REVIEW: Marriage Dinner Workshop

Photo obtained from the Amber Creek Counseling website

Russ and I were invited to attend a marriage dinner workshop at Amber Creek Family Counseling Center in Sandy. 
It was so nice to get a night away and feel like we learned some great skills to recharge our marriage. My hubby and I get along great, and it's still always refreshing to relearn communication skills needed to keep our marriage great. One of my favorite quotes is (believe it or not, from a Justin Beiber song) that says "The grass ain't always greener on the other side, it's greener where you water it." That is so true when it applies to marriage and relationships, and this workshop was a great way to "water" our relationship.
Kirk Voss LMFT is the marriage and family therapist that presents these dinner workshops. It was great how he used metaphors to explain certain relationship skills and how marriage and relationships are important. The workshops was not "a bunch of therapist mumbo jumbo" like some classes....it was easy to understand, and in a relaxed and casual settting.
There were three other couples at the workshop that night, and a warm, catered dinner was provided for us. Asking questions and adding comments during the workshop was welcomed, and it was great to learn from other couples as well as the presenter. The workshop was from 6:30pm to 9:30pm at the Amber Creek Family Counseling Center in Sandy.
The workshop is great for anybody wanting a refresher course in marriage, or looking for better ways to communicate. Many couples that need or want counseling either don't have the time to put aside for it, or can't afford it. This date night workshop is perfect because it's only one night, for three hours, and provides three months of counseling lessons all wrapped up in one evening. Even the best marriages can take something away from the workshop.
Learn more about the Dinner Workshops on the Amber Creek Family Counseling website.
They also offer Couples Classes where you can choose from three different classes. Attend all three, or choose the one that best suits you.
To reserve your spot in a Dinner Workshop or Couples Class, contact Amber Creek Family Counseling  at  (801) 455-0045, or visit their website. You can also follow them on Facebook for great tips for every relationship in your life.
A huge thanks to Kirk and Meghan Voss for inviting us to check out the marriage dinner workshop! We had a great time, and have told many of our friends about the workshops! 

We were provided two complimentary passes to a marriage dinner workshop, and was not compensated for our time. We were not persuaded to write any certain type of review, and the  views and opinions expressed in this review are all our own.

Date Night and Family Classes and Workshops

Photo from the Amber Creek Counseling website

Part of a good relationship is working on it and improving it every day. Some people think that couples classes and counseling are just for marriages and relationships that are in trouble, but that isn't true. Even the best relationships and marriages take work, and setting time aside to work on your relationship together is what will strengthen it.
Amber Creek Family Counseling in Sandy is offering couples classes an dinner workshops. Join me and Russ on Friday November 16th at the More From Marriage Dinner Workshop! We would love to have some of you attend with us! Contact Amber Creek Counseling to register.
Couples Classes These one-hour classes help couples learn more about how to make their relationships stronger, healthier, and more meaningful. Come to all three, or choose the class that interests you the most. We are excited to offer 3 unique classes, each a part of our More From MarriageTM program:

• Building & Bridging: Bringing Your Best Self and Preventing Marriage Pitfalls
• Communicating for Connection: Secrets to Feeling Understood and Knowing Your Partner
• Fanning the Flames: Keeping the Spark & Loving Your Marriage

Couples Classes Include:

• One hour of insightful, practical marriage tips from an experienced therapist
• Entertaining and media-rich presentation in a relaxed environment
• A packet of valuable tips and strategies to remember and use at home
• Refreshments Provided

Come Spend Your Date Night With Us! Classes cost just $40 per couple! For a small fraction of the cost of counseling sessions, couples get a one-stop boost for their marriage and family. If you or someone you know would benefit from these classes, CONTACT US for date and registration information.
Dinner Workshops We provide educational and interactive workshop classes for those who want to learn more about how to make their relationships stronger, healthier, and more meaningful.
We are excited to now offer: “More From Marriage™”  &  “Decoding Your Teen™”   These are exclusive 3-hour classes on either Saturday mornings or Friday Date Nights. Many people want help with their marriage or with parenting, but they lack the time, money, or interest for coming to weekly therapy sessions. Now couples can attend a one-time workshop class about how to powerfully boost their marriage, OR about meaningful help with parenting difficult teens.
Workshops Include:

• A catered buffet-style meal (Dinner on Fridays, Brunch on Saturdays)
• 3 months’ worth of counseling tips in 3 hours!
• Entertaining and media-rich presentation in a relaxed environment
• A packet of valuable tips and strategies to remember and use at home
• All this for a small fraction of the cost of weekly counseling sessions!

Click on a Class Below “More From Marriage™” OR “Decoding Your Teen™”
More about Amber Creek Family Counseling:

• Follow them on Facebook
• 9035 S. 1300 E., Sandy, UT 84094 Suite 120
• Website

Midnight Madness Beach Party

The Midnight Madness Beach Party is happening tomorrow, Saturday August 11th 2012, at Gardner Village from 6pm to Midnight. Come and enjoy Island Dance Shows, summer and beach music, fun projects and activities in each shop, specials you can only find during Midnight Madness, and lots more!

Come dressed for the beach! FREE admission, so you can save your money and spend it on fun things like frozen hot chocolate at Taste!

We are DJing this event again this year, so make sure you stop by the DJ booth and say hi!

Anniversary Dance: An Alternative To The Bouquet Toss

For those of you that don't have a lot of single ladies to catch your bouquet toss, the Anniversary Dance is a great alternative.



How It's Done:
All couples are invited out onto the floor to start dancing. After about 30 seconds, those that have been married one year or less are asked to sit down. Then those married five years or less........10 years or less.....15 years or less........This continues until only one couple is left standing, and that couple is awarded the toss bouquet to take home.



Song suggestions for the Anniversary/Bouquet Dance:

• Through The Years - Kenny Rogers
• Forever - John Stamos ft The Beach Boys
• Then - Brad Paisley
• After All These Years - Journey
• I'll Still Be Loving You - Restless Heart
• You're Timeless To Me - Hairspray Soundtrack
• Ordinary People - Clay Walker
• I'd Love You All Over Again - Alan Jackson
• Two People Fell In Love - Brad Paisley
• Could I Have This Dance - Anne Murray
• All I Ever Needed - Brett Michaels
• Forever - John Stamos
• You're Still The One - Shania Twain
• So Happy Together - The Turtles
• Tonight I Celebrate My Love - Peabo Bryson and Roberta Flack
• Still The One - Orleans
• My Best Friend - Tim McGraw
• Til I Loved You - Restless Heart
• When A Man Loves A Woman - Percy Sledge
• Have I Told You Lately - Van Morrison or Rod Stewart
• Just The Way You Are - Boyce Avenue
• These Are The Days - Van Morrison
• Wonderful Tonight - Eric Clapton or Don Williams
• Unforgettable - Natalie Cole and Nat King Cole
• What A Wonderful World - Louis Armstrong
• When I Said I Do - Clint Black and Lisa Hartman Black
• Grow Old Along With Me - Mary Chapin Carpenter
• Remember When - Alan Jackson
• Now and Forever - Carole King
• Look At Us - Vince Gill
• I Keep On Loving You - Reba McEntire
• Something In Red - Lorrie Morgan
• Anniversary Song - Eva Cassidy
• I'm Still In Love With You - Al Green
• Longer - Dan Fogelberg
• Long Line Of Love - Michael Martin Murphy
• Lucky - Jason Mraz and Colbie Caillat
• 100 Years - Five For Fighting

If you know of a great song that we have forgot, email us at squawkboxsound@msn.com with "Anniversary Dance" in the subject title.

Get Your Disco On At Friday Night Fever!

Ready to get your groove on? Come celebrate Friday Night Fever with Gardner Village—or as we call ourselves, the “Village People.” Put on some far-out disco clothes and dance on over for some disco ball deals and disco music on our paths from 6 to 10 pm on Friday, April 20th. We might even let you strut your stuff for disco dollars and prizes. It’ll be fab, far out, groovy and everything in between. Can you dig it?! 
While you're here, strut over to the Cottage Retreat Spa & Salon's pad and get the skinny on their mini services. You'll like their chill pedicures, to-the-max massages, foxy haircuts and styles, funky manicures and in-your-face eyebrow shaping. These groovy services start at just $15. Right on! 
Squawkbox Sound will be there DJing this event, so make sure you find us and say hi! :) 

Two Days Left To Vote!

If you have not yet voted in the KSL City Voter, please do so now! There are only two more days to vote, and they have hid our stats from us! Follow the links below to vote for us and other businesses we love!

• Vote for Squawkbox Sound
• Vote for Enjoy Utah!
• Vote for Gines Auto Service
• Vote for Utah Events By Design
• Vote for Grimm Ghost Tours

Say Yes To Thin

Guest post by Laura Gaillard:
Getting ready for your “big day”? If you’re like the rest of us you want to do everything you can to look your very best. So…. I’m here to help you out! Drum roll please… Take a look at this website and learn how you can quickly and safely lose weight. This plan really works! I know because my husband tried it first hand and lost 60+ lbs in less than 3 months! We’re so excited about his weight loss, and his increased health that we’ve become Health Coaches and want to spread the word. So… go ahead and take a look at this website and Say Yes to Thin – because you can! www.SayYesToThin.com

Friday Night Fever at Gardner Village

Ready to get your groove on? Come celebrate Friday Night Fever with Gardner Village—or as we call ourselves, the “Village People.” Put on some far-out disco clothes and dance on over for some disco ball deals and disco music on our paths from 6 to 10 pm on Friday, April 20th. We might even let you strut your stuff for disco dollars and prizes. It’ll be fab, far out, groovy and everything in between. Can you dig it?! 
While you're here, strut over to the Cottage Retreat Spa & Salon's pad and get the skinny on their mini services. You'll like their chill pedicures, to-the-max massages, foxy haircuts and styles, funky manicures and in-your-face eyebrow shaping. These groovy services start at just $15. Right on! 
P.S. Squawkbox Sound will be there DJing, so make sure to come and say hi to us! :) 

Nine Tips For Choosing Your Ceremony Music

Nine Tips for Choosing Your Ceremony Music

Music is a big part of setting the mood for your wedding ceremony. When choosing those special songs for your walk up the aisle, you want something as special and unique as you are. Ceremony music generally consists of three songs: Attendants’ Processional, Bride’s Processional, and Recessional. Think outside the box when it comes to your ceremony music. Here are nine tips to help you choose the perfect music:

1. Don’t feel “stuck” with traditional. Twenty years ago, every bride chose Trumpet Voluntary, Here Comes The Bride, Canon in D and The Wedding March for their ceremony music. Brides today enjoy customizing their music, and lean more towards ceremony music that fits their personality. If you do want to use the traditional selections, there are many options available. Do you want the piano version, guitar version, harp version or full orchestra version? Look at all the options to make your music special. Go to www.amazon.com and type in “Here Comes The Bride” and see how many different versions come up!
2. Involve your bridal party when choosing their song.  Approach them with four or five songs that you like, and get their input on what song they would prefer to walk up the aisle to. Have them give input on why certain songs might be better than others.
3. Choose a song that has special meaning for your walk up the aisle. Think of what song expresses the feelings you have inside as you are walking up the aisle to be joined with the love of your life.  Instrumental versions of popular songs are easy to find if you don’t want vocals. Popular choices include “Marry Me” by Train, “Me and You” by Kenny Chesney, “I’ll Be” by Edwin McCain and selections by Yiruma.
4. Don’t feel obligated to choose instrumental. Many brides choose to walk up the aisle to a favorite song, and sometimes the vocals add to that special moment. If your special song has words with special meaning, use it to express what you are feeling inside as you walk up the aisle.
5. Turn a popular song into wedding appropriate. Many bands have taken this concept and made a fortune off of it. Vitamin String Quartet is one of those bands. They take popular music like Metallica, U2, Coldplay, Adele, Switchfoot and more and make them sound classical and ceremony-ready.
6. Decide from which outlet you would like your ceremony music to come from.  Do you like the sound of live instruments, or do you want a recorded song played by your DJ over the sound system? Having a close friend or family member sing is also a memorable way to walk up the aisle.
7. Check the guidelines of your venue/church. Many churches have strict guidelines on what music can/cannot be played during a wedding ceremony. Make sure to check with them before getting your heart set on a certain song, only to be told it’s not allowed.
8. What kind of atmosphere/style do you want to portray? Are you a fun couple that enjoys happy, upbeat music? Or do you enjoy classical selections? The type of music you choose for your ceremony should reflect on your personality and relationship.
9. Choose an upbeat and fun song for the Recessional. The Recessional is the song that is played after you kiss as husband and wife, are introduced, and walk back down the aisle to exit the ceremony. Choose a fun and upbeat song to express the joy you are feeling in this moment. Popular choices include “This Will Be An Everlasting Love” by Natalie Cole, “Ever After” by Carrie Underwood, “Marry You” by Bruno Mars, “Lucky” by Jason Mraz and Colbie Caillat, “I Got You” by Thompson Square, “Signed Sealed Delivered” by Stevie Wonder, ”Just The Way You Are” by Bruno Mars, and “Love Story Meets Love Story” by Jon Schmidt.

We are always there to answer your questions and guide you every step of the way when choosing music for your wedding ceremony and reception. Each of our couples receives a wedding planner packet full of helpful information like the article above for choosing their wedding music. We meet with all of our couples in person two to four weeks before their wedding to go over every detail. We realize that a big part of a successful ceremony is making sure everybody can hear what is being say.  A wireless lapel microphone and sound system is always included in our ceremony package.

REMINDER: Set Your Clocks Ahead!

Elvis Playlist - Happy Birthday Elvis

This Sunday is Elvis' birthday! Here is a playlist of Elvis songs to celebrate him!

Happy New Year!

Here's wishing you and your loved ones many great things for 2012!

New Year's Eve Music

If you know of a song that would be great for New Years Eve, email me at squawkboxsound@msn.com and I will add it to the list!

Here is a playlist of songs that are great for a New Years Eve party at home:

Merry Christmas!

We want to wish everybody a very Merry Christmas, and say thank you for all of your support over the last year!

We hope this year brings you all you wished for and more!

Marriage Class

MARRIAGE CLASSES

You can view a full list of our marriage classes in our Marriage and Other Resources section.

January 20, 2012 - Free "Date Your Mate" ClassesYour Recipe for a StrongerMarriage
Enjoy an evening out with your spouse or partner every 3rd Friday from September 2011 through June 2012 at the Riverton Community Center (12830 S. Redwood Rd). Free food, hands-on activities, & tips to help fuel the fire in your marriage.Presented by USU Extension and StrongerMarriage.org