Who Chooses the Engagement Ring?

Diamond SolitaireAh, sweet bliss surrounds the happy couple in love! The two lovebirds are about to enter the next phase of life and what could ever go wrong? Well, possibly the engagement ring! The man may fear choosing a ring she hates and the woman may fear he’ll choose a ring she hates. Sadly, neither person knows how to broach the subject. Most people who are in love detest the banal conversation of something that should be so poetic.

Of course, tradition has it that the man picks out the ring and totally sends the lady into joyous shock when he presents it to her. With more modern couples, the woman knows the proposal is coming but still doesn’t give any input about the style of the ring. It seems as if any discussion of the ring is taboo! But it is after all, the woman who will wear the ring every day.
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Toxic Relationships – Narcissism and its Deadly Effects

 Thank you, Lin, for asking me to guest post on the topic of narcissism and its deadly effects. This is a subject that has come into its own. Lin’s awesome post, Toxic Relationships – Toxic Family Members has garnered almost 200 comments and 700+ Facebook “likes” since it was written three years ago.

Many more resources are available to folks who find themselves in a relationship with these insidious people than when my co-author, Lori Hoeck, and I first wrote The Narcissist: A User’s Guide a scant eighteen months ago. Since then, our User’s Guide e-book has been downloaded over a thousand times, and continues at a steady rate.
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RealitySteve Bachelor Spoilers – Bachelor Brad Womack Final Four and Season 15 Winner Revealed

Dallas’ own Steve Carbone, AKA the Reality Steve blog at realitysteve.com, revealed the season spoilers for Brad Womack’s second chance shot at love on The Bachelor four whole weeks before the premiere aired on ABC. Great job Steve!

After last season’s debacle of RealitySteve being wrong about Ali, saying she didn’t choose anyone and was single when Ali actually picked Roberto at the final rose ceremony, it’s quite entertaining reading Steve’s spoiler blog and his sarcastic episode recap’s of Brad Womack’s season on The Bachelor.
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Christian Parenting – Parenting Adult Children – Parenting Adult Step Children

Christian parenting of adult children, and step-parenting grown adult children in Christian families, has lead to several questions from readers on the matter of helping vs. enabling adult children. The questions came from numerous parenting articles here, where I discuss the problems many parents and step-parents are having with grown children, especially in regards to the adult children asking for money or needing some kind of monetary “help” on a regular basis.

Mothers, fathers, step-mothers and step-fathers, have emailed me asking for tips and advice on how to handle their parenting problems with their adult children, from a Christian perspective. Some parents even asked for Bible scripture quotes and biblical principles for them to share with their grown kids, to help explain why the parents should not, could not and will not give the grown children money and/or pay their bills. Trust me, if there were ever public speaking opportunities for me to discuss parents enabling adult children, I would not have to be asked twice.
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Catlin Gardens Wedding Venue Slate Hill, NY – Catlin Gardens Inn

Choosing the perfect wedding venue for local or destination weddings tops the list of things to do when planning a wedding. Catlin Gardens is an exquisite wedding venue in Slate Hill, NY, with an equally elegant Catlin Gardens Inn adjacent to the Victorian-style Manor House.

Nestled on 5 acres of the most beautiful, award-winning, flower-filled lavish gardens brides can imagine, Catlin Gardens is an excellent place for a destination wedding, graduation party, wedding vow renewal ceremony and reception, cocktail reception party, special occasions or business meetings in or around upstate New York.
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Bridal Shower Checklist – Wedding Bridal Shower Party Planning Guide

Planning a bridal shower, especially if it’s your first time and you’re not quite sure how to throw a bridal shower for the bride-to-be, is not only exciting and fun but can also be stressful. Having a bridal shower checklist at your fingertips, that lists all the things to do in preparation for the upcoming wedding bridal shower, helps keep the party hostess organized and stress-free.

Showering the bride with gifts, friendship and love by close friends and family is the purpose of a bridal shower, and bridal shower etiquette traditionally says a shower should be held at least four to six weeks before the wedding for practical reasons. If you or someone you know is planning to throw a surprise bridal shower, or the party is being held closer to the wedding date, feel free to adjust the details or timeline of the checklist according to your needs.
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