Dear Coach Greg: My husband and I have been married for 10 years. We seemed very happy for the first 5 years, but the past 2 years have been fairly routine – take our girls to school, try to keep up with our toddler, fight a losing battle keeping the house clean, throw some dinner on the table, help with homework, finish baths, fall asleep exhausted, then do it all again the next day! What happened to candle light dinners, walking hand in hand in the park, sleeping in late, and spending 5 minutes in the bathroom ALONE? Some days I think I’m going to lose my mind! My husband helps when he can but it’s difficult with long work hours for him as well. Please tell me that the rest of our lives won’t be “all work and no play”.

Desperate Housewife

Dear Desperate Housewife: It sounds like your plate is more than full. It’s time to find some balance in your life by creating some FUN activities with your husband in the near future. This will enable you to reconnect as a loving couple and it will give you both something to look forward to after a particularly draining week. I suggest that both you and your husband write down 5 FUN activities that you each would like to do at least once a month without the kids. These activities should range in price and time commitment from FREE to a nice evening out, and from one hour to an entire day. Share your list with each other (mind reading is not required, nor advised) so that your spouse can choose one activity from your list for a surprise “mystery date”. I suggest that you alternate planning one “mystery date” each month. Be sure to put the date and time of the “mystery date” on the calendar so that your partner can enjoy the anticipation of this reconnecting activity weeks in advance. For more information about “mystery dates” and other practical ideas for couples in committed relationships I would like to invite you attend a relationship workshop hosted by Colorado Free University titled: Three Hours to a Happier Relationship. For a course description, workshop dates, and registration information go to: www.RelationshipCoach.us, then click on Upcoming Workshops.