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8 Date Add-Ons for a New Spin

8 Date Add-Ons for a New Spin

By Connection, Quality Time One Comment

If regular dates have become part of your routine, congrats! You’ve established a habit that will pay off – strengthening your relationship in both the long and short-term – and that’s something to be proud of. So what’s next? Are you looking for a new challenge or a way to level up your dates? Or perhaps you’re experiencing a (good) problem – things have gotten to be a little too routine and predictable. Whatever the case, you could use some ways to inject some novelty and fun into your usual dates. There’s no need to completely reinvent the wheel, so here are 8 simple date add-ons that will put a new spin on your same old, same old. Read More

40 Ideas for the Perfect Date

40 Ideas For The Perfect Date

By Connection, Quality Time One Comment

You know that distinct feeling of satisfaction when something hits just right? It could be a meal you’ve been craving for weeks or that first sip of your favorite ice cold beverage on a scorching day. Maybe it’s a song that resonates deeply at a specific moment, or time spent with a friend that soothes your soul. Or maybe it’s the perfect date with your spouse – one that matches your vibe or mood perfectly and leaves you feeling energized, happy, and connected. It’s not always easy figuring out exactly what kind of date is going to check all those boxes. It’s especially difficult if you tend to stick to your usual date night routine. With that in mind, we’ve put together the ultimate list of date ideas, categorized by vibe/mood, to help you and your spouse enjoy a date that hits just right every time. Read More

3-Course Conversation Menu

Your 3-Course Conversation Menu

By Connection, Quality Time 2 Comments

Sometimes the date night conversation flows easily – you effortlessly segue from one topic to the next, making each other laugh while still hitting those meaningful and sweet moments – and you only talked about the kids once!

Other times, it doesn’t click as smoothly. Maybe you’re both tired or irritable from a long week or an exhausting day. Or perhaps you’re just blanking on things to talk about. You don’t mind companionable silence, but sometimes you could use a little conversational boost. For those moments, we’ve created this three-course date conversation menu. Read More

What Makes a Date?

What Makes a Date?

By Quality Time 2 Comments

Do you have certain criteria that need to be met in order for something to count as a date?

Maybe it has to be somewhere outside the home and last at least two hours. Maybe you have to dress up and a meal has to be involved. Maybe it has to be planned in advance and take place in the evening.

While these are all characteristics of dates you’ve gone on in the past – and probably of ones you will go on in the future – are these the things that truly make a date? Let’s dive into some different perspectives. Read More

How to Make Date Night Happen

How to Make Date Night Happen

By Quality Time 5 Comments

A regular, consistent date night sounds great on paper. But when it comes to actually following through, it might feel like there’s always something that can stand in the way. Whether it’s an unexpected last-minute event, your season of life, financial situation, or daily life obligations, you can usually come up with an excuse to skip date night.

But there’s one important reason why you shouldn’t: your marriage deserves the effort, and it benefits from the intentional quality time.

So let’s try to make it easier for you. Here are 5 tips to help make date night happen. Read More

Ask These Questions When Things Are Feeling Off

Ask These Questions When Things Are Feeling Off

By Relationship Dynamics 5 Comments

Sometimes you and your spouse can look at each other and have an entire conversation in just one glance. You’re in tune with each other and on the same page. Other times, this isn’t the case. It might feel like you’re a million miles apart – emotionally, mentally, and physically. You’re snippy and easily annoyed with each other. One misunderstanding leads to another. Neither of you feels like the other person knows where you’re coming from. You’re not necessarily mad at each other, but you can both admit that things feel… off.

Can you relate? Most couples go through periods like this from time to time – it’s normal! Next time things start feeling off between you and your spouse, take some time to ask these questions: Read More

5 Areas Practice Pays Off in Marriage

5 Areas Practice Pays Off in Marriage

By Relationship Basics 4 Comments

What things could you use some practice in? Maybe you’re picking up a new hobby or want to develop a particular skill for your job. Perhaps you’re giving a speech at your best friend’s wedding or you’re trying to perfect that special family recipe before the next big gathering. Whatever the case, practice typically leads to some degree of improvement, whether it’s immediate or more incremental.

What about in your marriage? “Practice” might seem odd in this context. Maybe you think about “working” on or prioritizing your marriage, but where does practice come in? Well, there are actually several areas in which practice pays off. Let’s dive into some. Read More

Do You Need a Marriage Debrief?

Do You Need a Marriage Debrief?

By Conflict No Comments

Have you and your spouse ever been in a situation that you know for certain requires a discussion, but that’s simply not possible in the moment?

Even if you’re masters of resolving conflict, there are times when getting into it right then and there isn’t the best choice. These are the times that call for a marriage debrief. Read More

Creating Your Celebration Culture

Creating Your Celebration Culture

By Parenting, Relationship Dynamics One Comment

Are you someone who celebrates their birthday all month, all week, one day, or not at all? Where does your spouse land?

Chances are you fall into one of these categories, and you probably know people who fit into the others. Are you and your spouse in the same group? If not, how are you navigating those differences?

It seems like a minor thing, but how you celebrate – whether it’s birthdays, holidays, milestones, or accomplishments – runs much deeper. Read More

Daily Forks in the Road of Marriage

Daily Forks in the Road of Marriage

By Relationship Dynamics 3 Comments

They say that loving your spouse is a choice you make every day. That’s true, but is it really just based on one single choice? Perhaps more accurately, it is the cumulative effect of many choices you make throughout the course of every day. Small forks in the road can send the dynamics of your marriage down a path of warmth and connection, or quite the opposite. Sort of like those “Choose Your Own Adventure” books that were popular in the 80’s and 90’s, the decisions you make when interacting with your spouse have a way of feeding off the previous and into the next. For better or worse, these seemingly small choices can become ingrained as habits or relationship patterns that stick. Wondering what we mean? Here are 4 forks in the road you might encounter on a daily basis: Read More