With five children, my husband and I often did nothing more than run out for a quick meal and then return home. We found ourselves running out of new places to go and things to do after a few years and decided to incorporate fresh ideas into our date nights. We are still trying to maintain an atmosphere of romance and not break the bank. We have to think outside the box on this one.

5 Inexpensive Valentine Date Night Ideas

1. Stargaze – One of our favorite pastimes is lying in the grass staring at the stars. We began the ritual when we were dating and have continued by sharing the passion with our kids. Stargazing involves nothing more than a clear, starry night and a piece of quiet somewhere. We like to sneak out on the patio after the kids have gone to bed or grab an ice cream and head to our local lake. The romance is in the twinkling of the stars.
2. Geocache – Have you discovered the fun of geocaching? I read about it this past summer and our family has enjoyed the thrill ever since. Grab your date and head out on a treasure hunt. There are six within walking distance of our house and several more locally. A little bit of gas and a lot of energy can go a long way in geocaching. Discover the magic of treasure hunting together!
3. Have a Movie Night – With movie rentals as low as $1.50, sometimes the easiest way to share some quality time is to simply rent a DVD, pop some popcorn, crawl into bed, or snuggle on the couch with a good movie. Alleviating the need for a babysitter and not using any gas, this is typically the default plan when we are on a tight budget for date night.
4. Explore your City – Even with gas prices on the rise, there is still a reason to get out and explore. Watch for bargains through an online deal site for places and events nearby. We have discovered that even within our own tiny town there is still so much to do. Grab a camera and become a tourist right where you are planted.
5. See the Arts – Local theater groups and some smaller museums often have low-cost admission prices. Delve into the culture of the humanities and see the arts in your city. You never know what types of new ideas can be inspired by looking at the creativity of others.

What are some of your best inexpensive date ideas?

Staci Salazar is the blog author/owner of 7 on a Shoestring. She is a SAHM to 5 children {all boys but 4} living vicariously through the internet.  Staci writes product reviews, giveaways and everyday antics of family life as they manage their family of 7. They are living blessed on less. She can also be found on Twitter @7onashoestring.

There are several things I know for sure about relationships, simply from the commonalities of all my failed ones. The down slope to a failing relationship is our tongue. It usually always starts with something that is said even when there is no intention to hurt the other person; sometimes it just does. The next step down that slippery slope is misunderstanding.

To break it down, the innocent, yet ignorant comment has been taken out of context or misunderstood by the hearer; or the one on the receiving end. This is where all relationships usually fail. With the first person trying desperately to reach their friend not knowing the hurt they have caused; and the second former friend who has stewed far too long on the comments that they have usually taken out of context. In order to spare themselves from any future pain, they shut down and close all lines of communication due to reading too much of a “tone’ in the email, text message, or even face to face interaction. Even if forgiveness is offered, we all know the relationship may never be the same again.

If we thought it was hard for us, it is even more difficult watching your child steer these waters. I have watched my daughter fall in and out of relationships within a day or two. What do you say when they come home and tell you that their very best friend is not playing with them any more and even yelled at them in front of the whole class? I try to help my daughter remember anything that could have caused the misunderstanding. She’s also had to learn how to say “I’m Sorry” even when she feels she is in the right, but the hardest lesson she is having to learn is how to let go.

Letting go is the hardest thing about relationships. When you have done everything you can to repair what has been broken, you have to let go or live in a terrible place called, “what’s wrong with me”? It may be at first, but the best thing for our spirit is to keep the fun memories, throw out the bad ending, and thank God for bringing that person into your life. This is what I’m teaching my child. God brings certain people into our lives to teach us a lesson, or maybe we’re there to teach them something about themselves. Whatever the case, it may be for a specific period of time. It is a lesson I am still learning while I try to help my daughter navigate these waters. My hope is that learning this at seven years old will help her in the teen years when boyfriends enter the picture.

What are you teaching your children about relationships; especially those that are short term?

 Photo courtesy of flickr

Alicia Ivey, a wife, mother, daughter and friend.  She has traveled for over 25 years speaking and singing in different venues to thousands.  She hopes to at least touch a few who need some encouraging words.  Alicia is striving to raise her and teach her daughter by example, which can be very challenging at times.  During her spare time she enjoys writing encouraging words through mybabyclothes.com, where you can find unique baby clothes, beautiful tutus and stylish baby hats.

I decided to shop online and purchase an Apple iPad2 for my husband, Jim. Being older, he has always felt like a “dinosaur” when it came to computers, internet, email, facebook, etc. The user-friendly aspect of the Apple iPad2 seemed to be the perfect fit for him. With his desire to write some of his family’s history, the time seemed right to help him launch a new chapter in his own life history as well.

Just one day after Christmas, I knew I had hit the bulls-eye, so to speak. We have a very high-tech oriented family who have been a huge help in getting the recipient, product, and process together. This support system has forged new relationships with our adult kids and grand kids we haven’t heretofore developed. All are overjoyed to help their dad!

Our IT son, Brian, helped with the expert advice in purchasing just the right product, an Apple iPad2 with the perfect accessories from Zagg including a Folio Wireless Bluetooth Keyboard and Invisible Shield. He then set up all his dad’s important apps (BYUtv, Deseret News, Diabetes, etc.) for me ahead of time. He has already “skyped” his dad this morning with a cheery, “How’s it going?” David, another IT son, is totally excited that his dad can now join him in conversations via the iPad world from 350 miles away. Natalie, a daughter, got him connected today on our wireless, showed him how to use new applications, and answered all his questions.

Jim jokingly said yesterday, “I will probably be tutored by Lola,” our four year-old granddaughter. She has mastered downloading apps so well so that her parents had to set up a password to keep her from getting into the ipad without their permission.

Building relationships with family members has always been a high priority for us, but it has suddenly become easier and more meaningful with the flick of a switch. Happy New Year, Jim, 2012!

Do you have an ipad? How does technology help your family stay connected?

Photo courtesy of flickr.

Carol Ann Shepherd is a wife; mother of 6; grandma of 17; loves to cook, travel, teach, emergency preparedness, scrapbooking, sew, and anything creative. 

In our class, Michelle shared some of her favorite recipes with us. She told us how she started cooking as a young girl with her mother and now enjoys cooking for her own family. Cooking is the way that Michelle shows her family that she loves them. She believes that food brings people together in a very special way.

When you are with Michelle, you immediately feel like you are one of her closest friends. She is passionate about delicious food, feeding her family, and showing love by cooking. Michelle’s books were intended to introduce food as a love language, enhancing traditions, fortifying relationships and celebrating life.

Michelle and her daughter Abby made some of the most delicious food I have ever tasted. Some of my favorites were her Tomato and Rice Soup, Chinese Chicken Salad, and Caramel Popcorn. We ate until we were completely stuffed.

I love beautiful cookbooks. Michelle’s books are not only beautiful but the recipes are simple to make. They also share original tablescape ideas and a ready-to-use shopping list.

It was almost surreal that we were at the exact location where Michelle photographed this incredible book. Thanksgiving point has a variety of beautiful gardens and gathering places. It offers so many wonderful activities for our community, and this cooking demonstration did not disappoint.

I am in love with Michelle’s cookbooks. They are not only practical but fun to look at too. You don’t have to take my word for it. You can order “The Gathering of Friends” cookbook  right now on her website or at Thanksgiving Point and take advantage of her buy 3 get 1 free deal.  Hurry, this offer doesn’t last long.

Taking this class has changed the way I look at making dinner. I am so thankful to Michelle for inspiring me to show my love for my family through cooking. I am also excited to come back to Thanksgiving Point and attend other cooking classes and enjoy the beautiful grounds with family and friends. We are so fortunate to have such a beautiful place in our community.

What types of foods do you like to cook? How has food brought your family closer together?

Disclaimer: I was provided with a free class and a copy of the Gathering of Friend’s Cookbook Volume 4. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

the top of a mountain,

a deserted beach,

a street filled with Christmas lights,

and grandpa’s barn.

It is the definition of boy bliss.

It may not look like much from the outside.  It stands alone with gray metal sides, a tin roof and a door large enough to drive a truck through it.

It may not look like much from the inside.  It is filled with things that wouldn’t fit into the garage, tools and random garden accessories.

That is where the magical part begins.  It isn’t what is seen that is important.  It is what can be made that captivates the visitors of grandpa’s barn.

The scraps of wood laying on the floor have potential.  That potential is encouraged through careful use of imagination, nails, hammers, paintbrushes and paint.

The tools hanging on the wall are waiting.  They are waiting to be used by little hands with big ideas.

Grandpa patiently advises as to the best nail for the wood, how to cut this part off, how to hold the spray paint so it doesn’t backfire.

And when the sawdust settles, the results are like snowflakes…no two are exactly alike.

But it isn’t really about the results, although they are carried home to be displayed like trophies, it is about the process.

The process of a boy making tangible a dream with the guidance of his grandfather.

Holly’s three boys aren’t the only ones that are captivated by grandpa’s barn, grandpa is too.  Grandpa and his barn are responsible for a magnificent tree house, a set of wooden blocks and hours and hours of fun.

Holly is a mom blogger who writes June Cleaver Nirvana and is the founder/editor of She Is Dallas, a website for DFW women.

3 Tips for Reinforcing Sibling Relationships

Here are some ideas for making the best out of togetherness and strengthening sibling bonds:

1. Emphasize Cooperation over Competition. I am a firm believer that siblings learn their best lessons about conflict resolution, winning graciously, and losing gracefully from one another, but I also know quite well that creating opportunities for young people to work together toward a common goal is one of the best ways to promote strong bonds. Next time you have a long snow day ahead or weekend with no plans (now doesn’t that sound dreamy!), consider putting away the competitive board games and taking out puzzles, Lego sets, modeling clay and other materials that lend themselves to cooperative (and more imaginative!) family interactions.

2. Get Out! One of the best ways I know to stop kid bickering and promote sibling bonding is to take a breather—of fresh air, that is. Take advantage of the snowy weather to get the kids out of doors. Have them make snow angels together or build a snowman. Lend them the scarf off your neck to keep the snowman warm and encourage their creativity.  We even pull out the old baby clothes to create our little snowman family. You just can’t imagine how cute snow babies are in their little tutus and flowered snow baby headbands.   Have fun with it!  If there is enough snow on the ground where you live, you can even build their little igloo home! Outdoor play is great physical exercise, relief from winter cabin fever, and unbeatable sibling bonding.

3. Agree to Disagree. One of the biggest misunderstandings among siblings is the notion that brothers and sisters have to agree (think: DVD selections, where to go for dinner, who gets to push the elevator buttons) in order to get along. One of the best things that you can do to strengthen the sibling relationship is to teach your kids the difference between disagreeing and arguing.

If you’re feeling professorial, sit your “students” down at a table and write the words “arguing” and “disagreeing” in two separate columns, at the top of a piece of paper. Ask your kids to define each term and then engage in a little brainstorming exercise, asking them to name the different kinds of behaviors that characterize each word. This activity can be quick or extended, depending on your kids’ interest level and time, but no matter how long you spend, it is a useful and memorable way to make the important point that all people have varying preferences but that these differences need not have any bearing on how we feel about or behave towards each other. Relationships are strengthened when kids learn that it is perfectly okay to agree to disagree.

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How to Focus on What Matters Most Over the Holidays

What are ways you will strengthen your family this holiday season?

1. Write a list of ten questions you’d like to know about a family member or friend and schedule an interview with them to get to know them better. Encourage your children to interview someone they’d like to get to know better as well. If they are younger, help them create the list of questions.
2. Write a note to a family member or friend, telling them how much you appreciate, love, or admire them. Use your talents in drawing, painting, stamping, hand writing, letter writing, or your favorite form of creativity to put your personal stamp on the card.
3. Involve your family in putting together a progressive dinner right within the walls of your own home. Assign each person to be in charge of a specific room and portion of the meal. Work together to make the meal and set up the rooms. Award prizes for most creative, yummiest, most colorful, etc.
4. Welcome your spouse home from work or your children home from school with a picture or note on one of your windows or mirrors using Crayola’s window markers.
5. Encourage your children to welcome their mom or dad (or both!) home from work or other outing by helping them write a love note using Crayola’s sidewalk chalk on the driveway.
6. Have a family art gallery night where each of you prepares a drawing, painting, photograph, Model Magic sculpture, or other artistic project and showcases it for each other. Award participants with certificates or ribbons, indicating most creative, best use of color, best use of black and white, best use of emotions, etc.
7. Encourage your children to get to know their grandparents better by having them record (through audio and/or video) an interview with them about what life was like when they were growing up. Help your children prepare the questions, get the recording equipment ready, and set up an appointment. Then help them put together the audio/video project and share it with the rest of the family, including their grandparents.
8. Have a girls’ night out that’s a blast from the past with activities like finger painting, running through sprinklers, jumping on the trampoline, or other fun things you enjoyed as a child. Make sure to feature your favorite childhood snacks and drinks. Tang anyone?
9. Have a “walk down memory lane” party with your family, your friends, other couples, or others where you all bring photo albums and share your favorite memories. One fun group date is to all bring your wedding photo albums and each take turns sharing favorite memories from your wedding and your newlywed years.
10. Schedule a family coloring night, where you each choose a favorite page from a coloring book or your own coloring books and color together while chatting and enjoying your favorite snacks.

How Will You Give to Others This Week?

• What other ideas do you have for strengthening your relationships this week using creativity?
• What are things that get in the way of strengthening your relationships using creativity?
• What are ways to overcome these challenges?
• How has strengthening your relationships this week using creativity others made a meaningful difference for you? For others?

How Else Can You Make a Difference This Summer?

Make a meaningful difference this summer by taking the Summer of Service (SOS) Challenge. Here’s how you can participate:

• Commit to do one act of kindness/service based on the week’s challenge.
• Leave a comment with ideas relating to the week’s challenge as well as your experience(s) performing it.
• Grab the SOS button in the sidebar and put it on your blog or social networking site.
• Enter to win each week’s giveaway. Click here to check out this week’s prize from Crayola.
• Join #gno this Tuesday on Twitter to connect with other Mom It Forward moms about the challenge.

What: Crayola Creativitycast on #gno (Click here to learn more about #gno!)

When: Tuesday, August 11, 9-11 p.m. EST

Where: Click here to party with us on Tweetgrid (Use hashtags #gno & #crayola.)

Topic: Creative Connections (building and strengthening relationships and character through creativity)

Who: cerisecheri from Crayola, @crayola, @girlfriendology from Girlfriendology, @juliecole from Mabel’s Labels, @todaysmama from Todays Mama,  @razzmatazzrob from Crayola, @skybluestacy from Crayola, and @youngmommy from From Dates to Diapers.

Party Favors: Click here to check out this week’s giveaway sponsored by Crayola.

RSVP: The link list is not working this week, so please leave your Twitter ID in the comments.

What Will We Be Discussing and Sharing This Week?

Get ready for the creative discussion this Tuesday, by reviewing these questions. And, if you’d like, upload some pictures to share on Twitter during the party! Check out TwitPic for an easy way to share pictures on Twitter. We’d love you to leave a comment here or on the Crayola Facebook Page to share ideas and tips in answer to the questions below.

1. How does art help you show love to family and friends?
2. What creative activities do you use with kids in groups?
3. How does creativity help enhance kid-related activities (i.e., play dates, parties, etc.)?
4. How do you think creativity helps kids develop social skills and build better friendships?
5. Which indoor and outdoor creative activities help your kids express themselves best?
6. What experiences have you had using creativity to communicate better with your teens?
7. How do classes or activities—dance, music, art, etc.—help enhance creativity?
8. How can creativity help you problem solve, & come up with new ideas?
9. Have you done your back-t0-school shopping yet? Tell your story?
10. What is your favorite Crayola memory?

1. Create A Picture Perfect Environment: Decorate your space with photos of friends, family, loved ones and places you enjoy. Be sure to select photos that contain strong positive memories. Every photo has feelings and memories just underneath its surface; choosing the right one enables you to revisit those moments all over again — and feel the same good feelings!
2. Share Your World: The people you miss, miss you too. Let the important people in your life know how you’re doing by sharing not just the special moments but the ordinary moments too. Sharing the “small stuff” can have a BIG impact on your relationships.
3. Interview Your Photo: Unlock the magic of your photo. Find the happiest picture in your collection and imagine a conversation with it. What positive message would it want you to know? How would it like you to feel? What would it want you to remember?
4. Try A Photo Pick Me Up: Beat your blues! Find your most positive photo and carry it with you. Looking at a photo of happier times puts you right back there again, feeling that same way, right now!
5. Breaking the Ice: Turn your photos into conversation starters. Behind every picture is a great story that wants to be told; it’s just waiting for you to ask! Sharing your photos is like sharing your life; when others hear your anecdotes, connections are made that can last a lifetime.