This giveaway is now closed.

Six months ago I began to go through all the books I’d acquired over the years and realized several things. One, many of them I wasn’t going to read again, so why was I hanging on to them – especially since, two, they take up a great deal of space.

I love books.

And really love to read.

The Kindle is a perfect device to house all your books and keep your shelves simple and clean. Plus, with the apps for smartphones and computers, you can access your books and read from anywhere.

With our final giveaway, one reader will have the chance to win a 6″ Display, Wi-Fi Kindle.

The Kindle is Amazon’s #1 seller, and one of the favorite gadgets I own.

If you like to read, you’ll love owning a Kindle.

The Kindle Wireless Reading Device, Wi-Fi, Graphite, 6″ Display retails for $139.

Today you have the chance to get one for free. But hurry, this giveaway ends tomorrow night.

The winner will be selected at random and will receive their Kindle in the mail from Amazon.

How To Enter

Leave a comment on this post answering this question: Where is your favorite place to read?

For a second entry, share this giveaway on Facebook using the Facebook link below. Then leave an additional comment letting me know you’ve done so.

And for a third entry, share this giveaway on Twitter using the Tweet link below. Be sure to include @simplemarriage and the URL of this post so I can see it. You could simply copy and paste the following:

You could win your own Kindle via @simplemarriage. Hurry, the giveaway ends Sat. http://wp.me/paZ8c-24D

This giveaway will end TOMORROW – February 19th at 11:59 PM CST.

All winners of giveaways this week will be notified via email. Good luck.

This giveaway is now closed.

This giveaway is now closed.

Next up, a short, but very good book to help you focus on what matters most.

Get past the clutter and complexity with 5 Simple Things.

Monday morning after a week at the beach with my family. That’s the worst kind of Monday. Half of your brain is still lingering on a sandy shore waiting for the waves to crash upon it and bring you back to reality. Do you know that kind of Monday?

It’s the kind of Monday where you have big goals and big plans after a week of reflection, but as soon as you start checking off your “to do” list, you daydream of how freeing it was to have a “do nothing list.”

What if everyday tasks could be poured into five simple buckets?

Thank
Do
Reach Out
Believe
Love

This book will help you rediscover what matters most.

I was given a copy of this book late last year … and loved it. It gets right to the heart of the matter – specifically, what matters most to you. It then gives you some tools to focus on what matters and apply that focus to your life every day.

With this giveaway, TWO readers will have the chance to win a copy of the book and a $10 gift card to Subway.

How To Enter

Leave a comment on this post answering this question: How do you keep things simple in your life?

For a second entry, share this giveaway on Facebook using the Facebook link below. Then leave an additional comment letting me know you’ve done so.

This giveaway will end February 19th at 11:59 PM CST.

Check back tomorrow for our final giveaway.

This giveaway is now closed.

This giveaway is now closed.

Our next giveaway focuses on something every one of us faces each week … “What do you want for dinner?”

E-Mealz relies on a team of experienced meal planners, writers and editors to create new menus every week that are designed around grocery store sales, seasonal specials and diet preferences. For $5.00 per month, subscribers download a recipe plan for the week with a matching aisle-by-aisle grocery list. The easy-to-follow recipes usually contain fewer than seven ingredients to allow for prep times of less than 30 minutes.

It also helps families stay within budget by being prepared with a plan at the grocery store. Even if you do not fully understand how to coupon yet, having a plan will save you money instead of just running to the store multiple times a week picking up whatever you need to make a recipe work.

The E-Mealz program provides a consistent and reliable approach to food budgeting by factoring the weekly cost of ingredients into each menu plan. Menus are created around a budget of $75 per week for families and $35 per week for couples.

E-Mealz was created by sisters Jane DeLaney, mother of four, and Jenny Cochran, mother of three. The sisters were frustrated by the challenge of coming up with healthy, budget-conscious meals for their own families and inspired by their own mother’s frugal ways, they launched the program in 2003.

Check out their blog for recipes, tips on how to simplify your life, organize your days, and plan family fun.

Their goal is to provide

• Delicious family friendly recipes
• Ingredients bought on special and/or at the best price available
• An easy and stress free home-cooked dinner
• Precious moments with the most special people in your life

With this giveaway, one reader will have the chance to win a 6 month subscription to the meal plan of the winner’s choice.

E-mealz is also offering Simple Marriage readers a new subscriber discount code for their first subscription!

Just enter the code MARRIAGE to receive your discount!

How To Enter

Leave a comment on this post answering this question: What is you favorite meal to prepare?

For a second entry, share this giveaway on Facebook using the Facebook link below. Then leave an additional comment letting me know you’ve done so.

This giveaway will end February 19th at 11:59 PM CST.

Check back tomorrow for another giveaway.

This giveaway is now closed.

This giveaway is now closed.

Even though Valentines Day was yesterday, romance in marriage is a year long affair.

Our next giveaway comes from Romantic Marriages.

RomanticMarriages.com helps make Valentine’s or anytime … more romantic!

Whether it’s their Valentine’s Date Kit or their hot date kits, they help you ad the spark back into your marriage. Each digital kit comes with a fun romantic card, a fun scenario to set up the date night, several printables that coincide with that date’s theme, and a list of  specific ideas to make that theme and date unforgettable.

All their Valentine kits and date ideas are fun … easily downloaded, and printed from home.

With this giveaway, one lucky winner will get to keep  the romancing throughout the year …

A Ten Month Membership to the Loving Wives Club {10 months of hot date idea “kits” } $29.99

An “Opposites Attract” Valentine Date Kit $5.99

A Tech Date Kit – perfect for those who are techies! $5.99

A Prince of Persian Passion Hot Date Kit for Three Nights of Fun and Frolic. $15.99

The total value of the giveaway is: $58.00

This giveaway from Romantic Marriages is created for women, but fellas, you can enter as well and give your wife double the chances to win. How cool is that!

How To Enter

Leave a comment on this post answering this question: How do you keep romance alive in your marriage?

For a second entry, share this giveaway on Twitter using the Tweet link below. Be sure to include @simplemarriage and the URL of this post so I can see it. You could simply copy and paste the following:

@simplemarriage is giving away a romance your man kit. I entered, so should you. http://wp.me/paZ8c-24c

This giveaway will end February 19th at 11:59 PM CST.

Check back tomorrow for another giveaway.

This giveaway is now closed.

This giveaway is now closed.

Let’s kick off the week with one of my favorites, A Private Affair: The Erotic Game of Secrets, Plans and Promises for Couples, a unique “black box” of intimate possibility for couples created by Dr. Todd and Jan Sellick.

A game that can be played in restaurants, over coffee, while out for a walk, even on the phone. My wife and I have played this game several times while out to dinner and even while driving in the car, it’s a great conversation starter.

Three thousand years ago Solomon suggested that “an honest answer (straight talk) is like a kiss on the lips;” a thing of simply, happy, complete and juicy intimacy. This little verse inspired a game.

Stories about “sexless marriages” are hot topics at the moment, but the issue is not really ”sexless” but “less” in general for so many; less adventure, less understanding, less connecting, less joy, less kindness, less energy, less hope, etc.

Sheldon Vanauken, in his fabulous book “A Severe Mercy” suggested that unless couples are extremely mindful and diligent in their marriage, they risk suffering a “creeping separateness” that distorts and tarnishes the life and friendship of marriage.  The sexual part of the relationship very naturally, and reasonably, suffers along with this, so often bruised in this experience of “creeping separateness.”

Couples are often hungry for connection, but a bit lost as to where to begin.

One reviewer said that he and his wife think of the game as “emotional bungee jumping;” a risky adventure, but one where they ultimately feel safe as they jump into various depths together.

A Private Affair is not a typical couples “sex game” at all; not the kind you play at home on Friday night with a bottle of massage oil, a feather, and blindfold (although you definitely could include these items). This game is played with “eyes wide open” while you move through the bits and pieces of life with your spouse.

How To Enter

Leave a comment on this post answering this question: Briefly describe your most romantic date idea?

For a second entry, share this giveaway on Facebook using the Facebook link below. Then leave an additional comment letting me know you’ve done so.

This giveaway will end February 19th at 11:59 PM CST.

Check back tomorrow for another giveaway.

This giveaway is now closed.

Beginning last year, several new voices were added to the Simple Marriage team. With the addition of these voices, several more aspects of married and relationship life were able to be covered.

Areas like motherhood, parenting, money, and blended families. And I must say, our columnists did a great job covering these areas.

That’s what makes me so excited for this year.

Not only are these areas going to continue being covered, we’ve added four new voices to the team – and along with them, some more areas to cover.

Each regular contributor will be adding a fresh perspective on an area of married and family life.

Premarital

NEW! Susanne Alexander is on a life-long learning adventure to “keep it simple.” She became passionate about marriage preparation a few years ago after helping many young adults through the process and watching friends have short, painful marriages after poor preparation. She has written many books on the subject and you can learn more about her at her site: Marriage Transformation.

Blended Family

Melissa Gorzelanczyk wants to inspire you to live simply and find beauty in everyday life. She is a step mom, wife, hybrid homemaker, freelance writer and blogger at Peace & Projects.

Mom and Parenting

Susan Heid is the mom behind The Confident Mom where she loves inspiring Christian moms to make small changes managing their home and family life giving them more time, order and less stress! Her tenacious spirit, no nonsense approach, and generous heart fuels her passion to help moms become the Calm, Cool and Confident Moms their kids need.

Home and Family

Getting laid off from a corporate job a few years ago was a blessing in disguise for Beth LaMie. In fact, it opened up a new career in writing when she became a Personal Historian, first for her own family and friends, then for a variety of clients. Her book, Granny’s Guide to Fun & Fabulous Family Stories shows people from 8 to 98 how to have fun while they capture their legacy, as does her blog.

Dates and Romance

Editor’s Note: Due to the nature of this topic, and it’s importance in most every marriage, there are two columnists that will cover this. Well, actually, there are more than that.

NEW! It was under a moonlit night in Laguna Beach that Sean Marshall asked his would-be wife Heidi for her hand in marriage. The roar of the waves made Sean have to ask her to repeat her answer. One of Sean’s biggest goals is to show the world that the key to happiness starts in a loving marriage. This is one of the key messages at his blog, Family Rocketship.

and

NEW! Imagine Hope Counseling Group is a group of ladies who understand the struggle to find balance in each of the roles we carry during life. Their desire is to inspire hope for life and relationships, understanding that Hope is one of the most important things. Together, they will add some great ideas to help keep your relationship energized. You can read more about each of them on their blog.

Fatherhood

NEW! Dean Mehrkens acquired his parental expertise the old fashioned way: by raising kids. His passion for seeing families strengthened led him to create homeSTRONG, a marriage and family coaching service where he also blogs about his thoughts and advice on what makes some homes strong while others fall apart.

Money and Career

Dustin Riechmann will provide, as he calls it, the “normal guy’s” perspective to our community. He and his wife have worked hard to get out of debt, live simply, and try to live calmly in busy times. He writes about how you can do the same at Engaged Marriage.

(photo source)

It’s a new year.

Routines with the kids and family and work have likely set in again.

But typically, a new year bring about a chance to do something different. Or at least attempt to try something different.

But what about the perpetual problems you have between you and your spouse?

What about that issue that crept up over the Holidays that keeps nagging at you and your marriage?

Or maybe you are in a marriage that’s barely holding on and you simply wanted to survive the Christmas break and then decide what to do.

The doors for enrollment in the next offering of Blow Up My Marriage are now open.

This is a 16 week class that will present you with a radically different way to view your marriage, and then will walk you through how to apply this view to your marriage going forward.

Here’s a brief look at what is covered in Blow Up My Marriage:

• How to create the best marriage from your strengths, not by looking at what’s wrong.
• How to see that it’s the relationship that’s the issue, not you or your spouse.
• Why you never want to lean on your spouse.
• How to create a great life and have your marriage be the icing on the cake.
• And, how to transform your sex life.

One of the best things about this class is its format. I come to you with all the information and material.

New lessons are presented every other Monday (beginning January 17th), which you can read through or listen to. And, thanks to the format, you can work through everything at your own pace.

Still unsure?

Or, are you not sure your spouse will be interested?

No worries.

You can participate in this class as a couple, or on your own. You can even participate if you’re currently single.

If your spouse does join you, all the better, but don’t let their hesitancy or resistance stop you.

Click here to read even more details.

Want in?

Click here to enroll.

This session will likely fill up fast. Just saying.

Here’s to all marriage can become!