My new sister-in-law...Janelle Ford

This weekend Sam & I gained our first sister-in-law, Janelle. Sam's brother Ty and Janelle were married Saturday in Nashville. Janelle is a doll (as you can see in the picture) and we are SO excited to add another Ford to the family.

Viva Las Vegas

Last week I went to Las Vegas, NV for the Southwest Airlines' Spirit Party. We started having "Spirit Parties" back in the early 90s when it was too difficult to have an annual all-company Christmas party. So twice a year we all get together for a little fun! The parties are in a different city each time, so it's a great way to get to see the country too! The LAS spirit party was downtown Las Vegas on Freemon Street. The party was packed...over 6,000 SWA Employees on one street.


Those are all the details I can share. As you all know "What happens in Vegas, Stays in Vegas!"

Five Years & Five Days...

since the horrific attacks on 9/11. I joined Southwest several months after the attacks however my Co-workers have shared with me the concern they experienced as an airline Employee on this day. Southwest published a video with Employee stories from this day. I share a few below and others are available at http://www.blogsouthwest.com/.

Southwest President Colleen Barrett and Chairman Herb Kelleher talks about our first plane to depart Dallas after the 9/11 attacks.


Southwest Pilot Terry Taylor talks about the airplane he landed in Grand Rapids, Mich.

Challenge Air

This morning I had the privilege of welcoming 125 new co-pilots to the Dallas skies. Challenge Air matches up private pilots with physically challenged children and youth for the flight of their life. Watch CBS Evening News in the coming weeks for a story on this morning’s event.

Lunch meat anyone...

How cool a lunchroom sandwich would this be?

Friday Night Lights

Fall Friday Nights in Texas focus on one thing...High School Football. Since my father-in-law is a coach for the Colleyville Heritage Panthers, I cheer for the CHHS Panthers! P-A-N-T-H-E-R-S Fight! Fight! Fight! Tonight the Panters take on Denton Ryan. So today I'm supporting the home team by sporting a red shirt with black flip-flops. Tonight you'll find Sam & me sitting on the visiting side of the stadium (to distance ourselves from the other fans).

I encourage you all to support your local High School football team. The teams, fans, band, cheerleaders, drill team, foam fingers and concession stand food. Where else could you get more action for eight bucks? (Also our concession stands have upgraded from nacho cheese and popcorn…one of the local stadiums sells Chick-fil-A.) If you're in Texas without a home team, we welcome additional support of the CHHS Panthers. More to come…for those not in Texas, our homecoming traditions can be a bit crazy. I'll make sure to post pictures from those games!

2 things that make 09 great!

09 - the month of September - two things that make it great...

1. The start of football season is great.
I would love to point out that the Vols jumped to #11 (AP poll) & #17 (USA Today poll). They looked great against Cal but several big games coming...Florida on 09.16, Georgia on 10.07 and LSU 11.04. Go VOLS!
Also I LUV my friend Jill for mentioning our Football Chicks Group on the Southwest Blog. P.S. I'm in the Tennessee Fan in Dallas Sales. :D

2. Secondly...the return of primetime TV.
I do love the hot summer weather for lake fun but I need some new TV action. Pre-Tivo, I would use the summers to catch up on missed episodes. However in the Tivo era (of which I am a big fan), I don't miss any episodes.

So...here are my favs. What are yours? Any must sees that I'm missing?
1. Grey's Anatomy
2. Lost
3. The Office

Blog Fashion...

You have a fashion style, spend hours reading and preparing for next season's dos and don'ts. Why not have a stylish blog? You might want to start with Blog Fashions. Two sites have very easy to use blogger templates...The Blog of Templates or Blogger Templates. Another site which takes some searching for a gem (kind of like T.J. Max) is Blog Skins. You'll find templates like Paris Hilton or you could check out some of their favorites for August.

If you want to create your own template...you'll need to learn HTML. HTML is pretty easy and blogger provides some good suggestions on where to start.

Anyone else have a cool resource for blog style?

It's Football Time in Tennessee...

This weekend kicks off one of my favorite events...the start of College Football.

The mightly Vols take on California which will quickly test our QB Erik Ainge. In his freshman season, Vols were preparing to order tickets to coming BCS games. However after an injury (which I witnessed in person) which ended his freshman seaon, his sophomore year wasn't so encouraging. Fulmer seems to think this season he'll be back to his freshman-like self. Cal and Florida are two of the first three games...we'll know soon.

For other College Football fans, I invite you to check out 20 reasons college football is better than the NFL.

Business in the front...party in the back...

As a child of the eighties, I believe I'm required to love the mullet. I mean who doesn't love business and party...together. Well I recently came across this Spirit Airlines Mullet Sale. It was just too cool not to share...

This isn't a joke. Click on the image and you'll see the interactive version on spiritair.com where the party hair actually grows. What a fun way to provote first/business class in the front and coach (aka the party) in the back.

Take this job and LUV it...

I have the greatest job ever...or at least I think I do. I do marketing, sales and LUV for Southwest Airlines for Dallas, TX and Albuquerque, NM. LUV is simply spreading SPIRIT and love with co-workers, the community, businesses, etc.

Southwest so cool we have our our blog called "Nuts about Southwest." It has lots of fun information on SWA at http://www.blogsouthwest.com.

A couple of my favorites are...
1. Information on flight numbers from Bill Owen in our scheduling department (very interesting read) Flight names just wouldn't be the same

2. A quick joke from Jill Howard-Allen (yes she always has these cheesey jokes)...My Weekly Fix

Here are some pics and memories from a few of my favorite fun work events...
Cooking dinner for the Ronald McDonald House in Amarillo
















Flying families from the Ronald McDonald House to a Rangers vs. Astros game to meet (former) Ranger Kevin Mench.

















Meeting Pete and Penny at SeaWorld.

















Dancing to raise money for Dallas LUV Classic

















Attending the Capitol Christmas Tree lighting in Washington, DC.

Celebrity Look-alike

Ever wonder what celebrity you actually look like. My Heritage will scan your picture and match you up with celebrity look-alikes.

You Know You Grew Up In The 80's or Early 90's

I LOVE these e-mails. Most of them same exactly the same thing however...I still read everyone. My friend Reese sent one by email which was even cooler b/c it included pictures...I've included my favorites below.


You Know You Grew Up In The 80's or Early 90's If:

3. You can sing the rap to the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and can do the Carlton














4. Girls wore biker shorts under their skirts and felt stylishly sexy.













15. You got super-excited when it was Oregon Trail day in computer class at school.













19. L.A. Gear....need I say more?



















27. You took lunch boxes to school...and traded Garbage Pailkids in the schoolyard.




















52. You remember New Kids on the Block when they were cool...and don't even flinch when people refer to them as "NKOTB"




















P.S. How did we ever think this guys were hot?

ROCK ON!!!

Recent Family Photos

I've recently updated Sam & I's blog with pictures. Check it out...

samandhollee.blogspot.com

My favorite summer song...

This summer have enjoyed one song over and over again...

it is Zac Brown's 'Chicken Fried'...

for those of you from the deep south (especially GA)...you should have a listen...

http://www.myspace.com/zacbrown

click on Chicken Fried.

Tell me what you think...

The Morrow Triplets

My cousin Anna (Kimbrough) Morrow had triplets just a few months ago. They were just so cute...I had to share them. You can see more pictures at http://www.ourbabynews.com/morrow.

I Heart Nerds

Why to I love nerds? Because I am one. I recently convinced Sam into a new monitor. The 17" extra large box outsized our cute Pottery Barn desk. My roommate Laurie and I bought in during the college years only because my first one had conked out and it was cheap (not stylish). Sam agreed. I search the web for the best deal and ended up with a 19” wide screen (OOH AHH). After the box arrived at the door...I found a problem. My graphics card couldn't support my super cool new flat screen. So to the internet I returned(and Fry’s) I go for a new graphics card. Well once thing lead to another and I’m typing on a NEW computer. One gig of processing power, 200 GB of hard drive, DVD burner and a graphics card to support my new monitor...things that make this girl VERY happy. In most marriages you might expect the man to get energized about bites and bytes. But I am the nerd.

I’ve known I am a nerd for a while…in high school I took programming classes, in college I hooked everyone’s computer up (include linking our personal computers to the dorm printer to save money on paper and ink) and now at work I get all the "my computer isn't working can you help" questions.

The most exciting thing about my new computer is with the increase spend I can work on graphics and video editing more. Hopefully I’ll come up with some really good footage. Until then…I’ll keep you up to date with all the coolest websites.

PC World…great how-tos, editorials, keeps me up-to-date on the latest and greatest…
http://www.pcworld.com/

For those with digital cameras…the coolest book making site I’ve found is..
http://www.picaboo.com/

Simple and easy photo editing (including a straighten tool to fix the horizon)
http://picasa.google.com/

Also for those with external hard drives…Good Sync will help you synchronize the files and data…
http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file/fid,62374;order,1;page,1;c,All%20Downloads/description.html

Any one else have any cool computer/software sites?

Tropical Storm Chris

Tropical Storm Chris

Tropical Storm Chris

Our vacation to the Virgin Islands has been everything one would expect for paradise. Crystal clear water, white sand beaches, constant breeze, mild temperatures, unceasing sunshine, reggae on the radio… (well except that American Airlines lost my mom’s luggage and it hasn’t been found yet). So we were a little shocked on Tuesday to hear the Tropical Storm Chris was headed our way. The hotel started delivering storm notices every couple of hours. Late Tuesday night they brought all the patio furniture into our rooms. Our condo is a good size but add patio furniture and it was a little cramped. Wednesday made for a day full of clouds and rain. Sam (aka storm tracker) was very excited to live through a tropical storm however it moved north of us and all we received was lots of rain. (rain we need in North Texas). Here are a few pictures of the clouds and patio furniture.