I'm linking up with Doodle Bugs to share some more of the amazing happenings I have been having this week on the other side of the world. 1. Week 1 of my schools study tour of the UK is almost over. I am feeling so blessed to be here but am also appreciating all of the hard work (mentally & physically) that we are all putting into this trip. The schools are amazing (for all different reasons) but it is leaving all of us with a ton to think about, act upon and find out more about.
This is a picture from Jesmond Gardens Primary. More pictures and details to show you later in the week but their play spaces are amazing. Last weekend was spent in London {read more about it here} so I am going to finish my 5 things with:
2. Walking around, Hyde park & St. James Gardens.
3. I am a huge Nottinghill fan, I was so excited that I finally got to visit Portbello Rd markets & get my pic taken at 'the' blue door.
4. Convenant Garden Markets- love, love, love!
5. Dinner at Union Jacks (a Jamie Oliver restaurant)-OMG! Absolutely delicious food. Amazing place too, right in the middle of Covenant Gardens and completely laid back and funky.
And there was a busker outside the restaurant. Good company, food and tunes made for an amazing night.
I'm linking up with Blog Hoppin' tonight just for the heck of it! I love reading everyone's 'personal' stuff so I thought I should share the love too. Some of this I may have written about before but stay with me!
1. I LOVE to bake. If things are going wrong in my life it helps me calm down and gets life back on track. Must be the excess sugar when I scrape the bowl clean. {Random fact- my hubby won't eat cake batter because of the raw egg so I 'have to' lick the beaters too. It's tough, but someone has to do it.}
2. I'm a Pisces' and a big beach baby. Bring on Summer! 3 months to go and counting.
3. It hasn't been a great day until I have spent sometime laughing until I've cried. Luckily this year I have a cracker of a kiddo in my room who calls me on his banana 'phone' every day during fruit break. Makes me giggle every time. Plus I love Minions and it is impossible to watch this and not laugh.
4. I have absolutely no sense of direction and get lost regularly which usually results in me on the side of a road somewhere, with no phone reception, in tears. Throw in a foreign country where I can't speak the language (picture 9.30 at night, Hiroshima in Japan and no map reading abilities) and it makes it even more of an adventure :)
5. Pinterest has seriously helped my clutter issues. I love quotes and this has saved me from printing them all out.
6. Anything cute or vintage and I'm there! I spent this weekend with a gorgeous buddy cruising around the Lost and Found market in Melbourne. I wanted to buy practically everything.
Our town was yarn bombed last year- best time ever!
7. I love to travel and have been to lots of places. Two of favourites have been the Forum in Rome and Tokyo in Japan.
8. I read at least 2 books a week, sometimes more. I don't know how I do this either but it usually involves a lot of reading while cooking and eating. I'm currently going through a Vampire Romance phase. It's becoming quite sad and obsessive but a LOT of fun.
9. I love music but have not one musical bone in my body. Singing {badly} makes me happy. I heart Bernard Fanning.
10. I truly, honestly take time each day to appreciate my life and the wonderful people in it. This last week especially has reinforced that sometimes horrible things happen to good people and that I am fortunate to be me. My life is pretty damn special (no matter what 'something' is getting me down) and I am lucky to have it. Can't wait to read your link up's!
Julia at The Army Teacher Wife has nominated my little blog for a Liebster Award. I had never heard of this until she emailed me but it is another great way to link up and see other people's blogs.
To accept the award I must:
1. Link back to the blog that nominated me 2. Nominate 5-11 blogs with fewer than 200 followers 3. Answer the questions posted for you by your nominator 4. Share 11 random facts about yourself 5. Create 11 questions for your nominees 6. Contact your nominees and let them know you nominated them
1. What is your favorite subject to teach? Maths! I love seeing when my kiddos "get it". I am a trained EMU teacher {basically a reading recovery style program to pick up students who are behind in acquiring Numeracy skills} and this program has given me a much better understanding on how to teach students numeracy skills. Love it!
2. Why did you start blogging? I had been reading other people's blogs for ages and thought I would give it a go over the summer holidays (from Christmas to the end of January here) and have been really enjoying it.
3. What is your favorite part about blogging? Getting to "meet" so many other people and get great ideas.
4. What do you hope for the future of your blogging? To get to know more people and to use it to build my store more effectively.
5. What is your dream vacation? Europe! I'm heading back to the UK & France later this year but I really, really want to go to Spain which is the last place I reall need to cross off then I'll hopefully head State-side {New York, I know you are waiting for me!}
My "dream" would be to make the flight from Australia to London shorter- it's about 24 hours to get there. Jet lag is brutal.
6. What is your favorite thing to do on the weekends? Read, go to Yoga and grab a Chai latte while I wander the shops. If I had time do a bit of thrift shopping, get Pad Thai for lunch and duck to our local Art gallery.
7. Where did you go to school? I went to University at ACU in Ballarat. It was small but I loved it. I have the best group of friends from my time there and a continual craving for profiteroles from the King Bakery. Mmmm
8. What is your favorite children's book? There are so many! If I had to pick just one, I would have to say Mr Nick's Knitting by Maragret Wild which is now out of print. I am on a search to find a copy.
9. What is your favorite blog to follow? There are so many! If I had to pick just one I would say Greg at Smedley's Smorgasboard
10. What accomplishment are you most proud of in your life? Combo Uni/Travel I am the first person in my family to go to university and I worked my butt off to get there so I am very proud of that. Then actually getting a job after Uni made all of the work worth it. I also have worked really hard and saved like a demon to be able to travel outside of Australia and see the world and I will never regret the sacrficies I've had to make at times to be able to do that.
:) How's that for bragging about myself?! Head is now 10 times bigger.
11. Are you married? Do you have kids? I am married but no kiddos. My hubby is amazing {drives me crazy at times} and supports me in everything. I am a very lucky girl. Random facts: 1. I LOVE to read. 2. Baking calms me down. 3. I cannot make an omelette to save myself. 4. Favourite place I have been so far would be Kyoto in Japan or Venice, Italy.
5. I am a Pisces so I am a water baby who loves the beach.
6. I love my Doc Martin's 7. We have a fat cat called Axel.
8. I love to sing- but it is strictly in the car/shower... not for human ears {other than my hubby's, who gets the joy of hearing me sing} 9. I am going to see Pink tonight!! So excited. 10. My hubby and I got married at the beach in Coffs Harbour. Aww!
11. My favourite book series is Tomorrow When the War Began by John Marsden.
My questions for my nominees: 1. What do you love about teaching? 2. In life, what makes you the craziest? 3. What could you not live without? 4. How long have you been teaching? 5. What has changed the most since you began teaching? 6. Name 3 blogs you love to follow 7. What 3 things make your day great? 8. If you could go anywhere where would you go? 9. What is your favourite time of year & why? 10. Favourite music 11. What is your aim for your blog this year? Whew! I am still in my pj's & now need to run around like a crazy person to head to Melbourne. Yikes! If you are reading this please visit these other bloggers & check out my 100 follower giveaway
