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Those Rough Patches

No matter how long you have been married, you can expect to go through some rough patches. It would be nice if everything could remain blissful but that just isn’t reality. I think the first step in learning how to handle the rough patches is being able to accept the fact they will happen. If you go into a marriage with the idea that it will always be peaches and cream, you aren’t being realistic. Now you might be thinking about a couple right now that you consider being pretty extraordinary. They never seem to have rough patches. I guarantee … Continue reading →

Computing Review: September 8th Through September 14th

Have you ever been a victim of an e-mail hoax? The answer is probably, yes. Did you did forward that message about the missing child, or the one about the everyday product that could cause cancer? We’ve started a new series here in the Computing Blog all about e-mail hoaxes. If you missed the beginning of the series, you can click below to review. Other interesting blogs this week include some tips on what to do if you accidentally sent out an e-mail that you shouldn’t have sent. Here is the Computing Blog Week in Review for September 8th Through … Continue reading →

Bonus Update Released for Family Tree Maker 2012

Not too long ago, Ancestry.com announced that there would not be a 2013 version of the Family Tree Maker software. Instead, there would be periodic updates to Family Tree Maker 2012. One of those “Bonus Updates” has just been released. Ancestry.com is one of the most popular genealogy websites. Many genealogists who use the Family Tree Maker 2012 software were looking forward to the 2013 version. However, there is not going to be a Family Tree Maker 2013. Instead, there will be a series of updates to the existing 2012 version of the software (for both PC and for Mac). … Continue reading →

Stress Reveals Cracks in the Foundation

How strong is your marriage? You might be quick to say that it’s as strong as it has ever been. However, it sometimes takes stress in a marriage to reveal if there are any cracks in the foundation. When things are going along smoothly, of course it feels strong. But what happens when the heat is on? Throughout my 21 years of marriage, I can say that it’s taken stress to reveal some of our cracks. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Because if you don’t know they exist, the foundation could begin to crumble without you even realizing … Continue reading →

Do You Have Any Deal Breakers?

Do you have any deal breakers in your marriage? These are things you absolutely will not tolerate. Now I have always been the type of person who believes that virtually any marriage can be saved. I try to use the experiences in my own marriage to encourage others. After 21 years of marriage, we have gone through some pretty difficult and trying times. Yet we have managed to make it through. A family member, who has had a rocky marriage for years, is one that I have tried to be a good example to. I have encouraged her to see … Continue reading →

When the Pressure Is On

When the pressure is on, the tension in a marriage can really mount. While it isn’t the most pleasant feeling, sometimes you just have to go with it. You have to allow for those ugly moments and know that you will make it through. That is exactly where my marriage has been at for over a week now. We have been experiencing a lot of uncertainty about when our 18-year-old son is leaving for basic training. We are told one thing one day and something else another day. It is frustrating because we are trying to emotionally prepare ourselves for … Continue reading →

You Can’t Always Fix Everything

It’s a frequent miscommunication, one written about many times: one spouse just wants to vent their frustrations, and the other hears it as “please fix my problem.” It’s most common that the women are former and the men latter, but I’ve heard of the situation reversed; it all depends on personality. Jon and I can sometimes fall into this trap as well. It starts off very sweet: Jon would like to be able to solve my problems for me. That’s something we’d all like to do for the people that we love. But because that’s impossible, it’s important that we … Continue reading →

Designated Days

In the “old days” they used to designate certain days for specific tasks. For instance there was wash day and market day. While there may have been other tasks accomplished on those days, there was a particular focus on certain things. If you are looking to put a new spin on keeping up with the house, why not bring back some of those old ways in a modernized version? Of course, this will depend on the unique needs of your family and how you run your household. One day could be “office day.” If you run a home-based business, you … Continue reading →

He Loves Me Anyway

It’s been a hard last six months. Okay, it’s been a hard last two years. We’ve had ups and downs – lots of downs – and mostly centered around me and my health (and my frustration about my health). You know what’s amazing to me? My husband loves me anyway. He knows that I can’t be defined by all this stuff that’s happened. He knows that’s not really me. And he knows that if he’s patient, I will return to who I once was. That’s one of the biggest secrets in marriage, I think. We need to look past our … Continue reading →

The High Price of Fall Family Fun

(U-pick pumpkin poster child.) Imagine paying $50 for five pumpkins. Five mid-sized pumpkins… that are not filled with gold and didn’t come served on a silver platter. Not these bad boys. These $50 pumpkins were picked in a sandy, dirt-filled patch on an unseasonably warm day by bloody hands that were pierced by the heavy, gourd-like squash’s prickly stem… all in the name of fall family fun. Clearly, I’ve forgotten how much good ol’ fashion family fun can set a clan back these days. My family’s annual trip to the u-pick farm cost 50 bucks, but the memories–oh, the memories–well, … Continue reading →