The Mr. & Mrs. Happy Handbook
by Steve Doocy
ISBN 9780060854058

Steve Doocy is a co-anchor for Fox News Channel's Fox and Friends, which I have seen a few times. However, Mom and Dad gave us this book last Christmas and I just got around to reading it. Now, I can't believe I waited so long! Filled with humor, wit, and fabulous insights, this book is a great read for those who have been married a while. I don't know if it would have been as humorous for me if I'd have read it after we just got married...I think I would have blown alot of it off and ignored the advice that comes from it. However, after being married for 10 years, I found myself nodding my head in agreement with much of what he said, and laughing at parts where I could see us doing or saying those things! It's so real!!

Here are a couple of quotes from the book that I found particularly amusing or insightful:

Mrs. Happy's Advice (on dining out with children)

When dining out, keep in mind the waiter's tip is based not on the service, but on the pile of food under your table. If your child threw 25% of his entree on the floor, the tip is 25%. If 50% is on the floor, the tip is 50%. If the floor has received 75% of the food, the tip is 15%, because you'll never be allowed back, so why bother sucking up to the waiter?

(HOW TRUE!!!)

Mr. Happy's final thoughts...

Real life is a mosaic made up of ten gazillion little bits. Each day another piece gets glue on the wall. It's so subtle, so tiny, you don't really see the fullness of the life you've lived until you stop for an archaeological family flashback. ....Many people are so busy that they never take time to pause and look at the arc of their lives. ...My fear is that if somebody never looks back, they'll never see the good stuff. ....Up close, daily life is a blur, but there's an unusual clariy when you look in the rearview mirror.

I hope that you find this book and read through it. Perhaps you will gain some perspective on your own marriage that will help you through the hard days. It was really nice to know that we're not the only weird ones on the block and that other marriages get just as wonky at times as ours does! Enjoy!