Tuesday, December 27, 2011

11 in 11 (Linky Party!)

I'm linking up with the ladies of Miss Kindergarten / Outfitted and Inspired for this end of the year Linky Party!

  Miss Kindergarten

How to link up:
Create a blog post sharing your favorite 11 things in 2011. Add the button to your post using the code from above. Then link up below, making sure to link directly to your post, not just your blog.

11. Favorite movie you watched:
10. Favorite TV series:
9. Favorite restaurant:
8. Favorite new thing you tried:
7. Favorite gift you got:
6. Favorite thing you pinned:
5. Favorite blog post:
4. Best accomplishment:
3. Favorite picture:
2. Favorite memory:
1. Goal for 2012:

So, here are my 11 in 11!

11.  Movie you watched.

This is actually a four way tie...  Is that allowed?  I don't really go to the movies very often because I hate spending $10+, so I leave it to Netflix most of the time.  I honestly probably saw maybe 6 or 7 movies this year, which is actually a lot for me.  Out of the few movies that I did see, I have 4 that I really really enjoyed.

The first one of the new year was "Never Say Never."  
Yes, the Justin Bieber movie!  I loved it.  It's actually a really good story about how he became so famous and it really shows how talented he is.  This kid has way more natural talent than a lot of other musicians out there right now.  My little brother wants to be like him, so we went to this one together, although I think I ended up liking the movie a lot better than he did!  It made me love JB in an "I want him to be my little brother" sort of way.

Next comes "Horrible Bosses."  I don't know if I have professed my undying love for Jason Bateman on here before, so now you know.  He's amazing.  I must say that I'm quite a fan of Charlie Day now as well, though.  This is seriously the funniest movie I've seen in years!  

The third one is "Crazy Stupid Love."  I think this movie is one of the best love story movies in a long time.  I'm not even really a big fan of love stories, but this one was just great.  I just watched it again from Netflix last week and loved it just as much the second time around.  The cast is perfect and I will never argue with seeing a shirtless Ryan Gosling.

Okay, the final movie is one I'd been anxiously awaiting for at least a year, possibly more...  "The Muppets"

I grew up watching all of the old Muppet movies, but a few years ago my mom bought me all of them on DVD.  I still love them!  I think the best thing about the Muppets is that while they're totally child appropriate, they have some great humor that only adults will get.  I had really high expectations for this new movie and it totally met them!  I went with my brother and 2 of my friends and I think it was us 3 girls in our mid-20s that were laughing the hardest in the theater!  

10.  Favorite TV Series

Oh gosh...  I watch a lot of TV, but I'm going to give a shout out to what is probably my favorite new TV show--  "Up All Night."  Will Arnett and Christina Applegate make a wonderful pair and watching them struggle through parenthood is hilarious.  Watch it.  Love it.

Honorable Mentions:  Parenthood, New Girl, Raising Hope, Community, and Cougar Town.  I have a ton more, but I'll stick to my network shows.

9.  Favorite Restaurant

I've been searching for a good sushi place for years and finally found one again.  It's just a local place called Wasabi, but it's awesome.  I also found that I have fellow sushi loving friends this year, so I don't have to call upon my mom every time I want sushi.  Delish.

8.  Favorite New Thing You Tried

I really can't think of anything special that I tried this year, but I have attempted to mix up my workouts a bit more this year.  Over the summer I started Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred workout DVD.  I actually liked it quite a bit and dropped a few pounds, but I didn't stick with it as well as I should have.  I'm hoping to get back to that workout routine in the near future.  The other new workout I tried was Zumba!  A good friend from high school and college had started going to a class at the Y once a week and invited me to join her.  I finally started going about 2 months ago and it's super fun.  I feel horribly uncoordinated when I go, but I still enjoy it and keep going back!

7.  Favorite Gift You Got

In all honesty, I haven't received any fantastic gifts in a long time just because nobody in my family has much extra money these days.  I typically buy the nice stuff for myself since nobody else does for me.  I've received some good gifts, but nothing all that exciting.  This Christmas I got a great 66 pocket hanging jewelry holder (finally no more tangled necklaces), some fun green Kitchen Aid mixing bowls, and gift cards to iTunes, Target, Panera, and Dollar Tree.  2010 was my big purchase year anyway...  New TV, BluRay, washer and dryer, AND a 2011 Nissan Sentra.  2011 has been recovering from those purchases.  LOL


6.  Favorite Thing You Pinned


Oh Pinterest, how I love thee.  You will be the end of me.  I will die of over-inspiration.  


My current pin count is 2,610...  I'm sure that number will increase by the end of the day.  It's hard to pick out a favorite out of that many, but here is one thing I actually ended up recreating successfully.
 Pinned Image       


Here was my final product...  Success!  I bought a brown frame on major clearance at Hobby Lobby and painted it black.  Then I gave it a little distressing to let some of the brown show through again.


5.  Favorite Blog Post


Like Pinterest, my blogging obsession has gotten a little out of hand.  I can't really pick out a favorite post, but I can tell you a little about my blogging history and how it turned into my latest addiction.  


Before last spring, my only experience with blogging was making this blog for first year teachers as a group project for one of my grad school courses.  My instructor for the class was impressed with this blog and asked me to teach a workshop on blogging and technology in the classroom.  I decided if I was going to be teaching about blogging I should learn more about it. Fast forward about 9 months and here we are today!  


Somewhere in my blog lurking I stumbled upon J's Everyday Fashion.  I love J's blog and reading it makes me feel like I'm reading posts by a friend.  Up until that point I'd really only read blogs for teachers, so this opened up a whole new realm of blogging to me...  Fashion!  My Google Reader is filled now with teaching, fashion, and decorating blogs.  But, J's blog was the first one I really started to follow on a daily basis!


4.  Best Accomplishment


I don't feel like I've accomplished a lot of really big, exciting things, but in the past year I have completed my Master's Degree (okay that was technically in 2010, but I got the diploma and the raise in 2011) and I have taken on some new roles and responsibilities in my school.  One of our former teachers took over as principal this school year and I had a lot of his former roles passed down to me.  I feel really honored to be trusted with some of these things because I'm still one of the youngest teachers in my building.  A fellow teacher and I had to give a presentation to the school board last month and I must say, we rocked it!  As I previously mentioned, I was also asked to give a day-long workshop to teachers in my district about using web tools in the classroom.  Like I said, it's nothing all that big, but I do feel as though I've got a lot entrusted to me and I still feel like I'm a relatively new and young teacher.  I guess I must be doing something right!


3.  Favorite Picture


Wow, this is a hard one as well.  I have to say this was kind of a hard year for me as I had 5 of my close friends move out of state.  It's been kinda rough for me, but I try to remind myself that I now have some new and exciting places to go vacation to!  


This was the past pic of "The Fab 5" before everyone (okay just 2 of them) moved away.  I actually get to see all of them within the next 2 weeks, but unfortunately it's not at the same time.  I think the next time we'll all be reunited is next July for a wedding.  In the meantime, we have Facebook, phones, and maybe a vacation or 2 to keep us connected!


2.  Favorite Memory


Another toughy...  I think this spring break was by far my best ever.  It was a whirlwind of traveling...  I was in Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Missouri, Illinois, and New York all within about 36 hours with about a 60 degree temperature difference between Texas and NY.  Add in New Jersey and Connecticut later in the week and back to Kansas and I was all traveled out!  It was amazing, though!  


My spring break started off by getting to see my second favorite band of all time, Duran Duran!  (Second only to Huey Lewis and the News who I got to see in concert a couple years ago.)  I'm pretty much obsessed with 80s music and have loved Duran Duran for years.  We drove down to the TX / OK border for a Friday night concert, made a quick swoop down to Dallas to visit some cousins, and then headed back to Kansas for a Sunday morning flight from Kansas City to New York!  



1.  Goal for 2012


I'm pretty sure I'm pushing off the home buying goal to 2013, so I think my biggest goal for the new year is to become social again...  I've been pretty anti-social (well for me) the past few months after my friends moved and I've really been wanting to meet new people and get involved in new activities.  I'm hoping to get plugged into a new Bible study and get more involved in my church again.  I'm hopeful that the Lord will provide me with these opportunities and that my introverted side won't get the best of me!



10 comments:

  1. Thank you so much for linking up!
    I loved Horrible Bosses, too. Hilarious!
    So sorry to hear about your friends - I HATE change! I hope you'll find a bible study that works for you.
    Duran Duran - love!!!!!!!
    A Teeny Tiny Teacher

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  2. I love the movie you picked! I saw it and it was actually really good! I just found your blog and I am excited to share ideas!

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  3. So excited to find your blog! I just entered both the blogging and teaching world. Excited to follow your blog for great ideas to use during my first year teaching 3rd grade! =)

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  4. Horrible Bosses was GREAT! Love me some Charlie Day.

    Also, The Muppets was really good. Did not disappoint muppet fans!

    New follower!

    Buzzing with Ms. B

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  5. A lot of people listed sushi places as their favorite restaurant, yum yum!!

    Marvelous Multiagers!

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  6. Thanks, everyone! Welcome new followers! I hope that you enjoy everything I have to share. I'm hoping to have some more time to blog this next semester and share some new things with you.

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  7. I love finding other third grade teachers! Especially ones who love Jason Bateman! He is one of my favorites. Oh and I am OBSESSED with 80's music too. I went to see the Rock of Ages musical last night. If you haven't seen it you need to check it out. I'm a new follower!

    Adventures of a Third Grade Teacher
    Amber

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  8. Glad to have found your blog!! And I am with you on the goal for 2012 except it is reverse. I am one of the friends that moved away from my group. It always stinks!

    applesandpapers.blogspot.com

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  9. Duran Duran? fun!

    Lori
    http://bee-the-change.blogspot.com/

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Comments make me smile! :)