Relationships Archives

I Heart You 4 Budget Friendly Ideas for Valentine’s Day

Looking for budget friendly ideas for Valentine’s Day? The holiday is around the corner…so every business is doing their best to convince you to splurge to show your love. While every newlywed loves receiving an amazing gift, simple and unexpected surprises are often the ones that touch your heart the most. Here are a four ways to say “I love you” without breaking the bank.

Dinner Delight – Heard the expression “the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach”? Whip up a batch of pancake batter and pour it into heart shaped cookie cutters f

or an adorable breakfast sure to make him feel loved. You can also make fried eggs this way too!
Fill in the Blank– Surprise your spouse with a valentine tucked into his/her car visor or computer case. Purchase a box of heart candies with sayings like “You’re the one” and glue them onto a piece of construction paper. You can fill in sentences around the sayings to make a romantic or racy Valentine’s mad lib!

Jock Shock – Married to a guy who’s more into football than the whole girlie holiday thing? We can guarantee he’ll love seeing you in a pair of undies proclaiming you’re his “tight end”! We’re going to bet you’ll feel pretty cute too!

Fond of You Fondue – What’s more romantic than dipping fruit and cake into chocolate? Here’s a great chocolate fondue recipe that takes less than 10 minutes to prepare! You can get creative with your dipping items beyond fruit: pretzels, marshmallows, cookies and even potato chips are fantastic coated in chocolate.
Do you have any fun ideas for celebrating Valentine’s Day as a newlywed? We’d love for you to share them in a comment!

3 Small Steps to a Better Marriage

Looking for steps to a better marriage? Has your marriage hit an unexpected slump? If so, now is not the time to give up. This is an opportunity to renew bonds and strengthen the relationship that led you down the aisle. All marriages hit rough patches. As people grow and change and meet different obstacles, new strains and stresses can be placed on a couple. While coping may be tough, these stressful times are what make your relationship stronger and help you get through even bigger challenges in years to come.

Actions Speak Louder than Words
When your relationship is feeling rocky, the first thing most women want to do is speak up about it, but that is not always the best thing to do. When tempers are already on a short leash because of earlier arguments, tension is high because of outside stresses, or communication has simply run dry, talking about it might add fuel to the fire. Consider instead the ways that you can say what you feel without opening your mouth (it helps to envision how to communicate with a cave man). Are you tired of fighting and just want your partner to know that you are willing to hold on? Then, perhaps the best way to say so is with an impromptu hug. Slow dancing, hand holding, rubbing shoulders, and other similar gestures have universal meaning and will very likely let him know what you’re feeling.

Offer a Helping Hand
Perhaps one of the reasons that your spouse has been in a bad mood recently has more to do with outside pressures that it has to do with you. Perhaps he or she just needs a helping hand. Marriage is about team work, so show that you understand by helping with a small task, chore, or just offering some insightful advice when he or she is talking about problems at work. Taking the trash out might seem like a small thing…but it may mean a great deal to your stressed out spouse! Knowing someone is in your corner can make any situation more bearable.

Create Love Tokens
Another great way to demonstrate your feelings without words is through small tokens. Handmade cards left in a place that he or she is sure to find them, lunch delivered to the office during the day, or even a message scribbled on the fogged over bathroom mirror are great wordless ways to show love and affection.

Taking the time to make another person know that you are thinking about him or her is the best way to show how much you care. However, these ‘gifts’ tend to lose their meaning when only given after a fight. These are the things that should be done now and then and consistently throughout a relationship. They don’t have to be frequent and might occasionally be used to say sorry after an argument, but let them maintain their intended meaning. If you’re looking for a more tangible love token, draw a heart on a stone. They can be put in a coat pocket, desk drawer or even passed back and forth between you two.

Talk to us newlyweds. Can you recommend any steps to a better marriage Did your spouse get the unspoken message you were trying to convey? We’d love to hear from you in a comment!

Newlywed New Years Resolutions

It’s time to make newlywed new years resolutions! Can you believe it’s a totally new year to be a newlywed?! Whether this will mark your first full year as a married couple, or if you’ve been married for a few years, New Year’s resolutions can be great for you and your marriage.

While it’s easy to make huge promises for the new year (like working out 7 days a week or climbing Mount Everest), I find making one or two small resolutions much more easy to implement throughout the entire year. Stumped on what resolutions to make for you and/or your marriage this year? Here are a few ideas to get you started…

Resolutions for Your Marriage:
Say one nice thing about your spouse every day.
Schedule a bi-weekly date night.
Surprise your hubby once a month (be it a home made dinner or naughty lingerie).
Try a new hobby out together.
Be the wife you always thought you be (patient, kind, giving, fun, etc.).
Say something positive before you say something negative about his work/family/friends.

Resolutions for You:
Reserve 30 minutes for “you” every day.
Try a new gym class or fitness craze (it’s a great way to meet new friends & zap holiday pounds).
Make a monthly girls night schedule with your friends.
Smile at people you don’t know.
Be nice to yourself (it sounds crazy, but not being so hard on yourself relieves tons of stress).
Save up, and buy yourself the fabulous bag you’ve been coveting!

Hopefully these ideas will act as springboards for your own 2012 resolutions. Did you make any newlywed new years resolutions you’d like to share with us? Leave a comment!

Newlywed Couples That Play Together Stay Together

Have you heard the saying, “Play together stay together?” There’s definitely something to it. Get up, go to work, come home, eat dinner, clean up, sit down, watch television, go to bed…repeat. Does this sound like the routine you have fallen into as a couple? If so, you are not alone. A large percentage of newlywed couples find that the pattern of work and living together in the same house can lead to a rather mundane existence when compared to the excitement of wedding planning and the honeymoon.

While a routine can be a good thing, it can also rob a relationship of its natural luster. While it might not be possible to go out every night, there are always ways to spice things up around the house.

Forgotten Fun – Many board games across this nation have been stashes away in closets, attics, or on book shelves to collect dust while occupants of the home turn to digital devices for entertainment. However, for the couple trying to find some fun to be had around the house, few things can beat a challenging board game. Whether it’s a lighthearted round of checkers or a competitively driven game of Scrabble, the activities can exercise the mind while improving your relationship. Looking to add some sizzle to game night? Simply play a body conscious game like twister after a glass or two of wine!

Digital Date Night – Okay, so you said goodbye to board games long ago and aren’t ready to head back to the store for more. That doesn’t mean that you can’t enjoy a game with your spouse. Pick up the Wii remote or other video game controller and challenge him or her to play. Work together to destroy a common enemy or win an Olympic game and then celebrate your victory!

Get Creative – Have you always wanted to learn how to paint? Did you once have a knack for pottery? Or, have you been dying to try a new cooking technique? Rather than trying it by yourself, invite your spouse to join you. You may have to bribe him, but joint discovery of new talents is a great way to stay excited about your relationship. Learning more about each other and doing something new together is a fantastic way to stay excited about your relationship.

Honey Do’s – Take a quick look around your home…see room for improvement? Maybe there is an outdated light fixture, a fraying carpet, or a kitchen in desperate need of new paint. However small the project may be, when done together it can create a source for bonding. You can have a lot of fun looking for the perfect shade of paint or carpet and then installing it. Aside from improving your home, you’re also improving your relationship.

What do you do to play together? Do you have a standing card night, play a sport together or spend time in the kitchen getting creative? We’d love to hear about your togetherness activities in a comment!

Five Marriage Topics To Discuss Now Instead of Later

Do you know what marriage topics to discuss? As you return from your honeymoon, there a few questions you need to discuss with your spouse. While you may be hesitant to rock boat of “newlywed bliss.” It is very important to establish a understanding of how you both feel about these key topics before they cause problems in your marriage.

When do you want kids and how many do you want to have?
It’s long been discussed and long been debated. The opinions you have today will very likely change significantly in the future, but if he wants them and you don’t, or you were hoping to have a houseful and he cannot see himself with more than a single child, then how can the future possibly go smoothly? Hash out a plan that works for both of you and try to compromise as much as you can while still retaining your happiness.

Where do you see yourself in ten years; twenty?
This is not an easy question to answer for anyone. People who have been at the same job for many years are not always clear on their future ambitions, but discussing it now can point out possible points of contention that might lead to trouble in the future. For instance, if one person simply values fun and minimal commitment, but the other intends to build a large savings account before retirement, issues can quickly arise. So, even if answers are vague, at least you will have a general understanding of where your potential spouse wants your relationship to go. Meeting with a financial adviser can also help mitigate your opinions and help you come up with

What is your idea of the ideal vacation?
It might seem a silly question to be placed on a hot marriage topic list, but it is definitely worth asking. For one thing, vacation time from work is often very limited, so varying opinions regarding the best way to spend the time can create rifts. Knowing what your spouse wants out of a vacation before you go on one (honeymoons don’t count) can help minimize silent suffering and resentment and help you plan a trip that will meet both of your needs!

What level of commitment do you feel toward your family?
Sure, there is something desirable about a man who can admit that he enjoys spending time with his family, but how will that play out in the future? If one partner feels the need to frequently visit parents, grandparents, or siblings, it can limit potential places to live, greatly impact decisions regarding the holiday season, and even create weekly commitments. How will you both react to this? Discussing both of your needs and family responsibilities can help you find a balance between both families and the one you just created with your vows.

How do you feel about religion and politics?
It is best not to discuss religion and politics in most settings, but when it comes time to a lifetime commitment to another individual, there is good reason to bring these subjects to the forefront. Though your ideas regarding each might be perfectly in sync, there is a reason that these are considered taboo topics.

People generally feel very strongly about both and mismatched believes will very likely lead to heated battles in the future. Knowing what is a “hot topic” for your partner can allow you to approach it carefully and with great tact…thus reducing your chances of an argument.

Remember, as you ask these questions, that it is better to know how you and your partner feel (not how you think the other person wants you to feel). Honesty now will result in a harmonious marriage later!

Which is the the biggest of the marriage topics to discuss in your opinion? Did we miss any? Let us know in a comment!