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The Marriage Blog Week in Review for December 17-23

Merry Christmas Eve! ‘Tis the season to be even busier than usual, but maybe today you have some time to catch up on things. Such as reading the Marriage Blog. If you missed any of last week’s musings from Lyn and myself, check out this edition of the Week in Review to see what we wrote on: Monday, December 17 How Much are You Willing to Give? Lyn proposed situations of spouses giving and wondered which ones would be giving too much and would warrant a “No!” Why Nookie Should Be on Your Christmas Wish List A report I saw … Continue reading →

Couples and Christmastime Traditions

I’ve been so busy this month “doing” Christmas that whatever spirit I’ve had has been forced so far. But tonight during dinner Elf was on. As Wayne and I sat merrily cracking away on our crab legs (Publix had them on sale…Yum!), one of our little trees winked back at me, and I laughed at Will Ferrell’s antics as Buddy the Elf, I felt the real Christmas spirit finally taking hold. My stress started melting away and I realized I could suddenly breathe a little easier. There’s not much left to do except enjoy the holiday. The last big Christmas … Continue reading →

Christmas Cards, Letters, or Pictures: Which Represents You as a Couple?

Our first Christmas as a married couple, which would have been December 1995, I started the tradition of sending out Christmas cards for both Wayne and I. Back then I picked cards with funny or clever pictures, wrote a short, quick note to the recipients, and mailed them. Christmas 1999 marked the first time I attempted a Christmas letter, which I’d previously never had much respect for. Most of the ones we received painted an entirely too rosy picture of friends and family living entirely too perfect lives. We knew the letters meant well but were stretching things a bit. … Continue reading →

Couple Time at Christmastime

With all that you have to do to get ready for Christmas or other special days, you may find yourself missing your spouse. Even though the two of you pass each other now and again, you may not have had much time lately to simply enjoy each other’s company. There is much to do on an everyday basis, with work, home, bills to pay, meals, and if you have kids, the list may seem to go on forever. Add to that your long list of holiday preparations, and it may look like you’ll never have a chance to spend a … Continue reading →

TLC Drops Jon and Will Ferrell to be a Dad Again

It probably comes as no surprise that TLC announce this week that they dropped Jon Gosselin from the “Jon & Kate Plus 8” show. When the show starts up again on November 2, it will simply be known as “Kate Plus 8.” Why the big change? In a statement released, president and general manager of TLC, Eileen O’Neill, said, “Given the recent changes in the family dynamics, it only makes sense for us to refresh and recalibrate the program to keep pace with the family.” A source told PEOPLE that “Given Jon’s recent antics, there was no way the show … Continue reading →

Flavored Hot Chocolate Fun

Our family loves hot chocolate. We like to get a little fancy with it and have fun coming up with different flavor combinations. Hot chocolate is hard to mess up. It’s a great way to have kids do some creative cooking. I have a selection of coffee syrups. Our favorite flavors are vanilla, caramel, peppermint, and raspberry. Here are some of our favorite combinations. I also like to mix a mug with ½ coffee and ½ flavored hot chocolate. Not only is it fewer calories, but it tastes like a fancy coffee store treat. Peppermint: Add either a splash of … Continue reading →

Can You Wait Until Tomorrow to Give Your Spouse Their Gifts?

I can’t. I always want to exchange gifts on Christmas Eve but Wayne always makes me wait until Christmas morning. It’s not because I can’t wait to see what I got. That’s not it at all. No, I’m always anxious to give Wayne his presents tonight because it’s torture keeping any kind of secrets from him. Normally I tell him everything and enjoy sharing what I bought for who. Having to keep secret what I bought for him for any length of time just kills me! In Couples and Christmastime Traditions, Families.com family member JadeWalker explained how she and her … Continue reading →

‘Twas the Day Before Christmas…

‘Twas the day before Christmas And there was excitement galore. The stockings were hung And presents were piled on the floor. Garland graced the stairs And ornaments adorned the tree Just begging to be batted By Mr. Meow and Tabby. But good they were being Because if they were not The man named St. Nick Would leave them to rot. Stayed away from temptation Did Murph and the cats And steer clear they made sure Of tantrums and spats. For they knew the man who bore gifts Kept lists of the naughty and nice And desperate were they to prove … Continue reading →

Post-Holiday Travel Deals in Chicago

There’s no shortage of holiday happenings in Chicago, but once the Christmas trees come down the Midwestern metropolis gets a bit quiet (relatively speaking). Which is why many area hotels are offering post-holiday deals to lure visitors downtown. I happen to love Chicago and have been there often enough to know that the following bargains are worth taking advantage of. Take a look at these outstanding deals, which are effective through January and then peruse the links that follow them. Each article provides details on spectacular Chicago attractions and proves that these hotel deals (at three-star properties in the heart … Continue reading →

Who Needs a Husband’s Help Christmas Shopping When There’s the Internet?

Last week I griped about how I’m married to a Scrooge and lamented how I’m responsible for making Christmas happen at our house every year by myself. I guess I was feeling sorry for myself when I wrote those because I was stressed. Most of the time everything’s done by now. Decorations have been hung, gifts have been ordered, and this week cards would have been mailed. But I got sick at Thanksgiving, right when Wayne started his three week sabbatical between jobs so we could travel and spend some time together. So instead of doing Christmas I’ve been either … Continue reading →