Another Liebster Award!

Well, happy snow day to me! I've been given another Liebster Award! (I also found this super cute Valentine-ish button to use for it!!)

Thanks so much to Sarah over at Chicken Soup for the Autism Teacher's Soul for finding me and nominating/awarding me! YAY! 

The Liebster Award is an award for new blogs. Liebster is a German word that means: BELOVED, CUTE, LOVELY, DEAREST, & WELCOME!

Here are the rules:
To accept the nomination I must:
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 me by my nominator (Sarah)
4. Share 11 random facts about myself
5. Create 11 questions for my nominees
6. Contact my nominees and let them know that I nominated them


Well here we go!  My nominees:





Kristin from Primary Ruled just happens to be one of my WONDERFUL coworkers! She is doing an AMAZING blogging project with her kinder students! You should check it out for sure!
 

I just found Jenna's blog Just Teach and I am looking forward to getting to know it better!

Kristin from This Old Art Room found me a few weeks ago and we connected because we are both NOVA bloggers!


 Angela's blog is REALLY cute and don't you just love the name!! Southern Fried Teachin', how clever!


I found Angela from Missing Tooth Grins via Five for Friday and just love the blog title!


Vilena from Classroom in Paradise is teaching in the Dominican Republic! I'm looking forward to hearing more about her teaching adventures there!

Ladies- I am your newest follower and look forward to getting to know you! Have fun answering my questions (which are below).

Questions from Sarah:
  
1. When did you first realize you were going to be a teacher?
Fourth or Fifth grade! I wanted to be an astronaut (like any kid!!) then switched over to teacher and never went back!
 
2. What got you into blogging?
I have been a blog follower for about 2 years now and got the opportunity to go to Vegas for the I Teach K conference last summer and met a bunch of the bloggers and just had to start one myself!
 
3. How many amazing years of teaching experience do you have?
This is my 6th year teaching! (time flies!)  And yes, I do count 1 year of subbing in with that because I was the best sub ever ;-)
 
4. What is your favorite grade level and subject area to teach?
Kindergarten math.  So much fun! So many different things you can do with it.  Also love science too because the kiddos love doing experiments!
 
5. What is one thing you like most about your school or district?
The FANTASTIC people that I work with!! Seriously love my team!  We are 8 amazing women who love supporting one another and laughing together.
 
6. What are your top 3 must-have teaching supplies that get you through the day?
 Sticky notes (which I use to supplement this forgetful brain of mine...), dry erase markers (I use them ALLLLLL the time), and a BIC Velocity pen.  It took me forever to track them down but I have a stash and will fight you if you accidentally steal one :-)

7.  What is ONE huge thing that you wish legislators knew that could benefit the field of education?
Kindergarten should be FUN! Yes, they can learn LOTS of stuff during the year, but for some of them, reading at a level C is just not developmentally appropriate!  Lets just be happy with where they end up.
 
8. What is the most beneficial professional learning/workshop/conference that you have ever attended?
 I Teach K conference in Las Vegas.  So many amazing teachers sharing wonderful ideas!! I have implemented so many of them this year and haven't looked back.  Amazing!

9. Do you have a top blogger that you love following the best? (If you can't choose just 1, list up to your 5 favorites)
5 favorites?! Maybe I'll just do 2: 
Marsha McGuire from A Differentiated Kindergarten!  So many useful products for differentiating work and wonderful tips on how to get it all working in the classroom which I put into action into my room! Plus she's from Michigan, woot! 
Deedee Wills from Mrs. Will's Kindergarten!  Met her in Vegas- what a caring, thoughtful person and a wonderful teacher!  I link up to her weekly for a Peek at my Week to get and share lesson plan ideas.  She also has great products and an awesome center management system, which I also put into action in my room!

10. What is your favorite technology educational tool (website, app, etc.)? (If you can't choose just 1, list up to 5)
Hmmmmmmmm.  I love using Starfall.com at the beginning of the year and I discovered ABCMouse.com this year thanks to a coworker.  I really like both of them!

11. List one bit of "Chicken Soup" that gets you through when times are tough.
God will never be put through something you cannot handle.  I always remember this on those tough days.  And yes, they still get to me, but I know I will make it through!

11 Random Things About Me:
1. Ice cream is my favorite food

2. I am currently knitting a yellow and gray baby blanket for a coworker and at first I hated it but I am currently LOVING it!

3. I have never really known how to spell gray (grey??).  Are both acceptable??  (I can't spell vacuum either... in fact, I just spelling it wrong again- thank you spell check!)

4. I had 14 conferences yesterday and pretty much no voice.  I don't know how I made it through but this is a very welcome snow day because I can rest my throat!

5. My favorite color is yellow.

6. I would love to have 200 followers so I don't have to fill out this long thing again ;-)

7. I LOVE snow- pretty much obsessed with it! So happy to see it on the ground today!

8. I hate being out of school for planning, meetings, training, testing, etc...  If my kids are there then I want to be with them!

9. I will have my masters degree at the end of summer! Yay!! First in my family, so it feels really good!

10. I am an Olympics nerd! Love watching them!

11. My husband is allergic to peanut butter (one of MANY things he can't eat) so I secretly eat peanut butter toast before he gets home (good thing he gets home late) because there is no way I can give it up!!

Here are my questions for the nominees:
1. What grade do you teach and why do you love it?
2. What is your favorite book to read to your students?
3. Which do you love more: sticky notes, hole puncher, or dry erase markers?
4. What is your drink of choice to get you through the day?
5. Favorite school lunch that your cafeteria serves but you might not actually eat?
6. How long have you been blogging?
7. What is your favorite TPT product?
8. What holiday do you look forward to most during the school year?
9. What do you do with your summers?
10. Do you pick out your school outfit the night before or the day of?
11. What do you wish all your students would know before coming to your class?

I am so looking forward to reading your responses!! Have fun with this and find some new followers :-)