Showing posts with label Best Post of the Week. Show all posts

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Tea for Two. . . Something Beautiful

Well, it's finally here!!

(Actually, it's more like it's here ALREADY!)

Twenty-five years ago today

I married my very best friend!

I promised you a little surprise today.

Here is a slideshow I made of my hubby and me from our "single" days to the present. Some photos include his two children from a previous marriage and our son in the picture with us. I found that most older pictures had at least one of our kids in them with us when we were younger. And there literally were NO videos of just Ken and I, so I just added a few from a recent vacation we took to the Carolinas.

(remember to mute the music from my playlist in the right sidebar)
It might also take a few seconds to download, so be patient. Hopefully it works correctly for you. Unfortunately, this site (Masher) has been very temperamental lately.
go to this site. . .
music/photo/video slideshow

glitter-graphics.com

One by one each year flew by,
Since we both said “I do"
25 years of memories,
Shared by us two.
From big events and holidays
To simple daily pleasures,
Some tearful times along life’s way,
Some joys that can’t be measured
One by one each year now gone,
But still they’re ours forever
Each and every memory,
Of a quarter Century together!

Because our anniversary is 2 weeks before Valentine's Day, it's always easy to find things with hearts and romance to share with my hubby for our special day. But after 25 years, unique ideas are starting to be more of a challenge to find. As I was thinking about talking about tea in today's post, I thought about having an anniversary tea for two party with my hubby. I decided to google it and see what I came up with. These pictures are great ideas for a romantic rondevu, since we have a fireplace in our home. I may surprise him with this, when he comes home from work today.

Tea by the fire

Source: tea-party-circle.com via Ann on Pinterest

candlelight and hearts

Source: teaandtalk.blogspot.com via Ann on Pinterest

Sweets for my Sweetheart - Cream Cheese Tarts

Source: preparedpantry.com via Ann on Pinterest

Rooibos, called red tea, is a good choice for a romantic tea for two

with it's naturally sweet taste and red hue.

A little romantic music would be nice.
These two songs were played at our wedding on January 31, 1987

We are planning on taking an anniversary vacation, but wanted to wait till summer, when the weather is more pleasant, as we want to renew our wedding vow on an ocean beachfront! Can't wait for that!

Linking over at:

On Your Heart Tuesdays

Tea Time Tuesday

Artful Affirmations

Best Posts of the Week

Pinning and Singing

Friday, January 20, 2012

A Journey of Love Link-Up/Photo Sharing

I'm linking on over to A Journey of Love: Habits are hard to break..with Venessa, as she takes the "Made to Crave"(book) Journey! So hop on over and check out her post! It's a great one!

I am also going on this amazing journey of better health habits!! Hopefully by June, when my hubby and I will be enjoying a beachfront anniversary trip, I will be fit and trim!!! So I'm also motivating myself by dreaming of some cute outfits I would like to wear...I'm
posting some great outfits from my Pinterest and Polyvore Pages!

A simple white dress, denim shirt, and large-brimmed hat

Source: s579.photobucket.com via Ann on Pinterest

Source: theberry.com via Ann on Pinterest

Simple, but cute above the knee dress

Source: theberry.com via Ann on Pinterest

Interchangeable skirt or sundress! Love it!

Source: mycelebrityfashion.co.uk via Ann on Pinterest

I love maxi dresses. This aqua color is lovely!

Source: clementines.com via Ann on Pinterest

Here's some really cute color combos!

Source: Uploaded by user via Ann on Pinterest

For those cooler days/evenings on the beach

And the hot/sunny beach days, sunglasses, tanks, sandals, and bikini's

Source: hiirenethebean.tumblr.com via Ann on Pinterest

Now, I'm really motivated to keep my healthy eating and exercise habits going! I want to be beachwear ready by June!!!! (I have lost almost 3 lbs this week. . . yayyy!)

Linking on over at:
Good Life Wednesday
Best Post of the Week,
As of Late

Pinning and Singing on the Weekend

Friday, January 13, 2012

Relationships Take Work! (FAITH)

Okay! I was working on a post for my blog and have felt directed to change (or more clearly, attach) another topic to this post. As you read in the title, I was writing how relationships, specifically marriage relationships, take work! What does it take to make relationships work? Right in the middle of writing, I came across Barbie’s blog over at My Freshly Brewed Life. Interestingly, Barbie is just starting a weekly link-up with what is called the Made to Crave Journey.

“Made to Crave” is a book about losing weight through a healthy lifestyle, but as the book relates, this journey starts with our relationship with God. To top this off, my hubby and I just started a weight loss challenge(along with 700 other area residents) through our local Chamber of Commerce and YMCA. I had purchased the book when it first came out, but never got past the first chapter. After reading Barbie’s post, I am encouraged to follow along with her in reading each chapter and writing each week about this journey we are taking together. We can use all the encouragement we can get when it comes to a healthy change in our lives! Not only is any positive change going to take work, but so do relationships, including our relationship with God. Ahaaaaaa…..segway!

After reading the Introduction and Chapter 1 of the book, I think the most influential statement for me was-

“Getting healthy isn’t about losing weight.
It’s about recalibrating our souls so that we want to change-
spiritually, physically, and mentally.”(pg.16)

Our relationship with God is like any relationship, including marriage. It takes effort! We can’t expect God to do all the work, just like we can’t expect our spouse to do all the work and have the relationship succeed!

O.k., back to my original post -

In a few weeks, my hubby and I will be celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary. Being married for that amount of time to one person has definitely taught me a lot about relationships. So, I want to do a little mini-series on marriage and relationships over the next several months. Most of the information I am posting about will be from the website “Biblical Foundations For Freedom” – Building a Great Marriage” Series.

http://www.foundationsforfreedom.net/Topics/Marriage/Great_Marriage/BGM00_Index.html

There are 3 important steps that need to be a part of any successful marriage: faith, forgiveness and friendship. Today, I’m covering the “faith” aspect.

1. Faith: Keep God's design clearly in focus, which include:

a) Hope does not solve problems, but it does put us on the right track so we can work out the many big and small difficulties that we face in our marriages.

Many couples do not know how to peaceably resolve things. They have no clue as to how to work through differences and misunderstandings. The spouses only know how to preserve their privileges and rights via arguments and fights. Hope will help you become the kind of spouse who will learn how to work with God in your marriage

b) Unconditional Love. The design of marriage is modeled after God’s own redemptive plan that is reflected in His own person. The scriptures call the parallel between Christ and the church and the husband and wife. Ephesians 5:25 (KJV)

^"Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it"

Husbands are to love their wives with agape love: unfailing and persistent love.(as Christ loves the church)

c) Submission In response to their unconditional love, wives need to subject themselves to their husbands in order to develop a great marriage.

(As I realize that this can be a controversial subject for many women, I decided to provide a link for those interested in reading more, if you choose to do so) http://www.foundationsforfreedom.net/Topics/Marriage/Great_Marriage/GM03_Principle2_Submit.html

The world feeds its lies to women so that they will not subject themselves to their husbands.

Subtle Arguments, not from God:

Argument #1: Husband and wife should keep their independence

Argument #2: Protection for Self and Family

Argument #3: Submissiveness means they are unimportant or unvaluable

Argument #4: Submission is equal to suffering

d) Oneness "... And the two shall become one flesh. This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church." (Ephesians 5:3-32)

Marriage was meant to last.

To the degree a couple builds upon this truth, the marriage will grow and mature. To the degree a couple live out their own independent wills, their marriage will suffer. The oneness is created by a perfect blend of their two lives.

Linking over at: My Freshly Brewed Life, A Journey of Love, Best Posts of the Week,