Who is Tanya Rae?

Tanya Rae...that's me!

Well, I guess I am more than my first and middle name. After all, this is the part where I’m supposed to share a little insight on myself, right? Let me start by saying, I am about as average as they come. In fact, as I type this, I am sitting comfy in my pajamas (okay – running shorts and my favorite Transformers t-shirt). It’s 10:30 am and I have yet to put my contacts in, which means I’m looking through glasses smudged up with my son’s fingerprints. My hair is in a two-day-old ponytail and I might still be wearing the makeup I threw on my face yesterday! How’s that for honesty?!?

Now that I’ve put to rest, any fantasy you may have had about me…you might be thinking, “Maybe I shouldn’t have been so curious and clicked that ‘Who is Tanya Rae?' button, after all.” But wait! There’s more to me…I promise!

I am a wife to a get-dirty, do-it-yourself, never censored, tattooed, down-to-earth, easy to-talk-to, and love of my life; Mechanical Drafter. I’m a Mother to a 2-year old, curious, smiling, never-slows-down, fascinated by everything, lover of the outdoors, little boy. I’m also a sister to a hardworking man and an inspirational woman, a daughter to the most supportive and loving parents, a granddaughter, an aunt, a sister-in-law, daughter-in-law, a cousin and niece to many, and a friend to all.

And then...I'm a Teacher! A Second Grade Teacher, to be exact. In fact, I was just hired in my dream district, which just-so-happens to be in the town I grew up in, and the district where I spent my K-12 years. I couldn't be more excited to get back into teaching full time. Here's a quick run-down of my previous years of teaching experience:

2006 - Graduated from college and moved to Atlanta, GA, where I taught 5th grade for two years.
2008 - Moved back to WI, where I subbed in two districts and worked odd jobs to make ends meet.
2009 - Hired as a 5th grade teacher, where I taught for three years.
2012 - Husband and I move back to our home town, where I taught as a substitute.
2013 - Landed my dream job in my hometown school district, as a 2nd grade teacher!

Among all the fabulous experiences and opportunities that come with teaching, I love imagining, designing and creating things. I've been known to spend hours perfecting my lesson plans, handouts, printables, designs, and personal projects. I'm very picky and particular on what I will put out into my classroom or into the world. I like things to match, coordinate, and to be formatted in a very specific way. It tends to drive everyone around me nuts! But, the end result is always something I am very proud of. It is also the reason I like to create most things myself. 

My hope is that this blog will not only be an outlet for me, as my head is always overflowing with new thoughts, ideas, and designs, but it will also be a place for me to share the many sources of my inspiration.

Thank you for taking the time to visit!