Ferocious Flirting: Making Marriage Wonderful

My sweetie loves to shop, but doesn't often go shopping for herself. With what kids need, car and home repairs, medical bills and so forth, there isn't a lot of money to go shopping with and she often feels guilty if she spends anything on herself. Even if I give her cash for birthday or Mother's Day , she will often spend it on something the kids need or want. One thing that works are gift cards from a store where she likes to shop. Sometimes gift cards feel impersonal. They seem to say "I don't really know you well enough to choose a gift you would like." For that reason I try to avoid giving gift cards to people. But in the case of my sweetheart, it works out well. First, I spent the money so she doesn't have to feel guilty about it. Second, since it can only be used at a place she likes to go, she can't spend it on the kids. Third, she likes me to accompany her when she shops so it makes a nice date night for her. Lastly, it lets her know I am pa

I usually refrain from posting other people's words. However, today, is a rare exception. I found the following floating around the Internet and it is worth sharing exactly as it is. Thanks to Anonymous who wrote it: The Gift of Listening But you must really listen. Don't interrupt, don't daydream, don't plan your response. Just listen. The Gift of Affection Be generous with appropriate hugs, kisses, pats on the back and handholds. Let these small actions demonstrate the love you have for family and friends. The Gift of Laughter Clip cartoons. Share articles and funny stories. Your gift will say, "I love to laugh with you." The Gift of Solitude There are times when we want nothing better than to be left alone. Be sensitive to those times and give the gift of solitude to others. The Gift of a Favor Everyday, go out of your way to do something kind. The Gift of a Written Note It can be a simple "Thanks for the help" note or a full sonnet. A brief, hand

Remember when you used to "double date" in school? Once we did a double-quintuplet date (10 couples al together) while dating in high school. We had fun, even when all the girls went to the powder room together. While generally not as "romantic", a double date can still be a lot of fun. One idea is to go to a baseball game together. Baseball tickets are still reasonably priced. Enjoy cheering for the home team and stop for ice cream on the way home.

A couple of previous posts, How About a Foot Rub and Sweetie Appreciation Week talked about how wonderful it can be to get a foot rub. My sweetheart is particularly fond of them. One way to improve a foot rub is to use peppermint foot lotion . It feels great and soothing without making your sweetie's feet cold. Tip: When applying lotion, put some on your hands and rub them together. This will warm up both the lotion and your hands, making the foot rub them much more enjoyable.

On April 25th from 5:00 - 8:00pm , guests will be treated to a slice of Make-A-Wish Cake. In exchange for the free cake slice, customers are encouraged to make donations to benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation. One slice per customer, of course. See the Cold Stone Creamery web-site for more details. We went last year. Its yummy and for a good cause.

Declare some week to be Sweetie Appreciation Week. Mark it on your calendar a couple of weeks in the future so that the anticipation can build. Then, each day during the week, do something to show that you appreciate your sweetheart. Mine would look like: Monday: Footrub Tuesday: A note of appreciation Wednesday: Her favorite treat Thursday: 1 hour of "sweetie" time Friday: Her favorite meal and video Also send a card romantic card in the mail on Monday so your sweetie will get it at some random time during the week.

Mother's Day is approaching. Here is a sweet deal for giving flowers and other gifts to your mother and to your sweetie. They can even handle last-minute orders, if you choose to put it off. Don't put it off too long though. The deal is a coupon code for 15% off your order. Save 15% on Mother's Day Flowers & Gifts at 1-800-Flowers.com. Use code 82M at checkout

We had a family vacation this past week, which explains why the posts were so few and far between. I will be posting details on my Random Notes blog. Now back to the regular tips.

The Lyrid Meteor Shower is in full swing. Find a blanket to share and go catch a shooting star.

Men, romance, in part, comes from being attracted to each other. Did you know that one thing women find attractive is confidence? Its true. If you are confidence in yourself and your abilities, that confidence will make your sweetie less stressed. Less stress means she is feeling better about herself and your relationship. One way to build confidence in ones abilities is to improve those abilities. How can you improve in your roles as husband and father? At All-ProDad they have a mailing list with advice to fathers. The advice runs the whole gambit. Some of it is useful and some less so. On the whole, its great way to add some tools and advice to your fathering toolbox.