Tag! I’m It!

    I’m not sure if it’s part of the year just getting started or if this is a whole new part of the blog world that I’m just now seeing, but I am loving all of these “tags” and awards that are floating around! 
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    Sweet Sheri at 1st Grade Rocks!!! tagged me, and I’m so thankful for the encouragement.  Every time I see a comment or a link, it gives me all kinds of warm fuzzies to think people are actually reading and following along.  Thank you Sheri!
    Recently I’ve found a ton of teaching blogs, and they are so inspiring and really making me ready to jump into my first classroom!
    Here we go!
        1.  You must post the rules.
        2.  Post 12 fun facts about yourself on the blog post.
        3.  Answer the questions the tagger set for you in their post, and then create 12 new questions for the people you tagged.
        4.  Tag 12 people and link them on your post.
        5.  Let them know you’ve tagged them!

12 Fun Facts About Moi!

1.  I’m graduating college in the fall (one semester early) WooHoo!
2.  I’ll be getting married sometime next summer!
3.  I love love love love love the beach…Love.  I can’t wait for this summer.
4.  I mostly watch sitcoms, and I laugh out loud almost every time.
5.  Favorite food? Tomatoes.
6.  I’m so excited to be a teacher; I would love pre-k or kindergarten.
7.  My first major was secondary English education…I still may go back there someday.
8.  I love history.  It was always my favorite subject…I thought about teaching that too.
9.  I don’t have a “fancy” phone…and I kind of don’t want one.
10.  I want a black lab puppy.  Actually, I just want a little black puppy that looks like a lab. (I’m not desperate for a purebred dog with papers; rescue dogs are just as sweet!)
11.  Sometimes I think I overuse parentheses, ellipses, and exclamation marks.
12.  I laugh – a lot.

Sheri’s Questions

1.  Were you excited to be tagged?  I really was! Anytime somebody recognizes my little slice of the blogosphere I am really really thrilled!
2.  What are you doing right now while trying to write this post?  I’m watching TV…8 Simple Rules.  Old sitcoms are the only thing worth watching during the day.
3.  What subject do you feel like you rock at teaching and why?  Even though I’m not a full blown teacher yet, I really love teaching social studies.  I know it’s not a very big deal in schools anymore, but I think it has some really important implications for life outside of school.
4.  What grades have you taught? Again, still working in the confines of college, but I’ve taught classes in pre-k, 1st grade, and 2nd grade.
5.  Who is the person you go to for help when you need support at school?  The first person I (and any student) should ask is my CT (cooperating teacher); that’s what they’re there for. 
6.  Do you have a lot of after school meetings?  Well…I have class.
7.  What do you do for reading interventions? I just had a workshop about this yesterday!  I love the idea of working with word families through playing concentration or there are some really cute ideas about forming words with paint chips.  Also, we talk about repeat, clap, snap, whisper.  With any (or every) word (sight words are great too)  say it together, clap it out, snap it out, and then whisper it.  This way, students can say the words and practice breaking them up into phonemes. Check out my Pinterest!
8.  What is your favorite blog post?  Of my own…I’ve never thought about that!  I really like Did I Ever Tell You and Pre-Beach Craftiness (bet you can’t guess why)!
9.  Do you like comments on your blog posts?  Who doesn’t?! I really love reading them and getting to know all of you sweet bloggers!
10.  Are you a coffee person?  Let me tell you a little story – when I was two, my Jerry used to let me drink his coffee (because he drank coffee all day long)…and I never stopped.
11.  What is your favorite show to watch on television?  I really like Big Bang Theory.  As for the oldies but goodies, I love Friends, My Wife and Kids, reruns of Law and Order: SVU…I like a ton of stuff really.
12.  What great book have you read lately?  Like everyone else, I loved The Help, but fairly recently, I’ve also read Room, by Emma Donoghue, and I’m finally reading Gone With the Wind.

My Questions

1.  What is your favorite blog…or blogs?
2.  What do you really look for in a friend?
3.  What is your word of the year?
4.  What is your favorite part of blogging?
5.  What do you look for in a great blog?
6.  Do you have a favorite quote or a life verse?
7.  What is your favorite movie and why?
8.  Do you have a favorite or go-to outfit (casual, dressy, or otherwise)?
9.  Who is your celebrity crush?
10.  Who in your family inspires you and why?
11.  What is your preferred pet?
12.  Are you a late-sleeper or an early-riser?

Lucky Tag-ees
  
    Woooo…that was a long post!  I’m so excited to see what these lovely ladies come up with.  Thanks again, Sheri; I love your blog, and I’m so looking forward to continuing to read!


Allyson

Sweet Southern Sundays Vol. 4–Meet Kate

    Here we are…the final week of my very first series! I have really loved sharing all these great blogs with all of you, and I hope you’ve found some new reads.  This week, it is my pleasure to “introduce” you to Kate who writes a lovely blog called Southern Belle Simple.
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    Although the majority of the blogs I read are super crafty, this one has a flavor all its own.  Kate is an incredible writer, and the way she shares everything from “anti-recipes” to daily inspiration keeps me coming back again and again! 
    I have loved logging in and seeing simple (hence the title) posts that are capturing Southern life in all its glory.  Southern Belle Simple has found a way to share Southern life without coming across as fussy or cliché.  You never know what sort of post is coming next on this site, and that for me is half the fun.  Kate posts about everything from décor that she’s loving now to tidbits about life to something hilarious she happened to see at the store!
    If you haven’t already, I hope that all of you hop over to Kate’s blog, Southern Belle Simple, and follow along.  I’m sure you’ll find something you love!

Allyson

Matrimonial Musings

    Even though we are in the very, very early stages of thinking about the wedding, I still have about a million ideas running through my head…and across my Pinterest.  We won’t start doing anything concrete for several months, but I thought I might share some general ideas with you for what I’m thinking.
   
First things first…definitely early summer (next summer, not this one).  I know it’ll be hot and humid (got to love that West Tennessee weather), but I feel like that will be the furthest thing from my mind.
    If I could control the weather, I would love to get married outside…but I can’t, and as a worrier/control freak, I just can’t do that to myself.  It’s just as well though; I love the church I grew up in, and there will be plenty of room for everybody there!
    Now for my theme/color scheme/inspiration…

    Peach!  I know that peach by itself can be sort of a sickly color; that’s why I’m going with an actual peach.  There are so many colors in peaches that I feel like it’s going to make my search for flowers a little easier.  I’m thinking yellows, oranges, peachy tones – super summery.
    I know plans change, and I’m sure my thoughts will shift a little between now and then, but I really love these colors, so I feel like I’ll stick with them.
    For now, I only plan on having one bridesmaid (my sister), and I’ve gone back and forth about what color I think she should wear.  Originally, I was thinking about putting a honeydewish green with my peachy colors, but now I am really in the navy blue camp.  Navy will be a really classy complement to the peaches, and it will look really pretty on my sister!
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    I love this color (I like the dress, but since I’m just having my sister, I feel like we can look for something really fabulous)!
    I don’t have a picture for it yet, but I want the men in charcoal gray.  I fell in love with the navy blue and then briefly panicked about them wearing black (I just couldn’t have it).  I love gray, so this is a win-win.  It’s not nearly as harsh as black, and it will look so nice with the blue!
    As for the big stuff: dress, cake, flowers, I don’t have any concrete ideas yet.  All I know is that I want it to be simple and sweet.  I would never want my wedding to overshadow the fact that I’m getting married.  I’m about a billion times more excited about being a wife than planning a wedding…even though I think it’s going to be so fun!  You can follow me on Pinterest (through the link to the left or at the top of the post) if you’re wondering what other sorts of wedding thoughts pop into my head.
    I have lots of other ideas…I’ll definitely be sharing once we get a little closer and can start doing some real planning.  For now I’ll just stick to Pinterest and my bridal magazines!

Allyson

Thanks and Hopes

    I just wanted to take a little minute to say thank you to all of you sweet, sweet ladies for taking the time to log into my blog and follow along! The past month has been such a whirlwind and I am absolutely astonished at the response.  I have to tell you - I have been on social networking sites for a long time, and I have never met a more genuine group of people than I have in the blogosphere.
    I am so thankful for each of you, and I am so excited to continue learning and growing with all of you.  I feel like this is really a new season in my life, and I love sharing it with you.  Today I turned in my application for student teaching and made plans for my last semester of college (in the fall)!  The more time I spend in the classroom, the more excited I am to have my own classroom and finally do what it is that I am called to do. 
    Switching gears, sort of, but keeping in the talk of new seasons, I bought my first bridal magazine the other day, and the fiance and I are starting to talk dates!  In some ways I think that this might be one of the longest times in my life, but people keep telling me that it will fly by...I don't know which one I'm hoping for.  I really love hearing from each of you, and I can't wait to share these next steps in life with you.
    I know that posts are supposed to be about sharing life and keeping current, but I am so overwhelmed by all y'all's sweetness that I couldn't help but let you know!  This one is all about you! A big thank you and lots of hopes for a long bloggy friendship!

Allyson

Sweet Southern Sundays Vol. 3 - Meet Jennifer

    Welcome back readers! I am really enjoying "introducing" all of you to these sweet blogs, and I hope that you're finding some new blogs to follow.  The response to the series has been wonderful so far, and I'm hoping that you enjoy this week just as much.  I am thrilled to be featuring Jennifer at Her Southern Charm.


    As per usual, I can't tell you how I found this blog, but the more I read, the more I am drawn in.  Jennifer writes about everything from what's in her purse to her own struggles with such clarity and sweetness that you just can't help but be drawn in.  This lady is seriously a "jack of all trades" sort of writer; she is tackling everything.  She describes herself as a "preppy Southern housewife suburbia with grace and charm." 
    Because I'm newly engaged I guess, I have been more and more drawn to blogs about housewifery and life in general.  Jennifer's blog has done more than make me excited about being a housewife (check out her adorable button!), but it is also giving me a lot to think about.  I like the crafty posts and the baking posts and the decorating posts, but I love to read posts about people's faith.  The more bloggers I "meet," the more encouraged I am by the way these sweet ladies share their faith through such an obvious and direct platform.

    The last thing that I want to share with you is not technically on Her Southern Charm's blog.  Jennifer, in addition to being an incredible writer, makes some truly adorable jewelry!  I don't wear a lot of jewelry, but these pieces are amazing.  If you're looking for something personalized, simple, and pretty...this is definitely the place to go.
    There is one more installment of the series to go, and I hope that you're loving this as much as I am.  I encourage you to visit Jennifer's blog and her jewelry site and let her know what you like! As always, I hope you'll stick around here too; there's always something coming up.

Allyson
All photo credits - Jennifer and Her Southern Charm