First Step liebster...Next Step Miss Teaching America!

Ahh!  You wanna hear something crazy? I was nominated for a blogging award!  And, yes friends, I was nominated by one of my dearest teaching friends...but I didn't make her do it! I was so excited to read her blog post here all about the award.  I think it is so cool to connect with more bloggers out there.  We are all so similar, but we each bring our own quirkiness to the blogging world.

Now, of course because we are teachers, there are rules for these nominations!

1. Link back to the blog that nominated you

2. Nominate 5-11 blogs with fewer than 400 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 e-mail to communicate the nomination

Here I go!

My teaching bff Shafer nominated me for this wonderful award.  She is awesome and you would be missing out if you didn't hop on over to Shafer's Shenanigans.  Seriously. Go Now.  And then come back here. 

And the nominees are.....(insert drumroll...please)

-Karen over at An Apple a Day in First Grade She is amazing and I adore her.  I have a very small blog and small following, but every time I write, Karen comments.  And they aren't just hey look at me and my blog comments, they're meaningful.  And I do notice! 

-Ashley over at Sparkling Second I really enjoy her blog and her comments so much! We have been teaching for the same amount of time and she reminds me of myself! 

-Molly at Shining and Sparkling in First Grade.  This girl is my hero because of the AMAZING Houghton Mifflin packets she has put together for every theme!  I have bought them all. Love. Love. Love. 

-Laura at Over the first Grade Rainbow I have grabbed a lot of her language arts centers off of TPT!

-Lora over at http://www.mrswebsterscc.blogspot.com/. I buy her stuff too!

Ok, now to answer the questions Shafer asked!

1. What grade do you teach and how long have you been teaching?

I am a first grade teacher (whoop whoop!) I will be starting my third year of teaching...I can't believe it. 

2. What is the best thing about where you live?

I can't say enough about where I live.  St. Michaels, MD is a place where people come to retire, vacation, and shop.  It is a small waterfront town filled with shops, bed and breakfasts, seafood restaurants and so much more.  I have to say the best thing about it is the fact that pretty much my ENTIRE family lives here. During a 3 mile jog, I pass two of my uncles and usually get beeped at by three other family members. 

3. What is the last book that you read and what are your thoughts about it?

The last book I read was "The Storyteller" by Jodi Picoult.  I adore her anyway.  But this one was one of my favorites!  

4. What technology can you not live without?

I cannot live without my iphone. Seriously...you can do anything on it.

5. What is your favorite healthy treat to eat? How about your favorite guilty pleasure?

My favorite healthy treat would have to be yogurt....maybe this isn't the most healthy, but I love me some yogurt. My favorite guilty pleasure is licking the bowl after baking. 

6. What is your classroom theme this year?

My classroom theme is going to stay the same with the paisley sets I have.  I am adding a new border to my chalkboards, which will be chevron with the same color scheme. 

7. Do you have any pets? What kind? What are their names?

I have my baby dog child Cami.  Cami is a Golden Retriever that I bought from Lancaster, PA the summer before I began teaching.  She is a lap dog in a 60 pound large breed dog body.  She has every ailment under the sun and is super high maintenance, but I would be lost (and a little less covered in dog hair) without her. 

8. What is your favorite thing about teaching?

My favorite thing about teaching is that every day is a new adventure.  I walk into work and I have no idea what the day will bring.  I leave work and say to myself "well, if I had known that was going to happen, I wouldn't have come in today."  I will never be bored in this profession. 

9. Do you have any special talents?

I can dislocate both of my shoulders. Kind of gross. Also...I can change the lyrics to any song to fit your needs.  I kid you not. 

Example:

-During our safety unit I changed Taylor Swift's song to "We will never ever ever talk to strangers" with all new verses. 

-For our school Christmas concert I rewrote the words from "Call Me Maybe" to "Presents Maybe" and performed it with other teachers in front of 1000 parents and students. 

10. Where did you go on your last vacation?

My last vacation took me to Rochester, NY to stay with my best friend, her husband and her brand new baby boy!

11. If you could choose any career (other than education), what would it be?

I would move to Florida and be Belle at Disney World.  

11 Random Facts! 

1. My middle name is Paige. 

2. I lOVE Hanson. 

3. My sister is Korean. 

4. I HATE pickles. 

5. I run like Pheobe from friends. 

6. I can cook a mean meatloaf. 

7. I have to read every night before I go to bed. 

8. Jesus is my rock. 

9. I hate to be alone...I scare easily! 

10. I can usually make anyone laugh. 

11. My favorite tv show is The Cosby Show. 

Now for your questions!

1. What grade do you teach and how long have you been teaching?

2. What is the most challenging thing about being a teacher?

3. Why did you start blogging?

4. What is the best thing about your family?

5. Where is your favorite place to go to buy things for your classroom?

6. What is your favorite book to read to your class?

7. What is your drink of choice during the school day...coffee, water, soda?

8. Do you have, or are you getting, your Masters?  If so, in what?

9. What is the last movie you went to see?

10. Do you exercise?  If so, what do you do?

11. What is the best thing you have ever purchased or downloaded from TPT?

WHEEEW that was a lot of typing, but so worth it!  I can't wait to look around and see who else was nominated and meet some new blogger friends!