Tag Archives: Couple Activity

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

Posted on by

0

image_6

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!!!

Canoeing

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

Posted on by

0

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!

image_3

Cooking Together as a Couple or Family – The Perfect Activity for Fun and Connection

Posted on by

0

couple-cooking-at-home

Cooking together can be an incredibly fun and connecting activity for couples and families.  Yes at times cooking can feel like it is a chore if we are tired and overloaded; especially, if we are doing it by our lonesome with no one helping. But together it can lighten this activity, infusing energy and time to talk and interact, something we all could use a bit more of. That said, if you are in an incredibly bad mood or need to be by your self, you may want to wait as some patience and tolerance is part of cooking together.

Cooking as a couple and cooking as a family will have some different dynamics. Cooking as a family with children requires more plan ahead and time alloted.  Cooking as a couple (if no children are involved) can be down right romantic and can be a bit more spontaneous. Just remember you may have different ideas on how to make something. Accepting this and avoiding being rigid as to how something should be made will help to keep it positive.

Here are some considerations in planning and cooking together as a couple or as a family. 

  • Including a planning piece can help to alleviate frustration and disappointment. Of course, at times everyone cooking together may need to be more spontaneous. But if possible, planning what you want and having the needed ingredients can sure make it a more smooth process.  Planning might include:
  1. What is on the menu? Choosing to plan this together can gain more cooperation and encourage a more team approach. This would of course be the most helpful if this is done before you do grocery shopping. Incorporating some things that each person likes can go toward a more satisfying meal for everyone. 
  2. If this is a family activity, are the dishes planned ones that have parts that the younger children can help with?  For example: tearing lettuce leaves, stirring a batter, throwing in specific ingredients, etc. 
  • Patience, tolerance and non perfectionism are some of the main ingredients for cooking as a family. Children are children and they will need to help according to their skill level. The process here is so much more important than the product. RELAXING and EMBRACING the MESS is part of it. 
  • Making sure there is enough time is important as children will slow the process.
  • Having a small healthy snack or appetizer before you start cooking may keep everyone more pleasant and patient.
  • If little ones are involved having a place set up that is safe for their involvement is important.
  • ENCOURAGING and PRAISING each other makes the process so much sweeter, whether it is as a couple or as a family. 
  • Planning a themed meal can be fun. For example: Mexican, Italian, etc or a Tea Party or a Backyard Picnic.


Note: As this is Memorial Day Weekend, you could plan a meal that honors a family member that is no longer with you, who has passed on. For example: Grandpa John’s grilled corn or Grandma Sue’s apple pie.  The idea here would be to include some dishes that the person was famous for making or a dish that they loved, etc.  This would encourage conversation and a time of remembering of our loved ones and their contributions to our food traditions. 

Happy Cooking!!!

family-eating-dinner

Tulsa Rose Garden, Tulsa Garden Center and Woodward Park – A Triple Hit for Mother’s Day (or any spring or summer day)

Posted on by

0

IMG_1541

You can’t beat the lovely combination of the Tulsa Rose Garden, Tulsa Garden Center and Woodward Park, all rolled into one. The Tulsa Rose Garden is at 24th and Peoria, right next to Woodward Park which is at 21st and Peoria. And the Tulsa Garden Center is on the other side of the Rose Garden. Linnaeus Teaching Garden is behind the Rose Garden and Tulsa Garden Center. These are all FREE to the public.

It is a wonderful time to visit as roses are in bloom and it is Mother’s Day Weekend.  Of course this is a triple hit for any sunny day or early evening for families and for couples.  Walking in 4 and 1/2 acres of roses is heaven. The Rose Garden in done in an Italian Renaissance style with 5 terraces and a reflecting pool. 

Take time to enjoy what nature has to offer at this time of year. This is a sure hit with moms, families and a fun place for a romantic get-a-way. 

ENJOY!!!

Creating a Romantic Picnic in the Park

Posted on by

0

picnic1picnic3

It is Spring Time and the flowers are blooming and the grass is green. It  is a time of the year when it is not too hot and not too cold, for the most part. Of course, living in OK you never really know! In general a perfect backdrop for a romantic picnic in the park. One of the other upsides is that it is FREE.

STEPS TO CREATING A ROMANTIC PICNIC IN THE PARK

1. Consider WHICH park you choose for your romantic adventure.

The ones that would be most conducive to romance might be ones that:

  • Are large enough that you can separate yourselves from playground areas that have lots of active children.
  • Have the least road noise
  • Are the most aesthetically pleasing – flower gardens, ponds, etc.
  • Potentially less frequented

2. Think about WHEN to have your picnic. 

  • Possibly choosing a less frequented time.
  • Or think about which day you go. If you have some flexibility this will offer you even more privacy.
  • Consider a breakfast picnic or an evening picnic.
  • A quick, sweet meet in the park during the week at lunch can be novel and fun and send the message to each other that you can take a quick breather with your sack lunch to be with your honey. Of course this means choosing a park that is close to work.  This short burst of time together can be uplifting and help to keep you connected.

3. What to Bring

  • An old blanket to spread out and lay on if you like. 
  • Your favorite picnic foods. But “no worries” if you don’t have time to cook. Stop at your favorite restaurant and take their food the park.
  • Comfortable clothes and shoes to be able to fully relax and walk and explore.

4. What Not to Bring

  • Your cell phone (or turn them on silent to preserve the mood)
  • Your lap top
  • Your paper work
  • Your children
  • Your friends
  • Your problems and issues

5. What to Do

  • Talk
  • Sit and enjoy your surroundings together
  • Feed each other
  • Hold hands
  • Talk a walk around the park together
  • Take pictures of each other or have someone take a picture of the two of you to remember your special time together

Currently in April in OK the azaleas are in bloom, but as you know not for long. Woodward Park in Tulsa has one of the prettiest shows in town and then Muskogee’s Honors Park has a very large display of them. But there are of course beautiful flowers throughout the spring and summer. Plus, fall is a beautiful time for a picnic too.

A listing of Tulsa, OK  parks and their addresses can be located through the following website: www.tulsawalk.com . Click into Parks and Places. You will not only find Tulsa’s parks, but other neighboring OK towns: Catoosa, Bixby, Bartlesville, Broken Arrow, Owasso and Sand Springs.

Hope you have a wonderful picnic, just you and your honey!

picnic2