Committed Couples Keep The Spark Alive

If you are in the majority of contemporary committed couples, I'll bet, if you thought about it for a moment, you would discover that you spend more time each week watching television or commuting to work than you do alone with your honey!

In our demanding world filled with multiple priorities, responsibilities and distractions, everything and everyone else seems to be more important than attending to our most intimate and special relationship.

I think you'd agree that to keep that spark alive, you and your beloved must spend quality, eyeball-to-eyeball time together.

Do you and your sweetheart carve out quality, alone-time every week? Do you both take responsibility for it, or does the task fall to one or the other of you? Do one or both of you allow "real" interruptions to get in the way or spoil your planned time together?

Here are a few simple suggestions to get your own personal creativity going:

· Meet once a week to look at your schedules and set aside time for each other.

· At least once a week plan a Date Night. Once a month plan a Date Day (that's right! A whole day from morning to evening). Once each quarter plan a weekend get-away. Once each year plan a week away together.

· Mark your planned time in your calendar, just like a dentist appointment or an appointment with a client. Write it in ink! Mark yourself out for a block of time.

· Take turns planning your dates each week.

· One week you might send the kids to Grandma's house or a neighbor's, stay in, order a pizza and rent a movie. The next week you might get a sitter and go out on the town.

· Do the grocery shopping and buy a bouquet of flowers for your partner

· Write a love note and leave it for your partner to find.

· Put the kids to bed, and, instead of watching T.V., doing laundry or other chores, go to bed early and share massages, talk or cuddle.

· Turn off the T.V., turn on the stereo and have a talk.

· Kiss your spouse Good Morning and Good Night every day. Just say, "I love you."

Think back to when you first started dating. What did you do? What things did you both enjoy that you no longer make time to do? Why did you fall in love?

Let your creative juices flow! Let your imagination go wild! Anything goes. This is the most important person in your life. Rejoice! Celebrate yourself and each other. Embrace the moment and the gift of your love.

Only You can make it happen!

Copyright Dr. Jackie Black 1999-2006

Don’t Forget To Exfoliate!

As we age, exfoliation is vital for smooth, supple, healthy skin; however it is the one step that is commonly skipped in a skincare routine

What does exfoliating do?
When skin is exfoliated, it loosens, softens & sloughs off dry dead skin cells.  Our skin continually exfoliates itself, a naturally occurring process that slows down as we age. Exfoliating is your body’s way of regenerating new cells.  There are products and ways to accelerate this process to keep your skin soft, supple and glowing.

Oatmeal Soap
Oatmeal is an amazing thing!  It’s good for our bodies inside and out.  Oatmeal soap is a wonderful moisturizer and exfoliater.  It gently rids your body of dead skin while soothing dry itchy skin.  Here is a great article that goes into detail the benefits of Oatmeal Soap at Livestrong.

Ayate
Ayate washcloths are made from loosely woven fibers of the agave plant.  When they get wet, the fibers plump up and it becomes a dense, soft, sturdy material. These amazing little washcloths are natural and mildew resistant. Each cloth is a unique hand woven product from villages in Mexico, made by semi-desert Indians. The cloth magically softens when placed in water and is machine washable. Use to exfoliate your skin, to remove unwanted dry skin cells. Use for an invigorating massage with aromatherapy products. A great value as it will last for a full year.

Lucky for you both of these products (along with many other spa items) are available to order at an Athena’s Adult Novelty Home Party!  If you are in the Northwest Iowa area, contact me to find out how you can host your own party to earn discounts & prizes.