SMALL THINGS

Little things go a long way

When we think of random acts of kindness, we usually think about how we can brighten a stranger’s day. But little acts of kindness can go a long way in helping us create a stronger marriage too.

It’s easy to let life get in the way and slowly erode our relationships. We start to take our spouses for granted, because they don’t demand our time and attention the way other responsibilities do. But just as small, seemingly insignificant things can break down our bond, the right ones can help us create a stronger marriage.

Here’s a list of small acts to inspire you:

1. Draw a heart on the steamy bathroom mirror while your spouse is in the shower

2. Get up early and make breakfast for your husband

3. Clean your wife’s car

4. Tell your spouse something you appreciate about him

5. Call your spouse unexpectedly during the day just to say “I love you”

6. Give your spouse a scalp massage

7. Watch your husband’s favorite show or sporting event with him

8. Arrange a guy’s night for your husband

9. Surprise your spouse with a warm towel as he finishes his shower

10. Create a playlist of songs you and your spouse enjoyed listening to when you were dating

11. Make a list of all the things you love about your husband and leave it on his pillow

12. Ask your wife about her day and listen with interest

13. Make lunch for your wife

14. Do one of your husband’s chores for him

15. Leave a Post-It note on the steering wheel with a nice message

16. Tell your wife something you admire about her

17. Give your wife a neck massage

18. Read a book your wife has recently read and discuss it with her

19. Get ready as if you’re going out for a party, just to greet your spouse at the end of a long day

20. Surprise your spouse with a small gift “just because”

21. Tell your spouse your favorite memory of the two of you together

22. Prepare your husband’s favorite dinner

23. Compliment your spouse

24. Hide a love note in your spouse’s wallet

25. Give your spouse a back rub before bed

26. Help your husband with a project he is working on

27. Print photos of you and your spouse and place them around a bedroom or bathroom mirror

28. Give your spouse a hand or foot massage

29. Text or e-mail your wife throughout the day to let her know you are thinking of her

30. Plan a date or getaway with your spouse

Answers on pg. 27

1. Where is the Prado Museum located?

2. What is the only country that the Equator and the Tropic of Capricorn pass through?

3. What does the Latin phrase “tempus fugit” mean?

4. What is another name for the division sign?

5. How long did it take singer Bob Dylan to write the big hit “Blowin’ in the Wind”?

6. How many times on average does a ruby-throated hummingbird flap its wings in one second?

7. Which movie features the line, “Keep the change, ya filthy animal”?

8. Which novel features four children named Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy?

9. What is Joey’s famous line in the sitcom “Friends”?

10. What is a common name for the pinna in human anatomy?

Black Russian Ingredients

Ice

2 oz. vodka

1 oz. Kahlúa or coffee liqueur

Orange slice, Maraschino cherry, and/or orange bitters, for serving (optional)

Directions

Fill a large measuring glass with ice. Add vodka and Kahlúa and stir with a long-handled spoon until mixture is chilled, about 30 seconds. Strain into an ice-filled rocks glass. Garnish with an orange slice, cherry, and/or bitters.

Dirty Shirley Ingredients

2 oz. vodka

1 oz. fresh lime juice

1 oz. grenadine

4 oz. lemon-lime soda

Maraschino cherries and lime wheels, for serving

Directions

Fill a tall glass with ice cubes. Pour vodka, lime juice, and grenadine over ice. Add lemon-lime soda and stir with a long-handled spoon to combine. Serve topped with cherries and a lime wheel.

Painkiller Cocktail

Ingredients

4 oz. pineapple juice

2 oz. dark rum

1 oz. fresh-squeezed orange juice

1 oz. cream of coconut

Ice

Freshly grated nutmeg

Halved orange slice, for garnish

Directions

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice, then add pineapple juice, rum, orange

Prosecco Mint Julep

Ingredients

6 mint leaves, plus more for serving

3/4 oz. simple syrup

1 oz. bourbon

Crushed ice

3 oz. dry prosecco

1 dash of Angostura bitters

Directions

In a mint julep cup or highball glass, muddle mint leaves and simple syrup with a muddler or the end of a wooden spoon handle

HERE’S A TIP

If you find that you have small scratches in your wood furniture, try this old trick: Rub a walnut over dings to cover them up. Or find a matching brown crayon, rub it lightly into the scratch, and finish with a hair dryer held 10 inches away for about 10-15 seconds. It melts the wax of the crayon, and then you can buff it with a soft rag. Any excess is swept away and the color remains.

CLE ANING SPECIALIST

CLEA NING SPECIALIST

Food

Carrot Cake Cookies

Ingredients FOR COOKIES

3/4 c. (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened

1 c. packed brown sugar

1/2 c. granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 tsp. pure vanilla extraact

1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1 c. packed shredded carrots (from 2 medium carrots)

3/4 c. unsweetened shredded dried coconut

1/2 c. raisins

2 c. old-fashioned oats

CREAM CHEESE GLAZE

1 c. powdered sugar

1 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature

4 tsp. milk

1/4 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 350º and line a baking sheet with parchment. In a bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, until incorporated, then add vanilla. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Add dry ingredients to butter mixture until wellcombined. Stir in carrots, coconut, raisins, and oats and mix until just combined.

Scoop 1” rounds of dough onto baking sheet. Bake until golden, 15 to 18 minutes. Let cool. Make glaze: Beat together cream cheese, powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until combined. Drizzle glaze over each cookie and let harden before serving.