[netjunkie2]

Thanks for all the responses. I am going to condense the answers to all the questions in one short note here...

I have checked the fan, it does kick in...
No milky stuff in oil or radiator...
Thermostat right-side-up...
Bled air out of valve on top of thermostat housing (hoping that was the right way) mostly just spewed coolant mixture...
Not sure where to find the coolant level sensor. Tried to find it but not exactly sure what I'm looking for.
One other note... when I went to bring my car home the other night (after it's overnight stay on the side of the road) I cranked the heater up full blast (yeah, in Alabama in August) and made it home fine with no over-heating, boiling, bubbling etc. The radiator cap was not even too warm to touch. Significant? Helpful?