Heat up your marriage with a bag of rice

Oh Happy Marriage Monday!  Need to heat things up?  Try a bag of rice.

Here's How:

Take some rice and some fabric.  Do a little sewing then throw the rice inside.  Heat it up in the microwave then place it at the bottom of your bed and snuggle up close to each other.  No need to wear knee-high socks to bed or worry about cold toes.

BTW:  Click here for more detail instructions or you can buy one.  Try shopping etsy.

Get Happy

According to Oprah & her people  here is how you can get your HAPPY on:

Change your DNA:  Apparently the smart people at Berkeley found that up to 50% of your happiness is genetic.  40% is your choice and 10% is life circumstances.

Get Real Quiet:  Spending 10 minutes a day doing nothing can bring on the happy.

Get Married & Intimate:  You can figure this one out.

Then have some Babies:  Although they will make you crazy, it will be a crazy love that amps the happy factor.  Research suggest that children are stressful and the happiness rises after the child turns 18.

Take your Neighbor's Cookies:  More neighbors you know the more happier and safer you feel.  Why cookies?  If your neighbor is happy it ups your happiness by 34%

Turn off the tube:  Just one episode of modern family is all you need.  Happy people watch between 1/2 hour to 1 hour TV per day.

Make a new BFF:  You need at least 2 and 9 is recommended so get friendly.  Once you are out of elementary school it is ok to have more then one BFF just don't rank them.

Aim for $75,000:  For a family of 4 happiness maxes out once you earn $75,000 per year so work hard but don't spend all your time working.

9 months vs. forever:  Experiences last a life time.  Material purchases fizzle sometime between 1 minute after buying and 9 months SO invest that extra cash & extra time on an adventure.

BTW:  this is my own interpretation for the actual information provided on the Oprah show.

Shockingly NOT Simple

Save your $5 here is everything you need to know from this month's REAL SIMPLE:

• Your house is NOT clean
• Wear Galoshes, cheerful stripes, and flowered prints
• Use your cereal bowl as a speaker.  Stick your IPhone inside, crank it up the volume and dance away.
• Rice is too plain.  Jazz it up!  Search your pantry and throw some extra goodies in it.  
• Buy an area rug.  Your floors will thank you.
• Stop procrastination: bottom line follow nike and JUST DO IT!
• Eggs are good anytime of day, cooked anyway.  Try them with smoked salmon, make a curried egg salad sandwich, throw them in a salad, bake them, poach them, scramble them or omelet them.  

BTW:  Unless you LOVE to CLEAN avoid feeling discourage and don't read, look at the pictures or touch Real Simple April 2011.  They explain how to clean curtains, upholstery and close your eyes your mattress.  We have had our bed for over 8 years and sure I might vacuum it on occasion but I have never dusted it with baking soda to draw out dirt and moisture.


More BTW:  If you don't like eggs then head to IVARS for dinner tonight.  To celebrate Ivar's birthday if you buy one entree you get the 2nd entree for $1.06

Go to Bed Together

Monday's Marriage Tip:

Go to bed together.  Honestly, I have seen worms on the side walk at night and I have seen owls awake in the morning (at the zoo) so I know that despite your schedule preferences you can make it work.  So get your teeth brushed and your recycling out and hit the hay at the same time tonight.

Go Green

Happy St. Patrick's Day!  I challenge you to GO GREEN today.  Yesterday, I had a full thing of green food coloring and now it is almost gone.  We have had green eggs, green chicken, green rice, green coffee, green peanut butter, green water and green milk.   On the menu tonight is green biscuits and green gravy.  Green food looks gross so I am sparing you the pictures since I don't want you to lose your appetite.  However, here are a few non-food items we have dyed green.

BTW:  Don't worry mom Wesley is still creamy white.  The green bath did not effect his skin, the bath tub or my white towels.

Texting

Goal of the week is to become a faster texter.  In order to achieve my goal I decided it was time to learn some texting abbreviations.  They are hard to remember so I have the G8 idea of printing them and taping them to the back of my phone but I don't have a printer.  Below is a list of more common texting abbreviations and I also made up a few of my own that you can use if you want.

Common Texts

411           Information

2moro       Tomorrow

CWYL       Chat with you later

G1            Good One

GR8          Great

LOL           Laughing Out Loud 

NIMBY       Not in my back yard

OIC            Oh, I see

BTBY         Bummer to be you

SWAK        Sealed with a kiss
UOK           Are you Okay?

VBG           Very big grin

WRUD        What are you doing?

WYWH        Wish You were here

I tried to make up a few of my own

WTBHo        What time will you be home?

PDS             Playdate soon?

NCN!            Need coffee now!

M@*$           Meet at Starbucks

HowdayG      How is your day going?

BTW:  Tomorrow is St.Patrick's Day.  For a fun surprise try putting a few drops of green food coloring in the toilet.

Make a Friend

Best way to make a friend is to be a friend so put on a smile and show some kindness.


Here are a few ideas:
Wave Hello
Offer to buy someone coffee
Make a joke (make sure it is appropriate)
Hold the door open for someone
Let them talk about themselves (see questions below


I want to get know you questions.

What was your favorite musical group when you were in middle school?

What do you like about where we live?

When are you most frustrated?

What new tradition would you like to start this year?

What is your favorite smell?

Name one thing you love about being married/single/dating (whichever is their current relationship status)?

If you could add a single option to your car, what would you add?

What's one thing you admire about your parents?

What's one item on your wish list?
What is your favorite room in your house?

Do you want to be my friend?

BTW:  If this doesn't work these techniques don't work for you don't get discouraged!  Jesus will always be your friend and I will be your friend too if you want.


BTW Again:  Wash your hands and don't touch your face!  There are tons of spring germs flying around.  Quickest way to make people not want to sit next to you is coughing so stay healthy.  

Touch Therapy

Happy Marriage Monday! 

This week use a little touch therapy a.k.a massage to stop the ugly cry and close the door on the man cave.  Next time your spouse is tense, upset, overwhelmed, frustrated or fill in the emotion.  Instead of engaging in an argument or trying to solve the problem TRY a simple shoulder rub.  A simple back massage can solve all of the days problems (most of the time) and prevent the waterworks woman OR the zoned out man.

Plus, it is well documented that back rubs in the front room lead to front rubs in the backroom which is also why I only recommend this technique to the married people.

BTW:  Don't forget flowers & clean kitchens also make women happy.

Spring Forward

This weekend is nighttime losing. Formally, called daylight savings which doesn't make sense so I renamed it. Get ready, clocks change at 2:00am Sunday so don't be late for church.


To celebrate let me suggest some other not fun activities that should be done at least twice a year:

Scrub your bathtub
Visit your in-laws
Push-ups
Clean your wash machines
Buy a new bra or swim suit
Change your security passwords
Get a new toothbrush
Change batteries in fire alarm
Put more windshield wiper stuff in your car
Sort your tupperware drawer

Better Ideas

Feeling bad that my suggestions of what to do this weekend yesterday were so lame.  SO here a few more suggestions.  Make it the BEST weekend EVER!

For single men & women:

Play with your niece/nephew.  They will love you.  Their parents will love you.  OR if you don't have a niece or nephew come you can play with Wesley.

Go to a Party:  Since, I am old married and have a child I don't know of any parties but they are out there.  LOTS of parties for single people.

Dating and engaged folks:

Snowshoeing:  Do it this weekend before the snow all melts away.  If you like the outdoors it is worth buying a pair or better yet come borrow ours for free.

Go Parking:  Visit a new park or an old favorite.  Savor some coffee while you walk around.  Leave near Seattle?  Try Volunteer park.  There is an amazing view from the water tower and there is also a conservatory where you can see tropical flowers and poky cactus.  

For married folks:

Go Old School Parking:  Yes, I mean making-out in your car.   

Breakfast in Bed:  Grab some scrumptious muffins from your favorite bakery, set the coffee pot the night before, grab some favorite reading material and breath mints and spend the day in bed

For married people with children:

REI:  Take the whole family for a date at REI downtown Seattle.  Check in with the front desk to pick up a guide/map of all the animal footprints around the store then become a hunter, veterinarian, zoologist (or whatever your family believes) as you tract the prints around the store.  

Eat without your children:  Simple but AMAZING!  Dinner can be relaxing.  No picking up food off the floor, cutting meat or adventure bites or trying to sell broccoli as dinosaur trees.  Or pick up some dessert to share once the kiddos are locked in their rooms for the night. 

What to DO?

Already dreaming of Friday?  You might want to start thinking of how you are going to spend your weekend because this is all I could come up with.  Let me know if you get any great ideas.


BEST EVENT for the really BORED:

Pluto is a Planet Protest and March.  Saturday, March 12, 2011,  1:30pm   

Justin feels sad that pluto was kicked out of orbit.  Drop in to Greenwood Space Travel and Supply to a make a protest sign and stomp around.

For more information contact Justin:  justinallan@826seattle.org

BEST EVENT for those with KIDS:

Hurry Hurry Drive the Fire Truck!  Saturday, March 12th, 2011 from 11am to 1pm  FREE

Seattle Fire Department Dedication and Open House of the new Fire Station 38 (4004 NE 55th Street, Seattle, 98105) right across from the Metropolitan Market

Snoop around, hug a firefighter and learn about safety.  Refreshments provided by local 27 and Top Pot Doughnuts.

BTW:  You don't really get to drive the Fire Truck. 

HAPPY FAT TUESDAY

Looking for some appealing part of Mardi Gras.  Generally, speaking I like to keep my shirt on, limit myself to one glass of wine, dance only in my living room and a good meal is when I can still button my jeans.

Tomorrow, Ash Wednesday  Lent begins.  Up until a few years ago I thought Lent was a time when catholics gave up eating chocolate.  Decided it was time I learn a little more.  So here is what I have uncovered.  LENT is the time period during which people prepare mentally and spiritually for Easter.  

There are three parts to lent:

1.  Prayer 

2.  Giving something up  (way to eliminate things that distract from God)

3.  Do good for others

What does lent mean to you?

Love Note

Happy Marriage Monday!  Improve your romantic connection by leaving a few love notes around the house, car, office OR go old school and drop one in the mail box.

Here are a few notes I left for Zeb this weekend

Use whatever materials are available to you.   Blue painters tape or paper and pen work great.  Bathtime abc's not so good because by the time Zeb noticed the note in the shower the T had fallen and it read U R HO EXY.

BTW:  I am in NO way affiliated with the ZEB graffiti tags around the greater Seattle area.  Just so happens that my husbands name is Zebrick.  A friendly reminder to everyone:  Don't deface signs, other people's property or liter because it will hurt.

Honesty Confession #2 McDonald's vs. Microsoft

Lost a bet to my husband.  I thought McDonald's was bigger then Microsoft.  Way to go Microsoft you are way bigger.  You have office, x-box, bing & Bill.  McDonald's has big red shoes, happy meals and best of all a drive-through.  I am addicted to the feeling of pleasure and guilt that I get while cruising up to the talking box.  Should we eat food that is handed to us through a window?  Debatable.  Maybe that is why I only go through the drive-through alone and throw away the wrappers before anyone can see them.

Quote board

Everyone needs a quote board.  A place to write funny, touching & thought-provoking statements.

On my quote board this week:

"Glasses are lipstick for your eyes" from the man at Specs in the City trying to convince me to get red rims.

"Satisfy your meat tooth" on the sign outside Bill the Butcher which has inspired me to buy more bacon. BACON, BACON, BACON.  I love BACON.  My Grandpa makes the best bacon.  For some other tasty bacon treats try ‘Cheap Dates’ Medjoohl dates wrapped in bacon, grilled eggplant, pickled red onion at TANGO or Beer Battered Bacon at the Jolly Roger Taproom.

Feel free to paste your favorite quote of the week!

BTW:  Hope is alive the Huskies won!
As far as my goals for the week.
Smelling lovely:  Currently, I smell like rosemary, not a bad smell but only lovely on chicken or roasted potatoes.
Singing with Wesley: Placed holds on 3 new kids CD's at the library.
Crockpot Cooking:  Placed 5 books on hold at the library.  Love the library.
1 Minute of Plank:  Doing it and also ate 5 cookies today.  3 before breakfast.

Wondering?

Things running through my mind today:

• Should you eat Quinoa with a spoon or a fork?

• If your child pees on a book, should you throw it away? What if it is a library book?

• Are the glasses crooked or do I need an ear job?  Do plastic surgery on ears?

• What happened to the HUSKIES?   Can we turn it around tonight? 6:00pm game against UCLA

What are your random questions?  

Improve Yourself

My blog is stalling.  Although, there is a small group of you trying to help me make it big (thank you) thus far it isn't happening.  So I came up with a few plans.  Plan A:  Get Rachel Ray to join my blog.  I sent her and email and haven't heard anything yet.  Plan B: Make Blog appeal to more people.  This is vague but apparently many blogs either offer helpful information (which I am trying to provide) or they chronicle their attempts of achieving new goals.  SO here are my goals this week.  Feel free to try out my goals OR make some goals of your own.

Marriage/Romance:  My GOAL is to smell lovely.  This will including showering, not spilling food on myself and wearing perfume

Parenting:  More singing.  Not my favorite thing to do but Wesley doesn't notice that I am tone deaf and enjoys singing silly songs.  So I will try to check out a song book from the library.

Health & Fitness:  PLANK.  1 minute a day.

Food:  Keep is easy, yummy & cheap.  Find good crockpot recipe - limit trips to the store so I buy less. Please let me know if you have any good suggestions about what to throw in the crockpot.

BTW:  Would love to hear your goals for the week

FREE FREE and MORE FREE

I LOVE free stuff.  So today go get your free pancakes at IHOP and tomorrow Wednesday March 2nd or Thursday March 3rd you can go see America's Got Talent (live taping) for Free at the Paramount in Seattle.  Call or visit their website for ticket information.