I HATE USC!

If you share my hatred for the USC football team, please read this article. It is FUNNY! You also need to have knowledge of the movie 2001: A Space Odyssey...because the author of this article creates the PERFECT analogy!!

rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/blog/dr_saturday/post/USC-and-UCLA-get-territorial-over-Trojans-gratu?urn=ncaaf,205393

Don't Give Up On Us!

We have been TERRIBLE about blogging lately. Here are our excuses (please pick one or more): too much turkey and pie, sinus headaches thanks to the wind, pure laziness.

So, don't give up on us...check back soon. I can promise some good recipes in the near future, a look at Walt's latest drawings, and some other random news or photos guarantee to help you sleep.

Meanwhile, back to work tomorrow!

Sheila

Happy 47th Birthday

For those of you who really know Walt, you will join me in wondering how he reached 47 so quickly. He sometimes seems 60, but usually seems 12. He was 24 when I met him, so 47 seems unthinkable - where did the time go? So everyone raise a glass of Guinness...Happy Birthday, Walt!

PS...Wonder how many tire sales started today? (that's an inside joke!)

What An Accomplishment

I'd like you to meet my Sister-In-Law...Walt's Sister (obviously). Today she successfully defended her dissertation, so we will be calling her Dr. Minda from now on. She worked harder than hard on that Ph.D, and we are so proud of her. She did it while working full-time in education, raising two great kids, being married, taking care of family issues...she ROCKS!

Happy Halloween

Take a moment to look up the history of Halloween. So many people these days say it is "evil" but it has very religious roots. It seems like we often pick and choose our religious/historical "truths" and completely ignore other, valuable beliefs. Here comes the soapbox: why put the pagan symbols of christmas in your home (a pine tree and a yule log), but shun the pagan and early christian beliefs concerning Halloween? I think you can make October 31st as fun or as taboo as you choose, but at least familiarize yourself with the history. Read up at http://en.wikipedia.org

Meanwhile, check out this year's Halloween card!

Listen To Your Mother!

Remember when your mother told you to drink plenty of fluids, wash your hands, get sleep, and go straight to the doctor when you have a fever or cough? LISTEN! I have had pneumonia, which turned into a lovely case of acute bronchitis. At first, I thought I could handle it myself (tylenol, nap, cough drops). I didn't want to miss work, because that is hard on the kids and the rest of the teaching team. Then, I got very, very scared when I spent a night completely awake - every moment - coughing, vomiting, with a temp of over 100 degrees and with an ever-increasing blood pressure. The Urgent Care doctor (very nice) told me that my bp was going up because I could not get enough air into my lungs. Now, three days since Urgent Care, I continue to cough greenish-yellow stuff, I nearly pee in my pants every time, and I have just stopped running a fever...have had a breathing treatment in the clinic, have two antibiotics, and my own inhaler.

So, don't be like me...get your butt to Urgent Care if you have any sign of a fever, a productive cough, a sleepless night, etc.

MY THANKS go to the people who helped me: Angelica (who told me so, and who brought a bean burrito - the first food I'd eaten in two days), Mary Anne (who took control of my classroom and sub - a lot of work for her ...I owe her BIG TIME), my mom (for being a typical mom and for getting me there and back again), and Sharley (for arranging my subs, even when I called at the last moment).

Friends are the most valuable thing we have on this journey!

Excellent News!

I have to share a bit of good news. In August, I filled out a huge application with donorschoose.org, a group that invites teachers to ask for whatever they need and donors to help fund those needs. I asked for about $600 worth of leveled readers so my kids can take books home each night (books that they can read at their own levels). Tonight, I got the email saying that my project was fully funded by three groups (one corporation, one private individual, and one group of Inland Empire moms). Sometime in October, I will get over 100 new leveled readers for my kids to use...paid for by generous donors.

What an amazing way to end a great day! Thanks for letting me share my news with you!