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Showing posts with the label learn

Healthy Marriage Movie Guide--- The Hundred-Foot Journey

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There are so many different relationships happening in this movie. Enjoy the film and then discuss the following: รจ “I am no mechanic, but I think it is something to do with brakes”. The family enters Europe (France) and the brakes go out on their van. The rest of the family is getting frustrated and worried about things, while the father remains calm and has hope that they will find a place that will suit them. What kind of calm can be in your marriage and family if you remain calm in uncertain times? รจ “…I think my family believes they died in the accident and now we are in heaven”. The family is very grateful to Marguerite for helping them, but especially for such delicious food. Do you show gratitude for the things that others do for you, even if it has become “expected” that they will do these things? How does gratitude change the atmosphere of your marriage? รจ “Asking for a discount does not mean I am poor, it means I am thrifty.” What are some characteristics o...

Healthy Marriage Movie Guide-- MARLEY & ME

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Date night! Sometimes it is just tough to get out and do something. Time to cozy up and watch Marley & Me together. Use these questions to spark great conversation that can lead to better connection and the spark you need to re-implement good practices into your marriage. New Love รจ Scene 1: After marrying, John and Jenny moved to Florida. They are very lovey as they pursue their careers. “Who are you?   You are John Freakin’ Grogan, who is about to get a job…” In what ways can you keep the love alive in your marriage? รจ How can you keep friendship in your marriage, even when struggles come? รจ Scene 31: When burying Marley, Jenny puts her “start of the family” necklace that Marley once ate. She expresses publicly (in front of the children) that the family had already begun, when she got the necklace (Marley was part of the family). What are some of your favorite memories from the beginning of your relationship/marriage? How can you make your spouse feel rare an...

History...Family History

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Let's get the details on who we are and who they are. I have always acted as though family history work is not for me. I struggle with it. I struggle with technology. I like reading stories, but I thought that was about it. Recently my husband and I took a little date night for focusing on learning about some of our family lines. It can be so cool! It is interesting to learn where different ancestors were born and lived. What is really cool is just the fact that so many people have put in so much effort to preserve history of different people and that we have archives available to us with census information, marriage dates, and pictures and stories.  FamilySearch  is a great place to start, because it is free to everyone and has loads of information in it's archives. Marriage Reconnect Read up on an ancestor from yours and your spouse's side of the family. It is interesting how we claim people as family from years and years ago that we have never known. My husband was...

Old Dominion Historic Mine Tour

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It all started with mining and it really is still all about mining. Head to the Historic Old Dominion Mine Park to get some fresh air and take a self-guided tour of old mine property. Go hand in hand on this date and enjoy the view off the side of the hill. Seeing the pictures on the information boards throughout the park really made me think about what life was like back in the Old West. Standing on the very ground where work was bustling and being able to see and touch a lot of the actual equipment that was used for years. Marriage Reconnect After you do all the exploring and learning about mining and the old Globe life, change focus to your own work life. Are you on track to where you want to be?  Talk about the dreams and goals you both have and look back on how far you have come while married. Times when we have discussed how we got to where we are, we have been humbled and also seen how our relationship has developed along the way. Day in and day out work i...

Oh, a Little to the Left...Down...Ahh! Right There!

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Massage night! Who doesn't love getting a massage? OK, so I guess some people don't, but I am almost positive you or your spouse does...so just enjoy each other's company and help relieve the tension build up in their back, shoulders, face or any place they need massaging. Marriage Reconnect Podcasts are a big thing these days. Most people are tuning in to some kind of podcast or listening to audio books. Tonight try a direct focus on marriage. Linked here are some great options for marriage podcasts. Choose one that sounds interesting and listen together. You will be able to have a great conversation from what you learn together.

Rah, Rah Radish!

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Got gardening on the brain? Ever dabbled in gardening? In college my husband and I took a home gardening course together and really enjoyed the content. The most important thing I learned was that no matter where you live, how small your living quarters are, you can find a way to garden. There are so many great ideas online since the whole tiny living movement. You can garden in old soda bottles, cups, and more. When we were first married we got permission from our landlord to tear out some ugly bushes from a planter under our window and use the space for a garden. To maximize my gardening area I also planted tomato plants in some buckets that I bought for $1 at the Walmart bakery (they were old frosting buckets). (My first home garden! I think I need to take my advice on this date idea and get my garden going with my husband!) Marriage Reconnect  Put your heads together and decide on a gardening project, be it big or small, and get to it! Gardening is known to be very...

Visiting the Elderly

This date night activity is sure to bring smiles to you and your spouse, but also to those you visit. Spending time at nursing homes is time well spent. Many residents often do not have visitors or new faces to talk to and interact with. There are different things you can do when visiting a nursing home. Ideas: Call ahead and ask what supplies may be needed for residents (collect and then donate) Play board games Sing to them Read books or poems Interview residents   Questionnaires:   https://www.huffingtonpost.com/karl-a-pillemer-phd/listening-to-elders_b_4200329.html https://www.aegisliving.com/resource-center/30-questions-to-ask-your-grandparents/ (Add and search for more questions!) There are two skilled nursing facilities in Globe: Haven of Globe Heritage Health Care Center Contact the before heading over to see if there are any specifics on best times to chat with residents and what kind of interactions would be most beneficial! Marr...

Water Sports

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Have you ever lived somewhere that had plenty of activities available to you and yet you just never got around to participating, life got in the way and then you moved and realized you never experienced what was right in front of you? Living in Globe, there are so many different outdoor activities that can be reached for a day trip. Roosevelt Lake is close enough that you can have great day trips. Use what equipment you have, can borrow, or purchase such as paddle boards, kayaks, boats, and more. Head out for a day at the lake. It's great to be able to take a day and live in vacation mode with the spouse. Enjoy the sunshine, water, and whatever activity you choose. Check out the Forest Service website for needed  Passes  and additional information you may need for these outings.

Steak House

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Fancy dates are a great way to get out and see each other in a different setting. Your spouse is the person you should want to look your best for; their opinion counts the most. Get ready and go out to the Apache Gold Casino for date night.  A steakhouse is a great choice for date night--a hearty meal and great time for conversation. Marriage Reconnect Time to get to know your spouse even more! Take time to think up things  your spouse may not know about you and play 2 truths and a lie together. It is interesting how even 5 years with my husband; there are things that come up often that I must not have told him about myself, he forgot, or that just seem to be a mystery. Have a fun filled night without the regular, day to day worries!

Crawdadin'

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Have you ever caught crawdads? Look it up and decide on a method of how you want to go about getting them. You are going to want to be able to catch enough to have a little fry and enjoy them! Head out to Roosevelt Lake and hangout while trying to catch crawdads. One hot summer night we were out there wading only about knee deep, but had a great time catching them by hand....I may or may not have just observed the whole "catching" part.  ๐Ÿ˜† Marriage Reconnect It's so cool that there is a lake close where you can enjoy different types of recreation. Get out at night and enjoy looking up at the stars. Remember to live in the moment. This is something that is hard to do with the day in and day out monotonousness of life, but it is probably something that you and your spouse enjoyed doing when you were first together.

Ghost Town

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You live in an old, Arizona ghost/mining town. This town is full of rich history and the history is alive! Keep up on the schedules of different tours and happenings in Globe. This would be a great date. There are jail tours, tours of the old courthouse building (currently the Post Office), and Cemetery Tours.    There are exciting presentations happening at different times throughout the year that will take you back to a time once alive in Globe. There were outlaws and many other exciting things happening. Marriage Reconnect Depending on what community tour or activity you participate in, it will be a great opportunity to be with your honey. There are really great ghost stories in all the tours, which leaves a lot to discuss. These kinds of dates are much more interactive than watching a movie together.

Fire Watch

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Experience something new with this unique hike. Have you heard of fire towers? Throughout the summer months there are locations on the highest hills throughout the forest where a person keeps watch for any fires. You can visit and they may even give you a small tour of their equipment, books, and tell you any of the history of the area. Read here about a historic tower in Grand Canyon National Park. My husband visited McFadden Peak  Lookout by happenstance when he was out with his boy scout troop.  It was staffed and the lookout gal, there for the summer, gave them a tour and showed them how she would pin point a fire and notify the necessary people, if there were a fire spotted. Marriage Reconnect The reason for fire towers is to be able to get an eye on a fire as soon as it starts...to put it out fast, with the least amount of damage.  We should keep an eye out for fires within our marriages. Dr. John Gottman says that we should work on solving ...

Historic Downtown Stroll

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Throughout my time in Globe I have noticed varying foot bridges and stairs in the old town area, over washes and up hill sides. Well, follow the directions at this link so that you can trek the "trails" that were once used for daily travel to and from work, school, and other activities in the old mining town of Globe.  This is a chance to look at your surroundings in a different way and from a different view..don't forget to hold hands! Marriage Reconnect Talk about and analyze your physical touch with your spouse. It is so important to be physically connected in our day to day coming and goings. Do you kiss each other throughout the day? Do you hug before one of you leaves the house? Set a goal that will increase your physical touch and see what difference it can make in your love connection.

SSsssshhhhhhhhhh!!!

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Library Date!  You probably wouldn't think of a library date--that's so college. But seriously, the local library can be loads of fun and here you have two choices--Globe or Miami Library. The Miami Library is actually a historic building; it was the Miami High School Gym and has a lot of memorabilia and history within...they probably have a few history books too.  ๐Ÿ˜† Marriage Reconnect Play a game at the library. Of course, keep it within reason and library appropriate...ssshhhh! Examples: Dictionary War--each of you get a dictionary. You can find outrageous words and see if the other knows what they mean or find words to describe each other. Battle it out! Conversations completely from the lines on the page. You can use regular books or poetry books. Have a conversation...using only lines from the book you chose.  Find a movie to check out and head home for a cuddly afternoon. Read children stories to each other. Practice your expressive reading abi...

Fine Arts

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Head to the Cobre Valley Center for the Arts ---They have great local theatre productions featuring talent from all ages. Enjoy the atmosphere in the old courthouse building, watching acts on the second floor stage.  Follow CVCA on Facebook for an update on all events. Marriage Reconnect Afterwards, discuss what you saw, heard, and felt. Get to know your spouse through the arts. What moves them? Learn what they appreciate and understand their feelings on different subjects. It is important for us to be connected and vulnerable in different ways. You may learn something new about each other through the conversation you have on reviewing the production. 

In Sickness and In Health

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Do you know how to take care of your spouse? What if they could no longer do some day to day things? Are there things that they do that you just wouldn't be able to fill in for...or it would be quite difficult? For this stay at home date you are going to take care of each other. Him --Do you know how to do your wife's hair? Hairspray, Dry Shampoo, Braids, Curling Irons, Serums.... Take her directions and get to work! Her --Can you shave his face without all the nick's? Spray out some shaving cream and wield that razor! Marriage Reconnect Do you know your spouse's snack preferences? Before the evening starts each of you separately purchase the snacks that you think your spouse would choose for movie night/date night. Drink, chips/crackers, ice cream, gum, candy, whatever it may be. Surprise each other with what you got when you were thinking about the other.

K. I. S. S. I. N. G.

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Spice up your date with this game. It's time to be lip locked. Is it possible to kiss your husband or wife too much? No, just no. That is not even a question. At the start of your date, make some rules. You need a list of trigger words and topics that if brought up will = kisses. You want there to be a lot of random kissing! PDA please! Some time during your date play the following game: You need to have a full conversation without your lips parting. So talk and kiss at the same time. You're Welcome!

Swap Meet!

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Run to the far end of town (ok, you can drive) on a weekend and go to the Globe Park n' Swap. Make a game of it and set a limit for each other, say $10? Now you can decide if you want to find things you actually need/want or weird things...but see which of you can be the best bargain finder and/or haggler! Enjoy the competition. Marriage Reconnect Share with each other something you learned in the past week. Often times we don't reflect on the things that we have seen, done, or learned in a week--not recognizing that we are becoming better, smarter, and stronger. You may have to dig through your mind on this one, but it doesn't have to be extraordinary. This is another way to bond with your spouse; possibly they will have questions about the thing you shared or maybe you will have something come up that you both want to learn more about.

Do You Have an Eye for Art?

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Let's critique things...the right things. It is so easy, as the years and days go by, to critique our spouses...on everything and nothing. I know I have gone overboard, even if just in my mind. Head to the Cobre Valley Center for the Arts and be art critics. There are so many different pieces and styles of art in the gallery. As you walk around this historic building, take in the colors and textures that have been laid out for your viewing. If you want to be really into it (why not?), bring your clip boards and pens to keep lists of what your favorites are/are not and what stood out to you. Compare notes at the end or throughout your art walk. Head down Broad Street and stop in to Noel's Sweets and Gifts to enjoy an ice cream treat. Marriage Reconnect You have probably heard of having a gratitude journal that you write in daily. Well, start a journal where you write each day something you are grateful for about your spouse. You can call it your Spousitude journ...

Copy Cat Instead of Eat Out

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Is there one thing you order every time you go out to eat? Have you ever thought of recreating that delicious plate at home? Decide ahead of time on a dish you and your spouse would like to recreate---get all necessary ingredients. Spend this evening in the kitchen creating together. This would probably best be done when kids are in bed or in front of a movie. I love chalupas from Taco Bell, but I wanted an alternative to it, because I was living far from a Taco Bell. I found a recipe online and got to work. I MADE MY OWN CHALUPAS and my husband also affirmed that he loves chalupas! Really, the possibilities are endless with this date night! Marriage Reconnect During this date, possibly while enjoying your copied food of choice, discuss media boundaries. John Gottman in his book, "The 7 Principles for Making Marriage Work", said,                                        ...