Life, relationships, goals, experiences — they all change over time. And with those, romance (and what that looks like), changes too. I think we all know this. But it’s another thing to admit it, and accept it, and go with it. It can still be a good thing in our lives, it’s just a little different now.
Four words. Mac and Cheese Bites. Oh, yea. Our five dinners this week are here to make planning your family’s meals easier, and these are sure to make everyone’s bellies happy too.
Scroll all the way down for my take on romance at this point in our life in the new Just Sayin’ block.
Hope you all have a great week — and I’ll see you Wednesday for a special Extra, Extra!
Here’s What Romance Looks Like After 15 Years Together
By Brynn Burger
Dear Young Married Couples, Lean in for some hard truths that will open your wide, pre-relationship eyeballs and possibly blow your mind.
Here's how my husband is romantic and shows me his love after nearly 15 years together.
Spoiler alert: It in no way resembles how I'd imagined it when I was in my 20s and still had my thoughts about romance mostly formed by movies and 90s after-school specials.
He remembers important things.
This mean my husband remembers things like anniversaries and birthdays, while I trade off for me remembering allllll the family appointments. Sweet teamwork.
He trades me car positions on a curvy road.
This is important because the opposite would result in me covering us both in vomit AND because it signals that he's the kind of guy who recognizes things that might make me more comfortable . . . and acts on them.
He knows how to order my coffee.
This is clutch because coffee is basically the only good part of my morning most days and it shows me that he pays attention. I mean, I don't just drink plain black coffee, I have a certain way I like it. And I love that he knows what that is.
He plans something to surprise me.
Here's the thing. We are both the WORST at keeping exciting secrets from each other. Seriously. We've maybe actually kept a surprise until it's intended reveal date twice in our 15 years. But the key here is that he PLANS it. I have to do nothing. Squat. Just pack and show up. And THAT, my young compadres, is the real gift.
He does the dishes.
This is pivotal for several reasons, the most prominent of which is that not only do I not have to do them myself, but it also means I won't have threat level midnight anxiety over the current status of our sink at 1:47 a.m. while my brain is playing my typical endless loop of to-dos and un-dones.
He takes the kids places.
He is not their babysitter. He is their FATHER (for all the Karens in the back). And the best part is that sometimes he even takes the kids places without me. Bless the Lort and hallelujurrrr!!
I had a sinus infection all week and one evening I fed the kids and kissed my husband as he came home from work. He told me to lay on the couch for a few. I put on an audio book and the next thing I knew my 6:30 a.m. alarm was going off and I was somehow in our bed. Ladies, this is what we long-time marrieds call, "magic."
He carries the laundry.
And the groceries, the children, the trash cans, and basically anything else heavy and/or covered in something leaky that I just don't plan on touching. Ever.
He lets me sleep sometimes.
It might be when our kid wakes up with night terrors or on a random Saturday morning, but sometimes he just lets me sleep. He lulls the kids, fixes coffee, and I am reminded of why I'm the luckiest.
He recognizes when I'm upset . . . and leaves me alone.
Admittedly, this one took him years to master because he understands emotions WAY better than I ever will. But he always knows when something is off with me and he speaks up. He lets me know he's noticed and then reminds me that he has my back if I need anything. And then leaves me be so I can talk when or if I become ready to share.
He still tells me I'm beautiful.
Early into dating I told him that if God ever smitted me with a daughter (which He obviously laughed hysterically as He did so), it would be my husband's sole responsibility to tell her how beautiful she was every single day of her life. Forever.
But he does that for me. And not just when I wear makeup and real pants (because we all know that's only twice a year), but when I first wake up or when I've been hiking all day. That's the stuff, young friends taking notes, because we are both painfully aware that I more closely resemble a dumpster fire than a flesh and blood woman.
Gorgeous young women, you are in your prime. Trust me on this. One day you will look back at a picture of you on this exact day and say to yourself, "Daaannnggg I WISH I looked like I did that day when I thought I was too fat/short/lanky/boney/doughy/whatever."
Girl, find a man who will still strive to date you and show you romance like ours eleventy years later. It may not involve candles or heels but, get real, if you don't prefer Netflix and takeout over that garbage anyway, you've gotten lost in the internet.
Romance doesn't always look the same over time. Neither is happiness identical from couple to couple. Find what makes you smile even when everything else seems totally insane. And make sure it’s a two-way street. Then you know you’ve found the sweet spot. Hold onto it.
RECIPES OF THE WEEK:
Your week just got a little easier. These five family dinners are delicious, easy to make, and all-around crowd-pleasers. Think gooey French Onion Soup, fun Pigs in a Blanket, mouth-watering BBQ Pulled Pork, and what will be the new house favorite — Mac and Cheese Bites. Enjoy!
Slow Cooker Ranch Chicken
Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 packet ranch dressing mix (you can also use homemade ranch seasoning)
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon dried dill
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper, then place in the slow cooker.
In a bowl, mix together the ranch dressing mix, chicken broth, sour cream, minced garlic, onion powder, dried dill, and dried parsley.
Pour the ranch mixture over the chicken in the slow cooker.
Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours, or until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
Once the chicken is cooked, you can slice it or shred it using two forks directly in the slow cooker or remove the chicken, shred it, and then return it to the slow cooker.
Serve the Ranch Chicken over rice, pasta, or with your favorite side dishes. You can also use it in sandwiches, wraps, or salads.
Mac and Cheese Bites
Ingredients: