System Reminders Regarding UKG 

• Continue referencing the tip sheets and drop in session links here: UKG Resources Site Link
• Open tickets to report issues! We can’t fix it if you don’t report it!        
• Review your timecards sooner than later!
  • Staff: edit your timecard errors early so your leaders can approve before timecard end!
  • Managers, make it a habit to review & correct timecards throughout the pay period, vs waiting until Payroll Friday/Monday!

• Approving your own timecard is a new (optional) workflow to help ensure your paycheck will be correct. Do not approve until the end of the pay period, or managers cannot approve pending changes. If you accidentally approve your timecard early, or need edits, you, the employee must Remove Approval.

  

• Public hyperfinds: are getting cleaned up (removed) by end of day Thursday, Feb. 12. You can recreate any deleted public hyperfinds as a private hyperfind (it now defaults to private).
• Attendance Balances: Staff are now able to see their own Attendance Balances using dataview called Employee Attendance. This tip sheet goes over the steps.
• Attendance Balance Discrepancies: The app team is working through a list of staff with attendance balance discrepancies in new UKG. These will be correct prior to the end of this pay period.
• Basic Schedule Employees Transferring: to other Business Structures (cost centers) should use timeclocks (NOT the computer link) until all options available in the computer or app (Timeclocks have all options now!)
• Mobile App Clocking: Reminder, location services must be enabled on the Mobile App’s device to allow you to clock in/out on the app. You also must be inside a Cook building.
• Advanced Schedule Charge Staff: the application team is continuing to update Advanced Schedule Charge Nurses ability to apply appropriate workrules  & paycodes.
• “Business Structure” vs “Cost Center”: old Kronos used the verbiage “cost centers” but new UKG uses the verbiage “Business Structure”. This is important to remember when transferring to a different Cost Center/Business Structure.
• UKG Courses: Unfortunately many staff received notification of new UKG courses this morning. Apologies for the confusion, you do NOT have new courses to complete. This is being corrected.

Updated Feb. 9, 2026

How to find UKG on CookNet and get help if needed 

To find UKG on CookNet, see the photo below: 

Then login using the SSO button:

For more information and help: 

• Visit tip sheet library here.
• Join our drop-in sessions with questions here

Key Go-Live Timeline

• Feb. 8 - 22: First Punch Go-Live and Timecard Edits/Approvals
  This is the first live timekeeping period in UKG. Everyone will begin recording time in UKG, and managers will begin reviewing, editing, and approving timecards in the new system.
• Feb. 9: Last Timecard Approvals Due in old Kronos
• Feb. 23: First Timecard approvals in new UKG
  This is the first payroll processing window tied to UKG timekeeping. Accuracy and timely approvals during the prior period are critical to ensure payroll is processed correctly.Reminder that on Monday, February 23 timecard approval deadline changes with the first approvals in UKG!

What to Focus on Now?

1. Know where to go for help during go-live
If you need support, please use the following channels:

• Reach out to your project Manager for role-specific guidance and local process questions refer to the email sent by Rhiannon McDonnell sent on Feb. 3
• Visit the UKG Project Site for tip sheets and links to drop-in support labs
• Review the regularly updated Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document
• Submit a ServiceNow ticket for technical issues or questions that require tracking and follow-up

2. Read these last-minute tips:

• When logging into the UKG link (on CookNet starting Feb. 8), use your network username/password and click CONTINUE WITH SSO
• A brand-new Mobile App will be available (replacing the old mobile app) starting Feb. 8. CBT & Tip Sheets will go out on February 8 with details!

3. UKG Training: 85% of UKG training has been completed! If you have incomplete training in ULearn, finish as soon as possible!

Mekka Livingston

Fun Fact: Mekka has been in several commercials for Seattle KOMO Channel 4 News.

Lines of Service: 

• Legal
• Legal Ops and Contract Administration
• Chief Risk Officer
• Enterprise Risk Management
• Insurance
• General Counsel
• Senior Attorney Employee & Benefits
• Senior Attorney
• Compliance
• Talent Management
• CCPN PN Administration

Mekka is the Director of Employee Relations. A native of Seattle, Wash, she attended Morris Brown College, but received her Bachelor of Science in Human Relations from Amberton University. She joined the Cook Children’s family in March 2021, with over 25 years of experience in the healthcare industry.

In her role, Mekka oversees the employee relations team. It is also her responsibility to create and foster a productive, respectful, and legally compliant workplace environment.

Outside of the office, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends.

Denita Fowlkes

Fun Fact: Music is a huge part of Denita's life. She sang the National Anthem and the Black National Anthem at the NBA Milwaukee Bucks games with a group and has opened for major gospel artist Kirk Franklin.

Lines of Service:

• Campus Fac, Supp Services, Admin
• Facilities Maintenance
• Clinical Engineering
• Retail Services
• Starbucks, Food and Nutrition
• Environmental Services, Facilities Campus Appearance

Denita is an Employee Relations Representative. She is from Milwaukee, Wisc. She attended Milwaukee Area Technical College, where she received her associate’s degree in business administration, and Lakeland University, where she received her Bachelor of Business Administration Management with an emphasis in human resources. She has worked in the hospital industry for over 10 years.

In her role as an Employee Relations Representative, Denita provides human resources support and resources to employees and leaders across Cook Children’s. She is responsible for implementing HR programs and processes, ensuring employee compliance with policies and laws, and serving as a resource for employee to ask questions.

Denita believes that what makes Cook Children’s special is the way exceptional care and genuine compassion are combined. She feels blessed to work with an amazing employee relations team that truly embodies care and collaboration. One of her favorite memories has been the Employee Relations HR Pop Ups. She enjoys the opportunity to connect with employees across the organization and put faces to the names we work with every day.

Outside of the office, Denita enjoys spending time with her family and friends. Her family means everything to her, and she is very close with her five siblings. She also enjoys traveling, going to church, and expressing herself through music, whether that is singing or spending time in the studio. Each year, when fall rolls around, you will often find her cheering for the Green Bay Packers.

Heather Jones 

Fun Fact: Heather met her husband, Robbie, on Yahoo Chat. This October they celebrated their 24^th anniversary.

Lines of Service:

• Administration
• Health Foundation
• Foundation
• Major Gifts
• Communications
• Operations
• Philanthropy
• Advancement Services
• National and Regional Fundraising
• Planned Giving
• Education
• Sim Prog and Nurse
• CPE, Media Svc and ELearning
• Academic and Med Education
• Clinical Ed
• Library Services
• Marketing/Digital Marketing
• Team Experience
• Corp Coaching
• PR/Communication/Social Media
• Pastoral Care

Heather is the Manager of Employee Relations. She is from Coffeeville, Kansas. She attended Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas, where she received her bachelor’s degree in communication/public relations. She joined the Cook Children’s family in 2014.

In her role as Manager of Employee Relations, Heather oversees a team of five, which acts as a resource for employees and leaders across Cook Children’s. She is responsible for managing HR programs and processes, making sure policies and laws are enforced, and fostering a positive work environment.

Heather loves how everyone at Cook Children’s has a part in the pinky promise. Over the last few years, she realized that even though she does not work with patients directly, she supports the people who work directly with patients, and that is how she makes sure every child is taken care of. When Jones first started at Cook Children’s, she remembers being near Camelot Court when she ran into Santa Claus. Getting to run into Santa Claus in July made her realize how special Cook Children’s is.

Outside of the office, Heather loves to spend time with her family and her dogs. She has two senior beagles. She has also fostered 20 beagles. 

Jordan Baker

Fun Fact: Jordan’s wedding was featured in a magazine.

Lines of Service:

• Business Development
• Reg Strat Partner/Business Development
• Business Development, Home Health
• CCPN Finance
• Physician Compensation (CCPN)
• Primary/Specialty Services
• Neurology
• Multi-Specialty Clinics
• UCC- Plano, Allen, Frisco, Prosper, Aubrey, Celina, Little Elm, McKinney, Denton, Carrolton, Lewisville, Prosper, Lake Forest, Flower Mound, Highland Village, Collin County
• Practice Operations Administration
• Neighborhood Clinics
• Primary/Specialty Services Admin
• Orthopedics Practice Operations
• Operations RN
• Physician and Provider Recruitment
• Practice Operations Lubbock Gastro
• Urgent Care Clinics
• Primary Care Clinics

Jordan is a People Resource Manager and is originally from Chagrin Falls, Ohio. She attended Westminster College in Pennsylvania where she received her Bachelors in Business Administration. Jordan holds a Professional in Human Resources Certification, and has many years of experience, specifically, in healthcare Human Resources/Employee Relations.

In her role as People Resource Manager, Jordan acts as an advisor for employees and leaders who have HR related questions. She helps to administer HR processes and programs, and helps to ensure all HR policies and laws are followed.

Jordan believes that what makes Cook Children’s special, is the culture, and our people, working with joyful hearts to support the mission each day knowing that every child’s life is sacred. Her favorite memory thus far has been getting to know her team better and assisting her clients.

Outside of the office, Jordan enjoys spending time with her husband, CJ, and their son, Axe. She describes herself as a thrill seeker (think swimming with sharks and no cage!). She also enjoys shopping, interior decorating, traveling and reading her bible.

Tonyel Amie

Fun Fact: Tonyel had a 10-minute, completely random conversation with the one and only Kobe Bryant at an All-Star basketball game. It was a true once-in-a-lifetime moment.

Lines of Service:

• Construction/Real Estate
• Plan/Design/Construction
• Facilities Mgmt
• Real Estate
• System Effectiveness/PI
• Process Improvement
• Materials Management, Supply Chain
• Supply Chain- Logistics/Ops
• Supply Chain- Purchase/Vat
• Chief Nursing CNO
• Neurosciences
• Trauma Program
• Magnet Program
• Psychology
• Psychiatric Svcs
• Nsg Rsrch, EB Practice
• Operations, Administration
• Child Study Center
• Security Services
• Clinical Nutrition
• Emergency Management
• Manager- Call Center
• Global Health Services

Tonyel is a Senior Employee Relations Representative. Tonyel is a Fort Worth native. She attended Prairie View A&M University, where she studied sociology and social work. She later attended Western Governors University, where she received her MBA. Tonyel joined the Cook Children’s family in March 2025, after more than 10 years in the human resources field.

In her role as Senior Employee Relations Representative, Tonyel acts as a resource to those within the organization who have HR related questions. She implements HR programs and processes, enforcing policies and laws related to compliance, and works with leadership to create a positive work environment.

When she came to Cook Children’s she noticed a lot of people have great longevity here. She feels that that is what makes Cook Children’s such a special place, knowing that people are deeply invested in keeping the pinky promise and a heart for improving the health of every child. One of her favorite memories thus far has been the team outing to the Fort Worth Botanic Garden. She loved the comradery she was able to form in such a small amount of time.

Outside of the office, Tonyel enjoys spending quality time with her family and friends. She views her role at Cook Children’s as a great opportunity that she wants to continue to grow with personally and professionally.

Patience Ballard

Fun Fact: Patience recently found her love of hiking on a trip to Las Vegas.

Lines of Service:

• Administration
• Budget and Financial Planning
• Financial Reporting, Reim, Contracts, 340B
• Finance Govt Programs
• Reimbursements
• Finance CCMC
• Finance CCMCP
• System Finance, A/P, Payroll
• Payroll Services
• Accounts Payable
• Operations, Administration
• Rehab Svcs
• Clinical Performing Arts
• Admin Laboratory
• Radiology Svcs
• Pharmacy Administration
• Pharmacy
• CBO
• Revenue Cycle (PFS)
• Revenue Cycle (PFS-SBO)
• Revenue Cycle (PFS-Int)
• Patient Access Services
• CBO/PT Financial Services Revenue Cycle

Patience is a Senior Employee Relations Representative. She is from Odessa, Texas. Patience attended Strayer University, where she received both her bachelor’s and master’s in human resources. She joined the Cook Children’s family in September 2021.

In her role as Senior Employee Relations Representative, Patience provides human resources support to employees and leaders across the organization. It is job to apply HR programs and processes throughout Cook Children’s. She is also responsible for making sure all compliance policies are followed, providing answers to employees with HR related questions, and fostering a positive work environment.

Patience has seen Cook Children’s from the view of a patient parent and from the view of an employee.  Her son was born at 26 weeks and weighed a pound and a half. He was taken to Cook Children’s for surgery. Her daughter was also a patient at Cook Children’s when she needed an emergency appendectomy. Both times, her family had great experiences as patients, she says. She believes that what makes Cook Children’s special is all the behind the scenes never bleeds over into patient care, the child is the sole focus.

Outside of the office, Patience enjoys spending time with her family and friends. She has also found a love of hiking and being out in nature.

Christine Taylor

Fun Fact: Christine studied abroad in Germany.

Lines of Service:

• Nursing and Patient Service, Admin
• Emergency Services
• NICU
• Transport Ems/Communications
• Respiratory Care
• Nursing Administration
• PICU, TCU/RCU, 4P/EMU
• H/O Center
• Cardiology
• Anesthesia Services
• Surgery, SPD, Dodson, SPA
• Med-Surg-3P/N/S, 4N/S
• HH
• Dir Reimbursement HH
• Dir Finance HH
• CCHH
• HH Nurs/Edu/Compliance
• HH Med Del/Supply Svc.
• HH Business Operations
• HH Pharmacy and Clinical Ops.

Christine is a Senior Employee Relations Representative. A native of Sherman, Texas, she earned her bachelor’s degree in business management from Midwestern State University. She joined the Cook Children’s family in June 2016. 

In her role as Senior Employee Relations Representative, Christine acts as a resource to employees who may have questions relating to employee relations. Her responsibilities include, implementing HR programs and processes, making sure compliance policies and laws are followed, and fostering a positive work environment.

Christine believes what makes Cook Children’s special is the mission and knowing that even though she is not directly working with patients, she can impact their situation in some capacity. Knowing that is what keeps her going. Her favorite memory was getting to see a Christmas tree being installed at the Ronald McDonald house. She was able the view the progress through her office window. She also enjoys seeing the holiday spirit visible on campus.

Outside of the office, Christine enjoys spending time with her family. She has also recently gotten back into crochet and sewing.  

Nicole Roberson

Fun Fact: Nicole has conducted a TED Talk titled, “Leaders: Your Chain is Only as Strong as Its Weakest Links.”

Lines of Service:

• Cook Children’s Experience, Admin
• Patient Relations
• Family Sup Svcs/Child Life
• Experience Elevation
• Family Engagement
• Research
• Neurosciences
• Information Systems
• Chief Info Security Officer
• Chief Technology Officer
• Identity, Access/Risk Management
• Chief Clin Into Officer
• Ambulatory Clinical Apps
• Clinical Informatics
• Inpatient Clinical Apps
• Departmental Applications
• Chief Data and Analytics Officer
• Platform Services
• Analytics Institute
• Revenue Cycle and Ent Apps
• HP Applications
• Business Applications
• Revenue Cycle Applications
• Digital Experience
• Digital Technology, IS Administration
• Information Systems/CTO
• IT Operations
• IT Service Management
• Program Management Office
• IT Technology Service
• Case Management, Quality
• Dir. Physician Health Equity Integration
• Quality and Patient Safety
• Accreditation Compliance
• Clinical Collaboration
• Infection Prevention/Control
• Case Management
• Language Services
• Social Work Case Management
• RN Case Management
• Accreditation/HIM/Inf Ctrl/Credentialing
• HIM
• HIM Coding
• Ambulatory Quality
• Quality Performance Improvement
• System Credentialing
• Clinical Risk Management

Nicole is a People Resource Manager and she is from Dallas, Texas. She attended Keller Graduate School, where she received her master’s in human resource management and the American Graduate School of International Management (Thunderbird) where she received her MBA. She also attended Regent University, where she received her doctorate in organizational leadership. Nicole has worked in the industry for over 15 years.

In her role as People Resource Manager, Nicole acts as a support system for employees and leaders across the organization. She is responsible for administering HR programs and processes, making sure compliance policies and laws are followed, and promote a positive work environment.

Nicole believes that what makes Cook Children’s special is its dedication to helping and serving children. On her first day, she found a welcome package on her desk, and having lunch with the HR Department made her feel so welcomed and cared for.

Outside of the office, Nicole enjoys spending time with her family, watching movies, and eating at great restaurants. You can often find her in the backyard tending to her garden.

HR Business Partners

Marian Frymire

Service line: 
All Clinical Departments

Fun Fact: Marian is an avid volunteer. She is board member at Lighthouse for the Blind, a former board member at Clayton Youth Enrichment, member of Leadership Fort Worth, and Member of the Board of Examiners for Quality Texas Foundation for Performance Excellence. She is also in her 28^th year of volunteering for the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, and currently serves as co-chair of the Logistics Committee.

Marian is a Human Resource Business Partner, with over 20 years of human resource experience. Marian is a Fort Worth native. She attended the University of North Texas, where she received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Radio/TV/Film and her master’s in instruction, technology, and cognitive psychology. She joined Cook Children’s in 2016 as a contractor and then in 2017 as a full-time employee.

In her role as a Human Resource Business Partner, Marian bridges the HR department and the business side of Cook Children’s. She is a member of the business units and her responsibilities include partnering with leadership to discuss talent planning, succession, structure of the organization. She also analyzes workforce data to identify trends and find solutions for any problems the data presents. In addition to that, Marian is also coaches’ leadership on performance management and employee development.

Marian believes that what makes Cook Children’s special is the employee’s dedication to serving the children in all of our communities. This dedication is never wavering and makes an impact on the communities Cook Children’s serves. Her favorite memories at Cook Children’s are from the engagement events like Hoopla, Jingle Mingle, Employee Cook Out and other department celebrations. She loves seeing the employees laughing, connecting and enjoying themselves.

Outside of the office, Marian loves to travel and has visited five countries in Europe in the last year and a half. She also enjoys spending time with her three grown children and five grandchildren.

Dana Hardgraves

Fun Fact: Dana lived in Japan for three and a half years.

Lines of Service: All Non-clinical/Corporate Departments

Dana is a Human Resource Business Partner and is a Fort Worth native. She attended Grand Canyon University, where she received her bachelor’s degree in healthcare administration, and later attended Western Governors University, where she received a master’s degree in management and leadership. She joined the Cook Children’s family in July 2024 and has over 10 years in the HR industry.

In her role as a Human Resource Business Partner, she connects the HR and business operations. Dana is in direct contact with the business side of Cook Children’s, helping to promote organization within the business units and align HR strategies with the goals of the business units. Some of her responsibilities include, partnering with leadership, designing organizational structures, analyzing workforce data, coaching managers, and leading important planning discussions.  

Dana believes what makes Cook Children’s special is how involved the hospital is within the community. When her son was a week old, he became very sick. He was admitted to Cook Children’s for two weeks. Seeing how all of the doctors and nurses cared for her tiny baby showed her the compassion from everyone at Cook Children’s, and she says those doctors and nurses saved her son’s life.

Outside of the office, Dana is a devoted sports mom. You can often find her at the baseball field or track watching her son. She also enjoys traveling, planting, crafting and cooking. One of her favorite things to do with her son is trying new dessert spots she found on TikTok.

Please email photos to InternalCommunications@cookchildrens.org. 

By Arianna Flores

The Disaster Recovery Institute (DRI), the world's leader for business continuity and disaster recovery, has named Johnathan Offringa, Disaster Recovery Manager, its Program Leader of the Year – Nonprofit Sector. The award highlights Offringa's exceptional work in preparing our healthcare system for any potential crisis that affect information systems.

The DRI is the oldest and largest nonprofit that helps organizations around the world prepare for and recover from disasters by providing education, accreditation, and leadership in business continuity, disaster recovery, cyber resilience. The award was given to Johnathan in Las Vegas where over 22 countries and 300 companies were in attendance. This is the first award given to Johnathan and the Information Systems Department. 

Johnathan said this internationally recognized award came as a shock and blessing to him. An anonymous nomination put him in the mix for the award, a nod to his hard work and the skills he's brought to Cook Children’s.  

During Johnathan’s tenure, he has not only helped us follow industry standards but excelled in working to ensure our patients and staff will be safe in the event of a crisis. The team is continually planning for worst-case scenarios, to protect the overall operation and production of Medical Center-Fort Worth. 

“It’s not ‘if,’ but ‘when,’ ” Johnathan said. “From a healthcare perspective, our goal is whenever something does happen, we will ensure that we are able to get systems back up and running as soon as possible so we can resume patient care."

Johnathan said he and his team continue to learn more about how to best recover in a crisis by earning accreditations through the DRI and the mentorship of team leaders. 

“Without the leadership, guidance, and commitment from the Information Services leadership team to maturing the IS Disaster Recovery Program here at Cook Children’s, it would not have been possible to reach this accomplishment,” he said of the award.  

Aaron Wishon, Vice President and Chief Information Security Officer, has high praise for Johnathan's work.

“His peers and leaders across the IT and other parts of the Cook Children’s organization have raved about his excellent communication skills and collaboration during the implementation of his program,” Aaron said. 

“This effort and leadership are the difference between having disaster recovery programs that look good on paper versus one that goes above and beyond and is resilient and real-world battle tested that gives us the confidence that we’re ready to face a disaster,” Aaron added.  

Thank you, Johnathan, for your commitment to our Promise and congratulations for earning this prestigious award.

My supervisor during my clinical residency frequently repeated these words: “Learning to grieve the small things teaches you how to grieve the big things.”

My reply of “Yea…I don’t want to grieve big or small things,” is surprising to no one who knows me because, well, grieving is not fun. In fact, it is the opposite of fun.  

It is hard and messy, tiring and mostly unwelcomed. Yet, grief meets us all.

In 2024, grief met the people of Cook Children's Health Care System in a variety of ways—the retirement of community staples, unexpected life circumstances, undesired patient outcomes, and the deaths of five cherished colleagues:

Eric Hernandez

(September 26, 1973—February 8, 2024)

Program Specialist II, Inpatient Psychiatry

Danny Kim, M.D.

(July 18, 1966—February 15, 2024)

Physician, OP/C, Windhaven

Shelly Rosenberry

(April 9, 1960—March 12, 2024)

PN Practice/Program Manager II, Richland Hills NHC

Charisse Schlottman

(November 16, 1990—June 21, 2024)

LVN, Emergency Department, Fort Worth

Melva Thornton

(August 26, 1966—December 25, 2024)

Program Specialist II, Inpatient Psychiatry

The thing about grief, though, is it isn’t something you do so you can “get over” or forget whatever feelings or circumstances exist. Grief changes a person; it offers perspective and reflection.

Grieving offers pause so you can absorb the truth of what happened while gradually finding a way to create a life around your new reality.

As we begin 2025 with this new reality, you are invited to share your favorite memory, funny tidbit, or kind reflection about Eric, Danny, Shelly, Charisse, and/or Melva in the comments below. If we missed someone, please let us know in the comments. 

May we continue to honor the memories of Eric, Danny, Shelly, Charisse, and Melva in ways that carry forward the goodness they fostered within our institution and in our lives.

The holiday season is filled with all sorts of fun, whether it’s making cookies, going ice skating, or singing Christmas carols. These traditions create special memories that bring families together and provide a sense of comfort and joy. Family traditions make each holiday special. What is a holiday tradition that you love?

This holiday season, we asked some of our employees to share their favorite traditions. 

Family Fun

Tanisha Grant, Director of Corporate Compliance: Every year, starting the weekend of Thanksgiving, we have a family tradition that carries us through to Christmas. When our kids were younger, we’d kick it off by taking them to visit Santa. Then, for the next four Saturdays, we bake our favorite cookies: chocolate chip, sugar cookies, and frosted shortbread thumbprints (we add a little cocoa for a special treat). While baking, we watch Christmas movies together. It’s something we all look forward to and it’s a fun way to spend time as a family.

Donna Capps, Licensed Clinical Social Worker on the Ernie Response team: Over the past several years, our family of four has started traveling over the holidays. It has become almost a tradition to be on a cruise ship at Christmas. This year, we are looking forward to having my mom join us.  I believe that this will create a wonderful memory for the kids. It’s ultimately about family and quality time together. That makes Christmas for us.

Bethany Hooper, Director of Practice Operations in the Neurosciences Department: I love to go on road trips with my kids! I have been a single mom for the last four years and it has been really important to me to create magic in the available moments. The kids and I will plan an adventure including where we will be stopping and the activities along the way. We especially love to thrift shop and will find unique thrift stores when we are on the road. We are typically doing this over a holiday break.

Favorite Celebration

Tanisha: My favorite tradition is our cookie baking and Christmas movie nights. We kick things off with “Home Alone 1” and “Home Alone 2”, then move on to “Jingle All the Way” and “Jack Frost.” We always end the season with “A Christmas Story.” My husband and I started this tradition because we wanted to share the movies we loved growing up with our kids. Over the years, it’s grown into something even more special. Now, our kids can invite their friends to join in, and they’ve added their own favorites to the mix, like “The Polar Express,” “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” and “Fred Claus.” It’s become a meaningful way for us to connect, laugh, and enjoy the magic of the holidays together

Donna:  This year will be different as we are traveling to Lubbock to spend Thanksgiving with my grandparents who moved into an assisted living earlier this year. But, normally, we start our Thanksgiving at Cracker Barrel.  It is great for our family of four. Each of us is able to get what we want for the meal. It’s the best option for us and there are no leftovers. After we finish with our meal at Cracker Barrel, we head to the Fort Worth Zoo. As it’s a holiday for most, it is not crowded. We spend two to three hours there enjoying our time together seeing the animals. Later, we may decide to head to someone’s home to share dessert and coffee. 

Bethany: My favorite road trip that I took with my kids was over a Thanksgiving Break. I had the week off and we knew we were going on a trip but we had no idea where we were going. I called this the “Choose your own adventure trip.” The kids and I got in the car on the first morning and I asked my son (9 years old at the time) to pick a direction. He picked north and I started driving. We ended up in Omaha, Nebraska! The second day was my daughter’s choice and we had a more leisurely day, stopping often and ending in Arkansas. The third day we came home. It was so much fun to figure out our route, spontaneously choose hotels and restaurants, and just enjoy being together. My kids still talk about that trip.

Special Memories

Tanisha: One special memory that stands out is the first year we started the tradition of baking cookies and watching holiday movies. Seeing the excitement on our kids’ faces when they visited Santa and watching them enjoy the movies we grew up with was unforgettable. That moment brought home what the holidays are all about: family, love and making memories.

Donna: My daughter is a Wish Kid. A memory that I will always hold dear is from her Make-A-Wish trip. Her wish was to go on a Disney Cruise, and it just so happened to coincide with Christmas. From the time that we boarded the plane to Orlando to the sailing, it was such as special time. Our fellow passengers and the crew made it so special. There was caroling with Goofy dressed as Santa, hot chocolate, story time with Mrs. Claus and a visit with the Big Man himself. It was so special. It was such a blessing, and I loved watching her face light up. Best Christmas memory ever!!!

Bethany: I have many memories of cooking with my mom and grandma. My family is Norwegian and holidays are when we would eat traditional Norwegian food such as kringla, lefse, and krumkaka.

In with the New

Tanisha: If I could add a new tradition, it would be a summer twist on our holiday tradition. I’d love to have outdoor movie nights with a projector, where we could all pick a movie, bring snacks, and enjoy being together. It would be a great way to keep that sense of togetherness outside the holiday season.

Donna:  As a family, we love to travel at the holidays. We are together sharing experiences and creating memories in our way to last a lifetime. I love that we are able to do this and hope that my kids continue this. But I  also encourage them to not be stuck in the “should” and develop their own traditions in the future if they decide to have families of their own. There is no “right” way to holiday and traditions can evolve.

Bethany: I love both a family game night and doing puzzles on a holiday. I think I potentially did both of those too much with my kids when they were little because now they do not like either one. I am hoping they will come around when they get older.

This holiday season, let us remember that although we all have our own traditions and ways of celebrating, we are still similar in many ways. The holidays can be a stressful time for many but family traditions are a way to bring a sense of joy into this season. Have fun celebrating with your own special traditions or try some new ones this year. Happy Holidays!

Important Parking Reminders

We wanted to share a quick reminder about our parking policies. As you know, it's extremely important that we all follow our assigned parking areas to ensure a smooth and efficient parking experience for everyone.

We've noticed that some evening and night shift employees are parking in the Seventh Avenue and Terrell Avenue garages, even though they're assigned to different areas. This is causing congestion at the "Visitor Only" entrance and making it difficult for families and visitors to enter.

Please make sure you are aware of your specific parking assignments. If anyone is unsure, they can reach out to Parking Services or review Policy MC252 for more information.

Additionally, please keep in mind that the Seventh Avenue garage will soon be undergoing renovations. During this time, parking availability will be limited, and we want to make sure we don’t cause a parking issue at the Terrell Avenue garage. It's more important than ever to follow our parking rules to avoid any inconvenience.

In the near future, Security will begin redirecting employees who attempt to enter a garage they are not assigned to. If the employee does not have badge access, they will be asked to proceed to their assigned parking location and not allowed entry.  

Thank you for your cooperation in this matter.

It’s time to talk about benefit changes, look at your benefit needs and get ready to enroll. As we approach a new benefit year, our priority remains offering you rich, competitive benefit choices while enhancing your overall health and managing our collective health plan costs.

For more information and full plan details, see our 2024–2025 Benefits Guide, coming to your home soon.

Benefits Fair: Visit with our benefit vendors and learn more about the benefits available to you.

11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Thursday, Aug. 8, at the Medical Center-Fort Worth Atrium

11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Friday, Aug. 9, at Medical Center-Prosper, Classrooms 1621/1622

Attend an in-person Open Enrollment meeting to go over the changes for the upcoming plan year.

A recording of the presentation will also be available on CookNet.

1 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 5 (Family Support Meeting Center)

2 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 8 (Family Support Meeting Center)

10 a.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 13 (Family Support Meeting Center)

9 a.m. on Thursday, Aug. 15 (PAV Hochberger Auditorium)

11 a.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 20 (PAV Hochberger Auditorium)