Category: marriage


Apr
2015

How to Make Date Night a Priority

categories: dining out, love, marriage

Making Date Night a Priority #LobsterWorthy
Date Night Selfie!

Making time for date nights with my husband is a real struggle with our busy schedule, but every time we make it work it is so worth it.  It can be so easy to push it to the back burner and let budget, busyness, and kids get in the way of quality time together. One of goals this year is to have at least one quality date night out a month, and we are working hard to make that happen. Today I’m sharing tips to help you make date night a priority, plus some fun details from our recent #lobsterworthy date night out at Red Lobster.

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Mar
2015

How to Protect Your Marriage from One of the Most Common Causes of Divorce

categories: financial freedom, marriage, our financial story

No one gets married thinking about divorce, but we know it happens to so many couples. If we could figure out what causes it, would we try to avoid it? OF COURSE WE WOULD. We’re not dumb. There it is in black and white, on every list of the most common causes of divorce: money and financial issues. Here’s the thing – it isn’t a lack of money that makes the list. It’s the issues that come from not being on the same page financially with your spouse – not seeing eye to eye about money. Maybe one spouse is a spender while the other is a saver, or one insists on controlling every aspect of the finances without letting the other have a say. What is comes down to is that if you aren’t on the same page, with the same vision of your financial future as your spouse, there will be issues. So, how do you get on the same page?

How to Protect Your Marriage from One of the Most Common Causes of Divorce

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May
2014

Simple Ways to Bring Jesus in to Your Marriage

categories: family, jesus, love, marriage

simplewaystobringjesusintoyourmarriage

Marriage is the best, hardest, most challenging, and most fulfilling life relationship. My husband is an amazing man and his love is a blessing to me every day of my life. We’ve been married six years, so we are still total beginners in the grand scheme of things, but we’ve picked up a few habits that help keep our faith in Jesus in the center of our marriage that I’ll share with you today. Much like my post about Simple Ways to Bring Jesus in to Your Child’s Daily Routine, I’m not coming to you from a place of having anything figured out. I write this more as a fellow traveler on this journey of marriage who wants to share and encourage and protect marriages. Everyone wants their marriage to succeed, and I think that best happens when both partners are on the same page about faith, money, and family goals.

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Feb
2014

Frugal Friday: Ten Frugal Date Night Ideas {Perfect for Valentine’s Day or Any Day}

categories: frugal, marriage

frugaldatenightideas

With two small children galavanting around our house, date nights are hard to come by.  I love dinner and a movie, but sometimes you want a little something different even if you don’t have wiggle room in the budget.  Today I’m sharing ten frugal ideas for your next date night (or day) that are cheap or free after polling my girlfriends to get some fresh ideas for our own marriage.  These dates would be perfect for your Valentine’s Day celebration or any night you can get away with your sweetie.  If you need a frugal babysitting solution so you can afford to go on a date, check out my post on cheap/free babysitting options here.  Read on and please share your frugal date night ideas in the comment section.

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Jan
2014

The Three Best Things We’ve Done For Our Marriage (So Far) #HappyWivesClub

categories: book review, marriage


This post is part of the Happy Wives Club Blog Tour which I am delighted to be a part of along with hundreds of inspiring bloggers. To learn more and join us, CLICK HERE!  

Marriage is the best, hardest, most rewarding, most humbling part of my life.  I love my husband and am so blessed to have a partner in this life who loves me well.  We have been married for five and half years and I’m praying for 60 more great years with my man.  I still have so much to learn and one place I go for encouragement is the Happy Wives Club.  Started by the lovely Fawn Weaver as a response to the negativity about marriage in the world, it is a haven of encouragement.  It doesn’t take five minutes on Facebook to find someone bashing their spouse or complaining about their life in their status update.  I believe marriage is a gift and it is hard work daily.  To make it work you have to choose to believe in the value of your marriage and your partnership with your spouse.  It is worth it.  We are only five years in and still learning every day, but so far I can share with you the three best things we’ve done for our marriage.

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Apr
2013

Our Wedding: Five Years Ago Today

categories: family, marriage, weddings
Five years ago today I married the love of my life in a field in Weaverville, North Carolina.
 He is everything I hoped for and everything the Lord knew I needed.
 We were surrounded by family and friends.
 The whole day was beautiful and perfect in our eyes.

I can’t believe it has been five years since we said, “I do.”  We had no idea what the Lord had planned for us, and we have been blown away by His love and provision.  I pray for at least a good 50 or 60 more years with my love and for our family to glorify Jesus is all that we do.  I am so thankful the Lord brought us together and gave us a life following after Him.  
Happy anniversary Jed!  


**Photos by Kristi Hedberg


Apr
2011

Heavenly Day – Our 3rd Anniversary

categories: family, marriage, weddings
Three years ago today, I married Jed in a picturesque field in the mountains of Weaverville, North Carolina.  I cannot believe it has been three years already.  Now we have made a new home in Dallas, though we still miss the mountains and our wonderful friends there.  We have a baby due in a few weeks and will soon be a family of three (plus one wiener dog).  We have learned so much about loving each other well, compromise, selfishness and selflessness, getting on the same page about money, serving in ministry together, and being each other’s biggest fan.  I’m praying for 67 more years of wedded bliss and life together.  Thank you, Jed, for loving me so well and being everything I could ever want or need in a husband.  You will be an amazing daddy to our little Bun.  I hope we get to dance to our wedding song today.    
“Heavenly Day” by Patty Griffin

Oh heavenly day, all the clouds blew away
Got no trouble today with anyone
The smile on your face I live only to see
It’s enough for me, baby, it’s enough for me
Oh, heavenly day, heavenly day, heavenly day
Tomorrow may rain with sorrow
Here’s a little time we can borrow
Forget all our troubles in these moments so few
All we’ve got right now, the only thing that
All we really have to do
Is have ourselves a heavenly day
Lay here and watch the trees sway
Oh, can’t see no other way, no way, no way
Heavenly day, heavenly day, heavenly day
No one at my shoulder bringing me fears
Got no clouds up above me bringing me tears
Got nothing to tell you, I’ve got nothing much to say
Only I’m glad to be here with you
On this heavenly, heavenly, heavenly, heavenly
Heavenly day, all the trouble’s gone away
Oh, for a while anyway, for a while anyway
Heavenly day, heavenly day, heavenly day


Jan
2011

Three Years Ago Today…

categories: marriage

… We got engaged at Disney World in Orlando! It was an incredible day when Jed surprised me with the big questions and a gorgeous sapphire ring. We were in Florida for the Young Life All Staff Conference that happens every four years. All of our YL friends were there with us, so after our day at the park alone, we got to celebrate with so many people that we love.

Jed found the perfect place to propose – this little rose garden in front of Cinderella’s castle. I had always dreamed of going to the Magic Kingdom, and was so happy that Jed chose that day to propose.
We didn’t coerce a stranger into taking a picture of us making out. We had the camera set up with a timer, and after the 1st shot he got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. After I said yes and we both cried, we took a few more pictures.
It was a truly magical day at the Magic Kingdom. I had forgotten that today was the day until Jed reminded me during our 20 week ultrasound this morning. He pointed out that it was amazing that three years later we were seeing our baby and preparing for his or her arrival. I’m so thankful for this man who loves me so well. I’ll post the ultrasound picture later, so come back soon.

How did your man propose? …or What would be your dream proposal?

Nov
2010

Just like Newlyweds…

categories: love, marriage


I saw this Newly Wed game on Miss Madison’s Charmed Life. I thought it would be fun to get Jed involved with the blog action. I had him answer all the questions about me, without asking me for help. He did pretty well.

His answers are first, with my follow up in red.

1. She’s sitting in front of the TV, what is on the screen?
Project Runway or Say Yes to the Dress

Probably true. I’ve given up Law and Order for the most part because it started giving me nightmares.

2. You’re out to eat, what kind of dressing does she get on her salad?
Light Italian
Not so much. I love balsamic vinaigrette and honey mustard.
3. What’s one food she doesn’t like?
Pepperoni
So true. Not sure why.
4. You go out to eat and have a drink, what does she order?
Diet Coke
or water… depending on my mood.

5. What shirt size does she wear?
M
The baby may change this, we’ll have to wait and see.


6. What shoe size does she wear?
8
or 8.5, but pretty close.

7. What’s her favorite type of sandwich?
BLT

Yummy! + avocado

8. What would she eat everyday if she could?
Seafood/shrimp

Totally.

9. What is her favorite cereal?
Special K

I’m so glad he thinks so well of me. My secret fav is Lucky Charms.

10. What would she never wear?
Fur

It is just mean, can’t do it.

11. What is her favorite sports team?
Arkansas Razorbacks

Go Hogs!

14. What is something she does that you wish she wouldn’t do?
Put her freezing cold hands on me when she is cold.

He really hates it, but is also a human space heater. What would you do?

15. What is her heritage?
Irish

also English and Scandinavian

16. You bake her a cake, what kind of cake?
Cupcakes. Red velvet with cream cheese icing

Yes, please!
17. Did she play sports in high school?
So she claims…
He may not believe me, but I played soccer and softball, danced, and was the captain of the canoe racing team. In your face, Jed.

18. What could she spend hours doing?
Reading/blogging

True.

19. What is the unique talent that she has?
Loving the unlovable

So sweet…

20. What is her type of coffee?

Dunkin Donuts with a little hazelnut or french vanilla cream, no sugar.
So good…

It was fun to see how he answered all the questions. How would your significant other do?


Jul
2010

frugal friday – date night

categories: financial freedom, frugal, marriage
*photo from shockya

how do you budget for romance?

we are on a budget. we use cash only, and try to stick to that budget like glue. at the same time, we have to carve out quality time in our busy week to spend together, building this marriage and keeping romance alive. to keep the budget in sync with the dates, we have to get creative. our latest discovery is a dollar movie theater about 4 miles from our house. we will never be the first ones to see a movie, but that is ok. we went out to a movie, shared popcorn and a diet coke, and paid less than $10 total. the regular movie theater costs $10.50 per person here in dallas, $13.50 for 3D. that is crazy talk. that means we would be spending $21 for 2 hours entertainment without any snacks. no thanks. i’ll take the dollar theater any day.


here are a few more of our budget date ideas:
share a bucket of balls at the driving rangeoutdoor concerts (bring a picnic)the zoomini golfhikingrent a movie at homebike ridesfield trip to ikea 🙂walking through christmas lights (in dec., obviously)

what are your cheap date night ideas?