IT WAS THE WORST OF DAYS, IT WAS THE BEST OF DAYS... Reflections of the Week

Last week was a busy and very memorable week.
It had some incredible "highs," and a very disappointing "low."
I'm exhausted.
And even an extra hour is not enough to recover,
but it will do.
Hello November!

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2017

My friend Terry and her beautiful family are like my family.

So happy that we were able to join her in the Walk to End Alzheimer.

In loving memory of her dad Ed...

and all living with, and caring for those with, this terribly, sad diagnosis.

#findacure

MONDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2017

My Dodgers were down 2-3 in the World Series.

It's been 29 years since they last won the big one.

I heard Vin Scully call the Gibby homer in the 9th.

I went to the celebration parade that year.

I doubt I would be able to go to a parade this year,

But I really wanted there to be one!

Joc kept Dodger fans' dreams alive for one more day.

It was a great night!

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2017

Halloween Day on a Tuesday!
This means your week is going to be crazy!
Why?
Because the day before they are excited!
The day of... they are excited!
The day after... they are excited (plus possible sugar coma from night before)

This year, our grade level theme was the books by Laura Numeroff.
In 1985, she published her first book, If You Give a Mouse a Cookie.
In 1987, my second year of teaching, I bought a copy of that book.
And now 30 years later...

I ended up being the Pig in If You Give a Pig a Pancake
because I wasn't there when we were choosing.
That's okay because I happen to have a dear friend
who was a pig in a previous Halloween!
My team partner made me a wonderful stack of pancakes too!
#LuckytohaveafriendwhowasapiginapreviousHalloweenParade

My awesome teaching team!

My amazing TA will probably leave us before long.

She is moving on to special education.

Such a loss for us... and me.

But such a gain for the students and teachers she will be soon working with!

#bittersweetbutproud #takesateam 

Then a few hours later...

I know baseball is just a "game."

I know there are more important things in the world.

I know there's always next year.

I know...

But it still hurts.

I still mourn.

Loved the Dodgers since I was 8 or 9 years old in Fresno.

Loved the game of baseball and all the quirks that comes with it.

Love that I have Sportsnet to watch Dodgers 24/7.

Davey Lopes was and is still my favorite player.

This team was so much fun to watch!

It was such an exciting year.

Thanks boys.

When is February?

#thisteam #goblue #Dodgersfan4ever #willhavemoretimetillspringtraining

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2017

The day after Halloween was actually quite nice.

We had our routines.

We were a little more loose with our centers.

I got to play legos with my engineers and loved it!

They are so incredible.

They can imagine, plan, create, and modify vehicles like you wouldn't believe!

#innovation #stems #legosROCK

And Kailee gave this to me.

It's me.

You can tell because "fF stands for Fung."

I like my glasses too!

#loveECE #thanksKailee

 THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2017

When you get a field trip grant one evening
and then get a "Sorry, we made a mistake..." the following day
You go out and find more resources!
Thank you Metro LA for providing 65 passes
and an opportunity for me to take students (and chaperones)
on an incredible journey to explore another part of our city!

We painted faces!
It was El Dia de los Muertos
(Would later find out that they charged $10-20 for the same paintings on Olvera Street)
We walked to our neighborhood station.
We rode the metro...
Favorite quote: "This is a real train!!!!"
Experiences matter and the ride over to our destination
was just as exciting as arriving to our destination!
#learningabouthistory  #culture #ourcity #memoriesmade #thankyouMetro

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2017

Finally Friday!

-Sugar Skulls

-Student-Led Conferences begin...

-Responsible Parenting

 SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2017

A few weeks back I took the boys to Hamilton.
It was an amazing show and experience in history.
Last night, I met history.
Vin Scully was my Hamilton Tix!
He turns 90 this month.
He has been a part of my life for over 45 years.
Sitting in the bathroom
(only place to get reception to a Bakersfield station)
with my radio blasting
during hot summers in Fresno
listening to Vinny call games
was just what I did growing up.
He knew Jackie Robinson.
He is a legend and one of my all time heroes.

When I received the Milken Award in 2002,
the first thing I did was buy season tix to the Dodgers.
Susan, Becky, and I bought one seat each.
They were my BBF (Baseball Buddies Forever)!
I don't have season tix anymore.
Raising two boys on your own is expensive.
Even so,
Susan and Becky still continued to invite me to games.
I went to opening day again this year with Susan.
Susan and I got to meet, touch, say hello, and listen to Vin Scully.
Becky would have loved that too.
Miss her.
I know she would have been there with us.

My magical evening would not have happened if not for my amazing support system in LA.
Family not by blood, but by heart.
Not easy scheduling two boys in two different places.
I'm lucky.
I'm grateful.
I've got wonderful friends willing to do what it takes.

It was a nice end to a crazy week.
#bucklist #amazinghumanbeing #endlessstories #pinchme #heroandlegend #humbleman
#amazingfriends #thanksRomy #thanksMeredith