Upper Deck

When we went to the Rangers game Trey lead us to the upper deck of the stadium. It was a hike up, but once he caught a glimpse of the Dallas Cowboys stadium (About a block away) he started freaking out, “Wow! Look at that…” Well, at least it was nice seeing the new stadium from a different angle. Usually we just sit in the Wal-Mart parking lot and stare.

The Exterior Frame Is Up

I took these pictures Sunday afternoon. In a matter of hours the builders had the exterior framed up. Yeah, it blows my mind how fast this house is being built. Trey and I were saying as much as we drive by the house we might as well just move in now. Okay, I'll go get the boxes now.
Aside from the house, I’ve decided to never go grocery shopping at Wal-Mart every again. I stood in the checkout line for 20 minutes yesterday. I think I’m going to start shopping at Albertsons or ever better do all my shopping at Central Market. The reason why I’m leaving Wal-Mart is because the lack of Customer Service. The workers hate working there and if they don’t want to be there then I don’t want to shop there. So long Wal-Mart. My experience yesterday was so bad I’m seriously considering writing them a letter. I should do it.

I can’t help, but reflect on the South Park episode where the town vows to stop shopping at Wal-Mart. I guess it’s true, every incident in life can be related to South Park.





Trey insisted I take this picture.

All You Can Eat Baseball Fun

This weekend Brandon and Maghen came to visit us and attend a Rangers game. I don’t know if it was a good thing or a bad thing, but we ended up with all you can eat tickets. I’m talking free drinks, hotdogs, peanuts, and nachos. I had two rounds of nachos and Trey had at least 3 dogs. To say the least it was a lot of food.

Oh, I wanted to publicly congratulate Brandon and Maghen on their engagement. While they were visiting Brandon proposed to her and she accepted. Just from talking to Maghen it sounds like it’s going to be a great big wedding, I can’t wait.



Gary Rhodes was right, it looks like I need a lens hood for my camera. At least the sunrays make Trey look dreamy.

Concrete

We have concrete and now everything seems to be moving a lot faster. This morning we met with the builder to select our paint, tile, wood, exterior elements, lighting, etc. Mom and dad are stopping by this afternoon and they’ll get to see it for the first time.

Super Immune System

It's been a slow work week because they still haven't poured the concrete. Maybe they'll get to it today.
Well, Trey is feeling much better and is finally back at work. I got sick too, but I stole some of his medicine and I feel much better. It's funny because he got sick first, but I recovered days before he did. My immune system is crazy like that. I only get sick maybe once a year. Guess, I'm done for the rest of year.


Look I'm standing in the kitchen



I'm sitting on our front porch.

Get Well Soon

This is for Trey because I figured you'd be online.
Trey I hope you get to feeling better. Get rid of that nasty cough and get some much needed rest. I love you and I'll see you when I get home.

P.S. If you need me to buy snacks before I come home just call. By the way we're not having hotdogs tonight look at the menu and be thinking about what you want.

What A Weekend

Exhausting sums it up. Non-stop…that’s another one. And yes fun.
Friends from Abilene, Johnny and Joneil, came to visit. The boys went to the Cowboys game and the girls went out.

Joneil and I were talking about how they make us put up with football all season long and then when they get an opportunity to go to a game they don’t invite us. Joneil and I were talking about getting tickets and not inviting them. Now that would be fun!

Well, Trey’s been sick since Thursday with bronchitis, but he wouldn’t miss a Dallas Cowboys game for anything. So even though he felt horrible he wore his dark blue jersey in 90 degree weather and cheered for America’s team. Isn’t that what they call the Cowboys? I should know, I’m the only woman I know who watches hours of ESPN (not by choice).

Oh the Parker’s booked a room in Irving, near Texas Stadium. Irving is a part of DFW I’ve never been to…EVER. So while the guys were out Saturday, Joneil and I bravely ventured the town, without a map. We found ourselves at the mall and eventually a movie. Joneil said she’s really bad with directions and she wasn’t kidding. After watching the movie she said, “I don’t even know which way to exit the parking lot to get back to the hotel.” Good thing I was driving.

What we watched: No Reservations.
My two favorite things, romance and food, you can’t go wrong with that combination.

Overall, the weekend was fantastic. When the Parkers left town, Trey and I napped hard. Hopefully the next time they’re in town they won’t have to stay in a hotel they can have a room at our new house.

Something New

Just Click, Drag, and Drop to Desktop

Susan the pictures were too big to email, but you can download them from here, with no problems.

Whenever I take pictures I always shoot in the highest resolution, which results in large file sizes, my inbox wouldn't allow me to send the pictures it thought I was trying to terminate it....computers are so dumb.

Smart Hospital™ at UTA

Photo by freelance photographer Jon P. Uzzel












Usually I’m the one taking the photos, but last week a photojournalist stopped by work and needed bodies. It’s summer time so a lot of the nursing students are off campus. So, somehow I found myself posing as a nurse. The article including picture, appeared on Fort Worth Business Press.

Read the Article

Right now it’s an exciting time to be working for the School of Nursing at UTA. We’re getting pumped up for a one of a kind facility called the Smart Hospital™. I guess you just have to read the article to see what all the buzz is about. Lately, we’ve been getting a lot of press, which makes my life busy. Typically, the reporters don’t bring their own photographer, since I take care of that for the department, but in this case the FWBP hired a freelancer to shoot this.

Here is one of my favorite photos I’ve taken for the Smart Hospital™

First Pre-Contruction Meeting

We had our first pre-construction meeting and everything appears to be running smoothly. You have to really use your imagination, but in a few months this will be our home.

Reverence

There’s something about a Catholic church that I deeply admire. It’s more than just the statues and stained glass windows.

My Family Just Keeps On Growing

Trey and I had a wonderful time visiting family in Port Lavaca, but it’s good to be back home.

The weekend was packed with swimming, dancing, celebrating a marriage, and having just about everyone in my family ask Trey and I when we’re going to have a baby. Did I mention I have a big family? Yes, all my cousins are around the same age as me and they have “at least” one child running around. It’s great.

No Streaking Here Folks: 101 Portrait Photography Lesson

Before you jump to conclusions, I promise I didn't go streaking. This picture is the result of my husband being a dork.

Everyone knows that if you're going to take a photo of a woman wearing a strapless dress you zoom out so it won't appear to look like this. Trey thought it was hilarious.

A Long Drive

It's been almost a year since Trey and I have visited my family in Port Lavaca. I'm excited because this weekend we'll jump in the car and make the long drive. I'm actually looking forward to the drive. I'll be the pilot and Trey will be my navigator. The main reason why we're going is for a wedding Saturday.

Planning the Kidnapping of a Smiling Dog

A few months ago we had to find our loving beagle a new home. You see, we downsized to a smaller living area and with us both working all day we wouldn’t be able to leave her alone for hours by herself. So, with her best interest in mind, we found a loving family to take over where we left off.

Since we’re moving in a few months, I’ve been jokingly planning the kidnapping of Daphne. No, I would never kidnap her, but I sure do miss her smiling face. Yes she was a smiling beagle, I promise.

Trey is already talking about the next kind of dog he wants and it’s hard for me to even imagine another dog when I know Daphne is still out there. He’s talking about getting a welsh corgi. I don’t know maybe one day you’ll check-out the blog and see our cogi smiling back at you.

If you don’t know what a corgi looks like here is a picture.
(photo from Silvermine Corgis)
Funny looking dogs. They make me smile just looking at them.

The Benefits of Living in a Small Space

I can stand in the middle of my efficiency apartment and see the kitchen, sitting area, sleeping area, bathroom, and closet. I always look at the upside of everything, including my current living situation. So, I’ve come to the conclusion that there are many benefits of living in a small space.

1. Cleaning is a snap
2. No lawn to mow
3. Utility savings
4. Unbelievable Rent

Art of the Trade in the Form of Tools

When Trey had to be on call this weekend I think he understood it to mean that WE were on call. Saturday morning, I hadn't even got out of bed and he was insisting I go with him. "Come on dom, it'll be fun. Come with me. Please."
I caved. "Okay, okay I'll go."

So, there we were at a no name store. I hovered over his shoulder as he worked and occasinaiolly he’d say hand me the thing-a-ma-hopper, which in English means a ratchet or something to that nature.

After we completed the first call, I jokingly said I was an apprentice learning the trade. Not even a minute after that remark I picked up the tool belt and every single thing-a-ma-hopper scattered on the dirty convenient store floor.

So, this weekend I didn't learn the entire trade of HVAC, but I did learn that Trey has a rigid personality when it comes to his tool belt. According to him the placement of the tools are key to an orderly belt.

Are You Ready For Some Football?

I lost Trey in the store and found him in the sports section. As if hours of NFL network aren't enough.

Last week Trey asked, "Do you know what today is?" I scrambled to think...anniversary, birthday, holiday? No. It was the first day of the Dallas Cowboys training camp. I guess I should've known that.

A $5,000 Dollar Gift Comes With a 6 Inch Compromise

Mistakes happen all the time, but this last mistake someone made was a generous gift valued at $5,000.

A few weeks ago Trey and I selected the lot for our house, which we couldn’t believe didn’t come with a premium. The builder encouraged us to select that lot because our patio would always be shaded in the evening and it is also a corner lot, which for some reason people really like and I guess it doesn’t hurt for resale purposes.

So, with no premium attached and all the options for a better lot, Trey and I selected that soil for our house to be built on. Well, a few days later we found out that someone working in the office made a BIG mistake because the lot was actually worth 5 thousand dollars not ZERO. In the end we’re getting the better lot, but we have to compromise by deducting 3 inches from each side of our house, which is really no big deal because we’ll get those inches back in the patio area.

By the way, I’m so ready to move and start cooking in a real kitchen again.

Canon In Action

Here are some of the first personal photos I've had a chance to take with the Canon 30D. All together I'm impressed with the image stabilizer lens. Although, I've realized it doesn't always mean a clean photo.

Entertaining In A Small Space

This weekend my mom and sister stopped by and stayed at our place. As we were there I could feel the walls closing in on us. The space is just right for Trey and I, but when you add two extra bodies to the mix it becomes too much. Luckily, we didn’t spend much time there; instead we spent time all over town and even had a chance to show them where our future home will be. We have everything lined up for the builders to start and soon enough we’ll meet with them to select the design elements of the house.

Well, no weekend is complete without stopping by the Cowboys stadium.

In Town

My mom and little sister are in town and I already know it's going to be a busy day tomorrow.
This evening Trey and I took them to Central Market to eat and watch a band. We eventually ended up downtown at Sundance Square. As I was walking around I was wearing my camera around my neck and a street evangilist asked me if I was a tourist. I live here, but walking around with a camera apparently makes me look like I don't belong.

Building the American Dream

After viewing dozens of homes in the surrounding DFW area, we decided it would be in our best interest to build one. Well, I’m not literally building the house instead we’re having a professional build it in a developing community.

The best part about this builder is he’s designing the exteriors of the homes to look like older homes. Sounds like the perfect match for Trey and I. We selected an elevation that looks similar to a brick bungalow. It’ll be so cute.

Another big selling point for us is the house will be a very green home, which means our electric bill will be low. Also the HVAC will be nice too, but Trey could probably go into more detail about that than I can. All I know it will equal nice utility savings.

I’m excited and can’t wait for them to start building. I plan on documenting the entire build and if the weather plays out right we should move in by mid-November. Wow, these builders move fast.

Enjoying Life

Can you tell she had a great time at the zoo?