Romance & Peppermint Choco Martinis

So many parties won't be happening this year. 

That doesn't mean you can't have a little "party" with your honey. 

Even if you have kids, a "party night" would be fun. Schedule a night for a "party". Everybody can dressed up in party clothes, play some music, nibble on a meat and cheese plate. 

Enjoy playing a party game of some sort.

Make a non-alcohol punch for kids and make a special adults-only drink for you and your honey.

Have fun making a party drink to share. 

Here's one of my favorites.

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 parts KAHLÚA PEPPERMINT MOCHA
1/2 part vodka
 1/4 part half and half
 1/4 part chocolate milk
Garnish with whipped cream and small candy cane

#Thursday13 - Autumn Date Ideas

I love FALL.  Everything about the season is wonderful! Acorn squash smothered with butter and brown sugar cooks in the stove while a hot apple pie cools. Burning leaves and then enjoying a glass of wine with friends. Here are a few ideas for you and your honey to have some time to yourselves.

1. Visit a local orchard or pumpkin patch.

2. Go apple picking then make caramel apples.

3. Bake an apple or pumpkin pie together then eat it before it gets cold. Have fun with the left over whipping cream. Enjoy a glass of local wine or brew.

4. Find your inner child and go on a corn maze and hayride. Rake leaves into a pile and jump in!

5. Make Apple Cider Floats and snuggle in front of a fire.

Apple Cider Float

1 cup of real apple cider

½ cup ginger ale

1-2 scoops vanilla ice cream or a seasonal flavor such as cinnamon or apple pie

Ground cinnamon and nutmeg for sprinkling

1-2 TBSP caramel sauce

Pour apple cider and ginger ale into a glass. Add vanilla ice cream. Sprinkle on nutmeg and cinnamon to taste and drizzle caramel sauce on top. Serve with straw and spoon.

 

6. If you are in a warmer climate, take your lap top and a bowl of popcorn to the backyard and watch a movie.

7. Have a thermos picnic at the park. Pack soup and hot cocoa.

8. Go on a Fall Foliage Drive. Pick up some pumpkin spice coffee and enjoy the ride.

9. Visit a local book store. Many offer special autumn displays and events.

10. Hop in the car and go for a drive to find a coffee shop or a local pub to visit.

11. Go on a Sunset Date. Grab a thermos of cocoa and a blanket then head off to a park to watch the sunset. If a park isn't in the cards, simply step onto your porch or back deck.  Weather permitting, do some star gazing too. Super romantic!

12. Have a “Power Outage” Date. Turn all the lights off, light some candles and have some fun.

13. Try a Spa Night. Take a bath together, give each other massages and put on your comfy-cozies.

What word do you use to describe this season? Autumn or Fall?

Click HERE for more super cool Thursday 13 lists.

Romance Tip - Enjoy the Hummers... Birds That Is

Living in the woods has provided my family with hours of enjoyment watching wildlife. We have feeding stations (store bought bird feeders as well as simple platforms made from stumps) placed in the yard. We have glass hummingbird feeders hanging on the front porch as well as on our back deck. I can't grow many flowers so I try to select a few hummers and butterflies enjoy.

Hubby and I enjoy quiet moments sipping wine and watching our neighborhood humming birds visit a feeder which is only a few feet from where we sit. Once in a while a couple females get scrappy and poor hubby has to duck out of fear of getting flown into by one of the tiny creatures. (He likes wearing red t-shirts... perhaps it makes them amorous.)

ROMANCE TIP:

Grab your honey and visit your local hardware or home store and pick up a brightly colored humming bird feeder. Together in the kitchen brew up a batch of Hummingbird food. Find a spot in your yard where you can hang the feeder and sit to enjoy some quiet time together. Early morning while enjoying your coffee or in the evening sharing a bottle of wine is the best time for simple romance while bird watching.

Below is some tips on food and care of your feeder. 

Food
    In nature, hummingbirds eat flower nectar for energy and bugs for protein.  Flower nectar is 21% to 23% sucrose - regular table sugar - so it is very easy and inexpensive to make.  Here is the recipe for making hummingbird nectar:

1. Mix 4 parts water to 1 part table sugar in a pan.  For example, use 1 cup sugar to 4 cups water.  Do not use honey, Jell-O or brown sugar.   Especially do not use artificial sweeteners.  Putting hummingbirds on a diet will kill them.  They burn prodigious amounts of energy for their size and need real sugar.  Do not use red food coloring.  It is unnecessary and can harm the little hummers even in low concentrations because they eat so much nectar.  If your feeder isn't red, tie a red ribbon on it as described in the Feeders section, above.  Do not add anything else that you might think of.  Just sugar and water, that's all.
2. Bring to a boil then remove from the heat.  Stir it while it is heating until all of the sugar is dissolved.  Don't boil it for long because that will change the ratio as water is boiled off.  The reason for boiling is not to make syrup, but to drive out the chlorine in the water and to kill mold and yeast spores that might be in the sugar.  This will help make the nectar last longer both in the feeder and in your refrigerator. 
3. Cover and allow to cool before using or pouring into the storage bottle.  We recommend making a large batch of nectar and storing it in the refrigerator in a 2 liter soda bottle (washed thoroughly first.)  This makes refilling the feeder so easy that you won't mind doing it every few days.

Cleanliness
    Sugar water is a very rich growth medium.  Yeasts like to eat it causing fermentation which can harm hummingbirds.  Mold and bacteria grow in it and can also harm the birds.  That is why it is important to keep the feeder clean and the nectar fresh.  You must change the nectar frequently to avoid these contaminants.    In cooler temperatures we recommend changing it every seven days.  If the temperatures are getting above 70 degrees, follow this chart:

High temperatures		Change nectar after
71-75		6 days
76-80		5 days
81-84		4 days
85-88		3 days
89-92		2 days
93+		change daily

Tasty Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chocolate chip cookies are a favorite comfort food. But if you're like me, I'm tired of making the same-old-same-old. Quarantine 2020 is providing many opportunities for experimental baking. Since my sons are all around, I have plenty of willing taste testers.

During this time, I recommend having some fun in the kitchen with your honey.  Pour each of you a glass of wine. Wear matching aprons. Feel free to get a little silly... remember when you first were living together?

I found this unique recipe and didn't tell son #2 about the cream cheese, (he hates the stuff). The addition of cream cheese gives these chocolate chip cookies a rich, dense, cake-like texture. 

Give it a try!

Ingredients:

• 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 4 ounces butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips or milk chocolate chips

Preparation:

·         Heat oven to 350°. Grease a cookie sheet, or spray with nonstick cooking spray, or line with silicone liner.

·         In a mixing bowl with electric mixer, beat cream cheese, butter, and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla until smooth. Slowly beat in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Fold in chocolate chips.

·         Drop by teaspoonfuls onto prepared baking sheet(s), leaving about 1 inch between cookies. These cookies spread very little. Bake for 10 to 14 minutes, or until the cookies are set and lightly browned around the edges.

·         Makes 2 1/2 to 3 dozen cookies.

Thursday 13 - Unleash Your Inner Goddess

Be the light. Be your own hero. Embrace your femininity. Here is a list of a few ideas to unleash your inner goddess.

1. Go skinny dipping after dark. (Keep bug spray handy).
2. Sit in the backroom of a movie theater with your honey and steal a few kisses like a teenager.
3. Sit in the first row of a roller coaster.
4. Go on a long walk in the woods with your honey and stop to make out.
5. Choose a back table in a restaurant and play footsie with your honey.
6. Take a ride on a motorcycle with your honey.
7. Show your honey some seductive moves to distract him while playing a game of pool.
8. Take a carousel ride. It will remind you of more innocent times and encourage playfulness.
9. Go tent camping. What was that noise?
10. Attend an art gallery or museum. Impress others with your knowledge.
11. Order a chocolate martini in a hotel bar.
12. Have a couples' massage.
13. Rent a convertible for the day. Wrap a scarf around your head and put on a pair of large sunglasses much like movie stars back in the day.

CLICK HERE for more amazing Thursday 13 lists.

Couple Fun – Make a Wish Jar

Flyboy and I enjoying junking together. Using the ads in the paper, we carefully plot out our adventure visiting yard, garages and barns. We find all sorts of treasures. I love to collect jars... clear, glass jars to display candies and cookies. I found a unique and fun idea using jars.

Couples often look for ways to entice a partner to expand his or her perspectives on the possibilities in or even out of the bedroom. Often planning a special romantic evening as a surprise for your honey often doesn’t go as arranged. Kids, pets, families, work… so many things may interrupt. It would be much easier to plan something with your partner rather than planning a surprise.

Keep two “wish” jars in the kitchen, one for each or you. Next to them keep a stack of index cards. Whenever something comes to mind that would be fun to do together, it gets written down on an index card and dropped into the appropriate jar.

Create a ritual for the “big drawing”. At the beginning of each month, sit down at the end of the day with a glass of wine and some cheese. Pick five cards at random from each other’s jar. Read them over, talk about them and maybe even negotiate a bit.  The only rule is you have to agree on two activities to be done during the next month.

Start your jar today for some fun!

Tasty Tuesday - A Man Who Cooks Is Sexy

My honey loves to cook. He is the master of the grill and smoker. He’s even amazing at cooking over the bonfire! BBQ ribs over the fire pit…yum! Smoked pulled pork is a favorite. Steak off the grill with a creamy mushroom sauce is mouthwatering. I’m a sucker for his foodie skills. Hey, I admit I’m totally turned on by a man cooking for me!

Even with three boys, we’ve managed to have a bit of romance while cooking together. The boys enjoy cooking with us but often “gross out” and tell us “that’s weird” when we get a little shmexy.

Visit the grocery or farmers’ market together and plan the meal together. Farmers’ Markets are our favorite. The boys taste test and purchase item they want to consume and not share with each other while hubby and I hold hands, strolling along.

Prepare an appetizer to nibble on while cooking the main meal. Feed small slices of cheese, sausage and fruit to each other. I enjoy the classic eye rolls when I tell my honey how much I like his (smoked) sausage. Enjoy a cocktail or fresh lemonade.

My sons are growing up in an environment where we all help with meal prep. College boy often phones his dad while he’s grilling at the frat house. High school boy is simply hungry all the time and grazes often. Middle school boy is adventurous and has begun cooking small things.

After a wonderful home-cooked meal, enjoy some quiet time with dessert or an after-dinner drink. Sit back and enjoy. 

As soon as I'm done with my glass of wine I'll let my man know how much I appreciate his cooking skills. Now where is that chocolate sauce?

Tasty Tuesday - Take-Out

If the weather is yucky or you simply don’t want to leave the house but still want to have “date night”, a romantic evening can still happen. If you’re like me, there will be a handful of take-out menus stuffed into a drawer or phone book. This is the time when those come in handy. Order from a favorite restaurant; pick it up or have it delivered.

While waiting for the food, create a romantic spot to eat. Spread a blanket on the floor in front of the fireplace. Clear off the coffee table and add a candle, then pop in a romantic comedy. If weather isn’t a problem, add a tablecloth to your picnic table and light several candles.

When the take-out or delivery food arrives, pop open a bottle of wine or your favorite beverage. Take a moment to feed each other. Try to avoid heavy discussions such as money, schedules, or work. Relax and have fun and enjoy each other. Add a fun dessert such as strawberries dipped in chocolate and whipped cream you make together.

Secrets to a Great Sex Life

There often comes a time in a relationship where life in the bedroom becomes stagnant or even dormant. The older women become the more conscious they become of the changes in their bodies. In both partners, sex changes and evolves. Desire is a complex and dynamic construct associated with many factors including environment, genetics, hormones, brain chemistry, sexual history, psychological well-being, physical health, and more.

Here are a few tips to “go with the flow” and continue to have a great sex life.

1. Let go of outdated gender expectations. Some Victorian-era beliefs about sex still linger in our collective unconscious, like the double standard that a man who enjoys sex is a player while a woman who enjoys sex is branded as a slut. Women used to be told by their doctors to not have sex after a certain age, but we are now finding out women actually become more sexual after their childbearing years. A sex drive is an incredibly powerful energetic gift to be embraced.

2. Start again. If you've been in a relationship for many years, you pretty much know what turns you on - but will have forgotten to change the formula. Men and women change, physically, emotionally and mentally. Be open to know ideas and trying new things. Talk about what you want, what you'd like, get more adept at expressing it. And ask your partner to talk about what he wants as well.

3. Practice honest sexual communication. Openly talking about sex may be difficult for some who have been conditioned to feel shame and embarrassment about sexual desires and bodies. If you are struggling with sexual communication, or if your partner does not listen, this might be an indicator of problems to come. Be honest and hold the space for open dialogue by remaining emotionally grounded, calm and non-reactive. Respect each other’s needs by listening and acknowledging, and agree to make mutual satisfaction and sexual fulfillment your main goals.

4. Love yourself. Try to exercise regularly to improve health, appetite and sleeping problems. Try relaxation techniques with yoga and meditation. Focus on loving yourself and feeling gratitude for your sexual body and all the joy it can bring you. Remember, you are beautiful and your sexuality is a divine, sacred blessing.

5. Have some fun with role play. It can be something as simple as meeting in a pub pretending not to know each other. Take on new personae. You can be anyone - someone from the other side of the world, someone who has run away to join a circus, whoever you want. And you'll be spinning a complete story, but your unconscious will be coming out too. And you'll be learning to play again. Forgetting how to have fun is the death-knell to many a long-term sex life.

6. Make your love life a priority. Sex is a sacred spiritual act as much as it is a physical and emotional one. Communication and commitment are perhaps the most important factors to maintain the balance of sex and love. "The real secrets here are communication and commitment," says sexual psychotherapist, Paula Hall. "You've both got busy lives, you're up to your neck in kids and their needs, and you've stopped prioritizing your sex lives. By committing to sex, you're making a really important statement to your partner. "

Tasty Tuesday - New Years Eve Dinner for Two

So, you’ve decided to skip the crowds and spend New Year’s Eve at home with your honey. These suggestions should go well with most types of champagne (in general, when serving champagne, it’s best to stick with lightly spiced Cantonese cuisine, particularly seafood dishes). If you’re serving wine, a German Riesling would be a good choice.

Start with some Spring Rolls as an appetizer. Feel free to nibble on them with some wine while preparing the main dish together.

Main Dish – Shrimp in Lobster Sauce

Ingredients:

• Fresh shrimp, deveined and butterflied, 10 - 15 per person
• 4 to 8 spring onion (green onions, scallions), chopped
• 2 large garlic cloves, chopped or minced
• 2 cups of chicken stock (2 cups water with chicken bouillon powder, or chicken broth)
• 4 tablespoons of sweet white wine, such as sweet Glen Ellen White Zinfandel
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 2 1/2 tablespoons of Cornstarch and 1/2 cup of water
• 4 egg whites, beaten with 1/4 cup of water
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil for stir-frying
• 1 to 2 cups pork fried rice (1 cup for 2 people, 2 cups for 3 or more)
•  

Preparation:

Rinse the shrimp in warm water and pat dry. Rinse the spring onions, drain and chop. Chop or mince the garlic cloves.
Combine the chicken stock, white wine, soy sauce, and sugar and set aside. In a small bowl, dissolve the cornstarch into 1/2 cup water. Whisk the egg whites into 1/4 cup water and set aside.
  Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a wok, large pot, or frying pan or skillet on medium high to high heat.
Stir fry the garlic and spring onions for about 30 seconds to a minute, taking care not to burn the garlic.
Add the shrimp and stir fry for 2 minutes.
Add the chicken broth mixture, bring to a boil and boil about 1 minute.
Re-stir the cornstarch and water mixture and stir it into broth. Immediately afterward, slowly pour in the egg whites, breaking them up by gently stirring them with a fork (the author recommends stirring them twice across and then twice across again in a tic tack toe pattern). Be careful not to over stir the egg whites.
  

The dish is ready when the sauce begins to boil and thicken. Serve over the pork fried rice and steamed Snow Peas.

Be sure to have some Fortune Cookies for after the meal.

Add Romance to Your Holidays

The holiday season is a busy and often stressful time. Days are filled with shopping, wrapping, baking and holiday parties. For couples who have children, family time is important but can become consuming. Sometimes it seems as if the holidays are too commercial and geared towards children. Perhaps we need to encourage the inner child in all of us to come out and play.

The holidays are the perfect time to relight that fire with your honey. Being married to a pilot with a crazy type of schedule has taught me to grab romance when I can. We are lucky enough to live close to Frankenmuth (Michigan) home of Bronner’s – the World’s Largest Christmas Store. However, we haven’t visited Bronner’s in many years we do enjoy wandering around the quaint German influenced town filled with unique shops, coffee houses, wineries and a brewery. Even our boys appreciate the opportunity to nibble on fresh sausage sticks while milling around the shops

.

Romance doesn’t have to take up an entire day and you don’t necessarily have to be alone together. Cherish little moments. Add some mistletoe to your decorations and take advantage when you and your honey are caught under it.

Here a few ideas to add some romance to your holiday:

1.       Take a walk in a park

.

2.       Visit a local tree farm. Cut down a tree or purchase some fresh greens to decorate with. Many local farms have bonfires and offer cocoa.

3.       Go ice skating. Many towns will have an outdoor rink for the season. Indoor rinks often have rental skates available.

4.       Sip hot chocolate by the fire. Try adding a little Bailey’s Irish Cream, Peppermint Schnapps or Cherry Schnapps to your cocoa. Warm, mulled cider or wine is a delight as well.

5.       Share a dessert by candlelight. Make sure you have whipped cream handy. It might come in handy later. *wink, wink*

6.       Cook a meal together. Even if kids are helping, you and your honey can sip wine and steal some sexy glances. Flirt with each other.

7.       Watch a Christmas themed movie. Cuddle together under a blanket. Feed each other popcorn.

8.       Have a leisurely breakfast in bed. At our house, the boys sleep in late so hubby and I lounge in bed sipping coffee and watching the birds at the feeder outside our bedroom window.

9.       Spend an evening at the theater. Local theater troops and orchestras often have Christmas themed performances at reasonable prices.

10.   Take a drive to “nowhere in particular” and stop whenever inspired or park in a secluded spot to gaze at the stars. Maybe even pack a light picnic basket and be sure to take a warm blanket.

111. Visit a coffee shop you’ve never been to. Some shops have local musicians and poetry readings.

1  12. Want to do something big? Rent a cabin in the woods for a weekend getaway.

Support Small Business Saturday

American Express launched the first Small Business Saturday on Nov. 27, 2010. It encouraged people across the country to support small local businesses. In 2011, the day was officially recognized by the US Government. On the Saturday following Thanksgiving in 2012, 73.9 Million people shopped at small local businesses.

I'm a firm believer of supporting locally owned and small businesses. 

Please spread the word and support those in your community.

Many local chapters of groups such as Special Olympics, National Honor's Society 

and Girl/Boy Scouts will have gift wrapping booths set up.

Grab a friend or your honey and make a day of it!

* Order/pick up holiday flowers & arrangements from your local florist. 

*Purchase gift certificates/cards from local restaurants and inns for gifts.

*Many local shops are offering special holiday gift baskets.

*Visit local beautician for gift certificates to pay for cuts, styles, products or tanning sessions.

*Find your neighborhood Avon dealer and place an order.

*Visit a holiday bazaar at your local church or school.

*Family owned grocery and pharmacies often have special promotions with local products.

*Find treasures at second hand shops.

*Visit that small coffee shop and book store!

Visit Small Business Saturday on FACEBOOK

Friday Night Fun With Food

Black Friday. Many were out all night and most of the day searching for the best deals. By the time one gets home, their feet hurt and romance is a distant thought.

Come on... it's Friday Night! Who says it has to be a party though. Put on your comfy cozies and fuzzy slippers. Tonight is not the night you need to get all dolled up and put your sexy on. Unless you did your Black Friday shopping at Lover's Lane.

Have food delivered or make a meal out of yesterday's leftovers. If you are "turkey-ed out" order pizza.

Curl up on the couch. Share a blanket and watch a movie to get into the Christmas spirit. Our favorite is A Christmas Story.

 Roast marshmallows in the fireplace, drink wine and listen to soft music.

Bake a batch of favorite cookies together. Feed each other warm cookies fresh from the oven.

#Thursday13 - Best Places (on the body) to be Kissed

Okay, I promised I’d post the best places on the body to be kissed.  Unfortunately, dear hubby is out of town so I didn’t get to have the fun of researching this project personally; I had to survey friends.  Thanks to all for your honesty!

1.  Lips

2.   Eyelids

3.  Neck

4.  Inside of the elbow

5.  Inside of the wrist

6.  Palms

7.  Fingertips

8.  Breast

9.  Belly

10.  Inside the hip

11.   Yes… there!

12.   Inside the thigh

13.   Lower back

I think Shoulders is good too.  So maybe a kiss that begins at the nape of the neck and travels across the shoulders and down the back to the little dimple about the butt…(sigh)… should be counted as one kiss.  Hmmm….?

#Thursday13 – Picnics, Picnics, Everywhere

A picnic can be a romantic event.

 I remember one time Dearest Hubby and I took two of our boys (when they were very small) to a beach along Lake Michigan. We packed a yummy picnic including juice boxes for the boys and a bottle of wine for us. We sat back, sipped our wine while holding hands while watching our little ones play.

One summer was very hot and we were limited on time due to a busy schedule. We often held a picnic under a tree in our yard, in the garden (where we often ate fresh picked veggies) or on the deck with hubby grilling.

While traveling we had a long layover at Chicago Midway. We spread a blanket under some potted trees. The youngest took a nap, while hubby & I played a game with another son. Nothing is sexier than a man being a good dad.

It is up to you and your honey, but even with the rug-rats around, it is possible to capture a few romantic moments.

Here is my list of places for a picnic.

1. On the beach

2. In a park

3. In the garden

4. On the deck

5. At the zoo

6. On a riverbank

7. In a city plaza

8. Under the stars

9. At an outdoor concert

10. In a public garden

11. On the porch

12. On a tailgate (maybe even at a sporting event)

13. In a pasture (but be aware: cows are very curious)

#Thursday13- Rewards of Romance

1. We all know romance is an important element in a relationship.
2. 
   
   
3. Here are some key rewards of being romantic
4. 1. Adds spice, sparkle and zest to our lives
5. 2. Hugs, kisses, caressing
   3. Makes us feel sexy and attractive
   4. Helps love grow
   5. Helps a couple feel closer
   6. Provides intimacy
   7. Keeps things fresh
   8. Makes daily routines bearable
   9. Brings fun and joy into a relationship
   10. Provides an atmosphere of mutual support
   11. Let’s a couple hear the little things that are important
   12. Makes us feel special and valued
   13. Reminds us how lucky we are to be sharing life and love together
   
   
6. 
   
7. 
   

#Thursday13 – Picnics, Picnics, Everywhere

A picnic can be a romantic event.

 I remember one time Dearest Hubby and I took two of our boys (when they were very small) to a beach along Lake Michigan. We packed a yummy picnic including juice boxes for the boys and a bottle of wine for us. We sat back, sipped our wine while holding hands while watching our little ones play.

One summer was very hot and we were limited on time due to a busy schedule. We often held a picnic under a tree in our yard, in the garden (where we often ate fresh picked veggies) or on the deck with hubby grilling.

While traveling we had a long layover at Chicago Midway. We spread a blanket under some potted trees. The youngest took a nap, while hubby & I played a game with another son. Nothing is sexier than a man being a good dad.

It is up to you and your honey, but even with the rug-rats around, it is possible to capture a few romantic moments.

Here is my list of places for a picnic.

1. On the beach

2. In a park

3. In the garden

4. On the deck

5. At the zoo

6. On a riverbank

7. In a city plaza

8. Under the stars

9. At an outdoor concert

10. In a public garden

11. On the porch

12. On a tailgate (maybe even at a sporting event)

13. In a pasture (but be aware: cows are very curious)

Take a Sunday Drive & Get Lost

“Sunday is the day that clears away the rust of the week” – Joseph Addison

Many Sundays of my childhood were spent going for a Sunday Drive. I was born late in life to my parents. My siblings were both married with their own families. When my parents should have been enjoying life just the two of them...they had me. I sat in the backseat usually lapping away at an ice-cream cone while my parents sat in the front, holding hands. I grew older and chose to stay home or hang with friends, they continued their Sunday drives.

When my guy and I were first married, we often took off for an aimless drive and often stumbled upon farmers’ markets, out-of-the-way antique shops, or simply “the most beautiful road”.

I have to admit, taking off without a destination on a quiet Sunday afternoon is only a dream for hubby and I. Our weekends are currently tied up with son’s baseball tournaments. Trust me as soon as the season is over…. Grab the keys honey!

When it’s just you and your honey, tooling around town or simply exploring the countryside it still feels as if you had a real getaway. This is great “Couple Time”. This sharing and discovery time makes the world better and often a relationship stronger.

Sex tips to boost your love life

It's important to remember that sex should be fun. Communication with your partner is the most important element in any relationship. Other keys are maintaining a healthy lifestyle, seek out some of the may excellent self-help materials on the market, and just having fun can help you weather the bumps and keept things on track.

Here are a few points:

1. Be confident
It's the sexiest thing any woman can do to turn on her man - take control and be sure about what you want and how you want it done.

2. Enjoy each other's bodies
Give each other compliments, pay special attention to a person's less favourite bits, make them feel desired and sexy. Body confidence is sexual gold!

3. Talk.
Tell your partner what you're enjoying and why, even what could be done to make the sex better; faster slower etc.. The sure-fire way to better sex time and time again!

4. Engage in foreplay
It's easy to forget that foreplay is all part of your sex life. Make sure you have enough foreplay with your partner until you're both ready for intercourse. Prolong it by putting your clothes on, go out for a drink or a meal. Keep the evening going on as long as you can until you have to run home for the most intense sex ever!

5. Surprise your partner
Put on some sexy lingerie one evening after work and wait for him. Don't let him touch you, dominate and lead him to the bedroom.

6. Drink coffee
Research has indicated that a couple of cups of coffee could well boost the female libido. Even if that's not 100% guaranteed, the caffeine will improve your concentration - very important if you're getting hot and steamy in the bedroom.

7. Turn off the TV
You may love watching what Rita and Norris are up to in Corrie, but it's a bit of a passion killer. Hit the off button and pay attention to each other.

8. Do a strip-tease
It doesn't have to look professional, as long as you move seductively in front of him and slowly take off your clothes. Don't allow him to touch either - this will turn him on even more.

9. Choose the right music

Having the right tunes playing in the background can improve your bedroom experience. The right rhythm will make your lovemaking far more enjoyable. Try Dr. Amgad & Marvin Gaye's Sexual Healing for starters.

10. Ice ice baby
If you're performing oral sex on your fella, try popping an ice cube in your mouth halfway through - the sensation as it goes from warm to cold will drive him wild.

11. Eat salmon.
Obviously, it's a great choice for dinner, but it's also known as a sexual powerhouse. The vitamins in salmon will help lift the libido, it contains mood-enhancing Omega-3 oils and is protein rich, which is good for stamina.

12. Turn off the lights
In fact, go one step further and blindfold each other. By getting rid of the sense of sight, you'll be forced to use your other senses.

13. Don't touch his private parts
By not going for the one place he's desperate for you to touch, you'll drive him wild. Delay it as long as possible and when you do get there, make only the faintest touch at first.