Surprise Kiss

Live theater is available in most cities and it is always fun to take advantage of. We have two in our community. One is your typical small playhouse that you see in most communities and the actors are usually local people. The other is run through our community college and is a professional conservatory. Actors from all over the United States come to hone their craft here. Both are very reasonably priced and it is a wonderful way of seeing some great live theater.

When we first moved from Los Angeles to Santa Maria, CA we couldn’t believe how inexpensive it was to see wonderful professional live theater. The first summer we moved here we seen three plays in one week. Granted it is a different experience but it is still quite enjoyable.

If you want to have a lovely evening out, your local community theater is one way to have a fun evening date that isn’t too expensive. Our local theater is only $15 per person and the community college starts at $28 per person. Also, check to see if they have student or senior’s rates.

That is all well and good you say but you don’t even have $15 to spare let alone buy a ticket for your partner. Did you know you can still see a play and not pay a cent? That is right. Most local theaters are running on a tight budget and can’t afford to hire people to usher or work the concession stand. They need volunteers.

I know of a couple who love to go and watch live theater and see all the plays for free! They sign up to volunteer and are assigned duties before the play starts. They will hand out the pamphlets or take tickets at the front door. Sometimes they usher or work the concession stand during admission. They are helping support the community theater and they get to have an enjoyable evening out.

This is something you might be able to do for your local symphony or concert that is coming to your city. Call the place where the venue you want to see is going to be playing and see if they have a volunteer program where you can help out and still be able to watch something you thought you couldn’t afford.

So don’t sit home complaining you can’t afford to go out on a date. Grab your partner and see live theater because it won’t cost you a penny!

Keep those sparks flying!
JoJo

© 2013, Surprise Kiss. All rights reserved.

In Oct of 2010 I wrote this blog and thought it was worth revisiting. We all need to be reminded to take time out.

Are you and your spouse stressed out from the daily grind of work and responsibilities of life? Spend some time outside. Did you know just spending time outside can increase the production of endorphins, which can help you feel less stressed.

After dinner don’t sit down and just jell out. Get up and take a walk with the whole family and watch the sunset. No phones or technology allowed during your walk. It is amazing how sunsets are daily occurrences and we don’t even stop to look at them. We are always in such a rush to get things done.

Make it a point to hold hands with your sweetheart and watch the sunset tonight with the whole family while you take a walk. If the children want to hold your hand too, make them grab the hand that is free. Don’t release your hand from your spouse. Your children need to see and feel the strength of your marriage.

Walking together and watching the sunset will help to relax the whole family and will bring everyone closer to each other. It gives everyone an opportunity to talk with none of the distractions of TV, video games or texting.

When you walk back into your home you will all feel a relaxing glow from watching a sunset together that will last until the next day!

Keep those sparks flying!
JoJo

***My free eBook is coming soon! Be on the lookout for it and when it comes out you can be one of the first to get it. ***

“Your marriage is a gift from God; how you treat it is a gift to him.”

© 2013, Surprise Kiss. All rights reserved.

Your marriage is the best you could ever want and you are proving it by saving $5 a week for a year for a romantic weekend away with your sweetheart.

Keep those sparks flying!
JoJo

***My free eBook is coming soon! Be on the lookout for it and when it comes out you can be one of the first to get it. ***

“Your marriage is a gift from God; how you treat it is a gift to him.”

© 2013, Surprise Kiss. All rights reserved.

I published this in 2010 and recently was telling a friend about how we dealt with having a teenager in your life. My friend loved the idea and planned on doing the same thing. It got me thinking you would enjoy hearing about it too.

Do you have teenage children? Are they driving you a little crazy and you can’t agree with your spouse on how to handle a particular situation with your teen? I remember those days well. Larry sometimes would be very upset about something our daughter had done and I didn’t think it was that big of a deal. And then there were the times I was upset and he wasn’t. Do you argue in front of the kids until you find a solution? We found a way to come to an agreement without our daughter hearing us. How did we do it?

It was our daughter’s responsibility to clear the dishes and put them in the dishwasher after dinner. That’s when we would go for a walk and argue it out. There were no ears to hear and she couldn’t play us against each other. It was good not only for our relationship but it was good for our health too. If we were really upset about something she had done we would walk really fast.

As we walked we would talk about how a situation should be handled. There were times when one of us felt we needed to be hard on her and after discussing it the other would say you are right it’s not that important and then there were times after a discussion we would agree together we were not happy with her. These walks taught us how to pick our battles with what was really important in raising our child.

When we walked back in the door we would stand strong together. She had a hard time pushing our buttons. What she got was a strong mother and father who didn’t let her go between them. She knew when she was in trouble and there was no getting out of it. She was taught responsibility for her actions which has turned her into a responsible and productive adult today.

So the next time you and your husband aren’t agreeing on how the children should be raised go for a walk and work it out. Your children will thank you later in life and you will keep the sanity in your marriage.

Keep those sparks flying!
JoJo

© 2013, Surprise Kiss. All rights reserved.

Saving $5 a week for a romantic weekend away with your sweetheart will ignite the romance back in your relationship once you have that quiet time you both have been dreaming of.

Keep those sparks flying!
JoJo

***My free eBook is coming soon! Be on the lookout for it and when it comes out you can be one of the first to get it. ***

“Your marriage is a gift from God; how you treat it is a gift to him.”

© 2013, Surprise Kiss. All rights reserved.

Hey guys it is Mother’s Day this weekend. Do you have any plans to surprise your wife with something romantic but not too expensive. Don’t worry I have a plan for you and it will be pleasurable & memorable.

In the morning have the kid’s help you make breakfast and serve her in bed. Don’t know how to cook? No worries. Bring her breakfast from McDonalds. One of the most memorable Mother’s Day was when I turned up sick and Larry & Denise went to McDonalds and got me breakfast and we all ate in bed.

First thing in the morning hand your lovable wife a card with a note written in it.

“Happy Mother’s Day my sweetheart! I want to spoil you the way you spoil me and the kids all day long and later this evening when the kids are in bed I want to put a sparkle in your eyes and a tingly feeling all over your body”

Let your woman choose what she likes to do. Maybe it is coffee at Starbucks or a walk along the beach. The simple things are usually the most memorable.

After the kids are in bed:

• Light the candles
• Pour something bubbly
• Turn on some romantic Music
• Have the massage oil on the bedside table

Need I say more?

Yes…..give that wife of yours a Mother’s Day gift that is both pleasurable and memorable.

Keep those sparks flying!
JoJo

© 2013, Surprise Kiss. All rights reserved.

Have you ever checked into a hotel and it ended up not looking like the photos on the internet? We’ve had that happen to us a few times. Thank goodness not very often.

Anthony Melchiorri of the Travel Channel’s “Hotel Impossible” was on the Today Show with Kathy Lee Gifford & Hoda Kobt and gave some great advice on how to deal with a hotel that doesn’t quite meet the standard you expected.

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Love the tip about calling the hotel manager and letting them know you are coming and what you have reserved. I will be using this idea from now on.

One time we checked into a room in Las Vegas late at night after an unusually long drive and discovered ants crawling all over the bed. We immediately walked out of the room luggage and all and went directly to the lobby and told them our situation and like Anthony said we were friendly and nice to the front desk and were given an upgraded room minus the ants. We still laugh about the story but it wasn’t too funny at the time. We were tired and hungry.

Remember that old saying “You can get more with honey than vinegar.”

For Men Only: Check in on Friday for a romantic idea to give your wife for Mother’s Day.

Keep those sparks flying!
JoJo

***My free eBook is coming soon! Be on the lookout for it and when it comes out you can be one of the first to get it. ***

“Your marriage is a gift from God; how you treat it is a gift to him.”

© 2013, Surprise Kiss. All rights reserved.

You will be feeding your sense of anticipation when you save $5 a week for a year to go on a romantic weekend away with your sweetheart.

Keep those sparks flying!
JoJo

***My free eBook is coming soon! Be on the lookout for it and when it comes out you can be one of the first to get it. ***

“Your marriage is a gift from God; how you treat it is a gift to him.”

© 2013, Surprise Kiss. All rights reserved.

This week I was talking to a friend from Colorado and she told me what she and her husband, Roger, do on their dates. It has become a tradition and they both look forward to their quite time together. Their dates are not what you typically think of doing. Most people after they are married assume when you are talking about a date it is in the evening. This is not always the case and because this couple thinks out of the box, they have a longer and more enjoyable date than most couples.

Karen is off every Friday, Saturday and Sunday and Roger has a 3 day weekend every other week. The Fridays he is off and the kids are in school they go to see the early bird show at their local theatre. When I say early I am talking the 10:00 AM showing and then they go out to their favorite little restaurant for lunch. They finish the afternoon off by running some errands and getting a cup of coffee before the kids get home.

They get to see all the latest films and there are no crowds. The bonus is it is cheaper because they are going to the early show. She told me they try to be fair by taking turns choosing the movies. One Friday they were in line and there was an older couple in their late sixties in front of them and they were going to see two movies. She heard the older guy say to his wife now I chose one it is your turn to choose the one you want to go to. She thought they were cute. When you look at these two couples they were both very considerate of the other.

She also told me that their friends are always a little envious because they see all the latest movies. Karen reminds them that the only way they could do this is because they go to the early bird shows.

This is such a great idea. You may not have Fridays off like Roger and Karen do but you could trade off on a Saturday or Sunday with another couple to watch the kids. Each couple benefits every other week with some alone time and the kids have fun at the other couples house. The couple that is watching the kids could also host dinner for everyone. You get to see a movie, have lunch out and then go to dinner at the other’s house. This makes for a wonderful relaxing day every other week for each couple. If every other week is too much then try once a month.

Plan on having a date on a budget, it will become a tradition you and your husband will look forward to.

Keep those sparks flying!
JoJo

***My free eBook is coming soon! Be on the lookout for it and when it comes out you can be one of the first to get it. ***

“Your marriage is a gift from God; how you treat it is a gift to him.”

© 2013, Surprise Kiss. All rights reserved.

Tech Expert, Katie Linendoll was on the Today show talking to Al Roker about the latest travel gadgets. The video was interesting enough that I wanted to share it with you just in case you couldn’t live without one of these items when you go on vacation with your sweetheart.

8 Must-Have Travel Gadgets

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Here is the list of everything Katie Linendoll talked about in the video:

1. Waterbuoy – Waterbuoy.net
2. Lifeproof Waterproof Cases – Lifeproff.com
3. Isplash Floating Speaker – Frontgage.com
4. Sev Gadget Cardigan – Thinkgeek.com
5. Towelmate – Towelmate.com
6. Robot Headphone Splitter – Eriedrive.com
7. Wine in a Purse – Viamawines.com
8. Remote Control Cooler – Amazon.com

Cool stuff, some of them are very useful and worth the money to purchase. I personally liked the Waterbuoy and the Lifeproof Waterproof Cases. We all know how easy it is to lose your keys in the water and never be able to find them or how many of us have dropped our phone in water. (ME!!!)

Your vacation with your sweetheart should be stress free and the 2 gadgets I liked could help when you are playing in or near the water.

Keep those sparks flying!
JoJo

© 2013, Surprise Kiss. All rights reserved.