Answers to Your Questions!

-- 35 Questions About Me --

Time To Answer Some Questions!

This blog post is dedicated to answering all the questions everyone submitted via Instagram. I received a wide range of wonderings and I am excited to take the time to respond to each and every one of you. Hopefully, this is a more light-hearted post and will help you learn a little more about me! Without further ado, let's get this started.

1. When do you start student teaching?
• Hopefully next fall! I have my internship interview this Friday so crossing my fingers everything works out!
2. What is your go-to weekend activity?
• Definitely hitting the couch with either a good book or a true crime documentary in the queue. (Starbucks in hand of course!)
3. Favorite baking accounts?
• Literally so many to choose from! Some of my favorites are: @dough_by_mo; @bakeryteeco; @flourdbybethany; @linenandgray; and @suagrsbyleah
4. What are your top three favorite hobbies?
• Baking, decorating my planner, and reading!
5. What do you do for fun?
• Believe it or not, my friend and I had to make a list to prove I was actually fun a few years ago. The consensus was that I am in fact fun! (Shout out to Anna for helping me realize this!) I like to xc ski, knit, scrapbook, walk my dog Larry, and grab coffee with friends/family. That sounded fun right?!
6. Favorite Skida pattern?
• Honestly, this might be the toughest question on the list. Recently I have really been into the new Valentine's pink print "Love Language", but my all-time favorite is "Chickadee". If you don't know what that looks like, google it, and buy yourself one :)
7. How many relationships have you been in?
• Technically, none? I've spent a lot of time with a handful of guys, but the "defining the relationship talk" is usually where it ends every time for me. 
8. How many total cookies have you made?
• I made 1,656 cookies in 2022 and if I did my math right, around 1,008 since then. Total: 2,664!
9. Creative inspiration accounts?
• I don't usually refer to the same accounts for inspiration, but I love Pinterest! I can get lost scrolling for hours just looking at cookies. 
10. What's a cookie design you are dying to try?
• I really want to make a baking-themed set! Think whisks, cookies on a tray, mixer, apron, spatula, etc.
11. Favorite cookies you've ever done?
• This is a hard question because I like different orders for different reasons. I really liked the cowboy boot cookies I did! Classic, clean, and oh-so cute!
12. What are you looking for in a boyfriend?
• Finding a boyfriend is not high on the priority list at the moment. There is so much going on in my life at the moment that I don't often think about the need to have one. Some general qualities I would look for include: someone who is hardworking, shares common values, and can communicate how they feel effectively. 
13. What is your favorite class you are taking?
• I am in a class about supporting multilingual learners which has been super interesting! SO many useful strategies and tools are coming from that class!
14. How do you stay so motivated when it comes to homework?
• Routine! I am a routine-driven individual. If my routine is a mess, I am a mess. Obviously, do what works best for you, but I always try to stay ahead and plan out everything that needs to be done before the week even starts. It is definitely a struggle sometimes to find the motivation, but I find that if I just start, I usually find my flow pretty quick. 
15. Favorite book you've ever read?
• So hard to pick! I loved Love and Other Words By Christina Lauren
16. Favorite motivational quote and why?
• "Never let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game." -- Babe Ruth -- I really like this quote because it is from my favorite movie Cinderella Story. I love the encouragement to take risks and try new things. Every new thing we try is a learning experience, so it is important to step up to the plate and see where it takes you!
17. What's your favorite snack food?
• Goldfish or Cheez-its!
18. Describe your perfect man.
• Genuinely kind, authentically themselves, thoughtful, a good listener, and someone who can communicate well. 
19. What's your favorite Starbucks store?
• Hands-down Huffman. Don't get me wrong, I used to be a 100th and C lover for the longest time. However, Huffman is too conveniently close to my house, super quick, and has never messed up my drink. 
20. Favorite music genre?
• Definitely country! I also go for the High School Musical soundtrack every so often. 
21. Favorite cookie challenge?
• Any cookies that have writing are always my favorite challenges. My number one favorite challenge would have to be Charlotte's Web character cookies. I usually try to stay away from character cookies, but I am so glad I made the exception this time around!
22. Favorite Starbucks drink?
• My go-to is a Vanilla Americano with light cream. If I am trying to be fun, I'll go for a non-fat mocha or an iced coffee with vanilla and light cream.
23. How often do you exercise?
• Not as much as I should haha! I feel like I go in serious waves. My exercise is heavily dependent on what is going on in my life. Some months I'm on top of it and other times I do little to nothing. 
24. What grade are you hoping to teach?
• Hopefully somewhere in the primary grades! K-3 is definitely the range I want to stay in.
25. Favorite movie?
• Cinderella Story or Mamma Mia!
26. Favorite memory?
• Time spent on the East Coast beaches with my family!
27. Do you want to do other desserts or just cookies?
• Just cookies (even though I will pick up the occasional cupcake order). Sugar cookies are my specialty and what I feel most comfortable selling. I love baking other desserts, but that is more just for fun. 
28. Is it financially lucrative or just for fun?
• If I am honest, it is not financially lucrative for the place my business currently is at. Cookiers who go all in can definitely make a good profit from their business. I enjoy cookie decorating, so it is mainly just for fun! I like trying new things and creating such cute and delicious art!
29. Who is your favorite Starbucks barista?
• I don't pick favorites ;)
30. Do you want to do this when you are done with school?
• The plan currently is to pursue a career in teaching. Especially with my first years of teaching, doing both full-on might be a little too ambitious. This being said, I think cookies will always have a place in my life in one shape or form.
31. Are cookies the most time-consuming dessert?
• I would say yes! There are just so many steps and working parts with cookie decorating. I am always excited when I get a cupcake project because it's significantly less of a mess and a much quicker process from start to finish. 
32. Would you ever do this full-time?
• I've really considered it. At this time, I don't really have the money to go all in, so I am going with the flow. I could definitely see myself pursuing it full-time later in my life. 
33. Tell us more about your love of your minivan!
• Love, love, love the minivan! I love the size of it. Especially when I go XC skiing, you can fit all of the equipment in so easily with lots of room to spare. It's a very comfortable car and low to the ground which I like. It'll be a sad day when I have to move on from the van!
34. If you didn't live in Alaska, where would you live?
• Maybe Spokane since I have family there? I don't have many strong ties to places other than Alaska, so I don't see myself moving anytime soon.
35. What is your favorite non-school and non-baking activity?
• Probably planner decorating! I love the stickers, washi tape, design aspect, etc. 

Who is Ready for the Quiz?

How do you think you'd score if I gave you a quiz right here, right now? (Don't worry there isn't really any quiz). I had way too much fun answering all these questions! It felt like a cool-down from all of my schoolwork today. Hopefully, you learned a little bit more about me and who I am as a person. Thank you for all of the wonderful questions and talk to you all soon. 

With love,

LJay💜