I WAS on "ellen" Today!

I have always wanted to be a guest on "ellen".  I often fantasize about subbing for her if she ever gets sick or just needs a break from her work life. The dancing part would freak me out a bit but the games, the guests, the contests, the music, and the good fun on her show would be such a great way to spend my working hours!  Today, I was kind of a guest on her show....if being a guest in a photograph counts!  By the time I check into the old folks home, you just know that this photo appearance will morph into an actual guest appearance and I will talk about my time with ellen as "just like visiting with a good friend".  Unless she asks me to come, in person, before I check into that old folks home....hey, it could happen!  I will practice my dance moves and wait for the call.

Memorial Day Weekend

Memorial Day weekend for us always includes a date with a U Haul.  We are estimating fifteen moves between our three daughters to college and now into lives of their own.  To her credit, this one was pretty easy and quick but hot.  Erin is an official resident of Northeast Minneapolis.  Her new address is the very same address where her dad and I met in Winona.  How weird is that? The address turned out to be a pretty lucky one for us, we hope you find lots of happiness at your own 620.

Because of crazy rain this weekend, this Memorial Day included a baseball game.  Coach loves baseball and his field. I affectionately call the baseball field "Winnie" and never need to wonder where my husband is on beautiful summer days.  I am always so proud of the work he does on and off the field with young men who share a love of the game with him.  Congrats on a great season Winhawks!

And most importantly, Memorial Day is a time to reflect and to appreciate those who have served our country.  Thank you. 

Deal of the Day!

It is starting to look more and more like summer around here.  On my way home yesterday, I was charmed by these two young entrepreneurs and their irresistible deal on a car wash. 25 cents, really?  The fine print sealed the deal for me. It read "if you don't want to pay, you can get the car wash free", wow! I have had lots of windshield time lately and the bug guts to prove it.  These boys worked on the front of my car with a broom, the hose, and finally washcloths from the bathroom (sorry Mom) for a solid twenty minutes. I paid them $1.60 for their efforts.

Stop. Stop at lemonade stands, at kool-aid stands, and at car washes, even when you know the lemonade will be kinda warm and the kool aid tragically under sweetened. I so appreciate the kids who are willing to make their own fun and organize a project with nothing but hope and a hose in hand. My car looks way better, the washcloth....toast.

Winona Daily News Article

2011 Teacher of the Year reflects on life in limelight: Winona teacher says parents need to let kids learn self-regulation

Owatonna

I was honored to be invited to the spring meeting of the Early Childhood Initiative in Owatonna.  ECI is one arm of the Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation headed by President Tim Penny.  This, a partial mission statement from their website www.smifoundation.org

As a community, we succeed when:

• Our children are ready to go to kindergarten
• Early success leads to higher achievement, less grade retention & higher graduation rates
• Adult workers have skills that sustain a growing economy

The Foundation strives for these results.

These fine professionals represent twenty communities in the southern cluster of the initiative.  We had a great conversation about the future of parent education, the state of childhood, and the importance of creating an advocacy network as parent education evolves. I left the building with lots of support from the group to organize a summit of professionals interested in parent education, especially in greater Minnesota.  I am all over it and I am taking names! Many thanks to the Initiative for the work they do!

Whenever I find myself in a community where I know a teacher, I love to stop by and read.  I had a great time in Eric Oppegard's fifth grade classroom.  You will remember Eric as one of the finalists for the 2012 Minnesota Teacher of the Year.  I played twenty questions with his class. They had to solve the mystery of who I was and why I was visiting their classroom.  Both classes did it before they hit twenty! Yeah. I had "I Want My Hat Back" in the car and wondered if 10 year olds would like it....they did. We read it twice. I took a picture of me with Mr. O for the blog.....

OK, this isn't us. The picture we took of us is just awful...AWFUL! It was at least 90 degrees in the classroom and nearly 100 degrees outside.  I was sweaty hot and Mr. O looks....well hot, in a temperature kind of way too. It takes an enormous amount of energy to keep a room full of 10 year olds entertained and by the end of the hour, it looked like Mr. O and I had supervised a field trip of Labrador puppies. On a much better day, Mr. O and I looked like this...not that different than how Don and Colleen looked in the 90's.

Thanks Eric! I loved visiting your classroom. The community of Owatonna is lucky to have you.  Thanks for being a teacher.

Thanks PTA

I work with a dedicated hard working PTA here at ECFE.  They had a dream of replacing the chairs in the parent education room.  We talked about it for nearly two years and then, one day, BOOM! DONE! Parents are loving them.  They.. sit nicely... and really...suppo..rt...your...neck...zzzz...huh?  I am really going to have to up my game to keep sleep deprived parents awake in these uber comfy chairs! Phase two of the room makeover is complete...stay tuned for updates.  Thank you EVERYONE for the wonderful support you give our program.

Winona Rotary Club

They SING at Rotary! Oh! To have been born blessed with a singing voice!

I lip synced as I often do in public at the Rotary Club luncheon today during "In the Good Old Summer Time". It is better for everyone when I do. There is nothing worse than exuberant, off key singing. I was so happy to be invited out to lunch to share my TOY story with the fine group of Rotarians at Westfield. Sometimes I feel like Winona is small enough to know everyone and then I am invited to hang out outside of my usual circle, like the Rotary Club.  What warmed my heart though was knowing at least one person at each table. It is those kinds of connections that make for a wonderful community to raise children.  Kids do better when adults take the time to get to know one another in clubs, around the quilting table, on soccer fields, in churches, and in schools. Adults do better too.  Thank you for the invitation, the kind introduction, and the opportunity to thank you for the work you do in our community.