This booster is extremely easy and pleasurable for some and a little bit of a mental challenge for others.

Just remember why you are following the Marriage Booster program.  It is to create a great environment for you and your spouse.

Your task this week is to share a dessert.  If you want to go out for the dessert, great.  If you want to have a dessert at home, that is great too.

For this task, don’t worry about the diet for this one special moment.  If you are good with your diet, one half of one decadent dessert will not hurt you.  If you are both dieters and want to make it one large low-fat dessert, that will work.

The key is that it can only be one plate or bowl that the two of you cozy up together and share.  (two forks is fine

Enjoy the moment, and yes, enjoy the dessert!

If you have a special decadent dessert idea to share, please leave a comment and let us know.

We love desserts!

Recently our new grandson Brandon, brought his parents to visit us for the weekend.  What fun!  We actually got to watch him while mom and dad played a bit.  And yes, it was mostly watching because at 5 months old he doesn’t do a whole lot.  As a matter of fact the first 24 hours with him went pretty much like this:

7am – Brandon wakes up and calls out so everyone knows.  We get him out of bed, change a diaper, and give him his cereal and first bottle of the day.

7:30am – Put Brandon in his Exer-Saucer and watch Brandon watch the tiny toys hanging all around him.  Just as entertaining for us as it is for him.

8:30am Put Brandon on his stomach, on a blanket on the floor. Watch him kick around a bit.  He almost rolled over a couple of times.  How exciting.  Just kidding!  It’s not that exciting until he actually can roll over.

9:00am – Put Brandon down for his first nap of the day.  Watch him sleep for the next 2 hours.  Not as much fun as when he’s awake.

11:00am – Brandon wakes up hungry for brunch so we feed Brandon again.  Just a bottle this time.

Noon – Hold Brandon and watch Sports Center.

1:00pm – Brandon back down for an afternoon nap (sometimes 1, sometimes 2 hours). Karen and I take a nap too.  This babysitting is exhausting.

3:00pm – You guessed it. Brandon wants to eat again, so we give him a bottle.

4:00pm – We take turns just holding Brandon.  He smiles and laughs at us once in awhile. Can’t tell who is more amused, him or us.

5:00pm – Brandon goes down daily for about a half hour nap.  I guess he is just warming up for his big night’s sleep.

6:00pm – Brandon finishes off his daily meal plan with a good bowl of rice cereal.  Yum!

6:30pm – Give Brandon his daily bath.  He loves bathtime.  Laughs at us some more.

7:00pm – Read a quick storybook to Brandon.  He seems to love reading time.

7:15pm – Kiss Brandon goodnight and put him to bed for his 12 hour nightly hibernation.

I guess we’ll watch him sleep some more.

Karen and I discuss our day and decide that we do not remember parenting being this easy.

My, how times have changed.

There is one tremendous section that discusses when is the best time to talk about parenting.  That section alone borders on being a literary masterpiece.  Of course, I have to say that because Karen and I contributed that section.  It might be the only good review we get.

All kidding aside, this book should be required reading for any couple thinking about tying the knot.

You can read the full table of contents and some sample excerpts at www.AllinOneMarriagePrep.com

Experts Who Lovingly Contributed:
David & Claudia Arp, Sue Atkins, Molly Barrow, PhD, Julie Baumgardner, Michael J. Beck, PhD, Stanis Marusak Beck, Anne Bercht, Charlie & Linda Bloom, Yolanda Brown, Robert Buchicchio, John R. Buri, PhD, David M. Carder, Gary Chapman, PhD, Paul Coleman, John Curtis, PhD, Joel & Kathy Davisson, Rita DeMaria, PhD, Krsnanandini Devi Dasi & Tariq Saleem Ziyad, Sandra Dye, Elizabeth Einstein, Kathryn Elliott, PhD & James Elliott, PhD, Don Ferguson, PhD, Rodney & Karen Grubbs, Mark Gungor, Scott Haltzman, Susan Heitler, PhD, Patty Howell, Jim Hughes, Priscilla & Greg Hunt, Barbara Jenkins Spires, Gabrielle Kaplan-Mayer, Kat Kehres Knecht & Curtis Knecht, Mark Laaser, PhD, Nancy Landrum, Peter J. Larson, PhD, Emily Luschin, Elizabeth Marquardt, Fiona McDonald, Mike McManus, Ana Morante, Jamil Muhammad, Nisa Muhammad, Noelle C. Nelson, PhD, Susan Page, Margaret Paul, PhD, Sheryl PaulKerri Pomarolli, Tom & Beverly Rodgers, Dugan H. Romano, Robert Ruhnke, Bill & Cynthia Sarles, Rob F. Scuka, PhD, Lidy Seysener, Grete Shelling, Jim Sheridan, Syble Solomon, Amy Spencer, David Steele, Raymond Switzer, Matthew Turvey, Carol Ummel Lindquist, Raphaella Vaisseau, John Van Epp, Clarence Walker, PhD & Ja’Ola Walker

All-in-One Marriage Prep:  75+ Experts Share Tips and Wisdom To Help You Get Ready Now!

Think of the difference it would have made if only we would have taken the time to pen that card or pick up that phone.

Author Kody Bateman tells us his life-changing story about why he no longer ignores those promptings.

Promptings is an inspiration-filled book that helps us all listen to that tiny voice and take action.  It is filled with many short stories and examples of that tiny voice and why it should be heeded all the time.

Bateman teaches us that your tiny voice is always right and it almost always is trying to get you to do something that will positively impact someone else.

If we will just listen to, and act on, those promptings, we will not only help make someone elses day, we will methodically change our own lives for the better as well.   You will enjoy Promptings!

Quite simply, it is the single greatest book on marriage ever written.

It goes into great detail to teach you how to:

• Resolve conflict or arguments.
• Get cooperation from your spouse
• Criticize without causing resentment
• Become even more lovable

Although this book was written to help foster strong, lasting business relationships, virtually every nugget of information is this book is filled with relationship building wisdom and simple-to-do tasks that are the foundation for any successful marriage.

This book has probably had a greater impact on the success of our marriage than any other book either of us have read.

We both have read this book multiple times and highly, highly endorse it.

If you have read The Five Love Languages, use the comment section below, please share your stories of how it has helped you.  Thanks, – Rodney and Karen

Sharing two hobbies, having three cuddles every 24 hours, saying at least one ‘I love you’ a day and enjoying two romantic meals a month will help ensure a lasting liaison.

Researchers also discovered the husband and wife who will stay true to their ’til death us do part’ vow will have met through friends – and tied the knot after three and a half years together.

The profile of the perfect marriage was compiled by wedding planning website www.confetti.co.uk

More than 3,000 married adults were polled to discovere the secrets of their success in staying together.

Carol Richardson of confetti.co.uk said: “The research shows just how many components make up the perfect marriage, including the ideal age gap, dating duration and time to get married.

“It also seems couples are getting married older now which could be down to women putting more emphasis on their careers nowadays, resulting in romance and marriage playing second fiddle.

“Yet the perfect age gap for a ideal partnership still consists of the groom being older than the bride which must work due to the husband being more emotionally and financially stable.

“And after wedding hype is over, the study shows how important it is to keep the magic alive with regular kisses, cuddles and romantic nights out.”

They should also say ‘I love you’ to each other at least once every day and have sex three times a week.

And to keep the spark alive the poll found that married folk should enjoy two romantic meals out each month and spend three nights of the week cuddling on the sofa together.

They will also keep in regular touch – even when they are at work – through at least three phone calls, text messages or emails.

Two surprise weekends away every year, will also keep the marriage strong.

But while the ideal couple will share two hobbies, the study also revealed it’s important to keep some independence by having two separate nights out with friends each month.

If you haven’t signed up yet, get your free 52 Marriage Boosters at www.NeverEndingHoneymoon.com

Even though this movie is not about marriage, Ken Blanchard and Barbara Glanz have produced the perfect example of the impact a simple act can have.

http://www.stservicemovie.com/
Enjoy!

So have you planned your Valentine’s Day yet?

Yes, Valentine’s Day is on a Thursday this year, so work schedules may conflict with plans a bit. But this is one of those holidays you just simply cannot forget. Does it have to be costly? No.

That is the good thing about Valentine’s Day. It is the one holiday of the year where the thought really does matter most. It is the day where you can let your spouse know they are very special to you, without breaking the bank to do it.

Here are a few creative Valentine ideas to help you get started:

NO COST IDEAS:

• Send an e-card to your spouse
• Write a short personal letter to your spouse. Let them know what you appreciate about them.
• Go for a walk (might have to bundle up where I live)
• Watch a TV show together
• Stroll through a shopping mall (one of my spouse’s personal favorites)
• Give your spouse a handmade coupon, good for one carwash, backrub, handdrawn bubblebath, etc.

IDEAS UNDER $20:

• Go out and share a really decadent dessert
• Share a dinner at a nice restaurant
• Go to a museum
• Flowers
• Chocolates
• Favorite magazine subscription

IDEAS OVER $20:

• Jewelry
• Dinner at a nice restaurant
• Overnight hotel stay
• Attend a concert or play
• Dinner Theatre
• Dinner Cruise

Hope this helps get the creative juices flowing.

If you have some creative Valentine ideas of your own, please share them with us by leaving a comment.

And here is a little booster that did not make the list, but is fun to do and still meets the goal of more quality time.

Simply take a short (or long if you are so inclined) nap together on a Sunday afternoon. Wow, saying nothing and doing nothing! How easy can you get. I know it seems overly simple, but sometimes the simplest things can still have the best desired effect. In the words of Indiana Jones…”trust me”.

Click “The Weekly Marriage Boosters” tab at the top of the page and share your simple marriage boosters.

Help Someone UP Today,

Rodney