liebster!

Kaitlyn at Third Time's A Charm nominated me for a Liebster Award!

This award is for bloggers who are new to the game and trying to grow their readership!  I have to answer the 11 questions from Kaitlyn, and then nominate 11 blogs of my choice that have less than 200 followers!

1. Why and how long ago did you start blogging? I started this blog twice, actually. Once in 2012 as a project for one of my classes in college, and then I picked it back up again in June of 2013 right before I began my first year of teaching! I started blogging because I'd always gotten such fantastic ideas from the real teachers and wanted to be a part of this beautiful, giant professional learning community!

2. What one word sums up the heart of your blog and why? Honest. I am secretly terrified that someone I know in real life reads this baby because it is really more like a journal for me.

3. Is there something you learned late in your blog journey you wished you knew before? Hmm... I feel like I am still pretty early in my blog journey... but I wish I'd known that I could pay someone a fairly nominal fee to make it look nice! (: I am also about to start focusing in on learning how to take decent pictures, so that will probably be something I look back and wish I'd known earlier! 

4. What is your favorite past time other than blogging? Ugh, I'm not so awesome at "favorite" questions. My answer is always different... So here are a few of my faves: I coach swimming a couple days a week, which is fun! I like to binge-watch series on Netflix with my main squeeze. I really like to read, but I am one of those obsessive readers (think like the way you watch a stereotypical 13 year old boy with an xbox... that is me with a good book) so I have to save reading for pleasure for Thanksgiving, Christmas, summer... I want to make exercise a favorite pastime, but I am still working on finding enough time to fit more than walking the dog in!

5. How many hours per week do you dedicate to your blog? Yikes. Maybe like 2? More in the summer, but I haven't reached that point in my career where I have a ton of down time!

6. What category of blog posts do you enjoy the most? I totally have to agree with Kaitlyn on this one- I like real-life, nitty-gritty, nobody's-perfect blog posts that share highs and lows so I can feel like it is ok not to be a Pinterest-perfect teacher. However, for quick reads, I also like EASY, healthy recipes and wish list-y kind of posts!

7. Where does your blog inspiration come from? Initially, it came from all of the big names Abby Mullins, Farley, Cara Caroll, etc. While I still L.O.V.E to read the hilarious and inspiring things those chickadees write, I am trying to find my own voice and be more inspired by my life and my students!

8. Which post that you've written are you most proud of? Oh man. My most popular posts come from my how to interview series...  But I think I'm most proud of this post because I pretty much just let it all hang out and it showed the side of teaching that isn't always so fun.
   
9. Is there any post you have been planning to do, but have postponing it for a while now? I have been planning to do more writing about the focus I've put on a healthy lifestyle this year and how I make it work with teaching... but often lesson plans and life are calling Five for Friday is a much easier way to brain-dump! #oops

10. What is your favorite aspect of blogging? Um, I swear Kaitlyn literally took the words out of my mouth. I am literally going to quote her, because there is no way to even paraphrase my thoughts better "I find it very cathartic, even writing posts that I might never publish. I feel that I express myself much better in writing than I do verbally, so sometimes typing something out helps me talk about it better with others in person." I am the kind of person that will type out notes on my iPhone before a conversation about a sticky-issue before opening my mouth... I would ALWAYS rather send an e-mail or text than call... Not because I am rude, but because I am much more eloquent when writing! Side note- Kaitlyn, I feel like we may be having one of those blogger Step-Brothers moments...

11. Which recipe, project, or idea on my blog would you be most likely to try yourself?  I really want to try to make the White Chicken Chili recipe... Sounds like a great fall Saturday "cheat meal" (: I am also really excited to get my TPT store up and moving (one day!) with all of your awesome detailed tutorials! I started some this summer, but I am going to do a better job narrowing in next summer!

My Liebster Nominees:

Charley's Classroom

Courtney @ Miss Crafty Teacher

Mrs. R @ Fourth Grade Fizz
Krissy @ Krissy's Kindergarten
Kristin @ My Carolina Classroom
Jennifer @ Stories and Songs in Second
Jennifer @ Teaching With Grace
Sheri @ The Early Years With Sheri
Northern Mama from the South
Paige @ Paiges of Learning
Sarah @ Run Teach Save

Some of y'all are blogs I follow... Some are great Currently finds... and some follow me! Can't wait to learn more about you! (:

Now that you've been nominated, here are the "official" rules for accepting:
1. In your post, link back to the blogger who nominated you as a thank you and "shout out."
2. Answer the 11 questions given to you (the ones I answered above).
3. Nominate 11 blogs of your choice that each have less than 200 followers. Provide them with 11 questions to answer or have them answer the questions above.
4. Let your nominees know that they've been nominated and provide them with a link to your post so that they can accept.
5. Send your nominator a link to your post so that s/he can learn more about you as well! (You can just put your post link in the comments below!)

Y'all have fun! (: