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*