Monthly Archives: June 2013

A Kiss Hello and Goodbye … A Ritual of Connection

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OK, don’t we all really want a kiss hello and goodbye. Of course we do. But sometimes this drifts away as time goes on. It doesn’t mean it cannot be put back into your relationship. IT CAN!

This is a way to send our partner or spouse off with the message of  “I love you and I am thinking of you and wishing you well.” It is also a way to  re-connect after being apart. The message here is “I missed you and I am glad to be back with you.” 

We have to remember to set the tone for this kind of ritual. Some things we can do to encourage this kind of ritual are as follows:

  •  Show our openness and desire for this kind of interaction. 
  • Have a discussion with our loved one about this ritual and why we want to include it on a daily basis.
  • Agree as a couple to have this as a goal and each be willing to remind the other in a respectful way. 
  • Be an initiator of this KISS!!!
  • Tell your loved one how much you enjoy your kiss goodbye or hello.
  • Remember if you are GRUMPY or are making a complaint or airing an upset feeling as you part or re-connect, THE KISS WILL GO BYE-BYE.

If a kiss is not in the cards, try for a hug. This can be a good start. Of course a kiss and a hug are the best combination! 

Note: Keep some breath mints or gum  in your car, purse and in easily accessible places in the house. This can take away the concern that you do not have the fresh breath you want for your sweetie. Here is to more KISSES!♥♥

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It’s Time for a Tulsa Driller’s Baseball Game

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721-tulsa-drillers-baseball-gameIt is baseball season and the Tulsa Drillers play at the state of the art ONEOK Field which is located in the historic Greenwood District in downtown Tulsa. The ball park is an art deco architecture style to blend with down town Tulsa’s art deco.  The season runs from April – September.

This is a perfect family activity (though I would not recommend this for preschoolers due to the length of the games). You could take the  whole family or have a special parent / child time.  You will have to decide if your child is ready for a two to three hour event. And of course if your child has an interest in baseball this will of course make this a more enjoyable activity. You could also consider just going to part of a game as an introduction to baseball to keep it a positive experience if things begin to fall apart. You want this to be fun memory.

Or this would also be a fun couple activity. This is a fun, open air activity and only available to us certain times of the year. Lots of time to chat and hold hands and just be together.

If you would like to look at the Tulsa Drillers’ schedule or find out more about them or the games you can check out their website www.tulsadrillers.com

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“Couples Who Play Together, Stay Together” . . . Creating New Ways to Connect

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old-happy-couple-piggyback-rideAs we are in the heart of the growing season, I cannot help but think about our own growth as a couple. Sometimes I have couples in my office who feel they have no common interests or that they do not do anything together. There are lots of reasons for this of course. If a couple has children they may feel they do not  have time to do things as a couple or for that matter, as an individual. Or it may be that a couple has drifted away from doing things together as they did when they were dating or before they got married.

Regardless of the reasons, my feeling is that “Couples who Play Together, Stay Together.”  So lets look at some WAYS TO CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT THAT CAN CREATE SOME NEW GROWTH & CONNECTION.

  • Really being together is more that about being in the same place. It is about REALLY BEING THERE emotionally and connecting. 
  • If you are a parent, take time as a couple to be together by your selves. It is important. You can remember you are being a good model for your children in showing them how to keep a relationship strong.
  • Put the PLAY back in your relationship. Think back to when you were dating. My guess is you were more light-hearted and playful. I do know that our adult lives can be challenging and are full of responsibilities, but taking time to play and be with the one we love will keep us strong and healthy to be the responsible adults we need to be and fulfill our life purpose.
  • Create a new hobby or interest you both can pursue. It may be dancing, biking, taking cooking classes together, etc.
  • Revive an old passion you both had in the past. It could be bowling or antiquing together. Whatever you both enjoyed in the past and has gotten buried a bit.
  • Remember too there is more than one way to play together. It may be an activity or a hobby. But it may also be relaxing and bantering back and forth. It may be sexual intimacy. Or it may be “playful” dialogue with each other.

So much of this is about making the time for each other. And then committing to having some fun together. So go play and have a good time. And remember, “Couples Who Play Together, Stay Together.” ♥♥

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Couple Time or Family Time at the Farmer’s Market

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Want to connect as you do something good for the environment and healthy for your body. Doing something that is simple, easy and meaningful. GO LOCAL with your marketing. 

It is that time of year when the FARMERS MARKETS are in full swing. If this is an activity you have not participated in before, you may want to consider giving it a try. The Tulsa area has several farmer’s markets that sell fresh produce from local farms. Some of these farms grow organic foods. Knowing where your food comes from and building a relationship with some of these farmers is pretty cool.  In addition most of them have local art and handmade products. It is a fun community event where people are there to promote local and to choose products that are good for our environment and more healthy for our bodies. And you will save money!

NOTE: If you take CHILDREN to the market, consider their age and how much walking they can do. For little ones a stroller or wagon can be very helpful. Of course, as with any marketing it is best to go when you are not tired. This especially applies for children.  Consider limiting your time to what your child or children can comfortable manage to keep it a positive experience. Letting your children help pick out your veggies can be fun and educational and allow them to be part of the process. You might expand this activity to a family or parent / child cooking time, using your fresh veggies you purchased at the farmers market. 

There are a variety of times these markets are open. I have listed the main markets in the Tulsa area below. The OK Food and Farm Alliance also has a listing of all of OK Farmer’s Markets. So if you are not in one of the Tulsa area towns listed, check out the OK Food and Farm Alliance website okfarmand food.org  

TULSA – TUESDAY

DOWNTOWN TULSA FARMERS MARKET

10:30 am – 2:00 pm, year-round     3rd and Boston

TULSA- WEDNESDAY

BROOKSIDE FARMERS MARKET

8:00 am – 12:00 pm. May thru October

Food Pyramid parking lot, 39th and Peoria

WINTER MARKET (see details for details)

www.cherrystreetfarmersmarket.com

OWASSO – WEDNESDAY

OWASSO FARMERS MARKET

8:00 am – 12:00 pm, April 29 thru October

TULSA – THURSDAY

PEARL FARMERS MARKET

4:00 pm – 7:00 pm, April 18 thru September 26

East end of Centennial Park, 6th and Peoria

www.PearlFarmersMarket.org

TULSA – THURSDAY

WESTSIDE FARMERS MARKET

7:00 am – 11:00 am , April 6 thru October

On 15th Street, just east of Peoria

www.redforkmainstreet.org

TULSA – SATURDAY

CHERRY ST. FARMERS MARKET

7:00 am – 11:00 am, April 6 thru October

On 11th Street just each of Peoria

www.cherrrystreetfarmersmarket.com

BROKEN ARROW – SATURDAY

BROKEN ARROW FARMERS MARKET

8:00 am – 12:00 pm , April 20 thro September 7

418 Main St.

JENKS – SATURDAY

JENKS FARMERS MARKET

9:00 am – 1:00 pm, April 27 thru October 5

Green Acres Market, 117 S. 7th St.

angier@greenacres.com

OWASSO – SUNDAY

OWASSO FARMERS MARKET

8:99 am-12:00 pm , April 29 – October

YMCA Parking Lot, 8300 N. Owasso Expressway

WINTER MARKET

9:00 am – 11:00 am, every other Saturday all winter

TULSA – SUNDAY

Guthrie Green Sunday Market

10:00 am – 4:00 pm, April 7 thru October 27

North Boston and 111 E. Brady St. in The Brady Arts District

www.guthriegreen.com

Hope you enjoy your time  “going local” and becoming a bit of a foodie. Your partner or family will enjoy this fresh open air environment and the healthy connection of good food and good times. 

That was not in the plan . . . how to roll with the flow!

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Taking a recent vacation made me think about how our plans many times do not go the way we think they will. You are correct that my vacation did not go exactly as planned or envisioned in my head.  But I adapted, shifted and had a great time.

Yes things do not always go as we expect. This can be with a vacation or a family outing or a date night or really any kind of activity that we have planned to do together as a couple or as a family. I am a big planner and I believe in thoughtfully preparing for outings with our loved ones. On the other hand somethings spontaneous, let’s go . . . can be very romantic or real fun for a family. So I guess a balance is nice. We each will have our own style.

Regardless if you have a PLAN or you are doing a spontaneous outing, being able to roll with the flow is important. Our lives are so busy and complex and things shift quickly. Plus, the biggie here is that we can not control everything around us. We can not control that the restaurant is out of our favorite dish or that the air conditioner breaks on our fun day trip or that a thunderstorm appears out of no where and you have to cancel or shift your outdoor outing.

So how can we better ROLL with the FLOW? 

  1. First of all accept that our planned or spontaneous event may not or probably will not go exactly as we had hoped for in our head.
  2. Acknowledge your upset feelings or those of your loved ones. It is ok to be upset or disappointed. The key is WHAT WE DO WITH OUR UPSET OR DISAPPOINTMENT.
  3. Accept and then say it is OK that it did not go exactly as we wished. We can still have fun and enjoy regardless of the hiccups or bumps in the road.
  4. Remember we are capable of adapting and shifting. We are amazing human being with the ability to make the best of whatever the situation.
  5. Shift to what you can do at that point. And know you can be ok with it.
  6. Use your positive mindset to create a place of acceptance and regrouping. 
  7. Sometimes if we look we can find these unexpected needed shifts can open up opportunities that were not there before. Some folks would say there are no accidents!

GO ROLL WITH THE FLOW AND ENJOY!!!

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Guthrie Green – Arts and Entertainment Park; plus FREE fitness programs and Local Sunday Market

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image_4I discovered Guthrie Green this spring. Guthrie Green is in downtown Tulsa, located in the Brady Arts District. It is a full square block between Brady and Cameron Streets and Boston and Cincinnati Ave. This is a real Tulsa treasure choked full of wonderful events every day of the week. It opened in the fall of 2012. So still a fairly new Tulsa park. I would suggest you check this out as a couple or as a family.

I am listing some of the wide variety of activities that Guthrie Green offers to give you a general idea of the treats that are there.

  • Sunday Market (locally grown produce, gourmet food trucks, homemade soaps, hand crafted jewelry, etc.) 10:00 am – 4:00 pm, April to October
  • Fitness on the Green (FREE)

Mondays – Tai Chi 5:30 pm

Tuesdays – Boot Camp 5:30 pm

Wednesdays – Family Yoga 10:30 am and Lululeman’s Community Yoga 6:00 pm

Thursdays Boot camp 5:30 pm

Fridays – Walking 4:00 pm

Saturday – Mommy & Me Yoga Class 10:00 am

  • Special Community Fitness Events (FREE)
  • Concerts, Films and Plays (FREE)
  • Lucky’s on the Green (serving lunch and dinner during park hours)
  • Woody Guthrie Center (across the street from Guthrie Green)
  • Food Truck Wednesdays (live music, amazing food trucks and fresh air picnic, every Wednesdays from 11:30 – 1:30)
  • Water Fountain Feature for Children’s Play

For more detailed information and their calendar of events go to www.guthriegreen.com .

Potential Fun Couple’s Date Night: Performance of Shakespeare Play “Much Ado About Nothing” 

There are too many events to list, but I wanted to note for a fun couple’s night out you might want to consider a Shakespeare in the Park event that is occurring June 11-June 16 from 8:30 – 10:30 pm with a 7:30 pre show. Much Ado About Nothing  is being preformed. This is a fun romantic comedy. The pre-show will be 40’s music and swing dance.

I hope you will be able to take advantage of this wonderful new Tulsa arts and entertainment park. It has much to offer. Have fun!

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