' video after so long. Vis taking time away from very young children, it's healthy for kids, even babies, to know it's OK if their parents aren't there 24/7, that they will be coming back. It's also healthier for them to have parents who are happy and relaxed because they do take 'me' and 'us' time.
Planted is this cute 2-5 player where you “take care of” and level up your plants! It’s so cute and has cute little sun/water droplets/etc. pieces I just wanna make into earrings!
When we visited the Twin Cities area, we really enjoyed Mason Jar Kitchen & Bar in Eagan for breakfast/brunch! We were supposed to go somewhere else on a later day, but we went there twice during the short trip! Idk if that's within your range (we hit there on our way in/out of town)
Have you played 7 Wonders Duel? It's a 2 player version of 7 Wonders, which is a civilization building game. It takes about 30 minutes to play and it's really fun!
This is such a great video. We are expecting our first baby in May and so aware of how much life is about to change. We are also absolute board game nerds and taking space away to play is such good advice. It also seems really healthy to learn to trust that the kid or kids will be fine with someone else you trust. Love it. We play cards every single morning and we're playing a lot of Phase 10 at the moment which is an oldie but a goodie.
A game I adore is the forbidden island game. It does have a board, but it's small and made of tiles. It's a co-op game, so you have to get all the artifacts on the island off the island before the island sinks or you die. I believe it's 2-4 players, but I've only played it with two, and it works well. There's 6 different rolls, which each have different powers (scubadiver, navigator, etc), and I like to pick randomly from them. I recommend the other games in that series, too, but that one is still my favorite.
+1 It is so good! This game and Villainous drew me into the hobby. I love the adrenaline of having a sinking island. I have only played in "Normal", and I can't fathom people starting at the "Legendary" level. W-I-L-D!
@argieMJ yes! Have you tried forbidden jungle? I just got to play it, and it's also really fun. Forbidden island is still my top pick, but forbidden jungle is also really good.
I live in Europe, so I'm not sure these games are available in the US, but I like: Catan - the card game Pick a pen (bit of a puzzle like game that you can play with 2 - 4 people) Take 5 (some tactics, some guessing, some luck, quick and easy to learn) El dorado (bit of a longer game where you race each other to El dorado) Machi Koro (Japanese game where you build your own city) Set (great for people who are good at pattern recognition)
Ooh! Can you make a video where you talk about your favorite games and maybe tell us a bit about them? Or like, a video where you try some of the recommendations you'll get! That would be so much fun!😊
I'm aroace, never have had a relationship and don't want one, but if I did...I think yours would be my inspiration and my ideal. You guys just seem so perfect together, so well-matched and happy and healthy. I truly wish you two a lifelong, wonderful relationship, with healthy and happy kiddos.
Awww you guys are so cute 🥰 I'm so glad you came back to the internet ☺️ thank you so much for sharing about your lives, choices, and living the good life as lgbtq folks
I'm old. I remember watching Ash and her little brother making awesome stop motion animation videos back in the day. Damn. I can't believe it's been a decade for the two of you. Congratulations! BTW, tell Jiimmy hello!
It's heart warming to see you guys still so adorable together after all this time ❤ I've followed you since the very beginning and Ash for a while before you guys met and it's really lovely to have seen you grow together and as individuals. It's been a privilege to have learned so much from you because of what y'all have chosen to share and I'm very grateful, thank you!
Two 2-Player Game recommendations that I've found super fun and play a lot: Quarto - sets of wooden blocks with 4 different attributes: shape, height, colour, hollow/solid. Take turns placing one piece on the 4x4 board to make a line with all pieces sharing one attribute. It plays on the trope that people are good at remembering 3 things but not 4. Hive - hexagonal pieces with insects that move in different ways. Requires a flat surface to play but it's easy to carry all the pieces in a little bag.
So happy to see you two together on screen again! I love how adorable your relationship is. Im glad to see you are together after 10 years and have a little family now!
Very misleading title, it’s simply impossible that you’ve been together for 10 years. Because I’ve been watching Ash since before your very first coming out video, I remember when you posted it and I thought it was so neat to learn that someone so fun and cool was also queer. And that was definitely only a few years ago… right? RIGHT? 😭 😂 On a serious note, thanks for sharing parts of your journey with us for all these years. Sharing your struggles and trying to discover your identity made me feel less alone, sharing your victories and happiness made me feel hopeful and optimistic, and your sense of humour always made me laugh. Your videos have made a positive impact on my life, and I know I’m not the only one. 💜
There’s a place in the twin cities called the Standish Cafe! They mostly just do breakfast. I live close and walk there all the time. Super good pancakes, my partner loves them, and I get the biscuits and gravy.
In terms of 2 player games, my partner and I have had a lot of fun with a copy of the Marrying Mr. Darcy card game we found at our local thrift store! We always make a pot of tea and read the cards very dramatically like a period drama, it's great 😂
So cute and wonderful to see you both still thriving 10 years later! 🥰 My wife and I have been enjoying the game Wavelength, which is fun because you can play just you two or with a group. And it's cool because it makes you think about your partner's views on things in a silly way.
2 player games: Jaipur, Hive, Qwirkle, and, Azul. The travel versions of Hive, Qwirkle and, Azul work really nicely without taking away from gameplay and Jaipur is travel sized anyway and easily fits in a bag. Mysterium can work as a 2 player and that has an element of mystery and deduction to it, chunky book though… Dorfromantik is also lovely game and can be played as a collaborative turn taking game or also a solo mindful game.
Have you tried Hot Plate in Minneapolis? It’s a neat place with paint by numbers all over the walls. It’s popular so there’s probably going to be a wait.
Key’s Cafe has some of my favorite pancakes and they are giant. Also Colossal Cafe’s yeasted pancakes are up there too if you want something different. ❤ 🥞
My partner and I like Trails, which is 2 to 4 players and is super fun. Admittedly it took us a while to catch on while toasty but once we got it we really like it. You hike a trail and earn merit badges and extra points for wildlife encounters!
Not sure if it's been mentioned yet, but one of our favorite 2 plaher games is Jaipur! Also if you know Splendor, Splendor Duel is a good 2 player adaptation of it.
Highly recommend Colossal Cafe for their pancakes! They're yeasted, so a bit different than most pancakes out there. They have two locations but I prefer the one in Como because they have a free fizzy water tap :)
I remember your gray reveal tag from back then. They were SUCH a good sport and ash was so exited and goofy. I was so so happy, especially after my first introduction to Ash was that awful biphobic ‚would u date a bisexual‘ video. And as a bi bean myself, I was also so happy that gray didnt care about ash being bi. Ive been with my partner for 12 years now and it also feels unreal. Thank u for this Video! ❤
because board games are one of my partners special interests and is a staple for our date nights: rummikube, othello, flame craft (bonus for adorable dragons), kodama, scrabble, mancala
I really liked Stratego and Blokus as a teen, both more traditional board games you can get in the kids' section from most stores like Target and play with 2 players. Stratego is kind of like more complex battleship - you have a set of like 20+ pieces and the other person can't see them, you set them up strategically and then take turns battling pieces to try to find and defeat the spy (iirc, it's been a while but that's the gist.) It comes in a lot of themed versions these days like Star Wars etc. Blokus uses tetris-type pieces on a grid, and you try to make the biggest connected area I think or something like that, while blocking the other person from winning.
My friend and I tend to prefer cooperative board games. Some of our fav co-ops are: Sky team Sprawlopolis Paint the roses Stardew valley Dorfromantik One deck dungeon
ALSO Love letter/loot letter and Fluxx are great small card games for 2+ people. And The Crew is SOOO fun for 3+ people, but there’s a way to cheat it for 2.
GAME IDEA!!! Trails of Tucana. It’s so fun. The rounds are either 15 mins or 25 mins and it’s such an easy game to play while also having a conversation. Easy to learn. Fun to play. My husband and I play it at least weekly. Big winner.
First of all, congrats on 10 years! Y'all are really cute couple and you've shared great ideas to connect. Levity, humor, silliness are things I value with my wifey. Gray Duck Plumbing is a great company in the St. Paul area for that pipe issue you have. Also, do you enjoy co-op games? I love Forbidden Island on a 2 player count, but also great for more players. I also play Sagrada and Splendor-Duel with my wife a lot! Oh. Have you been to Victor's 1959 Cafe? Their breakfast options are AMAZING and their corn pancake is my fave.
Hey, I really love watching your videos and love games, too. Do you know 7 Wonders? It has a two player version - 7 wonders duell - and they are one of my favourites. Love your choices, too. :-) Have a great day!
My partner and I have been playing "A Little Wordy". You each get a bunch of letters and build a secret word out of them, and then you try to guess each other's word. You should have seen him guess my word immediately because he knows me too well.
Me and my wife don't have kids but we now look after my 1 year old neice every Tuesday/Wednesday so for us having that regular time in our week with a little person has been really lovely for us as a couple. She gives us a little routine once a week and we usually take her out for breakfast and its so great.
My favourite 2-player game is Backgammon. One of my best friends and I play backgammon whenever we catch up (well, most times). We have fun, we laugh, and we catch up and chat about serious things over the board.
You should try the games from the comments and make a vid about it!! I would love to watch you make game vids!! Morels is the BEST two player game!! It’s a game where you are foraging for mushrooms! 🍄 So wholesome and also exciting! And I think the inventor lives in Minnesota! 😊
Been watching since Beer and a Chat. You both have helped me so much with discovering my own non-binary identity and I have always loved your content 😊
Wow! I can't believe it's been 10years!! That's awesome, you two! Congrats. I loved this, and just want to say thanks for sharing these ideas. I'm definitely gonna try a few. The breakfast one is a genius idea. No idea why it never occurred to me to just move the date earlier in the day. I'm in my 40s and def feel too old for late night dates these days. 😂 Also, Yessssss Gray, do a book channel!!!
My husband and I *love* board games so I've got some good two player options: Tokaido (lovely lil hiking--through-Japan game) Parks (gorgeous art of all the national parks in the US) Wanderhome (like DND but self-led between the two of you and its all cute and animals) Wingspan (how much do you like birds?) Century Spice Road Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective (different to anything else i've played, you get little newspaper clippings and a map and get your detective on) Flamecraft (this one is my favourite, it's so adorable and has cute dragons running shops and it's really well made and you get a lovely mat to put everything on...UGH so great) Azul (this game seems like it wouldn't be fun, but it's SO GOOD - it's like pattern building with tiles?? seriously just try it) (also the tiles make a really great sound in the bag, so that's another selling point right there)
+1 on all of the recommendations! I haven't tried Wanderhome, though. I'll have to check it out. Flamecraft is SO ADORABLE. The art itself needs its own appreciation. Also, Parks has the perfect packaging. Everything has its place and I love that is so portable. Perfect for a cafe date!
I really love boardgames to! :) one of my favorites its "Azul". Also, this might be a little bit off topic but there's this cool boardgames brand called Haba that makes boardgames for little kids (even for one year old kids). It's really cool for playing with the whole family, maybe you like them for your children (really cute video btw)
gray please do it, i absoluteky adore fourth wing, and since january have finished reading the throne of glass series and am half way through a court of wings and ruin
I adore you both! Is it wrong for me to say you guys are much too young to have been together for 10 years. Many many morw happy years and excellent adventures.
On the shower: if the cold is freezing up, you seriously need to wrap that pipe before it bursts, or expose it and let it use the house heat. If it is in the wall, or, worse, hanging along the outside wall, you should grab some electric heat cable (~$40) to wrap around it and plug it in, with some insulation wrapped around that
