Tag Archives: spending time together

Not Your Average Honeymoon

How’s this for a different idea of a honeymoon? This couple chose to forgo the traditional honeymoon idea of a trip to some lovely beach resort or exotic place. Instead they have gone to Kabul. No, that is not a misprint. They are honeymooning in the war-torn Afghan capital. It’s certainly a far cry from the traditional romantic honeymoon idea. Of course, this is not your average younger couple – all starry eyed either. The newlyweds, Maggie Heartsch and Jean-Paul Bell are middle aged. She is a nurse while he is a clown-doctor. Don’t know what a clown doctor is? … Continue reading →

The Choice for Parents

In the forums Amand44 and several others,expressed anger and disappointment at the lack of supervision that sees children roaming the streets. The same thing happens here in Australia. Some parents have forgotten that parenting is an active choice. Parents need to do more than just breed children and then let them do as they like. They need to parent their children and not be afraid of using discipline and corrective measures. Mostly what I believe children today need is time invested in them. Too often Mom and Dad are at work. Children come home to empty houses or are left … Continue reading →

Balancing Act

Recently I watched Graeme Base, author and illustrator, being interviewed on the ABC show Talking Heads. It was interesting to hear him talk about the struggle for the creative artist to balance work, even when they work at home,with family and time with their spouse. It really hit home to him one time when his son tackled him about not being there for him and he said, ‘But I’m always at home.’ ‘No Dad, you’re always working,’ his son replied. That is a trap for those of us who work at home, finding the right balance between time spent working … Continue reading →

When You Love Someone

When you love someone it doesn’t matter what you do. Just being together is enough. Saturday was one of those together days and evenings for Mick and me. While the washing was in the machine, immediately after breakfast we went to the local markets where we bought fresh fruit from the orchard and those vegetables, Mick hasn’t got ready in our own garden, we bought fresh from the market garden. We also found a Christmas gift at one of the stalls and then Mick bought me a silver bracelet for no reason except that I admired it. He’s a sweetie … Continue reading →

What Causes Offense?

In an episode of Boston Legal, Alan Shore and Denny Crane are on opposite sides in a case when a town wants to succeed from the United States. Denny says, ‘The idea of a place succeeding from the union deeply offends me.’ What’s more he can’t understand that his best friend doesn’t get that. ‘Which means you don’t know me,’ Denny says. His argument was if you don’t know what offends the person you’re close to, then how can you really claim to know them? It’s even more relevant in marriage than it is in friendship. So, let me ask … Continue reading →

Mormons and Divorce – Part Three: When Sin is Not Involved

We spoke last time about reasons for divorce that involve sin on the part of either the husband or wife. Today I’d like to discuss marriages that fail not because of sin, but for other reasons. Most of the time, when a marriage fails and sin is not an issue, the couple cites “irreconcilable differences” on the divorce decree. This covers a broad spectrum of issues including money problems, sexual problems, no longer wanting to be married, and no longer seeing eye-to-eye on important issues. The good news is, most of these problems can be fixed, if both partners in … Continue reading →

Recession Benefitting Your Marriage: Quality Together Time

The other day I got to thinking about an article I wrote earlier this year where I wondered if recession might actually benefit our marriages. I had visions of turning the concept into a mini-series. Alas, so far I only offered suggestions on ways to recession-proof your marriage with dinner. But recently I was reminded about this forsaken series of articles I’d planned to write. Thanks to our trip to Alaska, we’ve been trying to conserve resources. Therefore, more and more I’ve been considering ways Wayne and I could spend quality time together, be active and have fun, yet not … Continue reading →

17 Ideas for Capturing Couple Time This Fall

Fall inspires romance doesn’t it? Seems like love is in the air everywhere you turn. The cooler weather makes it ideal for snuggling up closer to the one you love. The changing colors are a good excuse to go for a drive or a walk and enjoy some time together. Those are just a couple of the more popular ways to capture couple time this fall, but there are others. Here’s some ideas inspired from my own experiences as well as from articles I’ve read (and noted herein) written by fellow Families.com bloggers. Passing Time at Patches, Orchards, and Farms … Continue reading →