Happy Happy!

Happy New Year my friends...stay safe and CELEBRATE :)

We will be ringing in the New Year at home with friends, food and a movie and games...what will you be doing at midnight?

New Year's Day will be my 2nd annual Run to End Hunger. I am runnning the 5K and continuing the tradition of at least one athletic event a month...and my resolution is to get into better shape...and to run more...unlike this year.

Total mileage for this year was 1,130.48- much lower than last year so I will kick it up a notch in 2013!

 

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*HAPPY, HEALTHY 2013 TO YOU*

The Mail Carrier is a thief!

I am disappointed to say the least- this link is a news clip about the local mail carrier who was stealing our mail....

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/local/peninsula&id=8932539

...and my sister sent my kids gift cards to In N Out Burgers for Christmas and we never received them....so this a$$hole probably enjoyed several meals meant for my kids. Several years back another A$$ on our street stole mail and the police told us that we should have locking mailboxes...and we haven't had a problem since...until now.

On a happier note-

The Captain got his WINTER WARRIOR t-shirt today. I had the smart idea of swimming a mile...it wasn't raining and the pool was on Olympic lanes (long course,) which I really like because you don't have to flip turn every 25 yards...and I felt really good swimming but now I am feeling a little stiff...but I will help myself to some white chocolate covered Oreos for my extra burned calories.

 

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*I HOPE THE MAILMAN

GOT FOOD POISONING!*

Day 42/80

I got my WINTER WARRIOR shirt on Christmas Eve...that made 40 consecutive days of working out. After 8 days of swimming in a row I told The Captain we had to mix it up...so now we alternate swimming and lifting. I must say my arms are losing that 5th grade teacher look!

Christmas Day was a gift of rest- no workout :) Today was day #42. It was day #38 for the Captain who was in Utah for the first 4 Winter Warrior days and therefore is behind me. I won't get to day #80 without missing a workout because of the California Kindergarten PK1 Conference over M.L. King weekend...but I will make it to 80. The next level is day #60 when I will get a hoodie. There are 91 scheduled days and leeway of 11 missable.

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*

I AM A WINTER WARRIOR*

The kids named her Ursala, after the sea witch from Little Mermaid....

RIP Ursi

A loooong time ago when my kids were in elementary school we happened to be in a pet store on Adopt a Cat Day...where lots of kitties were in cages waiting to be adopted. We already had two cats at home...but this black girl kitty looked so much like our sweet Smokie that we applied. About a week later, when Daughter #1 was home from school ill, a woman came by with the cat to check out our house and to make sure we would be a good adoptive family. The plan was to visit and if we made the cut, the cat would be ours a week later.

Arriving at our house, cat made herself at home and the other two cats met her and really didn't care that another cat was in house. The dog came by and sniffed her and he didn't have a problem either. Then the woman asked if we would like to adopt her and we of course said YES! And we were surprised that she left the cat with us that day. She told us that we were lucky because she was the only woman at the cat rescue that would adopt cats out to families who allowed their cats to go outside...we had a pet door and the cats and dog came and went so we didn't even need a liter box. Over the years, the kids grew up and went off to college....Smokie became a diabetic and we administered insulin daily...we had to close up the pet door because raccoons made nightly visits into our kitchen for meals...Mew our oldest cat reverted back to his feral ways and took to outdoor life...and Ursi? Well she went from not wanting to be petted to a friendly, cuddly cat.

We finally had to put Smokie to sleep and Ursi took over his job of meowing for breakfast to be served. She trained The Captain to feed her treats while he cooked dinner by rubbing at his feet and meowing until he got out kitty treats.
But since school began this year we noticed her slowing down. Yesterday I even looked up the mobile vet so we could have her put down after Christmas- last night she was sleeping under the Christmas tree when I petted her before going to bed. This morning, on the floor next to the packages and stuffed animals, we found her body.

I am not sure how old she was- she was about a year old when we adopted her and my guess without checking her records is that she was 16 or 17.

Thank you Ursala for allowing us all those year of your life. You brought up happiness and many lizards and birds. XXOO your family.

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*LOVE YOUR KITTY*

 

I just pullled the post from A-Z Mondays from my old blog LMNOP circa 2007...

 

Ursi...Sweet, fat Ursi....

"Quick, cut the photos and FEED me breakfast!"

 

She is actually Ursala...named after the Sea B^#tch in The Little Mermaid. She's a rescue kitty who is about 12 or 13 years old...we've had her for about 10 or 11 years. She was abused at her first house...and took quite a while to realize that no one here would toss her out the door or toss her anywhere for that matter. She still freaks out if we carry her to the door to put her out. But she's a good cat who obviously loves her crunchies...and a good, long cat nap on the couch...(like a full day's worth)....that's where she can be found unless I send her outside for a sunny afternoon.

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*OWN A CAT*

26 Random Acts of Kindeness- one for each of the Sandy Hook victims...

http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/12/17/15972814-inspired-to-act-26acts-of-kindness-to-honor-those-lost-in-newtown-conn?lite&

12/22
#1- Gave a Bed Bath and Beyond 20% off coupon to the elderly couple in line behind me.
#2- Donated $1 with my purchase to St. Jude when I checked out at Old Navy without the sales clerk asking me...they get points for each donation...plus may of our cancer buddies were treated at St. Jude.
#3- Helped load a basketball hoop and stand onto a cart for a mom in Target...there wasn't a clerk around....she didn't think I could do it myself but my weight lifting is paying off :)
#4 Returned the person's cart who was parked next to me in the lot when I returned mine...and it was raining.

4 down, 22 to go.

*livestrong*lovestronger*laugh

harder*PAY IT FORWARD*

On my first day of winter break I....

got up at 5 a.m. and went to work with my daughter....I know...it was hard to get up that early...but we had to drive to friends to the airport. We got to her classroom early and organized and set up....and talked to other teachers. It was really fun to see her classes...middle school kids are so different from my kids- it brought back memories of my middle school days 28 years ago. It was fun to watch her interact with her students and see the respect she commands.

It was a minimum day...each class was only 15 minutes long- then there was a rally and a staff vs student volleyball game. I played in the game too...and had a 3 point serve and then one really bad serve...I sent a few balls back over the net for points and Daughter #1 played awesomely.

Then we headed home where I am trying to get warm. It is raining again...and the Captain and I are going to work out.

I AM A WINTER WARRIOR and DAY 40- where I earn my t-shirt- is Christmas Eve. Thank goodness Christmas is an off day...I am really needing a break.

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*YAY SCHOOL IS OUT

UNTIL NEXT YEAR*

Swimming anyone?

I wouldn't recommend the backstroke...after one lap my face, shoulders and chest were frozen so I resorted to freestyle...not so much the temp but the wind!

My last day of work for this year is tomorrow!! Decorating gingerbread men and wrapping parent gifts is what's planned.

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*NOW I KNOW WHY WHALE

 BLUBBER IS NECESSARY*

Weather Forecast for the week:

Now this is the funniest forecast ever- Mayan?

Created by Matt Green

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*

THE END IS NEAR?*

Street Scramble

Today, my team ThE LaNd SHarKs, won first place in the 1st Annual San Carlos Street Scramble. (We were the only bike team in our category that showed up...) We rode 24.98 miles and got 470 points for making it to checkpoints and texting in the correct answers. But most of all, we had FUN!

We got to the running store that sponsored the ride and checked in and got our maps....and t-shirts since we were in the 1st 50 to register. There we 5 of us....and we took a while to get started but once we did it was fun....they gave us some clues on a map that was partially marked and then there was a question to answer....like, what is the last person's name listed on the plaque on the statue or what is the brand of the basketball hoop, what is the city code ordinance on the fence, etc. We were in the 3 hour division.....the weather was c-o-l-d for here....48 degrees....but when climbing a big hill it was perfect.

I will have to post a picture of the 5 of us (Today the blog allowed me to upload a photo!!) when I get around to getting a new blog....but that will be after I get a tree....can you believe it?!! We don't even have a tree yet? Probably because we haven't all been around at one time to get one....and I have been busy with important things like having fun.

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*RIDE A BIKE*FIND A CLUE*

....

they were just first graders...the same age as my students...how could anyone, even someone mentally ill, shoot little children?

....

as a teacher and a mother I am finding it hard not to dwell on yesterday's victims and families...those presents under the tree that will not be opened and the senselessness of the situation.

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*PEACE*

I AM a WInter Warrior!

Today was day 20 of the Winter Warrior work out at the college gym. I have worked out 20 days straight and earned a mug...that you cannot see in the crappy cell phone picture...I left the phone in the car so this was taken after the swim as we ran to the car because the dressing rooms are under construction and it was cold in our bathing suits covered with towels and sweatshirts....

BUT the bonus was the sky....it was amazing....like the sky in Starry Starry Night or the Scream...

(I would post the photo here but once again Picasa says I am out of space- even though I have deleted 2 dozen photos and it did allow me to post the photo above. As soon as I get a chance I am starting anew.)

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*EARN A MUG*WORK OUT

FOR 80 DAYS*

After 15+ months out of the country....

Septmeber 2, 2011

We dropped her off at SFO bound for New Zealand where she lived, traveled and worked for a year...

When her VISA expired September 3, 2012, she headed to Singapore....then onto Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and a layover in Japan...and she arrived at SFO tonight.....

(I had an arrival photo here but Picasa says I am out of space- even though I deleted a dozen photos from the album...so it is new blog time with a new host.)


*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*TRAVEL WHILE YOU'RE YOUNG*

What's more fun than a barrel of monkeys?

Taking 25 first graders to see the Nutcracker Ballet.
Jealous huh?!

*livestrong*lovestronger*laugh harder*remember it could aways be worse*

HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY Thanksgiving Eve

It was a loooooong...day. Everything went awry from the very start and stayed that way until the final conference ended. The topper was breaking a TV! I was wheeling in a 5' tall cart that had a BIG old TV on top...as I turned to go between two desks the wheel came off the cart and...CrAsH! As it was falling I had a fleeting thought to catch it....thankfully I just let it go. Those big old monster TV's have back ya know. So that is just a little insight into my day.

I swam and now it is my favorite dinner from a little Mexican restaurant and HaPPy HoUr!

I am Thankful for 4 days off :)

 

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*BREAK A TV*

21

My baby turned 21 yesterday...not long ago he was 3' tall and wore those little high tops....

 

Now he is 6'6" and wears those size 15 clown shoes.

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BIG FOOT!

 

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER LAUGH HARDER*OH TO BE 21 AGAIN*

Day 5

The place where we work out is having a contest...it's called WINTER WARRIORS. There are 51 days to work out...and prizes along the way...if you work out all of them you get free dues...or a few less and you get a t-shirt and a few more gets you a hoodie.

So far I am 5/5 days.

I will either be in really good shape...or I will get a mug for working out 20 days.

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*BE A WINTER WARRIOR*

GO FISH!

Yesterday I taught 23 first graders how to play GO FISH. (At the same time- don't try this at home!)
I finished my 18th parent conference.
I swam 800 yards in the rain.
And I celebrated with a blended margarita with salt.

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*CELEBRATE SMALL VICTORIES*

Running With the Jets

It was 43 degrees this morning when Daughter #1 and I took off for the run at Coyote Point...I know that is not even close for my midwest and east coast friends, but that is cold for here....it was clear which is unusual for the bay near the San Francisco Airport- hence, Running with the jets- as they take off and land parallel to the run.

Daughter #1 realized she had left her sunglasses when we were about to the freeway and didn't want to go back...so being the nice mom that I am, I let her use mine....I was only doing the 5K and she was doing a half marathon....so she would be running into the sun for way more miles than I would be.

It was a nice, flat run along the edge of the bay and the perfect weather. I felt a little yucky but at least my back wasn't sore...I just wanted to break 30 minutes, which I did, but I would have taken 4th in my age group had I not had to stop to tie my shoes TWO TIMES! I sure wish I had felt better so I could have run faster. Then I visited with a student from my running club, a former boy I had coached in soccer years ago and then headed down the trail to run the last bit with daughter #1....I ran about 1/4 mile with her then cut across the park to get her photo at the finish line.

Now home to work on report cards and drink Tylenol sore throat cure!

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*RUN WITH THE JETS*

3 Days Off....

I am not going to get sick....I can feel it coming.....everyone at work is sick and the time change has messed with the kids inner clocks and they are out of sorts...so I am staying home, working on report cards, drinking tea and Airborne.

 

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*ENJOY THE LONG WEEKEND*

It's MAGIC!

So today I did 3 centers...I didn't have any parent help so I explained what we were going to do.... and my center was a reading group....and we read a Level 1 book, Picking Apples and Pumpkins. 

And every kid read!

Like magic! I have no idea how it happens...I just kinda swirl all this info around their little brains, and it gets absorbed, and ABRA-Ca-DABRA!! THEY READ!!

It is like losing teeth...it happens when they are ready...and it just happened!

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*READ A BOOK*

I have never spent $170 on shoes before. And I wouldn't have on these....even though they are really cool!

 

But I won up to $160 in Aasics shoes in last month's Road Runner Running Store's 3rd Thursday fUn RuN....for my Sponge Bob Lincecum costume. So today I went to redeem my coupon for shoes and I saw these wild Aasics...and I asked if I could pay the $10 difference and they said, "No problem, we will give them to you!!!!"

I usually run in whatever Nike is on clearance. I really don't care what color but I do use the Nike + shoe so I can put the chip in the shoe which hooks up to my iPod and lets me know how far I run...and records it on the Nike site afterwards. But I must say, I can sure tell the difference in these expensive shoes. Just the right amount of cushion and the support I need on my outer right foot where I broke it in college. I can't wait to show the kids at Running Club tomorrow morning!

 

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*RUN IN WILD SHOES*

1,000 Jack-o-lanterns and Screaming Like Wuss!

As I was rubbing my calloused hands this morning, I pondered the HGTV show I briefly caught where two towns were trying to set a Guinness Book World Records for most carved pumpkins and most carved lighted pumpkins. There were thousands and thousands and although not on my bucket list, I have had my hand in carving well over 1,000 pumpkins....at least in cutting off the tops and helping pull the toughest pulp out of the insides....and poking out the triangles and circles out of the thickest pumpkin faces.

27 years of Jack-o-lantern carving, plus 3 of my kids times 15 years....and well, there it is....A LOT of Jacks!

This morning after pondering calloused hands and Jack-o-lanterns, I headed to work. I got in before the janitor and after disarming Sonitrol, I walked into the wing where my classroom is and a GIANT RAT ran past. I was startled...then I decided, since it ran into the doorway and hid behind some big Rubbermaid tubs, that I would take one and turn it over to trap the rat. I carefully got one bin, and then moved the other bin with my foot, expecting it to run to my right. BUT the GIANT rat ran to the left... AND I SCREAMED LIKE A WUSS! SO LOUDLY THAT THE JANITOR WHO JUST ARRIVED TO WORK HEARD ME OUTSIDE THE BUILDING! Damn rat got away.

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*TRY TO

TRAP A RAT*SCREAM LIKE A WUSS*

Before and After

I got to work and cut the tops off 24 pumpkins....

 

   

...and then they came and caved....all by themselves...

 

...and they left....with Jack-o-lanterns....

 

...and I cleaned.

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*CARVE A PUMPKIN*

TOTALLY AWESOME!!

THE GIANTS WIN THE SERIES!!!
THE GIANTS WIN THE SERIES!!

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*WIN THE WORLD'S SERIES*

A Nail Biter...

Who is this team?

Those Giants.

They aren't the team I always rooted for only to have them choke...in fact they are dominating the game right now. When the Tigers swept the Yankees in 4, I thought whichever team had to play the Tigers was going to be in trouble.

The Cards tried to beat the Giants and the series went to 7 exciting games....but tonight's game was a nail biter- BUT Giants did it 2-0.

Whew...

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*

LAUGH HARDER*PLAY

BALL*CAN THEY DO IT

 IN 4?*27 MORE OUTS*

Sponge Bob Lincecum

There are few things that would drag me away from the TV for Game 2 of the World's Series...and one of those things was tonight. The local running shoe store held their 3rd Thursday of the month event...where at 6:30 they put up a map of sites and you run to as many as you can and collect raffle tickets. You have one hour to return and put your raffle tickets in the bin for the drawing. Daughter #1 and my adopted son ran our way around town. The secret facebook location is revealed the day of the run. I checked facebook at 5:00 for the location and it turned out to be behind the store...and it said to wear a Halloween costume for an extra raffle ticket. Daughter #1 and I dug through our Halloween collection and I pulled out Sponge Bob that I made about 10 years ago...and 2 years ago when the Giants won the World's Series I added a Giants jersey and Tim Lincecum's number 55 on the back. It was a hit....and running around town, especially past the sports bar I got a lot of cheers...but what I didn't know is that there was a costume contest at the end and I won!! I won shoes for the Captain!

We caught the end of the game at the after dinner...GO GIANTS!!

 

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*RUN SPONGE BOB LINCECUM RUN* 

THREE!!!

THREE homeruns in one game...can you believe it?

What? Did you say SHUT UP about baseball already?

I can't help it...I had some doubts about the Tigers pitching Verlander tonight...he's incredibly awesomely the best pitcher around but the Giants knocked him around like little league!!

NOW FOR GAME 2 TOMORROW!

We had BIG Foot's chemistry teacher and his mother who is visiting from Guatamala over for dinner....I "no habla espanol," and she "no habla Engish," so we had fun laughing and translating and using my minimal Spanish for kindergarten to converse....with translating from our friend. And trying to explain baseball even funnier!

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*GO GIANTS*3 HOMERUNS!!!*

THE GIANTS WIN THE PENNANT!

They had to win and they did.....even I had my doubts....but after the 3rd inning I knew we were good for the game. 3 games straight!

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*GET READY FOR DETROIT*

Repeat!!!!

Once again....the GIANTS had to win...AND they did.

*LIVESTRNG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH

HARDER*PLAY TOUGH*

GO GIANTS!

They had to win tonight...and they did.

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*PLAY TOUGH*

We Made History Today

This morning Daughter #1 and I got up at the crack of 05:00 hours and headed for the San Francisco Nike Women's Marathon. It was foggy and dark but so fun to be part of the largest Marathon and Half Marathon in the WORLD! The record was set today!

My shirt says, "I'm a mom of a childhood leukemia SURVIVOR!
Hers says, "I am a childhood leukemia SURVIVOR- Thanks LLS!

The race is for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society...many, many Team in Training Teams come from everywhere to run. Daughter #1's friend ran with us...he is like another son to our family.

This summer right before climbing Half Dome, I felt stiffness in my knees...and then my foot. I broke my foot in college and that site always hurts before it rains...but this was painful...so much that I taped my foot for work. In New Zealand my back and knees hurt and by the time we returned my elbows hurt. Apparently I had a virus that attacked my joints- and my body responded with rheumatoid arthritis. I felt like I was 100 years old. I had to ask for help adjusting the first grade desks brought into my classroom....normally I can wield an Allen wrench or screw driver like no ones business...but it was all I could do to ride to work and swim. I ran a few times- the Firefly Night Run and the event at our running store but my knees and back did not enjoy it. In fact my miles were slightly faster than walking. Swimming....well, I felt like I was going fast and then I would look at the clock and see that I was actually S-L-O-W! So needless to say we went out on this run cold turkey....we ran 3 miles two times last month...but we finished today...and only walked when we got water...and we got our finisher's t-shirt and Tiffany necklace handed to us from a very cute fireman in a tuxedo...

Then we headed to Costco and ordered a pizza and chowed down! The sun came out and it is a beautiful day...thankfully the fog lasted throughout the run...unfortunately for the visitors because the Golden Gate Bridge was not visible and the ocean view was gray.

Last year I fractured ribs before this run...next year, if I make it in the lottery for the run, I WILL BE HEALTHY!

 

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*RUN 13.1 MILES*I HATE THE YANKEES BUT LOVE DEREK JETER*

The Circus Left Town Today...

They came...the gassed and they left.
So nice to be home....motel life sucks.

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*THE GIANTS WON*THE TERMITES ARE DEAD*

Is that red or white?

Today I volunteered to pour wine at the local wine and arts fest....funny because I don't drink wine...and I haven't any clue which one is sweet, or dry or which one "has a lot going on." But it was fun, and from all the comments by the time my shift was over I knew viognier from the chardonnay and how to pronounce the names of the red wines...and it turned out to be a nice sunny day...and best of all there is no list of things that bugged me today :)

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*ENJOY THE WEEKEND*

Top 10

Top 10 Things that bug me today:

10. The use of "your" in place of "you're."
 9. Lack of chocolate in my house.
 8. The lack of a doorstop on my classroom door. (Thanks construction worker's
     for not replacing it in the newly poured concrete.)
 7. Robo-calls to my cell phone.
 6. People who leave their cigarette butts in my yard.
 5. People who bring their pet dog in their purse in the grocery store.
 4. People who don't pick up after their dog...especially on my lawn!
 3. Tinted windshields and driver's side windows making it impossible as a pede-
     strian or cyclist to make eye contact to know if the driver actually sees you.
 2. People who don't use turn signals.
 1. Texts and emails from people I don't know because they hit the REPLY ALL 
     button in response to someone else's text or email.

 

What bugged you today?

 

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*MAY YOUR LIST BE SMALLER

 THAN MINE TODAY*

...and the termites came....

...and the tent goes up next week....it's the last resort...we have tried everything.

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*BYB BYE TERMITES AND FLEAS*

Birthdays can be changed you know...

Each year my birthday falls right around Teacher Appreciation Day...and of course Mother's Day falls quickly at its heels...so I get all this rolled into one day...Happy EVERYTHING!

So this year, when I got the room parent form asking information regarding things I like to eat, to drink and where I like to eat out, and what my favorite color and flowers are...and when my birthday is...I decided it was a high time for a change...why didn't I think of this earlier? I don't know!! Favorite colors and foods can change, and now, birthdays can too!

February 14- that's my new birthday...not sure if I am changing it on facebook or not...but I am ready to celebrate just my birthday for the first time in years.

 

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*ENJOY YOUR BIRTHDAY*

Firefly Run

Last night Daughter #1 and ran in a Firefly Night Run in San Jose. It is hard to tell from the photo, but we had glow bracelets and LED flashing anklets....

 we ran the 3.1 miles and headed home....but not before stopping at In and Out for a chocolate milk shake....can't let those burned calories go to waste!

 

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*RUN IN THE DARK*

And the Playground Went Wild!

The sky over San Fran was hazy...we knew it would be about 15 -20 minutes for the shuttle to make it from Sacramento to the Golden Gate....and from there it was just a short distance until we would see it. The question was, which direction it would fly south to Moffett Field. Then, the giant plane and shuttle emerged from the haze...and headed right towards us....my school is on a hill with an amazing view of the bay....AND THE SHUTTLE WAS HEADING RIGHT TO US...AND LOW! It came right to the hill and then banked over the playground and headed south west.....and this what we saw :

The kids ran below it screaming and waving their arms...I am sure the crew was just as amazed as we were. I am sure my kids (will remember this day in first grade for a very long time....and hopefully they will get to see it in the museum in Los Angeles some day.

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH

HARDER*VIEW THE SHUTTLE CLOSE UP*

And the verdict is...

most likely TOTALLED.

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*ANYONE HAVE A USED CAR FOR SALE?*

How's Your Rear End?

Remember when BIG Foot made a legal U-turn on a green arrow and an old woman making a right turn ran the red light and crashed into him? And she claimed it was his fault...and her insurance denied the claim as 50/50 fault....so it went all the way to litigation 11 months later and it was determined BIG Foot was not at fault....took 12 months to get my $500 deductible back...well today.....at 11:45 my cell phone rang in class...my family knows not to call during working hours unless it is an emergency....and as you see below, it was....

He is fine. He was stopped at a red light minding his own business, when an old woman "didn't see him until the last second," braked hard and tried to swerve into the bike lane...instead she clipped his truck and careened into the guard rail causing her airbag to deploy, smacking her in the face and possibly breaking her nose. She was bloody and scared, so he made sure she was okay and called 911.

By old I mean past 85. He truck is a magnet for older women...the last one was 88.

....So my cell rang and BIG Foot needed his insurance info....because why listen to your mother and keep it in the sunglasses holder with your registration? I don't carry my card in my wallet I keep it in the sunglasses holder of the car- which I didn't drive to work- and, why not call your father who is not at work?

Boys!

So now he cannot drive because he has no tail or brake lights...he won't be able to get a rental car because he is only 20....BUT he is okay...and the woman should be okay too....and trucks can be replaced/fixed....so all (rear) ends well.

First grade? It still rocks...but I cannot just open my September file and teach from it. I am inventing all of my materials and enjoying every minute...but it is long hours and sucks the blog time. Perhaps at Xmas I will post New Zealand.

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*

LAUGH HARDER*LOOK OUT FOR LITTLE OLD

 LADIES FROM PASADENA*FIRST GRADE ROCKS*

First Day of First Grade

I have never taught first grade- and no one ever told me what I was missing...First Grade Rocks! Well, at least the first day does...we'll see what I say in a month.

But anyways, there were no crying kids- I didn't have to peel one student out of their parents arms- I didn't have to reassure parents that their child would not cry all day...(if they do I will call you if they are still crying in an hour,) and I didn't have any parents hanging out peeking in the window. The kids came in and got to work...and were as cute as could be. Most of the students I had last year so they were all hugs and smiles. And at the end of the day I swam 3/4ths a mile and ran a mile...instead of taking a post Kindergarten nap!

New Zealand? Well I will get to the photos someday...and I have run out of photo space again...so it's new blog time. But I did bring kiwis to eat for snack today.

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*EAT SOME KIWI*ENJOY A

 GRADE LEVEL SWITCH*

Back on the "Right" Side of the Road....

Home again, home again, jiggity jig!

Auckland- Day 1

New Zealand is awesome!

Driving on the wrong side of the road was pretty cool too...except round-abouts are a little scary....there are very few intersections as we know them. And bridges...most are one lane- not one lane each way- one stinking way. There is a sing posted telling you whether to "Give Way" or not....which is Kiwi for "Yield."

"Piss" is beer, a bakery is where you get lunch- the most delicious meat pies or quiche ever...a dairy is a convenience store and chips are French Fries...unless of course you buy them in a bag....then they are chips...(potato chips.)

And seeven is 7 and teen is 10...and the people are friendly and there are no snakes or squirrels!

There are the most magnificent rainbows and the Olympic coverage rocks! There are no pennies or nickels...they just round up or down to the nearest 10 cent.....and there is no sales tax.

Alcohol costs A LOT. Almost everything costs a lot....except for a kiwi fruit I got for 14 cents...that was the bargain of the trip.

New Zealand Air is by far the best airline ever. Included in your ticket price you get one carry on and one stowed bag up to 50 pounds...(22 kilos) and all your meals and drinks- even spirits, beer and wine- are free! The flight attendants are all in cute uniforms and are very, very kind. I wish N.Z. Air flew in the states!

I will blog all 20 days as soon as I get it together...after all I had 2 Wednesdays this week due to crossing the International Date Line.

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*

LAUGH HARDER*NEW ZEALAND ROCKS*SUMMER ENDING SUCKS*

Happy Monday here. Watching the closing ceremonies of the Olympics. If you really want to watch the Olympics and not commercials or "meet the athlete" infomercials then head out of the U.S. for some real TV coverage. I would suggest Canada, New Zealand, Australia or England...either the government channels show the Olympics with no commercials- like the BBC, or here, five prime channels show live, yesterday and last night's coverage. I have watched events I never knew were in the olympics...and I watched every athlete from every country who sent one to participate in the men's decathlon! Being a track athlete from way back, this was a treat....to see each participant no matter how well their performance. And the best part is, that other countries actually celebrate 19th place. We were in Invercargill when New Zealand's rowers won the gold...the town was crazy- a nation with as many people as the city of Los Angeles won 13 medals....and their 100th medal in the modern Olympics. Now to chose which country to visit in 4 years :) *LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER**LAUGH HARDER*CHEERS TO ALL THE ATHLETES FROM EVERY COUNTRY*HERE'S TO REAL OLYMPIC COVERAGE*

volcanoes, Internet and the likes in kiwi land

I was thinking that if the volcano continues to blow, my flight may be cancelled and I would be stuck here....with Internet service by the mg...I open my email and a photo of a friend's newborn comes up and my free mg's are all gone....just like that! For winter, the weather has been amazing...I could wear shorts today! I can't wait to see the photos we have taken and to get to my email. Until then, cheers my friends! *live strong*LOVESTRONGER*laugh harder*I don't know where i'ma gonna go if the volcano blows*

A-maaaaaazing! LIVESTRONG LOVESTRONGER LAUGH HARDER IPADS SUCK DOUBTFUL SOUND TOUR WAS GREAT

Free Internet is Good!

$10 nz dollars for 10 minutes of Internet is not.

Using a ipad while traveling here is stupid...I can't even view the photos we took because the adapter won't work. It won't take "sticks" to use Internet at small motels or hostels and is pretty much useless...should have brought my laptop even though it is a little larger it would have been much more useful...but I stupidly borrowed this from work...thinking it would work!

We are at the airport heading to the south island. We made it to the most northern part of the north island and now will go to the most southern tip. It is wonderful here!! It is winter and has rained some but we have seen magnificent rainbows and slid down some awfully muddy slopes while tramping.

More to come mates,

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*

LAUGH HARDER*TAKE

 A LIE DOWN*

Greetings from Down Under...

we left at 9:45 p.m. on Thursday and landed right into 5:20 a.m. on Saturday. To my friends in the states...tomorrow is looking really good! But I am sure it is warmer than here! No photos as I only have an iPad I borrowed from work. *LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*VISIT WINTER*FINALLY SEEING DAUGHTER #2*

Winter Downunder

Counting down til winter begins for me!

30 Years Ago

Thirty years ago in August we attended our friend's wedding. The Captain was a groomsman. It was dreadfully hot in the church and at the reception in the cul-de-sac afterwards. So hot that I took off my nylons and threw them in the trash.

Yesterday, their son (who happens to be 6'9",) got married in an outdoor wedding. It was lovely, they were beautiful- and it was dreadfully hot. See a pattern building? Their yard was decorated beautifully...our friend missed her calling as a party planner because it couldn't have been more lovely. Good food, laughter, friends from college...but the heat! Thankfully we were staying in a guest house of other friends from college who live nearby so we did not have to make the 2 1/2 hour drive home. We were able to go back to a swimming pool and chill.

The bride- she was lovely- all 5'2" of her.

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*HERE'S TO A LONG

AND HAPPY MARRIAGE*

I always listen to the radio in the morning. I hear the results of baseball games, Tour de France, the weather, and traffic so I can give those reports to Daughter #1 before she takes off for work. Imagine my horror to hear about the shootings in Colorado last night.

My son loves to go to midnight viewings. Was he there? He wouldn't go to Denver to see it would he? It would be playing in the Springs if he went...right? There's always that fear as a parent. And my heart aches for all those parents, family and friends who had to go through something so tragic.

BIG Foot is fine. He had school yesterday and then hiked with friends. He didn't know Batman was opening at midnight...and was safe in bed miles away from Aurora.

It is just so hard to fathom why someone would do this.

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*PRAYERS TO COLORADO*

It was funny then...

and still is now. At our 2:30 a.m. rest, we sat gazing at the stars with our headlamps off. 11 of us were sprinkled around a few logs and rocks as we rested, or attempted to get a few minutes of sleep. Suddenly, one young guy who had been lying behind a big downed tree, jumped up and yelled, "JESUS CHRIST!!!!" I thought he might have been bitten by something, or scared by a bear...or zombies or... or other assorted things that ran through my mind in the brief second between the shout and when he turned on his headlamp. He saw us all illuminated, he said, "Oh. You're still here. I can go back to sleep."

He thought we all hit the trail and left him asleep behind the log...and he had no idea where we were. I am sure I would have panicked in the same way had I thought I was left on an unknown trail in the dark.

Another comment, mainly due to fatigue, was our decent down the cables. I mentioned the woman pictured in my last post had a difficult time on the cables. It seriously took her 45 minutes or more to climb. We all took photos at the top and she and her husband decided to make the descent a good hour before us. We walked to the other side of the dome, took silly photos doing handstands and holding banners and relishing our triumph. Out of our small group I decided to go first and made my way past the first two boards when Daughter #1 and her friend began. We had the dome to ourselves since we hiked all night and now others were beginning their ascent so we had to carefully pass those coming up. When our friend looked down, he saw the woman and her husband maybe 1/2 way down and he said, "Joe! You're coming back up??"  He had expected them to be at the bottom waiting for us, but they were still only part way down, and the only logical explaination was that they were coming back up. 

...okay, I know, you had to be there. But if I don't blog it here I will forget.

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*LAUGH AT YOURSELF*AND OTHERS*

Not the nap I was expecting...

Yesterday, just as I finished my post after my bike ride, and Daughter #1 was leaving to climb Half Dome in Yosemite, I learned that they had an extra pass!! This was at 3:30 and they were leaving at 4! I had just ridden 62 miles...but I felt good and it is SO hard to get a pass to climb I just couldn't pass it up!

So I jumped out of my bike clothes, threw together what I thought I might need and we drove 4 hours to Yosemite....but first we stopped for pizza. There were 11 of us altogether. At 10:30 p.m. we left the parking lot and began our ascent. It was about 80 degrees out and not what I had expected. It was 8.3 miles to the dome. If you haven't seen Half Dome in person you may have seen it in Ansel Adams photographs....it is SPECTACULAR!

Minus the snow of course today of course!

We hiked using our headlamps. Around 2:30 a.m.we stopped for a 30 minutes for a mini catnap/rest. Then we ate and drank and made it to Half Dome as the sun was about to rise.

Before arriving at the dome there are 800 "stairs" that go straight up. THEN the cables. I had no idea they were so.....straight up! The photo does not do this justice....it is a 50% grade! 2/10's of a  mile of cables.

Upon seeing the cables I thought I was not going to be able to do them. If you slip, you die! There is nothing to catch you, you just slide down the slick granite face to the bottom....some 2000 feet. The woman in the photo was part of our group...she took a very long time to get up the cables but she did it!

 I gave it a try and actually with the rubber gardening gloves I was able to keep hold. My fear was going down....but that would have to wait until after sunrise and photos...

Coming down the cables was easier than I thought....once I got over the fear of plummeting to my death! I seriously can't believe the National Park system allows this climb. Last year several people died falling from Half Dome, but all because they tried to climb in wet or snowy weather when the rock was slick and they didn't have special climbing shoes. There were also a few suicides in the past few years.

We took a different trail on the way out...it was longer and I was fading. I was now 32 hours without sleep....aside from the ten or so minutes after 2:30 a.m. stop. The final miles were hard...it was crowded and hot...and I was fuzzy headed and had to stop and eat some Shot Blocks and drink water.

Total in 24 hours...biked 100K and hiked with elevation climb 26 K.

Now I will go to sleep for the night.

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*CLIMB HALF DOME*

100 Kilometers...

The Captain and I just rode that in Bike for Breath that benefits the Lung Association...it always sounds much more impressive than saying 62 miles.

The weather was perfect...foggy where the big hills were and sunny on the flats...and after fighting a bit of a headwind, the last mile or so had a tailwind. And this event always has the best lunches afterwards.

Now I may take a nap.

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*I DIDN'T TAKE A CELL

 PHONE PHOTO BUT I WILL HAVE AN EVENT

 PHOTO NEXT WEEK*

What I do with composition books...

Home/School Journals!

Each Friday I prepare a form that looks like this:

_________________________


__________________________________,

"This week in kindergarten I ......."
(a paragraph about the week...assemblies, special projects, count down to the 100th day, etc.) And it always ends with a question like...did you celebrate the 100th day of school when you were in kindergarten?

___________________________________

The kids write the date on the first line, "Dear" Mom, Dad or someone else who lives in their house that is old enough to read and write on the second line. The final line is for, "Love, ______" They glue the form onto the left page of the journal and take it home.

The parent's job is to write a letter on the opposite page- and read it back to their child. About 50% of the parents take it serious. Those who do end up with a wonderful keepsake at the end of the year. Those who are fluent in another language besides English respond in their first language. After all, the journal is not for me, but a keepsake.

Several years back, I had a student whose parent was elderly. The parent wrote wonderful responses and told of days in school when there was one elementary school in our town. The summer following, the parent passed away. Those stories in the journal, even if they had been told to the student would most likely not be remembered by that five year old. The other parent expressed how happy they were to have those stories for their kid.

Since I have not done this with first graders, I am thinking that after winter break the students will be able to write the journal letter on their own. The first part of kindergarten is Hell trying to get the journal entries completed. There's a lot of explaining and re-explaining and erasing and and it takes A LOT of patience. After a month or two what once took 20+ minutes to complete then takes about 5 minutes or less for those who get right to work.

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*WRITE AN OLD FASHIONED LETTER*

Teachers!!

Teachers supplies have taken over my living room!
What the stores don't do anymore...put the Back-to-School stuff in their fliers....so...you have to keep going to the store until you find what you want on sale...so if you are a teacher and need this stuff:

Michael's- 15% off to teachers now
Target- Crayola Markers 99 cents, Fiskar scissors 2 for $3, Crayola colored pencils 99 cents, folders 15 cents
Toys R US- Buy one Crayola crayon or marker and get 2 free.

Yesterday I stocked up on all of that stuff. Now to get to Walmart for glue sticks and composition books. I have 25 kids now, up from 20 so that 10-25 cents per item adds up.

This was the scene from last year...


This year I will move it to my classroom before I go down under.

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*SHOP THE SALES*

Remember those black buttons?

Well they bloomed while we were gone...but Daughter #1 sent me pictures...and there they are. I came home to find wilty, shriveled up flowers...but they were awesome!

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*WATCH THE ALL STAR GAME TONIGHT*GO NATIONAL LEAGUE*