Most recently I asked people what they considered the best Valentine’s Day Gifts they ever received or would like to have. The girls answers and the guys answers you think would be different , but at the end of the questions asked, they all had the same answer and that was to spend quality time with the person that they loved and to be told that they were loved. Everyone wants to feel like they are appreciated and loved by someone.
Here are ten ways to make someone feel loved:
Write a little note saying “I love you” and tape it to the bathroom mirror the night before so that when they wake up in the morning they find it
Make your significant other lunch and pack it for them and place a note in it to say “I am thinking about you.”
Make a book about all the reasons that you love your significant other and give it to them
Take a long walk around the park or in your neighborhood and pick one topic to talk about, “the day you met and how each of you felt”
Watch a romantic movie at home and afterwards sit out on the patio or porch and reminisce about the first time that you kissed and what each of you thought about.
Cook dinner together and surprise each other with a massage afterwards
Take the day off from work and surprise her with lunch at a romantic cafe and avoid the rush crowds at night then take a walk to the park and enjoy a nature walk together holding hands
Plan a weekend getaway to a cabin or bed and breakfast and just rekindle moments together
Write a love poem for your wife/husband even if does not rhyme. Write from your heart.
Get a dozen roses and on each one place a note telling her 12 things you love about her
Let’s face it, for those that are single, Valentine’s Day can be one of the loneliest and longest days of the year, especially as you lead up to the day. We have all been there at some point in our lives.
I remember early on in my dating life, getting ready for a date and buying the perfect dress and making plans with a young man to go out to dinner. I was so excited, new dress, perfect hair and a great day to go out for dinner for two at a romantic place. This was my boyfriend that I had been dating a year. My pick up time was 5pm for reservations at 6pm. I was ready on time and sat in the living room waiting with my parents for my date to arrive. As I sat there waiting 5:05pm came, 5:15pm came, I thought this is strange he is never late, he as a matter of fact was always early. I thought maybe he got stuck in traffic since he had recently moved three towns away from our house. I called and no answer. I waited and waited. My parents knew right away something was not right but they tried to remain supportive through the wait as they watched their daughter’s soon to be happy face turn to tears. Finally at 6:30pm, mom and dad said , ” I am sorry that he never came.” I was devastated.
I threw on a jacket and some boots over my dress and said I am going out for a drive. I ended up at the local arcade to just hang out and play games alone. It was pretty quite as most kids were either out on dates or just home too embarrassed to be seen without a date.
Just when I was about to leave, I saw a friend of mine we will call him “Jake” and he asked what I was doing there all dressed up (although a jean jacket and boots over a nice dress is kind of the fashion crime of the day!), I sheepishly replied that I was stood up. He looked at me and said, “let’s go hang out for a bit, you can’t be dateless on a night like this.” Everything was already packed being Valentine’s Day or too expensive for kids on a budget, so we ended up at Chuck E. Cheese (don’t laugh!). We were the only ones in the show section of the place as by this time it was almost 8:30pm at night. The manager brought us some pizza and a flower vase with a red rose in it and said you kids enjoy. We put coins in the juke box to play songs and danced to a few fun songs and a slow dance. We laughed and I felt better at not having to spend Valentine’s Day alone. My friend “Jake” turned one of the most romantic days of the year in to a friend date that I would remember and treasure forever.
“Jake” and I were friends so there was never any sparks there. A few years later he met a wonderful girl and got married right after college. As for the guy that stood me up, I found out that he had met someone else when he moved away and he started dating her at the same time as me and well the rest is history.
So on this Valentine’s Day, do not feel alone if you do not have a special someone to be with. Make it a girlfriend’s night out, or pamper yourself with a massage, pedicure, facial or a good book to read and celebrate you. Love yourself!
Valentine’s day comes around every year on February 14th and this is the day that some men cringe at. The reason they cringe is not because they are not romantic, it is because Valentine’s day has become such a pardon the expression, marketing holiday, that no sooner than December 26th is here, Valentine’s cards and items show up at the stores. It has become on the ranks of holidays next to Christmas one of the most expensive holidays there is.
The women want romance and the men would love nothing more than to provide it, but the problem is that restaurants have increased their price on eating out to an almost $150 per couple meal ( with alcohol extra) and with that, getting a gift or entertainment, the gentleman has spent at the very least $500 dollars for one day. Don’t get me wrong, I like the fancy dinner just as anyone else would, but when you think about it, you can save a bit and enjoy this very same place on a non holiday and still have romance.
Today let me take you on a virtual trip to Morroco. Yes ladies, let’s get creative. Gentlemen, don’t worry this won’t cost you an arm and a leg and you will have some money left over in your wallet. First of all if you want the beautiful romantic restaurant overlooking the water, downtown, fireworks, or anything like that, reserve that location the week before Valentine’s or after or a different month when it is not twice the price to eat there , you will enjoy it more and also you will not have as crowded a restaurant.
So let’s get in the kitchen, relax ladies and gents too, because gone is the old style that the woman is the only one in the kitchen. If you think that, you shall have to check out a couples cooking class and see for yourself. This gives couples the opportunity to bond and do some cooking together in the kitchen, that may lead to some cooking elsewhere! I will leave that to your own imagination 🙂
But getting back to the table. Setting an informal table for 2 is simple. First of all, remember it is your romantic dinner and anything you do, will be great as long as your sweetie is with you. Have fun with it. It does not have to be so formal that you do not enjoy the meal. I had the opportunity to be on the Newlywed Guru show and help her talk a little bit about the setting up of an informal dinner table. She decided that she loved the Moroccan culture and that she would set up a table using their typical style. It was fun, creative and full of color.
Watch the video below, this will give you some tips on setting up an informal table.
This was so much fun setting up. I thought about it and said what a great way to set up a romantic dinner for two. It is different, easy, and very informal. Most of all it is economical, it is not necessary to spend a lot of money because you are cooking at home. I am sure you will have leftovers that you can take the next day to work for lunch (and if you add a little love note in your spouse’s lunch bag, you will be carrying the love longer as he remembers the romance of the night before). Many of the dishes that you can prepare can be found on google for recipes from Morrocco.
And if you want to shop for some beautiful trendy Moroccan pieces to add to your home, visit this shop :
Enjoy your dinner it is a great one for Valentine’s Day if you want something exotic and fun with lots of reds and oranges for your decor.
Everyone knows that famous line from Dr. Martin Luther King, “I have a dream.” I am sure that many people have been able to use that as inspiration when they refer to their own dreams. Some people don’t look at Dr. Martin Luther King as the public figure that he was, but rather as someone who was not afraid to admit his own fears.
I will use myself as an example, I am an accomplished author of several children’s books and an adult book with many more in production. Most recently, my publisher that had taken me on as one of their top authors and published my books at no cost because they believed in my writing and skill, has gone bankrupt. You can imagine my fear wondering, what will happen to my already published books circulating the market, what will happen to my other books they have in production, what will I do? After thinking about this and hearing other authors who paid thousands of dollars to have a chance at publishing with them and losing money, I thought, okay what can I do as an individual? Dr. Martin Luther King’s speech came to mind from my history books, movies and teachers that have used and engraved that phrase somewhere in the back of my mind. “I have a dream.” I have heard that many times. Now it was time to say , ” I have a dream.” I have a dream to write, to share knowledge, to share stories, to be inspiring, to give hope and encouragement through my many styles of writing. I can either stay where I am and wallow in self-pity or I can rise about this temporary set back and push through and become successful in my writing again.
I have a great testimony and I know that I can make a difference in someone’s life and help change things in this world when given an opportunity to share my writings. I am blessed to have people in my life that encourage my writing and believe in me. So if they believe in me, why shouldn’t I?
So today I leave you with this, believe in your dream, do not give up, if God planted that dream in your heart, it will be a matter of time before it comes true. If God gives you a dream, He will teach you how to use it to give to others.
