I added another "fun but cheap" date idea to my list. I stumbled on it by accident simply because I desperately needed cards for three of my sibling's birthdays in the next two weeks.
We have enjoyed laughing together over greeting cards before, but it has typically been tempered by having our kids with us and having to be careful about which cards they are looking at. You parents know exactly the kind of cards I mean... old wrinkled couples in a bikini and speedo, inappropriately dressed hotties wishing naughty birthday greetings, and animated animals with gastro issues. And now the cards are multi-media. They say things out loud that may or may not be worth repeating!
Anyways, without kids in tow, we felt the freedom to open any and all cards we wished. We had a good laugh over what my sister would do if I sent her this one or what my brother would say if I sent him that one. It was fun! I suggest you give it a try sometime.
And if it feels too cheap, by a latte at the Starbucks on your way in!
Showing posts with label marriage. Show all posts
Showing posts with label marriage. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Dangerous Footage
I may regret this, but here it is. Go to the Dancing with the Stars video part and enjoy a good laugh! We are the grande finale, by the way.
http://www.communitybible.net/content.cfm?id=238
http://www.communitybible.net/content.cfm?id=238
Friday, February 20, 2009
Note to self...
This morning, D kissed me goodbye (while I was on the phone with someone) and went off to work. About an hour later I get a text message from him asking me to bring him some sweet tea. Because he is working. And he is very thirsty. And he wants some sweet tea.
Now we live about 7 minutes from his office. Not so very far really, but at 10 in the morning when I have yet to shower and dress, this is a little too far for a sweet tea run. "He has got to be kidding!", was my initial thought as I replied back to him with something along the lines of "your royal hiney"!
But he was dead serious, come to find out, so I did a quick change act, poured him some sweet tea, and told J (it is a holiday) that I would be back in awhile. (Yes, I know what you are thinking. But my main spiritual gift is service. Besides, he is very cute! I can't help it!)
About 5 minutes down the road with his sweet tea in the little cup holder, I get a call from him asking me where I was. I told him I was on my way. He laughed (bad sign) and asked for my current location. And it was THEN he informed me that he was at home in the basement at his table instead of working at the office this morning as he had originally planned.
I have to admit that I laughed almost the whole way back home. And I am SO glad I didn't get all the way to the office only to find him not there and the secretaries looking at me like I am a total nut! Of course, the secretaries would NEVER have let him live this one down, but still...
Note to self: Next time D wants a glass of sweet tea, tell him to go get it himself. Or at least verify what his current location is before taking it to him!!!
Now we live about 7 minutes from his office. Not so very far really, but at 10 in the morning when I have yet to shower and dress, this is a little too far for a sweet tea run. "He has got to be kidding!", was my initial thought as I replied back to him with something along the lines of "your royal hiney"!
But he was dead serious, come to find out, so I did a quick change act, poured him some sweet tea, and told J (it is a holiday) that I would be back in awhile. (Yes, I know what you are thinking. But my main spiritual gift is service. Besides, he is very cute! I can't help it!)
About 5 minutes down the road with his sweet tea in the little cup holder, I get a call from him asking me where I was. I told him I was on my way. He laughed (bad sign) and asked for my current location. And it was THEN he informed me that he was at home in the basement at his table instead of working at the office this morning as he had originally planned.
I have to admit that I laughed almost the whole way back home. And I am SO glad I didn't get all the way to the office only to find him not there and the secretaries looking at me like I am a total nut! Of course, the secretaries would NEVER have let him live this one down, but still...
Note to self: Next time D wants a glass of sweet tea, tell him to go get it himself. Or at least verify what his current location is before taking it to him!!!
Thursday, February 5, 2009
New Game for our "Cheap Yet Fun" Date Night
The name of the game is Greed!
You will need 6 dice and some pen and paper for each player.
Meld is 500 points totalled within one turn. 10,000 points to win the game.
1's - 100
5's - 50
1/2/3/4/5/6 - 1000
3 of a kind - 100 x # on the dice ( ex. 3 dice showing 4's would be 400)
3 1's - 1000
Roll all 6 dice at the same time. Count your points and then move those point-producing dice to the side. Whichever dice didn't roll points, you may now pick up and roll again (all together, whether two or three, etc.) to try and add to your total. Again, move over the point-producing dice and re-roll with any remaining dice. Or if you want to end your turn, record your point total for that roll (if you have melded) and pass the dice to the next player. If you choose to continue to try for points, and your remaining dice produce points, continue on until you are ready to pass the remaining unrolled dice to the next person. If any given roll does not produce any points your turn is over and you lose any points you may have just rolled in that turn. If all 6 dice produce points, even over the span of several rolls, keep rolling all the dice until you are ready to pass to the next person. Be careful you don't get too greedy and lose all your points!
Once you meld and once the previous player has decided they are done trying for points, you have the option to pick up the previous players unrolled dice and springboard from their points. But greed can trap you! If you don't roll any points, you lose your whole turn. But if you do roll points, you get the total points of the previous player's most recent roll (not of their total for the game) and you continue with your turn until you are ready to pass it along or until your greed causes you to lose all the points because you rolled bad numbers.
It sounds very complicated as I write this out, but it is super easy and very fun once you get going.
In addition to it being a great date game for two or four for a double date, it also is a great way to get some interesting insight into your kids personalities as a family game. We played it with our four kids the other night and I actually took notes and kept passing them over to Big D. It was seriously insightful. My oldest caught on to what I was doing towards the end and so then all the kids were dying to see what I had observed about them. It was a fun night!
You will need 6 dice and some pen and paper for each player.
Meld is 500 points totalled within one turn. 10,000 points to win the game.
1's - 100
5's - 50
1/2/3/4/5/6 - 1000
3 of a kind - 100 x # on the dice ( ex. 3 dice showing 4's would be 400)
3 1's - 1000
Roll all 6 dice at the same time. Count your points and then move those point-producing dice to the side. Whichever dice didn't roll points, you may now pick up and roll again (all together, whether two or three, etc.) to try and add to your total. Again, move over the point-producing dice and re-roll with any remaining dice. Or if you want to end your turn, record your point total for that roll (if you have melded) and pass the dice to the next player. If you choose to continue to try for points, and your remaining dice produce points, continue on until you are ready to pass the remaining unrolled dice to the next person. If any given roll does not produce any points your turn is over and you lose any points you may have just rolled in that turn. If all 6 dice produce points, even over the span of several rolls, keep rolling all the dice until you are ready to pass to the next person. Be careful you don't get too greedy and lose all your points!
Once you meld and once the previous player has decided they are done trying for points, you have the option to pick up the previous players unrolled dice and springboard from their points. But greed can trap you! If you don't roll any points, you lose your whole turn. But if you do roll points, you get the total points of the previous player's most recent roll (not of their total for the game) and you continue with your turn until you are ready to pass it along or until your greed causes you to lose all the points because you rolled bad numbers.
It sounds very complicated as I write this out, but it is super easy and very fun once you get going.
In addition to it being a great date game for two or four for a double date, it also is a great way to get some interesting insight into your kids personalities as a family game. We played it with our four kids the other night and I actually took notes and kept passing them over to Big D. It was seriously insightful. My oldest caught on to what I was doing towards the end and so then all the kids were dying to see what I had observed about them. It was a fun night!
Monday, February 2, 2009
If you think...
-there is nothing you ever could do that would bring a cuss word to yours or your spouses' mind, try taking dance lessons together.
-you are still young and hot, try taking dance lessons together.
-that you have ironed out all the control issues in your marriage, try taking dance lessons together.
-that you don't laugh near enough with your spouse, try taking dance lessons together.
-you need to have a good excuse to be held tight and gaze into each others eyes in public, try taking dance lessons together.
D and I just finished week 4 of our 6 week class on Western Swing Dancing. We have learned most of our routine, and I have to tell you, we are still pretty rusty!! My left shoulder and my left hamstring are telling me I am not as young as I used to be. The back flip over Darril's arm and the handstand into a full sit-up move is really hard!! But we are having So Much Fun. Video will be coming soon...I hope!
-you are still young and hot, try taking dance lessons together.
-that you have ironed out all the control issues in your marriage, try taking dance lessons together.
-that you don't laugh near enough with your spouse, try taking dance lessons together.
-you need to have a good excuse to be held tight and gaze into each others eyes in public, try taking dance lessons together.
D and I just finished week 4 of our 6 week class on Western Swing Dancing. We have learned most of our routine, and I have to tell you, we are still pretty rusty!! My left shoulder and my left hamstring are telling me I am not as young as I used to be. The back flip over Darril's arm and the handstand into a full sit-up move is really hard!! But we are having So Much Fun. Video will be coming soon...I hope!
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
New Date Idea!
Please note that over to the left I have at long last posted a new date idea. Dancing lessons!! Western swing, to be specific. We are learning a whole routine to the song, "Drink, swear, steal, and lie".
(Very rebellious song choice for us, don't you think?! And now I wonder if that is even the title. At least those words are actually in the song.)
For us, it is the ultimate in cheap dates because we have a friend who is teaching us in our basement.
We actually stumbled on this because our church is putting on a Dancing With the Stars Valentines Dance and we are one of the surprise couples who will be performing. We have completed week 2 of our lessons and we are having an absolute blast. I am going to try to learn how to put video on this blog so you can see us in action sometime.
And yes, our sessions get videotaped!! Supposedly it is so we can watch it afterwards and critique it! The real reason is they want to use it to make fun of us in front of everyone at church just like they do on the show.
Anyways, I can highly recommend dance lessons for a fun date idea!
(Very rebellious song choice for us, don't you think?! And now I wonder if that is even the title. At least those words are actually in the song.)
For us, it is the ultimate in cheap dates because we have a friend who is teaching us in our basement.
We actually stumbled on this because our church is putting on a Dancing With the Stars Valentines Dance and we are one of the surprise couples who will be performing. We have completed week 2 of our lessons and we are having an absolute blast. I am going to try to learn how to put video on this blog so you can see us in action sometime.
And yes, our sessions get videotaped!! Supposedly it is so we can watch it afterwards and critique it! The real reason is they want to use it to make fun of us in front of everyone at church just like they do on the show.
Anyways, I can highly recommend dance lessons for a fun date idea!
Friday, May 23, 2008
Choices
Some choices aren't too hard. And honestly, the consequences aren't earth shattering either way I decide to go.
Do I drink the hot tea at 9:53 at night (risking the effects of caffeine) or wait until tomorrow morning?
Do I let the boys wrestle in the livingroom (though it makes me a little crazy) or do I ask them to cease and desist?
Other choices require alot more from me!!
Like do I give in to feeling sorry for myself because my husband, who has been out of town Monday - Thursday night at a conference, just flew out again this afternoon to attend a family reunion through next Monday on a lake somewhere beautiful and I am stuck here at home with all four kids and nothing to do but more laundry and cooking and housework and yard work. Or do I just suck it up and rejoice that my husband gets the opportunity to go and be thankful that I have 4 awesome kids to spend time with all the holiday weekend long?
So in case you were wondering, I did drink the tea, which is why I am sitting here typing with the smug satisfaction of having lasted a whole 5 minutes before "encouraging" the boys to take it somewhere else.
But I am still working through the third choice I have to make. And yes, I do know what the right decision is. I just need to suck it up and actually do the right thing!! Something tells me I may need to revisit this decision a couple times this weekend. I am so very weak!!
Do I drink the hot tea at 9:53 at night (risking the effects of caffeine) or wait until tomorrow morning?
Do I let the boys wrestle in the livingroom (though it makes me a little crazy) or do I ask them to cease and desist?
Other choices require alot more from me!!
Like do I give in to feeling sorry for myself because my husband, who has been out of town Monday - Thursday night at a conference, just flew out again this afternoon to attend a family reunion through next Monday on a lake somewhere beautiful and I am stuck here at home with all four kids and nothing to do but more laundry and cooking and housework and yard work. Or do I just suck it up and rejoice that my husband gets the opportunity to go and be thankful that I have 4 awesome kids to spend time with all the holiday weekend long?
So in case you were wondering, I did drink the tea, which is why I am sitting here typing with the smug satisfaction of having lasted a whole 5 minutes before "encouraging" the boys to take it somewhere else.
But I am still working through the third choice I have to make. And yes, I do know what the right decision is. I just need to suck it up and actually do the right thing!! Something tells me I may need to revisit this decision a couple times this weekend. I am so very weak!!
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
A Question About A Breakfast Drink
Just to humor me, would you please anwer the question below, out loud.
(No one is around, so just do it!! There is a reason.)
*What is orange and you usually drink it for breakfast? And please listen to yourself say it out loud!!!!!
So here is my real question. Did you say "orange juice" or did you say "oran-juice"?
My husband has voiced a problem with the fact that I don't enunciate all the letters and have turned two words into one word. In my opinion, it is a waste of my precious time to say the full "orange juice". It is awkward and a mouthful. And besides, after 19 years of hanging out together it seems a little late to have an issue now with how I say "oran-juice". That should have totally been covered in our pre-marital counseling!!
And we don't even drink the stuff in our family except when we have company!!
So I would love to hear how you say it. Especially if you say it like me!!
(No one is around, so just do it!! There is a reason.)
*What is orange and you usually drink it for breakfast? And please listen to yourself say it out loud!!!!!
So here is my real question. Did you say "orange juice" or did you say "oran-juice"?
My husband has voiced a problem with the fact that I don't enunciate all the letters and have turned two words into one word. In my opinion, it is a waste of my precious time to say the full "orange juice". It is awkward and a mouthful. And besides, after 19 years of hanging out together it seems a little late to have an issue now with how I say "oran-juice". That should have totally been covered in our pre-marital counseling!!
And we don't even drink the stuff in our family except when we have company!!
So I would love to hear how you say it. Especially if you say it like me!!
Monday, February 18, 2008
Top FIve of The Weekend
5. hot tub at the hotel!!!
4. no dishes to wash all weekend long!!!!
3. no meals to prepare all weekend long!!!!!
2. snow tubing hills that made us feel like carefree teenagers!!!!! And also the tow rope to pull us back up the hill cause we are so not teenagers anymore!!!!!!
1. time, blessed time with my beloved!!!!!!
4. no dishes to wash all weekend long!!!!
3. no meals to prepare all weekend long!!!!!
2. snow tubing hills that made us feel like carefree teenagers!!!!! And also the tow rope to pull us back up the hill cause we are so not teenagers anymore!!!!!!
1. time, blessed time with my beloved!!!!!!
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Valentine's Day Present
A few days ago I talked about the memory of Valentines Day Past. My Valentines Day Present is that D and I are taking off for a marriage retreat tomorrow morning through the entire weekend, and oh, I am so glad!!
It is funny how these things work...we signed up for this months ago as a favor to some new friends who love this retreat center. We thought it would be a "nice" thing to do! Nice to hang out with this couple some. Nice to see this retreat center. Nice to hang out with each other uninterrupted by the needs of our kids. Nice to miss a Sunday morning. Blah, blah, blah. God knew better. Forget nice and try necessary!! He knew we would need a break from the routine just about now!
So off we go and try not to be too jealous, my friends!!
It is funny how these things work...we signed up for this months ago as a favor to some new friends who love this retreat center. We thought it would be a "nice" thing to do! Nice to hang out with this couple some. Nice to see this retreat center. Nice to hang out with each other uninterrupted by the needs of our kids. Nice to miss a Sunday morning. Blah, blah, blah. God knew better. Forget nice and try necessary!! He knew we would need a break from the routine just about now!
So off we go and try not to be too jealous, my friends!!
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Valentine's Day Past
Last week on my stroll down memory lane, I came across the memory of Valentine's Day Past. Our first Valentine's Day together! I remember being so excited about it!! And at that point, we were engaged and preparing for a wedding in just a few months!! It wan't anything terribly adventurous or creative... D took me to a very nice restaurant. I am 97.5 % sure that this is the photo taken by my mom that night and it has since resided patiently in the bottom of a Nike shoe box for the last 19 years. (In case your are wondering, that 2.5% of uncertainty is due to me wearing white shoes before Easter. But maybe I was feeling rebellious that night. Give me a break...it has been 19 years and if I don't now, you can be sure I didn't label photo's back then!!)
The funniest memory I have of that evening out was how annoyed we both were with the waiter who "hovered" at our table and kept scraping the crumbs off the tablecloth between courses. Poor guy was just doing his job and we were so unappreciative. (Don't worry, all you retired waiter and waitresses out there, D has always been a very generous tipper, even when annoyed.) The dress I was wearing was one of those that had the stretchy gathered fabric on the top half with a big bow on the left hip, and of course, it was the requisite 80's floral! At least it wasn't mauve! Get a load of the shoulders on that dress. And I have broad shoulders anyways. I remember having to adjust the stretchy part of it every time I wore that dress. (: Oh the price of being beautiful!
Anyways, I am so glad our first Valentine's Day together was a good one, even if not terribly adventurous or creative, and that I had the chance to remember it this week of all weeks! I guess it is just the hopeless romantic in me!!
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Memory Lane
We are working on our basement...continually. It is my project guys' dream come true because there is always something more to be done. This past weekend I was "helping" by moving some boxes from one corner to another corner. As I went deeper down in the pile of boxes I came across several that I have moved from house to house over the last 17 plus years. And that was where my helpfulness ended.
They were rotten and falling apart, so at first I just sifted through items and put them back in newer boxes. Then I found yearbooks and had to show my son how young his dad and I used to look. Soon I found myself sitting on the cold concrete reading excerpts from my journals covering my semester in Europe. And it was truly all over when I found the box of love notes from Big D. I gave up and had the box brought upstairs so I could read them in the comfort of my own room and with warm carpet to cushion me.
I am amazed that our parents let us get married that young (I was 19 and D was 21) but there is no question our love was real and alive. And it is so fun to realize that our hope that our love would only grow through the years continues to come true. One of the notes just had me rolling. D. was apoligizing for the horrible class he talked me into taking with him...Intro to Computer. The prof was the ultimate nerd (short, balding, pudgy, dark glasses) and he talked about his stewardess girlfriends (yes, plural) and his favorite phrase was "money, money, money makes the world go round."
In one of the letters, D wrote that he hoped our kids never got a hold of these notes someday. Honestly, I can't believe that we actually have kids old enough now to get a hold of our old love letters and tease us about them. Anyways, it was alot of fun to go down memory lane and if you have any old love letters lying around, I strongly recomend you get them out and read them. Memory lane is way more fun then rotating boxes around a half done basement!!!
They were rotten and falling apart, so at first I just sifted through items and put them back in newer boxes. Then I found yearbooks and had to show my son how young his dad and I used to look. Soon I found myself sitting on the cold concrete reading excerpts from my journals covering my semester in Europe. And it was truly all over when I found the box of love notes from Big D. I gave up and had the box brought upstairs so I could read them in the comfort of my own room and with warm carpet to cushion me.
I am amazed that our parents let us get married that young (I was 19 and D was 21) but there is no question our love was real and alive. And it is so fun to realize that our hope that our love would only grow through the years continues to come true. One of the notes just had me rolling. D. was apoligizing for the horrible class he talked me into taking with him...Intro to Computer. The prof was the ultimate nerd (short, balding, pudgy, dark glasses) and he talked about his stewardess girlfriends (yes, plural) and his favorite phrase was "money, money, money makes the world go round."
In one of the letters, D wrote that he hoped our kids never got a hold of these notes someday. Honestly, I can't believe that we actually have kids old enough now to get a hold of our old love letters and tease us about them. Anyways, it was alot of fun to go down memory lane and if you have any old love letters lying around, I strongly recomend you get them out and read them. Memory lane is way more fun then rotating boxes around a half done basement!!!
Monday, January 21, 2008
Sweet Tea Has Its Uses!!!
I don't often blog on Mondays. But today, something so phenomenol has happened of such great magnitude that I must record it for you and all posterity!
At 6:15 this morning, my husband cleaned out our refrigerator from top to bottom. So what prompted this unprecedented display of cleaning skills? Our 2 gallon pitcher of sweet tea succumbed to the pull of gravity as one of my sweet kids tried to slip the milk out from behind it. It was on the top shelf of course. But don't worry, all was not lost, as my optimistic kid pointed out. A gallon of tea managed to stay inside the pitcher in some miraculous way. What a relief!!
But all this has me thinking. My refrigerator is so sparkly clean! I am wondering if the same phenomena would happen if I spilled some sweet tea in the shower or in his closet or in the garage or in the car...
At 6:15 this morning, my husband cleaned out our refrigerator from top to bottom. So what prompted this unprecedented display of cleaning skills? Our 2 gallon pitcher of sweet tea succumbed to the pull of gravity as one of my sweet kids tried to slip the milk out from behind it. It was on the top shelf of course. But don't worry, all was not lost, as my optimistic kid pointed out. A gallon of tea managed to stay inside the pitcher in some miraculous way. What a relief!!
But all this has me thinking. My refrigerator is so sparkly clean! I am wondering if the same phenomena would happen if I spilled some sweet tea in the shower or in his closet or in the garage or in the car...
Monday, October 15, 2007
Date Night
Once thing I love about my life is our date night. It usually happens on Sunday night for us. It is a cherished tradition in my marriage and one I hope never, ever goes away.
It started several years ago. We knew our marriage would suffer without special alone time together but when our kids were younger the budget just didn't allow for babysitting on a regular basis. And so we decided to try some dates at home. All four kids were put in bed at 8:00 PM regardless of their regular bedtime and required to stay in their rooms to read or play quietly until their regular bedtime. They did a really good job leaving us alone and so began our weekly date night routine.
Today, we have the luxury of kids old enough to stay home alone or to babysit for the younger ones. (: But we still spend the majority of our date nights right here in our own home with all the kids going to their rooms for the night at 8:00 PM with a grin and a kiss goodnight.
Because it is such a highlight of my week, I am adding to my blog a page element called Cheap Yet Fun Dates. Most can be done in house, but some will require babysitting if you have younger ones. Glance over there every once in a while if you need an idea for your own date night. I will start with several of our favorites from the past. And if you have a Cheap Yet Fun Date idea of your own, please pass it along to me. I am always looking for new ways to date my husband.
It started several years ago. We knew our marriage would suffer without special alone time together but when our kids were younger the budget just didn't allow for babysitting on a regular basis. And so we decided to try some dates at home. All four kids were put in bed at 8:00 PM regardless of their regular bedtime and required to stay in their rooms to read or play quietly until their regular bedtime. They did a really good job leaving us alone and so began our weekly date night routine.
Today, we have the luxury of kids old enough to stay home alone or to babysit for the younger ones. (: But we still spend the majority of our date nights right here in our own home with all the kids going to their rooms for the night at 8:00 PM with a grin and a kiss goodnight.
Because it is such a highlight of my week, I am adding to my blog a page element called Cheap Yet Fun Dates. Most can be done in house, but some will require babysitting if you have younger ones. Glance over there every once in a while if you need an idea for your own date night. I will start with several of our favorites from the past. And if you have a Cheap Yet Fun Date idea of your own, please pass it along to me. I am always looking for new ways to date my husband.
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Fall Hike
Yesterday on my "day off" with my husband, we took a little hike. There is something timeless when you exit manmade road and hit nature. Not only do you trade pavement for dirt, but you also leave behind the worries and stresses of daily life.
For that span of time, there were no school issues with the kids. Various challenges disappeared. Scheduling and housework and laundry didn't even exist.
We were surrounded by color. There were deer tracks. Leaves waved and rustled high above us. We were together.
Thank you, Lord, for sharing Your Creation!!!
For that span of time, there were no school issues with the kids. Various challenges disappeared. Scheduling and housework and laundry didn't even exist.
We were surrounded by color. There were deer tracks. Leaves waved and rustled high above us. We were together.
Thank you, Lord, for sharing Your Creation!!!
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