Watch D.O.G.S.

You  may recall from last year that Watch DOGS is a terrific program where Dads have a special day at the school.  Watch DOGS stands for "Dads of Great Students" and they watch over the school and special events during their assigned day.

The welcome meeting with pizza was Tuesday evening.  I love how they make their way around the cafeteria taking photos of the students with their Dads.  And how gorgeous is this picture of Ellie and Bill!

When I said to Ellie, "I love this picture.  You look so much like Daddy!"  She said, "Yeah, we do.  Our eyes are in the same place."  Which caused me to shake my head laughing.  "Well, yes, your eyes are both where they are supposed to be.  Instead of somewhere else on your face."  She was laughing too!

Happy Labor Day Weekend

We had such a nice, quiet weekend together with Aunt Di and Uncle Bruce.  We ate a variety of Mexican and BBQ meals - including the one above where Ellie picked her favorite BBQ spot - 3 Stacks in Frisco for our night out on Saturday!

There were lots of games - Life and Bananagrams were the most popular.  And let's not forget all the time at the pool.  We were fortunate on both Saturday and Sunday to have the entire pool to ourselves!  It was beautiful and sunny both days - although a bit warmer on Sunday - to enjoy splashing around!

What a treat to have developed a great pattern of visiting over the past year.  We look forward to the next time we're all together!

Central Market adventure

Outside the Central Market are these huge fruit shaped markers where to put your car for curbside pick-up.  Of course, Ellie couldn't resist getting her picture taken next to them.

What a store this is!  The meats and seafood section are not to be beat!  We bought 2 lbs of mussels to steam with garlic and white wine for dinner, found salmon and snapper, and then all the awesome vegetables and fruits too!  They have an olive bar (like a salad bar) that is the length of the store.  Wow!  A huge coffee section to grind your own, and when we went around the corner to the bakery section we knew we were in heaven!

What a treat on a Sunday morning!

An Apple a Day

The wellness seminar focused us on nutrition and eating cleaner.  Avoiding GMO, artificial sweeteners and less additives all together!

The nutritionist had some samples for us.  One of them was these Cotton Candy grapes .. but we were told they are hard to find.  I knew it would be darn near impossible to find something in Dallas once I got back home.

Lo and behold I found them in both Kroger and Central Market ... ah, how wonderful they are!

And of course I couldn't resist this 'purely elizabeth' granola.  It came highly recommended and it is really delicious too!  And, yes, Ellie loves it and the name!

Friends Far and Wide

I had the pleasure of spending time with my good friend, Erica this past week in Bloomington.  She was one of people who prepared me for the interview that got me this job and hence the move to Dallas.  She and her husband, son CJ (3) and daughter, Mia (4 months) welcomed me for dinner one night and one night she and I attended a Wellness seminar.

She is one of those people who I could call for just about anything .. in fact, for awhile she and I had a standing Friday afternoon call to talk about 'pits and peaks' for the week.  What a great phone call to look forward to!

Thank goodness for friends like her!

The many outfits of the 4th grader

While I was away, every morning Bill would send me a photo of Ellie in the outfit she had picked out for herself.  Some were better than others, but in the end she was dressed, and they were both happy!

Bloomington Revisited

The Prius I was forced to drive as my rental
A far cry from my Ford Explorer!

A new wine I found while in the area.  And  an appropriate name as well

Most days took a Venti to get me going ...

A trip to Bloomington wouldn't be the same without a visit to Joe's Station House.

During this past week I traveled to Bloomington by myself.  It was a work trip, but it's always full of great visits and great food.  So glad for the direct flight from Dallas to Bloomington ... makes it that much easier!

Road Guards & Other Duties as Assigned

Ellie and Robin were both picked for the first round of Road Guards this year.  They arrive at school 5-10 minutes early.  They raise the flag and help kids in and out of the cars in the drop off line in front of school.

They were both so thrilled to be asked, and to be serving at the same time made them even happier.  And I knew they were well-matched for each other!

The assignment is for six weeks - so it's quite an honor that not every 4th grader will have.  SO, so proud of her!

She told me the best story from one of her first days 'on the job.' She said she opened the car door to help out a Kindergartener and held her hand until they reached the front door of the school.  That's the customary drop-off place for kids so she can go back and resume her car door opening duties.

Except the little girl wouldn't let go of her hand.  Ellie told her it was okay.  That she could see her teacher from outside the door.  What a good helper she makes!

First Day of 4th Grade

Robin and Ellie
First Day of 4th Grade at Whitt Elementary

How could 4th grade have arrived so quickly?  Seems like just yesterday we arrived home from the hospital, set the car carrier on the counter, looked at this tiny little baby and said to each other, 'what do we do now?"

And nine and half years later this tiny baby with a mind and a voice of her own starts 4th grade!  She's an independent thinker, always a quick wit, thinks she's in charge and is the first one to want to help someone else.

Here she is with her friend, Robin.  They are very well-matched for one another.  Robin is very even keel with a dry sense of humor and witty comments to match those of Ellie.

They are not in the same 4th grade, but have assured one another they will keep finding each other at lunch and at recess.  Two peas in a pod, they are!

Visiting Daddy's New Office or Tom+Chee Lunch

Bill moved into his office at the the new City Line facility over the weekend.  He's been waiting months to make the move .. and now it's here.  So we went in on a Saturday to bring in a couple boxes of personal items and make sure other things had arrived.

The best part for Ellie was visiting one of our new restaurants at City Line.  Tom+Chee is short for Tomato Soup and Grilled Cheese.  They have an awesome menu, and quick service for those of us who run quickly to grab lunch and get back to our desks!

Below is a special treat of a grilled s'mores donut!  I know, right?  Who would have thought to put that together.  We got one and cut it into several pieces.  And just one bite was enough to know it is delicious!

Meet the Teacher Night

Thursday night was Meet the Teacher Night at Whitt Elementary School.

It is hard to believe that Ellie will start 4th Grade next week.  Where has the time gone?  This is a very exciting year for her as this is the last year at Whitt.  She'll move to Intermediate School next year for 5th and 6th grades.

So she's going to enjoy being part of the model students at Whitt for a year.  They have more privileges and a year-end field trip to look forward to as well.

On Thursday night we met Mrs. Freeman.  She is as excited to be back in school as Ellie.  We unpacked her school supplies, found her desk and even found a few friends from last year.  I'm truly convinced that more people know Ellie in Texas then Bill and I combined!  People were calling her name left and right as we made our way through the school!

She's excited to start, and we can't wait to see what 4th grade brings this year!

Baking Muffins

She asked if we could buy those pouches of mini muffins for her to take to school.  I said, 'what if we made muffins instead?'  And she loved the idea.  So she made herself a batch of banana nut mini-muffins and put them in snack bags to take 3 at a time to school.

She's very resourceful and so, so proud of herself.

And I couldn't resist taking a picture of her hair all piled into this knot in the back.  She's getting pretty good and doing it herself!

School Clothes Shopping

This year's school clothes shopping went a bit differently than years' before.  Most of the clothes are still shorts and skirts - although we've traded Gymboree for Lands' End.  She went through the catalog and pick out things she liked.  It's really all about the quality.  And if I have to move on from Gymboree because she's outgrown them, I found a great alternative!

When it came to sneakers she informed me she was done with Sketchers that light up.  What?  No pink and purple with sparkles?  So off we went to the sneaker aisle.

And this is what she chose.

High-top, black, Converse!  Yes, that's my 9-year old daughter in Chuck Taylor's!  Who knew?  Not me apparently!

Liberty Burger

As a treat for a girls' night out dinner while Bill is away, Ellie and I always find out way to Liberty Burger!  Not that Bill doesn't like it there .. it's really OUR favorite and we make sure we go together!

And of course she talks me into ordering a vanilla shake BEFORE dinner!  That's my girl!

New Day

How cool she looked this morning in her swingy skirt and ruffled tank top.  She had her hair in a braid down her back ... ready for Splash Day!

This elephant is on a mural in the school-agers room at Lighthouse.  She's happy for a place to call her own.  And even more so is looking forward to school starting in two and a half weeks!  Cannot believe it is that time again!

Fun summer we've had with lots of plans on the calendar for the Fall.

Dallas Heat

We had a little issue with our air conditioning on Monday evening.  It wasn't working upstairs.  Might not sound like a big deal, except it's been over 100 degrees for over a week.  This made things very stuffy, and need I say uncomfortably warm upstairs - which is where Ellie sleeps.

So when I discovered the problem and the temperature upstairs kept rising, I woke her about 9pm and walked her down to my bed.  She was sound asleep in just a couple minutes.

And she slept much cooler.  When she woke up she said she didn't remember coming downstairs.  So I reminded her of what had happened.  She then remembered being hot.

So the HVAC guys have been called and we await a service call.  In the Dallas heat.....

Dallas loves Jordan!

Dallas loves Jordan, and so do we.

What a terrific role model, athlete, young man and all-around good guy.  And even better, he's from Dallas!

We've routed him on tournament after tournament.  So what a treat to find him on the cover of this month's D magazine featuring all things Dallas.  This cover is a keeper and so is he!

Best new BBQ spot

Of course this place came by recommendation - and why not, since there are so many places to try here in Dallas.  3 Stacks Smoke and Tap House was a real treat on Saturday!  Great atmosphere, terrific service and the food was outstanding!  We each tried something different so we'd be able to sample lots of different things - brisket, sausage, ribs, smoked turkey and a variety of sides!  It was wonderful.  A great treat to be able to share with Bill during his 36 hours back in Dallas between trips to Atlanta!

And of course my girl can't resist dessert!  A brownie sundae to share was her choice!  Wow, what a treat - and what a happy girl!

ROCK!

We have lots of dining out options in Dallas.  Here's a shot of Ellie in a new place called Rock.  It's got great wood-fired pizza and a full menu of other choices.  We split a big salad and a pizza and it was delicious.

The inside looks like an old school roadhouse - with brick missing and rock and roll of days past on the walls.  The booths have lots of classic song titles on the cushions.  It provided a great opportunity to expose Ellie to lots of classic rock songs.  She thought it was a hoot!

Dog days of summer.

Could not resist sharing this picture from MLB.  This little boy, who likely loves his O's and his baseball with this wonderful sign.

"Today I'm 5.

No cake for me, I WANT PIE!"

On the wonderful pennant races this time of year ... August leads into September when the races really heat up!

Enjoying watching the standings and waiting to see who will be the first pitcher to get to 20 wins this season.

The days may drag, but the years fly by.

There are days that I wake up and can't decide if it's a Wednesday or a Thursday.  And how is it already August already.  Yes, the days run together.  Certain days dictate events to come:  Tuesday is my late day, Wednesday is garbage day, Monday and Wednesday are Field trips while Tuesday and Friday are splash days.

It's like a running calendar in my mind.  And although we have a plan for each day, it feels as we approach mid-August that the days just slip through my fingers.

I'm constantly reminded myself that each day matters.  And to hold on tight.

There is a new group of employees, trainees we call them that began this week.  One at a time, the Managers are invited in to welcome the group and tell their story.  Due to some of my peers being on vacation, I was invited in twice.  I know, who wants to be subjected to the same story twice.  So I needed to come up with something else.

When I walked into the room the second time I wasn't quite sure what I planned to share.  And it came to me as I said exactly that.  I reminded them that kindness matters.  Every day.  That how the begin and end their day has a lot of impact on the time they spend at work, and vice versa.  And I told the story of my friend, Bill, the security guard to made each person feel welcome.

I asked them to be kind to each other.  At home, at work, to one another.  We're all battling something.  And likely no one knows about it.  Take care of yourself, ask for help and be kind to one another.

It matters.

It really does.

Indoor Summer Fun

Ellie's summer has been full of field trips, playground and indoor fun.  One of her new favorites are these bristle blocks.  What better fun than to stay indoors from the 100 plus degree heat and put together huge structures made of bristle blocks.  And even better when her 'best friend' Annie is by her side.  She just arrived back at school from a week's vacation in Florida.  I know, who goes to Florida in the summer?  Well, when you live in Texas and the temp is over 100 - time away anywhere else is a vacation!

Crossing paths

When I was living in Bloomington I was assigned to work that had a project room in the Oakland Avenue Building, OAB for short.  It was a very spread out facility with a series of hallways that led to one of four areas - A, B, C or D.  It didn't really have a corporate feel, it was homey with lots of breakout work spaces to get lost when 'heads-down' work time was needed.

I enjoyed my time at OAB.  Although the most important reason I liked being at OAB wasn't any of the above mentioned reasons.  I liked it because of the people.  The woman who ran the register in the cafeteria was always friendly and winked if I happened to buy a cookie that day because she knew I was tucking it away to give to Ellie when I picked her up later.  I enjoyed the woman who ran the coffee stand just inside the building entrance too.  Although I never stopped and bought coffee she always said good morning to me - even though I carried my travel mug every day.

And then there was Bill.

Bill was the security guard at the front desk who greeted every one by name.  It didn't take him long to realize that when I walked in and he stood to shake my hand through the security window that I'd stand and talk to him.  He always had a good story for me.  And I love a good story.

Then he began to tell me that when I wasn't at OAB everyday only every few weeks, if he saw me it was guaranteed he'd hear "Hey Jude" on the drive home.

I was thrilled last November when I traveled back to Bloomington for a meeting, that I got to see Bill and he still remembered me by name and asked why had it been so long!?  He was still smiling, happy to do his job even it that meant making temporary badges for those who forgot theirs to enter the building.

I found out today that Bill died over the weekend.  I'm told his chair this morning remained empty.  He will be missed by so, so many people who were welcomed by him on a daily basis.  He made a difference.  And isn't that what really matters.  Those people that we see so often who make it their daily mission to make others happy.  They don't take themselves too seriously.  They just make each person they encounter feel special.

Bill was one of those people for me.  Seeing him, even knowing I was going to see him made me smile.  It reminds me how important it is to tell people they matter.  Bill did that without saying it.

Tonight I smile through tears and think of all the people that Bill will greet by name as they enter Heaven after he did.

So glad I knew you, Bill!

Daddy and Me time

These two have fun no matter what they decide to do.

The pool is always a good bet though.

I think they are comparing hand size.  Go figure.

Because in the picture below if they hold their hands a certain way under the water the fingers look stumpy and weird.

And boy, did that make them laugh.

Ellie Selfie

Apparently this is the kind of selfie that a 9-year old takes with her iPod Touch.  And then she thought it was a great idea to text it to me.

What a kid!

Blue Moon

July 31st was the blue moon.

The second full moon during the same calendar month.  What a cool thing to recognize and celebrate.

I connected 'once in a blue moon' friends with the blue moon occurring in July.  We're lucky to have both - one to remind us of what's important, and one to celebrate!

Catch that full, blue moon tonight - since we won't have another one until 2018!

Friends

I found this wonderful graphic and was so happy that it actually had the state of Texas at the top!  It was a great visual of how I feel about some of the most important people in my life.  The wonderful thing about living in 2015 is that between email, calls, texts and FaceTime we can all stay connected.

Even at work we rely on video calls to connect - 'to be able to see your face!' is what we say to each other when we request the other turn on their video!

Thank goodness for the wonderful people, near and far that stay close in my heart - even if they are not close in proximity!

Photos

These photos were taken several years ago in the fall back in Bloomington.  We had a local photographer take lots of options at a local park in the fall.  As I recall it was a sunny October day - full of color and options.

There is something to be said for recalling memories through photos.  It often reminds me of not only the place but also the mood, the surroundings, what else what happening in the world and what I was thinking.  This is was a funny day that started out with us not being able to find the park.  The GPS wasn't dropping us in the right spot and we had to stop and ask for directions.  Let's just say the first few photos didn't have the most genuine smiles.

And, yet, this photo shoot provided some of the most wonderful shots.

The photo at the bottom of Bill and I captures the best of both of us.  We happened to be looking at Ellie who was jumping on one foot - being silly - which caused us to join her joyful mood.  That was captured in the photo.  We'll never forget we were looking at her as that photo was taken.

I've also discovered a new photo app.  It's Walgreen's!  The app allows you to make prints from your Instagram account - makes them into these cool 4in x 4in prints.  So random, and so different.  You select the photos and select which Walgreens and hit send.  I pick them up 30 minutes later on my way to or from work.  Oh the joy of technology and simplicity of photos!

Times are changing ...

A trip to the pool used to be a simple thing.  Now it's a full-fledged adventure.  What used include a towel and sunscreen now involves a pre-teen type pool bag with sunglasses and book!  Oh have times changed.

There was a time when she wanted to swim until her fingers were pruny - not anymore.  She talks about getting a tan, and reading a chapter after a bit of time actually in the pool.

My little one is growing up.

I said something about my baby the other day and she corrected me.  "I'm not your baby anymore Mommy, I'm your girl now."

Well, she's got that right - with the annoyed faces and the special requests - she's all girl!  And what a wonderful young girl she's growing into!

Saturday afternoon

On Saturday afternoon we found ourselves inside to escape the 100 degree heat - so we had to find something fun to do.

Ellie picked Banana-grams and I made indoor s'mores!  She was thrilled.  Although it was tricky picking tiles for the game while our fingers were sticky from marshmellows!

Comes the dawn

At the end of the week I think back to how things started, and how they've changed.  Throughout the week I better balanced my work schedule with my home life.  I picked Ellie up twice from Lighthouse and made dinner several times much earlier than usual.  I got through a challenging Executive report out for one of my Compliance issues.

And last, but certainly not least - my team has officially changed.  I'm down to 4 Supervisors and the longest tenure in role is 6 months!  Funny conversation yesterday with Alberto upon his return to the office after a few days off I said, "well Alberto, now you're the man of house!"  And he laughed!  His mentor, teammate and friend, Jeremy has moved in a Manager role in the office next to mine.  This changes everything ...

Every little thing happens for a reason.

And every morning the sun comes up and a new day begins.

These days are full of lessons and learning that I hadn't anticipated.

And yet, the sun still shines.

Mid-week treat

This week my family has been surprised at just how early I've been able to leave work and come home.  Monday I actually left at 4pm! Picked up Ellie, made dinner and got a meal ready for the crock pot on Tuesday.  It was like a miracle they told me!

Tuesday is my late night - 12noon - 8pm is when I'm in the office.  So Tuesday mornings is when we get all our appointments done over the summer - doctor, dentist, eye doctor, etc.  This past Tuesday was Ellie's eye doctor appointment - and all is well.  Slightly far-sighted, but not enough to need glasses to correct her vision.  She may experience a need as she gets older and spends more time studying, but for now she is just fine.

Wednesday when I arrived home they decided they wanted to go out for dinner - so we made our way to Chiloso for grilled salmon tacos!  Afterward Ellie talked Bill into going to Bahama Bucks for flavored, shaved ice treats.  She was so proud of herself that she knew about the secret flavor, Tootsie Roll only served by request!

Burger Challenge

On Saturday Bill spent time at the office so Ellie and I had some Girl Time!  She decided she wanted to go to Liberty Burger and then head to my office to see some of my team.

We're fortunate that there is a new Liberty Burger right around the corner from the office - which is great for a team lunch, or for the folks who call it lunch but eat at dinner time.  Its smaller than the one in Allen but Ellie decided that burgers actually taste better at this location!

Things are always changing at work.  Which is a good thing, I guess.  Inevitable it really the way it feels.  My team is changing too.  Boy, did I love my team the way we came together and got things done.  But nothing last forever, and this team didn't either.

Andi, who's like a little sister to me, took an amazing opportunity in HR on the recruiting team and we're really happy for her.  We celebrated her last day on Friday, July 17th.  One of my Supervisors is out on medical leave so we have a temporary Supervisor in her place learning her team and finding his spot with us.  Elena joined us as a new Supervisor about a month ago and is finding her stride with her team and in our group too.  And last, but certainly not least, we're announcing that Jeremy - the other half of my brain on some days, will be moving into a Development role as a Manager beginning next week!  WOW - my team is decimated!  These are all good things, they just take adjustment - and burgers apparently!

So Saturday I had three of my Supervisors working.  Great opportunity for Ellie to visit.  She fit right into my family at the office with Alberto, Elena and Jeremy working on Saturday afternoon.  They talked burgers, pets and whether or not she liked pinto beans with her enchiladas!  She took to Elena right away and they were fast friends!

Another Saturday in the books!  What a good one it was!

Friday night at the pool

At the end of the week, after work and school are complete, we find our way to the pool.  Our pool is not grand or fancy, and truth be told, it's a shared experience because it belongs to the neighborhood.  Although we'll take what we can get because Texas in July is constantly over 100 degrees.

We find ourselves, very consistently, at the pool on Friday evenings.  We carry our bag of water toys, towels, sunscreen and happy hour beverages to our spot each week.  Its there that we let go of the cares of the world.  Well, maybe not the cares of the world, but we do let go of the week as we ease ourselves in the water.

On a good Friday night, Ellie is able to meet up with a friend.  This past Friday she had Kalayna and Landon to play water shooters and tag within the water!

Be the change

When we arrived home on Thursday afternoon from work and daycare, I asked Ellie to help me with the mail.  We sorted through bills, catalogs, and junk mail.  Ellie gravitated toward the one from St. Jude's with its colorful kid's artwork on the outside of the envelope.  I told her she could open it.

Inside she found a photo of a little girl, age 2 and she said, "Mommy her name is Elizabeth too!" She went on to read that she had leukemia.  As I was gathering up the piles I noticed Ellie had gone to get her change purse in the picture above.

She looked up at me in a full blown cry and said, "Mommy can I take $25 out of my wallet and send it to help Elizabeth?"  Just at that moment Bill walked in and asked, 'what's all the crying about?"  I explained and he said, "Yes, Ellie we can do that.  Why don't we match your $25 and send $50 from the whole family?"  She thought that was a great idea.

As I zipped her change purse filled with birthday money and gift cards, I noticed the writing on the outside.

Be the change you wish to see in the world.

And that's exactly what she'd done.