I have been nominated for the Liebster Award by
Christine Haggerty. Thanks for the nomination and your sweet comment!! I miss teaching with you!! Hopefully I can answer all the questions...but mostly come up with ones for people to answer...
The Liebster Award is intended to recognize up-and-coming blogs, particularly those with fewer than 200 followers. Here are the Liebster Blog Award Rules:
1. Each person must post 11 things about themselves.
2. Answer the questions that the tagger has set for you plus create 11 questions for the people you’ve tagged to answer.
3. Choose 11 people and link them in your post.
4. Go to their page and tell them.
5. No tag backs!
So here comes 11 things about me...
1. I am the oldest of five...three sisters and a brother.
2. I married my husband Brian four and a half years ago.
3. I have so far split my life in thirds. I was born in the Washington D.C. and moved when I was nine to St. Louis where I lived until I was 18 and then I moved to Utah for school and then stayed. So if I stay here for another two years I will be exactly thirds. Hmm...does that mean I should move in two years?
4. The funny thing about all of that moving is that I have gone from a big city, a bit smaller city, to a smaller city, to a rural town....so maybe if I move it will be to even smaller?
5. I have always dreamed about being an author...though I haven't ever gotten very far. I wrote "books" when I was younger but since I got older I got out of the game. Maybe one day I'll get back to it.
6. I have always wanted to be a teacher since I was like five.
7. I am a bit of a home-body, but I like being social--so I'm weird like that. I will usually go hang out if asked and someone else sets up but I am bad about just "going out" on my own.
8. I love to knit...it helps me to unwind....ha ha pun not intended realized it after I wrote it :)
9. The thing that makes my Wal-mart trips super expensive is the $5 movies that I buy. I own A LOT of movies because of it.
10. I love chocolate...but if there are treats around the house I might not eat them because I forget they are there---don't ask me why I can't explain it.
11. I love organization and cleanliness but sometimes I really just can't get motivated to do it...so my house is usually a disaster!
So here's the questions Christine asked....
1. What was your favorite cartoon as a kid?
I did not actually watch traditional cartoons as a kid. My mom was a firm believer in PBS so I didn't watch the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle/Power Ranger type things. I really liked Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego as a little kid even though I think it went way over my head.
2. If you could choose a genetic mutation, what would it be?
I would love to be able to teleport. It would be nice to just go to and from places without having to travel for a long time.
3. When you were a kid, what name was it you wished your parents had given you instead of the name they actually gave you?
Hmm...I didn't really want a different name so much as to not do the Kimberly/Kim thing because my mom hated it when people shortened it and she would bug me about it--as I got older I started to really care and I'm grateful for it.
4. What's your favorite word in conversation?
Behoove!! I love using it with my students too because they go "OOH what's that mean!"
5. Mountains or ocean?
Mountains
6. What is the one decoration in your house that you absolutely hate but can't get rid of because of some sentimental obligation?
Um...my house is not completely decorated so what I have decorated with probably isn't sentimental. But there are a few things of Brian's that I really don't like...but they are sentimental to him. Like this really weird green face ceramic piggy bank he made...I can't even describe it--its just weird.
7. Would you rather have a job naming paint colors, or naming cars?
Honestly I would probably hate both because I don't think I'm that creative and I probably wouldn't care enough....but I think it might be better with paint. I would do a lot of alliterations.
8. Big screen or live theater?
I love both!! Don't make me pick!
9. What is it you'd love to do for a date that you don't think anybody you ever took out would want to do?
Go to a bookstore (specifically Barnes and Noble), wander around, pick a random book to read, get a Strawberries and Cream frappuccino, and sit in the cafe and read. I've done the drink and wander with Brian but I don't think he could really pick a book to just read randomly in a store.
10. What is the worst thing you've ever done as part of your job?
Hmm...I've done a lot of not so fun stuff for my job. I don't like having to tell my boss that he is doing something wrong...I also don't like my schedule (like when I arrive and leave) change a lot.
11. Who was your most influential teacher? What would you say to them now if you could?
Mr. Chambers--my 9th grade U.S. History teacher. He didn't do anything showy and actually he probably wouldn't still be a teacher today because all he did was lecture and do book work. But he was SO smart--he would lecture straight from his head--he would just simply ask someone where we left off last time and then he would just go. He was older...I think he retired about 3 years after I graduated...so I loved it when we got to the time periods he remembered because he would tell us stories from his life. Now I would tell him that I know so much about history because of him and he is part of the reason why I teach it now.
Okay so now I have to pick some people to nominate. 11 people is hard because I don't even have 11 followers...how sad is that! So I'm just going to do people I know who blog and that I follow and see where we get.
1.
Stephanie My sister!! She is a great blogger and has such amazing voice when she blogs...she is part of the reason why I do this.
2.
Diannah A great teacher just trying to survive her first full year as a real teacher...and I think she's doing an awesome job!
3.
Jessie Has an adorable little boy and another baby on the way...she blogs about the life of being a mom and the joys and trials that come with it--she is just a great example. And she's my cousin so I can claim that adorable kid as a psedo-nephew :)
4.
Jess Love this girl...she is a great mom to two awesome boys and she is going to have another one really soon here!
5.
Melissa My other cousin and Jessie's sister....brand new mom!! I bet she is super busy but we'd love an update if you get a chance :)
6.
McPherson Family A shining example of a family to me..when I was choir director the whole family would come--such great support! They are on such an adventure now in Thailand and they usually just do pics so don't feel obligated just know that you're awesome!!
7.
Danny and Holly Danny was one of Brian's best friends in high school and they have stayed friends since. Naturally I became really good friends with Danny and then when he met Holly I was so excited. Like seriously I wish we lived closer together because Holly and I would probably know each other better despite my homebody self--she and I have that instant connection! They haven't posted in a while...so lets see if you'll take this and run with it!
8.
James and Heidi Two awesomely great people...they met our freshman years in college and you could say the rest is history. This is their adoption blog so this might not be appropriate (so no pressure) but I really wanted to nominate them to continue to get the word out for them. They are looking for a child to join their happy home so if you know anyone that is looking send them their way.
9.
The Blacks Jess' best friend in high school was Laura so that's how we met. She is going to have her second baby about the same time as Jess'...so exciting! But she hasn't updated in a while so maybe this will motivate her :)
10.
Means Family Erica and I go back to middle school...and then she got married and we lost contact a bit. We happened to have a class together at BYU and graduate the same day both in history so it was great to have a friend go through those last few months together. Her family is such an inspiration with everything that they've gone through...but we could use an update :)
Dang!! I'm out of people with one left...I'm really tempted to do
Cedar Ridge Academy's blog but I just don't know how we'd do it since I'm often the writer...maybe I'll talk to co-workers...or get the kids to each take a question. Hmm...I'll have to think on that. But there's a kind of 11.
Wow this is like the longest post I've ever done!! So here comes the 11 questions that these guys will need to answer if they play.
1. What is the most exciting/happiest/positive thing that happened to you today?
2. What is the first thing you think about doing when you get done with a long day?
3. What do you wish could change in your life that you have no control over?
4. What food do you crave the most but either can't have at all/often?...like it is something you can't get where you live...or it is just too complicated to make...etc.
5. What are you "addicted" to?
6. Where do you see yourself in a year?
7. How about five years?
8. What are you looking forward to?
9. What do you look back on with fondness?
10. If you could ask a genie for three wishes, what would they be?
11. As a little kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
Well that's it! P.S. If you actually read this whole thing and not scanned it....you're awesome!
Okay I mentioned in my book review of The Host about the movie that was coming out on this book. And with that movie coming out tomorrow, I have had The Host on the brain. So I thought I would do a Character Thursday about my favorite character from the book--Wanderer. I actually had originally thought about doing Wanderer/Mel because I love their relationship--that is what really made the book for me. But if you really read the book-they are two different characters, so maybe a different day.
So as I have mentioned previously I enjoy Grey's Anatomy. I have watched every episode--and many of them more than twice. These more than twice episodes often become the soundtrack while I grade. Yesterday, I watched "The Name of the Game" from Season 2 (Episode 22). In this episode, we meet the celibate Meredith who is knitting to avoid men. Almost toward the end of the episode, Meredith reflects on her hard day to Derek. He asks her, "Are you ok?" She responds, "I have my knitting."
So this weekend, I saw this article from CNN about the 10 things parents and teachers should know about each other. I have talked on here before how parents and teachers should be a team, and that parents shouldn't demand things of teachers--just as teachers shouldn't demand things of parents. And again...these opinions are mine alone, but I wanted to respond to this article.
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