No prizes for guessing what's inspired this post. But there are maybe a few more reasons to need stay-at-home date night ideas than the obvious one. Yes, we're stuck in at home right now with no external social activities or entertainment. So it figures that having a stash of stay-at-home … [Read more...] about 25 STAY-AT-HOME DATE NIGHT IDEAS
Marriage
Investing in parenting means investing in our marriage or relationship. I hope the following resources offer some hope and encouragement to you as you seek to strengthen this important bond in your family set-up.
MINISTRY-PROOFING YOUR MARRIAGE: PREVENTING PASTORS’ MARRIAGE PROBLEMS
As a vicar's wife, I'm all too aware of the demands that full-time ministry can put on a marriage. I'm saddened, but not surprised, when I read about pastors' marriage problems - the challenges of maintaining a healthy family life when you're also pastorally involved in lots of other people's lives … [Read more...] about MINISTRY-PROOFING YOUR MARRIAGE: PREVENTING PASTORS’ MARRIAGE PROBLEMS
WHAT TO GET YOUR HUSBAND OR WIFE FOR CHRISTMAS: A FOOLPROOF CHRISTMAS GIFT!
Do you struggle when it comes to buying gifts for your other half? I'd love to hear from you if you don't! I always find it difficult, and I suspect I'm not alone. We can find it hard for all sorts of reasons, not least because our money and possessions are shared, so it sometimes feels like … [Read more...] about WHAT TO GET YOUR HUSBAND OR WIFE FOR CHRISTMAS: A FOOLPROOF CHRISTMAS GIFT!
4 THINGS WE CAN LEARN ABOUT MARRIAGE FROM THE CROWN
I don't know about you, but I'm a huge fan of The Crown. I came to it very late, just a few months ago actually, when we took a one-month Netflix trial - and ended up on a paid Netflix plan, just so that we could finish watching this fabulous, edge-of-your-seat drama. Of course we know that … [Read more...] about 4 THINGS WE CAN LEARN ABOUT MARRIAGE FROM THE CROWN
IS IT POSSIBLE TO BALANCE FINANCES, MENTAL HEALTH AND RAISING A FAMILY?
Now I'm no agony aunt, but every now and again I get a question from a reader which I think is really pertinent, so I've decided to expand these into blog posts every so often. Don't expect a solution, but I hope that my thoughts about these topics will set you off on your own thinking and … [Read more...] about IS IT POSSIBLE TO BALANCE FINANCES, MENTAL HEALTH AND RAISING A FAMILY?
HOW NOT TO TALK ABOUT YOUR IN-LAWS
A couple of weeks ago I was having a text conversation with my sister-in-law about some of the family arrangements for Christmas. At one point, I was about to type a reply saying, "Your family is ridiculous!" Allow me to back-track and give some context. I get on really well with my in-laws, and … [Read more...] about HOW NOT TO TALK ABOUT YOUR IN-LAWS
CAN I BE A FEMINIST AND A STAY-AT-HOME MUM?
I'll be honest: feminism didn't really play a major part in my life until recently. I've been pretty fortunate not to have known any gender-related obstacles at work or at home. I haven't suffered abuse or harassment at the hands of men, nor have I been prevented from doing anything I wanted to do … [Read more...] about CAN I BE A FEMINIST AND A STAY-AT-HOME MUM?
THE SILENT ANNIVERSARY: CELEBRATING MARRIAGE IN A CULTURE OF RELATIONSHIP BREAKDOWN
Last month, we celebrated our 15th wedding anniversary. Most of the time I feel our life just plods on, so the slightly startling fact that we'd been plodding on longer than Facebook, Netflix and (most people's access to) digital photography seemed worth celebrating. We had a lovely couple of days … [Read more...] about THE SILENT ANNIVERSARY: CELEBRATING MARRIAGE IN A CULTURE OF RELATIONSHIP BREAKDOWN
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BREADMAKER! (OUR MARRIAGE IS 13 TODAY)
This is our breadmaker, and it is 13 years old today. Through four different homes, it has consistently produced beautiful, fresh loaves, as well as pizza dough, ciabatta, focaccia and numerous other variants. To me, it has always been a total miracle of a machine: the fact you can tip in seven … [Read more...] about HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BREADMAKER! (OUR MARRIAGE IS 13 TODAY)