{Blog Series - KY Intimacy Challenge Day 9}

* This post mentions adult items - if that makes you hot-and-bothered distressed, please stop reading.

Day 9: Dangerous Liaisons

Maybe you'd thought about attacking your spouse in a department store dressing room - or feel the rush of jumping out of a plane together?? Well, today was our day to get our blood pumping while having some outdoor fun.

Exercise #1: Day

As much as I wanted to jump out of a plane - or fly high over swimming sharks being pulled by a boat...those just weren't in the stars. Instead we went to one of the biggest gyms in the area and climbed their extremely high rock wall. In college I used to go all the time, but time is something that has gotten away from me these past few years. We had so much fun racing to the top (yes, I won each time) but were exhausted by the time we were done.

Exercise #2: Night

We took turns blindfolding each other - even though I hate not knowing what is going on - and decided to use a set of fuzzy cuffs as well (I love pink fluff). In addition, we also used KY Intense - for me, not him! The smallest amount gave a tingling sensation - that was AWESOME! It made sex more enjoyable - and even The Man said he could feel a tingle also.

Miss my last posts? Click over to:

Intro

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Day 5

Day 6
Day 7

Day 8

Head over to the Couples Place by K-Y Brand for more info on the KY Experiment

I wrote this posting while participating in a blog campaign on behalf of K-Y^® Brand and also received product samples to help facilitate my review.

{Blog Series - KY Intimacy Challenge Day 8}

Day 8: In Good Taste

Ok...so, I know I said that Day 5 was going to turn out to be my favorite day - once we get our butts to those dance lessons - but, for now, Day 8 is my favorite!! Why, you ask?! BECAUSE WE GOT TO COOK TOGETHER!!! The Man and I both love to cook - and cooking with each other is always a treat. The Man's work schedule can be a little odd some days, but today we were home at the same time and able to cook dinner together...okay, okay, so we had to eat after the kids went to bed - but I'll take dinner together any way I can get it!

Exercise #1: Day

Off we went (The Man and I) to the grocery store to find some delicious tid bits for dinner. There was a suggested menu in the booklet - including oysters, asparagus, spices and a glass of red wine. Instead of oysters (I just can't swallow them for some reason) we opted for a spiced lamb dish - which is also very high in zinc. The asparagus was steamed with a little salt. A glass of red wine accompanied The Man's dinner - and I enjoyed a shot of rum (yum!).

Exercise #2: Night

Instead of using the KY Yours and Mine from Day 6, we opted for actual strawberries, warm chocolate and whipped cream. I must admit, NOT having those Playboy sheets on the bed was a blessing. There was quite a bit of wiggling going on - thanks to the warm chocolate - and if we weren't careful falling off the bed was a definitely possibility.

Miss my last posts? Click over to:

Intro

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Day 5

Day 6
Day 7

Head over to the Couples Place by K-Y Brand for more info on the KY Experiment

I wrote this posting while participating in a blog campaign on behalf of K-Y^® Brand and also received product samples to help facilitate my review.

{Blog Series - KY Intimacy Challenge Day 7}

Day 7: Sometimes a Fantasy

Today was quite an interesting one - to say the least...the reason I say that is because today I really had to think - keep calm, the fire dept was on hand for any flare ups (and because I love a man in uniform). Is anyone able to say what really turns them on - or are we all just following what the media tells us is "sexy"?!

Exercise #1: Day

Out came the journal today to answer some questions about what really turns me on...don't worry - I won't go into all of the details! One of my most memorable experiences was my first date with The Man.

I had a work event at a local hotel, so we met at the hotel bar...it was neutral ground, after all. Our conversation started right off and didn't end until we were kicked out of the bar the bar closed. Since I had a room on the 12th floor, I decided to invite him up for a few more drinks as if we needed additional alcohol.

Now, I am not one to put my business out there on a first date...but with The Man, I knew. After 2 hours of talking we had already mentioned getting married - specifically flying to Vegas that same night, but we couldn't find an open flight I didn't want to get fired.

The exercise of the day was to make a list of turn-ons and turn-offs.

Turn-ons:
* Men in uniform
* Short skirts
* Hotel room
* Alcohol
* Fresh breath
* "Movies"

Turn-offs:
* Facial hair
* Crooked teeth
* Lack of a sense of humor
* Poorly dressed

Exercise #2: Night

It was nice to be able to share my fantasies with The Man - and hear what he had to say as well. One thing that frustrates me to no end is facial hair, which The Man has embraced for some awful reason. I'm hoping that, by bringing my feelings to his attention, he will take them to heart and change his love for facial hair!

The Man enjoyed tonight...mostly because we decided to pull out a few of our adult movies and settle in for a viewing party. Short skirts dominated the videos - which (see above) was just fine with me. There were points in the movies when we just had to laugh...out loud. Then there were other points when we, well, took care of other things. Having the movies playing in the background gave us the ability to copy, almost, what was happening on TV. Doing that definitely made everything more interesting than a normal evening.

Miss my last posts? Click over to:

Intro

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Day 5

Day 6

Head over to the Couples Place by K-Y Brand for more info on the KY Experiment

I wrote this posting while participating in a blog campaign on behalf of K-Y^® Brand and also received product samples to help facilitate my review.

{Blog Series - KY Intimacy Challenge Day 6}

* This post mentions adult items - if that makes you intrigued uncomfortable, please stop reading.

Day 6: Getting Back in Touch

Touching your spouse can lower your blood pressure - and who doesn't love good health?! Sometimes The Man and I find ourselves only making enough time for a quick hug before leaving for work - or an unexcited kiss hello after a long day. It can be difficult to make time for each other - even something as small as a swipe of our hands can be hard when both arms are holding screaming children. Don't get me wrong...I can ALWAYS make time for a crotch grab, especially when The Man is holding the children and can't push my hand away! *evil grin*

Exercise #1: Day

The day exercise required the use of my journal - which I always love pulling out now. I was to write down 10 ideas of ways I could touch The Man in a positive, loving way. This is what I came up with:

* Nose nuzzle (aka Eskimo kisses)
* Eyelash tickle (we do this to each other, though he is better since his lashes are crazy long)
* Quick crotch grab (it makes him  uncomfortable - so I love doing it)
* Cuddling mid-day
* Rubbing his ear lobe (he loves this)
* Petting him for no reason (just like a woman...loves when I play with his hair)
* Slip a little tongue when kissing
* Swiping my finger from his mouth down his chest (with or without clothing)
* A slight tickle on his side (right under his armpit - it makes him squirm)
*

Exercise #2: Night
The night activity for Day 6 was definitely one of my favorite! I get stressed very easily, so a nice massage is always a welcome occasion - if it can be considered an occasion.

Similar to my secret weapon from Day 4, this pair comes with a His and Hers tube. Strawberry for The Man and a yummy chocolate for moi. Both of the gels are clear and not sticky at all (whew - no sheet spots, yay!)...but that doesn't mean you can squirt it all over the place - use a lot and the flavor is really strong. One or two drops will do just fine - in any spot you choose. The strawberry flavor smells just like the berry and the taste is actually quite realistic! The chocolate flavor is very decadent - almost like real chocolate. I decided to get a little courageous and use 1 drop of each at the same time. Chocolate covered strawberries anyone?! YUM!

Miss my last posts? Click over to:

Intro

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Day 5

Head over to the Couples Place by K-Y Brand for more info on the KY Experiment

I wrote this posting while participating in a blog campaign on behalf of K-Y^® Brand and also received product samples to help facilitate my review.

{Blog Series - KY Intimacy Challenge Day 5}

Day Five: Fun and Games

Alright folks - are you sitting down and paying attention?!?! I hope so...because this newsflash is going to rock your proverbial (sex) boat. Boredom outside the bedroom could translate into boredom inside the bedroom - YIKES!! Thankfully, Day 5 has us venturing outside of the bedroom to find some fun times.

Exercise #1: Day

So, The Man and I are going to take a dance class to fulfill this requirement. Unfortunately, it is going to take a little bit of time for us to get registered for a class we are able to take that fits in his work schedule. For the time being, I decided that a pillow fight would be the perfect - unexpected - way to start our day! As corny as it sounds (and it does sound a little silly) it is something we've never done before and it looked like a great time - as pictured on page 33 of the booklet - to me. I don't remember when I've had such a great time...feathers were flying everywhere - out of my expensive down pillows - but I didn't care. We were laughing like school children who had put a whoopie cushion on the teacher's chair. I really felt like a kid again - and it was innocent fun. After we were done, kissing and playing was done - which NEVER happens for us during the day. So that was a nice change too!

Exercise #2: Night

The night activity was equally as fun - and I'm sure you've seen a similar game at a "Spencers" type store. You write down body parts, hot spots, and a method of touch on index cards...then play poker with a regular deck of cards. The winner of the hand selects a card from the body part pile and the touch pile - and the "loser" has to pay the fee on the cards. Though, it seems to me like everyone is a winner - no matter what the cards say - because each person gets some lovin' out of the deal!

Miss my last posts? Click over to:

Intro

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Head over to the Couples Place by K-Y Brand for more info on the KY Experiment

I wrote this posting while participating in a blog campaign on behalf of K-Y^® Brand and also received product samples to help facilitate my review.

{Blog Series - KY Intimacy Challenge Day 4}

* This post mentions adult items - if that makes you squeal squeamish, then turn back now.

Day Four: Outside the Comfort Zone

Have you gotten a little too comfortable with your spouse (oh WOW honey...did that leave a skid mark)? I don't know about you, but there is nothing much that The Man and I keep from each other. We poop with the door open - scratch obscene areas whilst sitting on the couch - and kiss before brushing our teeth (eeeeeeeewwwwwww)...gross, I know. We have hit the big "C" word...Comfort...and in some ways it means that the mystery is completely gone from our relationship. There are ways to remain comfortable with each other while still being intimate. Today's exercises are here to show how it can be done!

Exercise #1: Day

There was a list of items that I reviewed and compared against what really goes on in our relationship. We do use smart phones and the TV in our room - along with leaving the door open while using the bathroom and flossing/brushing teeth/clipping nails in front of each other. Apparently all these things are a big no-no.

*Walks to the time-out corner pouting*

Exercise #2: Night

So, tonight we got to run around the house nekkie...which was interesting, seeing as we have 2 kids. Get your minds out of the gutter people, I put them to sleep first - good grief!! The Man and I sat and watched TV...with just the TV on...which was good because I am not at all impressed with my current self. It really just makes me shudder. Watching TV lead to the bedroom (I'm not quite sure how - oh wait, we were nekkie) and that was when I pulled out my secret weapon:

Oh yes, my friends...this stuff is fabulous. If you've never tried it before - I highly suggest adding it into your arsenal of tricks. You might notice a minty smell - kind of like a mint gum - but it really isn't so strong that it ruins the mood. His is blue - and Hers is purple. Put them together and your get a wonderful tingly sensation that really adds to the experience. Day #4 was more fun that I thought it would be...I mean, who knew watching TV nekkie would be so enjoyable?!

Miss my last posts? Click over to:

Intro

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Head over to the Couples Place by K-Y Brand for more info on the KY Experiment

I wrote this posting while participating in a blog campaign on behalf of K-Y^® Brand and also received product samples to help facilitate my review.

{Blog Series - KY Intimacy Challenge Day 3}

Day Three: Everything Old Is New Again


"When we are first falling in love with someone, just the thought of that person makes us jittery."

It is true that the beginning of our relationship is usually the most exciting. Everything is so new - so interesting. Each person is still getting to know the secrets of the other and there is a little something sexy about mystery.

Exercise #1: Day

I enjoyed the day exercise today. I made a list of all the qualities - positive or negative - about The Man. The negative ones included - glued to work phone, works odd hours, doesn't offer to wake up with the kids, and frequently does other things besides playing with the kids. Don't fret, though, because I had an even longer list of positives ones that included - loves the family unconditionally, works his bum off to provide for us, cuddles without being asked, makes me laugh like no one else in the world, calls me beautiful even when I feel like hell, says he loves me every chance he gets, and fills up my gas tank after using the car.


Exercise #2: Night

The exercise for the night was even more exciting - and a little difficult to accomplish. The goal was to role play as if we were meeting each other for the first time again. As you can imagine, not telling The Man what was going on was going to make this task interesting.

Thankfully, I am very resourceful!

I asked The Man if I could go and get my hair did...and (oddly enough) he agreed. Since it was his day off, he stayed with the chitlins. So off I went to my stylist and the wheels were in motion. While on the road, I pulled out my cell phone (at stop lights, of course) and looked up movies playing at the theater close to my salon. After looking at the available times I called my in-laws and coordinated a time they would be able to go to the house to watch the kiddos. I then called The Man and told him to meet me at a restaurant - also close to my salon - at 8pm.

Done and Done.

This gave me a little over 4 hours to get my hair did, buy a new outfit, stop by MAC to have my makeup done (all thanks to The Man's cc) and get to the restaurant.

At 7:45pm I got to the restaurant and put my name on the waiting list. I found a bench and took my seat...ready to put on a show (keep in mind The Man had no idea what was about to happen). Right as my name was called, The Man showed up.

I had fake tears in my eyes as I looked over at him and of course, he looked very concerned. He quickly made his way over to me:

TM: "What is wrong, are they full? We can go somewhere else if you want to!"
ME: "I can't believe I was stupid enough to believe he had changed. I wanted to give him another chance, but it just isn't going to work out. Do you have any dinner plans, Sir?"
TM: "Why no, little lady, I do not have any plans. Would you like to join me?"
ME: "I would love that!"

This is how our evening continued...and into the night ;) It was nice to "rediscover" each other again!

Miss my last posts? Click over to:

Intro

Day 1

Day 2

Head over to the Couples Place by K-Y Brand for more info on the KY Experiment

I wrote this posting while participating in a blog campaign on behalf of K-Y^® Brand and also received product samples to help facilitate my review.

{Blog Series - KY Intimacy Challenge Day 2}

Day Two: It's Not Just About Sex

Wait...come again (no pun intended)...it isn't?!

No...apparently not!

It is believed that each couple should have five positive interactions for every negative one. Hmm...well, it is a darn good thing that no one is keeping a count of this because I have a strange feeling that ours would end up being the complete opposite.

Don't get me wrong, I love my husband - there are just a whole host of things that prevent us from being as affectionate as we would like to be.

Exercise #1: Day

So, today I pulled out my journal (that I was supplied with) and tried to write down every interaction between The Man and I during the day. I realized that we don't have a reserve of positive interactions - matter of fact, we barely made it even when compared to our negative ones. At times, thanks to an overabundance of technology in our house, it does seem like we are living in completely different worlds - even when we are right next to each other. While we do say "I love you" all the time, text back and forth throughout the day, and we always try to do chores together...we don't really get the chance to eat meals together, go on vacation (who has the money), we've been on MAYBE 2 date nights since we got married and talking about our days usually turns into us snoring on the couch.

Exercise #2: Night

The Man didn't have to go to work today (...and the peasants rejoice - yay!) so we got to spend more time together than normal! It is always a good day/night when we actually get extra cuddle time.The main point of the night-time exercise was to create an excess of positive interactions. When it was finally time for bed, I went to kiss The Man - as I usually do - and I kept my eyes open.

Can you say AWKWARD?!

I know it shouldn't be, but I still don't find myself as attractive as I used to be...so it is hard for me to think that anyone else could think I was attractive.

The Man just thought I'd forgotten what I was going to do next...so I kept kissing him until I remembered.

Ugh!

Mommy never wins!

So, anykissings, there we were...kissing...and staring at each other...and we started laughing. I don't mean just giggles, but full fledged belly laughs. It seems as though kissing is funny...who knew?! I was so afraid that the kids were going to wake up - it was that loud, people!!

After night #2, we definitely have a surplus of positive interactions!

Commence visuals ;)

I wrote this posting while participating in a blog campaign on behalf of K-Y^® Brand and also received product samples to help facilitate my review.

{Blog Series - KY Intimacy Challenge Day 1}

Day One: Love Nest

I must admit - The Man and I have stayed at local hotels a few times just to get away from the stress of being at home. Being in the event industry, it has always been easy for me to get less expensive hotel rooms. We've had room service bring us champagne (even though I don't drink the stuff), pushed each other towards the bed after showering and not given a care about anyone in the rooms around us.

Those. Moments. Were. Awesome.

Then we come home and reality strikes...

dirty clothes on the floor, laundry not folded, dishes stacked in the sink, bathrooms begging for a good cleaning and a child gripping for dear life on each leg...

It doesn't bode well for a healthy sex-life.

It might not mean much to the men out there, but women get stressed when all we see are chores at every corner of the home. Stress leads to more stress. More stress leads to being tired. Being tired = no sex. That equation is NEVER a good thing.


Exercise #1 - Day

The point of Day 1 is to revamp your love nest to make it more appealing. As much as I would LOVE for it to look like this - it just isn't in the cards:

So, I had to make do with what we've got...I did so much laundry it would choke a horse, but it needed to get done anyway. I put away the clutter, vacuumed the floor, dusted the dressers, hung new curtains (that The Man swore he'd get done...3 months ago) and moved all the water glasses to the kitchen sink.

It was nice to see the floor for once.

We have this set of sheets that we bought when we first got married. I thought they were fun because they have a black playboy logo on the corners of the pillow cases and The Man always wanted a set of silk sheets. We don't use them very often - of at all - because if you aren't careful with silk...you tend to go flying across the room (funny, but not safe)!

I decided to take the risk and change the sheets.

In addition, I placed a few candles throughout the room and turned the TV box to one of those romantic music channels, but turned the TV off (so there was no extra light coming from the TV).

Exercise #2 - Night

I have to admit, those slight changes definitely put a pep in my step and I really couldn't wait for The Man to get home. Once he did, we kissed the kids before putting them to bed and I tied a shirt around his eyes so he couldn't see. I sent him to the shower and I changed into something more "comfortable" (I don't know why they always say that in the movies...there is nothing "comfortable" about any lingerie I've ever worn...ever)

Regardless of comfort or not, the new mood in the room changed us both. It made us WANT to relax with each other again and we were able to connect on another level.

Until it came to the after-sex cuddling part.

Apparently the silk sheets were not a good idea...I know, because I AM the one who ended up on the floor...fail.

Who thought 2 people could move around SO much and be okay - but the minute I try to fix my pillow I go FLYING (yes, I was in the air) to the floor?! Not this girl!

In the end, we enjoyed each others company AND a laugh - even if it was at my expense.


**Want to see where this all began? Go to the Intro and read more**

I wrote this posting while participating in a blog campaign on behalf of K-Y^® Brand and also received product samples to help facilitate my review.

{Blog Series - KY Intimacy Challenge Intro}

*Note - I had originally posted this on 8/11, but after finding issues with blogger, I am re-posting the series in its entirety*

A few weeks ago I was given the opportunity to participate in the KY Intimacy Challenge. After thinking about it for all of 10 seconds, I agreed...I mean, who WOULDN'T want to put the personal and intimate details of their relationship on the internet for all to read?!

Wait, what?!

Every. Intimate. Detail.

Ok, maybe not EVERY detail...but enough to show what the results of each day's activities were and prove that this really does work.

The reason I decided this was a good idea is that I've been pregnant more in the last 3 years than not - YIKES! To be honest, my self confidence and that "sexy" feeling that I used to have...went down the drain once I gained those first 5 pounds in December 2008. I really needed something to help me connect with The Man again - like we were when we first met. It was a whirlwind romance and things happened SUPER fast - this challenge turned out to be a blessing for both of us!

The folks who created this experiment - over at Good In Bed - really know what they are talking about...so pay attention to the information they are giving you. Following each day per the booklet will help bring that spark back to your relationship.

So, follow along with me as The Man and I are put to the ultimate test...the results may surprise you!

Oh, and another thing...most of the couples who participated in this knew the details up front. I thought, though, that I might keep the details from The Man. Evil. I know. I think it added something extra to the results...and he especially didn't know I'd be writing about it! Then I don't think he would have agreed to "play" along!

Lucky for you...he had no idea!

I wrote this posting while participating in a blog campaign on behalf of K-Y^® Brand and also received product samples to help facilitate my review. The products in no way altered my view of the challenge - only added to the experience.