After several years of marriage, maybe you find yourself saying "I'm not in the mood" more often than not. Next time, stop yourself before you say that, and think about why you aren't. Is it because you're tired? Then get more rest so you'll be in the mood! Are you kids asleep in the next room? You're going to have to get over it for the sake of your marriage. Find ways to get in the mood, because having regular sex is important in a marriage, and it certainly spices things up. Think of sex as a form of stress relief. A lot of people don't feel like having sex because they have too many things to worry about. Having sex with your partner is one of the best ways to free your mind of worries for a little while. You'll feel closer and happier afterward, and you'll start turning to your partner for relief more often! Fatigue is another big reason why people aren't in the mood to have sex on any given night. Have sex anyway. It can be calm, slow, sleepy sex, but you should still do it. You've probably heard this one before, but that's because it works for so many people. Spicing up your sex life can be as easy as trying a different sexual position, wearing sexy lingerie when you normally don't, having sex in a different place (not always in your bed), or changing things in your bedroom to make it feel more sexy. Try tantric sex, a sensual, slow form of sex that encourages deep intimacy. Role-playing in the bedroom can be an exciting way to change things up. Talking dirty is an easy way to inject lots of spice into your sex life. It's great when sex can be spontaneous, but sometimes life gets in the way. If you have an extremely busy schedule and spend a lot of time meeting your kids' needs, you might let sex fall by the wayside. The solution is to set at least one night a week aside for a date night that involves sex. Spend time alone together doing something you enjoy and do your very best to be in the mood that night. Having regular sex will definitely make you feel closer to your partner and put the spark back in your marriage. Sometimes married couples have less sex because they lose confidence in their bodies over the years. Having kids and dealing with stress can take a toll. It's important to keep exercising, eating healthy, and dressing well so that you enjoy your own body and want to share it with your partner. Eat lots of fruits and vegetables, and avoid takeout and fast food. Go easy on the alcohol and choose water instead. Have a workout routine that involves both cardio and weightlifting. Have good hygiene habits and adjust to your changing body.

Summary: Get in the mood. Try new things in bed. Schedule a date night. Keep up your body confidence.

Place 1/2 cup of softened butter and 3/4 of a cup of packed brown sugar into a mixing bowl. Use a spoon or hand mixer to cream the butter and brown sugar until they're light and fluffy. If the butter is hard, you can set it on a plate or in a bowl and soften it using the microwave. Just ensure that you don't melt the butter. Stir in 1 egg, 1 tablespoon of milk, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Mix the ingredients until they're completely combined. Check to make sure that the egg has been completely beaten into the other ingredients. If you don't have vanilla extract, consider substituting almond extract or you could just omit it. Add 1 1/4 cup of flour, 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder, and 1/8 of a teaspoon of salt to the creamed mixture in the mixing bowl. Use a spoon or the hand mixer to mix in the dry ingredients until they're just combined. Gently stir in just 1/2 a cup of the chocolate chips. Avoid mixing the dough too much or the chocolate chip cookie bars will be tough. Grease and flour an 8-inch square baking dish that's safe to use in the microwave. Scoop your dough into the dish and spread it evenly using a rubber spatula or spoon. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of chocolate chips over the cookie dough. You can also use cooking or baking spray to prepare the baking dish. Cook the chocolate chip cookie bars in the microwave on high for 3 1/2 minutes. Check the bars to see if they're dry and feel firm. If they're still raw, cook them in 20 second increments, checking frequently to see if they're done. Let the bars cool before you cut and serve them. Your microwave should rotate the bars as they cook. If your microwave doesn't have a rotating tray, turn the baking dish a quarter turn after every minute it cooks.

Summary: Cream the butter and sugar. Add the liquids. Stir in the dry ingredients and chocolate chips. Spread the dough in your pan. Microwave the chocolate chip cookie bars.

. It's not something only hippies do! Anyone can recycle, and these days just about anything can be recycledfrom newspapers and plastic, to computers and old mobile (cell) phones. Encourage your school or workplace to recycle and to use recycled products. You probably already know that vehicle emissions are bad for the planet. What you may not know is how you can reduce your emissions: Start walking to nearby places. Use public transportation whenever possible. You can also do things like riding a bike to work instead of taking a car. If you need to use a car, consider purchasing one which uses a mix of electricity (a renewable energy source) and gas or only electricity. Reduce your harmful impact on the planet by reusing items and materials when you can, using green products, buying local food and items (supporting your local economy), and conserving resources such as water. This will help protect the planet and provide a healthy environment for all people who will live on after us. Help others to do the same by educating them about how they can reduce their impact on the planet. Remember: don't be preachy or self-righteous. You're doing this to help the planet, not so you can be smarter or better than your neighbour. Did you know that there will probably be a major water crisis in our lifetimes? The problem is that we consume and use water faster than we can clean old and new water. Help alleviate this problem by taking shorter showers, being careful when washing dishes, not leaving the water running when you brush your teeth, and generally paying attention to how you use water. Another thing to avoid is watering your lawn in the summer. Collect and use gray water for this purpose, as using clean drinking water to water grass is very wasteful. All life should be appreciated if humanity is to step forward in our pursuit for a better society. Spend time supporting animal rights, volunteer at your local shelter, or donate to an organization for animal welfare. Keep in mind that most animal suffering happens to farm animals, not pets. Most people forget this, since they can't see the animals they eat. Consider going vegetarian - it's healthier, helps the environment, reduces animal suffering and might actually be cheaper! If you can't imagine being vegetarian, eating less meat also works. Remember, it doesn't have to be an all-or-nothing decision. However, do your research before donating to organizations such as the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS for short), PETA, or other big-name corporations; sometimes a large percentage of the money will not go to the animals. A great site for comparing charities is http://www.animalcharityevaluators.org/ Don't buy animal food for donations. Donating your money directly to the shelter is much better, because the shelter can get food cheaper in bulk and it's hard to plan for donated goods. Fostering an animal for a short period of time is another great way to show your support of animals, and it costs little to no money to do!
Summary: Recycle Stop driving everywhere! Reduce your impact on the planet. Minimize your water usage. Support animal welfare.