Yes, you can keep that still-on-our-honeymoon feeling stoked forever and ever-and you can get it in just minutes a day.
By: Michelle Bender|
Keep the Wedding Bells Ringing! Here’s how three married couples stay connected in simple ways. “If my husband has to work late on the computer at home, he’ll tuck me into bed and tell me jokes. It’s a tiny bit of time together, but it shows me that he loves me.” “First thing Monday morning, we e-mail each other from work to say “thank you” for all the nice things we did over the weekend, like how he washed my car or how I rubbed his back while we watched a movie. It’s nice being reminded of how much you are appreciated.” “Doing mundane, day-to-day stuff together, like grocery shopping, keeps us connected. We have different lives at work, but when the work day ends, our life begins.” |
5. Create rituals. Eat breakfast together every morning, walk the dog side-by-side, or even shower à deux before work—whatever you decide, just do it regularly. "Having a routine that you call your own is not only comforting, it makes your relationship feel special and unique," says Gilda Carle, Ph.D., author of Don't Bet on the Prince! How to Have the Man You Want By Betting on Yourself (Golden Books).
6. Close the bathroom door "It's great to be comfortable enough to do anything in front of your spouse, but that doesn't mean you should," says Carle. Making some private moments too public can send a message that says, "I don't need to impress you anymore now that we're married."
7. Do spontaneous favors for each other. Bake his favorite cookies, draw her a peppermint-scented bubble bath or rent the flick you saw on your first date. "Doing small, unexpected things for each other shows that you care enough to make your mate's life a little easier," says Graham.
8. Draw "body maps." Let's face it: Talking about what turns you on, even to your fiancé or spouse, can be difficult. Eliminate the stress of it by making an outline of your body—front and back—that resembles a gingerbread cookie (don't worry, no one expects it to look like a da Vinci), suggests Aline Zoldbrod, Ph.D., coauthor of Sex Talk: Uncensored Exercises for Exploring What Really Turns You On (New Harbinger Publications). Use green, yellow and red markers to designate how much you like to be touched in each area. Trade maps, then hit the "road."
9. Do "The Swirl." Trace langorous, soft circles and S-shaped waves along your mate's neck, arms and palms. "This electrifies the nerves under the skin much more than just running one's fingers up and down in a straight line," says Lou Paget, author of 365 Days of Sensational Sex (Gotham Books). "An irregular swirling pattern surprises your nerves, creating a heightened sensation."
