with my dad's mom just after I was born...on the screened in porch

I'm going to slightly cheat on this one and pick the screened in porch off my childhood home.  I'm probably one of the few who has a parent still living in their childhood home, my mom still resides in mine.  My parents built the house I was raised in just before I was born, it's beautiful 3 bedroom, 2 bath, 2 level home in a family friendly neighborhood on a fairly quite street...the largest perk of this home is that there is a large open field across the street that can't have anything built on it so we never had any neighbors across the street which made it prime play area for me and friends, even my old community cheer leading practices were done there.  These days we use the screen in porch for lunches or dinners at my mom's house, a place to lay around and let the kids play so they can be inside but outside at the same time.

my dad and me...on the screened in porch

But when I was younger it served a similar purpose, family would come to visit and we would congregate on the screened in porch, many naps, meals and laughs were had in this room attached to our house.  One of my favorite pictures of my dad and I was taken on that porch and most of my 1st baby moments were captured there, my 1st birthday was on the porch as well.  As I grew up it was a quiet place to do my homework or just hang out with a friend after school.  My first break up happened on that porch, my graduation party from high school (I barely made it but I did!) was filled with cake and lots of cards filled with money...I can honestly say I have the most memories on that screened in porch.

with my dad's dad just after I was born while my mom and aunt watched...on the screened in porch

I know one day my mom will move and the house will be gone but I will always have those memories on that porch and maybe, just maybe some little girl will get to live all those memories likes I did there

Okay, so I'm an idiot (by my own admission!) I totally asked two bloggers by accident to do this weeks #AskAwayFriday and they both said yes...so instead of putting someone off to the side I decided to do 5 questions with each blogger!

Below are the first set of question from Sarah with Lomholt Family, Sarah resides in Iowa and she's just a super sweet gal and so glad she accepted my invitation.  Here are my 5 questions from Sarah:

1.  What is your best advice for new moms?  I addressed this one in a previous post from Week 10 of 52 Weeks of Blogging with a Purpose, it's definitely to take all the help you can get!  If someone offers to help feed the baby or do laundry or cook or well just anything, take the help!  If you don't you'll be wishing you had.

2.  Is there anywhere in the world you want to go that you haven't been to?  Well I would say Alaska but the hubby and I are headed there next week.  I would probably say somewhere like Bora Bora, I mean that place just looks amazing in pictures and anyone who's been there only ever has wonderful things to say, so I'll go with Bora Bora!

3.  What is your greatest accomplishment?  I think most moms would probably say their children and while they are one of my greatest accomplishments I would probably say my relationship/marriage with my husband...because without him I wouldn't have these 2 beautiful baby girls!

4.  What is your biggest fear?  Again, I think all moms or even just wives would say leaving their family behind.  I hate thinking of something happening to me and my hubby and girls being left without me.  Recently we've been planning and writing a will and that's really made me reflect on how much it scares me to be away from them.

5.  How did you and your husband meet?  Ironically (well maybe not) we met online through Craigslist.  I know, I know...insert gasps here.  But let's be honest A LOT of relationships start online now and we are one of the few success stories and I'm happy we are!

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Now onto Blogger #2 which is Nick from Dad with A Blog...someone last week stole my idea of using a guy so I'm copying them haha...here are my 5 questions that I got from Nick:

1. What was your favorite Halloween costume as a kid?  To be honest I don't really remember any of them, I know I did the whole ghost with a white sheet one year but the only other one I remember is dressing up as Elvira from the show but I was more a teenager for that one.

2.  If you were able to design your own house what would it be like?  We currently live in a ranch style house so something ranch style but maybe in a square shape with the middle open full of flowers with the interior walls done in glass so you can see the garden...it would definitely have a wrap around porch with a lot of land!

3.  Rubik's Cube or Scrabble (word games or puzzle games)?  I'd say word games, we actually really like Scrabble...I'm also big into Monopoly even though that wasn't an option.

4.  What is one saying you use all the time (maybe too much)?  My husband would probably say it's when I start a statement with "I hate to say it but..." he hates when I say that and says I use it way too much!  That and I have the mouth of a sailor but I'm trying to tame it down with the kids learning more words now.

5.  What is your favorite thing to shop for online, whether you buy it or not?  Hmmm...good question...I would say it's probably a camera as of recently...I really want to invest in a great DSLR camera but just can't bring myself to do it.  I think for Christmas I'm going to ask for just Best Buy gift cards so that I can actually get one!

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I really appreciate both Sarah and Nick joining me on this weeks #AskAwayFriday and like always below are the links to all the others who are joining us!  Please check out everyone of these awesome people, they really are great and it's so fun to learn a little more about the people you read from everyday!  If you can try to follow them on Twitter as well as everyone who links below is very active on Twitter and have become an awesome support for me and my blog!

Have you ever been walking through a store or just out and about, saw a woman alone and thought..."she's a mom"...how would you know what a mom looks like?  Is it the same way that my husband describes sometimes seeing a man in a restaurant obviously out with his family and just looks miserable so we think "oh, that's a dad"?


Being a mom looks like...staying in your pajamas until nap time just so you can get a shower with enough time to wash and dry your hair just to probably go back into your closer and put on pajamas or at your dressiest yoga pants and a t-shirt/tank top and should you be lucky enough to plan to get out of the house actually putting on a tiny bit of make up to look presentable to the outside world.


 Being a mom looks like...a diaper bag full of everything your kids could possibly need.  From formula, bottles, pacifiers, squeezable food pouches, diapers, wipes, changing pad, at least 2 extra sets of clothes per kid and toys to occupy them...

Being a mom looks like...applying band-aids, administering baby Tylenol and kisses for every boo boo when they fall, those Neosporin commercials are visually perfect at lying to you, your child won't be cool, calm and collected as you try to do these things, it's often met with another type of fight from your child.  But when you ask them "is it all better" and they wimper "yeah" you know you did your job.

  
Being a mom looks like...smiles when they first see you after waking up in the morning or from naps, the light in their eyes for you is enough to melt your heart or if you are ever away for a short period, even a trip to the grocery store how you are met with the biggest of hugs and excitement when you enter through the door.


Being a mom looks like...Elmo or Baby Genius on the TV all day, every day, whether used as a tool to drown out other noise or as a calming technique to keep them calm or just to sit still for a minute.

Being a mom looks like...you have the weight of the world on your shoulders because some days you do.  Some days it's a lot of pressure, raising a family and children to become the amazing adults we hope they will be is not an easy task.  Our job as moms is not just to raise our children but be a maid, cook, nurse, diaper changer (sanitation engineer as I call it) and an all over domestic goddess.


Being a mom looks like...SUPERMOM at the small little successes you get everyday, whether it's your child learning a new sign language word so she can communicate with her grandfather who's deaf, a new tooth coming in or actually using the potty when they tell you they need to, you can't help but have your heart jump at those moments of pride where you know you've done your job properly.

I was honestly going to do this about discipline and how it works in our home but I felt that was better for a different day.  It took some thinking but these are definitely just a couple of the things I said I would never do as a mom/parent that have happened...



1. I said I wouldn’t use a pacifier. After all, pacifiers are a bad habit and can mess up children’s teeth. It’s a crutch. It’s a cop out. It’s… LIFE SAVER!!! With Hannah I didn't have to use one, she honestly had no interest in it at all but Savannah wanted/needed it since Day 1 and now that she's just turned 10 months it's still really constant.  However, I have noticed recently more and more that she can be without it, she will spit it out and just crawl around, the only time she absolutely must have it is when sleeping.  I do have intentions of taking it away around her 1st birthday or at least starting to wean her from it.

2. No junk food. I failed at this the first time that I realized french fries from McDonald's were the easiest way to keep Hannah quiet on a road trip to see the grandparents.  It's not something that she gets all the time or even close to that but on the rare occasion that we know we are going to be in the car for long periods of time we do make a pit stop for those little salty devils.

3. I wouldn't rush time. Some days I find myself thinking or saying "I can't wait until you are older so I can be done with the baby stuff" but then I'll be in tears the next moment that some new milestone has happened and my "baby" is growing up too fast.  I try not to count the months or days until the next "birthday" or "month day" as I call them but I always find myself thinking "Wow, she's going to be 26 months or 10 1/2 months" so while sometimes I want it to rush by I mostly want to hit pause and keep them just the way they are.

4. I would always have all my attention on my child and never have my nose in a phone. Then I became a stay-at-home mom and I get it. My phone is my outlet into the world.  It's my direct line to my husband who is my never ending support on rough days and it houses my mobile blogging and Twitter/Facebook accounts which are my life lines to my family and friends.  I do catch myself being overindulgent in it from time to time and have to check myself but the second I hear the girls laughing or having a good moment I put it down because being in those moments with them is the best thing ever and I'd rather have that 1 minute of joy when them than 1 minute trying to capture it on Instagram to share with the world.

What are some things you said you would never do as a parent that you've caught yourself in?

I never expected that I'd actually be blogging this long, much less be good enough at it that a local magazine would want to feature my blog on it's online portal...I mean how cool?  I'm definitely flattered! 

My blog with Fredericksburg Parent and Family Magazine will be some different content than what I do on here (that's what they would like anyways), so I'm thinking more DIY and stuff on that blog with the occasional copy from this personal blog.

Please go check out my first post with them...An Introduction: The Real Housewife of Caroline County.

Above all that I just want to say thank you to any and all of you that have been supporting me whether personal family and friends or my mommy blogger community that I'm building friendships with.  It means a lot to me that you all come by, read what I have to say and even care about it and me.  I'm definitely feeling blessed!

xoxo
Penny

Time Manipulation...


There are many days that I wish I had a fast forward button, just to push through the laundry, cleaning the house or even a cranky baby, this is also followed by days that I could hit slow motion...moments like watching David and the girls play that are just so adorable it warms my heart.  But there are days I wish I had a rewind button, that I could go back to places I've been before and live those moments again, like days at my grandparents old farm just riding on the John Deere with my Grandpa.

I think everyone wishes they had more time, we all say "I just need an extra hour" or "I wish I had a pause button", the reality of that would be a very cool thought but I think it would get scary.  What if you just shut everything off, hit pause or fast forwarded through a milestone of life?  Like any super power this one especially would have to be looked after with extreme care because it could easily get out of hand.

Personally, I want FAST FORWARD for changing dirty diapers, doing laundry, cooking, cleaning and basically anything that's a "chore".  I want SLOW MOTION to enjoy the beautiful moments in being a wife and mom, all those days at the pool or play ground, even just rolling around on the floor at home, just to have a few more seconds to take those in would be amazing.  PAUSE, I'd only use in extreme conditions, like the kids are screaming and driving me nuts and I need a 2 minute break to clear my head and adjust or even be able to pause before Hannah runs to the street or I burn the biscuits.  REWIND to visit old memories. 

I don't think I'd ever hit STOP, that means my life would stop and I love my life, I don't ever have thoughts of leaving it or wanting to, it's me, it's who I am, it's everything that I love and every piece of me. 

Time manipulation...yup, that's one cool super power!

I'm really excited about this new venture, I'm working with Growing Up Madison, Pink Candy & Stilettos and Me and My Mini Me on a fun and interactive way to join mom bloggers and their kids together!

So my idea was a Mom & Tot Box Swap, this means that once every quarter (our first box will be in September) each mom and toddler will receive a box from another mom and toddler with all sorts of goodies in it for them.  For example in September Morgan and Hannah will be box swapping, so both mom and toddler will put together any items within our budget ($40) for just toddler or mom and toddler.  Items can range from educational items to books, arts and crafts to clothing/accessories, food can even be included if it's perishable and will ship well.  If each mom wants to include an item(s) for each other as long as it falls into the budget that's totally fine too.

Another twist on this to help fit into the budget is if you have anything laying around, a old baby shower gift or a birthday gift you never used or something along those lines you can include it and it won't go towards your budget (handy for moms like me who get products that sometimes I end up not liking/using). 

I thought this would be a fun way to each out to the moms that I know through blogging and Twitter, we can get to know each other through these boxes and our kids get presents at the same time...very cool! 

The only condition of the box swap is that we blog about what we received in our box...the good, the bad, the not wanted. 

I'm already prepping and getting things ready for our first box to Morgan! We're very excited and hope that he and mom enjoy what's inside...we especially look forward to their post on what they received and how they are liking it.

If you are interested in joining in on this definitely let me know...we do need equal amounts of moms to do this (2, 4, 6, 8...etc) so that everyone receives a box but I think this is going to be a fun project even if it only happens once!!! Stay tuned for our post on what we get and I will also be linking all the other ladies posts once they have them as well!

Recently I found out that From Mrs. to Mama was hosting a link up on her 52 Weeks of Blogging with a Purpose, this week’s purpose is If I Could Turn Back Time. This was an interesting one to me because I often try to not thing “well, what if?” or “should I have gone right instead of left?” I think it leaves a negative essence around yourself and your actions.

I had a family member who once told me “Trust in Life, Trust in Love, neither can lead you astray”, and I truly believe that, I don’t know how I feel about destiny or fate but I believe things happen for a reason, even if it’s to teach you lesson to never do it again. We’ve all been at forks in the road many times in our lives and maybe now and again we’ve taken the wrong way but I don’t think there’s been many if any times I’ve said “I should have gone right, not left”.

I don’t know there’s much I’d want to do over because for the most part I’m 95% happy with where my life is today, sure there are things I would tweak with my family, friends and miscellaneous but I don’t know too many people that are half as content in their life as I am. Plus, all of those moments, even the ones I might regret have brought me to where I am and made me who I am today.  

If I could turn back time…I wouldn’t have wasted time with my jerk ex-boyfriend off and on for almost 7 years, I would have told myself, “you deserve better, and better is out there” and left and moved on. But from that relationship I learned what I will and won’t stand for in my relationship with my now husband and it’s definitely made me a stronger wife to him because I now have a backbone and we make decisions as partners not sole individuals.

If I could turn back time…I would have taken that college money and instead of buying a brand new car and pimping out all my friends with new outfits or taking them to fancy dinners I would have actually invested it or bought a house earlier in life or maybe even gone to college to get my degree.

If I could turn back time…I wish my husband and I would have had more relationship time before having our kids. I love my girls with all my heart but some days I wish that instead of the first few years of our relationship and marriage being 100% about babies it could have been about us and really taking the time to invest in each other.

If I could turn back time…I would probably take back something’s I’ve said and done to those that are important or play an important role in my life. Words can’t be taken back, they hurt forever and sometimes we don’t think before we speak (I’m exceptionally good at this), you never realize how fast it flies out of your mouth and how quickly as soon as it came out you wish it never was even a thought in your head for your mouth to speak!

If I could turn back time…I’d treasure those moments with those people I now know that I’ve lost in my life. I’d be there 30 minutes earlier to catch Courtland before he committed suicide, I’d spend more time with my grandparents on both sides, I’d hug friends a little tighter before they got on a motorcycle and crashed and even more than that I’d wish I had the chance with all of them to say goodbye, to have closure, to know they are okay in where they are going and that they really are looking over me.

No one knows how life is going to turn out, and no matter how much money, fame or material things you have we all make mistakes and take that right instead of left in life, the true test is how you move forward from that decision and try to make it the most positive that it can be for your future. These are definitely lessons I will teach my girls and I know that one day I will have to let them learn the hard way on some things like I did but I know that they will eventually look back and say I’m happy mom let me learn instead of keeping me in a bubble.

1. Link back to the blog that nominated me
2. Nominate 5-11 blogs that have less than 200 followers
3. Answer all questions posted by the nominator
4. Share 11 random facts about myself
5. Create 11 questions for my nominees
6. Contact my nominees and let them know I nominated them

Now here are 11 random facts about me: