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Play!
Play is not just for kids. It strengthens bonds as a married couple and as a family. Studies have shown play builds trust and boosts the emotional and mental well-being of children and parents. Play adds joy to life and who doesn’t need that! Play is an outlet for stress. Unlike scrolling or vegging in front of the TV, active play burns calories and connects us with others in real time.
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Don’t Forget to Laugh
Michelle: Isn’t it refreshing to think that something as simple as laughter can support your marriage and help it thrive? Here are some tips for bringing a dose of laughter into your relationship. Tip 1: Look for accidentally funny moments. One evening our daughter told us that her driver’s ed teacher was mean because he laughed at her during class. Taryn: My teacher asked if driving is a difficult and thought-provoking task? I said that driving is pretty simple because you just put the prindle in D and go. Us: Prindle? Taryn: Yeah, you know where the stick thing is. P-R-N-D-L. Tip 2: Never take yourself too seriously. Chris: When…
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Still Crazy After All These Years
Nick: This Arlo and Janis comic came across my X feed out of the blue this past week, and I texted it immediately to Jen. It is an illustration of a very, very ‘us’ sort of interaction. It brings to mind the small ways we’re still crazy for each other after all these years.
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3 Ways to Date Your Spouse
Michelle: As a couple, if we do not continue to pursue one another, we could wake up one day to find that we have become roommates. The foundation of our relationship was built on friendship and romance. Here are three easy ways that we have come up with to continue to nourish that foundation. 1. Look for Opportunities to Connect: When we were dating, Chris was constantly calling me, asking me to go grab a drink with him or even simply ride a bike together or take a walk. After we got married and started raising our family, our connections went from intentional time to be together and check in,…
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Movie Magic🍿
Many of the couples we know have a favorite movie. It’s usually one you enjoyed together and will pull off the shelf or out of the streaming catalogue once a year or so and revisit. Watching your movie together usually reconnects you to the good feelings and simplicity of the earlier time as well.
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Show Me Who Your Friends Are…
Mom frequently told me, “show me who your friends are, and I’ll tell you who you are,” which usually meant, “I don’t like the people you are hanging around with.” Yet we have discovered much wisdom in her words and know firsthand the importance of deep friendships with other married couples. There is much written on the benefits of these friendships: The Benefits of Couple Friends – Prepare/Enrich (prepare-enrich.com). 7 Ways Couple Friends Can Make A Happier Marriage – (salteffect.com). We have come up with a few of our own.
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Letting the Cat Out of the Bag😼
Isn’t it funny how our pets’ behaviors can help us see better who we are inside? As a married couple, what can we learn from this?
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Smiling is a Superpower
Michelle: I think that at some point in every person’s life, they dream about what kind of superhero they might be and what powers they might have. When I was a child, I wasn’t sure what my costume would look like or my catchphrase might be, but when I envisioned myself striking that superhero pose, I was there to turn frowns upside-down! A few years ago, I went to a laughter therapy seminar. During this seminar, the presenter shared that there have been multiple studies regarding smiling and success. In one such study, scientists conducted research over a thirty-year period. They reviewed five hundred student’s yearbook photos and, measuring just the student’s smile, were able…
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Marriage in 3-D 👓
At the end of this week we will celebrate 27 years of marriage. Since the number 27 is equal to 3³, what better opportunity do we have than now to talk about our marriage in 3-D?
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Boosting the Bright Side
CHRIS: Michelle has the great responsibility of helping me to see the bright side of things. While I sometimes get frustrated with her eternally rose-colored glasses, I also know that my negative outlook can use some pinkish tint every now and then. Here’s some things we have done to boost my ability to see the bright side.
