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Thursday, March 17, 2011

A Simple, but Special Night In.

This is a sponsored review from BlogHer and Stouffer's.

If you’ve been around my blog for a while, or even just a week or two, you know full well that I live one of the craziest schedules and so does my husband. Emergency services careers are just not conducive to anything romantic or well planned, but that doesn’t mean I don’t hope for the same well thought out gestures ‘normal’ marriages get! Shawn and I just have to work hard at making the romantic moments happen or, in this case, just working smarter not harder.

One thing we never seem to get to do together, ever, is have a nice dinner. Its always something that seems to take too much effort or time to pull together. I can’t even remember to take something out of the freezer to thaw ahead of time let alone remember to purchase piles of ingredients ahead of time at the grocery store so this was the perfect solution


That, my friends, is something awesome I recently tried out for the first time, Stouffers dinner for two! Not only does it solve the “What’s for dinner?” conundrum, but it solves the taking food out in ahead of time problem, and the “We never have a nice quiet dinner together at home” plea.

At first I was skeptical of this frozen dinner concoction since being in emergency services I’ve had my fair share of frozen meals and most are none-too-appealing. As soon as we started cooking the meal you could smell the freshness. We chose to cook the Grilled Chicken and Asiago Tortelloni mix. As the Stouffer’s dinner cooked it actually smelled like real food, rather than a frozen premade preparation.


Yes, the meal still had to be cooked. It’s not something that could just be shoved in a microwave for five minutes, but I swear it was almost as easy. We opened the bag, put all the ingredients in a frying pan, let the ingredients sizzle according to the package, and about ten minutes later it was ready to eat! That’s it. Even in a tired and pregnant state cooking a Stouffer’s meal for two is something I could realistically do any night of the week. And, if you dislike this chicken tortelloni concoction there are numerous different kinds of these Stouffers Dinner you can try!


While Shawn sizzled away I set the table. We even had some leftover rolls from takeout at an Italian Restaurant the night before (that cost three times as much as the Stouffer’s dinner we were preparing) and I even put out some olive oil, fancy-like, for dipping. Honestly, this was the FIRST dinner since we’ve bought the house (in December…) that I have set and eaten at the kitchen table. I’m not kidding when I say we just don’t have the time or energy for a real dinner, ever.

When we sat down to eat at a set table, about fifteen minutes after we took the Stouffers Dinner for Two out of the freezer, and it was amazing. The sheer enjoyment of a calm and “real dinner together at the table was more than I could have imagined? “Why don’t we do this more often?!” I thought, especially if it can take such little effort. And so what if we didn’t dim the lights and light some candles? This was enough for us.


Besides the wonderful conversation that wasn’t in the living room and dictated by the television the meal was great. Initially Shawn and I thought the portions were small, at least to the eye, but honestly after eating a few forkfuls I filled up quickly. Shawn didn’t enjoy the spinach like I did. He is not a vegetable person usually, but I loved having vegetables already tastefully thrown into the meal since they are usually an afterthought when I actually do attempt to cook something.

When we finished the dinner we actually lingered at the table, talking about how enjoyable the night was. What a wonderful change from our normal zoned-out effect in front of the TV after consuming whatever we each individually throw together that evening. Seriously, a great evening is apparently easier than you think!

So I am curious....
Because I can’t be the only one with a crazy schedule and the need for a romantic night in.



What do you do to make an ordinary night extraordinary with your significant other?

Just leave a comment below and your answer could earn you a $100 Visa Gift Card from BlogHer!
Comments are accepted between 3/17 and 4/11

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     c) Blog about this promotion and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post
     d) For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.


This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older.
Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail.
You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.
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305 comments:

  1. Let him watch whatever movie he wants without interruption. Yep, romantic huh? And it is usually some kind of boring documentary! But that is what I do for him because I love him. ;)

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  2. not sure if this is what you meant by url, but this is from my tweet:

    Cabin Fever Reviews: A Simple, but Special Night In. http://is.gd/GrVZq9

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  3. i love your blog since i have followed it. Your stories are amazing. And now your PG, i love it. Your so cute. I hope to win.

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  4. umm... some times I make dinner. That would be pretty extraordinary. I have mostly tried to avoid the kitchen since the start of my pregnancy though. Too many dangerous smells!

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  5. Seriously... to make it special, I make a meal that requires us to use real plates rather than paper. LOL I'm not kidding - I work full time 45 minutes away, then work two more jobs at home. Hubs works full time doing physical labor and then tends to the cows and farm. Yup... special for us is a real meal. Oh, and we don't even own a kitchen table!!!

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  6. For a special night at home, I set the table and turn off the television and announce in my most Mom-like voice that we will be eating at the table tonight. That does not sound romantic at all, but we do get a nice family dinner that way. For just me and my husband, we send the boys to one set of grandparents or the other and go out to eat.

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  7. A special night at home? We wait until our kid is in bed and curl up with a rented movie and some popcorn. With the going rate for a babysitter these days, it's a cheap date!

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  8. My version of a special night is a nice meal (I do love to cook as you can probably tell from my blog :)) And then playing a card or board game together. My hubby's idea of a special night would be me out in the garage helping him tear apart an engine. Lol!

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  9. Since I usually cook or we have leftovers, my husband and I like to go our for special nights together.

    We are pretty ordinary and don't go for the really fancy stuff. Our favorite restaurant is Olive Garden. We spend our birthdays, anniversary or other special nights/dinners there.

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  10. A bottle of wine, some cheese & crackers, Season 3 of The Office, and some snuggling on the couch. All of this, of course, after the kiddos are in bed... :)

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  11. My husband works shifts and we have 3 kids, so an evening alone is rare indeed. However, we do get to squeeze one in every once in a while. In fact, last night was date night.

    Our kids go to church from 5-8 p.m. on Wednesdays so my husband and I try to eat out or in and just enjoy each other's company. Last night we popped in a couple California Kitchen Bar-B-Q chicken pizzas and watched a movie. A grown-up movie (PG-13 in case you were wondering), instead of a kid movie. No animation for us last night! :) It was a nice, inexpensive evening. And we are looking forward to the next one ... in about a month.

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  12. I always turn the tv off and sometimes we eat in the dining room.

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  13. I enjoy making dinner for him and eating at the table like civilized people! I'm not a great cook so my new favorite thing is Dream Dinners. We go there once a month and "assemble" fresh entrees, then bring them home and put them in the freezer. They are usually very easy to prepare and there's little to no clean up. I love it! Check it out. There may be one near you.

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  14. ..I feel so left out.. I am not married or dating anyone. So, My dinners of great, are with my grand children. And i find it best, when they can help in the kitchen. Next time, I will have to take some pics and post them. LOL. One wants to mix, the other pour.. never ending, and i am not quite sure we get it all done. But the children love it. I think it is awesome, the way you both made time for a quick meal, Together. That's what it is all about. Enjoy each other...

    http://standinginaroomfullofmirrors.blogspot.com/

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  15. During the winter we light the fire, turn off the TV, pull out the backgammon board and talk. Some of our best evenings have been when the electricity has gone off. Then we sit outside with a drink, watch the stars, lighting bugs and talk.

    Pamela Jo
    http://theresjustlifeyaliveit.blogspot.com

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  16. To make an ordinary night extraordinary, I usually will prepare a fancy dessert for a sweet ending. With the easy of Stouffer's help on dinner, I can have more time to make dessert and still have time to share with my loved ones. I'm love it! Thanks for a chance to win this giveaway!

    Amy [at] utry [dot] it

    Amy
    http://utry.it

    ReplyDelete
  17. Just tweeted about this giveaway and here's the link...

    http://twitter.com/#!/uTry_it

    Amy [at] utry [dot] it

    Amy
    http://utry.it

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  18. Wine!!! And eating together without the TV on.

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  19. Since my husband has many evening meetings we often have to quickly have dinner before he has to get back to church for one counsel meeting or another. So on the nights we know he doesn't have a meeting, we try to have a dinner with a little less distraction. When we used to live in the Twin Cities we would have what we called "Cheap Date Nights" by going to a coffee shop after dinner for coffee/tea and possibly a light dessert. We found we could go out for 45 minutes to an hour an spend usually less than $5 and sit somewhere with far fewer distractions. However, now that we live in the country, and the only place open late at night are restaurants and bars, we have had to often take our "date nights" at home. Dinner and a movie on Netflix relaxing on the couch usually seems to be a perfect way to end a busy day.

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  20. Sit by our warm wookstove, read, or watch a great movie.

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  21. Just tweeted about this giveaway. http://twitter.com/#!/uTry_it

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  22. My husband is a firefighter and I am a nurse. A great night in is ALL about spending time together away from technology. Our favorite time is spent sharing dinner in the backyard while watching the sun set through the orchard...so peaceful.

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  23. We order out for dessert from Chilis and watch a horror movie later at night

    tbarrettno1 at gmail dot com

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  24. tweet
    http://twitter.com/#!/ChelleB36/status/48591305751797760
    tbarrettno1 at gmail dot com

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  25. We cuddle. Is that cheesy? Maybe so, but nothing makes the night better than a good snuggle. :)

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  26. We rent a movie and actually sit down in the same room together. Even the same couch, wow! It's not much, but I just like to sit next to him ;)

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  27. my husband and i will watch a movie after the kids go to bed

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  28. My Hubby and I have no kids every other weekend (one of the only upsides to divorce... aside from not being horribly unhappy!), so on those weekends, we make oursleves a lasagna or other "baked"-type meal - we make it together, and while it's bakign we throw on a good movie. What makes it even more special is that becasue it's just the 2 of us (instead of 5) we don't cook another meal the rest of the weekend!

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  29. Tweet... tweet... I tweeted
    http://twitter.com/#!/MistyDawn/status/48725011661471744

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  30. I make a dinner he likes. Then let him do whatever he wants afterwards. That's been harder lately since I am 37 weeks pregnant!

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  31. I would say if there is dessert after the meal, then that's pretty special! I can't think that I do anything out of the ordinary other than that!

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  32. I cook most everything on the weekends and have smaller meals planned during the week. He gets home late due to the long commute, so we normally only eat together on the weekends. To make it really special, I'll give him a foot or back rub after dinner and he is snoring in a matter of minutes :)

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  33. You realize I had to figure out how to find the link on my Twitter page?

    http://twitter.com/jereswife/statuses/48743891230404608

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  34. We make ordinary nights special by picking up a Redbox and having a date night at home.

    mami2jcn at gmail dot com

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  35. tweet:

    http://twitter.com/mami2jcn/status/48747209621118976

    mami2jcn at gmail dot com

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  36. Well, I make dinner almost every night(I'll take my super wife award now)but when I feel like going the extra mile, I make dessert. usually brownie sundae's

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  37. We both help cook the meal, help with dishes and have a yummy desert, with the TV off. I think the key is that the TV is off and we are interacting with each other rather than focusing on some show.

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  38. I like to do something simple like get our favorite pizza and watch a movie to make an ordinary night extraordinary. LPoser1 [at] gmail [dot] com

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  39. I have learned that the best nights with my significant other involve a movie not in a theater, but in our living room where we can sit close; a table not in a restaurant, but in our own kitchen where we can spill something and not be embarrassed. They involve a bottle of good wine, on our big front porch on a fall evening when the breeze is blowing just right. For me, an ordinary night is made extraordinary if he and I can just BE together - nothing else needed.

    After two kids in two years, we relish even that hour between when the kids go to bed and we pass out due to sheer exhaustion. And we don't have to leave our house to have an extraordinary time...

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  40. Hi, I set the table with our nicer dishes, light candles, and maybe making a special dessert.
    maddiemb {at} comcast (dot) net

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  41. Whatever I'm eating .. the dogs are coveting. they're not picky.

    I just looked up the info on this product. haha! their site says "0 calories" but it does have the fat (30g per serving) and 1000g of sodium !! My feet are swelling just thinking about it.

    (Sorry, but I've become consumed with reading labels lately.)

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  42. Just add a little music.
    MCantu1019 at aol dot com

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  43. We turn off our TV, cell phone and computers and talk about our day to make dinner special

    s2s2 at comcast dot net

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  44. http://twitter.com/#!/susan1215/status/49296543978754049

    s2s2 at comcast dot net

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  45. Head out for a walk around the neighborhood (or through nearby parks). Hand-holding while strolling is the best.

    (kladish(at)gmail(dot)com.)

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  46. What a great idea! We get stuck in a rut eating what the kids like to eat so once in awhile, I mix it up with something different. Salmon on the grill, homemade mexican rice, a splurge on those jumbo shrimp at the seafood counter. And always fresh flowers and a candle. It doesn't take a lot really...it just takes a little thought beforehand. I haven't done it in awhile. You inspire me to do that one day this week!:)

    Here's my tweet: Okay, it's just fun!:) Go talk about what you do to make a night special, maybe win $100. http://bit.ly/gvTRuo What have you got to lose?

    Thanks for the smile this morning.:)

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  47. Single, so I eat everything that is quick and easy. Stouffers sounds good to me.
    marybug2@yahoo.com

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  48. I tweeted
    http://twitter.com/#!/marybug2/status/49490276925968384
    marybug2 at yahoo.com

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  49. I use candles and the good dishes, lower the lights and open a bottle of wine :)

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  50. i use my good dishes and we enjoy a nice meal followed by a movie

    debbiebellows[at]gmail[dot]com

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  51. i tweeted here:

    http://twitter.com/bellows22/status/49680908042768385

    debbiebellows[at]gmail[dot]com

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  52. I like making a regular night into a special night by cooking a special dinner complete with a special dessert..not to mention a bit of wine:)

    Thanks!
    Samantha
    Jamesmadison1974@gmail.com

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  53. romantic? after 17 years together and two teenagers in the house...these are rare moments. But, now that our kids are old enough to stay home alone without a sitter...we go out to dinner together...or to a hockey game...or to Costco...or anywhere when it's just the two of us! Enjoy your moments together. It will be awhile before you have these times again without diapers, teething, stomach flu...etc!

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  54. Ready this post, I realize that my husband and I are in desperate need of something like this. I cook dinner most nights, but we always eat in front of the TV. Usually with little to no conversation because one of "our shows" is on. Thank you for making me think! PS I really enjoy ready your blog. Oh and congrats on being prego! I wonder if it will be a girl, everyone else I know that is pregnant this year is having a girl?!

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  55. i turn off electronics and light candles! scg00387 at yahoo dot com

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  56. http://twitter.com/#!/DesMoinesDealin/status/49880035632492544 scg00387 at yahoo dot com

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  57. We focus on each other! No TV to distract us. It's great!

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  58. I have two boys, and sometimes, I let them help me plan.....decorate the table, set the table, and sometimes they even "serve us"...very fun!

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  59. Your normal dinners sound just about like our own, in front of the TV and food made separately. Extraordinary would be just the two of us eating together at the table.
    chainmail (at) iwon(dot) com

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  60. I tweeted this
    http://twitter.com/The_Sunshyn/status/49900540041240576
    chainmail (at) iwon(dot) com

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  61. I make my son eat at the table with me.

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  62. Sometimes the kids used to go to a friends house after school. Then we could break out the good stuff (things they would not eat) like Shrimp dinners by stofers. Love them.

    gmissycat at yahoo dot com

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  63. Tweeted here too

    http://twitter.com/#!/gmissycat/status/49955969966407680

    gmissycat at yahoo dot com

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  64. Maybe you guys could set aside one specific day a week to have supper together?

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  65. Occasionally we'll cook something special for dinner, and save it to eat after the kids are in bed. Sometimes we'll pull out a movie, and airpop some popcorn, and cuddle on the couch. :) Love those sweet and simple things, that make all the difference!

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  66. Both of us are a bit of heath freaks, especially when it comes to food, so we spend quality time by cooking together. Our work hours are often long and unpredictable, but we still make it a point to cook together, especially on weekends, when we often prepare our meals for the week.

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  67. When I want to make a special night in I try to make his favorite meal which includes his favorite desert too (Homemade Cheesecake) so he knows I went to alot of trouble to make a special night for us, then we usually order a movie and just enjoy relaxing together, he doesnt get to relax enough so I love it when he does get a chance to unwind after eating his favorite meal,

    thanks for the great giveaway
    debis126 at yahoo.com

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  68. tweeted

    http://twitter.com/#!/deb126/status/50661366951981056

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  69. We take every night and try to make it special. Most nights we take time to watch a movie or a special something. We are great fans of Netflix and YouTube. We've watched so many BBC dramas and period pieces you'd think we'd be all out of new ones- but we always find something else.

    Good food is necessary, too. We love to have a picnic on the bed.

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  70. I tweeted

    http://twitter.com/#!/tammigirl/status/50661797904121857

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  71. We turn down the lights, rent a movie, let down the futon and snuggle together to watch it.

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  72. Soft lighting, a candle or two and you instantly have a romantic dinner!

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  73. A good movie and some desserts can make ordinary evenings at home extraordinary.
    tcarolinep at gmail dot com

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  74. tweet.http://twitter.com/tcarolinep/status/50787120306073600

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  75. A home cooked meal and special dessert. Then hearing about each others days!! :)

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  76. My older kids are living with us temporarily (ages 30 and 24) and let me tell you, they are worse for romance than little ones cause they stay up and are not as easily entertained by a stupid dvd. So I tell them to beat it, light candles and open a bottle of our favorite wine.

    lindacarol6 at gmail dot com

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  77. Soft background music, candlelight, a fine wine, and an extra special dessert.

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  78. I make his favorite dinner and turn off the tv.

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  79. light a candle, A good bottle of wine, music, just relax.
    merleandtina@Yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  80. http://twitter.com/#!/HappyTina0115/status/50987807132487680
    merleandtina@Yahoo.com

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  81. Dinner and a movie is always a special treat! By the way I love your table and chairs!!! :)

    ReplyDelete
  82. We like to go out to our favorite restaurant and just enjoy each other's company
    Ziggywag at yahoo dot com

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  83. Tweeted it
    http://twitter.com/#!/Ziggywag/status/51273740675325952
    Ziggywag at yahoo dot com

    ReplyDelete
  84. We throw a blanket on the floor and have a picnic in the living room!

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  85. Candles, flowers, and nicer dinnerware always perk up ordinary dinners.

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  86. To make an ordinary night special with my husband, we order out and eat by the fireplace.

    LWons@HotMail.com

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  87. My goodness you had a big response with this! I haven't tried those dinners but we sure could use a quick meal. Like you and your husband our lives are hectic. Everyone seems to come home at a different time.

    Glad you and hubby could finally enjoy a meal together! What happened to the good old days when we all sat down to dinner every night???

    Sharon

    ReplyDelete
  88. I like to put on soft music and set our table with our good table lines, napkins and candles.
    Thanks so much
    rickpeggysmith(at)aol(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  89. sitting at the table together is always nice and we actually talk

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  90. http://twitter.com//bobisyellow/status/51362970160214016

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  91. Some conversation and a bottle of wine is special to me
    whit1966@gmailcom

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  92. IT'S NOT VERY OFTEN WE SIT TOGETHER & HAVE A MEAL BUT WHEN WE WANT TO MAKE IT SPECIAL WE DO, THAT OR WATCH A REDBOX! kytah00@yahoo.com

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  93. 2ND ENTRY TWEET @ http://twitter.com/#!/kytah00/status/51384799104999425 kytah00@yahoo.com

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  94. A nice meal, a glass of wine and a rented or pay per view movie-our "special' night recipe!


    apoalillo AT hoTmail (dot) com

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  95. mrs.mommyyatgmail make late night picnics

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  96. To make a regular night more special and romantic we turn off the tv, don't answer the phone and just relax and enjoy the meal.

    nhmoose99 at yahoo dot com

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  97. eat after the kids go to bed without interruption - a treat for sure! (doesn't matter what just the peace and quiet is enough)
    tvollowitz at aol dot com

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  98. I always try make a regular diner special by lighting candles and making a special dessert.

    lenz.nicole(at)gmail(dot)com

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  99. I light candles and turn off the TV and phones.

    rhoneygtn at yahoo dot com

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  100. I get the kids to sleep over at a relatives.

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  101. We cook dinner together and talk about our days

    ohkeeka at gmail dot com

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  102. We watch a movie in bed together after the kids have gone to bed. It usually turns romantic and extraordinary!

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  103. I make his favorite meal. I set a nice table and I get a dessert that is his and my favorite.
    msgb245 at gmail dot com

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  104. We have fun most every night we're together, but I usually make a fancy dessert and/or pop open a bottle of wine if I need something extra!

    krtrumpet [at] aol [dot] com

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  105. to make an ordinary night special we drop the kids off at their grandparents house so that we can actually have some adult conversation!

    ReplyDelete
  106. Our favorite thing is to take our coffee and go outside, sit on our porch swing and talk, nothing like alone time and good conversation to make the night special

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  107. I tweeted http://twitter.com/#!/eyzofblu63/status/51696426509533184

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  108. http://twitter.com/tnshadylady/status/51725858758598656

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  109. Taking the time to make something we both enjoy and eat it in the living room watching our fave shows. msmith572@yahoo.com

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  110. Tweet: http://twitter.com/samasam/status/51739680676397056

    msmith572@yahoo.com

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  111. Blogged: http://insanityisforthelame.blogspot.com/2011/03/cabin-fever-reviews-simple-but-special.html

    msmith572@yahoo.com

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  112. What do you do to make an ordinary night extraordinary with your significant other? I love to serve him dinner in bed because I simply love "dessert"

    teechbiz at gmail dot com

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  113. I set a nice table and make a favorite dish or special dessert, then I let him chose a movie to watch.

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  114. I like to use my special wine glasses to make a night in more special.
    nrdunningATgmailDOTcom

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  115. tweet
    http://twitter.com/ohstac/status/51781582817722368
    nrdunningATgmailDOTcom

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  116. I love to cook for me and my husband. I make my evening special sometimes with candlelight and a fine wine. I'll set the table really pretty, use cloth napkins etc

    rugerpuppies at hotmail dot com

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  117. We try to make every day special or romantic in some small way...candlelight, home cooked meals, linen table cloths, using the table settings for company or holidays, holding hands at dinner. Little things can make life more enjoyable.

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  118. We add candles and a bottle of wine!

    gina.m.maddox AT gmail DOT com

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  119. To turn an ordinary night into something special we have quiet date nights at home with themes!

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  120. Well, my significant other is my dog and she's not fussy. For myself, I always have a glass of really good Cabernet Savignon, and I think it would go just fine with these dinners.

    jvmwordsmith@comcast.net

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  121. Tweeted.

    http://twitter.com/#!/Jayne_Martin/status/51800744835284992

    jvmwordsmith@comcast.net

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  122. It's just me & the cats don't care. So actually plating the food as opposed to eating it from the pan or take-out container.

    Thanks for the giveaway >^..^<

    bloggyig at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  123. tweet
    http://twitter.com/buzz8/status/51862445576294400

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  124. tweet
    http://reviewsatcabinfever.blogspot.com/2011/03/simple-but-special-night-in.html

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  125. We get takeout so no one has to cook and then watch a movie together. bluedragon51@comcast.net

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  126. I prefer to grill a nice dinner for her to make it romantic.

    hellrzr(at)juno(dot)com

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  127. tweet

    http://twitter.com/mrcheapo/status/51955535221760000

    hellrzr(at)juno(dot)com

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  128. Flowers on the table and a good glass of wine make even ordinary dinners special.

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  129. Tweet:
    http://twitter.com/clc408/status/51983299635187713

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  130. Put on a ball game, start up the Weber and have an outdoor picnic for two on the deck

    droopydog63@hotmail.com

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  131. Candles and a glass of wine makes dinner special

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  132. A little wine helps, but usually a strawberry daiquiri.

    humanecats at gmail dot com

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  133. I like lighting candles

    karinaroselee at gmail dot com

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  134. Just lighting candles makes the mood more romantic.

    teenytig@sbcglobal.net

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  135. Turn off the TV and phones and really talk to each other.

    bbentry [at] aol [dot] com

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  136. Actually, a bottle of wine elevates the evening into something romantic pretty fast.
    THANKS for the AWESOME GIVEAWAY!!!

    Scott Martin
    spmartin122@gmail.com

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  137. I get my neighbors to watch the kids and let us eat in together.

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  138. We make Homemade Pizza’s And Watch our favorite TV Shows!

    baller19822002 at yahoo dot com

    Thanks!

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  139. Tweet: http://twitter.com/#!/femalebiker21/status/52527698374950912

    baller19822002 at yahoo dot com

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  140. I have to say after reading this blog this sounds a lot like my fiancé and I. We both love to cook but do not always have the time or energy keeping up with our 4month old son and being first time parens in our 20's. These stouffer meals sound amazingly simple and delicious. I can't wait to try them, and it would be nice to win something like this but if not that is ok. I will let you know how my stouffer venture turns out =)

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  141. We like to have movie night at home, cost less and can always rewind if we pass out on the couch haha
    disintegratingstarr@hotmail.com

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  142. I love to make a special dessert to follow dinner and pick foods I know we both love. Then spend the meal together, sharing our days or plans for the rest of the evening. Just being together makes it more special to me.
    b (dot) edge315 (at) gmail (dot) com

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  143. dessert makes everything just a little more special <3

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  144. Don't have a significant other, but I make a meal special by putting on a little low music instead of the TV and using cloth napkins
    adrianecoros(at)gmail(dot)com

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  145. I make an evening extraordinary by trying a new recipe that my husband and I work on together on his nights off and also spend a few hours talking.

    lazybones344 at gmail dot com

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  146. we try to sit at the table and/or add wine
    robinlscott4@hotmail.com

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  147. Light candles, light the fireplace and have some nice wine!
    Digicat {at} Sbcglobal {dot} Net

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  148. I posted about this giveaway on my blog. Here is the link:
    http://carolsbloggys.blogspot.com/p/stouffers-100-visa-card.html
    Digicat {at} Sbcglobal {dot} Net

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  149. Turn off the TV for the evening!

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  150. I make the ordinary extraordinary by trying a new recipe together! ekieuuu@gmail.com

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  151. http://twitter.com/#!/ekieu/status/53491098932346880

    ekieuuu@gmail.com

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  152. I make a night special by making a dish together.

    melduke26 at gmail dot com

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  153. Wow, I guess I try to keep the kids from driving us both crazy. That's about where we are right now. Perhaps in a few more years, I'll have a different answer.
    chipdip2010(at)hotmail(dot)com

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  154. Tweeted http://twitter.com/#!/chipdip2010/status/53645833064816640
    chipdip2010(at)hotmail(dot)com

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  155. I love candles for romance-I should use them more often!
    smchester at gmail dot com

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  156. First, NO KIDS! Then, I use lower lights and use candles. I also love to use fancy dinnerware and a yummy dessert!

    hebert024 at aoldot com

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  157. Candles, linen napkins, good china and soft music and good conversation.

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  158. Make sure we turn off the TV and eat at the table, or when it's nice head outside and eat on the balcony. mtw816 at gmail.com

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  159. it's always hard to find time. cooking together and eating at the same table with candles is nice :D

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  160. i tweeted http://twitter.com/#!/syytta/status/53940789578964993

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  161. we love to grill out:) and to make it extra special we'll splurge for steaks:)

    Jenny B
    jennyhasquads at yahoodotcom

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  162. Friday nights is pancake night. That's what he usually craves after a longs day work.

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  163. I make a regular night special by adding some candlelite and some soft music to dinnertime!
    bleatham*at*gmail.com

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  164. tweet
    http://twitter.com/#!/sleatham1/status/54078690430169088
    bleatham*at*gmail.com

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  165. I like to surprise my boyfriend with a homemade dessert (cookies or a nice coffee cake are very popular with him) and borrow a movie DVD from the library that we can watch after dinner.

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  166. I tweeted
    http://twitter.com/tracylr233/status/54084587101491201

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  167. We try to get the kids to be early and have a sit down delicious meal but it proves challenging as the kids get older and want to stay up lateR!!

    I will definitely try these meals!

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  168. We Try to get a babysitter and go out to eat. :)

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  169. A special night for me and my husband is just any night we have off together. My husband works evenings/overnights and returns home around 4am. While I get up and leave for work as early as 4am...so basically exact opposites. That one half a day each week we get to see each other...or the hour we might cross paths is always special. I hope it doesn't last long but know we have to do it now to make a prosper future for us! <3 my John!

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  170. my tweet:http://bit.ly/dZGUT5 great little blog a college friend runs about photography and life...check it out including her review...

    http://twitter.com/#!/rdomings

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  171. We have dessert that doesn't come from a carton of ice cream in the freezer :)

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  172. I try to make sure his fav wine is chilled and when he walks in I serve him a glass of wine with cheese and crackers so he can enjoy them while he plays a game of free cell on the computer to unwind after a day at the office. Then we go out to eat! Because I'm not a great cook :-) ;-)

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  173. We love having a quiet dinner with a glass of wine and nice music. We then love watching a movie together. It's very simple! :-)

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  174. Since my significant other is gone now, I make sure to serve the stray cat who has adopted me a wonderful meal, often homemade...chicken, rice, green beans all smushed together. She dives into it and eats ferociously, with an occasional look toward me as though she is thinking, "I can't believe this is so good...thank you." Then I thank my lucky stars that my significant other is gone now....he never appreciated my cooking like the cat does!

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  175. oops...here is contact info I left out in the comment above....email is dmason48 (at) att (dot) net

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  176. I am a single mom but with our hectic schedules it's nice to know on those nights when I am too exhausted to cook an amazing meal, I still can just in a short amount of time!
    chacoyaguayo at yahoo dot com
    Thank you for the opportunity!

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  177. Tweet:
    http://twitter.com/#!/Ma21cuteboy/status/54280711477276673
    chacoyaguayo at yahoo dot com

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  178. I make a special night by cooking and staying at home. My kids are pretty much grown and we are tired of the restaurant scene. How nice to light a few candles, eat and have some grown-up conversation. mjjaegly@yahoo.com

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  179. Tweet:http://twitter.com/#!/marilynjaegly/status/54282369930244096 mjjaegly@yahoo.com

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  180. I don't get to do that often lol..but when we do get together we like to prepare a nice meal together, find a great movie to watch and cuddle/snack during the movie lol

    Thank you for the chance to win!!

    ajoebloe(at)gmail(dot)com

    *I just became a follower of your blog too:)

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  181. Tweeted about your giveaway per the rules:

    http://twitter.com/JoeyfromSC/status/54282900027359232

    ajoebloe(at)gmail(dot)com

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  182. Wine with dinner makes any dinner seem a little nicer:)
    nuthouse(at)centurytel(dot)net

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  183. tweeted: http://twitter.com/#!/KerryBishop/status/54352193997914112
    nuthouse(at)centurytel(dot)net

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  184. I make a special dinner, get a movie, and enjoy the company.
    twoofakind12@yahoo.com

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  185. We turn off the TV and light a candle!

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  186. We shut the tv off and all eat at the table.
    szettel(at)charter(dot)net

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  187. We snuggle up and watch tv.
    dawns_horizen@yahoo.com

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  188. Well, I would usually attempt to cook something fancy, but sometimes we just order take out and use fancy china and light some candles. Works just as well!

    samanthakoh.cy@gmail.com

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  189. Putting on some nice music, eating at the table and a long walk after dinner just talking about our day.

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  190. We like to snuggle up in front of the fireplace on cold nights. It makes eating or just watching TV more romantic.

    Thanks for the giveaway!
    eswright18 at gmail dot com

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  191. tweet
    http://twitter.com/#!/eswright18/status/54679514017562624

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  192. special, maybe even romantic dinner? I sever salad on separate plates, actually set the table and crack open some wine. (and send the kids to thier grandparents for a couple hours)

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  193. I dont have a significant other, but I put on a good movie the whole family can watch

    itsjustme62613 at gmail.com

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  194. tweet

    http://twitter.com/MistySunrise/status/55030021798109184

    itsjustme62613 at gmail.com

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  195. I don't have a significatnt other, so extraordinary nights here!

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  196. Tweet http://twitter.com/#!/givekaciestuff/status/55034979637395457

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