Cousin Patrick

Kentucky Greetings, WoodyWatchers! It is Friday afternoon and our family is enjoying a day off at our doghouse in Shepherdsville! We have been playing outside, chasing tennis balls and kitty cats, as well as picking dandelions for Mom! We thought we would take a break and say ARFF!

Last week, we spent some time at our Cousin Patrick's school in Paducah, KY. Patrick just graduated from the 5th grade at Clark Elementary. Mom, Dad, Chloe, and I wanted to give Patrick a graduation send-off, so we loaded up The Woody Bus and drove to Paducah to spend some time with Patrick's class before Graduation Day! Everyone knows that Paducah is my favorite place since I was born in that town! As usual, everyone made us feel right at home - especially Ms. Ruggles, Ms. Thompson, and of course, Cousin Patrick!

We took this photo! Can you see the resemblance? Everybody can!

Unfortunately, we didn't make it to the actual graduation ceremony, but the news in our family spread fast that Cousin Patrick had received the 5th Grade Math Award. We were so proud of him! Not only does he get his good looks from me, he also gets my math skills! I included a photo of me doing some calculations just in case there were any doubts!

Congratulations to Cousin Patrick and all the 5th Grade Graduates!

I better skedaddle. It is almost lunch time. Chloe is pouring the lemonade now! Have a great day! Enjoy the sunshine, pick lots of dandelions, and Work and Dream like a BIG DOG!

WOODY

Memorial Day

Kentucky Greetings, WoodyWatchers! Once again, I have been a little behind in my journal writing. We have been finishing up our school visits for the year and preparing for our summer events. I have so much to tell you from the past few weeks like our great visit to McKinney, our day at Joseph Beth and the Kentucky Artisan Center, and about our visit to Cousin Patrick's class. I promise I will give you the deTAILS soon, but today I wanted to bark about Memorial Day!

Our family has always been patriotic, but ever since we spent a week in Washington, D.C. and wrote Mr. Dogwood Goes to Washington, our American pride has overflowed! Chloe and I have always loved Memorial Day. Before our trip to D.C.,the main reason we loved the day is because our family - grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins - gets together every year for a good ol' fashioned picnic. We eat hamburgers (yes, ONLY hamburgers), potato salad, baked beans, corn-on-the-cob, and ice cream! Dee-lish! After our D.C. trip, Chloe and I realized that Memorial Day is about more than picnics! It is about remembering the men and women who died while serving our country. Chloe and I thought about the day we spent at Arlington National Cemetery and saw where over 290,000 men and women who have served our country are buried. It made us stop and, as the day was set aside for, remember those brave people.

This morning, Chloe, Frannie the Body Guard, and I helped Dad put out our American flag. It is flying proudly! Frannie even put on her American flag bandana. And, of course it wouldn't be Memorial Day without singing our favorite patriotic songs like Yankee Doodle, You're a Grand Old Flag, and God Bless the U.S.A.

I better skedaddle for now. It is almost time to join the cousins for the annual picnic. I can taste that corn-on-the-cob now! Have a great day! Sing those patriotic songs loud and proud, remember those who have given us freedom, and Work and Dream like a BIG DOG!

WOODY

TAILS from McKee

Kentucky Greetings, WoodyWatchers! Hope you are having a terrific Monday. You know what Mondays mean for our family - it means we are packing the Woody Bus, heading out for a week of school visits. Mom is finishing the laundry, Dad is washing the bus windows, the security guard is making sure everything is secure and guarded, and Chloe is barking at the birds. I thought I would take a minute to tell you about our day at McKee last week.

Thursday we spent the day at McKee Elementary in Jackson County, KY. Since we had visited the other two schools in the county and had made so many new friends, we couldn't wait to visit McKee. Like Sand Gap and Tyner, everyone made us feel right at home. Students wore sunglasses, made signs, held up American flags, and even decorated their faces! It didn't feel like school day at all - more like a family reunion or a parade or something! Now that we have visited all three elementary schools in the county, we feel like we know everybody!

Like our visit at Cline, I had to take it easy due to my minor sports injury. I am feeling terrific, but my parents say I have to rest a few more weeks before I return to my usual schedule. So, even though I am traveling everywhere and saying Arff to everybody, my siblings are having to carry the load. I shouldn't have been lifting weights. I just really wanted to build up my muscles!!! Oh well, only a few more weeks of rest!

Speaking of carrying the load, a great big thanks to Ms. Elizabeth Norris of Jackson County for taking care of all our visits. Thanks to the librarians, the principals, the teachers, parents, and most of all the students! We can't wait to visit Jackson County again!

Dad just said the windows are clean so off we go again - this time our destination is Cynthiana! Have a great week! Work and Dream like a BIG DOG!

WOODY

Catching up - Again!

Kentucky Greetings, WoodyWatchers! Is it May already? Where did April go? I can't believe school will be out soon. Speaking of school, I wanted to tell you about our last few schools.

Last Thursday, our family spent the day and evening at E.P. Ward Elementary in Fleming County. We haven't spent much time in Fleming County so we were able to meet lots of new friends! In fact, Chloe found a good friend named Ethan. I snapped a photo of Chloe and Ethan. I think Chloe had a little puppy dog crush on Ethan. I was teasing her about it and then Mom said, "Woody, don't tease your sister." They do make a cute couple don't they???

Yesterday, our family had a great surprise! We went to Cline Elementary in Campbell County. We were so surprised that one of our favorite people in the world was the principal at Cline. Mom went in the school early yesterday morning and came back to the Woody Bus and said, "Woody, Chloe, you will never guess who the principal is! It's Lynn Poe!!!" We met Ms. Poe several years ago at a school called A.J. Jolly. That school closed down and we had lost touch with Ms. Poe. It was so much fun catching up with her! Ms. Cinda Muenchen planned a terrific day for us. We felt like we were on vacation. (I had to take it easier than usual since I suffered a minor little sports injury, but my siblings did a great job carrying my load. By the way, I feel great, but my parents want to make sure I take it easier for a tiny little bit longer.)

We arrived home from Cline around 11:00 last night and are leaving again in a few minutes. We had just enough time to pack clean clothes in our Scooby backpack before hitting the road again. This time our destination is McKee Elementary in Jackson County. We have spent a good bit of time in Jackson County this year. In fact, we have been there so much that it almost feels like home!

I better run! Have a great day! Work and Dream like a BIG DOG!

WOODY