The Making Love Toolkit and a Free Download!

Do you remember when you could set the scene with your man and make love all day or at least for hours undisturbed if you wanted to? Those were the good ole days. Then you two wanted to see your love come to life and you had children. I know you love them but did I bet you had no idea what a major blow your sex life would take. I believe they have a secret sense that tells them when mommy and daddy want to be alone and it energizes them so they are able to stay awake way past bed time. Maybe it is just my children, but if I so much as sit next to the MR. on the couch they get excited and immediately want to sit with us. For real my kids are the biggest haters alive, but again we love them dearly.

There have been nights I had some things planned for my husband and I but my son, whom I love dearly, REFUSED to go to sleep. The one thing different this night was I had mentally planned some adult time. If you have children, you know the routine by the time we wrestled with him and repeated the bed time routine over and over again we were too tired to do anything more than sleep. Then there was the time I bought strawberries and chocolate sauce and came home to my 11 year old having a nice snack. It was like we couldn’t catch a break.

If you know me you know I believe in the art of the quickie. Sometimes you just need to knock the edge off. Quickies are much needed especially for the busy couple with children. Sometimes you need that rush before the babies come banging the door down. I even did a Periscope about it once a while back. Still, if I am being honest with myself I LOVE the long drawn out romance of slow no rush no kids love making session.

Since it is love month I thought I would help you get some ideas together. We are going to make a love making kit! Now, before we get started there is some pre work that MUST be done. You have to find a baby sitter. I would advise getting an overnight sitter. You don’t want to rush the magic because you have to get your kids at a certain time. If you have to pay someone do it, it will be money well spent.

Also let me give you a slight disclaimer. I am a firm believer you don’t have to wait for a holiday to dial up the romance. While this post is inspired by Valentine’s Day you can use this info on any day.  

Ok on to the supplies, oh and don’t worry about printing this post I have a made cool download for you at the end.

Sight

You want to create a visually pleasing environment. Make sure the house is clean. You do not want to trip on blocks and Tonka toys trying to handle business. Start with candles; I know all about being on a budget but candles really are a dollar. Use that couch and car change and get you some candles. Something about the flicker of the flame creates a nice scene. Your attire is next. No matter what size every woman has that one thing that makes them feel like a million bucks put that on. Then get you something equally as nice for underneath. If you are shy or conservative go with black. Feeling adventurous wear his favorite colors. It will automatically excite him. If there is food or drinks (which I highly recommend) involved make sure you set the scene nicely. Arrange things so they are easy to get to and appeasing to the eye. Go ahead and use your nice wine glasses (these can also be bought for one dollar at the dollar tree), pull out that fancy ice bucket someone gave you and you never thought you would use it. Think about this way, when you see a red solo cup what is your mood? I instantly think party time, like good ole college time party. Now think wine glass, what do you think now? Visuals are very important when setting the mood. Remember we are going the extra mile tonight because the kids are gone.

Hearing

The music lets him know it is real.  I believe on the movie Brown Sugar they called it the get the draws mix tape lol. Whatever you call you do not play like you don’t have one.  We all have that CD somewhere. Find it or make a new one and get the tunes going. The right song will get the mood going quicker. Let me insert here if you make a new tape include your power song. The song that makes you want to make love. When you hear it you instantly start doing a sexy body roll. I have a few and they are spaced out on my playlist. A couple of them are Dance for you- Beyonce, and Best Part of My Day- Urban Mystic, oh and Music for Love- Mario. Side note my frat brother, the infamous DJ Bell makes a nice list he calls "No Strings Attached". You can get his latest installment here. Disclaimer, music can bring on strong emotions. Do not play a song that makes you or him think of someone else, or a hard time in your life, it can kill the mood.

Taste

They say food can be a major aphrodisiac and I agree. I am not talking steak and potatoes I mean strawberries, fruits, icing, sauces. No not hot sauce. More like chocolate or caramel sauce. Wine, champagne whatever you like. I like red wine. I really enjoy Henny on ice if I am being honest. There is no right and wrong. It is all about you and him. If you like beer use that too. For non-drinkers use water or juice. It is all about you and your mate and enjoying time together. Just remember to use the wine glasses even if it is water. This is all about the main event, so whatever food and drinks are present are all intended to get ready for the main event.

Touch

I love when my husband touches me. Except sometime he randomly touches my face and it catches me off guard, well that is a different topic. I also know he loves when my body is hairless. So if that is what your man likes as well get to shaving or using Nair or whatever you do to get the body hair off. I like to double lotion especially after I shave, because my skin is dry and when he does rub my body I want to be ultra smooth. Double lotion, I use regular lotion and then baby oil gel. My skin, again is super dry so the extra lotion is needed. Depending on your budget go ahead and get a mani pedi it will only boost your confidence, and when you feel confident it shows in the bedroom.  If funds are an issue do it yourself. Scrub those heels so they are not scratching him. Also depending on what you are into get some oils for a nice massage.

Smell

I personally like lavender. It has a calming sense about it. You want to make sure the aroma in your home is inviting. You could also kill two birds with getting scented candles but don’t go too cheap here or the candles may stink. Also this is where things have potential to get tricky. Remember on the episode of Living Single when Sinclair and Overton were finally going to have sex and everything went all wrong? Well if you did not see it the point is she got new perfume and he was allergic and she had to wash her neck. Her neck was wet the mood was off and well you don’t want to be like this. So do not have a house scent that clashes with your body scent. Or just get unscented candles and use the perfume he loves on you.

Now I have helped you set the mood and you have stimulated all 5 senses. The rest is on you. Need a little extra help? I suggest reading a Zane book, knocking back a shot of your favorite spirit and going for it. Hey you are married so whatever you two do it is all good. Remember this is only a guide do what you two like. You know your person better than I do. This is meant to get your creative ideas flowing, and help you and your spouse have a great night, or several great nights.

As promised you can sign up to get your checklist here. Enjoy!

 

Finance and Romance- 5 Budget Friendly Date Ideas

romance.jpg

Money. When you see this word what do you immediately think about? Does your mind go to the lack thereof  or are you blessed and you think about the surplus you have? I am willing to bet majority of people think about what they are missing. The unfortunate reality is folks are really living check to check. However what is even sadder is we never think about what we really have. For those of us blessed enough to be in a marriage we are super rich even if it is not financially.

We are blessed to have someone in the fight with us. Even if we are living under a bridge as a married couple you are not in the cold alone. Of course I do not want you living under a bridge I am simply getting my point across. You are not alone so you are not poor. Come one we have all seen the sappy movie where the rich person is grumpy because he or she does not have friends. Or they say something like all the money and fame in the world means nothing without the one you love. It is true. Think about when you have a bad day at work then you see your spouse and they give you a hug, pat on the but, handshake, or whatever you two do. Suddenly things are not as bad right?

So how did you answer the money question did you think about what you did not have or is money not a big issue for you? Now think about how you let money affect your marriage. Don’t be ashamed I have been there too, Money was tight and so was I (all pun intended). I had a nasty attitude, and honestly looking back I am not sure how my husband put up with me. I did not mean to have an attitude I was stressed.

If I am being honest I was pissed. Pissed because there was a struggle and we both worked full time jobs. Which if you are reading is not my husband’s fault but like most people we hurt the ones closest to us when we are hurt. This, however, is a rant for a different post. Anyway I was allowing our finances to affect our romances and this is a HUGE mistake. Remember the vow says richer or poorer.

Think about when you argue with your husband about the sock he left on the bathroom floor. Are you really mad about the sock or are you mad about the pending light bill because you do not see the money in the checking account. Money can put so much stress on a marriage. It can be hard to keep the romance alive.

Speaking of romance remember when it was fresh and new? Remember when you got butterflies in your stomach, obsessed over what you would wear? The romance was alive and well during this time. Neither of you thought about the money you spent on your courtship. When money is flowing and bills are paid it is so easy to say I love you. It is even easier to take some of that money and go somewhere nice. Or what about when the money is flowing and we say money's not everything. Which is true but please be honest with yourself money is a tool. A mandatory tool we use daily to meet our needs.

If we are not careful we can allow the lack of money and other things to overshadow what we actually do have. We get so caught up on what is missing we never see what is there. Then we let this same mentality creep into our marriage. We start looking at the struggle as if it is our spouses fault. We will assume for the sake of this post it is not their fault and situations just aligned and created the perfect financial storm. This is not the time to throw stones, call names, and pull apart. It is actually the time to pull closer. It may seem hard but it is in this moment you need to start dating again.

I know what you are thinking. We just talked about financial hardship and you want me to date. Well the answer is yes. Just because you may be on financial hard times does not mean your romance should be on hard times. Despite whatever your bank account says it is imperative to keep the romance alive. Ensuring your romantic life is doing well can often help you take your mind of the finances. What I am not saying is blow all your money on one dinner. I am saying consider some budget friendly options like the following:

  1. Indoor Picnic- this is my favorite!!! So you already have groceries in your house whip up something good and lay it all out for him on the floor with a blanket. Now if you have children wait until they go to sleep. If you have some extra money splurge on a cheap bottle of wine.  Once you pour it in the glass it all taste the same, and he will appreciate the thought.

  2. I am not a complete fan of the term but Netflix and Chill.- Too make it fun, watch something you have never seen before, and even if you have on comfy pajamas, do NOT I repeat do NOT have you hair tied up. This is a date remember no sleep scarves allowed. Also try to sit up. If you two lay down you may end up asleep. Now if you lay down and other things happen then I say it’s a winning situation.

  3. Walk in the park. You and your honey can go out enjoy the weather, and really reconnect. You two can talk and laugh like you used to before life happened and things got so serious.

  4. Ice cream dates are super cheap as well. You two can share a cup and instead of saying it is because of money use this time to sit close and feed one another and simply reconnect.

  5. Free concert in the park. - Depending on where you live there may be some free events in the part you two can go on. Look in your local paper or online because who is still reading the paper, and find out what your city has to offer in the entertainment department.

 

Love Making Music

February is such a great not only is it Black History Month but it is the LOVE month!!! I’m so excited about love. I love love and this month makes it worse lol. I’m all about being in love, making love, songs about love. You get the point by now I’m sure. So that is what you can look forward to this month on the blog. All things love related.

Let me give you a disclaimer. I am a married adult. I have sex with my husband and while it will not read like a Zane novel it is February and ANYTHING goes.

So to kick off Love month I am going to give you a nice playlist. Use it at your own leisure. I separated them into old school and newer school. However if you are like me you love them all.  These are some of my favorites. Enjoy!

  1. Urban Mystic- Best Part of my day

  2. Next- Splash

  3. Faith- I love you

  4. Wale- Bad

  5. Miguel- Adorn

  6. Beyonce- Rocket

  7. D’Angelo- How does it Feel

  8. Kelly Rowland- Motivation

  9. Donnell Jones- I want to love you

  10. Jesse Powell- You

  11. Chris Brown- Rock you back to sleep

  12. Johnny Gill- Behind Closed Doors

 

  1. Prince- Adore

  2. Earth Wind and Fire- Would you Mind

  3. Tevin Campbell- Tell me what you want me to do- this could be old or not… I put it here

  4. Con funk Shun- Love’s Train

  5. Force MDs- Tender Love

  6. O-Jays- Forever mine

  7. Marvin Gaye- Sexual Healing

  8. Marvin Gaye- Lets get it on

  9. HeatWave- Always and Foever

  10. Jodeci- Feenin

  11. New Edition- Can you Stand the Rain

  12. Keith Sweat- Make it Last Forever

Some honorable Mentions:

  • Envouge- Giving him something he can feel

  • R. Kelly

  • Dru Hill

  • Silk- I lived for this group and couldn’t narrow it to a song so…

  • Trey Songz

Hope you enjoy the list. It is early so start planning for Valentine's Day now!!!

What About Hubby?? 6 Ways to Make Time for Him

I used to always think I would have more energy than I actually did. I would set these unrealistic expectations for myself. I had grand plans for after work (WHY lol). I would make a pretty to do list for after work including cooking, cleaning, playing with the kids, working on my biz, cranking out a few blog posts, then talk to and have sex with my husband.

With all the love and support my husband gives me, not to mention dealing with me and my maybe high strung emotions he deserves to be at the top of the list. Even as I make this list hubby is last. Why? My mindset was off that’s why. I justified him being last to myself by saying things like “well i have to work”, “we can’t live in filth” “the kids need me he is grown.”

The reality was I ALWAYS tired. By the time both kids went to sleep I had NOTHING left. The times I did have anything left I poured it all into my business. Let me say that starting from the bottom is not as glamorous in real life as it is in a song. There are a lot of long nights. I started to notice my husband and I were falling into the friend zone. You know speaking in passing, sharing tasks, and cuddling for sleep only.

THIS IS NOT GOOD!!!!!!!!!!

Since I believe in confronting situations head on I asked my husband how he felt and he was so sweet. He admitted he felt a little neglected (I’m sure this was an understatement) but acknowledged what I was trying to do and understood why I was so preoccupied so he did not think it was ok to complain. How sweet. The issue is I never want my husband to feel this way so things had to change.

I absolutely believe it is a wife’s job to care for her husband, and honestly I was failing. I had to really dig deep and figure some things out and it all started with me. I was so tired because I wasn’t taking care of myself. I wasnt drinking water like, I was eating crap loaded with grease and extra cheese, and not working out. So there was some internal work that had to be done. However in the meantime I did this:

  1. Brought my husband in on my dreams, asked for input explained what I was doing and why. I am so sure he is over my Regina obsession, and the countless workshops I have watched but once he understood why it was better. Also he felt more like a part of my dream and not like an outsider.

  2. I started flirting with my husband. That all day leading up to the big bang event at night type of flirting. I am not above sending a sext message or a naughty picture to my husband and I encourage you to do the same!

  3. We implemented mandatory date night every two weeks. Life happens and we can’t always get to a restaurant or movie, or event. So if date night has to be at home it still must happen. We have indoor picnics, movie nights, cocktails whatever at home but it is a date!

  4. I started planning more so there was more time. I planned for things as much as possible in advance so I could create more time.

  5. Hubby got my time before the business and sometimes before the kids. This created some late nights and early mornings but a happy husband is just like a happy wife.

  6. I stopped putting him last. I know it is super tempting to wait until the children go to sleep, but I swear my baby boy rarely sleeps, and no matter how many times I clean the living room baby boy dumps all the toys all over again. So in the middle of the mess I cuddle with hubby and we watch our love bump, and answer our big girls questions about...EVERYTHING LOL

It is not easy to manage the many hats I wear but wife is a hat I chose and I plan to never take it off. Most days things do not go as planned. However everyday I accomplish at least 5 of the 5 MUST do things on my list, and one of them is to spend time with my husband. I hope you do the same!

You Have To Be Married To Understand

We are who we hang around... Birds of a feather flock together... You know all the clichés of life that parents use to monitor our friends and we now use on our own children. As much as this pains me to say this, our parents were right.

It is important you surround yourself with like-minded people. If you want to be a biz owner you probably need to get some biz owners friends or acquaintances who can give more personal insight than Madam Google. Same with marriage. If you plan to have a happy, healthy, long lasting marriage having same-minded married friends is important. There are certain aspects of your life as a married person your best single friend will simply not understand.

Speaking of understanding, you have to be married to know the joyous struggle that is married life. Only a married woman will understand how at 8:30am you were plotting your husband’s death along with a finely crafted alibi, then at 8:45am he is prince charming and better than your favorite cup of coffee in the morning. (did anyone else just think of Miguel’s song, no just me? Oh well)

Your married friends also know without asking (or being offended) you need a plus one. They do not invite you to lunch, dinner, or even to their house without the assumption your spouse is coming too. If it is girls/guys only it is specified in the invite. Married people understand we got married to be together. 

Finally they understand being married does not make you rich. I believe single people think once there is a second income things miraculously get better, well they don’t. The fabulous second income also comes with second obligations. So single people stop asking your married friends for money, and stop assuming if they don’t have extra to give you their spouseis low down, or on drugs.

As an honorable mention let me say it takes a married person to understand the disgust and irritation that comes with hearing “well what is your husband doing” andytime you feel stressed, run low on money, or have a bad day. Listen we are married so we are one but we also encounter other people and other things that may affect our mood and wallets. Every time a married person is sad it is NOT their spouses’ fault and we would appreciate if you all would stop asking. *climbs off my soap box*

Ok married people do you agree with this list? What would you add to the list? Single people have I helped you any?