Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.

Where do we go with that? This seems like a combination of all of the past verses. She is honored and praised. That is pretty impressive. I am not really sure where to go with this verse. However, I want to focus on my house being my city. I would like to be honored for what I do at home and praised when I get home! Wouldn’t that be awesome? Basically, if what I do is honoring to Matt, he will praise me. Right? That’s what I am going to focus on, especially since I am working really hard to make these next few months in the Academy run smoothly for Matt. That is how I will bring him honor with my hands.

My home is my city gate

How are you honoring you husband? Do you speak highly of him to others? Do you take care of him at home? Are you bringing honor to yourself? Do you do things that make you honorable and worthy of praise?

I had planned to write a bunch of party tips, but realized that I already did that… Add the fact that I’ve worked late a bunch lately and haven’t had time for writing and pictures, I thought I’d just repost it in case you missed it the first time around.

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My favorite football team will likely not make it to the Super Bowl in my lifetime. Does that stop me from wanting a good party? No way, Jose Canseco. Whoops, wrong sport. Last year was my first time hosting such an event, and I thought I would pass along some tips.

Get in the spirit

Your team isn’t in the game? Who cares. Pick a favorite, dress in the team color and get ready to cheer, jeer, boo and hiss with your friends. Also, feel free to channel your favorite late female rapper like me.

Get your grub on

People don’t want to move away from the tube, so make sure the food is readily accessible. Set out chips, pretzels and candy on a coffee table or a side table. If it’s a big gathering, consider making mini food stations on TV tray stands so people don’t have to block the view to grab a bite.

Don’t feel pressured to buy all the food, either, many people will be glad to help out. To prepare, make sure you have extra bowls and trays on hand to add to the spread.

Go high tech

Set your DVR/TiVo to record the game and start watching a little after real time. This way, any late game-day goers won’t miss out on the fun. Best of all, when you’re wanting an instant replay of a sweet play (or want to laugh two, three, heck, even four times at a funny commercial), you can rewind to your heart’s content.

Care to make a friendly wager?

Not a football fan? Not a problem. You can make it a game that doesn’t have to do with knowing stats or rules. One classic is the score pool (http://www.ehow.com/how_13677_set-super-bowl.html), where you guess the score on a grid. You can select winners for each quarter, at particular times or just at the end of the game.

Another game can be catered to those in-the-know or who just came along to have fun. Come up with a list of things that will (or are likely to) happen during the game and have everyone give a guess for the answer. For example: who will catch the first touchdown, what company will be featured in the first commercial, etc. Whoever has the most correct guesses wins.

While I’m not a huge fan of gambling, I’ll gladly wager a Cold Stone ice cream. That way, at least the loser will still get a fun time with a friend. Another option is to have prizes like small gift cards, fun food, beer or wine.

Our biggest hit

Let’s face it, often times, the actual football game can be pretty boring. Putting the extra touch on some of the party details can make it feel like an event, rather than just any old Sunday football game. These team-logo cupcakes — made by my friend Christine (above) and her friend Maxine — were by far the biggest hit of the day.

What’s your favorite part of a Super Bowl party?

Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookies

via Nestle

• 4 cups (2 – 12 oz bags) chocolate chips, divided
• 2 ⅔ cup All Purpose Flour
• 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) Butter, softened
• 1 cup packed Brown Sugar
• ½ cup granulated Sugar
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 3 large Eggs

Preheat oven to 375° F. Melt 2 cups morsels in small, heavy-duty saucepan over low heat; stir until smooth. Alternatively, you can melt in the microwave. Remove from heat.

Combine flour, baking soda and salt in medium bowl. Beat butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in melted chocolate. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in remaining 2 cups morsels. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.

Bake for 8 to 9 minutes or until cookies are puffed. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

These cookies are amazingly fabulous. I have been making them for years — they used to be my staple (before the Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies). Let me know if you try them — and if they win over any men in your life!

• On Target: Well, let’s not get off of shopping just yet. Have you seen the cute spring home stuff that is about to hit Target stores? Sign me up for that … and for spring!
  
• Honey Badger Doesn’t Give a … Spritz: Bri of Design Love Fest fame has created a cocktail that I can’t wait to try. It’s named after the noble, graceful creature that is the Honey Badger. If you believe that last statement, you obviously haven’t seen the hilarious video yet…
• You’ve Been Framed: Do you ever find yourself with more frames than you know what to do with? Instead of holding art, they can become art. Check out this tutorial by Living With Lindsay. Seems doable!
• Have 5 Minutes and a Men’s T? If you’re like me, your husband has a ton of T shirts and he may not realize one is missing. Check out this tutorial for a waterfall vest.
• I’m Such a Tease: I know I said that posting all these links will help get your mind off of shopping. Well, after seeing pictures from Danielle Moss’ home as featured in Rue Magazine, I’m inspired to change up some of our decor around here. (Via Live Creating Yourself)
  

So who’s going to be my shopping buddy?

“I’m like the office toilet. I take all the crap that comes in and flush it away, so that no one has to deal with it.”

Now, I really do not like calling myself a toilet, but I like the premise. I want to make all of the crap in Matt’s life disappear (and I know he feels the same). One main piece of crap right now is the Academy. Well, it is not necessarily crap but it is a bit daunting and a challenge. I met with a friend who has already been an Academy wife, and she gave me some great advice. She encouraged me to meal plan and prep snacks / lunches. Then I will be prepared for meals and not be resentful when he asks me to make those for him.

I have been a peanut butter & jelly making machine. Did you know you can make them ahead of time and freeze them? Shari told me that, and my freezer is now FULL of sandwiches. That 20 minutes (which is about how long it took to turn a whole loaf of bread into sandwiches) will save me a lot of time and griping later. I also bagged some snacks and put them in the fridge for easy access. Now Matt can just grab them and go.

As far as flushing out crap, there are lots of little things that I can help Matt out with. Prepping meals? Check. Putting gas in my car? Check. Laundry? Well that’s a half check! I also choose to speak highly of him in front of others. Building up our marriage with love and respect will prevent some crap from getting in. Matthew helps me out by protecting me emotionally and spiritually. How can you flush the crap out of your marriage?

(via weheartit.com)

Then our friend asked Matt, “So when was your last date?” Matt and I looked at each other, laughed and looked at our friend. He wasn’t laughing. “No really, when was the last time you went on a date?” We had gone to two Warriors games this week, and had gone out to dinner the week before, but we hadn’t really considered those dates. It was more like “something to do.”

Our friend looked a little disappointed. “When’s the last time you took her out on a date and surprised her?” I knew I liked this friend!

Seriously though, I realized that we don’t typically go on “dates.” We usually hem and haw over what restaurant we want to go to or casually throw out ideas to pass the time. This conversation reminded us that it doesn’t hurt to put a spark into what can be seen as just another night out.

So what can we do? Here are some things that came to mind:

• If you usually plan nights out, let your spouse get creative. Maybe even replicate an old date.
• Put your phones away — or at least limit use. I use my phone as my camera. Instead of immediately uploading to Facebook/Instagram/whatever, do it later.
• Keep the conversation light and playful.
• Surprise your spouse with a small gift to show that you thought about them.
• Get dressed up. Remember when you used to carefully select your clothes with excitement?
• Don’t stay at home.
• Go somewhere new. Being together might not be “new” but you can replicate the newness factor by exploring somewhere you’re unfamiliar with.

Any other ideas?

Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.

Matt used to have this verse written down on a notecard in his Bible. I found it when we were dating and got a little miffed. What? You don’t care that I’m charming? I demanded. You don’t want me to be pretty? Ugh. He then explained to me that it is so much more than that. He said that he loved how beautiful and charming I was, but that would only get me so far. Eventually I would get old and wrinkly, and though still beautiful, I would no longer be 21. And charm, well that is awesome, but I definitely had my not-so-charming moments. What he wanted most in a wife was a woman who feared the Lord, who put the Lord first. Then those ugly moments would not matter so much, because the eternal perspective would be intact. I hope I am getting this story correct (one of my charming qualities is telling stories just a touch different than they actually were… whoops) because it is important. Our marriage is centered on the Lord, so the fact that we both fear Him (sidenote fear is awe or reverence, not necessarily dread) is important. Does this make sense? Do you think you fear / stand in awe of the Lord? Do you see how that can help your marriage make it in the long haul?

Lastly, if you like that scripture print above, feel free to buy it at AmyJ’s shop, it is her design / photo after all.

Then my friend Christine gave me one of the Sally Hansen colors for Christmas last year (Kook-A-Mango, which is the pinky orange above). I had previously bought OPI when I found it on sale. OPI’s formula was good, but the colors were mostly bland and it was more than I wanted to spend. The thing that most impressed me about the Sally Hansen polish was that it was less than $7, had great colors and its brush was slightly rounded. I’m surprised that it took so long for someone to figure out that a rounded brush meant salon-quality results at home.

I should note that I wasn’t comped or anything to be doing this review and giveaway. I just really love the product and wanted to share the love. So I’m giving away my favorite color: Commander in Chic, which is gray with the slightest touch of purple.

Here’s how to enter:

• Comment on this post and tell me about your favorite beauty product.
• Share a link to this giveaway on Twitter or Facebook for an extra entry. Then leave an additional comment on this post to have it count as a second entry.

Please only one entry per person/IP address. Entries will be accepted until 11:59 p.m., Feb. 3. U.S. residents only, please. Good luck!

Chocolate Brownie Larabars
slightly adapted from Running Upward

• 2 cups chopped pitted Dates
• 1 cup raw Cashews
• 1 1/2 cups raw Almonds
• 2/3 cup unsweetened Cocoa Powder
• pinch of Sea Salt
• 1/2 cup shredded unsweetened Coconut
• 3 tablespoons Vanilla Extract
• 2 or 3 tablespoons Water

If you have a food processor, you want to use it. I don’t so I had to adapt the recipe accordingly. Pulverize your dates in a magic bullet (or mini-prep food chopper) and then toss into stand mixer bowl. Do the same for the cashews and almonds. You want everything finely blended / almost turned into a paste. Mix together on medium for thirty seconds or so. Add cocoa powder and sea salt, blend. It should now look like crumbs. Add coconut and vanilla extract. Add water until it is a moist dough. Press into a glass dish. I think I used a 3 quart oblong pyrex dish. It was about 6 inches wide and 10 inches long (or so). Refrigerate for 30 minutes or so and then cut into squares. My recipe made 24 squares.

Wrap in saran wrap or parchment paper, either one works, but plastic wrap is probably easier. I just have a ton of wax paper, so I use that. Next time, I will tape the wax paper on the back, so it looks nicer!

Cutting and wrapping the bars makes it much more likely that you will grab them and go. If I leave them in the dish, they stay in the dish. These bars are getting gobbled up rather quickly, and I feel pretty good about feeding them to my man! Thanks for the recipe, Shari!

• Odd Marriages: Women’s Day did another one of their marriage posts on MSNBC about weird ways that couples “make it work.” I put that in quotes because in my opinion, these don’t really seem like marriages. One has a second husband that she virtually married in a Second Life type game. Another couple has his and hers houses four blocks away from each other. What do you think about these interesting arrangements?
• Hiding Moms Under a Bushel? In the old days, apparently they didn’t let moms shine in photos. Instead, when children had their portraits taken, the moms were often hidden. (Side note: I’m not a mom, but I just love Cup of Jo‘s Motherhood Mondays series.)
  
• Chocoholic: I must make these. You know how I love a breakfast to go.
• Out of House, Out of Mind: Around this time of year stuff multiplies like the valuables in Bellatrix Lestrange’s vault at Gringott’s. (Yes, I had to get an HP reference in there…) Karen at The Art of Doing Stuff recently took on the challenge of throwing away 50 things. Sounds great to me! Although, if it’s of value, it will be going into the garage sale pile. We’re hoping to have one in a couple weeks!
• T-Shirt Redo: And if you find some colored T-shirts when you’re cleaning, consider making them into some fun bracelets or headbands!