Love v. Sports

Lost your man to sports? It's time to take back the bedroom...

http://youtu.be/-kb47kr3X8Q

It's game time, ladies. Schedule your Pure Romance by Katie Superbowl party today!

  XOXO,

  Katie

Intimacy Is More Than Just Sex

Intimacy Is More Than Just Sex

People often use the words “sex” and “intimacy” interchangeably, just as they would “sex” and “intercourse.” Don’t believe us? Just Google “intimacy and marriage.” You’ll find nearly every article and blog you come across is about sex. But any married couple will tell you that this is not the case. 

 

Intimacy is a closeness, a combination of shared values, memories, and experiences that end in you knowing someone as well as you know yourself. Sex might be an expression of intimacy, but it takes much more than sex to create intimacy. 

Stay in touch. 

Few things make a couple intimate like touch. After all, handshakes aside, how many times do you touch someone you don’t know well? Don’t underestimate the power of holding hands, snuggling together on the couch, or putting a familiar hand on your partner’s back as you pass by. Touching keeps you connected; connection keeps you intimate. 

Kiss like you mean it.

When you first started dating, you and your partner couldn’t keep your lips off each other. As kissing someone new loses its novelty, your kisses become shorter and can eventually be reduced to little pecks. Look into your partner’s eyes and keep those lips locked for at least seven seconds to reignite that old spark. You can even buy a flavored lip balm that adds some zing to your kisses. 

Give some warm fuzzies. 

Spend some time making your significant other feel special. Everyone loves compliments, and they don’t cost you a thing, so give them with gusto. Tell your partner how they make you proud. Give a personal gift, something only you would know your partner wants. These little acts of kindness will bring the two of you closer. 

Try new things.

The worst thing that can happen to a relationship is it becomes stale and either (or both) party feels trapped by routine. You’ve got to take some chances and a few steps outside of your comfort zone, together. Sign up for a class or take on a new physical activity you can do together, like tennis or golf. These shared experiences will bond you. (Trying something new in the bedroom isn’t a bad idea either!)

 

Find new ways—or bring back old ones—to get close to your partner. Your desire for sex might come and go, but intimacy lasts a lifetime.

XOXO,

Katie

Stay In: Seven At-Home Date Night Ideas

The next time you’re looking for an exciting place to go on a date night, try the living room. Check out these seven creative ideas for a date night at home. 

1. Cook something up.

Plan a meal from beginning to end. Pick the recipe, shop for ingredients, and cook together. You’ll work together, the kitchen will put you in close quarters, and at the end of the date, you’ll share a delicious meal. 

2. Sing your hearts out.

Unleash your inner rock star! Find lyric videos on YouTube and have a karaoke party for two. Step out of your comfort zone by picking each other’s songs. Not up for belting out a song, even in private? Turn on some dance music and get down!

3. Play games.

Bust out some board games, create some flirty competition, and feel like a kid again. Play an adult card game to add some sizzle to your date. 

4. Camp out.

Leave your phones in the house and spend the night outdoors. Walk around your neighborhood holding hands and stargazing. Build a fire in the backyard and roast marshmallows as you sit close. Then spend the night snuggling in a tent. 

5. Spend a night abroad at home.

Have an international theme night! Make food native to a country you’ve never visited, listen to music by artists from that country, and watch a movie that’s set there. For example, make spaghetti and meatballs, listen to Pavarotti, and watch "Roman Holiday." Try learning a few sexy words in your chosen country’s language—and using them. It’s a nice spin on the dinner-and-a-movie standby.

6. Exercise.

Have a date that’s good for your relationship and your health. Pop in a fitness DVD or stream a workout online and tone up together. Between your huffs and puffs, you can reconnect, chat about your day, and motivate each other. At the end of the workout, hit the showers—together!

7. Plan a spa night.

Get in touch with your date by having a massage night. Be sure to set the scene: Light scented candles, pick up some sensual massage oil, and play soothing music. Take turns relieving each other’s tensions. 

 

Any date is what you make it. If you and your date can relax and have fun, the world is your playground—even if that world exists only in your living room.

XOXO,

  Katie