TWO ANNOUNCEMENTS

1. We have an official website now: www.billyandchristy.com
2. Our family is growing!

Website

Although our new site currently redirects you to our blog, we expect the website to have the most updated information as we develop it in the future.

Growing Family

I know many of you out there are doing the math right now...Billy and Christy have been married almost 6 years, Christy is almost through with her Masters, they must finally be having a baby...

Nope. We adopted Slick yesterday. No this is not one of those new fangled celebrity baby names like Apple or Pilot. This is the name that came with our dog. That's right, a new dog.

Slick is a 15 year old male pug. We read about him on www.DFWpugs.com. His story really touched our hearts. After 15 years in the same home, his owner decided he was too old, and she did not want him any more. She didn't want to have to deal with him when he got sick. You would think, after 15 years in a home, Slick would come with some accessories. Nope. When his foster mom picked him up, she found him in the back of a truck in a choke collar. She told the owner she could keep the choke collar.

We added Slick to our home yesterday, and he has been winning friends and influencing people since. Yes, he is 105 years old in dog years (if you use the old 7 years for every human year), but Slick is overflowing with love. We are very proud to have him napping on our floor.

Slick isn't picky when it comes to a napping location.

Slick modeling his new red harness. That's right, our little boy is a Republican.

The nice things about adopting an older dog is that we are past the puppy years and he is already housebroken.

Hope all is well with you and yours,

~Christy

ADOPTION

Open your heart to love. Share your home, share your blessings, share your doggy kibble...doggy kibble? That's right, I'm talking about pet adoption. Too many good pets go unloved. Why? People get a pet without researching if that breed or pet will fit into their lifestyle. Owners pass away. Many reasons, some not as nice as those listed. It is understandable if you want a purebred - some traits are going to be more suitable to your lifestyle. Pugs don't need a lot of exercise/we don't have a yard. Pugs shed a lot/we're not Martha Stewarts around here. Pugs are not heat tolerant/we are okay with a full time inside dog. What many people do not know is that there are many purebred rescues available, and, no, not all are old/disabled/etc. A lot of puppies are available. Examples of purebred rescues in North Texas:

• Australian Shepards http://www.txaussies.com/
• Cocker Spaniels http://www.dfwcockerrescue.8m.com/
• Corgis http://www.northtxwelshcorgis.org/id4.html
• Dachshunds http://www.dachshundloversoftexas.org/
• Golden Retrievers http://www.rescuegoldens.org/index.html
• Greyhounds http://www.greyhoundsunlimited.org/
• Lhasa Apso http://www.shihtzu-rescue.com/
• Maltese http://malteserescue.homestead.com/AvailabledDogs.html
• Miniature Pinscher http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/TX275.html
• Pugs http://dfwpugs.com
• Scottish Terriers & West Highland Terriers http://www.scottiekingdom.com/
• Shih Tzu http://www.shihtzu-rescue.com/
• Weimaraner http://www.weimrescuetexas.org/

...and the list goes on and on. Visit www.petfinder.com to see more.

And for the kitty lovers:

• http://www.texaspawprints.org/
• and www.petfinder.com

Add some love to your life today. ~Christy

FOOD FIND

Cheap, quick, classy, good service, good food, easy parking - too good to be true? Luckily, no. This describes Monica's Aca y Alla in the Deep Ellum part of Dallas. We first saw it listed on Rachel Rey's $40/day show in Dallas. It is kind of modern Mexican food - read: not covered in heavy sauce and it has flavors other than cheese detectable. Don't get me wrong, I love a good enchilada in an artery clogging sour cream sauce. However, Monica's is a real find. What makes it so special to me is half price night. That's right, HALF PRICE. You may be thinking, "What is this half price of?" Well, most entrees are around the $10 mark. This means eating at Monica's on half price night is cheaper than a fast food combo meal. Half price night is Tuesday. Thursday night, enchilada entrees are $4.50 - not too shabby. This is definitely a place to try if you live near by. Parking is best done by using the many meter spots - 1 hour for $0.50. Visit www.monicas.com. for more info and a menu listing.

Disclaimer: This is not a paid advertisement for Monica's. However, if you would like to offer us money, that's fine too (make checks payable to Billy and Christy Hall, cash preferred). BillyandChristy are in no way affiliated with Monica's, nor do we know Monica. Any resemblence to actual people and places in this blog are purely coincidental. May contain nuts. Do not use your laptop in the bathtub, and, by all means, DO NOT REMOVE THE TAG under penalty of federal law.

GEOCACHING
For those of you who don't know, geocaching is a hobby. It is kind of like an international scavenger hunt. Geocachers all over the world hide small caches in public areas. See www.geocaching.com for a much better explanation. If you like to be outdoors, it is a great way to explore an area, get some exercise, and have some good, clean fun. Geocaching is also family friendly. It is free to join and free to explore. Typically, those who are really into it buy a GPS, but this is not necessary. We found our first geocache in Houston without one, and it is probably the most difficult one we have discovered.

Visit http://www.geocaching.com/about/ for more info about how to get started. More than likely, there are many caches located near you, and you can probably find one today. There is a cache located at Lake Claiborne on a hiking trail. I haven't been, but I understand that it has a travel bug (http://www.geocaching.com/track/faq.aspx) in it. The travel bug is a Marge Simpson key chain. It's goal is to visit all of the "Homers" in the U.S. Below is a picture of a travel bug we found in Key West. For this bug, you are supposed to take and post a picture of where it is found and where it is relocated to.

Our geocache login is billyandchristy (no surprise, right?). Let us know if you have questions or if you decide to try it. Even though we are not always successful, we have a lot of fun.

~Christy

WHITE WASHED

During my period of unemployment, I have discovered the joys of the complex pool closest to us. I especially love reading a good book by the pool in the early afternoon, when the pool is least crowded. HOWEVER, I do feel a major source of discomfort when others come to the pool. This is because I stand out at a pool in the early afternoon, or more accurately, I blind others with my brightness. Regardless of my efforts with multiple bottles of sunless tan a year, my Powder-esqness is not diminished in the slightest (Thanks to the movie of the same name, Powder was my high-school nickname). I know I shouldn't be so self concious. I would love to think others don't notice, but years of taunting by the tannable have taught me otherwise. Plus, it doesn't help that our complex is full of young singles, and the pool is the main meat market in which to meet and greet.

Through the years, the kind hearted and helpful have suggested the tanning salon with many other vices. But, the fact remains, the only color I change to is red, if I don't apply an inch or two of SPF 100. After the red receeds, I am not left with a golden glow, but rather a pasty white, with a nice speckling of many freckles. Sure, back in the day (read 1800s or dark ages) my skin would have been something to admire - Oh, look at Christy's alabaster brillance - how she outshines the rest of us. Okay, I couldn't resist that last bit. Alas, such days are gone, but then again, if I lived back then, I wouldn't have a blog to complain to.

~Christy (your pasty blogger friend)

TOUCHING BASE
Since I last blogged, I have been focused on my job search, which seems to being going well relative to my effort. I interviewed for one today, and I am really excited about it. At the same time, I know God will handle whether or not I am meant to work there. If I did not get the position, He has something way better planned for me. It is good to know that we are in good hands.

Last week, we had a little surprise, Lucy required knee surgery. We found out Monday, consulted with the surgeon Thursday afternoon, and took her to surgery Friday. After 4-5 months of healing, she will have the other knee operated. Apparently, she suffers from a disconformity common in dogs in her size. Also, her bowed legs (similar to a bulldog's stance) aggravated the situation. It's terrible, but it is hard not to laugh at her. She is almost half-way shaved, and they placed one of those Elizabethan collars on her.

Other than that, we are still trying to find a church home, and we continue to explore the city. One of our current goals is to find the best Mexican food restaurant. So far, we recommend Monica's Aca y Alla. Tuesday, most menu items are half price, and, since prices are around $8.95 for an entree to begin with, it is a steal. Also, Thursdays, enchilada plates are $3.99. With these prices, you might expect a dive, but it is really nice on the inside.

Hope all is well! ~Christy

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY WEEKEND!!

~Billy & Christy~