Thursday was not my friend until....

Today did not go as planned. Luckily I am quick to adapt and nothing but flexible, big requirements for a Special Ed Teacher. With all that being said I will not be posting about the Common Core like I previously had planned. I will have it up this weekend  along with a freebie though. I decided to take the night off and spend some time with the husband and then I got the sweetest email from Kristy over at The Phonic Phenomenon and she has nominated me for a Liebster award.

(Head over to Kristy's blog and check it out. She has wonderful ideas and I have really enjoyed reading her posts after I found her blog in a linky party.)

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

I thought I would hop on and accept since it was so kind of Kristy to nominate me.

Here are the rules of accepting the nomination-
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 you by your nominator
4. Share 11 random facts about yourself
5. Create 11 questions for your nominees
6. Contact your nominees and let them know you nominated them

In the last couple of weeks I have gotten the chance to come across some wonderful new blogs. Not all of the blogs I am nominating are brand new brand new, but I think they deserve some recognition. I am excited to nominate the following blogs:

First up is Chicken Soup for the Autism Teacher's Soul. Sarah has a very cute blog and has been blogging for a while, but she is new to me :) I love finding new Special Ed blogs to follow.

Next up is I Think I Can... I Think I Can... Valerie is the sweetest and was one of the first people to link up to my blog once I finally started blogging on it. She is just starting her blog and just got a job teaching as a Resource Room Specialist.

Oh Happy Day is another great blog that I have come across. She has great ideas and I love her goal setting board. Again Oh Happy Day has been blogging for a while but it is a new blog to me and one that I think is worth highlighting.

Lovely Little Learners is the next blog I am nominating. Her blog is too cute for words. She has great ideas and I am loving seeing all her vacation pictures she has been posting.

My Life as a Literacy Coach is my final nomination. Kathi is one part of Hello Two Peas in a Pod (I love their work). She just recently started her own blog and I am excited to learn from her.

Now to Kristy's questions-

1. What is your guilty pleasure?
I would have to say I am totally guilty of watching some horrible TV. It is my mindless activity and normally is back ground noise while I work on stuff for school. I am actually watching The Challenge Rivals II (Real Worlds/Road Rules/MTV) as I am typing this with my husband. I can't help but watch the train wreck that is these people and this show. It does make me feel old because I don't know who half the people on it are any more.

2. What is your favorite technology toy and why?
I would probably have to say an iPad, because it has so many uses. There are very few things you can't do with one.


3. What is your MUST have for the upcoming school year?
I would have to say right now that it is Scentos. I feel like I have turned into a smelly marker hoarder. My husband would tell you I have a problem. My kiddos love them and are willing to do anything if they get a chance to use them. It is a really easy motivator.

4. What is your favorite APP and why?
I would have to say that one of my favorite apps for school is Puppet Pals. My students love making up stories on it. They can illustrate themselves or use the pictures they give you. Students record themselves telling the story and act it out as they go. They have a free version that I highly suggest checking out.

5. What is your favorite subject to teach?
I am not sure that I have a favorite subject to teach. I have recently really enjoyed teaching reading. My kiddos have made such progress and I love seeing that light bulb go off.

6. Are you a glass half full and a glass half empty person? Explain.
I would have to say most of the time I am half full. I do have my days where I can be negative or be down, but I can always see the bright side or find something good in the situation or in any person. I think in my job it is so important to always be able to see the positive and have that half full attitude.

7. What is your favorite TPT product created by someone else?
This is a hard one. I am not sure I can pick just one, there are just too many that I love.

8. Why do you blog?
When I started my blog I wanted to be part of the community and there weren't many Special Education Blogs that I could find. I am happy to see that community has grown. I am hoping to be a resource and also learn from others. I think it also challenges me to be a better teacher and gives me a chance to reflect.

9. What is your best organizational tip?
Keep it simple. Make sure you put an organizational system together that works for you. It is hard to stay organized if the system you put in place is a lot of work and you can't keep it up.

10. Do you have a favorite TV program? If so what is it?
Favorite TV show, that one is also a hard one. I would say I have three shows that I watch pretty religiously, Big Bang Theory, How I Met Your Mother, and Scandal.

11. What inspires you?
There are so many things that inspire me. I have been very lucky having a wonderful group of people that surround me and support me, they all inspire me.The teaching community that I have found in the blogging world inspire me every day. It makes my heart happy that there are so many wonderful teachers out there making a difference. I would have to say that the kids and the families I have worked with over my career are really what inspire me the most everyday. They push me to be a better person and teacher everyday.

11 Random Facts About Me:

1. I love photography. I like to photograph really random things and trash often seems to a subject of my photography.

2. Before my husband I was very against owning apple products. I don't know what I was thinking. It started with an iPad, which led to an iPhone, then a Macbook Pro and a iMac. It is all we have in our house now.

3. I hate tuna! I have never tried it, but am convinced that I wouldn't like it just because I can't stand the smell of it. I know it makes no sense.

4. I love Anthropologie. It hands down is my favorite store. I even registered for our wedding there.

5. My children's book collection is a little out of control. At last count I had over 450 of them and it keeps growing.

6. I love blankets. I am very particular about them, they must be soft and cozy. I don't sleep well if I don't have the one I currently have.

7. Dahlias and Peonies are my favorite flowers.

8. Sharpies and Post-its are two of my favorite things in life

9. I am kind of a night owl and it makes it really hard to wake up early.

10. I would have to say that teal is my favorite color.

11. I love vintage furniture shopping and old houses.

I am the worst at thinking of things about me and questions to ask others. Here goes nothing, my 11 Questions:

1. What was the first teacher blog that you read/followed?

2. What is your favorite lesson to teach your students?

3. What are your top 5 school supplies?

4. Favorite 3 classroom apps (if any)?

5. If you have a TPT store what is your favorite product of yours? If not what is your favorite product you have found?

6. What has been your biggest challenge as a teacher?

7. Funniest thing you have had happen while teaching?

8. If you could have anything for your classroom what would it be?

9. Favorite "Professional Development"/teacher book?

10. Favorite picture book?

11. What is one thing on your bucket list you want to complete before summer is over?

Head over and check out all these wonderful blogs and I can't wait to read everyone's responses.