Prince Charming or Charming Frog?

This is just my little spin on fairy tales, fables, romantic comedies and reality. Who do we want a prince charming or a charming frog? 

The prince charming saving the damselle in distress phenomenon has been going on for ages. We get in our heads that us females need to be saved and rescued in order to be happy and find the love of our life. And it’s hard to change an ideal that has been engraved in us since childhood.

As young girls we were always told stories about princesses being rescued by a wonderful prince charming who sweeps them off their feet and in the end they live happily ever after. They find the love of their lives and that’s where the story ends. My personal favourite has always been Cinderella; mainly because of our name similarities and also I’m a sucker for a rags to riches story. The thought of being in love and living happily ever after overrode my thoughts so much I even made up my own little song “someday soon my prince will come but until then I’m going to have some fun. I gotta kiss some frogs before I find the one.” Ha! Maybe even from then I realized that some were just frogs and not princes. But I digress.
Continuing on the original path. You would think that all this fairy tale propaganda and propagation would end in out childhood, but oh no that’s crazy talk, it definitely can’t stop there. We need romantic comedies and romance novels and movies for the older dolls. These invade our reality and we become so disillusioned about our romantic realities that we spend our waking moments planning and dreaming about our perfect match. Awww how sweet. We write lists and state all the desired qualities we think suitable for a mate. All in hopes of finding the illustrious prince charming who enters and enhances our lives.

But how do we tell the difference between prince charming and a charming frog in this misguided world? How do we find our person? And what happens to all the broken souls when who we thought was a prince, turns out to really be a frog? Instead of saving, he hurts. Instead of charming, he’s just an actor; the devil in disguise and a snake with blue eyes to quote Carrie Underwood’s Cowboy Cassanova lyrics. Well that just sucks, doesn’t it?

Are we wrong for filling our young people with these fables? For trying to give hope to the hopeless? Or should we still enjoy the glorious tales that magnified the innocence of our childhood but take it with a grain of salt? I think my little rhyme said it best. Have some fun, kiss some frogs and one day he may just show up. But not to save my dears, don’t think it’s to save or complete. His presence will be merely to complement to the already amazing person that you truly are. We may be a princess but never a damsel. Think about it. 

*Images are subject to copyright

LHC- Road to a healthy, happy Nella

I once heard that when you're happy in a relationship that you tend to gain weight because you are so comfortable that you let yourself go. I don't know how true that is but when I look back at my heaviest moments, it usually involved times of sadness or unhappiness. These were the times I lacked the most confidence and had the most personal demons devouring my self-esteem.

For years I have struggled with my weight and trying to look fit and healthy. At first it was about looking hot and sexy like all the other girls but then it became a desire to be able to nurture my body and push it beyond what I always thought to be physically possible. And the older I get, the more the desire burns within me to accomplish this feat which just seems to evade me. 

I've been on countless diets and exercise programs, yoyoing back and forth from happy, healthy and fit as a fiddle, not quite where I want to be but comfortable to unhealthy slob wasting away my beautiful temple. i've made changes but always seem to revert to my state of origins. So this time I thought i would make my journey more of a public one and not hide my flaws and my self-defined problem areas. I am not promising that this time I suddenly have the magic formula to support my desire to be how I want to be physically to reflect the amazing person I continue to grow to be internally but I will proclaim I have a burning desire to do so and it's with a desire that a spark is born to propel me on this journey. 

My desire shall fuel my continuous journey to fitdom and having you here will help me to not forget that I have support from a community of persons whether I've never met you, had brief interactions or you're one of my closest friends. Just knowing that I have a community who supports me through and through is one of the things that keeps pushing me forward and that my friends is a beautiful thing. So today I embark on another journey but rather than prompting myself to make heavy changes for drastic results in a short period of time, I've decided to do small challenges and try to persevere one day at a time. Fingers crossed and prayer for my success

Much Love,

Nella

I’ll Remember

Today I’ll just lay my head on the pillows and remember you
Remember us as we were in the beginning
All bright-eyed and bushy-tailed
Excited for the prospect of a new us
A great union of prosper.

I will rest my head on the hearth and think of the middle
Riddled with sweet messages, love notes and special gifts
Times and moments of splendour
A life of promise and endearing hope urging us
Brought to us as a gift from God.

I’ll stare into the stars and follow our journey together
Follow our love as it blossomed in the season
Our sweet romance fading gently into the night
For it is the end my love
End of our dreams together
Our matrimonial walk down the proverbial aisle

Tonight is where we part my love
Separated not by a physical distance but by moments of lost time
Separated by words unspoken and memories forgotten
We part and depart from our simple selves
Urging forward our distinct ways
Lost in the fabric of time
As we move forward to our destinies

Take me back to yesteryear

 

Hello lovelies,

I hope today finds you in high spirits. So I dug up an old favourite of mine that I just felt I had to share. In this modern dating world things can get a little twisted really. So here goes.

 

 

When did life get so complicated? When did things seem so difficult? Does anyone remember a time when our only care in the world was waking up on Saturday mornings to watch cartoons or even just what new lunchkit we wanted to bring to school at the beginning of the school year? Oh yes those were the good old days and then age happens. We get older. Our bones start creaking, schoolwork becomes a hassle and to add to our family life, our religious quest, our academic journey, we have to add the brawta of relationships. Oh relationships what a doozey!!! Now no one can be blamed. We can’t help ourselves. I mean we are only human and as humans we are beings of yearning and desire. We yearn fulfillment. We yearn completeness. We yearn that companionship that makes life worth living. We yearn for a better day and a better life. So what is all this ranting leading up to? (Dun dun dun!!!!!)….Top Dating Mistakes. I have decided to make this a two-part thing in my series of romantic tips and advice. (Again I do not claim to be an expert but hey this beats studying!!!) In any case let’s hop to it people!

 

 

1. Game Playing. Now I’ve had this discussion with my friends many times. The basic theory in this is the person who likes the other more loses and the one who is not as invested wins in the battle of power. So we play games to protect our ego’s or just to get what you want. Here’s what I say play it STRAIGHT people. Relationships shouldn’t be a competition, it should be a compromise. It shouldn’t be a survival of the fittest competition, that’s what we went through before the relationship. When it comes to dating, everyone, and I mean EVERYONE, fears rejection of some sort, so it only makes you human if you do. Conclusion: It’s FINE to put your best foot forward, and also be a bit cautious, but have the courage to show who you are. You want someone who wants you for who YOU are!

 

 

 

 

2. Talking about your exes. Based on the nature of you relationship, things like this would come up eventually. So don’t bring it up, especially not in the initial stages of the relationship. The point is your exes are in the past for a reason so leave them there(unless it is your ex you’re trying to restart something with, which is a very tricky thing because if you haven’t sorted out the issues you had the first time around, they will still be there the second time therein. Word to the wise: BE CAUTIOUS!!!). Carrying old baggage into a new relationship amounts to clutter. So just try to get to know the person and have a chance for a fresh start sans the baggage.

 

 

 

 

3. Ignoring red flags. We all have them. Those little annoying things that make us say ‘No! Something is wrong here!’ If someone doesn’t show up when you’re supposed to meet, that’s a red flag. If you call them and they are always too busy to take your call, bingo, red flag. Some signals may be a bit more subtle and we may be tempted to overlook them, but whatever it is the red flag is telling you to slow down and take it easy. ‘Go easy!’ Now I’m not saying that people won’t have their character flaws, no one is perfect right? Nor am I saying you should condemned anyone to the pits based on their first mistake or when the first problem arises (unless it’s a big one then roast ‘em, boil ‘em and scorch ‘em (eh Anna?). I mean pray for their souls may they see the error of their ways! (yes Sheree you are so right!)). What I am saying is to trust your instincts. An emerging pattern is not something to make excuses for or brush under the rug. Address these problems early, and don’t waste your time.

 

 

 

 

4. Interrogating your date. Imagine this, it’s your first date and the trending conversation topic is: “How many children do you want? What’s your credit rating? So I did a background check on you and I found out a few things that I would like to clear up before we get married”. These are NEVER (I repeat NEVER!) good opening sentences, especially not on the first date. You want to show interest by asking about their likes or dislikes, but not press someone for information. Let things evolve a bit, as you get to know someone. Patience and restraint are required here, even though you may feel pressed for time. Do your best to relax and have fun.

 

 

 

 

5. Fantasizing about the future. This is especially a problem for females. From a young age, we have been fantasing. Dreams of a fairytale ending and happily ever after. Mrs (so and so). This is cute when we are young and carefree, but it’s not cute after the third date. You need to remind yourself to slow down and enjoy the moment. Dating is to be a fun and enjoyable thing. Yes we have hopes that at the end of it we will start a relationship and end in full commitment, but until then we gots to live a little. As I always say (sing rather) ‘Someday soon my prince will come but until then I’m gonna have some fun. Gonna dance all night and frolic all day. Got to kiss some frogs before I find the one’. Well I don’t plan to kiss frogs, but you get the point. So until you have time to really get to know someone, and see him or her in a wide range of situations, it is helpful to not get ahead of yourself; don’t strongly attach to some illusion that you have created about the person. This can lead to pitfalls of setting up unrealistic expectations and subsequent disillusionment, or depression if the relationship doesn’t work out.

 

 

 

Well as usual I like to end my notes with a little inspirational quote so here goes…. 1 Corinthians 6 v 12 states, “Everything is permissible for me, but not everything is beneficial. Everything is permissible for me, but I will not be mastered by anything. If we are not sure that our actions are permissible by God then maybe we shouldn’t even bother with it!” So in layman’s terms we all have gut instincts that tell us when the person we are considering is not right for us. Listen to yourself and make the right and best decisions for you. Have a great day. If you’re alive you already are.

 

 

Toodles!!!

 

 

Comments, feedback and suggestions are welcomed.

 

 

Lonely Hearts Club!!!

 

LHC- Prisoner of Relationships Past

Blessings my fair people,

When it comes to relationships, I've realized that there are 2 ways that we can be prisoners of our past relationships which can affect our present ones. The first is to have such an amazing relationship that no one can measure up to the invisible stick we keep dangled in front of our other suitors and the other is the opposite dynamic and having a shrew of bad relationships that makes you question your taste in men. I've had the fortune or misfortune of having both. I have remained a constant prisoner of my relationships past for many years.

 

A prisoner of my own mind and heart. Having experienced the best of both worlds, I know what it is I want but in my pursuit of happiness I tend to get hurt and overwhelmed by the lack of forthcoming gentlemen to fit the mold I've shaped out. What is it that I truly want in a man? Emotionally? Spiritually? Physically? Intellectually? Beyond? I could write an essay on each topic but the simple truth I want someone to love me everlastingly, grow with me spiritually, be my intellectual equal or smarter and impart knowledge on me (and being my equal doesnt me he has to be versed in the same things I do but rather just be able to hold a great conversation), being there supporting and caring for me. I want to feel that earth-shattering, life-changing love I've felt before and I don't think I will settle for less. And that's where I remain a prisoner of a great relationship because it's hard for me to picture other than what I've already experienced. This has also led me to my being a prisoner of other relationship experiences because since then I've been disappointed continuously by the others that have come.

 

My search for love complemented by my myriad of experiences seems to put me in these shackles and I can't seem to break free. I want to live beyond the barriers I've placed and experience what life has to offer but my fear erodes me and I remain enslaved. This was my thought process until about last night (and admittingly I still think like that sometimes) but I watched a short film of a couple getting married and it dawned on me that maybe I'm not where I'm supposed to be indefinitely at the moment but that's just fine because it's where I need to be. If I don't have bad experiences I can't appreciate the wonderful ones and if I didn't have the great experience I would never truly understand my capacity to love above myself and to be selfless in my efforts. So until my prince comes, I'll be enjoying what God has planned for me presently.

 

Much Love,

 

Nella

Happy Mothers Day

 

 To all the wonderful women in our lives (especially my mommy, grandmothers and aunts) who have been our rocks, our shoulders to cry on, our smiles, our laughter, our lifelong cheerleaders, and who never stop believing in how wonderful we are.

 

 

 

I just want to take the time out to wish you all a HAPPY AND WONDERFUL MOTHERS DAY to the most amazing women God has placed on this planet to impact our lives. You truly are appreciated!!!

 

Much Love,

 

Nella

 

Weekly Inspiration- Refocus

Hey All,

It has been a busy week so far. I mean oy vey!!! Today is literally the first time in a few days that I actually left the hospital and there is sunlight. My inspiration for this week is REFOCUS. When we transition into new periods in our lives or have been on our current path for extended periods, we often forget why we started in the first place. This the time we need to sit down and revive ourselves. Renew our focus and bein again.

Much Love,

Nella

Life Under Construction

Lately I haven't been feeling too great and so it's time for some tough decisions to be made and hopefully it ends up for the best. Wish me luck my sweethearts!!!

Much Love,

Nella

Weekly Inspiration

Hey dolls and dudes,

This week I want to talk about forgiveness. It's time we stop being prisoners of our past and forgive not only the other person but forgive ourselves also. Forgive ourselves for the decisions we made for they made us who we are today. Forgive ourselves for the choices we made for they taught us valuable lessons. And forgive ourselves for our mistakes. They are not prisons but rather guides. Forgiveness is the key to unlock our inner potential.

Much Love,

Nella

Body Beautiful Challenge

Hello my lovely followers,

Today I wanted to introduce you to a new challenge that I plan on embarking on. Lately, I've been feeling lost and out of place. I feel like I've lost some of my spirit, my gumption, my moxy so-to-speak. I need to rekindle the fire I've lost and remodel my body. It's not a matter of self-loathing but about rebirth of mind, body and spirit. And so I've decided to embark on this Body Beautiful Challenge to try and enrinch my life because when you feel good on the inside and the outside you are truly invincible. I know I've mentioned my goals for the year before HERE and this is merey an extension of that as I too have fallen victim to not following through on New Year's Resolutions. The only difference is that I have revisited my goals and am reminded of what I'm fighting for. That's how I know I'll be successful.

Here's the plan:

Body:

The focus of the body aspect is a weight loss and skin challenge. My goal is to lose 25lbs over the course of the year with a reward for each 5lbs lost. But this isn't mainly a weight loss challenge, it's more of a lifestyle change. A way to embrace a new lifestyle for longevity and reap the rewards both instantaneously and in the long run. 

Mind:

One of things I've always loved as a child was reading. As I've mention before, one of my 2013 goals is to read 13 different books. These are to encompass different genres of reading from fiction to non-fiction, from biography to motivational, from financial to lifestyle. All which are intended to inspire, enrich, inform, entertain and educate. 

Spirit: 

To develop a strong and powerful spirit is the greatest weapon one can form against defeat. Nurture your relationship with God, yourself and your life. From Gratitude lists to meditation to scripture reading and praying. My goal is to have a strengthened relationship, resolve and a positive mindset to lead me towards a spiritually enriched life and soul. 

These are basically an outline of the Body Beautiful Challenge 2013. As I reach further on the challenge, I will share a little more detail about each aspect of the challenge. 

How are you challenging yourself this year? For it's through challenges that we grow and develop into who we are truly meant to be. Join me today!

Comments, feedback and questions are welcomed. You can do this by either leaving a comment below or sending me an email at: verdenella@gmail.com. I promise to respond.

Enjoy your day loves.

Much Love, 

Nella

Weekly Inspiration- Patience

Hey dolls and dudes,

I'm not a very patient person in general. I'm eager, easily-annoyed and love things that happen when I'd love it to happen. But what I've learnt along the way is Patience is a virtue. Sometimes delayed gratification is important for you to achieve absolute success rather than relative success. So as I await my arrival to the ultimate destination. I continue to be patient. How about you? 

Much Love,

Nella

Weekly Inspiration: Change of Plans

Hey guys,

Sometimes things don't work out exactly as planned but when this happens sometimes it's not for us to change the dream but to adjust the plan. Look at what you've been doing before and what you can alter in your execution. You'll be amazed how things can get better once you do so. Trust me this is exactly what I'm trying to do as I find out that my exams are not one but 2 days earlier than expected sigh! Back to work!

Much Love,

Nella

Weekly Inspiration: Don't give up

Good morning lovies,

It's a tad bit earlier than I usual post but I have a little free time on my hands this morning (well actually I should be getting ready to leave but ehhh). Anyhow, this week my inspiration is in the form of a song by Reggae artist Chronixx. This young musician has been blowing up the local and international music scene with his lyrical compositions and catchy tunes. I was actually reminded by how much I love his songs after checking out another blogger's page where she showed a youtube video of his songs. I absolutely love the message here and decided to share it with you today. It's actually quite fitting to be my theme song of the day.

Have a great day loves! Enjoy!!! :)

Much Love,

Nella

A Travel Monger's Dream Vacations

Good day lovelies,

Inspired by April for The Absolute Travel Addict's post this week, you can check that out Here, I've decided to put pen to paper or in this case finger to keyboard and share with you my top 5 places that I've been dying to visit.

I've always been a wayward wanderer. A free-spirit forced to be rooted in one place while I plot my escape and world adventures. A dream job for me is to spend a year or 2 as a travel writer and blogger, keeping millions of readers in tune and up-to-date with all my happenings and goings and comings. An escape from the mundane 9 to 5 or in my case sunrise to sunrise in this medical world and just let the wild dreamer roam. 

There are so many places I would love to visit that if I were to list them all I would run out of characters for this post. I therefore have decided to narrow it down to my top 5 and trust me this was REALLLLY HARD!!!! But I managed to do it and here they are:

1. Australia

2. Italy

3. South Africa

4. Brazil

5. Caribbean

I know this may seem a little bit kooky. I mean why does a Jamaican girl write that she wants to visit and vacation in the Caribbean? Well that's just it. Aside from my lovely home in Jamaica, I've yet to venture outside and visit other Caribbean islands. I want to wine up my body at Trinidad Carnival or maybe stay and enjoy Diwali, I want to enjoy Crop Over in Barbados and go Eastern Caribbean Island hopping. I want to truly appreciate and enjoy all of what my Caribbean neighbours have to offer me.

In searching for images that seem to best represent my love of these countries I stumbled on so many images that I feel like to do a little feature on each of these places and tell you why I think they are so amazing. Hopefully these come to fruition. You will just have to wait and see.........

Where would you like to escape to? Leave a comment below and share your dream vacations with me. I would love to know.

Enjoy the weekend!

Much Love,

Nella

*Images are not the property of As Told By Nella. All credit is given to their respective owners.

Weekly Inspiration: Do what you love

Passion is what keeps our heart pumping and fuels our greatest dreams, desires and hopes. It that which excites us and entices us. Doing what you love is not an easy task. Let not a day pass without you living the life of love, hope and happiness. How are you fuelling your passion today?

Weekly Inspiration

This week's inspiration is the will to press on. Don't lose faith in where you're heading but rather focus on all that you've accomplished and how far you've come. 

And sometimes all you really need is a kick in the butt or a helping hand to help carry you on. Whatever it is, just don't stop moving forward.

Much Love,

Nella

LHC- Am I burnt out?

Hey ya'll,

It's been a hot minute since I did one of these little confessions. I feel like I've fell off the wagon a bit. Sowwie!!! But to be honest I've been a little demotivated recently. I know I have a million and one things to do but I do nothing. All I do is lie down and waste time then shake my head at myself. Digging my own grave if you will. I really need to shake this off because it's pretty much affecting my productivity and I can't be a procrastinator at this point in my life. I need to refocus and revive that brightly lit spirit I began this year with. I just feel like maybe I'm a little burnt out and I really hope I'm not because man I have too many things to accomplish this year to be defeated like this. Sigh! It's just another one of those times I guess where meditation and reflection is needed. I'll begin this journey so keep me in your thoughts, prayers and send out positivity in my direction. I would much appreciate the love. Thanks for your continued support and I hope to marvel you all my loves. 

Yeah I know this is a little short this week but that's all she wrote for today folks.

Much Love,

Nella

Happy Valentine's Day

Surviving being single on Valentine’s Day

For many, Valentine’s Day is a wonderful day of the year where people express their feelings of love and affection through sentimental gifts and gestures. However, it is also that day of the year when those of us who are not in a relationship or have at least a Valentine tend to experience feelings of loneliness and self-doubt. It seems as though the message being spread throughout is that if you have a significant other great!!! But if not….well……..you get the picture. What is a single person to do? Well I’m here to tell you all is not lost. Valentine’s Day is not only for cupid-struck lovers, it can be for the single person too and I am here to tell you how.

 The first thing you should do is to not define yourself by your relationship status. Your relationship status is not your identity and it is ever changing. Now that you’ve got that covered what do you do to enjoy yourself on Valentine’s Day while being single? The aim is to do something that is fun and is a great distraction from all the chaos going on around you with couples.

1. Host a movie night. Rent movies, order a pizza, invite your other single friends over and have a blast. Up the tempo of this get together by playing some music and dancing the night away. Just remember all you have to do is HAVE FUN!

2. Volunteer. Nothing helps you to feel better faster than doing something nice for  someone else. Volunteering doesn’t even have to be on a large scale like helping out a hospital or visiting a children’s hospital; it can be something as simple as helping your sibling with his/her homework or helping your mother in the kitchen. These little activities may not seem like a lot to you but it would be greatly appreciated by the receiving party. So this Valentine’s Day spread some joy by helping others. You will get it multiplied back many times over.

 3. Pass out platonic Valentines. How about buying a box of chocolate for a friend or giving out little chocolates to several friends and family members? Or what about buying a box of those little paper Valentines, then pass them out to your family and friends. In doing so, you will be reminded of how much love you do have in your life. Also, it will bring a smile to many faces, including yours!

 4. Have a boys/girls night out. Grab a group of your single friends, get dressed up and go out for a fun night on the town. It doesn’t matter what you decide to do. It can be take a trip to the movies, going to a club or party, or even just planning a fun picnic. The point is to get out there and enjoy being single.

 5. Game Night. Who doesn’t like a good game? So it’s time to dust those old board games off the shelf, call all of your friends over and host a game night. Games like Twister are immensely enjoyable and tend to bring out the child-like joy in all of us. Food, friends, games and fun, what more can one ask for?

The final thing to remember is that love is not just for couples; it is for all of us. Don’t let one day of the year stop you from showing love everyday!

Much Love,

Nella

Valentine’s Day Gifts

Valentine’s Day is only a few days away and for those of you in the gift giving mood, you may be wondering what it is you should get your recipient. The first thing to remember is that the first and most important rule of gift-giving is to give the recipient, whether it be your lover, your friend, your sister or brother, your parents or even your grandmother, what he or she wants, as opposed to simply what you want to give them. With that in mind, you should also realize that gifts need not entail large sums of money in order to be effective and appreciated. Some of the most memorable Valentine’s Day presents tend to be those that come straight from the heart. The best gifts are creative and targeted for the specific needs of the receiver.

Now it’s always a safe and easy way to take the traditional route of gift giving and give your valentine flowers, chocolate, teddy bears and other stuffed animals, jewellery and even cards but this year you may want to add a little spice to the mix and let those creative juices flow on your gift. Here is a list of some creative ideas that you can use to get your message across while making your valentine feel extra special at the same time.

 

1)  Valentine’s Day Newsletter- This idea may be seemingly time consuming but it is a fun little project that will make the recipient feel truly loved. Fill your newsletter of special articles, a calendar of romantic and memorable days, pictures, a joke to put an extra smile on the recipient’s face, just about anything you think the other party will truly appreciate and enjoy.

2) CD of memorable and romantic songs- Make a special CD for that special person. The CD should include songs from special events and moments in your lives and can also include those love songs that warms the heart of even the coldest being. You can even add a special bonus track with a song you have written for the person. Nothing says love better than a heart-felt song.

3) Valentine’s Day coupons- Create a cute book of coupons for your loved one. This book can include coupons like ‘A romantic dinner for two’, ‘A movie date’, ‘A special day dedicated to you’, or any other little gift you think would be appropriate and make the recipient feel truly loved.

4) Gift Box- Get out your markers and crayons, glitter and confetti, cartridge paper and scissors and make a great decorative box for your special someone. You can use an actual box or you can make your own using materials around the house. On the outside of the box should be decorated with pictures, stickers, markers, glitter, just about anything you feel will make it look wonderful and on the inside you can include little chocolates, a short poem, a special coupon, a little joke, or any other little tidbit you can think of to put in the box.

5) Scrapbook – It is often said that a picture is worth a thousand words, so imagine how much is being said to that special person with a scrapbook full of pictures and memories of time spent together. Select interesting pictures reflecting the best moments spent together and arrange them with witty captions at the end. Add some romantic poems and your messages. Adorn the scrapbook to your own taste.

6) Framed picture- Share with your valentine a breathtaking moment in time together. You can customize and decorate your picture frame and make it even more unique by adding little touches around the frame.

7) Poems- If you are one who is great at expressing your feelings, then this is the route for you. Write a poem or two that truly expresses your feelings and shares it with the world.

8) Write little romantic notes and leave them everywhere (pockets, lunchbox, car, mirror etc.). Do this to remind that person just how loved and cared for they truly are.

9) Plan a romantic dinner-You don’t have to go out to have a romantic dinner, you can plan one right in the comfort of your home. Cook a magnificent meal that you are sure the person will enjoy and set up a special area to have your dinner. Make the evening more romantic by adding candles, flowers and the works.

10) Customize your gifts- Whether it be a customized cup, pillow case or t-shirt the point is to make it original and special for the recipient and for it to be a way to make the person know exactly how you feel about them.

 Much Love,

 Nella