How to Keep Your Relationship Fresh!

Holding hands with the one you love is a healthy habit!

I often struggle with ideas on how to keep romance alive in my marriage. Do you ever feel the same way? After being in a relationship with the same person for more than a decade, there's one question that continues to pop up: How do we keep our relationship fresh and exciting?

When there is so much going on in your life, how do you balance it all? The demands of work, children, health issues, and simply life can take its toll on any relationship. If you're not careful, life can start to whittle away at the invisible bond that keeps you and your partner together.

Before children come along, it's easy to go on unplanned dates, where you can drop everything and go out to the local watering hole, the movies, or your favorite book store. But things start to get a little more complicated when you have children. Don't get me wrong, it can get complicated in a good and manageable way, but this is where a strong support system comes into play. It doesn't hurt to call up a family or friend and ask them to help out with the kids while you go on a date. Right?

Here are some fun ideas for you to do with your spouse or partner to keep your relationship fresh:
 

• After you put the kids to bed, tell your partner that you have something special planned and he/she should meet you in the bedroom in an hour. Put a blanket down on the floor or set up a small table, light some candles around the room, and spread out your favorite treats, such as chocolate covered strawberries, whipped cream, a good bottle of Riesling, fancy cheeses and crackers. Then take a hot bath (for the ladies) or shower (for the guys) and slip on your sexiest lingerie or boxers. Put on some romantic music. Pandora has a wonderful station called "Trail of Remembrance." This may sound corny, but every time I do this with my husband— especially on a weeknight when we're both burnt out from work, kids, and everything else in our lives—it revitalizes our love life.
   
•  Rather than plan a dinner and a movie date night, do something active. Go for a hike or pack a picnic and head out on the trails with your bike. The weather is perfect for biking now—it's not too hot and it's not too cold, it's just right!
   
•  Email or slip your significant other a simple love note. Remind him/her why you love them. Write something like: I love your smile, your omelets are the best, or simply "thanks for all you do for me."
   
• Buy a new book on a topic you are both interested in, or better yet, check a book out at the library together, such as The 4-Hour Body by Timothy Ferriss, and then read to each other before bed. Reading on a regular basis is a wonderful habit and it's also great foreplay!
   
• I always feel a stronger connection with my partner if we do yoga or meditate together. For us, it's not possible to do it every day, but a few times a week works out and I always feel more grounded and happier with "us."
  
  
  What do you do to keep your relationship fresh?