Liebster Award

Yay! Someone is reading my ramblings!  Amy from The Teacher Next Door, all the way from Japan, nominated me for a Liebster Award.  And by nominated, I mean, I get it.  So cool.  So, thanks Amy!  I so enjoyed reading her blog and her questions from her nomination.  Head over there right now and become her newest follower.  

So what is a Liebster Award?  Well, Leibster is German for "sweet, darling, beloved," and is an award given to new bloggers with less than 200 followers.  These are the rules:
1.  Link back to the blog that nominated you.
2.  Nominate 5-11 blogs with less than 200 followers.
3.  Answer the questions posted by the 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 inform them of their nomination.

Here are Amy's questions for me:

1.  What is your favorite thing to do unrelated to school?

I love to cook, although I don't get to do it as much as I want.  It's a matter of time, folks.  I come home from work, tired, and end up throwing chicken, a baked potato, and veggie on a plate and calling it dinner.  I wish I could peruse the Food Network and recreate some fabulous dinners, but I just don't have time (or the energy) to do it regularly.  My aunt is an excellent cook and she and I have whipped up great meals together.  All of them include A LOT of garlic, because that's just what we do.  I also love to design flowers.  My mom owns a local flower shop and I literally grew up in a cardboard box in the workroom.  It must be in my blood, because I love taking flowers and making them into a stunning design.  I work there over the summers, not really for the money, but just for a chance to dive in and "play".

2.  How did you come up with the name of your blog?

You know, that was the hardest part! I literally sat looking at the screen, and nothing.  I couldn't think of anything.  Everyone has these adorable names for their blogs so it's hard to come up with one that is original.  I chose Ramblings because it's what I do... I ramble.  I thought it was fitting.

3.  Where did you go to college?  Why did you choose that school?

I went to Messiah College in Grantham, PA.  It's outside of Harrisburg and is a liberal arts Christian college.  I chose it because I wanted to go far away from home (not really, 6 hours from CT) and a couple of my good friends attended and absolutely loved it.  I also wanted the experience of going to a Christian school because I had gone to public my whole life.  It was a great experience  and I met my best girl friends there.  It's hard to believe that it's been 7 years since I graduated. Man, how time flies!

4. What is the wildest thing that has happened to you while teaching?

Hmm..this is a tough one.  I think there are more funny moments than wildest, like when I had one of my fifth graders flail like a seal and shuffle (like a seal walks...dragging the feet and using the fins) around the room during instruction.  That was weird.  Her mother was mortified.  And then there's always a point in a year when one student (usually a boy) farts, loudly, and tries to cover it up while all the girls giggle and turn 130423 shades of red.  He acts like he didn't do it.  And I have to pretend to get something at my desk because I have to laugh :)  Or a bee flies in the window on a hot day and I have to refrain the students from calling 911 and reporting an emergency and making a mass exodus.  There's always unpredictable moments each day, which makes it interesting and exciting. 

5.  What are you the most scared of?

Spiders.  It sounds so cliche ( I need that little accenty thing over the e) but I really can't stand them! I can be brave and smush the little ones, but when they are hairy and jumpy and have big teeth (ok...exaggeration) forget it.  I call in the reinforcements (my hubby).  I vacuum them up sometimes, but I have to leave the vacuum running for a good 10 minutes afterwards, just in case.

6.  If you were not a teacher, what would you be?

Good question! I would probably have been a florist.  It comes easy to me and I can see design in my mind. It's the business part that I would have had to go to school for.  I can't see myself having a job that I would have to be planted behind a desk.  I need to walk around and cubicle living is just not for me.

7. Have you ever lived in or visited another country?

Paris, France

  

Yes! I lived in England for 3 months while I was in college.  I studied abroad and went to the University of Gloucestershire in Cheltenham, England.  It's 2 hours west of London.  I met some GREAT friends there, and I still keep in touch with them through Facebook.  It's nice to know if I go to Wales, Italy, or England I have someone to put me up.  While I lived there we visited Scotland, Rome, Paris, Wales, Stonehenge, and others. It was one of my favorite life experiences to date.  

Vatican City, Rome

The Tower Bridge, London

8.  Do you have a nickname? How did you get it? (OR, how did your parents choose your name?

Well, I don't really have a nickname.  I am usually just Kristin, or sometimes Kris.  My roommates in college called me Klip because my initials at the time were KLP, but it's not really that exciting.  

9.  What is your favorite thing to teach and why?

I have my Masters in Reading and Language Arts.  However, I found that I love teaching math more!  It's structured, predictable, and I find it's "easier" to teach math.  I like the way it builds off previous teaching and I love how far the students come from September to June.  Not that reading is horrible- I do enjoy it - but I'd have to pick math.  

10.  What is your least favorite thing to teach and why? 

Spelling. Or the moon.  Ugh.. I dread it every year (and every year I have to re-teach myself about revolution and rotation and the phases of the moon.  It's year 5 though... I think the review session will be moderately quick).  

11.  What is your favorite story to read aloud to your class?

Usually, I read all different books each year.  Some of my absolute favorites are:

Some of them are for curriculum (Blood on the River) and some I love because they are series (Harry and Indian) and they usually "take off" with my students and they finish the entire series.  If you haven't read Wonder, GET IT NOW! It was fabulous and it sparked such amazing discussion with my fifth graders.  It hits on bullying and hot topics, and we fell in love with the characters.  We might have all had had misty eyes at points too.  Definitely put that one on your reading list.

Random facts about me:

1.  Like Amy, I too played trombone in the high school marching band.

2.  I can whistle through my tongue.

3.  I have two fabulous nieces, Gracie and Hannah (5, 8) who I adore and spoil them rotten.

4.  I just got a new puppy, Callie (you might have seen this post) and I have learned to function on less sleep in the past 2 weeks.

5.  I love tacos.

6.  I am an only child.

7.  I got tenured this year! Woot woot!

8.  We just bought a new house and are busy fixing it up and making it "ours".

9.  I met my husband at church and dated 3 months before we became engaged. It was a whirlwind, and we will celebrate 5 years of marriage this October.

10.  I'm tiny.  Only 5'1". Good things come in small packages. :)

My nominees:

1.  Julie at The Teaching Bug

2.  Sarah at The Eager Teacher

3.  The Meek Moose

4.  Searching for Teacher Balance

5.  Jungle Learners

Questions:

1.  What made you start blogging?
2.  Favorite all time movie?
3.  What is your favorite food/thing to cook?
4.  What book are you in the middle of, or what have you recently finished reading?
5.  Ultimate destination vacation?
6.  Best thing about your job? Worst?
7.  What is playing on your iPod right now?
8.  Do you have any pets/what are they?
9.  What was one of your funniest classroom moments?
10.  Coffee, tea, or neither?  What gets you movin' in the morning?
11.  In your school, what are you best known for?  

Have fun!

Oh, and if you haven't followed these nominees already, what are you waiting for!?