The Dating Divas

Our BRAND NEW WEBSITE!!!!!

2011-01-03T05:00:00.000-08:00

OK...we are FINALLY ready to reveal our SUPER FUN SECRET!!! Ready?????

.....drumroll......

We are SOooOOOOoooo excited to announce that we have FINALLY moved on over to our brand NEW website!! {www.thedatingdivas.com} Holy HANNAH!! It is about time! We have been working like crazy people getting everything moved over....bless our SWEET "web" guy's soul!! Working with a bunch of very opinionated women......'nuff said! {LOL}

ANYWAY - We have a LOT of surprises in store for all of our readers....to celebrate our launch.....so hop on over to our NEW site by clicking on our new button below!

....isn't it pretty!!! {SQUEAL} You better hurry on over there! You are NOT gonna want to miss our posts this week! :)
P.S. Don't forget to change your links on over to our NEW site...and to grab our NEW button...posted on our sidebar! :)

Shhhhh....It's A Secret!!

2010-12-31T05:00:00.000-08:00

Yep! We have a SECRET!!!!!

You are DYING to know what it is, huh!! Well, you are just going to have to wait......

....until Monday! {And you are NOT going to want to miss this.....promise....so check back then!}

Have a HAPPY NEW YEAR from ALL of the Divas!!

Celebrate the New Year...Family Style!

2010-12-28T05:00:00.000-08:00

Can you believe 2011 is fast approaching? Well, do not fear! We have quick, fun and inexpensive ideas to help you ring in the new year as a family!

What better way to ring in the new year than with an hour-by-hour COUNTDOWN BOX?

The idea behind this box is simple...each hour starting at 8 P.M. the kids get to open one bag!
Inside each bag is something different to celebrate New Year's Eve!
(I received some great inspiration here.)

8 PM: ALL ABOUT ME 2010 TIME CAPSULE

We have created the perfect printable for your family to use! Just click print {at the bottom of the post} and you will have a 2010 time capsule letter! Be sure to have your kids write a letter to their future selves! It will ask them their favorite color, book, food, etc. The capsule letter also has a spot where your kids can write what they hope the next year will bring. (I plan on packing my letters in my Christmas decoration box!) Next New Year's Eve will be a blast reading the letters they wrote! It will be fun to see if things have changed or stayed the same!

9 PM: Festive Shakers

For the 9 o'clock hour these simple shakers will be a blast to make! Find any ribbon spools in your house that are almost out of ribbon. Inside, place something that will make noise when it is shakes.
(I used Skittles from Halloween!)
You then cover each side of the ribbon spool with scrapbook paper!
Then voila, you have your own shakers to ring in 2011! Plus, this will be something fun to use down the road. Now that you have your shakers....it is almost time to ring in the New Year!

10PM: Goal Setting 2011

One of my favorite things to do to ring in the new year is to set resolutions. In this activity, your family will get to set four new goals together. These resolutions can be anything from eating dinner together to doing a service activity together. To create a flap book, you need to fold the paper in half and cut under each number. Once you're done, you can place this somewhere in your home that is visible for all family members to remember the 2011 goals.

11PM: 2011 Lucky Penny

I know I can use all the luck I can get...so start the year off right with a lucky penny!
After each family member has their new lucky penny, have each family member share two things they love about each family member.

MIDNIGHT: GLOW STICKS

What is a party without glow sticks? Ring in the new year sporting these fun, inexpensive

sticks that will add excitement to the end of the night.

SOURCE

There you have it! A few ideas to end 2010 and begin 2011!

How will your family ring in the new year?

DOWNLOAD ALL ACTIVITIES HERE!

Serendipity Date

2010-12-27T05:00:00.000-08:00

Have you ever seen the movie Serendipity with Kate Beckinsale and John Cusack? Well talk about romance and destiny! It is such a great romantic movie (...if you are into those). So I decided to base my date loosely on the movie.

ser·en·dip·i·ty

–noun

1. an aptitude for making desirable discoveries by accident.

Don't you think that is usually how most of us met our spouses? Looking for something else and then "BAM" - you meet your husband so unexpectedly! It is a fun word and I think if we are striving to keep the sparks alive with our spouses, you never know what surprises you will find along the way. So with that being said here is my "SERENDIPITY" DATE!

In the movie Kate Beckinsale's character writes her name and number in a book and tells John Cusack's character that if he finds that book someday then it was meant to be. So, I pulled out the great book, How to Date Your Spouse and left him a little message.

It says, "What is Wintry and White? You will find out tonight!" Then I left him an extra note that says, "PS. You get to plan our date next time!" HA! It never hurts to leave a not so subtle hint! I even put it in the book that will help him plan a date! I am pretty sneaky, RIGHT!

I left him another little note on his gloves and scarf that says, you will need these. I like to keep him guessing!

I also painted my toes with a little snowflake. What can I say I like to be festive, and my hubby thinks my feet are cute!

Back to the movie! When Kate and John's characters meet...they are Christmas shopping. Perfect! Justin and I had some Christmas shopping to finish up. You will see this date after Christmas, but who doesn't have to at least grocery shop once a week? When you get to the store (I am suggesting Wal-Mart or Target) play a little game where you have to each sneak a treat into the cart for each other without the other one seeing at least until you check out! Keep it under $5. This is a pretty fun game, and BONUS since you each leave with a surprise! I came up with this trying to sneak Christmas gifts into the cart for my 3-year-old while she was right there! I have to say I am pretty sneaky, BUT so was my husband! Can you guess our surprises?

Yep, that is right, popcorn for him and a magazine for me! We know each other too well. Once again back to the movie. After meeting Christmas Shopping they go and have a treat at a Cafe called SERENDIPITY 3 (It's a real cafe in NYC, maybe some of you have been there). He leaves his scarf and they both end up back there and decide from there to go ice skating. SOOOOOO - Ice Skating it is! Have you ever been ice skating with your spouse? We went to the Olympic Skating Center, but if you could find a skating rink outside somewhere in your town, I think that would be CRAZY romantic. It was still pretty fun in the indoor arena ( even if I am not the most graceful skater). Just holding hands again like when you were dating can be pretty romantic.

We did things a little backward because I wanted to come home and have a special treat waiting. In the movie when they go to Serendipity cafe they have Frozen Hot Chocolate! WHAT! YUM! You HAVE to try this! Here is the exact recipe they use at Serendipity 3!

Frrrozen Hot Chocolate
Ingredients

6 pieces (1/2-ounce) chocolate - a variety of your favorites
2 teaspoons store-bought hot chocolate mix
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 cups milk
3 cups ice
Whipped cream
Chocolate shavings

Directions

Chop the chocolate into small pieces. Place it in the top of a double boiler over simmering water. Stir occasionally until melted. Add the hot chocolate mix and sugar. Stir until completely melted. Remove from heat and slowly add ½ cup of milk until smooth. Cool to room temperature.

In a blender, place the remaining cup of milk, the room-temperature chocolate mixture and the ice. Blend on high speed until smooth and the consistency of a frozen daiquiri. Pour into a giant goblet and top with whipped cream and chocolate shavings.

The link is HERE!

This is such a yummy treat and so easy to make! Anytime you do something out of the ordinary you run into a little "Serendipity" of your own. Maybe you learn something new or unexpected about your spouse or you have a whole new adventure that you never knew you would have. Take the plunge and have fun on your SERENDIPITY DATE!

We Wish YOU A Merry Christmas!!

2010-12-25T05:00:00.000-08:00

We hope you are having an extremely MERRY Christmas with ALL of your loved ones! We sure are! We wanted to share a special message with our fabulous readers on one of OUR favorite days of the year. Enjoy!!

It's Christmas Night

By: Max Lucado

It’s Christmas night. The house is quiet. Even the crackle is gone from the fireplace. Warm coals issue a lighthouse glow in the darkened den. Stockings hang empty on the mantle. The tree stands naked in the corner. Christmas cards, tinsel, and memories remind Christmas night of Christmas day.

It’s Christmas night. What a day it has been! Spiced tea. Santa Claus. Cranberry sauce. “Thank you, so much.” “You shouldn’t have!” “Grandma is on the phone.” Knee-deep wrapping paper. “It just fits.” Flashing cameras. It’s Christmas night. The girls are in bed. Jenna dreams of her talking Big Bird and clutches her new purse. Andrea sleeps in her new Santa pajamas. It’s Christmas night. The tree that only yesterday grew from soil made of gifts, again grows from the Christmas tree stand. Presents are now possessions. Wrapping paper is bagged and in the dumpsite. The dishes are washed and leftover turkey awaits next week’s sandwiches.

It’s Christmas night. The last of the carolers appeared on the ten o’clock news. The last of the apple pie was eaten by my brother-in-law. And the last of the Christmas albums have been stored away having dutifully performed their annual rendition of chestnuts, white Christmases, and red-nosed reindeer.

It’s Christmas night.

The midnight hour has chimed and I should be asleep, but I’m awake. I’m kept awake by one stunning thought. The world was different this week. It was temporarily transformed. The magical dust of Christmas glittered on the cheeks of humanity ever so briefly, reminding us of what is worth having and what we were intended to be. We forgot our compulsion with winning, wooing, and warring. We put away our ladders and ledgers, we hung up our stop watches and weapons. We stepped off our racetracks and roller coasters and looked outward toward the star of Bethlehem.

It’s the season to be jolly because, more than at any other time, we think of him. More than in any other season, his name is on our lips. And the result? For a few precious hours our heavenly yearnings intermesh and we become a chorus. A ragtag chorus of longshoremen, Boston lawyers, illegal immigrants, housewives, and a thousand other peculiar persons who are banking that Bethlehem’s mystery is in reality, a reality. “Come and behold him” we sing, stirring even the sleepiest of shepherds and pointing them toward the Christ-child.

For a few precious hours, he is beheld. Christ the Lord. Those who pass the year without seeing him, suddenly see him. People who have been accustomed to using his name in vain, pause to use it in praise. Eyes, now free of the blinders of self, marvel at his majesty. All of a sudden he’s everywhere. In the grin of the policeman as he drives his paddy wagon full of presents to the orphanage.

In the twinkle in the eyes of the Taiwanese waiter as he tells of his upcoming Christmas trip to see his children. In the emotion of the father who is too thankful to finish the dinner table prayer. He’s in the tears of the mother as she welcomes home her son from overseas. He’s in the heart of the man who spent Christmas morning on skid row giving away cold baloney sandwiches and warm wishes. And he’s in the solemn silence of the crowd of shopping mall shoppers as the elementary school chorus sings “Away in a Manger.” Emmanuel. He is with us. God came near.

It’s Christmas night. In a few hours the cleanup will begin — lights will come down, trees will be thrown out. Size 36 will be exchanged for size 40, eggnog will be on sale for half-price. Soon life will be normal again. December’s generosity will become January’s payments and the magic will begin to fade. But for the moment, the magic is still in the air. Maybe that’s why I’m still awake. I want to savor the spirit just a bit more. I want to pray that those who beheld him today will look for him next August. And I can’t help but linger on one fanciful thought: if he can do so much with such timid prayers lamely offered in December, how much more could he do if we thought of him every day?

Have a VERY Merry Christmas...from ALL of the Divas!!

When Christmas Comes To Town...

2010-12-24T05:00:00.000-08:00

We couldn't let the magic of Christmas Eve escape without leaving our wonderful readers with a little message....sharing our feelings about this special night. :)

We all wish you all a VERY Merry Christmas!!

Hubby Highlight: An Unexpected Gift

2010-12-23T05:00:00.001-08:00

Last year for Christmas I really didn't expect much. We had been trying not to spend a lot of money on each other, so I really went skimpy on my husband's gift. Christmas is my absolute favorite time of year and my husband always does an amazing job of making me feel really special. Every year since we've been married he has been very sneaky about my gifts. Our first year he hid my gifts throughout our apartment and made me search for my Christmas presents (He even hid one in the tree!). It was hilarious and very, very sweet. He is so thoughtful of every gift that he gives to me - he really puts a lot of thought into it and this past year was no exception.

Last Christmas was the first Christmas we spent at home - just us and our kids. Normally we are spending Christmas with our families. So it was a very special year for us to have our own traditions and to spend time without chaos (even happy chaos). When it came time for my husband to give me my gift it was a small box that was wrapped up and perfect looking. When I opened up my gift there was a note that read:

He had set up gifts with clues in them throughout our house that lead me to the next gift box and the next and the next... until I found my Christmas present in the garage. Wrapped up in my ski bag of all places...He got me a new pair of skis!!

So, for those of you who don't know me (which is the majority :)) I am an avid skier. I learned when I was just four years old, a little tot of a thing, and it has been my passion ever since. Skiing brings me such joy and relaxation that my main goal in life when I retire is to be a ski bum just like my grandparents were. So you get the idea of my feelings on the sport. I could go on and on, but the point is I haven't had a new pair of skis in fifteen years. Skis are expensive [to put it lightly] and I'm not one to simply replace something because it's old. If it still works then why spend the money to replace it? I've put it off and always reasoned that we couldn't afford it or we had other things to spend our money on.

Why was this gift so special? For one, it was completely unselfish. For two, he showed how much he recognizes that I love the sport and he is being supportive of it. And three, he wants me to continue to enjoy the one thing I truly love even if it costs money to do it. Now every time that I go skiing, I think of my husband and how good he is to me.

I've thought several times over about sharing the following video with all of you. I've been at war with myself because it is personal, but also a little embarrassing. I am not a cryer. Let's just get that out right now. It takes a LOT for me to cry. So the fact that I do actually cry at the end of this video, just goes to show you how much that this gift really meant to me. And how much that I have been wanting a new pair of skis! :)

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Disclaimer: Um...sorry about the kissing noises at the end, but my husband just earned himself a really good smooch for that gift! Whatta man!

Santa's Helper Mini-Date

2010-12-22T05:00:00.000-08:00

Who doesn’t procrastinate when it comes to wrapping presents? There is always so much to do and wrapping presents seems to get pushed to the side and forgotten. But then the night before Christmas, you find yourself trying to finish everything up while wrapping presents on top of that!

Why not make wrapping presents a date with your man? Have dinner waiting at home when your lucky man comes home. Have a Santa Hat on his seat at the table. Place a note on the inside letting him know about your date later on tonight.

Have everything ready to go wherever you will be wrapping presents. Of course have them out of reach of any kids that may come along. Make sure to lay them out so they look appealing. The things I decided to include for our night were: Hot Chocolate, Marshmallows, Christmas Music, Chocolate, our Santa Hats, Presents, Wrapping paper, tape, and scissors. Most of the stuff needed is around the house already, it’s just a matter of making sure that they are all ready to go. Of course, you can start making the hot chocolate as you begin your date. The music will make the mood light and cheery.

Then once the kids are in bed, your wrapping date will begin. This will make wrapping presents fun. So enjoy some much needed talk time during the season and finish the one thing that never seems to be done during the holiday season.

Your Rein"dear" Fun!

2010-12-21T05:00:00.000-08:00

I am SO EXCITED! Are you ready for this!?!

You remember the awesome giveaway we recently had for the darling “Merry Christmas Deer” kit, right? Well…. one of our AmAzInG Diva Readers (rock on, Daphne Jackson!) was inspired and came up with her own evening of how to be your man’s reinDEAR this Christmas… and YES, she is sharing the love with all of us – including a FREE download! Oh yeah, double score! …with this now and with HIM latah! Seriously, this is perfect for any evening this week to have some sweet Christmas memory makin’ after kids and in bed.

Check it out!

She picked up 4 felt reindeer baskets at the Target Dollar Zone and filled them each with a surprise.

The 4 reindeer “bearing gifts” are Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, & Vixen.

**Dasher brings a dash of something sweet (strawberries & white chocolate fondue & sparkling white grape juice.)

**Dancer offers a Christmas CD for a couple’s dance (by romantic Christmas tree lights or fireplace perhaps?)

**Prancer brings a pair of Christmas boxers for him to prance around in... (Ooh la la!)

**AND - last and maybe most generously comes Vixen... bearing an outfit for you to look like a “Vixen” for him in! (Daphne found a leopard-print nightie that she called “reindeer-print.” Love it!)

What’s your man’s favorite nightie style on you?

Of course your presentation as his reindear is all part of the fun! I love how Daphne got everything ready as shown above. She’s also created an adorable invitation to hide somewhere that he would see on the morning of the date. You can totally download your invitation here and darling gift tags here now!

Can I just shout, “THANKS, Daphne!” We can’t get enough good ideas from our fellow divas! Here’s a peek at this sweetheart and her Mr. Jackson. What a good lookin’ couple!

I am already planning this easy and playful evening for my own man. I hope Target has some deer baskets left for me! {If not....you can find ANY kind of baskets or containers around your house and "dress them up" with paper antlers & ears!}

Bunko With My Babe!!

2010-12-20T05:00:00.000-08:00

I'm pretty sure everyone out there thinks Bunko is a girl thing and maybe even a Utah thing... BUT not AnYmOrE!! Our hubby's loved joining in on this excitement! We always do a dinner... potluck is fabulous or the host could do all the work! {wink-wink}

I decided to get creative and tie my dinner in with the game... it was super super yummy! A lot of work, but well worth it!

-Pizza Dice-

My super famous pizza dough recipe...

(I had to triple it to make six 9x9 square pizzas)

1 1/2 cups warm water

3 TBSP sugar

1 tsp salt

2 1/2 tsp yeast

4 - 4 1/2 cups flour

Mix all ingredients together, then let the dough raise for 1 hour OR 30 minutes (covered with a kitchen towel) in a warm oven. Roll out, put on pizza pan, and add toppings. Bake at 500 degrees for 10 minutes. Pepperoni is easy to make dice. This pizza is a chicken, bacon, ham... Super yummy!

You need white American cheese first, top with cooked cubed chicken, pre-cooked bacon pieces, and ham slices. Add mozzarella cheese, then tomato slices... and Wa-Lah!

We also had a pasta salad, homemade root beer, bread sticks and artichoke dip! Just a few ideas... :)

And BuNkO... there are no official rules for Bunko but here are some basic rules of the game... straight from ehow!

Setting Up...

Most games of Bunko involve 12 players, four players sitting at three tables. Each player requires a score card to keep track of their points. Each table will require three dice each. Tables should be denoted as high table, middle table and low table. The high table will control the action in the game by signaling when a round begins and ends and should have a bell placed on it for this purpose. The other tables can be marked by placing items such as prizes or stuffed animals on them. Have players draw numbers for their seating positions, or just sit wherever you want! Numbers one through four will sit at the high table, five through eight at the middle table and nine through 12 at the low table. Each player is partnered with the person directly opposite them at the table.

Any dice will do, but they have *cute* dice like these at any game stores!!

And a scorecard... download that HERE or you can make your own and doll it up!

How to Play...

Players roll three dice to score points. Points are awarded in the following ways:

Players will receive 1 point for rolling a number that matches the round number, for example, if you roll a 1 in Round 1 or a 2 in Round 2 and so on.

Rolling three of the same number earns a player 5 points, as long as the number rolled is not the same as the current round. If a player rolls three 4s in Round 1, they receive 5 points.

If a player rolls all the same number and it matches the round number, this is called a Bunko. Scoring a Bunko is worth 21 points. To claim a Bunko the player must yell the word "Bunko" or points will be forfeited.

When a player at the high table reaches 21 points the round is over. The team with the highest scores move up a table, while the losing teams stay in place. The losers at the high table move to the low table.

Awarding Prizes...

At the end of 6 rounds, prizes can be awarded to players. Prizes can be anything the host decides upon and can be awarded using a side variety of criteria. Prizes range from candles to gift cards and should be general enough that they can be awarded to anyone. Suggestions for giving prizes... the most Bunko's, the most wins or losses and a prize for the first Bunko. For most players, the goal of Bunko is not just to win prizes but to enjoy the company and camaraderie of the game with a group of friends.

We all brought a $5 gift to share for the prizes.

This was such a fun night! Perfect holiday party with gifts or white elephant prizes! You could totally make this exciting in MANY ways!

Intimate Moments: Santa Baby...

2010-12-17T05:00:00.000-08:00

First of all, let's get ourselves in the MOOD for this post. (*WINK*) A little music please! Click on the video below so your ears may have bit of happiness while your eyes scroll down for more viewing pleasure.

For my In The Kitchen: Treats for the Sweet post this month, I promised to give you the details on my husband's "reward" for helping me cook up all the Christmas treats for our friends, neighbors, and family. So here are all the goodies (er,.. goods)...can't wait to share!

The first Christmas that we had a baby my parents gave Adam a Santa hat. After all, this will be his role for the next 20 years. lol. Actually, I do it - but who's keeping track? So I snagged Adam's Santa hat and adorned it on my own head since I will be doing the giving on this special night. Oh, and if you happen to have a sexy little Mrs. Claus outfit to go along with your hat - I'm pretty sure your husband would NOT mind at all (*WINK*). For his viewing pleasure, of course!

#1) Foot Spa

A relaxed Adam enjoying his pampering.

Pampering your husband is almost as enjoyable as pampering yourself. At least it is in my case because in our relationship Karma plays a big roll. Whatever I put out, I get back - sometimes 10 fold (on all the good things that is). So really, this plan works out for both of us in the end.

We have a foot spa that some darling aunt gave us for our wedding (Thank you, Tootsie!). We use it often because it heats, vibrates, and jets. Let's hear it..all together now, "Ooooh!" Yes, definitely Ooooh. I had our foot spa set up right after dinner once he got home from work. I had him relax with his feet in the foot spa for a while (about 15 minutes) and I put some cookies in the oven. (I used the Tollhouse Swirl Christmas refrigerator cookies that you'll see below). Scent is a powerful thing and I wanted my husband to not only be relaxing physically, but also to have a yummy cookie smell flowing through our house on a cold night.

#2) Foot Massage

Ahem, Adam's Santa hat. Cute, huh?

Who out there does not LOVE a foot massage? I love, love, love them! So does my man. So now that his feet and legs are all relaxed from his foot spa, I individually take each one out of the bath and give them a really good rub. (I even used Christmas scented lotion from Victoria's Secret so his feet smelled like gingerbread cookies. lol)

A nice little touch while you are giving him a foot massage? Have the "Santa Baby" song playing in the background while you sing along. Now would be a good time to start seducing Mr. Claus in your cute little Mrs. Claus outfit....I'm just sayin`....

#3) Dessert

Homemade Eggnog Hot Chocolate & Tollhouse cookies.

His dessert? I always love something sweet to end the night with. I made some fabulous homemade eggnog hot chocolate and served it aside a plate of those addictive Tollhouse cookies that I mentioned above. Oh, yummy. Click here for the homemade eggnog hot chocolate recipe.

Now that you have relaxed him, fed him, and given him something nice to look at, there's only one thing left to do...go to sleep. HAHAHA! Sorry, I'm not going to say it, but I'm pretty sure you all know what direction this is going in.

P.S. This would also be something fun to do after breakfast one morning to spice things up. Serve him up breakfast in bed first followed by a "Santa Baby" morning. Check out this Christmas Breakfast post to get started.

In The Kitchen: Christmas Breakfast

2010-12-16T05:00:00.000-08:00

The most memorable part of Christmas for me growing up was the amazing breakfast my mom would put together for us on Christmas morning. It was every kid's dream to wake up to a table full of delicious food. To have those smells emanate all throughout the house. This is a tradition that I want my husband and children to have as well. For my post this month I really wanted to share some recipes with you that are easy, delicious, and that your spouse with LOVE. Creating memories together, especially over the holidays, are some of the most precious that we have.

Date Idea: If you don't want to make this for your own Christmas breakfast, plan a little morning date with your spouse. You can serve your spouse breakfast-in-bed and then heat things up with this "Santa Baby..." post.

Rhodes Cinnamon Rolls

One of the recipes my mom would make around Christmas time was homemade cinnamon rolls. Oh, they were scrumptious! But the hours that it took to make them was ridiculous. A few years ago, my sweet sister-in-law, Kelli, started making amazing Cinnamon Rolls. My mom was so impressed (because they tasted just like her own) that she asked Kelli for her recipe. Kelli, the sweet girl that she is, snickered and let us in on her little secret. They aren't homemade! They are Rhodes Freezer Cinnamon Rolls and they are divine! They are so good they taste homemade! What a perfect sweet to add to your Christmas breakfast!

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

This Mock Egg Souffle' should be made the night before you serve it. I actually love this recipe for that reason. You don't have to walk up early to start cooking an enormous breakfast. Once you wake up on Christmas morning, you simply throw it in the oven for 45 minutes to an hour while you prepare the rest of your meal. Another way to cut corners (because I definitely know how crazy Christmas Eve can get) would be to shred your cheese and cook your bacon a few days before. That way all you have to do is put it all together on Christmas Eve.

Mock Egg Souffle`

12 slices of white bread, crusts removed

1/2 c. margarine

1/2 lb. Monterrey Jack Cheese

1/2 lb. cheddar cheese

1 lb. bacon (browned), ham, or sausage

6-8 eggs (I use a small container of egg beaters mixed with a couple eggs)

3 c. milk

salt and pepper to taste

Sour cream, salsa, and guacamole (optional)

Butter both sides of bread. Place 6 slices in a 9x13 inch baking pan. Put 1/2 of the cheese and bacon on top of bread. Repeat layering with remaining bread, cheese, and bacon. Combine eggs, milk, and seasonings and pour over bread. Allow to soak overnight in refrigerator (I have soaked for only a few hours before). Bake 45 minutes to 1 hour at 350 degrees. Serve immediately. Top with sour cream, salsa and guacamole.

Click HERE for a printable version of the Mock Egg Souffle` Recipe.

Make it healthy -- I served this breakfast with a glass of cranberry juice (perfect for the holiday season!) and you can also mix up some fresh fruit to serve on the side.

All I Want for Christmas is...YOU!

2010-12-15T05:00:00.000-08:00

Still looking for the PERFECT gift for your husband this Christmas season? Well, look no further. I have 2 great and EASY ideas for you! And you want to know the best part? All you have to do is print them out!

The first is this little tag...

Download your tag HERE!

Just attach the tag to something simple - a picture of the two of you, a gift card to a restaurant or movie for date night, a coupon book, ANYTHING that has to do with the 2 of you!

OR you can attach it to my next gift idea.

I loved this idea and decided to make my own. The 12 Daytz of Christmas! Here you have a pre-planned date for every month of the year. No more excuses for not spending time together, mark the calendar now.

Just print, punch a hole through the corner, put a binder ring or ribbon through to fasten them together...and you're good to go! An easy gift that you'll both benefit from the whole year.

Here are a few examples of the different months.

You can download the 12 Daytz HERE. I've also included a blank red card and a blank green card if you want to come up with your own ideas.

Do you still need a few OTHER ideas for your hubby for Christmas? CSN Stores sells everything from housewares, to shoes, to bathroom cabinets for your home remodel! You are bound to find SOMETHING for your man on their site. Go check them out.

P.S. Thanks to Just So Scrappy for all the awesome digital scrapbook kits used in this tutorial!
EDITED: I have fixed the cover to have the 'r' in Christmas! To download JUST that page you can do that here.

"Merry Christmas DEER" Winner Announced....

2010-12-14T05:00:00.001-08:00

WOW!! Can I just start by saying this was one of the HARDEST things the divas have had to do so far!! We received SOOOOO many heart-warming entries and we just couldn't decide!! We wanted to give you ALL a free gift! Ahhh....in a perfect world....we WOULD! :)

Thank you SO much for opening your hearts, letting us in, and sharing your stories! We read touching entires, sad entries, and HILARIOUS entries. A few of you had us rollin' on the ground laughing!! Some of you had us shedding tears! Our hearts went out to you! We also realized how much we have in common with a LOT of you! Some of you have the same struggles that we do and we realized that there are certain subjects that we could definitely do some posts on in the future! Just hearing a little about the lives of our readers makes us LOVE you all the more!

If you did NOT win....you can still plan a romantic Christmas for your husband and you! Promise! Check out our Intimate Moments posts, use ANY of our past date ideas, and just surprise your sweetheart! I PROMISE that anything above and beyond the "norm" will be unexpected and he will LOVE it!

HERE WE GO!!!

The WINNER of the "Merry Christmas DEER" kit is.........

{drumroll, please....}

Autumn Beahm

Congrats! We have already send your information to RomanticMarriages.com!

.....and HERE is her story...

This year, my hubby was laid off for the second time in our marriage, involved in a motorcycle accident just weeks after starting a new job that took months to find (so no health ins. yet), had two rounds of kidney stone visits to the ER over the summer, wrecked his truck the day the kids went back to school and just found out they are restructuring his 100% commission pay. He works 60 hours a week going in early so he still gets home for family dinner and started donating plasma for extra money. I run our 6 kids everywhere, teach piano, work nights, and pick up nursing shifts between everything else to help make ends meet. It has been a stressful year. We limited our gifts to each to $10 a piece but I wish I could do more. He brings laughter into our home and is an incredible dad. He is thoughtful, helpful, strong and resourceful. Life is crazy but so amazing. I hope I will win this great gift to add a little sparkle to our Christmas this year. I can just imagine the twinkle in his eyes and the smile on his face.

Congrats, Autumn! We hope this gift makes your Christmas a little more special!

So....FAB readers....try reading TONS of emails like that. Betcha there wouldn't be a dry eye in the house! We just LOVE all of you.....and we will keep on providing those date ideas to keep your marriages alive and well....but you gotsta actually DO the ideas! :) {HINT: That's the only way our ideas actually help. Tee, hee.}

If you would like to still get something like this for your husband, you have three options. The kit we just gave away {$65 value} can be purchased HERE. There is also a downloadable version {$18 value} can be purchsed HERE. OR....you can get a "Naughty or Nice" kit {$8 value} purchased HERE.

Here's to a SUPER romantic Christmas for ALL of us! {WINK!}

Beach Party in the Basement

2010-12-13T05:00:00.000-08:00

The winter can seem like a long time. But there are things you can do to make it feel warmer and more enjoyable. Don't get me wrong...I love winter and the snow, but it is nice to enjoy the warm weather. So I came up with the idea to have a beach party in my basement. It makes it seem like it is warmer, plus it is fun to try different things.

The first thing I started with was the invite. I bought some beach balls from Oriental Trading. You can also find them at the Dollar Store. Everything else used was stuff I already had laying around the house except for dinner which I included into my grocery list for the week. So the planning and decorating is super easy to re-create and makes for a great date.

My husband and I both work but I get home earlier. I was able to finish everything before he got home from work. First I wrote my invitation on the beach ball to join me on the date. It was waiting for him on the kitchen table, so he would change into the outfit already laid out for him.

He was also able to see what I would be wearing. Of course he was confused how we would make this work but I assured him it would be great. I had already created the scene in my basement. I had the beach balls blown up and ready. I had our "sand castle" ready to create. I had our Hawaiian Haystacks cooked and waiting - plus our games and activities all set to go!

When he came down, he was the most excited for the food. He was hungry and ready to eat. I had made Hawaiian Haystacks which is super easy to make. Then for drinks we used bottled water.

Hawaiian Haystacks:

1. Cook the chicken then cut into pieces

2. Make the gravy- which consists of two cans of Cream of Chicken and one can of Chicken Broth.

3. Put the Cream and Chicken and Chicken broth in a pot to start to cook. Mix together then add the chicken that has already been cooked.

4. Then make rice in another pot.

5. Then put together with any toppings that you would like. We used tomatoes, clementines, green peppers, cheese, and La Choy.

After dinner, we started the activities. We had to make a "Sand Castle" using our children's Mega Blocks. It was fun to see the different things we put together without the kids knocking over our blocks.

This was our favorite castle from the night.

Next we played our very own volleyball game over our ping-pong table. The net was set-up but you can't see it in the picture. It was fun to volley the beach ball and keep score. My husband and I are pretty competitive so it was intense but we each ended up winning a game.

You can't go to the beach without laying out. But we don't want skin cancer, so we need to use our "Sunscreen." I had massage oils for us to use on each other. It was nice to get a much needed massage and to relax while "laying out".

After applying sunscreen, we needed to take a dip in the ocean to cool down. We jumped into our Hot Tub but you could easily fill up a kiddy pool for the same effect.

Finally get out of the "Ocean" and lay out on your towel. Grab your IPOD, and book to end your date. The rest is up to you, but this date is sure to help you get through the cold winter by warming up with your man.

A FABULOUS Christmas Gift & GIVEAWAY!!!!!

2010-12-12T05:00:00.000-08:00

**Giveaway Ended! Winner will be posted on December 14th!

Shopping for His Christmas Gift Just Got Easier!

For those of us who are really busy during the holidays, this gift is the perfect thing.

The Dating Divas has hooked up with Romantic Marriages to get YOU one!

RomanticMarriages.com offers an all-inclusive “Merry Christmas Deer” romance kit {$65 value}. This kit makes it so easy to have a little holiday fun and frolic with your husband. The kit begins with a “good boy” letter for your man that says… “The elves reported you’ve been a good boy by being my man through the year, so Santa decided you’d get what YOU want. Delivery will be by his deer!” You then visit him on the nights leading up to Christmas as Santa’s sexy and slightly naughty deer. Each deer delivers her own gift that makes a very unique memory. (All gifts are included in the kit with the exception of a gift certificate to his favorite restaurant.) The kit is great at creating genuine anticipation as your man wonders which of Santa’s deer are visiting next? With the arrival of the first deer, “Flasher” (Dasher’s naughty twin) your holiday fun will begin!

We like the idea that the girls at Romantic Marriages have thought of doing all the work (the shopping) for you, so you get to have all the fun! In fact, we’ve decided to GIVE ONE AWAY! Here’s how you can receive the kit for FREE!

Write us a short email or letter (up to 200 words or less) on why you want or need to give your husband a romantic Christmas this year. We'll choose (1) winner and have Romantic Marriages ship the kit right away so you can have your most romantic Christmas ever! {Winning entry/letter will be posted on The Dating Divas for all to see on TUESDAY, December 14th!!}

1. Entries MUST be received by 6:59 PM (Pacific Time) December 13th, 2010
{Please title it "Merry Christmas Deer" Giveaway.}

2. Recipient must be resident of U.S. or Canada.

3. Full name, mailing address, & phone number MUST accompany entry.

{Information will be given to Romantic Marriages to arrange shipment.}

Send your entries to:

thedatingdivasblog@gmail.com

Christmas Canvas

2010-12-11T05:00:00.000-08:00

So I know we've already talked your ears off about the FABULOUS deal that Canvas People is offering. But because I recently got mine from Mr. Mailman himself, I juuust had to post about it!

Besides, it's not every day that I receive a package that I absolutely love! Don't get me wrong, I love most packages, BUT this particular brown box was hand-picked! When I heard about the FREE 8x10 that Canvas People was doing, I knew it would make the perfect Christmas gift for Dom......and me too! I must admit I got a little carried away and ended up upgrading to a 16x20 instead! (They are doing a killer deal on an upgrade and I couldn't resist!)

Needless to say, I am excited and pleased with this sentimental purchase of mine. This little number was taken a few months back by my fellow diva and sis, Kristen. She caught Dom and I in a candid moment during a fun family photo shoot! I just LOVE him!

I had to sneak this out from its hiding place to snap a quick photo. SHHH..... Don't tell my husband! The next time this canvas shows its face will be Christmas morning. Wrapped up with a bow and love note to boot! To get your love note for your canvas check out this post that Tara did!

If your still scrambling for a gift for your hubby, you're in luck! Not only is this canvas deal still going on, BUT you also have enough time to receive it before Christmas!!! Happy Holidays!!

P.S. We also have a KILLER Giveaway that will be airing tomorrow and ending on Monday night. DON'T miss out...especially if you still have to get your darling spouse a Christmas present!! This would be perfect!

Family Fun: The 12 Days of Christmas

2010-12-10T05:00:00.000-08:00

Who doesn't look forward to the most wonderful time of the year? The presents, the parties, the food!! Sooo much JOY! With this time of year there is also a whole lot of giving going on. Food drives, Toys for tots, Giving trees! However do we choose which one to contribute to? Or do we just do them all?? Every year I really make a valiant (if I do say so myself) effort to donate. Whether it's a buck at the register or my leftover change dropping in Santa's bucket as I'm leaving the store. I always feel good about the donation, but I never get to see the results of my good deeds. This year I want to do something more personal. Something more close to home. My solution???

The 12 days of Christmas! This is a 12-day Countdown that your family can "gift" to another. Each night you visit the unsuspecting family by leaving a neatly staged gift on the doorstep, ringing the bell, and RUNNING FOR YOUR LIFE!! I hope you have some fast runners in your family or else some REALLY good hiding places. ;) Technically, this form of gifting should begin on Christmas Day and last until January 6th; but oftentimes it's done earlier in December.....beginning on the 13th of the month and ending on Christmas Eve. Either way you decide to do it, it's sure to give you an adrenaline rush! All you have to do is keep quiet, move swiftly, and NOT FORGET to scout out your hiding spots beforehand! Give the kids a chance to try their hands at the fun of R & R (Ringing & Running)! Don't you worry about any of the work either, because I've done MOST of the prep for you! Hopefully all of the hard stuff! You'll find EVERYTHING you need for each day in this FABULOUS DOWNLOAD! You get the riddles, number tags, and a shopping list to boot! All you have to do is choose that LUCKY family, purchase those gifts, and deliver the packages (without being seen, of course)!! If your kiddos can't do the ringing and running perhaps they can help pick out and wrap up the gifts!
Here is a sneak peak at a few of the riddles (just to get you excited):

There is plenty more where these riddles came from just check out that FABULOUS DOWNLOAD that I told you about! I've included a blank set of riddle cards so you can tailor this activity to that LUCKY family of your choosing! This is a great way to help another family feel special this Christmas season! Did I mention that you don't need to spend a lot of greenbacks either?!? I promise you can keep it inexpensive.....it cost me less than $30 to gift all 12 twelve days! You have some time so watcha waiting for........go get those 12 days of Christmas gifts!!!

Holiday Hair & Giveaway

2010-12-09T05:00:00.000-08:00

**Giveaway Has ENDED!!

{Winner announced on FB!}

With the Holidays approaching it's very likely that sometime throughout this month you might find yourself invited to a party...where you must dress your best! Here are a few ideas on how to wear your hair for that special evening and be the best looking "eye candy" for your hubby.

Start by learning to curl your hair with Lisa's Flat Iron Curls Tutorial.

Once hair is completely curled, this is what you will need to finish your style:

*Hair spray

*Dry pomade

*Rat tail comb

*Rubber band

*Bobby pins

*Any fancy hair accessory like my Scrappy Rosette Headband.

This video is a basic tutorial on how to style those curls of yours, and how to wear that cute Scrappy Rosette Headband. Pleasing for any holiday party.

(video link here)

And if you're really daring - try this new trend...wearing your headband with a hippie flare.

Go for a classic look by pulling your hair in an "Up-Style". This video will give you a step-by-step How-To. :)

(video link here)

And there you have it! Perfect Holiday hair for your upcoming parties. Now go and have a BALL!

*GIVEAWAY*

I am giving away a Scrappy Fabric Rosette Headband made by yours truly, to 2 lucky winners.
You can enter the giveaway 2 ways:

#1 - By being a follower of our blog AND telling us what you are going to do for your spouse for Christmas.

#2 - Sending out a TWEET or posting on your Facebook Wall today...letting your friends know about our awesome dating blog.....make sure to include a link back to our blog. :)

(Reminder - Please leave two separate comments - one for each....and be specific letting us know which one of the TWO things above you did. Thanks!!)

The giveaway will end this coming Saturday, December 11th at Midnight MST.

We will announce the winner on our Facebook Fan Page on Sunday, December 12th - so don't forget to check to see if the winner is YOU!!

You should receive your headbands just in time for Christmas, so even if this is not something you want, it could make a great gift for someone who does.

Guest Blogger: B LOVELY

2010-12-08T05:00:00.000-08:00

I am so excited to introduce a simply fabulous blogger! Her name is Jenn and she heads up the most delightful fashion blog, B LOVELY. You can find the best fashion tips, clothing deals and so much more. Without further delay, we are thrilled to welcome Jenn. Enjoy!

I am so honored and excited to be able to be a guest on the Diva's Blog. My name is Jenn and my blog is called B lovely. I believe that every woman deserves to be her best self. I love to share things that I love and inspire me. Hopefully as I share, someone will benefit as I have learned and been inspired by others. Sometimes all it takes is one simple idea to be turned into something truly fantastic!

I believe Christmas time is one of the most romantic times of the year. There's nothing like being bundled up in cozy sweaters, while enjoying the lights, weather, and music of the holiday season. As I reflect on the past couple years, sometimes that feeling of romance gets lost amidst the hustle and bustle that the holidays can bring. I am so excited for them this year! I have decided I'm going to take some time to truly enjoy them, no matter how hectic they may become. It seems like for the past few years for Valentine's Day, my husband Tyler and I take turns (by accident) turning Love Day into Love weeks or even months. It's so great! So I ask, "Why does that only have to be a Valentine's thing?" I love the potential for romance that the holidays provide. With that, I've decided to do some Christmas Love for Tyler this year. I decided to do it it for 12 days. There are so many fun and cute ways to do this. I had a hard time deciding on just one. I ended up with a box theme. Who doesn't love opening a gift every day? :) The best part is...I have done MOST of the work for you! At the bottom of this post, you can download ALL 12 days ideas/love notes that go in the box! Your spouse will love the thoughtful note, saying, or date idea!

Here's what I did:

1. I wanted to keep it bank account friendly- I found some boxes I had lying around the house and wrapped them in Christmas paper.

2. I gathered bulbs from everywhere. Some I had, some I bought. I arranged them and added numbers that I cut out with my Cricut.

3. I then filled the boxes with faux snow and cut and placed the daily cards into the boxes.

4. I finished off the boxes with ribbon and bulb/letter of choice.

I am married to a big time peeker, so when I do things like this I have to hide them and give them one at a time. I think they look great together or by themselves!

This bulb I found at Big Lots- a box of 6 (glass) for $3. Michael's also has plastic ones on sale right now in many shapes and sizes.

This bulb I found at Target in the $1 spot. I got 6 for $1. They have some mini ones as well.

I found this bulb last year at Michaels-but they still have them! You get 2 for $1!

The wrap I got last year at Target in their $1 spot. I love their paper. They come in mini rolls, but have tons on them! They will wrap a lot of gifts. I also thought it would be fun to paint and decorate the boxes instead of using wrap.

Hope you all get to experience some romance this Holiday Season!

XOXO,

Jenn

Print the 12 DAYS OF LOVE NOTE CARDS HERE:

Page 1

Page 2

See! I told you this girl is AMAZING! Thanks for sharing your time and talents with us, Jenn! Also, be sure to check our her great blog, B LOVELY! This blog will get you ready for any holiday party and keep you looking good for your spouse!

Celebrate the Holidays...Diva Style!

2010-12-07T05:00:00.000-08:00

It's the most wonderful time of the year! Christmas will be here before we know it! In the spirit of family fun and the holidays...the divas are here to share their favorite holiday family traditions!
It is never too early or late to start unique traditions that will carry through generations.
Whether your family is big or little, there is a tradition here for you!

BINGO
By: Kari

My family plays BINGO every Christmas Eve after dinner. My mom goes to the dollar store and buys tons of fun little gifts! She then wraps them all up and puts them on our kitchen counter. As we play the bingo game everyone gets to bingo once per card (we each have 2 and the kids have 1) per round. We play until all the games are gone. It's a lot of fun for the adults and the kids alike! Opening some fun gifts the night before gets us warmed up for the big occasion of Christmas morning.

Gingerbread Houses
By: Bridget

Every year, the first week in December, my family makes gingerbread houses.
Sometimes they are simple, but sometimes they can be pretty elaborate!
It is a blast and is a fun tradition we look forward to every year!

Decorating the Tree & Finding Snow
By: Kristen

We live in Southern California where it is warm most of the year. Every Christmas, we make it a tradition to pack up the car and head to Utah where it is snowy and where we have lots of family.
It's not Christmas without the snow, or the family. :)

We also put on silly Santa hats and decorate our tree together each year.

Puzzles
By: Erika

Growing up (and even after siblings started getting married) all my brothers and sisters and I would sleep in the same room Christmas Eve. My parents would give us a new puzzle each year and we HAD to have it completed before we could wake them up Christmas morning to open presents. When we were little, they didn't have very many pieces, but the older we got the more complicated the puzzles became. However, it was a great tradition because as an excited child that couldn't sleep there was something to do to pass the hours. The tradition has continued on and now been passed on to our children.

Letters to Santa
By: Kiirsten

Source

Every year we write letters to Santa Claus at the North Pole. I love to enhance the letters, so I place a 8x10 white paper on a 12x12 Christmas scrapbook paper. Sometimes I'll actually send a real note (not the original ones the kids write... because I keep them for their scrapbooks) to the actual North Pole.

We also have Santa leave a letter for the kids next to the "empty" plate of cookies that we leave out for him. The letter usually says something along the lines of "Thanks for that delicious snack! I'm keeping the last cookie in my pocket for Rudolf outside - he'll love it! I've been watching and know you have been good... etc." Not too long, but always cheerful and filled with gratitude.

Cookies and Milk for Santa
By: Lisa M.

A simple, classic Christmas tradition that we cherish is leaving out yummy, homemade cookie and ice-cold milk for Santa on Christmas Eve! We spend part of the evening baking up a storm... making classic chocolate chip cookies or whatever cookies we think that Santa will fancy for the year! We use THIS super cute Santa plate and mug. Especially made with love for good old Saint Nick! After the kids are tucked in and fast asleep, Dom and I "help" Santa on his way by nibbling a bite or two while we make sure the tree is set juuuust right! ;)

Picking the Right Tree
By: Cami

A tradition that Joseph and I started with our family is going shopping for a LIVE Christmas tree and then decorating it together as a family. It sounds simple and something that a LOT of people do, but we truly look forward to it ever year. We just love driving to a lot and looking at all the trees and then picking our favorite. It's so much fun! Our oldest LOVES this and has totally picked up on the tradition. Even our youngest has started to remember and looks forward to it each year.

Songs, Games, and More
By: Wendy

A long time ago, my family changed the words to the song, "12 Days of Christmas" to fit and describe OUR family. Each year now we pull it out, including pictures to remind us of what each number was, and we sing it. Along with that, we do other fun songs and games after we eat a potluck dinner. Before we had children, my hubby and I used to sleep out by the lit up tree on Christmas Eve in sleeping bags all night, UNTIL we had our kids... now we don't. That was fun to snuggle and be together!

New Pajamas & Christmas Ornaments
By: Lisa P.

My family always opened up two gifts on Christmas Eve.... that made our night of traditions extra special. We open up new pajamas and a Christmas ornament to place on the Christmas tree. It always reflects who you are and was always very exciting. One year I received a beautiful Ballerina that was amazing. I was really into dance so it meant a lot to me then and still does today. When I got married my mom gave me all of my ornaments I received growing up so that I had my own collection to start with. Needless to say, I have lots of fond memories for each of them that I have. I have continued this for our kids and will continue to carry the traditions of both pajamas and ornaments for our tree.

The Christmas StoryBy: Tara

One of my most fond Christmas memories growing up was an event that always took place on Christmas Eve. We would do all of the FUN Christmas Eve stuff like getting new pajamas and each of us opened up a present to reveal a beautiful new ornament that represented something we had accomplished that year {just like Lisa P.}. BUT – for me, the magic happened AFTER that! ☺

My parents would gather all of us around the Christmas Tree, we would turn on the beautiful Christmas lights, and all of the other lights in the house would be dimmed. My dad would prepare a cozy fire, and we would all snuggle together on the couch….all five of my siblings and me. My mom would bring down a huge platter filled with all types of Christmas delights for us to snack on. The Bible would then come out and either my mom or my dad would read The Christmas Story to us. The most peaceful feeling would overtake me, as we all listened as the true meaning of Christmas was shared. Afterwards we would sing Christmas hymns together while looking at our gorgeous lit-up Christmas Tree. It’s those precious moments with my family that I cherish! I absolutely LOVE being around them…and now that we all live in different states, those are the memories I reminisce about the most.

P.S. It wasn’t always like that…I remember reenacting The Christmas Story when we were really little…and I think my sisters and I always fought to be Mary! Why? Well, Mary got to wear this really cool turquoise knitted shawl! {Lol} Hearing the Christmas Story definitely became more meaningful as we grew older.

Now that I am “all grown-up” - I am hoping to carry on that tradition with our OWN children. Don't get me wrong...I absolutely LOVE all of the other fun things that we do around Christmas time!! It's my FAVORITE time of year. But there is just something special and definitely needed about taking a moment to step back from all of the commercial Christmas fun to reflect on the special event that took place a long, long time ago. ☺

"Naughty & Nice" ListBy: Char

A few weeks before Christmas as a young child, my parent would remind me about Santa’s naughty and nice list. They told me IF I cleaned my room every night before I went to bed and left a small dish out, then Santa’s Elf’s would come fill it with candy! I have the best memories cleaning my room with only the Christmas lights on that were strung across my ceiling while we listened to Elvis Presley, “Blue Christmas.” My husband and I are so excited to start this tradition with my young family this year!

Elf on the Shelf
By: Corie

He sees you when you're sleeping...He knows when you're awake!
He knows if you've been bad or good...so be good for goodness sake!

We started a fun tradition a few years ago with the "Elf on the Shelf."
(This book comes with not only a book...but also your very own elf!)

Source

To start off this tradition:
1. You read the darling story about one of Santa's elves.
2. You then get to choose a name for the elf.
3. You then place the elf in a different location each day.
4. Your kids will love looking and searching the house for your elf's new location1
* This is the best reminder that boys and girls need to be on their best behavior....because each night your elf leaves home and reports back to Santa Claus!

Wow! There you have it! A great holiday tradition list straight from the divas!
Now it's your turn! Let's add to the list! Please share your FAVORITE holiday tradition!

The "Christmas Service" Date

2010-12-06T05:00:00.000-08:00

PART I - Service

'Tis the season for giving and what better way than to make a date out of it? My husband and I really have been in the spirit of giving this year especially, so when my husband suggested this date I thought it was a fantastic idea! (Yes, this was my husband's idea.) Which just goes to show that he has a really big heart and enjoys serving others. We decided to contact our local food bank and sign up to do some volunteer work. We double-dated with my parents - for those of you who have never done this it's a great way to really get to know your parents on a different level.

Can you tell we were excited to be at the Food Bank? Let our fun date begin!

When we showed up at the local food bank we joined another, larger group of volunteers and then we were given a tour of the facility. It was an eye-opening experience to learn how the Food Bank comes to acquire all of the food for these needy families and what areas of our community are really in need. It gave us a whole new perspective on what we can do to help out the families in our community. Once the tour was finished and all the questions were answered we got to work. The work was not strenuous by any stretch. We sorted out the canned food into different boxes to be distributed out to other warehouses around our area and in the surrounding cities where they would be given to needy families. We were only there for an hour (that is how long the volunteer shift went), but it was an hour well spent.

Inside the food bank - getting ready to start work.

If you or your spouse haven't had the opportunity to do many service activities as a couple, I highly recommend this date! Not only are you growing as a person, but exposing your relationship to these kinds of situations will help your marriage grow as well. Plus, you can't help but have your heart filled with love, kindness, and charity when you are serving others. So naturally those positive feelings will reflect back on the relationship you have with your spouse. Double bonus? It's free. A completely free date. Wahoo! We love FREE, don't we?

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

PART II - Candy Shop

Getting ready to taste our delicious square ice cream.

The second part of our date was a fun candy shop that just opened. It's not your ordinary candy store...it's themed after the game Candy Land. Anyone remember playing that game growing up? I do! I do! This is a cute little candy store that reminds me of that Christmas story where "visions of lollipops danced in their heads". Speaking of lollipops...

Adam about to lick a CRICKET sucker. We checked the ingredients - sugar and cricket. SICK!

The other cool part about this candy store is all of the "old school" candy they have stocked on their shelves. I haven't seen a lot of this candy since I was a child, which really brings me back to when I was growing up and finding some of these candies in my stocking from Santa. It was fun for all of us to look through and reminisce about candy we used to have when we were little, but you can't find it anymore. Until now.

A cute way to end your date? Give your hubby one of these "Free Kiss" tins on your way home (you can totally make your own!). Be sure to tell him not to use it all up at once (*WINK*).

May your dating this month be happy and bright! And to all of you a very good night!

(LOL, Okay, that was a pretty corny line even for me.)

Intimate Moments: Flirty Fun...with Candy!

2010-12-04T05:00:00.000-08:00

We all know that in order to have a FABULOUS marriage...you need to make sure needs are met on every level...for both the husband and the wife. Intimacy is an extremely important part of marriage. It's a special way in which you can connect with your spouse. We all feel that there are SO many fun ways in which you can keep the FIRE going in that area....that we try to pass a few ideas along each month. If you are easily embarrassed or are not comfortable with changing things up in that area....you should probably skip this post. {WINK} We go into a little more detail than in previous posts...and it's not for the faint of heart....it's for those TRULY wanting to spice things UP!! :)

So I ran across this article while I was online one day, and it is the full inspiration behind my last couple weeks of flirty fun with my husband!

Basically...

A flirty appetite for your husband

a little su'um-su'um sweet

Sure Fire Foreplay!

******

Relax! LOL *Fabulous marriages know that foreplay is a fabulous word!*

Imagine this... You finish preparing for bed and come out of the bathroom in your favorite nightie. Wait, what is that around your neck? Your husband watches as you stretch your candy necklace - yes - candy necklace on one finger up to your mouth and wink at him as you take a bite. That's ALL IT TAKES! Simply walk over to him and bare your neck like a victim ready for a vampire's kiss... and let him take over any way he'd like.

Not feeling sexy? Wondering why the heck you're lacking motivation to be flirty at all? Hello! Awesome solution is to doll yourself up by applying gorgeous, full, long eyelashes! This post tells you all the secrets to easy, perfect, sexy eyes.

*********

Often it's the goodnight kiss that is the gatekeeper to "scoring" or not. One goodnight kiss sweetly says, "I love you, and I'm content to cuddle and fall right to sleep tonight" and the other goodnight kiss says, "I love you and can't get enough of you right now! Bring it on!"

One way to introduce the other goodnight kiss is with my little friend, Pop Rocks.

Make sure he's ready for your kiss as you get a fair amount of Pop Rocks in your mouth. As they begin to party on your tongue, give him a surprise kiss he'll never forget. I pretty much guarantee he'll want to try it twice!

Another fun kissin' candy is Red Hots! Mints are great and all, but there's just something about a "hot" candy that is small and easily passed between mouths... Maybe that's not your thing, that's ok, LOL. With a few Red Hots before or during a kiss, it's sure to bring some hot and new sensation either way!

Last, but certainly not least is an issue I know I can't be alone in thinking...

Edible Panties taste gross! So whatcha gonna do? Yep! Make your own out of your favorite flavor of Fruit Roll Ups and Fruit By The Foot. De-li-cious if I do say so myself.

Here's a pair I threw together in about 5 minutes!
It's not Victoria's Secret, but it's dang cute and totally flirty!

Fruit By The Foot comes with a design already cut in it so you just peel it along the lines and you have your "lacey" g-string sides without having to cut or take extra time. Several styles of patterns come in a box. Seriously, this is so simple and obvious, there is no tutorial needed, but if you want a whole other post just about "edibles" then leave a little comment, and I will come up with some more ideas! Oh, and if you have trouble making it stick together, just lick your finger a little bit - it's all the glue you'll need! Besides you'll be wearing it for like 1 minute before it's put to good use! *A-hem* What? You know it's true.

Now when your MAN mentions he likes a certain candy, think of a way to "flirtify" it into the bedroom! I hope this gets your creativity flowing! Especially with the holidays right around the corner, there are always sweets around. Put 'em to good use!

Rock on, Sistahs!

Guest Blogger: Nate (Charlene's Husband)

2010-12-03T05:00:00.000-08:00

My sweet husband surprised me with yet another perfect birthday! My favorite thing about this day was he got the entire day off! He is really busy and our time together is limited. This meant more to me than words can describe. Our Hubby Guest Blogger for this month is my man, Nate!

My one and only true LOVE whom I can't wait to grow old with!

Let's try the Flower thing, one more time....

At some point in every man's life, he comes to the crossroad of wanting to do something nice for a particular someone else. This can be very dangerous for your self esteem and overall "manhood" if you botch things up. Most of the time flowers play some part of this complex formula that equal the affections of their love. This post is designed to help you to portray and express those feelings of love and affections in a smooth and intimate kind of way.

The power of a flower is actually intensely effective when used in the right way. What I mean is that every flower has a specific meaning and feel. Not only does each flower have a meaning but the color of that flower also has identifying characteristics and purpose.

As my wife's b~day was coming up, I decided to try out the flower thing throughout the day. I went here, here and here to find all the info about each flower. As there are many flowers described in these websites, I picked those that I could relate to and use in a creative way to show my wife how much I love her, all day long. Here are some ideas of what I did....

First thing in the morning I laid a path of pink rose petals out of the bedroom and into the kitchen where I had made her breakfast. When she had woken up and followed the fresh scented trail, I had prepared a little message that I presented to her which basically said something along the lines of, "I am the luckiest man alive to wake up every day and see your beautiful smiling face next to me. These pink rose pedals represent how beautiful you are when you wake up and how grateful you are when you sleep. I could watch you sleep in peace all night and admire how perfect your face is." I didn't want to make it too mushy with it being only the beginning of the day.

Next I gave her freshly picked sunflowers from our own garden. The sunflower represents adoration, warmth, joy and just having a good time together. My wife loves to laugh and loves our quality time together. After I gave her the flowers and told her I loved her warm, bright, fun personality I also handed her a season of "The Office." Which happens to be just one of our many favorite past time together.

Pink/Purple Carnations express Gratitude for the woman that she is. I sent her to get a massage then swept, mopped and scrubbed our kitchen and then displayed the Carnations in there. When she got home I looked her in the eyes and sincerely expressed my love and appreciation for the wonderful mother and wife she is every day.

The Lilies were probably my favorite flower that I gave her. The white lily represents purity in heart and in mind. I found the perfect poem about lilies that I printed off along with a short message of why I think she is 'Pure in Heart'.

Roses are an obvious reflection of love, beauty and passion. I gave these to her along with a simple invitation to come and enjoy a night out with me at all her favorite places.

This was the rarest flower that I found. The Orchid was a great choice to end the day in the bedroom. The Orchid is the "princess flower" and is used to make her feel special and pampered. It has a very sensual feel about it and was the perfect prelude to the happenings of the rest of the night.

THANK YOU NATE

for taking the time to put this post together!

As many of you may know, "In a marriage the man might be the head of the family but the wife is the neck and she can turn the head any direction she wants." ~My Big Fat Greek Wedding

Well, I have a little secret.... You might remember this post I did a while back. As I was doing my research for that review I found myself leaving their website up on the computer knowing perfectly well my husband would be the next person on the computer and it would be the first thing that he saw. Later to make sure he got the hint, about a week before my birthday as we were editing that post together I said, "Oh, that would be so cute to do for someone's birthday!" Men are simple... if you want something done... just tell them. (I just have to add he did a great job adding his own twist to the idea! I was sooo surprised and not expecting all the creativity he put into his all day Day Date! I was thinking just one little flower with one little meaning! My man always goes above and beyond!) If there is one thing my marriage has it's great communication. We might not always agree but we always talk about what's going on in each other's life, our budget, family hopes and dreams then make sure we are on the right path, what would help make life easier for the other spouse, and of course the sweet simple things like flowers in a freshly cleaned kitchen!

Christmas Treat Ideas

2010-12-02T05:00:00.000-08:00

Treats for the Sweet
One of the most stressful parts of the holiday season is cooking up treats for all of our friends, neighbors, and family members. It can get pretty insane some years and our list seems to grow exponentially the older we get. I've also noticed in the past few years that it's getting harder and harder to make my treats look cute and festive because I'm always down to the wire on getting them out the door! So THIS year I decided to reel in the help of my dear husband and make a date night out of it. Granted, there was lots of work to be done, but when I made him my assistant AND the official taste tester of the night...well, he just couldn't refuse! LOL. What man doesn't want to be the Christmas treat taste tester? I also promised him a very special reward following all of his hard work. More on that to follow...

So I decided that for this post I really wanted to get input from some of my Diva friends. Not only that, I want YOUR input on what treats you're planning this year. In this post you are going to find some scrumptious treats that everyone will love and are easy to make. Guaranteed! At the end of this post feel free to link up. We are very excited to see what you have up your sleeves this year.

Lisa M. - Nut Rocha

Lisa M. gave me this recipe and I just had to try it out for myself. It truly is divine! It's so easy and it really goes a long way. If you are looking to make something in bulk, this is definitely the recipe for you!

2 C. butter
2 C. sugar
2 T light-color corn syrup
1/3 C. water
1 11 1/2-ounce package (1 3/4 C.) milk chocolate pieces
1 C. finely chopped toasted nuts (We used pecans!)

Makes about 40 servings

For the rest of the Nut Rocha recipe, click HERE for your free download.

Kiirsten - Fudge

Speaking of simple...Kiirsten's fudge is D-E-licious AND super easy! There's only THREE ingredients! Oh, and did I mention this is one of those fudge recipes that you would hide in your closet with...just so you could eat the whole pan by yourself? It is. (Oh, come on! Stop pretending like you've never done that! lol)

3 C. Milk Chocolate Chips
1 Can Sweetened Condensed Milk
1/4 C. Real Butter + 1/4 C. Margarine

Microwave on HALF power for 3 - 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Pour into a pan and refrigerate for a couple hours or until set up. Nuts could be an optional variation.

Kari - Reindeer "Droppings"

My sister gave me a brown sack filled with these droppings one year and I thought it was absolutely hilarious! I just had to pass it along. It's obviously really easy to put together and there is a funny poem to go along with your "treat".

Click HERE for your free poem printable.

Just a little shovel here and some "droppings" from your front lawn will make this treat the best one yet! Wipe your hands of the mess in your kitchen and skip to the joy of giving.

Erika - "Twizz" The Season...
Here is an adorable idea that is so easy it feels like no time at all. Just take some scrapbook paper, ribbon, then print out your cute message and there you have it! Treats done!

Tara - Have a"Souper" Christmas!!

Here is another "souper" easy idea! Tara found a great deal on some darling soup bowls one year. She continued on with her "bargain shopping" spree and purchased some soup, packets of recipe cards, & crackers in bulk....and all for great prices! (Think dollar store, Costco, AND Michael's $1 section!!) Put them all in the cute soup bowl, wrap them in cellophane (which always dresses things up) and add THIS cute tag. Easy-peezy!!

Want some more fabulous recipes from my kitchen to yours? Click HERE to download your free Christmas recipe list for this holiday season. Some to share and some to keep for your own family! (Er, or your unmentionable closet time.) Each one of these recipes is a sure winner in my house. Plus, you'll get all of the above recipes, too! Go ahead. Download it for free. You know you want to. {wink}

The BIG topper of the night? Guess what my husband got as a reward for being such a willing helper? You can find out all about His reward in THIS post. Appropriately entitled, "Santa Baby...".

Now we want to know what YOU'RE making for Christmas treats this year. Will you share? Link up below!

A Ramen Noodle Secret!

2010-12-01T05:00:00.000-08:00

We are a small family living on a college budget, so lets just say that we've eaten our share of Costco size bundles of Ramen noodles! But I have a secret..... Many have tried to guess and many have failed. You are dying to know aren't you! Okay, here I go! It's as simple as pie! Boil the water,

add the noodles (like normal). Let cook on high until noodles start to get tender.
Drain water, put back on the stove and add.....

...1 cup of MILK and seasoning! Let it come to a light boil again and whala, you are done! You can serve as a creamy delicious soup OR use a little less milk and you have a creamy noodle side to go with your dinner! Once you've had it this way, I promise you will never be able to go back! (That is..... if you are like EVERYONE else I know that has tried it:) Hope you enjoy! I would l.o.v.e. to hear what you and your hubby think to our twist on Ramen Noodles or if you have your OWN secret ingredient that you just happen to love!

Guess What!?!

2010-11-30T07:00:00.000-08:00

Thanks to all of YOU....we are a finalist in the Top Ten Marriage Blogs of 2010! {SQUEAL!!}

We feel purdy special! We would LOVE to continue on and hopefully be one of the actual top ten blogs....but we definitely need your help! One more voting round....and we will be in debt to you forever!! We PROMISE to come up with some super amazing date ideas....{WINK!}

Just copy our URL: http://www.thedahlingdatingdivas.blogspot.com/ and click HERE to be sent to the "Voting Booth". Leaving a comment counts! :) Just let them know that you are voting for The Dating Divas....

....and we will get RIGHT on planning those spectacular dates for ya! :)

The "CSI: Love Edition" Date

2010-11-29T07:00:00.000-08:00

Being a teacher definitely comes with perks! We may not get paid enough....but getting free things here and there helps to "soften" the financial blow. {WINK} A few months ago, Nevada teachers were given the opportunity to go thru one session of The CSI Experience in downtown Las Vegas for free. I have never really watched the show so I wasn't sure what to expect. Holy hannah...it was a BLAST!!

We were given the choice of three possible crime scenes to examine and solve. We chose the most interesting one....a car that had driven through the living room of a house.

The driver was pronounced dead....but there were some fishy things about the crime scene, there were bloody handprints on the driver's door, some bloody footprints, some blood on the couch, and a dent in the hood of the car...that could or could not have been made by a human body. It definitely looked like the driver had gotten out of the car...yet he was still sitting in it!?!

After examining the crime scene, we were directed to mini-labs in which we would do "tests" which slowly got us closer and closer to solving the crime. We examined the footprints, questioned possible suspects, examined the DNA evidence, learned about "blood splatter", and much more!

After the date, Jamie & I were amazed at how much fun we had! I would never want to be a real detective - I don't think I could handle all of the horrible things they have to see....but I sure enjoyed trying to piece together what events led up to the {pretend} crime as well as how and why things happened.

Jamie & I talked about how we could recreate this date for our friends....for FREE! All we needed was a crime scene.....

OK, so I just have to say that I couldn't have pulled this off without my SWEET husband! He kept coming up with the best ideas! At one point...while trying to figure out "whodunnit"...we had our cute puppy as the criminal....and we were going to leave evidence like half of a doggy treat at the crime scene. Haha!! We were cracking ourselves up trying to think of what the crime was and who did it. :) Thanks to my husband's inspirational ideas....I finally came up with a "fun" crime! :)

First, I created the invite, of course! I always like a little suspense! Even though my husband knew we were going to do a CSI date...I left this in his car the morning of...

You can download your free invite HERE. I also created a "label" that said, "CONFIDENTIAL" in red...I placed a long envelope beneath it & held it up to the light so I could see the outline...and cut it out. I then adhered that label to the front of the envelope (so it looked like it was printed on it). I also put on some bright lipstick....and kissed the envelope a few times. Jamie loved it. :)

I sent the invite to a few of our friends....and we planned to have a homemade Cafe Rio night. We tried the recipe that Lisa M. recommended in her Bear River Lodge date. You can find that recipe here. I assigned all of the girls something to bring. Since this was the first time any of us had made this...we laughed when every girl showed up saying that she didn't think her part turned out! :) It turned out tasting delicious anyway.

I tried to make this date as easy as possible....and used items we had around the house. I already did the hard part and created the entire crime & all of the handouts. {WINK} Here is a list of all of the things you will need to gather for your date:

MATERIALS NEEDED:

*The FREE CSI Invite

*White balloons {1 per person}

*Pencils {1 per person}

*Clipboards - Optional {1 per person}

*The FREE CSI Downloads

*An old stuffed animal {the victim}

*Washable red paint

*White chalk

*Orange or Yellow crepe paper {or Police Line tape if you have any left over from Halloween}

*Four shoes that have very similar tread {I used tennis shoes}

*Nine Manila envelopes...depending on how many couples there are {or you can use regular white envelopes}

*Adhesive {I use scrapbooking tape because I don't like how glue wrinkles up your paper!}
*"Sticky Fingers" Activity - Optional
*Stamp Pad

Prepping for this was pretty easy and quite fun! :)

#1) First, gather all of your materials.

#2) Printed off the free download(s) above, cut everything apart, and adhere all of the labels to manila envelopes.

#3) Take the shoe that supposedly belongs to the criminal, paint the bottom with washable paint, and carefully "stamp" it on the Footprint Analysis paper. If you use washable paint...and you are quick...it will wash right off the bottom of the shoe. {HINT: When you are finished washing the paint off...if you are anything like me...you will have gotten the shoe wet in the process. If your date takes place shortly....then you won't want a wet shoe for everyone to examine. Just swap it out for the other half of the pair.}

#4) Place all of the suspect statements, the handwriting samples, the fingerprint analysis, and the "Whodunnit?" paper into their correct folders.

#5) Place the Crime Scene Evidence into it's folder as well.

#6) Place the strips labeled "Owner of Shoe" into four shoes....with the word "Owner" sticking out. Make SURE that the strip that says, "Lois Price" on it is stuck into the shoe that stamped onto the Footprint Analysis paper.

#7) Cut apart the "Crack The Case" cards & place them in a jar along with pencils or pens.

#8) OPTIONAL: Download the "Sticky Fingers" Activity & place the Student Worksheet in the CSI Training Folders - 1 per person. I had couples share a folder. Also place balloons in the folders.
{HINT: I would also use a stamp pad when doing your own fingerprints. The "pencil trick" doesn't work that great. Just read the instructions on that paper and you will see what I am talking about.}

#7) Create your crime scene.....or in other words....place the victim & his injury {washable red paint} preferably where your guests & spouse will see it first. :)

We have a great group of friends that are always game to go on our crazy group dates with us. When they showed up, they were greeted by the actual crime scene!! Everyone loved it...and it was the perfect way to kick off the evening.

Poor Jack Tupp had been killed!!

Great start to a fun date. :) After eating our yummy homemade Cafe Rio Pork Salad....we got down to biz-ness!

I handed out the CSI Training Envelopes - one per couple. Inside was the "Sticky Fingers" activity and a "mini-crime" to solve.

{Include balloons & pencils}

This is an activity I found online for teachers to do with their students. I found it SO fascinating....how different every fingerprint is....that I thought it would be neat for the couples to take their own prints to see what they look like. You basically place your fingerprints on a balloon...using ink....and then blow it up to see an enlarged version of your prints! THEN...each couple tries to solve a crime that happened at a local bakery...at which fingerprints were left behind. It's pretty interesting. This part is totally optional! You can do this to get everyone "warmed up" to solve the real crime...or skip right to the action! :)

When your group is ready to start the actual solving of the crime...

Read aloud the "Crime Scene" & the bios of the Possible Suspects. {This is on the first page of the download.} Then - get the "Suspect Statement" envelope & hand out the statements to different people to read. The people in our group were HILARIOUS when reading those statements! Cute Lynsie started it off with an funny accent that cracked us up...and then after that everyone changed their voice up in some way. Anjuli was last...and I loved her expression when we told her that she had to do an accent as well.

I then pulled out the Crime Scene Evidence Envelope & everyone looked at that stuff. {You will need those items for the rest of the investigation.} We continued on going through the different envelopes....checking out the evidence and talking about it each step of the way. I would suggest doing it in this order:

#1 - Suspect Statements
#2 - Handwriting Analysis
#3 - Fingerprint Analysis
#4 - Footprint Analysis
{This should be the most obvious...so save it for last!}

Since you will know who did it as well as all the details....you can slightly "prod" everyone else and make sure they are on the right track...by asking questions, pointing out details they may have missed, suggesting they go back & look at certain things, etc.

After the LAST analysis is finished, hand out the "Crack the Case" slips, have everyone fill theirs out, and then read aloud the paper in the "Whodunnit?" envelope.

NOW...this can be a group date OR a date with just you and your spouse. Whatever floats your boat! :) You could then end the night by watching the classic movie....CLUE!! :)

I found a few other websites that had CSI related things on them....some were even interactive Murder Mysteries. They looked interesting...but I didn't play any of them so if they don't "pan out"....lemme just say they aren't officially "Tara-Approved"!

CSI Odds & Ends
**"On The Run" - Interactive Crime Case
**Choose a Crime - {There are five.}
**I found an extremely creative KID'S murder mystery party HERE!
**A bunch of educational & fun CSI activities HERE.
**SUPER creative party supplies if you want to go ALL out on this date...HERE!
**Another crime you can download & solve....about a morgage company & shredded documents....click HERE!
**A virtual crime you can solve...I am not sure if the entire thing is free...or just the first "session". Go HERE!
**BBC Radio Murder Mysteries (You download the clues/papers that go with it and listen to the play…and then figure out who the killer was.)

That should give you enough ideas/references to put together a FUN and memorable CSI night with your sweetheart! :)

Love Story: Charlene & Nathan

2010-11-27T07:00:00.000-08:00

Where to begin, I guess I would have to say… ONCE upon a time, Fall 2005 to be exact, I saw Nathan for the very first time in church. He was sitting 3-4 rows in front of me, waiting for the meeting to begin. Nathan was sitting down on the bench turned almost all the way around saying "Hello" and greeting everyone. (This is one thing I LOVE about him, he treats everyone the same. It does not matter who they are.) He had the biggest, most sincere smile, and was so excited just to be there. The first thought that came to my mind was, “He doesn’t even know he is going to marry me.” I thought I was so funny seeing how I had never even talked to him before and not to mention I had a boyfriend at the time.

A few months later my roommate and I had a huge super bowl party and Nathan, like so many others from the ward, were invited. This was the first time we officially met but did not really talk.

A few months later a group of us went on a hike up to Bridal Veil Falls.

On the way home one of the three cars full of college students broke down. As the group of us waited at the gas station for the men to fix the car...there was a car parked next to us that had the windows down and was playing country music. Nathan took my hand and asked if we could dance. I look at him and said, ”WHAT! Here? Right now, in the middle of the day? In the gas station parking lot?!” He said, “yes...” Pulled me into him and we began to dance. He dipped me, and swung me around and taught me the cowboy cha cha. Right there in front of everyone! Embarrassed as I was… I secretly loved it! From that moment on Nathan and I were BFF’s. Hung out as often as our busy schedules would allow. Listened and downloaded music together. I’d cook for him, he’d sing to me. Sat with each other at church, started meeting each other’s family… but we were JUST FRIENDS. Best friends - nothing more, nothing less. Our relationship was like this for a little less than a year. Then I woke up on a Monday and decided I LOVED him and wanted to be with him FOREVER. On Wednesday I wondered why I didn’t have a ring. Then on Saturday, he proposed!!!

We were married February 10, 2007.

And lived happily ever after…

Or wait, I mean…. then REAL life began. Dishes, diapers, compromising, patience, laundry, diligence, juggling work, school, and family……. really it’s a beautiful life. Together we are discovering, what the TRUE meaning of LOVE is. We work together daily as a team to improve our already beautiful/almost perfect marriage.

Don't Miss THIS Black Friday Deal!!

2010-11-26T06:00:00.000-08:00

First of all, the divas hope that all of you had a wonderful Thanksgiving with your families!! We all did....and we all have SO much to be grateful for....including all of our readers!! We truly appreciate your encouraging words and fun ideas! It definitely helps keep OUR motivation up! :)
....we are all out hitting up the Black Friday sales....prepping for Christmas! Gotta love these sales!! Jamie & I were able to get ALL of our Christmas done our first year together by researching the Black Friday deals...lemme tell ya....those presents were HITS, too! {lol} Since then....we tend to lean more towards homemade presents as well as presents from the heart....which is why I was SO excited to hear about another Black Friday deal!!
Remember THIS post??

My BEA.U.TI.FUL canvas that I surprised Jamie with? Well, we just found out that Canvas People has a FABULOUS deal starting TODAY!! They are offering 50% off your ENTIRE order and.....wait for it.......wait for it.....
...FREE SHIPPING!!!! These are great Christmas presents...and I already told you why I LOVE having pics of my sweetie and I all over our home! :) Click HERE to take advantage of this great deal! It's a limited time offer....so don't miss out! :)
Happy Black Friday Shopping!!

A Perfect Pedicure for "Pretty Feet"!

2010-11-25T07:00:00.000-08:00

Well, we are officially well into Fall and on our way to Winter. So I decided to give you something a little unexpected. A post about your feet! True, in the Fall/Winter we are usually wearing boots and so our feet are covered up, but guess who still sees them? Your HUSBAND! I bet he would LOVE if you kept your pretty pedicure all year long! So I am going to give you five easy steps to PRETTY FEET! You can repeat these once a week to keep your feet pretty and soft, and that way you will have nice toes and feet without breaking the bank!

Step # 1 - PREP

This is the part where you use a little olive or cuticle oil, and gently push back your cuticles. Then clip your nail STRAIGHT ACROSS. I emphasize that because it is the best way to cut your toe nails and avoid getting any ingrown toe nails. Make sure not to cut them too short either. Then file to make sure everything is even...but make sure to file in one direction horizontally across the tops.

Step # 2 - SOAK

Fill a basin with warm water and add at least a cup of Epsom salt. Epsom salt is amazing! It helps reduce stress and relieves muscle and joint pain. It also softens skin. So USE IT! Stick your feet in and let them soak for about 10 minutes.

Step # 3 - SCRUB

Take one foot out at a time, and use a gentle exfoliating scrub. I like my Mint Melon & Sugar scrub from... guess where?? Target! Scrub the bottoms of your heels because HELLO, isn't that where our feet take a beating. Then take your file and smooth your heels going with the grain of your foot. This will keep your feet smoother.

Step # 4 - Paint

This is the hard part. The first thing is make sure your nails are clean and dry. Start by painting a strip right down the middle of your big toe nail vertically. Then another on either side until your whole nail is covered. This will just be the first coat so don't worry if it doesn't look perfect. On all of your other little toe nails paint a thin layer horizontally. Now paint the toes on your other foot while the first nails dry. After you finish the second foot apply a second layer to all your toenails the same way that you started. Then the second coat dry, and then apply a think layer to just the top half of your nail. This a GREAT little TRICK to keep the top part of your nails from chipping as fast. After you let all your nails dry for about 20 min. Apply your clear top coat, and let that dry.

Step # 5 - Soften

The last step is to apply a heavy lotion or healing cream to your heels. I like Aquaphor but anything like that will work. Apply a pretty thick layer and put on COTTON socks. Cotton socks will help you absorb the lotion even more. Now go get some BEAUTY SLEEP! When you wake up, you will have super soft, super pretty feet, and heels. The only thing you will have to do is touch up your polish a little when it chips, but your AT HOME PEDI should last about 2 weeks. Try to do the lotion and sock trick at least twice a week though. Just to keep those heels soft. This way when Summer comes around again, it will be a lot less work for you to get your feet "sandal ready". Plus as girls, we sometimes get the urge to wear peep toe heels to special events like...a Christmas Party!

That's it! Five steps to beautiful, perfect feet! My husband always notices my feet, NO he doesn't like all feet he just thinks mine are cute. So it has always been important for me to keep them pretty. How your feet look says a lot about how well you take care of yourself. SO give yourself this quick and easy at home PEDI tonight! Your husband will be even more likely to give you that FOOT RUB!

PS. My nail color is O.P.I. Light My Sapphire. If you haven't noticed, I like O.P.I. a lot! If you want to try some of their nail colors you can go here and try some of their nail colors onto a hand that you can adjust the skin color to see if you like it and if it works on you, BRILLIANT! BTW my husband totally commented on my CUTE SOFT FEET after I painted them. It works GIRLS, your hubby will notice, and he'll also notice that you saved some money!

The SPOUSE Christmas Countdown

2010-11-24T07:00:00.000-08:00

Are you ready for the hustle & bustle of Christmas to begin?? Oooohhh...I am! I absolutely LOVE Christmas time!! *sigh* OK...."observation time".....I feel that when the Christmas season hits, we usually tend to focus more on the kids….don’t you agree?? Of course, the wonder and joy on their faces when they experience a FABULOUS Christmas…definitely HELPS. {lol}

If you want to make sure your spouse knows how much you adore him/her during THIS holiday season…and doesn't feel neglected....have I got an idea for you! Cuz ya know….Christmas isn’t JUST for the little ones.... ☺

Two years ago, I decided I wanted my husband to have something FUN to look forward to when December hit….so I created the FIRST set of “Jamie’s Christmas Countdown”. Twenty-five days of L.O.V.E. just for him! I am going to show you my original Countdown...and if you are SUPER busy.....{Who isn't, right?!?}.....there is a "quick" version that you can instantly download! :)

I grabbed a spool of beautiful cherry red ribbon, 25 clothespins, some removable clips that you can put on your walls….without ruining them. :) They are pretty cheap and you can purchase them anywhere - I got mine at Walmart.

I then sat down....numbered a piece of paper from 1-25 and went to town planning my countdown! I put stars next to the nights that were Fridays & Saturdays....since those were the nights that I KNEW we would have time to either do a date night or stay up late. Next to each number I wrote one of three things:

A Compliment - something I LOVED about him {this made up 2/3 of the countdown}
A Service - something I was going to do for him {this was 1/2 of the last 1/3 of the countdown}
A FUN Christmas Activity - something we could go and do together....having to do with the season {this made up the remaining 1/2 of the last 1/3 of the countdown}

I made sure that they were ALL mixed up. BTW - don't try to book every last weekend....things will come up, so make sure your schedule is flexible! Also - HE might secretly be planning fun things for you...so make sure to keep some of your weekend nights open. I would let him know in advance what particular nights you have "set" plans.....just mark put a heart on those days on your family calendar & tell him that those are nights he should keep open.

I typed up all of my different cards & scrapbooked each one. I went overboard that year and decided to do them ALL different themes/colors/sizes. Yep, I was crazy...in love! haha....I know, I know....cheesy....

Here are a few of the "Compliment" cards:

Go Ahead & Click On The Pic To Read Text....

Make sure you take this opportunity to point out to your spouse ALL of the wonderful things that you love about him/her! You can NEVER compliment a person too much!! Let them know how much you adore the funny quirks...that only YOU know about! :) I had so much fun reflecting on our years together and jotting down the things I loved about him.

NEXT - the "Service" cards! Here's an example of one of mine:

Go Ahead & Click On The Pic To Read Text....

One night he came home to a trail of rose petals leading to our Master Bathtub where a candlelit bubble bath waited. {Wink} ...thus the term "bubbly"....

Think about things your spouse would REALLY enjoy...and then use those as your "sevice" cards! For example, my husband LOVES back scratches...and I give super "wimpy" ones.....or so he says. :) In my defense, uhhhhh....ok, so I AM a wimp! {lol} Anyway, I promised to give him an AMAZING backrub! I also don't love to cook....please don't judge me, all you CHEFS out there....so I made the ultimate sacrifice and told him I would create ANY dessert he wanted. {That was a HUGE sacrifice on my part....and do you know what he "ordered"?? Apple pie! You better believe I made it from scratch! Longest five hours of my life. J/K...maybe it only took me three?!?}

You get my point, right? Remember that December is going to be a CRAZY busy month for you...so don't promise anything you can't deliver on! :)

LAST but not least are the actual FUN Christmas activities that you will do together. I chose to keep them all a secret and use the cards as "teasers". Here are a few of mine:

Go Ahead & Click On The Pic To Read Text....

Some other activities I planned for us was a Christmas "Movie-a-thon" & watching all of our FAVs while eating our favorite Christmas treats, checking out the lights at Temple Square {this was when we lived in Utah}, planning a night under the stars {we camped out by the Christmas Tree on a blow-up mattress}, going to the Festival of Trees with his family, etc. They don't ALL have to be Christmas-related! We had an entire night of Wii games.

There are SO many fun Christmas things you can do together! This is where you can also involve the whole family! Have a "make a gingerbread house" night or decorate Christmas cookies or go caroling to your neighbors. Just make sure they are all activities that he {or she} would enjoy!

THEN - you, of course, need to end the Countdown with a LOVE note!!

Go Ahead & Click On The Pic To Read Text....

Now - if you are thinking....TARA!! Are you crazy?!? When am I going to find time to scrapbook 25 cards?? No worries! I found a pre-made cute Christmas notecard that you can download to use for YOUR cards. Just So Scrappy has super cute digiscrapbooking kits. She created a FREE {ooooo...and we LOVE free....} download that would be perfect for this countdown idea!

Just scroll all the way to the end of that post and the download is at the end. You can place the card png image on a Word document and size it to be ANY size you would like! I would suggest printing these on white cardstock....as they are in color. Cut them out and if you would like to make them "pop", adhere them to Christmas-colored paper. Click HERE to be sent to that post.

I also typed up the numbers #1-25 in my FAVORITE font....that you can download & cut apart. THEN - instead of putting your cards in an envelope, just flip them over and adhere the numbers on the back. Click HERE for that free printable. Wa-LAH! You are done!

Oh yeah....don't forget to jot the actual "script" on each card! :)

I then put up the removeable hooks in our entryway, strung the festive ribbon along it, and clothespinned the cards up. It looked FAB-U-LOUS!!

I made sure to put it up the last day of November....before he got home from work. He was extremely surprised to come home to this and was SO excited when I explained that he would get to read one each morning for the entire month of December!

If you still have children at home, you can involve them by letting them "help" Daddy read his card each morning. You could make this countdown something for the whole family....but in my humble opinion...I think your spouse would be pretty touched if you did this JUST for him/her!!

...AND....this was one of our most "commented on" Christmas decor!! All of our friends and family LOVED not only the idea behind this....but how festive it was and how it completely dressed up our entryway! :)

Have fun creating your OWN Christmas Countdown!

I'll Love You FOREVER!!!!

2010-11-22T07:00:00.000-08:00

I'll Love You Forever! Aaahhh...doesn't that just sound great?! It does to me. That is what my date was all about. Joseph and I celebrated our 6th anniversary (wahoo!) at the beginning of the month and I wanted to make it extra special. He is truly the best thing in my life and with how crazy our lives are right now, I really wanted him to know how amazing I think he is.

How did I do that? Well, let's just say with 3 kids our budget is TIGHTER than it has EVER been! But, even with a tight budget, I really wanted to have a fun time. So, I focused on everything that we love to do together, but put a twist on it so we could do it at home!

Does everyone know the book titled, "I'll Love You Forever", by Robert Munsch? It's about a mom and her little boy who grows up...and on the journey - throughout all the craziness of life - she continues to sing this song to him while he is asleep ...

I'll Love You Forever

I'll Like You For Always

As Long as I'm Living

My Baby You'll Be

I was reading this book to my kids at the library one day and thought how cool it would be to let my wonderful husband know how much I love him and will ALWAYS love him. And that, my friends, is how my date all began.

The night before our anniversary (I made sure he was asleep) I taped a cute message on his side of the mirror. Click HERE to download my message tag and put your own spin on it (the big tag on page # 2)!

I just told him how special he was to me and then at the bottom I invited him to have a blast with me that night and ended the whole invite with the poem,

I'll Love You Forever

I'll Like You For Always

As Long as I'm Living

My BABE You'll Be!

When he got home that night from work, I informed him that the kids were going to a babysitters and we were staying home to celebrate. He was a little surprised by that but went and dropped off the kids. While he was gone I got my 1st of 6 tags out. Because it was our 6th anniversary I really wanted to focus on that number. So, we had 6 steps to our date!

He got home to find a tag attached to amazing His/Her wine glasses (...that wonderful Lisa M. made-click HERE to find out how she made them) and some yummy Martinelli sparkling cider drink. This part of our date was about eating. Before Joseph and I had kids, he used to help in the kitchen all the time. We have some wonderful memories in the kitchen together. We also LOVE the restaurant PF Changs, so I decided to bring PF Changs home!

Tag #1: I'll Love You ForeverI'll Like You For AlwaysAs Long As I'm LivingMy TASTE-TESTER You'll Be (Remember, you can get your tags in the first link above!) Joseph is ALWAYS commenting on how much he enjoys my cooking. It's very nice not to have a picky man that has NEVER complained about the food I cook for him. He is the best TASTE-TESTER ever! (Get the poem now? I know, a bit cheesy, but it was fun!) For the first time, in who knows how long, Joseph and I cooked side by side. It was so special to me. I designed the menu to reflect what we would have ordered at PF Changs, plus a dessert I know Joseph absolutely loves. We had sweet n' sour chicken, chinese fried noodles, steamed veggies, and for dessert Joseph made some spiced pears with whip cream. We laughed and joked all through dinner.

It was then time for tag #2: I'll Love You ForeverI'll Like You For AlwaysAs Long As I'm LivingMy BEST-FRIEND You'll Be When Joseph and I were first dating we had a long distance relationship. The very first time I came to visit him he sent me back home on the plane with a 'goody' bag full of snacks, treats, and cute notes. I always felt like that was one thing that started making our friendship real strong. He wrote me some cute letters where he expressed his feelings for me. It was cute and I LOVED it! I wanted to do something similar for him. I gave him a 'goody' box full of snacks and items useful for his work, and also a card listing off my feelings of our last 6 years together. I used the cute box Wendy made. To find out how to make your own box click HERE. I put his favorite treats, snacks, gum, pencils, and pens, etc. All things he could take with him and use on a daily basis.

Along with the box, this is the part of the night we did our activity. I had to change my plans because dinner took so long (which was NOT a bad thing!). Instead we played a few games inside and had some friendly competition. We had a blast with a QUIET house and just being BEST-FRIENDS. It was perfect.

These activities led into tag #3: I'll Love You ForeverI'll Like You For AlwaysAs Long As I'm LivingMy RECEIVER You'll Be Receiver you ask? Let me explain...As I have said in previous dates that I have planned, my husband LOVES for me to do mini manicures and pedicures on him. I wrapped up my manicure set with this tag attached to it, and his face lit up! This was the part of the date that I got to pamper him. For the next hour he read a book, we chatted, and I fixed his nails. He LOVED it and that made me LOVE it too! After his pampering was over, I then gave him tag #4: I'll Love You ForeverI'll Like You For AlwaysAs Long As I'm Living My LOVER You'll Be Now, I know what you are all thinking when you read this, BUT this is a G-rated post! I had tag #4 attached to LOVE journals that I made for him along with LOVE notes that cute Kristen made (click HERE to find out how), and some massage oil (baby oil works great!) so we could give each other back rubs. We both LOVE back rubs and I think it's a great thing to trade off doing for each other. Along with back rubs I made him what I call "Love Journals". Joseph and I went to a fun couples retreat this summer in Provo, Utah where a relationship counselor talked about doing these journals. The idea is to write 3 nice things about your spouse every night or a nice memory/thing they did for you. You can't repeat anything more than once a week and at the end of the week you get to exchange the journals and read what the other has written. Corie did a similar book for her spouse. To see Corie's go HERE. I wanted to spice my journals up a bit. I got some regular composition books at the Dollar Store. There are 2 different sizes of notebooks that they have: small and large (look at 1st picture below). I chose to do the small ones for my gift for Joseph, but I made the large size for my sister and her husband when they got married last month. I then found 2 cute pieces of scrapbook paper at Michael's as well as some stickers that had cute marriage words on them. I picked out one piece to be the dominant paper showing and then overlapped the other so that only one inch of it was showing (see middle picture). I then taped those together (see picture on the right). I taped the paper over the front and the back covers of the composition books.

My last step was to decorate the journals with the stickers that I found. I must say that I think they turned out really cute and Joseph really enjoyed them. He also was very excited about the "Love Notes" notepad. We used to leave cute notes for each other all the time and he was excited to do that again. Next came tag #5: I'll Love You ForeverI'll Like You For AlwaysAs Long As I'm LivingMy PARTNER You'll Be Along with my Love Journals and Love Notes, I really have been wanting our relationship to grow. I want us to KNOW each other on different levels. What better way on becoming better partners, then to read a book together (Joseph and I both LOVE to read), especially a book that is about love! I gave him the book "The 5 Love Languages" by Gary Chapman. Joseph was very responsive to this. He was excited for us to read it and apply the information that we learn. We both can't wait to start! Last tag #6: I'll Love You ForeverI'll Like You For AlwaysAs Long As I'm LivingMy CUDDLE BUG You'll Be One of my most favorite things to do is to cuddle, and one of Joseph's is to watch a movie! But during a movie, Joseph LOVES to cuddle too! I think I could stay in his arms all day, every day. He just melts me! Anyway, I gave Joseph an assignment to pick up a Redbox movie on the way home. I told him it didn't matter what the movie was as long as he enjoyed it! We ended the night with HIS pick of movie, wait for it girls...Twilight! We have never read any of the books or watched either movie. Joseph and I have talked about it a few times and he surprised me with it! The whole night was amazing fun AND it was on a budget! I think we grew closer than we have been in a while. All I can say is that I'll LOVE my husband FOREVER and can't wait to see what the next 6 years bring!

Hubby Highlights: Little Things Mean A Lot

2010-11-20T07:00:00.000-08:00

My husband, Jared, is pretty much amazing! He has such a unique way of making me feel loved!

We have been married just under ten years and I have found that the smallest act of kindness from him.... ...mean the most to me.

Shortly after we were married, I noticed a glass of water next to my bed on the nightstand each night. Jared may think it is no big deal, but it is such a random act of thoughtfulness that I appreciate each night before bed. Whenever he goes out of town, I sure do miss that glass of water in the middle of the night!

My husband has been busy working out of town for the last few weeks. Before he left, I had briefly mentioned a coat I had seen at Old Navy. This wasn't just any coat...it was THE COAT! The kind of coat that makes your dreams come true...hahaaa...well that's what I like to say anyway! This coat had the perfect color, ruffle and size of buttons. However, there was ONE BIG PROBLEM - Old Navy had already sold out of the coat in my size! I couldn't find it anywhere!

Wait! There is a happy ending here....when Jared arrived home.... he had not only found the coat in my size, but had somehow made time to buy my dream coat! Each time I look at this coat, I will always cherish the memory of my husband going the extra mile for me and finding something that I thought was impossible!

Here's the dream coat...

Source

"Sassy" Suggestion: Trips around the WORLD!

2010-11-19T07:00:00.001-08:00

My goodness, I can't believe some of the AMAZING ideas some of our readers send in! THESE (Yes, more than one!) date ideas are so creative and so well put together ANYONE could pull them off! Huge THANK YOU to Haylee for sharing all these wonderful pic's, tips and great decor ideas! I will let her tell you all about it!

Darin (my husband) and I love to travel, but it is not super affordable, so here are a few of our vacations to other countries in our home. It is very similar to the “Trip to Italy” you had on your blog.

One of our favorites was a trip to Ancient Greece. We took our friends along and it was a blast! We wore togas, ate lots of yummy Greek food, and we were going to watch Hercules.

Also, to check out another awesome Greek Costume click here! You have to scroll down just a little but believe me, you won't miss Kristen and her man lookin' good as a Greek God and Goddess.

Next, we did a trip to China. This was just our family, but you could easily make a double date/group date out of it. This is also a fun one because you can get busy with your cooking skills, or just get some take out. This night is a good one to follow up with Mulan, or something else (there are lots of Asian movies you could watch). The main key for this date is eating on the floor (we loved our secluded tent) and Chinese music playing in the background.

This trip was a super easy one, and could be done really last minute. My husband loved this one, and we had a good time. Like the others, we did just the two of us, but you could easily add more. The menu was really simple, you can just pick it up at the grocery store minutes before eating. We had a little sparkling grape juice, French bread, grapes, and cheese! We ended the night with watching a movie and our choices were "Mrs. Aris Goes to Paris," "Anastasia," or "Ratatouille," and I’m sure you could think of more.

This next one wasn’t a trip to a country, but back to the 50’s. We had loads of fun!! We made our kitchen into a diner, had burgers, fries, and shakes/malts. My mom had an old malt maker so that made it really fun!! We all dressed up, and we even had bubble gum blowing contests. We had a great time!!

I know people love going to Anniversary Inn and enjoying the fun rooms. I recreated the “Jungle Room” in our bedroom for our 1st anniversary.

Wow, Haylee, this looks awesome! If you are going to do this idea, you can also check out Lisa M.'s "Wild Safari" date! Some of these ideas meshed together could turn out, let's say..... WILD!

YEAH! We were so excited after reading Haylee's email we just had to pass it on to our readers! For another great "Trip Around the World" idea you can check out Kari's "Taste of India" date and of course, Thank You again, Haylee, for sharing! I know there are a couple of these ideas my hubby would LOVE to try out!

A Tasty Twist on a Traditional Thanksgiving Meal

2010-11-18T07:00:00.000-08:00

Who doesn't just love Thanksgiving? All of that yummy food...eating until you want to burst...pulling out those pregnant stretchy pants just like Joey did on that "Friends" episode - just so you can eat that much more. Lol. Okay, maybe we don't take it as seriously as Joey, but Thanksgiving is always memorable at my house. One thing is for certain, you can always count on my mom making an amazing meal. Ever since I have been married, me and the rest of the women in my family like to mix it up when it comes to the side dishes. A little something new every year. So here are a couple of recipes to try this Thanksgiving that are sure to give your man a tasty surprise.

Olive Curry Rolls

1 can chopped olives

1 c. grated cheddar

3 green onions, chopped fine

1/4 tsp. curry

Mix together above ingredients. Spread on slices of french rolls and broil.

Cauliflower Fritters

1 large head cauliflower, trimmed and chopped

1/2 cup flour

1 large egg, beaten

Salt and Pepper to taste

1 10-oz bag salad greens

2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

Extra-virgin olive oil

Steam the cauliflower until tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl, mash and let cool for 10 minutes. Stir in the flour and egg, season with salt and pepper and refrigerate for 15 minutes. Roll 1/4 cupfuls into balls, then flatten into patties, to make a total of 12 to 14. In a skillet, heat 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil over medium heat. Working in batches, fry the patties until golden-brown, about 4 minutes on each side. Serve with the salad greens tossed in olive oil and the lemon juice.

Coconut Candied Yams

Source: Lisa M., Fellow Diva

Prep: 10 min. Cook: 30 min. Serves: 6
29 oz. can of yams; drained and mashed
1/4 c. brown sugar
2 T. melted butter
1 tsp. vanilla
6 oz. crushed pineapple; drained

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the ingredients above and spoon into a greased baking dish.

Topping:
3/4 c. coconut
3/4 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. flour
1/2 c. melted butter
1/4 c. chopped pecans

Combine the topping ingredients together and sprinkle on top of the yam mixture.

Cook yams at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Eat and enjoy!

Easy-Peezy Pumpkin Pie

Okay, now I know that the majority of us LOVE our pumpkin pie to finish off an amazing Thanksgiving meal. I look forward to it all year long. Growing up, my mom and grandmother would have a "pie day" where we would make anywhere from 17 to 30 pies in one day - most of them pumpkin. And yes, we would be eating pie for a week solid. Now, these aren't your ordinary pies. These are pies that taste straight off the farm (these are the best in my opinion because if you've been raised on a farm, you know how to make everything from scratch, including the pie crust). This is a true statement because my grandmother was raised on a farm and her pies are out of this world!

To the point...I have a much quicker way to make your pies taste just like my grandmother's - without all the work. Are you ready for my secret? Remember, I learned how to make pies the old fashioned way and if my grandmother ever knew about this shortcut she would be sorely disappointed in me. That's why last year, when I made her MY pumpkin pie, she complimented me on my "amazing" crust and how I make it just like her. Teehee...don't tell her the truth! The truth is that I BUY my crust in the freezer section. That's right. I totally cheat! And no one knows! My mom actually got me hooked on these crusts because they taste EXACTLY like my grandma's crusts (maybe not quite as flaky as hers). Without all the mess and without all the work. You have to buy a specific brand though. The other brands just don't stand up to the Marie Calendar's pie crusts. You can find them on the freezer isle with all the desserts. SO there is my big secret. For those of you really looking to have the real old fashioned pie crust, click HERE for my grandmother's recipe. Keep in mind that it will take you a few tries to get it right and probably years to perfect it. It's worth it....but just so you know there is some work involved.

Now that you have your pie crust, simply buy the Libby's Pumpkin Pie mix, follow the instructions on the back and cook your pie! Voila! It will taste like you have slaved all day in the kitchen when really...you've been cuddling with your man while your pie cooks in the oven!

Don't forget to top it off with the real whipped cream. Oh, yum!

I want to give Lisa M. a HUGE thank you for helping out with this post! She contributed the Coconut Candied Yams recipe. I'm not a yam fan, but this one I will definitely try! It looks Divine! Thanks Lisa M.!

Thanksgiving Meal Tips & Tricks

2010-11-17T07:00:00.000-08:00

We all know that with the holidays comes stress from trying to make everything perfect. Okay, maybe that is just me? But I really love to have everything come together just right so I will stress myself out about having everything perfect. Last year I changed everything about how I approached the holidays. I made some serious decisions that started with our Thanksgiving feast. I realized that our holiday traveling really did me in - so that was cut. I realized that being around lots of family or friends also added to my anxiety (not that I don't adore my time with them, but I have a hard time being around large crowds for long amounts of time) so that was scratched too. Another biggie? Food preparation. Since this was our first Thanksgiving away from our families and I had never cooked a turkey before, I knew I was in for a bit of a shock. So here are a few tips and tricks to make your Thanksgiving "perfect". I'm hoping to give you and your spouse a little extra time to relax together and actually enjoy the holiday.

#1 Plan ahead to have a Plan

Would a professional football team show up to their biggest game of the season without being prepared? (I'm using this football analagy since it 'tis the season) Most certainly not. Nor should you approach your holiday season without having a plan ahead of time. Get a list together of all the dishes that you are planning on serving. Compile your recipes and your shopping list. Take inventory of any additional items you may need for decorations, platters, utensils, etc. and add them to your list. I always do this at least 2 weeks in advance, but a week will do. Have a list for the dishes you can make in advance and a list of what you will need to make the day of. Being organized and prepared is half of your battle.

Click HERE to print out your Thanksgiving shopping list.

#2 Get your shopping done in advance

Why do we always wait until the day before Thanksgiving to go grocery shopping? It never fails that you will always find yourself running to the store the day before. You're battling with the hoards of people, long lines, and causing yourself even more stress. Plan your grocery shopping for Tuesday morning at the latest! This will ensure that your grocer won't be out of the tradional items that you need, but your produce will still be fresh enough for your Thanksgiving meal. Many grocery stores now offer online ordering and most deliver for free. So if you don't have time to make it to your grocery store, take a little time and let your fingers do the shopping.

#3 Prep, Prep, Prep

You really should run your home kitchen as if it was a restaurant kitchen. Cut things up in advance, put them into ziplock baggies or containers that are well marked and place them in your fridge for when you're ready to cook with them. Clean and chop carrots, celery, onions, spinach/lettuce, broccoli, cauliflower, etc. My rule of thumb is to do it once I have returned home from the store. Before I put all of my produce into my fridge, I prep it for the meal I will be using it for. Your meals are now half complete.

* * * * * * * * * *

This brings me to the importance of having a really good knife. You'll get the same amount of work (or chopping) done in half the time with a quality knife. Sharp knives take the work out of chopping. If you do the simple slicing motion without having to put pressure on your knife or fight to keep it in the position you want it to go...you have a decent knife in your hands. Your knife should be fairly heavy (weighted), balanced, and strong. (Just like your man *WINK*). Here are my favorite choices:

Six Star +Plus Cutlery - $53.99 for a 25 piece set

J.A. Henckles International #8 Chef's - $47.99 each

Cuisine Professional - $88.29 each
Cutco Space Saver Set - $549.99 for the set

If you cook a great deal like I do, these are well worth the investment. They will pay for themselves 10-fold.

#4 Involve your hubby and/or kids

[This is my husband doing his best Iron Chef imitation. Pretty hot, if I do say so myself. hehe]

This was a big one for me! In order to prepare a feast up to par with my mother's Thanksgiving digs, I really needed help. Luckily my husband really loves helping me in the kitchen. We are a great team and it's something that we enjoy doing together (Hello, date night!). If your husband isn't so keen on kitchen duty, assign him something else that will help you. Such as cleaning the house (hehe), or entertaining the children, or setting the table or he can even wash the dishes while you are making a mess cooking. That way you'll be getting some time with your hubby while you cook!

Another fun option is to make your meal kid friendly and let them be involve in the cooking process. Both of my boys love to help me and I have to say I'm not always so grateful. It can feel like I'm spending more time teaching than actually cooking. However, there are some fun kid recipes out there for them. One of my favorite websites to find kid friendly recipes and activities is Disney's Family Fun.

"Baby, It's Cold Outside" Date

2010-11-15T07:00:00.000-08:00

Have you felt the chill in the air? I decided we needed a NIGHT IN to off-set the cold because....Baby, It's Cold Outside!

I left my husband an invite and a new pair of gloves (since I had made him cut his others for our Halloween Costume.) This pair was on sale at Old Navy for $4, but you could easily find a cheaper pair at Wal-Mart or the Dollar Store. You could leave it with ANY warm clothing (hat, scarf, socks, etc.) or none at all!

Download the invite HERE

I wanted a Winter Wonderland feel for the date so I set to work earlier in the day hanging snowflakes from the ceiling. I had planned to cut the snowflakes out of paper, but when I found these beautiful foam ones at the Dollar Store 6 for $1 I decided to save myself some time and paper. I just strung them with fishing line and taped them to the ceiling. If you wanted to involve your kids, have them cut the snowflakes!

I also dug out a strand of white Christmas lights from the basement and hung those around the entertainment center and mantle. Between the lights and the snowflakes it really made it feel magical!

When my husband got home that evening we went about our normal evening and dinner routine. I then asked him to bathe and put our son to bed while I finished prepping the date. He agreed and it worked out perfect for him to be out of the room and I could set it all up!

I love the Christmas Song "Baby, It's Cold Outside" and decided we could get into the Christmas Spirit by watching a movie that features that song - Elf. And it works out perfect that it just happens to be one of my husband's favorite movies!

Don't own the movie? Borrow a copy from a friend, rent it from your local movie store, watch the channel listings for it to air on TV, check it out from the library, or if you live close to me...I'll loan you my copy!

If you have a fireplace, get a fire going. It really sets the mood and makes your home feel cozy. No fireplace? Draw a picture or one, prop a laptop open with a picture of one going, light candles, or string an extra strand of Christmas lights!

Source

I decided I wanted to have my husband's favorite Holiday appetizers to accompany the movie. He loves caramel apples but hates biting into them. So with a melon baller, I scooped out apple bites and soaked them in water while I worked to keep them from browning. I then speared them with a skewer and dipped them in caramel. They were the perfect size to just pop in your mouth! He loved them.

After laying out blankets and pillows, I cued up the movie, dimmed the regular lights and plugged in the Christmas lights, and brought out the food. Besides our caramel apples, we had a cheese ball and crackers, and Stephen's Chocolate Mint Truffle Hot Chocolate.

In the spread was also some marshmallows and Keebler Fudge Grasshopper cookies to go with the hot chocolate. These cookies are the BEST way to enjoy your hot chocolate! You can find them at any local grocery store in the cookie aisle (or Girl Scout Thin Mint cookies are the same...but who has any of those left around this time of year?!)

My husband was a little skeptical at first to try it, but I assured him he'd LOVE it! First, take a small bite off one end of the cookie. Flip the cookie over, and bite off another small bite on the opposite side. Then using the cookie as a straw of sorts, sip the hot chocolate through the cookie until you just start tasting the warm liquid in your mouth. As soon as you can taste the hot chocolate, pop the cookie in mouth and enjoy the melted yummy goodness! HEAVENLY!

Here he is demonstrating the process and with a mouthful of delicious cookie in the last picture! He was hooked.

We laughed, ate, and thoroughly enjoyed being together and getting in the Christmas Spirit through this date. When it was finished, my husband turned to me and told me that this was one of his favorite dates! Success.

If you are looking for a date to warm up this chilly season, this is the date for you! It was also a great cheap date, as we are all trying to save a little extra cash for the holiday season. I also decided this would be a fun date for Christmas Eve, after the kids are in bed, presents are wrapped, and it isn't too late!

Show The L.O.V.E. {Pretty Please}

2010-11-14T07:00:00.000-08:00

To all of our FABULOUS readers:
We recently learned about a contest that completely relates to OUR blog! :) The Marry Blogger, another helpful marriage site, is hosting a contest! Readers everywhere are nominating their FAV marriage blog! We are hoping that all of our faithful readers could take a minute to hop on over there to vote for US, The Dating Divas! :)
Just copy our URL: http://thedahlingdatingdivas.blogspot.com/ and click HERE to be sent to the contest. You can either fill out their form OR just leave a comment on that post! Super easy! Just paste our URL in your comment & let them know that's your vote! {WINK} We feel that there are MANY couples out there who could use some help in continuing to date their spouses and we would love your help in spreading the word.

We will love ya forever....and ever!! :) Seriously!!!

"MENu Dating" Book Review & GIVEAWAY!!!

2010-11-13T07:00:00.000-08:00

**GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED!

Please check out our Facebook Fan Page to see who the WINNER is!! :)

I know we have lots of advice and book reviews for the married, but what about all you single gals out there? Well, we haven't forgotten about you!

Tristan Coopersmith is the author of the book MENu Dating.   She gives us a new "taste" on what dating in this day and age is really like and guidelines to help you get to your "main course" (your future husband).

Now I must warn you, this is NOT your mother's dating book!

MENu Dating gives a fresh look on dating, stating, "THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS A BAD DATE!" Oh, how I wish I would have had this advice when I was still single. Tristan on dating; "I love dating for the natural adventure that it is. I love that you never know what will come of a date. I love how dating forces you to open your mind. I love the comedy of interaction between the sexes. I love how each date teaches you something new about the way that guys think... and what you think about the way that guys think. I love swapping dating stories with my gal pals... But most of all, I love dating because every date is an opportunity to discover something about yourself and to become clearer on who you want as your future co-pilot on the ride of life, certainly not a decision to be taken lightly. This investment of time and thought will have a huge payout in the long run, but the way I see it, all work and no play makes for one dull dating journey, so you may as well have fun along the way, too." Know that every date is a plate that will bring you that much closer your "main course".

"Taste-test" tons of different man candidates (Mandidates!)...even the ones you thought you'd never date. Yep! You heard it right! So what that he's your "best friend" or he's a few years younger than you. Maybe his career doesn't seem to fit your lifestyle, or his hair is blonde and he's not the "tall, dark, & handsome" man you had always envisioned. Never judge too early, and always step out of your comfort zone and you might be pleasantly surprised, or maybe not so much, but at least learned something and had fun doing it, right?!?!

Tristan teams up with her good guy friend, Todd Johnson, to give us a "guys-eye view" on dating, with blocks of advice throughout the entire book. Todd writes, "Throughout the night, she continuously dropped hints about vacations she would love to take with me, how excited she was to introduce me to her parents, and that she had already gushed to her friends about meeting me. While it was all very flattering, every time she did it, my insides cringed. It was only the first date and it seemed like she was planning a lifetime for us."

Sometimes it takes a guys-eye view to really help us realize those bad dating habits and maybe reevaluate the way we do things and the things that may scare those (what we thought was our main course) men away.

Tristan has lists of how and where to find mandidates, what kind of mandidates you are dating, and what you can do to get those mandidates coming to YOU!   This book has TONS of great advice to help you break those bad dating habits, get you closer to finding your "main course" and becoming an official Dating Diva!

*The Divas' Disclaimer: This book covers a wide variety of ideas. There were parts I laughed at, parts I took notes on, and just a warning, parts I would not share with my Mother. :)  It is a fun read and very humorous. I loved a lot of things about this book, although, from the conservative standpoint that the divas hold, I didn't relate to or agree with every viewpoint presented in the MENu Dating Book.

Do you know someone who really needs this book?!?! Or maybe you are the one desperately in need of this book?!?! Whatever the situation let us know that this book is for you by going to our sidebar and clicking "follow". Then - leave a comment letting us know that you are a follower AND a little about your worst dating experience ever. We all have one of those, right!?! We thought we would have a little fun with this giveaway and we can't WAIT to hear your story!! GOOD LUCK!

How To Enter The Giveaway...  It's SUPER easy!!
#1 - Be a public follower of our blog.#2 - Leave a comment & give us a summary of your WORST date experience ever. {Keep it G-rated, please.) lol

The giveaway will end this coming Monday, November 15th at Midnight MST.
We will announce the winner on our Facebook Fan Page on Tuesday, November 16th - so don't forget to check to see if the winner is YOU!!

Family Fun: Candid Photoshoot

2010-11-12T07:00:00.000-08:00

A photo says a thousand words and freezes time for just one moment.

When was the last time you had family pictures taken? At my house it has become a yearly tradition. Every Fall we capture very special, extremely candid moments. Some of my favorite photos end up being the ones we weren't even posing for! How fun would it be to take this idea one step further by creating a family video. That is just what this inspirational blog did (love this)!

A few weeks ago Kristen had some fun doing her family photo shoot. To be completely honest, her hubby wasn't terribly excited about the venture. So to get him on board she let him get behind the camera and do some of the picture taking. That's all it took to get him into it! Here is a peek at that as well as some tips to get you started.

All you need to do is:

-Charge up the battery in your camera so it's good and ready.

-Bring a tripod or something sturdy to set up your camera.
-Figure out outfits! Do you want to coordinate them or have them all different?

-Choose the perfect location to do the job.

Ready, Set, Action.....

Switch it up by being the photographer for a little bit......

Even let your husband try his hand at it.....

There you have it.....Priceless Memories captured! So easy, so inexpensive, and soo do-able! Be creative with this idea. Why not take pictures of jumping on a trampoline or having a water fight!?! The sky's the limit!!

When you're all said and done, pick out your favorite photo from the shoot, and put it on canvas with this FREE CANVAS offer! The picture will be a fab-u-lous piece of art in your home. I'm soo getting mine and I'm super excited about it! I will always look at that photo and smile when I remember the great date night I had with my family.

In case you don't have a camera, perhaps you could borrow one or even put it on your Christmas list! ;) You never know, maybe you are on Santa's "Nice" list this year! {WINK!} There is always the option of having a professional take those photos for you too. If you happen to live in Northern Utah I know a great photographer! You might even know her, my fellow diva, Bridget! She would love to take those priceless photos for you. Check out her blog here, you'll be glad you did!

You'll never regret having too many pictures of your family, but you might regret having too little. So STOP waiting for that perfect moment to pass you by. Kids grow up too fast. Find some time to create precious pictures that you'll have forever.

Lookin' Good: Girls & Curls

2010-11-11T07:00:00.000-08:00

Every girl should "go curly" on her birthday and it just so happens that today my lil' Miss McKenna is turning one year older! You should know that whenever a head of hair gets curled at my house I use a...Da-Da-Dun.....FLAT IRON!!! As a hairstylist, it is absolutely my favorite tool of choice. In fact, it's practically the only electric tool that I use aside from the ultimate must-have, a blow-dryer!

I have curled lots and lots.....and lots of hair in the last 11 years and I do it all with my Chi flat iron! Even so, I still get clients who are in shock and awe when I grab for this fab tool to create a wave in their hair. So much so, that the VERY act of curling hair with a flat iron just had to be addressed! What better way for me to teach you how to do this fun trick than to show you.

Watch and Learn!

WA-La!! Beautiful locks of flat iron curls!

After you've curled your hair add a little volume to your new style with some backcombing! Finish it off with a silk serum and your FAVORITE Hairspray to lock them in place! My personal picks are Biosilk serum and Retro finishing spray.

Now that you have the "know-how" it's time to put it to good use! Surprise your man TODAY with curly tresses....or at least try it out on your next big date out on the town!

Just remember this classic rule: Practice makes perfect! Practice on yourself, practice on your kids, or even practice on a friend. Don't be discouraged if this technique feels a bit strange at first (totally normal :)). You WILL get the hang of it in no time.

A BIG thanks to my wonderful model. ;) As well as Bridget and a bunch of the other Divas for asking me to post about this. I have a feeling that you will be seeing a lot of The Divas go curly for the holidays! I am one of them......

Speaking of Holidays.....Happy Veterans Day! I am a proud daughter of one of those veterans Thanks Dad for all you do to serve our country. If someone you love is a Veteran, leave us a comment.

Quick and Easy: Give Thanks

2010-11-10T07:00:00.001-08:00

10 Ways to Give Thanks

1. Make a Pumpkin Pie for your husband, with a sweet note in the middle. You can put the note in as you put the pie in the oven. He will be impressed no matter how it comes out!

2. Make a card for your husband to give him thanks for all he does in the house, and then display it in the kitchen or living room.

3. Prepare an extra special dinner made before Thanksgiving with a small turkey and some of the fixings. He will be surprised when he comes home to a special meal.

4. Make a meal or part of a meal for someone in your area and then deliver the meal by "ding dong ditching"! {That means by ringing the doorbell and running.}

5. Spend time with a family member or friend that you haven’t in a while as a couple. Bring them something homemade for an extra warm welcoming!

6. While eating dinner, take turns listing things you are thankful for.

7. For each letter in Thanksgiving, come up with something your spouse does that you appreciate.

8. Figure out a place where you can give service to others. Then go there for your date night.

9. Set a goal to do random acts of kindness around town. Whoever reaches 5 first will get a massage from their spouse.

10. Make a coupon book for your husband including what you are thankful for. Then tell him his reward for each great thing he does.

Thanksgiving is a great time of year. We spend time with our family and tend to think about giving back to others. We challenge you to try to include one of the acts of service included above this season.

It's a Harry Potter Marathon

2010-11-08T07:00:00.000-08:00

With the last of the Harry Potter movies coming out, I had to plan something for the occasion! My mom got me reading the books when I was growing up. I did not finish reading the last 3 books until I was SUPER sick during pregnancy with our first child. My husband was so supportive and would go to bed with his tired wifey at 7 o'clock. We would spend the next few HOURS reading many books, including lots on marriage! Needless to say we both LOVE Harry Potter and can't wait to re~read the BOOKS with our children when they are older!

I decided for this date I was going to leave my husband in suspense! In the morning I presented him with this letter. (There was not actually anything inside the envelope, so the only clue is what you see on this picture.)

Click here to Print your own letter (and lots more) and here to learn how to fold paper into an envelope!

My plan? To have a movie-a-thon of all the released movies so they would be fresh on our minds before we watched the NEW movie! In preparation, I went to town on making all of the decor for our date...."Harry Potter" style! I am SO excited to share it all with you! Knowing my family would also appreciate all the thought put into this date, I had it at my parent's home. I put this sign up by their front door.

Those of you who have read the books know perfectly well which of these objects are the Horcruxes. And those of you who haven't, are probably thinking, "What in the world is a Horcrux?" Anyway, I don't want to give anything away but, a Horcrux is an object someone used dark magic on to help them to become immortal.

I decorated their kitchen table like this:

Tom Riddle's Diary AND The Half Blood Prince's copy of Advance Potions Making.

Get your FREE book covers here and a tutorial on how to cover your book here!

The Whomping Willow.... let's just say it's a very violent species of a magical tree. My brother- in-law is into wire sculpting and he just happened to have this on hand. You can use any tree decoration you have around the house or even one of the kid's toys!

St. Mungo's Hospital is a hospital for magical injuries. Just pull out any First Aid things you have around the house.

This is the ring Dumbledore wears during the sixth book and movie.

The Snitch is a small golden ball used in a game called Quidditch.... as far as, "I open at the Close." Well, you will just have to read the books OR watch the upcoming movies to discover it's meaning.

Of course we had popcorn for our movie night!

Nagini is Voldemort's pet snake. OOPS! I mean, "He who must not be named!"

Dobby is a house elf that becomes a loyal friend to Harry.

Florish and Blotts Bookstore. Where Harry and his school mates get all their books for the year.

And of course Madam Paddifoot's Teashop! It's a HOT SPOT for all the young loves on Diagon Alley. And since my husband and I are the "young in love"- I had to include it on our date!

We had the yummy soup from this post! Thanks Kari, it turned out great!

Having all these decorations out for my family and my husband was really a fun conversation piece! It was so FUN to remember little parts of the books! With all the food, snacks and creative Harry Potter memorabilia, we were ready to start our Movie Marathon! I enjoy the movies but they really don't come close to the books. We are Awaiting the time where there will be enough hours in our day that we could have a Harry Potter BOOK marathon (with our kids) and re~read the series!

Here are both of the printables you will need for this date. Book Printable and the tabs for EVERYTHING else!

Step 1) Print

Step 2) Cut them out

Step 3) Remember all the paper bags from this post?! Well, here is another chance to use them up. Glue your printables to paper bags then cut a nice border around for a frame. This step is not a "must" but it adds so much more to your printables instead of just laying a bunch of a pieces of paper around. You could even use any scrapbooking paper you have around the house!

With there being seven books, I did not have time to put together all the ideas I had for this date. I'm sure if you have read the books and watched some of the movies you have some ideas of your own! I found most of my stuff around the house and at the dollar store. This date was so much fun putting together and it was even better being in the company of others who read (or watched the movies) as I did! Don't worry if you haven't watched ALL the movies yet! It doesn't come out until November 18th! Plenty of time to plan a marathon of your own.

Guest Blogger: Justin (Bridget's Husband)

2010-11-06T07:00:00.000-07:00

I am excited to announce that my husband, Justin, is our Guest Blogger today! He was a little apprehensive since he is not the blogging type, but after a little help and some coaching from ME, I might just have him SOLD on blogging! Thanks for posting, honey. I will let you get to it. - Bridget

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Posting on "The Dating Divas" is never something I thought that I would do but..... here I am! So I though that I would just get right into it. I am NOT the most romantic guy, so every year I try to make my wife's birthday really special, to make up for sometimes slacking the rest of the year. We usually go somewhere special or I give her really good present.

Three years ago we went to Park City and spent the night in our Honeymoon Suite again. A year ago I surprised her with the DSLR Camera that she had been wanting for a while. I wrapped it in black and white polka dotted paper and tied it with a red ribbon (pretty good, right?). She loved the camera but she also really liked the packaging. So I decided that it would become a tradition of ours to give her a pretty black and white package with something special inside that she can use all year long. This year I found a nice box at Target (black & white, of course) and gave her perfume (sticking to something she can use all year long), and a few other little things.

Mostly I try to listen to the subtle hints she gives me all year long about what she REALLY wants, and then I try to make that happen for her on her birthday. So now we call it the "Little Black and White Box" tradition, and it is something she has to look forward to all year. Thanks Divas for letting me participate!

Justin, (Bridget's Husband)

* * * * * * * * * * * *

I definitely agree! This is something I look forward to every year and I love that he picks up on my hints! :) What is a fun tradition that you and your spouse like to do??

"Picture Perfect" - Take II

2010-11-05T07:00:00.000-07:00

Remember THIS post?? Well, MY very own canvas finally came in the mail and I was not disappointed! Check out the final product!!

*sigh*

Better than I thought it would look....and I was expecting GREATNESS! {lol} Seriously, what are you WAITING for?? They still have that deal going on! In case you didn't read my last post, Canvas People is offering FREE 8x10 canvases!! All you have to pay is the shipping, but it's totally worth it. Jump on it before they snatch that deal away....cuz you know it's gonna happen sometime! ( BTW - I decided to upgrade mine to a 11x14 since it was only $9.99 more.)

Now, like I so casually mentioned in my last post....we have pictures in just about EVERY room in our house....each a special memory of something we did together. {That's totally normal, right? Right?!?} Honestly, just walking through our house makes me smile!! :)

Having said that, I knew Jamie would be SO excited to see this picture transformed into a canvas....I had to think of a fun way to "present" it to him....

I like this shot because you can see the 3-D effect! LOVE it!!

First step?? I created a card in Photoshop....an "oh-so-manly" one...with a little L.O.V.E. thrown in for good measure!! In case you can't read the top part, it says, "U + ME = Picture Perfect". {Cut me a little slack here....I was trying to think of somethin' snazzy to go with the picture. lol}

I included a little note underneath so he knew what I would be thinking whenever I looked at this picture of us...seriously, I really do just LOVE that man!! :) ...And OF COURSE....I didn't forget about our fabulous readers!! You can get your very own FREE downloadable card for your spouse HERE!!

I then found a FABULOUS & flirty bright red ribbon, tied it on the gorgeous canvas, and set it in a spot where he was sure to notice it.....

....his reaction did NOT disappoint me! {WINK}

A PERFECT way to end a day!! This is SUCH a great present for loved ones!! Find a favorite photo OR get out those cameras and start snapping away so you can also take advantage of this AWESOME deal!! Just click on the link, and when you get to their main landing page - click on the orange "Create Your Canvas" button to get started on owning your OWN canvas!

The Dating Divas

Our BRAND NEW WEBSITE!!!!!

Shhhhh....It's A Secret!!

Celebrate the New Year...Family Style!

Serendipity Date

ser·en·dip·i·ty

We Wish YOU A Merry Christmas!!

When Christmas Comes To Town...

Hubby Highlight: An Unexpected Gift

Santa's Helper Mini-Date

Your Rein"dear" Fun!

Bunko With My Babe!!

Intimate Moments: Santa Baby...

In The Kitchen: Christmas Breakfast

All I Want for Christmas is...YOU!

"Merry Christmas DEER" Winner Announced....

Beach Party in the Basement

A FABULOUS Christmas Gift & GIVEAWAY!!!!!

Christmas Canvas

Family Fun: The 12 Days of Christmas

Holiday Hair & *Giveaway*

Guest Blogger: B LOVELY

Celebrate the Holidays...Diva Style!

The "Christmas Service" Date

Intimate Moments: Flirty Fun...with Candy!

Guest Blogger: Nate (Charlene's Husband)

Christmas Treat Ideas

A Ramen Noodle Secret!

Guess What!?!

The "CSI: Love Edition" Date

Love Story: Charlene & Nathan

Don't Miss THIS Black Friday Deal!!

A Perfect Pedicure for "Pretty Feet"!

The SPOUSE Christmas Countdown

I'll Love You FOREVER!!!!

Hubby Highlights: Little Things Mean A Lot

"Sassy" Suggestion: Trips around the WORLD!

A Tasty Twist on a Traditional Thanksgiving Meal

Thanksgiving Meal Tips & Tricks

"Baby, It's Cold Outside" Date

Show The L.O.V.E. {Pretty Please}

"MENu Dating" Book Review & GIVEAWAY!!!

Family Fun: Candid Photoshoot

Lookin' Good: Girls & Curls

Quick and Easy: Give Thanks

It's a Harry Potter Marathon

Guest Blogger: Justin (Bridget's Husband)

"Picture Perfect" - Take II

Holiday Hair & Giveaway