Hold your breath everyone. This year is passing so quickly that if we breathe too deeply it may be over before we let the air out! It seems to be a chaotic year as well. That may be due to the poor economy, or the dry weather conditions, or even the out of control government conditions. Perhaps it is a little bit of all of those things. All I know is somehow, I’ve managed to make it into the 9

We’re all trying to add a little sparkle to our rooms for the Open House on Tuesday. This year it is going to be a little tough with all the dead crickets. Those little monsters are the foulest smelling critters on the face of the earth. We survived the stink bug invasion. They’re actually not too bad as long as you don’t rile them up, and they give you a blast of gas. I’ve developed a pretty good drop kick maneuver that gets them out of the room and into the great outdoors. There’s nothing you can do for those wretched crickets. They come in through all our little cracks, and hide under things until they die and rot. The rot is the issue. Chad added boards under outside doors to try and stem the tide, but they just keep coming. Vickie and Esmerelda are kept pretty busy. They just stink!

Valerie Gossett has sent home book lists for the book fair. I hope everyone looked them over and picked at least one book to buy for either their child or for our classrooms. Mr. Fowler has everything lined up this year. The issue Valerie has found in the last few years is the other activities that occur on the same night. Parents can only spend so much money. Once you spend five dollars for a meal for everyone, that doesn’t leave too much money for buying books. That’s one of the issues for small schools; not enough parents to spread money around to the different groups. Mind you, our parents are great. I’m sure the cookie dough and meat fundraiser for Mr. McKee went well, our chocolates went very well , and various other groups are out to pad their class funds. I have to tell you my little 5

Ginger is finding it hard to get all the names of our community sick on the back of our bulletin. We have added more during the quilting on Wednesday. Junior Evans was doing better after receiving his pacemaker, but the respite was short-lived. We need to hold them both up in our prayers. I hope everyone can make it to the Stars and Stripes fund-raiser on Saturday. It sounds like way too much fun, with spook houses and games for the kids as well as delicious food for the adults. Practice your washer tossing. Who knows; maybe you will be the big winner this year! Please pray for our sick, for our farmers and ranchers, our government and the upcoming elections and our wonderful troops. Many families will be missing loved ones for Thanksgiving and Christmas. God bless each of you and God bless America.

th week of school and I’m not even sure how it’s going!th graders did a magnificent job last Thursday working the concession stand for two games. We had a melt down here and there, but they worked under pressure, and didn’t flinch under my work ethic. 5th graders, you are the best! We are going to have a marvelous time at the Lexington. This will be the 3rd year we have earned enough money to stay at the USS Lexington. I think we’ll go in March this year. We left it a little late last year, but there was so much going on, we couldn’t find a free date.