Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Gifts For a 50th Wedding Anniversary

Gifts for the 50th wedding anniversary celebrations are supposed to be gold - one of the most precious metals on the planet. Spending fifty years as husband and wife is no easy task. Many couples barely make it beyond one decade let alone five. Of course, gold gifts can be a little expensive so here are a few ideas that might better fit your budget while still allowing you to keep the theme for this very special, once-in-a-lifetime anniversary.

Jewelry

While you can spend a fortune on gold jewelry if you have the funds, you don't have to. You could do something as simple as having your existing wedding bands polished and maybe engraved. That's a nice gift for the two of you, plus it adds to the sentimental value of the rings. Many jewelry pieces are also fairly affordable even if they are gold: cuff links, earrings, maybe a locket or gold watch. These are all ideas you might want to consider. And remember to shop around. You can often find good deals on jewelry online.

Picture Frames

Many beautiful picture frames come with gold borders, but an empty frame may not seem like much of a gift. Instead, go through your collection of photos, find a good number of them that represent special moments of your family's life, have copies made, and create a collage within the picture frame.
Another idea is to shop around rummage sales and thrift shops in search of a beautiful, old picture frame that has some character to it. Even if the frame itself isn't gold, you can purchase golf leaf at a craft store and create an inexpensive frame that looks amazing.

Keepsake Items

Some of the best gift ideas are ones that could double as keepsakes for your family to treasure, too. Gold anniversary clocks are a lovely tradition and usually can be engraved with a personal message, your names, the date of your wedding, or any other information you want to include. While the clocks you can engrave, you'll find a wide range of other items in gold. Golden goblets, for example, are a nice gift, especially when paired with a bottle of champagne or your favorite wine.

Other Ideas for Gold Gifts

While picture frames can be turned fabulous with some gold leaf, so can chocolate. You can purchase chocolates that have been decorated with edible gold leaf. A couple of these delectable treats are perfect as gifts for 50th wedding anniversary celebrations, plus they can be paired up with other non-gold gift ideas, such as a magical dinner at a great restaurant or a return trip to your honeymoon destination.

You can also turn almost any gift you give into something appropriate for the theme by wrapping it in gold paper or tying a gold ribbon around it. If you think gold would be hard to find, don't worry. Your local craft store is sure to have what you need. Wrap up a CD of songs played at your wedding or that you danced to while you were dating. Purchase tickets to a movie or theater performance your spouse wants to see. Or wrap the ribbon around a bouquet of dark yellow roses - they may not be made of gold but they do look gold.

by Suz Daykin

7 Success Tips For a Wedding Anniversary Party

When you have a special wedding anniversary coming up you might want to throw a party. Of course you must set out everything well before the time. To give you hints about making your wedding anniversary party a success, you can use the tips below.

1. Invitations:
When you are inviting people to your wedding anniversary party don't leave it too late. People always have other plans so if you want a good turn up make sure your invitations go out at least 2 months before the party. Three months would be even better.

2. Use Mementoes:
A wedding anniversary is all about celebrating the partnership of two people in love. You can make the celebration special by including mementos from your life together. These can be photos, actual physical items like sea shells or your special wedding song. You can use the mementoes to decorate and also include them in the invitations.

3. Anniversary Favors:
For great wedding anniversary favors for your guests you can use a few ideas from wedding favors. You can create your own favors like crafts or make seed packets. You can give little chocolates inside a cute box, or even get little favors made and personalized for each guest.

4. Catering and the Bar:
With the food and the bar you will have to get catering companies in to help if the venue is held in a marquee or at your home. You can choose to have it in a restaurant in which case the food might be cheaper. The bar can be a cash bar if you are in a restaurant or hotel. If you are hosting the party, then you will need to hire in bars and staff. You can keep the costs down by just serving wine and beers. At a sit down affair you can get bottles of champagne for the tables.

5. Music and Dancing:
People love to dance and party, so to have a successful party you should hire in a DJ and sound equipment. They also usually come with lights that are also for hire. You are not looking at a huge cost for this. The music you want might be more like background music. You can still hire a DJ to do this for you, or you can use the restaurant or hotel. Bear in mind that you need to have a PA system for speeches so getting a DJ is probably a good idea anyway.

6. Speeches:
At weddings and wedding anniversary parties you will find that people tend to get carried away with the speeches. While speeches are fun and allow you to say thanks to everyone, you must make sure that they are short and simple. For a good timing for speeches, keep them to 2 minutes.

7. Themes:
There are many themes that you can use for your wedding anniversary party. You can go with the year you were married. This means you could have a 50's, 60's, 70's or 80's theme. You can choose colors for the theme, or you can also pick something that is special to you both. This can be a place like the sea or more specific as in a country you like to visit.

Your wedding anniversary is a special occasion that you should plan with care.

by Lise Rina

Anniversary Ideas-Top Seven ways to say i love you

An anniversary can be a yearly commemoration of any significant life event. Naturally, the point of celebrating an anniversary is to show your partner that they are special to you. Unfortunately there are too many hackneyed ways to celebrate an anniversary to enumerate. If romantic ideas don't come easily to you, check out these seven fresh ideas of ways to show your love:

1. Take a surprise detour.
Pretend like you and your partner are going out to dinner for your anniversary. Then take a detour to the airport. Surprise! You've purchased two tickets to Las Vegas or to some location that has significance for you as a couple. Go just for the evening - you can always buy toothbrushes and pajamas when you get there.

2. Cater a dinner in an unusual outdoor setting.
One evening I drove through a beautiful neighborhood with a quaint town square. In the middle of the square was a couple sitting at a white linen-covered table with candles and gourmet food being served by a waiter. It looked so peaceful and romantic.

3. Have boudoir photos taken.
If you are a man, you can purchase a gift certificate to have a reputable female photographer take boudoir photos of your wife or girlfriend in lingerie. If you are a woman, surprise your man with your boudoir photos. If you're a bit shy, it's best to put the photos in a photo album instead of a picture frame.

4. Make a photo scrapbook.
Your love scrapbook can include ticket stubs, memorable photos, poems (ones you find on the Internet about love or original poems you write), etc. Let your creative juices flow!

5. Do the stranger pickup.
Instead of going directly to dinner for your anniversary, ask your spouse to dress up and meet you at a bar. Or, if possible, get together at the place where you first met. The twist is to pretend to be strangers. Let the conversation begin. It can be exciting to see each other as strangers once again and remember why you fell for each other in the first place.

6. Give a no-reciprocation massage.
Don't be in a hurry. A real massage, whether light touch or an actual Swedish massage with oil, should take at least an hour to an hour and a half. After the massage, draw your partner a bubble bath, surround the tub with candles, and encourage him or her to fully relax and enjoy the sensual experience.

7. Give something you wouldn't want to get.
It's human nature to give gifts that we consider valuable. But this may not be your loved one's idea of a romantic gift. Consider giving your partner something only he or she would enjoy - a gift certificate to a favorite store, paid tuition for a desired class, or supplies/equipment for a cherished hobby.

I hope these ideas help you to make it a memorable anniversary. Or at least inspire you to come up with some creative ideas of your own. When making plans for your anniversary, remember the words of Robert A. Heinlein: "Love is that condition in which the happiness of another person is essential to your own."

by Katie B. Marsh

Monday, August 17, 2009

IS MOVING ON AFTER A BREAKUP THE ONLY COURSE OF ACTION TO TAKE?

When a relationship falls apart to the point where a decision to go separate ways is made, does that mean the love affair is over? Most people would say yes to that question. But the truth is that it does not have to be that way. You can still have the relationship you've always wanted because moving on after a breakup doesn't have to mean giving up. It can also mean fighting to get your ex back.

Obviously, the first step is admitting and acknowledging the breakup. You have to start somewhere. So why not make the first step YOUR first move towards rekindling the relationship by agreeing with the breakup. Sounds contradictory but think of it this way - Your ex would never have expected this of you. They think you're going to go crazy trying to call them at all hours of the day and night, texting them 24/7, and so on.

Now you want to give your ex some space. Remember, they think you are going crazy crying your eyes out over them, talking everybody's ear off about the break up, pining away for them. So when they don't hear a peep from you, or, better yet, when they talk to your friends and hear them say that you are your usual self, now they'll start to wonder, "What's going on?"

Then you want to deal with your past issues. Face it, the breakup happened for a reason. That reason could possibly be you. So be honest with yourself, were you too demanding, were you too selfish or inconsiderate, or maybe you were paranoid, wanting to know their every move. IF that's the case, then you have to fix that. If the case is that THEY fit into one of those categories, then prepare yourself to deal with that issue when the time is right.

Right about now you should be beginning to get a little antsy about getting back together, so the next step is to be patient. As hard as that may sound, still, you have to be patient. Don't scare your ex off by suddenly rushing into trying to get back together. Go slow, and exercise a little patience.

Your cell phone rings and it's your ex. What do you do? Well... answer it, dummy! BUT do not be available to talk. You're running an errand for your boss or a friend or a neighbor... you get the idea, and you can't talk right now. Ask them to call back later. IMPORTANT: Make sure that they are calling you back later, not the other way around. Once they have demonstrated an interest, they've given the lead to you. Keep it no matter what.

Stay socially active. You want your ex to know, through back channels, that you are not wasting away over them. Sometimes breakups are about teaching a lesson. YOU are supposed to crawl back to them and acknowledge to them that YOU need them. If you're out living your life, happy without them, then maybe they'll think you aren't coming back to them. And people want what they perceive they can't have.

By Gerald Rucker

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Marriage Advice Problem- New ways to strengthen your marriage

When you're looking for marriage problems advice, you know that your marriage is on rocky ground. You didn't plan on having marital problems when you got walked down the aisle. But many couples face serious issues in their relationship after being together for several years. You need to find new ways to strengthen your marriage and avoid the heartache that comes with a failed relationship:

Keep Your Relationship Interesting

Have you noticed that your marriage has slowly slipped from being lively to one that's revolving around daily chores and petty bickering? You find yourself in countless arguments with your spouse over seemingly insignificant things. You've stopped having much interest in what your spouse has to say about anything and possibly vice versa.
What you've got to do is keep your relationship interesting! That's one of the best marriage problems advice that you'll hear from friends and counselors. You don't always have to do everything together. Have different hobbies and spend time away from each other with your friends. Indulge in recreational pursuits independently of each other. You'll find that when you get home, you have a lot to talk about. And you'll bring that energy and enthusiasm into your home, spicing up tired routines and infusing liveliness into your daily activities as a couple.

Keep A Lid On Your Anger

Stress is a major cause of marital breakdowns. The underlying issues could range from emotional neglect to lack of appreciation. One partner feels threatened or emotionally traumatic and vents their outrage in a torrent of verbal abuse. Your spouse will not easily forget your angry words. And when you've calmed down, you'll probably regret the inconsiderate accusations you hurled in a fit of pique. Reliable marriage problems advice will counsel you to rein in your anger. Don't react immediately to annoying situations with your spouse. Deal with petty irritations rationally, without investing too much emotional currency in the outcome. Speak calmly with your partner and explain the issue. You may find it easier to phrase your thoughts if you write down what you feel.

Keep Your Promises

Generally both parties to a marriage have contributed to its troubles. Marriage problems advice are necessary when one or both of you have not kept your side of the marriage bargain. When you've defaulted on promises made or indulged in destructive behaviors, your marriage will eventually suffer from the strain. Learn to say sorry for things that you've done which have broken the relationship. Apologize for bad behavior and show your partner you've changed your attitude with concrete actions. Be sure to hold firm to your promises and confirm that your assurances are not written in sand. You won't need marriage problems advice for much longer when you abide by this simple rule.

By Howard Cantrell

3 mistakes women usually do during sex

Most women find themselves frustrated and disappointed when it comes to sex --- and the blaming it all to their men. Have you ever wondered if maybe you're doing it all wrong? You need a little self-examination and ask yourself if you're also doing your share when it comes to sex. Making love is one of the most pleasurable enjoyable activities for lovers you should definitely be grateful of.
Below are the top three mistakes women usually do during sex --- find out how to make it sizzling instead!

Making him do all the work. Are you lying there like a log all night? Have you been contended by just taking off your clothes and letting your man to the work? Initiate sex for a change. Moan, groan and let him know you're having a great time. Turning you on makes you man turned on so go ahead and let it show.

Being insecure of your body. Feeling too fat? You think you're not sexy enough? A woman who takes pride and is comfortable in her own skin will make you look more desirable --- men love their women who are confident for what they are.

Expecting him to read your mind. Let him know what you want --- tell him what's on your mind! Men are not mind readers so it's your responsibility to let him know about your wants and needs --- believe me, he'll be more than happy to comply.

By Mark Hamilton

Ways To get noticed in a room full of Women

Many a times men have been in places where there were so many other people that they just couldn't get any attention from the ladies themselves. Well for that to happen, you've got to stand out from the crowd. Being plain and boring won't help you. When it comes to picking up girls, learn to take risks.

Start with the way you look and the way you dress. Don't opt for the usual t-shirt or plain shirt. Go for something a bit funkier or a look that is classier. That's going to make you stand out from the crowd for sure. If you have a good physique, then wear clothes that show it off.
After all, men tend to judge women mostly by their looks, the same should go for those ladies too. So make an effort to look good or you can forget about getting any attention. Try and make the most of your looks, use it to your advantage!

Another thing that can attract any lady anywhere is smell. You should use a good perfume or aftershave. That will get you some attention. Also make sure that you take a shower before going out. The last person that a lady would want to go is go out with a smelly man or an unshaved man.

If you smoke or drink, try not to do that it. Many women do not like it when men smell of cigarettes or beer. You can restrain yourself for at least a day!
Another interesting thing to do would be to go through a few magazines or self help books. You might just come across something very helpful out there. These books may just turn out to be very interesting to read.

Try out these steps and you can enter into a jungle filled with women and I assure you, you will emerge victorious. So if you are standing in a room filled with women and you wish to attract the attention of that particular girl you should be outgoing, extra smart and should follow the above mentioned steps.

By Dave Pellegrini

Saturday, August 8, 2009

Relationship Advice - How To Control Your Temper

This article contains relationship advice on how to control your temper. If there is one thing I want to say to every person in the world that is seeking relationship advice, it's this: to make your life easier and better, learn one thing - learn how to control your temper. I know it's very hard to control when stupid people do stupid things, but you have no choice in the matter. An angry person does things a calm person will not do.

Anger is like being on drugs or being drunk.It can make you do things you will regret forever, and you may not even remember doing them.
I can't count the number of people in prison today because they couldn't control their temper. I have seen perfectly normal people get mad and lose it, and from that moment on their life is HELL. As a young person, once you start acting out on your anger it is worse then trying to get off heroin. So start practicing how to control it now. Anger turns you into someone ugly that nobody will be happy with. Knowing how to control your temper is a part of knowing yourself. If you have anger issues, you'd better fix it and fix it now or your life won't be worth spit. So let's talk about how to control it.

Let's say you're driving and you get cut off by some idiot. Before you yell and flip them off, you are going to make a choice not to do that. Yes, you will be making a choice. Your whole life is about choices, and you need to make the choice not to get upset. You may have made the choice in the direction of anger so many times it is almost automatic, but you need to choose otherwise. If this is you, we have a lot of work to do, but you can still make the right choice, and every time you choose not to get angry the choice the next time will be easier to make.

You may have to keep notes on your dash. You may have to write it and recite it every night: "I will not loose my temper", over and over. Find a way to remind yourself, but you will have to make yourself choose to let it go. This is the best relationship advice you can ever receive. Keeping your temper in check will help you keep your relationship intact.

I used to have a small problem with my temper and I made myself choose not to do it. I read a phrase that helped me. One of the greatest science fiction writers of all time gave me the inspiration to make the right choice. I hope it helps you too so here goes - A fictional character named Hobart Malloy said, Wow, think about that! VIOLENCE IS THE LAST REFUGE OF THE INCOMPETENT. This simple phrase said by a fictional character helped me overcome my anger. I realized the truth of this phrase.

I am not incompetent. I have always considered myself a smart person, and after I read that, it was like a light bulb went off in my head. I am too smart to be called incompetent so I learned to think ahead, and make sure I didn't get myself in a position to lose my temper. If there was something that made me upset I avoided it until there was a time that I could deal with it. I made the decision in my life to live by not loosing my temper in order to live a happier life, and it worked. Now you can either do as I did and use my saying, or use one of your own, but you need to do something and do it soon. Your relationships depend on it.

by Monte Jamison, a Relationship Guide

20 Love Questions To Ask Your Partner

Have you ever wondered what 20 love questions you should ask to see if you and your partner are really in love? Well, there are millions of question to ask from personal to just plain funny and here are 20 love questions just to help you know where to start and what to ask to see if you two are really compatible and if it is really love.

1. At what point in our relationship did you fall in love with me? It's always nice to know when that special someone fell in love with you.

2. What is one thing that made you fall in love with me? It is nice to know what it is that made them fall in love with you in the first place.

3. What did you think the first time you saw me? It is nice to see what it was that they were attracted to.

4. If you were rich where would we go and why? This is a fun question because now you know you can save and maybe actually take that trip one day.

5. What is your biggest dream in life? This one out of the 20 love questions you may actually be able to help them fulfill this dream.

6. Have you ever lied to me and if so what about? Don't worry if you find out they have lied in the beginning just know that they are trying to make it right by telling you the truth.

7. Do you see us being together for a long time? This question you will help you prepare for the future. Whether it is with this person or without them.

8. Is there anyone thing that you would wont to change about our relationship? Use this one to see if there is anything that you could change to better your relationship.

9. Is there anything you want to change about yourself?

10. Where do you see yourself in 5 to 10 years?

11. What is your favorite place to go on any given day?

12. Do you see yourself having children one day? This particular one out of the 20 love questions let's you see if you two are ever going to agree on if and how many children you want together.

13. As a child did you see yourself doing what you are doing today?

14. Has the attraction you have for me changed since we got together?

15. Do you believe in date nights?

16. If we were on vacation just you and I would we wear pajamas to bed?

17. What's one romantic thing you would do for me? This question is my favorite out of the 20 love questions.

18. Would you serve me breakfast in bed?

19. Would you like to be served breakfast in bed?

20. If you could have one meal in bed what would it, be?

Take this time and ask 20 love questions and actually listen to your partner. You will find out so much about the other person and it will allow you to see where you two are headed.

by Roy Maloney

Friday, August 7, 2009

Are You And Your Partner Compatiable But Have No Seual Chemistry?

Are you and your partner compatible but have no sexual chemistry? If you are struggling with this issue, you are not alone. My experience is that all great relationships have both chemistry and compatibility.

1. If you feel this is a problem, it is. Ignoring it makes it worse.

This problem does not go away, no matter what excuses you make or how much you want it to disappear.
Actually, over time, it gets worse.

2. You are not being selfish to want both - you deserve it.

Ask yourself: Do I deserve to have both a best friend and a lover?
And mostly, do you deserve love?

3. You cannot talk yourself into chemistry or compatibility.

There is only one thing sadder than two people who have good sexual chemistry yet can't seem to be good friends, and that is best friends who just don't have that sexual chemistry.
Oftentimes, best friends stay together and deny their sexual nature; resentment usually builds over time.
"Trying" to feel chemistry is impossible - either it is there or it is not.

4. When you have both, the relationship grows in a healthy way.

All healthy relationships have both chemistry and friendship; this is what allows the partnership to grow and flourish.

The only way to make-up is with friendship and chemistry. Chemistry draws us back to other person even when we are angry and friendship makes us glad we got over our differences.
And this is the cycle - and both are needed to complete the circle.

By Chandra Alexander

7 Tips Guaranteed To Build Trust In A Relationship

Often times in a relationship you may find things have become a little stale and boring. This can happen for a variety of reasons. Sometimes what makes the relationship really gel are things you don't always think of naturally. For example many people think they always need to "spice things up" This can backfire on you. Being predictable is often more desirous in a relationship than variety.

This article will deal with 7 steps that are guaranteed to grow your relationship by improving the level of trust between yourself and your partner.

As I mentioned above, you need to be somewhat predictable. By this I don't mean boring, but consider that trust in your relationship is built on your reliability from day to day. This goes against the common thought that you need to be constantly stirring things up. Of course going to a different restaurant or surprising your partner with a vacation or gift can be nice, but keep in mind that you need to keep things somewhat consistent in order for your relationship to flourish.

One of the most important aspects to consider when you think of how to build trust in a
relationship is your personal communication, specifically your words and your actions. If you say you are happy but you are frowning or acting sad all the time, your words are not matching your body language and your partner will pick up on this. Your partner needs to be able to trust that you mean what you say. When your actions match your words, then you are working toward building trust in the relationship.

Thirdly, you need to possess an honest belief in the competency of your partner. If you do not, you will not have the trust that your relationship desperately needs. Although the truth hurts sometimes, when communicated in a sensitive manner, it is never destructive. Deep down inside if you do not feel that your partner is competent you are indeed violating the trust in the relationship.

Here's a biggy. Don't keep secrets from your mate. This is a sure fire way to destroy trust in any relationship. You should always be open and honest with your partner. A good assumption to make is that everything you know will eventually come out in the open. Keeping secrets just takes too much energy and its way to easy to slip up. When that happens once again you have destroyed the trust in your relationship. Better to spend that energy in to building trust in the relationship.

The fifth tip here deals with you and your needs. Don't be afraid to communicate to your mate what your needs are. Don't try and make them guess what you need. Take care of yourself, but do not become selfish. Once you begin to assert yourself in this manner your partner will then become more comfortable in communicating their needs to you and the end result is more trust in the relationship.

Sometimes it's okay to say no. It is a positive aspect when both you and your partner are communicating your needs to each other. But keep in mind that you don't always have to agree with everything especially if something makes you uncomfortable. Your partner will never respect you if you never say no. Refusing to submit to the other person's will can actually help to build trust in a relationship.

Lastly, don't be afraid to pursue change and growth within yourself. In order for you two to grow together, sometimes you have to dig in the dirt a little. This can be painful, but through that pain you are setting the stage for future growth in the relationship. Challenge the difficult and don't be afraid to grow and change.

In conclusion when you decide to take the steps to build trust in a relationship, you are bound to encounter uncomfortable scenarios and you will experience pain from time to time. These are good signs! This means that the work you are doing will definitely help to build trust in your relationship and will ultimately strengthen your bond as a couple.

By Brain Mashon

Soul Mate Searching- Your Top 4 Tips For Finding Your Ideal Partner

I believe there is at least one soul mate out there for everyone. But most people don't create the opportunity for this special union. Too many people hang on to a dead beat because they are scared of being alone, fearing that they will never find someone else, so they put up with what they've got. They clutter up their life with someone who just gets in the way!

But "better the devil you know" does NOT apply to love relationships!

If you've not found your ideal partner yet, then start now. Don't be afraid of the journey that is Soul Mate searching. Finding your ideal partner should be fun - not scary!

Treat it like a military exercise - anything that puts it on the front burner and makes it a priority in your life. Nothing worthwhile comes easily, so be prepared to do a bit of work, and invest some time and energy into the process.

This is a serious exercise. Your future happiness depends on it. You owe it to yourself to do everything you can to bring your soul mate into your life.

Top Tip #1 - Learn to love yourself

No one will love you unless you love yourself.
We aren't all supermodels, so make sure you don't put yourself down. Concentrate on the positives about yourself. We all have something special that our soul mate is searching for.

Top Tip #2 - Get Gorgeous

You won't attract the attention of anyone, let alone your soul mate, unless you are at the top of your game. That means eating well, taking at least some moderate exercise, and presenting yourself in the best possible light.
Strive to look your best at all times. You will get noticed - by the right person too.

Top Tip #3 - Make Your Wish List

Make a wish list of all the character traits, personality traits, physical characteristics, personal qualities and values of the person you are seeking. This "picture" of your ideal partner will be close to your true soul mate. Write this down so you are clear about who you are looking for.

Top Tip #4 - Send Your Message Out There

Make sure that the world, and the Universe knows what you are after. You should try and do this with all means possible. Get out into the world - literally. Don't hide yourself away.
Cast the message out to the widest audience. Do this through prayers, positive affirmations and proclaimations - whatever you can do to spread the word of your intentions. It will be heard.
You'll be surprised at what happens to you!

by Alison Yates