***This blog post went way way bad yesterday and many of you missed it – and it is such a fab give away I didn’t want any of you to miss out – so here is a repost and another chance to win!***
Win today’s giveaway! Just tell us what you did (or are going to do!) for today’s Project by 5:00 PST on Thursday and you will be entered into the drawing for today’s prize:
Monday’s winner? Kim
(E-mail my assistant kimber@kathilipp.com with your mailing address to get your goodie!)
And today’s giveaway?
I am so excited about this giveaway! One of my favorite blog readers, Mica, and her husband are the owners of Open Space Meats and they have graciously donated 2 New York Steaks and 2 Fillet Mignon! These steaks are from their own farm and they deliver all over California (if you are outside of CA you can have them sent to someone you love in CA!!!)
We are customers of Open Space Meats and LOVE them – in fact – here is Roger’s famous Roger’s Burger Recipe (I pried it out of him for the sake of everyone’s marriage…) that we just made Sunday night with Open Space – SOOOO GOOOOOD.
Roger Burgers (We really do need a new name! )
2 pounds ground beef
1 packet of dry Lipton onion soup mix
½ cup barbecue sauce
¼ cup course-ground mustard
Mix all ingredients well by hand. (watch out for wedding rings!)
Patty the burgers a little bigger than normal to bring out the bold flavors, and to help them stay together on the grill.
Grill as usual.
After the last flip, coat top of burgers with a generous amount of barbeque sauce.
Top with cheese.
Wait for cheese to melt, remove from grill.
Serve Immediately.
Project #18
Dinner’s On Me
Take Him Out for His Favorite Meal
Your Project:
Take him out to his favorite restaurant. Or make him something FAB at home.
I know why you like to eat in restaurants. Half of the struggle of cooking dinner is coming up with a plan to feed the two of you (made even more complex if you’re feeding additional, and sometimes picky, members of the family) then shopping for it, cooking it, and possibly, occasionally, not even being thanked for it. A trip to the Olive Garden would be so much easier.
But why does your husband like to go out to eat so much?
I asked a couple of friends to talk with their husbands about the appeal of eating dinner in someone else’s kitchen: Here is what they had to say:
“My husband’s response was ‘a break in the routine or depending on the movie … to romance’ (me). My thought was ‘to get out of doing the dishes!’” ~ Sherry
“My husband said, ’Because it’s relaxing, we get to focus on each other and it’s a special time.’ I asked if it had anything to do with being able to get meals that he doesn’t get at home. He said NO. It has to do with being with me. ‘We could go out to McDonald’s and have a good time, I don’t care.’” ~ Angela
“My husband travels frequently, so he eats many meals in restaurants. Despite that, we still dine out without the kids a couple of times a month. He says the appeal for him is to escape from our crazy schedule and have some quiet time together. More often that not, we combine dinner out with a movie, so in his mind, it’s a good date night event. He noted that since we also truly enjoy the art of food and savoring spectacular meals, that dining out and sharing meals and desserts (which are usually not eaten at our house outside of holidays or dinner parties) is more like an event than just a meal.” ~ Teresa
I have found a great place to find those favorite restaurant recipes that you can re-create at home. Go to www.copycat.com to find all those recipes that make eating out such a treat. With a little patience (and a lot less money) you’ll be able to have your man’s favorites waiting for him as he walks through the front door. (And no credit card aftertaste to regret your choice at the end of the month.)
Prayer for Today
Dear God, it’s my deepest desire that my husband knows he is loved and cherished. Let my words, planning and actions reflect that everyday.
Getting Creative
If you don’t know whether your husband will be in the kind of mood that an ambush dinner requires, present him with the gift card to be used that night, or on the night of his choice.
Steaks on the BBQ when he gets home may be just the thing your man would love. See if you can duplicate the steak rub used at your favorite restaurant.
Project Reports
“It’s easy, I just have Chinese ready for him! He’ll love it!”
Stephanie
“We don’t seem to be able to squeeze in the ambush meal these days, so on a Thursday at noon, right before he was getting ready to go out of town, I made his favorite lunch and lit candles and placed an orchid on the table. He looked at the table, smiled with a twinkle in his eye and said: What is this for? He was totally surprised and very pleased!”
Win today’s giveaway! Just tell us what you did (or are going to do!) for today’s Project by 5:00 PST on Tuesday and you will be entered into the drawing for today’s prize:
Friday’s winner? Ann (E-mail my assistant kimber@kathilipp.com to get your goodie!)
And today’s giveaway?
Project #17 Playing Hooky Give Your Guy the Night (or Morning) off
Your Project
Give your husband some time off. Hire someone to do his chores around the house (or do them yourself if money is tight). Just give him a chance to relax. Men have a lot of responsibility in life. Not only is much of their identity wrapped up in providing for you and being the man you need him to be, he constantly has to prove to the world his worth as a man. Guys desperately want some time to just be guys and enjoy themselves. How about giving your guy the night (or morning) off? Whining and nagging get us nowhere. Being a counter-culture, Christ-following wife may not change our husband’s ability to see the crayon writing on the wall, but it will soften our hearts toward him.
On the Other Hand Some husbands might take offense to having someone hired to do their chore. This could be especially true if your husband struggles at work, is unemployed, or in some other way feeling discouraged about his abilities. If this is the case in your home, how about buying a tool to help him with his regular duty? A bag of chamois for cleaning his car, a rake to replace the one you bought when you first moved into your house are all ways to say, “I love you” without making him feel like you don’t think he’s holding up his end of the bargain.
Remember, this is all about your attitude. It should never be our intention to “prove our point.” The only point to prove is that we love our guy and want to show him our appreciation.
Prayer for Today Dear God, I pray that my husband finds places of rest in his day. Let me contribute to that today.
Getting Creative • Take his car to the carwash for him. • Stock his ashtray with a Starbucks card to make his mornings a little brighter. • Both my husband and I absolutely hate calling repairmen. However, if I make the arrangements, he’s more than happy to deal with the repairs once the guy gets here. It is a win-win for both of us when I call to schedule the repairs.
Project Report
“My husband is not really good at taking personal time but when the opportunity presented itself for him to go to a computer conference with his friends (just for fun, not work related) I actually encouraged him to go. He met up with some friends from college, took the day off work and left at 8:30am and didn’t get home until 11:00pm. He had a ball and I had to juggle both kids at a doctor’s appointment (getting shots nonetheless) without him. He was giddy when he got home and had fun eating out all day, catching up with friends and doing something that would have bored me to tears. He loved it and was totally re-energized.” Laura
Win today’s giveaway! Just tell us what you did (or are going to do!) for today’s Project by 5:00 PST on Tuesday and you will be entered into the drawing for today’s prize:
Yesterday’s winner? alh1203 (E-mail my assistant kimber@kathilipp.com to get your goodie!)
And today’s giveaway?
Project #16
Cat Calls
Let Him Know You Think He’s Hot
Your Project:
In some small way today, let your husband know that you’re still attracted to him physically.
One of the things your man is looking for is affirmation. If he knows that you find him desirable and attractive, it goes a long way in giving him confidence in other areas of his life.
What drew you to him in the first place? I know he had a great sense of humor, and was kind, but let’s go shallower than that. What physical attribute did you first notice about him?
Was it his piercing green eyes, his crooked little smile, his cute butt? This is the project to remind him that he still “does it” for you.
Show Him Your (Candied) Heart
If this is a new concept for you, it may be difficult to be fun and flirty – especially if the last time you told him how great he looked was on your wedding day. Why not flirt with some candy hearts? NECCO has been making these since the Civil War and there is sure to be a heart to say exactly what’s on your mind.
Some of the original sayings still used today include:
“Be Mine”
“Be Good”
“Be True”
“My Man”
“Kiss Me”
“Sweet Talk.”
If none of those say exactly what you want, you don’t have the option of ordering specialized hearts (well, you do, but the bad news is that the minimum order is 1.7 million hearts. The good news? They stay fresh for five years.) However, if you’d like an online version that you can customize, go to www.cryptogram.com and let your heart say what it wants.
Prayer for Today
Dear God, may my husband know that I am attracted to him and choose him above all other guys.
Getting Creative
·Looking for inspiration? Check out the Song of Solomon in the Old Testament. Talk about knowing how to show your adoration – woo hoo.
A little out of practice when it comes to flirting? Imagine what you would love to hear from your husband and turn it around on him.
Walk in on him while he’s in the shower, just stand there and when he asks what you’re looking at, simply sigh and say, “Just enjoying the show.”
No fair using your womanly wiles on him when he’s performing a household task. The words, “Wow, you look so hot when you are scrubbing the toilet,” are not allowed.
Project Reports
“Well, I am a little too private to tell you exactly what happened, but I communicated to my husband that he is sexy and I am attracted to him. The reaction I got was fantastic to say the least. He looked so surprised and so so so so so pleased. This was the number one winner so far.”
Win today’s giveaway! Just tell us what you did (or are going to do!) for today’s Project by 5:00 PST on Tuesday and you will be entered into the drawing for today’s prize:
Yesterday’s winner? Ashley at Sweet Baby Cakes Design (Ashley – e-mail my assistant kimber@kathilipp.com to get your goodie!) (BTW – they have some ADORABLE stuff over there! Check them out – it would be a great place to pick up a gift for a new mommy or something over-the-top cute for a Christmas gift!!!)
And today’s giveaway?
Project #15 What Not to Wear Pitching the Pajama Pants
Your Project: Get rid of one item of clothing you know your husband is not in love with. If it’s a favorite that you’ll have a hard time parting with, go ahead and purchase a replacement you know your guy will like.
For today’s project we will be getting rid of one piece of “comfortable” clothing. You know the one – it could be the pair of sweats, some comfy slippers, or a college sweatshirt. Your husband may not even notice that you’ve done away with it. The point is you’re taking another step towards thinking about him when getting dressed, instead of going to those sad, sad, jammie bottoms once again. Just get rid of it. That’s all. You know what “it” is. For me, it was my pair of brown, cropped sweatpants that I thought were perfectly acceptable — but I knew that Roger secretly hated. I replaced them with a pair of cute brown sweatpants with a matching hoodie sweat shirt for when I am working from home or running the kids to all their activities. This outfit is cute and comfortable. A List of Ten Clothing Items that Should Never be Worn Around Your Husband Unless your husband has specifically said, “You look so adorable,” while wearing this particular item, it needs to go. Don’t make me come over and “What Not to Wear” you. 1. Team Jerseys (Unless they‘re your husband’s team and you are wearing the jersey as a sexy night shirt) 2. Overalls (unless you both work on a farm) 3. Running shoes for anything other than running 4. Mom jeans (super high wasted, tapered and pleated, oh my…) 5. Any sweater with a Christmas tree or a pumpkin on it (unless you’re a kindergarten teacher. Even then, change into something flattering right after work. There is nothing sexy about wearing ornaments.) 6. Long floral dresses that tie in the back. They make your figure look dumpy and make you look like you’re wearing a table cloth. 7. Acid- washed anything. Enough said. 8. Underwear that has any form of safety pin attached to it. 9. Nursing bras. Especially if your child is now six. 10. Anything that an ex-boyfriend has ever given you. When I e-mailed my friend Rachelle that I was working on this list, this is the note I got back from her: “Be SURE to include baggy sweats on your list! When I figured that one out and traded all my baggy sweats for cute jeans & T’s and sexy leggings, well, let’s just say things got a lot hotter around my house.”
I rest my case.
Prayer for Today Dear God, make me focus on actions that change my attitude, instead of trying to change my husband.
Getting Creative • What do your slippers look like? If they’re the pair you had in college, time to walk them out the door. • For one of my friends, it was a hair scrunchie that was seeing a little too much time outside of the house. (There was a bonus here because a number of her friends were about to have a scrunchie intervention. This project kept her out of a scrunchie 12-Step Program.) • That sumptuous terrycloth bathrobe you got at the spa several years back by now has lost its “wrap me in luxury” feel and probably qualifies for pet bedding material. Time to find another robe; and the only strings hanging off will be the belt ties.
Project Reports “I threw out an old t-shirt I loved to wear to bed – an old favorite with Troy Aikman on it. Aaahh. Anyhow, I took some comments my husband had said to me to heart and now go to bed with (gasp!) nothing on! I thought it would be an open invitation for sex all the time, but it hasn’t been. But, boy, is he a happy man! He gets to look all he wants and men are really visual beings. For his part, he got me an electric blanket which he turns on before I get into bed, which is so cozy. And, hey, I get to wear that beautiful robe I have. Everybody wins.” Annie
“Great idea I’ve come across as I’ve gotten rid of all the comfy sweats…I now have nothing cute to wear, so I dropped a little note for my husband about this great web site he should check out for Valentines Day. It’s Pajamagram.com. It’s a win-win situation. He gets to pick out something that he would love to see me in and I get a gift! I think he loved the idea!” MV
I was humbled after reading all of you reasons that you deserve a break and a cup of coffee from last Friday’s giveaway. I was so glad that I could randomly choose the winner instead of judging on who needs it the most (otherwise I would be sending out dozens of packages.)The randomly chosen winner is Cheri (who has been dealing with a sick household all week and a hubby who is working double shifts to cover for all the sickys at work!) Cheri – make sure that you e-mail kimber@kathilipp.com and she will get your package right out!
Win today’s giveaway! Just tell us what you did (or are going to do!) for today’s Project by 7:00 PST on Monday and you will be entered into the drawing for today’s prize: The Frozen Gourmet
Project #14
Move Over Rachel Ray
Cook Something for Your Husband
Your Project:
Make your husband something special in the kitchen (reservations don’t count).
Here are some of my favorite recipes that are easy, freezable, and beyond yummy:
Baked Ziti
1 pound Ground beef
¼ cup Chopped onion
16 oz. Penne pasta, par cooked and drained
6 cups Spaghetti sauce
6 slices Mozzarella cheese
½ cup Parmesan cheese
1. Prepare: Brown ground beef and onions together. Drain. Add spaghetti sauce. Combine sauce and cooked pasta; mix well.
2. Freeze: Spread pasta in 9×13 pan and cover with foil. Attach two freezer bags to pan, one with the Mozzarella cheese slices, one with grated Parmesan cheese. Freeze.
3. Serve: Thaw casserole and cheeses. Place Mozzarella cheese slices over casserole. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over casserole. Cover and bake at 350° for 30 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly. Remove the foil and bake for 5 more minutes.
Servings: 4
(You can skip freezing and put it straight in the oven if you are serving this dish the same night you assemble it.)
Chicken Cacciatore
1 lb. Boneless, skinless, chicken breasts
1 Tbsp. Vegetable oil
1¼ cup Onion sliced
2 cups Mushrooms sliced
1 tsp Minced garlic
1-28 oz Can of crushed tomatoes in puree
2 Tbsp. Dried Parsley
1/4 tsp Pepper
2 tsp Italian Seasoning
1 tsp Basil
Parmesan cheese
1. Prepare: Cut chicken into cubes. Slice onions and mushrooms. Chop garlic.
2. Cooking: In a large skillet, sauté chicken in vegetable oil until no longer pink in the center. Remove chicken from skillet and sauté onions, mushrooms, and garlic until the onions are transparent. Add chicken and remaining ingredients except for Parmesan cheese. Simmer for 15 minutes. Allow sauce to cool.
3. Freeze: Freeze in a 13×9 pan.
4. Serve: Thaw sauce in the refrigerator overnight. Place the foil-covered pan in a 350° oven for 30 minutes to warm. Serve over pasta or mashed potatoes.
Servings: 4
Teriyaki Chicken
I make this marinade again and again – it is much better than any prepared marinade you can find in the store.
4 each Chicken legs and thighs (or use six chicken breasts)
½ cup Soy sauce
3 Tbsp Honey
1 tsp Grated, fresh ginger
1 clove Garlic, minced
2 Green onions, thinly sliced
1. Prepare: Place the chicken in a gallon plastic bag. Mix the remaining ingredients together in a bowl. Pour the mixture over the chicken; fully coating each piece. Seal the bag.
2. Freeze: Place your bag in another gallon bag and lay flat in the freezer.
3. Serve: Defrost the chicken. Pour off marinade and bake chicken in a pan at 350° for 30- 40 minutes (or until no longer pink in the center).
Servings: 4
Prayer for Today
Dear God, I pray that my husband knows my love for him by my efforts, not just the Your Results.
Getting Creative
· Make one night a week your husband’s favorite food night. Maybe Friday is the best night to do the steaks on the grill or burgers on the George Foreman Grill.
· My husband loves it when I cook breakfast for dinner. Pancakes anyone?
· One of our most successful dinners ever consisted entirely of “bar food”; buffalo chicken wings, potato skins, nachos and quesadillas. Yum.
Project Reports
Okay, this one is good for Jeff and me. I love really, really healthy dinners. Jeff loves steak and potatoes, steak and potatoes. I would be happy to only have steak once a month! And it would have to be an expensive one at that. I do find that Jeff brightens up and is more appreciative of my cooking and efforts when the meal falls in the category of foods he enjoys.
Remember when you were dating, how you couldn’t wait for his phone call? Just the sound of his voice made your heart beat a little faster.Then real life happens. You have jobs, kids, rent or a mortgage, laundry to fold and lasagna to bake. It’s been a long time since your heart has risen above a waltz, much less a mambo.
Maybe it’s time to put some pitter-patter back into the relationship.
Send your husband a flirty e-mail or text message today. Let him know you cannot wait to see him tonight-that you are counting the hours. A little over the top? I bet he won’t think so.
If you’re going to go beyond flirty to slightly scandalous (which, by the way, I highly encourage) make sure it’s his private e-mail or cell phone. You don’t want Big Brother at his company knowing how little you’ll be wearing tonight.
Prayer for Today
Dear God, may my husband have the security to know he is the only man for me – that you have designed us to be together.
Getting Creative
Use an e-card service (Hallmark.com or americangreetings.com) to send a cute and flirty note.
Don’t know how to text? Ask any teenager in the general vicinity.
Most phones have a camera feature where you can send a photo message. Be sure to keep it G-rated so he doesn’t get in trouble at work.
Your Project:
Send a flirty text or email to your husband.
t:
Remember when you were dating, how you couldn’t wait for his phone call? Just the sound of his voice made your heart beat a little faster.Then real life happens. You have jobs, kids, rent or a mortgage, laundry to fold and lasagna to bake. It’s been a long time since your heart has risen above a waltz, much less a mambo.
