Ten ways to add a little Spark to your relationship!

In the last year things at our house have been crazy. We had our third little baby, my husband was studying night and day for a big exam and then he spent 4 months working out of the state.

Needless to say our relationship was strained. I didn’t realize it until about a month ago, but we were kind of neglecting each other. Things were just way too crazy with work, kids and school.  It is so easy to just become complacent in marriage! So, that is when I decided that I needed to give my husband some more attention and credit for all he does for me and the kids. Here are a few ways that I thought I could show him how much I loved and appreciated him.

Whether you’re looking to add spark to marriage, or if you’re simply looking for meaningful ways to say “I love you”, here is a list that will let your husband (or significant other) know you care:

• Send him a text message – Just something cute or sweet to say thank you or that you are thinking of him
• Surprise him with something he’s been looking at – This could be something small like a new watch or a new book.  For my husband he’s been looking at hand guns so he can go out shooting with all the guys.  So I kinda “borrowed” a little money from our tax return and surprised him with a 40 caliber gun that he’d been looking at.  I will never forget the look on his face.  It was priceless.  And he didn’t even get mad that I took a portion of our tax return!
• Make him his favorite dinner – My husband is always asking for spaghetti.  But when I make pasta I tend to make the bowtie or spiraled noodles because they are fun and/or easier for the kids to eat.  But this week I made an actual spaghetti dinner with spaghetti noodles, garlic bread and a fresh green salad.  He loved it!
• Organize an outing for him – Does he love shooting, golfing, bike riding, or fishing?  Take the kids one night to run errands and leave your husband at home.  Then leave him a little note on his golf bag and tell him to go shoot a bucket of balls for an hour.  Or leave a note on a bottle of Gatorade saying he has the night off to go ride his bike or go for a run.  It’s nice to let them clear their heads after a long work week.
• Surprise him with a babysitter & a date night – This is nice for him and for you!  Let him know you were thinking about him and that you wanted to spend alone time with him. Check out this post for a ton of great date ideas.
• Sit down and spend time together – This one is hard for me and my husband because we are complete opposites.  In every way.  We like different shows, movies and music.  So, I like to make it a point to occasionally sit down and watch his favorite show or sport with him.  It’s just nice to be by each other.  You can do the same too if he’s reading a book.  Go grab a book or magazine and sit down next to him.
• Give him a back massage – I love to just rub his back if we are sitting on the couch or laying in bed. (And, you know, back massages usually lead to something else fun. ;))
• Do his chore – Does your husband have a specific chore?  My husband always mows the lawn and takes the trash out.  Every once in a while I surprise him with the lawn’s done and he is always so happy and thankful.  He get a break for doing them and then we get more time to spend together.
• Write “Love Notes” to each other – For Christmas this year we received this cute little picture frame.

It is a 5×7 picture frame with a piece of paper in it.  It has the words ” i love you because…” printed on it.  Then with a dry erase marker we can write little notes to each other.  It is fun to read the cute little things my husband comes up with and then I can just erase it and write my own little note back to him.

• Leave love notes around the house –  You can leave him a note in his lunch or in his car, or sock drawer.  Write a message on the bathroom mirror with lipstick or you can leave him a message on the computer.  My husband changes our screen saver on our computer to say cute things.

I’ve noticed that as I have been doing these small and simple things he has started doing them back to me too!  It’s nice to get cute little random messages from each other or a back rub at the end of a long day.

Do you guys have any special things that you and your husband do for each other?  I’d love to hear how you add spark to marriage!