Tell Me More {Linky Party}

Mrs. Lemons over at Step Into 2nd Grade is hosting a fun "Tell Me More" linky party where other teacher bloggers share some fun things about themselves!  I've enjoyed browsing through some of the other links over there and decided to share some of my own fun, random facts!

1. I have only owned 1 car since I was 16! Yes it is true... I am still driving the same 1996 white Toyota Camry that my parents surprised me with on my 16th birthday. Since I now have my 1st "grown up" teacher job, I think I'm will soon be ready to go car shopping for my 1st "grown up" set of wheels. I can't wait, but it sure will be hard to part with...we've really bonded over the years :)

Circa 2005

2. I LOVE sports. In 3rd grade, I started playing softball, soccer, basketball, and volleyball {seems my mom must have just selected "check all" on the sign up sheet!lol} Softball only lasted, ehh about 2 hours seriously and soccer didn't make it through middle school, but I stuck with basketball and volleyball through high school! Volleyball was my *fun* sport, and basketball was my L-I-F-E... here's a picture of the good ol' high school bball days... I was quite the tomboy.

3. I have naturally curly hair, but I've spent most of my preteen to adult life trying to find ways to straighten it. Now I like it. Weird.

4. I have never dyed my hair. 

5. My first pet was Todd...he was a stray that found our way into our home and our hearts. He has been gone since I was in high school, but I still think about him often.

2001 or 2002

1999

6. My family goes on a vacation to Florida every year. We used to always go to Nettles Island, FL, but recently we have been resorting it up in Orlando... I think we are planning on vacationing in Destin this Thanksgiving at a condo with my hunny's family. Here's another oldie but goodie. I also have one sibling, a brother, named Brennan. He is pretty awesome :)

Nettles Island, FL {2002}

Downtown Disney Orlando, FL {2010}-- minus my mom whose taking the picture

7. I have worn glasses since I was in 3rd grade and contacts since I was in 5th.

8. I had back surgery when I was only 15 years old. I had a sports injury my freshman year of high school where I ripped a disk in my spine {ya know, the cushy kind that keep your vertebrae from rubbing together?} A few short months later after dozens of doctor visits and therapy, I had a spinal fusion at my L5 S1. I was a "homebound" high schooler for the rest of the year, having my teachers come to my house until the last day of school. A back brace became my only accessory and I had to give up my love of sports until I was able to get back on the court. {About a year later} 

9. During my 2nd and 3rd semesters in college, I went on a whim and changed my major to Apparel Merchandising with a minor in Business. After I got to the big ol' school of Indiana University Bloomington, all the excitement and hype got to me a little, and I decided to try something new. After I transferred to a school closer to home, I switched back to Elementary Education {my calling and my passion}, but I will always remember the fun I had while I was a fashion major. 

2007

10. While attending IU, I joined the sorority AOPi {Alpha Omicron Pi}... just call me an A-O-Cutie pi:)  Here I am with my dear friend and sister Whitney on our bid night 

 Bid Night {Spring 2008}

Living in the sorority house {Fall 2008}

With my mom in the house,  Meredith {Fall 2008}

11. I have a puppy named Tucker that I love to pieces.... after a long and *sometimes* frustrating day at school, my spirits are always lifted when I see little Tuck baby. He always puts a smile on my face and has been with my family since 2008. He has some snaggle teeth and a severe underbite, but to me there is no cuter dog in the world :)

Tucker riding shotgun

12. I waitressed at the same little restaurant from my senior year in high school until 2 weeks ago {when I got my 1st teaching job}. I loved working at that little "mom and pop" sandwich shop, and the money was definitely a bonus. I always felt that working there helped me learn the value of money, time, and how hard people work in the food service industry. I grew up in the lap of luxury, and came from a great family, but working as a waitress taught me many great life lessons. {And how cruel people are to servers! Helloooo I have feelings too!!!!!} I said adios to that sweet place one week after I found out I was going to be a 3rd grade teacher. There were tears, but I reminded myself that this was all part of the plan and I'm moving on to bigger and better things! 

Here's a picture of my on my last day of work as a waitress. Please excuse the crazy hair:

13. I am an artist. Yes, like a painting, drawing type of artist. I have painted 2 murals at my parent's house and continue to paint and draw as a hobby in my spare time. 3 years ago, I painted pumpkins around Halloween for decoration, instead of carving {I love to avoid a mess when I can!}. I started painting some for my family, then for the neighbors, and before I knew it, my pumpkins became a huge hit! I couldn't paint fast enough! I was getting orders by the dozen and staying up late into the night for weeks, all while going to school full time and working part time as a waitress. Every year it gets bigger and bigger. Last year, I was very blessed and got contracted to paint pumpkins for the huge family farm in my town {the kind with hay rides, haunted corn field mazes, bonfires for rent, the whole 9 yards} Sales were AMAZING and they payed me IN PUMPKINS! Can you believe it?? It felt like a God thing people. I couldn't believe how such a little thing just took off. I look forward to pumpkin painting season this year as well... hopefully I will be able to juggle that along with my 1st year of teaching.

All of my pumpkins are done freehanded...lettering and all.

14. I had the best last first date in the summer of 2011. I've had my own relationship ups and downs {doesn't everyone?}, but mine had been more downs than ups in the past. People always told me that you will find the right person when you stop looking. So guess what? I stopped looking. Low and behold, the man of my dreams waltzed into my life literally 1 month after. People always say when you meet the right person, you know that you know they are the one for you. We aren't engaged yet, but let me put it this way: I know that I know. 

October 2011

Joe and I {2012}

15. I love Chicago. I fell in love with that wonderful city back in my AOPi days when one of my sorority sisters had a real sister {ha!} that lived there. We stayed with her 2 different times. Well my dream man's family also happens to be from Chicago {I know, right?!?} 

Fall 2008

Chicago June 2012

16. I started a blog to "journal" about my experiences as a student teacher at the beginning of this year, and never realized what an amazing community of teachers I would soon find! Blogging has CHANGED everything I knew and felt about teaching, and it is because of everyone here that I am so inspired to help my students create, learn, and thrive.

17. I am a 3rd grade teacher! {Nope, saying that still hasn't gotten old yet!}

Now that you have gotten to know me a little more, join the blog hop!