The Ellis family is looking forward to tomorrow's 4th of July celebration in Lakewood. We love our traditions - it all starts tonight when we talk about waking up early and doing the Lakewood fun run. Occasionally that happens, but more often we rack it out of bed, throw on clothes and race over to find a place to sit and watch the parade. For 12 years we have talked about having a float, and I'm sure the topic will come up again tomorrow. For the record, my daughter has been on a float once. So I have moved that off my bucket list. The thing we never miss are the fireworks - we always manage to get our act together by 9pm one way or another!

I hope you all have a great time doing whatever you do to celebrate our great country. Given all the political rancor that is nearly impossible to avoid, we need a day to lay aside our disagreements and recognize that all of us, regardless of political affiliation, are so blessed to live in freedom. May that always be the hallmark of the USA.

Happy 4th of July, friends!

I hope all of you have had a very Merry Christmas with much rest, relaxation and reflection. This year, I spent Christmas in a small town in Iowa with my husband's family. Although Pella only has about 12,000 residents, it makes up for in charm what it lacks in amenities. We had a great time and even got to see a little snow!

Our fun time in Iowa got me to thinking about our neighborhood and what makes Lakewood and Lake Highlands such a great part of Dallas in which to live. Namely, we are able to live in a small community with tons of charm AND enjoy all the amenities of big city living that Dallas has to offer. I truly love seeing my friends and neighbors around the 'hood, at our unique local restaurants, helping out at the schools, and of course, at Ellis Orthodontics. The Ellis family is so blessed and so thankful for all of you that have trusted us with your orthodontic care.

Merry Christmas from Ellis Orthodontics, y'all!