62 miles or 100K for the Lung Association

Today we biked 100K.....I like to use kilometers because it sounds so much more impressive. Last year when I rode this event I came home and found out that Daughter #1's friend had an extra permit to climb Half Dome...so in 30 minutes I packed and hit the road to Yosemite...and we arrived at 10:30 at night when it was 80 degrees and hiked throughout the night and we were on the tip top at sunrise. Then we hiked all the way down and drove home.

And I won't do that again...39 hours of "I am too old for this!"

So today I will shower, relax and wait until Tuesday to drive out and climb Half Dome. This time with both Daughters and The Captain...and two friends.

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*RIDE THE RIDE AND

CLIMB THE CABLES*

And the trees, came tumblin' down....

Well, not exactly tumbling, but down.

We have a very tiny yard. When we bought this house 27 years ago, there were two redwoods- one in each corner of our tiny backyard. We had an arborist come by and check them out to see if they were healthy as the leaves were a little reddish. He assured us the trees were healthy BUT he said, "these will become very BIG trees."

We were happy with the healthy part, and as for the large part, who cares- we weren't going to live here very long anyway. 27 years later, the trees towered over our house. The branches dragged along the siding and rain gutters and made creepy noises- especially when you were home alone. Then the roots began to grow into our septic system and then roots decided to push over the very expensive retaining wall and pull up the brick patio we so carefully laid out with the help of our children so long ago. It was time.

When the first tree came down I counted the rings. 50. Planted when the house was pretty much just built....but in one part near the center and right side, there was a dark spongy circle...that I was told was decay. This tree was dead! Thankfully we did cut this down because one big storm and the tree could have landed on our house or even worse, our neighbor's. The next tree was healthy and that was the one with the gigantic root system. Our bedroom is now filled with light and we could see the stars last night. I can't wait for the next full moon!

The workers also trimmed our avocado tree. And the Japanese Maple on our little waterfall pond. And they clipped shrubs and took out the branches of our neighbor's tree that was overhanging our driveway so much that it was in the power lines and made it so I couldn't drive the U-Haul into our driveway to unload. We were able to cut back our wisteria and put the clippings into the worker's truck. We got so much done and the workers were incredibly nice.

And we are so happy with the little yard now that we can't wait to redo it with a vegetable garden and relay the brick patio....oh- and with the permit to remove the trees we are required to plant one approved tree....I am going for 3....a lemon, plum and avocado!

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*HAVE SOME MAJOR TREE

TUMBLING DONE TO MAKE

YOURSELF A HAPPY LITTLE YARD*

Eerie

It's a little eerie here looking at the night sky and only seeing a few planes in the sky when driving down Hwy 101. After the plane crash on Friday SFO was closed...planes were diverted and then flights were canceled.

My neighbor text me a cell phone photo of the crash that she witnessed from her parents house just a few miles up hill from the airport. How sad for the families who lost children on the flight- two 16 year old girls coming to the U.S.- let alone adult loved ones. And then the people who had to get places to make a connecting flight, catch a cruise ship at port...make it to a funeral or wedding....just so sad.

On a lighter note, Daughter #1 and her boyfriend and parents all went to Beach Blanket Babylon in The City tonight. It was the first time I have been and it was fantastic! Then we followed it up with a great dinner in North Beach.

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*

LAUGH HARDER*

 

Adventures on Craigslist

So daughter's # 1 and 2 are moving out. One across the bay to a house that has a small room and she will not need all of the items she had when she lived in a larger house in college. 2 is moving to New Zealand! She does not need her dresser and items that are too big to store here...so yesterday I listed a whole lot on craigslist.

And I got a lot of replies...

*For a $15 bathroom shelf- I live in Daly City...are you willing to meet me half way?
(seriously you want me to drive 15 minutes and a gallon of gas to meet someone I don't know all to make $15?)

*For an IKEA 6 drawer chest $125- I really, really want this! I have been looking for one for a long time! Will you hold it until August?
(If you pay me for it now I will hold it until August 1.)  

*For a set of Corelle dishes $10- I love these. Will you take $5?

* For a heavy duty metal full size bed frame with castors $15- How old is the mattress and will you deliver it?

The dresser and an ice cream maker sold...the people were nice and came right on over didn't ask if we would take less $$...you just never know what to expect with craigslist!

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*HAPPY 4TH OF JULY*

S.F. Women's Nike Marathon

On June 28th, 100,000+ people, mainly women, waited for an email notifying them if they were lucky recipients of a slot in the S.F. Nike Marathon in October.

 *It's the 10 anniversary so it is an even more special event.

Daughter #1 and I registered to run as a team with another survivor and her father from New Jersey....her mother has run all 10 years! When you register as a team, your entire team is either in or not. I have registered 8 times and gotten in 4x.

So imagine my surprise when Daughter #1 opened her email and said we were IN! Then I opened mine and saw.....

Your entry was not accepted, but your second chance opportunity is here. Read below for two opportunities to earn your spot at the starting line.

WTF mate?!! So I quickly text our friends...the 12 year old girl got in...but the dad did not. I tried to call the 800 number to no avail...so I sent an email and got a rather quick response...

You will join the thousands of women who will conquer the hills of San Francisco in the 10th year anniversary of the Nike Women's Marathon.  The run is amazing and at the finish there are firemen dressed in tuxedos holding silver platters which are piled high with little turquoise Tiffany boxes where your finishers necklace resides. The race raises millions of dollars for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society- a cause close to our hearts since Daughter #1 and the girl we are running with are both childhood leukemia SURVIVORS!

Here we are at the finish of the 2011 half...and now we will run our 3rd Nike together...now that I got my offical email.

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*RUN THE NIKE...IF YOU ARE LUCKY ENOUGH TO GET IN THE LOTTERY*

Le Tour

For the past 5 years I had been talking about going to France for the 100th Tour...long story and the plans never got made...I wanted to see two days of the race and The Captain had other ideas about what a vacation would look like. So here I sit watching it on TV...with all those stupid commercials.

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*GO RIDE A BIKE*

SuMmEr

SuMmEr...finally!
Lots of sun...over 100 degrees in fact. No more camp...or moving children 230 miles from storage to new house...dental appointments finished...kiwi boyfriend flew back to N. Zed last night...and Daughter #2 will fly down there in 6 weeks for another year on a Work/travel visa....so for now it is just time to do whatever I want for 2 weeks until we climb HALF DOME!! 

I am excited! I applied for permits way back in February...and when I got the dates, July 17 seemed so far away. It is the first of our summer adventures. Now if the weather just complies we will make it to the top...me, The Captain, Daughters #1 and 2 and two friends. We will leave from the parking lot at around 10 p.m.- last year it was 80 degrees when we left the lot. Last year I didn't know I was going until a half an hour before we left home....and I had ridden in a 100K bike ride that morning....so this year I will NOT do the bike ride that day but the weekend prior. We will hike throughout the night and be on the top of Half Dome for sunrise. This year I will have my good camera for photos.

What are your summer plans?

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*CLIMB THE CABLES TO THE TOP*

 

Summer Scamper

It was overcast and humid...and then the sun came out for mile two just to toast us for a minute or two...but I beat my last time by 7 seconds even with my rolled ankle...I came in at 28:54- Finally getting past the 30 minute mark again...

After the run: Daughter #1 and I ...and Kira and her husband who placed first overall with 17:00!! Kira ran slow with 20:10! They were enjoying bananas and bagels by the time I came in to get ice on my ankle. I am only 24 years their senior...that's my excuse.

It was fun to see three students from my school and one who was in my class the past two years...all of whom run in my Running Club two mornings a week during the school year.

Now on with summer! (Even if the weather forecast is rain for this afternoon!)

**Official results just posted:
I beat my record by 8 seconds!! And I was 6th out of 51 in my age group...I am excited...maybe that's what I need to run more...now that my ankle feels okay to run when taped :)

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*TAKE 7 SECONDS OFF YOUR 5K TIME*

Let SUMMER Begin!

On Friday I loaded up my car with Club Ed books and craft items and bid farewell to that classroom until next summer. The sun was shining and I was on my way to work out with The Captain in no time at all.

Today I spent enjoying the sunshine, sewing and reading up on word study for second grade. We went to breakfast with our friend and his mother who is visiting from Guatemala -doesn't help that I know only a few words of Spanish -but it was a good time. Then tonight we went to a spaghetti feed for an Avon Breast Cancer Walk...and The Captain won a "Pamper Me Beauty Basket" and I won a $20 Starbucks Card....funny how I don't drink coffee but always win or get those cards as gifts...but I will use it in New York for my favorite unsweetened black ice tea lemonades for breakfast while I check the internet.

Tomorrow Daughter #1 and I will run in a 5k at Stanford...which benefits Lucile Packard Children's Hospital where Daughter #1 spent 3 years of her life...and she will now run as an honoree. I will be testing out my ankle- I have run barely a mile a few days this week and it is still tender...but should be fine for a slowe 5k...and I can always walk.

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*ENJOY SUMMER!*

Eric Carle Camp

Today was the first day of Eric Carle Camp- Club Ed. I had 6 students on my roster on Friday and this morning had 11. Good thing I bought extra snacks :) 

Coming off a loooong week last week where I got very little sleep- due to:
*Report cards
*Moving my classroom- complicated by the speech teacher who was "working" and didn't pack up her things so I could move in...until Friday WHEN EVERYTHING I OWNED HAD TO BE OUT OF MY OLD CLASSROOM!!!!

*Student awards
*Silly awards
*Completing embroidered towels for every volunteer mom/dad in my class.
*Writing thank you notes for each mom/dad who volunteered.
*Copying off worksheets for summer letters that I send to students- 5 over the summer.
*AND collecting items that had to be moved to my garage for the Teacher's Rummage sale that I do in August and do as a fundraiser for Camp Olizu- a cancer camp for children.

My mind did not spontaneously combust and I survived.

Last night was Trivia Night a little pub and THE LAND SHARKS won one round...GO TEAM! Then we walked home and I got things ready to bring to my classroom...today we made Very Hungry Caterpillar scenes...which turned out very well.

4 more days of camp :)

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*SUMMER VACATION IS HERE*

 

What are the odds....

... that two of my students would have appendicitis this school year?

I am not even sure how many 6 or 7 year olds get appendicitis...but the odds should be somewhere like winning 5 of 6 lottery numbers on a quick pick wouldn't you think? But it happened it room 14 for the second time yesterday.

At any rate- TOMORROW IS THE LAST DAY OF FIRST GRADE!!

I will be moving every last thing out of my classroom and returning it to the state it was in when I moved in two years ago....nothing but a telephone...only this time there will be a white board on the wall....and a whole lot of drawings that I let my kids do...with Sharpies right on the wall...because the walls are coming down. How often do you get to do that to the classroom walls? Without it being something you would be in trouble for.

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*SUMMER IS HERE*

5 MORE DAYS!

For the 2nd time in my life there are only 5 more days of first grade....the other was way back in the 1960-something....when I could spend time playing all summer with my friends Kathy and Susie- going to the beach with their families and roasting in the So. Cal sun.

This morning I would go for my usual 5K run- BUT last Sunday as I ran down the hill to do my 5 mile Sunday loop I didn't make it. On the way down, I can feel like I am 20 again...running a sub 8 minute mile pace for the first mile(all downhill)...then it levels off and begins a slight uphill grade and I resume my old lady pace....so here I was speeding down the hill like my old 20 year old self, when I stepped on a branch that someone had pruned from their tree (and did not courteously not disposed of properly,) I rolled my ankle- I stopped- sat on the curb and rubbed it. It stung, but has before and was fine. So I put my shoe back on and proceeded to run slowly down the hill. But my ankle did not feel better. So I walked to the school parking lot and called The Captain to come get me. By the time I got home and walked down my slopping driveway I decided to go to Urgent Care. 

Thankfully no break. So some ice, a wrap and a cane later I came home to rest it. Monday and Tuesday I hobbled around work on a cane. But I still had to move boxes to storage and to my new classroom...I  had 5th graders help push the cart and unload. I was able to swim on Wednesday and yesterday I rode the spin cycle and but not the stair climber.

I need to have a healthy ankle for the Stanford Lucile Packard Children's Hospital run on the 22nd...Daughter #1 runs as a honoree and I am honored to be her mom.

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*RUN CAREFULLY*MOVE 

A ROOM*5 MORE DAYS OF 1ST*

Reading Assessments Part II

I have a giant box for reading assessments....everything you wanted to know and more. My job is to level the each student's reading...which means I listen to each child read a book from the giant box (and mark errors on a paper, time the reading then add and divide errors by self corrections and then figure words read per minute )... There are two books from each level; a non-fiction book and a fiction book. In the fall I used fiction books...generally easier to read and appropriate for beginner readers. 


This first grade reading stuff is all new to me...I didn't have texts or a reading program to use so every month I went to the library and checked out 70 books from a leveled book list online and we read...and read. I read Henry Huggins and Beezus and Ramona books aloud....Magic Tree House books (ghak!!!,) and every book about silk worms and caterpillars and the water cycle I could find....and hatching chick eggs and every Mo Willems' book at least 50x. We looked at books inside and out....where was it published?...when was it written?...Who was it dedicated to?...Does it have a table of contents? We learned to read the pictures...starting with Rosie's Walk...did you know the inside cover has a map of the farm? And you can follow her path by studying the each picture?

And consequentially, the kids learned to read....some of them so well that they surpassed the benchmark for end of year first grade and well into second and some at beginning third grade. I guess I did something right.

So here I am at the end of the year, listening to each child read to me from the non-fiction books in the assessment box. And that stupid bubble book is one that every child has read to me....it is actually a fun, factual book....but after hearing it read, 9 times in the two hours I had to assess on Thursday, I could feel the heat rising from the vapors in my brain- my cerebral cortex ready to explode- or spontaneously combust at any second. I do believe I heard it in my sleep Thursday night...I think the dog was reading to me....

But FRIDAY morning, when I opened the inbox of my work email I found wonderful news!! I was accepted into the Reading Institute at Columbia University in August! I was on the wait list since the end of March...I had been in contact with the person who does the admittance and I think that helped get me in. So I will be flying myself on airline miles to New York City!! I will be paying my hotel- since the dorm rooms are all booked- and my school will pay the $700 institute fees. I was able to attend two years ago when I was enrolled in the Kindergarten institute....but teaching reading beyond kindergarten is a whole different ballgame...and moving onto second grade in the fall I feel totally in need of assistance. I am sooooo looking forward to this....and I love New York City! I love the heat smacking me in the face when I leave the hotel in the morning and how the transit system can take you anywhere at anytime. I am very lucky to be returning to New York!!

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*LEARN TO READ*

 

Reading assessements.....

...if I hear the book about bubbles one more time my mind may just spontaneously combust!

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*LISTEN TO FIRST 

GRADERS READ ALOUD*

31 Years

Memorial weekend waaaay back in 1982, the Captain and I got married. 31 years ago...but our actual anniversary falls on Wednesday this year. I pulled this post from my LMNOP blog from 4 years ago since that blog has most posts in draft form, I decided to share here.

My mother- who did not have a formal wedding, and was married right after WWII, commandeered my wedding as her own. I did not have a hand in planning- except for the dress which I absolutely loved then- (GHAK!! I still fit in the hideous thing!) and I have told my children they will get to plan their own weddings and I will gladly help :)

May 29, 2009

  It was 31 years ago today...Sgt Pepper taught the band to play that the Captain and I got hitched!


...to think that the Captain was the age that Daughter #1 is when we got married...just turned 22, is a little frightening...
We weren't allowed to take pictures in the church during the ceremony...so we had to stage the photos afterwards....this is one the photographer got away with!

Our dog, Uncle Wally was supposed to wait in the truck...dressed for the occasion in his white collar and tie of course...but he was not happy waiting in the truck...so he jumped out and met us as we exited the church- he was a good boy and knew he should not go inside. He even came with us on our Honeymoon!

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*LAUGH HARDER*
CELEBRATE 31 YEARS*

RUN BIKE SWIM!

WE DID IT!

We ran...

 

She took 2nd place in her age group....I took 5th in mine...she beat me by 6 seconds.

Next we ran to the car and drove to SMAC where we quickly changed and signed in to SWIM ACROSS AMERICA!

We swam... 

 



This is after....Daughter #1 and I and then with our teammate Annie...she is 84! I set a PR in the mile swim!

Then we cheered on the other swimmers and the youth swimmers...and ate bananas and oranges and enjoyed the sunshine.

Then I went inside and I rode 15 miles on a spin bike. I really tried to do 15 miles in a half hour...but I just couldn't....35 minutes was the end result...and I tried to finish before noon but missed that by 3 minutes.

But what an adventure! I collected $669.00 for cancer research! 

And a total of $41K was given to UCSF Children's Hospital and Children's of Oakland for research! We all want to kick childhood cancer's butt!

LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*PARTICIPATE IN A BACKWARDS TRI*

The Very Mixed Up Tri...

It usually goes, SWIM BIKE RUN...
But on Sunday I will RUN SWIM BIKE...
It isn't an official Triathlon...it is a combination of events that just came together.

SWIM ACROSS AMERICA is an event to raise money for childhood cancer research- dear to my heart as Daughter #1 battled childhood cancer for 2.5+ years. Daily chemo- as in everyday. When I saw the flyer and heard the recipients of the proceeds speak about their research, I knew I was going to sign up.

BUT...it just so happened that the Swim was on the same day as our Hometown Days Fun Run...which I usually run in the 10K because I can place in my age group...but because I have to be at the pool for a 10 swim, I will only get to run the 5K which starts at 8:30.

Daughter #1 and I will run, then swim and then...we decided to complete the day with a bike ride of 15 miles....you know....just because it will make it a Tri, backwards non-the-less...and because. Because back in 2002 we didn't know if Daughter #1 was going to live through the night in ER- but thanks to cancer research, and all of those who went before her, she is alive to swim and bike and run.

SO if you can make a minimum donation of $25 to help SMAC out cancer, I will make you a personalized dishtowel or bar towel embroidered with whatever your heart desires and mail it to you.

Click on 
http://www.swimacrossamerica.org/site/TR/PoolSwim/NationalPool?px=1218401&pg=personal&fr_id=2160

to see our home page and donate.....see below for a few photos of my custom embroidered towels that can be yours :) I can do any theme or name or idea!

 

 

(My friend's last name really is Lord)

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*MAKE A DONATION TO 

HELP SMAC OUT CANCER*

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

I am fortunate to be a mom to 3 kids...well, adults now- but always my kids.
HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY MY FRIENDS....

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*LOVE A MOM*

Is it 12 or 13?

I can't remember my first one...but I do have many of these photos...although this is today's...I arrived just as the "Energizer" Station was being set up....there was coffee...(yuck!) bagels and banana...and a cool bike bag filled with goodies.

Last night I got out my work bike- BUT Daughter #2 rode it home from work and got a flat- of which I did not want to fix...so I took the wheel to the bike shop BUT the tire was too worn...I tried to take the Captain's wheel and trade it with mine BUT I couldn't get the quick release brake to release- sooooo, I got out my road bike- which cannot go off roading on the trail I ride to work. Sooooo I rode to the Energizer Station, got my goodies and took the bus up the big hill to work. So my bike ride was only about 3 miles. This was the first time I put my bike on the front rack of the bus- I had watched a YouTube of it and it was actually quite easy.

The way home I took another route straight down hill and added 3.7. Now that it is lighter earlier I can start riding my bike again...I am afraid of bobcats if I ride before sunrise.

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*RIDE YOUR BIKE TO WORK*

Coincidental Ladybug

I swear I did not make this up...

For Christmas, the parents in my class each pitched in $8 and got me a $200 VISA card. I have kept it in my wallet waiting for the right thing to come along.

Last week, my class field trip was a 2 mile walk to the the local public library. We had a tour before it was open to the public and while I was standing next to a giant ladybug bookshelf I happened to mention that I would LOVE one of those in my new classroom. I was sure the Captain could build one....but right now he desperately needs to finish the truck he is working on because this one car stuff is wearing on me. A mom was standing near me while I was drooling over the bookshelf....and on Friday she came to school with a $50 Home Depot gift card in hand with a note- "We hope you can use this to start your ladybug book shelf this summer."

Now The Captain is going to kill me....so I went online and found the ladybug book shelves for sale- $1,300!!!! (And $455 shipping!! AND $60 if you are not able to help unload the box from the freight delivery truck!!!) That is mortgage, tuition, food, gas....not a ladybug bookshelf! So I googled ladybug bookcase images and found one...I clicked on the link and it took me to a Dan's 2nd Hand in.....get this- Colorado Springs!!! Well, who has a son at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs?? So I got in touch with Dan himself- it was still available...then I woke up the boy at 11 and sent him right on over to check it out. If it was in good shape and could be taken apart then he was instructed to buy it- with my gift card!!! There are side shelves missing but I would have had to remove them on one side because it will need to go against the wall in my new rat trap of a classroom...I am so excited!! I swear my kids and husband think I am nuts but wouldn't you really, really love to read a book taken off this bookshelf?

 

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*WHAT WERE THE CHANCES OF FINDING ONE OF THESE?*

*Seriously for the first 20 years of my teaching I worked in schools  where there were no Christmas gift cards- no PTA money to use in the classroom- E.V.E.R.Y.H.I.N.G I purchased to use in class came right out of my pocket. I never knew there were places like this...so I am enjoying every second of it before I retire!!!