Looking out from Under the Hood

 
 I love the movie Cars. Especially the first one. But even the sequel impressed me. I still remember watching the first Cars movie in our local theater with my then three princesses, the oldest not even six years old at the time.

As the credits began to roll [we always stay for the credits. That’s when they play the best songs on the soundtrack,] my kindergarten graduate leans over to me and whispers, “Mommy, I’m the blue car, and Bryce is the red car.”

I smile and giggle. Then I lean over to share the news with hubby. Guess what? Our first born has a crush on someone. And his immediate response: “Well then, we’ll just have to take the blue car and put it in the garage. Lock the door. And store the key.” He might have said, ‘throw away the key,’ but I’m gonna give him the benefit of the doubt. I think he just worries that this little girl with a genetic disposition to being boy-crazy if she’s anything like her mama, might be getting ahead of her time. No dad wants to see their little girl grow up too fast. Of course. Continue reading

Top Ten Best Tools I ♡ For Marriage

 

My hubby loves tools. I’m guessing most guys do. When someone says the words, “Home Depot,” it’s almost the same effect as the ways my ears perk up when someone nearby says, “Dark Chocolate!”

And so many of us *we’re guilty of this too, purchase lots and lots of tools, and then just store them up. To collect dust. And sometimes, we wait until something is beyond repair before we’re willing to spend the time and money to find a tool to fix it. 

Call it preventative medicine if you will, but I say, tool shop along the way. Build up your inventory one tool at a time. And look at it as an investment.

Marriage is the same. If you’re serious about making your marriage thrive, you have to invest in some tools. Practice using the tools too. That’s how you get good at them. And they become a more natural part of your daily communication and relationship. Most of all, walk the journey of your relationship with a heart pointed toward learning. From others who have gone before you and are living out their vows with commitment, fervor and growing love. Year after year.

When we hit our four year anniversary, more than a decade ago, we happened to be visiting one of hubby’s best friends from high school. I remember like it was yesterday how his bride of ten years said, arms clinging tightly to her hubby’s neck, “I don’t want a mediocre marriage. I want an out-of-this-world, extraordinary, phenomenal marriage!”

I thought to myself, me too! Who doesn’t?

So over the last fifteen years, we’ve invested in our marriage. And we continue to do so. Here’s a run-down of my TOP TEN TOOLS we’ve discovered along the way and want to pass on to you: Continue reading

Operation Sabotage Spidey!…NYC Date Part 1

FTR: I actually like Spiderman…The Movie Version!

On the way to NYC to celebrate our 14th anniversary with an all day date, Hubby practices his talk to the teens that he’ll be giving on Sunday. His topic is “How to Manage Fear.” He shares a lot of words for different phobias that are a mouthful and then talks about the difference between closing your eyes when you’re afraid and facing your fears with your eyes wide open. I listen and listen and listen. Then I interrupt.

“You’re spending too much time on defining and explaining the concepts of fear. When do we get the good part? How to handle fear? What to do with fear? And what makes sense to fear?”

“You’re right. [The heavens part open and I hear a hallelujah!…Not really, but that would have been fun.] I need to work on adding more of that.” Continue reading

Fourteen Reasons I ♡ My Hubby!

Today is our 14th Wedding Anniversary! Seems like just yesterday I was looking at Sun across the walkway in front of Niagara Falls, wondering if this cute boy four years younger than me might give this crazy girl a chance. 

I really love this man…so much more than words can say. So brace yourself for a love splat of a blog all! 
You’re the reason I’m smiling Babily!! 
My Dearest Santhosh, 

I love you because…

1. You make me laugh. Still. And get me to laugh at myself. Doesn’t take much.

2. You dance with me. Even when you’re not the biggest fan of slow dancing. You also dance crazy sometimes just to entertain me and the girls.

3. You buy me chocolate and flowers. For no reason sometimes. 

4. You forgive me. Daily. Sometimes many times in one day. This should be number one. Continue reading

Top Ten Hardest Things to Share after saying “I do”

Remember in Kindergarten, when sharing did not come naturally? When two people say the words, “I do…” they don’t always know exactly what they “do” agree to in that moment of bliss and celebration. A whole lot of sharing is involved to make a marriage work. It’s fun to share laughs, adventures, meals, and your bodies… But today’s tribute to my anniversary week is not about the happy, romantic, lovey-dovey stuff in marriage.
In fact, I almost named this blog, “my love-hate relationship with marriage,” but that seemed a little extreme. I did come up with a list though, of the:

TOP TEN Hardest Things to Share in a Marriage Continue reading

In Search of Waterfalls – Years 8 to 13

 

Picking up from where we left off, Year Eight came along, and we ventured over to north Atlanta so we could leave the girls with my sister and her hubby for a few days. Then we drove north two hours till we hit the Blue Ridge Mountains to a cabin in the woods. On this trip, we decided to give white water rafting a whirl for the first time. Except that by the time we descended onto the Ocoee River in North Carolina, we were each paddling our own kayaks. Not the group ride I had anticipated but an amazing adventure I will never forget. At one point we got separated and to this day, I am so relieved I thought out loud and asked the guide if there was any way I could get lost. And he replied, “Nope. The river only goes in one direction, so even when it splits, it will reunite again.” 

In Search of Waterfalls…Years 1 to 7

Since hubby and I began our relationship at Niagara Falls and my Sunshine proposed to me at a waterfall, early on, it seemed only natural to name the journey of our romance, “In Search of Waterfalls.”

This Thursday, our marriage turns 14 years old. Like most special days in our family, this calls for celebration. But I have to be honest, my wedding anniversary is perhaps the most exciting time in my year.

I am married to a man who just loves to plan a batta-bing batta-boom date night or trip to remind me why he proposed to me over a decade ago. Why he told me, “It seems kinda obvious that I like you,” beginning our dating journey. And why he called me almost every morning to say, “Good morning,” and every night to say, “Good night,” just cuz he loved to hear the sound of my laugh. This all the summer we first met and were just enjoying the friendship.

So to get us in the mood, I thought I’d take you on tour of our past anniversaries. So get yourself some candles, a bottle of bubbly, and snuggle up to a romance in progress… Continue reading

Life is Dangerous…Live Anyway!

 Chicago Bulls’ Derrick Rose, tears his ACL during playoff game #1 against the Sixers and is done for 2012 NBA season.

New York Yankees’ Joba Chamberlein hurts ankle while playing on trampoline with five year old son and is out for 2012 season.

New York Knicks Jeremy Lin recovering from knee surgery and now rookie Iman Shumpert is out for eight months after tears to his ACL as well as a lateral meniscus.

Life is dangerous. Each of these players knows. They’re hurting now. But, the truth is, they probably have the option to come back. Hopefully make their game stronger. And play some more. 

When hubby and one of his best friends trotted off to catch the shuttle bus over the the Pocono Raceway for their first Tough Mudder competition, I can’t lie. I was a little nervous. The description and videos of the event included obstacles involving fire, electrical shocks, ice water, climbing walls, and dark tunnels. The twelve to thirteen mile course is broken up with these army-simulated challenges that you cannot complete apart from your team.  Continue reading

My Sexy Spring Cleaning Spouse

I am not too fond of cleaning, and organizing is not one of my top loves. Outside finding good uses for dark chocolate and writing that is. And don’t worry, I’m almost ten days into Lent, and I’ve been good. I’ve developed a minor lip twitch, wake up grouchy, and my right leg shakes uncontrollably. Other than that, I’m good.
When I married Sun, I should have known that one day, we’d be proud owners of lots of organizers. Baskets, bins, crates, and hooks. My baby loves them all. If you were looking for hubs this week, sightings of his smiling face were reported in the aisles of Bed, Bath, and Beyond, Crate and Barrel, and my favorite and yours, good ol’ Target. The first two are stores that make my head spin and leave me wanting. Cuz my super-saver self just cringes at the prices, and I prefer deciding between candy bars over shoe racks any day. Continue reading

If I Won an Oscar…

Sorry this is a few days late, but I have a confession to make. I didn’t want to tell you. That I was giving up something for Lent. In case I failed. And then I’d be a half-hearted Lenter, in which case, why Lent at all?
I didn’t grow up Catholic. But I’ve always had plenty of friends each year, back to when I was in college, who planned, thought through, and followed through on forty days without a certain item, activity, or most often a particular food or drink. 
When I was a college senior, I decided to give it a whirl. Continue reading