The Wizard of Oz

Being that I read, listen to and watch the news practically 24 hours a day, I got to find out about something that I thought was super cool.

You see this year is the 70th Anniversary of the making of "The Wizard of Oz." The original movie debuted in movie theatres in 1939 and to mark the anniversary this year, the film is becoming available on Blu-ray.

Every so often, in honor of these milestones, select theatres will show these classics in theatres for the people to enjoy them in that setting. They decided to do this for this movie. When I heard about it, at first I was a bit hesitant because I immediately thought about taking Sydney but wasn't quite sure how she would react to being in the theatre and if she would even want to stay still.

I took my chances and hoped she'd enjoy watching it on a huge screen like she had months before when one Sunday evening TBS played it back to back and she sat through both showings without putting up too much fuss.

We headed out to the movies in Mesquite (AMC 30) and bought our tickets. To my surprise and happiness, Sydney was very intrigued during the whole movie, reacting at times to some of the scarier scenes, like when the evil witch is coming down the road to take Toto, or when the munchkins start flying to get Dorothy.

I was so glad I took the chance and took her to see it. When she gets older, I'll be sure to tell her that she went and saw that movie at the theatre.

We're Going To The Chapel, We're Going To Get Married!

Today was my brother Albert's and his girlfriend, Laura's wedding. I took an extended lunch and left the office around 10:30 with Liz and headed towards Frisco to the JP Court where they would get married.

The ceremony was really nice....very short, the shortest marriage ceremony I've seen, but still very nice. The whole thing must have lasted 20 minutes...15 of those were spent taking pictures (get my point).

Afterwards, Albert & Laura invited us to lunch at Papasito's...it was very yummy.

Congratulations to them!



The Collin County Courthouse. One of Laura's best friends works here and I think that is why this place was the one they choose to get married at.



Albert, Laura, Liz, myself and Joanna waiting to go into court.



Walking into the courtroom to get hitched.



The Judge!



Albert putting the wedding band on Laura's finger.



Laura putting the wedding band on Albert....she was a little nervous.



Saying a prayer that God may bless their marriage today and always.



Officially husband and wife....congratulations.



Group picture: Liz, Joanna, Albert, Laura, myself and Laura's parents.



Proud big sister, Liz, Albert & Laura.



Proud little sister, me, Albert, & Laura.



Wedding bands.



Albert & Laura invited us to Pappasito's after the ceremony to celebrate.



Happy times!!!!!

Brad Paisely American Saturday Night Tour!

Went out with Frank to Super Pages to see the one and only Brad Paisely. I had requested to have my tickets picked up at "Will Call," as I wanted the actual ticket and not a paper copy from Ticketmaster that is frankly really boring.

We arrived and to our great surprise did not have to pay for the $30 parking that had been advertised. We headed directly towards the ticket booth all the while making an observation of something really odd.

It seemed that we were the only Hispanics in the mist of a sea of white people. I know that maybe not a whole heck of a lot of Hispanics like country music, but I had no clue it was to this extreme. It was really, really weird to look around all these people and not see another Hispanic around.

We finally made our way into the concert area and found our seats, which thankfully were located towards the back but still under the covered area. You see, Superpages has a lawn section for which you paid like $15. On any other given day, that would have been just fine, but tonight is had been sprinkling all day long and did so all throughout the concert. People were completely drenched by the time it was all over.

There were two opening acts: Jimmie Wayne and Dierks Bentley. Both were really good but I was just ready to see Brad Paisley. He finally came on stage and put on a great show, just like the previous two I had seen back in Austin when he was just getting started.

I do have to say though, that I was a bit disappointed he did not play more of his old songs, but it was a great concert nonetheless.





Jimmy Wayne!



Frank & I.



Dierks Bentley.



The man himself....Brad Paisley!!!!!















This was right after the concert...in the truck. You can't really tell, but we were soaked from head to toe!

Angie's 15th Birthday Bash!

If you would have asked me years ago would I believe we'd be celebrating Angie's
15th birthday now, I would have laughed and told you, "Oh, that's years away!!!!"

Well imagine then how Albert and Araceli, Angie's parents, must feel saying they are the parents of a 15-year old beautiful teenager!

If you know Angie, you know that she is quieter than a mouse....and I ain't kidding about that. That girl will not talk to anyone in her family, much less a stranger. It is very difficult to get her to open up but hey, that is what defines Angie, what make her unique and you learn to accept it - no harm is meant on her part.

With that said, she apparently had already expressed to her parents that they could save themselves lots of money and not give her the traditional quinceanera that we usually have for when girls turn 15!

With a day into a new house, Albert and Laura, somehow tidied up their new place and with the help of Araceli and her family who provided a great pork "guisado," put on the BEST last minute fiesta to celebrate Angie's birthday.

I really have to bow down and give it to them for doing this with such little time. Even with all her shyness and lack of expression, I'm sure Angie really appreciated all that was done for her.



Angie & Araceli (her mom).



Angie & AJ.



Angie & Sydney...being silly, as always.



Angie & Liz.



Angie and Albert, her dad.



Angie & me.



Angie & Eva.



Angie & her birthday cake.



Patty & I.



Angie & Ruth.



Frank & Sydney poo.



Araceli & I.



Angie & Laura.



My big brother & I.

Longhorns Blowout Against Lousiana-Monroe (59-20)

"It took exactly two plays to get the Longhorns rolling into another business-as-usual opening-day blowout.

A Texas defense that has spent the entire off-season talking about creating turnovers finally got to sink its teeth into an opposing team, recovering their first fumble on Louisiana-Monroe’s second play from scrimmage. Defensive end Sam Acho out-wrestled quarterback Trey Revell for the football after a misplayed shotgun snap, giving Colt McCoy and the Texas offense possession at the ULM 23.

The 101,096 fans that packed Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on Saturday night could have guessed what came next. In just three plays, McCoy led the offense to the goal line, where, to chants of “Cody” from the stands, Texas’ goal line specialist Cody Johnson bulldozed through the defense for his first of three one-yard touchdown runs en route to a 59-20 Texas victory.

“It was really big,” said Acho of the early turnover. “It was good for our team to get the offense on the field quickly and score early.”

Johnson’s touchdown was just the start the Longhorns needed to quell any thoughts of an upset. They rode the early momentum to a 14-3 lead at the end of the first quarter following another Johnson touchdown run on Texas’ next possession. Despite a letup in the second quarter, the Longhorns ran out to a 38-10 halftime lead.

The defense wasn’t perfect, however. With ULM down 21-3 and reeling, the Longhorns briefly let the Warhawks back in the game with one big busted play. Cornerback Chykie Brown was caught with his eyes in the backfield as quarterback Trey Revell scrambled to his right and unleashed a bomb down the field, finding the streaking Luther Ambrose for a 75-yard touchdown.

The game didn’t stay competitive for too long. On the ensuing kickoff, redshirt freshman D.J. Monroe introduced himself to the Texas crowd by taking his first touch of his football career for an electrifying 89-yard return touchdown.

“It was a great feeling, it couldn’t have been any better,” said Monroe, who has undergone several position changes during his brief time at Texas. “I’ve been waiting my turn, but I had my whole team behind me.”

Monroe followed that opening act with a slew of good runs, finishing with 64 rushing yards on just nine carries. The track star-turned-running back provided the spark to lift the Longhorns out of their midgame malaise and put ULM away early.

Despite throwing an interception and getting sacked twice, McCoy had another solid, if unspectacular, day leading the offense. He finished with 317 yards and was 21 of 29 passing with two touchdown passes, including a 78-yard bomb to Jordan Shipley to help the Horns pull away before halftime. Shipley did most of his damage early as he piled up a career-high 180 yards on eight catches.

McCoy made amends for what he considered a subpar first half with a quick score on the other side of halftime, finding former backup quarterback John Chiles for a 14-yard touchdown, bringing the score to 45-10.

This success was all that was expected of the Texas offense, which finished with 568 total yards and even had time for a touchdown drive from true freshman quarterback Garrett Gilbert, who scampered in for a 13-yard touchdown run late in the fourth quarter.

It wasn’t all smiles on the Texas sideline, though, as the offense turned the ball over three times — including two fumbles by starting running back Vondrell McGee — and had an abundance of penalties. But fumbles aside, the running game racked up the yardage and the carries, taking the ball 49 times and gaining 205 yards.

“One of the things we have to be careful with is the standards are set so high, you feel like you can’t make any mistakes,” said head coach Mack Brown. “This is the worst we’ll be. Opening games are very difficult.”

The new-look defense, meanwhile, held its own, building on Acho’s early fumble recovery and forcing three turnovers, with Acho recovering a second fumble later in the game and holding strong on several ULM red-zone trips.

Despite ULM having three possessions that started on the Texas half of the field after two turnovers and a good punt return, the defense held the Warhawks to only three points, forcing a punt and a turnover at the hands of backup safety Nolan Brewster, who intercepted Revell at the 3-yard line.

“You don’t want to give up 20 points, ever,” said defensive coordinator Will Muschamp.

“You don’t want to give up a 75-yard touchdown pass. Obviously, we have an awful lot of work… I think if you take away a few plays in the first half, we played a pretty good ball game.” "



Vondrell McGee powers through a ULM defender during Texas’ win over the Warhawks in the season opener. McGee finished the game with 78 rushing yards.



Senior quarterback Colt McCoy hands off to sophomore running back Cody Johnson during Texas’ season opener on Saturday

Courtesy of Daily Texan

Happy 29th Birthday from my co-workers in Plano!

Having a second job can really have it's perks you know. Well, I say this only if you have one and enjoy it for one and also if you get to work with a good group of people, which I am blessed to say that I do.

With that said, when it comes to celebrating your birthday, if you are happy that you are getting older, having 2 jobs only makes it that much better because you get "celebrated" twice.

Though I have just returned to Plano after being MIA a couple of months, I came back just in time to celebrate my birthday and no, this was not done on purpose either. :)

My co-workers had a beautiful card for me with the cutest balloons and a Ty Beanie bear (blue) and the most delicious cake I've had in a while.

It's really a blessing when even after working a long day, you have to show up to another job and work for several more hours but get to do it with a good group of people.

Surprise Party!

Ever since I joined "Farmville" on Facebook, I've been quite addicted and it's only been about 3 weeks. Since I cannot access the game anywhere but home, I had agreed with la Sra. Adriana that I would go over to her house today in the evening to have her help me out with my farm.

I almost called her and told her I'd go another day because quite frankly, Sydney was in a bad mood and I thought I'd give her a bath and put her to bed. I decided not to back out and drove over to her house.

She had just called me and said she was headed home, if not there already, from soccer practice so when I showed up at her house and didn't see her vehicle in the driveway, I was a little puzzled. I did see Frank's car and even Joel's truck and figured they had come over for a game of Madden.

I rang the doorbell and was in for the shock of my life when the door opened up. The next thing I hear is "SURPRISE," and the lights come on and won't you believe there were balloons hanging from the ceiling and a table with a cake and gifts towards the back and the back wall decorated as well.

I was greeted by the Sra. Adriana, and then Frank and then the rest of the group, Shelby, Summer, Joel, Deanna, and el Sr. Gustavo. I have to give Frank credit for putting this all together along with the help of some good friends.

We got to enjoy some yummy fajitas and ribs, with all the sides and a delicious cake too!

I guess turning older is not so bad when you have surprises like this!



Pretty decorations!



My yummy cake!



La Sra. Adriana, me, and Deanna!



Shelby & I!



Sydney & I!



Frank & I!



My cake and gifts!



Cake bite!



Usually your face gets dunked into the cake courtesy of the guests, but mine were very nice to me and were okay with a little tad of icing on my nose!



A set of three gorgeous bracelets with Longhorn charms...courtesy of la Sra. Adriana, el Sr. Gustavo, Andrea and Adrian.



Body wash and lotion from Bath & Body Works - Sweet Pea scent courtesy of Ms. Deanna, Joel, Shelby & Summer!



US Soccer team jersey. Frank went through the trouble of putting on the name and number of my favorite US player, Landon Donovan!