Liebster Award

Thanks to First Grade Carousel and Resource Room Rules for nominating me for a Liebster Award.  This award is given by other bloggers to new bloggers with less than 200 followers.  It is meant to help spread the word about new blogs ☺.  I started my blog in August and have been really enjoying posting about my classroom.  I especially love seeing other people's great ideas (and using them in my classroom!) and hearing back from readers who have benefitted from my posts/resources.  

This is kind of chain-letterish...but also kind of fun to learn more about other bloggers!

The rules are:
1.  Post 11 random things about yourself.
2.  Answer the questions the nominator set for you.
3.  Create 11 questions for your nominees.
4.  Choose 11 other blogs with fewer than 200 followers to nominate and link them to your post.
5.  Leave a comment on this post if you were nominated so I can learn more about you and see who you nominate.


11 Random Things about me:
1.   I am getting married (destination wedding!) this spring!
2.  I love cheezits!
3.  I love trying out new restaurants with friends and family.
4.  I don't have any family in my state (sad).  But this lends itself to a lot of traveling (happy)!
5.  I am a huge UW-Badgers fan (definitely influenced by my fiancee).  Football and Basketball are my favorites!
6.  I am ALWAYS cold!  (Well maybe not in my sweltering hot classroom in August, but you get my drift).  People always ask how I can be from MN and always be so cold!
7.  I have an addiction to flip-flops.  Once it is warm enough to wear them in the Spring, I will wear them every day until the middle of Fall (at that point, I become obsessed with boots!)
8.  I play beach volleyball in a league (recreational...I'm not very good!) every summer.
9.  I love dogs (sorry cat people)...I can't wait until I live in a place with a yard (or at least not a high-rise building) so I can get one of my own!
10.  I love being lazy (watching TV, taking naps, surfing Pinterest) but rarely have time to do so.
11.  I love working with kids with autism.  I can talk about it and learn about it all day!  Love my grad school program to become a BCBA (board certified behavior analyst) where I get to learn things one day and try them out in my classroom the next!

First Grade Carousel Questions:
1.  What is your favorite thing about blogging?  
I love hearing back from people who find my ideas useful.  It makes me realize people are actually reading what I'm writing and inspires me to blog more!

2.  What is your favorite place to vacation? 
Anywhere warm!  I love beachy vacations as well as exploring vacations.  

3.  What is your favorite children's book?
The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch

4.  What do you like to do when you are not working on things for your classroom?
I love to go out to eat!  And love to go on long walks around my city (to work off some of my dinners out!)

5.  If you could spend time with anyone- who would you like to meet and why?
The Beatles...I would love to be serenaded.

6.  What food could you not do without?
Anything that involves cheese.

7. Tell a bit about your best day ever as an educator.
Probably every time a parent tells me they are seeing progress in their child at home.  I love when skills are generalized from school to home!

8. What would you like to have more time for during the school day?
One-on-one instruction.  I feel like I never get to spend enough time with each kid!

9. What scares you most?
Someone close to me getting hurt, sick, or dying.

10.  What is your favorite holiday or time of the year?
Thanksgiving (no stress...just eating and relaxing).

11.  What do you tend to buy too much of?
Starbucks Lattes...I seriously need to quit!

Resource Room Rules Questions:
1.  How long have you been blogging?
3 months.  It feels like it has been longer.

2.  Why did you start your blog?
To have a place to keep track of and share ideas with others.

3.  Where and what do you teach?
Chicago, Special Education--kids with autism (3-4 grade).

4.  What is your favorite food?
Cheese, cheezits, and ice cream (love dairy!).

5.  What is your favorite television show?
Right now...Revenge.

6.  What do you do when you are not teaching or blogging?
Grad school, exercise, cook new recipes, and happy hour!

7.  Last good book you read?
The Hunger Games Series

8.  Last good movie you saw?
I just rented Rain Man on Netflix a couple weeks ago.

9.  Last memorable vacation?
Just got back from a cruise...unfortunately it is memorable in a not so positive way (the room still feels like it is swaying!)

10.  Where have you traveled?
New Zealand, Europe, Mexico, Canada, Hawaii.

11.  Favorite time of year?
SUMMER!!

Here are my nominations:
1.  Bilingual Scrapbook
2. Breezy Special Ed
3.  Cheers to School
4.  Miss Alison's Class
5.  Learning Ahoy!
6. Mrs. H's Resource Room
7.  Ms. Angela and Some Amazing Kiddos
8. Special Teacher For Special Kids
9. Teaching Special Kids
10. The Lower Elementary Cottage
11.  Wicked Fun in First Grade

And last, but not least, here are my questions!  
1.  How long have you been blogging?
2.  What is your favorite part about blogging?
3.  What/Where do you teach?  
4.  What is one thing you couldn't live without in your classroom?

5. Where is your favorite place to buy teaching clothes?
6.  What is your favorite topic or unit to teach?
7.  Where is your favorite place to shop for school supplies/materials?

8. What is the best gift you ever received?
9.  What is the best gift you ever gave?
10.  What is your favorite recipe/thing to cook?  
11.  What is your favorite song right now?

Whew!  That was quite a long post!