Liebster Award!

Wow, I feel so loved!! I'm still visiting family, but I wanted to quickly go ahead and do this. I had six wonderful ladies nominate my blog for the Liebster award AND I surpassed 100 followers! Thank you to Lori at The Reinspired Teacher,  Hilary at Second Grade is Out of This World, Gina at Beach Sand and Lesson Plans, Richie at Ribbons, Recipes, and Rhymes, Michele from Coffee Cups and Lesson Plans, and Caitlyn from Fourth Grade Lemonade!

Here are the rules:

1. You must post 11 random things about yourself.

2. Answer the questions that the nominator set for you.

3. Create 11 questions for the people you nominate.

4. Choose 11 other blogs with fewer than 200 followers to nominate and link them in your post.

5. You cannot “tag back” the other blog, but leave a comment on this post with the URL of your Liebster post so I can learn more about you & see who you nominate.

Alright, so 11 random things about me:

1. I used to be TERRIFIED of dogs. Now I have two 55 pound hounds that I adore!
2. I fought being a teacher for years, but I've always known I wanted to work with kids.
3. My dad is a preacher.
4. I HATE masks. They really creep me out, and I won't step foot near an amusement park in the fall because of them.
5. I love college football and take pride in being pretty knowledgeable about it!
6. Sometimes I choose the other team just to be a pain.
7. I'm the quietest person in my family (they're VERY loud!)
8. I did color guard in high school and actually coached it this year.
9. The only reason I started eating veggies is because Steven told me we couldn't have a baby until I did. I learned to like steamed broccoli and green beans.
10. I have a blonde streak at the bottom of my hair (apparently this is true for lots of redheads)
11. I think Vin Diesel is hideous and have always thought that. Not too much a fan of Chipper Jones either. Sorry if you disagree.

And since it would take me FOREVER to answer all 44 questions, I'm going to do the ones from Lori since she sent it to me first.

1. What is something you've always wanted to do but haven't tried yet? I really want to be in a flash mob. If you live near me and know of one, please let me know! It's on my 30 before 30 list at my personal blog, and I'd love to check it off!

2. If you couldn't be a teacher, what would you choose for your career? I went to college thinking about being a pharmacist, but I remembered how much I hated science. I think I might enjoy

3. What was your very first job? I began working for my church day care helping sweep when I was 15. Then I stayed there and began working with kids from age 17 through the summer after my first year of college. I loved it there!

4. What was the last book you read (personally, not for your class or children)? The Lovely Bones. I'm working on Unglued by Lisa Terkeust right now. Great book!

5. What is your favorite animal? Such a hard choice! I like quite a few for different (albeit random) reasons - moose (only male) and turtles are up there though

6. How long have you been blogging? I started truly blogging back in March of last year at The Dalton Gang. This blog has been up since September!

7. What is your favorite tv show? The Big Bang Theory - I can't get enough of it!

8. What is one item you can't live without? My phone. I think I might be a little addicted...

9. What is your favorite food? So healthy, but chocolate ice cream. Nothing mixed in.

10. Are you an introvert or an extrovert? Extrovert all the way! I can't function when I'm not around other people.

11. Do you play games on the computer? if so, what is your favorite? I don't really. I used to play crossword puzzles and Sudoku when I had more time. Oh, and I did Sorority Life and Mafia Wars for a little while. That was fun!

I had a lot of fun with the questions! Here they are:

1. What's your favorite thing to do in your spare time?
2. Which appliance best represents you and why?
3. If you were on death row, what would you choose as your last meal?
4. What's your favorite Christmas read aloud?
5. Coke or Pepsi?
6. If you had to choose one song as your theme song, what would it be?
7. What famous actor/actress would you have play you in the story of your life?
8. What's your favorite vacation destination?
9. What made you decide you wanted to teach?
10. What do you most want for Christmas?
11. If you could have any dessert every day and not have to worry about calories, what would it be?

It was hard to find 11 bloggers who hadn't already been found, so if I duplicated, I'm sorry!

1. The REAL Teachers of Orange County
2. A Teacher Without a Class
3. Sweeties in Second
4. Sparkling in Third Grade
5. Drowning in Paperclips
6. First Grade in Foxwell Forest
7. I Do, We Do, You Do
8. Lattes and Laughter
9. Little Miss Organized
10. Teaching Little Texans
11. 4th Grade Racers

Finally, Amanda at Teaching Maddeness is having a giveaway! Today is day 6, and there have been so many great prizes already. Go back and enter them all!

And keep your eyes peeled for a giveaway coming soon! I've got to get things organized first, and I won't do that until I'm back home. We leave tomorrow morning. Oh, and if you've tried to download my Christmas literacy centers and are having problems, I'm aware. Unfortunately I can't fix it until I'm home as well. That's my goal for Monday morning. Sorry for the inconvenience!