Romy Raves

No, I am not talking about switching up your beauty routine or getting a new lipstick to freshen your look. Today, I am changing things up a bit and talking about relationships and romance. I am talking about switching up your normal routine with your spouse or mate and looking for fun and creative new ways to spice up your relationship. We all get in a relationship rut from time to time, right? Honestly, we all get tried of doing the same old, same old dinner and a movie or dinner after the kids are asleep, right?

Well, recently my hubby started a new job and we were beginning to realize that our quality time together was happening less and less. Since we have pretty good communication, we talked about wanting to make sure that we planned special date nights on a regular basis to stay connected and keep things inspired. So it was rather serendipitous that Cottonelle Ultra contacted me, and offered to host me and my hubby on special date night to show how little switches can really make a difference (whether it be a special date night or plush toilet paper). After our date night, they wanted me to share my story to see if this special night out made a difference in your relationship. I really liked the sound of that, the timing couldn’t be better and although I don’t typically respond to toilet paper pitches, this one was creative, inspired and resonated with me, so I happily accepted!

So what did we do?? Well being a girl that loves her pampering, we decided to have our sitter come early and treat ourselves to massages before our date night. We wanted to do something special just to set this night apart from our typical night out. What a treat it was! We emerged relaxed and ready for our night, and even had time for some smooching before our car picked us up, another luxury we typically don’t have time for! 

So we sipped bubbly on the drive over to the restaurant (love that!)

 and arrived at Fig & Olive, a new swanky Mediterranean hot spot in West Hollywood, California

I had heard amazing things about this place from my foodie friends and it did not disappoint! The decor was gorgeous and modern and I loved the olive tree in the middle of the restaurant

The meal began with a delicious trio of house-made olive oils and fresh baked bread

and then we shared about 4-5 other gorgeous dishes with fresh cheeses, homemade pasta, meats, fish and fresh sauces. I can still taste these inpsired bright flavors on my palate! We also enjoyed a lovely red wine blend with our meal, and it was a nice treat for my hubby to imbibe without worrying about having to drive home.

We made an effort to really be present and enjoy each others company as well as absorb this gorgeous setting. I took the time to really drink it all in and absorb (no pun intended ) the moments more than we typically do. I made a conscious effort to stay focused and enjoy my wonderful man and this beautiful night. When the car picked us up a couple of hours later, our bellies were satiated, our hearts in sync, and we felt relaxed and at ease. We even enjoyed some nice smooches on the ride home, ooh la la!

As I sit here writing this and reminiscing about that night a few weeks ago, I realize it really was a special and different night. I think because someone else was hosting it, this made us absorb and appreciate the evening more than we typically would. Also making an effort to plan a full night out, go to swanky spot and have the luxury of someone driving us made all the difference. It really helped us relax and let our guard down. This little switch truly inspired us to make the effort to try and do this on a more regular basis and showed that a small shift can have a big impact.

Disclosure: Cottonelle Ultra sent me gift cards to cover our delicious dinner, car service, pizza for the babysitter as well as twelve pack of Cottonelle toilet paper.  All opinions and inpsired switcheroos are my very own.

Today is Earth Day 2011, a day to celebrate and appreciate our beautiful earth and make a conscious effort to be cleaner, greener and good to our planet. This year’s theme is A Billion Acts of Green, personal, organizational and corporate pledges focused on living and acting sustainably and measurably reducing our carbon footprint.  The goal is to register one billion green actions in advance of the Earth Summit in Rio in 2012. How wonderful is that? It shows how all of our small efforts can make a big difference!  

I was recently chosen as a Brand Ambassador for Aveeno and part of my commitment to Aveeno in accepting this role, was to share their various green initiatives, programs and products with my readers.  I am excited to tell you about a wonderful program that Aveeno just launched called BE AN ACTIVE NATURAL which emphasizes how taking small steps towards living greener and more sustainable lives can make a BIG difference. Aveeno believes that ’Beautiful Change Starts with a Single Step’ and I just love the idea that my small individual efforts can make our planet a more beautiful place.

I love the fun statement making pop-up forest that Aveeno created in the middle of Times Square to kick off this campaign, what do you think?

So the whole Be An Active Natural program is all about encouraging people like us to make small changes that positively impact the environment. At the Brand Ambassador launch event in February, I made a pledge to Aveeno that I was going to make a conscious effort to shop locally and support local farmers and businesses. To me, this means shopping at local farmers markets and locally owned stores whenever possible as well as making an effort to discover local beauty brands and SoCal made products that I can share with you. What kind of small changes are you willing to make in honor of Earth Day?

To encourage you to continue to make greener choices throughout the year, Aveeno has partnered with Recyclebank and created a Be An Active Natural Monthly Pledge on Aveeno’s Facebook Page. Basically, you can visit this page monthly and sign-up for various green pledges, share it with your community and earn different levels of points (depending on how green you wanna be) that you can redeem for awards on Recyclebank.com for product samples, coupons, discounts and eco-friendly goodies. 

So Green Goddess, Whatcha waiting for?? It’s Earth Day, Go Get your Green On and pledge to make a difference HERE.  

Sorry to get all sappy on you, but every year I use Thanksgiving as reminder of the gifts that I have in my life. It’s my time to appreciate all things big and small, really drink in all the wonderfulness, and take a closer look at the blessings in my life. And I know that I am a lucky girl! I have an amazing family, the best of friends, my health and wellness and this wonderful blog that allows me to live my passion each and every day!

So what are you THANKFUL FOR? What FABULOUSNESS do you have in your life that you tend to overlook??

I wrote This Wonderful Post last year that I think really helps you tap into what you are thankful for and I thought that I would share it again this year, as a gift to my readers who make this dream possible!

Sorry for the lapse in posts loyal followers, but I am taking a much needed summer vacation and with that comes being caught up in the moment, absorbed in the experience and just being.  This is what I love most about going on vacation, taking each moment as it comes, not much planning, going with the flow and being present. So I thought I would share some of my thoughts and observations with you about being present, since it has been awhile since I wrote one of my more psychologically oriented posts. 

If you are anything like me in your day to day life, you are constantly racing around from here to there, filling your day with to do’s, work, errands, socializing, care taking and the list goes on and on. Sometimes I buzz so fast through life or worry about what’s next, I forget to pause and be in the moment in order to observe what is going on around me, how about you?

Being on vacation with no agenda and all that matters is being with my family is showing me that I am missing out on some precious moments, especially with my son. Right now, I have no distractions, no to do’s, no deadlines, no appointments and I am lapping it all up. We are giggling, laughing, playing, snuggling, pillow fighting, firefly and baby frog catching, adventuring and I am really being with him. This focused presence is showing me how much I am really missing, how many subtle and precious moments I am missing out on because I am focused on something else. In the moment these things feel more important, but they really aren’t and that makes me sad.

In truth, what is really more important than being with my son and family? NOTHING!! Blogging can wait, Blackberry can wait, events can wait, but my son growing up and being a little boy will not wait. I will blink, it will all be over, I will still have the same to do list and nothing to show for it. So this vacation has really helped me see what is really important, to slow down, be present and shrink down the unnecessary to do list and drink it the precious moments before they are gone.

What are your most precious moments? What moments are you missing and what tips can you share that have helped you be more present?

Today is Mother’s Day, and to all of you fabulous mommy’s I wish you an incredible day that fills your heart and soul with joy, love and peace. Today, I celebrate my mom and all the other fabulous mothersout there who have nurtured us, loved us, taught us, shaped us and impacted our lives in beautiful and magical ways.

Make sure you take the time today to honor and celebrate your mother. And if you are a mom, make sure to celebrate and honor yourself for all that you do, all the sacrifices that you make and for the wonderful family that you have created. Being a mother is a gift you give and a gift you get, remember that, today and always. So now I share with you my thoughts about motherhood, and what I love about this treasured role that I celebrate every day of my life:

I love seeing this amazing child everyday, who is a beautiful blend of my hubby and I

I love seeing the magic, wonder and passion my son takes into every day of his life

I love the freedom, laughter, and being in the moment that my child reminds me of each and everyday

I love the unconditional hugs, kisses and love that I constantly get

I love seeing Disneyland through my son’s eyes and feeling like a kid again when we go together

I love being a Room Mom and coordinating various activities at school

I love Mom’s Night Out (MNO)–Cocktails anyone?

I love the amazing friends I have made because motherhood brought us together

I love seeing the joy and adoration in my husband’s eyes when he bonds with our son  

I love our projects and adventures like cooking and encouraging my little foodie

I love that he is mischevious, rough and tumble, active and all boy–and let’s not forget the light saber fights, gotta love those

I love having ‘Date Night’ with my little man, when my big man is out of town

I love being our own family unit, sharing special moments and creating our own traditions

I loved being pregnant and that our deep, life long love created another human being who will carry on our lineage

I love the uncertainity of  being a mom, and that you never know what is around the corner; but it is always a fun adventure, and with love, family and children the world is a much more fun, happier place