﻿<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?><rss xmlns:a10="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" version="2.0"><channel><title>Staff &amp; Reader Submitted</title><link>https://littleelm.bubblelife.com/community/little_elm_ireporter</link><description>Staff &amp; Reader Submitted</description><item><link>https://littleelm.bubblelife.com/community/little_elm_ireporter/library/35577391/key/352588494/BOOK_REVIEW_SINNERS_PRAYER_DAN_RANDOLPHGREG_ZHU_MYSTERY_2_by_Dwain_Lee</link><author>KAREN SIDDALL</author><category>Lifestyle</category><title>BOOK REVIEW: SINNER'S PRAYER (DAN RANDOLPH/GREG ZHU MYSTERY, #2) by Dwain Lee</title><description>&lt;p align="center"&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;b&gt;Sinner's Prayer&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p align="center"&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;b&gt;Dan Randolph/Greg Zhu Mystery, #2&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p align="center"&gt;&lt;b&gt;by&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p align="center"&gt;&lt;b&gt;Dwain Lee&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p align="center"&gt;&lt;b&gt; &lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p align="center"&gt;&lt;b&gt;An unresolved 40-year-old disappearance becomes a case of murder.&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt; &lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;Sinner's Prayer&lt;/i&gt; is the second book in author Dwain Lee's Dan Randolph/Greg Zhu Mysteries and takes the series in a more serious, grittier direction than the debut, as a 40-year-old disappearance becomes a murder case. When Parkvale Presbyterian Church must make repairs to the plumbing under a mid-1980s renovation, workers find more than a water leak; they also uncover human remains buried under the foundation. Working on the theory that the victim is someone associated with the church, the police turn to Pastor Dan Randolph for information that might lead to the corpse's identification. They soon discovered the victim was a very active former parishioner but a divisive figure among the rest of the church family at that time: some of whom weren't shedding any tears over his demise. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Told via a dual timeline, the events leading up to the actual murder are set in 1985, with the eventual discovery of the body occurring in the fall of 2024, in the days leading up to the presidential election. In the 1985 storyline, readers are introduced to the figures involved in the traumatic circumstances of ongoing sexual abuse of kids in the youth group by a trusted leader. This earlier timeframe paints a picture of what the LGBT community faced at that time. AIDS was an epidemic, with rampant misinformation, fear, and death everywhere, and many gays and lesbians remained closeted rather than being able to live their lives authentically. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt; In 2024, Dan is neck-deep in shepherding the church family through the discovery of what was going on right under everyone's noses and the feared ramifications of a second Trump term for the LGBT community. Just as the nation was divided, so were the members of Parkvale Presbyterian, and emotions are high. Within days of the discovery under the church flooring, a long-time, much-beloved church member loses her adult son, a young man fondly remembered by the parishioners but with a traumatic history with the dead man, to suicide. Dan becomes a target of some of the frustration, and he wonders whether he's helping anyone at all as his second career as a minister approaches retirement. Peeks into Dan and Greg's daily life reinforces what a strong, loving partnership they've found and nurtured. Along with Greg's business and craft as a luthier, a musical thread is woven throughout the story, with a curated playlist of songs to introduce each chapter as well as musical numbers that were featured in the events of the plot. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;This second outing is built on tough, possibly triggering topics for sensitive readers: sexual abuse, spousal abuse, religious institutions' historical responses to allegations of such, acceptance of LGBT parishioners, and the religious beliefs regarding suicide. While the plot involves a complex cold-case murder, most of the story's suspense and tension center on these issues. Their impacts are pivotal, with paralyzing moral and ethical struggles that prevented much-needed action. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;While not a cozy mystery nor a typical cold-case investigation, SINNER'S PRAYER has elements of both and will appeal to mystery readers looking for a serious, grittier tale, especially those interested in historical settings and church- or LGBT community-based stories. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from the author through &lt;a href="https://guatemalapaula.blogspot.com/2026/05/virtual-book-tour-giveaway-sinners.html" target="_blank"&gt;&lt;i&gt;Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours.&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="https://littleelm.bubblelife.com/viewimage/key/3564572662/sinners_prayer_cover_3.png?w=512&amp;h=384"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description><pubDate>Thu, 28 May 2026 16:54:21 Z</pubDate></item><item><link>https://littleelm.bubblelife.com/community/little_elm_ireporter/library/35577391/key/352588882/BOOK_REVIEW_THE_LAST_FATAL_HOUR_by_Jan_Matthews</link><author>KAREN SIDDALL</author><category>Lifestyle</category><title>BOOK REVIEW: THE LAST FATAL HOUR by Jan Matthews</title><description>&lt;p align="center"&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;b&gt;The Last Fatal Hour&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p align="center"&gt;&lt;b&gt;by&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p align="center"&gt;&lt;b&gt;Jan Matthews&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p align="center"&gt;&lt;b&gt; &lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p align="center"&gt;&lt;b&gt;A newlywed society matrons secret investigation into the mysterious death of an old friend uncovers more than she ever imagined.&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt; &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;The Last Fatal Hour&lt;/i&gt; is an excellent new historical mystery by author Jan Matthews and follows the efforts of newlywed Leona Gladney to discover what caused the death of her elderly, longtime friend, society matron Daphne Van Wyn, who died suddenly one night under suspicious circumstances, and her jewelry was stolen. Warned away from involving herself in the police investigation by both the lead detective and her husband, Leona is unable to leave it alone when Daphnes grandson and heir accuses her of taking the jewelry. Shunned by all of Brooklyn society, her determination to find out what happened the night of Daphnes death is further cemented when the grandsons wife approaches her with suspicions that her husband is somehow involved in his grandmothers death. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Leona Gladney is one of the most intriguing main characters Ive encountered in forever. The granddaughter of a renowned poet, abolitionist, and Transcendentalist, Leona, at age 17, ran away from her boarding school, disguised herself as a young man, joined the Union Army, and fought alongside regular soldiers until she was discovered after being wounded at Gettysburg. She struggles with what is now called PTSD, suffering moments where she believes shes back on the battlefield. Her mothers family comes from the social elite of Boston, who covered for her absence from school and home by claiming she was serving as a nurse for the battlefield wounded. She met, married, and eventually lost her beloved husband, Jack, and their only child. After a period of mourning, she has recently remarried. Her new husband, Brooklyn businessman and widower, Gil Gladney, is charming and quite taken with his wifes social status. She adds to her household budget by writing essays and reviews for a local paper, but secretly pens a military-adventure series featuring two young soldiers, Ned and Zed, based on boys she served with who come home. She is interested in publishing her wartime memoirs, but anonymously, as she has never revealed that part of her past to her new husband. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Gil is a traditionalist in their marriage and does not share his burdens with his new wife easily, such as how bad their current financial situation is since his business partner absconded with all their liquid assets. He does not understand Leonas strengths or determination to uncover the truth behind Daphnes death, and spends too much time away from home, working in the city. Throughout the book, I wondered what secrets Gil was keeping from Leona, but I enjoyed their early but infrequent cozy evenings at home together. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Once compelled to take up her own inquiries, Leona makes some major headway in discovering who was behind Daphnes death, answers seemingly denied to the professional police investigator, Detective Gideon Day. I enjoyed how her friend, Ruth Appelman, insisted on accompanying her on her more questionable forays when she could. But her going alone into the house of the spiritualists had me on the edge of my seat every moment. Major plot twists elevate this historical mystery to a 5-star reading experience for me. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;I recommend THE LAST FATAL HOUR to readers of historical mysteries. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from the author through &lt;a href="https://guatemalapaula.blogspot.com/2026/05/virtual-book-tour-giveaway-last-fatal.html" target="_blank"&gt;&lt;i&gt;Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours.&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="https://littleelm.bubblelife.com/viewimage/key/3564578821/the-last-fatal-hour-by-janice-matthews--sm-3dimages-sq.jpg?w=512&amp;h=384"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description><pubDate>Wed, 27 May 2026 19:24:30 Z</pubDate></item><item><link>https://littleelm.bubblelife.com/community/little_elm_ireporter/library/35577391/key/352580283/PHOTOS_Rare_Footage_and_Cultural_Legacy_Take_Center_Stage_at_Bergman_in_Dallas_Documentary_Event</link><author>Dana Cobb</author><category>Lifestyle</category><title>PHOTOS: Rare Footage and Cultural Legacy Take Center Stage at Bergman in Dallas Documentary Event</title><description>&lt;p class="BodyA"&gt;An influential cross-section of Dallas arts patrons, filmmakers, alumni, and cultural supporters gathered on May 20 for an exclusive first-look presentation of the upcoming Ingmar Bergman documentary from acclaimed filmmaker &lt;a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1436428/"&gt;Keith Maitland&lt;/a&gt;, celebrating both the legendary Swedish directors cinematic legacy and Dallas unique role in preserving a remarkable chapter of film history.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p class="BodyA"&gt;Held at the historic &lt;a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Post_Office_and_Courthouse_(Dallas,_Texas)"&gt;U.S. Post Office &amp; Courthouse in downtown Dallas&lt;/a&gt;, the invitation-only evening served as both an intimate preview of the documentary and a successful fundraiser supporting the films continued production. Funds raised during the event will help support Maitlands upcoming fact-finding and research trip this summer to Bergmans estate in Sweden, where the creative team will continue gathering historical insight and contextual material for the film.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p class="BodyA"&gt;Guests included alumni and supporters connected to &lt;a href="http://www.smu.edu/"&gt;Southern Methodist University&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href="https://www.utexas.edu/"&gt;The University of Texas at Austin&lt;/a&gt;, the &lt;a href="https://www.sacc-usa.org/"&gt;Swedish-American Chamber of Commerce Texas&lt;/a&gt;, and a broad network of North Texas cultural advocates and film supporters.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p class="BodyA"&gt; The documentary draws from rare archival footage captured during legendary filmmaker Ingmar Bergmans historic&lt;a href="https://www.nytimes.com/1981/05/08/movies/ingmar-bergman-confides-in-students.html"&gt; 1981 visit to SMU as the inaugural recipient of the Meadows Award&lt;/a&gt;. The footage includes nearly four hours of intimate conversations and master classes with students, believed to represent the longest filmed interview Bergman ever participated in.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p class="BodyA"&gt;The evening featured select clips from the documentary, followed by a live conversation between Maitland, &lt;em&gt;Bergman in Dallas&lt;/em&gt; producer Daniel Laabs,  and Swedish producer &lt;a href="https://www.sacc-usa.org/news?p=interview-with-andr%25C3%25A9-persson-chief-communications-officer-sacc-texas"&gt;André Persson&lt;/a&gt; discussing Bergmans artistic influence, the significance of the archival footage, and the global cultural impact of the iconic director.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p class="BodyA"&gt;Bergmans influence reaches far beyond cinema, said Maitland during the event. His storytelling shaped generations of filmmakers, artists, writers, and even modern Swedish pop culture. To uncover this remarkable footage in Dallas and share it with audiences today feels both surreal and incredibly meaningful.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p class="BodyA"&gt;The event also highlighted the enduring place Bergman holds within Swedish cultural identity. Widely regarded as one of the most influential filmmakers in cinematic history, Bergmans work helped define Swedens global artistic reputation throughout the 20th century. His films, including &lt;em&gt;The Seventh Seal&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;Persona&lt;/em&gt;, and &lt;em&gt;Fanny and Alexander&lt;/em&gt;, continue to influence contemporary directors, television creators, theater artists, and broader Scandinavian popular culture.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p class="BodyA"&gt;Special recognition was given to longtime Dallas arts advocate Pat Porter for her connection to the original Meadows Award programming and her ongoing support of arts and cultural preservation in North Texas. Organizers noted that the rediscovery and restoration of the SMU archival footage would not have been possible without decades of stewardship by individuals connected to the university and Dallas arts community.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p class="BodyA"&gt;Presented in partnership with the Honorary Consulate of Sweden Dallas and the Swedish-American Chamber of Commerce Texas, the evening reinforced the strong cultural ties between Sweden and North Texas while celebrating Dallas often overlooked contributions to film history and documentary preservation.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p class="BodyA"&gt;The upcoming documentary continues production and is expected to further explore Bergmans creative philosophy, his influence on generations of filmmakers, and the extraordinary archival discovery housed for decades within SMUs film archive&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p class="BodyA"&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="https://littleelm.bubblelife.com/viewimage/key/3564585251/berg_12.jpg?w=512&amp;h=384"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="https://littleelm.bubblelife.com/viewimage/key/3564585290/berg_1.jpg?w=512&amp;h=384"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="https://littleelm.bubblelife.com/viewimage/key/3564585201/berg_5.jpg?w=512&amp;h=384"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="https://littleelm.bubblelife.com/viewimage/key/3564585223/berg_2.jpg?w=512&amp;h=384"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="https://littleelm.bubblelife.com/viewimage/key/3564585284/berg_11.jpg?w=512&amp;h=384"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="https://littleelm.bubblelife.com/viewimage/key/3564585234/berg_10.jpg?w=512&amp;h=384"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="https://littleelm.bubblelife.com/viewimage/key/3564585273/berg_4.jpg?w=512&amp;h=384"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="https://littleelm.bubblelife.com/viewimage/key/3564585841/berg_3.jpg?w=512&amp;h=384"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="https://littleelm.bubblelife.com/viewimage/key/3564585813/berg_9.jpg?w=512&amp;h=384"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="https://littleelm.bubblelife.com/viewimage/key/3564585863/berg_6.jpg?w=512&amp;h=384"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="https://littleelm.bubblelife.com/viewimage/key/3564585852/berg_5.png?w=512&amp;h=384"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description><pubDate>Tue, 26 May 2026 17:02:59 Z</pubDate></item><item><link>https://littleelm.bubblelife.com/community/little_elm_ireporter/library/35577391/key/352583933/Texas_and_the_American_Revolution_-_USA_250</link><author>Tom Keener</author><category>Lifestyle</category><title>Texas and the American Revolution - USA 250</title><description>&lt;p&gt;Texas State Historian Dr. Richard McCaslin discusses how Spanish Coahuila y Tejas played a pivotal role in helping American patriots secure independence from Great Britian at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, June 11, at 300 N. Allen Drive.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;A former Texas State Historical Association professor of Texas history at the University of North Texas, McCaslin has written or edited twenty-two books, including Tullis Award-winner &lt;i&gt;Tainted Breeze: The Great Hanging at Gainesville, Texas, October 1862&lt;/i&gt; and Pulitzer nominee &lt;i&gt;Lee in the Shadow of Washington&lt;/i&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Dr. McCaslin observes, Without the support of several nationsmost notably France, Spain, and the Netherlandsthe United States would never have won its independence from Great Britain. Gov. Bernardo de Gálvez of Spanish Louisiana, an officer with experience in and support from Texas, contributed to the patriot cause with a successful military campaign on the Gulf Coast that led the British to return Florida to Spain, reversing a territorial loss of twenty years earlier.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Sponsored by the Allen Public Library, DAR Bernardo de Gálvez and Allen Quilters Guild, the program is free. Call 214-509-4911 for more information.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt; &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="https://littleelm.bubblelife.com/viewimage/key/3564577831/bernardo_de_galvez1.jpg?w=512&amp;h=384"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description><pubDate>Mon, 25 May 2026 19:00:00 Z</pubDate></item><item><link>https://littleelm.bubblelife.com/community/little_elm_ireporter/library/35577391/key/352581560/CHILDRENS_BOOK_REVIEW_FIRST_WOMAN_by_Aren_Cappella</link><author>KAREN SIDDALL</author><category>Lifestyle</category><title>CHILDREN'S BOOK REVIEW: FIRST WOMAN by Aren Cappella</title><description>&lt;p align="center"&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;b&gt;First Woman&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p align="center"&gt;&lt;b&gt;by&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p align="center"&gt;&lt;b&gt;Aren Cappella&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p align="center"&gt;&lt;b&gt; &lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p align="center"&gt;&lt;b&gt;Gentle, harmonious, and beautiful origin story.&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt; &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;First Woman&lt;/i&gt; by the late Aren Cappella is a lovely picture book with a gentle story of humankinds origin. It is told in the style of a Native American fable and illustrated with beautiful and vivid images of animals and pristine natural spaces. A prologue introduces the tale and tells of the source of the story and the circumstances of the author. This heartfelt tribute is poignant and precious, and the intimate knowledge conveyed by the authors spouse will speak to adult readers. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The plot is simple and straightforward, with intentional repetitions, which slowly builds the tale toward its finale. The illustrations are a perfect complement to the narrative, with my favorite being the clever use of shadows to reveal the animal that each of Mother Wolfs pups will eventually become. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;I recommend FIRST WOMAN for reading aloud to children of all ages. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy through &lt;a href="https://karensiddall.wordpress.com/2024/10/05/book-tour-first-woman-by-aren-cappela/" target="_blank"&gt;&lt;i&gt;RABT Book Tours and PR.&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="https://littleelm.bubblelife.com/viewimage/key/3564590314/bookcover.jpg?w=512&amp;h=384"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description><pubDate>Mon, 25 May 2026 05:03:02 Z</pubDate></item><item><link>https://littleelm.bubblelife.com/community/little_elm_ireporter/library/35577391/key/352589440/Texas_AM_University_College_of_Dentistrys_orthodontics_leader_receives_the_Brophy_Award</link><author>Stephanie Patrick</author><category>Lifestyle</category><title>Texas A&amp;M University College of Dentistrys orthodontics leader receives the Brophy Award</title><description>&lt;div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;
&lt;p class="Paragraph SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;&lt;span class="TextRun Underlined SCXW69216593 BCX8" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US" data-contrast="none"&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8" data-ccp-charstyle="Hyperlink"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a class="Hyperlink SCXW69216593 BCX8" href="https://dentistry.tamu.edu/departments/orthodontics/faculty/larry-tadlock.html" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank"&gt;&lt;span class="TextRun Underlined SCXW69216593 BCX8" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US" data-contrast="none"&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8" data-ccp-charstyle="Hyperlink"&gt;Dr. Larry P. Tadlock&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span class="TextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US" data-contrast="auto"&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;, &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;h&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;ead of &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;o&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;rthodontics &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;at &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a class="Hyperlink SCXW69216593 BCX8" href="https://dentistry.tamu.edu/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank"&gt;&lt;span class="TextRun Underlined SCXW69216593 BCX8" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US" data-contrast="none"&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8" data-ccp-charstyle="Hyperlink"&gt;Texas A&amp;M &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8" data-ccp-charstyle="Hyperlink"&gt;University College of Dentistry&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span class="TextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US" data-contrast="auto"&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt; in Dallas&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;, received the James E. Brophy Award April 3&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;0 &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;at &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;the &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a class="Hyperlink SCXW69216593 BCX8" href="https://aaoinfo.org/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank"&gt;&lt;span class="TextRun Underlined SCXW69216593 BCX8" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US" data-contrast="none"&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8" data-ccp-charstyle="Hyperlink"&gt;American Association of Orthodontists&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span class="TextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US" data-contrast="auto"&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt; annual session in Orlando, Florida. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;The award is given &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;annually &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;to an orthodontist who &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;renders &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;distinguished service to orthodontics and &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;the AAO.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="EOP SCXW69216593 BCX8" data-ccp-props="{}"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;
&lt;p class="Paragraph SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;&lt;span class="TextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US" data-contrast="auto"&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;Tadlock, &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;a graduate of &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;the &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;then-&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;Baylor College of Dentistry Class of 1984, &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;served as &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;g&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;eneral &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;c&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;hair &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;of the 2022 AAO&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt; Annual Session&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;He also served as &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;d&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;irector &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;of the American Board &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;of Orthodontics from 2011 to 2020 and was ABO president from 2018&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt; to 2019.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="EOP SCXW69216593 BCX8" data-ccp-props="{}"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;
&lt;p class="Paragraph SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;&lt;span class="TextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US" data-contrast="none"&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;Serving as a &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;d&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;irector of the ABO is one of the greatest privileges of my profession&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;al &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;life&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;, he said. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;Serving as &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;g&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;eneral &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;c&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;hair of the 2022 AAO A&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;nnual Session &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;was challenging but successful be&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;cause of the her&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;culean efforts &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;of the AAO &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;staff and other AAO leaders, especially then&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;-&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;AAO President Ken Dilleay.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="EOP SCXW69216593 BCX8" data-ccp-props="{}"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;
&lt;p class="Paragraph SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;&lt;span class="TextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US" data-contrast="none"&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;Tadlock joined A&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;&amp;M Dentistry&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;s faculty in 2000 at the urging of Dr. Rolf G. Buzz&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt; Behrents, who was the orthodontics departments &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;chairman&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;. Behrents was scheduled &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;to receive the AAO Lifetime Achievement Award in Orthodontic Research &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;on &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;May 3 at the annual session&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;, &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="TextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US" data-contrast="auto"&gt;but he passed away April 24.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="EOP SCXW69216593 BCX8" data-ccp-props="{}"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;
&lt;p class="Paragraph SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;&lt;span class="TextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US" data-contrast="none"&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;Tadlock, who received &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;both his masters and &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;an &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;orthodontic &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;specialty certificate from what&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;s&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt; now &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;UTHealth Houston, was in private practice in Keller and &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="TextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US" data-contrast="none"&gt;North Richland Hills &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="TextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US" data-contrast="none"&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;for more than 30 years. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;Hes&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt; received &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;numerous&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt; awards, including &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;ABOs Dale B. Wade Award of Excellence in Orthodontics in 2025&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;its&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt; presented to a senior clinician and board-certified &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;orthodontist who &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;demonstrates&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt; exceptional dedication to orthodontics.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="EOP SCXW69216593 BCX8" data-ccp-props="{}"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;
&lt;p class="Paragraph SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;&lt;span class="TextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US" data-contrast="none"&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;This national recognition &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;reflects&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt; Dr. Tadlock&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;s long&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;-&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;standing commitment to excellence in orthodontic education and service to the pro&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;fession, said Dr. Lily T. Ga&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;r&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;c&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;í&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;a, dean &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;of A&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;&amp;M College of Dentistry&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;As one of my dental school classmates, I have had the privilege of &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;seeing&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt; firsthand&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt; his &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;dedication and leadership&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;,&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt; and&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt; I&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt; am pro&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;ud to see him receive the prestigious James E. Brophy Award from the American Association of Orthodontists.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="EOP SCXW69216593 BCX8" data-ccp-props="{"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;
&lt;p class="Paragraph SCXW69216593 BCX8" lang="EN-US"&gt;&lt;span class="TextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US" data-contrast="none"&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;Orthodontics is the most prevalent dental specialty,&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt; the &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a class="Hyperlink SCXW69216593 BCX8" href="https://www.ada.org/-/media/project/ada-organization/ada/ada-org/files/resources/research/hpi/us_dentist_workforce_2025.pdf?rev=362371cb6de24198ac3356661abdc25b&amp;hash=3903FAA20BDB648E3868E88314BFBED9" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank"&gt;&lt;span class="TextRun Underlined SCXW69216593 BCX8" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US" data-contrast="none"&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8" data-ccp-charstyle="Hyperlink"&gt;American Dental Association &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8" data-ccp-charstyle="Hyperlink"&gt;Health Policy Institute&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span class="TextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US" data-contrast="none"&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt; reported&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt; in 2025. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;About 5% of U.S. dentists are &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;orthodontists.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="EOP SCXW69216593 BCX8" data-ccp-props="{"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;
&lt;p class="Paragraph SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;&lt;span class="EOP SCXW69216593 BCX8" data-ccp-props="{}"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;
&lt;p class="Paragraph SCXW69216593 BCX8"&gt;&lt;span class="TextRun SCXW69216593 BCX8" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US" data-contrast="none"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="https://littleelm.bubblelife.com/viewimage/key/3564503622/larry-tadlock-600x600_002.jpg?w=512&amp;h=384"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description><pubDate>Sun, 24 May 2026 12:53:00 Z</pubDate></item><item><link>https://littleelm.bubblelife.com/community/little_elm_ireporter/library/35577391/key/352585693/Keller_Volunteers_Spend_Saturday_Preparing_Veterans_Memorials_for_Memorial_Day</link><author>Ashley Hernandez</author><category>Lifestyle</category><title>Keller Volunteers Spend Saturday Preparing Veterans Memorials for Memorial Day</title><description>&lt;p&gt; &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h1 data-section-id="16crm15" data-start="641" data-end="721"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 13px;"&gt;Most people driving through Keller on Saturday morning probably didn't notice the work happening behind the scenes.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h1&gt;
&lt;p data-start="840" data-end="1121"&gt;While many residents were starting their holiday weekend, a group of volunteers from the Keller Lions Club gathered at the Keller Veterans Memorial and Mt. Gilead Cemetery with gloves, tools, and a shared purpose: making sure Keller's veterans memorials are ready for Memorial Day.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p data-start="1123" data-end="1368"&gt;More than a dozen volunteers spent the morning cleaning, landscaping, and performing maintenance at the memorial sites where families, veterans, and community members will gather to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p data-start="1370" data-end="1614"&gt;The effort is part of an ongoing partnership between the Keller Lions Club and the City of Keller. According to organizers, the city provides materials while Lions Club members volunteer their time throughout the year to maintain the memorials.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p data-start="1616" data-end="1833"&gt;What started as a grassroots effort several years ago has grown into a recurring community project that reflects something Keller has long been known for: neighbors working together to preserve the things that matter.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p data-start="1835" data-end="1992"&gt;Among those volunteering Saturday morning were local business owners, veterans, civic leaders, and residents who simply wanted to give back to the community.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p data-start="1994" data-end="2092"&gt;For Keller Lions Club President Larry Lodge, a veteran himself, the work carries a deeper meaning.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p data-start="2094" data-end="2444"&gt;"Memorial Day is personal for those of us who served," Lodge said. "These memorials represent the lives and sacrifices of men and women who served our country, including those who never made it home. Taking care of them is one small way we can honor their legacy and ensure future generations understand the value of service, sacrifice, and freedom."&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p data-start="2446" data-end="2665"&gt;The volunteers focused their efforts on both the Keller Veterans Memorial located near Keller Parkway and Highway 377 and Mt. Gilead Cemetery, which will host Keller's annual Memorial Day Remembrance Ceremony on Monday.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p data-start="2667" data-end="2853"&gt;As the morning wrapped up, freshly cleaned memorials, trimmed landscaping, and American flags stood ready for the families and community members who will visit over Memorial Day weekend.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p data-start="2855" data-end="3032"&gt;In a time when community can sometimes feel divided, Saturday's effort served as a simple reminder that honoring those who served is something that still brings people together.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p data-start="3034" data-end="3143"&gt;Keller's Memorial Day Remembrance Ceremony will be held Monday, May 25, at 10:30 a.m. at Mt. Gilead Cemetery.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="https://littleelm.bubblelife.com/viewimage/key/3564500893/dsc04756.jpg?w=512&amp;h=384"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="https://littleelm.bubblelife.com/viewimage/key/3564500804/dsc04722.jpg?w=512&amp;h=384"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="https://littleelm.bubblelife.com/viewimage/key/3564500821/dsc04707.jpg?w=512&amp;h=384"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="https://littleelm.bubblelife.com/viewimage/key/3564500882/dsc04754.jpg?w=512&amp;h=384"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="https://littleelm.bubblelife.com/viewimage/key/3564500832/dsc04682.jpg?w=512&amp;h=384"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="https://littleelm.bubblelife.com/viewimage/key/3564500871/dsc04748.jpg?w=512&amp;h=384"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="https://littleelm.bubblelife.com/viewimage/key/3564500343/dsc04732.jpg?w=512&amp;h=384"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="https://littleelm.bubblelife.com/viewimage/key/3564500310/dsc04688.jpg?w=512&amp;h=384"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="https://littleelm.bubblelife.com/viewimage/key/3564500360/dsc04694.jpg?w=512&amp;h=384"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="https://littleelm.bubblelife.com/viewimage/key/3564500354/dsc04681.jpg?w=512&amp;h=384"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="https://littleelm.bubblelife.com/viewimage/key/3564500393/dsc04696.jpg?w=512&amp;h=384"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description><pubDate>Sat, 23 May 2026 12:00:00 Z</pubDate></item><item><link>https://littleelm.bubblelife.com/community/little_elm_ireporter/library/35577391/key/352589923/Keller_Volunteers_Spend_Saturday_Preparing_Veterans_Memorials_for_Memorial_Day</link><author>Ashley Hernandez</author><category>Lifestyle</category><title>Keller Volunteers Spend Saturday Preparing Veterans Memorials for Memorial Day</title><description>&lt;p&gt; &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h1 data-section-id="16crm15" data-start="641" data-end="721"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 13px;"&gt;Most people driving through Keller on Saturday morning probably didn't notice the work happening behind the scenes.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h1&gt;
&lt;p data-start="840" data-end="1121"&gt;While many residents were starting their holiday weekend, a group of volunteers from the Keller Lions Club gathered at the Keller Veterans Memorial and Mt. Gilead Cemetery with gloves, tools, and a shared purpose: making sure Keller's veterans memorials are ready for Memorial Day.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p data-start="1123" data-end="1368"&gt;More than a dozen volunteers spent the morning cleaning, landscaping, and performing maintenance at the memorial sites where families, veterans, and community members will gather to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p data-start="1370" data-end="1614"&gt;The effort is part of an ongoing partnership between the Keller Lions Club and the City of Keller. According to organizers, the city provides materials while Lions Club members volunteer their time throughout the year to maintain the memorials.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p data-start="1616" data-end="1833"&gt;What started as a grassroots effort several years ago has grown into a recurring community project that reflects something Keller has long been known for: neighbors working together to preserve the things that matter.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p data-start="1835" data-end="1992"&gt;Among those volunteering Saturday morning were local business owners, veterans, civic leaders, and residents who simply wanted to give back to the community.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p data-start="1994" data-end="2092"&gt;For Keller Lions Club President Larry Lodge, a veteran himself, the work carries a deeper meaning.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p data-start="2094" data-end="2444"&gt;"Memorial Day is personal for those of us who served," Lodge said. "These memorials represent the lives and sacrifices of men and women who served our country, including those who never made it home. Taking care of them is one small way we can honor their legacy and ensure future generations understand the value of service, sacrifice, and freedom."&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p data-start="2446" data-end="2665"&gt;The volunteers focused their efforts on both the Keller Veterans Memorial located near Keller Parkway and Highway 377 and Mt. Gilead Cemetery, which will host Keller's annual Memorial Day Remembrance Ceremony on Monday.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p data-start="2667" data-end="2853"&gt;As the morning wrapped up, freshly cleaned memorials, trimmed landscaping, and American flags stood ready for the families and community members who will visit over Memorial Day weekend.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p data-start="2855" data-end="3032"&gt;In a time when community can sometimes feel divided, Saturday's effort served as a simple reminder that honoring those who served is something that still brings people together.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p data-start="3034" data-end="3143"&gt;Keller's Memorial Day Remembrance Ceremony will be held Monday, May 25, at 10:30 a.m. at Mt. Gilead Cemetery.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="https://littleelm.bubblelife.com/viewimage/key/3564525424/dsc04756.jpg?w=512&amp;h=384"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="https://littleelm.bubblelife.com/viewimage/key/3564525480/dsc04722.jpg?w=512&amp;h=384"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="https://littleelm.bubblelife.com/viewimage/key/3564525430/dsc04707.jpg?w=512&amp;h=384"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="https://littleelm.bubblelife.com/viewimage/key/3564525474/dsc04754.jpg?w=512&amp;h=384"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="https://littleelm.bubblelife.com/viewimage/key/3564525143/dsc04682.jpg?w=512&amp;h=384"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="https://littleelm.bubblelife.com/viewimage/key/3564525110/dsc04748.jpg?w=512&amp;h=384"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="https://littleelm.bubblelife.com/viewimage/key/3564525160/dsc04732.jpg?w=512&amp;h=384"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="https://littleelm.bubblelife.com/viewimage/key/3564525154/dsc04688.jpg?w=512&amp;h=384"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="https://littleelm.bubblelife.com/viewimage/key/3564525193/dsc04694.jpg?w=512&amp;h=384"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="https://littleelm.bubblelife.com/viewimage/key/3564525104/dsc04681.jpg?w=512&amp;h=384"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="https://littleelm.bubblelife.com/viewimage/key/3564525121/dsc04696.jpg?w=512&amp;h=384"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description><pubDate>Sat, 23 May 2026 12:00:00 Z</pubDate></item><item><link>https://littleelm.bubblelife.com/community/little_elm_ireporter/library/35577391/key/352586010/BOOK_REVIEW_MIGRANT_CRISIS_by_John_Steel</link><author>KAREN SIDDALL</author><category>Lifestyle</category><title>BOOK REVIEW: MIGRANT CRISIS by John Steel</title><description>&lt;p align="center"&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;b&gt;Migrant Crisis&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p align="center"&gt;&lt;b&gt;by&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p align="center"&gt;&lt;b&gt;John Steel&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p align="center"&gt;&lt;b&gt; &lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p align="center"&gt;&lt;b&gt;Riveting behind-the-scenes political thriller about illegal migration and the deadly actions taken to halt it.&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p align="center"&gt; &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;Migrant Crisis&lt;/i&gt; is the riveting new political thriller by John Steel that shines a spotlight on illegal migration into the UK and France and imagines the desperate actions some are willing to take to halt it. The author takes readers behind the scenes at Whitehall as the fictional leadership puts all their cards in play to stem the flow of illegals attempting the treacherous Channel crossing, not realizing they are about to disappear into even worse living conditions than those they were trying to escape in their country of origin. Government officials take unprecedented, morally unfathomable steps in their plan to regain control of their shoreline, actions that, if uncovered, would bring down those at the highest levels. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;What an awesome and complex tale this turned out to be! The story unfolds from multiple points of view, including those in leadership roles of government, the criminals taking advantage of the desperate migrants, and the migrants themselves: some legitimately seeking safety but others aiming to game the social systems or preparing to infiltrate and destroy the UK from within. As the story progressed, I found my sympathies for individual characters changing. Although I did not care for her at first, my favorite character turned out to be Maya Linford, the morally off-kilter mastermind behind the British government's response to the flood of migrants. On the other hand, Charlotte Dale, the PM's wife, was my favorite for most of the story, and I really wanted to know more about her and her life in the intelligence service before voluntarily stepping back after marrying Kamran. However, there is a whole plethora of interesting characters throughout. I initially questioned the sudden focus on several individuals in one boatload of immigrants, but I was nonetheless glued to their stories. However, while we learn the disposition of the group of young men deemed "problems" in the UK, we don't find out if the others find their hearts' desires after release from the Border Force lockup or if they get snapped up by the criminal organizations waiting for them outside the gates. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;As an American unfamiliar with the UK government or political parties, I thoroughly enjoyed the fictional inner workings of the Prime Minister's Office, its staff, senior Cabinet members, and assets who operate from the shadows. The recreation of a volatile Prime Minister's Questions session in the House of Commons was frightening and chaotic. However, it is clear that the problems, impacts, and best responses to illegal immigration are universal. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;With its riveting plot and complex characters, I recommend MIGRANT CRISIS to readers of political thrillers. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from &lt;a href="https://reedsy.com/discovery/book/migrant-crisis-john-steel" target="_blank"&gt;&lt;i&gt;Reedsy Discovery.&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="https://littleelm.bubblelife.com/viewimage/key/3564501120/migrant_crisis.jpg?w=512&amp;h=384"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description><pubDate>Fri, 22 May 2026 18:21:34 Z</pubDate></item><item><link>https://littleelm.bubblelife.com/community/little_elm_ireporter/library/35577391/key/352585413/Hawaiian_Falls_Waterparks_Open_Daily_for_Summer</link><author>Carolyn Alvey</author><category>Lifestyle</category><title>Hawaiian Falls Waterparks Open Daily for Summer</title><description>&lt;p&gt;Hawaiian Falls is making a splash this Memorial Day weekend as its Mansfield, Roanoke and Waco waterparks open daily for the summer season. Families can pack the sunscreen, grab the beach towels and celebrate the start of summer with slides, wave pools, and lazy rivers.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;To honor those who serve, Hawaiian Falls will offer free admission to all active-duty and retired military personnel with a valid military ID during Memorial Day weekend, Friday, May 22 through Monday, May 25.&lt;/b&gt; The parks will be open from 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday through Sunday and from 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Memorial Day. Season passholders receive early entry 30 minutes before the parks open.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;As a thank you to the men and women who are currently serving and those retired from our armed forces, we want to offer these honored guests free admission, said Hawaiian Falls Marketing Director Ron Mckenzie. Because of their service, families can enjoy quality time with friends and families.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Each of the waterparks feature a wave pool and lazy river in addition to slides and attractions of varying height and age requirements. Season passes in 2026 for individuals start at $49.99 for unlimited visits at their home park with early entry every operating day or $59.99 for unlimited visits at all three Hawaiian Falls waterparks with early entry every operating day, as well as 20 percent savings on all food and beverage, and 20 percent off on cabana rentals and 25 percent off weekday tickets for additional guests.  &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Hawaiian Falls 2026 special events include:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;b&gt;Fathers Day&lt;/b&gt; weekend  Dads get in free June 21&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;b&gt;Champions Day&lt;/b&gt;  June 13 and July 25 Champions (individuals with special needs) and their families will have exclusive access to the parks from 9 am -10 am. Champions tickets are FREE and family companion tickets are only $10 (limit 4) for the whole day.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;b&gt;Summer Sing-Along Dive in Movie Series &lt;/b&gt; June 5 (Waco); June 12 (Mansfield) and June 19 (Roanoke) &lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;b&gt;Worlds Largest Swimming Lesson&lt;/b&gt;  June 25 in Mansfield Roanoke, and Waco&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;b&gt;Independence Day&lt;/b&gt; weekend  Active duty and retired military personnel as well as first responders receive free admission.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;b&gt;Dive in Movie&lt;/b&gt;  July 10, 17 &amp; 24 in Mansfield, Roanoke, and &lt;br /&gt;in Waco.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;b&gt;Drop the Puck and Make a Splash &lt;/b&gt; July 14 (Waco only)&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;b&gt;Aloha Back to School Supply Drive&lt;/b&gt;  July 27  August 9 &lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Hawaiian Falls Waterparks has been serving Texas families for more than 20 years, with locations in Roanoke, Mansfield, and Waco, Texas. Hawaiian Falls has been named among the Top 20 Best&lt;b&gt; &lt;/b&gt;Waterparks in the United States. The parks feature a wide variety of attractions, slides, and amenities designed to create lasting memories for the families and communities they serve. For more information about Hawaiian Falls, including operating hours and details for the Mansfield, Roanoke, and Waco locations, visit &lt;a href="http://www.hfalls.com/"&gt;hfalls.com&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;In 2025, Hawaiian Falls was acquired by Orlandobased Ripleys Believe It or Not! World Entertainment, reinforcing a shared commitment to continued investment and long-term growth.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Built on the foundation of a daily newspaper cartoon in 1918  still in print today  Ripleys Believe It or Not! World Entertainment has grown to be a global leader in family entertainment with more than 100 attractions across nine countries. Along with Ripleys Believe It or Not! Ripleys Aquariums, Great Wolf Lodge (Niagara Falls), Guinness World Records attractions, wax museums, traveling shows, miniature golf courses, mirror mazes, and more, the world of Ripleys continues to grow through exciting new experiences, and online content.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Ripleys Believe It or Not! World Entertainment is a proud member of The Jim Pattison Group, Canadas largest private company.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Learn more about Ripleys Believe It or Not! World Entertainment by visiting &lt;a title="https://www.ripleys.com/" href="https://www.ripleys.com/" target="_blank"&gt;Ripleys.com &lt;/a&gt; and following on &lt;a title="https://www.facebook.com/RipleysBelieveItorNot" href="https://www.facebook.com/RipleysBelieveItorNot" target="_blank"&gt;Facebook&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a title="https://twitter.com/ripleys" href="https://twitter.com/ripleys" target="_blank"&gt;X&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a title="https://www.youtube.com/c/ripleys" href="https://www.youtube.com/c/ripleys" target="_blank"&gt;YouTube&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a title="https://www.instagram.com/ripleysbelieveitornot/" href="https://www.instagram.com/ripleysbelieveitornot/" target="_blank"&gt;Instagram&lt;/a&gt;, and &lt;a title="https://www.tiktok.com/@ripleysbelieveitornot?" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@ripleysbelieveitornot?" target="_blank"&gt;TikTok&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="https://littleelm.bubblelife.com/viewimage/key/3564505944/hf_mansfield_114.jpg?w=512&amp;h=384"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="https://littleelm.bubblelife.com/viewimage/key/3564505961/hf_roanoke_11.jpg?w=512&amp;h=384"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description><pubDate>Fri, 22 May 2026 14:34:02 Z</pubDate></item><item><link>https://littleelm.bubblelife.com/community/little_elm_ireporter/library/35577391/key/352580610/When_Slowing_Down_Isnt_Just_Getting_Older_Your_Dog_May_Be_Living_with_Arthritis_or_Back_Pain</link><author>Douglas Stramel, DVM, CVPP, CVMA</author><category>Lifestyle</category><title>When Slowing Down Isnt Just Getting Older: Your Dog May Be Living with Arthritis or Back Pain</title><description>&lt;p data-start="162" data-end="270"&gt;Many pet owners assume that slowing down is simply part of getting older. We hear things like, &lt;em data-start="424" data-end="482"&gt;Hes getting gray, so he doesnt want to play anymore,&lt;/em&gt; or &lt;em data-start="486" data-end="533"&gt;She just isnt as active as she used to be.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p data-start="537" data-end="595"&gt;But in many cases, that change isnt age itselfits pain.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p data-start="597" data-end="771"&gt;Dogs are incredibly good at hiding discomfort. Many continue wagging their tails and acting happy while quietly living with arthritis, joint disease, neck pain, or back pain.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p data-start="773" data-end="849"&gt;The challenge is that pain in dogs often looks different than people expect.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p data-start="851" data-end="885"&gt;Common signs to watch for include:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p data-start="887" data-end="1413"&gt; Difficulty getting up after lying down&lt;br data-start="927" data-end="930" /&gt;  Reluctance to jump into the car or onto furniture&lt;br data-start="981" data-end="984" /&gt;  Slower on stairs or avoiding them entirely&lt;br data-start="1028" data-end="1031" /&gt;  Limping or stiffness, especially after rest&lt;br data-start="1076" data-end="1079" /&gt;  Hesitating before walks&lt;br data-start="1104" data-end="1107" /&gt;  Sleeping more than usual&lt;br data-start="1133" data-end="1136" /&gt;  Lagging behind on walks&lt;br data-start="1161" data-end="1164" /&gt;  Sitting crooked or changing positions frequently&lt;br data-start="1214" data-end="1217" /&gt;  Slipping on hardwood floors&lt;br data-start="1246" data-end="1249" /&gt;  Muscle loss in the back legs&lt;br data-start="1279" data-end="1282" /&gt;  Trembling, yelping, or sensitivity when touched&lt;br data-start="1331" data-end="1334" /&gt;  Personality changes or irritability&lt;br data-start="1371" data-end="1374" /&gt;  Not wanting to play like they used to&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p data-start="1415" data-end="1595"&gt;Back pain may be even more subtle. Dogs can lower their head, arch their back, avoid turning certain directions, refuse to jump, or simply seem different without an obvious limp.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p data-start="1597" data-end="1650"&gt;One of the most common things we hear from owners is:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p data-start="1652" data-end="1689"&gt;&lt;em data-start="1652" data-end="1689"&gt;"I had no idea my dog was hurting."&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p data-start="1691" data-end="1737"&gt;Then treatment begins and suddenly owners say:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p data-start="1739" data-end="1856"&gt;&lt;em data-start="1739" data-end="1770"&gt;"He acts like a puppy again."&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br data-start="1770" data-end="1773" /&gt; &lt;em data-start="1773" data-end="1814"&gt;"She's carrying toys around the house."&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br data-start="1814" data-end="1817" /&gt; &lt;em data-start="1817" data-end="1856"&gt;"He's greeting us at the door again."&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p data-start="1858" data-end="2077"&gt; Pets showing signs of arthritis, back pain, or mobility changes can benefit from evaluation by a veterinarian with advanced training in pain management, such as a Certified Veterinary Pain Practitioner (CVPP), who specializes in recognizing and treating pain that often goes unnoticed.  Because every pet and every condition is different, treatment is often customized and may include:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p data-start="2079" data-end="2215"&gt;&lt;strong data-start="2079" data-end="2098"&gt;Pain Management&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br data-start="2098" data-end="2101" /&gt; Targeted medications and multimodal approaches designed to reduce pain while improving comfort and daily function.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p data-start="2217" data-end="2388"&gt;&lt;strong data-start="2217" data-end="2252"&gt;Physical Rehabilitation Therapy&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br data-start="2252" data-end="2255" /&gt; Exercises, stretching, strengthening, and movement-based therapies designed to rebuild muscle, improve mobility, and support healing.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p data-start="2390" data-end="2559"&gt;&lt;strong data-start="2390" data-end="2422"&gt;Underwater Treadmill Therapy&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br data-start="2422" data-end="2425" /&gt; Water buoyancy decreases pressure on painful joints while allowing pets to safely exercise, strengthen muscles, and improve endurance.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p data-start="2561" data-end="2704"&gt;&lt;strong data-start="2561" data-end="2576"&gt;Acupuncture&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br data-start="2576" data-end="2579" /&gt; Small needles stimulate nerves and natural pain-relieving pathways within the body and may help reduce pain and inflammation.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p data-start="2706" data-end="2880"&gt;&lt;strong data-start="2706" data-end="2723"&gt;Laser Therapy&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br data-start="2723" data-end="2726" /&gt; Therapeutic laser uses light energy to stimulate cells, increase circulation, decrease inflammation, and help reduce pain while supporting tissue healing.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p data-start="2882" data-end="3073"&gt;&lt;strong data-start="2882" data-end="2903"&gt;Shockwave Therapy&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br data-start="2903" data-end="2906" /&gt; Focused acoustic waves help stimulate healing and blood flow in injured tissues and can be beneficial for chronic arthritis, tendon injuries, and musculoskeletal pain.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p data-start="3075" data-end="3258"&gt;&lt;strong data-start="3075" data-end="3100"&gt;Regenerative Medicine&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br data-start="3100" data-end="3103" /&gt; Treatments such as platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and other biologic therapies use the body's own healing components to support repair and reduce inflammation.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p data-start="3260" data-end="3438"&gt;&lt;strong data-start="3260" data-end="3277"&gt;Ozone Therapy&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br data-start="3277" data-end="3280" /&gt; Medical ozone therapy may be used as part of a treatment plan to support oxygen utilization, circulation, and tissue health while helping reduce inflammation.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p data-start="3440" data-end="3639"&gt;&lt;strong data-start="3440" data-end="3482"&gt;Individualized Mobility and Home Plans&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br data-start="3482" data-end="3485" /&gt; Simple adjustments at homeincluding exercise changes, flooring recommendations, weight management, and mobility supportcan make a tremendous difference.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p data-start="3641" data-end="3756"&gt;Our goal is not simply to mask pain. Our goal is to improve comfort, restore function, and improve quality of life.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p data-start="3758" data-end="3895"&gt;Many owners discover that what they thought was normal aging was actually chronic discomfort their pet had simply learned to live with.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p data-start="3897" data-end="3919"&gt;Pain isn't just aging.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p data-start="3921" data-end="3956"&gt;&lt;strong data-start="3921" data-end="3956"&gt;If your pet hurts, we can help.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p data-start="3958" data-end="4044" data-is-last-node="" data-is-only-node=""&gt;Advanced Care Veterinary Services&lt;br data-start="3991" data-end="3994" /&gt; Carrollton, Texas&lt;br data-start="4011" data-end="4014" /&gt; 972-394-6422&lt;br data-start="4026" data-end="4029" /&gt; stoppetpain.com&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="https://littleelm.bubblelife.com/viewimage/key/3564523242/screenshot_2026-05-21_103420.png?w=512&amp;h=384"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description><pubDate>Thu, 21 May 2026 10:36:30 Z</pubDate></item><item><link>https://littleelm.bubblelife.com/community/little_elm_ireporter/library/35577391/key/352527683/Wingman_Open_in_Fort_Worth_Raises_Money_to_Fund_Educational_Scholarships</link><author>Culver Public Relations</author><category>Lifestyle</category><title>Wingman Open in Fort Worth Raises Money to Fund Educational Scholarships</title><description>&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span&gt;Folds of Honor North Texas brought together supporters, community leaders, and golf enthusiasts for a meaningful day of connection and impact at the 2026 Wingman Open, held April 13 at Ridglea Country Club in Fort Worth.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;img src="https://littleelm.bubblelife.com/viewimage/key/3564555944/wba09138_1.jpg" alt="" width="320" height="480" /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span&gt;Hosted by the organizations Fort Worth Board of Directors, the event combined a full day of golf with opportunities for attendees to support the mission of providing educational scholarships to the spouses and children of Americas fallen and disabled service members and first responders.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;img src="https://littleelm.bubblelife.com/viewimage/key/3564555573/wba09120_1.jpg" alt="" width="640" height="427" /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span&gt;Participants enjoyed 18 holes of golf followed by an evening program featuring dinner, live music, an auction, and remarks highlighting the life-changing impact of Folds of Honor scholarships across North Texas. Throughout the day, the event served as both a celebration of community and a reminder of the sacrifices made by military and first responder families.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span&gt;The Wingman Open reflected the strong support Folds of Honor North Texas continues to receive from the local community, with attendees, sponsors, and volunteers coming together to help expand educational opportunities for deserving families.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;img src="https://littleelm.bubblelife.com/viewimage/key/3564555911/wba08968_1.jpg" alt="" width="640" height="427" /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span&gt;From the first tee shot to the closing program, the event underscored the organizations mission to honor sacrifice by investing in education and creating lasting impact for the families of those who have served.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="https://littleelm.bubblelife.com/viewimage/key/3564557250/wba08948_1.jpg?w=512&amp;h=384"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description><pubDate>Wed, 20 May 2026 12:31:16 Z</pubDate></item><item><link>https://littleelm.bubblelife.com/community/little_elm_ireporter/library/35577391/key/352528921/BOOK_REVIEW_FIRST_DAUGHTER_by_Marlie_Parker_Wasserman</link><author>KAREN SIDDALL</author><category>Lifestyle</category><title>BOOK REVIEW: FIRST DAUGHTER by Marlie Parker Wasserman</title><description>&lt;p align="center"&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;b&gt;First Daughter&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p align="center"&gt;&lt;b&gt;by&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p align="center"&gt;&lt;b&gt;Marlie Parker Wasserman&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p align="center"&gt;&lt;b&gt; &lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p align="center"&gt;&lt;b&gt;Compelling fictional story of an imagined kidnapping of Grover and Frances Clevelands eldest daughter, Ruth.&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt; &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;First Daughter&lt;/i&gt; by Marlie Parker Wasserman is a compelling fictional account of the imagined kidnapping of President Grover Clevelands eldest daughter, three-year-old Ruth. Occurring during Frances Clevelands confinement in the aftermath of the birth of her third child, daughter Marion, Frances feels immense helplessness as the woman who had briefly but successfully removed Ruth from their summer home remained at large and unidentified; while her husband, the President, seemingly moved on, his thoughts returning to issues of state. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Told from multiple viewpoints, especially those of the frantic Frances Cleveland and a distant domestic, Mary Brinski, the story is rich in the details of the time and thick with the rising tension that the unknown kidnapper would soon try again. Frances is the frightened mother, helpless to pursue her own ideas of who is behind the crime, as she slowly recuperates from her recent and difficult childbirth. The constant dismissal of her ideas was hard to stomach in this day and age. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Mary Brinski, a domestic in the service of a wealthy Pontiac, Michigan, family, has entirely different struggles: a missing common-law husband and the lack of funds and opportunity to search for him. Their converging stories make for compelling, tense, and ultimately satisfying reading. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;I recommend FIRST DAUGHTER to readers of historical fiction. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from the author through &lt;a href="https://guatemalapaula.blogspot.com/2026/05/virtual-book-tour-giveaway-first.html" target="_blank"&gt;&lt;i&gt;Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours.&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="https://littleelm.bubblelife.com/viewimage/key/3564558363/first-daughter-by-marlie-p-wasserman--sm-3dimages-sq.jpg?w=512&amp;h=384"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description><pubDate>Wed, 20 May 2026 11:10:17 Z</pubDate></item><item><link>https://littleelm.bubblelife.com/community/little_elm_ireporter/library/35577391/key/352523224/CHILDRENS_BOOK_REVIEW_SOPHIA_FREEMAN_AND_THE_MYSTERIOUS_FOUNTAIN_by_TX_Troan</link><author>KAREN SIDDALL</author><category>Lifestyle</category><title>CHILDREN'S BOOK REVIEW: SOPHIA FREEMAN AND THE MYSTERIOUS FOUNTAIN by T.X. Troan</title><description>&lt;p align="center"&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Sophia Freeman and the Mysterious Fountain&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p align="center"&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Sophia Freeman, #1&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p align="center"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;by&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p align="center"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;T.X. Troan&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p align="center"&gt;&lt;strong&gt; &lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p align="center"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Imaginative and exciting middle-grade fantasy adventure!&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt; &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Sophia Freeman and the Mysterious Fountain&lt;/em&gt; is the first book in author T.X. Troan's middle-grade fantasy series featuring the poor little rich girl left alone on a mysterious island. The author has created a magical world filled with mythical beings and talking, walking trees, all working to defeat an evil and powerful island demon. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The main character is Sophia Freeman, the motherless daughter of a wealthy and often too-busy business tycoon. While able to have any physical object her heart desires, what she wants most is the love and understanding of her workaholic father. Despite the fulfillment of her every whim, Sophia is a kind and compassionate child, showing entitled or bratty behavior only on rare occasions, even after being left behind on her father's newly acquired island. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Sophia's main supporter in her predicament is the fledgling island guardian, a tree boy named Silimon. Adventure ensues as he tries to get her the help she needs to survive until her father returns to rescue her and take her home. As the two youngsters make their way around the island, they encounter its many magical and mythical inhabitants, including the spirit of the entrapped island demon whose curse has long affected all who have set foot on his former island domain. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The plot moves quickly with exciting twists and turns as the island's secrets and Sophia's reason for being stranded there come to light. The ending isn't a final resolution to Sophia's story but a jumping-off point for the next adventure in the series. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;I recommend SOPHIA FREEMAN AND THE MYSTERIOUS FOUNTAIN to upper elementary and middle-school-aged readers who enjoy stories of adventure, magic, and mystery, and for reading aloud at home, school, or after-school settings.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;For this and other reviews, visit my blog at &lt;a href="https://karensiddall.wordpress.com/2024/06/12/nbtm-virtual-book-tour-giveaway-the-sophia-freeman-series-by-t-x-troan/" target="_blank"&gt;Boys' Mom Reads!&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="https://littleelm.bubblelife.com/viewimage/key/3564557463/1book_cover_sophia_freeman_series.jpg?w=512&amp;h=384"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description><pubDate>Tue, 19 May 2026 20:04:51 Z</pubDate></item><item><link>https://littleelm.bubblelife.com/community/little_elm_ireporter/library/35577391/key/352523421/CHILDRENS_BOOK_REVIEW_MY_FRIENDS_AND_i_SPOT_TIME_TRAVEL_by_TX_Troan</link><author>KAREN SIDDALL</author><category>Lifestyle</category><title>CHILDREN'S BOOK REVIEW: MY FRIENDS AND i SPOT TIME TRAVEL by T.X. Troan</title><description>&lt;p align="center"&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;b&gt;My Friends and I Spot Time Travel&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p align="center"&gt;&lt;b&gt;by&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p align="center"&gt;&lt;b&gt;T.X. Troan&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p align="center"&gt;&lt;b&gt; &lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p align="center"&gt;&lt;b&gt;Fun, well-done collection of observation puzzles that even adults will enjoy!&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt; &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;In My Friends and I Spot Time Travel,&lt;/i&gt; the story linking the pictures together features Jason Li and Mary Harper, who find themselves in a series of adventures set in the present or at different times in history, with each new setting containing interesting or scary objects, including birds, ancient weapons, treasure, and magical items. Each page has a list of objects, all in plain sight, that the reader is to hunt for in the drawing. The drawings are fun and BUSY; there's so much to see! It took me a while to find some of the items, and it was entertaining the entire time. I especially liked the spooky cemetery and the underwater adventure! One nice thing is that there are plenty of pictures in the book. While other similar picture books give 4-5 puzzles to solve, &lt;i&gt;Time Travel &lt;/i&gt;has more than double that, and the solution for each one is included at the end of the book. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;I recommend MY FRIENDS AND I SPOT TIME TRAVEL to children and adults who enjoy picture puzzles. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from the author through &lt;a href="https://karensiddall.wordpress.com/2026/04/23/book-blast-giveaway-my-friends-and-i-spot-series-by-t-x-troan/" target="_blank"&gt;&lt;i&gt;Goddess Fish Promotions Book Tours.&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="https://littleelm.bubblelife.com/viewimage/key/3564553964/bookcover_timetravel.jpg?w=512&amp;h=384"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description><pubDate>Tue, 19 May 2026 18:17:47 Z</pubDate></item><item><link>https://littleelm.bubblelife.com/community/little_elm_ireporter/library/35577391/key/352520192/Texas_Womens_Foundation_Honors_Changemakers_at_2026_Leadership_Forum_Awards_Celebration</link><author>Juliette DC</author><category>Lifestyle</category><title>Texas Womens Foundation Honors Changemakers  at 2026 Leadership Forum &amp; Awards Celebration</title><description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="https://txwf.org/"&gt;Texas Womens Foundation&lt;/a&gt;s Leadership Forum &amp; Awards Celebration brought together a sold-out audience of &lt;strong&gt;more than 600 attendees&lt;/strong&gt; on April 29 at Moody Performance Hall for an inspiring evening dedicated to celebrating womens leadership and building #StrongWomenBetterTexas and raising more than &lt;strong&gt;$385,000&lt;/strong&gt; in support of the foundations mission. Co-chaired by &lt;strong&gt;Cristal Retana Lule&lt;/strong&gt; and &lt;strong&gt;Lynn McBee&lt;/strong&gt;, the event highlighted the power of sisterhood and collective philanthropy in removing the barriers to womens economic security, stability and success and creating a strong and vibrant Texas for all.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Featuring a new venue and theater-style format, the program opened with an awards celebration, sponsored by Haynes Boone, honoring seven extraordinary women whose leadership is transforming communities across the state.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Awards Selection Committee co-chairs, Texas Womens Foundation Board Chair &lt;strong&gt;Cris Zertuche Wong&lt;/strong&gt; and 1991 Maura Award Recipient &lt;strong&gt;Brenda Jackson&lt;/strong&gt;, recognized attendees for believing deeply in this work and reflected on the organizations impact, emphasizing that for 40 years, the foundation has remained steadfast in its mission  advancing research, advocacy and strategic investments that create real change for Texas women and their families. Wong emphasized that even amid todays challenges, the foundation is not slowing down, but instead doubling down to expand opportunity and ensure all Texans have the chance to thrive.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The 2026 Young Leader Award recipients, &lt;strong&gt;Prisma Garcia&lt;/strong&gt; and &lt;strong&gt;Amanda Valentine&lt;/strong&gt;, were recognized for their bold leadership and commitment to creating pathways for others. Garcias work in education, mental health access and public service, alongside Valentines impact in healthcare operations and systems improvement, exemplify the next generation of changemakers.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The prestigious Maura Women Helping Women Awards honored five exceptional leaders: &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Debra Hunter Johnson&lt;/strong&gt; for her transformational leadership and advocacy in the corporate and nonprofit sectors;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Kim Bizor Tolbert&lt;/strong&gt; for her groundbreaking leadership as Dallas City Manager and commitment to public service;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Margie Aguilar&lt;/strong&gt; for amplifying diverse voices through media and storytelling with an emphasis on the Hispanic community;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Dr. Olga Martinez Hickman&lt;/strong&gt; for her community-driven work advancing equity and opportunity through Bachman Lake Together;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Thear Suzuki&lt;/strong&gt; for her purpose-driven leadership and dedication to inspiring courageous action through mentorship and philanthropy.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The Leadership Forum, presented by Southwest Airlines, emceed by &lt;strong&gt;CBS News Anchor Karen Borta&lt;/strong&gt;, served as a &lt;strong&gt;masterclass in leadership&lt;/strong&gt;, featuring dynamic, micro-learning sessions with award recipients and thought leaders. Borta emphasized the power of collective action and shared purpose in driving meaningful change for women and families across Texas.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The forum opened with Power, Poise &amp; Purpose, featuring &lt;strong&gt;Kim Bizor Tolbert&lt;/strong&gt; who shared her insights on leading with intention and navigating leadership at the highest levels of public service. Tolbert shared that the award carries deep meaning, calling it a mandate to continue to work, swim upstream and focus on what matters. She emphasized staying grounded in faith amid pressure, noting, I use my voice to help women find ways forward  not just by opening the door, but by making sure they have the keys.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;A keynote highlight was &lt;strong&gt;Debra Hunter Johnsons&lt;/strong&gt; DEB&lt;em&gt;Talk&lt;/em&gt;, which challenged attendees to rethink systemic barriers and move from intention to action in creating equitable workplaces. She challenged us to redesign systems because, according to the McKinsey report, it could take 50 years for women to reach parity in the workplace. We dont have 50 years.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;In a dynamic discussion on intergenerational leadership, Young Leaders &lt;strong&gt;Prisma Garcia&lt;/strong&gt; and &lt;strong&gt;Amanda Valentine&lt;/strong&gt; reflected on the realities facing emerging leaders today and the importance of collaboration across generations.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The Voices That Shape Change session highlighted the power of storytelling and advocacy, as &lt;strong&gt;Margie Aguilar&lt;/strong&gt; and &lt;strong&gt;Dr. Olga Martinez Hickman&lt;/strong&gt; shared how they use their respective platforms to drive meaningful community impact. Among their reflections, Aguilar noted, We must learn to own our greatness and know our worth, while Hickman emphasized inclusive solutions, saying, The people closest to a problem need to be part of the solution  thats my personal mantra.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;To close the forum, &lt;strong&gt;Thear Suzuki&lt;/strong&gt; reflected on values-driven leadership, legacy, and the importance of inspiring courageous action in others. Courage comes from external sources  we have courage to act when we know someone has our back, she shared.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Following the forum, the foundation presented its Special Recognition Award to &lt;strong&gt;High Tech Rising&lt;/strong&gt; (formerly High Tech High Heels) for its decades-long commitment to advancing girls in STEM. &lt;strong&gt;Melendy Lovett&lt;/strong&gt; and &lt;strong&gt;Laura Steffek&lt;/strong&gt; accepted the honor, sharing that over 25 years, the initiative has reached more than 90,000 girls and invested more than $2 million in STEM education. Fittingly, Texas Instruments sponsored this award as its female leaders were the catalyst for founding the nonprofit 25 years ago. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Concluding the program, the Foundation introduced its inaugural Champion Award, honoring &lt;strong&gt;Allen Nye&lt;/strong&gt;, CEO of Oncor, for his leadership in advancing women in the workplace. Nye thanked Texas Womens Foundation for opening doors, expanding opportunities and reminding others what is possible when talent is encouraged. Better decisions are made when there are more perspectives at the table. Its not just the right thing to do; its good business.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Throughout the event, speakers reflected on the Foundations 40-year legacy of impact, including mobilizing more than $115 million to support the 14.7 million women and girls across Texas. The program concluded with a call to action, encouraging collective giving to further accelerate progress, supported by a $55,000 matching gift from Debra Hunter Johnson and a group of her friends, contributing to the more than $385,000 raised by the event.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Texas Womens Foundation President and CEO &lt;strong&gt;Karen Hughes White&lt;/strong&gt; closed the program by thanking attendees, congratulating award recipients, and reflecting on the collective experience, saying, Friends, I hope you all are feeling as inspired and energized as I am. More importantly, I hope you are feeling hopeful about the future were building together.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The evening transitioned into a celebratory reception sponsored by Perkins Coie, uniting attendees in the shared mission of creating a strong and vibrant Texas for all by building #StrongWomenBetterTexas.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Key sponsors recognized:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Presenting Sponsor:&lt;/strong&gt; Haynes Boone&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Leadership Forum Sponsor:&lt;/strong&gt; Southwest Airlines&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Cocktail Reception Sponsor:&lt;/strong&gt; Perkins Coie&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Parking Sponsor:&lt;/strong&gt; Friends of Olga&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Registration Partner:&lt;/strong&gt; Hilti&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Maura Recognition Sponsor:&lt;/strong&gt; Marshalling Resources&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Transformational Partner:&lt;/strong&gt; Debra Hunter Johnson and Friends&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Special Recognition Award Sponsor:&lt;/strong&gt; Texas Instruments and the TI Foundation&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Snap &amp; Share Photo Sponsor:&lt;/strong&gt; Oncor (with photo experience by Pikcher Booth)&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt;More information can be found at &lt;a href="https://txwf.org/leadership"&gt;https://txwf.org/leadership&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;About Texas Womens Foundation: &lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Texas Womens Foundation (TXWF) raises funds from a broad base of donors, including individuals, foundations and corporations. These resources support nearly $5 million in investments each year to help eliminate the barriers to womens economic security, stability and success through targeted research and advocacy, intentional grantmaking and leadership programs. Since its inception in 1985, TXWF has invested nearly $90 million in grantmaking in support of Texas women, their families and their futures, and another $25 million in research, advocacy and educational programs for a total impact of $115 million over the last 40 years. As TXWF prepares for its next 40 years, the organizations vision for a strong and vibrant Texas for all will remain at the forefront of its work.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;TXWFs targeted research into the issues impacting the economic security of Texas women and families will continue to guide its work. The biannual Economic Issues for Women in Texas Report also provides corporate and community leaders, and state and local lawmakers with critical data to inform policies, practices and programs across the state. In addition, Texas Womens Foundation is an acknowledged leader and advocate in the mission-aligned investing movement, deploying 100 percent of its invested assets  endowments, operating investments and donor-advised funds  in a values-based portfolio that yields strong financial returns and social benefits that align with its mission. For more information, visit &lt;a href="http://www.txwf.org"&gt;www.txwf.org&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href="https://www.facebook.com/texaswomensfdn/"&gt;Facebook&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href="https://twitter.com/texaswomensfdn"&gt;Twitter&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/925808/admin/"&gt;LinkedIn&lt;/a&gt; or &lt;a href="https://www.instagram.com/texaswomensfdn/"&gt;Instagram&lt;/a&gt; or &lt;a href="https://www.txwf.co/donate-now"&gt;donate now&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="https://littleelm.bubblelife.com/viewimage/key/3564562374/194a8309.jpg?w=512&amp;h=384"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="https://littleelm.bubblelife.com/viewimage/key/3564562762/194a8335.jpg?w=512&amp;h=384"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="https://littleelm.bubblelife.com/viewimage/key/3564562790/194a8352.jpg?w=512&amp;h=384"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="https://littleelm.bubblelife.com/viewimage/key/3564562701/194a8348.jpg?w=512&amp;h=384"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="https://littleelm.bubblelife.com/viewimage/key/3564562723/194a8367.jpg?w=512&amp;h=384"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="https://littleelm.bubblelife.com/viewimage/key/3564562784/194a7728.jpg?w=512&amp;h=384"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="https://littleelm.bubblelife.com/viewimage/key/3564562734/194a7739.jpg?w=512&amp;h=384"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="https://littleelm.bubblelife.com/viewimage/key/3564568443/194a7737.jpg?w=512&amp;h=384"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="https://littleelm.bubblelife.com/viewimage/key/3564568493/194a7744.jpg?w=512&amp;h=384"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="https://littleelm.bubblelife.com/viewimage/key/3564568421/194a7752.jpg?w=512&amp;h=384"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="https://littleelm.bubblelife.com/viewimage/key/3564568482/194a7759.jpg?w=512&amp;h=384"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="https://littleelm.bubblelife.com/viewimage/key/3564568471/194a7766.jpg?w=512&amp;h=384"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="https://littleelm.bubblelife.com/viewimage/key/3564568112/194a7799.jpg?w=512&amp;h=384"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="https://littleelm.bubblelife.com/viewimage/key/3564568123/194a7981.jpg?w=512&amp;h=384"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="https://littleelm.bubblelife.com/viewimage/key/3564568184/194a8005.jpg?w=512&amp;h=384"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="https://littleelm.bubblelife.com/viewimage/key/3564568173/194a8150.jpg?w=512&amp;h=384"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="https://littleelm.bubblelife.com/viewimage/key/3564568612/194a8179.jpg?w=512&amp;h=384"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description><pubDate>Mon, 18 May 2026 15:01:09 Z</pubDate></item><item><link>https://littleelm.bubblelife.com/community/little_elm_ireporter/library/35577391/key/352522543/PARK_PLACE_LEXUS_CELEBRATES_TWO_ALLEN_ISD_EDUCATORS</link><author>Mary Jane Coker</author><category>Lifestyle</category><title>PARK PLACE LEXUS CELEBRATES TWO ALLEN ISD EDUCATORS</title><description>&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;Park Place Lexus recognized two outstanding educators from Allen Independent School District, honoring Christy Wilson of Bolin Elementary and Leigh Ann Unkenholz of Allen High School as the districts 2026 Teachers of the Year.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;Selected for their leadership, unwavering dedication and lasting impact on students, Wilson and Unkenholz exemplify the highest standard of excellence in education. In recognition of their achievements, Park Place Lexus is providing each teacher with the use of a new Lexus throughout the summer, along with a complimentary tank of gas, two tickets to a Texas Rangers game complete with parking and access to an all-inclusive buffet and cocktails, four passes to the Dallas Arboretum, and a curated selection of Park Place-branded gifts.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;Christy Wilson and Leigh Ann Unkenholz exemplify the extraordinary dedication, leadership, and heart that define exceptional educators, said Chris Brunner, General Manager of Park Place Lexus The impact Wilson and Unkenholz have made on students, families and the Allen ISD community is truly inspiring. Their commitment to excellence reaches far beyond the classroom, helping shape future generations and strengthen the community for years to come.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;Park Place Dealerships was founded in 1987 and employs nearly 1,400 Members. Park Place Dealership operates three collision centers, an auto auction, and nine full-service dealerships representing luxury brands including Lexus, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Volvo, Land Rover, Acura, and Sprinter Vans. For more information, visit &lt;a href="http://parkplace.com/"&gt;parkplace.com.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="https://littleelm.bubblelife.com/viewimage/key/3564556591/employee_recognition_dinner_-_13_-_12_custom.jpg?w=512&amp;h=384"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="https://littleelm.bubblelife.com/viewimage/key/3564556502/employee_recognition_dinner_-_13_-_30_custom.jpg?w=512&amp;h=384"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="https://littleelm.bubblelife.com/viewimage/key/3564556524/employee_recognition_dinner_-_13_-_9_custom.jpg?w=512&amp;h=384"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="https://littleelm.bubblelife.com/viewimage/key/3564556580/employee_recognition_dinner_-_13_-_10_custom.jpg?w=512&amp;h=384"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="https://littleelm.bubblelife.com/viewimage/key/3564556530/employee_recognition_dinner_-_13_-_7_custom.jpg?w=512&amp;h=384"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="https://littleelm.bubblelife.com/viewimage/key/3564556574/employee_recognition_dinner_-_13_-_6_custom.jpg?w=512&amp;h=384"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="https://littleelm.bubblelife.com/viewimage/key/3564556940/employee_recognition_dinner_-_13_-_5_custom.jpg?w=512&amp;h=384"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description><pubDate>Mon, 18 May 2026 11:50:55 Z</pubDate></item><item><link>https://littleelm.bubblelife.com/community/little_elm_ireporter/library/35577391/key/352522470/Dallas_Architecture-Themed_Form_Follows_Fitness_5K_Surpasses_2_Million_Raised_Since_its_Inception</link><author>Kathy Beazley</author><category>Lifestyle</category><title>Dallas Architecture-Themed Form Follows Fitness 5K Surpasses $2 Million Raised Since its Inception</title><description>&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span&gt;On Saturday, May 16, Dallas signature architecture-themed race celebrated another milestone year as the &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.formfollowsfitness.com/"&gt;&lt;span&gt;Form Follows Fitness 5K&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;, presented by Blackson Brick, gathered more than 60 runners, walkers, architects, designers, civic leaders and community supporters at Community Beer Company for a ceremonial check presentation benefiting &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.dallasadex.org/architecture-and-design-foundation/"&gt;&lt;span&gt;The Architecture and Design Foundation&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;. The brewery hosted four social runs leading up to the 2026 race and will host monthly runs on the third Saturday of each month through January 2027.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span&gt;The 2026 race season generated &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;$221,358.07&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;, the third-highest fundraising total in event history, helping bring the races lifetime charitable impact to &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;more than $2 million raised&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;. The event also celebrated its 15th anniversary year, setting records with 3,973 registrations, $308,000 in sponsorship revenue and 184 industry teams participating. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;Throughout its 15-year history, 44,588 participants have taken part in the 5K.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span&gt;The ceremonial presentation recognized the impact of a community event that has evolved far beyond a race. Form Follows Fitness has united the architecture, engineering, construction, planning and fitness communities to raise funds that create opportunities for students, support research, expand public education and connect residents to the beauty and importance of the built environment.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span&gt;The morning also spotlighted the future of architecture, design and civic innovation. Following the presentation, an air horn sounded as runners and walkers began the first official monthly social run leading into the 2027 race season.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span&gt;The AD EX Form Follows Fitness 5K really began from a simple moment of inspiration during a Saturday morning AD EX Arts District Walking Tour in 2010, said &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;Patrick Glenn, AIA, LEED AP, ALEP, LE Fellow, Form Follows Fitness 5K founder&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;. As Briar Glenn and I were experiencing the energy of the Dallas Arts District, we started talking about how incredible it would be to create an event that connected health, community and architecture in a more visible and engaging way. What started as a meaningful idea has grown into a Dallas tradition that celebrates architecture, promotes public engagement and supports educational programs and scholarships for future generations of designers and architects.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span&gt;Glenn said one of the events greatest achievements has been strengthening the connection between the public and the architecture and design community while supporting educational initiatives and scholarships.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span&gt;Seeing the lasting impact this event has had on both our profession and the broader Dallas community is something I am incredibly proud of, Glenn said. I am excited to see how we can continue to grow that message and impact for the next 15 years.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span&gt;For &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;Briar Glenn, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, Form Follows Fitness 5K co-founder&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;, the races continued growth reflects the power of community collaboration.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span&gt;Celebrating the Form Follows Fitness 5Ks 15th anniversary is a tremendous milestone, Glenn said. What began as an idea to bring our industry colleagues, partners and the community together around a shared commitment to wellness and the celebration of Dallas iconic architecture has grown into something far greater than Patrick and I ever imagined.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span&gt;She said the race has become the Foundations largest single fundraising effort while helping expand programs such as Build Your City!, the Exhibition Series, Architecture and Design Exchange programming and Designing My Future Camps.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span&gt;Beyond race day, the 5K has become a catalyst for deeper community engagement, meaningful industry partnerships and new opportunities to inspire the next generation through the power of architecture and design, Glenn said.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span&gt;Norman Alston, FAIA, president-elect of The Architecture and Design Foundation&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;, believes the race perfectly reflects Dallas architectural spirit.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span&gt;I love that the Form Follows Fitness 5K was born out of walking through our city and looking at the architecture, Alston said. Its testimony to the quality of Dallas architecture that, besides being beautiful, it can inspire people in other important aspects of their lives.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span&gt;The races unique atmosphere and citywide appeal continue to resonate with participants and organizers alike, according to &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;Eric Lindberg, race director for the Form Follows Fitness 5K&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span&gt;Every year, the commitment and support from the architecture industry for the race blows me away, Lindberg said. Its the largest industry gathering in North Texas and I pause when I call it a race because its truly an event for all, including architecture, the running and walking community, families, friends and coworkers.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span&gt;Lindberg added that the course remains one of the events signature experiences as participants travel through the West End, Downtown, the Arts District and Uptown before finishing at Klyde Warren Park.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span&gt;Marc Blackson, president of Blackson Brick&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;, said supporting the event aligns naturally with the companys mission and values.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span&gt;Supporting Form Follows Fitness is not only a commitment to giving back, its a strategic alignment of business objectives with meaningful impact, strengthening both the Foundation and the architecture community it serves, Blackson said.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2 dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span&gt;About The Architecture and Design Foundation&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span&gt;The Architecture and Design Foundation is North Texas public gateway to architecture, design and the built environment. Through education, public programming and community access, the Foundation helps residents better understand how thoughtful design shapes where people live, work, learn and gather.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span&gt;A cornerstone of its mission is Designing My Future, an expanding camp series for students ages 6 through 18 that introduces architecture, engineering and construction through hands-on learning led by architects, designers and educators. Students gain exposure to STEM learning, creative problem solving and career pathways while building confidence and leadership skills.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span&gt;The Foundation also offers family-friendly programming such as Build Your City!, LEGO build days, workshops, guided architecture tours, gallery exhibitions and public discussions exploring sustainability, preservation, urban planning and the future of cities.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span&gt;Each year, the organization awards between $40,000 and $60,000 in scholarships, fellowships and research grants to high school students, university students and emerging professionals. Funds raised through Form Follows Fitness help keep public programs accessible, support underserved youth and first-generation college students, preserve Dallas architectural legacy and cultivate the next generation of designers, planners and civic leaders.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2 dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span&gt;Sponsors&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;h3 dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span&gt;Master Builder Sponsor&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span&gt; Blackson Brick&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3 dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span&gt;Tradesman Level Sponsors&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span&gt; C1S Group&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;  Corgan&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;  Curtainwall Design &amp; Consulting&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;  Glenn Partners&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;  LA Fuess Structural Engineers&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;  Merriman MAA&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;  Stantec&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;  Whiting-Turner&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2 dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span&gt;ABOUT FORM FOLLOWS FITNESS 5K&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span&gt;The Form Follows Fitness 5K, presented by Blackson Brick and benefiting The Architecture and Design Foundation, celebrates Dallas architecture through a scenic race experience showcasing the citys skyline and iconic urban design. Participants travel through the West End, Downtown, the Arts District and Uptown while supporting education, public engagement and community programming connected to the built environment.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span&gt;Registration is now open for the 2027 Form Follows Fitness 5K, scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 20, 2027, at Klyde Warren Park. More information, including details on upcoming social runs, is available at formfollowsfitness.com.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;b&gt;ABOUT THE BENEFICIARY&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span&gt;The Architecture and Design Foundation is North Texas public gateway to architecture, design and the built environment. The organization exists to help residents understand how thoughtful design influences where we live, work, learn and gather, and why great cities do not happen by accident.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span&gt;Through education, access and public programming, the Foundation helps transform architecture from something people simply look at into something they actively experience and appreciate.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span&gt;A cornerstone of its mission is Designing My Future, an expanding camp series for students ages 6 through 18 that introduces architecture, engineering and construction through hands-on learning led by architects, designers and educators. Students gain exposure to career pathways, STEM learning, creative problem solving and confidence-building experiences.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span&gt;The Foundation also offers family-friendly programs such as Build Your City!, LEGO build days, workshops and community events that make architecture approachable for children and adults alike. Many are free or low-cost so families across income levels can participate.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span&gt;Each year, thousands of residents and visitors engage through guided architecture walking tours and tram tours that showcase Dallas neighborhoods, landmarks and the stories behind them. These experiences build civic pride while increasing appreciation for preservation and smart urban growth.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span&gt;Its gallery exhibitions and public dialogues explore innovation, sustainability, historic preservation, planning and the future of cities. The Foundation regularly partners with schools, universities, nonprofits and professional organizations to ensure design voices are part of broader civic conversations.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span&gt;The organization also awards $40,000 to $60,000 annually in scholarships, fellowships and research grants for high school students, university students and emerging professionals. These opportunities help young talent study, travel, research and bring new ideas back to Dallas.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;span&gt;Funds raised through Form Follows Fitness also helps keep public programs accessible, reach underserved youth and first-generation college students, preserve Dallas architectural legacy and cultivate the next generation of designers, planners and civic leaders. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="https://littleelm.bubblelife.com/viewimage/key/3564551462/rsz_fff_check_presentation_2.jpg?w=512&amp;h=384"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="https://littleelm.bubblelife.com/viewimage/key/3564551451/rsz_fff_check_presentation_group_shot_4.jpg?w=512&amp;h=384"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description><pubDate>Mon, 18 May 2026 10:00:27 Z</pubDate></item><item><link>https://littleelm.bubblelife.com/community/little_elm_ireporter/library/35577391/key/352509262/BOOK_REVIEW_DEFIANT_KATE_PREACHER_THRILLER_3_by_Michael_Maloof</link><author>KAREN SIDDALL</author><category>Lifestyle</category><title>BOOK REVIEW: DEFIANT (KATE PREACHER THRILLER, #3) by Michael Maloof</title><description>&lt;p align="center"&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;b&gt;Defiant&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p align="center"&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;b&gt;Kate Preacher Thriller, #3&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p align="center"&gt;&lt;b&gt;by&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p align="center"&gt;&lt;b&gt;Michael Maloof&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p align="center"&gt;&lt;b&gt; &lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p align="center"&gt;&lt;b&gt;With breathtaking action sequences galore, DEFIANT is an absolutely riveting conclusion to this thrilling trilogy!&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt; &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;Defiant&lt;/i&gt; is the third book in author Michael Maloofs action-packed &lt;i&gt;Kate Preacher Thriller&lt;/i&gt; trilogy, and it is an absolutely riveting conclusion to this part of her story. In this final tale, recent widow Kate Preacher, critically injured but recuperating, calls in all her markers to finish the mission her deceased spouse, Jake Church, started. From the U.S. to France to Russia to Switzerland, the action never wanes in this intricately plotted tale of love, loyalty, betrayal, sacrifice, and the battle of good versus evil. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Despite the considerable damage she sustained in the previous novel, Kate Preacher steps boldly into this next part of her story. Shes got a growing support system of strong and capable friends, who do not hesitate to follow her in her mission to stop an evil plan of power, dominion, and mass murder. Just as shes got their backs, they have hers. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The plot picks up where UNSTOPPABLE left off. Kate is slowly recuperating but pushing herself to end this thing that Jake uncovered and eventually cost him his life. I loved how Kate leverages every contact shes made and every opportunity offered to her advantage, while keeping the welfare of her found family in mind at all times. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The plot explores the idea of global threats from bioweapons and increasingly advanced AIs in the hands of an unscrupulous leader, and the resulting picture is frightening, too close for comfort. Familiar faces from earlier in the trilogy return, and storylines in play from the start finally converge. The action is intense, and the action sequences are so well choreographed and staged, especially the heart-stopping scenes set within the mountain in Davos, that I could feel my heart pounding and my whole body tense, wondering if everyone was going to survive (because, as readers learned from the very book, no character is safe!) However, Kate is also still very much a grieving wife, and within the breakneck pace of the story, she experiences the anguish of sorrow, pain, and rage for her loss. Those emotional moments are raw and realistic, the feelings radiating from the pages. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;I highly recommend DEFIANT (and the entire Kate Preacher Thriller trilogy) to readers of thrillers, conspiracy stories, action and adventure, and suspense.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;For this and other reviews, visit &lt;a href="https://guatemalapaula.blogspot.com/2026/05/book-review-defiant-kate-preacher.html" target="_blank"&gt;Guatemala Paula Loves to Read!&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="https://littleelm.bubblelife.com/viewimage/key/3564674070/defiant.jpg?w=512&amp;h=384"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description><pubDate>Mon, 18 May 2026 08:00:00 Z</pubDate></item><item><link>https://littleelm.bubblelife.com/community/little_elm_ireporter/library/35577391/key/352521261/CHILDRENS_BOOK_REVIEW_MY_FRIENDS_AND_i_SPOT_FANTASYLAND_by_TX_Troan</link><author>KAREN SIDDALL</author><category>Lifestyle</category><title>CHILDREN'S BOOK REVIEW: MY FRIENDS AND i SPOT FANTASYLAND by T.X. Troan</title><description>&lt;p align="center"&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;b&gt;My Friends and I Spot Fantasyland:&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p align="center"&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;b&gt;A Puzzle Picture Book&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p align="center"&gt;&lt;b&gt;by&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p align="center"&gt;&lt;b&gt;T.X. Troan&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p align="center"&gt;&lt;b&gt; &lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p align="center"&gt;&lt;b&gt;Fun, well-done collection of observation puzzles that even adults will enjoy!&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt; &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;In My Friends and I Spot Fantasyland,&lt;/i&gt; the story linking the pictures together features Evan Jones and Page Brown, two friends trekking through a cool parklike venue with nooks, pastoral spaces, and even a cave, containing interesting or scary objects, including birds, insects, treasure, and magical fairies. Each page has a list of objects, all in plain sight, that the reader is to hunt for in the drawing. The drawings are fun and BUSY; there's so much to see! It took me a while to find some of the items, and it was entertaining the entire time. One nice thing is that there are plenty of pictures in the book. While other similar picture books give 4-5 puzzles to solve, &lt;i&gt;Fantasyland &lt;/i&gt;has more than double that, and the solution for each one is included at the end of the book. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;I recommend MY FRIENDS AND I SPOT FANTASYLAND to children and adults who enjoy picture puzzles. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from the author through &lt;a href="https://karensiddall.wordpress.com/2026/04/23/book-blast-giveaway-my-friends-and-i-spot-series-by-t-x-troan/" target="_blank"&gt;&lt;i&gt;Goddess Fish Promotions Book Tours.&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="https://littleelm.bubblelife.com/viewimage/key/3564543941/bookcover_fantasyland.jpg?w=512&amp;h=384"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description><pubDate>Sun, 17 May 2026 18:38:44 Z</pubDate></item></channel></rss>