Another prediction...

Kentucky Greetings, WoodyWatchers! We are now in Chapter 6 of Heads and Tails. Mrs. Wilson's class emailed me to tell me what they think will happen. Take a look:

...We predict in Chapter 6 you are not going to get back to the 21st century. We think you will maybe go to 1951. We also think a good job for you would be to be a watch dog for Mr. Mobley's store.

We can hardly wait each week for the new chapter to come out so we can see what you are doing and what is going to happen. But for now just as you tell us we say, "Work and dream like a big dog!"

Sincerely, Mrs. Wilson and Johnny, JaBreel, and Rilan

I think being a watch dog for Mr. Mobley is the best idea I have heard!!! I may give him a call!

Have a great day! Save your pennies and Work and Dream like a BIG DOG!

WOODY

Boogity, Boogity, Boogity!

Kentucky Greetings, WoodyWatchers and Boogity, Boogity, Boogity! Everyone knows how much I love Kentucky! Well, I wanted to tell you about a famous Kentucky man named Darrell Waltrip.

If you know anything about NASCAR racing, you will know Darrell Waltrip. NASCAR stands for National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing. NASCAR is the second most popular professional sport. (Football is the first.) Anyway, Darrell Waltrip is a very famous and successful former NASCAR driver.

Mr. Waltrip is originally from Owensboro, KY. He started racing at Ellis track in Owensboro. He was so successful that he moved to Nashville, TN which eventually led him to NASCAR. He started with NASCAR in 1972 and drove until he retired in 2000. After he retired, he signed a contract with the FOX Broadcasting Company to broadcast the NASCAR races. After the cars start the race, Mr. Waltrip says, "Boogity, Boogity, Boogity! Let's Go Racing!" Chloe and I love hearing him say that!

Anyway, this past Saturday night, our family was in Nashville, TN for a wedding reception. Unfortunately, wiener dogs weren't allowed. Mom said it was for people only. So, while Mom and Dad were at the reception, Chloe, Frannie the Body Guard, and I stayed outside in the Woody Bus. Mom promised she and Dad would only be gone a little while. When they walked back in the bus, Mom said, "Woody, you won't believe who we saw!!!" "Was it Carrie Underwood?" Then Mom said, "Boogity, Boogity, Boogity!" I said, "YOU SAW DARRELL WALTRIP?" She and Dad were able to spend some time with Darrell Waltrip and his wife Stevie. Mom said Mr. Waltrip asked how we were doing. Chloe and I couldn't believe it!!! To think that Mr. Waltrip is a Kentucky boy like me! I think it would be so cool to drive a race car. Of course I would wear my seatbelt. Maybe Mr. Waltrip will let me drive around the track one day. I will keep you posted on my NASCAR career, but don't hold your breath!

Right now, the only race I am concerned about is racing off to dinner! Stay safe, wear your seatbelt, and Work and Dream like a BIG DOG!

Boogity, Boogity, Boogity!!!

WOODY

An Exciting Ride Home

Kentucky Greetings, WoodyWatchers! Whew! Last week was a fun week for our family with a few twists and turns. Let me fill you in!

On Thursday, we spent the day with Mrs. Cheryl Million and all the students at Mason Corinth Elementary in Grant County. We were no stranger to MCE. Not only had we had been there before, but we have become great friends with Mrs. Million, her family, and the students. The school rolled out the red carpet for our visit!

We presented our assemblies and the writing workshops, posed for pictures, signed scrapbooks, and even signed broken arms!!! The day flew by! After a tasty dinner, we spent the evening with students and parents at the Family Reading Night. The day was going as smooth as silk. About 8:00 that evening, the families had all gone home, the Woody Bus was loaded, and our family was ready to make the two hour trip back to our doghouse in Shepherdsville. Chloe, Frannie the Body Guard, and I had put on our jammies and were resting on the way home when we heard something that just didn't sound right. The hair on Frannie's back stood up. She thought she was going to have to take action. We all looked at each other. Dad said, "Don't worry. I think some equipment in the storage bin just moved around." Ahh, a sigh of relief. Close the eyes again and think about the great day! BANG, POP, SHAKE!!!!! Frannie jumped on top of Chloe and me to shield us from any harm. "TAKE COVER!" Frannie instructed. Dad calmed us by saying that one of our tires had blown. He guided the Woody Bus to the shoulder of the road.

It was scary at first, being stuck on the side of the dark interstate while cars and trucks passed by. Every time a big truck would pass by, the bus would shake. Mom closed the curtains in bus, turned on the television to block out some of the noise, and we sat on the bed and waited for help to come. (Since the Woody Bus is really big, Dad had to have help from a professional.) While we waited - and waited - and waited some more, we talked, told stories, played Go Fish, sang our favorite songs and read our favorite books. Finally, a truck came! The mechanic and Dad worked a really long time taking the bad tire off and replacing it with the new tire. It took a long time and we could tell that Dad and the mechanic were tired - I mean exhausted! Finally, the tire was changed, and we were back in business. Chloe, Frannie, Mom, and I all gave three cheers to Dad and the mechanic - and, of course, to Frannie the Body Guard! Hip, Hip Hooray! Hip, Hip Hooray! Hip, Hip Hooray!

We pulled into our driveway at 2:30 Friday morning!!! Mom and Dad had been awake since our Scooby alarm clock went off at 5:00 on Thursday morning - almost 22 hours!!! Needless to say, Friday was spent taking long naps - and putting new tires on the Woody Bus!!!

Since Friday was spent napping, we are still catching up on laundry and chores. Therefore, I have to go. Chloe is helping Mom fold the clothes and I am sure there are tasks on my To-Do list! Stay tuned to the blog. We have lots of stories and photos to post!

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

WOODY

TAILS from Anchorage

Kentucky Greetings, WoodyWatchers! It is a gorgeous afternoon at our doghouse in Shepherdsville. We finished our lunch - baked chicken in case you are wondering - and had our afternoon walk. I thought I would take the time to write in my diary. I couldn't wait to tell you about the fantastic time we had yesterday in Anchorage, KY!

Our family spent the day and evening with the elementary students of Anchorage School. It was our first time at the school but you wouldn't know it! Everyone treated us like we were family! We felt right at home! The students were so friendly. I bet every student in the school came up and said, "Thanks for coming, Woody!" "No, THANK YOU!" I would say! "It was our pleasure!"

A great big thanks to Mrs. Robin Gomez and Mrs. Julie for planning the perfect day and evening. We spent the entire day in the library. It had state-of-the-art equipment. As impressive as all of that was, it still didn't top the way everyone made us feel! We also were showered with gifts - goodies bags with our favorite dog treats, a gift certificate to Feeder's Supply, cards, letters, and a lunch that was DEE-LISH!!!

By the way, the superintendent came by to see me. I asked him about changing the mascot from the Anchorage Anchors to the Anchorage Wiener Dogs. He said he would discuss it with the Board of Education. He thought it might be too tough to change the shirts, the letterhead, the sign out front, but again, he would do his best!

Dad took 175 photos at the school. We posted about 5! We will put the rest on the Picture Page soon so stay tuned!

Since it is Friday afternoon, I think I will call it a week! The CATS have a big football game tomorrow night against the Arkansas Razorbacks! In case you are wondering what a razorback is, well it's a pig or a hog! Surely the CATS can win! Can't wait to tell you all about it!

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

WOODY

TAILS from Sandersville

Kentucky Greetings, WoodyWatchers! It is Wednesday evening and we are not in the Woody Bus!!! Before you worry, nothing is wrong. We are just close to home on Thursday. Because of that, Dad said we could leave early in the morning! In fact, Dad said we would have to be in the Woody Bus ready to leave home at 6:20 pronto. As you can imagine, I have to go to bed even earlier than usual!

Yesterday, our family spent the day at a brand new school in Lexington, KY called Sandersville. Sandersville Elementary just opened up this school year! It used to be Linlee Elementary. We visited Linlee two years ago and couldn't wait to return! The building at Sandersville was much different than Linlee but the teachers and the students were the same friendly bunch we remembered from a few years ago! A great big hug to Mrs. Lisa Spaulding for making Tuesday, October 14th, Woody, The Kentucky Wiener Day!

The new school was gorgeous! Chloe and I made sure we minded our manners. Dad reminded me several times that I couldn't have accidents of any kind! Mission accomplished - no accidents!

I posted a picture of the building for you to see. If you look closely, you can see that it says 2008. I also posted a picture of Frances P. Florence, or Frannie as we call her. She is our official body guard on the Woody Tour. You can see by the photo that she is scanning the crowd making sure that Chloe and I are safe! She's the best!

By the way, we have some new photos on the Photo Page so be sure to take a minute to sniff around!

Off to bed! Tomorrow we will be in Anchorage! We can't wait! I will tell you all about it! Sweet dreams and Work and Dream like a BIG DOG!

WOODY

By the way, that's Anchorage, Kentucky not Anchorage, Alaska! If it had been Anchorage, Alaska we would have had to have left home before now!

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