Showing posts with label Family. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Family. Show all posts

Saturday, December 14, 2013

Celebrating Christmas


     Each year we celebrate Christmas as just our little family of two (though soon to be three). While we do miss spending time with family, it has provided an opportunity for us to determine our vision and desires for our own family Christmas celebration.     

     Thanksgiving through Christmas is the busiest and most stressful time for my husband's job. The last thing I need to do is to heap more expectations and demands upon him. My desire is to support him the best I can as well as create an enjoyable Christmas for us. I therefore created a set of holiday cards that would ensure we continued to celebrate the season but without adding too much fuss. 
    
      Each card has a little Christmas sticker on the outside and on the inside is a message and goofy drawing. At the beginning of the month, I'll sit down with our calendar and decide which day would be best for each card. There are about 15 activity cards and 10 compliment/encouraging words cards (I believe it's so important to have the complimentary/encouraging aspect incorporated into the celebration!). On busy days or weeks, I'll include more compliment/encouraging words cards. When time allows, I'll include more activity cards. If we don't get to a card one day, then we'll simply skip it and move on to the next one the next day. Some activities are holiday classics like driving around town to look at lights. Several are just silly and serve to just loosen up and laugh together. Others are intended to simply do something simple like a surprise lunch date at a local restaurant that might break the dull of repetitiveness. Also, there are a few cards that focused on giving. 
      
Our activities focus on three areas:
Complimentary/Encouraging Words
Festive Holiday Activity
Giving

 1. "Pick your favorite game & Christmas movie"

 2. "There's a need on an Angel Tree/Santa for Seniors Tree. Let's go grab a name and go shopping for him/her"

 3. "Bundle up because we're off to look at pretty Christmas lights tonight! I'll pack some hot cocoa and you bring your car-ride caroling voice! ;) " (*We don't actually sing. I just like to tease him about singing because he refuses to sing outside of church even though he has a wonderful voice)

 4. "Tag! You're it! You do so much for me and so today is just for you. Please go, do, or buy anything you'd like for yourself. Enjoy!"

 5. "Surprise! We're going out for lunch today"

 6. "Snowball Fight! Here's your bag of "snowballs." I've got mine. Ready? 3.. 2.. 1 !" ("Snowballs are mini marshmallows. I tie the bag to the entry door and then hide for my attack! It makes a mess, but it's lots of fun!"

 7. "Fun or fancy? After work, use this cash to add elements to our dinner table or clothing that will create a fun Christmas meal or one that is a little fancy. Will we choose the same theme?" (I included $10 in the card)

 8. "Did Frosty really melt or was he ... eaten?! Enjoy our snowman breakfast!" (Powdered donuts included with breakfast)

 9. "Tea time? Let's go to the tea shop for some afternoon tea" (You could also do coffee instead)

 10. "Can you smell that? Hey! It wasn't me! I'm talking about a yummy treat baking in the oven. Hint: It's your favorite!"

 11. "One of my earliest & favorite memories of you involves us serving food at the rescue mission. We're not exactly serving prepared food this year, but we can still give & satisfy someone's hunger. Let's head to the grocery with the sole intent of donating the basket"

 12. "It's been a long day, so this evening is devoted to you and some relaxation. Enjoy a nice back massage by me"

 13. "Did you know: The inclusion of alcohol in traditional eggnog recipes may have been a means of preservation before there was refrigeration? What?! You didn't know that? Well, grab some eggs and get crackin'! We've got some hands-on research to do (except we'll use the refrigerator instead of alcohol. haha)."

 14. "Do you think a crepe is better sweet or savory? Let's find out! Join me at Crepes and Creamery!"

 15. (Christmas Day card) "Merry Christmas! My dream Christmas is this- you and I together. My favorite moments have been simply building memories with you- my husband and my family. We're not done building yet though! Grab some candy because we have a gingerbread house to make!" 

 16-25. Compliment/ encouraging words cards. 

          On Christmas Eve, the busy work schedule finally ends. He has the next day off work, and we try to make sure it is a day of rest but also celebration. We decided early in our relationship (as in when we were just dating) that we would skip exchanging gifts between ourselves. While we are grateful for the gifts we receive from others, gifts just aren't the most meaningful aspect of Christmas to either of us and so we decided to just leave it out of our home/family celebration. Instead, we focus on simply spending time together. We'll prepare a big breakfast that morning. In the afternoon we may make a Christmas cookie or other treat. We'll also make a gingerbread house completely from scratch (minus the candy decorations). Creating the patterns, baking the dough and then assembling the house is quite the process, and we laugh every step of the way! It's perhaps one of my favorite aspects of our Christmas Day celebration. That evening we'll prepare another feast for our Christmas dinner. 

      Some years we've done many activities and a majority of the cards, and thoroughly enjoyed them. Other years (like this year) have been too stressful and exhausting for even the simple card activities. In times like these, we'll opt for renting a Christmas movie each weekend to watch together. Even if we don't get to do much to celebrate the season, the greater insult would be to have a poor attitude. I believe it is far better to lay aside notions of a "good Christmas" based on activities or whatever else and, instead, support and encourage my husband when he needs it most. A good attitude will make a "good Christmas!"

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Thursday, November 28, 2013

Happy Thanksgiving 2013!


 Happy Thanksgiving to everyone here at Reviving Homemaking! 
     
     I posted at the beginning of the Thanksgiving season last year some ideas for not just making gratitude statements but also putting it in action. If you are a follower on the Reviving Homemaking Facebook page, then you will have seen them posted there as well. Today we will acknowledge something for which we're thankful, and "family" will likely be on the list. So, as we gather around a delicious meal put a gratitude for family in action by staying long after the meal is finished, talk with those who are present with you and focus on them more than you. Enjoy the time you have together!

     My husband and I celebrated Thanksgiving on Sunday. Due to his job schedule and how far we live away from our hometowns, we aren't able to spend the holidays with either family. My wonderful in-laws made the lengthy trip once again to visit and join us for a little Thanksgiving celebration. I'm still blown away by the fact that they drove three days (which included a hotel stay along the way) to stay only two days. The trip back took them 16 hours! That's dedication to preserve family connections and closeness! I think we all had a good time together. I'm certainly looking forward to seeing more family when we make the trip to their home next month. 

     Since we've already had our Thanksgiving meal, hubby and I will simply focus today on having quality time together. We'll enjoy some homemade apple cider, apple pie and then some Thanksgiving leftovers. The best aspect of the day is just spending some time together and living out our gratitude for our little family of us. Of course, that "us" has now expanded to the three of us!

     I'm also grateful for all of you who have subscribed or simply visit Reviving Homemaking! Having such a tremendous amount of support and encouragement from you for homemaking is such a blessing to me! My continuous prayer is that you are able to be equally blessed by the site. Thank you!

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Saturday, July 27, 2013

A New Season of Life and Homemaking!


     I'm delighted to share with you mine and my husband's joy of the news that we are expecting our first child!

      I'm currently 8 weeks along in the pregnancy, and feeling pretty good. We have certainly begun to make some adjustments, most notably in regard to foods. (If you noticed the weekly menu plans no longer being posted, then now you know why. We've done less weekly planning in favor of making the most of whatever food works with my belly at the moment. Trial and error!). I've also been very grateful to combat fatigue with an afternoon nap on occasion. I remind myself that carrying this little one is a worthy reason for enduring the difficulties! 

      I've thought considerably about preparing my heart for this child. I believe the greatest provision I can offer this child is myself and a strong home and family for him/her. Many mornings have been spent in God's Word. One morning I read of Solomon asking God for an understanding heart (1 Kings 3:7-9). He was faced with a grand role of leading Israel, a nation built by patriarchs like his father David. Solomon conveys a feeling of being overwhelmed and incapable of the role in his likening of himself to that of a child. I could relate to those feelings as I approach the role of Mama. How do I possibly model for and guide this child in life when I still feel I have so much to achieve to reach that potential? Like a child is utterly dependent on his/her father or mother, Solomon demonstrated a dependence on his Heavenly Father. He can't perform the job without God, and neither can I. Moreover, Solomon asked for wisdom to get through the task, not for the task to be completed for him by God. On a particular day that my heart was fretful of the role ahead of me, God spoke these words of reassurance. He has chosen David and I to care for this little one, and God will guide us through! Ultimately, parenting isn't about David, myself, or our family, it's about glorifying God!

      We praise God for the blessing of this little one, and pray for safety for the remainder of the pregnancy. The expectation of a child does issue a new season for ourselves and the homemaking journey. I've been incredibly blessed to have written for so long on Reviving Homemaking from the homemaker without children perspective, and subsequently connected with so many ladies. I hope to continue supporting this avenue of homemaking, while also demonstrating the journey of this new path. Thank you to all of you who have followed and supported Reviving Homemaking! 
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Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Meaning of Home

living room at morning
Source

            The boxes and furniture have been delivered to your new home and now set in a chaotic array in each room. In spite of the mess, I see the beauty of potential. My creative mind busily composes images of the arrangements, textiles, and unique pieces that will offer such comfort and attractiveness to these open spaces and blank walls before me. I eagerly wait to add the many touches that will help to transform the generic townhome unit into something much more special- our home.

            Yet, even with all these elements in place a certain depth will remain missing. I could have all the decorative elements and the utmost style in our home, but without the company of friends and family the space will remain empty. The essence of a thriving home is more than the materials that comprise it; it’s the people who join together within that space.

            This notion is not new, and is, in fact, a commonly shared piece of wisdom. However, to some degree “home” remains to have a negative connotation. Home is the place where we can take refuge from the outside world, it’s our coveted storage space for all our dearly held personal belongings, it’s the place we get “stuck” in when we have nowhere else to go or no one with whom to go out. And for some, home is filled with so many unsettling moments or people that associating it as a good in life can be a challenge. With so many poor definitions of “home” existing, creating it into something completely different may seem daunting. It’s not! Each new day is a new opportunity to believe in the potential of home. There is so much depth and meaningfulness that can be instill into our homes!

            My heart for our home is for it to be a place that not only brings comfort to my husband and I, but also to others. Similarly, our space and possessions can serve others just as well as they serve us. In her book Simple Secrets to a Beautiful Home: Creating a Place You and Your Family Will Love Emily Barnes says:

                        Welcome home! That’s what I want my life to say to everyone whose path crosses mine. I want to create an atmosphere of serenity and joy, of blessing and belonging, that embraces people (myself included) and draws them in—an atmosphere that makes them feel loved and special and cared for. (page. 9)

Does this welcome and service require a little more of us? Certainly! Is it worth it? Absolutely! A life and home without welcome and service are regrettably missing something that truly enriches life. It’s not always easy to practice hospitality, especially when it feels like a faded practice among others. Nonetheless, I believe in the beauty of opening the doors of my home to guests and will continue to strive to do so. Think of it this way- could we spare one night each month to invite a family to enjoy dinner, dessert or an activity together? That’s only twelve days out of three hundred sixty five. Sounds a little more possible, right?

            But what if our homes are not decorated exactly like we’d want, or we don’t have the right (or enough) pieces to serve or entertain many guests? Then, take a breath and refocus yourself on the people not the possessions. Your guests are there to spend time with you, not necessarily your things. In fact, when they are there don’t even mention what is not as you’d like or how you’d change it if you could. The true lacking in that case is not of a material matter but a personal one. What is it that makes a less than desirable place one you feel compelled to return to time and again? It’s the content and joyful spirit of the person within the home! Strive to be the kind of person who is so content and so delighted in the company of others that everything else is insignificant.

Finally, what if we viewed our homes belonging more to God than us? Would our possessiveness lessen? Would we be less likely to use it as our hole to hide in? I believe God has a plan for each of us and will provide us with means to achieve that purpose. It’s about Him and His glory! That perspective has really influenced my desires for the meaning of my home and the means by which to achieve it. So as I continue unpack boxes and then decorate our space, I know that even if everything doesn’t come together as I have envisioned God does have it all together still! 

Linked up at: Passionate and Creative Homemaking, Our Simple Country Life, The Purposeful Mom, Renewing Housewives, Homemaker By Choice, Fingerprints on the Fridge, Your Thriving Family, Thankful Homemaker, Growing Home, Time-Warp Wife, Women Living Well

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Friday, November 2, 2012

Revisiting "Celebrating the Season with Thankfulness"


Originally posted 11-18-2011. Contains revisions to make it appropriate for this year. 

       November is here and now is the time that everyone seems to be sharing their participation in a "30 Days of Thanksgiving" gratitude activity. Last year, I was all excited to join in as well. I had intentions for each day to list, photograph and share an area of thankfulness to focus on for the day. Well, I believe I made it to day 3. The ideas from various sources for acknowledging gratitude were wonderful. However, they weren't my own and as such didn't strike a personal cord within me. Moreover, I felt like I needed something more than the words "thank you." How do I truly experience gratitude? Act on it.

        After that experience, I decided to compile my own list of activities. I believe it is important to define "Thanksgiving" as a season of celebration and not just a two hour meeting for stuffing belllies and entering food comas. Moreover, I feel as though thanksgiving should be more than a daily statement made one month each year. It's a year-long, life-long attitude that is so deeply seeded in my life that my life reflects gratitude beyond my words. The following is what I came up with for last year. As I look over the list again this year I'm refreshed and encouraged to strive towards making these aspect more apart of life, both now during the Thanksgiving season and through the upcoming new year. There may be areas that need to be altered a bit or changed entirely, but that's okay because the idea is to always be discovering new ways to be thankful and reflect that attitude. 
Give Thanks Thanksgiving Countdown Calendar - PDF Pattern

 1) I stumbled across this pattern for a calendar at Everyday Celebrations. I plan to make a few changes though. I would like one which would be year-round so that I can also fill the pockets with ways to appreciate other seasons or holidays. So, the colors will be those in my home's color scheme and the title will be changed to say, "Enjoy the Moments." Having the pattern as a base will make it much simpler to create and personalize!

 2) I wanted my list to focus on three areas:
Express Thanks= 10         Express Giving=10          Come Together=10
1. Express thanks for good neighbors. Invite a neighbor to tea/coffee/dinner. If you don’t know your neighbor, then introduce yourself (be sure to include your gratitude for them!)

2. Make Java Chip Pumpkin bread* loaves and share a loaf with someone who is usually under appreciated. 
             *Java Chip Pumpkin Bread= 1 box quick pumpkin bread + chocolate chips + replace 
                  water with coffee.
3. Discuss how you can serve a family or person specifically over the holidays

4. Express thanks for relationships (friends/family) so close that the distance doesn’t even seem present. Call, write, or contact them in any way to express gratitude for them and your relationship. It could be a character quality, something that was done, favorite memory, or the impact they’ve had one you.

5. Create a Blessing Bag to keep in your car and offer to homeless individuals you encounter.

6. Have a family game night. Before each turn name a blessing.

7. Express thanks to a veteran for their courage and sacrifice. Write a letter** to someone currently serving. Greet and talk with someone you see while out today.
           ** Day 7: Letter to Soldiers- multiple sites to allow participation. Letters to Soldiers, &
                Soldiers Angels are two that I found just by doing a quick Google search.

8. Leave a cashier with a bit of a payment towards the next person. (You will need to place a rubberband or clip around it with a note or something designating it as such. Don’t want to get the cashier in trouble for having money lying around out of the drawer!)

9. Enjoy the beautiful fall foliage during a family walk/hike.

10. Express thanks to the Lord for the day. Some days just seem like they shouldn’t have even been attempted. Nonetheless, each and every day is a gift. Write Psalm 118:24 on a notecard and place by your alarm clock for when you rise. Then, stick it in your pocket or somewhere visible to be reminded of it throughout the day.

11. Leave a generous tip. Next time you’re at a restaurant leave a generous tip with a compliment on the receipt. If there is a tip jar, then leave a little more than just your change.

12. Munch on popcorn while enjoy a movie together (Charlie Brown holiday films!)

13.  Express thanks for the quiet times. Rise early and put some coffee or tea to brew. Spend extra moment with the Lord and in thought of ways to live out your gratitude during the day.

14. Offer a listening ear and shoulder to cry on. So often poor attitudes cause poor support systems (ie friendships!). Call or meet up with a friend to simply listen.

15. Use Thanksgiving Box Of Questions during dinnertime. (I haven't personally used these, but I love conversation cards!).
16. Express thanks for the good in life. Critical and negative perspectives are nearly impossible to escape. Have you become a perpetuator? Determine today to examine your words and heart to only allow that which is follows Philippians 4:8 to permeate your environment.

17. Grocery shop specifically with the intention of donating the entire bag. (Many grocery stores offer donation boxes or packages for purchase).

18. Review the story of the first Thanksgiving. Why did they want to observe a time of thanks? What is the significance of the holiday today?

19. Express thanks for your husband. When did we begin to see him with a critical (disrespectful) eye more than a grace giving (loving) eye? Challenge yourself today to not only speak well of him, but to think such as well! Praise him! Believe in him! Respect him!

20. Delight a child by taping change to a vending machine (bouncing balls, gum balls etc)

21. Capture with your camera the various things throughout the day you’re thankful for.

22. Express thanks to God for his provision. Stress can easily mound when it appears that there is more going out financially than coming in. Yet, when all is said and done there was somehow enough. Do we have shelter? Clothing? Food? Support from others? Our notion of provision and the Lord’s may look different, but one thing that is certain is that He is faithful in His promise to provide for us. Trust Him to do so. Thank Him for already doing so.

23. Graciously relieve someone of one of their responsibilities.

24.  Revisit the family photo album and travel back to previous Thanksgiving celebrations. What was your favorite memory of those times?

25. Express thanks for all those that God places in our paths. Some individuals and experiences will build us up, while others will refine us. Remember Romans8:28. Choose to recognize the good that came from our interactions and experiences. Make an effort to be kind today, even when someone we encounter appear to be “tearing us down.”

26. Visit with someone who may be lonely. The best way to combat a feeling of loneliness in ourselves is to remove that feeling from someone else. Nursing homes and hospitals are a great place to start. Don’t stop there though. Think outside the box. Is there anyone that lives alone? Spends evenings alone (spouse works night shift)? New to the area? Etc etc.

27. Everyone share what is their favorite aspect of the holiday season. What activities/traditions added meaning or joy, and which ones detracted from it? What would each person like to include this year?

28. Express thanks for God creating you to be..you. We are his workmanship. He carefully crafted us into being. What we perceive as flaws may be a part of God’s special design for us. Remember  that He created us to be as we are in order to fulfill His purposes for our lives, not our own. It’s easy to compare ourselves to others and see shortcomings. Snap a photo of yourself and on the back of the printed picture write ways in which God sees you.    

29. Spending time with family often times requires a road trip. Make the stress of traveling a little lighter by obtaining a gift card for gas. Next time you’re at the pump, tape the card with a little note to it. (I would say hand the card to someone nearby, but I have a hard time imagining people accepting a gift nowadays).

30. Prepare a meal together. It can be the actual Thanksgiving meal, a side, or just a weeknight dinner. “Too many cooks in the kitchen” is a complete falsity. I say the more the merrier! Divide the work and each embrace the opportunity to serve each other in preparing the meal.

Additional Resources:
 Random Acts of Kindness - Page with numerous ideas for simple acts of kindness.
Homeword 30 Days of Thanksgiving - Page with great ideas for areas of thankfulness.
Give Thanks Countdown Cards- Cards to accompany calendar pattern from Everyday Celebrations
Positively Present's 30 Photo Challenge on Gratitude- 30 days of capturing in film areas of gratitude.

      I hope to create a similar list with the same three areas of focus for the Christmas season (and likely subsequent seasons as well). I'll try to get a photo when I can get the calendar and cards completed.

     As for now, I pray that it will encourage you to determine in what ways you would like to focus this holiday season. This list is what is fitting for our family. I encourage you to take some time to think through creating a list to make it yours :)

Linked up at: Don't Waste Your Homemaking, Growing Home, Far Above Rubies, Women Living Well, Raising Homemakers, Raising Mighty Arrows, Our Simple Country Life, Maxabella Loves, The Gypsy Mama, Time Warp Wife, Thankful Homemaker, Growing Home, Time-Warp Wife, Women Living Well
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Sunday, July 8, 2012

Second Anniversary Reflection & Video




Second Anniversary Reflection Questions
(Um...what a wild look on my face to start a video! Yikes)
    
      Marriage is challenging because it requires us to stretch to new limits of patience, selflessness, forgiveness, mindfulness or intention, love, and understanding among many other qualities. Our time dating was flawless, and I had expected marriage to be a continuation. It has proven to, instead, be a wild ride of thrilling highs and crushing lows. Our first year of marriage wasn't "newlywed bliss," but survival of our circumstances. This second year has taught us tremendously about applying 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 to move from just surviving to fully loving. It's a process and a work that produces a beautifully deep kind of love and marriage. Praise the Lord for lessons that shape us more and more to be the kind of people he created us and our marriage to be- even if the means of teaching is trying. 

 Expectations must be expressed and agreed upon, realistic, and within the context of who your spouse is
       The roles of "wife" and "husband" are significant and not to be taken lightly, especially within the context of a Christian union. However, I've had to acknowledge that we each had different views and expectations for those roles. After rounds of discontentment and disappointment I began to see how my husband was upholding his role but in his own unique fashion.  I wanted him to talk more, but have realized that he wisely reserves his speech to be of something meaningful and encouraging. Faith or God is probably mentioned more in church than in our home, we don't pray together or do family devotions, but I have seen over and over how he strives to truly display the character of Christ. In other words, I see how he values walking the walk over talking the talk. We don't go out and do many of the activities that others do, but I understand that within our personalities is contentment and beauty in taking advantage of small moments together at home. There are so many expectations I held my husband to without even realizing it, and am amazed and blessed to watch (often, in retrospect) those assumptions be transformed to exceed my expectations. Coming to admire your spouse and marriage for who/what he/it is and not your expectation is the making of a strong unit!

Marriage may not be entirely for our happiness, but instead for our holiness
     What do you do with the label of "newlywed bliss" when it feels far from it? When I see other couples exhibiting joyfulness, closeness and a smooth transition into marriage I wonder what did we miss because we're out of breath and climbing mountains. Bitter comparison aside, we haven't missed anything because God is teaching us lessons that are appropriate for us and us alone. No, our married life probably doesn't look like others and that's okay. We have our own lessons to learn and tests to take, neither of which   are guaranteed to be easy. I have personally learned so much from marriage and to be honest it has nothing to do with happiness. Instead, it has everything to do with personal refinement into more Christ-likeness. I enjoy how Gary Thomas says,  "What if God didn't design marriage to be 'easier'? what if God had an end in mind that went beyond our happiness, our comfort, and our desire to be infatuated and happy as if the world were a perfect place? What if God designed marriage to make us holy more than make us happy?" in his book Sacred Marriage. This perspective has been influential in accepting less than ideal circumstances and being open to whatever God has in mind to be gained from them. It's something that I'm don't do all to well and am in need of reminding often, but I'm grateful for those reminders as well. 

Always, always remember that if we have family, then we have everything
     Daring to go against the grain by practicing homemaking with less than ideal circumstances can be tough!  However, we have each other and together we can climb mountains far better than we could alone. I'm so grateful for his companionship and that together we are "family." I have a wordart painting I made hanging in my home that serves to encourage and recenter us and it reads, "If we have family, then we have everything." When stresses render life to feel like it possesses nothing, I'm reminded of the incredible value of family. It's what we're about and why we've made the choices we have.  As with anything, it's a journey to achieve maintaining this confidence during trials. Yet, I can look forward to this upcoming year continuing to learn to define having everything as having family, even if that remains defined as just he and I.

Two verses that have been close to my heart this past year:
"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres." 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (emphasis mine)

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28 (emphasis mine)


Favorite Marriage Resources:
201 Great Questions for Married Couples by Jerry Jones {A few of the questions in the video came from this book}




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Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Celebrating Birthdays




 Happy Birthday! 

     One celebration and gifting occasion hubby and I love is birthdays. A birthday is special because it is a celebration for just that one person. It's a recognition of the great qualities God has created in him/her. Does celebrating this special day have to be extravagant? We'd like to think not! We much prefer something simple- friends, family, and praise for the birthday guy/gal. This is a wonderful opportunity to really share with the person the good qualities you see, encouragement you glean, or appreication for something he/she has done or is about. 


Celebrating Birthdays 
1) Write a sincere message. 
Booklet of cards each with one quality
or memory that I love about my hubby.
       Take a moment to write more than "Happy Birthday" in a card. The message doesn't have to be elaborate or even eloquent. In fact, it would likely be best for the message to be short to guard against flattery or flowery words. Just a single heartfelt sentiment, memory, or thought will suffice. We all enjoy hearing words of appreciation or affirmation on occasion, and a birthday is a perfect occasion for such. Even a small amount of encouragement and recognition goes a long way!
      I found an idea creating a booklet using playing cards and binder rings on Pinterest. The image served well as a basis for a gift "tag" that I'll continue to use for years to come. I counted out the number of cards equal to hubby's birthday and on each one wrote something about him that I love. The final card is a little statement we've said to each other since we first uttered those magical three words. 


2) Maintain gifting boundaries.

card says: "I admire your entrepreneurial spirit"
and is taped to a book on the subject
       We uphold the same guidelines we've established for gifting for our birthdays as well. We chose an amount that we felt could purchase a nice gift without being too much. In this way we stay within our budget and have no worries for one person ever "topping" the other (*sigh of relief!*). Gifts are usually something simple such as rings for nicely plating a dish, glass water bottle, fabric, book etc. We try to come up with items that the person may have been wanting but wouldn't buy for him/herself or something that will aid in his/her interests. This kind of gifting takes intimately knowing a person, and that's precisely how I feel gifting ought to be done. It's just nice to know that the gift wasn't appropriate for just anyone, but was carefully considered and selected for me in such a personal manner. 
           In continuing the card idea mentioned previously, each year's gift includes another card. People change and so does love over the years, and as such I feel it important to always be watching for discovering ways in which love/the person grows and deepens. 


Graham Cracker Cake with
Lime Cream Cheese Frosting
3) Bake a homemade cake.
        Each year we bake a different cake for each other. Yes, even the hubby gets in the kitchen and whips up  some fantastic homemade cakes! It's a challenge each year to take what we know the other person prefers and create something accordingly. I'm pretty easy since my favorite sweets are cookie dough, ice cream, and chocolate. The hubby, however, isn't as crazy about the rich sweets but instead prefers fruit-based desserts. His cakes always take some work, but I'm so pleased to serve him something so special. The last few years have seen: carrot cake, orange cake, and this year a graham cracker cake with lime cream cheese frosting. It's just fun getting to experience the two different takes on cake. I can't imagine trying to get these types of cakes from a store. Plus, the extra effort put into homemade makes it just that much more special. 


        It's all about making the person feel special. It's about digging deep to get to know the person and investing in his/her life. Perhaps next time there is a birthday card or message to send, include the end of this statement: "I love/admire you because..." I promise it will make an wonderful impact. :)


Linked up at: Women Living Well, Our Simple Country Life, Raising Mighty Arrows, A Wise Woman Builds Her Home, Growing Home Blog
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