Liebster Award: discoverin' new blogs! nomination...

WOW! I've been bloggin' less than a week and I was surprised to learn that Veronica over at Teaching With Giggles has nominated me for the Liebster Award: discoverin' new blogs!  I'm super thankful and happy about this, but since I'm so new, I had no idea what this even meant.  I had to do a lil' research and this is what I found.  Liebster is a German word, meanin': sweetest, kindest, nicest, dearest, beloved, lovely, kind, pleasant, valued, cute, endearing, and welcome.  Um..WOW again!  Thanks Veronica; you ROCK!  

So what exactly does this mean for me?  

Here are my "rules" for acceptin' this nomination....
1) Link back to the blog that nominated me.
2) Nominate 5-11 blogs with fewer than 200 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 and let them know you nominated them

These are the blogs I nominated...
1) Jennifer at Mrs. Laffin's Laughings
2) Erin at Shenanigans in 6th Math
3) Kelly at A View into My Classroom
4) Lori at Life in Room 24
5) Blair at One Lesson at a Time
6) Jamie at Teaching Tidbits and More with Jamie

These are the questions Veronica asked me...
1) How long have you been teachin'?
Answer: I will be startin' my 16th year this year. I know it's hard to believe since I just turned 21 this year.

2) What is your favorite grade to teach?
Answer: I taught "little" kids for 11 years in K-2.  Now that I'm with the "big" kids, I would have to say anywhere from 3-5.  Since I'm a loopin' teacher, I get to move back and forth from 3rd to 5th and really enjoy watchin' the kids grow and progress.

3) What is your favorite college memory?
Answer: I think my favorite college memory would have to be meetin' so many new people and joinin' a sorority.

4) What is your favorite grade school memory?
Answer: This is a tough one.  I'm havin' a hard time even rememberin' back that far! I would have to say my fondest memories are of my first grade teacher.  She was always so sweet to me and I loved her to pieces.

5) Have you lived in more than one state?
Answer: Yes, I was born in Georgia, but raised in Florida.  I've lived in Florida the rest of the time, includin' my college years.  Sometimes I spend the summers in California with my family and work there.  Does that count as livin' there?

6) What is your dream vacation spot?
Answer: I would really like to go to Italy, Ireland, or Australia.  I've been to England, Scotland and France already.

7) If you were stranded on a deserted island, what would you take?
Answer: Don't laugh...my blanket and pillow.  I can't sleep without them...it's sad really.  I'm attached!

8) Do you prefer hot or cold weather? Why?
Answer: Hot for sure.  I do NOT like the cold...at all!

9) If you won the lottery, what would be the first thing you would buy?
Answer: The first thing I would buy would be a plane ticket to go see my parents.

10) What is your dream car?
Answer: Right now I really want a Toyota Sequoia.  I recently took a road trip in a friend's and fell in love with it.  I'm not sure I could handle the amount of gas it takes though.  I currently drive a tiny little car that doesn't require me to fill up very often.

11) What is something you never leave home without?
Answer: I never leave home without "wet hair".  I'm obsessive about bein' clean and takin' showers.  I take at least 2, if not 3 or 4 showers, a day.

My 11 random facts...
1) Mashed potatoes are my favorite food. If you feed me mashed potatoes you will have made a friend for life.

2) I drink entirely too much Diet Coke.  I am not a morning person, so it's safe to say that it's better for people to keep a safe distance until I've cracked open a can(one lucky student fetches me one every single mornin' when they see me come around the corner).

3) I teach next door to my very best friend.  We have an accordion wall between us and we keep it cracked open pretty far each day(sometimes all the way) because we have separation anxiety when it is closed(we teach different grade levels and collaborate with one another and the students as much as possible).

4) I live with my other best friend who I also teach with.  We watch a lot of Bravo TV shows together and like to gossip about anything and everything under the sun.

5) I'm an only, lonely child and if you can't figure that out in the first five minutes of meetin' me...there is somethin' wrong.  I can entertain myself for hours(even days) without any other human contact.

6) I love to read. You can always find me in a quiet spot readin' an actual book or my Kindle. I have been known to stay up all night because I can't put a book down.

7) I can be VERY grumpy if I haven't gotten enough sleep.  I truly enjoy takin' naps after school and can still go to sleep at night without any problems.  I love summers because I'm a night owl.  My dream job would be to get paid to sleep.

8) I love music! I'm vain and think every song is about ME!

9) I'm the only person in my family that doesn't have a Southern accent.  There are 80+ people on both sides of my family.

10) I can't live without my cell phone.  It is on 24 hours a day and right next to me at all times. I'd probably take it in the shower with me if it were waterproof(probably not what the Life Proof case is intended for).  I don't actually use my phone all the time...it's just nice knowin' I have it there if there is an emergency since my family is so far away.  Okay...I'm lying.  I'm addicted to Candy Crush, so I have to use my phone to play.

11) This is my favorite number.

Questions for my nominees...
1) How long have you been teachin' and what is your absolute favorite grade to teach? (I know that's two questions, but they go together)

2) If you had an opportunity to change one county, state, or national law about teachin', would you change anything?

3) Have you ever thought about teachin' abroad?  If so, where?

4) If you could go on a shoppin' spree for one day and buy anything you wanted(money would be no object), what would you buy?

5) What is your favorite "me time" activity to do?

6) What is one food that you could eat every single day and not get sick of?

7) What is your all time favorite children's book title and why should I read this book?

8) What is one app or piece of technology that you could not live without?

9) If you were in charge of your school for one day, what would you plan for that day?

10) What made you decide to start bloggin'?

11) Mac or PC?

I hope I made Veronica proud; she had some great questions for me.  I got stumped a few times!

I can't wait to see all of my nominees' responses!