Liebster Award....Thank you!!

We are so blessed to be honored with the Liebster Award, not once or twice, but THREE times...wow! Thanks for the honor.  We were nominated by Danielle at Carolina Teacher , Amber at School is a Happy Place, and Karen at Adventures with Firsties.

And the rules are:
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 by commenting on their blog or sending them an email to communicate the nomination. 

I (Em) will answer the questions from Karen.
1. Why did you start blogging?
 I started blogging because I was taking many ideas from Pinterest and other bloggers.  I wanted to make sure that I "gave back" and shared my ideas too!
2. What is your favorite cereal?
My all-time favorite cereal has always been Cinnamon Life.  But chocolate Chex is coming in a close second.  I can't buy either one of them because they are like candy to me :)
3. What is your favorite subject to teach?
This question is tricky.  In the past, I would always answer Reading.  But now that we are departmentalized and I get to move around and co-teach Reading, Math, and Writing.  They have all become my favorites, just in different ways.
4. If you were an animal, which one would you be?
Hmmm...I would like to say a manatee because they are calm and seem so peaceful.  But if you actually took my real personality and made it into an animal I would probably be some kind of monkey or something.  Kind of high-energy, anxious animal.
5. What is the smallest class size you've had? The biggest?
I think one year I was down to about 12!  That was nice.  Highest class size has probably been 24.
6. What is your favorite snack?
It is chocolate...always chocolate.
7.  What is your dream vacation?
I would love to go to Europe somewhere. Italy, Paris, Switzerland, Ireland...doesn't matter.  I'll go.
8. Why did you decide to teach?
I have always felt like this question was hard for me to answer.  I can't pinpoint some defining moment when I decided to be a teacher.  I just kind of always did.  I had two younger sisters and was always in the big sister role of teaching and showing.  It is what I did naturally and can't imagine not doing it!
9. What is your favorite movie?
"Say Anything" is one of my favorites!  But I am truly a sucker for any romantic comedy.
10. What is your favorite hobby?
Is making stuff a hobby?  If so...it is my favorite!  It could be making dinner, a new baked good (with chocolate, of course), an activity for school, or sewing a skirt.  I just love the end product.
11. Do you have any pets?
Nope!  No pets.  Two little preschoolers is plenty for me :)

11 random things about me (Em)
I live next door to my parents.
Kale is one of my favorite vegetables and I think I could eat spinach for every meal.
My favorite color is green.
I choose to wear glasses instead of contacts.
Yesterday I won a radio contest...a digital camera and VIP tickets the Bunbury Music Festival.  I never win anything!!
I only have white bath towels.
I have only been out of the country for 24 hours and that was to Toronto, Canada.  It was one of my favorite trips.
I wore mascara for the first time when I was 26.
I married my high school sweetheart and it will be 10 years of marriage in August.
I named my daughter after a character in a movie and my other daughter is named after a girl on television.
My favorite shoes are still Chucks.  I have been wearing them since high school.

 11 random things about me (Maria)
I love to put Doritoes, bbq chips, or Cheetos on my sandwiches.  (like ham or turkey)
I love polka dots.
I bought my own bike when I was 18 with my graduation money and I still have it (and ride it every so often). :)
I still wear my retainer at night even though I got my braces off like... a18 years ago.  OMG!
I have 5 sisters and 1 brother. 
I got one name from each Grandma.
I have fractured the same foot twice.
Apples are my favorite fruit, especially Honey Crisp.
I used to NEVER eat anything GREEN.  So.. I'm up to salad, green beans... yeah.. that's about it.  :)
I LOVE Ketchup!
I used to swim on the summer swim team.  We were called the Barracudas.  :)

I (Maria) will answer Danielle's questions.
1. What is your favorite thing about blogging? My favorite thing about blogging has been all the amazing people we have met from all over the country.  :)  I also like giving away free stuff.  Makes me feel good. 
2. If you could meet one famous person, living or dead, who would it be?  hmmmm.....  I don't have a good answer for this.  There are quite a few I'd like to meet. 
3. What is the best concert you've ever been to?  Before being a mommy, I went to quite a few concerts, but the best was JoDee Messina.  My friend and I sat close enough to be in the confetti and it was AWESOME!!!  Rascal Flatts opened for her.  That was before they were famous.  :)
4. What grades have you taught? What is your favorite grade to teach?  I have taught 3rd (my first job as a long-term sub), second and first.  First is BY FAR my favorite to teach!!!  Love our firsties. 
5.  What is the best holiday or celebration to have at school?  I'm bad... parties make me cringe, want to call in sick, throw up super tired.  However, this year we have a Fancy Nancy Tea Party and that was my ABSOLUTE favorite!
6. What is your favorite book for adults?  Is there such a thing?  My girls and I are reading Heaven is for Real. 
7. What is your favorite children's book?  Anything by Mo Willems!!!!! 
8. If you were not a teacher, what would you do?  When I was younger I wanted to be a paramedic, so I probably would have been that or a nurse, but in my old age, I really want to be a baby rocker!  :) 
9. What is your least favorite part of teaching?  hmm..... parents. 
10. What is the best teaching advice you've ever gotten?  Be fair and consistent. 
11. Who was your favorite teacher and why? My favorite elementary teacher was Mrs. Miller.  She taught 2nd grade and I'm not sure why but I remember the most about her.  She had brown curly hair and LOVED bears.  We also did a senses experiment and she gave me an Oreo (I don't like chocolate).  I remember wanting to throw up in the classroom, but she rushed me out to the bathroom.  :)

I (Maria) will also answer questions from Amber.

1.  Why did you start bogging?  We started blogging because we had been blogstalking for a LONG time and thought we had some great things to share with everyone.  :)

2.  If you could learn to do anything, what would it be?  I would really LOVE to learn to speak Spanish, just haven't done it yet.  I would also LOVE to learn how to sew (my mom and sister are amazing at it) and cook (most of my family can cook.  I can play sports! :) )

3.  What story does your family always tell about you?  This is a good one.  Let's see....  Probably stories about mine and my oldest sister's 80's hair.  I can still tease with the best of them! :)

4.  What is your favorite song?  My all time favorite song is Ice Ice Baby. Takes me back to trips to my Aunt Mary's farm.

5.  What is your favorite outdoor activity?  Going running or watching my girls play at the park, Kings Island, or the Zoo.

6.  You have a ten minute speech to give at a high school, what is it about?  Raising a child is A LOT more work than you think it is so WAIT A LOOOONNNNGGG TIME!

7.  Where do you like to vacation?  The BEACH for sure! :)

8.  What is one goal you have made for yourself this year?  Make more meaningful charts.

9.  Do you have a pet(s)?  If so, what type do you have?  No pets.

10.  Are you married?  Do you have children?  Yes to both.  Three brown-eyed girls.

11.  What do you "know now" that you wish you "knew then"?  I wish I would have known how exhausting parenting would be.  I would have taken more naps.

     
Blogs we are nominating:
Leslie from Tally Tales
Kelly from I'm Not Your Grandpa, I'm Your Teacher
Heather from Berry Sweet Teaching Treats
Sarah from A Sunny Day in First Grade
Britney from Tailor-Made Teaching

Questions for our blogging friends above:
1. What is your favorite summer activity?
2. What is one of the coolest things you have ever done?
3. What is something that you have learned today?
4. What is one of your favorite habits that you have?
5. Would you rather live in the country or a city?  Why?
6. What is your favorite color?
7. How is your classroom decorated?
8. What is your favorite thing to read: newspaper, magazine, websites, books, other?
9. What is your favorite type of ice cream?
10.  What's your favorite summer meal?
11.  Burger or Hot Dog?

Thanks for sticking with us through this long post! :)