Happy Columbus Day!

Kentucky Greetings, WoodyWatchers! Hope everyone is enjoying this beautiful October day! My apologies for not blogging sooner! Our family was gone the entire week last week! I know the wheels on the Woody Bus must be tired! Ha Ha (Get it? Wheels? Tired? Nevermind...)

Our family left home on Monday to travel to Southside Elementary in Belfry, KY. Belfry is three miles from Williamson, West Virginia. In fact, after school on Tuesday, Dad took us to West Virginia for dinner. It was funny to tell eveyone we were going to West Virginia for dinner! (The food is just as tasty in West Virginia as it is in KY!) Anyway, our time at Southside was terrific! Unfortunately, we don't have any pictures. Dad accidentally dropped the camera at school that morning and the rest, as they say, is history...

Our very first priority on Wednesday morning was to find a Wal-Mart and buy a new camera! While we were shopping, we realized we needed a few other necessities like toothpaste, soap, and a new tennis ball. Chloe and I helped Mom scan the items at the check out! I think I may have a future as a check-out canine!

We left Wal-Mart and drove to Grant County, KY to speak to teachers at Mason-Corinth Elementary. We were with Kriss Johnson (Newspapers in Education Manager at the Herald Leader). We talked about how students and teachers could use newspapers in their classrooms. In other words, we paper-trained them!

We left Grant County and headed to Jessamine County - Nicholasville to be exact. On Thursday, were with the students at Warner Elementary! (Don't you love the sign they made us???) Mrs. Lawson did a terrific job in planning the perfect day and evening! She even put a pawprint on her face!

Friday meant a day off! It was nice to be home at our doghouse in Shepherdsville. Saturday meant another trip to Lexington to watch our Kentucky Wildcats take on the South Carolina Gamecocks. Unfortunately, our CATS came in second! Dad says you can't win them all. So, we just try harder next week!

Sunday found us at church and then leading the walk at the Bullitt County Second Sunday event. Preston Highway was closed so folks could come out and exercise. The last picture is of Mom and me with one of the Bullitt County Sheriffs. He made sure everyone was safe! It was nice to see so many people walking, skating, roller blading, running, and just getting physically fit!

As you can see, the week flew by! Time always flies when you are having fun!

There are so many other things I need to tell you about - like the latest predictions for the story, some new friends we have met, and other exciting things we have done. But, this is Monday so you know what that means - yes, another trip. The Woody Bus is ready to go, so I need to go too!

By the way, Happy Columbus Day! On October 12th in 1492, Christopher Columbus arrived in the New World. Can you imagine what Columbus thought as he set foot on this great land? I wonder if any wiener dogs were on that voyage? I need to research that!

Off to Lexington for a school visit! Have a great day! Work and Dream like a BIG DOG!

WOODY

And more predictions...

Kentucky Greetings, WoodyWatchers! It is a very busy Monday here at our doghouse! Our family is loading up the Woody Bus for our school in Belfry, KY. It takes about five hours to get to Belfry. Therefore we are leaving early so we can make sure we get a good night's sleep for our school day tomorrow.

We had a few more predictions regarding HEADS AND TAILS. We lover reading the predictions. Take a look:



We are thinking that Woody will end up in 1929. My guys pointed out that this was the year of The Great Depression. People will lose jobs and have difficulty finding work.

Later,

Ms. Smith
C.A.
T.B.
K.K
J.L.
J.W
Spring Meadows School




This was a prediction from Todd County, KY:


We think Woody will dig up the potatoes and get paid for his work. He could never get a penny from today for working, but he could trade his old penny to Chloe for a new penny. Then they will go back to the real time in the 21st century. But if Woody messes up the potatoes he might not get paid and then he and his family be stuck in 1909.



From: Mrs. Tammy Sharp’s third graders at

South Todd Elementary School

Keep those emails coming! We love reading them! Stay tuned, save your pennies, and Work and Dream like a BIG DOG!

WOODY

Guess What Happens Next...

Kentucky Greetings, WoodyWatchers! My inbox is overflowing with people guessing what will happen in Chapter 4 of Heads and Tails. When Chapter 3 ended, I had just been hired as a potato digger. Students from Madison Southern High School in Madison County emailed me guessing what would happen next. Take a look:


Hi Woody!

We are students at Madison Southern High School. We are enjoying reading about you and your family every week. Here is what we think will happen to you next . . .



"I think Woody will earn enough money digging potatoes to buy a car.
Then he will use the car to drive around."
Michael



"I think Woody will work hard and get paid."
Nichole



"I think he hurts himself while digging potatoes. He cuts his paw on a sharp rock. Then he meets the town veterinarian who fixes his paw and he makes a new friend."
Mindy



"I think he digs potatoes and gets really dirty. Because he doesn't have any money for food, he has to eat potatoes when he gets hungry."
Ms. Kuhn



"I think Woody works really hard to be the best potato digger he can be.
While he is working, he meets some new friends. He finds it hard to leave his new friends when it is time for him to come "back" to 2008."
Mrs. Hudson



We can't wait to see what happens next week. If you are ever in Berea, Kentucky, please stop by and see us. We would love to meet you in person.



Sincerely,



Melissa Hudson and Class
Madison Southern High School
Madison County, KY

I love hearing everyone's predictions. I love the prediction about the car. Michael, I am curious, what kind of car would I drive? Let me know what you think and I will post it here for everyone to see.

Keep those emails coming! Stay tuned, save your pennies, and Work and Dream like a BIG DOG!

WOODY

Close to our Doghouse

Kentucky Greetings, WoodyWatchers! It is Wednesday morning and Chloe, Frannie, and I just returned from our mid-morning walk. We were three chilly dogs outside. It won't be long before we will have to wear our sweaters. Brrrr....

You know the old saying, "There's no place like home?" Well, it's true! Yesterday, we were at home in Bullitt County. We spent the day and evening at Pleasant Grove Elementary. Typically, on Monday evenings we load the Woody Bus, leave our doghouse in Shepherdsville, and travel a few hours for our school on Tuesday. This Monday was different. We slept in our own bed at home, left home Tuesday morning, and made it to school in about 10 minutes! Everytime we drive to a school I say, "Are we there yet? Are we there yet?" I asked Dad yesterday and he said, "YES! We're here!" That was quick!

We had a terrific day! Ms. Weihe, the media specialist, planned the perfect day! The walls were decorated with wiener dogs! That's always fun! We had an extra-special treat at the Family Reading Night - a cake with my doghouse, my face, and my name! It was so pretty that I didn't want to cut it, but I figured everyone was hungry - and I knew Mom would never let me take an entire cake home to keep forever! Boy was I glad we cut it! It was dee-lish! The cake had three flavors - strawberry, vanilla, and chocolate! I had a taste of the strawberry. YUM-MEEEEEE! I am still licking my lips! A great big thanks to Ms. Dorane and Mr. Eddie for the cake!

I better sign off for now! We have chores to do before we pack the Woody Bus for the rest of the week. Have a great day! Work and Dream like a BIG DOG!

WOODY

A House, um, Woody Bus Call

Kentucky Greetings, WoodyWatchers! It is Sunday evening at our doghouse in Shepherdsville. It was the perfect day - a Sunday afternoon nap, a nice hearty dinner, and beautiful weather that was made for playing outside!

Everyone knows that I am a small-town, ordinary, country wiener dog from Kentucky. But I will tell you that sometimes being somewhat well-known has its perks!

This past Tuesday, our family was at Eminence Elementary in Henry County, KY. After we arrived in Henry County, I had a minor - and I mean MINOR - issue that Mom thought needed medical attention. (It was so minor that I won't bore you with the de-TAILS. Think pimple/hang nail/ingrown hair/ear wax/you get the picture.) Anyway, we happen to have a friend in Henry County who is a veterinarian. His name is Dr. Muncey Pryor. Mom called Mrs. Pryor and asked if Dr. Pryor could see me - even though we didn't have an appointment. Dr. Pryor worked around MY schedule at the school and fit me in! Can you believe that? He worked around OUR schedule! While Mom worked with some students in the afternoon, Dad and I slipped away for our appointment with Dr. Pryor. He fixed me right up and I went back to the school as good as new!

Well, if that wasn't enough, yesterday we were at Commonwealth Stadium TAIL-gaiting before the UK and Western game. I had just finished up dinner when Dad said, "Woody, guess who is here?" "The Wildcat? The UK Team? The cheerleaders?" I kept guessing. Just then, I heard a voice say, "Hey Woody! I came to do a house, I mean, um, Woody Bus call. Let me take a look at you!" It was Dr. Pryor and Mrs. Pryor checking on me! Now if that's not service, I don't know what is! So, right there outside of Commonwealth Stadium, Dr. Pryor performed a re-check. He looked me over and said, "Looking good, Woody, looking good!" He patted my head and said he had to go focus his attention on the cats - and by that he meant the Kentucky WILDCATS! Dr. Pryor must be a great vet. I am back to normal and the CATS had a big victory! It doesn't get any better than that!

The UK game was a late game which meant our family didn't get to bed on time. So, Mom is making us go to bed earlier tonight - even though we had a good nap. She is making our bedtime snack now. I better scoot! Take care of yourself, see your vet regularly, and Work and Dream like a BIG DOG!

WOODY

More Predictions

Kentucky Greetings, WoodyWatchers! We keep getting predictions for why I am shocked and what will happen next in Heads and Tails. Take a look at these:

Dear Woody,

We are Ms. Dunn's third grade class at South Todd Elementary School
in Guthrie, Ky. We really are enjoying your Heads and Tails, story this
year!

We are writing because you wanted us to E-mail you and tell you why we
think you are shocked. We think you are shocked because you have lost
the very special penny with Abraham Lincoln on the front of it. We are
excited to read next week and find out what really happens.

We hope you E-mail us back! Thank you for your wonderful stories!



Love,

Ms. Dunn's Class


Lost the penny... very interesting and very possible. I can be forgetful and clumsy. Here is another predition:


I have a small group of 5th and a small group of 6th graders who LOVE
the story this year! They were "quick" with these predictions, but
wanted me to pass them along to you!
Thanks for bringing this weekly book to us!

1) We think Woody will make a game called Heads & Tails.
2) We think Woody will donate his 1909 penny to a museum.

Classes taught by Mrs. Bess, Bracken County Middle School

A game called Heads and Tails- wow! That sounds fun! Donating it to a museum would be a great idea. I guess everyone will have to wait and see!

Have a great night! Keep the emails coming, save those pennies, and Work and Dream like a BIG DOG!

WOODY

HEADS AND TAILS

Kentucky Greetings, WoodyWatchers! My inbox has been overflowing with emails telling me how much everyone loves our new story, Heads and Tails. We are only at Chapter 2 so if you haven't caught it, it's not too late!

At the end of Chapter 2, I open my eyes and am shocked at what I see. We asked students to email me and tell me why they think I am shocked. Here are a few emails:

(We) predict that Woody is in shock because he is in the year 1909. Chapter 3 will take place in 1909. At the end of this episode, Woody will end up in 1929-The Great Depression. They guys figured this out based on ten chapters and putting the dates in order.

Students from Ms. Smith's Class
Spring Meadows School
Bullitt County Public Schools
Bullitt County, KY

That's a neat idea! The Great Depression, hum...


Here was another email:

Our predictions as to why Woody was in shock when he opened his eyes:

He opens his eyes and he is in 1909.

He opens his eyes and the penny is gone.

He opens his eyes and the words property of Abraham Lincoln on the penny.

Ms. McClard's 4th Grade Students
Sharpe Elementary
Marshall County, KY


"Penny gone???" Oh no! Could it be? "Property of Abraham Lincoln" - I like that!


Here is another email I received this morning:

Hi Woody my name is Tyler. So what will you do with the penny. If you aren’t going to do anything with it could you send it to me at (my house in) Maysville Kentucky.

Sorry, Tyler! Nice try, though! I won't send you a penny, but check the mail, you may see something else!

Stay tuned to see what happens with the treasured penny! In the meantime, Work and Dream like a BIG DOG!

WOODY

TAILS from Eminence

Kentucky Greetings, WoodyWatchers! It is Thursday morning and we are at our doghouse in Shepherdsville. As usual, the Woody Bus is being loaded for yet another road trip! Before we crawled in and buckled our seat belts, I wanted to tell you about our day and evening on Tuesday. Our family was at Eminence School in Henry County, KY. It is a school that has preschool through the 12th grade! We saw students of all ages. Even though we only spoke to the elementary school, we met plenty of middle and high school students! Everyone made us feel right at home!

The principal greeted us with open arms. (See the first photo.) Students made posters for us and the walls of the school had our names all over them! We felt like rock stars! Ms. Bland and Ms. Tina from the library did a PAWS-atively perfect job in planning the day! (The fourth photo is of Ms. Bland and Ms. Tina.) It was almost like the school declared Tuesday, Woody, the Kentucky Wiener Day!

Well, as usual, my family is ready to leave, so I better skee-daddle! We are headed to Madisonville to talk to 50 teachers tonight. We can't wait! With 50 teachers, I have to be on my best behavior!

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

WOODY

A Week in Review

Kentucky Greetings, WoodyWatchers! I am taking some deep breaths right now! Why? Because our family has been so very busy that it has been hard to catch our breath! In fact, Dad is loading the Woody Bus, making sure we have all our supplies for yet another week away from home!

Last week was packed with fun stuff! I have lots of things to tell you in a short amount of time. So, please listen closely because I am going to bark real fast! Are you ready?

On Sunday, our lights went off due to all the winds blowing from Hurricane Ike. I know we live in Kentucky and not in the Gulf, but Ike was a pretty powerful man! So, when we left home on Monday, no electricity. That didn't stop us from having a great week!

We kicked off our week in Bowling Green, KY at Cumberland Trace! We were treated like royalty. Mrs. McCubbins, the media specialist, made us feel at home. The first photo is of her two sons saving us a parking place! Now that's what I call the royal treatment! In addition to the great day, Mrs. McCubbins treated us to lunch from Mancino's. They had the best sandwiches I had ever eaten. I ordered a turkey with extra pickles! It was doglicious!!! Mom says I talk too much about food, so I better hush. It wasn't the food that made the day great though. It was definitely all the neat people we met!

We left Bowling Green and headed to Lexington. We decided to stop at our doghouse to see if our lights had come back on. Our house was still dark. I was worried because my jammies needed to be washed. We went to a fun place called the Laundrymat. There were more washers and dryers in one room than I had ever seen before!!! An hour later, my Scooby jammies were as fresh as daisies!

Thursday found us at Northern Elementary in Lexington, KY. We love Lexington. It is WILDCAT COUNTRY! Ms. Heady (see the third photo) was from LaRue County, which isn't far from where Dad grew up. In fact, she knew lots of my cousins. There were a few teachers at Northern who had wiener dogs.
As you can imagine, Chloe, Frannie, and I were showered with hugs and love!

On Friday, we spent the day and evening at Julius Marks with our good friend Mrs. Mason. They had an evening event and grilled hot dogs outside! Chloe and I were a bit scared at first, but Frannie the Body Guard said everything was safe! We weren't worried!

We left Lexington Friday night and arrived in Indiana about midnight. Why were we in Indiana? Well, our good friends in Evansville were having a Blessing of the Animals at their church. So many animals attended. It was the neatest event. We were able to visit our good friends, the Straw family. We met Faith and Connor (see fourth photo) about four years ago. Connor is a second degree black belt. Frannie the Body Guard is a black belt too, but Connor looked much stronger. Faith was as pretty as a picture. Faith and Connor have a wiener dog named Nook-Nook!

Guess who else was at the church? Our good friend, Cleo! You know, Cleo - our friend who goes into nursing homes and cheers up the residents! We met Cleo through our vet, Dr. Campbell. Cleo has a big heart. Her heart is so big because it is full of love for so many people! Her mom, Ms. Diane, showered us with gifts. I know I am not supposed to talk about food, but my parents say that Ms. Diane makes the best candy in the world! I wonder if she makes any doggie candy. I will have to ask Cleo.

Well, we returned home late Saturday night and guess what? That's right - our lights were on! Our family clapped and cheered, and then went in the house for the first time in a week!!! We slept so good!

Well, it's off to work again! We are headed to Eminence, KY. I will tell you all about it! By the way, are you reading, "Heads and Tails?" If so, email us and tell us how you like it!

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

WOODY

HEADS and TAILS

Kentucky Greetings, WoodyWatchers! Hope everyone is having a terrific day! Our day is a bit crazy. We had a terrible wind storm yesterday so we don't have any electricity at our doghouse in Shepherdsville. It feels like we are camping - which we love!!! So, I am borrowing a computer to say "ARFF!"

We wanted to tell you about our new story, HEADS AND TAILS. It starts this week in the newspapers across Kentucky. Be sure to check it out. Also, our online doghouse will have the podcast and activities soon. Mr. Nathan, the man who takes care of our online doghouse, lives in Texas. He may be a bit behind due to Hurricane Ike. Boy the weather can make things crazy!

I better go. We are off to Bowling Green for a school visit tomorrow! I will keep you posted! Be thankful for your electricity. Work and Dream like a BIG DOG!

WOODY

West Irvine Wiener Dogs

Kentucky Greetings, WoodyWatchers! Our family is once again in the trusty old Woody Bus driving down the highways of Kentucky! We spend lots of time driving down the road. I thought I would take a minute to tell you about yesterday's visit to West Irvine Elementary. (Don't worry, I have my seatbelt on while I type!)

The students at West Irvine Elementary have been faithful followers of the Woody Series. Ms. Rhonda Smith of The Citizen Voice and Times does a terrific job! She makes sure the students receive newspapers so they can read our story! Ms. Smith called and asked if we would be interested in visiting West Irvine!!! Well she certainly didn't have to ask twice. Our motto (besides Work and Dream like a BIG DOG!) is Have Toothbrush, Will Travel! Ms. Smith got the ball rolling, and then Ms. Woolery and the Family Resource Center helped put the plan into action!

Everyone at West Irvine made us feel right at home. Some of the teachers showed us how they had really followed our last story. We posted a photo of Ms. Jackson and the book she made! It was impressive!!!

The principal, Ms. Isaacs (last photo) is considering changing the mascot to the West Irvine Wiener Dogs! I will keep you posted! We can't wait to visit our friends in Estill County again!

We left Estill County, made a quick stop at our doghouse in Shepherdsville and are now traveling to Owensboro. I can smell the Bar-b-Que now!!! DEE-LISH! I will tell you all about it!

Have a great day! Wear your seatbelt and Work and Dream like a BIG DOG!

WOODY

Mr. Dogwood Wins WORLD

Kentucky Greetings, WoodyWatchers! Happy Literacy Day! That's right - today is National Literacy Day! We hope this finds you celebrating the day by reading your favorite story!

Well, we promised you a big announcement on September 8th so here it is:

The World Association of Newspapers awarded our last newspaper serial story, Mr. Dogwood Goes to Washington first place in the special "Literacy and Newspaper" category for the 2008 World Awards. To say our family was excited is the understatement of the year!!! We still can't believe it. We were the only United States entry to win.

A great big thanks to the Lexington Herald Leader, all the newspapers who ran the stories, our sponsors (LG&E/KU/E.ON Companies, the Kentucky Press Association and the Kentucky Secretary of State). Of course we have to thank our illustrator, James Asher, who is the best illustrator in the entire world, and a big special thanks to Kriss Johnson (Aunt Kriss as we now call her) for directing this entire project. She worked countless hours on it. (I sound like I am accepting a Grammy Award.)

The judges loved the story, and in addition to the story and the illustrations, one of the things they loved most was how Chloe and I read the story. They thought we sounded great behind the microphone. That made us feel proud! We love being in the studio!!! We feel like rock stars!

You can check out the information on
http://www.wan-press.org/nie/articles.php?id=1503.

Aunt Kriss gets to go to Amsterdam (not to be confused with HAMSTER-dam as we first thought) to accept the award!!! We can't wait to hear about her trip!

I would tell you more, but Mom and Dad said that Chloe and I can be happy and celebrate, but we can't brag or rest on a prize. We still have lots of hard work ahead!!! So, with that, we are loading the Woody Bus headed to Estill County for a school all day tomorrow! Meeting people in Kentucky is the best part of our job!

I better go. I still have packing to do! Have a great day! Celebrate Literacy Day and Work and Dream like a BIG DOG!

WOODY

Hurricane Woody???

Kentucky Greetings, WoodyWatchers! We hope everyone enjoyed Labor Day! Our family spent the day doing as little as possible. We have such a busy schedule for the fall, that we took the time to take as many cat naps as possible. Today, it's back to the drawing board as they say. We have emails to answers, meetings to attend, and plenty of packing to do for our school visits!

We watched lots of TV yesterday - more than usual. We wanted to see what happened with Hurricane Gustav. I didn't really know exactly what a hurricane was. Mom explained that it is a fierce storm that has heavy rains and really strong winds. I asked if we could ever have a hurricane here in KY. Mom said that a hurricane starts in the ocean and moves to land, so since we don't live near the ocean, no, we couldn't have a hurricane! Mom also explained that to keep track of hurricanes, the weather experts give the hurricanes names. "How do they name them?" I asked. Mom said that there names are both girl names and guy names and start in alphabetical order. I wondered how many hurricanes had been named Woody. I looked and looked but came up short! It seems that Woody - or even Dogwood - is not that common of a name! Maybe I will write a letter to the weather people and ask them to name a hurricane after me.

We have a few ties with Louisiana. First of all, our Granny was born and raised in a little town called Kinder, Louisiana. Kinder is just a few hours west of New Orleans. Even though Granny lives in Paducah, KY now, she remembers boarding up her house to protect it from all the strong winds and rains. If that isn't enough, our baby brother Walter is from New Orleans, LA. In fact, his real mommy was named Katrina - from the last big hurricane. (If you don't know about Walter, he is our baby brother. He travels with our family but doesn't have a job.) When I was looking up names of hurricanes, I saw where Walter will have a hurricane named after him in 2010. With Walter in our house and on our Woody Bus, it makes us think there ARE hurricanes in KY! I put a picture of Mom, Granny, and me, and then of Baby Walter for you to see. Anyway, the good news is that Gustav didn't do as much damage as it could have. That's PAWS-atively perfect news!

I better say ARFF for now! Duty calls! Work and Dream like a BIG DOG!

WOODY

C-A-T-S, CATS, CATS, CATS!

Kentucky Greetings, WoodyWatchers! What about those Wildcats??? You should have heard our doghouse today! Chloe and Frannie had their blue and white pom-poms barking out all kind of cheers! I was howling, "RUN, THROW, CATCH, BLOCK..." Dad was biting his fingernails and Mom was clapping and squealing! It was an exciting win for my favorite team!

In case you aren't a CAT fan, let me fill you in. The Kentucky Wildcats played arch rival Louisville Cardinals today. Today was the 21st time the CATS and Cards played each other in football. It was the 15th time they played for the Governor's Cup title. If my facts are correct, the CATS have won 12 of the 21 games while the Cards have won 9.

Even though we love the CATS, we also like Hunter Cantwell, the quarterback for the Cards. We don't know Hunter, but he is a Paducah boy like me, so that makes him A-OK!

I am still hoping to play football for the CATS one day. Here is a photo of Joker Phillips and me. Coach Phillips is the offensive coordinator. That means he helps us score touchdowns! We love scoring touchdowns!

I better go. My bark is hoarse from all the cheering! I will be having sweet blue dreams tonight!

GO CATS! And Work and Dream like a BIG DOG!

WOODY

TAILS from Richmond

Kentucky Greetings, WoodyWatchers! Hope you are having a super Saturday! Chloe, Frannie, and I have been hanging out today, enjoying the holiday weekend! Today is the official start of football, so Dad - and Mom too - have been watching lots of players throw the pigskin down the field.

I thought I would take a minute to tell you about our day at Daniel Boone Elementary in Richmond, KY. We felt right at home at Daniel Boone since we had been there a few years ago. Mrs. Morris, the media specialist, always plans the perfect day for us. (I posted a photo of Mrs. Morris and me.)

After school, we were getting ready for the evening program when Mom got a phone call from one of our friends. Mom explained that we were in Richmond. Mom's friend thought we were in Richmond, Virginia! It made we wonder how many towns were named Richmond. So, I came home and asked Mr. Google. He said there are 45 towns all over the world named Richmond - everywhere from Canada to England to South Africa to the United States! We haven't been to any towns named Richmond outside of the United States, but we have been to several Richmonds in the USA - like Richmond, OH, IL, IN, and of course KY - which is our favorite!

Since I was asking Mr. Google some questions, I asked if there were any towns named Woody. He didn't think so, but we are still studying. We will keep you posted!

I better say Arff for now! There is a big football game tomorrow! Our CATS are playing arch rival Louisville Cardinals. I have my blue football jersey and Chloe has her pom-poms ready to cheer the CATS to victory! We will let you know how it goes!

Oh, before I forget, here is the clue for our announcement on September 8th - universe. Can you guess?

Almost time for dinner! ARFF! Have a great day! Enjoy the football game, cheer loudly, and Work and Dream like a BIG DOG!

WOODY

TAILS from Cold Hill

Kentucky Greetings, WoodyWatchers! We are singing our theme song - On the road again, just can't wait to get on the road again... Our family is in the Woody Bus yet again. Destination - Richmond, KY. Daniel Boone Elementary School to be exact.

While we are riding down the highway, I thought I would take a minute to tell you about our visit to Cold Hill. We had a PAWS-atively perfect day. It was our very first day back in the schools. We had a few minor issues that made us yowl - like our projector wouldn't turn on and our camera wouldn't work, but those were minor pests. The day was so fantastic that we forgot about our technical difficulties! Ms. Brown, the media specialist, let us borrow her camera for the day. I bet she was surprised when Dad took over 100 pictures! Here are a few of our favorites.

The first one is from the assembly. The second photo is of our friend Saylor. He gave me a pink pig named Wilbur. Wilbur and I have become best friends. I have played with him all day long! He doesn't oink or eat as much as I thought.

Can you guess what Cold Hill had for lunch yesterday??? We couldn't believe it either!

The last photo is of Mom pretending like she is giving a CARDINAL fan a hard time. Everyone knows how much we love the WILDCATS! Speaking of the Cards and the Cats, there is a huge game coming up!!!

Oh, I can't forget to give you a clue about our big announcement. In case you didn't hear, we will be making an exciting announcement on September 8. Your first clue was globe. The clue today is gold.

Dad is pulling the bus over to stop for gas. Hopefully I can get a snack. My tummy is rumbling! Have a great day! I will tell you all about Daniel Boone (the school that is) on Friday! In the meantime, Work and Dream like a BIG DOG!

WOODY

The 2008-09 Woody Tour

Kentucky Greetings, WoodyWatchers! Well, it's back to school for our family! In fact, we are in the Woody Bus at this very moment! Dad is at the wheel driving down the highway. Destination - London, KY. Our first school for the year is Cold Hill Elementary! We can't wait! Chloe and I have our backpacks packed, our pencils sharpened, a new box of crayons, new shoes... Well, that might be a stretch, but you get the picture! Going to back to school means early mornings, miles on the Woody Bus, and plenty of new friends - and lots of diary entries, so stay tuned!

Both Mom and Frannie the BodyGuard are telling me it's time to put up the laptop and rest. Busy day tomorrow! I will be sure to post photos in the next few days!

Also, we will have a big surprise announcement in early September! I won't tell you what it is, but I will give you hints from now until the announcement is made. Here is your first clue: globe. Can you guess???

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

WOODY

Friendship, Friendship, Just the Perfect Blendship

Kentucky Greetings, WoodyWatchers! It is a gorgeous Saturday morning here at our doghouse in Shepherdsville! Even though it is early August, it feels like September. We love this time of year. School is starting, the air is crisp, and it's almost Football Time in the Bluegrass!

I have been telling you about our friend, Cleo. If you remember, Cleo is the dachshund who goes into the nursing home and cheers people up! She lives in Evansville, IN with her mommy, Ms. Diane. A few weeks ago, we were in Owensboro and had the opportunity to meet Cleo. She was as pretty as her pictures. She was in her red wagon and was wearing a cute pink hat. She even had on jewelry - a necklace and a bracelet!!! In fact, Chloe kept talking about how beautiful Cleo's bracelet was, so Cleo just took it off and gave it to Chloe. Now that's what I call a true friend! When we met Cleo, it was easy to see why so many people love her and her mommy. We fell in love with them both! We will continue to write about our new friend Cleo, so stay tuned!

Speaking of friends, today our family gets to help two wiener dogs travel to their new homes. We are involved in the Southern States Dachshund Rescue group. It helps wiener dogs without homes find good homes. In fact, our body guard Frannie came from the SSDR group. Well, Mom received an email saying that two little doxies were traveling to their new homes today. One is going from New York to Tennessee and the other one is going from Ohio to Georgia. Mom and Dad are going to help transport these wiener dogs. I begged Mom if we could go. We haven't been to New York yet. Mom laughed and said that she and Dad were picking up the doxies right here in KY and only traveling about an hour with them before someone else takes over. In fact, 15 families are helping these two little wiener dogs make it to their new homes. It will take them two days to get there, but we know it is worth it! I was sad that Chloe and I couldn't go, but Mom explained we were helping by staying home and letting the travelers have more room in the car. Mom promised to tell us all about when she and Dad returned home!

Maybe Mom will get their address so I can keep in touch with them. I love friends! Thinking of friends reminds me of my favorite song, "Friendship." Chloe and I sing it all the time. It's one of our favorite songs. Here is the verse we like best:

If you're ever down a well, ring my bell.
If you ever catch on fire, send a wire.
If you ever lose your teeth When you're out to dine,
Borrow mine.

It's friendship, friendship, Just a perfect blendship, When other friendships have ceased to jell Ours will still be swell! Lahdle-ahdle-ahdle-hep-hep-hep.

Have a great day! Enjoy the weather, say hello to a friend, and Work and Dream like a BIG DOG!

WOODY

The Bus Has Moved!

Kentucky Greetings, WoodyWatchers! Don't you just love our new home? We think it looks PAWS-atively perfect! Mr. Nathan, the man who makes sure our doghouse looks so great, told us yesterday that he thought the renovations were almost ready! Our entire family was so excited! We couldn't wait to see what it looked like! Just like on the TV show Extreme Makeover, we stood together and said, "Move That Bus!' (There wasn't a real bus to be moved, but it was fun to say it anyway!) Mr. Nathan unveiled the new look and we Oooohed and Aaahhhed for a long time! All the colorful illustrations give you just a tiny hint of our upcoming story, Heads and Tails! Feel free to visit our online doghouse as much as you like. You have an open invitation. No need to even take your shoes off at the door!

After we looked all around, Mr. Nathan said, "Well Gang, there is only one thing left to say, 'Welcome Home, Woody, Welcome Home.'" We were so happy to hear those words!

I will write more later - I promise. In the meantime, enjoy the renovations and Work and Dream like a BIG DOG!

WOODY

Extreme Makeover: DOGHOUSE EDITION

Kentucky Greetings, WoodyWatchers! Hope everyone is having a great Monday! I have so many things to tell you about - like our trip to Broadway, our trip to London, how we met our good friend, Cleo, the list goes on and on. Our family has been so busy lately. We have been putting the finishing touches on our latest newspaper serial story titled HEADS AND TAILS. Already, 71 newspapers have signed up for the story! I will put a list of participating newspapers soon. Since we had a new story, we thought we would freshen up our doghouse a bit. So, Mr. Nathan, the man who takes care of our doghouse, is giving our site a brand new look. We just wanted you to know in case you wondered! Right now we are in the renovation process, but hopefully our new look will be ready soon. Chloe and I have been practicing the "MOVE THAT BUS!" chant like they say on the Home Makevover TV show. Mom says that when the renovations are finished, we won't be moving a bus. Oh well...

We will keep you posted on everything! Have a great day! Work and Dream like a BIG DOG!

WOODY

Woody's Snap-N-Win Photo Contest

At the Teacher Workshops we present, we are going to give teachers a disposable camera. If they snap photos of their students reading the stories, develop the shots, and send them to us, we will put them on the web and they will be entered into a drawing for several different prizes.

Prizes
Grand Prize:
Class party with Woody

2nd Place:
Set of Woody books

3rd Place:
A signed illustration from "Heads and Tails"

Directions

1. Snap photos of your students reading and listening to "Heads and Tails" starting the week of September 15.
   
2. Develop the film onto a CD or scan printed photos.
   
3. Email photos to leighanne@thewoodybooks.com or mail CD to: Hot Diggety Dog Press P.O. Box 747 Shepherdsville, KY 40165
   
4. Include with your submission: Your name, school, email address, and phone number. Be sure you have permission to photograph your students before you send photos.

Participating teachers will be entered into random drawings for prizes. Winners will be notified.

Deadline
The deadline for submissions is Friday, December 5, 2008.

Cameras - thanks to the Lexington Herald-Leader!

A Story that Gives Me Goose Bumps

Kentucky Greetings, WoodyWatchers! It is Tuesday afternoon and our family has been busy little bees all day long. We were gone all last week and today we have been catching up on emails, phone calls, paying bills, and cat naps. I was planning on writing about all the neat things we did last week. We had a PAWS-atively perfect week. Don't worry, I will tell you about it next time, but I had to share this story.

In my last post, I shared a photo of one of my favorite families! I met this family in 2004 and we have been life long buddies ever since. I could tell you the story of how we met, but their Mom can do it much better. So, take a minute and click on this link

www.adventuresinhomeschooling-butts.blogspot.com

and go to the second post on the page. (You might have to copy and put it in the address bar.) Every time I read this story, I get goose bumps. When Chloe and Mom read it, I saw a tear or two - or twenty. Mom says it is her favorite story of all stories. It is mine too!

We love you Butts Family! Thanks for the Goose Bumps! By the way, do you really have 4 snakes in your house???

Hope everyone has a great day! Work and Dream like a BIG DOG!

WOODY

An Afternoon in Paris

Kentucky Greetings, WoodyWatchers! We hope you have had a terrific Monday! Our family is loading up the Woody Bus, headed out of town for a week of presentations. My day has been spent making sure my Scooby backpack is loaded with all the things I need for life on the road. Speaking of being on the road, last Thursday our family spent the day in Paris! We love Paris in July! Paris, Kentucky that is!

We spent the afternoon at the Paris Bourbon County Public Library. When we visit, it is just like walking in the front door to our home. So many people that we have met over the years come to see us. We catch up on the latest news, see how much everyone as grown, and tell stories from the past year! We also snap lots of family photos! And, we learn new information! Let me tell you about what we learned on our last visit.

Mom and I were talking about our latest book, Mr. Dogwood Goes to Washington. While we were talking, Dad put the illustration from Chapter 8 on the screen. The illustration shows me with my cap over my heart, reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. Our illustrator, Mr. Asher, included an illustration of the photograph Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima originally taken by Joe Rosenthal. Mr. Rosenthal took the picture in 1945 during the Battle of Iwo Jima during World War II. It shows 5 United States Marines and 1 United States Navy corpsman raising the American flag on top of Mount Suribachi. Anyway, one of our friends who was at the library explained that the one of the United States Marines in the original photo was her cousin. His name was Franklin Sousley and he was a Kentucky boy! Isn't that cool?

Well, we love to research so we came home and looked it up. We learned that Franklin Sousley was born in 1925 in Fleming County, Kentucky and graduated from Fleming County High School. He joined the Marines after he received his draft notice. He later died in the Battle of Iwo Jima and received a Purple Heart after his death. It made us stop and say thanks to Mr. Sousley and all the other men and women who have fought for this great country! Our family will never look at that photo the same way again. I've said it before but I will say it again - if you ever see a military person, stop and say thanks! It is the very least we can do!

I better sign off for now. Chloe can only find three of her four flip flops so I need to help her find them so she can finish packing! This week will be exciting for our family. We will be doing presentations in Owensboro, Benton, and Paducah. We will be meeting Cleo (see the previous blog)for the first time and will even appear on Broadway! I can't wait to bark all about it!

Have a great week! Thank a military person, learn some new facts, keep up with all your flip flops, and Work and Dream like a BIG DOG!

WOODY

Cleo and her Wagon

Kentucky Greetings, WoodyWatchers! Chloe and I are constantly saying that we have the best job in the entire world! How could we not like traveling around in the Woody Bus with our family and seeing new places? But, the very best part is meeting new people! Just this past week, we crossed paths with Cleo.

Remember when I told you that I had seen Dr. Campbell about the pesky bean in my nose? Well, after our visit, Dr. Campbell told me about another little dachshund he cares for in his practice. This little wiener dog's name is Cleo. Unfortunately, Cleo had a much more serious problem than something in her snoot; she was suffering from a heart problem. Cleo's vet in Indiana, Dr. Susan, noticed Cleo's heart problem and thought Cleo should see a specialist, so she sent her to Dr. Campbell in Louisville. In fact, her heart stopped beating one time, but Dr. Campbell and the great staff at Metro Vet Specialists worked and worked to get Cleo's heart beating again. Of course everyone wanted Cleo to live, but she had a special reason for living. You see, like us, Cleo has a job.

Cleo lives in Evansville, Indiana and her mom takes her into several nursing home and assisted living facilities (a place where older people who may need a little help live). Cleo goes in and cheers up the residents, listens to their stories, gives them hugs, and brightens their day. When Cleo was sick, all her friends missed seeing her and even sent Cleo get well cards. Well, Cleo did get well! In fact, not only did Cleo get well, but she returned to work. Dr. Campbell gave Cleo permission to visit her friends again, but told her to take it easy. Obeying Dr. Campbell's orders, her mom bought her a wagon. Now, Cleo goes into the nursing homes and assisted living facilities riding in her very own wagon with her name on the side! Talk about traveling first class! I guess if you are going to have a nice set of wheels, you need cool outfits too. So, Cleo always dresses the part!

I put a few photos for you to see. I couldn't put them all. (Cleo has more outfits than our entire family put together!) Chloe and I picked out a few favorite photos to show you - like the one in her rabbit ears. The second photo is of Cleo dressed as Minnie Pearl. (In case you don't know who Minnie Pearl is, she was on this funny show called Hee Haw - the name is funny all by itself! Minnie Pearl wore a hat that had a price tag hanging down. She would say, "HOW-DEE!") The last picture is of Cleo and Dr. Campbell. I promise to put lots more on the blog in the next few days! Chloe and I have laughed at all the funny outfits Cleo wears! We can't wait for you to see them too - especially the one with Cleo in her bonnet! And, the best part is that we are planning on meeting Cleo within the next few weeks! I can't wait to see what she is wearing!

Hopefully, you can meet Cleo too. If you do, please do me a favor and don't mention her being sick. She doesn't know she is sick. She thinks she is a young healthy pup, and we don't want to tell her otherwise. I'm not a doctor but I think I might know why Cleo has a heart problem. I think it is because her heart is so very big and is made of pure gold! I may mention that to Dr. Campbell the next time he checks out my snout. I know he is a smart man, but he might not have thought about that. I'll confer with him. (I am already starting to sound like a doctor!)

Chloe is looking through some fashion magazines to find a new outfit for Cleo. She is reading Lad & Lassie now! I think I will go help her!

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

WOODY

Happy Independence Day

You're a grand old flag
You're a high flying flag
And forever in peace may you wave...

Kentucky Greetings, WoodyWatchers and Happy Independence Day! Mom, Dad, Chloe, Frannie the Body Guard, and I hope each of you is having a terrific Fourth of July! We love holidays - any kind of holidays - but the patriotic holidays are our very favorite! I never really understood the importance of Independence Day until our family spent time in Washington, D.C. researching our last story, Mr. Dogwood Goes to Washington. We learned that Ben Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and other men known as our founding fathers wrote the Declaration of Independence - declaring our freedom from Great Britain and making us our own free country. The Declaration of Independence was adopted on July 4, 1776. Now, over 200 years later, Americans still celebrate our freedom!

Chloe and I were searching on the internet for interesting facts about the United States of America. Since our latest book was filled with facts that actually had meaning, we thought we would share a few facts we didn't include in the book. A couple of these have absolutely nothing to do with anything, but are just plain fun. Here are our favorites:

1. Ohio is the birthplace of more Presidents than any other state - eight.

2. Thomas Jefferson, one of our founding fathers, is one of only two people to accomplish a so-called "triple crown": serving as Secretary of State, Vice-President, and President. (Can you name the other one who accomplished the "triple crown?")

3. The official colors of the flag are "Old Glory Red," white, and "Old Glory Blue."

4. Fireworks were originally invented in China for entertainment purposes.

5. It was once illegal to take a bath in the wintertime in Indiana.

I read that last one to Mom and she said, "Woody, don't get any ideas!"

Since the bath idea was out of the question, I asked Mom if Chloe and I could shoot off fireworks tonight. Before Mom even opened her mouth, Frannie the Body Guard stepped in and said, "Absolutely not! Too Dangerous for wiener dogs!" Our body guard runs a tight ship - always cautious when it comes to our safety. At least Mom and Frannie gave us permission to watch the fireworks tonight, but in order to do that, we have to take an afternoon nap. So, with that said, I better sign off and close my eyes!

Have a great day! Wave your American flag proudly, sing patriotic songs with all your heart, and take a bath in both summer and winter - even if you live in Indiana. Oh, and Work and Dream like a BIG DOG!

Woody

Should auld acquaintance be forgot
Keep your eye on the Grand Old Flag!