At the end of this post, you'll find the bloggers that I've chosen to nominate. The following rules have been set for me, as well as for the bloggers I nominate. I am nominating just a few blogs (the award seems to have made it's rounds through many of the blogs I follow!), but my nominees could nominate up to 11 blogs.
1. In your post, link back to the blogger who nominated you as a thank you and a 'shout out'.2. Answer the questions that the tagger set for you, plus create 11 questions for the people you've tagged to answer (please use the set questions I've answered).3. Nominate up to 11 people, (blogs with less than 200 followers) and link them in your post. 4. Let your nominees know and provide them with a link back to your post (so they can see the rules)5. No nominating the person who nominated you, however you may send them a thank you.
1. Why and how long ago did you start blogging?
I started blogging in 2009 with a little family blog. I started because I was living on, quite literally, the other side of the planet from most of my family. It was especially nice to have when I was pregnant and after the girls were first born, but it quickly died when the Chaos-with-a-capital-C of newborn twins set in, and became unnecessary when I moved to the States closer to my family. I started this blog this past July (2014) to participate in the great idea exchange that I saw in the online parenting and music teacher communities. It is a great creative outlet for me and a nice change of pace to sit down and reflect on what I do as both a parent and a teacher.
2. What one word sums up the heart of your blog and why?
Chaos. I want to celebrate chaos (at least the semi-managed kind) as a positive thing. Chaos is what tends to happen when you allow people (and children in particular) the freedom to do things their way. As long as we are all working to support each other, and as long as we have things in place to organize it, I think chaos is something we should all strive for both at home and in the classroom! I try to communicate that in my blog posts by sharing ideas that have helped me (a "type-A" personality, for sure) give my children and my students more of that independence and freedom to create organized chaos :)
3. Is there something you learned late in your blogging journey you wished you knew before?
Well, I wouldn't really say I am late in my blogging journey to begin with, but I have learned that picture are important. I don't think I realized how much time and effort those "top bloggers" put into taking quality photos, editing them, watermarking them, and on and on... I certainly don't take the time to go that far but I have become more conscious of how I can use pictures to capture attention and communicate ideas more clearly and effectively.
4. What is your favorite past time other than blogging?
Oh my goodness, do you really expect me to pick just one?!? My mind is racing with all the things I want to say but if I really had to pick, I would probably say my time that I have each morning with my latte and Bible reading. I wake up around 4am just so I can have enough time to sit by myself in silence before the girls wake up. And for my birthday last year I got a latte machine so now I can enjoy a home-made latte with very little effort each morning.... Aaaah.
5. How many hours per week do you dedicate to your blog?
Hmm. It depends, but.... probably about an hour total. Woops.
6. What category of blog posts do you enjoy the most?
I enjoy a pretty wide range- which is partly why my blog also has a wide range of categories! I like any post that expresses thoughtful ideas eloquently and gracefully.
7. Where does your blog inspiration come from?
Life. I think my favorite part of blogging has been allowing myself to notice and reflect on the things that I do well at work and at home!
8. Which post that you've written are you most proud of?
Hmm. Two posts that I really put a lot of heart into come to mind: this one on how I try to talk to my daughters and students, and this one on world music that I wrote as a guest post on The Yellow Brick Road (hi Jennifer!).
9. Is there any post you have been planning to do, but have been postponing for a while now?
I have been planning to do a Mommy Monday post on my entry way (or lack thereof), but I keep putting it off for other ideas that I think are more timely. I'll get around to it soon because I love what I have ended up with! :)
10. What's your favorite aspect of blogging?
I already mentioned this in another answer, but my favorite aspect has been having an excuse to notice and reflect on the things I do well at work and at home. As a single mother and a teacher I don't get a lot of positive reinforcement for either one on a regular basis, and it's easy for me to start focusing on things that go wrong rather than things that go right. Blogging has been a wonderful antidote for that negative thinking cycle!
11. Which recipe, project, or idea on my blog would you be most likely to try yourself?
I love many of the teaching and technology ideas on Jennifer's blog, but I have already done a few, including the headphone splitters she mentioned in her post on "Music Center Gadgets and Tools". I really love the binder stands she mentioned in that same post, so I will probably be getting those soon too! I have been wanting to stock up on some of Michelle's "color by music symbol" worksheets for my sub lessons for a while, so that is definitely something I want to try soon!
With that, here are my nominees!
I Heart Teaching Music - love her website layout and design, and she has some great tech tips for teachers!
Mrs. Kuchta's Corner - lots of great Kodaly-inspired resources!
Floating Down the River - so many great resources. I loved her Nutcracker lesson ideas!
The Munchkins - single mothers of twin girls unite!
2. What one word sums up the heart of your blog and why?
Chaos. I want to celebrate chaos (at least the semi-managed kind) as a positive thing. Chaos is what tends to happen when you allow people (and children in particular) the freedom to do things their way. As long as we are all working to support each other, and as long as we have things in place to organize it, I think chaos is something we should all strive for both at home and in the classroom! I try to communicate that in my blog posts by sharing ideas that have helped me (a "type-A" personality, for sure) give my children and my students more of that independence and freedom to create organized chaos :)
3. Is there something you learned late in your blogging journey you wished you knew before?
Well, I wouldn't really say I am late in my blogging journey to begin with, but I have learned that picture are important. I don't think I realized how much time and effort those "top bloggers" put into taking quality photos, editing them, watermarking them, and on and on... I certainly don't take the time to go that far but I have become more conscious of how I can use pictures to capture attention and communicate ideas more clearly and effectively.
4. What is your favorite past time other than blogging?
Oh my goodness, do you really expect me to pick just one?!? My mind is racing with all the things I want to say but if I really had to pick, I would probably say my time that I have each morning with my latte and Bible reading. I wake up around 4am just so I can have enough time to sit by myself in silence before the girls wake up. And for my birthday last year I got a latte machine so now I can enjoy a home-made latte with very little effort each morning.... Aaaah.
5. How many hours per week do you dedicate to your blog?
Hmm. It depends, but.... probably about an hour total. Woops.
6. What category of blog posts do you enjoy the most?
I enjoy a pretty wide range- which is partly why my blog also has a wide range of categories! I like any post that expresses thoughtful ideas eloquently and gracefully.
7. Where does your blog inspiration come from?
Life. I think my favorite part of blogging has been allowing myself to notice and reflect on the things that I do well at work and at home!
8. Which post that you've written are you most proud of?
Hmm. Two posts that I really put a lot of heart into come to mind: this one on how I try to talk to my daughters and students, and this one on world music that I wrote as a guest post on The Yellow Brick Road (hi Jennifer!).
9. Is there any post you have been planning to do, but have been postponing for a while now?
I have been planning to do a Mommy Monday post on my entry way (or lack thereof), but I keep putting it off for other ideas that I think are more timely. I'll get around to it soon because I love what I have ended up with! :)
10. What's your favorite aspect of blogging?
I already mentioned this in another answer, but my favorite aspect has been having an excuse to notice and reflect on the things I do well at work and at home. As a single mother and a teacher I don't get a lot of positive reinforcement for either one on a regular basis, and it's easy for me to start focusing on things that go wrong rather than things that go right. Blogging has been a wonderful antidote for that negative thinking cycle!
11. Which recipe, project, or idea on my blog would you be most likely to try yourself?
I love many of the teaching and technology ideas on Jennifer's blog, but I have already done a few, including the headphone splitters she mentioned in her post on "Music Center Gadgets and Tools". I really love the binder stands she mentioned in that same post, so I will probably be getting those soon too! I have been wanting to stock up on some of Michelle's "color by music symbol" worksheets for my sub lessons for a while, so that is definitely something I want to try soon!
With that, here are my nominees!
I Heart Teaching Music - love her website layout and design, and she has some great tech tips for teachers!
Mrs. Kuchta's Corner - lots of great Kodaly-inspired resources!
Floating Down the River - so many great resources. I loved her Nutcracker lesson ideas!
The Munchkins - single mothers of twin girls unite!
I know exactly what you mean about the quality of pictures. I've learned that natural light is a precious commodity :)
ReplyDeleteNo kidding! My kids look at me like I'm crazy because I'll realize the light is good and I am at home (a rare combination) and I will drop everything to go take random pictures of things! Thanks again for the nomination :)
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