If your husband doesn’t mind too much, I’d love to hear more about how you make that relationship work. What do your date nights look like? How often do you plan them, or do you not plan for them? What about the kids?

Great question! We have our moments (everyone does, right??) and no relationship is perfect, but we’ve learned a lot in {almost} 17 years. I’ll share what I can.

First, I appreciate your disclaimer, “if your husband doesn’t mind too much…” because that tells me that you realize the importance of discretion in a marriage relationship, and also that you probably sense that I use that discretion here! I do try. In fact, this post will be approved by my husband before it gets published. I certainly don’t run everything by him, but if it involves him, I do. And if I am unsure if it’s appropriate, I will ask him, or sometime someone else I trust. Point is, I never want to use this space to betray a trust or make someone feel uncomfortable. I made a few mistakes early on, and I try very hard to err on the side of caution now.

You mentioned our date nights. We have them frequently. I think that making time for each other is crucial to maintaining a connection. It’s so easy to get caught up in everything there is to do, but I don’t ever want to get to the point that we look at each other and have nothing to say. So we often go out together, just the two of us. We are both very active in social media (have you checked out the Handyguys Podcast recently??) so we talk shop quite a bit. But then of course there are kids and friends and family to talk about, so there is never any lack of conversation.

We have no schedule for date nights. (I giggled a bit when I read the question about planning – we are so not planning sorta people.) We pretty much take them as needed. Usually I’m the one to initiate them, although not always, but since I am the one who usually contacts the babysitters, it just works out that way. We are fortunate that a) we have a good network of babysitters and b) we can afford to go out often.

But PLEASE don’t let the absence of either of those criteria stop you!! Be creative, and figure out a way. Arrange a monthly date night babysitting swap with a friend, or find a family member who wants to spend time with your kids, or put the kids to bed early and make it a special night at home. We have a couple of night owls in this house, but we have NO problem putting the kids to bed early and telling them to stay in their rooms and read. Bedtime is for parents, not for kids.

(By the way, if you are in need of babysitters, try a local college. Most have a place where you can put up an ad for babysitters, and once you find one, she will inevitably have friends. It’s a snowball effect! And best of all, they drive!!)

Usually our date nights look like dinner out. Yeah, that’s it. It’s nothing creative, but we both love food, and having dinner together with no kids or other couples to distract us forces allows us to have conversation. If you go to the movies, you don’t talk. If you go to the mall, you focus on your to-do list. If you are more active than we are and you want to go skiing together or climb mountains, more power to ya! LOL. But dinner out works for us because it is easy and it gives us time to converse and reconnect. Sometimes we’ll like a walk through the mall or a stop at the grocery store on the way home. Hey, who says romance is dead? Ha. The important thing is, I think, that we are together. We aren’t the type of couple to do a lot of those mundane tasks together, so it’s kind of fun to tack that on to the end of a date night. Plus, we don’t want to get home before the kids go to bed!!

Really, it’s a matter of finding something that you both like to do, and then making time for it. It’s that simple.

As far as the day-to-day living goes, we really, REALLY try to give each other the benefit of the doubt. We pitch in when the other is tired or just sick of the same old routine. And when one of us is grumpy, the other tries to extend grace. I will say flat out that I am on the receiving end of the grace more often that not. I am not piece of cake to live with, that is for sure. I don’t want to make it out like it’s always peace and harmony around here. We tend to bicker more than some, although I think we’ve come a long way in that regard. This is real life we’re living here, and it ain’t always pretty, but at the end of the day, we’ve got each other’s backs. And that’s what counts.

Something else that came up in the survey a couple of times was the desire for me to be more open about my faith. Honestly, I struggle with this — not with my faith, with talking about it! I always feel that I sound corny and awkward, and I often struggle with how to express my thoughts accurately and wish I could touch on those deeper subjects more often. But I can’t talk about my marriage without giving the credit where credit is due. Jesus Christ is at the center of our marriage, and we are both 150% committed to the vows we made 16-and-a-half years ago. Giving up just isn’t an option. You can be as intentional and pragmatic as you want when you decide who to marry, but you never know what the future has in store and how each of you will react to the trials life brings. In the end, it is all about commitment. My mom always told me that love is a choice, and I think that is some of the best marriage advice around.

When it all comes down to it, marriage only works when both members choose to love unconditionally. You can’t keep score, and you can’t try to change the other person. You just can’t. It is AMAZING to me how, when you focus on making the other person happy, rather than what you think will make you happy, things seem to fall into place. This is NOT to say that you should stick around in a relationship that is abusive or dangerous, but I feel like these days we tend to err on the side of self preservation rather than unconditional love.

There are other bloggers who have written more poignantly and openly about marriage issues than I ever could. For instance, I highly recommend Jill’s Marriage Unwrapped series, and she and her husband just started a joint blog called For Better And Worse. Definitely check it out.

The other thing I’ll add is that we always have dinner together as a family. Studies have proven that having regular dinner together goes a long way towards maintaining a healthy marriage and family life. Even in the busy seasons with sports schedules (spring is NUTS around here with my son’s baseball schedule) we work our dinner around it. Sometimes we eat at 5:00 and sometimes at 8:00 but 95% of the time, we sit down at the dinner table without any outside distractions (no TV, no electronic equipment) and eat together. We were both brought up that way, and that’s just what we’ve always done — even before we had kids. (It’s also better for your health and digestion, but that’s another topic entirely!!)

I’d love to hear from you. How do you keep your marriage fresh in this busy world we’re living in!?

I admit, I do get a bit caught up in the numbers. I usually start calling myself the next number at least 6 months in advance, to get used to the sound of it. I started doing this when I turned 29. The thought of being 30 was incredibly disturbing.

You always hear that you start to fall apart after 40, but honestly, it was 35 that did me in. Maybe it was the third child, but whatever the reason, after I turned 35, my health started to deteriorate and the scale became very stubborn. I can only imagine what will happen once the big FOUR-OH has come and gone.

I admit, the thought of turning 40 is daunting. I am holding onto 39 for as long as I can. But today I received a card that put everything into perspective.

I have a dear friend. She and I met and hit it off during our college freshmen orientation, and it turned out that our dorm rooms were on the same hall. We were close all through college.

A year after we graduated, she was my matron of honor.

A year after that, I received a dreadful phone call. She had been diagnosed with cancer — Hodgkins Disease.

I was horrified. I remember the day that I went with her to look for a wig. We both ended up on the floor, howling with laughter, ’cause that’s how we roll. But there was nothing funny about the cancer. After many months of treatments, it seemed as though she was cured. At the five year mark, she got a clean bill of health. We rejoiced!

When I got home today from the beach, I found a birthday card from this dear friend in my mailbox. In it, she reminded me that her 15th anniversary of being cancer free is coming up. She encouraged me to look at every birthday as a blessing even though the number may seem daunting. After all, each year we are given to spend with our loved ones is the greatest gift of all.

This year I spent my birthday with my family at a beachside resort. Of course there was the typical bickering and nonsense, but we were together and healthy and happy. It simply doesn’t get any better than that.

So I joyfully celebrate my 39th birthday, and I look forward to turning 40 next year. I will embrace the number and rejoice in one more year with my husband and my parents and my friends and most of all, my children.

Here’s to many, many more!

My husband is gifted. He can fix anything. He can put together anything. He can trouble shoot anything. Just give him a task and leave him alone for a few minutes, and he will figure it out.

He’s the type to throw away the directions that come with unassembled products. He’ll put them together with no more than a glance at the picture on the front of the box.  “I don’t need no stinkin’ directions,” he’s fond of saying. (Guess what one of his favorite movies to quote is.)

He can navigate without getting lost (or asking for directions.) No, really, I know most men are like this, but he actually knows where we are at all times. He doesn’t get lost.

He can troubleshoot any computer issue I’ve ever handed him, whether he knows the program or not.

He can assemble anything, fix anything, build anything.

That is why I can’t figure out, for the life of me, why the man can’t load a dishwasher.

To his credit, he willingly helps out where ever I need it. He will walk in the door from work, throw on an apron, and put himself to work if he sees that I need help, and I love him for it. But let the man get within two feet of the dishwasher, and my perfect loading system is instantly kaput.

The stuff that goes on the top is on the bottom and the stuff that goes on the bottom is on the top. Utensils are thrown in willy-nilly. Things that don’t belong in the dishwasher mysteriously find their way inside. It looks like a free for all in there.

I mean, every woman knows there is only one right way to load her dishwasher. Right? Can I get an amen?

I guess this is what makes our marriage work. I instinctively know the most efficient way to load the dishwasher, and he has an internal GPS. Just don’t ask me to find my own way home.

Disclosure: Please don’t think I endorse husband-bashing. I asked permission before posting this. This is a running joke in our home. You know I luv ya, hon – mad dishwasher loading skilz and all.

And please, no husband bashing in the comments, thanks!

2) THIS is why I’m so uptight about what we feed our kids and how many opportunities they have to eat junk, even when I keep it out of the house.  As if we needed further proof that what we eat really DOES matter: Cancer caused by modern man as it was virtually non-existent in ancient world – Telegraph.co.uk.

3) And speaking of what we eat, I’ve recently taking on a new writing gig — posting at the Plan To Eat blog once a month.  Here’s my debut – Whole Foods for Healthier Meals.

4) I love Pauline’s post, The one about social media.  She is so bang on.  I never consult a phone book or watch advertisements (I pink puffy heart my DVR.)  I get all my information from Twitter and Facebook and other social media outlets.  I hardly even consult Consumer Reports anymore when making a buying decision.  I may take a look, but I buy based on recommendations from friends both in real life and online.  As Pauline says, “customer service-driven retailers and restaurants that aren’t taking advantage of social media’s word-of-mouth opportunities are making a big mistake.”

What about you?  Where do you get your information?

5) There’s an interesting conversation about celebrating Halloween going on in the comments on Stephanie’s post, October 31st (also known as “Halloween”).

Do you or don’t you? (Celebrate Halloween)

6) Finally, you must take five minutes and look through my cousin Ashley’s wedding photos.  Aren’t they exquisite?

Wednesday night we went out for dinner at a quaint restaurant in Bar Harbor called simply Maggie’s. (For some reason, the website isn’t responding.) We discovered this gem on our last trip to Maine and promptly made reservations after reading these reviews.  They grow their own vegetables and herbs and feature local organic ingredients, and they tailor their menu around what is in season.  You know I’m all over that.  But better still, their food is divine and the atmosphere is elegant without being stuffy.  It’s the perfect destination for a romantic date.

I didn’t feel like lugging my camera, but I did pretty well with my camera phone. We took advantage of our free babysitting and left camp early enough to walk around Bar Harbor and grab a drink before dinner. We stood for a while in the small grassy park that overlooks the harbor, admiring the view.

If we’d had more time, we would have camped out on one of the benches for a while but we were anxious to get to Testa’s and enjoy a drink before dinner. I wish I’d been to their website before we went. I’d surely have tried one of their famed mint juleps. Instead I had a glass of red wine, and Paul had a locally brewed blueberry beer. Only in Maine, right?

Before we left the park, we made a weak attempt at self portraiture.

I know, it’s truly pathetic, but it’s all I’ve got.  And why I didn’t take off my sunglasses,  I have no earthly idea.

So dinner.  Maggies is located on a side street in historic Bar Harbor, just off the main drag.

It’s a great location because it’s close enough to the harbor and the shops for an after dinner stroll, but it’s off the beaten path so you’re not dining amidst the hustle and bustle of a crowded tourist destination. We sat by an open window that overlooks the tree-lined residential street where a group of children were playing ball. We had barely sat down before a server showed up with a basket of fresh bread and oil to dip it in. That’s my kinda service. We happily dug in as we waited for our drink orders to arrive.

I started with their garden salad – look how gorgeous this is.  And it isn’t just pretty.  It’s got bacon.  Need I say more?

The buttermilk dressing was wonderful too – tasty without being too sweet or too tangy.

Paul ordered the smoked salmon plate, which was delectable as well.  I reminded him how much he enjoyed it the last time we were there, but really I just wanted him to order it again so I could sneak a taste or three.

Now let’s talk main course.

As far as I’m concerned, there is only one dinner to get at Maggie’s.  She specializes in seafood, and the menu varies with what is in season and available, but always on the menu are her signature Lobster Crepes. Now I know yesterday I said that I’m a purist when it comes to my lobster, but this is the one case in which I will make a resounding exception. Although it’s not MUCH of an exception because I’m pretty sure that, other than the crepes themselves, there isn’t much else in the dish but butter and cream. And lobster, of course — the meat of an entire 1-1/4 pound lobster at that. And of course the best part is, I didn’t even have to shell him.

The accompanying scalloped potatoes were nothing to sneeze at either.  They contained an unexpected herb that I later declared to be rosemary.  I’d love to know if I’m right.  Whatever it was, it was tasty.

Are you sure you’re ready for this?  Be prepared to drool…

You can’t say you weren’t warned.

Paul ordered the monkfish, which he said was quite good, but not as good as my crepes. I tried to tell him, but he has this ridiculous theory that we can’t order the same entrée when we dine together. Fortunately for him, I can never finish my meal and he got quite a few bites off my plate.

And of course we saved room for dessert.  It was a tough decision, but I finally ordered a lemon curd tart topped with fresh blueberries in a sweet sauce. Paul ordered the butterscotch pudding. All of Maggie’s desserts are homemade, and I’m here to tell you, that tart was probably the best pastry I’ve ever ordered in a restaurant. Y’all know how I take pride in my pie crusts, and while I’m not one to turn down a restaurant pie, rarely do they live up to my standards. This one was exceptionally flaky and delicious.

The sweetness of the blueberries and the saltiness of the crust offset the tangy lemon curd perfectly.  It was a refreshing treat after my rich meal.

Still not ready to head home quite yet, after dinner we wandered back down the street and found a coffee shop and internet cafe that was open late, so we stopped in and treated ourselves to a couple mugs of steaming java for the road.

Maybe I’m getting old, but as far as I’m concerned, it was pretty much the perfect date.

He’s been telling me he was going to reclaim his.  I was hoping he had something like this up his sleeve, but I really had no clue till I opened it.

See that?  ”Jo-Lynne’s Kindle” — mine, mine, MINE!

He also got me this nice neoprene case and a clip on light so I can read in bed and then go to sleep without having to get up and turn out the lights.  I think I might need to order one of these adorable skins for it now.

I can’t wait to start downloading books to read in Maine!

My mom was gracious enough to come to town to take care of our kids so we could enjoy our trip worry-free.  I am so thankful for her willingness to take time from her business and help us out, and my kids were positively in heaven with their beloved Grammie to themselves for three days.

It took us a while to get down there, what with a couple of wrong turns and Google Maps leading us astray (who knew there were two of the same road in Cambridge, Maryland!?)  We still arrived in time to sit by the pool for an hour before getting ready for dinner.  When we arrived at the check-in desk, we were informed that we had been upgraded to a water view room.  WOOT!  I took this photo from our deck.

I didn’t get to wear the CAbi shirt I mentioned.  When it was delivered, it didn’t fit right at all.  Once again, I’m in between sizes.  Fun.  I did manage to snag this little number at the LOFT the day before our trip, and it worked out just fine.  And because I knew you’d ask, I had my husband take a picture of me wearing it, and I suppose I’ll post it even though I look like I’m contemplating Chinese water torture, which may be only slightly more painful than having my picture taken.

Dinner was at the resort’s Water’s Edge Grill, and I had filet mignon with crab topping and a delicious red wine sauce preceded by a fresh Caesar salad and these delicious flat bread appetizers with strips of steak and caramelized onions piled on a generous spread of Boursin cheese.  YUM.  That was the best meal I had the whole weekend.  Of course, I don’t have any photos.  I guess I was too busy stuffing my face chatting with my husband.

The next morning we had a breakfast at the hotel, complete with French Press coffee and Cinnamon Bun French Toast, which sounds a lot better than it tasted.  It was WAY too sweet, which just goes to show my taste buds aren’t what they used to be.  Way too sweet wasn’t a part of my vocabulary a year ago.  Still, they made for a good photo opp so here you go.

After breakfast we wandered around the property and visited with another couple evidently taking a weekend away from the kids.

I was so amused by those ducks.  They were the only two we saw, and they seemed to enjoy sunning themselves on the breakwater, completely unphased by our presence on their turf.

The weather couldn’t have been more perfect, and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky.

As much as I’d looked forward to a weekend of doing nothing, we just aren’t do nothing kinda people so we decided to take a day trip to St. Michaels — a historic coastal village only 30 minutes away.

We wandered around the waterfront and perused the shops and then stopped for lunch at the Crab Claw.

We rounded out our St. Michaels adventure with a little wine tasting.

And we bought this.

Yes, that is a Chocolate Zin.  I had never heard of such an animal, and we were both surprised that we liked it, but turns out, it makes a nice after dinner treat.

We even made it back to the resort in time to sit by the infinity pool for a couple of hours before heading over to dinner at the seafood restaurant on property, the Blue Point Provision Company, where we sat on the deck and enjoyed the sunset and feasted on seafood.  Then we topped off the night with a slice of decadent chocolate layer cake.  It just seemed like the right thing to do.  And no, it was NOT too sweet.    It was, however, quite rich, and I was glad we decided to split one.

When we got back to the resort, the Grand Fireplace was lit, and we decided to sit out there for a bit before turning in for the night.  I had seen the photo on the website and hoped that we would find it lit one night while we were there.  I can’t think of anything I’d rather do on a cool spring evening than sit in front of a roaring fire and soak in the warmth and stare into the flames and let my mind wander.  Which reminds me, it’s about time for us to plan our summer camping trip.  But I digress.

The next morning I convinced my husband to hang around the resort for a while after breakfast so I could get caught up on work before heading home.  We each grabbed a latte from Starbucks (yes, there is even a Starbucks in the resort; I mean really, what else do you need?) and found a pretty spot to sit in the library and broke out our laptops for a couple of hours because we’re geeks like that.

Fortunately the ride home was less eventful than the ride down, although we still managed to make one wrong turn.  What is it with country roads?  We could navigate downtown Philly easier than we navigated the roads of the Eastern Shore.  We even made it back in time to catch most of my son’s baseball game and then we headed home to grill burgers and hang out with my mom.  It’s fun to go away, but there truly is no place like home.

Disclosure: As a member of the Hyatt Insider Blogger Program, I received two free nights to stay at a Hyatt of my choice and four nights to give away to two of my readers.

Well, guess what?  I was recently asked if I would like to be a part of the new Hyatt Insider blogger program.

Huh.  Would I ever!

Guess what that means?  That means more opportunities for me, and for you, to stay at the Hyatt’s fabulous hotels and resorts throughout the year FOR FREE.  I don’t know about you, but I’m all about the free.  And I really love campaigns like this one that allow me to share my perks with my readers.

Since there’s no time like the present, I’ve already received 2 (that’s TWO) free Big Welcome Back award nights which we are planning to use next weekend at the Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay Golf Resort, Spa and Marina down on Maryland’s Eastern Shore.

This will be an early 15-year anniversary trip.  FIFTEEN YEARS of marriage, y’all.  I guess I’m officially a grownup now.  (Our anniversary isn’t till August, but this month worked out best for our busy summer schedule.)

I spent a few days perusing the various Hyatt sites within driving distance of Philly, trying to decide where to go.  I really wanted to go somewhere that is a destination in and of itself, rather than a Hyatt in the middle of a city or a tourist destination.  We just want a place where we can relax and hang out and eat good food, so when I discovered this resort, I decided it was perfect.

I hope the weather’s nice enough to sit by the pool and sip a mojito, but if not, it looks like there are plenty of lovely places to sit indoors.  Like, here perhaps.  I have a stack of books to bring that I’ve been trying to read, and I may even pick up a new knitting project before we go.  I’m looking forward to just relaxing.  We MIGHT even try out the spa while we’re there, since this IS our 15th anniversary trip, after all.

We still have to decide where we’re going to eat.  I was told to make reservations in advance, and we’re leaving in 10 days, so I need to be figuring that out.  Suggestions?  Has anyone been there?

Of course, an anniversary trip to a beach resort calls for some new duds, wouldn’t you agree?  And it just so happens that last weekend I attended a CAbi party.  I totally splurged on a colorful silk tank top that should be perfect for an evening out at the beach.  I wonder if I can find it online.  Oh here, you go. (Click on Bright On, and it’s the Cosmo Tunic.)

I know. It pretty much broke the bank, but isn’t there a rule that states that you can’t go to one of these home parties and not buy something?  (That’s what I told my husband, anyway.)  Really, hon, I was just being polite.

And of course, one of Murphy’s Laws clearly states that when you go to one of said parties, you will fall in love with the most expensive item there.  What, that doesn’t happen to you? I suppose it’s one of my many talents.

Anyway, I fell in love with that top the second I saw it, and even though I tried on probably half the tops she had in stock, I knew the Cosmo Tunic was “the one.”  Just picture it — a romantic dinner by the ocean, sipping a crisp Chardonnay, feasting on fresh seafood, no little ones interrupting our conversation…  I can’t wait.

I’ll be sure to take more than my fair share of photographs while we’re there so I can fill you in when we get back.  It will be the next best thing to being there.  Of course, that would be weird.  If you were there, I mean.  Pictures are better.

Any-WHO.  In addition to my own 2 free Big Welcome Back award nights, I get to give away 2 sets of 2 free Big Welcome Back award nights that can be used at any Hyatt in the world. They will expire on August 30, 2011 so you’ll want to be able to use them soon.

To enter, just tell me which Hyatt you’d like to stay at (don’t worry; you don’t have to commit.  You can change your mind if you win.)  I will randomly select 2 winners on Friday, May 14. If you win, you will need to register for a Hyatt Gold Passport account, and the two free nights will be awarded to your account.  This contest is open to anyone anywhere in the world.

Disclosure: As a member of the Hyatt Insider blogger program, I was provided with a points upgrade to elite Platinum Gold Passport status and 2 free Big Welcome Back award nights to use at my leisure, plus 2 sets of 2 free Big Welcome Back award nights for my readers.

Even a Great Husband Makes a Very Poor God: Lysa Terkeurst.  Every woman, married or single, should read this post.

Benefits of Non-Toxic Cleaning: Simple Mom.  This is my next step.  I already use Sun & Earth spray cleaner and laundry detergent.  But I really want to make sure that there are no chemical cleaners in my house anymore.

Turn Twitter’s Follow Friday Into Blog Traffic — Chris Brogan.

Food {Not So} Glorious Food — Spilt Milk Moms.

Have YOU Signed the Food Revolution Petition?

We were like a couple of teenage kids after their parents left them alone for the weekend — giddy with freedom and no clue what to do with it.  We debated everything from going home and getting some projects done around the house, to meeting my parents and the kids at the zoo (much to my mother’s amusement), to visiting the Art Museum.  In the end, we decided to drive over to Reading Terminal Market for breakfast and for the cultural experience because we are classy and sophisticated, not to mention easily lured by cheap home-cooked food and stalls of raw meat and fresh produce.

The irony of our visit to Reading Terminal Market may be lost on non-locals.  For one thing, you have to understand where we live.  My neighborhood backs up to a working dairy farm, and we frequent a nearby farmer’s market that sells locally grown produce and home baked Amish goods.  We needn’t drive all the way into Center City Philadelphia for fresh produce and baked goods.  But while the Reading Market has all that, it has much, much more.  The website sums it up like this:

More than 80 merchants offer patrons fresh produce, meats, fish, groceries, flowers, baked goods, crafts, books, clothing, as well as hard-to-find specialties and ethnic foods.

It’s also the nation’s oldest continuously operating farmers’ market, which is just cool in and of itself.

When we walked in, I was in awe of the sheer magnitude of vendors and their wares.  I wish I’d had my camera (and a working flash) so I could show you what I’m talking about.  There were vendors selling prepared foods of virtually every ethnicity imaginable as well as all the local specialties like Philly cheesesteaks, soft pretzels, and Pennsylvania Dutch treats.  But it was the raw meat and fish that caught my eye.  I could have spent hours at the meat stands.  We wanted to buy steaks to bring home but we knew we had to make several stops on our way and were afraid of it going bad.  And then there were the fresh flower stands.  My husband’s mighty lucky he doesn’t work nearby because I would be expecting flowers OFTEN if he had such easy access to those gorgeous affordable bouquets.

Finally we made our way back to the Dutch Eating Place — a counter service restaurant serving Pennsylvania Dutch breakfasts and lunches.  The line was daunting, but it looked as if it was moving fast, so we decided to take our chances.  Sure enough, within 15 minutes we were seated at the counter eating plates of French Toast and fried eggs and bacon with freshly squeezed orange juice and bottomless cups of coffee.

Then we walked next door to Beiler’s Bakery where we scored freshly baked cinnamon rolls and sticky buns for our Mother’s Day breakfast table and THE most delicious dinner rolls EVER that we served with Mother’s Day dinner.  Suffice it to say that if I lived within walking distance of Reading Terminal Market, I would be out shopping for bigger clothes.

After we had our fill of the market (and I mean FILL in a literal sense; oh my WORD we were full when we left there), we stopped by Ikea and the mall on our way home.  Once home, we just enjoyed the peace and quiet of our house sans kids for a few hours.  We talked of doing productive tasks such as cleaning out the garage or setting up the shelves in our laundry room, but we ended up puttering around, watching some TV, and chatting with the neighbors.  It’s amazing how having kids will change your idea of a fun time.

So basically, this week I learned that even though I can get local produce and freshly baked Amish goods right down the street, there is nothing quite like visiting an historic mega farmer’s market plopped smack dab in the middle of a large city.  I also learned that getting away with your significant other for some much overdue together time is invaluable for your relationship.  Try it!  Really.

So what did you learn this week?!

CLICK HERE for the complete carnival rules. Here is the Cliffs Notes version:

1. Any time this week, publish your What I Learned This Week post on your blog and link to this post.  Please only link in if you wrote a What I Learned This Week Post.

2. Link up with the Mr. Linky form down below. Please put the link to your POST, not the front page of your blog. More on that here.

3. Then visit the other participants and see what they learned this week. And comment, comment, comment! Spread the love!

Alrightythen. Ready, Set, GO!