Are you a soon-to-be Mrs. dreaming about how great your new initials are going to look? Look no further for your newest accessory! This week on The Bridal Boutique we’re featuring this sparkly monogram necklace. This necklace can be customized to your new initials and looks great as an everyday piece or dressed up for a night out! Not only is this an awesome gift for the bride but also for her bridesmaids! Check it out on Prep Obsessed :)
All photos courtesy of Bleudog Fotography
Written with love, by Pastor Dave Page
"And they lived happily ever after.”
About half of the marriages in America end up in divorce. It might be more accurate to say, “They lived angrily ever after."
I’m not stupid. I know that life is no storybook but I’ll admit that somewhere deep in my subconscious lurked romantic visions of Cinderella - an image of a bride and Prince Charming riding off into the sunset. In the writings of Shakespeare, the presence of a happy ending is one of the key points that distinguish melodrama from tragedy. Let’s face it, marriage is not for the faint of heart. You want to believe your deep love for each other can pull you through anything you face, and it can, but it ain't always pretty.
That may sound depressing but the truth is that marriage has a lot to teach you about yourself, your partner, and the true nature of love. Read on to discover the ten things nobody told me about marriage:
You may have heard, “Marriage takes work,” and you assume “work” means being patient when he forgets to put down the toilet seat. But it’s so much more complicated. Getting married is like moving to a foreign country. You experience culture shock. You and your husband won’t always speak the same language. Living in marriage is a huge adjustment.
Bill Hybels says, “Consider the math of marriage: One sinner plus another sinner equals two sinners. Double trouble under one roof. Add a couple ‘sinnerlings,’ and we’re talking quadruple trouble under that same single roof.” Creating a healthy marriage will tap you to the core of your being.
Jerry Maguire was a good movie. But contrary to classic line in the movie and the implicit messages embedded in statements like “I’ve found my soul mate" or “my other half," a healthy marriage consists of two whole people who partner to create a third body of their marriage. In other words, one plus one doesn't equal one or even two; it makes three. You are responsible for your own happiness and wholeness, and your spouse is responsible for his or hers.
I never envisioned the “D” word going into our marriage but after one stressful season where I had a financial downturn in my salary, my wife became depressed and it seemed like we fought more than we got along, and divorce looked like a serious possibility. Fortunately we went to counseling for help. I’ll never forget the counselor saying, “You don’t want to get a divorce.” I really didn’t. I just wanted the pain to stop. I’m so glad we stuck it out.
God designed sex to be a very important part of a marriage. When we have sex, a hormone (oxytocin) is released that makes us want to connect, physically, and once connected, stay connected. It a bonding glue for humans.
With that said, there are times that one of you just won't feel like having sex — often for reasons that have nothing to do with your spouse. The fact is, there will be nights that one of you is not in the mood. Sexless periods are a natural part of married life. A dry spell isn't a sign that you've lost your mojo or that you'll never have sex again. It just means that maybe this week a good night’s sleep trumps sex.
“I got my way in the end,” a spouse said proudly after emerging the victor in a domestic dispute. He may have won the battle but he lost the war. In his case, he won the dispute but lost a spouse. Many times it’s our anger that gets us into a fight but it's our ego that keeps us there. The relationship is the most important thing.
Harmony is normal and conflict is abnormal. FALSE. Conflict is natural, normal and inevitable whenever people interact together. What makes marriage work? It's how you resolve conflict that matters the most. Learn to fight fair.
It happens. Even if we know this intellectually, when lack of attraction hits in marriage people panic. We’re a profoundly image-based culture and we’re taught through mainstream media that if you’re not wildly attracted to your partner, you’re with the wrong person. That simply is not reality.
We see our partners in many different lights — from elegantly dressed for a special event to losing their cookies over a toilet bowl. Even over the course of a day, attraction can fluctuate and that's normal.
I had a wonderful self-development plan for my wife when we got married and I was flabbergasted when she rejected it. I’ve learned that I can’t change my spouse but I can change myself.
In the words of Michael Jackson:
“I’m starting with the man in the mirror
I'm asking him to change his ways
And no message could have been any clearer
If you want to make the world a better place
Take a look at yourself, and then make a change."
Let’s face it - having children is stressful, overwhelming, rich, and beautiful and it will put a strain on even the best of marriages. It's a small miracle that any couple survives, parenting through the process. I can still hear Carrie say, “It’s your turn to get up and feed her.”
Truth be told, marriage isn't “happily ever after.” It isn't the end of the road, the resting spot for eternal happiness. Marriage more accurately is a constant work in progress.
In summary, marriage is one of the most challenging and rewarding paths we can commit to as human beings. And I highly recommend it.
Written with love, by Sarah-Eliza Stone (woohoo! new last name!)
The first thing that you notice about me is my red hair. The second inevitable fact is that I’m very Irish. And as my husband truly enjoys pointing out, “with the Irish follows the temper”. This is usually after an episode of swearing at the cutting board, or the pot, or perhaps the oven. Whatever it was that made my recipe go awry in the first place, it’s usually to blame.
There are days where the poor fool should be pitied as he creeps into our tiny kitchen, patient as always, and attempts to fix my disaster. I’ll be the first to admit there are times where I would love nothing more than to chuck the dinner outside and order Chinese instead. I’ll also be the first to admit that sometimes all it takes is a bit of encouragement, and a teaspoon of whiskey.
This date night is all about spices, whiskey and how all the flavours can play off of one another to make a delicious dinner. Don’t be afraid to smell (or taste) a few brands until you like the smell of a certain kind.
· 2kg of round eyed beef roast
· 2 cloves of chopped garlic
· ¼ cup chopped onion
· 2 basil leaves
· 2 mint leaves
· 3 cups of beef stock
· 1 tsp whiskey
· 1 tsp of paprika
· 1/8 tsp of cumin
· ½ tsp of chilli flakes
· 1 tsp of butter
· 1 tsp of mayo (or light mayo)
1. Preheat oven to 400F
2. To create the rub; chop garlic, onion, basil and mint
3. Add in beef stock, whiskey, paprika, cumin and chilli flakes
4. Puree entire mixture, or mix very well into a thick paste
5. Taste, and add butter and mayo if you find the rub too spicy
6. Rub down roast in the mixture, place in a baking tin with roughly 2 cups of beef stock or water
7. Cook the roast for 30 minutes on 400F, then baste
8. Reduce heat to 350F for 1h 15 minutes, keeping in mind to baste every 20 minutes throughout the cooking time
9. With roughly 25 minutes to go, begin side dishes
10. Allow roast to rest for 20 minutes before serving
11. Serve with gravy made from left over juices, adding in salt to taste. Mix in baking powder to help with thickness.
