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Monday, August 12, 2013

About Me Monday



I am linking up with Blog Hoppin' for Teacher Week 2013. Mostly because I enjoy so many of the ladies involved, and I enjoy finding and following new blogs. But also because I have a ton of housework waiting on me, and this seems like more fun! 

So here we go, 10 fun facts about me!

1) I have a unique, and long name! Ready? It is a mouthful! It is Jackie-Blue Mary Catherine.  Jackie-Blue is a song that my mother loved when she had me. It is by the Ozark Moutain Daredevils and if you listen to the words, it is kinda depressing. But the tune is nice, and I can see why she liked it! Mary is my god-mother's name, who was with my mom when she delivered me and Catherine was her best friend when she was young. Jackie-Blue gained me many nicknames growing up, including Miss Blue, JB, Blue and Blueberry to name a few! I tend to just go by Jackie now ;) 



2) I live in a small town in ONTARIO, Canada, where I grew up my whole life. My son goes to the school that I attended from kindergarten to grade 8.  



3) My "husband" also grew up in the area, and we first met after I graduated grade 8 and he was my first boyfriend ever!  We went our separate ways, but remained friends and then reconnected; hanging out, as friends, for over a year before dating again. We are not officially married but we have been together again for 7 years!


4) My principal has encouraged me to begin making my own clip art! She suggested I start a collection of it and she would help me set up a website. I have been distracted with new ventures, so I do not have a website as of yet, but I have started some of the artwork. I am still trying to figure out the program and how to make the background transparent (it isn't working the way I have done it), but I am determined! I will continue to create and someday I will have the site available to share, hopefully sooner than later!
One of my first pieces!

5) I am the reason for one of the greatest love stories I know. ;) My grandmother came from Manitoba for my birth. The day after I was born, my mother's friend took my grandmother out to celebrate my birth and she met my grandfather. They dated for awhile and soon after my grandmother moved here. Recently my grandfather passed away, but even at his burial there love story held true...my grandmother found a love poem in his wallet that she had sent him a month after dating and he still had it! *sigh* She had no idea, until she found it after his passing! *tear*


6) The name we chose for my son before he was born was Alexander. His father had suggested names like "Six" and "Seven" (I wish I was kidding!) but I flat out refused to name my child a number, even if I did watch Blossom as a kid. I agreed on Xainder, if we could name him Alexander and just shorten it. However, when he was born, he was born with a head full of thick blond hair and my "husband" said, "We should call him Hayden (my first pick); he looks so much like you!"

Introducing Hayden Xainder...minutes old!


7) I am known for being the "Survivor Day Teacher." Seriously! One of the YMCA Before- and After-School Program Coordinators at my school told me the kids were talking about it during snack time one day.  The one student (who I had 2 years ago) said to a grade 1 student, "Wait till you get Ms. M, she does Survivor Day, it is the best day ever! You are going to love it!"  The year I began at the school I teach at, I wanted to plan a special day to celebrate a great year. Based on the show Survivor, I planned events similar to Survivor...without anyone being voted off. With the help of my grandmother, I sewed bandannas and the kids came up with team names, flags, and cheers.  Some years, we even made torches from tissue and paper towel rolls. Well, the first year was such a success that would got around and it continued each year.



8) I do not have a traditional family (a long story to explain), but nonetheless, it is a family that loves, supports and celebrates each other. I grew up an only child. But when I was a teenager, I gained a stepbrother, who was still a baby when our families joined together. Since I am 13 years older, I was always babysitting and would have the kids at our house and of course, bring him along with me. Unfortunately for him I treated him more like my own child (and probably still do). 

Love both these boys!
9) I have a lot of great friends and feel very, very blessed! Some friends I have had since daycare and then elementary school. I have picked up new friends along the way - high school, university, work at Tim Horton's, Teacher's College and at the schools where I have worked. What is the same about all of them, is their importance to me! Today, I am just going to feature one of these special friends.  My friend and past residence housemate, Dawn! 


I love this girl! We met when were placed in the same house in residence our first year of university and we have been BFFs since! ;) Following our undergrad, she wasn't sure what she wanted to do with her life (unlike myself who was there specifically to become a teacher). She thought she wanted to be a teacher, but wasn't sure if she was choosing that because people said she was going to be good at it, or if that was what she wanted to do. Well, after trying out various routes (all of which she is great at) she is headed back to Teacher's College this year to become a teacher! She is sometimes to hard on herself for not doing it 10+ years ago, but I think she is brave, ambitious and strong and I think the teaching profession will be lucky to have her be a part of it! 

10) I love a variety of music, movies and tv shows. My interests are so varied, that I spent one Monday night a few weeks back. I was watching the finale of The Bachelorette and then catching up on episodes of the Sons of Anarchy during commercials. Opposite ends of the spectrum right? But I am guilty of loving both shows!



Well now that you know more about me than you ever wanted to know! Head on over to Blog Hoppin' to check out the 10 Fun Things About Me posted from other teacher/bloggers. In fact, why not create your own?

Blog Hoppin
Yours in "About Me Fun Facts,"

Jackie (a.k.a. Ms.M)

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