Archive for June, 2011

Are you still trying to figure out how to have the relationship you thought you would have before you were married? Life does get in the way of being married and with kids. How do you sneak the passion back in when you have forgotten how to do it?

I just finished reading a book by Ellen Kreidman, P.H.D. called “The 10 Second Kiss” and it is a must for couples to read. She brings out the fun in romance. The first chapter is about the 10 second kiss but there is so much more than that in the book.

Per Ellen’s suggestion, I decided I was going to give Larry a 10 second kiss everyday. As you know, I already give Larry a kiss when he gets home and when he leaves but never has there been a 10 second kiss. With my heart wide open I asked Larry to give me a 10 second kiss. Of course, his reaction was “What?” but he laughingly obliged and bent down and gave me the kiss I requested.

Now it is our little connection at noontime before he goes back to work. Typically we both are laughing during the 10 second kiss but there are times when his kisses are very good and there is a passion we have to wait for until he gets home from work. Ah, the anticipation! What fun!

This book is for couples who are looking for ways to connect but don’t feel they have time. Ellen has some great suggestions and they are easy to do. Looking to keep the spark in your marriage alive, then read Ellen Kreidman, P.H.D. book, “The 10 Second Kiss“.

Ellen has written other books I have read. Take the time to read these too. You will learn so much about how to have a great marriage:

Light Her Fire: How to Ignite Passion, Joy, and Excitement in the Woman You

Light His Fire: How to Keep Your Man Passionately and Hopelessly in Love With You

Keep those sparks flying!
JoJo

© 2011, Surprise Kiss. All rights reserved.

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It’s OK for your marriage to be fabulous and flawed. Remember to keep saving your $5 a week because your marriage will feel fabulous when your go away for a romantic weekend on your anniversary!

Keep those sparks flying!
JoJo

Need help with cooking for romance, relationship or travel ideas? Then go to my Surprise Kiss Store above and click on the tab to see the authors I like to read and games that are fun to play with your sweetheart.

© 2011, Surprise Kiss. All rights reserved.

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Hope you had a great Fathers Day Weekend. We did. On Friday evening, we went to see an outdoor play with our daughter and her husband in the quaint Danish town of Solvang, 30 minutes away from where we live.

My mother volunteers at our local community college playhouse, PCPA, and works enough to get four free tickets and gives them to us. During the summer, in addition to having live theatre in Santa Maria, PCPA has an outdoor theatre in Solvang. The four of us like to take advantage of enjoying a live play out in the fresh air and under the stars.

We saw “39 Steps”. If you live in or near Santa Maria or Solvang or plan on being in the area you will want to see this play. It is a suspenseful-romantic-comedy which will have you laughing the whole time.

Hope you both liked my Fathers Day idea and you both got heated up with delight. See “Let’s Heat Things Up on Fathers Day”. Next weekend is 4th of July and I will have another inexpensive idea for you, so don’t forget to check back next Friday.

This weekend will be busy with Larry studying and taking a class online for work and me helping a friend move into her new office. After dinner we will get away for a couple of hours in the evening and drive down to Solvang again. We like to stroll along the sidewalk while window shopping with all the stores closed, after we will get a glass of wine at one of the cute wine tasting shops in town. They usually have free live entertainment on the weekends at one or two wine shops there.

Remember it doesn’t always have to cost you lots of money to have a date night. All it takes is just the two of you deciding to get away for a couple of hours and reconnect.

Keep those sparks flying!
JoJo

Need help with cooking for romance, relationship or travel ideas? Then go to my Surprise Kiss Store above and click on the tab to see the authors I like to read and games that are fun to play with your sweetheart.

© 2011, Surprise Kiss. All rights reserved.

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My daughter, Denise and I were talking about vacations and how expensive it can get. Most importantly, when you go to an area you have never been to and you want to experience everything the area has to offer, i.e., bus or boat rides, jeep tours, horseback riding, ghost tours, cave tours, etc.  All of these can add up very fast and before you know it you have no money left and you are using your credit card. Your restful trip has just turn into a stressful one.

How do you keep from spending all your money and still enjoy the area? One of the things Larry and I do before we travel to a new place is we will research on line, buy a travel book in the specific area we want to go to and ask family and friends. Find out what there is to do in the area, top rated tours to go on and how much they are. Also, check out the Chamber of Commerce and find out what free events are happening on the dates you will be there.

You don’t have to see and do everything that is offered when you are traveling. Walking the streets, taking a hike, having coffee and watching the world go by while over looking a lake is as important as experiencing an expensive tour. Choose one or two you both would like to experience and budget for it.  Then enjoy the beauty of the area, whether it is the city or out in the middle of nowhere. Don’t forget to bring a folder with places you can go to without spending a dime.

Are you flying to your destination?  One tip you may not know about is to sign up for the airline’s email you plan on using. They will send you their latest deals and discounts. You might get lucky with a discount if you sign up months before you plan on going on your trip. Who knows there may be a super discount all of sudden delivered to your e-mail address.

When planning a vacation, remember the most important thing is to enjoy your time off and have a restful vacation, not a stressful one. Research, save and make your decision on where and what you want to see and do before you get there.

Keep those sparks flying!
JoJo

Need help with cooking for romance, relationship or travel ideas? Then go to my Surprise Kiss Store above and click on the tab to see the authors I like to read and games that are fun to play with your sweetheart.

© 2011, Surprise Kiss. All rights reserved.

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Your smile is your best accessory when you look at your sweetheart! $5 a week for a romantic getaway is the best investment you can make for your relationship.

Keep those sparks flying!
JoJo

Need help with cooking for romance, relationship or travel ideas? Then go to my Surprise Kiss Store above and click on the tab to see the authors I like to read and games that are fun to play with your sweetheart.

© 2011, Surprise Kiss. All rights reserved.

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Father’s Day is this weekend! Ladies do you want to do something special for the man you married and the father of your children? Do you want to keep it inexpensive and memorable? Well you came to the right place, as you know I usually have something up my sleeve for you.

Here is what you will need:

  • 1 Blank Note Card or a Post-it-Note
  • Candles
  • Music Your Man Likes to Listen Too

On the card or post-it-note write:

“Happy Fathers Day sweetheart, to show my appreciation for all you do for me and the kids I’m going to heat you up tonight.”

In the morning hand your sweetheart the note and then later in the evening send your man to take a shower. While he is in the shower throw 2 towels in the dryer and get then all toasty warm. Light the candles turn on the music and wrap your body up in one of the warm towels. When your sweetheart has turned off the shower bring him the other warm towel and dry him off.

The warmth of your love will last him all night long.

Keep those sparks flying!
JoJo

Need help with cooking for romance, relationship or travel ideas? Then go to my Surprise Kiss Store above and click on the tab to see the authors I like to read and games that are fun to play with your sweetheart.

© 2011, Surprise Kiss. All rights reserved.

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Do you find yourself comparing your marriage with other couples? Do you find yourself complaining about how unhappy you are with your spouse? You are not happy and you are bored with your relationship.

 
Then you will want to watch the Today Show video from last Friday.

Bedroom Boredom

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

The video brought up some interesting aspects you may not have thought of. Gail Saltz and Ian Kerner talked about couples who are not happy with their jobs and life in general and put the blame on their relationship.

What is your take on why you are unhappy with your relationship? Is it because you are bored with life and putting the blame on your marriage? If that is the case maybe you need to look at yourself and your unhappiness before you point your finger at your spouse.

Keep those sparks flying!
JoJo

Need help with cooking for romance, relationship or travel ideas? Then go to my Surprise Kiss Store above and click on the tab to see the authors I like to read and games that are fun to play with your sweetheart.

© 2011, Surprise Kiss. All rights reserved.

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Take a moment to Surprise Kiss your sweetheart and don’t forget to put your $5 a week away for your romantic evening.

Keep those sparks flying!
JoJo

Need help with cooking for romance, relationship or travel ideas? Then go to my Surprise Kiss Store above and click on the tab to see the authors I like to read and games that are fun to play with your sweetheart

© 2011, Surprise Kiss. All rights reserved.

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“If you can spend a perfectly useless afternoon in a perfectly useless manner, you have learned to live.”-Lin Yutang

When was the last time you and your sweetheart did absolutely nothing? Do you always have a project around the house or family to attend to? I know we do. It is so easy to get rapped up with the “to do list” and the needs and wants of family that there is no time for just the two of you to do absolutely nothing!

This weekend try to carve out some time with each other and do nothing. If the kids have games ask their friends parents if they could take your children and bring them to the game and back home, offer to do the same for them next week. Your kids don’t always have to have you there and if it is the only game you miss, they will not be traumatized. Your kids will survive.

Once the house is quite take a nap together or sit next to each other outside with a glass of ice tea and enjoy the spring weather. Listen to the birds and watch the butterflies flutter from flower to flower. Sometimes quite times like this may be all you need to do to feel connected.

Relax, close your eyes, sit or lie down together and feel the love you have for each other.

Keep those sparks flying!
JoJo

Need help with cooking for romance, relationship or travel ideas? Then go to my Surprise Kiss Store above and click on the tab to see the authors I like to read and games that are fun to play with your sweetheart.

© 2011, Surprise Kiss. All rights reserved.

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The last 2 weeks I have asked you to write what your individual goals are and what you like about your relationship. Did you meet with your spouse and talk about what you each wrote down? Did you learn something new about your relationship?

This week I want you to write down what goals you would like to have together. Sit down separately and write your financial goals.

How much money do you want to save?

What bills do you want to pay off?

What big item do you want to purchase this year?

What type of trip do you want to have with the family?

What type of romantic trip do you want to have with your sweetheart?

How are you going to accomplish all of these goals together?

Which ones are the most important to you?

After you have done that set aside time to get away with each other and discuss what you wrote down. Did you find some similarities or did you have different thoughts on how your combined incomes should be spent?

Each of you will have some different ideas about how your money should be spent but it doesn’t mean you can’t come to a compromise. Communicating is so important. Differences can always be worked out if you are willing to work together.

Identify the financial goals that are most important to each of you and then find a way that maybe you can make it happen this year or maybe next year.

 
Working together and identifying the differences you have and coming to a compromise will help to make your relationship stronger and divorce proof.

Keep those sparks flying!
JoJo

Need help with cooking for romance, relationship or travel ideas? Then go to my Surprise Kiss Store above and click on the tab to see the authors I like to read and games that are fun to play with your sweetheart.

© 2011, Surprise Kiss. All rights reserved.

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