Time for my weekly Formspring questions and answers, volume three! If you'd like to read the other posts you can do so here and here. And as always, feel free to ask or tell me anything in that little box up there to the left.

I also wanted to add that I skipped about 10 of the questions that I've already answered, so be sure to check the above links or my search feature up there on the right if you don't see you question!

Also- I wish there was a way to make a sort of livejournal cut type of thing so this didn't take up so much space. Does anyone know how to do anything like that?



I read in your blog that you use dry shampoo and I LOVED the idea that I wouldn't have to wash my hair everyday! I was wondering what kind of dry shampoo do you use and where do you buy it? Thanks so much! I really love reading your blog!

I wrote a post about my favorite dry shampoo here, and it still is my favorite brand! Some people complain that the product amount isn't worth the price, but I actually have found it to last quite awhile because I only use it in my bangs.

What is your routine at the gym? I am trying to get back into it and need some inspiration. Thanks :-)

I try to workout about 6 days a week. I typically will do 45-60 minutes of cardio (mix up the machines or run outside) and then lift alternating body parts. For instance tonight is legs, tomorrow is back and chest, and Sunday is bi/tri and shoulders. I also alternate abs every few days. I get bored of the gym though, so I like to use classes and videos to mix it up. I love spin class, and some of my favorite videos are Jillian Michaels' 30-day Shred and P90X videos. I also enjoy both running and "speed-walking" outdoors. When it gets nicer out, I absolutely love riding my bike (a beach cruiser) A LOT too!

Who made your blog layout? It's super cute!

I made the original header and the lovely Lindsay at Her Sunday Dress added to it, and also did the cute overall layout. She's a talented lady and if you're in the mood for a new look, don't hesitate to contact her- she's the sweetest!

What are your religious beliefs?

I don't have any! I don't follow any religion, I don't believe in god. I believe in love, and I believe in being a good person and doing the right thing, and these things have brought me all the happiness in the world. Although I feel strongly that religion is absolutely not for me or my family, I am open to anything, so if someday I had an experience where I said, "yes, yes there is a god," then I would believe in god. I also don't feel that there is just nothing- I do think there is some sort of energy in this world, turning the universe. There are too many amazing coincidences and miracles to just say there is absolutely nothing.

Do you think you'll ever go back to working once you've had kids?

I don't think I'd ever go back to a job outside of the home, but I would definitely love to write children's book and possibly novels. At the same time though, I never like to say never...so I guess I should say that I am unsure at this point. :)

What time do you go to bed? You always seem so energetic and seem to get so much done in your days? How do you accomplish it all in a day? Do you require a certain amount of sleep? Also, you mentioned your skin routine...do you always recommend a moisturizer even if somebody has horrible skin (like me)? I'm always afraid that the moisturizer will make me break out more. But then my face seems dry in areas too. (that may be an odd question, lol)

I go to bed anywhere between 10pm and midnight and wake up between 6am and 7am, depending on if I have to shower. If I workout in the morning I get up at 4:45am and go to bed around 9:30am. I am typically very energetic, where I get a lot of sleep or a little bit of sleep. I function best on 8 hours of sleep- my skin looks its best and I feel really happy and healthy. Normally I do get 8 hours, but sometimes 7. Last school year I got into a bad habit of getting just 4-5 hours of sleep and I hated it. The question of "how do I get so much accomplished" comes up a lot, and honestly I don't feel like I do that much but thinking about it, I guess I really do. You have to think about the fact that my work day is over at 3pm. I have the entire evening to do as I please, with my only responsibilities being to hang out with my husband and pup, workout, cook dinner, and I also love to fit in blogging. I still manage to have enough time to be lazy for awhile too. I think its my great teacher schedule! :)

As far as skin...moisturizer is KEY! If you don't moisturize, your skin will get dry, causing it to produce more oil, which in turn clogs your pores and will make you break out! I recommend any lotion that is oil-free and won't clog your pores! I love Purpose's face lotion with SPF 15.

What are your top 5 favorite songs right now?

Songs are hard for me but here are my most favorite songs that have been on repeat a lot this week!

Frank Turner, To Take You Home
Jay-Z, Young Forever
Stay Gold, TGIF
Count Me Out, My Regret
Dolly Parton, 9 to 5

I listen to a really strange mix of music, I know. My tastes are allll over the place.

Is Hank a romantic guy? Like does he bring home flowers and gifts just because?

He is super romantic in our own little way. Here's a little example-



Last time he was on tour, he hid little notes saying "I love you" and other cute stuff all over the place. Even under the last slice of bread I often eat for breakfast! Silly and so adorable. He finds really sweet ways to always let me know he's thinking of me and I love that about him.

where did you go to high school? do you think hank and you would have dated in high school?

I went to high school at Red Mountain High in Mesa, AZ. I definitely think we would have dated. Most of the guys I hung out with and dated were skateboarders and into music, and he was into the same stuff. I should get a photo of him from high school and post it. SO CUTE.

What kind of camera do you use?

I use two different little digitals for quick things- a Nikon and a Canon. But for most of my photos I'll use our D-SLR- Nikon D60. :)

Was Hank the first person you fell in love with?

Before Hank, I thought I was in love twice. But after meeting Hank, those relationships couldn't hold a candle even to the first week of Hank and me. Nothing compares, and I don't consider anything before Hank "love."

What attire do you normally wear to the gym? I want to start going but I feel so self conscious in that gym wear!

I wear the same thing all the time: black yoga capri pants (click here for my favorite one from Victoria's Secret- I have a million pairs of the black on black) and a hoodie with a tee shirt under it or just a long sleeved tee. I usually like to sweat a lot when I go so I prefer to wear the sweatshirt the entire time, but I have the tee on in case I get hot, or if I need to remove it when I left. If I wasn't tattooed I would probably wear little tank tops rather than tees but it's the most annoying thing in the world to go to one of the only gyms in town as a high school teacher. I probably see 20 students there every time I go, and it's just easier not to be "out and proud." haha. I'm looking forward to when I don't have to deal with that anymore. But as far as being self-conscious, don't be! Everyone is there for the same reason you are. Wear what is comfortable, and anyone who tries to make you feel any less than comfortable is just ridiculous!

to teach English,did you have to major in Education and English or just English?Thanks for your time!!!

My BA was in English Literature, and my M.Ed. was in Secondary English Education. You'd have to check with your state for the standard, but these days you have to be "highly qualified" in your area to teach it, so getting a major in English and in Education would be the best route.

Do you find that since you have been a teacher (especially for English!) that you read less for your own pleasure? When you do find time to do so, do you have any go to authors or books?

I actually read a lot more! Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday my students and I read for ten minutes at the start of class. They can choose to read whatever they'd like. So for me, that adds up to about an hour a day! Plus, I make time to read for about an hour every night. Besides working out, reading is my number one hobby so I don't think I will ever read less if I can help it. As far as go to authors, I have the widest ranges of reading interests. Stay tuned for a book recommendation post soon! :)

Hey there, Danielle. I have been following your blog for a while and I love how positive and optimistic you are; it's an admirable quality that I'm sure inspires many people to follow suite. What people, or things, inspire you the most?

I am inspired by so much. Number one would be my little town. It's hard to describe but living here makes me want to just stay inside and bake and cook and keep our cute little house in perfect domestic bliss. I know that sounds weird but I feel like Prescott is a dream place for me- it's the kind of town I would imagine when I was younger, and I now I live here. I love walking around downtown and spending time on the square, it makes me so happy. I am also constantly inspired by blogs. I could spend hours on the computer just browsing all of the amazing images that exist. I recently was asked by my friend Tyler to name 10 specific things that inspire me for an issue of his zine, and here is my list- (you can click here to see this list with photos too!)

Not at all, which is awesome. His parents probably give him and his sister a harder time than me. ;)

Can you post some pictures and a little tutorial of how you do your manicure? I love doing mine on a Sunday, but not always does my nailpolishcome out the best. Yours however, ALWAYS looks fab!

I got 4 or 5 of these comments about my nails so I will definitely post something when I repaint them! And thank you for the compliment, I definitely don't think I do anything special but I'll post a video anyway!

Sorry if you've gotten this question already, when did you get your first visible tattoo? Had you already decided you wanted to be a teacher? I am an aspiring high school History teacher and I already have a tattoo on my wrist. I had not decided that was what I wanted to do until after my tattoo. I'm hoping it won't be a problem! Thanks :]

It's totally okay! :) I posted this question because I got quite a few tattoo questions this time around. You can always check out this post here! I think I am going to make a little box for my sidebar that includes some of these frequently requested posts.

Hi Danielle! I never knew you had a VW. What kind was it? The bug? Do you have any pictures of it? It is my favourite car in the world actually!

Before this past year, I was always a VW girl! I miss them a lot actually. My very first car was a 1998 VW Passat, it was Sky Blue. I got it when I was 16 (in 1998) and I loved it so, so much. It was the perfect high school girly car- cutest color, sunroof, etc. I thought I was so cool ;). Next, I drove a 2000 VW Jetta (turbo and red, soo cute and fast) for a couple of years until I fell in love with the 2002 VW Beetle when I was a sophomore in college and bought that. It was blue and so adorable. Then when I graduated in 2004 I bought yet another new VW Jetta in slate gray (2005 model). Sigh. Now I miss those cute cars. I also sound like a crazy person who goes through too many cars but I always liked having new ones. :)

how long did it take you to grow your hair? do you have thick hair?

My hair has been growing for awhile, and I'm even really sure when I decided to grow it long. I don't have thick hair, but I have a lot of fine hair! I have the most amazing hair stylist and friend Rhonda who is also a "big sister" to me and has been in my life and doing my hair since I was 13! She works wonders. If you live in Phoenix and want a new hair stylist, definitely let me know and I can point you in the right direction!

Did you ever feel ostracized within your sorority for the "alternative" music you listen to or for your tattoos? I know you've written positive things about the sorority experience, but it seems like you had the sort of superficial differences from them that can damage relationships when everyone is still young and silly, especially because sororities are so image conscious.

Great question! And absolutely and definitely not! Although I have to say that I didn't have tattoos when I was in college- I waited until I had graduated to get one. It's kind of odd to type this out, but outside of tattoos and some of the music I listen to, I am the silliest girly girl in the entire world, and very much a "sorority girl," all the good parts at least! ;) I also never would have joined an organization where I felt judged or made to feel bad about myself! Even now, five years later, I go back with my friends from time to time for reunions, initiations, Homecomings, etc, and I don't feel "ostracized" at all. But again, I think that if I was what people (sadly) stereotype to be a "tattooed person" to be like, it wouldn't have worked out. And I probably wouldn't have wanted to rush in the first place.

Hi Danielle! Superb blog you have here, it is FANTASTIC to see the way it is growing! Can you tell me where you got your shades from? It's the black one with the gold pieces at the sides. They are fab!



Thank you so very much! :) I think you mean these ones! They are from Forever21, last summer.

what kind of hair dye do you use? how often to you go to the salon?

I don't know what kind of hair color it is. I go to the salon about every 5-6 weeks, but only trim my hair every other time.

What are your top 10 favorite blogs? Who do you admire and "look up" to?

It's so hard to just pick 10, but some of my favorite blogs are:

Sheryl
Jenna
Lauren
Holly
Elsie
Jessica
Katie
Marisa
James
Lindsay

As far as "who I look up to," I look up to my parents the most out of anyone in the whole world.

I have super sensitive skin like you. What daily body lotion do you use/recommend?

I LOVE LOVE LOVE Cetaphil body cream. I constantly get comments on how soft my skin is, and I fully thank this lotion. I put it on immediately after I exit the shower and dry off with a towel, and it totally seals in moisture. As far as more natural stuff goes, I am a big fan of anything by Kiss My Face!

Hi Danielle. I just recently found your blog and am really enjoying it. It's hard to believe you had any body image issues, you are such a beautiful person. I know we all have our own little quirks about ourselves though. Anyway, I was just wondering where your archives link is? I don't see one on here.

I added one for you right over there! Thank you so much for the suggestion! xo

Just a random question, but what kind of laptop do you and Hank have? I'm curious as I imagine you'll be using your laptop a lot for blogging etc. Are you satisfied with them and if not, do you have any other models in mind for your next purchase?

We both have Macbooks and both LOVE them. We are an Apple family and will always have brand loyalty. :)

well you know how you have the huge sometimes sweet thing as like a header, well i'm new to the blog world, and i would like to know how to do that. i kinda made up a picture but it doesn't work.

Go see Lindsay at Her Sunday Dress, she can help you out!

Hey there Danielle! I realize the time has QUITE come, but do you have any "favorite names" that are potentials? Have a beautiful day!

Hank actually picked out our future daughter's name a long, long time ago and I swore I wouldn't tell the internet world until the day came. But you can know our first boys name, since he will be a IV. hah. Henry Hampton IV that is! ;)

Hi Danielle! As a very unhealthy vegan I'm always on the look out for healthy new meals. You mentioned recently you were making a macro platter for dinner - what do you put on it? Thankyou! Much love, Sam xxx

We always have steamed veggies, brown rice, tofu, and beans!



Hey! I've been reading your post about feeling a bit ill (hope you feel 100% soon!) and I'm interested in hearing about what supplements etc you take daily, and if you can recommend anywhere to learn more about them. I'm interested in taking some but have no idea where to go for advice! Thanks xo

Hi! Okay remember to check with your health care provider too. I take a few things- Trader Joe's Once Daily Prenatal (I have taken this for over a year and love it, I think it's done wonders for my skin and hair), Fisol Fish Oil Capsules, and bee pollen. This particular brand of fish oil is awesome because it's a different kind of pill that only opens once its in your intestine, where it should disperse. Because of this, you don't get the fishy burps or after taste (which is SO GROSS). If you click on the name of the product up there you can learn about its benefits. The bee pollen is kind of an odd thing, but very neat. It's a super amazing supplement that has a lot of health benefits. It's toted as a "super food" because it has all of the complete nutrition you'd need for one day. It is a veritable alphabet of vitamins, tons of trace minerals, it's a natural appetite suppressant, it contains "more protein by weight than beef," and it smells and tastes yummy. It also is a great topper on your oatmeal in the morning or even dissolved in hot water if you're not wanting to eat.



I feel really lucky that my mom is such a natural health nut because she turns my sister and I on to a lot of really awesome, new things. I love it!

Do you know what you want your next tattoo(s) to be?

Yes, but I'm not telling! ;)

You like Mondays?! Admirable. I dread Mondays - which is probably my problem. Can you tell me how you ease into Monday? Do you have a Sunday afternoon/evening routine you like to follow?

Sundays are a really special day in my family, when we're at my parents' house. It's a tradition for all of us to get up, workout together, then go to breakfast and food shopping at Trader Joe's, Sprouts, and Whole Foods. We usually make a stop at all three because my Mom likes to get items from each store as funny as it sounds. Hank and I kind of do something similar and spend the day really enjoying ourselves. We usually workout, food shop, and lay low. Sunday evening I always paint my nails, make sure every nook and cranny in our house is perfectly clean, and plan meals and workouts for the week. This really helps me feel "set" for the upcoming week. There's been a few times we've been on vacation and I've missed being able to do this, and I always feel a bit out of sorts come Monday. I would say the main thing is to just organize, organize, organize! I am an organizational freak with my day planner attached to my hip so it's a necessity for me.

Do you like sushi?

YES!

What does your voice sound like? You should post more videos.

I do post videos from time to time, but I will try and post more! Here's a short little video I made for Hank will he was on tour. There's my voice! :)



quick question tho. you have said you only wash your hair every couple days right? how do you keep it so full? do you tie it up when you sleep? if so with what. id appreciate any advice you have to give. mine always comes out flat if i sleep with it down or gross and crinkled if i wear it up.

Yes, I only wash it every 2-3 days! I use dry shampoo just on my bangs, so the rest is just normal old dirty hair, haha. I sleep with it in a big, loose bun on top of my head, so I'm sure that helps with volume! I never have kinks in my hair because I tie it very loosely with itself- I don't use a rubber band or anything. If you don't have enough hair for that yet, I would advise using an old 1980s type scrunchie to avoid the kink. :)

How do you get such great self-portraits? Do you use a tripod or set your camera on something with a timer? Or does Hank take them?

Most of the self-portraits you see are just from my Macbook actually. I just set the computer on a flat surface and snap a picture! Any "regular" photos though, like the ones from today are all Hank. He likes taking my photo and I definitely oblige. We don't have a tripod so it's either photobooth or the hubby! And thank you for the compliment!

Can you post pictures of all the framed portraits/pictures on your wall? (Maybe not all of them, but your favorites?)

I will do that this week! Thanks for the question.

So I am getting married in October and I have a few personal questions to ask you about your wedding. It looks like it was absolutely beautiful. First, who designed your dress? Next, did you have a budget or did you anything go? Lastly, is there anything you wish you would or would not have done at your wedding? Thanks!

I actually have no idea who the designer of my dress was, isn't that weird? I suppose I should find out. I got it at a wedding shop in downtown Phoenix- my friend Shirley picked it out and it was the second dress I tried on. Once I put it on I didn't really ask any questions, I was in love! To answer your next question, we were fortunate enough to be able to pretty much have whatever type of wedding we wanted, and I am thankful for that. And in terms of changes, no, I wouldn't change a thing. If I think hard about it, maybe the only thing I would have done was to have it in the fall because I love that season so much, but our timing worked out really well with my teaching schedule.

What sort of children do you hope to raise?

Hank and I talk a lot about this. We hope to raise open-minded kids who never feel judged, and always feel like they can be themselves, whoever that may be. I hope they are loving, open, creative kids who really enjoy being kids! Other than that, we don't really have a game plan. My biggest thing is just making sure they know whoever they are is a-okay with us and that we will always love them unconditionally.

Hey! Someone rightly commented on your lovely posture and I wondered if you had any tips on how to get good posture - any exercises you think help etc?

Thank you! I really attribute it to years of dance and gymnastics! I also consciously tell myself to roll my shoulders back all of the time so now its just a normal thing for me to do! I would just say to consistently remind yourself to sit and stand up straight. Pretty soon it will become second nature.

How much of your body are you willing to cover with tat'?

Thanks! :) I would like to have a lot more actually, other arm, other side, both sides of neck, other thigh. Fun! ;)

I noticed on your twitter this week that you mentioned finishing up your family budget. Have any tips for making & maintaining a budget? What about tips from your own experiences, for couples about to combine their finances? Thanks!

I only recently started doing this, so I don't have much advice, but once a couple months have passed I will make a post about this.

Has a student ever had a crush on you?

I don't know, nor do I want to know. :)

how do you know elsie?

I met Elsie through blogging! She's been a great source of inspiration for me, and I adore her.

hi there! I absolutely adore your blog! I am a quite heavily tattooed 21 year old girly and am consdering working towards a teaching credential. Now to my question! When people would ask you about what profession you were considering, did you ever get negative feed back for your tattoos from family/ friends etc? Because i seem to be be very discouraged when it comes to furthering my education goals towards teaching. Thanks so much!

People are always going to have something negative to say unfortunately. As far as your profession though, tattoos have nothing to do with it. You can cover with clothes and no one would ever know! Many people at work don't even know I have tattoos, and it's not an issue at all and has never been one. You'd also be surprised to know how many other teachers have tattoos under those professional clothes. Tell the naysayers that some ink in your skin has absolutely nothing to do with your profession- it's silly for them to even think that. And as time goes by and tattoos become even more mainstream, it will be even less of a potential issue.

After I read the story of how you and Hank met, I was just wondering, do you think if two people meet and they don't get the same feeling that you both had, then are they still meant to be together? Or do you think that all people who are meant to be together will get that feeling? I hope that's not too confusing :D

Absolutely not! I think our story is pretty uncommon. For instance, my sister and her fiance have known each other and been friends throughout junior high and high school. They didn't start dating until they were in college. It happens differently for everyone, and I think it happens in just the right way for each couple!

Buying organic, do you have to go grocery shopping a lot more often in order to have fresh food at home?

We go food shopping about 2x a week. We almost always go on Sundays, and usually I will go again on my own around Wednesday or Thursday for produce. I really enjoy grocery shopping so I don't mind going, and this way we never really waste food since we never buy more than a couple days worth of stuff.

What is your favorite meal to cook?

Lately I've been making this meal every week! I love it :).

Alright, so that's it for this week! Thanks for all the questions and so many AMAZING, thoughtful, sweet, encouraging comments over there. Continue to ask me/tell me whatever your heart desires. Until next Sunday...

Thanks guys!
xoxo

Hi everyone! So this is my weekly little post where I answer all of the questions from my formspring, located over there on the left! If you missed the first post, you can find it here. And don't forget about my little search box up there on the right- it's a handy tool for finding old articles, recipes, whatever. Thanks again for all of your wonderful questions- they're fun to answer and a good way to interact with you guys.

I also have to give a huge, huge thank you for all of the amazingly sweet comments you guys leave over there. You make me smile THIS BIG daily.



So here we go...there's a lot so be prepared! haha.
this may be too personal, but you mentioned you stopped taking birth control. i too feel weird how unnatural it is, so my question is: did you replace it with another form of contraception? again, i know this is super personal, but you're the ONLY person i know of who feels the same, and with this little formspring i couldn't resist :)

haha this is a little personal and I almost hesitated answering it, buttt oh well.  We replaced it with the family planning method. I agree that birth control is weird- the more I thought about it the more freaked out I got about the fact that I had been putting these horrible, synthetic hormones into my body for so many years. I can't even tell you how GREAT I feel being completely medicine free.

where are these shoes from??



Target! They have them in the stores right now. I/they have them in black as well.

hello. i just recently started following your blog (found it through another blog). i just wanted to let you know that you are a huge encouragement to me. i am a senior in college and seeing how you have such a fun, "normal" life as a young adult is very helpful to me. im in that stage where im freaking out about what to do after college but reading your blog honestly helps me to not freak out so much. i guess one question i would have is, did you find it hard to move from college life to "real life"? specifically with managing money and paying student loans and everything?

This is a great question. To be very honest, I actually didn't have a hard time transitioning. I would attribute this to continuing to live with my best girlfriends after college as well, so it always kind of seemed the same, just minus going to class. I didn't have to work high school, and I didn't work a lot in college, so the thing that was hard for me was having a good work ethic once I was out of school. I'm responsible, and of course I will go to work, and enjoy it, but I'd much rather be doing other things (like anyone else!). As far as paying off student loans go, it wasn't hard to transition to that either, because it just seemed like another bill. Pay my electric, pay my gas, pay my loan. It's not bad at all. As much as I LOVED college, I am so much more in love with this phase right now. It will only get better, so don't stress!

know you addressed your make-up routine, but can you address your skin routine (if you have one?) i am not so confident in my skin and yours is glowing and beautiful, so i was wondering about the products you use.

First of all, thank you for the compliment! I have THE MOST sensitive skin on the planet and I have to be really, really careful what I use or I will break out like crazy. I used to use acne medication all of the time, even though I wasn't breaking out, because I went through a short time when I did break out a little bit, and the medicine took it away. For years I was scared to stop taking it because I felt like I would break out if I did. When I stopped, my skin had NEVER been better, and it made me sad to know I kept putting that harsh medications on my skin when I didn't have to. The only thing I do now in terms of seeing a skin doctor is getting monthly peels! I know that sounds crazy but I feel that it's the best thing in the world. It's a fairly mild peel, but it still makes my skin look really fresh and makes me happy. As far as products, I've been using the same products since college and those are: face wash- Aveeno Positively Radiant Cleanser, lotion- Purpose Dual Treatment Moisturizer with spf 15, eye cream- Lush's Enchanted Eye cream (I was using Stri-vectin but decided to switch to something else for awhile). And that's absolutely it! My skin is also very, very in tune with how much sleep I get, how much sugar I eat, and how much water I drink! More water, more sleep, and less sugar makes my skin super happy.

Do you think you'll keep getting tattoos forever or do you have a 'limit'. just curious because i haven't decided when to make a 'cut off point' for my own collection. :) XO. you're great!

I definitely don't have a limit- in fact in the future I'd like to tattoo my other arm and leg, front/back of thighs, side of neck, and my other rib panel. :)

What advice do you have about going on job interviews for teaching?

I would just say be yourself, be professional, all that stuff. I don't have much specialized advice because I didn't really interview for my position, as I student taught in the school I work at now! I'm really glad it worked out this way. My sister Lauren had to interview for her position, so you can always hop over to her blog and ask her too!

does hank ever show his teeth when he smiles?

Haha! Yes he does and his teeth are gorgeous. He just always says that he hates fake, unnatural smiles and that's how he feels when he has to smile big and show his teeth. So the closed-lip smile is what we get!

Let's talk about Marc Jacobs. What are your favorite pieces in your collection? Are you lusting over anything right now?

Oh goodness. I love me some Marc. Right now I am on the fence about getting a red bag for spring- I'm not much of a red gal though and Hank wasn't a fan when we went shopping the other day. If I do get a red one, I'll probably do another Hillier, I love my tan one so much.

Two questions: 1. How does you plan to handle touring when you have a baby? Will Hank take a break? 2. What kind of diet (food intake) do you plan to enforce for your children? Tough questions I've thought about for my family, and have always had a hard time with.

1. We haven't really planned all of that out- I figure we will just take it in stride when it comes. I really don't mind at all if he tours, as long as it's not for like 6 months straight. Even though I miss him like crazy, I get into a little groove when he is gone and because I won't be working and I have a really good support system, I think I'd be okay! But ask me again when that times comes. ha.

2. Well, Hank has been veg since he was 11 or 12, and that won't ever change. As far as me and animal products, I will always consume what I like, which means occasional meat and also cheese. We don't drink milk and do almond milk instead. When we have kids I'll do what my mom did, which is make my own organic/local baby food when possible, but outside of that stick to 100% organic food. That's what we eat in our home, so of course a baby would do the same. I wouldn't go out and buy pesticide-laden broccoli just for the little one. ;) When the child is older, I figure he or she can just choose what they want to eat (Mommy or Daddy's food, if I'm doing meat one night when Hank is doing tofu or something). I don't put too much thought into it though, because I figure once we are actually with child I will figure it out! :)

am pretty much the same size and body type as you. Do you ever just feel huge even though you know you're not? This goes thru my head tons of times per day...

Yes. Somedays I have bad body image days when I feel like a big, fat cow but eventually I come back down to earth. Those days are very, very few and far between for me now, but I've been there and I'm sure I'll always be there. I am small, but have an athletic build, so I'll never be stick thin, nor do I want to be! If you'd like to read a lot more on this topic, check out this post!

Have you and your sister always been close?

We went through those weird teenage years where we would argue, take each other's clothes without asking, etc. but typically she's always been my best friend. We grew up in the woods, in Jackson, NJ without anyone else really around to play with. Because of this we were each other's playmates when we were home. My family is VERY family-oriented, so we grew up having this ingrained in us. I love it so much and I am very thankful that we have so many similar interests.

Hey Danielle! Hope you're good. Love your blog.
I wondered if you could maybe do a little hair tutorial with pics. I know you put a description up but I'd personally love to see it with pics (espesh the curling part as I am nooo good @ curling!). Thanks xxx

I will absolutely do this sometime this week or weekend! How fun!

What are your favourite blogs to read?

I am going to make a big post on this topic pretty soon, featuring my favorite blogs and sites to visit. Stay tuned!

first off i absolutely adore your site! im always inspired by it! ive wanted to be a high school english or art teacher for a while and wondered if it is rewarding? i guess i just really want a job where i can help people and wondered how you felt about yours. thanks!!

YES! My job is so rewarding. Sometimes there's days where I go home thinking - "I actually get paid to do this?!" It's really neat because it's different everyday, every hour and every minute! Kids are so funny and I spend a lot of my day laughing and having a great time. Not to sugar coat it, because some days are nightmares like any job, but in my opinion it's the BEST job ever. You're getting to make a difference in a child's life, and that's the most important thing there is. Often kids will say that they never liked to read before coming to my class, and now they read all the time! That one simple thing is so rewarding on its own. Plus, outside of the curriculum, you're getting to make kids feel good about themselves. Some of these students never hear a positive thing, maybe they don't get any encouragement at home, and you saying "good job" is the first kind thing they've heard all day. You can be that for someone. So yes, it's very rewarding! I talk about my job often, so if you keep reading you'll see a lot of that.

You mentioned eating soup for lunch. What kind of soup do you eat? Do you make it yourself? This might sound silly.

Not silly at all! I'm assuming you mean my lunch at work- sometimes I make it, but I don't think I've ever brought my homemade soup to school. More recently my friend Robyn made the most amazing soup ever and we ate that. I really love Amy's brand soups too. I can't think of any particular ones off the top of my head but maybe I can coerce my friend to share an amazing soup recipe here soon.

would love to have you as a teacher(: do any of your students ever try to befriend you? what would you do in that situation? ps. can you help me with my AP language and composition exam?

As a teacher, and especially as a young teacher, you have to set clear boundaries of what is acceptable and what is not. Kids have definitely tried to befriend me, both at a Facebook type of level and also trying to hang out, but obviously I don't do that. It's also weird because a lot of students at my school really love Hank/Hank' bands, so I see them at shows and at work it's always a source of conversation for them. They make those guys out to be rockstars, which I find really humorous and often awkward. As far as your test, probably not. haha.

Do you rent or own your home?

We currently rent our home but will be buying our first place pretty soon! Very exciting.

Does Hank read your blog every day?

He reads it every once and awhile, but definitely not regularly as far as I know!

Hi Danielle! I wanted to ask, you mentioned in one of your blogs that you'd got rid of negative people in your life and people who I guess weren't "true friends". I just wanted to ask how you did this? I find myself in this situation, and I'm not good with confrontation and just look for any words of wisdom you may have! Thanks xx

When I thought about it, I found that most negative people in my life were only in my life via computer. However, because I do live separated from most of my friends up here in Prescott, and do spend time blogging and just being on twitter/facebook whatever, that was my only form of communication. I basically just slowly stopped putting effort into these people and it naturally happened. I also kind of stopped caring. That sounds weird, but I got to this place where I was just sick of wasting my time and energy. I said to myself- you aren't a good person, so I really don't care to waste my time anymore on you! I'm a busy person and my time is valuable to me- why do I want to waste it hanging out with you? When I got to that place it was a fairly easy transition because I didn't care anymore about pretending. I also found that the happier I got the more these people disliked me, so they stopped wanting to be in my life too! It worked out well.

Hi Danielle, I just wanted to say that I love your blog, and it is so nice to see such a positive, sweet gal such as yourself. I love your family values. It's so refreshing after many other blogs about partying etc. I really love your blog!

Even though this was just a comment and I usually only post them here if they're questions, I wanted to comment on this. First of all, thank you for these kind words! I really love hearing that people enjoy reading what I write here, and I'm especially appreciative of the comment about my family values. I think a lot of the time people think that you have to be a religious person to have good values and a good heart, but I am living proof that you don't. So thanks for writing this. A lot of my blog friends are followers of god in some way or another (and more power to them! :) ), but I find myself in the minority as a non-believer. I recently received an anonymous comment about how I was going to hell because I didn't believe in god and I had bad morals and values...so this warmed my heart to read something on the other side. Just had to take the opportunity to make the point that you don't have to believe in any sort of higher power to be a good person :)

Did you know that a photo of yours was featured on tattoobay.blogspot.com a few months ago? If so, does that bother you?

How funny, I did not know that. Do you have a link? And no, it doesn't bother me at all. I figure if I put it out there, it's bound to end up somewhere. As long as it's credited back to me I don't think it's a huge deal.

You always look adorable. Do you ever leave the house in sweats, or even jeans??

Thank you so much! I HATE jeans! I know that's really weird but I try to avoid wearing them at all costs. I don't think they're cute, or comfy! I do own a few pairs and I wear them from time to time to work, but if I never had to wear jeans again I would be happy. I would never go out in sweats either- we live in a small town and I would be bound to run into someone we knew and I'd feel weird and sloppy. I know that sounds silly but it's just the way I am. I will run errands or grab a tea before/after a workout, but I'm usually wearing yoga pants and for some reason I don't think those are as bad but I still do feel a little uncomfortable! After re-reading this I feel like I sound kind of ridiculous but ohhh well! ;)

what do you mean by "it was abes first christmas"?

Abe wasn't raised in a family that really makes a big deal over holidays so it was his first year ever receiving presents and doing the whole thing! It was really fun to see his reaction to everything, because our family really goes overboard.

do you feel self conscience about your tattoos as you get older? i have a half sleeve and chest piece as well, that are the most obvious to others. now that i am pregnant there are some days where i think i'll eventually come to regret having them on display, when my child gets older. i hope i'm not "that weird tattooed biker mom" haha

I get this question a lot, and no I don't really worry about it. I really feel that if someone wants to judge me because of my tattoos I don't want to know them anyway, and I certainly don't care about their opinion. As I get older I feel more and more this way so I'm sure when I'm old and wrinkly I'll care even less. Plus, my husband is covered, my sister and her fiance are too...and many of our friends. In our little world, I'm just like everyone else. The only thing that kind of bugs me sometime is when we go on vacations it can be annoying to be the tattooed couple at the pool that people "don't get." Hank's mom always tells me that when I start going on business trips with Hank I may feel weird being the "tattooed wife" with all the other wives at the pool who are so unlike me, but I really don't care. I like being different :).

Could you post a pic of yourself with your natural hair colour? I bet you look a lot like your sister with lighter hair! Has she ever had darker hair as well?

We've both been on either side of the spectrum! I love dark hair on me the best, although right now I feel like maybe my hair is a bit too dark. My sister likes light hair on her the best.

This is probably closest to my natural color, but I may be a bit lighter! This photo is from 2005.



And unfortunately I can't find any photos of her with dark hair, but you can always ask her via her blog.

Sometime when you've got time, do you think you could make us a hair timeline of all the different styles you've had? Have you ever had short hair?

Sure! And yes...I've had short hair and it looks horrible on me. Most of my girlfriends and I all went through that phase of having short hair and thinking it looked so good. We all look back in horror. haha. My face is heart-shaped and short hair makes me look quite chubby. No thanks.

what kind of car do you drive?

Last year I traded in my adorable VW to buy a sensible 2009 Toyota Corolla, although we are currently looking at the Highlander.

Do you hate having to always cover up your tattoos for work?

Not really. Some days I hate it, but most of the time my normal outfits of blouses and cardigans or dresses do the job on their own. There are times when I would love to just wear a short sleeved dress without the sweater, but I thought about all of this before I got tattooed, and it's really not a big deal.

is the brown mj bag you carry a Classic Q-Hillier bag?

Yes, it's one of my favorite MJ bags that I own!

I'm seventeen,and I feel like I haven't really read any "staple, must-read-once-in-your-life-books" in all my years of high school. I feel like my school doesn't really encourage its students to learn the classics, or to read intellectual, thought-invoking books. I mean, Twilight was on our summer reading list. So my question is, what books would you recommend, as an English teacher, to your students?

This is a tough question, because my recommendations change so often based on the student. Here are some of the books I've recommended in the past week- Ishmael by Daniel Quinn, Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert, The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath and Walden by Thoreau. I will try and make a big book recommendation post soon- thanks for the great idea!

How did Hank propose to you? How many kids do you guys want?

The 3-year anniversary of the proposal is next month, so I'm planning on posting the story then, but as far as kids I would love 3 or 4 and he would love 2! Since Hank is a III he is intent on having a boy to pass down the tradition to (a IV), and I absolutely would love a little girl, so after two if one of us doesn't get our wish then we will probably adopt. But realistically I think we'll have one first and go from there. :)

Could you post the link to that galadarling article you wrote about in March? I'd like to use it for a women in media culture class and can't find it. Thank you!

I don't have the link to her exact article, but I'm sure you can use the search feature on her site, especially once you know what to search for via my post. To see mine, go here.

have you ever thought of doing a "whats in my bag" post?

I used to do these on livejournal a lot, so I will have to make one over here sometime soon. I've seen a bunch of them floating around on blogs recently too and I love reading them. Thanks for the reminder! :)

You previously said that you eat vegan most of the time but do have meat if you know it wasn't injected with hormones etc. My question is, does the way they treat animals before it gets on your plate [meaning : inhumane ways of pretty much killing it] bother you at all? I have eaten meat my whole life and try my hardest to stick to organic as well but recently have been exposed to how they treat them before it gets to me. However, i still enjoy chicken, turkey, etc. Just wondering what someone else's standpoint is. : )

Yes it definitely bothers me and because I was fully vegan in the past so I know all about it. I'm unsure how I am able to still eat it, because I know that even when it says "free-range" or a related term that's not always the case...but I guess I feel that my occasional consumption isn't "as bad" as being a meat-eater all of the time. That's a total cop-out, I know, but it's the only way I can explain why I continue to eat meat even when I know it's not the most humane thing in the world. I will think more about this and add to my answer at a later time- I feel like this answer isn't really what I want to say on this topic!

I've noticed in all of your pictures that you seem to have really great posture! Maybe you consciously do it just when taking pictures, but if not, then kudos!

Thank you so much! I actually work at having good posture all of the time. :)

Have you always had a definite style? Your wardrobe seems to be so cohesive. I sometimes find it difficult to have one set style.

Thank you! I really have never thought about this, but I've always just kind of worn what I liked. I've always been into dresses and wearing very girly attire for as long as I can remember. I would say that it hasn't been until probably the past two years that I really figured out what works best for me and looks best on my body type. It's been relatively easy to get dressed and pick out clothing since then.

Were you ever a fatty or have you always had that gorgeous figure of yours and good health routine?

ha! First of all, thanks for the compliment. I have always, always had a very healthy routine but I have gone through phases in college and when I started dating Hank where I fluctuated maybe 8-10 pounds or so? But nothing huge because like I've said in previous entries I grew up as an athlete and dancer so fitness and health has always been a major part of my life.

You wear a lot of cute strapless dresses! (In the summer, mostly!) This may sound too personal, so if it is, don't worry about answering, but in case you don't mind: do you wear bras w/ them, and if so, where do you go to shop for good strapless bras?! I find it hard to get a good bra to wear w/ strapless dresses without making everything bulge weird!

I actually don't wear bras with them most of the time, because if you notice most of them are structured and not just a piece of thin cotton. If I do happen to wear one that needs a strapless bra, I absolutely love Victoria Secret's one from their Pink line. I've always worn that one because, like you said, most are very bulky. This one is more of a thin construction and has always been the best. :)

how far into your relationship did you and hank live together?

We moved in together about 11 months after our very first date. He had been on tour with his band Life in Pictures and during that tour they broke up (sad...I LOVED that band), and he was really bummed, and I was starting my practicum for teaching...so I just took the plunge. We lived in a TINY little apartment right downtown and slept on a twin bed together for a year. It's so fun to think back to this time.

Alright, those are all the questions (well, the ones I answered- some were duplicates or things I've already answered in the last post). I hope you enjoyed reading these. As always, you can ask or tell me anything right over there to the left!

Have a wonderful week!

Here we go! From this point on, I will try and address the week's questions/comments on Sunday evening. This may change from time to time, but for the most part I'd count on Sunday! Some of the questions are a little too invasive for my taste, so I've skipped a few of them. And one or two I combined. If I missed yours, feel free to ask again. Also, so many of you left amazingly sweet comments in that little box and I wanted to thank you! You made my day.

i'm not sure if you've ever addressed your diet, but i was just curious...are you a vegetarian? and if so, what made you decide to be one?

I don't follow any particular diet, but I do eat vegan a lot of the time, simply because my husband is veg and I am a health nut. I was vegan for awhile, but now I eat any and all meat, as long as it's organic, hormone-free, nitrate-free, grass-fed, blah blah blah etc. :) At this point I'm not perfect- I definitely indulge in Subway now and then, and if I go out with friends I don't always know where that chicken breast comes from, but I am trying to stop eating ANYTHING that isn't whole, healthy and good for me. Factory farming and pesticide farming, and GMOs are disgusting to me, so I just try and make healthy choices.

your ring is beautiful not to be rude but where is it from? tiffanys??

Hank designed my ring, and he got the diamond from Jared Jewelers.

Where in the world did you find those amazing brown flats that you have been wearing so frequently? I am in LOVE with them!

They are from Target! I got them in black as well and I love them. They're incredibly comfortable.

I'm also an English teacher and have a tough time finding cute, business appropriate clothing. What are your top stores to shop for school?

I totally feel your pain on that- it's even harder for me because I have to cover up my tattoos. My main stores for work are Forever21, Modcloth, Nordstrom Rack (to score cute, cheap(er) dresses, Banana Republic and J. Crew.

I absolutely ADORE your wedding ring! Did Hank have it custom made? And when he proposed, did you get the feeling he was going to do it or were caught off guard? ( I LOVE hearing about wedding proposals/stories!) :)

Yes, he had it custom made (see above for answer on where). We had talked about getting married for years before he did it, so I knew it was coming but didn't know when. I'm going to blog the proposal story pretty soon so stay tuned for that! ;)

what does hank do, as a job?

Hank works for his family's ambulance company. He also is a full-time musician and graphic artist.

what sort of shoes do you usually find yourself wearing during the winter?

I really don't like wearing boots (I find them a little unattractive- and I may be the ONLY girl who thinks that), so I find myself wearing lots of thick tights and my normal shoes. I do own a pair of riding boots, so if I must I will wear those. I'm starting to get over my fear of boots a little bit, but Hank detests them, so I'm unsure if I will ever really enjoy them. I'd hate to wear something that I know makes my husband cringe!

How much, approximately, do you make as a teacher? Do you get paid all throughout the year and for breaks and holidays? Any other benefits?

I typically would never answer a question about money but this seems okay because it's a general and you could find this information online! I have my Masters degree, so I make a bit more than the average teacher, but I make about $37,000 per year. I get paid year round, but only work 9 months, which isn't so bad! So yes, while I'm vacationing in the summer I still have a paycheck. This was my choice- you can choose to do 9 month pay, or 12 month, or a 9 month with a balloon at the end of the year. Benefits would be the amazing schedule, and the fact that you only work 8-3 plus lunch and a free hour everyday, and lots of holiday time off!

how did you get people to start and continue reading your blog?

It's funny because I never started this blog to have tons of people read it. I'm still in shock with how much it's grown over the past few months in terms of readers and hits per day. Recently I've thought about going private with this blog, because having hundreds and hundreds of readers and at times thousands of hits a day wasn't what I was going for at all, and it makes me a little uncomfortable at times, but it's still public and that's how it will probably stay. So to answer your question, I haven't done anything in particular to get people to read it, it just kind of happened! :)

whats your current playlist for the gym?

I usually listen to the same album over and over again until I get sick of it. Currently I'm loving Jay-Z's newest album. Before that I was listening to Gaslight Anthem (all three albums). I used to make playlists every weekend with various songs but I haven't done that in awhile, perhaps I will soon and share them!

Do you have a fav perfume that you wear?

Occasionally I'll wear Marc Jacobs Daisy or Lola, but Hank doesn't like perfume so I typically avoid it!

Do you have any book recommendations? Genre doesn't really matter.

Currently reading and loving:
Catching Fire by: Suzanne Collins (it's a YA book but so good- also important to note that it's a sequel to The Hunger Games, so read that first)
and
Cleaving: A Story of Marraige, Meat and Obsession by: Julie Powell (this is the second book following Julie and Julia)

Have you ever met any of your blog friends in person and became very close friends with them afterward?

As far as blog-specific friends- I never have, but I am totally open to it! I think it would be awesome to meet my blog friends in real life. I have actually met one friend from the internet in person and she became one of my closest friends. And that wonderful gal would be my darling Samantha in Seattle. I've visited her and her family numerous times in Seattle, and she was a guest at my wedding. Totally met online too via a message board! When I flew out to meet her in WA for the firs time, I had never met her in person. Nerdy and so awesome.

I was just wondering when you plan to become a Mum?

Pretty soon... ;)

i�d love to know, what do you eat during a normal day? i mean, are you a vegetarian, or do you eat only healthy stuff??

I kind of answered this question above in regards to being veggie, but here's a typical day of food for me:

Breakfast- egg whites with turkey bacon on an Ezekial english muffin, piece of fruit OR oatmeal with a banana OR Kashi Go Lean with berries
Snack- nuts, fruit or yogurt- maybe a Luna bar or those little Cliff bars for kids
Lunch- soup (my friend Robyn and I always eat lunch together at work and usually will do soup) and healthy snacks like veggies
Dinner- Hank and I usually cook a really yummy dinner together (we go out to eat about once a week, usually to Hugo's for healthy Mexican). We eat all sorts of things- I will try and post more dinner ideas!

what program do you use for your pictures? do you use it for editing too?

I use Flickr and I love love love it. I use picnik to edit!

I noticed in another post that you are a couple years older than your husband. I just wanted to know if this ever bothers you at all? I am in a similar relationship and sometimes I worry about 'losing my looks' before him, etc., and was just wondering if you ever have similar insecurities?

I read this my husband and here is his answer, "Tell her that you will NEVER lose your looks, I will find your 80 year old self just as beautiful as your 27 year old self." haha. :) But really, no it never bothers me. I actually didn't know we had 3 years between us until we had gone on a couple of dates, and by that time I was too far in to care. I had never dated anyone younger before EVER so it was weird at first, but now it doesn't bother me at all. It's not a huge number, and I take good care of myself, so I feel like even when I'm 40 and he's 37 there's not much difference. And as for you, don't be insecure! Age is just a number in terms of beauty and I'm sure your looks will never, ever fade.

Hey Danielle! i recently just found your blog and love it. Two questions. 1) What is your day like at work? Schedule?
2) How do you get motivated to go to the gym? I have such a hard time goign!

My day at work is as follows: get to work at 7:50 or so, bell rings at 8:09 for 1st period. Teach 1 and 2nd period (sophomores), then 3rd period is my free period so I will email or grade or hang out with my teacher friends, then 4th period (seniors). After 4th is our 40 minute lunch period, then I teach 6th and 7th periods- bell rings at 3:10pm and I head home! Not too bad huh?

As far as being motivated, I get this question a lot. It's a simple thing for me- I just don't want to be overweight, unhealthy, or depressed. I definitely go through that internal thing of almost trying to convince yourself you don't want to workout, but I know that I ALWAYS feel good after I go, so I always go. I like feeling good. It's a simple equation- I want to look good and feel good, so I go because going makes those things happen. I know this sounds really simplified but this is how it is for me. I also realize that I grew up as a serious athlete and dancer...so it's ingrained. Here are some of my tips for people who haven't always worked out in the past or need a little extra motivation:

1. If you are going to the gym early in the morning, sleep in your workout gear! This sounds crazy but I always do this, and have my socks and shoes next to the bed, water bottle filled, ready to go! Tomorrow morning I start my 5am workouts, so I have to be up at 4:45am. You can bet I am sleeping in my clothes so when that alarm goes off I have no excuse.

2. Make yourself a priority. You know you will feel better after you workout, whether it's a walk around your neighborhood or a full blown gym session. Even if you have a long way to go, you have to start somewhere and making another excuse to put yourself even farther from your goal.

3. Make it FUN! I love to buy new workout clothing, get new music to listen to, new magazines...whatever! If you don't enjoy it, find something you like to do, whether it's a video, a walk, a run, a dance class, whatever!

What is your makeup routine? And what are your favourite pieces of makeup?

I'm not a huge makeup person at all. Everyday this is all that I wear- a bit of Almay Truly Lasting Color foundation in Buff, Almay Bright Eyes concealer in Light, MAC blush (right now I'm wearing Springsheen), and CoverGirl Lash Blast mascara (orange tube). That's it! :) If I'm going to an event I will dabble with eyeliner or lashes, but typically I do my basic routine everyday.

And...yay I'm done! Thanks again for all your questions and comments guys, I am so happy to answer them. <3333

I wanted to finish up answering the questions from this post, and then I have a million formspring questions to answer in the next few posts! As always, you can ask or tell me anything you'd like over there to the left. It's anonymous, and the comments/questions go straight to my email!

I'm going to try and keep my answers short and sweet because I still have a long way to go! :)

I have a question! I am on the English lit track as well in college and was going to do the library science route for my Master's but have gone ahead and decided to do teaching. Did you double major in secondary education? I'm thinking about doing that, that way I can teach while I work on getting my Master's. Do you have any advice on that? Also, is the English GRE super scary? (Silly question, I know, but the reading list terrifies me!) Thank you!

My BA was in English Literature, then I went back to grad school and got my Master's in Education, specializing in Secondary English Education. This accelerated program also had a certification emphasis, so by the time I was done with my degree I was also a certified teacher! So basically I graduated with my BA, decided to go to grad school, did that for a year and a half, student taught for a semester, graduated in May at the end of that semester with my M.Ed. and teaching cert, and then starting teaching the following fall. Fortunately I didn't have to take the GRE to get into grad school, so I don't have advice on that! Good luck! :)

Hi Danielle! I also wanted to ask you where you shop but that has been taken a few times haha! Good thing I have another! I know you wrote that the administration at your school doesn't mind your tattoos, but I was wondering if you had trouble getting a job at first because of them?

I student taught at the school I ended up working for, and I would never show my tattoos during that time because I wanted a job there. So in actuality, having tattoos had nothing to do with getting or not getting my job. Now that I'm hired, I've learned that is doesn't matter if I show them because we don't have a rule against it, but I'd rather just not rock the boat! I occasionally show my leg, or top of my chest piece, or arm, but it's nothing major!

Question time:
what are your thoughts about god?
how do you post images to your blog so well? (i'm having issues. :)
xox

God- I am not a religious person whatsoever. Church and organized religion is not for me in any way. With that said though, I support everyone's right to practice whatever religion you want, I just don't get it and I have no interest in getting it, ever. I don't believe in "god," although I am open to there being a god, but also open to there being nothing. My husband is an atheist, but I don't subscribe to that idea because I think saying that there is nothing is the same as saying there is something. So I am just unsure. If I believe in anything, I believe in science.

Images- I use flickr! I simply upload, then go to "all sizes" and add the html for the medium size. You also have the option of creating a blog with a photo via their blog template option. Very cool. I love flickr.

What are your favorite 5 shops in Prescott??
OH, and whats the auto place you take your car... mom and pop shops are my cup of tea...

I actually don't ever go shopping Prescott. There's just nothing that really interests me! Sounds weird, but most of the shops are touristy, or don't cater to my interests. As for as the car shop, I go to Prescott Import Car- I love them! :)

What is the hardest thing about being a teacher? Do you ever wish you were something else instead?

I thought about this for awhile before I started typing, and my answer might not be the expected answer, but the hardest thing about teaching isn't the kids, or the parents, or the actual teaching...it's everything else. The paperwork, the meetings, the accreditations. It's all "extra" stuff and really separate from everything I do. I adore teaching; I find it extremely rewarding and I love the age I teach. It's just all the extras I don't like! As far as anything else, the only other thing I'm interested in being is a mom, and that's my next career move! ;) I could see myself as other things- a librarian, a bookstore owner...but none of those are better than a mother, and fortunately I will be able to make that a full-time job.

Just wondering if you have any style icons or celeb girl crushes!

hmmm...well I will be really typical here and say how much I love Zooey Deschanel's wardrobe. I also adore Jenny Lewis. But other than those wonderful ladies I can't really think of anyone else at this moment.


for a question: did you find that starting to work out helped our your depression? is that what you best recommend for combating it?

I've worked out my entire life and then more seriously when I was "legally" able to go to the gym at my parents' country club when I was 13. Because I've always worked out, I don't know if it directly affected my depression in terms of starting to work out, but I do know that if I don't work out for more than two days in a row I'll get in a funk. I try to do something majorly active everyday. Any depression I've had is pretty hormonal, and I've also related it to alcohol use. A few months ago I stopped drinking completely and I haven't had a depressed day in months which I am really happy about. I never drank a lot at all, but even once a month out with friends would leave depression in its aftermath.


umm question is: How was it living in Flagstaff? Good stuff and bad stuff...
We love it there and visit often but never for more then a few days. We've considered moving there a couple times but can't decide.

I loved living in Flagstaff! You have to keep in mind though that I was in college during these four years so it was a typical college experience. I lived in the freshman dorms the first year, the sorority house the second year, and in a huge house with my girlfriends the last two. One of the reasons I love Prescott so much is because it reminds me of all the great things I loved about Flag, but better! Small town vibe, great mom and pop places, all four seasons, fun community events, etc...but no college vibe and all that stuff I'm not into at this point in my life!


background: I have been in a wonderful relationship for 3 years and have been thinking this is it for a while now but I always get those "i don't know anymore" moments.

question: did you go through that with hank? and if so, what was the best way you would/handled it? I know I am not alone in this but sometimes I just don't get how some people are so sure.

I wish I could help you on this one, but I can't! Seriously since the moment I met Hank I knew I wanted to marry him, and I never had any reservations about it. I'm sure our situation is uncommon though. I know a couple of my friends went through what you are going through so perhaps I should do an interview post and they can share their experiences!

Your answers post inspired me to ask: do you plan on getting any more degrees eventually? A PhD maybe? :)

I actually started down the PhD road after getting my Masters, but decided against it. At this point in my life I can confidently say no, because I have no desire, but I guess you never know where life can take you in terms of desire and interest! I'm definitely not ruling it out, but I'd rather not work my butt off in school (again). Yuck.

YAY! I'm done. haha! That was a lot of questions. I actually left a few of them off this last round because I'm planning on making large posts about those topics. So if I skipped your question, I will get to it eventually.

xoxo

Alright, here are the next round of answers to all of those questions in this post!

First question, from Kristen-

I'd like to see a post about how you dress for work, or: looking professional but not too frumpy or teacher-y. thanks :)

I did a little Flickr series documenting the first two weeks of work this week, so click here to be transported to the set! Here's my "first day of school outfit." My main staples are pencil skirts, dresses, and tights!



Next, from an anonymous commenter:

how is it possible that your tattoo is on your chest and on your right arm in some pictures while it is on your left arm in other pictures?

For a lot of my quick pictures I use photobooth, which is actually a flipped view! So the tattoo many appear to jump arms from picture to picture!

Third question(s), from Ashley-

What's your biggest pet-peeve? What are your favorite TV shows?

Pet peeves...hmmm...this is hard. I don't know if this is necessarily a pet peeve, but something that is extremely annoying to me is when people can't just LIVE and LET LIVE. I believe in equal rights for ALL people. Example: I'm a supporter of gay marriage and it's upsetting to me that people can't just let other people be happy. On a smaller and less important level, here are some things that annoy me: the sound of clipping nails, when things in a cupboard or cabinet are unorganized, people blowing their nose around me (weird I know- but I think this comes from sniffly students doing this in my classroom), people who are "short" via text or email, and sharing drinks or food with ANYONE other than Hank and a handful of my best friends- no thank you. And I think that's about it. I'm sure I could think hard about this and make a huge list but this is all for now!

TV shows- I love love love Lost, Mad Men, Freaks and Geeks, Big Love, Pushing Daisies, Carnivale, Sex and the City, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Seinfeld, True Blood, and then about a million reality shows, including but not limited to: Biggest Loser, The Bachelor/Bachelorette, Jersey Shore, etc.

The next question is from Katie!

but now i want to know how you do your hair and what products you use. it seems like you always have a lot of body and it's shiny and sometimes curled? my hair is flat and blah. tips please!

I've gotten a lot of question about this, so maybe I'll do a little tutorial when we *hopefully* get a Flipcam at our last Christmas on Sunday. But to give you a quick overview, I use Biolage shampoo and conditioner. I switch between three different types, depending on the stage my hair color is at. Those three are the "Color Care" line, the "Hydrating" line, and the "Body" line. Color for right after I get my hair done, body most of the time, and hydrating when I feel I need it. I also only wash my hair 2-3x a week, and use dry shampoo between. After I get out of the shower, I wrap up my wet hair in a towel for about 10 minutes. Then I apply Catwalk's Root Boost to the roots of my hair- top, sides and back. After that I spritz Bumble and Bumble's thickening spray all over. I don't put any products in my bangs though. Then, blowdry time. I use a round brush to dry my bangs for literally a second, then I blowdry to the side with my fingers. Following that I dry all over my hair, flip it over and dry upside down, then use a paddle brush to dry the rest (getting the roots, etc). I finish with a cold shot all over. Once my hair is dry I spray the underside with Sebastian Hairspray and then pin it back while I apply makeup. Once my makeup is done I tease my hair a bit, then use the curling iron to add waves! Done! That seemed kind of strange to explain that in such detail but hopefully that was what you were looking for! :)

This question is from Ashley (no link given):

i also have a question about your tattoos... do you have any that you don't particularly love anymore and wish you could change or remove them? and... how do you decide what to get??

I love every single one of my tattoos, and I'm lucky enough to not have any regrettable ones. I attribute this to waiting until I was 21 to get my first one. If I would have gotten any of the ideas I had when I was younger than that you can bet I'd have some regrets and cover ups to do. I also had the benefit of only having really amazing artists tattoo me, thanks to the direction of my tattooed friends when I was younger. As far as deciding what to get, most of mine are things that I find pretty or inspiring, or things that have meaning. Sometimes I'll have weird thoughts that kind of turn into a tattoo idea, but for the most part I'll just know what I want and then my artist will run with it, and make it awesome.

Awesome! I hope you guys liked reading these, they are definitely fun to answer! I will continue with the next batch sometime soon!

In the meantime, here are a few photos from later tonight!

I hope all of you had a wonderful Christmas! <3

my sister and Abe


Hank, Tim, and Daron




dinner time


opening up presents








my beautiful Daron Grace :)


Big Kindle and Little Kindle PJ Party! I love this.

Hi everyone- thanks for all your great questions! I'm really looking forward to answering all 40 of them...and I'll be putting them in 4 separate entries over the course of the next couple of weeks.

First question, from Lindsay-

What was the first one you had done and which is your favorite and what's the meaning behind it?

My first tattoo was the Vonnegut piece on my back. I'm a total bookworm, and I've always loved the book "Slaughterhouse Five," by Kurt Vonnegut. This is a quote from one of the drawings in the book.



My favorite tattoo always changes. For the past few years I've steadily added to my collection and as I add new ones my favorite usually becomes that one. One of my most recent is my nesting doll- I love it! There's not much of a story behind it outside of the fact that I adore all things Russian doll!



Question two, from an anonymous commenter:

I was wondering about your fitness routine! What do you find works best? Do you have any healthy eating tips? I'm curious and would love any suggestions to help me out over the holiday season!

Fitness! This is something I love talking about. Typically I work out about 5-6 days a week, doing at least 45 min of cardio each day and then alternating body parts for lifting. I'll typically do my 45 minutes running outside or on the elliptical or cross-trainer, or I'll mix it up and do something like 15 min running, 15 elliptical, 15 min stair stepper. I also really love to take super long "suburban hikes," which basically is just me "power walking" for hours. That's the kind of exercise I enjoy the most, I could walk for days. I also like to supplement with P90X dvds, or spin class when it works with my schedule. As far as lifting, this is kind of hard to break down in lots of detail, but I usually will do three days in a row, take a day off, and repeat. Then every so often I try and mix it up and change all my exercises. So for example on Monday I would lift biceps/triceps/shoulders, Tuesday I'd do legs, and Wednesday back/chest. I also alternate abs whenever I remember to do them (I need to do them more often actually). I find that the BEST thing for me is working out in the early morning before work, and even early on the weekends. I love just getting it out of the way and having my whole day to myself. If you follow me on Twitter you'll see that I go late at a lot, and this is just because I get in a cycle of going to bed too late and can't wake up early enough! In terms of food, I naturally gravitate towards really healthy food. I was raised without junk, and my mom is the healthiest eater I know...so from a baby I've always enjoyed healthy, whole, organic foods. My best advice would be not to worry about dieting and diet foods- most of those foods are so full of preservatives and nasty things that it may help you lose weight, but you won't be healthy. I pretty much eat what I want, but typically very healthy foods. We cook a lot and rarely go out to eat, unless it's to eat healthy Thai or Mexican. Coming from a place where I had "disordered eating," I feel my best when I'm not trying to control everything that goes into my mouth. If I want to eat something, I'll usually eat it. But what I really really try to avoid are non-organic veggies or fruits, disgusting meat (the only meat I eat is grass-fed, hormone free, etc- if we're at a restaurant with family I just try and avoid ordering meat at those places), and any overly processed/preservative laden food. So, my best advice is just to focus on HEALTH and eating whole foods. You may consider getting "The Eat-Clean Diet" by Tosca Reno- that book is the best resource, in my opinion. The companion cookbook is awesome as well! I also want to add that I am definitely not stick thin, but I feel like my body is really healthy and that's what matters to me! :) So with that said, I hope this helped a bit. If there's any part you'd like more info on, let me know!

Question three is from Holly Sarah-

1.How do you go about designing your tattoos? Do you do a lot of it yourself, or do you let the tattoo artist come up with something after you describe it to them?
1.1 I have a chest piece design in the works... :) how would you rate the amount of pain, compared to other areas?

2. What is a style goal of yours for 2010?

I've only had two people tattoo me, and I've completely trusted both of their artistic visions. So basically I'll just get an idea in my head and tell them what I want, and they'll just draw it up. For example with my left rib piece, I just told Cory I wanted a gypsy lady with peacock feathers in there somehow. That's it. And from that he drew up that amazing piece and on my body it went. That's how I've done it every time. And hmmm...my chest. I'm trying to remember what it felt like. I would say that it wasn't as bad at my ribs or my inner arm (for some reason this part of my arm was torture). It hurt, but if I remember correctly, it was more just uncomfortable and kind of scary to be tattooed there. You should be a-okay.

As far as style goals, I have one major one that I just started working on. Number one, to build up my shoe collection with quality choices! I typically try to avoid wearing any shoes that give me discomfort in anyway so I'll stick to the same pair of black flats, tan flats, and moccasins. As I'm getting older I need to wear all of the shoes I own, and also expand on that. One other goal that kind of webs off of that would be to continue only buying things that really fit into my wardrobe, rather than silly things I will wear one time. But other than those two (extremely boring) goals, I don't have much else!

Number four, from Carrie:

Where do you shop?

I shop everywhere! I used to get a lot of my things from Forever 21, but although I love so much there, it doesn't last very long. I still shop there quite often, but really, I shop everywhere and anywhere- mall stores, random online places like Modcloth, Tulle, Ruche, etc...but one place I do NOT shop at is a thrift store. I know this is weird, and probably the oddity in a world of girls who love getting cute thrift store finds, but I hate it. I won't even go into one. I feel gross whenever I do. :/

Question five! This one is from DaMora-

Did you always know you wanted to teach?

Definitely not! My mom was a teacher, so I was always around it and loved it...but working in an underpaid profession, she always would tell me that she loved her job but that she didn't think I should choose that for a profession. I went to college and was interested in business or computers, so I went back and forth between those for the first two years. My friend Brian recently reminded me that in high school I would say I wanted to be an "international business woman," whatever that meant! haha. When I was a sophomore or maybe even a junior I decided I wanted to be a lawyer, so I changed my major to English Literature. I'd always been a total English nerd and books are one of my big loves in life, so English Lit. was a perfect fit. I adored every class and had the best time studying something I loved so much. Somewhere along the way though, I realized I didn't want to be a lawyer. When I graduated with my degree I still had no idea what I wanted to do. I moved down to Scottsdale with my best friends, and continued working for Aveda, managing their store at Fashion Square. After realizing I was way too overqualified to work at the mall forever, I applied for a job at a large financial firm, doing copyrighting in their web department. It was a super high paying job, but completely outside of what I ever saw myself doing. Three weeks before my start date I had an epiphany that I wanted to become a high school English teacher! I'm not sure where it came from, but Hank agreed that this seemed like a perfect fit...so I applied to NAU's graduate program and got in very quickly. I was notified of my acceptance into their Masters of English Ed. program the Friday before my job was to start, so it was a very last minute change of plans. Looking back, I am SO happy I chose to do this with my life. Every single day I feel excited about going to work, and I truly LOVE my job. The only thing I don't like is dealing with some of the "other" stuff- paperwork, jumping through hoops, curriculum mapping, etc. But I can't say enough how lucky I feel that my path led me here. I love the schedule (of course) and it's a good feeling to feel like I'm actually making a difference.



getting ready for the school year (with an insane bun haha) :)


Question six, from Emily:

How would you describe yourself when you were in highschool? & do any of your students remind you of yourself at that age?

First of all, I loved high school! It's really funny to look back at this time, even more so being a high school teacher! I used to think I knew it all- that I was invincible and unstoppable. Oh, the beautiful naivety of it all in retrospect. In high school I was really involved- I was always on student council and very athletic. It's kind of awkward listing off accomplishments from a past time, but for the sake of this question I will try and give a broad overview. I was a serious soccer player, going up to play varsity as a 9th grader in junior high and receiving MVP over my four years of playing. I was all-state, all-region, all that good stuff. I also played on a very competitive club team. I would have gone on to play college but tore my ACL the summer of my junior year. Bummer. Looking back though I am so happy that happened because it allowed me to really enjoy college! Outside of sports I was very social...I definitely had a lot of fun. Looking at my 15 and 16 year old students, I am shocked at the things we did or the way we would act at that age- it's insane how young these kids are and how "old" I felt then. I don't want to go too much into the party aspect of it all, but it definitely was in excess and way too wild. Sometimes it's funny to me because all of us are grown up, married with husbands and some with babies, and it seems lifetimes away from those people. However, I am so thankful for those crazy years because it helped me stay pretty grounded in college while everyone else seemed to be getting into all of that stuff later. Don't get me wrong, college was fun too but by that point my "wild" days were behind me, thankfully. And now I'm like a little old lady! ;) High school ended about 10 years ago- I graduated in 2000 from a super large school- we had about 1,000 just in our graduating class. I did all the typical stuff in terms of school involvement- football games, pep rallies...stuff I wouldn't do NOW if it was then, if that makes sense. It's funny how things change, but definitely for the better. At our senior assembly I was awarded two "prestigious" awards- Social Butterfly and Party Animal. YIKES. hahah. I wasn't one to have serious boyfriends, but I did date a lot and hung out with lots of wonderful guys who I considered some of my closest friends outside of my girlfriends. We had so much fun. So yeah, between having fun and sports I was one busy girl. And that was my high school experience! My students always remind me of myself, or of my friends. It's uncanny. And it's not even like one will totally remind me of my total self, but just different parts of me or my friends back then. Soo, now I feel totally ridiculous for listing out my silly "high school" accomplishments but you asked...! So I can only blame you! ;)

Question seven, from Jessica-

Where did Madeline come from? Was she adopted or did you get her from somewhere as a puppy?

We got Madeline from a woman in Mesa, right down the street from my parents' house when she was just a little baby! We adopted her the day we got back from our honeymoon.

Right after we got her, on the way home for the first time!




Question eight- from an anonymous commenter-

Any advice to give young couples? Do you have any favorite stories from your marriage or about your husband?

Oh goodness, yes! If I feel strongly about one thing, it's that we really have a wonderful marriage. I feel lucky. We've been together for a long time, and it's definitely taken some practice. As far as advice, I would say the main key to our happy little union is COMMUNICATION. We talk about everything, we talk constantly- we're like two teenage girls sometimes (haha, I'm sure Hank won't be happy being compared to that!). But seriously, he is my best friend. Outside of our romantic relationship I actually want to spend time with him, hang out with him. I respect him. But without communication we'd be nowhere. You have to get to the point where you can say, "You're really pissing me off" and know it's okay. You also need to try your best to be light-hearted. Nothing is as bad as it seems. We have a lot of laughter in our lives, and even when I'm angry, he can always make me laugh. We put each other first, always. One other thing is that I am pretty emotional- I have a little temper on me but he is really laid-back and has never ever yelled at me. Hank is definitely not a push-over, but he handles his anger through talking things over and being calm and peaceful. And me...well, I wasn't always like that. In the beginning of our relationship I would get angry and not handle it in the best way- saying hurtful things I would regret later, storming out...but he always accepted this about me and helped me get to the point I am now, which is also pretty peaceful and not quick to get angry. So I think it helps when your partner is complementary to your flaws. Another bit of advice would be to spend lots of time together, but also time apart. Because Hank is in a touring band, and always has been (even before we met), we've gotten great practice in this. We even did long distance for the first 11 months. It was just Prescott to Phoenix, but we had to really rely on our writing and talking skills during this time. Even now we spend a lot of alone time, and also time with our separate friends. I always have girl time and he always makes time to hang out with his friends watching sports, or doing art. Spending time away from each other has made us stronger together. And plus, you have to have your own independent interests so you don't lose your identity in the relationship. I have a lot more to say in terms of relationship stuff, but I'll save it for the other questions I have on this topic!

Question nine...from Lauren-

What's your biggest guilty pleasure?

This is easy- it's getting a boxset of a television show and literally watching the whole thing in one sitting. It sounds kind of insane, and often impossible with something like Lost, but I love love love just laying around and watching episode after episode of a great series! Hank loves it too so it's fun to just stay in bed and do that. When we were getting into Lost we watched the entire second season in two days, back when he wasn't working and I was enjoying winter break. It was amazing!

Question ten, asked by Mariah (no link available):

Do you collect anything?

I'm not much of a collector, even though my husband has HUGE collection of Japanese vinyl toys. The only thing I have that would be classified as collecting are Russian dolls! I also guess I could say that I collect pretty dresses- I have TONS. I love dresses more than anything!

Well, that's the first 10! These were totally fun to answer and I appreciate all of you asking them. If you'd like to know anything else, always feel free.

I love you all!