{Guest Post} - Keeping Your Marriage A Priority

Today's post is on a topic that I think is so important for those of us with kiddos - making sure not to neglect the relationship with our husbands! After you have a baby (or two or three), I think it's so easy to let the kids and their needs become the center of everything, and I'm a strong believer that the husband/wife relationship should be a top priority - without that, everything falls apart.

So when my blog friend, Julie, suggested writing on this topic for a guest post, I was so excited! Julie and I have been blogging buddies for a long time, and I enjoy reading everything she has to say on her blog, Back To The Basics - be sure to stop by and say hello to her after you read her tips below!

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Hi! My name is Julie and you can find me over at my blog Back to the Basics, where I blog about my life as a wife and stay at home mom to Brayden (3) and Kenley (1). I am honored to guest post for Callie today!



2 kids under the age of 3 is a LOT- let me tell you, but it is NOT impossible by any means! My stance is that you will have difficulties no matter HOW far apart your kids are- you are still caring for human beings! Right? But as you are taking care of your children, there is also another person you may be putting on the bottom of your priority list-- your spouse.

Date nights around here are few and far between. It's tough to get the kids' schedules and our schedules to work at the same time PLUS a babysitter. But honestly, we COULD do better. We all could, right? Here are some ways I have found to better stay in tune with my spouse, even when a date night isn't on the schedule...

• Spend time talking at the beginning or end of the day. Brandon usually leaves by 6am, so if we want to chit chat about our day, evenings after the kids go to bed is our best bet. Talking in bed before falling asleep helps us stay on the same page, talk about our plans for the next day, and some of our BEST conversations about life are usually at this time!
• Make the best of plans gone awry. One rainy day several weeks ago, I had lined up a sitter for the kids but my other plans fell through. I called Brandon to see if he wanted to go do some house shopping/returns at Menards, and we ended up on a small, spur of the moment date day! We went out for lunch, picked out new kitchen flooring, had Starbucks, and were home by dinner to get the kids. Sometimes, it's worth just trying to do SOMETHING on a whim.
• Take an interest in their interests. My hubby is a farmer, something I have known since the moment I laid eyes on him, but don't let that fool you- I am no expert. There is a LOT to it, more than I ever dreamed! But--it is SO important that I take his interests seriously. It helps us stay on the same page with our goals and dreams, lets him get excited about things he wants to take on, and most importantly, it brings us closer. Same with my photography interests-- there isn't a LOT that Brandon understands, but just the fact that he is willing to try? Makes a huge difference.

No one is perfect, and these transitions and changes are hard-- but I hope these tips will help soften the blow of them! Thanks for reading!

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Note: I'm off on vacation through Monday, so I've lined up some guest posts while I"m gone - thank you to Kate, Paula, Julie, and Melanie for giving me a much-needed break!