Lesson 414: Swing into Spring

Happy Weekend, Everyone!

It's looking to be a beautiful one here in Erie.

There are some subtle hints of color emerging into our bleak landscape.

Buds are starting to pop!

Flowers are fighting their way to bloom.

My kids are blooming, too.

Sam has grown an inch

 and lost two teeth this week,

on back to back days.

It's time to put Spring into full Swing!

Baseball practice started for Sam.

You can tell who is the son of two teachers.

That is Sam raising his (left) hand.

Ellen and her fellow freshmen raise the rakes.

The Harbor Creek Freshman Rakettes,

a tradition going strong since 1974.

We enjoyed a Friday evening on the diamond.

Grandma continues to raise school event hell--

a tradition going strong since 1984.

Sam watched from his perch along the outfield fence.

Cousin Jack made his way to the cheering section

and enjoyed a healthy dose of sunshine.

And here we stand,

the O's in arms,

a tradition going strong since 1967.

Natalie is probably the biggest fan of all.

She is thrilled that the seasons have started.

She accompanied Ellen and her friends to Panera to 

rehash the game over a bread bowl soup.

Thanks, girls.

Inclusion works!

Lesson of the Week:  Dr. Seuss Symbolism

Readers responded so well to the blog post about Yertle the Turtle,

I decided to show you another book we studied in my class.

It's a story published in 1984 about two groups of peopleish people--

The Yooks

and

The Zooks.

The only difference in the groups was a cultural one--

The Yooks preferred to eat their bread with the butter side up.

The Zooks,

preferred to eat their bread with the butter side down.

Soon animosity developed between the two groups.

Unfamiliarity and misunderstanding

eventually led to intolerance and mistrust.

The book is about the arms race between the old Soviet Union and the United States.

The wall built between the two nations was policed by officers 

who carried a snickberry switch.

Soon, a slingshot was developed to be able to fight from a distance.

The Yooks developed a bigger sling shot--

a Triple Sling Jigger,

to be exact.

The Zooks retaliated by developing a 

Jigger Rock Snatchem!

The Yooks could intercept the rocks before they would even hit land!

Soon animals carried guns

(reminds one of the Grinch, doesn't it?)

In time flying contraptions,

of near identical power were developed

one, after the other.

Finally came the day of the biggest little weapon known to man.

It was time to drop the Big Boy Bombaroo!

The Yooks all retreated to their underground Yookery.

The book ends masterfully,

as only Dr. Seuss could do.

I told my students that in 1984,

I was always worried about nuclear war.

I asked my students what they most often worried about--

(Note to parents--the kids admitted to worrying at night,

in bed,

just before they fell asleep)

I heard this admission

class

after class

after class

throughout the entire week.

The students admitted their biggest worry 

was what if something "bad happened" while they were in school.

Where would they hide?
Would their parents come for them?
I heard this admission

class

after class

after class

throughout the entire week.

A very sad sign of our times, I guess.

Consideration and cooperation are always better than war.

I believe this so much that I'm modeling it for all of you this summer.

I've asked my sister Kenyan to be my Challenge Erie 7 partner this year!

We've had a bit of a history going in the fitness and wellness world

over the last five years.

Kenyan is kind of competitive

and a little bit nuts.

Someone has to keep her in line.

She cozies up to my teammates just to gain information

you know,

for thefts

and kidnappings,

and such.

My team retaliated,

but Eloise played Chief Negotiator,

and they released my one and only sibling.

So now I have a partner for Challenge Erie 7 this summer.

This will be my fourth summer participating in the wellness program.

It's lots of fun,

you'll meet lots of awesome people,

and get well in the process.

Here are the specifics of Challenge Erie,

a wellness program developed by local chiropractor,

Dr. Steven Krauza.

Contact Eloise for further information,

or call his office for details.

Truthfully,

I'm looking for a babysitter for Kenyan and I,

to make sure we make it through the Peek -n- Peak Adventure Course

without killing one another.

Challenge Erie: What Do I Get?

Challenge Erie 7 is all about providing you with the EXPERIENCE of wellness.  You will be exposed to new ideas, activities, and a new found sense of confidence.

Delivering the EXPERIENCE of wellness is an honor and privilege.  So, what will you receive during the course of this ten week program?  Good question.  Read on:

The quality and efficiency of your nervous system is the foundation to any healthy lifestyle, so your nervous system will be evaluated at the beginning of the program.  The results of this assessment will be factored into your Wellness Quotient.  Your WQ is a snapshot of where you fall on the wellness continuum.  We will need a baseline of where you are starting!

Ten weeks of wellness will get you:

§                                 Two Wellness Assessments with our patented Wellness Quotient technology

§                                 Custom wellness reports

§                                 24 Team Adrenaline workouts

§                                 Kickoff Scavenger Hunt

§                                 Cooking Class

§                                 Escape Room Erie

§                                 Water Fitness Class

§                                 Ski Slope Hill Run

§                                 Slow Roll Bike Ride at night at Presque Isle

§                                 Self Defense Class

§                                 Peek 'n Peak Adventure Course

§                                 Obstacle Course Simulation

§                                 Paddle Boarding

§                                 Nutritional Guidelines

§                                 Expanded Comfort Zone

§                                 An increased sense of confidence

Challenge Erie has the ability to help you transform your life!  Set yourself in motion...in a direction of pride, confidence, and balance.  

Sign up today!

EVENTS BELOW:

07MAY	Challenge Erie 7 Kickoff - Scavenger Hunt Sat 8 AM · 2 friends are going	Presque Isle State Park, PA Erie	Boost Event Edit
14MAY	Challenge Erie - Cooking Class Sat 1:30 PM · by Challenge Erie	Whole Foods Cooperative Erie	Boost Event Edit

21MAY	Challenge Erie - Escape Room Erie Sat 2 PM · by Challenge Erie	Escape Room Erie Erie	Boost Event Edit
28MAY	Challenge Erie - The Great Hill Climb Sat 9 AM ·	Peek'n Peak Resort and Spa Clymer, NY	Boost Event Edit

04JUN	Challenge Erie - Water Fitness Class Sat 9 AM ·	Mercyhurst Northeast Pool	Boost Event Edit
11JUN	Challenge Erie - Slow Roll Sat 9 PM · by Challenge Erie	Presque Isle State Park Erie	Boost Event Edit

18JUN	Challenge Erie - Self Defense for Runners Sat 8 AM ·	TBD	Boost Event Edit
25JUN	Challenge Erie - Peek 'n Peak Adventure Course Sat 9 AM ·	Peek'n Peak Resort and Spa Clymer, NY	Boost Event Edit

02JUL	Challenge Erie - Beach Workout Sat 8 AM ·	Presque Isle State Park Erie	Boost Event Edit
09JUL	Challenge Erie - Obstacle Course Sat 8 AM · by Challenge Erie	3 RING BOX, LLC Erie	Boost Event Edit

16JUL

Challenge Erie - Final Event Sat 8 AM · by Challenge Erie

Iroquois High School Erie

Have an amazing weekend, Readers.

Experience Spring in full bloom.

ELOISE

Lesson 413: A Cinderella Story

Good weekend to you, Readers.

It's 9:00 on Sunday night and

Cindereloise is headed to the ball.

I

I have exactly three hours to make good on my promise

of a weekend blog post before all hell breaks loose.

At the stroke of midnight,

my carriage will turn back into a Mom Van and

this gown I'm wearing will return to polar fleece PJ's

(we need them around here).

Cindereloise almost missed the ball this weekend.

I got sick!

It wasn't all that horrible.

It hit on the weekend,

and I much prefer an illness then, than during the work week.

I got to catch up on TV in between my 16 hours worth of naps.

One of my favorite shows ended on Thursday.

I watched the American Idol finale back a few times.

Trent Harmon was crowned the winner.

My early pick of Mackenzie Bourg finished fourth.

I loved the finale show.

Reviews have been mixed.

I read a couple of snobby articles on-line,

one in the New York Times and

another in Time Magazine,

that touted the show as cheesy.

In return, 

Pretentious Writers,

I will tout you boring and stuffy.

Would it kill you to be entertained for an hour or two a week?

There were great performances from all of our 

Idol favorites.

Carrie Underwood performed twice.

When you mention American Idol,

she is usually the first person to come to mind.

I love Carrie in a different way than I love the other traditional record label stars.

I feel like in some way we watched her grow up

and experience her own Cinderella story.

There is even a book in the Clark School library on Carrie!

She's a sweetheart that appeals to everyone.

Simon Cowell's prediction way back at the end of Season 4 was spot on.

She impressed me because after her win,

she returned to college to finish her degree--

respectable!

Not all people recognize goodness when they see it.

Some people are catty--

I'll miss the show that brought my family together for 15 years--

my parents,

my Prince Charming and I,

my children,

and my students.

Maybe the run isn't over forever.

I think the show will evolve into something different,

adapting to the changing needs and wants of America.

That's what good things do--

recognize when the run is over,

and bring the best pieces of that work with along with them

 to build something new.

Read about Ryan Seacrest's Good night....for now, below.

Good night....for now, read about it CLICK HERE

To hear it for yourselves--CLICK HERE

Mrs. Eloise plays teacher five days a week.

For the last nine years I've worked for my Alma mater.

I have a unique job where I get to teach and interact with my students year after year,

from elementary school through high school

This year Harbor Creek High School put on one of my favorite musicals-

Cinderella.

I got to see all of my freckle faced elementary schoolers

with standy-uppy hair and missing teeth,

grow into teenagers confident enough to stand on stage under a spotlight.

I almost missed it due to my virus

if not for the help of my Fairy God MOTHER.

It's amazing what a hot shower,

some lip gloss 

and the wave of a mascara wand can do to a person.

Grandma wouldn't let me drive myself to the final performance on Saturday night.
She didn't want me walking too far to aggravate my cough,

so she turned her van into a coach and drove me both ways.

God, MOTHER!

(but thank you).

The night was complete with a Handsome Prince,

Cinderella, kind and sweet,

and a Fairy Godmother who made it all happen

The kids did a great job with this Cinderella story.

Mrs. Eloise is proud of you!

We have a real, live Cinderella story at the Lamp Post!

Ellen was asked to be baby Emma's Fairy Godmother?

My family fell in love with my once-baby sitter's new baby.

Emma Grace will be much loved!

Natalie is living our her own Cinderella story.

She chose a powder blue gown like Cinderella's

to wear to the Seneca High School Prom on May 21st.

She even has her crown to wear from her Miss Shining Star Pageant.

Natalie,

you and Ryan will surely be shining stars on that night.

I still feel anything but the shining star,

but with a hot bath and an attempt at a night of solid sleep,

I'll be good to go in no time.

Time to dance with my Handsome Prince at the Lamp Post ball.

The ball at the Lamp Post is not so grand.

A ball means laundry,

and lunches,

and loads of school prep.

Love at first sight like Cinderella's is so special and wonderful to experience,

but it's fleeting.

Cinderella married shortly afterwards in a grand affair 

when everything was new and lovely.

Over time every Cinderella gets sick.

Every Handsome Prince can be a jerk.

And the palace you once thought was so big and grand

becomes a pain in the @$$ to clean.

Lesson for the weekend

(albeit a bit late):

Geared toward teens, because so many involved in the Cinderella cast are reading this blog tonight:

True love is lasting, not fleeting.

True love is the Handsome Prince giving you the bed two nights,

with all the best pillows and softest blankets,

so you can sleep comfortably,

while he takes the couch with the dog.

True love is when the Handsome Prince sends you a steady stream 

of photos of a fresh new baby

because you can't be there because of your fever.

Thank you, Prince Charming.

Good night......for now.

ELOISE