Our little Yorkie, Moxie, is very playful and full of energy. He keeps us on our toes. We love him so much.
—Lisa Carey, Michigan
Tips-y Thursday
February 11th, 2010 By admin | 1 Comment »Readers’ Tips for Keeping the Love Alive, Installment III (originally published in True Romance, October 2006)
When our children were young, my hubby and I—like most young parents—found that “couple time” was scarce. Between both of us working, school, and the kids’ activities, the hectic schedule left precious few hours for us. We missed just being a couple.
When our kids were in first and second grade, we were very fortunate to find another couple that also had kids the approximate ages of ours. They all got along and we had similar styles of parenting, so we decided to “swap” kids every other month, enabling each couple to have a romantic weekend alone six times a year. For instance, if my hubby and I took both their kids for a weekend in January, then in February they’d take both our kids for an entire weekend.
My husband traveled quite a bit with his job, and money was a factor so we didn’t always plan a trip. But whether we flew somewhere, went camping, had a romantic date night or just puttered in the yard and had movie night at home, we cherished our special days and nights with each other. Those weekends reminded us that we were lovers first, and we’d be a couple long after the children were grown.
We’ve now been married 26 years and our kids have left the nest, resulting in all the romantic weekends we want. But a nice side effect of those kid-swapping weekends is that we still enjoy a friendship with that couple, who will soon celebrate their 25th anniversary. Thank goodness we kept our marriages strong by giving each other the gift of time.
—Carol Burnside, Canton, GA
Valentine’s Day – The Recession Way
February 11th, 2010 By Sonaiya | No Comments »Sometimes it really is the thought that counts. That’s why, for this Valentine’s Day, you should consider skipping the traditional roses and chocolates routine and instead, try one of these inexpensive, unique ideas to celebrate your day without having to shell out the big bucks on expensive chocolates and overpriced flowers.
Dress Up, Stay In
Who said that silky red dress would never get another wear? Avoid long lines at the movies and the impossible task of making reservations at the last minute. You and your guy can put on your Sunday best and have your own candlelit dinner all in the comfort of your own place! You can buy dinner from a restaurant and take it to go, or send him out for the day and have it ready when he comes home. Since Valentin’es Day falls on a Sunday this year, another alternative would be to have a romantic movie marathon under the covers all day, supplemented with lots of chocolate and meals that you would cook together. Some great romantic movies to rent are The Notebook, Away We Go, and While You Were Sleeping.
My Funny Valentine
Another virtually costless gift can be a coupon book made out of construction paper for things like ‘Get Out of an Argument Free’, ‘Free Foot Rub’, ‘Free Male Bonding Day’, ‘Free Wash and Wax’, and etc. These coupons, besides costing little to no money to make also will ease the tension of an argument when he pulls out his ‘Get Out of an Argument Free’ Card. Chances are, this gesture will make you laugh and forget about the argument that you were just having.
More than a Day
A slightly tesdious but oh-so-romantic gift: 365 pink construction paper hearts, each one with a special encouraging or romantic verse written on the back. Also, you can incorporate the coupon idea and promise favors such as ‘Movie of your Choice’ for a date night or ‘Dinner Out’, ‘I’ll Cook Tonight’, and so on. The great thing about this idea is that it will guarantee a romantic gesture for each of the other 364 days of the year.
From Colorado with Love
Rather than wait until the last possible moment to buy a card for your sweetie, you should buy one early and address it to Loveland, Colorado for an extra special Valentine’s Day treat. The card will be postmarked LOVEland, Colorado and also will be hand-stamped with a unique four line poem. The Loveland Chamber of Commerce heads up this yearly romance project with cards going to all 50 states and over 100 foreign countries annually. Just enclose your pre-addressed, pre-stamped Valentine’s card in a large envelope and mail to:
Postmaster, Attn:
Valentines, Loveland CO 80537
You can also send it to postmasters of these cities too: 
Valentine, Texas 79854;
Velantine, Nebraska 69201;
Kissimmee, Florida 32741;
Loving, New Mexico 88256;
Bridal Veil, Oregon 97010;
Romance, Arkansas 72136
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