youtube dating - guest post

Today you get a very special treat.  My friend Camille is guest-posting for me, and I am guest-posting for her!  That means you get two posts for the price of one!  And we're both talking about how awesome dating is, so it's pretty much a win-win situation.

Aaand if you read my guest post, I'll let you in on a little secret.  Go check it out here!

      __________________________________________________________________________

Hello!  My name is Camille and I blog over at fridaywereinlove.blogspot.com.

I never thought I'd be blogging about some of the intimate details of love and marriage until I realized one day how much I believe in marriage and keeping love alive, not to mention I'm a believe in fun at any stage of life, and even a fairly private person like me can't deny the huge passion to share it!  My blog I share with my husband, (see, we're sharing so early, we're off to a great start!) where we take turns posting about our weekly date night.

We were lucky enough to take marriage classes with a former clergy leader before our marriage.  In one of those classes we were given the best advice- to go on a weekly date and not let anything get in the way of it.  We were told family obligations, work, church, school- (you name it) would try to get in the way, but to book a date on a calendar and not let anything stop it no matter what.  We giggled a little thinking we are fun people and would not have these problems.  We learned in our first month of marriage that even as newlyweds, both employed, with no kids we would still have to fight for time to have date night.  We do!  It's sacred to us and what we both look forward to each week.  We're up to over a year now, and some weeks we're lucky enough to go on multiple dates.

Feel free to join us anytime to check out some date ideas, share ideas with us, and spread the love over at FridayWereInLove.blogspot.com.  

And just so we don't leave you hanging, here's one of our most popular dates:

YouTube Video Date (aka 2.5 hours of free laughter)

It's hard to go out with friends or family in our age demographic and not have someone say
"did you see that funny movie on YouTube?"  Followed by laughs, acting it out, or loading it
on a laptop or phone to watch instantly.  Whenever we have a bad day or need a laugh we
turn to certain videos.  

  

So we had this idea about 7 months ago to build a collection of hilarious YouTube videos that
we always turn to for a guaranteed laugh.  We figured if we could get to about an hour and
half we could have a solid date that we could do at home for free.  We've been building for
months asking some of our funniest and most media-centric friends for ideas beyond the
ones we already had.  I must say we did it with some criterion: 

1. It had to be PG-13 rated or better, we wanted to watch it without being offended  

2. It had to be laugh out loud funny to both of us 

When we added a few more this past week we decided to total the time of the video
channel we created- we had over 2 and a half hours of hilarity!  We knew it was time
to enjoy this date that was 7 months in the making!  

We made sure to start the night out right with some Cafe Rio.  

If you live in the Southwest put this on your list!  It started in Provo, Utah and has
expanded greatly.  Good thing, because Camille grew up near the Cafe Rio and went
many times during BYU days and probably would be making trips to Utah to have it
regularly if it wasn't in the Phoenix Metro.  

He recommends the Pork Barbacoa Burrito, green enchilada style

She recommends the Chicken Salad with cilantro ranch dressing

It was a great way to start of the night- and we can always be sure we'll run into
at least 1 person we know.  This night brought 4 long-lost friends.  

After dinner we stopped off at Camille's favorite food store, Trader Joe's to get
their ridiculously amazing kettle corn.  You can't beat this popcorn, trust us
(and it's low calorie)!   

We headed home and fired up the laptop with the special channel we've been creating
and laughed and laughed until we were ready for bed.  

     (we're enjoying our new camera with remote, can you tell?) 

I know what you're thinking, "That sounds like fun, but I'm not sure I have the patience
to spend 7 months building a collection of YouTube clips."  Don't worry friends, we made
 our station public and you are more than welcome to recreate this at home, for free,
and with no effort except maybe obtaining your own treat to eat while watching!  

Warnings in Advance

1. We have a quirky sense of humor, so hopefully you find these funny like we do, but
 it's okay and we're not offended if you don't.  

2. We went PG-13 but there are a few with some swear words.  If you're ultra sensitive
 you may want to skip "Mad TV's Can I Have Your Number," "SNL's Lazy Sunday," and there
is some mature content in "The Bed Intruder Song."   We promise they are funny and pretty
appropriate, but if you can't stand one word don't watch those.  

3. Movie #7 is 1 hour long.  It's a whose line is it anyway and the time flies watching it,
but if you're short on time or attention you may want to save it for last

4. They are all funny, but the first ones added are funniest (to us anyway) and ended up
being last on the list, that just means we saved the best for last!  

Enjoy the fruits of our labor and one funny, free, creative date courtesy of the Whitings!  

YOUTUBE CHANNEL LINK: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5jw3T3Jy70&list=FLvrDcFyWBjhR0XM1oMEWXAA&feature=mh_lolz

Happy DATING friends!  

what i wish i'd known about marriage

When I was in the singles wards, there was one very common topic throughout all of the many talks and devotionals and FHEs.

Marriage.

We've heard it a million times, right?

And it's usually approached in either one of two ways: you should get married ASAP to the right person in the right place at the right time, or marriage is really hard but worth it regardless.

About a month after we got married, I was even part of a Relief Society meeting where the lesson's main point was [amongst many tears and negative comments]: marriage is a huge trial but you have to do it anyways.

I wanted to raise my little newly-married hand and say something positive about marriage but I had the feeling that most of them would roll their eyes and humph condescendingly, "Newlyweds," as if I'd never witnessed another marriage besides my own.

And while being married for eight months certainly doesn't make me an expert, I think it's given me an insight into something important.

Marriage doesn't have to be hard.

Unquestionably there are marriages which are hard for reasons completely out of our control.  [Victims of any type of abuse come to mind.]  And my heart goes out to the women [and men] in those situations.

But generally speaking, I think that statement is true.  Marriage doesn't have to be hard.

Sometimes I think our marriages are a product of our beliefs about marriage before it even begins, so that it becomes a type of self-fulfilling prophecy.  Aka if we think and act like marriage is going to be a trial, it will be.  But if that is true, then the reverse is also true.  If we come into marriage believing that it will be beautiful, it will be.

Perhaps I am one of the lucky few who already had visions of what a beautiful marriage could be like.  And perhaps I am one of the even luckier few whose husband had that same vision.  [Thanks, Mom and Dad.]

But I don't think our beliefs about marriage at its inception have to be an indicator of what our marriages will be like, either.  Beliefs can change, just as people can.  And thankfully, we are given some tools to make our marriages stronger, better.  Praying together.  Studying the scriptures together.  Continually dating each other.  Spending quality time together.  Making intimacy a priority.  Being willing to put each other first.  Going to church together.  [To name a few.]

And if I could share one thing with the 20-year-old me who was feeling daunted by the "marriage is hard" lessons it would be that marriage doesn't have to be hard.  Certainly hard things happen.  But the marriage itself doesn't have to be hard.  And it doesn't have to feel like work.  In fact, ideally, it makes things easier.

Sure, it takes time.  Yes, it takes effort.  But effort doesn't have to feel the same way as work.  To me, work has a negative connotation.  But effort?  Honestly, putting forth the effort to pray together, to read scriptures together, to date each other, to be patient with each other doesn't feel like work at all.  It feels like the best thing I've ever done with my life.  And it's pretty hard to feel like I'm working at it when I'm smiling and laughing so much of the time.

And so, yes, marry the right person in the right place at the right time.  But right time doesn't necessarily mean right now.  If it takes you awhile to find a right someone who earnestly believes that marriage can be beautiful, wait for them.

Why am I writing all of this?  I guess because I wish I had heard a few more positive messages about marriage whilst in singlesland.  [Sheesh, I wish I heard a few more of them now.]

And because I can attest to the fact that marriage really can be beautiful.

Beautiful and fun and wonderful.

getting food for free

I've told you that Tim and I like to get things for free, right?  Remember this?

Well have I told you that we sometimes unintentionally get things for free?

Like that time we went to Bahama Bucks and they randomly let us have our drinks for free.  Or that time we went to Oregano's and they messed up our order and gave us the whole meal on the house.

That was pretty great.

Well last Friday, we were trying to think of something creative and cheap to do.  We went through my wallet and found a few gift cards that still had a few dollars left on them.  So, naturally, we decided to make a night out of using the leftover mulah.

The first stop?  La Bocca on Mill Avenue.

We split some amazing bruschetta.  Seriously.  Awesome.

At the end, we gave the waiter our gift card.  [There wasn't enough money on the gift card to cover the whole thing, but it was enough to make it much cheaper.]  A few minutes later, he came back and said that he couldn't figure out how to use the gift card, so we could just have the food for free.  And he gave back the gift card.

Oh really?  That's too bad.  Ok, well, if I must...

The next stop was Red Robin.

We didn't have very much on the card, so we just decided on each of us getting chicken tortilla soup and french fries.  And as unappetizing as that picture may make it look, the soup was actually really good.

And, of course, I had to get a freckled strawberry lemonade.  [Because the freakin' $4.00 is worth it, unfortunately.]

At the end, our waiter brought us our check.  Tim immediately noticed that the freckled lemonade wasn't listed and mentioned it to the waiter, who said, "Don't worry about it!"

So we got that for free, too.  Whaaat!

Occasionally I wonder if things like that happen because we look pathetically poor, or something.

And if that's the case....I'll take it.

Not to mention that a few days earlier, we went to IHOP on their pancake day and got a free short stack.

Tim's sister, Melissa, suggested it and our stomachs will forever be indebted to her.

Moral of the story?  There's no shame in looking [or being] pathetically poor.

It just might pay off.

date night

Date night is pretty much my favorite night.  Like, ever.

I get to hang out with my best friend for an entire evening without worrying about homework or studying or school.

And Tim is a pretty creative date-planner so that makes it even more fun.

For example, last Friday, we decided to go get hot chocolate and drive around and look at Christmas lights.

Simple, right?

But so, so fun.

[Except I lied.  I didn't get hot chocolate.  I got Caramel Apple Spice.  But Tim got hot chocolate.  So really I only half-lied.]

 There's this street in Mesa that goes all out on their Christmas lights.  And it's pretty awesome.  

[At least I think it's in Mesa.  I wasn't driving, so I wasn't really paying attention.]

 Love him.  

Too bad this picture is so blurry.  [My bad.]

 I hope our kids get his eyes.

 I took way too many pictures to post on here, but I thought I'd post some of my favorites.

 I decided that the candy decorations are some of my favorites.  

[Which is not, of course, a reflection of what I eat a good majority of my day.]
[No really.]

 [Candyyyyy.]

 Caramel Apple Spice.

White Hot Chocolate.

It's the simple things in life, you know?

p.s.  For any of you who might have started following me on Pinterest, I express my deepest apologies.  I haven't even gotten back on since that first time.  And I had no idea what I was doing then, so...it might be kind of a disappointment.  But I haven't completely given up.  [Yet.]