Welcome to the tote.

I'm going to be very honest.  As a super-nerdy-about-teaching kind of girl, I wanted to name my blog something teacher-y.  My first awesome thought was "The Red Pen"...ya know...like a grading pen?  And that name was taken by a guy who had posted ONE blog and that was in 2004.  Then I thought..."The Red Cardigan."  Red is my favorite color.  I love cardigans.  I wear cardigans at school.  Perfect, right?  Nope.  A girl who writes poems and has neon colors already has that name locked down.  So my next thought was what this has become.  The Teacher Tote.  This has it's own story.

In high school, I became not-your-typical-high-school-student.  I was reading Rafe Esquith books (if you're a teacher--these come HIGHLY recommended from me).  And I was harshly judging student teachers.  I had a few in particular that I turned my nose up at.  There were four that came to my Sociology class from the U of I to observe our teacher.  They all brought their big, bulky book bags and looked severely sleep deprived.  One girl had her hair back in a sloppy ponytail, a thrown-on wrinkly sweater, and to top it off--white tennis shoes with black dress pants.  I vowed from that moment on to never carry a bulky bookbag and always look put-together.  Even as a college student, every school you enter is a possible job opportunity or a potential reference.  So...I carry a tote.  A teacher tote.  Thus, the name of this blog.

However, this will be where I share awesome recipes I've tried & loved, show my attempts to decorate a house, and my desperate attempt to "garden."  Also, where I find some good steals on some good stuff.  So sit back and enjoy the ride :)