Metal - LESS!!!!!!

Gosh, I guess it has been about 3 1/2 years now since the 2nd time around that I put on braces. In total, I have had braces on for the last 7 years of the last 10 years of my life. That is a L-O-N-G time to have metal in your mouth!

I had been told by Dr. Ray that I would come in for today's visit and he would decide then if my braces were coming off. I had high hopes it would happen and so I prepared for the big moment.

I have been blessed to have been recommended Dr. Ray's office and have been so pleased with the staff. They have made getting my braces tightened real fun, though in reality, sometimes it hurts like you can't imagine. I decided I would celebrate them as well for finally getting rid of me as their patient. :)

I brought along some balloons, pizza and cinnamon rolls to celebrate the occasion. All the while, though I kept them hidden in the truck, hoping Dr. Ray would free me of my metal today.

I didn't have to wait long, I think it helped that he saw my anxiousness to hear the words come out of his mouth. When he told me they were coming off, I was beyond myself. I had to ask them to give me a moment while I returned from my truck.

Of course they were kind of shocked, more so when they saw me walking in with the pizza and stuff. It was definitely the highlight of my day!

Who knew I had a pretty smile underneath all that metal!



Before...still with braces!

Christmas Eve 2009!

This year has been extra special as it seems like my dad has been here more than any other year. I try to be understanding most of the time that he is more comfortable being in his home back in Donna doing his thing, but it's always nice to have him around us.

This Christmas was extra special as he stuck around to celebrate it with us. We got together at Albert's house. It was very cold Christmas Eve and we actually had a "white Christmas" this year. It began snowing around 5 in the afternoon and it was just beautiful.













Sydney is so silly!

Grover's Retirement....That Dog Don't Hunt Here!

Rewind the clock back to July 2003. We had been in Garland for a total of 7 months and I had been working for the City of Garland at the Landfill for the same amount of time.

I had recently applied for a Customer Service position with New Accounts in Customer Service and had received a call from who would become my new boss, Grover Moore. I enthusiastically accepted the job offer and was ready to start at my new job. I would stay with New Accounts for six months and move on to the Credit Department, still within the Customer Service division, leaving behind one of my all time favorite supervisors..

Not long after being there, Grover Moore was moved to Credit and became the supervisor of Credit. I couldn't be more excited. It was always nice to know that when you do your job as you are told and a citizen requests to speak with your supervisor, they pretty much back you up in what you are doing.

I left the Credit Department in May 2006 to come to my current job in Safelight but even before I left, I would always ask Grover when he was going to retire and his response was always "soon," but it seemed like it never came around.

Finally one morning I got an email from a co-worker letting me know that Grover was going to retire. I was so happy, not because he was leaving the city, but because he had put in his time and deserved to be work-free and go home to his beloved ranch in Sherman.

Here are a few pictures of his retirement celebration. Mr. Moore will always be one of my favorite bosses. "Good luck to you sir."

Pasadena....here we come!!!!!!

Hunter Lawrence's 46-yard field goal.

Luna Turkey Trot 2009!

I went out to volunteer at this year's Turkey Trot at Sydney's school. It was so cold, I didn't know if I would survive the frigid temperatures while manning my post. Sydney's class got to do the "trot" around 8:30. I was anxiously awaiting to see my little munchkin come around the corner. When she realized I was standing there, she got all excited. It made me very happy. I am glad that I can be with her for the little moments that are special in her life.











This was her second time going around the course and as you can tell by now she was a little wired up being a tad silly.



Time to head back inside. 'Til next year turkey trotters!