I want to address the issue of the transition between being apart and being together.  When you are in a long distance relationship you look oh-so-forward to those wonderful weekends that you get to spend in the same place.  For one weekend you think that you will be like normal couples and get to do everything together.  Sometimes you plan trips across many miles just to see each other for a few precious moments.

If you haven’t seen your significant other in awhile and have been operating in a long distance relationship, there is definitely an element of awkwardness that will be introduced during the transition period.  As soon as you arrive at the airport you will imagine that you will become a completely “normal” couple, but there is always a period of time where you need to adjust.  You can’t just transition from being a voice on the phone to being a real live human body without some sort of tension.

I want to bring up this issue because I think that it is an important element in long distance relationships that needs to be accepted.  A lot of times visits are extremely short and it’s possible that you might not ever make it through the transition phase.  You might feel just a little bit “off” and blame the feeling on problems in your relationship.  The truth is that this is completely normal!

You have a long distance relationship and a “physically together” relationship and it takes a good amount of adjusting to get from one to the other.  Imagine how different your life is when your partner is in town and when they aren’t:  you spend zero time together and then you spend all of your time together; you spend all of your time talking and then you don’t need to spend any time talking!

If you find that sometimes you get in arguments or don’t gel as well you usually do on short visits, think about the idea of the transition period between arrival and being fully comfortable.  It’s entirely possible that you are a compatible couple, but you just have difficulties adjusting to being in the same place when you usually aren’t.  Figure out if this is a factor in your long distance relationship and maybe it will answer some of the questions that you have about planning trips to see each other and managing your time spent together.

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Post from: Blisstree

Long Distance: Transitions Are Difficult

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But at the same time, sometimes it’s just so nice to get dressed up and put your beautiful face forward for each other. For him. But mostly for you.

Come on, it’s just so nice to be all spruced up and looking your best, isn’t it? No doubt, he will be delighted. But that should really be a given! You should spend the time putting yourself together to give your self confidence and emotional happiness a little weekend celebratory lift.

Put the sweatpants away, break out the blush and really take the time to shave your darn legs. As I said – he will notice. But it probably won’t be the particulars about your physical appearance that have the most impact. It will be you at your best, knowing you are at your best, and feeling darn good about it.

Your sweatpants will always be there. And sweatpants can be sexy too! But make sure, even just once in a while, you make the effort to spend that extra time in the bathroom getting ready for the day. Enjoy it. For you.

Post from: Blisstree

Get Out of Your Sweatpants. For You.

But that’s not the topic for today. Forget about housework, this weekend is for fun stuff that you can do as a family. Here’s my list, but I want to hear from you too.

1. Do something relaxing. It’s going to be different for every family, but find out what works for your family. When the kids were little, every Saturday night was movie night. And to go with the movie was chips and pop. I don’t know which part the kids liked best, but I would be surprised if it was the chips and pop part.

2. Go for a walk in the evening once the streetlights come on. Halloween decorations are popping up everywhere and you won’t want to miss them!

3. Bake with the kids. Give each person a job to do and don’t forget dad.

4. Take the kids for some early Christmas shopping. Split the kids in half and mom goes in one direction and dad goes in the opposite. Let the kids make their own choices. That’s half the fun.

5. And here is my favorite part. Choose a restaurant that makes the kids feel comfortable in and enjoy a nice leisurely dinner. That also means no dirty dishes to contend with.

So what would you add to the list??

*Weekends: Great Ideas for Memorable Adventures

Post from: Blisstree

5 Things to do this weekend as a family…