I found a baby! Or, I saved a baby!

I had already found a cell phone in the Home Depot parking lot in a shopping cart. I called the "missed call," thinking the owner had called the phone trying to find it. I got the owner's daughter and told her I was leaving the phone at the return desk. That I thought was a pretty good Random Act of Kindness for the day.

So fast forward to the finish of the Pebble Beach Golf Tourney on TV and The Captain and I are heading to the gym. He is driving and I am answering texts and just as we pass a stop sign and begin moving forward I look up and HOLY SHIT! there is a baby crossing the street!! I yell, "STOP! A BABY!" and The Captain, who looked to the right did not see the kid who was on the other side of the street coming out from between two parked cars...I opened the door, and the cars in the lane next to us stopped- thinking I was crazy...I ran around the front of our car, and the on coming traffic stopped when they saw me pointing to the kid..the woman turned on her emergencies and when I got up to the kid I asked, "where is your mommy?" He raised his hands for me to pick him up and made whimpering sounds...and I realized he probably didn't speak English..."¿dónde está tu mamá," it took me a few seconds to find those words as I carried him onto the sidewalk. He was too young to answer...maybe 18 months old? SO there I stood, holding this baby, looking around for an adult he belonged with. I was about to go into the yogurt store when I saw a Hispanic woman come out from the alley. She looked at me and I said, "Street," and pointed to where I found him. "OOOOHHHHH!" she said and then her husband appeared from down the street- I supposed they both thought the baby was with the other. I have never taken Spanish, and only know how to ask where something is from joking, "¿dónde está mi pantalones." I have no idea how to say, "I found your baby in the street!"


The Captain, who couldn't stay parked in the road, had pulled into the exit of the church next door to figure out what we were going to do if we didn't find who the baby belonged to. Thankfully that was easy and we were on the way to workout.

Afterwards, we stopped at the market to get steaks for dinner and at the entrance someone had dropped two canisters of Mentos...brand new, sealed and unopened so I returned them to the checkout, because I am sure someone will be back claiming the Mentos did not get put in their grocery bag.

Going to B.A.R.T. (S.F's mini version of a subway,) to pick up Daughter #2 was uneventful...but I do believe I should have stopped to buy a lottery ticket.

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*IT'S YOUR LUCKY DAY IF I FOUND WHAT BELONGED TO YOU*

Loooooong Week!

This was the looooongest short week ever....culminating in a field trip and a birthday party. I slept well!

Today I want to repaint the chalkboard on the Squirt sign:

It was a Father's Day gift to The Captain years ago...bought off eBay because the sign we really wanted..."Dad's Root Beer," from a local antique store was more $$ than I had. But, the chalkboard on this sign is shot. Chalk barely writes on it and the florescent chalkboard markers aren't much better. Soooooo, I will attempt to mask it and respray it with chalkboard spray paint. I hope it works! Then we will write on it more often than holidays and birthdays! I can't wait :)

Happy Much Needed Weekend to Y'all!

 

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*HAVE A LAZY WEEKEND*

Success!!

I spent Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the PK1 Conference in Santa Clara....and I am so thankful today is a holiday because I need a day to rest before heading back to work. 

Friday I swam very early and then headed to hang up art- tons of Pre K, kindergarten and first grade art in the halls of the convention center. I love getting ideas for my classroom from the creative teachers. Then a quick change, little spaghetti for dinner and I was a greeter in the lobby until my students started to arrive around 6:15. At 7:00 we gathered on a little stage in front of parents, committee members and teachers and sang two songs and recited a poem with gestures. Singing a cappella isn't easy with kids because some want to sing ahead of the others and some want to shout so their voice's heard over the others...we had practiced and discussed what the songs should sound like...AND those little first graders shined! Immediately following was a group of first graders and kindergartners from a private local school and then ART activities galore at tables in the adjoining room. Kids, siblings and parents created projects and took home some amazing pieces. when it was time to leave people were still gathered around tables so we know it was enjoyed by everyone.

Then clean up and to the Presidential Suite for a potluck. I stayed briefly as I don't like to drink wine and I was going back to my room to relax and enjoy my time ALONE :)

Saturday I was up at 6:00 to go for a run before my 7:30 duties....I found a path behind the hotel which ran alongside the new 49ers stadium which is being constructed...it looked so pretty in the early light that I had to stop and snap a photo on my cell...

 

 

Then a quick shower and I worked hospitality and re-hung artwork that was in the art room the night before. Then the fun began- I was a greeter for the first session in Ashley Wolfe's workshop. For those of you non-teachers she is an author and known for the illustrating the pictures in the Ms. Bindergarten books. I talked to her about seriously co-writing a teacher's book on how to use her books in the classroom...I have to follow through on that as it would be a great seller.

 

Then lunch- a quick snack of cheese and crackers and an apple in my room I actually had a duty free hour! Then to two more workshops and a meeting and then The Captain came over for the evening and we went to dinner.

 

 

I was getting ready to run Sunday morning when I got a call to come help with the breakfast...so afterwards The Captain and I loaded up the car and checked out of the room. He took all my stuff home...even though I packed lightly- a black skirt and leggings for every day and just changing the shirt- I still had a ton of stuff. Not only the large papers with words for the songs but everything has a charge and cords that don't like to work with each other- phone, laptop, iPod, hands free device- it would be so easy if they would all just get along!!

 

 

Sunday's keynote speaker was awesome. Jim Gill is a musician who really knows kids. After his session I was assigned to work at his booth for two+ hours. The table was swamped but fortunately I put my items aside and to my surprise he gave me all 9 items for working the booth!! $128 worth of books and CD's!! I am so lucky!

 

Then I was a greeter for the last two sessions and the conference was over. The only disappointing factor was that the 49er play off game was happening...and I don't have a smart phone and I didn't get internet in the conference center...so I had to rely on Daughter #1's frantic texts giving fragmented details. FINALLY the text came in that they WON! after being so far behind in the beginning.

 

Then the mad dash through the lobby collecting my artwork and piling it into a box...and carrying another box with my laptop bag and books and CD's in hand...I made my way to the bar to wait for The Captain to pick me up. I sat with other attendees who said this was one of the best conferences they attended. That made me feel good because so much planning goes into this- as soon as it is over we are planning for next year's conference.

 

 

So this morning I just stayed in bed for a while...and other than swimming I just think I will be lazy.

 

 

LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*ENJOY MONDAY*

TGIF to Me!

Today is my Friday and I am off to the CKA PK-1....Pre K through First Grade Conference....and although I have plenty of work to do there...I WON'T BE AT WORK!

Enjoy your weekend....3 days- Count 'em!

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*HAVE SOME FUN*

WINTER WARRIOR DAY #60

I don't weigh any less...or run any faster...but my arms have less 5th grade teacher sway underneath...and I can hoist myself out of the pool a without dangling from the ledge...and I feel pretty good...but best of all...

 

I earned my WINTER WARRIOR SWEATSHIRT TODAY!

60 consecutive days of working out!
20 more days to paid dues for a month!

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*OH BOY I GOTTA SWEATSHIRT!*

And I did it!

Daughter #1 and I swam the Postal Swim...the entire hour...without stopping...and I wasn't last- I did beat an 83 year old lady who swam in the next lane...pathetic huh!? But she swims with Masters and is in incredible shape....we all should be so lucky at 83!

Anyways...I swam 110 laps...I generally only count round trip as one lap...so 55 laps completed...36=1 mile...so a mile and a half. I have never swam for an hour before...and I was never a swimmer until I joined the Athletic Club almost 2 years ago....so I am feeling pretty good about it.

A 25 year old girl swam 4,900 yards...she was shooting for 5,000...she is in incredible shape.

I will do this swim again next year and hope to improve.

 

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*THANK GOODNESS THE

 POOL WATER IS WARM*

Postal Swim

I am leaving for the Postal Swim...as far as I can swim in 1 hour...it is 37 degrees outside...YiKEs!

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*IT'S GOOD TO HAVE SOME

WHALE FAT ON A DAY LIKE THIS*

After 17 Days Off....

I don't want to get up at 5 a.m. and go to work tomorrow...I have grown to enjoy staying in bed until I feel like getting out.

 

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*SET THE ALARM*

Good-good-goodwill

Load two is in the car...the garage has gotten out of control...and my resolution to clean it up is in force. Two free items went on craigslist within 15 minutes of listing...and got picked up yesterday- YAHOO! Now Goodwill will is the recipient of more box fulls. And Daughter #1 and I even got in a short run, got gas at Costco- (WTF? The cost of a gallon went from $3.23 last week to $3.49 today!) and got posters for  her class printed at the UPS Store....all before 11.

 

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*ANOTHER LOAD TO GOODWILL*

Remember Our Stolen Mail?

I was so sure it was the mailman here that stole the mail because he was arrested for stealing over 1,000 pieces of mail and using credit cards he applied for in his customer's names...and also for passing stolen cards and mail to three of his friends...BUT it turns out the gift cards my sister sent to my kids were not stolen here- in fact the letter most likely never made it out of the Holiday Post Office in Anaheim, California.

If my sister was able to report the cards stolen a few days earlier she could have canceled the cards before the thief used 2 of them.... just a few miles away from that post office!

My sister mailed two greeting cards- she stood in line and had the cards weighed by the clerk because she thought they weighed more than an ounce and didn't want the cards to be returned to her for not enough postage...the clerk took the two pieces of mail from my sister and she left. What happened after that is the mystery...one card arrived at our house the next day- and the one with the 3 gift cards to In n Out at $10.00 each was intercepted and used. Can you imagine stealing a piece of mail, opening it and then using the gift card like they were yours? I hope they got food poisoning! Why would someone risk losing a government job with all the perks just to steal a meal? I am so mad! I want the video surveillance from In n Out the time that those gift cards were used!

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*MAKE SURE YOU GET A TRACKING NUMBER OR INSURE EVERYTHING YOU MAIL*

Run to End World Hunger- New Year's Day

I did it! I beat last year's time in the 5K run by 20 seconds...I started off at a faster pace but I was feeling the affects of our New Year's celebration. Upon arriving at the run I saw why I had to park so far away...

 

 

Obviously we have had more than our share of rain lately.

This is a fun, small run where you can leave your sweatshirt/sweatpants/phone in a pile at the start and know it will be there at the end. Everyone is very cheery and there are a lot of little kids that run. It is a great way to welcome in the New Year and get off to a healthy start.

My goal was to beat last year's time...and while feeling a little queeeeezie from last night I managed to do it.

Now off to be a Winter Warrior- 34 more days to get my hoodie!

 

LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*CELEBRATE THE NEW YEAR WITH SOMETHING GOOD FOR YOUR BODY*