Here are a few ideas:

• Take the wedding party to a playground and climb all over the jungle gym.
• Have everybody jump on the count of three and have the picture snapped while everyone is either in the air or making funny faces.
• Have candid photos taken while your wedding party is just hanging out or walking around.
• Keep an eye on the flower girl and ring bearer for quote pictures.
• Have the bride “dip” the husband.
• Drive around a town and look for cool photo opts like old buildings, police station, or parks.
• Pictures by the water are great as well. standing on the dock looking to the water.

These are just a few ideas to get your creative juices flowing. Remember to have fun.  Please feel free to add more tips in the comments.  We are already married but we sure love to take fun pictures.

1. “That’s Fine“: Women say this when they are tired of arguing with you. This is the phrase that means you should go do something nice for them before they really tell you what they want.
2. “I am almost ready“: This means that she will be done when she gets done and that you need to stop bugging her.
3. “Oh Nothing“: This is the bad one. She is ready to blow a gasket and rip into you. Do nice things for her ASAP!
4. “Thanks“: She is indeed thanking you. Accept it and move on. Do not question the reasoning for her saying thanks and do not look into the tone of her voice either. Again, accept the thanks and life goes on.
5. “Do I look fat?“: Guys, we all know the answer to this question. This is a trap! Change the topic gracefully, stub your toe to draw attention off the topic, or fake faint and have her come to your aid.

There a many “nonverbal” things women say as well… I hope you enjoyed this list. Feel free to add more in the comments.

We bought our Wii when they first came out. It was so much fun to play the free game that came with it. We played every night and we had a riot. I felt like I was twelve years old again. We were competitive and that was OK. Some couples can have problems with too much competition. Being competitive and having fun can turn a cold winter’s night or a rainy day into a fun time with your significant other.

Laughter is the medicine that soothes the soul. I was attracted to B for her fun laugh and sense of humor. Playing the Wii will generate a ton of laughter. We plan on buying some more games when the new Mario Kart and Mario game come out later this year.

We also enjoy having other couples over to play the Wii. We can play team tennis with them and have an awesome time. Some couples will want to buy the gaming console because they had so much fun with their significant other. I feel that video games on the Wii can now include more people than just young kids.

An article in the Chicago Tribune talks about Nintendo Wii’s finding themselves in retirement homes:

A lot of grandparents are being taught by their grandkids. But, now, some grandparents are instead teaching their grandkids.

The Wii has become so popular at Sedgebrook that on Sunday afternoon there will be a video game bowling tournament in the lounge. More than 20 residents have signed up to compete.

“We’ll even have a fan for people to dry their hands before they bowl,” said Dierbach, head of Sedgebrook’s entertainment committee.

If the retirees in Lincolnshire are any proof, video games are no longer just kids’ play.

My Grandma played Wii Bowling over Christmas and enjoyed it. She laughed harder than anybody in the room.

This is proof that video games can generate relationships and also strengthen them through a sense of fun and community with both couples, friends, and all ages.

Some people don’t know how to swing fluently and they search online for how-to’s that teach them the steps for something. Swinging with your wife can be relaxing and enjoyable if you know how to swing correctly.

It would be ideal if you could find a swing set that has two open swings side-by-side. You can sit right next to your husband or wife and swing. This allows you to look at each other and even hold hands. There is something special about doing things that you once did as a child as an adult. It makes you and your wife feel like a kid again. Swinging can bring on conversations with your wife that will strengthen your marriage and create an even tighter bond between the two of you.

Let’s get into the logistics of swinging correctly with your husband or wife. Find a swing set in a quite park. Make sure there a two swings side-by-side to aid in making conversation easier and allow the holding of hands if desired.

How to swing properly with your wife or husband:

1. Sit in the swing.
2. Walk backwards till you can barely touch the ground.
3. Lift your feet and begin to swing and lean backwards with your legs straight out in front of you.
4. Lean forward and move your legs under and towards you as you swing at the highest point.
5. Hold this position till you are at the highest point in the back swing and then begin to lean back and pump your legs straight out in front of you.
6. Keep repeating this pumping motion as you swing back and forth.

That is how to swing. You and your significant other can now swing side by side. You can swing slow and talk or you can see who can swing the highest. You could also have a jumping contest if you body is able to see who can land farther out from the swing set. This works well if you and your significant other are competitive. Just be careful so you don’t injure yourself.

Swinging on a swing set can be a nice relaxing activity to get you and your wife or husband to get outside and enjoy the weather. Now you know how to swing with your wife. Remember; be safe while you are swinging with your significant other.

Women need to be loved through thick and thin.
Men, love your wife no matter how bad you screw up or your wife screws up. We all make mistakes! That is the way God made us! Love is the cement that holds your relationship together. I have noticed that B really needs to be loved when she is going through tough times. She may have had a bad day at school or work and just needs that big hug with an “I love you” attached. Don’t get mad at your wife when she is all down and out about her day. I used to get upset because her attitude would bring mine down. I have learned that men need to go down to that emotional level with their wives and help bring them back up. Don’t leave your wife in that lonely, cold spot of feeling down and out. It will speak volumes to her when she realizes you care about how she feels and the two of you will grow stronger in each other.

Women need to be surprised and pampered.
Men, nothing says “I love you” like a thoughtful surprise. Find something that she would never expect and do it. Take her on a car ride through some scenic area to see the fall leaves and have a picnic somewhere together. Women don’t always need flowers and a diamond to be surprised. Don’t get me wrong though, women do love diamonds and flowers. I am lucky with B. She would rather go out to eat and have fun then have me spend money on something as temporary as flowers. I know for a fact though that a surprise of flowers for no reason is a good thing also. Catch your wife off guard and do something spontaneous and exciting. Get her a massage somewhere. Stretch your wife’s comfort zone and she will enjoy it. I took B to a weekend of fun for a one-year anniversary. She talked about it here. I picked everything out for the weekend and she knew nothing about it. She knew that we were going away for the weekend and that I had planned everything. I planned a Segway tour and a stay in a really nice hotel. She was really freaked out when we showed up to the Segway tour. She will be the first to admit that it was a great weekend! Surprise your wife! Rub her feet with some cool lotion or draw her a bath after a long day at work. She will love you for it and it will strengthen your relationships with each other.

Your wife needs to feel secure.
Women need to feel secure in their marriage. This ranges from finances, to a roof over her head, to protection, and etc…. Love also creates a secure feeling. I am a bit bigger than the average guy and I am a lot bigger than my wife. She loves the fact that I am a big teddy bear. It comforts her when I give her a big hug. I am not saying that you have to go out and get hugely overweight or workout a ton to get bigger. That is just one way my wife feels secure. Some women like to run the finances and maybe that is a good thing for some men. There are all sorts of ways to make your wife feel secure in your marriage and strengthen your marriage and relationship.

You wife may just want to have fun.
Men, don’t be dull and boring in your relationship. Do fun stuff together that will draw you closer together. I love it when B has fun and laughs. It makes me feel good when we can laugh together and enjoy each others company. I know she enjoys it as well. Having fun in a relationship is key to making it last. Don’t let the “fun well” go dry. It is harder to fill it when it is empty. Continue to fill it at all times and your relationship will always be fun and the fun will never run dry.

Help your wife with the household chores.
This one may hurt, men. Surprise your wife by cleaning the floors while she is away. Clean the bathroom on your own without her asking you. I am of the mindset that men should help with these household chores anyways. I do struggle with it at times though. Doing these things blesses your wife in so many ways. I know I mentioned drawing a bath for your wife before, but draw a bath and then clean the floors or do the dishes or do anything that would bless her and make her feel loved and appreciated. Have her put her feet up and you vacuum or play with the kids (if you have them). There a so many things that you could do for her. Little things go a long way!

I could go on and on about things to do to keep your relationship healthy and on fire for each other. Keep a list of these ideas and try and incorporate them into your home life. You will notice that your wife will want to return the favor sometimes. Bless your wife and she will want to bless you. Healthy marriages are import in today’s world. It is important for your kids and for yourselves. The divorce rate is so high these days. Lets turn that statistic around, men!

Fell free to leave as many comments as you want or send us a message. I want to hear other ideas from other men and women out their. I would like to make this a resource for happy, healthy marriages. A healthy marriage is a life long journey.

I have chosen to participate in ProBlogger’s Group Writing Project again with this post. Swing on by and check it out.

UPDATE: My wife wrote an entry on Five things a Woman Needs to Hear to Fall in Love. It is a good read!

It’s hard to believe that M was able to keep a secret from me for as long as he did. Usually he’s the one who can’t wait to open Christmas presents, so we open them a week early. When he gets excited about something, he usually wants to tell me right away. So when the day came we were leaving for our anniversary trip, and I still hadn’t heard a peep about what we were doing, I was pretty impressed. The only thing M had informed me was that I would never be able to guess one of the activities he had planned. It was so exciting to be going somewhere and have no clue about where we were going to stay and what we were going to do.

We drove a couple hours to our first destination, and M was right, I never would have guessed what we would be doing! He had planned a three hour segway tour around our destination city. To be honest, I was really skeptical at first. I knew M was Mr. Technology and it didn’t surprise me the activity he had planned. But soon after we got comfortable on our segways and touring the city, it turned out to be such a blast! We drove on bike trails around the river, crossed bridges, toured a little bit of the city, and had a little off-roading time. It was so much fun! Afterwards, I had to apologize to M for being a little unsure about the whole segway thing, because it turned out to be a great time. It was one of those things that I would never choose to do for myself, but M broke me out of my comfort zone and I actually found it to be enjoyable. It was really fun being able to enjoy a new experience together.

At this point, we still hadn’t checked into our hotel. M told me he had reserved a room at a hotel that was on an island in the middle of the river. Hearing that alone sounded exciting! And as soon as we walked into the hotel, I knew he had to have paid a pretty penny for it too! It was very ritzy. Our room was really fancy. It had a Sleep Number bed in it, and we had fun playing with that. We both set our sides to zero and woke up with backaches, but it was a blast. I never would have chosen to stay at a hotel that nice, but it was just another new experience for us to have together, and I was so impressed that he was able to pick something so nice and special for the weekend.

On top of that, we ate at new places and went for a walk downtown in the city, which was a place I had never been. There were so many unique places that I had never seen before.

The next morning before we left the hotel, M had planned a five-course brunch for us to go to. This, by far, was the biggest stretch for me. I was not used to being served such elegant food in such an elegant setting. It was one of those situations in which you don’t know which fork to use. Despite the fact of feeling a little awkward, I enjoyed it very much.

M and I exchanged cards. Of course, I started crying before I even started to read the one he got for me. He had totally blown me away with what he had planned for the weekend, and the fact that he picked everything out himself made me feel so special. The weekend was just about as magical as our wedding day. Everything seemed so new and exciting, and even more exciting because I was experiencing it with the man I love. I wouldn’t trade that weekend with him for any gift we could have bought for each other.

If you’ve got a special day coming up, I’d definitely consider having a surprise getaway. It definitely won my heart all over again. There is nothing better than making memories with the person you love. Trying new things together will only draw you even closer. And who knows, maybe you’ll start a tradition! Maybe next year I’ll be the one surprising M. There are so many possibilities besides buying gifts. I’m so glad that M looked outside of the box to celebrate our first anniversary together.

We got Roogy when he was eight weeks old from a dog breeder a few miles from our home. The pups had just been taken away from their mother and were in a new and strange environment, making them deceivingly timid. Even though baby puggats may appear to be shy, they most likely will not stay that way. However, each individual puggat will ultimately have a personality of its own, so keep in mind before you go looking as to what type of dog you are looking for. Our puggat happened to be the only pup that would crawl up to us and check us out. The others were very shy, although they slowly became more playful as they grew more confident with their surroundings.

When we took Roogy home, we were surprised at how quickly he grew comfortable with his surroundings. He didn’t show any fear about his new home, but rather seemed confident. Puggats are very playful! Roogy began playing fetch and returning the object just days after we got him. It was easy to see he enjoys human interaction. He can hardly contain his excitement when someone comes to the door. Puggats are people-friendly, and not so much a guard dog. Another thing we noticed was how rowdy he could be, but not at all aggressive. So if you are looking to get a puggat, know from the start that you are getting a ball of energy, and a lot of laughs too!

House-training is something you should start as soon as you bring your puggat home. Although I have never had the experience of housetraining a dog, I found it to be much easier than I thought. I had to have Roogy in my line of sight almost all the time in order to train him the right way from the start, but he didn’t have many messes that we didn’t catch. He finally got to the point where he would go to the door when he needed out in about a month’s time. And M and I are now better trained to looking for clues as to when he needs out. So just like any other dog, puggats will need a little dedication to making sure they get house-trained.

My favorite aspect about having a puggat is their love of cuddling. Ever since the first day we got ours, he has loved to crawl into our laps and go to sleep. I don’t know if it’s the pug in them or what, but they love to tuck themselves in right next to you. And while they’re sleeping is the perfect time to clip their nails, as we’ve learned the hard way. It’s also a fun time to check out your puggat’s teeth and see if it has an under bite, which I have heard can be quite common. One thing I have learned about Roogy is he loves to sleep in late, and he loves it when we let him in our bed. He makes it in every morning, and now he expects it. So don’t spoil your puggat unless you are prepared to pay the consequences, because they have good memory!

One thing we have found our puggat to love is baths. And he needs them! I was never told how much puggats shed. They have nice short hair, but they do shed. If you’re going to wear dark clothes, keep the lint roller around. We haven’t had Roogy long enough to find out what time of year he sheds the most, or if it stops at all, but just know it occurs. Needless to say, baths keep his coat looking shiny and smelling puppy-fresh. And I can tell he can’t wait to jump in when I start running that bath water!

Another great thing about puggats is that they are good listeners…at least most of the time. M has definitely got Roogy “whooped”. M showed him who’s boss one day and Roogy has listened to him ever since. If he is doing something bad, it just takes a snap of the fingers and a firm “come here” from M, and Roogy lays his ears back and pathetically belly-crawls towards M’s feet. He doesn’t listen as well to me, but I have my own ways of getting him to come to me, such as “want a treat?” That will send him running from wherever he is. I know, that’s probably not the best way to get his attention, but he was smart enough to pick up on it the first time I said it. That’s just another humorous aspect of having a puggat.

So if you are looking for a small dog that isn’t all fluff, puggats are the perfect way to go. In my opinion, they are the coolest small dog around. They’ll drive you nuts with their spunk, and make you melt with their cuddling. I’m sure we’ve got a lot more to learn about the personality of our puggat, being that he is now only four months old, but we’ll keep you posted.

We headed down the middle of last week to Kansas to see my friend Jeff. We drove all night and got down there about 9:30 in the morning. I drove most of the way. I love to talk when I drive and contemplate ideas and thoughts. Well, it was late and B was tired so she slept off and on. That left me with time to think. It also made me a bit sleepy. We had smooth driving the whole way down. B’s car would click and flash a few important lights on the console when I would use the blinker. That was a bit scary.

We got down there and Jeff showed us his house he bought this spring. It was a neat house! B was really impressed! He also showed us where he teaches and the town he lives in. It is a really nice town with lots of things to do. It was fun for B and I to see the town with Jeff. His girlfriend is down there also. This allowed B and I to see them together down there and how they acted as a couple. They are happy with each other! We had a great time hanging out with them.

We headed home at around 12:00pm on Saturday. We left then so we could get home to see our Pastor preach again after a time away on a six week sabbatical. I wish more churches would give their pastors a sabbatical. Being a Pastor is tough work! I think we would see more Pastors stay in the ministry if they had time to reflect and dive deeper into the Holy Spirit and seek a refreshing cleanse and a renewal. So, we wanted to get home to support him and hear what message he had from God.

The fun started when we got on the road home in Kansas. Everytime I would use the blinker, the car would act funny. I would use it and it would flash lights and make the speedometer swing to zero. It then started to shut the car off while driving. I ended up driving through most of Kansas and Nebraska withhout using my blinker. I forgot while on I80 in Nebraska. The speed imit is 75mph and I was going 80ish. I used the blinker and the car shut off going that fast. It was freaky.
We got all the way to Iowa and we were 50 miles south of Sioux City, Iowa. The car started to get hot because it was so hot outside. I rolled the windows down and turned the heater on to draw heat from the engine. It worked great. We got to about 25 miles south of Sioux City and we heard a faint knocking sound. It got louder really fast and I took the next exit. We got to the stop sign and the car came to a noisy and clunky halt, never to turn over again with the turn of the key. I was scared out of my mind. This had never happened to me before. God had to have been testing us. I called my Dad to get his opinion and he said to head to a gas station. We were fortunate enough to have had the car break down at an exit with a Shell gas station and a hotel on it. I pushed the car off the exit and onto the side road. We walked to the gas station and asked for help. They dialed one phone number and there was no answer. The said they were sorry and that was all they can do. I didn’t have AAA or a towing service on the car.

My Dad called back and asked how things were going and I said it wasn’t going. He said he was heading to pick up a fifth wheel trailer and come down to get us. That was a 5 to 6 hour drive. I almost cried because of that. I am not a baby either. The gesture he was going to show was priceless and full of love. We broke down around 6pm and he hit the road at 7pm.

It was a very hot day and we were burning up. We went to the gas station after I pushed the car to the hotel parking lot, got some water and a sandwich and headed back to the car. They weren’t real friendly at the station. I guess that is why “Service Stations” are a dying breed and they are now called “Convenience Stores.” It was a frustrating thing. We sat in the car for about 5 hours. It was hot and humid and sticky. It then proceeded to rain and we had to have the windows closed. It was a trying time on our temper and relationship. We were a bit snappy to each other and short. I hate it when that happens because it only makes things worse. We tried to laugh and make jokes and talk about stuff to keep our minds off the heat. It didn’t work too well. We started to play guessing games and time slowly went by. I bet I called my Dad every hour to see where he was. It seemed like I called every 6 hours, but it was really an hour. Amazing how our perception of time changes when we are stressed and frustrated.

I had to keep my hopes and attitude up because B was bummed out. It was her car and it really has given us troubles since the day her Dad picked it out because “It was a deal.” It was hard for me to have a good attitude. I can sweat in the winter. I was sweaty and hot. We talked and also sat there in silence.

My Dad got there and we loaded up in the rain and headed home. I paid for fuel for his truck and we got home around 7am Sunday morning. We were so glad to see him and then get home. Now we have a dead car and now have to go from having no car payment to having one. We weren’t prepared for it at all financially. It was testing on our relationship because it was a trying time for us. We got home and slept and then reflected. I felt like our relationship had gotten stronger because of the ordeal we went through. We saw how we each reacted differently. We learned a lot from the ordeal and each other.

Now we have to look for a car and that is frustrating. We pray about it every chance we get and we have to have faith that God will provide us an avenue to get a car. Please keep us in your prayers. Have you ever had car troubles like this? Let us know by commenting. How did you make it through? I feel it made us stronger even though it was extremely tough. That is how our first road trip turned out. I hope number two and beyond are way better. Make it a great day.

M and I were over at my parents a few days ago, and my sister came walking in the door and plopped a magazine down in front of me. It was called “Short Cuts.” She happened to come across it at work and thought of me, being that she years before had talked me into my first very short cut. I started flipping through the pages and finding so many cute and fun cuts that I liked, and I actually started entertaining the thought of trading in my long locks for something short and spunky.

Even though I loved the thought of having short hair again, I wasn’t ready to make the change…until M gave me his opinion. He wanted me to go for it. He said he had recently been looking through some old pictures of me when we were first dating and I had short hair, and he really liked it. But he made it clear that I could do whatever I wanted. That pushed me over the top. I was ready to get it cut. We took the magazine home and flipped through it together, each pointing out styles that we liked. I finally decided on one that we both were happy with, and two days after my sister gave me the magazine, I made my appointment.

I was nervous! I had never been so nervous about getting a haircut before, and I’ve had it hacked short. But this was different. I had the longest hair of my life, and was actually having fun with it. Was I going to regret cutting it? Is M really going to like it? Despite my fears, I let the hairstylist begin the process. I gave her a picture of what I wanted and just went with it. After the first cut with the razor, I knew it was over, but I was now starting to feel more excited than anything. When she had my hair cut to chin length, before she even styled it, I told her “I don’t know why I waited so long.” I loved it before she was even done. So of course when she made the finishing touches, I was ready to run a mile I was so happy. And of course it helped when a group of workers commented on how cute it looked on me.

Obviously I instantly liked it. But what did M think? I came into the house and I could tell right away that he liked it a lot. He said something to the effect that he was married to a different woman. I took that as a compliment of course. His reaction made it so worth getting a new look. I feel so much better. I think I look skinner. My face is a focal point rather than getting lost behind a mess of boring, straight, long hair. Now its short and fun, and it moves with me. It fits my personality more than long hair. And M has told me I am beautiful even more than usual, which is a lot! You’ve got to love the attention!

So go get a haircut! Find something that fits your face and personality, and go to a salon that knows what they are doing. You pay for what you get. And trust me, it will be so worth it! Your man will think so too!

I love to drive in a car for long trips. It gives me time to think and talk. The drive will be at night so traffic won’t be too bad and we can talk. We may even come up with the next “Million Dollar Idea.” Wouldn’t that be nice? Our relationship should get strong on a trip like this. We are confined to a fixed space for a long drive. We can talk about work, friends, and each other.
This time together will allow us to talk about what ever comes to mind. It is a time for reflection for time gone by and to talk about what has affected us over the last so many weeks.

I know some couples have a hard time making time to talk. Taking road trips should help with that because you can only listen to the radio so many hours and you can only stare at the road for so long without talking to ease tension. Play road games with each other. Time seems to fly for me when I talk and drive. I, of course, focus on the road and my surroundings.

If you find it hard to make time to talk at home, go for a drive or a road trip. Things are bound to pop up or come to your attention while driving and give you something to talk about. It may be a funny bumper sticker or a funny looking driver. You never know what will spur a good conversation with your significant other.

I will post here when we get back. I will talk about the trip it self and how it went. Be looking for “Our First Long Road Trip: Part Two.” As always, make it a great day.