I adore journals, dairies, and notebooks! I like browsing through them in the store as I think about the many possible uses for each one. There are a lot of uses for a writer such as myself, but today I want to share with you some of the ways I've used them in my relationship, which you can try, too!

Memory Journal
Back when my husband Andrew and I were dating long distance, I bought myself a beautiful journal so I would be able to record the day we first met in person. I wrote down that special day and all the good times we had together in the months there after.
It's been great to have each and every giddy moment written in ink and set upon my bookshelf! I can read over those memories and reminisce again and again.
I highly recommend this if you're going through a special time in your life that you always want to remember!

Admiration Journal
This one is sort of like a gratitude journal, but it revolves around my husband. I don't write in it every single day, but sometimes when he gives me something or does something I really like, I jot it down to reflect on later. (I also write things I find attractive about him on particular days, both character and physical traits!)
This is something that really makes me appreciate my husband, as well as feel loved and appreciated myself. Now typically this is going to be for married couples, and you would write this privately, but don't sweat it if your spouse finds it. Mine did, but it made him pretty happy to read my entries about him. Once he started there was no stopping him! (but it was nice getting a great big hug afterward!)

What You Are Journal
For my husband's birthday I started a very personal present a couple months beforehand. It was a little black journal which I filled from A to Z with his many positive traits!
Example of how you could fill this if you were to write one:
"You are Charming.
From your smile to the way you talk, you're incredibly charming!"

Generosity Journal
Next up, this one is on my journal to-do list! A Generosity Journal is used for recording what you're putting into your relationship. If you buy a nice gift or do a good service for your spouse you can record it here along with their reaction and how it made you feel. The goal is to fill the journal, so the idea behind it is you'll be even more motivated to give to your spouse. I personally like the idea of doing secret acts of service to make their day! (Side note, I'm opposed to keeping secrets in marriage, communication should always be open, but I do make exceptions for surprise gifts and acts of kindness.)

Dream Journal (but not the sleepy kind!)
Last one is for the dreamer! A Dream Journal is for writing future plans, goals, and ideas. It's like a bucket list for your relationship. For me, it's not just about places to go or accomplishments to achieve, but also the self-improvements I can make which will have the added benefit of helping my relationship thrive. This journal helps set clear goals to pursue.

That's all of the journals for this post! Have you tried any of these before? If you have, why not share your experience in the comment section? If not, please share which journal idea you like most!

Ready to enjoy the great outdoors with the love of your life? Here's how to add a little competition to make things interesting!

For this date you'll each need to bring a camera and a timer. Most cellphones usually cover both!

Go out to a nature reserve or nice wooded area and get your cameras ready! Separating during the competition—so you run into different animals—is advised, so you'll want to establish a meetup spot for after the time is up.
Once you're ready, set your timers (I recommend setting them for about 10 minutes) and go take pictures of as many different animals as you can! If you would like you can count all species of things like birds separately to increase your options! (Just make sure to establish these rules ahead of time!)
When your time is up, go to your meetup spot and compare your photos to see who got the most shots!
If you enjoyed this round you can have a best 2 out of 3 by taking pictures of different flower blooms, or different types of mushrooms, or maybe animal tracks! Your options depend only on the season. When you're done with the games, take some pictures of each other in different areas, then find a place to sit down together and look through all the photos together.

A nice plus to this date is you can make an album, either online or with a book, and remember the experience for years to come!

The autumn weather is often cool and comfortable, with bugs at a minimum, making it perfect for a picnic!

 How many picnics have you and your Honey been on? Well I’d say it’s time to add one to that!

A few things to keep in mind for the date:

• Check the weather ahead of time so you can plan it out on a dry day.
• Make sure you bring a sizable blanket or pad to lie out on the grass, or plan to eat at a park with tables.
• You can pack foods and drinks you both love, or pick up some hot food on the way.
• Don't forget to bring things to clean your hands and throw away any trash once you've finished!
  
• Lastly, don't forget to bring jackets in case it gets cold! (Men, this is especially important for you to remember in case she doesn't have one. Nothing sweeter for a cold girl than for her man to offer her his jacket!)
  

A picnic in the fall where the leaves change color is a great sightseeing experience, and one way you can make this date extra special is picking out a leaf together after you eat. Choose a leaf that is thin and flat with low moisture and preserve it with a little note from each of you about the highlight of your date! (An easy method to preserve a leaf is placing it between some paper then setting heavy books on top and leaving it to dry, though you can look up other methods!)
Once your leaf is ready you can frame it with an overview of your date, or store it in a journal, scrapbook, or photo album.