Date Night {OUT}: Golf Date

Here's the thing.  I don't golf.  At all.

To be fair I've never really tried but I figure when you're bad at mini-golf, you probably shouldn't be able to launch a hard ball across a course.

I'm gonna stick to mini-golf.

Now to be fair, this might sound like a lame date but really, how often do you take your spouse mini-golfing?  Plus, there's a twist (there generally is).

To Prep:

• Find a babysitter for your date night.  Plan to have your sitter for at least 3 hours
• The morning of the date, send your husband a text or e-mail that says "you are the one FORE me!"
• Get two 5 dollar bills.

Date Time

• Wear something cute but causal.
• Now, drive to a dollar store.  Give your hubby 5 dollars and set the timers on your phones for 5 minutes.  Now, go inside and buy each other costume ideas to wear for the whole date (ideas: bright red lipstick, antennae, hula skirt, crazy sunglasses, etc.). **Thanks to Randean for this idea**
• Meet in the car and give your spouse their costume items.  Get in full gear.
• Head to the mini-golf course, pay the entrance fee.  Ignore the strange looks you get from people.  This is your date time and nothing on earth compares to the uniqueness of your relationship so you might as well look like it!
• Now explain that "par" shot gets the person a big kiss.  A hole-in-one earns a 5 minute shoulder rub.  The winner gets a full body massage.  
• Play.  I suggest giggling, teasing, and competitive jesting.
• Afterwards go out for ice cream and then head home to either give or receive a massage.

Things I Love: Damn You Auto Correct

A couple of months back my husband was out of town and a friend wanted to know if I wanted to hang out.  We sent a few texts back and forth and all of a sudden I get this message: The gang bang starts at 7:00.

To which I replied, "I think I'll pass."

Of course "gang bang" is NOT at all what my friend was inviting me to.  She got auto corrected.

Another friend sent a text to me that said nothing but "hag."  She meant haha.

Finally, I send a text to a friend to see if she wanted to get together for a platypus.  Um, I meant play date.

Auto correct on phones is a funny thing.  In fact, there's a whole website dedicated to the funny and naughty things auto correct can make us "say."

Have you ever been on Damn You Auto Correct?

If you haven't, GO.  It is so funny.  I can literally read them for hours on end and I laugh so hard that I cry and threaten to wet myself.

**DISCLAIMER** This website contains foul language and crude comments.  If you are sensitive to these, skip this site!

Be prepared to end up with some classic one liners!  Some of my faves: TGI Fibromyalgia, I am Asparagus, and Hit the Haitians.

Need a good laugh, click here!

What I Think About: An Attitude Change

My mom has been flailing under her CADASIL diagnosis and we are all starting to feel like her time with us is getting shorter and shorter.

My name is Reagan and I'm a complete mess.

Emotionally I have these awesome roller coaster days where I'm bouncing off the walls with hope and optimism and then something will happen (like an insurance commercial) and suddenly I'm a blubbering wreck.

Physically I'm still recovering from surgery and haven't been able to run or rock climb or ride my bike.  I'm frustrated at how slow I'm healing.

Spiritually I'm angry and withdrawn.  Sometimes I just feel like prayers don't get answered and that God is far away.

Then the other day K-Love played this song (and I don't love K-Love.  Way FM or Air One is more my thing but for "some reason" K-Love was on in my car.  Have I mentioned my kids play with the radio?).

Watch this.



How is it possible that one song can encourage and convict?

I felt so encouraged to be gently reminded that God is good and that He is working all things out for my good.

I was convicted by my bad attitude.  I've been so quick to wallow in my pain and disappointment and frustration to realize how much my mom's illness has made me lean on The Word.

I've been so quick to mourn my pending loss that I lost sight of the ways God comforts me with kind words from friends.  Gentle breezes to to refresh me.  Mercies new every day.

I've been so focused on my anger that I didn't recognize how my anger makes me vulnerable, broken and open before God.

Nothing else in my life has ever made me humble myself before God, depend on God, cry out to God, and trust God quite like struggling with my mom's illness.

This is a merciful time.

Don't get me wrong--in my flesh I hate every minute of this but I'm beginning to see God's grace even in the bad stuff.

What I think is that I need an attitude change.  It is hard to see grace in the rain, isn't it?  And yet the rain is simply gift enough if we will embrace it.


Today, will you pray for my attitude?  That I will embrace God's mercies, even through the bad times?


Thanks


(Thanks especially to Shell who hosts my random thoughts and lets me pour my heart out!)

Days of Play--Sit Still

Do you ever just pack too much into a week.  Park days, play dates, errands, shopping, VBS, a trip to grandmas ...?

Every summer I tell myself, "this summer we are going to relax and enjoy."  And then I fill our summer days with crazy fun activities but feel so harried getting to all the fun that by the end of the day, I wonder why I planned so much.

Please tell me I'm not alone!

Last week my daughter asked what we were doing for the day.  So I told her of the big fun coming her way and she sighed.  I asked what was wrong and she said she never gets to spend time with me.

Now to be honest, my mouth hit the floor.  I'm a stay-at-home-mom.  She gets to spend time with me, trust me!  I launched into a very adult defensive mode where I recounted every special event and moment we shared the past few days.  And she gave me this look.  THE look.  The look I didn't think I'd have to deal with until she was a teenager.  And her words cut to the bone.

I don't want to just do stuff with you.  I want to be with you.

Ouch.

All this time I'm thinking these fun events are meeting her needs when what she wants is my total attention.  Not another craft.  Not a water fight.  A few minutes on my lap laughing about the word poop (I still don't understand why this word is funny) or reading a story.

So today, carve out fifteen minutes (or an hour--whatever) and sit still with your children.  Read them a book.  Tell them a story or silly jokes.  Look through a photo album.  Don't let phone calls or tidying up distract you.  Sit still.

Music Monday: The Epilogues

The Epilogues are gonna be big, in my humble opinion.  They are a band from Denver, CO (near me!  YAY!) and their sound is kind of haunting but in a raw and beautiful way.

I'm not gonna lie, this is a "harder" sound than I generally suggest but I think they are worth a listen.  And if you like 'em, head to Itunes and give their other work a listen.

Hunting Season