Happy Friday Brainiacs! Can you believe it is the last Friday of the month? Wow! Time is flying by fast while you're having fun!! Speaking of fun, let's say hi to my wonderful hosts who are full of FUN: 

These ladies have been wonderful additions to #AskAwayFriday and always have great posts that everyone enjoys to read! 

Also, make sure you stop by and grab our brand new #AskAwayFriday button...

<div align="center">
<a href="http://rhocc.blogspot.com" title="The Real Housewife of Caroline County"><img src="http://i808.photobucket.com/albums/zz4/pennychevalley/aafjoint_zps10cb59ff.jpg" alt="The Real Housewife of Caroline County" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

Also, a shameless plug while I remember...myself, along with Dean from Mrs. AOK - A Work In Progress, Courtney from What's Up With The Wilhelm's and Amanda from Buckiddo are hosting a Holiday Nail Polish Swap & GIVEAWAY!!  Please click the link picture below for the rules, prizes and how to enter!!


 Without further adieu let's kick off Week 12 of #AskAwayFriday!!!

This week I am swapping my questions with Jennifer from Pink When!  Her site is awesome and full of DIY, recipes and so many creative things!  I can't lie...I'm a little jealous of her craftiness because I'm definitely not a crafter but I like knowing there are people out there who can pull these things off...that's 1/2 the reason I'm so obsessed with Etsy haha

1.  Where are you sitting right now as you create this post?  Show us a picture.  I'm sitting on my couch watching TV and writing.  Nothing fancy here :)


2.  If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?  Probably Austraila...something about it just seems so awesome!  It's legit the other side of the world but so similar in some aspects to the U.S. plus the Great Barrier Reef just looks so incredibly beautiful!

3.  Along the lines of the last question, if you could do anything you wanted in the world, what would you do and why?  See the Aurora Borealis...there are these little underground hotels in Finland with glass roofs that are in the shapes of domes so you can truly sleep under the stars and the amazing Northern Lights!


4.  How often do you take time for yourself, and when you do, what do you do for yourself?  I'm REALLY LUCKY...I have an amazing husband who is beyond willing to host "daddy daycare" so that I can go out, even if it is to run errands.  Any alone time I get for me is usually something beauty related, hair cut or nail appointments.  I do occasionally escape just to go to Chipotle and enjoy a quiet meal too.

5.  If there was one celebrity you could smack across the back of the head, make them sit down, and straighten up, who would it be and why?  Most of the ones I pay attention to seem to have gotten their acts together, Mariah Carey has straightened up, Britney Spears got her act together and even now Christina Aguilera is on the up and up.   Miley Cyrus seems to be the newest target and Lady Gaga is always and option but I think we need to remember that these people are PAID ENTERTAINERS...they make a lot of money to do the things they do and trust me A LOT of what they do is planned and staged.  Plus if they straighten up what's the fun in that?  We all need a little crazy in the world!

6.  What's for dinner tonight?  Home cooked or delivery? Share a pic.  Home cooked.  I try to cook at home as much as possible.  My husband enjoys my cooking and I've found recently that my kids will try more foods if I make them over a restaurant.  Tonight I made cilantro lime rice, almond crusted flounder and lobster cakes.  I can honestly say the lobster cakes weren't that good but the flounder sure was!!


7.  What is one of the coolest things you've done or experienced that not many people know about you?  Most things I've experienced I've shared but recently my husband and I were in Alaska for our vacation we saw whales not 30 feet from us and then there was horseback riding through the countryside of Alaska, I mean you talk about pretty!!!

8.  Dump your purse out on the table or floor and snap a pic of what's inside!  What is a must have purse item you always carry?  Considering that my "purse" is a diaper bag I'll just show that...I know it's so boring but it's the life of a mom with two kids that are 1 & 2 years old.  I definitely can't leave the house without my wallet, phone or keys but an essential I have to have in my bag just for me is some sort of chap stick or lip balm...I have super dry lips! 


9.  If there was one household chore that you could live without (you HATE it), which one would it be and why?  BATHROOMS! I hate doing the bathrooms.  First, they are gross, 2nd it seems like as soon as I clean it, it's dirty again.  My husband will cut his hair or toothpaste ends up BACK in the sink...ugh I just hate bathroom duty!

10.  What are you (if you are) or your family dressing up as for Halloween?  Take a picture and share if you can.  Since we had Savannah's 1st birthday and it was cowgirl themed we will probably dress them up like that again.  With Hannah being 2 and Savannah being 1 they really don't understand it...heck I'm tempted to just put them in their Halloween pajamas and take them out, that's more of a costume...next year we will probably spend the money or make costumes for them when they can both understand Halloween a little more.

I'm so happy that Jennifer and I were able to exchange questions and you have to head on over to her blog to check out her answers to my questions!   Like always all the links below are filled with questions and answers from your favorite bloggers...pop in and get to know more about them!!

Did you know there's actually a book with this title, ironically my husband owns it...he ordered it with some other books about baptism and marriage awhile ago, I personally am not very religious so I decided to not peak into this book before writing this post.  I believe marriage means a number of different things to each individual, it is rare (for me at least) that I've met two people who have exactly the same views on marriage.

Some view marriage as a contract, a binding agreement that holds them to another person, usually I've found that people with this thought process aren't usually supportive of marriage or say "it's not for me", some view marriage an ultimate goal to reach, we often know them as the girls who will do just about anything to get their boyfriend to marry them, or you have some who value marriage and understand it's limits.

I actually fall into the later group.  As a product of divorced parents and knowing they were married once before going through their own divorce, my thoughts on marriage have always been if I'm doing it I'm doing it once, that's it!  So when David and I found out we were having Hannah and the topic of marriage came up I was thrilled to know we were on the same page when it came to marriage.

Marriage means...Compromise.  This is big in our house, we aren't going to agree on absolutely everything, that's just reality so we always try to find a middle ground.

Marriage means...Support.  We support each other through everything.  I'll be honest there were A LOT of people who didn't think that our marriage would work or last near as long as it has but through support from one another we make it through each and every day.  Whether David has a rough day at work or I have one of my frequent emotional breakdowns we strive to always be there for the other one and support each other, as David says "I always have your back, even if your wrong, doesn't mean I won't let you know it later but I will always fight for you and with you".

Marriage mean...Intimacy.  Let's be honest...no marriage will work without it.  This has actually be a rough one in our marriage since Savannah, I can be honest and admit that but it's 100% on my end and due to my PPA (Post-Partum Anxiety) because of the medication I take it's killed my sex drive but we are getting there slowly but surely!  The old saying is true "if you won't do it someone else will" and that's always in my head.

Marriage means...Commitment.  Like I said before when David and I got married it was for LIFE! No get of jail free cards, no negotiations, no take backs.  We both believe that the only real get out of marriage card is cheating but we both strongly believe that there are a MILLION other options out there before we go there.  We have spent too much time building our life together to just throw it away.

Marriage means...Happiness.  Finally, I can tell you that I married my best friend.  There isn't a moment in the day that I don't think of him or want to talk to him or be around him.  When he's at work I miss him.  I once told a good friend who objected to my marriage that "I am 98% happy every single day, that's better than a crap ton of other people I know", how can you not be happy for me in that statement?  The 2% usually involves the kids driving me nuts. Not many people can say that they are that happy and content in their lives and that's something we take pride in.

David jokes that between 60 years old and 61 years old I need to "put him down" out of his misery, he really doesn't want to get old so if I only have another 29 years with him I intend to make them the best of our lives being together, being in love and raising our girls and watching them grow...I hope to get to be one of those couples who is together for 40+ or even 50 years...I idolize those couples and they are always the cutest at Cracker Barrell on Saturday mornings!!

Share some of your tips for marriage with me.  What does marriage mean to you? How do you and your significant other make it work?  Any tricks of the trade for those married longer than 3 years?

A couple months ago Mrs. AOK - A Work in Progress hosted a nail polish swap on her blog and I was lucky enough to be apart of it!  I exchanged with a wonderful partner, got a great polish and met some really great ladies!  Recently, we started talking about doing another one...so we bring you the Holiday Nail Polish Swap & Giveaway!  This is perfect for this time of year, everyone is in the mood of giving and celebrating and what gal doesn't love getting a little present in the mail?  In addition to hosting the polish swap there will also be a Giveaway with 3 winners!!  The prizes are pretty awesome so stay tuned!

MEET YOUR HOSTS

It is that time again to meander on in for another fantastic week of This Momma's Meandering Mondays 17! We all welcome you to join us for another amazing Monday full of fabulous fun!!

<a href="http://thismommasramblings.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1308.photobucket.com/albums/s608/ssgannett/ThisMommasMeanderingMondays_zps5366bef9.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo ThisMommasMeanderingMondays_zps5366bef9.jpg"/></a>
Join me in welcoming back Jessica from The Wondering Brain and Natasha from Epic Mommy Adventures my two amazing cohorts in fun! As well as our amazing co-hosts for October...Ophelia from Latina Mama Rama, Penny from The Real Housewife of Caroline County, Sara from Sweet Silly Sara, and Michelle from A Dish Of Daily Life! Stop in and give each of these wonderful women a warm and happy hello! “I'm a Gen Xer and work full time as a Special Projects Person for a university. I am also a full time mommy to 2 boys, ages 19 and 2. To top it off, I am also a full time Doctoral Learner for the University of Phoenix. I started writing this blog in January 2013 because I was suffering from writer's block in school. I like challenging myself in whatever I do. I figured if I held myself accountable for writing, why not display all my crazy thoughts out to the public? Thus, The Wondering Brain was born!”

"I am the author and editor of Epic Mommy Adventures, Natasha is a 30-year old single, working mommy and graduate student. She enjoys blogging about her entertaining adventures with her 2-year old son and all of the things that motherhood brings. She has an ongoing series on her blog, What's For Lunch Mommy, focused on simple and healthy meal choices for toddlers. Visit Epic Mommy Adventures for good laughs, giveaways, recipes, and so much more!”
"Latina, wife, mama of 2 boys. Love food & coffee, clean freak. Always on the go jumping from one thing to another. LatinaMamaRama is a lifestyle blog where family, food and culture is discussed."

"I'm a mom to 2 beautiful girls, one toddler and one infant, I'm married to their handsome daddy and so in love with my little family. I'm using this place to post about our lives, our loves and our adventures. This is a way for me to share all that's important to me, my kids and my family and includes motherhood tips, beauty and all things that make my world go round and round in this crazy world we call LIFE!"

"She's sweet, she's silly, she's Sara! The Sweet Silly Sara blog focuses on brutally honest moments in the life of a mommy and a wife and living the dream in hues of green."
"I’m Michelle, the head writer and editor in chief at A Dish of Daily Life! A soccer mom with 3 kids, married to my college sweetheart for over 20 years. I work from home, offering my clients solutions to their social media marketing needs. Having also worked in the photo organizing industry for years and being an avid photographer, I have a passion for people and their stories. I often write about photo related topics on my blog. If I’m not taking pictures or driving kids to practice, you can often find me on Twitter!" Now it is time to introduce our favorite This Momma's Meanderer's from last week, and boy oh boy it was a difficult choice! Don't forget to grab your "I Was Featured" badge of honor!
<a href="http://thismommasramblings.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1308.photobucket.com/albums/s608/ssgannett/MondayHopBadgeFeatured_zpsdfc0f08f.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo MondayHopBadgeFeatured_zpsdfc0f08f.jpg"/></a>
Natasha's favorite post came from Judy H-J's Thoughts with the post Do You Know The Guinep? Saying, "Judy took me way back into my childhood! I loved guineps as a child, growing up on St. Croix. We would pick them and eat them all afternoon. This is probably one of the only reasons I miss not being in St. Croix (other than family, of course). Great post!"

Ophelia's favorite came from My Personal Accent with the post Dollar Craft Halloween Wreath. Saying, "What a great idea and it is so adorable. Dollar store items vary from store to store and you can personalize it to your interest. Definitely will try it soon!"
Penny's favorite came from One Tipsy Chick with the post Flatter Yourself Part 1 - Accessories. Saying, "I'm starting to rock statement necklaces and it's nice to know which one works best with the neckline of the sweater or shirt I'm wearing!!"
Sara's favorite came from New Mama Diaries with the post Cloth Diapering - Is It Worth It? Saying, "I have 2 children in diapers and I use both cloth and disposable. I can relate to the blogger about the expenses and the wonder of if the extra work of cloth is really worth the savings in the long run but the reduction of your carbon footprint is definitely worth the upfront expense of using cloth."
Michelle's favorite also came from One Tipsy Chick with the post Flatter Yourself Part 1 - Accessories. Saying, "Especially the section on choosing necklaces for different necklines! I love things that take the guesswork out of it! This was really helpful!"
My favorite came from Barbie, Bieber and Beyond with the post Dating Your Daughter. "I also truly didn't really care whether I had a boy or a girl, but I absolutely dreamed of having at least A little girl and was thrilled when my dream came true. Not that I don't love my boys just as much, but the special things that I share with lil miss are amazing...tea parties, beauty days, tucking her in and chatting just like school girls should, an absolute dream come true!"

<a href="http://thismommasramblings.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1308.photobucket.com/albums/s608/ssgannett/MondayHopBadgeFeatured_zpsdfc0f08f.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo MondayHopBadgeFeatured_zpsdfc0f08f.jpg"/></a>
Thank you to all of you who joined us last week! Now for two completely amazing and fabulous giveaways! First we have a fabulous group giveaway that is being sponsored by several of the wonderful ladies from each of the three blog hops...My Favorite Posts Show Off Weekend Blog Party, This Momma's Meandering Mondays, and Turn It Up Tuesdays! [gallery type="square" ids="1341,1513,1413"] a Rafflecopter giveaway
For our next giveaway, we have Natasha who is celebrating a totally momentous achievement in her blogging career by gaining 1000 followers on both Facebook and Twitter and for this reason she is having this fabulous giveaway! Offering some amazing prizes including an iPad mini and a $50 iTunes gift card, as well as several other awesome prizes. And don't forget to stop by and congratulate Natasha on her amazing achievement! a Rafflecopter giveaway Remember everyone enjoys a little comment love! Feel free to "meander" by some fellow bloggers and find a new recipe to make for the family, a helpful blogging tip, a funny story to read, and best of all a new friend to make! There are really no rules to follow, only some suggestions to keep in mind...because we are all to enjoy the friendships that come along by doing these few simple and wonderful things... 1. Link up your favorite story, recipe, photo, or helpful tip. 2. Please follow our Host's and Co-host's 3. Find some new friends to follow, friendships are what it's all about! 4. Be sure to leave some comment love, to get it in return. 5. Grab our badge and display on your blog, sharing the love is what it's all about. Meander through the links and make some new friends, find some amazing and useful tips, and maybe even a new treat to try!
<a href="http://thismommasramblings.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1308.photobucket.com/albums/s608/ssgannett/ThisMommasMeanderingMondays_zps5366bef9.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo ThisMommasMeanderingMondays_zps5366bef9.jpg"/></a>
Are you interested in co-hosting This Momma's Meandering Mondays? If so, please drop me a line at ssgannett@gmail.com. I would love to have you along for the ride! You can also check out my sponsor page for more info. This Momma's Meandering Mondays, now offers more ways to link up all of your favorite sites, so that we have more opportunity to Meander around and share the love! So happy Linking everyone! Blog Link Up: Facebook Link Up: Twitter Link Up: