Honored & Humbled

Today Stephanie at the Polka Dot Palace nominated me for the Liebster Award! I am honored and humbled! I still feel soooo new to blogging compared to those with several hundred or thousand followers! I started blogging a lot just a few months ago and found it was a great platform to share and grow as a professional. 

Just checked my email and Sarah @ A Sunny Day in First Grade nominated me as well. In red at the bottom are Sarah's Questions. 

The Liebster Award is for new blogs. Liebster means beloved, cute, lovely, dearest and welcome! 

Here are my "rules" for accepting this nomination: 

1. Link back to the blog that nominated me.
2. Nominate 5-11 blogs with fewer than 250 followers.
3. Answer the questions posted for you by your nominator.
4. Share 11 random facts about yourself.
5. Create 11 questions for your nominees.
6. Contact your nominees by commenting on their blog or sending them an email to communicate the nomination. 

My Nominations: ((Hugs)) to each of them! Check them out!!! Buttons to the ones I could find! Forgive me if I missed anyone! I tried to include everyone's buttons.   

1. Carolina Teacher

2. Creations by Mrs. Mouse

3. A Teaspoon of Teaching

4. First Grade and Flip Flops

5. Mandelina's Madness

6. Super Sparkly in Second

7. K-3 Connection

8. Confessions of a 3rd Grade Teacher

9. The Benders Bunch
10. The Teaching Twosome

Stephanie's questions for me: 

1. What is your favorite childhood memory? 

Wow! I'd have to say playing in the snow up north. I loveeeeed the snow! I haven't seen it since I was 7. 

2. Tell me about your least favorite teacher in school. 

I didn't like to be sat in the back! So all the ones that sat me in the back which would be about two or three. 

3. What is your dream teaching job? 

My dream teaching job would be at a Parochial School teaching 10-15 students. Any age! But definitely a small class for 3-4 hours. That's about all I'm good for! 

4. Would you every want to be an administrator? Why or why not? If you are an administrator why did you ever become one? 

I absolutely would love to be an administrator. I was an Academic Coach for two years and had an office right next to my Principal. She was amazing! I loved every minute of watching her in action.  


5. What was your first car? 

'81 Dodge Diplomat 


6. What was the last movie you saw in the theater? 

World War Z! My son read it twice and loved it! Because of this, I had a lot of background knowledge and we have been watching the trailers for months! 5 Stars! 

7. If you have kids how did you come up with their names? 

The Bible: Thomas, Luke and Christina


8. Tell me about one of those lessons that just went wrong and just didn't work?  

Technology: When technology fails you have to go back to the dino age of using the board, chart paper and over heads. I have many, many, many lessons that have went wrong! Can't name just one. Ha! 


9. What do you do to relax? 

Look outside! I live over a lake, a dry lake, but nonetheless it serves as a beautiful backdrop over the backyard. Sunsets here are absolutely STUNNING!



10. Most memorable vacation!

Key West! Key West! Key West!!! Loved it! 

11. Are you a Coke or Pepsi person? 

I drink water but if I did drink a carbonated beverage it would be Coke! It's not quite as sweet as Pepsi to me. Not as syrupy! 

11 Random Facts About Myself

1. I listen to all kinds of music on a regular basis from Pink Floyd to Metallica to Salsa to Hip Hop to Indi (Independent Music like Passion Pit) to Classical and Country! I think anything that has a guitar!!! I love music!

2. I love the cartoon Dragon Ball Z! When it comes on I have to sit with the kids in front of the television. The drama, plot, suspense, action and VOCABULARY is not like other cartoons. I love having big kids!!! It's been on and off television for the last 17 years so I think I've seen every episode! 

3. I just bought a new car! I'm an All American Girl and went with a Durango! My car before this had no AC (in Florida), NONE of the windows went down and it leaked--- IN THE CAR--- so when you stepped in the car after a heavy rain not only do your glasses fog up but your feet got wet if you had flats. 
4. I really do have the some of the most well behaved kids in the world! I'm not a new mom either so it's not like I'm still in the honeymoon stage. As a young mom, like really young, I read "To Train Up a Child" and boy did that do wonders! I raised my kids in the light, taught them how to be quiet, humble, work hard and be simple. I lead by example by working hard and staying simple. My advice to all new parents is to teach your children to be quiet! 
5. I got married right out of high school! We are about to celebrate our 17th Wedding Anniversary! Been together for 20 years.
6. Our oldest is going to be a senior in high school! He works on a local farm, as farmhand fixing fences, clearing riding arenas and cleaning stalls and I love every minute of it. Why? Because, he doesn't think housework and chores are a problem any more! Ha!!! 
7. We pray on our knees with the children every night.
8. I read a lot!!! But not ever what everyone else reads. Right now I have a binder with Common Core material I'm reading. I'm a MAJOR nerd and love to learn things to the fullest!!! 
9. I loveeee CHOCOLATE!

10. I don't fold clothes, cook, sew, iron or wash dishes! 
11. My kids, even the 9 year old, cook breakfast and lunch. My husband cooks dinner. I do cook sometimes but not often. I'd rather eat out! The kids wash the dishes, clean bathrooms, vacuum, mop and fold the clothes. My husband folds my clothes, sews and irons EVERYTHING for me! But I still have to clean our bathroom. Ugh! My daughter cleans their bathroom but sometimes there's nothing like Momma's cleaning and I have to help out! Especially if I use their bathroom and things don't look the way it should. :)

Yikes! I feel like I put everything out there! It felt good to get that out! Fun!!! 

Questions for Nominees! 

1. If you could be any animal what would you be and why?
2. Have you read any thing lately? If so, what? Tell a little bit about it. 
3. If you weren't a teacher what would you be? 
4. What is your favorite T.V. Show? 
5. What hobby do you have?
6. What is your favorite store at the mall? 
7. What would be the perfect hours for a school day and why? 
8. If you could go any where in the world where would it be and why? 
9. If you could win any prize what would it be? (Grammy, Oscar, Emmy, Pulitzer, Olympic, Nobel Peace Prize or any other)
10. What is your favorite subject to teach? Why?
11. What is your dream vacation? 

Words can't express how grateful I am to Stephanie @ The Polka Dot Palace for nominating me!!! 

1. Why did you start your blog? To share, learn and grow. 
2. Fav thing to do in free time? Write and research! I love to read and learn!!!
3. Pets? Nope just 3 kids! 
4. If I could live anywhere it would be on a farm or secluded location in Montana or in Alaska. 
5. The last book I read was The Daily Five by The Two Sisters (Again)
6. My favorite subject to teach is phonics. I have fun teaching all the ins and outs of decoding. 
7. Favorite time of the year is summer! I loveee being home!!!
8. If I could have one thing for my classroom would be a class set of iPads. But does that count as one thing. Okay, it needs to be a singular thing then I would say ANOTHER TEACHER!  20 students to 1 teacher without any help is kind of hard because I end up taking everything home since I can't get it done at school because I'm non-stop teaching. 
9. My favorite place to shop is New York and Company. Their tops fit me perfect! Pants not so much! 
10. Summer! Summer! Summer! 
11. Greatest Accomplishment: Being with the same man for 20 years. Not that being a faithful wife is hard--- it's just that since he's a teacher too--- We are ALWAYS together! Can you hear the expression in my voice. 

((Hugs)) to Sarah @ A Sunny Day in First Grade for nominating me! Many, many thank yous!