As a way of serving you better and to help people find our blog, we’ve decided to change our domain name to reflect the official name of our blog: The Romantic Vineyard.  Nothing else is changing – but you will need to follow this link to our new address, copy it and paste it into your bookmarks so you won’t miss any of our upcoming posts.

Also, if you haven’t already, we would appreciate it if you would link our site to your family blog.  We want to make it accessible to as many people as possible.  Thank you for your help and for your encouragement.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

A friend recently suggested we check out PandoraRadio.com.  What an amazing tool!!  You can type in your favorite type of romantic music – Kenny G, Josh Groban, Norah Jones, etc… and it compiles a continuous play of music that fits that genre.  The best part is there are no commercial interruptions!  I don’t know about you, but having commercials interrupt a romantic evening is a real mood breaker.  Thanks, Paul, for sharing this site with us!

NOTE:  Be sure to check out the Husbands/Wives Only tabs above for great ideas for St. Patrick’s Day, which is tomorrow – March 17th!  Don’t waste your holiday – these are great opportunities to romance your spouse in a fun and cost-effective way!  Top O The Mornin’ To Ya!

I recently realized that I’m as old as the Winter Park Art Festival – hmmm! Not really that special, but it seems like I should get a free ticket – oh wait — it’s a free event!

Anyway, this is one of our favorite dates – to stroll the festival hand in hand. Click here for all the details!  If you don’t live in the Orlando area, this is the time of year that most cities offer Spring Arts Festivals.  Be sure to check one out in your area.  And don’t forget your camera!

What is it about surprises that make us smile?  Is it the unexpected or just the fact that someone cared enough to pull off such a surprise?  Surprises are one of the easiest (and most fun) ways to romance your spouse.   I have heard of a husband who said that he always has a surprise of some sort in the works for his wife.  What a great habit to form!

Take some time to think of a surprise for your spouse that you can do today.

(NOTE:  Be sure to check out the “For Husbands/Wives Only” pages.  There are great ideas for St. Patrick’s Day which is Tuesday, March 17th.)

If you LOVE chocolate – this might be the perfect date night for you to consider!  It’s a festival devoted to this sweet confection.  Check out all the details HERE!

WHEN:  March 7 & 8

WHERE:  The Florida Hotel, adjacent to the Florida Mall

COST:  $10 for adults, children under 10 FREE

The first Saturday of the month from November to May, Sanford hosts a free event called, “Jazzed In Sanford”.  It takes place in Magnolia Square from 4 – 7p.  Afterward you can enjoy dinner at one of the many restaurants located downtown.  This month they are featuring Christian Tamburr, a 27 year old native of Melbourne who is internationally known for his musical talents, especially playing his instrument of choice, the vibraphone. Check out this performance from last summer at UCF:

About a year and a half ago, Tom and I had the opportunity to travel to Southern France in the Provence District with friends.  The picture in our header is one we took of the countryside where we were privileged to stay.  While there we visited a local winery, which are as numerous as our convenience stores are here in the States, but much more inviting!   Anyway, we walked into the little shop and browsed the shelves waiting for the clerk to offer us a taste of their wine.  He seemed busy, and we were afraid to interrupt.  Not long after, another couple (French speaking) entered the store, and he quickly offered them a glass.  It dawned on us that the clerk was waiting for us to ask for a sample in French.  Fortunately, one of us remembered the French word for “tasting – digustation”  and right away he smiled and poured each of us a glass.

Needless to say, we felt very out of place in the moment.  He knew what we wanted, and we knew what we wanted, but we didn’t know how to ask!

In the same way our vineyard has regular visitors who don’t call Orlando home.  They stop by hoping for someone to offer them a taste of romance – ideas that they can use in their part of the world.  So, if this is you we invite you to ask.  We aren’t too busy to hear from you, and we even speak English. 

We have many friends who have great ideas as well, which is why we’ve added one more page called “Contributors” above.  Do you have a date night idea you would like to share with us?  Do you want to honor your spouse for what they’ve done to bless you romantically?  Then, send them to us via e-mail:  debiwalter @ gmail.com (I purposefully left spaces to prevent spammers), and we will add your idea to our Contributors page.  We’ll even keep you annonymous if you prefer.  This site isn’t about us – it’s about the fruit God has given, and  like a fine wine we gladly share with all who stop by for a taste!

We discovered a great article on the Purpose of Marriage by John Piper.  Here is a taste of what he has to say:

Marriage is always urgent. There never has been a generation whose view of marriage is high enough. The chasm between the biblical vision of marriage and the human vision is, and has always been, gargantuan. Some cultures in history respect the importance and the permanence of marriage more than others. Some, like our own, have such low, casual, take-it-or-leave-it attitudes toward marriage as to make the biblical vision seem ludicrous to most people.

You can read the rest of this article by clicking HERE!  Our blog is committed to helping marriages grow not only romanitcally, but more importantly – biblically.  With the latter the former is certain to follow.  Our goal isn’t to encourage self-focused romantic marriages, but on the contrary God-centered marriages that delight in glorifying Him in how we treat our spouses.   Having been the recipient of this kind of God-honoring love for 30 years with Tom, I am living proof that marriage God’s way is only way it will succeed.

Thirty years ago today Tom and I were married, but it seems as if we’ve only begun.  One of the things I love most about my husband is the way he elevates the priority of our marriage.  Our anniversary has always been the highlight of our year and a time for us to give thanks to God for the gift we have in each other.   I was recently able to honor him on the Metro Mom’s blog – what a gift he is to me.

How do you make an anniversary special?  There are countless ways, but you must be flexible in your expectations and willing to work within your budget.  The key is to make a memory together.  I have recorded each year what we were able to do to celebrate, and I plan to share this list with Tom tonight as we have a romantic dinner at home (oh boy!).  Here is a sampling of what we’ve done in the past to make this day our favorite of the year:

• First – Stayed in a friend’s mobile home in Key West for two nights and went deep-sea fishing.

• Third – Went out to eat at a restaurant in downtown Orlando; I was 7 months pregnant.

• Fifth – This year we did nothing; Tracy is two weeks old, but I gladly took a raincheck for a more romantic evening.

• Seventh – Tom took me to The Olive Garden restaurant.  I was 6 months pregnant.

• Tenth – Tom surprised me by taking a Friday off without me knowing.  He arranged for a babysitter for the children.  Then, he took me to Cypress Gardens for the day and a night away at the Chalet Suzanne in Lake Wales, FL.  We ate dinner at one of our favorite pizza places when we were dating.

• Fourteenth – This year we were unable to go away due to Tom’s back surgery and lack of funds.  I decided to surprise Tom by having a romantic dinner here in front of our fireplace.  I mailed him an invitation telling him to arrive home at 6:30p.  My parents watched our children for the night.

• Seventeenth – Tom had to go on a business trip in Tampa, FL, and I was able to go with him.  He took me out for dinner to Bern’s Steakhouse. This restaurant is extremely expensive (and we’ve never been back), but the dessert room is worth returning to for a one of a kind romantic experience.  Click here for more information!

• Twenty-fourth – Tom surprised me by driving to New Smyrna Beach where we walked on the beach.  Then, he cooked a delicious dinner on the grill at Bethune Park.  We listened to romantic music while watching the sunset.

We offer this list as a way of helping other couples grow in celebrating the wonderful day that God has given us.  May we never make light of this miracle of miracles!  God alone is the source of married love and happiness, and He deserves all the credit for the years, we have enjoyed.

Happy 30th Anniversary, Tom.  I love you with all my heart!