Leap year or not...

Jani says, "If it happens to be a leap year, tell him you'll love him for 28 more leap years. See, you don't have to leap through hoops to proclaim your love. Just make sure you let him know in some way, every day."

Mail Just for Him

Jani says, "Send him another love note through the mail. He'll begin to look forward to peeping in the mailbox."

Music is the key to the female heart."- Johann G. Seume

Jani says, "Get an album of La Boheme complete with words and pictures, and listen to it together after dinner."

Play Fetch!

Jani says, "Get him the Sunday paper the night before."

Bath Time...

Jani says,"Take a bubble bath together. Tub too small? So much the better."

To fetch or not to fetch?...

Jani says,"Visit your local lingerie lair and fetch something fetching."

For Washington's Birthday...

"But I've got to say, 'I love you' 'cause it's February 22nd and I can't tell a lie!"- Holiday Inn

Jani says,"To celebrate Washington's birthday: make him a cake (red/white/blue) in the shape of a flag. Use a box of white cake mix. Pour into 3 separate rectangular pans before baking. Put a few drops of blue food coloring in one pan, red in another, and leave one white. Frost with red and white stripes of confectioners' sugar frosting. Use cherries for stars. Remember there were only thirteen then. "

Hot Chocolate, Anyone?

Jani says, "Have hot chocolate with a snowball of whipped cream waiting on his nightstand at bedtime. Don't do this more than once. It may become a habit and it carries a lot of calories."

Flowers are for men, too!

Jani says "Station a bunch of violets in his workshop."



These are the flowers I put on Allen's desk. Yellow because it is one of his two favorite colors.

A Man And A Pencil...

Jani says, "Sharpen the pencils on his home desk."

Get Your Ribbon Ladies!

Jani says," Wrap a supply of razor blades in polka-dottish paper and address it to him dans la salle de bain."

I did a quick search to figure out the English translation but I couldn't find it fast. In my rusty French I think it is roughly, "In the bath room." Laura, you seem to have better grasp of French, perhaps you will translate for us.

And just for fun, I intend to revive that red ribbon.

Love you girls,

Kat


Ok, ladies. Here it is. No polka dot paper to be had, though.

Make a Nest Egg

Jani says, "Start to save fifty-cent pieces today. Soon you can pop a play on him with the money you've saved-and fifty centses are such a clean, fun kick to be on."

Allen and I keep an envelope. In it we put any five dollar bills we get. This money helps to fund our annual Pa and Mama only spring getaway. Five dollars at a time doesn't seem like much, but it adds up quickly and before you know it you can do something special with your sweetie.

It doesn't have to be $5 bills or a trip. It could be $1 bills and dinner out just the two of you. Quarters could quickly add up to two movie tickets and some popcorn. Be creative. Maybe you'd like a new video for a date at home... toss those nickles in a jar. Maybe there is a museum or gallery you'd like to visit. A special event coming to your area? What about if your honey is into cars. Start tossing dimes in a jar to save up to rent some fancy vehicle you can't afford to buy but he'd sure like to drive. Pick him up at work and take him for a long scenic drive as the sun sets. You could even pack a picnic or dessert.

Magazines

Jani says, "Clip articles of interest to him from a magazine that he hasn't had time to read; maybe you will even find something special on the women's page for him."

I keep a basket of magazines stocked with the sport, automobile and engineering magazines that Allen likes to read. Each month I pull out the old issues as I add the new ones. To get double duty, I send them off to my dad who in turns brings us last month's issues of his favorite news magazines.

Jani says "The day after Valentine's Day send him another valentine by regular routes. Tell him twenty-four hours is just too little time for a special love-message day."

Enough said! That's what this is all about, right?

Happy Valentine's Day!!

Jani says "On Valentine's Day have his Valentine's card (which you created) canned at a local canning company or mail it to Azuma, a gifty-fun shoppe at 666 Lexington Avenue in New York City, where they will can it for you. Or invest in a paper dress a la can. Oh stop, if you really want to wow him you can come up with a can!"

Jani, you are a hoot! This must have been something really popular back then, don't you think??? Well, I am sure we all can come up with some special Valentine's Day plans to wow our sweeties with.

Call in with a sick day...

Jani says "Maybe you didn't buy the galoshes soon enough. Coax him to be sick in bed with his new sniffles for twenty-four hours. A day of spectacular care will make him fall for you all over again."

I don't think this will happen. Allen has to be dead to take a day off work since he doesn't get sick leave and must used his vacation days. He just surprised me with a vacation day for my birthday so he will be even less likely to take a day off work. Plus, he has already been sick this year so it is not likely that he will be sick again. That is lame of him, don't you think? I am going to think on how to incorporate this.

"Singin' in the Snow..."

Jani says "Buy him an extra set of galoshes for his office, and put them there. The weatherman has done nothing but forecast snow for a solid week."

No need for galoshes in his office, since he is most always not there. But since Allen often drives between three states, the weather can change dramatically from his morning appointments to his afternoon. I was thinking a second pair of galoshes in his trunk, perhaps in a rubbermaid to keep the trunk clean, might be a nice help for snowy parking lots.

Remember those cards you made?

Hi, Ladies. I just wanted to remind you... in the beginning I planned to make this a private blog in order to keep it a forum we could be comfortable sharing in. The month of January, and a good part of February, has escaped me already. Please leave me a comment and let me know if you have a preference on this topic. I am torn between leaving it available to others who may like to join in and maintaining our privacy.

Thanks for your input!

Kat

And now I will turn you over to...

Jani who says, "Send him a special delivery love note telling him that last night's candlelight dinner was a gas."

Or maybe you could find some more current terminology he might understand? Either way...

Steaks or subs... the choice is yours.

Jani says "Time for a candlelight dinner. Shouldn't have to tell you that. This is guaranteed to keep him at your dinner table for years to come."

We eat by candlelight every night during the winter. It is just nicer that way. We like to have candlelit dinners after the kids go to bed sometimes, too. I will be sure to get an invite out for this one ASAP... maybe tonight even.

A Kiss in Time...

Jani says "Every time he kisses you, turn over your specially-purchased-for-this-occasion hourglass. Soon he'll kiss you every time he notices the hourglass. (And remember to tell him you love him.)"

I need to get me one of those! I am sure he would enjoy that because when his kiss date came up on the calendar (remember that from early January) he was quick to remind me of it.

King of his Castle

Jani says "Ask if he'd like his chest of drawers straightened. Proceed only if he agrees. Give him as much sovereignty over his kingdom as possible."

Love Me, Love My Teeth

Hello, beautiful ladies.

I bet you all think I dropped off the face of the earth??? I didn't. It has just been an unusual time for me. Earlier in the week a lot of hecticness (I don't care if that isn't a word... you all know what I mean) and since Friday I have been surrounded by lots of fun family stuff that has kept me away from the world of technology. I still think of you all and pray for your marriages each day. (Did I ever tell you that? I like to pray for you all at different times. Yes, I think even the happiest of couples need God's grace to be all that we can be!) I will be back soon enough and you will be sick of seeing me around. For now though, I will turn you over to Jani. Happy Super Bowl Sunday!

Jani says, "Find out when he would be most happy to visit the dentist."

Our family dentist appointment is scheduled when we go for our six month check up so this is on the calendar already. I will write a reminder on the dry erase board in his office so he can be sure to keep that day open.

But It Tickles

Jani says, "Greet him at the door wearing a false mustache. He'll think you're a but will probably kiss you anyway."

Fear The Turtle

Jani says, "Send him a telegram exclaiming his school fight challenge, followed by lots of exclamation points."

University of Maryland's slogan was "Fear the Turtle"... I'm not sure there's anything romantic about that... especially since the whole time he was at U of MD, I told him how stupid it was. And can you even send a telegram anymore? Can we say text message? Or maybe I could wear his college sweatshirt when he gets home?

Who needs coffee?

Jani says, "Keep a small bottle of essence of peppermint on your side of the nightstand and use it in the a.m. before he wakes up to your kiss."

If my kids did this...

Jani says, "Carve your initials and his into the wood work by the phone stand. You can fill it up with plastic wood when you plan to move."

He wasn't really sick...

Jani says "Put some asprins, Anacin, Bufferin or other TV flash remedy in a vial in his briefcase. Remember he wasn't really sick before, but he loves attention." Jani, you're slipping: no ribbon around that?!

Vest Pocket Garden

Jani says "Find out if the building superintendent has anything against a 'vest pocket garden', which you can make in a window box for his office. If you can get the okay, keep the box seasonally planted."