Linked up to Thriving Thursdays with Serving Joyfully

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Blogging, Joyfully Serving, link-up, Thriving Thursdays

Today, I linked up my mini road trip date idea to Thriving Thursdays with Serving Joyfully. Check out the linkup by clicking here or the image below.

Linked up on Deep Roots at Home

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Blogging, Deep Roots at Home Encourage One Another Wednesday Link-Up, link-up, Love, Relationships, Writing

Today, I linked up two of my posts to Deep Roots at Home.  The link-up is weekly and is called the Encourage One Another Wednesday Link-Up.  I think this is a great, positive idea for a link-up so I thought I’d give this one a go this week.  I decided to share my One Soft Cookie and For Better or Worse: Not Just for Married Couples posts, if you’d like to go check that out, click here.

Update May 1st, 2013:  I have linked up again to this week’s Encourage One Another Wednesday Link-up on Deep Roots at Home.  Linked up are my posts: Mini Road Trip Date Idea and Realizing My Purpose.

Update May 8th, 2013:  I’m making a habit of linking up to Deep Roots at Home again for this week’s Encourage One Another Link Up with my Even-Steven & Leprechauns & Unicorns post.

Linking Up to “and here’s to you, Mrs. Robinson”

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Blogging, link-up, Love, Marriage, national marriage week, Relationships

I have added my link to a link-up at and here’s to you Mrs. Robinson.  This is the first time I’ve done this, so I’m hoping I’ve chosen a good post.  This link-up was based on a fantastic idea.  It is the National Marriage Week link-up.  Please click the Pinterest link below to head on over to her post and learn more about National Marriage week, check out some posts related to love, marriage, relationships, and Valentine’s Day. You may also find my post I chose in the links or here on my blog.

Source: megancamille.blogspot.com via Rachel on Pinterest

 

I also encourage you to check out her blog by clicking this button, taken from her blog.

Love Built To Last on Facebook

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Blogging, Follow, Like, Love Built To Last Facebook Page, Social Networking

Love Built To Last now has a Facebook page.

October Day Trip to Cumberland Falls

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Autumn, Blogging, Cumberland Falls State Park Kentucky, Date, Day Trip, Leaves, Life, Long Distance Relationship, Love, Modest Style, Mountains, OOTD, Outdoors, Outfit Of The Day, Pictures, Travel, Waterfall

This is a bit belated.  I had said I would probably be making a post or two about what we’re up to here.  At the beginning of our visit in October we took a fantastic detour on the way to Indiana.  We stopped by Cumberland Falls again, this time to see it in Autumn, while the leaves had changed.  It is a sight to see.  David took pictures with his camera.   I had intended to share some photos from that trip earlier, but my computer came down with a nasty illness last month and David had to wipe my hard drive.  I only recently loaded the pictures, which he was so kind to help me save, back onto my computer.  So, I’m here to share them with our family and friends, and generally those who might be interested.  I hope you enjoy them, it was a beautiful day, and a time to remember, for sure.  I am so blessed to have him, and not only because of days like this.

There were ladybugs absolutely swarming at this overlook. Yet not one made it into the photos.

Love Built To Last Autumn Update

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Apple, Autumn, Baking, Blogging, Category, Cold Weather, Cranberry, Date Ideas, Date Night Outfits, Dates, Desserts, Fall, Food, Halloween, Halloween Costumes, Holidays, Hot Drink, Life, Love, Modesty, Oatmeal, Packing, Plans, Relationships, Respect, Schedule, Style, Subscribe, Travel, Update, Writing

After my post yesterday about packing and the long distance relationship, I decided I wanted to do a little bit of an update post.  I actually have a lot of ideas for posts, and plan to be writing maybe a little more than usual this month.  I have also created a new category here on Love Built To Last.  So, I’m going to just explain a bit about what’s going to be happening this fall here on my relationship blog.

First, I’ll get to the new category.  You may or may not have noticed this, but I created a Long Distance Relationship category.  You’ll find that in the side bar under the heading “Organized Chaos” as well as on my Find It Fast page.  For anyone who doesn’t know, David and I are in a long distance relationship.  The category here on the blog came about because previously, I only had one humorous post about what I do when we’re apart, but since then I have recently added a couple posts about packing & the long distance relationship.  I thought the 3 posts were probably a good enough start to warrant a category that would make them easier to find.  I did say “start” just now, didn’t I?  That’s because these three posts are a foreshadowing of more posts to come.  I have a few ideas for posts about this, and you’ll likely see at least one more of those before winter.  I hope that people will enjoy this part of the blog.

I’d also like to fill you in on some posts that you can expect to see this month should you be interested.  I will be writing a modest style post to go along with my Autumn Date Ideas post.  I thought this would be nice.  I’ve seen a lot of date night outfit ideas on magazine sites, but to be honest, I don’t really take much away when I read those.  There aren’t a great deal of modest ideas, and really I just think they’re a little more fashion magazine (sort of conceptual) and a little less man-friendly.  Let’s be honest, a lot of guys like outfits that are just simple and cute and easy for them to understand.  Why are you wearing shorts with pantyhose in the fall?  They just don’t get that.  Why are you wearing a leather jacket and boots with that frilly dress?  I’m joking, of course, not too serious, but it is true.  So I’ll be sharing my simple, practical ideas for cute cozy outfits for different types of dates.

Something very much in line with what I normally do on Love Built To Last, but just a bit different, is a topic I have mentioned quite a few times, but have been planning to eventually post about more often.  I will be writing at least one post about this before winter as well.  Respect.  It is a very big part of our relationship, and something I have written about before.  I will, however, be focusing on it specifically and what it means in my relationship with David, and how I demonstrate respect.  Honestly, it may grow into a category.  I definitely hope those posts will be helpful and interesting for others and maybe give those we know a little bit more insight into how we relate to each other.

Another post was inspired by a question people have been asking quite a bit.  That is “How do you do the holidays?”  How do David and I decide how to schedule our holidays, what is it like, how does it work, does it change, what are the deciding factors, what about the time, how do we feel about the situation?  Those sorts of things.  Honestly, the holidays are a very busy time for us and making this decision is a big deal every year.  If you’re interested in this, or if you’re trying to figure this out yourselves this year, I will be posting this before Halloween.

You might also see a post here or two about what we’re up to this fall.  I’m pretty sure there will be at least one new picture.  So for those close to us, don’t worry you’ll get updated too.  David and I are planning to see each other in a week’s time.  So we’ll be busy little people.

Finally, I thought I’d just post a link here to some autumn and Halloween related posts.

From Love Built To Last:

• My most recent post:  Autumn Date Ideas
• Last year’s Halloween Costume:  A Very Rockabilly Halloween
• A list of ideas for modest Halloween costumes:  Modest Costume Inspiration

From Princess In The Kitchen, a list of recipes I enjoy for fall:

• Apple Sauce Cake
• Cranberry Orange Oatmeal Scone Drops
• Cranberry Sweet Tea
• Hot Caramel Apple Drink
• Oatmeal Apple Scone Drops
• Oatmeal Cake
• Oatmeal Chippers
• Oatmeal Cookies
• Smores Bars
• Stuffed Banana Bread Toast

I hope you enjoy the addition of these recipe links.  Some of them have things I typically associate with cooler weather, like apples and cranberries.  Others are just cozy recipes that are great served warm.  :)

If you’re interested in what’s coming up, be sure to check those posts out this month.  You can also subscribe in the side bar if you want to find those more easily.

Packing & The Long Distance Relationship: The Outline

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Blogging, Life, Long Distance Relationship, Love, Packing, Relationships

I’ve been meaning to post again for a little while, and I have a list of ideas for posts to come, but this has been one heck of an allergy season and Benadryl does not help me write in cogent sentences.  This seems to be similar to the way a lot of blog posts start, doesn’t it?  What is it with blogs and taking unintended sabbaticals?  Please let me know if you have any tips for this.  Still, today I’ve actually got a clear head–well, as clear as mine gets–and some spare time to share something with you.

You might already know if you read this blog, David and I are in a long distance relationship.  This is something about our relationship I haven’t concentrated on as much, but intend to write more about in the not-too-distant future.  So, most of the time we are apart, but whenever we get the chance, I go to Indiana for a while to visit him.  Early on in our relationship we saw each other a weekend at a time, but now it’s usually for a week or two.  This means I have done a lot of planning and packing in the past few years.  So, I thought I’d share a basic outline of how I get that done.

Step 1:  Schedule a visit.  This can be a bit of whirlwind in itself, but usually David has more to work around in this step.

Step 2:  Follow the weather for my hometown and his and a place or two in between.

Step 3:  Start thinking about clothes.  What will the weather be like?  What are we going to do?  What might we do?  What kind of wardrobe surprises might pop up and how the heck does one plan for all that?

Step 4:  Get tired thinking about it and think about what I’m going to bake instead.

Step 5:  Realize I need a few things from the store and endeavor to make a list.

Step 6:  Choose what to bake instead.

Step 7:  Finally make that list because I’m going to the store tomorrow.

Step 8:  Go to the store and pick up everything I need.  Today would also be a good day to choose what I’m going to pack so that packing is less stressful and I don’t have to spend the whole day doing it.  Ironing might be a good idea too.

Step 9:  Endeavor to choose what to pack and wash and iron things, but realize when I get back from the store right around dinner time that now might be a bit late.

Step 10:  It’s Friday and he’ll be here tonight so today I choose what to pack, do any necessary laundry or ironing or preparations, pack everything I won’t need to use before we leave, bake a lot, make myself presentable again (shave, tweeze, get my hair trimmed, blah blah blah) and pretend I didn’t let myself go just before I needed to look good again.  HEY I HAVE TWO EYEBROWS?!  GET OUT!!!

Promise myself I won’t procrastinate so much next time.  Sure, sure.  I believe me.

This post was mainly just for fun.  I hope you had a little chuckle at my expense.  I always do.  In the future, I will probably write a post with a few packing tips, good advice, especially some tips specific to packing for a visit in a long distance relationship.

Do you hate to pack, even if you’re excited about where you’re going?  Do you procrastinate?  Any tips?

Love, Amish Food, and Reverie

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Love, Relationships, Blogging, Food, Date Night, Road Trip, Gasthof Amish Village, Gasthof Amish Village Restaurant, Amish Restaurant, Shoals IN, Overlook Park, Sight Seeing, Day Trip, Inexpensive Day Trip, Washington IN, Scenic Drive, Unique Date, Memories

Saturday, as my friends may have seen on my Facebook, David and I had a truly wonderful day. We had a very long, fantastic date, which made me quite happy, as is evident from the fact that it warranted a Facebook status and I’m here talking about it as well.

Something you may or may not know is that David and I love to go for little mini adventures in the car.  Day trips, or just little activities nearby.  Sometimes just a long drive.  Well, one night some time ago, Valentine’s day, I believe, after dinner on one of our dates, we went for a long drive which ended up in Washington, IN.  I thought it was a really cool place from what I saw of it.  A cute town, and on the drive, I’d also seen some signs for Amish restaurants.  I’ve never been to one so I mentioned it, thought it would be neat to go to one sometime.  So, that has been on our list of adventures to have.  I actually found some listed online within a comfortable driving distance from here and have had them bookmarked in a folder called “Places To Check Out” on my computer.  I think I actually mentioned the idea in my Warm Weather Date Ideas post here.  Late last week, David and I were discussing what we wanted to do for the weekend, and he said he’d like us to have a special date, and eventually, he decided we’d make our minds up to go ahead and go to the Amish restaurant.  The one we chose was one of my bookmarks, Gasthof Amish Village Restaurant.

So, Saturday, we woke up late, took our time getting ready.  I got dressed up nice, did my hair and makeup, all the things that put me in that “I feel pretty” mood and make it already feel like a very good day.  The sky was the bluest blue with white, fluffy, cotton candy clouds when we headed out the door around 1 something, or 2 in the afternoon, and drove through some of the prettiest land I’ve ever seen.  Talking, day dreaming about the future.  Thinking about all the trips like that we’ll have, how nice it might be to live somewhere with a big yard, all those things people like us daydream about.  Pointing out houses each of us like along the way. Which ones have the best porches.  Getting a little misty eyed like the softies we are, holding hands, and sitting as close as two people safely can in the front seat of a car.

We arrived at Gasthof Amish Village sometime between 3PM and 4, ravenously hungry with growling bellies, but I still couldn’t help pausing to take in how beautiful the sky was, and all the grass and trees and open space around us.  It makes me feel peaceful and at ease.  When I’m surrounded by green and wide open skies, I just can’t help drinking it in.  Then we headed into the restaurant.

We love to have dinner together, I think it’s on the top of the list of things for couples to do together for a good reason, especially if you take time for conversation.  <–  Definitely at the top of our list.  For whatever reason, though, there’s just something about the two of us being at a table together that makes it feel like we’re the only two people in the world, no matter what is happening around us.

In this case, it was a doubly wonderful experience, because we were trying new things.  I love sharing new experiences together, it’s so much fun.  It gives us something to talk about, makes memories that will last, and helps us bond even more–which most people probably wish we wouldn’t do as we are stuck like glue already.  The atmosphere was nice, the lights were sort of soft with warm woods on all the walls and the ceiling.  It felt so cozy and relaxing.  We talked and laughed, and fed each other little bits of our favorite things from our plates.  There’s something so much fun to me about sharing that.  For whatever reason, when one of us likes something a lot, we must convince the other to try it.  I suppose because we want each other to have everything good.

After dinner, we walked a bit.  Another favorite.  I love the simple pleasure of walking together holding his hand, but that pleasure isn’t always accompanied by getting to see, feed, and pet donkeys and pony!  I love animals, love to see them, feed them, pet them, and yes, talk to them in that high pitched baby voice like a fool.  So that is what we did.  =]  Only, he wasn’t as much a fool as I.  I think he quite enjoyed getting to giggle at me and my “you’re so cute” voice, and I became friends with the animals too quickly.  P.S.  If he wins the lottery big time, you’ll know because in our new backyard will be a new donkey and a new pony.

Gasthof Amish Village Restaurant, Image taken from GasthofAmishVillage.com

Once back in the car, we decided to take another drive through Washington, IN, which was close by. This time in the day when we could both see more, especially me. It was a very cute little town. Looking at the old buildings was fun as always. There are so many different types of architecture just downtown. Lots of things to check out in Washington, which is why we’ll probably go there again.

After that, we headed back. Though, that was not the end of our little trip by any means. On the way to Gasthof, I’d seen an overlook. Actually, to be more accurate, Overlook Park. It was probably one of the nicest overlooks I’ve seen, with plenty of space, and a picnic shelter. It did seem to have a nice view, so on the way back, when we saw the sign for the overlook, we stopped there, and it was breathtaking. The view looked out on a river valley. The river sparkled in the early evening sun, and the bright green grass stretched out like a blanket over the valley in our view through the shade of the trees, crowned by the evening sun. A perfect ending to a perfect day, really. We sat there, at a picnic table, just admiring the view, and feeling the warm breeze for a long while, and it was one of the most romantic moments I can imagine.

Overlook Park, Image by Marie B. Hawkins of Overlook Rentals, Shoals, IN

After a while, we stirred from our reverie, and finally did head back, the long way, meandering through the winding roads surrounded by trees, land dotted with cows and horses, and found our way back to the rest of the world, which, to be honest, felt far away for me, and I think for both of us, as we had soda and ice cream and I mused aloud how this was one of the best dates, and best days, I ever had.

I am so grateful to have such a cute, loving, thoughtful, affectionate love who takes me on sweet little adventures like this one. He knows just how to make me happy, and has given me so many wonderful days like this. Happy times, laughter, beautiful memories, hours of holding hands, and love that just goes on forever.

Images in this post are not photos taken by David or myself.  We didn’t think to bring a camera.  I’m sure we will next time.  So, for the purposes of this post I used images from the websites of the places we went.  I did try to link and give credit as best I could.  Please do visit the Gasthof amish village website to see more about them, as well as washington indiana’s site.  I don’t really know much about overlook rentals, but the image is just wonderful and there are more there of different places in the area.  The image should link you there.

Should you be interested, I’ll be doing a post on Princess In The Kitchen about Gasthof Amish Village Restaurant soon.  Not exactly a review, but I’ll share the link for the restaurant’s website and tell you a little about it, what I thought about it, what I ate there, how the food was.  That kind of thing.  It will be just my personal experience and opinion.  I just enjoyed it so much I thought I’d take it upon myself to write about it.  It will be the first post of its kind on Princess In The Kitchen and I’ll share the link here once the post is up.

New: Follow On Pinterest

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Blogging, Connect, Follow Me, Love, Pinterest

There’s a new way to connect with me on Love Built To Last.  Now you can follow me on Pinterest.  Just find the button in the sidebar on the left side of this page.

Lions and Tigers and Bears

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Alligator, Animals, Bald Eagles, Blogging, Cute, Date Ideas, Giraffes, Life, Lion, Lioness, Love, Nesting, Nuts & Bolts, Photos, Polar Bear, Relationships, Rhinos, Spoiled, Traditional Relationships

[Read:  George Takei voice]  Oh my!!!  Ha ha, I love when he says that.  It’s simple but it’s so funny somehow.  But, then, I love the simple things.

I just got home a few hours ago from visiting David again.  It was a very busy but very lazy visit for me all at once.  To be honest, my health has not been the best lately…  Nothing serious, but some things have been going on to keep me pretty tired, slightly sick.   I spent a lot of time just lying down while David was at work, but when he came in we spent as much time together as we possibly could.  I think we really made the most of our time together this time especially.

To be honest, more and more I am getting used to how spoiled I am by him and learning to relax when he’s doting on me, taking care of me.  Those times have really been some of the most intimate, loving connections we have made over the course of our relationship.  It goes against my nature a bit.  Normally I want to do for him.  But, I just have to remind myself (and he is also happy to remind me) that he enjoys taking care of me.  It’s part of him wanting what is best for me and helping me be my best self, and making sure we’re making the most of our relationship.  When I’m taken care of, it’s best for both of us.

Now, because of how I’d felt, the plans for this visit really hadn’t been very strenuous.  We weren’t going to spend much time out and about, but…  Then one day he called me on his way home from work and told me that he realized the picnic the company he works for was having would be the next day and asked me if I’d like to go.  The picnic was at the zoo!  Animal lover that I am and such a sucker for all things adorable…  I love going to the zoo, and have not had the chance to go very often in my life so far, so having the chance to go again, how could I say no?!

Answer:  I could not say no!  I was happy to be going to the zoo, and to have such a nice date with him was definitely best part of all.  (I recommend this as a date.  Wear comfortable shoes, sunglasses, and sunscreen…)  The sun was shining.  The sky was a very vibrant blue with a few white, puffy cotton ball clouds.  It was a gorgeous day.  The zoo was fantastic.  We were there almost half the day.  We had dinner together, the day was just perfect.  So perfect, in fact, that I wanted to share some of the photos.

This was just cool. I had never seen one before.

AWWWW! She was such a little ham. Loved her!

Nuzzling giraffes are TOO cute for WORDS!

Hopefully you’ve enjoyed my short recap of our visit together & trip to the zoo, and the selection of photos I’ve posted here.  (Photos were taken by David and edited by myself, exept the photo I took of him.)  I’m hoping to get back into the swing of things here during these next two weeks as the plan is for me to visit him again very soon to go to a wedding and I doubt I’ll be doing much blogging then. Be on the lookout for some date ideas and another post about the nuts and bolts of our traditional relationship.  Hopefully soon.  ;)  Fingers crossed.