Happy Memorial Day Weekend!

I am so thankful for the service men and women who give of themselves to defend our freedom. And, I am just as thankful for their spouses. Bless you sweet, strong, amazing "Army Wives." I look up to you and admire you.

Are any of you, dear readers, Army Wives? I would love to feature your Love Story on Monday. Send me an email or leave a comment if you are interested. gwenisinlove {at} gmail {dot} com

P.S. Just a reminder about Babeland's Memorial Day Sale. 20% off Lelo products will set your spirits free! Feel free to leave an anonymous comment if you need help picking out a product. I highly recommend Mona.

Feelin' Sexy Friday -- Luna Beads

I woke up this morning to a fabulous email announcing the Babeland Memorial Day Sale. 20% off nearly everything on their website! The sale starts tomorrow. This news came just in time for Feelin' Sexy Friday.

Have you all heard of Kegels? Kegel exercises are named after Dr. Arnold Kegel. The idea is to contract and then relax the muscles that form part of the pelvic floor. This builds strength and endurance and makes it easier to orgasm. Kegels are especially beneficial in cases of pregnancy, childbirth, aging, being overweight, and abdominal surgery.

Want to take it a step further? (Yes, you do!) Let me introduce you to the wonder of the Luna Beads:

The Luna Beads are made by Lelo, so you know they're good.

From the Babeland site:

Take your orgasms to mind-blowing heights with Luna Beads. Two sets of weighted beads give you the opportunity to ramp up your vaginal workout over time. Start with the lighter (28g), move on to the heavier (37g), and then use both at once for a truly pleasurable exercise challenge.

The looped string makes resistance exercise a cinch--just tug lightly on the string with the balls inserted. Daily PC muscle exercise can prevent/reverse stress incontinence, increase muscular control, and strengthen orgasms. And even if exercise is the last thing on your mind, the weighted balls will send you into orbit as you walk down the street (or wash the dishes, or shift in your seat at work…). Beads are made of a polycarbonate and ABS plastic blend, encasement is medical-grade silicone. Beads are removable for easy cleanup, two sets of differently-weighted beads included.

If you are having a hard time "getting in the mood" try using the Luna Beads an hour before husband comes home from work. You will be begging him for a rendezvous in no time.

Have you heard of Kegels? Have you tried them?

Boost With Desire

Mind over matter. You've heard it said. Mind over matter. The first step in boosting your libido is wanting to boost your libido. And why wouldn't you want to boost your sex-drive? We are talking more orgasms here, girls!

Decide today that you, you -- not your husband -- but you want to increase your libido. Want it for yourself and want it for your marriage. Shoot, want it for your kids and for the guy on the freeway who is trying to merge in front of you. A satisfied girl is a happy, kind girl. :)

Photo Courtesy of Boutwell Studio

Love Story -- A Girl in Pearls & A Boy with Toys

A Love Story by Jen from A Girl in Pearls & A Boy with Toys:

Jay and I met on September 5, 2003 at a Sacred Heart University house party. Neither one of us went to this school and were there with friends of friends. I was 19 and he was 24. Our mutual topic of conversation? Alcohol. Is it a romantic story for the grandkids one day? No; but it’s our story.

We exchanged phone numbers (read: He bribed me into getting my number) and he preceded to text me multiple times a day for the next few weeks. I was a sophomore in college and was not interested in dating anyone so kept blowing him off. Well, he wore me down with his persistency.

Three months later we went out on our first date (December 6, 2003). It was an absolute snow storm. I wanted to back out but he wasn’t giving up. He borrowed a friend’s car that was better in the snow than his was and we went to see the movie Gothika (remember this movie? The horror movie starring Halle Berry…real romantic right!). Our second date was MUCH better.

We officially became “boyfriend girlfriend” after a date on February 13, 2004. It was very late and we were up talking. He asked me to be his girlfriend around 1 in the morning on February 14.

He came to RI with me in April and met my parents and we said “I love you” for the first time sometime in May of that year.

We got engaged on March 25, 2008 in Aruba at the Flying Fishbone, while eating dinner on the beach, feet in the sand.

We were married on September 5, 2009 – best day of our lives!

Jen's Slice of Advice:

My advice to couples out there is to never go to bed angry. We have a sign above our bed that reads "Always kiss me goodnight" and we follow it literally and figuratively!

Feelin' Sexy Friday -- Girls' Night Out

In the book, Grown-Up Marriage: What We Know, Wish We Had Known, and Still Need to Know About Being Married, author Judith Viorst says, "A grown-up marriage allows one to find a balance between autonomy and connection."

In other words, you need a girls' night out.

Seriously. We can't do everything with our man all of the time. It's important that both members of the relationship feel free to have different likes and interests. Husband can prove his manhood in a game of basketball and you can go watch America's Next Top Model with the girls. Be silly and let loose. When you come home at the end of the night he'll feel masculine and you'll feel feminine. You can show off what you've learned from your girls' night and strut down the hall in your favorite bra and panties.

You'll feel sexy, I promise.

P.S. A dollar says he won't even notice the fat roll :)

Questions? She's Got Answers

Do you remember in 5th grade when the school nurse showed up in your gender-divided classroom to offer the most embarrassing lecture of your life? Brutal. "This is a safe place where you can ask questions," she'd say. Ha! Yeah right! My lips were sealed.

So we waited until the questions burned enough to ask our girlfriends. But what did they know? My best friend, you know who you are, (*ahem, Annie*) thought that sex was french kissing. She called me sobbing after her first kiss because she thought she might be pregnant.

Well my darlings, let me introduce you to the "school nurse" of adulthood. Shere Hite. Shere Hite is the author of The Hite Report: A National Study of Female Sexuality.

Hite builds upon biological studies of sex by Masters and Johnson and by Alfred Kinsey. Masters and Johnson pioneered research into the nature of the human sexual response and the diagnosis and treatment of sexual disorders and dysfunctions.

Questions answered at long last.

“I need to talk with other women about sex but it is so

impossible. I am embarrassed about my not having orgasms

and wonder whether my friends share this problem.... I can’t

expose thatmuch of myself in the face of such judgments and

can’t stand the pity.”

Don't worry anonymous commenter on page 205 from The Hite Report, there are answers to be had.

Was that an orgasm? Do I look funny? How do I increase my libido?

I will refer to the Hite Report more in future posts so, unless your burning questions can't wait to be answered, you don't have to buy the book :)

Are there any subjects you'd like to know more about? Don't be shy. Leave an anonymous comment!

Have You Felt "That Thing?"

"I’ve kissed a guy... I’ve kissed guys. I just haven’t felt that thing.... That thing... that moment when you kiss someone and everything around you becomes hazy, and the only thing in focus is you and this person. And you realize that that person is the only person you’re supposed to kiss for the rest of your life. And for one moment you get this amazing gift. And you wanna laugh and you wanna cry, ‘cause you feel so lucky that you’ve found it, and so scared that it’ll go away all at the same time."

-Drew Barrymore, Never Been Kissed

Have you felt "that thing?"

I have.

Feelin' Sexy Friday: Flirty Apron

5:00 is the witching hour in our home. My children are tired and hungry and Husband is due home. I am always rushing to make things tidy and have dinner on the table. Emotions and stress tend to run high. My favorite way to change my mood is to throw on a sassy little apron. It helps me to embrace my household duties and feel less like a maid and more like Husband's sexy girlfriend.

A cute uniform always makes me more excited about working hard.

Stewardesses get to wear this:

And I get to wear this:

Everyone's At It

I think the more sex the better. Husband and I loooove having sex. Great way to connect with each other and to relieve stress. I wish that we didn't have responsibilities and we could just go at it all of the time. But with things like hunger, children, jobs, and sleep always getting in the way, we sometimes have to dedicate time for our encounters. We made a goal to do it every day. If you ask me, that's a way better goal than losing five pounds by swimsuit season.

Photo Courtesy of Boutwell Studio

How about you? How often do you do it? Submit your answer anonymously on the poll on the sidebar.

Challenge:

Do it everyday for one week.

I promise, you won't be sorry! Roll Call (anonymously if you'd like) if you're in.

And The Winner Is....

...Juliana of A Blonde Walks Into A Blog!

Congratulations Juliana! Enjoy your Body Essence Massage Kit from Babeland!

Happy Mothers Day! Thank you all for playing and a big thank you to Babeland for sponsoring this lovely giveaway!

What I Got For Mother's Day or My Idea of Romance

Husband was so sweet yesterday. He gave me the best Mother's Day gift possible: A well kept house! He did the dishes, the laundry, the cooking. He fed the children and cared for them. It was fabulous.

Seeing him scrubbing dishes over the sink reminded me of this perfect book, Porn for Women. This is my kind of romance.

What is your kind of romance?

P.S. The giveaway closes tonight, so get your last chance entries in!

Mother's Day Giveaway -- Body Essentials Kit

Mother's Day is a celebration of women -- children or no. Women are beautiful. They are giving. They are kind. A women can nurture like a man can not. On Mother's Day, I feel a sisterhood with you amazing women. I am honored to stand beside you under this title.

You are precious and you deserve a massage :) Complete receiving.

Babeland has the sweetest massage kit I've ever seen. They come in four different colors and scents: refreshing lightness of Blue Pleasure, sweet citrus-y Orange Romance, delicate floral Yellow Delight, and the featured giveaway, warm and rich Pink Love.

Each kit includes:

• 1/4-ounce flavored Lickable Oil
• a one-ounce bottle of Massage Oil
• 8-1/2ml Massage Oil Spray
• 1/2-ounce BabeLicious flavored lube
• one small Massage Bar
• a one-ounce Massage Candle

Winning is easy. Just leave a comment :)

Receive additional entries by:

1. Become a follower (sidebar)
2. "Like" on Facebook (sidebar)
3. Use the "Suggest This" tab on Facebook.
4. Update your FB status about Gwen In Love
5. Blog about Gwen In Love for 2 entries
6. Add Gwen In Love to your blog roll.

Thank you, Babeland, for this fun Mother's Day Gift!

Slice of Advice: Laugh

"Laugh a lot. Never take life too seriously."

Growing up shouldn't = lame. Remember when you were dating and you had fun? Take a tip from Katie and lighten up. Smile. Laugh. Now turn off your computer and go tickle your honey till he laughs his socks off. But only after you take the new poll on the sidebar :)

Lelo: The Cadillac of Toys

Trust me on this one.

If you are still driving a horrifying Ford Pinto, consider upgrading to a Cadillac.

Lelo is a Swedish company that was founded in 2002. Lelo more than doubled its sales volume each year since its founding, and it is plain to see why. Out with scary torture toys and in with luxury and classy pleasure products.

Things I Love:

• Most of LELO's products are made with FDA-approved and phthalate-free PC-ABS/ silicone, a product that feels closer to silky soft skin and not so much like a rubber alien suit.
• Most deliver up to 4 hours of near-silent vibrations after just a 2-hour charge. You heard me sister, NO MORE BATTERIES!
• 10 vibration settings. From a quiet whisper to a booming firecracker.
• 1 year LELO warranty, that you won't need.
• Lockable controls, that you will need.
• Luxury satin storage pouch.
• Presented in an addictive, elegant, black gift box. The little black box is almost as good as Tiffany's little blue box.

I'm telling you girls -- LELO.