Mr. Dogwood Goes to Hardinsburg

Kentucky Greetings, WoodyWatchers! We hope each of you had a great Thanksgiving! Chloe and I had a turkeyrificThanksgiving! We saw our Granny and cousins in Paducah and then our Papaw, Mamaw, and lots of other cousins in Bardstown. The food was dee-lish! We ate so much turkey that we have been gobbling instead of barking. I can't believe that Christmas is right around the corner. Chloe and I have already made out our list for Santa, though I am still changing mine, adding to it, you get the picture!

Speaking of pictures, I wanted to show you a few pictures from our time at Hardinsburg Elementary. Each fall, we spend two days with the fourth graders at Hardinsburg Elementary in Breckinridge County. It is a highlight during the year. Ms. Hall, Ms. Hagman, Ms. Lucas, Ms. Butler, and Ms. Shrewsbury always make us feel right at home! We talk about writing skills with the fourth graders, yet it feels like more of a homecoming than it does school!

The fourth graders have been keeping up with our newspaper series. You can see from the first photo that they have their scrapbooks. It was fun signing all their scrapbooks, even if my paw did get a bit tired!

Lots of the students gave us pictures, letters, and notes. One of our favorites was from Daniel. He drew this wonderful picture of a dog. He should definitely think about a career in art! If the picture wasn't perfect enough, he took the time to frame it. Dad snapped a photo of Daniel, Mom, and me. (I don't know why my tongue is out. I guess because the next day was Thanksgiving.)

I better say ARFF for now. When I started typing in my diary, it was still dark outside. Now I am starting to see daylight. We will be packing up the Woody Bus again to drive to Cumberland County. We can't wait to tell you all about it!

Oh - I almost forgot - Mr. Nathan (the man who takes care of our online doghouse) put lots of new photos up on the Picture page. Take a look!

Have a great day! Work and Dream like a BIG DOG!

WOODY

Happy Thanksgiving!

Arff, Arff! Gobble, Gobble! Happy Thanksgiving, WoodyWatchers! We hope you are in the beginning of a great day! Chloe and I are already up and at it - getting ready for the get-together with the family. I can taste the turkey now!

Everyone knows how much Chloe and I love fun trivia. One of our friends sent us an email that had fun Thankgiving facts. We thought we would share just a few. Did you know that:

The first Thanksgiving celebration was held in 1621?
A grown turkey has about 3,500 feathers?
Wild turkeys can fly up to 55 miles per hour?
The skin that hangs from a turkey's neck is called the wattle?
President Abraham Lincoln specified that Thanksgiving would fall on the fourth Thursday in November?

Chloe and I didn't know all of that either - but it's true!

We hope all of you have a great Thanksgiving. Chloe and I are very thankful for so many things - most of all we are thankful for all our wonderful friends!

Have a great day everybody! Don't eat too much and Work and Dream like a BIG DOG!

WOODY

Mr. Dogwood Goes to Washington

Kentucky Greetings, WoodyWatchers! Hope this finds you having a great Monday! Our friends from Holiday Elementary in Hopkinsville emailed us with some great comments from Chapter 9.

This week, after reading Chapter 9, Mrs Campbell (the Social Studies teacher) asked them to write about one of the following:

- What you think Woody and his family will do next week

- Someone you know who is serving in the Armed Forces or has been in the military.

Ms. Toliver's homeroom wrote the following responses. Take a look:



One person I know that is in the military is my dad. He is a support guy. He checks if pilots are ready to fly. Dad is a Sergeant and he has gone to Iraq 3 times. He also helped a lot of pilots and he works at an airfield. Aric

I think Woody and his family are going to the White House to see the President of the United States. George

My Uncle George's friend is in the Army but he is still at home. He has a daughter named Anna. He has been in the military for 15 years. He was at the Veteran's Day Program that we had here at school. He supports the US. Tatianna

I think Woody and his family are going to see the PRESIDENT at the White house in Washington, D.C. Austin

A person I know that is in the military is my dad. He is retired now, but he was in the Army. He was a Lt Col. He was in the Chemical Corps of the Army. He served in Iraq for 1 year. He still tells stories from when he was in Iraq, and I love them! My dad is someone I know that was in the military. Cliff

I think Woody and his family are going to visit the soldgures in Irack. Eric Conyers

One of my friend's dad's friend is a veteran. He loves his country a lot. I'm pretty sure he served in Iraq for couple of years and many more places two. Once I ate dinner at my friend's house and he prayed for a whole two minutes thanking the Lord for his country and freedom. I really appreciate what he did. Breanna


My uncle's friend is in the military and he has not retired yet. His name is Chris. My friend Sam's dad is in the military and we presheyate them fighting for are freedom. Jordan

I know two people in the Armed Forces. My first person is my dad. He was in the Navy. He and my mom had to move to Washington State. He's not in the Armed Forces any more. Secondly, my great uncle was in the War , in Korea. He brought back things from Korea. He is now retired. Thank you for serving me! Kayla

I know Heaven's dad, Mike, and he's going back to Afganastand in December. Mike is staying there for 1 or 2 years. Emileigh

A service person I know is my sister, Darnell. She hasn't gone to war yet but she is graduating from basic training. I'm glad that she is brave enough to sign up. My family is proud of her. Kristen

I think Woody and his family are going to visit the President at the White House. Josh

A serviceman I know is my dad. He was in the Navy. He served during the first Gulf War. He is now retired as a serviceman. T.J.

My mom's boyfriend served in Kuwait. He has been in the Army for 13 years. He is supposed to come back next week. Shaveon

My Dad was in the military. My Dad went to Iraq for 4 years. Now he is retired. Jacob

I think that Woody and his family are going to the White House. Marquavis

My Uncle Michal use to be in a military. He had fought in Iraq. He got hurt during the War. But he is still living but he is retired. I really appreciate him fighting for our country. Tatyana

I know a military person that is my uncle. He was in the Air Force. He is retired. Dylan

I think Woody and his family are going to the White House and meet the President or they will go to meet some military people. Tajae

I know a guy that is in the Army. His name is Cameron. He is 17 years old. He had to go train but now he is in Iraq. He is coming back in a year and a half. Richie

WOW! Chloe and I loved this email. Once again, we are so proud to be an American! To think so many military men and women work to provide a safe and free country for us. It makes us feel so good to know that we are so loved here in America - and so free. A big puppy dog kiss to Aric, Cliff, Kayla, Kristen, T.J., Jacob, and so many others for sharing your dad, sister, and other family members. We can't imagine what it is like to have a dad or sister in the miliary. Thanks for sharing your family members for us!

As you know, Thanksgiving is this week! Chloe and I love Thanksgiving. We are so thankful for so many things - one of which is our great military and our great country!

I better say goodnight for now. Have a great night, always be proud to be an American, and Work and Dream like a BIG DOG!

WOODY

Mr. Dogwood Goes to Owensboro

Kentucky Greetings, WoodyWatchers! It is Sunday evening and we are getting ready to eat dinner. In fact, it is Chloe's turn to put the dishes on the table, which means it is my turn to wash. I thought I would take a minute to tell you about our great day in Owensboro this past Thursday.

We spent the day and evening with the students at Newton-Parrish Elementary. When we arrived, every single person - staff and students - knew our names! Isn't that neat? In fact, during the assemblies, Ms. Moore, the librarian, didn't even have to introduce Mom. Ms. Moore said, "Who is this?" and every student said, "Leigh Anne Florence!" Wow! That was amazing! Everyone made us feel right at home! They had signs to greet us and even a bulletin board dedicated to our Washington D.C. stories.

Speaking of the stories, Mr. Steve from The Messenger-Inquirer in Owensboro came to see us. Mom snapped a photo of Mr. Steve and me. We always enjoy seeing our good buddies from the newspapers across the state.

I also had my picture taken with Ms. Patti Moore - the librarian. She planned a perfect day and evening for us. A great big hug from the entire gang for a day we will never forget!

It isn't a trip to Owensboro without dinner from The Moonlite. It was dee-lish as always! My favorite is the burgoo. Those lima beans make it tasty! Ooh doggies! For dessert, I had just a tiny taste of banana pudding! YUM! (I was careful not to eat too much. I didn't want to look like my picture on the sign at the top!) Hee Hee

Speaking of dinner, Chloe is calling me. Mom is pouring the milk and Dad is placing the food on the table! I certainly don't want to be late!

We will be in Hardinsburg for the next two days with our fourth grade friends at Hardinsburg Elementary! Can't wait to tell you all about it! In the meantime, enjoy your own dinner, mind your table manners, and
Work and Dream like a BIG DOG!

WOODY

A PAWS-atively Busy Week

Kentucky Greetings, WoodyWatchers! We hope you are having a great Wednesday. It is a pretty gloomy day here at our doghouse in Shepherdsville. Therefore, I thought I would take the time to write in my online diary!

Whew! Last week was so busy. We already told you about the great day we had at Mildred Dean in Newport, KY. Well, on Friday afternoon, we spent a few hours at the Holly Market in Lexington, KY. It was sponsored by the JR. League. It completely put us in the Christmas spirit. In fact, I just heard Chloe singing, "It's Beginning to Look Alot Like Christmas" a few minutes ago. Our friends from KET came to tape some more footage (don't you love my technical vocabulary?) for Kentucky Life. The first photo is of Mom and me with Ms. Valerie and Mr. Prentice. We have become good friends with Ms. Valerie over the past few months. She is lots of fun to be around. We instantly became good friends with Mr. Prentice too. Do you know he used to play football for our Kentucky Wildcats? I wished he and I could have thrown some passes outside, but Mom said we had to stay focused and work. Maybe next time.

We left Lexington and drove to Frankfort, KY for the Kentucky Book Fair. This is one of our favorite events of the entire year! It was our 5th time at the fair. We saw so many of our friends that we see each year. It was a busy day! Mom snapped a photo of Ms. Lynne (our assistant) and me taking a break at the end of the day. We had worked so hard that I had to take a cat nap when I could. "Where are Dad and Chloe?" you ask. Well, UK was playing Vandy, so Dad and Chloe snuck to the RV for a while to listen to CATS. Guess what? We won!

Yesterday found us at Southern Middle School in Pulaski County. We had a great day with the 6th graders. The last photo is of Mr. Kelley. He is a 6th grade teacher. It was a super day!

We are now packing up the Woody Bus to travel to Newton Parrish Elementary. It is in Owensboro. We can't wait to meet our new friends! We are hoping we get to visit The Moonlight Barbeque for some dee-lish burgoo! I will keep you posted!

Have a great day! Work and Dream like a BIG DOG!
WOODY

Mr. Dogwood Goes to Newport

Kentucky Greetings, WoodyWatchers! It is Thursday afternoon and I thought I would take a break from my chores to tell you about the terrific day we had yesterday! Our family spent the day at Mildred Dean Elementary in Newport, KY. Newport is in the northern part of the state. We were only a few short miles from Ohio! It wasn't our first time in Newport. If you followed our journeys in TAILS from the Bluegrass, you know that Chloe and I spent some time at the Newport Aquarium. We didn't see any sharks or fish yesterday - only really nice students and teachers! Everyone made us feel right at home!

Ms. Alexander planned a perfect day for us. As usual, we talked to all the students in the school, and then Mom and I presented writing workshops to the fourth grade too! We were treated like movie stars!!!

After school, Mom and Dad ate at a restaurant called La Rosa's. They said the food was dee-lish! Chloe and I stayed in the Woody Bus and ate our dog food, though a plate of lasagna did sound pretty yummy!!!

I will be sure to put the photos on the picture page soon. I included a few for you now. The first picture is of Mom and me with a group of students after a presentation. Next, Mom takes a lunch break to eat with a group of girls. (Again, Chloe and I ate our own dog food in the Woody Bus.) The third photo is of Ms. Alexander and Chloe. Chloe looks like she is laughing at something funny! Finally,this student drew a perfect portrait of me - a masterpiece if I do say so myself!

As you can imagine, it was a PAWS-atively perfect day! Thanks to all the Mildred Dean Wiener Dogs for making our day unforgettable!

I better go. Chloe and I are packing again! Tomorrow afternoon, we will be at the Kentucky Horse Park from 2-4 signing books. We love the Horse Park. I love to go see the pretty horses in their stables. I love the statues too! On Saturday, we will be at the Kentucky Book Fair in Frankfort. There are going to be 180 authors and over 600 books! WOW!!! If you are in the area, come out and see us!

Have a great Thursday! Remember to Work and Dream like a BIG DOG!

Woody

Chloe, Betsy Ross, and Other Important Ladies

Kentucky Greetings, WoodyWatchers! We hope you are having a great Sunday! Chloe and I love Sundays! After Sunday School and a nice tasty lunch of fried chicken, Chloe and I took a long nap! We are awake and getting ready to go to Bernheim Forest for a long walk! It is so pretty today! Mom said it was going to get cold this week, so we better get to Bernheim while the weather is nice!

Last Friday, our favorite fans from Holiday Elementary in Hopkinsville emailed us about Chapter 7. If you are following the stories, you know that I was in the doghouse in Chapter 7 and Chloe covered for me by writing the story. Chloe took the time to talk about the important women of history. After Ms. Cansler's homeroom read the story, they were asked to tell who their favorite woman in American history is and why or what she did. We loved their answers! Take a look...

Harriet Tubman made a difference because she freed slaves to freedom. She helped over 300 people to get free out of slavery. They went to a place called the underground railroad but it was like a tunnel. Chantel

Betsy Ross: She was the first woman who made the American flag. Three men came to her house to ask her to. The 13 stripes stand for the colonies and the 13 stripes remain unchanged. Jaila

Rosa Parks because she made bus segregation no longer exist. They told her to get up and move to the back and she didn't. Now we do not have a certain front or back spot on the bus we have to sit in. Hannah

Wilma Rudolph is my favorite woman in history. She is from Clarksville, Tennessee which is close to here. She had polio when she was young and overcame it to become a gold medal winner in the Olympic track running. She beat the record in running. She did it really fast in seconds. Ellen

Rosa Parks: She was a lady that refused to move to the back of the bus because black people should have the right to a seat in the front too. Sierra

Amelia Earhart is a famous aviator. She was the first woman to fly around the world. She died in 1927 when her plane crashed somewhere but they do not know where. Jeremy

Rosa Parks was a good example. She set an example so people can sit where they want. Dijonae

Harriet Tubman: She was a deliverer of slaves to the Railroad to get free but it was not a real railroad. She helped over 300 to get freedom. She died at the age of 25 or 26. Sean

Dolly Madison: During the war of 1812, she was planning an ordinary dinner party when the British invaded D.C. She had to leave the White House. Bridgett

Eleanor Roosevelt: She was the first lady of the White House and was married Franklin Roosevelt. Her husband was a United States President. She had a large family of six children. Maxie

Rosa Parks: She made a difference in bus desegregation. She was arrested for not moving for a white man to sit. She died in the beginning of 2006. DeVante

Betsy Ross sewed the first American flag. She was able to cut a five point star in one snip. Also she was able to sew ruffles on George Washington's shirts. Brittany

Harriet Tubman: She was a deliverer of slaves to the "railroad" to get free. She got people free from being a slave. She helped over 300 to get free. Kathleen

Betsy Ross: Betsy Ross made the first American flag by orders from George Washington. She put 13 white stars on a field of blue and 13 red and white stripes. Kendall

Rosa Parks because she wanted to sit anywhere on the bus and no longer sit in the back. She got religious freedom. Marquasia

My favorite woman in history: She helped dying men get water. She survived a cannon shot. She took out a whole Army with the cannon. Hunter

Rosa Parks was not treated right. She made the segregation not exist. Wade

Annie Oakley: She was a famous sharpshooter in the Old West. Joshua

Betsy Ross: She made the very first American flag that had 13 stars and 13 stripes for the 13 colonies. Thomas

Rosa Parks: She believed in her rights. Curtis

Martha Washington: She was the first First Lady of the United States. Her husband was George Washington. Lavonte

Betsy Ross made the first American flag. She did good. Jeffery

Chloe and I learned so much from their answers! After we read their responses, Chloe and I went to the library and checked out some books on the famous women Ms. Cansler's class talked about - including Rosa Parks, Annie Oakley, and Wilma Rudolph. I can't wait to read more information on all these important girls! Chloe has had her nose in a book ever since we returned home!

Speaking of our country, this Tuesday is Election Day. Make sure your parents get out and vote! It is very important! Chloe and I can't vote since we aren't 18 years old - and since we aren't human, but we always enjoy riding in the car with Mom and Dad while they go vote!

I better go! Since the time changed it will be getting dark soon! Bernheim is waiting!!! Have a great day! Enjoy the weather, encourage everyone to vote, and Work and Dream like a BIG DOG!

WOODY

Happy November!

Happy November, WoodyWatchers! I can't believe it is November again! It seems as if it was November only, well, about a year ago!!! Where does the time fly? November is one of our favorite months. It brings Thanksgiving, colder weather, and the beginning of the holidays! Chloe and I are already working on our list for Santa. Mom said it was a little early, but we wanted to get a head start!

This past week was another exciting one for our family! Last Saturday, we spent the day at the 2007 Western KY Book Expo in Sturgis, KY. So many of our friends came to visit us. We signed so many Woody books and scrapbooks, posed for lots of pictures, and listened to tons of neat stories! The first photo we posted is of our friend, Bob. Bob has taught school for over 40 years! He is a fan of our newspaper stories. We always enjoy talking to Mr. Bob! We also saw our friends Elizabeth and Will from Murray! It was just like homecoming!

On Tuesday, we were back in Harrison County at Southside Elementary. It was a terrific day! We walked in and saw ourselves all over the walls of the school! It was too neat! All of the students were excited to see us. Like Sturgis, we posed for many photos! A great big thanks to Mrs. Tanner for planning a great day for us! (The last photos is of Mrs. Tanner and her daughter, Sarah!) An even bigger thanks to the Family Resource Center for providing our visits to all the Harrison County Schools! We will keep you posted on all the visits!

Okay, WoodyWatchers! The minute I sign off I am going to start working on posting the photos from the past few months! We have been so busy that it has been tough to keep the picture page updated! I am going to work on it now!

Tomorrow we will be in Elizabethtown, KY at New Highland Elementary. The News-Enterprise is hosting our visit. If you are in the area between 11 and 1, come over and see us!

Off to work on the photos! Have a great day! Work and Dream like a BIG DOG!


WOODY