{ABD} - Summer Style

{ABD} - I know I haven't written about them much lately -- mainly because we haven't been doing them.  {After Bed Dates} -- These started because we put dates on the back burner to revamp our finances and babysitting is the most expensive thing about dating.

July 3rd was a very cool (temperature) wise.  Keith and I had been talking about how one of these evenings we just need to relax with a drink and unwind.

We both are fighting off a pretty serious funk.  We are both stressed about things here at home and with our jobs.  I think we are both fighting off a mid-life crisis.

So I ran to the store and picked up some of those freeze and drink pouches.  He set up the fire.  We were ready to relax.

I love my coffee cups and gave up drinking coffee.  My thought is .. use them for everything.  Especially Lime Margarita on the rocks.

We were enjoying our evening.  Time with each other and relaxing.  We were not even joined by anyone other than this guy.

When You Least Expect It

I fell in love with my husband all over again this (Sunday) morning. 

One of my favorite pictures of us.  Sits in a frame next to my side of the bed.  April 2008.

This morning after starting to get up, I looked at him and said, "I am resounding myself to the fact that it will be lost."  Now, I am not going to go into all the details - we are not ready to share yet. 

I get the kids dressed for church and give them some extra love this morning.  Mostly because Mommy needed it.  Hubs gets out of the shower and takes them downstairs so I can get dressed for church. 

At the bottom of the stairs, I turn to head toward the kitchen.  He is there waiting for me.  Wraps me in his arms and just hugs me.  He says nothing.  No words need to be shared.  In his embrace I heard, "I love you." "We are going to make it through this."  "You matter to me."  "You are special." 

He held me.  I cried. 

He held me and said nothing.  I cried and fell in love with him all over again. 

We went to church and I will be honest - I have no idea what our Sr. Pastor taught today.  I tried to pay attention.  I couldn't.  I sat there thinking about what I was dealing with.  I remember thinking.  God is using this to pull me closer to Him.  He is using this to pull Keith closer to Him.  He is using this to bring us closer together.  No matter what the outcome in the physical, we will make it through because God is here with us.


God didn't pick Keith out for me.  God created Keith for me.  I thank God for him. 

Friday Night {ABD}

{ABD} = After Bed Date

An {ABD} is an at home date that happens in the few hours we have on Friday or Saturday nights after the kids go to bed.  Why do we choose to {ABD}?

1. Our kids will not sleep anywhere except at home.
2. We are choosing to not spend money on dates because we are saving for a house.  This is one of the things we are putting on the back burner.
3. We get to be really creative.

Recently I hosted a Ladies Night with Hope Springs and House Party.  The ladies at my party brainstormed about fun dates that are frugal and can happen without much planning.  One of the ideas we found.

Indoor S'mores.  

Then I find out that Hubs doesn't like s'mores, but he does like the pieces.  

I only have scented candles and was so afraid the marshmallow would taste like the scent.  It didn't.

Since this date happened during the Summer Olympics and we have been watching them pretty much nightly I figured it would be an Olympics date.  

I came up with some "Olympic events" to play during the commercials.
Here we are to knock over the flags on one bounce. 

Here we are supposed to bounce the ball off the step and into the bucket.  

We had so much fun.  

Hubs: "This was so much fun.  I can always count on you to come up with something creative."  

One of my favorite compliments.  

Hope Springs {House Party}

Recently I was invited to throw a House Party.  It was for the Meryl Streep's new movie, Hope Springs.

I had so much fun planning this party.  I got to plan a party so I am all over that!  Hope Springs is about a couple who have lost the romance in their marriage.  They go to Maine for marriage counseling and I am sure hilarity will ensue.  

House Party sends you some great swag to give to your guests.  

IOU Coupon Booklets, Movie Relationship Guide and Conversation Starter Cards

Wine glasses and Canvas Tote Bags

Seeing that the movie takes place in Maine I went with a rocky beach theme.   Lots of shells and gravely sand - ocean scented candles.  

The movie is about reigniting the flame, so we made date boxes to help us when we get in a dating rut. We crafted the boxes and then filled them with brainstormed ideas for dates.

I also made some theme inspired snacks.  Sandy Brownies and Fruit Salsa.  

It is so important to keep dating your husband.  It keeps the romance alive.  It makes your marriage a priority.  We have some very serious goals we are trying to reach.  They are financial in nature, we want a house.  However, we find this such a priority we find ways to creatively date without spending money.

Check out this post for our Ladies Night Inspired Date.  This date cost me $1.80.  The cost of 2 candy bars.  

Review: Pursuit of Proverbs 31

When I joined Christian Women Affiliate as a reviewer I went through the list of books there to review.  One jumped off the screen.

"Pursuit of Proverbs 31: A timeless, biblical study for the modern Christian woman" by Amy Bayliss.  I guess if God hits you with a 2 x 4 enough times you finally get it.

This book is for you.  Why? Because you are a woman.  Sure you might be a wife, you might be a mom, but one thing is true.  You are a woman.


There has been a lot swirling around about this section of scripture in my own little world lately.  I was first introduced to "the perfect woman" a few years back.  It was taught to me that she was an actual person.  She truly was able to do all of these things and do it with class and with grace.  She was a blessing to everyone and never needed anything.  If she did need anything she just did it herself because asking her husband for help with anything would be too much of a burden.  She was UNATTAINABLE in my eyes.

Then I kind of just let it go.  Thinking God will understand that I just can't be this woman.  Yet part of me still wanted to be this woman - I desired to be all those things.  I wanted her calm.  I wanted her joy.  I wanted her abilities.  I wanted how it seemed like her day had 72 hours where mine had 24.

A few weeks back my friend talked about the section where she is a blessing to her children at our moms group.  Back to Proverbs 31 ... I could not escape, but I didn't really want to either.  Just last week a friend of mine told me about the bible study she was doing about ... you guessed it Proverbs 31.

Amy gives you a simple guideline on how to use her book.  The first thing she suggests is reading it cover to cover.  This way you will know all that is there and then you can focus on where you would like to grow with the bible study.

Now I have done small group bible studies before and one thing I was never "taught" - how to do a bible study.  Well Amy gives you guidelines on how to study the bible.  How helpful!

I knew I was in the right place after I read the first few pages and I find the lyrics to a song that moved me in worship just a few days earlier.

The underlying theme is that Jesus and God need to be our central focus, not a list of guidelines about the ideal woman (she’s not a real person -  I am that slow sometimes).  Amy tells us, “The only way this scripture will be fulfilled is through Christ.  Our job is to accept that and follow Him.  If we are following Jesus we must always look to him first.”

Using personal experience and scripture she shares how we too can put Jesus first.  Things like creating a mission statement for your family or ways to invest in your children.  These are things that you can implement right away.

This was a great read and I am looking forward to diving deeper into the study.

Disclosure:  I received a free copy of this book/Ebook/Product to review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC Regulations. I am part of The CWA Review Crew.

You Might Work at Home If...

You might be a WAHM (work at home mommy) if your desk looks like this.

Love Letter to My Husband

Dear Loving, Caring and Amazing Husband.

Thank you for working your tail off over the last several months to meet your sales quotas. As your wife I know that you are under tremendous stress to provide for your family. I would like you to know that we appreciate everything that you do for us.

Specifically, I would like to thank you for providing us with the ability to stay at home and wash our clothes.



Not only have you provided the mother of your daughter one of the most useful tools of the mommyhood trade, you have provided your wife with stress free laundry services. Thank you so much for working so hard to give us everything that we need.

This weekend I needed to relax and recharge. You provided that for us. You came up with the idea to go hang out with our brother, 'sister' and nephew. We hung out there, went swimming and ordered pizza. It was amazing and SO relaxing! We ran some errands and did laundry. Not only did you provide us with ability to wash our clothes you even helped with it.



Thank you for providing a weekend that resulted in feeling like I was on a week long vacation on the beach. Now I don't have the tan to go with it, but I feel so relaxed and recharged.

Thank you husband. Thank you for everything you do.

You Rock!

I love you. I respect you.

With love forever and always,
Wifey

Bad Move Wifey

I had one of those moments today that I would like to just forget. I made my husband feel like he was worthless, then I blamed him for it. Bad move. If you have ever read any relationship books, this is a major sin. And I have read a few relationship books in my day.

Here's what happened.

First of all we have failed our no fast food June. We were at Taco Bell before the softball game. I wanted to share something funny with my sister, so I texted her. Mistake one - I have not seen my husband all day and I am taking our first few moments together and texting my sister. Something that was not important at all.

Of course my sister texted back, I read it as soon as I got it and replied. This is where I found out Keith was upset. "What am I not good enough company tonight?" Smack, a disrespected husband. I apologize and put my phone away. I should have stopped right there. Nope, I decide to go full throttle. "It's not like you are talking to me anyway."

Doubly disrespected husband. So he let's me know his displeasure. Reminding me how every single time when I get called out on something, I try to pass the buck. I could argue that it couldn't be every single time, there has to be a time or two when I haven't done that to discount the every single. But let's be honest. I do this WAY too much.

My response was, "I am sorry, seeing that we weren't talking I thought it would be okay to send a text." That time I stopped, but the damage was already done.

Obviously I am not perfect. Maybe I should re-read some of the relationship books, Love and Respect, or His Needs Her Needs. What I remember from these teachings from both would apply.

Six out of Seven Weeks

Six out of Seven weeks I have been attending Keith's Thursday softball games. These games are horrible to watch. Five of the Six weeks they have lost. Most of them they have been run ruled. Meaning after the 5th inning they are losing by 10 or more runs.

Tonight was starting to look the same way. Kaitlyn and I are hanging out in the stands. A dog starts barking. The rest I must say was the most entertaining part of the evening.

Check it out.