May 2019 – Life with Charli

The Sunshine Blogger Award: Part 2

I’ve been nominated for the Sunshine Blogger Award again! I feel so blessed and honored! This time the nomination comes from fellow blogger Catherine Mellen! I decided to do a separate post for this one to keep my previous Sunshine Blogger post from being too long. It also gives me a chance to pass the honor on to even more fellow bloggers! Catherine Mellen is a personal blogger. The purpose of her blog, Shatter the Silence/A Life Given to Me, is for her to share traumatic experiences from her childhood. Her message is you don’t have to be ashamed of what you’ve been through, and do not let anyone keep you from telling your truth. Get to know her and read her story here.

About the Sunshine Blogger Award

The Sunshine Blogger Award is an award given by bloggers to their peers to honor fellow bloggers who inspire and spread positivity through their blogs.

Rules for the Sunshine Blogger Award

Thank the person who nominated you and provide a link back to their blogging site.
List the Sunshine Blogger Award rules and display the logo on your site
Answer the Sunshine Blogger Award questions.
Nominate 11 other bloggers and ask them 11 new questions.
Notify the nominees about their nominations

Questions from Catherine Mellen

How often do you navigate to other Blogs & do you interact?

I interact very often with other bloggers actually! I also visit many other blogs too! For bloggers, supporting each other is key! Plus, I enjoy meeting new people and getting to know them through their blogs!

2) Do your love ones support your Blog?

I don’t talk all that much about my blog with my friends and family. I’m too shy to! My friends and family don’t read my blog posts or give likes or comments, but but the ones who do know about my blog give lots of encouragement, and listen to me talk about my blog (I bragged a lot about this sunshine blogger award)!

3) Are you embarrassed of your Blog?

Not at all! The very opposite actually! I’m very proud of my blog! I hesitated when starting my blog, because I wasn’t completely sure how comfortable I would feel sharing some of the things I’ve shared in my posts. That’s the closest I’ve come to embarrassment. However, I’m very glad I went through with starting a blog, and I’m am so happy with the wonderful feedback I’ve been getting so far! The support from the blogging community is beyond amazing!

4) If you had a choice to Blog for life or publish one book for life… Which would you choose?

Hard! Very hard! I can’t choose! If I really had to choose one though, I would probably pick to blog for life. Can I cheat and write a little about any stories I might write on my blog? I don’t have to publish them! I just want people to know they exist!

5) Winter, Spring, Summer or Fall?

Winter please! The spring and fall seasons are too erratic! One day it’s too warm, the next day it’s cool. One day it’s sunny, the next day it’s raining. I can’t deal with that! Winter and summer are consistent. Winter is always cold, and summer is always hot. There’s normally no second guessing the weather! I can’t handle the heat though, so winter it is!

6) Wine or Weed? Can’t be both

Interesting question! I’ve actually never had any of either!

7) How many websites do you share your Blog too?

I actually I have several social media accounts for my blog. However, I’ve been focusing on Pinterest, Facebook and a Twitter.

8) How often do you Blog?

I don’t have a set blogging schedule yet. I’m still working that. So far I’ve been putting out around two posts per month, but mostly my posting pattern has been a bit erratic.

9) Favorite Blogging Platform?

As in my favorite site to for publishing my posts? Since becoming a blogger I’ve heard of several platforms, however, the ones I know best are blogger and WordPress. I started my blogging journey on blogger, but blogger wasn’t working for me. I decided to move to WordPress, and I’m so glad I did! My blogging experience improved instantly after the switch!

10) Do you agree 11 questions are too many? 🤣

😂 Well, it definitely helps give the post some length!

11) Any summer fun plans?

Not really! I just plan on relaxing and having fun! I’m not looking forward to the heat though!

My Nominees

It’s my pleasure to pass this honor on to even more amazing bloggers! Here are my second set of nominees!

La Frieda Smith – MMM of Family Entertainment
Doctor’s Orders – Doctor’s Orders
The Comic Vault – The Comic Vault
Devinder Maan – Fabulous Fifty Five
Dayma – Women Undefined
Romani Sanchez – Sanchez Proofreading
Camilla – Northern Fairytales
The Godly Chick Diaries – The Godly Chick Diaries
Jamie – Chasing the Lions
K.C. – Live the Frugal Life
Michelle – Garden of Aquarius

My Questions

Which of your blog posts is your favorite?
What is your favorite color?
What is your favorite food?
Do you have a secret talent?
Which season (spring, winter, summer, fall) is your favorite?
What song would be your theme or anthem?
Who is your favorite celebrity?
Do you have a favorite book?
Do you have a favorite movie?
Do you have a tv show you’re binging on right now?
Is the one thing you love most about blogging?

The Sunshine Blogger Award: Part 1

I’ve been nominated! This time it’s for the Sunshine Blogger Award! I am so honored! I was nominated by fellow bloggers Kimberly Leatherwood and Jess Ling! Thank-you so much ladies! Both Kimberly and Jess are lifestyle bloggers and their blogs cover a variety of topics. The main characteristic of their blogs is that they share what their passions are at the moment and their adventures. They’re enjoying life and taking their readers on a nice ride with them! Their blogs are fun to explore, so definitely check them out! Get to know Kimberly Leatherwood at her blog All in with Kimmie L. Get to know Jess Ling at her blog Jerserry.

About the Sunshine Blogger Award

The Sunshine Blogger Award is an award given by bloggers to their peers to honor fellow bloggers who inspire and spread positivity through their blogs.

Rules for the Sunshine Blogger Award

Thank the person who nominated you and provide a link back to their blogging site.
List the Sunshine Blogger Award rules and display the logo on your site
Answer the Sunshine Blogger Award questions.
Nominate 11 other bloggers and ask them 11 new questions.
Notify the nominees about their nominations

Questions from Kimberly Leatherwood

What is the number one thing on your bucket list?

To do a little traveling! I don’t really travel. Not even around my own country (the U.S.), so I might like to travel around the U.S., and I would also like to do a little international traveling.

2. Why did you start blogging?

Blogging was always something I wanted to do. I just never had the time. I started slowing down this year, and decided I wanted to finally start a blog. I’m so glad I did!

3. What is your dream car?

I don’t really have a favorite car model!

4. If you could travel to any place in the world, where would it be and why?

Maybe Spain or Costa or Costa Rica. I’ve been trying to learn some Spanish, so I would love to visit one of those countries and stay there for a little while to become a little more fluent.

5. What is your favorite holiday? Why?

It’s between Christmas and Thanksgiving! I’m leaning a little towards more thanksgiving! I love the feeling the Christmas holiday brings. However, thanksgiving is the holiday that’s most special to my family. We are always so busy, so it’s often very hard for us to come together and spend quality time with each other. Thanksgiving is that one special time when we put our busy schedules aside.

6. If you could sit down for one hour with anyone, living or dead, who would it be and why?

This is hard! Wow! If I have to choose though, I would pick James McAvoy. I love him! I would be so nervous that the hour would probably seem so long, but he is so funny so he would probably make all the butterflies go away by making me laugh!

7. What is your motto or favorite quote?

I love “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder”. It teaches that beauty is subjective, and what one person sees as unattractive might be seen as beautiful to another. That’s the whole idea behind art. If something is deemed as art to someone who sees it, it is art. It is also why every person is beautiful. Beauty can be found in everyone.

8. Are you a dog person, cat person, or something else?

I don’t have any pets, but I honestly love both cats and dogs! If I had to choose though, I would say i’m dog person.

9. What is the best gift you have ever received

This pretty hard! I’ve received many lovely and thoughtful gifts! If I really have to choose though, I would say a book that my Dad bought for me one Christmas. What was really special was the note he placed inside the book for me. He told me how much he appreciated me and to never change. That meant a lot to me!

10. What is one thing you would like to learn to do?

I would love to be able to speak Spanish fluently!

11. What is one little-know fact about you?

I can play a little piano!

Questions from Jess Ling

How do you spend your free time?

I mostly spend time reading or with my family.

2. What are your top three favorite books and why?

Right now I’m reading Becoming by Michelle Obama. I’m really enjoying it! Another book I loved was Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand. Last, but in no way least, the Bible!

3. What are you most afraid of?

Heights!

4. What is your strongest personal quality?

I’d like to think that I’m a pretty empathetic person and that is my strongest personal quality. I like to let others judge these things for themselves though!

5. If you could witness any event of the past, present, or future, what would it be?

Very interesting question! I would probably go to the past and witness the creation of the world. I’ll leave the future a mystery!

6. What job do you think you’d be really good at?

A job that involves helping the public such as a social worker or teacher.

7. What game or movie universe would you most like to live in?

Hard question! I’m not really sure! There are so many great stories out there, but I would never want to live in any of those universes! I am happy right where I am!

8. Are you usually early or late?

Definitely an early bird!

9. What do you wish you knew more about?

Good question! I love learning! There is so much to learn, and even when formal education is over you don’t stop learning. What do I wish I knew more about though? I don’t really know how to answer. There’s so much I want to learn, and no where near enough time!

10. What is your best childhood memory?

Hard! I have many! If I had to pick one though, I would say when I got to be a part of a bridal party at a wedding.

11. What do you feel most proud of?

Right now I’m very proud of my blog and my accomplishments with it so far.

My Nominees

I came across many wonderful blogs deserving of this honor, but I can only choose eleven! Here are the eleven blogs I chose! They are all wonderful, so do give them a look!

1. Savannah Nelson – Sunshine with Savannah

2. Dimi – Monkey’s Travel

3. Nadine – Home of Understanding

4. Kelly – Mindfully Mad

5. Michelle – Blessings by Me

6. Sandra Morgan – Chatting with San

7. Natasha – Grateful Grumbles

8. Lloyd Stevens – My Food and Drink Lifestyle

9. Amanda Romero – Behind a Smart and Girly Mindset

10. Jeanne – My Perpetual Project

11. Myworldmyrules – The World of an Autistic, Dyslexic, with Depression and Spinal Problems

My Questions

Which of your blog posts is your favorite?
What is your favorite color?
What is your favorite food?
Do you have a secret talent?
Which season (spring, winter, summer, fall) is your favorite?
What song would be your theme or anthem?
Who is your favorite celebrity?
Do you have a favorite book?
Do you have a favorite movie?
Do you have a tv show you’re binging on right now?
Is the one thing you love most about blogging?

Teacher Appreciation Week

This week is Teacher Appreciation Week. I had many wonderful teachers who had a huge role in shaping who I am today. However, if I had to pick one teacher who made the biggest impact in my life, I would have to pick my first grade teacher. Let’s call her Miss. Z.

When I was a child I had a terrible attention span. That’s the case for most children, but my attention span was short even for a child. I was easily distracted by anything. Instead of listening to my teacher, I would play with whatever might be in my hands, or I would turn my attention to what’s going on outside if I happened to be near a window. Sometimes it would be so bad that I would be daydreaming the whole class time and forget to write down the homework. My mother would get furious whenever that happened! Both my parents and teacher started to worry about me. Miss. Z started working on ways to help me, such as giving me extra attention. She also collaborated with my parents. For instance, she would have my parents sit in class with me. My parents also tried to do their part by helping me at home. Miss. Z suggested timing me while I did my homework, which is exactly what my parents did. Miss. Z recognized that I needed a lot of help, but she didn’t lower her expectations for me. She didn’t ignore my struggles, and believed that with help I could be just as successful as my peers.

All of the intervention helped. My attention span is still not great, but it has improved tremendously since elementary school. I am very grateful for Miss. Z. Here in the U.S., a teacher’s job is not easy, especially if the teacher is working in a public school. Many classrooms in public schools have classes with around 30 students. It is not easy to pay attention to that many children. Also, the work load can be very heavy. On top of planning lessons the teacher has to grade the classroom assignments, homework assignments, projects, and tests of around 30 students. The teaching profession also doesn’t receive as much respect as some other professions. These are some of the few reasons many teachers here in America often leave the profession behind after a short while. In fact, statistics show that around 50 percent of new teachers leave the profession within their first five years, and around 52 percent of current American public school teachers have 10 or less years of teaching experience.

However, teaching is a very significant profession. Pretty much every other profession starts with a teacher. Whatever profession a person is in he or she needed to learn how to do his or her job, and the person who taught him or her was a teacher. Also, a teacher’s job is not just to teach. In the case of children, the teacher is like a second parent, and spends the most time with his or her students outside of the parents. It is the teacher’s job to pay close attention to the students and notice anything out of the ordinary. A child may be going through abuse at home, or might have a disability (the latter was the case for me), and it is part of a teacher’s job to catch these possibilities. If a child is struggling at home or is struggling with a disability, the child will also struggle to learn.

Despite all the hardships that come along with the teaching profession, my teacher Miss. Z still managed to notice my struggles, and give me the attention I needed to overcome them. I appreciate her and teachers like her who genuinely care about their students and take their jobs seriously. To all teachers here in the U.S. and around the world, Happy Teacher’s Appreciation Week!

Source

Facts about the Teaching Profession for a National Conversation about Teaching. United States of America Department it Education, https://www2.ed.gov/documents/respect/teaching-profession-facts.doc

The Blogger Recognition Award: The Importance of Telling your Story

What is important is not so much what is told…but but rather that telling occurs.
Mark Sanders

I was recently nominated for the Blogger Recognition Award by fellow blogger Mama Robbins! Thankyou so much Mama Robbins! Our jobs are necessary, but it is important to have a balance between work and leisure. Laziness can have a negative impact on your life, but so can overworking. Social media can affect you negatively as well if you give your accounts too much of your time. It’s said that too much of a good thing can be a bad thing. Sometimes it can be difficult to balance your time on social media, time with family, time with friends, and time on work (your job and household duties). Mama Robbins’ blog, Mama Robbins Series- An Undistracted Life, covers all these issues. Helping her readers build time management and goal setting skills while helping them to appreciate the special people in their lives is the purpose of Mama Robbins’ blog. Take a look at her lovely blog with this link: http://mamarobbinsseries.ca

About the Blogger Recognition Award:

The Blogger Recognition Award is an online award given by bloggers to other bloggers. It is a way to recognize the work of other bloggers, and award them for the work they put into putting out blog posts. It is definitely hard work, so I’m very honored to be receiving this award!

Rules:

Thank the nominator, and publish a post on your blog about receiving the Blogger Recognition Award. Make sure to provide a link to the nominator’s blog in your post.
Give a brief story of how your blog started.
Give two pieces of advice to new bloggers.
Nominate 10-15 other bloggers for this award, and inform them of their nomination.

The Story of Life with Charli

Sometime when I was in elementary school, I was given my first diary. That’s when I realized how much I enjoy writing. I loved writing down my thoughts, and I found that I express myself more easily through writing than speaking. Not long after receiving my first diary, I heard of Jewish diarist Anne Frank. I got a chance to read her diary when I was in middle school, and was so moved by her story. She wanted to be a writer, and I’m sure she would have made a wonderful one had she gotten the opportunity. Her style of writing and describing her surroundings and feelings were beautiful. I even tried to imitate her style in my own diary. It didn’t quite work out, and I eventually developed my own style of writing, though Anne Frank’s diary is still inspiration. Today, many survivors of the holocaust travel around the world to share their experiences. Their stories are important parts of history. We never know how important our stories are, and how they might impact someone else’s life. With our experiences, we can let someone know they’re not alone in whatever situation they’re going through, help someone learn something new, or help others view a situation from a different perspective. This was my reason for starting Life with Charli. After spending some time writing in my diary and reading blog posts, I decided I wanted to start a blog of my own to share my experiences. I eventually searched ways to start one, but life prevented me from getting a blog up and running. This year, I managed to slow down a little bit and find time to do something I’ve always wanted to do. So far, I’ve gotten wonderful feedback on my blog, that includes this award nomination, and I feel as if my blog might be accomplishing the goals I set for it. It’s definitely an amazing feeling.

Advice for New Bloggers

I’m a new blogger myself, as my blog has only been around for about two months, so this would be advice from one new blogger to another.

1. Patience is key! As a new blogger it will take time to learn all you need to know about building a successful blog. I’m still learning myself! When you start your blog you might have so many ideas in your head for blog posts, but before you start flooding your blog with posts take time to learn.

2. My second piece of advice is related to the first one. Take time to network in between blog posts. Take time to connect with your readers, network with other bloggers. This will help promote your blog and get you noticed. Your blog may be wonderful, and you may have great content, but no one would know if you don’t slow down to promote yourself.

My Nominees:

Picking only 10-15 blogs to pass this honor on to out of all the wonderful blogs I’ve come across was difficult! However, here are my lovely nominees! Be sure give these blogs a look if you haven’t already!

1. Scottmanntn – https://speakingbipolar.com/

2. Bookaholic Brittany – https://bookaholicbrittany.wordpress.com

3. Savannah Nelson – https://sunshinewithsavannah.com/

4. Natalka Antoniuk – http://iwanttobuyahouse.co.uk

5. Raheela James – https://bizmom101.com

6. Disabled Disney – https://www.disableddisney.com/

7. Spence – https://themindberg.com/

8. Lesley Skinner – https://doinglifewithhislight.com

9. Reid and Rachel – https://randrwander.com

10. Emma – https://simplyemsblog.wordpress.com

11. Jessica Carter – https://welcometospanish1.com

12. Kem – https://kemwritingfrom.home.blog/