Wedded Bliss

Tomorrow, Brett and I will celebrate six years of marriage. I can honestly say it has been the best six years of my life. We were so fortunate to have wonderful mentors that helped us start our marriage off on the right foot. For one, both of our sets of parents are still happily married, which is a huge blessing! And, our Christian mentors have also taught us so much. I am so thankful for the wisdom of others. It has helped make our marriage amazing!


A huge part of a thriving marriage is to regularly take time away to be with just your spouse. As you know, I am over the top in my love for my children, yet your marriage must come before them. If you're a single parent, taking time to be alone or with close friends is just as important. I know I have talked about this before, so today, I am giving practical ideas (rather than revisit the reason behind

When I think of a date, I mostly default to dinner and a movie. While that can be fun and easy, changing things up adds a new level of fun.


Here are some ideas:
- One year Brett and I had a "staycation". We sent our kids to grandparents and spent a four day weekend being tourists in our own home. It was a blast. Because we stayed in our own home, we were able to eat out every meal and do fun activities (a lot of which were very inexpensive). Of all the things we've done throughout the years, this stands out as one of the best memories!!


- Paint pottery. There are many of these places around the country, and it is so fun to exercise your creativity.


- Walk along the beach (or lake). Walking along the water is so romantic.


- Go to a factory. During our staycation, we toured the Harley Davidson Factory. It was SO cool to see how they're made. There are so many cool places around the country to see how things are made.


- Take a cooking class. I hate to cook, so this would not be fun for me at all...but I have heard others like it!


- After the kids go to bed, play Enchanted Evening (hey, we're married here, ok!)


- For an anniversary or birthday, buy your husband some lingerie. Money well spent.


(I get so embarrassed talking about the intimate side of marriage, so excuse me if you can see me blushing through the computer)


- Go to the Happy Home Fairy to get awesome ideas of very affordable ways to date your mate! You can thank me later.


I realize none of these are reinventing the wheel, but it is always a good reminder to keep the romance alive.


I am a huge believer in doing special things together once the kids are in bed (great fun and can be done way more often), but I also think it is important to go out when the kids are still awake. For one, it shows your children you value marriage, which is a huge gift to them. I know babysitters are expensive and dates can add up, but the investment is well worth it!