Do you remember long walks, holding hands, and long nights talking about nothing at all? NO! You must be parents. Don’t fret because I’m on a mission to put the Romance back into marriage.

Mission #1: Time

Finding the time for your spouse after children is a challenge. You both care for the children and want the best for them. What is the best? I believe the best thing we can offer our children is T.I.M.E. – time with our children and time with each other. Show your children that you matter to each other. It doesn’t have to be an hour each day(Like you can find a spare hour) although that would be nice. Start out small with say 5 minutes of just Mama and Papa time. Let the children know that this is your time and you would like them to respect that. If they see you making time for them and each other they will see love.

Mission #2: Conversation

When was the last time you talked to each other? No, I don’t mean about the children, the laundry, or poopie diapers. Do you know what’s going on in each other’s life? Do you know what work is like? Is your spouse having a problem with his/her best friend? Does your spouse feel trapped? Is he/she depressed? Do they miss you? These are all very important things to communicate with each other no matter how busy life gets. Don’t feel like you are bothering each other because this is what marriage is about. You share a unique relationship with each other. You compliment one another. When one is down the other lifts them up and vice a versa.

Again you’ll want to start out slow because jumping into anything head first HURTS. A nice alternative to cold stares is a conversation jar. Take some paper and write down little conversation starters. Each day take one out of the jar and spend at least 5 minutes talking — really talking to each other.

Mission #3: Love Notes

Remember passing notes in class to the boy or girl you were crushing on? Remember the nice feeling you got when the answer to a secret question was YES! Sneak a note into your husband’s sock drawer. Tape a note on the fridge, in the bathroom, on the vacuum, above the kitchen sink – anywhere you know your spouse will be. You might even make a key tag for his keys so he’ll always see your note. Each day give your spouse a compliment and remember why you said YES to marriage.

Mission #4: Holding Hands

Holding hands sounds like an impossible mission what with children always around but if you utilize a little skill and creativity it can be done. Sneak in a handholding session while in the car or while watching the children play. This simple act let’s your spouse know that you care enough to take the time to connect both physically (touch) and emotionally (eye contact).

Mission #5: Long Walks

Okay, Okay maybe you don’t remember long walks with your spouse pre-marriage it doesn’t mean you can’t start. Ask a neighbor, friend or relative to watch the children for a half-hour each day or even every other day. You can even start out with going around the blockslowly. Take your time and sneak in a handholding session while you at it. Talk to each other or better yet remain silent. The key here is to take the time to slowly appreciate the presence of one another.

Setting reminders on your calendar or computer will help you ‘Keep the date’ at first. Start out slowly and increase the time for activities together. As your children grow up seeing you make time for each other they will respect that time and even give you that time – bickering free.

Sara Duggan is the mama of 2 active boys. She and her husband live in California. To find more tips and ideas on how to bring romance back into your marriage visit her at http://www.mommie-care.com and sign up for her monthly ezine.

So your buddy has asked you to be his best man. You are honored that your friend thinks enough of you to stand next to him on the most important day of his life. You are so excited about the wedding and the festivities that you almost forget a very important detail: the best man toast. Now you are sweating, filled with fear and anxious about a simple speech that should be easy to deliver. After all this is your best buddy, the guy you grew up with and shared many life experiences. How hard can it be to “say a few words” about him and his new wife?

Well, it’s a lot harder than you think. First of all, this speech will be delivered in front of many people who know you well – old friends from school, family members and peers. Speaking in front of complete strangers is rather easy, but in front of people you know it can be downright terrifying.

Second, your speech will be videotaped and played over and over again. Your words will be a permanent part of your friend’s wedding memories. One slip of the tongue and you can ruin an otherwise beautiful ceremony. Talk about pressure!

Third, your speech needs to convey your close relationship with the groom without revealing any “juicy” details of your past. It needs to be clean and concise and free of any questionable material.

Overcoming the first obstacle is not easy. If you are not comfortable speaking in front of crowds, you will need to practice over and over until you have memorized every line. You should be able to deliver your speech in your sleep. That way you will speak every line clearly and get the words right.

The second obstacle is completely within YOUR control! The most important thing is to stay sober until your speech is delivered. A few drinks will loosen you up and may cause you to say something that you think is funny at the time, but is bound to offend someone. Also be very aware of the feelings of others in the room and how they might react to your best man toast.

The third obstacle is also under your control. It is very simple – if you have the slightest inkling that your content may offend, it will offend. Leave it out and only stick to subject matter that you are certain will go over well. Jokes are funny, but need to be politically correct and sanitized where necessary!

Finally, it is up to you to deliver a memorable best man speech or toast. Now that you have removed the three obstacles, you should be able to give a flawless, entertaining and ultimately memorable best man speech.

Scott Owen is the creator of Wedding Speeches and Toasts a leading resource for delivering memorable wedding speeches.