Liebster Award (Part One!)

Kellee and I are thrilled to be nominated by Holly and Elizabeth for the Liebster Award! Because we are fortunate to have been nominated by two bloggers, we have decided to split Holly’s and Elizabeth’s questions into two days. I am taking Part One today, and Ricki will take Part Two tomorrow. Thank you, Holly and Elizabeth. We are honored!

The rules:

1. List 11 Facts about yourself. 
2. Answer the 11 questions put forward by whoever nominated you. 
3. Ask 11 new questions to 5+ bloggers. They must have less than 200 followers on Bloglovin’ (or their preferred method). You cannot re-nominate the blog that nominated you.  (Kellee and I don’t currently use a system to track followers, so we think we fit this rule.)
4. Go to their blogs and inform them that they have been nominated!

 11 Facts about Me:

1. I have almost 2700 different titles in my classroom library.

2. I have been a Chicago Cubs fan since 1989 though I didn’t visit Wrigley Field for the first time until 2009.

3. I have had the same favorite book for 20 years: The Giver.

4. My first word was kitty.

5. I am currently the chair of the Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award committee (that’s where I met Ricki 2 years ago when she was the chair and I was a member!!)

6. I did not name my son after Trent Reznor even though he is one of my favorite musicians.

7. I have 4 different favorite animals: cats, turtles, penguins, and apes. They’ve all been very special to me at different points in my life.

8. My dad runs art museums and my mom is a photographer (my sister works at a history museum and my brother is a graphic designer, too), so art has a very special place in my heart. We actually have an art collection already.

9. I went to a music high school and played cello. I was one class away from getting a music minor in college.

10. I am taller than both of my parents.

11. I liked my husband so much that after I first met him I helped him get a job at Eckerd so that we could hang out more. It worked.

 11 Questions from Holly and Elizabeth:

1.  If you had to write a personal motto or mission statement, what would it be?

Every morning my phone reminds me REMEMBER: trust yourself, be patient, don’t let anyone get you down, and do the best you can at all times.

2.  If you were allowed to talk about only one book for the next month, what would it be?

I’d always pick The Giver. I could talk about this book forever. I could also talk about Endangered, Hurt Go Happy, or One and Only Ivan for a month straight.

3.  What is the number one thing on your bucket list?

To finish all the books I’ve ever wanted to read!!! (Here’s hoping!)

4.  Where do you want to be in 15 years?

I love what I am doing right now. I hope to be an even better teacher than I am now, an awesome mother to a teenager, still happily married, and still a reader. It would be nice to be very financial stable 😉

5.  What was your proudest moment?

Going to have to go with having my son. I have always wanted to be a mom, and he is a dream come true. Then, of course, my wedding day was perfect–I got to marry my best friend on the lawn of a library by a lake followed by a reception at my dad’s museum. Like I said, PERFECT!

Not family related, I would have to go with either A) getting my master’s degree, B) being chosen as the chair of the Walden committee, or C) presenting at NCTE and ALAN 3 times in 2013.

6. Favourite color, number, word, and animal?

My favorite color is green (though sometimes it is yellow, purple, or black), 23 is my favorite number because it is Ryne Sandberg’s jersey number, sesquipedalianism is a word I learned in 7th grade and have never forgotten, and see my #7 fact for animal 🙂 

7. What movie, tv show, and book/comic/manga are you most looking forward to in 2014?

I was very much looking forward to The Fault in Stars which I just saw and it was phenomenal. For TV shows, I am not going to add any new ones this season because I have NO time to watch tv, but I love “The Big Bang Theory” and next year is the last year. For books, I am very much looking forward to Raina Telgemeier’s Sisters.

8. Who would you consider your role model? (It can be a real life person or not)

I have role models in different parts of my life, but my my go to role model is my dad. He is so passionate and knowledgeable when it comes to his job, and I hope that I bring the same energy to teaching. I’ve had many other mentors in my life: Gary Moser, Mindi Rench, Donalyn Miller, Teri Lesesne to just name a few. 

Fictional role model? Dumbledore! I’d love to be as influential and brilliant as he was. 

9. Who would be your bookish bestie?

I think I’d have to pick Sam or Camilla from Life in Outer Space (though this answer could change on a different day). I just love how friendly and smart they both are.

10. Top 5 television shows? (Or movies)

My favorite TV show is The Big Bang Theory. Right now I also love About a Boy (and the book is really good too!) and Two Broke Girls. When it comes to dramas I love Law and Order: SVU and The Good Wife.

11. If you could meet one person (character, historical, celebrity, someone in your past—anyone!) who would it be and why?

I would love to go hang out with Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dali, and all of the amazing artists and writers in the 20s ala “Midnight in Paris” because I would love to be part of one of the most important times in literature and art.

My Liebster Nominations:

I am excited to nominate five bloggers for this award. I chose these people because I have enjoyed reading their book recommendations and getting to know them in the blogging world. I highly recommend all of their blogs.

1. Katherine @ Read, Write, Reflect

2. Elisabeth @ the dirigible plum

3. Maria @ Maria’s Melange

4. Andrea @ Mrs. Payan Reads

5. Nicole @ Bluestocking Thinking

11 New Questions to the Bloggers I Nominated:

1. What character in a book would you meet if you could and why?

2. What author has your favorite writing style?

3. What character reminds you of yourself and why?

4. What is your dream job?

5. Besides reading, what is your favorite past time?

6. What is something that you are very specific about? (Ex. I do not like the volume of the TV/radio to be at certain numbers.)

7. What were your favorite books as a child?

8. What is your favorite adaptation of a book?

9. What is one piece of advise that you would have given yourself 10 years ago?

10. In a movie of your life, who would you want to play you? Your significant other? Family? Friends?

11. Why did you start blogging?

Thanks again to Holly and Elizabeth for their nominations!