Tell me more (perfect timing!) linky

I'm so excited to see all of these new faces to my blog! If you haven't already heard, Andrea at Reading Toward the Stars! is having an AMAZING giveaway.

This one is extra exciting to me because:

1. She's a fellow Virginian AND a Reading Specialist that I ran across about a month ago when trying to find other Reading Specialist teacher-bloggers. She's awesome!
2. This is the first giveaway I'm a part of! Such a big deal to me!

You MUST check this one out. She's got some amazing stuff and there will be 12 winners. The giveaway ends Thursday at midnight, so go now!

Okay, I felt like I needed to have a post saying just a little about me anyway, and then I saw that Amy at Step into 2nd Grade (possibly one of my favorites, at least for her TpT store) was hosting the perfect linky party. I swear, I had no intentions of yet another linky, but this just fit my needs for now!

1. Like Amy, I am a redhead and hated it for a large part of growing up. I never dyed my hair, but I didn't like being singled out and so different from everyone else. Remember in elementary PE the games with the parachute where they'd call out something and you'd have to run under if it fit you? Well, being the ONLY redhead to run under was not what shy little Melissa ever wanted to do. I didn't really get over it until all the girls started dying their hair red in early middle school. 

Wasn't I precious though? This is the first day of kindergarten.

2. I'm a preacher's kid. (I know...AND a redhead? I must be trouble...) It's definitely an interesting experience, and I can sometimes relate to Opal in Because of Winn Dixie (who, might I add is also a redhead) when she talks about feeling like a bug under a microscope. It's weird having everyone in town know you as the "preacher's kid", and I remember my mom especially wanted to make sure we were always dressed more than appropriate (it was a HUGE fight to wear shorts -even fingertip length for my long arms- on Sunday evenings if youth choir was singing. But at the same time, I loved it and know it's made up a large part of who I am today!

3. I'm a super picky eater! It's gotten a little better since I married Steven, but I'm still very plain and predictable. 9 times out of 10 (okay, almost EVERY time) if we go out to eat, I'm going to have chicken fingers or a PLAIN hamburger, as in meat and bread only. The only reason I started eating my only 2 veggies I will eat is because Steven said we couldn't have a baby until I ate veggies.

4. Speaking of veggies (and red hair), I have a personal vendetta against carrots. I know it's not their fault and they're really good for me, but I simply refuse to eat them. Why? Carrot top. I know, stupid, but I stubborn...comes with the hair.

5. I LOVE football! My favorite thing about fall is football, especially college. Steven, however, doesn't like it, so we don't watch much. I can convince him to watch a Tennessee or Florida game (especially when they play against UGA), but other than that, he's going to complain if I keep it on longer than a few minutes. In college, my roomies and I would sit in front of the tv on Saturdays and watch game after game. It's kind of a pride factor of mine that I could keep up with what's going on!

Geaux Saints! I finally have a Drew Brees jersey and can't wait to wear it!

6. I'm not the best wife by definition. I don't cook, and I kill plants quickly. I even killed a cactus. When I have time though, like in the summer, I keep a pretty clean house. 

7. I'm a southern girl and proud of it! I lived in south MS (very close to New Orleans) until I finished my freshman year of high school. Then my family moved just outside of Savannah where they still live.

We actually lived in New Orleans when I was two while daddy finished seminary. I enjoyed the beads, but I don't actually remember any of it.

8. How did I meet Steven then? We didn't go to college together, but he was show choir partners with my roomie of 3 years, Sarah Jo. 

She's the one beside me. These are my roomies from Senior year at Amanda's wedding last month. <3 them!

He came down to visit her Sophomore year and got stuck hanging out with me. Eight years later, here we are happily married for 6 years with an adorable little boy!

Keagan was born December 16, 2011. Love my Christmas baby!

9. I sing. I actually love it, but I get embarrassed to do it by myself. I do sing with our praise team and lead music for Kidzville at our church (although that's mostly dancing), but it's rare for me to do a solo.

Steven and I were part of a Madrigal Dinner two years in a row. We accidentally helped kill it when we couldn't participate because of Keagan this past Christmas. I miss it. When else do you get to wear a dress like that?

10. I was scared of dogs for most of my life. When I was 2 or 3, I had one jump on me and didn't want anything to do with them anymore. Well, I married a dog lover. We made a compromise that I'd let him get a SMALL dog that would stay outside. We found Copper after buying our house, but sadly he was much older than we thought and was only with us about a year.

He was a very special beagle and the perfect dog for me to begin with. Copper, however, refused to be an outdoor dog (caused lots of problems with the neighbor for his noise), so I had to break rule #1.

After that, I wanted a puppy so we didn't have to go through the heartache of losing a dog so quickly. Plus there were things about Copper that I didn't want my next dog to do. I wanted to be able to train one from the start. We went to see another beagle with a humane shelter that ended up being too much for me, but I saw these two adorable puppies! They were the last in their litter, and I just couldn't choose. Steven was floored when I said I wanted both, but we made it work. I'll admit, when I first learned they weren't going to stop at 35 pounds but could easily be 60, I freaked out. But I stuck with them and love my John and Rudy!

Probably at about 6 months.

John is now about 60 lbs (above). Rudy is a little smaller, but not much. Unfortunately I don't have any good ones of Rudy recently. Must get on that.

Alright, go link up!