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Support for married couples, by married couples.

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  • 20 Ways to Become a More Patient Spouse this Week
  • 25 Conversation Starter Questions on Sexuality
  • 50 Questions to ask your spouse besides “How was your day?”
  • 50 Ways to Engage Kids on a Budget
  • 50 Ways to Love Your Lover
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  • BAILEY’S TREE
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  • Confronting for the Sake of Our Relationship
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  • Double Chocolate Brownies
  • Emotional Bank Account
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  • Four Basic Psychological Needs
  • How to Foster Teamwork – A Starter List
  • In Memory of Fr. Tom Ogg
  • Let’s Talk about Sex
  • Making Decisions as a Couple – 10 Steps
  • Marriage Check-up Exercise
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  • coffee, pen and paper with text "Ask the right questions"
    Communication,  Uncategorized

    F.I.N.E.

    September 6, 2021 / No Comments

    We all know the scenario . . . How was your day? Fine. Yours? O.K. (Silence . . .). Where’s the remote? There’s no shorter lie than F.I.N.E.

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    Tom and Mary Frances

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    The 4 Horsemen

    March 13, 2023

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    July 27, 2026

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    April 15, 2019
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    Children,  Communication,  Parenting,  Sex

    Beyond biology: Where Do Babies Come From?

    August 3, 2021 / No Comments

      The focus of our last post, “Sex — Naughty or Nice” was our learned attitudes about sex. We hope you ventured into exploring your own attitudes about sexuality. If not, there is not time like the present to dive in. As promised, we will focus this post on Beyond Biology: Where Do Babies Come From?

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    Tom and Mary Frances

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    5 Reasons You Need a Getaway Without Kids

    September 12, 2021

    Our Wedding Vows, Revisited

    December 19, 2021
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    The Empty Nest Revisited

    November 28, 2022
  • Positive advice on a napkin
    Communication,  Parenting,  Passion,  Sex

    Sex — Naughty or Nice?

    June 27, 2021 / 2 Comments

    Sexual Expression is Everywhere Think: TV, Billboards and Music videos. So, why do we struggle to express our sexuality until the kids are asleep, and the bedrooms shades drawn? Answer: Perhaps, we were taught sex was taboo. This is sexual sabotage, likely unintentional. But unless we rid ourselves of these ghosts from the past, we will pass them on to our children.

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    Tom and Mary Frances

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    When In Doubt, Just Get Naked

    April 21, 2024

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    July 25, 2018

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    February 7, 2022
  • Communication,  Sex,  Stress

    Laughter & Sex… That’s What She Said

    May 10, 2021 / No Comments

    Laughter can make hardship more tolerable like the glue that holds a marriage together when everything else is falling apart.  Laughter is also a lot like sex.  Both are pleasurable, shed calories, build immunity, reduce stress and put a smile on your face all day.  Seriously!

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  • Communication,  Conflict,  Differences,  Stress,  Time

    3 Steps to End the Bickering

    April 12, 2021 / 1 Comment

    Even the best marriages succumb to nit-picking over how to do the laundry or load the dishwasher.  We differ over asking or not asking for directions and bicker over who’s to blame for being late or how we spend money.  While these quarrels may seem trivial, in reality, they matter and getting to a solution beats bickering any day.

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    The Rituals of Connection

    August 13, 2024

    3 Ways to Affair-Proof Your Marriage

    August 5, 2019

    Finding Peace

    August 30, 2026
  • Communication,  Conflict,  Decision to Love

    The 5 “P’s” of Constructive Feedback

    March 29, 2021 / No Comments

    Photo Credit:  Ian Schneider (Reprise of post originally published on 09-16-2019) We once read an article on criticism in marriage.  The Author’s bottom line was “don’t do it.”  Even asking: “Can I give you some feedback?” was cautioned against.  Sometimes suggestions given with the best intent with regard to work, chores, relationships with the kids can back fire.  Think back seat driving.  Experience has taught us 5 Key Points for when we just want to give each other a little suggestion.  These 5 simple points set the tone and enable us to let down our defenses and be supportive of each other when offering a little constructive feedback. 

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    Tom and Mary Frances

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    “Just Let Me do That!”

    August 8, 2021

    Sex: Spontaneous or Planned . . . Let the Conversation Begin

    January 4, 2021

    5 Lessons for a Howl of a Good Time

    June 14, 2021
  • Decision to Love,  Differences,  Stress

    When All Else Fails . . . Eat Ice Cream

    February 15, 2021 / No Comments

    For many of us the COVID honeymoon is long over.  Isolation, loss of routines, access to the gym, financial worries, working from home and changing school schedules has had us stretched too thin too long.  We’d rather eat an entire loaf of bread than bake one and if we hear how much someone enjoys the extra time with their kids we’ll scream!  This is COVID Stress.  We’ve all experienced it.

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    Tom and Mary Frances

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    The 5 “P’s” of Constructive Feedback

    March 29, 2021

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    March 1, 2021
  • Communication,  Sex

    Sex: Spontaneous or Planned . . . Let the Conversation Begin

    January 4, 2021 / No Comments

    Happy New Year to all!  We are so grateful that 2020 is clearly in our rear-view mirror.  What a relief.  The start of a new year is traditionally set aside for reflection and resolutions.  For us, 2021 was no different. We often make couple as well as individual resolutions.  Stress and busyness, age and life in general had cooled our sexual relationship to a slow simmer.  Our 2021 goal is :  “Some is good.  More is better!”  Planned or spontaneous — all is good! Let the conversation begin.

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    Getting More of What You Want in Your Marriage

    February 21, 2021
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    Love Letters

    November 1, 2021

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    April 25, 2022
  • Children,  Communication,  Decision to Love,  Parenting

    Radical non-Parenting

    November 9, 2020 / No Comments

    One of the hardest challenges of staying in relationship with married children is to cease parenting and to simply be a parent.  When children marry we do not simply welcome a new member into the family.  The marriage of a child radically changes family dynamics and relationships.  Tying the knot in marriage is as profound as cutting the cord at birth.

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    5 Reasons You Need a Getaway Without Kids

    January 8, 2024

    Was it Bad Parenting or Making Memories?

    October 31, 2022

    KFC – It’s What’s for Mother’s Day!

    May 4, 2021
  • Communication,  Differences

    Finding Solid Ground — 7 Steps

    September 29, 2020 / No Comments

    Fall ushers in beautiful color, long shadows and cooler weather. Parents and kids thrive with the routine of school. This fall is anything but typical  as we grow even more weary of the pandemic. We worry about finances and fret as to whether to send kids to school or stay virtual. With wildfires and hurricanes of epic proportion and a looming election, it seems the social fabric of our country is being ripped to shreds. In these stressful times, how do we find solid ground? Photo Credit: Nik Shuliahin

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    January 23, 2023
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    Making Up is Hard to Do

    August 28, 2022
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