We were in the forbidden territory of my parent’s room. Where else would we be on a Friday night – bowling night – so close to Christmas? My brother was standing on a chair, rooting around the shelf in my father’s closet. He found another Christmas present with my name on it! He handed it...
WELCOME TO DAY 2 OF THE STOCKING STUFFER EXTRAVAGANZA! (If you missed Day 1 – Stocking Stuffers for $5 or less – click here.) I call the following ideas for stocking stuffers “one-size-fits-all” because they are gender neutral. If sizes are really involved, you may want to pick the appropriate one for your mate! Here...
WELCOME TO THE 5-DAY CHRISTMAS STOCKING-STUFFER EXTRAVAGANZA! With all the mini-mystery packages and unexpected surprises, Christmas stockings were a fun part of childhood Christmases. Want to recapture some of that childhood awe and magic of the holiday season? Bigger is not always better. All gifts don’t have to be ‘mature.’ Make a date with...
Think back to the last stress-free holiday season you enjoyed. Remember a time when the most stressful season event was trying not to peek at wrapped Christmas presents when your parents weren’t home? Many of us have to go back to our childhood years to find a time that was more simple pleasures than commercialism. Grab your...
The holidays can be a wonderful time of family, fun, good tidings and joy. They can also be a time of unrealistic expectations of Norman Rockwell picture-perfect families with a Martha Stewart in every kitchen. Which leads to holiday angst and marital stress. Chances are even if Norm was still around, he wouldn’t be tapping...
With Thanksgiving as its finale, November is a great month to focus on the many people and things there are to be thankful for in our lives. The great food is just a bonus! If you and your spouse want to put the “Thanks” in Thanksgiving this year, here are 10 suggestions to get you...
As my 36th wedding anniversary approached, I tried to think of something that would celebrate our marriage in a way that flowers and dinner out just didn’t capture. Don’t get me wrong – flowers and special dining are always welcome. But after the first 10 or 30 years, sometimes they say “obligation” instead of “celebration.”...
We’ve all encountered that couple – the one that makes everyone uncomfortable with the way they interact with each other in public. Something they do has us looking away or pretending not to hear. They are the couple least likely to be invited back. Don’t be that couple. Avoid these seven behaviors – so others...
We often spend more time talking about what we should do than it takes to actually do it. Most of us don’t want to even think about what would happen in the event of a crisis or our death let alone plan for it. A potential consequence of ignoring the inevitable is compounded grief for...
Our last chat was about strategies to win that marital spat if things weren’t going your way. But is there really a winner when spouses argue? The best fight you can have with your mate is the one that doesn’t get started. Here are 5 ways to change the course of a discussion that’s headed...
