Encouraging words

I love you just because you are you

A while ago I took a parenting course, because frankly been struggling with giving time and encouragement to each of my four children. My second child basically being the middle child unfortunately was/is the child that gets left to her devices most time. She is also the one that will be snapped at the most, because she is as precocious, inquisitive, chatta much about not much and fidgety as any eight year can be.
BUT she is also the most sensitive and fragile of the bunch. So I took the course and came away armed with many tools some worked and some still are works in progress.

There were two tools in particular that would work perfectly in improving your relationship.
The first I needed to ensure there was a day or an activity that was just Mummy and daughter time. A special time for just the two of us so that she felt loved and important.
Well, I am sure you see how that can be translated into spending time with your significant others. Either a day with just you two or a night or a quick getaway at a hotel or something. For the hubbie and I going out is not that easy babysitter issues and such... but we do ensure to have a date night at home at least once a month ( though it is not officially titled that way) and it is as simple as sitting together holding hands and watching a movie with popcorn.  Sometimes sitting and eating dinner together after children have gone to sleep work as date night . Just looking for any time to have some together time.

The second one was the use of encouraging words and sentences with my daughter. Words that build up her self esteem and encourage her to do the things that she may not be confident or too afraid to do. I was given a list to learn and try to incorporate in our conversations. Especially around homework time.
That list really prompted the idea for this blog. I thought wow a lot of these lines would be just as effective with the hubbie. So many of us are so harsh with our significant others. We basically take it for granted that out significant others will be there for us always and we sometimes forget that hey they need support as well.

Starter lines like:
I really appreciate when....
I saw that you did.......... thank you
I believe in your ability to......
I love you just because you are you

Working on building up your words of encouragement could never be a bad thing.

I think this is so cool and kinda works on the same principle of encouraging words. I stumbled on to the Bad Day Box from  LoveActually Blog on Pinterest and I fell in love.
In essence you put together a box with love notes, treats and images to encourage your significant other on the days that are not going so great. It is explained so perfectly here.
very sweet I need one :D so I think I am going to put one together for the hubster.

So what words of encouragements do you favour?!

100th

Well what do you know

the post before was my 100th post 

flings confetti in the air! woohoo

it is pity there is no party or party favours for me to hand out to you.

But still join me in a confetti filled dance of excitement.

Shiver me timbers

Today is Talk like A Pirate Day!
LOL
I bet you thought I was going to try to convince you to do some new pirate themed way to communicate with your significant other thus promoting intimacy.
Well I am not .... not really.

I get daily Feng shui tips via email and today for Talk like a Pirate Day the tip was about making treasure maps or most of us know it vision boards.

Treasure mapping, or vision boarding, has long been used in order to create a visual representation of your hopes, wishes and dreams.

Half way through the mental planning of my vision board it hit me, wouldn't it be a great t an hing if you did up a vision board together with your significant other. I don't think I have ever heard of anyone doing a joint board.
What a perfect way to start off your relationship/marriage with a visual conversation of your dreams and expectations and put it up as a reminder of what your goals as a couple are.

The promise inherent in this effort is that before a year is done, some or even all of your intentions on that map will have come true in some shape or form.

What would be on your couples vision board ( I can tell it is never too late to put one together)

Images I would definitely have on our couples board:

Are you noticing a trend. I am looking for happy, hugging family and growing old together :D
Shouldn't we all.

Posts from the Past

This summer has taken its toll on me,
my computer was sick and then died and I have yet to replace it.
Then I was sick and it took me two weeks to get back my energy.
To now finding my self with a bum shoulder. I think my body is giving up on me
cause geez I did have another birthday this month. Yes I did have a party no balloons but with friends and alcohol :)
and then well it is summer and the children need to be entertained and by golly they have been entertaining me
so definitely not giving me anytime to visit here or visit any of my favourite haunts.
 Seeing that there is two more weeks of summer before it is back to school and I have a little more free time. I leave up some my favourite posts.

I appreciate you
Yes Dear
Surround yourself with Happiness
Children
It's your decision choose it
List of good words only
Just 10 minutes
Just Listen
My bucket list


Hoping Hurricane Irene plays nice with all those on the East Coast.
Happy Weekend to everybody else.

To Grey or Not to Grey!

To grey or not to grey now that question of the day.

I know that many of us never think of this when we hook up with our significant other.
Especially women going grey naturally could easily become a group decision.
I found this out recently...because shocker...
I have quite an accumulation of silver/white/grey hair (what ever you want to call it)
I am actually quite comfortable with my white hair.
My mother has had a patch of white in her hair for all of my life and now she is all white with a touch of pepper. So I think nothing of greying naturally.
However the hubbie is not so sure about that.
Grey hair to him is not a symbol of wisdom or triumph over life nope he sees it as simply old age, stress and a symbol of no sleep.I think it interferes with his sleep.
hmmmm
So as a result I have considered going the route of the bottle to cover up those greys
because there are so many things to battle over and I chose not to let my hair be one of them.

Wonder if I should dye those white hair pink LOL!


Have you ever had this type of discussion?

Hold my hand

Holding Hands by Coralay (Drawn art at Deviantart.com)

Remember when you first started 'dating' and you were all hot and heavy it was if you were glued together
palm to palm anyway.
Just that little bit of connection could keep you as you strolled down the street.
Hmmmm memories!

Why is it that after the initial burst of romance most of us couples stop holding hands?

We should never stop.
Hand holding is such a great way to be intimate with each other without being too in your face
and if you have children it allows you to not be too 'gross' LOL
it is communicating with each other without words.
Well that is how I see it anyway.

This weekend I dare you to hold hands with your significant others even if it just while you watch tv.

Have a great weekend !

Under a bit of pressure!

My new favourite show is Marriage under Construction I stumbled onto it by accident one day last week as I was lazing and surfing the channels. It is on DIY , well actually on HGTV Canada and it about this newlywed young couple who are renovating their first home together and how they deal with it. They are the cutest couple ever and honestly that is what I love about the show they are just adorable. But my hat goes off to them if ever there was a test to be had on a marriage, renovating/rebuilding your home is definitely high up there in its challenge quota.

This is definitely the way to see what sort of stuff your significant other is about. And I am not joking in saying that it could surely make or break your relationship.
Moving house is also another hard one.

Who ever thought that marriage/coupledom isn't work has another thing coming to them.

Of course you never know how you or your significant is going to handle any of those situations until you are actually involved in it but it helps if you have taken little test challenges in the earlier years of your relationship.
My mother sent me this link from eHarmony recently which to me nails it on the head. Ok I don't know why my Mother is getting email from eHarmony but haven't asked either LOL
It is titled "6 Situations When the "Real You" Emerges" such as Driving/road trips, getting sick how you deal with it and how your significant other deals with it.
Recently this was on my mind when I unexpectantly spent 5 days in the hospital. My hubbie, who like most hubbies, can get under my skin sometimes.
But in a situation like this he is genius! Perfect, perfect for me!
He stays calm and collected, he does the research for what is wrong and he piles me with love and treats. He gave up sleep for those days to ensure that I slept :D. It is times like these that reminds us why we we chose each other LOL.

Sometimes pressure puts things out of proportion but honestly you may be surprised that you like the shape that it takes when the pressure is off.

have you ever been in a situation that made you think that yup your significant other was a keeper?