Pleasant Surprise Plus a little More {linky!}

What a happy surprise!

Carmela @ Diary of a Teachaholic and Tamera @ My Heart Belongs in First both nominated me for the Versatile Blogger award while I was on my month long hiatus from blogging.  Thank you both so much! 


 In the meantime I stumbled across Amy's awesome linky party.  I LOVED learning a little bit more about some of the bloggers I not-so-secretly blogstalk.  What incredible people there are in this world, right? And I love that so many of them happen to be teachers!! :)  

I reeally wanted to join the linky party and I figured what a great opportunity to kill two birds with one stone.  (Not that I would ever kill an animal...)

So here are some fun facts about me: 

• My husband is my best friend in the world.  Like Lindsey, (The Teacher Wife) my husband and I were married in this LDS Temple because we are 'mormons.'  
• Last week my husband created this adorable card for me.  He gave it to me with a bag of Australian licorice (SO good!) and tickets to Wicked.  SO (bazillion times underlined) excited! (If you read the card carefully you just might be able to pick out another funny fact about us... yes we watch the Bachelor & Bachelorette, and yes my husband is just as cute and clever as Jef :)
• We have a kitty named Lucky.  She is adorable.  I rescued her from the jaws of my parents' dog when she was just 2 weeks old and we had to keep her.  
• I first started teaching in Taiwan so I LOVE Asian kids.
• I'm a few days away from being done with my masters degree!
• I'm the 3rd of 8 children in my family.

I love to craft & create.  Every year we enter the Ivory Home gingerbread contest.  Each entry has to be modeled after one of their home designs.  The first year we entered we won 2nd place and $500!  It was such a pleasant surprise.  Last year we received an honorable mention for "best reindeer".  (which you can't see in the pic - oops)

I also created this fruit turkey for Thanksgiving, just for fun.  :)  

My husband and I love to travel.  We've tried to go somewhere together every year.  Before we got married he came to visit me in Taiwan.  After he departed I traveled to Thailand.  A year later we hopped over to Jamaica for our Honeymoon.  The next year we adventured through Costa Rica.  Last year we relaxed in Mexico and this year we explored Japan.  I can't wait to see where we go next.  Our goal is to visit every continent (with the possible exception of Antarctica :).

Oh and I LOVE to hike.

Well... that's all for now folks!

And the Versatile Blogger nominees are (drum roll, please).....

1. http://simplysweetteaching.blogspot.com/
2. http://mtompkins-wildaboutfirstgrade.blogspot.com
3. http://thegroovyteacher.blogspot.com
4. http://the-learningtree.blogspot.com
5. http://psychedtobeinsecond.blogspot.com
6. http://wilkieclass.blogspot.com/
7. http://sweetnsassyin2nd.blogspot.com
8. http://2ndgradeglanceblog.blogspot.com
9. http://moretime2teach.blogspot.com
10. http://confessionsofateachanista.blogspot.com
11. http://buggyaboutlearninginkindergarten.blogspot.com

 Please go check out these blogs, they're great!  :)

Rules:
1. Link back to the award giver then...  

2. Include the award image in your post.
3. Give 7 ish random facts about yourself.
4. Nominate 15 ish other bloggers for the award. (link to them)
5.  Let them know they've been nominated