Thank you for joining me today for the S.W.A.K. Valentine’s Carnival. I can't wait to read your posts! (If you need info about the carnival, please click on the button).
It’s also the day for some fabulous door prizes! Please visit the following links and bookmark the sites. {Some of the door prizes will be given away today to people who link up a post, the others will be given away on Thursday and Friday, where you can enter by leaving a comment. ALL DOOR PRIZE WINNERS WILL BE ANNOUNCED ON VALENTINE'S DAY).
Sarah's Blue Castle $20 gift certificate to this great Etsy store! Check out her fun items.
The IE Mommy-a pair of Chic Bud Earphones with Swarovski crystals in a collectible tin (Value $45)
4 Reluctant Entertainers is donating a copy of the book she co-authored "Married, but Not Engaged". You can read more here.
Decor To Adore- a beautiful Vintage Valentine Corsage from this sweet Etsy store (Value $14)
4 Reluctant Entertainers is donating a copy of the book she co-authored "Married, but Not Engaged". You can read more here.
Decor To Adore- a beautiful Vintage Valentine Corsage from this sweet Etsy store (Value $14)
Here are a few more door prizes that were donated locally (so there isn't a link):
Things Remembered- A beautiful heart keepsake box (Value $25)
14k gold Heart earrings (Value $25); An Adorable Tote Bag-(Value $20)
Ring Watch by Jenni (Value $42), Ring Lipstick by Jenni (Value $22)
The best-selling book "The Love Dare" from the Fireproof movie (Value $15)
Awesome marriage book "Better Love Now! Making your Marriage a Lifelong Love Affair(Value $20)
It’s been fun.
My hubby has enjoyed it and he certainly hasn’t given me any lip.
If he had, I would have smacked him.
It’s also been challenging. Besides being out of town a few days, there have been a few times when I had to make myself kiss my hubby.
Shocking. I know. Especially since he’s so sexy.
Normally, if I was having a bad day and that last thing I wanted was a physical lip-lock session, I went with that thought.
But since I've committed to this challenge, on those yucky days, I pushed past those feelings and decided to be selfless. I was amazed at how quickly I relaxed, stopped thinking about my day and enjoyed it.
I am married to a good man.
He is my best friend. He is my favorite person in the world.
I love living my life with him. He knows me better than I know myself.
I pray my children share their lives with the soul mate God created for them.
Finding him is the greatest discovery of my life. Keeping him is the reward.
But. It is not easy.
After being married nearly fifteen years, I’m happy to say we’ve conquered some pretty heavy challenges. We’ve weathered some significant storms and are stronger because of them.
But taking the time to kiss, to hold hands, to engage every day is important. Crucial, even.
I have 15 more days of kissing.
No, that’s not right.
I have a lifetime.
The S.W.A.K Carnival is being sponsored by The Date Night Planner. This is a interactive tool to help you plan a fantastic date night with your mate.
I can't wait to be inspired by your stories!
Powered by... Mister Linky's Magical Widgets.
104 comments:
This is great! I started the kiss challenge, but then I got sick...so we're taking a break from the kissing...not that the kissing made me sick. I hope this is a success for you. I'm sure it will be.
I have been so excited about this carnival. I've got me a good man and I have enjoyed thinking back on the days when it all just began, the feelings and emotions I had 12 years ago. I am so thankful our love has only deepened and grown over those years. Thanks for the opportunity to honor my hubby!
Yippee! Im first. :) Can't wait to read everyone's stories. Thanks for hosting such a fun carnival. (Keep up the smoochin.)
Love your kiss challenge. Yay, you!
Love your carnival. Yay, everyone who submits a post!
Love the prizes. Yay, me? Of course, yay me! I'm going to win...something!
I had a blast writing my post - I cherish my husband, so it's fun to let the world know how awesome he is! In fact, I plan to post about him for several days!
Oh, and he has been loving the kiss challenge. :)
Ok, was only made to BELIEVE I was first. But sneaky Angie was a better refresher than I was. ;)
i had fun preparing my post. when i asked hubs to take a picture of his wedding ring, he didn't even ask why, he just said, "what is the blogging occasion?" too funny! he loves me!!!
This is a great idea for February (really, any month of the year). I vote we make this a yearly tradition!
This is so fun! I can't wait to read all the linkies!
Wassup chicky! So fun!
I haven't written my post yet but I just wanted to tell you thank you for that wonderful post. Some amazing writing. It actually brought tears to my eyes. I forget so often how lucky I really am...so thank you.
I love this challenge... and so does DH. Thanks for the inspiration. With two kids sometimes one forgets the daily dose of love is good for you.
Thank you for letting me brag on my honey!! I love doing it!! Checking out all the great giveaways...and they ARE GREAT!!!
That is a beautiful tribute to your husband. I have been enjoying the kiss challenge. Hubby doesn't seem to have noticed - he can be really oblivious. Taking the time to truly engage is really very important. I feel like I am gifting myself by doing it. Thanks for this!!!
A lovely post! Glad the kissing challenge is going so well! Thanks so much for doing this carnival - very nice to talk about our hubbies instead of ourselves for a change!
This is such a great idea! Thank you!
I did my post yesterday morning before I remembered the carnival, so I did a second post later to send everyone over here to read more husband-honoring bloggers. THANK YOU for encouraging women to do this!! It is so important within our culture of discontent.
Kristen, It was so nice meeting you at Blissdom! This is such a fun idea. I linked up last night to an old post but figured out how to respost the whole thing. Can you delete my entry#26 and I'll redo it with the new one? Thanks and happy kissing!
I just read about the kissin' challenge......it's never too late to start right?!!!!
Thanks for hosting the carnival!!!
I think this is such an awesome carnival! Thank you so much for hosting. Looking forward to sitting down with a cup of hot chocolate and reading through the links!!
Thanks, again! SUCH an a great idea! :)
This is such a great carnival!
I'm really enjoying this carnival. What a great idea to honor those we love most! We often forget to do that.
It's so important to be married to your best friend. Ya'll are blessed in each other!
That is so sweet! I wish I had the nerve to do the kiss challenge, but I think my hubby might think I was crazy... lol!
Happy Carnival everyone! :)
I can't wait until naptime so I can read everyone's posts!
This has been fun!
Girls, let's keep on lovin' those special husbands of ours!
Thanks for hosting! My kissing has been put on hold as my hubby has been on a golf trip this week. But it does make me appreciate him!
These stories are so sweet! So glad you set this up, Kristen!
My husband and I just got back from a Do-It-Yourself marriage retreat weekend and are still in that frame of mind thinking about how to grow our marriage. This fits in quite nicely!
This is so fun - I am so glad you did this carnival!! :-) I can't wait to read all the other posts!
Such fun! I added my link and started telling our love story. Thanks for hosting!
This is such a great idea! I can't wait to read everyone's stories!
Mrs. Nurse Boy
I have already read some of these stories and I love this idea! Thanks for hosting this carnival!
Thank you!!! for hosting this carnival. I cry when I read the post I wrote about my hubby. He most certainly deserves this "moment in the sun" and I'm glad you reminded me of it!
Though he *did* look at me like I was half crazy when I layed a good one on him in the middle of the street a few times. Cuz, ya know, those are like the four minutes during which I see him most days. ;-)
My husband has thoroughly enjoyed the kissing challenge. I love kissing him and after 16 years of marriage, he still makes my heart go aflutter!!
I am having so much fun with my memories of my husband! I am so glad you started this.
This was a great challenge, I loved writing a post about my husband and I am planning more.
Hey, sweet new friend. I think you're just great.
See I told you I would participate. :-)
and yes the weak-kneed kisses are still coming. *sighs*
LOL!
This has been lots of fun! Thanks for inspiring great memories.
This has been lots of fun! Thanks for inspiring great memories.
Thanks for doing this! It was such a great reminder to me how much I really love him, (and how much fun it is to kiss more).
I did this one and I don't want anyone to be jealous when they read my post...sorry, he really is that wonderful....lol
I can not thank you enough for creating such a great idea. This has been a blast. I've enjoyed reading the "tributes" to the guys and I hope that everyone will swing by the IE Mommy to read about my guy...and not for the hits, just because I really want everyone to know how blessed I am to have the husband a I do. I want to brag on him today and on the Lord and how He has blessed us!
Praise God for all these wonderful men in our lives.
I'm all linked up. And thanks to you, we can't kiss without laughing now!
This is wonderful. Such a great idea!
Thank you for doing this carnival. It has given me warm, mushy, lovey thoughts about hubby to think back over the past 18 years!
Thanks again! I love reading everyone's stories. I'm not a blogger yet...but maybe someday. Until then, I'll just appreciate my husband in person. He never fails to make me feel imporant to him, he makes me laugh when I feel like crying, he knows when and what to say....he is a truly great guy.
What a great carnival, Kristen. Thanks so much!! I LOVE all the door prizes and can't wait to read everybody's entries.
I can't wait to read everyone's stories!
Okay, I was not going to post but after meeting you at blissdom I had to join. It actually has been really fun to write out my story, almost like therapy!
Toni
I love this idea!!
Thanks for doing this! I really had fun writing this post, and of course, I made my hubby cry.
I have to admit though, I haven't been too good keeping up the kiss challenge....but I'm working on it
~TidyMom
Looks like fun. I'll have to visit some of the sites participating.
Wow! This is going great. Time to go read the other submissions!
Oh my! I am cracking up at your sexy picture, cuz I have a similar one on my site....
http://momofjstk.blogspot.com/2008/12/really-is-there-anything-sexier.html
Ok, going back to read some more on your blog. :)
This is great. I'm going to spend some time with the hubs now and read some more tomorrow.
I, too, have been so excited about this carnival!! I can't wait to read everyone's love stories. And, even more, I can't wait to try out the kiss challenge when my husband returns home for a visit in just two weeks! Yay!!!!
Hi Kristen! I haven't written about my hubby in ages - this was a very nice treat this afternoon. I just sat down and wrote my first memory! It was very fun. THank you!!! :)
PS - are you still on Blogger??? You should see me at DesperatelySeekingWordpress!! :)
Cathy
Thank you for the reminders of what's important. My husband is also my best friend, but we've been so busy lately that sometimes kissing goes by the wayside. I don't want to ever let our marriage go by the wayside, though, so again, thank you for reminding me that I need to make the time for the things that are worth it. :)
Thanks for the carnival, great idea. Hope your family is better soon.
My husband is THE BOMB!
Check me out Kristen
er...maybe you need the link
http://www.momecentric.com/2009/02/11/the-best-husband-evah/
Thanks for this carnvial, the door prized look GREAT! I'm crossing my fingers for the house cleaning! :)
I love listening to the way you talk about your husband. It's heart-warming. Keep it up!
It's been hard for us too since my man has been out of town all this week. Does making out with the phone count?
Thanks for hosting this. I just posted! : )
Elaine
I love this idea and motivation! I started pushing my husband's lips OPEN the past few weeks! We kiss constantly, but the passion needed to be able to escape even for a moment as I cook dinner or ignore the corner of my spying a child being disobedient! :)
Thanks so much for this great contest! We are in full swing!!!
While I didn't join the kiss challenge - need to though I think - I did join up for the SWAK carnival. Posted mine tonight. Thanks. I'm sure it will be a surprise to hubby tomorrow when he checks in at my blog. ;-)
I had to link up a follow-up post and tell you what a great time I am having reading everyone else's stories!
Again, thanks for hosting this great event. It's so rare these days to find women who want to honor their husbands! I appreciate you creating a forum for us to do just that.
My post is a tribute, but still pretty depressing. You can see it here. Should I link it up? I'm hesitant...
Hubby likes the SWAK challenge, not that he knows...but he is enjoying it. :) Thanks for inspiring it.
I don't want to leave a redundant comment (apparently I'm commenting all over your blog tonight re: this contest!) but thanks for inspiring me to spend an hour remembering how God brought my husband and I together. :) And fingers crossed about the giveaways because they're awesome - you've outdone yourself!
Kristen,
I am hoping to put up a post by Friday for the carnival. I have had two of the most "We are THAT Family" days in a row!
I'll explain later, but let's just say I'll be at the DENTIST w/ the 2year old later this week!!!!!
I got up to wash clothes, I know @2am, but this is the ONLY time I have FREE to do ANYTHING aloooonnneeeeee!!!!
Love reading all the posts!
What a fun thing to do...glad I found this and participated. Love the kiss challenge. Although my love isn't here everyday I think it is a cute idea :)
This is such an awesome idea! And it coincided perfectly with another idea I had brewing for my man. Thanks for such a fun carnival!
Update on my True Love story-- he wrote it on the wall of a restaurant that part of their decor is to write on the wall so everyone does it. He wrote ours on the wall thinking of it in 2 minutes. He is great with words! :)
Thanks for visiting my blog! :)
I like that - you have a lifetime of kisses.
Thanks for hosting this. What a great idea! I can't wait to read everyone else's posts! It's nice to take the time to honor your marriage... we don't do that enough in our society!
Isn't love inspriring? Love the romance in the air for everyone and thank-you for the givaway.
This is so neat, never done anything like this. I better get the kleenex out and prepare tomelt into a puddle of goo after reading the sweet stories! :)
Thanks for encouraging me to honor my wife in the bloggy world!
Mr. Nurse Boy
My very first Blog carnival! It wasn't as good of witting as some of the other ladies but I am so grateful to God for a story to tell and a man who loves me unconditionally.
It was so much fun to compile lists this week of what I love about my husband. I posted my tribute today. It was just heart-warming for me to remember how much he changed my life. This was truly a fun carnival! Now... I hope I win something!!
I heard about this bloggy carnival via Darcy@Such the Spot. I hope you enjoy my little love story!
Happy Valentine's Day!
This is great! I love reading everyone's stories :O)
What a fun carnival. I found you over at Darcie's place and joined in the fun!!! Happy Valentine's Day!
I love this idea! How great to have a specific opportunity to bless our hubbies. Thank you!
Thanks so much for coming up with this idea. I wrote a letter to my husband for my entry that I will show him on my blog Saturday. I hope that's OK. I don't have many blog readers so this will be a real treat for me.
Thanks again for letting me participate.
Tammy
This is such a GREAT idea! Thank you so much for hosting it!
:)
This is a wonderful idea. I agree, make it a yearly thing! I enjoy reading all the posts.
Nancy
allibrary (at) aol (dot) com
My husband has really taken notice of the kissing challenge! I am still dealing with post-partum haziness a bit, and those kisses are especially sock knocking to him just now. Thanks for the fun!!
I look forward to reading these entries. What a great idea, Kristen! You're so creative. I'd love to enter the giveaway too.
I finally got mine posted! Thanks for the prompt to put our story out there. I've wanted to do that for some time.
I can't wait to read all of the stories!
Better late than never, so I just linked. ♥
just found out about this... i love it! just put up a post too! thanks for encouraging us all to let the sparks fly!
What a great idea! My husband thanks you.
I'm off to read some posts.
Kimba
I know it is too late to win a prize, but I was DETERMINED to write a post about my hubby!
http://wifeof1momof4.blogspot.com/2009/02/my-husband-rocks.html
Thanks for the carnival. I am sharing posts w/ friends.
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