From Blogger to Worpress...Why and How I made the switch!

Hey there!!

Welcome to my little corner of the world wide web! My name is Meg and I am here today to answer your questions of why and how I made the switch from Blogger to Wordpress. 

First...you may be wondering what the difference is between Blogger and Wordpress. The short answer is blogger is owned by google and is a great place for beginning bloggers ,while Wordpress is an intense blogging platform that allows bloggers to own their content and has a better SEO (the way people find your content).  

Image from MJ Favre. Click image for direct link to this blog post. 

Check out this post from Megan (pronounced ME-gan) on the difference between Blogger and Wordpress...it has some great information! 

I decided to explore Wordpress because I wanted to explore my opportunities as a blogger.  After meeting so many amazing bloggy friends on Periscope and talking with so many amazing people I really wanted to take ownership of what I was putting out in the world.  I have always been curious about Wordpress, but have never been brave enough to take the leap....until now. So, here begins a new adventure...and I am excited, nervous and scared all at the same time...and I find it exhilarating! 

Now, I moved transferred my blog all on my own (and I am not a coding guru...like, AT ALL!). I did a lot of research and found this great tutorial CLICK HERE...that lead me step-by-step to moving my blog.  The greatest thing about this tutorial is that Julie (the owner and creator of this marvelous tool) will answer any questions you have by email OR she will move it for you..and for a super reasonable price! 

I am not going to lie...transferring my blog on my own was a bit stressful. It took at least 6 hours (mainly because I over thought the clicking of buttons..or my ADD kicked in) to get it transferred. The last step of moving my domain took me the longest because I didn't realize that my domain wasn't able to be transferred because it was new and I had bought it through google. Whoops! I crashed my blog trying to move my domain...which created quite the panic, but not to worry...everything worked out. 

Fun fact: If you are thinking about buying your domain and possibly exploring Wordpress...make sure you use a godaddy.com or blue host..it will make our life much easier! 

There are a lot of great articles out there talking about how to transfer your blog and the opportunities it can give.  My words of advice are as follows: 

If you are new to blogging stick to blogger! Make sure blogging is something you enjoy doing...you don't have to be uber consistent or be a "large fish" by any means. Just make sure it is something you love doing.  If you get to a point where you want to expand your opportunities...THEN...you can make the move. I do not suggest jumping into Wordpress...there is a "learning curve"

IF you decide to move your blog from blogger to wordpress you need to make sure that you BACKUP YOUR CURRENT BLOG DESIGN!!!

Go to your blogger Dashboard >> Template and look up in the right hand corner! CLICK IT and SAVE!

From there you can follow the tutorial I have linked in this post and all will be good! Just remember to take deep breaths!


So, there ya have it. I have jumped into the Wordpress world to explore. I am nervous, scared and have made myself vulnerable in more ways than one. I hope you will join me on this journey and all of my wild and crazy ideas! 

Please feel free to contact me with any questions at megsboxofcrayons@gmail.com , in the "Ask Megan" tab at the top of this blog or any of my social media outlets!

Thanks for stoppin' by! 

I'm a .com! Why it has changed!

Hey there!

I know it has been awhile, but I wanted to touch base with all of you and let you know of some new (and exciting) changes! 

First, I am now a .com!!! WOOT WOOT!! When you look for my blog you will know be redirected with a new URL www.megsboxofcrayons.com!! WOOT WOOT!! I am still looking to see if bloglovin' will function with this. If it does not, please contact me ASAP.  

With my .com-ness I have brought a new "face" to my blog! Say "hello" to Meg!

I made this Pal myself thanks to Polka Dots and Pals-Build a Pal pack on TPT! I am hoping I can get a custom one made one day! (click the image for the product)

There are 2 reasons my URL has changed:

1) I have been all over Periscope and have found that with people knowing me as Meg they have been saying the title of my blog Meg's Box of Crayons. I kinda was lovin' it , so I went for it. (also...anewboxofcrayons.com was already taken...poo!) I kind of like having my name in there though! What do you think?

2) When I began blogging I wasn't really sure where it would take me, so I created a very generic blog name never really knowing what would happen.  Recently, I have found that I was kind of "hiding" behind my blog name. I want to put myself out there! I want to take ownership of my ideas and make my blog more personal, because I LIKE PEOPLE (...sometimes..)! So, I am going to be slowly making changes to my cute little blog! 

Second, I recently got married and will be teaching in a VERY LARGE district this upcoming school year! I enjoy keeping my blog a secret simply because it was meant to be my creative outlet and a way to connect with all of you! I have also found that when people discover my blog they look at my sideways and back away slowly.  I still have not quite figured out why they react that way, but OH WELL. 

So, I will slowly be removing "my face" from my blog and things to help with that. Now, that I think of it...I may limit my selfies on Instagram as well...whoops! Who knows...maybe a new design is in the future...or not...the possibilities are endless (but the funds are not...ha!)

So, there ya have it! I am a married woman exploring my .com-ness  with a million ideas (some that may happen and some that may not...my imagination really likes to get ahead of me) for this sweet little blog of mine! 

What do you think of all my changes? Are you as excited as I am? Leave a comment and let me know!! 

Make sure to follow me to keep up with all of my crazy antics:

Have a great weekend!

Thanks for stoppin' by!

P.S.  My blog email has changed! Please contact me at megsboxofcrayons@gmail.com! 

Teacher-Bride ... how to handle it all (in case you missed it!)

Hey there! It's me...sharing my Teacher-Bride post just in case you missed it! 

I am here today to bring you another "Life post" on being a "Teacher-Bride"...no, not a Princess-Bride, but a Teacher -Bride.  Now, this is a "keepin' it real" kind of post that is based solely on my current experiences (well, and some of my friends), so you will not hear me say "Oh, the days leading up to the wedding are just pure bliss"....NOPE...if you are looking for lemon drops and rainbows this is not the place to find it, folks! 

Here is the honest truth...

I am 8 days away from the happiest day of my life and while it is SUPER exciting...it is also very overwhelming. No one tells you about the little tiny details that keep you up at night or the ugly, hot-mess break downs you can have at the drop of a hat...seriously...I was just crying over a pedicure the other day....A PEDICURE!!!  UGH! Seriously, this time in your life is a whirlwind of emotions, but I am not here to vent out my wedding woes to you today.  I am here to give you a few tips that can help and prepare you for what is to come. 

Let's do this! 

#1- Things will go wrong and it is OKAY-

If you are sitting there going, "Oh, yeah! I totally can handle that, I do it every day in my classroom. Pssshht, I got this!"... EEHHHH!!! (that's my buzzer noise) I did the exact same thing and let me tell you...there will be things that make you lose your mind!  Reception venues will be changed, deposits will be lost, overbearing family/in-laws/ bridal party members will push you to your breaking point, dresses will be lost or back-ordered, etc.  The list goes on and on.  Guess what...IT IS OKAY! ...well, it won't seem okay, but it will be! Sometimes "things going wrong" actually turn out way better than you had planned to begin with.

You know those moments where you trot off your lesson plan and your lesson ends up being WAY longer than you had planned, but you and your students loved every moment of it?  It's kind of like that! I mean, you probably won't "love" every moment of the chaos that you are in the midst of, but it will make you and your relationships stronger. Just remember...DEEP BREATHS (and maybe some wine).

#2 Stay organized!

I think this is a given, but I will give you some suggestions that have helped me!  If you don't know, I am in LOVE with Erin Condren (well, not her personally, but her products). I have used my Life Planner throughout my entire wedding process and it has saved my life.  I can color code (a teacher's dream) my appointments, make to do lists and keep "normal life" events all in one place! I also have the carry-all bag that I keep receipts, gift cards, thank you's etc. in for when I am on the go. (I have a video about my EC life planner...just click here).  Click here to get $10 off your first purchase! 

Another thing I have used to keep everything organized are those GIANT clear totes from Target. THEY ARE AMAZING! I have one for all of our groomsmen and usher gifts, another one holds my bridesmaids gifts, one holds all of the items that need to go to my wedding planner the week of the wedding  (yes, I have a wedding planner and I am so glad I do...I strongly suggest one!) and one more tub to collect gifts from our wedding.  Yes, it is a lot of totes, but it keeps my mind at ease and it helps me keep everything together. 

#3 Let your opinion be heard...within reason

This is a hard one for some people, not me, but I have had some moments where it has been difficult. It is very easy to get caught up in thinking about your guests, bridal party, family etc. while you are planning. The important thing to do is to be able to voice your opinion without coming across like a total "Bridezilla" (you catch more flies with honey).  When voicing your opinion here are things to keep in mind:

1- Listen to what your planner/mother/friend/whoever is saying that way you get all of the information

2- Take a deep breath and collect your thoughts. Make sure you think all the way through the plan or proposal they gave you. Keep breathing

3- Say "Okay... what if..." or "Okay...sounds great!" or "Okay...I have a concern/question" in a very calm voice. 

4- State your question or concern. 

Now, I always preface my statements with "I am still very confused about this, would you mind explaining it again?" or "Okay, so let me make sure I have this correct...(repeat what they told me and get feedback), what if we were to....?"  These small phrases and deep breaths have kept me from completely blowing a gasket many times! 

#4 Think like a Bridesmaid

This is one of my biggest pet peeves when it comes to weddings. I have seen many Brides come in to planning with this "you owe me" kind of attitude. Now, let's get something straight...NO ONE OWES YOU ANYTHING just because you are getting married.  Yes, it would be very nice if people would help or be your shoulder to cry on, but don't demand it from people! That's just...well, ridiculous!  When I got engaged and we began looking at our wedding party, I tried to keep in mind all of the things I had experienced as a bridesmaid (the good and the bad).  I made a list of the things I wanted to keep in mind for my Bridesmaids and I stuck to it as much as I could.

My list included the following things:

- Keep the dress cost reasonable (around 130-180)...I started shopping for Bridesmaids dresses right away and got exactly what I wanted! 

-Find reasonable shoes (cost and height) something that can truly be worn again. (No stilettos!)

- Gifts that can be used again! (Follow me on Instagram or my blog to see gifts will be posted on June 11th!)

- DO NOT demand that they pay for multiple gifts, showers, etc. They are already paying for a hotel, taking time off of work, a dress, shoes and a gift on their own. 

- Get bridesmaids input. I had my sister and best friend close by anytime I made a final decision. I made sure that they were honest with me, but understood my side of things. My mother was also a very large voice of reason when it came to decisions. This was extremely helpful. 

*I also made (quiet a few) google forms to collect dates from my Bridesmaids, opinions etc.  I may have gotten a little too happy with the google forms, but they worked!*

#5 Take it all in and be thankful

It is VERY easy to get caught up in check-lists and lose sight of the overall outcome.  Remember to take moments to soak it all in. If you are like me and you have a hard time taking a step back...keep friends on speed dial that can help pull you back. These people are the ones that you will need in the last few days before your wedding and they are hard to come by.  You will only get to do the planning for this wedding once, so enjoy it (even the difficult ones, because you will laugh about them later). 

 Take moments to thank the people that have listened to you vent or handed you tissues when you were crying.  The people you have surrounding you at these moments are people that you will want in your life for year to come...cherish them. 

There ya have it! Those are the things I have learned throughout my personal wedding process. I hope you find them helpful! Just for fun...I have attached my wedding itinerary template! Creating is my outlet and late at night when I am feeling overwhelmed I create and play with my TPT stuff! So...here ya go! (Click the image to download)

Follow me on Instagram and on my blog to catch up with me on my wedding day, honeymoon and for more posts about my wedding! 

Happy planning to all of my Teacher-Brides! 

Thanks for stoppin' by!

June Currently!

Hey there! I am here to link-up (finally) with the amazing Farley and the Currently link-up! 

First, I would like to encourage you to stop by her blog and make a donation to Wimberley Adoption Group and Rescue (WAG).  The donations will help all of the animals that have been swept away from their families during the floods. The smallest donations can make the largest difference! To read more, head over to Farley's blog! (Click image to donate)

All right, on to the link-up! 

Listening-

I find Married at First Sight to be EXTREMELY interesting. It is a welcome distraction from all of the wedding chaos! 

Loving-

I am so happy to be on Summer Break!!! I get to spend time outside, no papers to grade and I am not cooped up in my classroom!! 

Thinking- 

I should probably knock a few things off of my wedding checklist, but I really just want to take a little more time to enjoy the peace and quiet. Maybe in an hour?!?! We will see. 

Wanting-

A SUPER LONG massage would be amazing right now! I carry all of my stress in my shoulders which has been triggering tension headaches the past few weeks.  I also break out in hives when I stress out, so relieving this stress would be great. I don't want to be a hive-y bride! 

Needing-

I should definitely squeeze a serious workout in today.  I think Karena and Katrina from Tone it Up! are calling my name! #sweatingforthewedding

Summer Lovin'-

My wedding is 9 days away!! I just posted a Teacher-Bride post over at The Primary Pack with my reflections on the wedding process thus far! Feel free to check it out. 

I also need to start thinking about outfits to wear at Disney for our honeymoon!!! EEKK any suggestions?!! 

This is a super short post, but lordy my mind is swamped!! 

Be sure to follow me on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook for more wedding updates! 

Who knows...maybe I will periscope the day of my wedding!! :) 

Thanks for stoppin' by! 

Teacher's Make the World Colorful! -Teacher Appreciation Giveaway!

Happy Teacher Appreciation Week!
I am so excited to be teaming with the girls from The Primary Pack to bring you this fabulous GIVEAWAY!! We really want you to know how much we appreciate you and how amazing we think you are. Teachers are the most dedicated, hard-working people around, and we want to celebrate YOU! So, we are giving away a gift card to one of our favorite places to shop (can you guess what mine is?!)...BUT we didn't stop there!  We also will be giving away a GRAND PRIZE over at The Primary Pack!

Here on my blog, I am giving away one $25.00 gift card to....
my cute-ified planner obsession...
ERIN CONDREN!!! Have you seen this stuff? I am don't know what I would do without my life planner or my amazing gift tags! 

I absolutely love Erin Condren's products and I know you will too! 

Enter the Rafflecopter below to win! The giveaway will run through Sunday, May 10th! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

And now, for the GRAND PRIZE!!

Drumroll........

Over at the Primary Pack, we are giving away a $250.00 gift card to Tieks!! Yes...that's right, Tieks!! The most COLORFUL, comfortable, Italian leather shoes around! When know how much money you have undoubtedly put into your classroom this year for resources and supplies--so this giveaway is all about a splurge just for  YOU! For $250.00, you can even get a FANCY pair!! To enter, click HERE or click on the image below!

WOOHOO!! Thank you for being an amazing educator and joining in all of the fun! Don't forget to visit each of our blogs for a chance to win even more great prizes! 

   WOOHOO!! Thank you for being an amazing educator and joining in all of the fun! Don't forget to visit each of our blogs for a chance to win even more great prizes! 

An InLinkz Link-up

May Currently!

Hey there! Long time, no see!!! 

I finally had a minute to catch up on my Currently posts with the awesome Farley! 

Here is what I am up to:

Listening- It is a cloudy day where I am at, but the breeze coming through the windows is amazing! I love spring!

Loving- I am to the tail end of wedding planning (I meet with my wedding planner today) and I am so VERY VERY blessed to have so many amazing people in my life.  My future Husband is so supportive, my family loves me unconditionally and my friends have my back no matter what.  Good vibes all around, folks!! 

Thinking- I need to pack! Between packing up my classroom and my apartment, I really need to start moving! I am having a hard time trying to figure out where to put everything in my new home or what my soon-to-be hubby could take now so we don't have to move it later...yikes. THEN...I am job hunting, so I don't know where I am going to move all of my classroom stuff too!! AHH!! I think I need a storage unit...or two! 

Wanting- I really just need someone to come tell me what to pack up and what I will need.  This person is usually my mother, but between wedding planning and my father being in Dubai for the whole month (yowza!) of may she has a lot on her plate. I just need a swift kick in the backside to get this packing going. 

Needing- The seasons changing means that my eyes and nose are running like a leaky faucet. It's super attractive, folks. My students kept a running tally yesterday of how many times I sneezed...it was at 20 before lunch time...whoops! I guess it's a good way to practice tallying..?

Summer!- Oh my, it can't be here soon enough. 

Yes=I get married in June! I am so nervous/excited/scared! 

Hope= We are going to Disney on our honeymoon!!! I really love Eeyore and I hope I get to meet him! 

Dream= My Fiancé lives in a townhouse with two roommates and our fur child.  Our dog at the carpet in our living room...not just a little...ALOT! Our tack boards are exposed and we can pull the carpet (and what is left of the pad) half way across the room. I really am dreaming of a day when we can afford to buy new carpet...or may wood flooring :) 

Well, that's it folks! I am off to meet with my wedding planner...if you're lucky I'll post some sneak peek photos on Instagram!! 

Thanks for stoppin' by! 

Trashy Crafter Giveaway Winner Announced!!

Happy Friday! I am here to let you know that we have a winner of my Trashy Crafter giveaway! 

And the winner is.....

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Congratulations Teresa! 

Check you email for directions on how to get your amazing bracelet! 

Now, don't worry if you didn't win! 

If you have had your eye on one of these amazing bracelets (and you are a friendly follower of my blog) you can use the code "booklover" to get 15% off your own purchase!! 

Phew! Well, I am off to bed! It's been a long week of Parent/Teacher Conferences and Professional Development...my brain has ceased functioning (I put my cell phone in the fridge and couldn't find it for 30 minutes). 

Sooooooo, I am starting my two week break the right way by crawling into bed at 9:30! WOOHOO for being a grown up! 

Thank you to all that participated in this giveaway! Don't forget to follow my blog for more posts and fun giveaways! 

Thanks for stoppin' by!