FAQ's on TQ

It seems lately I have been asked so many of the same questions (some throughout my life) and decided it would be fun to do a frequently asked questions about me.

1. How did your parents come up with your name?

My dad was making things out of teak wood and they didn't have a name yet. So they decided on Teaque but changed the spelling (thank goodness he wasn't making something with mahogany, right?) Another misunderstood thing is that my name has a Q NOT a G and is pronounced like "teek"

2. Are people in KY really as much of the hillbilly's that everyone makes them out to be? Do people walk around without shoes and no teeth?

Honestly, most people in KY are quite normal LOOKING (LOL) there are many people in Eastern KY that live in the Appalachian Mnts that apparently are pretty rough and very poor. It's actually quite a sad situation. However, where the majority of us live it's pretty normal. Yes we still manage to have those that seem to make the national news that don't quite represent us well, but overall I'm not ashamed to live here. I actually kind of like it.

3. Does KY have the bluegrass that we hear so much about?

Yes we do, but it is not an obvious blue color so half the time I probably don't even know I'm looking at it BUT... horses now, we DO have horses - Lexington is an awesome town close by that has tons of huge rich people horse farms and they are gorgeous!! The KY Derby IS a big deal around here as well. There are celebrations weeks before the actual Derby and here is a cute little tidbit - the Derby is actual just ONE race ran on Derby Day NOT the entire thing.... Wish I could claim this pic but I totally stole it from the net.

4. Are you going to find out the sex of your baby?

YES October 4th -yipee 3 1/2 weeks away AND my birthday - sounds like a good day!! I'm such a planner not finding out might kill me and the list of to do's! This was me last month. I need to get a 4 month pic taken - time flies...

5. What are your naming the baby?

We have a few names chosen as of now BUT we are going to do our best to not tell. I'd like this time to be a bit different and it gets old hearing people's comments on the names, especially if they don't like it. We aren't even going to tell Cade since we all know 4 year olds are not the best secret keepers. So we will see how long this lasts or until all of our family disowns us.

6. Why do you scrapbook so much?

I'm absolutely addicted and it is truly fun for me. I enjoy making "stuff" and love looking at my pictures over and over again. Plus, I've always been a cuttin and gluein freak. Not to mention that I really think it is important to document your lives for future generations, even if you don't have children. I love looking at things my relative's past that help me to better know them.

7. Why do you hate cooking so much?

I'm lazy - plain and simple. PLUS when you really suck at it, it's not much fun. It also doesn't hurt that Byron does the cooking so there is really no need to even learn how or perfect the pitiful amount of skill I do have.

8. What's up with you and so much blog reading? Don't you have better things to do with your time?

First off I DO have better things to do or should I say more important things to do BUT I love learning about other people's lives and the connection between my 50+ blog reading and my love for autobiographies just clicked.... Not to mention the friendships and wonderful connections I've made through them, as crazy as it sounds.

9. When you taught school what grades did you teach?

I graduated from Campbellsville University in December 2001 so I finished that school year out teaching 1st grade - I was their 3rd teacher that YEAR!! and it was a doozy of a class. Definitely broke me in. Then I moved to 5th grade and taught that a year and then I changed schools and taught writing lab to 1st - thru 4th graders. I was like a special area teacher so it was great - one lesson plan a week per grade and then my other main focus was writing portfolio's with the 4th graders which they were scored on. Then my son came along that year and I just couldn't bare the thought of taking him to daycare anymore so I opened my own in home daycare up. We've been doing that ever since.

10. How did you get hooked up with a la mode? I didn't think you were a purse lovin kind of girl. The funny thing is, is that I WASN'T a purse girl until I saw their purses. I fell in love immediately. I was always the "$20 black purse carry it with every outfit until it dies" kind of girl. Totally not into it. Well, I attended a party in Indiana that Shelley was hosting and fell in love them. On the way home all I could think about was, could I really be willing to spend more than $20 on a silly purse? BUT I loved them and you got to choose your fabrics and your pockets and all the add- ons and I couldn't' resist. Then I started thinking even more and realized they needed a consultant in KY so I made the call and have been doing it every since. I'm thrilled to be a part of the company AND now I get bored with my purse after having it a month. How did this happen? BUT I still don't change it with every outfit so I'm no too bad YET.... These are my current bags that I am carrying. My current a la mode collection.

10. How did you and Byron meet? How long did you date before you got married?

In January of 2001 I went to Nashville with my friend Heather. We were going to watch her cousin coach a basketball game and it was just an innocent road trip. When we got there her other cousin Byron was there (she didn't know he was coming) and we hit it off immediately. We couldn't stay away from each other. I managed to be at his sisters basketball games with Heather and could always find some excuse to be where he was. By Valentines Day we were dating and before long we knew we wanted to get married. (In our young defense, we had both been in long term relationships before and were engaged so we knew what we were looking for right away.) So he proposed at the beginning of May and then our wedding plans began as a joke about him just showing up one day to go get married and then it became reality. I had told him I always wanted to get married in a totally non traditional way and the idea of a barefoot beach wedding was right up my alley. So it turned into a surprise wedding that he planned 100%. Since I had just finished college in May and had to return for student teaching in August I knew it would be either June or July so I packed my bags as best I could and assumed it was going to be beach like. I bought my dress and just waited for him to tell me it was time. So July 4th he told me while we were at the lake that we had a flight to catch. I just about died. I didn't know where we were going until late that evening - Cayman Islands. I was thrilled!! So we flew by ourselves to Grand Cayman and were married a few days later. I had enough time to arrange a hair dresser, choose our beach wedding site, meet with the pastor and choose my flowers. It was absolutely perfect. Still 6 years later no regrets. We came back and had a reception with friends and family. We DID really want our parents and sisters there but it just turned into a huge fiasco for Byron so I said don't worry about it and we went alone. I love that we avoided all the drama and headache of big traditional wedding and had it just simple but beautiful!! This is my favorite wedding picture.

Well I think that is about all I can think of for now so if I come up with more I'll add them.