Home for the Holidays

For the first time in three years, Ari and I were able to get Christmas off! We were so excited to get to go home to St. Louis and Kristen, Larry, Uncle Ron, Mai, Emily would be there to celebrate as well! Things got off to a rocky start. Ari had to work the day of the 23rd and it was snowing and SO windy all day. We arrived at the airport not knowing what to expect. As we were getting checked in we found out that our flight was the only American Airlines flight leaving Milwaukee! We headed to the terminal and were thankful we brought our own sandwiches because the airport was out of food! So many people had been delayed and stranded that they were literally down to 1 brat (which the man in front of us bought when we got a soda) and a couple of hotdogs!! Not so good if you are a vegetarian! Down by the gate it was SO cold... see picture. We couldn't even take our coats off. Our plane was about 2 hours late but we were just glad we left... I was more glad that there wasn't turbulence all the way.

Mom picked us up at the airport and we went home to officially meet our new cousin Emily. She is adorable. Sure it was fun catching up with Uncle Ron and Mai but I LOVE babies!! We had a long day so we were ready to crash. Christmas Eve mom and I got up to do a bit of last minute grocery shopping because I volunteered to cook that night. We got back and played some games then Uncle Ron and Mai left us with Emily since they have only gone out once since she was born. They were back for dinner. I made rosemary roasted chickens, celery root and potato horseradish mash, broiled asparagus, and caesar salad. It was a hit!

Christmas day we couldn't wait to open all the presents... but we had to because Kristen and Larry hadn't arrived yet. When they did we had our big meal which mom cooked: beef tenderloin, green beans, eggplant rolled with feta and roasted peppers, twice baked potatoes, mmm. Then we ran downstairs to open our gifts. Ari got guitar hero which was probably the most popular gift. He also got some Sid Dickens tiles. I got a Coach purse from my sister, a pair of candle sconces and a new suit from my mom, and a dock for my iPod from Ari. Uncle Ron made out with a new roasting pan while Mai got some spa pampering things. Kristen and I are sending mom and John to San Francisco for a long weekend as their gift. Larry got some basketball videos that he had been wanting. Of course Miss Em got some new clothes and hair bows. Phew! What a spoiled bunch!! The rest of the day can be summed up as the guitar hero day from hell. Ari and Larry played for at least twelve hours straight. Larry iced his fingers that night because they were swollen!

The next day the girls escaped to the mall when Ari and Larry started tuning up the guitars again. Love those after Christmas sales! Then it was back to reality early the next morning. Believe it or not, our plane left and landed on time!

Resident Holiday Party

To get into the holiday spirit, the pediatric residency has a holiday party for the residents each year over the lunch hour. They cater it with great food and it gives us a chance to exchange gifts and reveal our Secret Santas. This year I had Alisen and Jackie had me. We all exchanged gifts and ironically Tara and I had the same idea this year... we gave the girls each a picture frame and a picture from Tara's wedding!!

San Antonio

Last week Tara and I headed to San Antonio for a pediatrics conference; of course we dragged the boys along with us. When we had scheduled the conference we were hoping that it would be a warm escape from frigid Wisconsin. That was not to be the case as the weather reports kept dropping the temperature forecasts up until our departure date. It didn't get much above 60 degrees the whole time we were there and we only had one sunny day, bummer!




Our journey there was not easy... it never is, is it? We had super early flights the day after the tundra pictures were taken. We were so worried that our flights would be delayed because of weather. The plane from Milwaukee took off on time, however. The problem was actually in Memphis where we circled waiting to land for at least 40 minutes. By the time we landed our layover time was up (no time for breakfast!) and we had to run to make our next flight. We boarded on time but taxied for at least 30 minutes waiting for clearance to take-off... you know we all wished for those minutes so we could eat!! When we finally arrived to San Antonio we were starving. We checked in and descended on the hotel restaurant. They actually had this cool set up where you could pick ingredients for either a stir fry or a pasta dish; it hit the spot!


After lunch, Ari and I had to take a nap since we had stayed up late packing and then woke up at 4 am to get to the airport. Tara and Andy met up with Andy's aunt Megan and had a few welcome Margaritas. By the time Ari and I were ready to go, Megan was ready to introduce us to the Riverwalk. In the course of one evening we ate and drank at three restaurants... Margaritas, guacamole, and quesadillas at Boudro's; beer and ceviche for the girls and a white russian and dessert for Ari at Pesca on the River; then rounding the evening out at... uh oh, those drinks were good... at some festive TexMex place with more margaritas, jalepeno poppers, and mariachi. As you can imagine, we crashed afterward and slept in... I didn't wake up until 7:15 am!! Thursday was a bit on the dreary side. After a late breakfast, we headed to the Riverwalk mall... not the nicest of malls but it was something to do. Then in the afternoon we walked around the Alamo. The Alamo really is not as exciting as you would think it is. It is right smack dab in the middle of downtown and is mostly a wall with a couple of buildings.



That night we had reservations at Sushi Zushi... probably the best name for a sushi restaurant ever! Andy's college friend Mary joined us for a sushi extravaganza. The wine was great and my favorite fish was the yummy yummy roll! For those of us missing home, there was even a Greenbay roll on the menu; I wonder if that is Brett Favre's favorite... After a delicious dinner we finished the night at a bar appropriately named Drink. After a chocolate truffle martini I was ready to call it a night.




The next day we attended a portion of the conference... definitely not exciting! Then because it was another dreary day, we decided to head to a nicer mall. Our cab driver was a hilarious old man; he even parked the taxi at the mall so he could come in to shop for hats... he ran all of his choices by Ari and Andy! After some shopping and a quick lunch we headed back to the hotel so Ari and I could hit the gym. We decided to have a low key night and pick up pizza and beer to bring back to the hotel and play games. Mary came to pick us up and we had quite the adventure trying to find the pizza place. Mary is one of the funniest people we have met but her sense of direction is questionable! We finally got back and inhaled the pizza while playing Phase 10.

On Saturday, it was actually sunny! (Obvious, from the picture I know!) We took a walk down the Riverwalk to La Vallita which is a little cluster of buildings housing artisans and their crafts. We had so much fun investigating the shops from fragrant candles to copper metalsmithing to a very interesting lady named Sherry that mastered the art of bonsai trees. We all got a Bonsai starter kit; we'll keep you posted on the progress. Then Mary picked us up and took us to a place called the Flying Saucer. They had every beer imaginable and an assortment of Wisconsin influenced food... bratwurst nachos and pretzels with three kinds of cheese. I had a delicious Hefewiesen and shared a pretzel with Ari. Then we headed back to the hotel to get ready since we had tickets to a show that night. We met Mary and her husband for drinks and appetizers then saw a musical called "The Great American Trailerpark." It was a hoot. The best part was that it was in this small quaint theater. They even served drinks during the show. Following the show we ate a fabulous TexMex feast at Rosarios. It was then off to the hotel because the boys had to catch a flight in the morning.

Mary and Steven were so kind to take the guys to the airport the next morning while Tara and I were left to roam around San Antonio. The concierge suggested brunch in the historic King William area just about a mile or so from our hotel... that is if you walk directly there. We started off on the Riverwalk but got turned around so we headed up to street level. An hour later we were there! Unfortunately, there was quite a wait and we wouldn't have had time to eat and walk back before it would be time to leave for the airport. So we headed back to the hotel (on the Riverwalk, no problem this time!) and had Italian food that hit the spot... we were so Tex Mex'd out. Then we watched a bit of the Packer game and headed to the airport. We were so glad we got there early because the lines were HUGE. As we were waiting, we got a call from the boys who were still at the airport... in San Antonio... 3 hours AFTER their flight was supposed to leave!! Needless to say, they were a bit aggravated. It turns out there was a giant breast cancer research conference that let out on Sunday and approximately 6,000 people had come from all over the world to attend. That meant 6,000 people crowding the airport and not all of them speaking good English, making it super difficult to rearrange cancelled flights. Long story short on our trip home: boys got rerouted through Chicago and then taxied to Milwaukee, while we went as planned through Memphis (yummy BBQ for dinner) and traveled on home in a plane that smelled like the lavatory. Not the best ending!!

The Land of Snow and Tundra

Looks picturesque, right? Not if you are continually digging yourself out of it and praying to get in the driveway!! We have had over a foot of snow already this year which has led Ari and I to be even more ready to move to Cincinnati... and hopefully get a house with an attached garage!

We bit the bullet this year and found someone to plow our driveway for us. The problem is they only come when the snowfall is finished. That's why there are pictures of Ari shoveling away. The guy who does our driveway was shocked to hear we have been clearing it by hand for the last three years!

Peds Holiday Party

For the first time in 3 years, I was actually NOT on call the evening of the Pediatric Department holiday party. I was beginning to feel left out... but I should not have. We went for about 3 hours (before Ari had to go in for his overnight shift) and it was actually kind of dull. We sat, ate, and chatted with the people we usually hang out with... just a little more dressed up. Oh well, at least it got us out of the house (which I have been reluctant to do since it is so cold and snowy). The holiday season can only get better from here!

Trimming the Tree

Last week Ari and I put up our Christmas tree. Originally, we were going to pick it out over the weekend but the weather report said snow so we went a little earlier. We were a little over zealous this year - the tree touches the ceiling and there is no room for the star! It didn't seem that big on the lot :)

Saturday I made homemade bean soup... enough for an army and served it in my tureen. I took pictures to show off the tureen since I had to fight really hard to get it; Ari seems to think it is a superfluous serving piece but I disagree. Luckily, the soup was delicious because we are still eating the leftovers! I turned on my favorite christmas cds and we were off. We got a new tree stand this year that lets you spin the tree; it made putting on the lights so much easier... there are about 800 lights on our tree! Unfortunately, it is hard to capture the detail of the ornaments on film so you'll have to trust me when I say it looks great. So far there haven't been any mishaps with the cats and the tree, but I anticipate at least one before the tree comes down. Happy Holidays!

Belated Thanksgiving

Although I was on call Thanksgiving Day (but luckily did not get called in), I was still able to celebrate with mom, Kristen, and John the next day. Unfortunately, Ari was scheduled for a week of overnights and then was off to Cincinnati for three interviews in three days. Because we decided to go so late, we decided it would be best to drive so I picked Kristen up on Friday morning and we were off. The trip was long but at least the weather was okay. We were starving but we waited until Springfield to eat so that we could have the best sandwiches in the world at Head West. I must have eaten there at least once a week while I was in med school. After her tummy was full, Kristen fell asleep until we go to mom's house. Mom was cooking like a fiend when we got there and the house smelled wonderful. We cracked open some wine and enjoyed each other's company then stuffed ourselves with all of the Thanksgiving staples: turkey and gravy, mash potatoes, stuffing, cranberries and green bean casserole mmm... we rolled ourselves in front of the TV to watch some football and then headed to bed.

Saturday, we slept until 9am... what a treat! We went off to the gym to work off a fraction of the meal the night before and then it was time for Kristen and I to get ready for Hollie's baby shower. Hollie is our cousin Martin's wife on our dad's side. She is expecting a baby boy whom they plan to name Braden in January. At the shower they had the most adorable center pieces which all had clues to a nursery rhyme that you had to guess. We also had to guess different baby foods in jars and finish lines of nursery rhymes. Kristen and I totally lost these games. Not being mommies ourselves was a huge disadvantage. It was wonderful to see our family; Aunt Camille is simply glowing at the prospect of being a grandma and Aunt Kathy was in great spirits. Baby Braden totally made out at this shower and it was fun to see all of the baby things. After the shower, we headed to Aunt Camille's to visit with the rest of the Pope/Caupp clan before going back to mom's. As usual, mom made a fabulous dinner and we had to be rolled to bed.

Sunday morning we slept in! Kristen and I left at noon so we would get back at a decent hour... which happened to be 9pm for me. The freezing rain started somewhere around Bloomington and it was stop and go around Chicago. What a mess! I was so thankful when I finally made it to our house. Despite the long trip, I am so glad I got to celebrate Thanksgiving!

Mommy Time

Two weeks ago... where does the time go?... My mom came up to visit for the weekend. Ari was diligently studying for his board exams so it was perfect timing; plus, sometimes you just need a hug from your mom! She flew in on Friday and she, Ari, and I went to eat at the Pasta Tree. We discovered a new wine and had wonderful meals, they practically had to roll us out of there. Then we headed for the casino. Potawatomi has not been good to me in the past but I was up for a challenge. I started off on the craps table, mom wandered toward the slots, and Ari watched me for a while and then decided to try his hand at roulette. My winnings were slow and steady but mom found me quickly when she was down to her last few dollars. She was so bummed! She decided, she would risk the last of it and won $250!! Both Ari and I walked away winners too! Take that Potawatomi!! Saturday, we headed up to Cedarburg for some pottery painting (I am addicted). I think mom was more stressed than enjoying it... she is such a perfectionist! We painted little holiday plates. Then we shopped down the main street. We both found fun holiday items. Finally, it was time to head back to Milwaukee. For dinner we decided to try McCormick and Schmidt's Fish Market. We had the best meal. The crab cakes were sensational and our steak was cooked perfectly. When we got home Ari was done studying for the day so we played a few rounds of dominoes. Sunday we slept in and went to the gym. Before long it was time for mom to go. I am so glad she came!

Halloween...finally

After years of avoiding dressing up (I don't think I have celebrated Halloween since my third year of medical school) Ari finally got to get into the Halloween spirit this year. There was some debate but we finally decided on King Arthur and the Black Knight from Monty Python. We should have taken better pictures so you could see that one of my arms was detachable! Just a flesh wound!! Ari even had fake coconuts to hit together like they do in the movie.

So after a short call day, I left the hospital at 9pm to meet Ari at Aaron and Ann's house. Everyone was dressed up and having a great time. Aaron provided entertainment by dancing like Napoleon Dynamite. Then in true Wisconsin drinking game fashion, the old stump came out. The Stump Game is this silly drinking game where you have to pound nails into a stump with a hammer. I have never played and it certainly seems dangerous to mix alcohol with hammers, but it always is fun to watch others. At about 11, I couldn't keep my eyes open so we headed home.

Ward Senior

Believe it or not, for the past month I have been the Green Team wards senior. For those of you who do not know the ins and outs of Children's Hospital, that essentially means that I supervise 4 interns and 4 medical students while they care for patients on the 7th floor... the baby floor. I just cannot believe that I am the senior because it seems like just yesterday that I was the intern! Time flies when you never sleep! I had a great group of residents and students so on the last day we played "Stump the Attending." I basically made the game like Stump the Schwab on ESPN and the residents and medical students tried to be the last one standing so they could face the attendings in the final round. One of the medical students, Mike, faced off with the attendings and just came a little short! I had made a crown for the victor, however, and he wore it proudly during our rounds. The categories of questions ranged from developmental milestones to rashes to rheumatologic and infectious diseases. I was so impressed by how much everyone learned this month!

Welcome Baby Emily!!

On October 14, a new addition arrived to our family. We have a new cousin; my Uncle Ron and his wife Mai welcomed Emily Jordan Droegmyer into the world after waiting 4 days past her due date. She was born in Portland, Oregon so we haven't met her just yet but we are certainly hoping to meet her soon (maybe around Christmas). Congratulations Uncle Ron and Mai! Welcome, Emily, we can't wait to watch you grow!!

Ari's Birthday, Part II

To keep the celebration going, Saturday the 13th Dan, Amber, Jason and Jen came to town. We joined them, Tom, and Sarah for a bike ride along the intraurban trail that is just a few miles from our house. It was a perfect day for a bike ride and we completed 20 miles round-trip. After we got back, it was time to get cleaned up and have some celebratory libations. Andy, Tara, Corey (yes, Corey!), and his girlfriend Angie arrived as well. We rented a chauffeured van to drive us around so we could enjoy the evening. Once it arrived we went to pick up Tomer and Michelle and we headed to Buca di Beppo. Brian and Rob met us there... are you keeping track? We all enjoyed a delicious, family-style Italian dinner. We even embarrassed Ari by singing and the brought a candelabra to the table! We then headed to the Hi Hat Lounge and Garage for libations. The martinis were delicious but the company was better. Before we knew it, it was time to head home. Some of our guests stayed up, but this old lady headed to bed. 2:30 am is WAY past my bedtime! Thank you everyone for coming to celebrate!!

Ari's Birthday, Part 1

On Ari's true birthday, last Friday, we celebrated at home by opening presents and carving pumpkins. Since Ari's favorite holiday is Halloween, he got many Department 56 pieces to put together a miniature Spooktown. (See pictures). He loved the gift and had a great time setting it up on our console table. We then went to pick our pumpkins. We picked 4 very large pumpkins so that we could use stencils to make more intricate carvings. While I ruined dinner... my second attempt at gnocchi was better than the first but I am definitely finished trying to prepare it, thank goodness I made good asparagus... Ari prepped the pumpkins. After dinner we got down to business with Ari carving a bat and I chose a cat. I think they turned out awesome. We have two pumpkins each still to carve when we get a free moment. It was a low key night in preparation for more festivities the next day, more soon...

Cheeseheads

After the marathon, when Ari was feeling rehydrated and refreshed... which amazingly didn't take long, we headed to Tara and Andy's for dinner and to watch the Packer v. Bears game. Since we moved to Wisconsin, I have become a bit of a Green Bay fan so I brought along my cheesehead. We ate Wisconsin fare: brats, baked beans, cole slaw, and at first were enjoying the game. Then things took a turn for the worse and the Bears won! Ari was thrilled but the rest of us were disappointed.

Run Ari run!!

This past Sunday, Ari completed a huge fete: he ran the Milwaukee Marathon! The enormity of this accomplishment was increased due to the fact that it was 86 degrees on race day... the average temperature for the day is 54 degrees! You may have heard that the Chicago marathon was cancelled due to these extreme conditions. The morning started early as we met Tom, Sarah, Conner, and Tom's work colleague Doug to drive up to Grafton, Wi together. There was so much excitement and nervous energy at the start line. Nearly 2500 people were registered to race and then additional people were running the marathon as a relay. We cheered the boys on as the started off and then went to grab a quick breakfast in nearby Cedarburg. We caught up with them again at about mile 14. I was amazed at Ari's split time... just 2 hours! We caught up to Ari again at about mile 17 and he was lookin' a bit exhausted. We then made our way down to the lakefront for the finish. Sarah and I were getting nervous waiting; it was so hot and the medical tent was filling up. Luckily, Ari, Tom, and Doug finished without major incident. Ari's time was 4 hours and 50 minutes... a bit longer than he had hoped because of the heat. I was just proud of him for finishing!! I also told him not to worry about his time... that he would do better next time! To which he replied, "There will be no next time!" I think that was just the lactic acid talking. I want him to run another just because I was so unprepared for this one... next time I will definitely have to make a shirt and get a cow bell! Way to go Ari!!

Pottery Glazing

Yesterday, Jackie and I headed up to Cedarburg, Wisconsin to paint pottery. Cedarburg is this really quaint area with shopping, bed and breakfasts, and even a local coffee roaster. My preceptor had told me what a great time she had there, so we decided to flex our creative muscles. Which, as you can imagine, are quite stiff from disuse. Glaze is this fantastic shop where you can pick from hundreds of pieces what you would like to glaze; they have everything from seasonal items to piggy banks to dishware to magnets. It was a hard decision, but I decided on the travel coffee mug and Jackie chose a pumpkin candy dish. For my delta zeta girls reading this... I chose to glaze my cup gray with green and pink polka dots! So after about an hour and a half of painting, we were finished (thank goodness because the shop was closing). The pieces don't quite look like they will until they are fired but we are excited to see the finished projects next week!

Something Other Than Kickball

By now you all must be wondering why there have been very few posts and why they have all been about kickball. This past month has been a busy one while I finish my last month of Q4 (every fourth night) call and Ari has been working hard. Our only real social escape, besides the occasional dinner out, has been our Tuesday night kickball games. This past Friday, however, we joined our friends to celebrate Andy's birthday. We started off at Mo's for dinner and then went downtown to Hotel Metro for martinis. We picked Hotel Metro because it has a very chic bar on the roof called Zen on 7. As luck would have it, the rain began to fall as we headed downtown. This first round of martinis were inside, but then the weather cooperated and we moved the group outside. It was a super fun coincidence that some of the interns were having a night out there as well. Not being quite the party girl that I used to be, we called it a night at about midnight.

Kickball Week 2

Another Tuesday, another week of kickball. We battled nature and the other team valiantly, but came up short on both accounts in the end. Due to seemingly unending rain the past couple of weeks in Milwaukee, we are experiencing a plague of mosquitos. I would go as far as saying mutant mosquitos because despite spraying ourselves with Off or Cutter EVERY inning, none of us walked away with fewer than 10 mosquito bites. I have never seen swarms of mosquitos before. We literally were swatting every free moment. The game itself was good... we lost 0-6 but only because we had a lapse in defense one inning and just couldn't get our offense going. We went to O'Brien's afterward to get away from the bugs and enjoy each other's company.

Quick Trip to Madison

Our friends Andy and Tara have been hounding us for some time to take a trip to Madison with them and experience the farmer's market there. Amazingly, we were able to coordinate our four schedules last weekend... not perfectly since we went when I was post-call and the day we came back Ari had to work the overnight shift, but if we kept waiting for a better time it probably wouldn't have happened. Regardless, we made the 90 minute trek west to the home of my nemesis the Wisconsin Badgers. I love Tara and Andy but they are HUGE Badger fans... I try not to hold that against them. We checked in to our hotel where we got the priceline view of the roof and headed into town. We ate at a fabulous Italian restaurant whose name I can't seem to remember. While the food and company was great... the service certainly left something to be desired. We were immediately greeted by the waiter but hadn't picked our drinks yet. He came back about fifteen minutes later and took our whole order. Then the appetizers came out and we still didn't have our drinks. From our vantage point the bartender surely wasn't backed up either. FINALLY, after the appetizer was finished our drinks came. When he brought us our meals he said he would bring more bread... which never happened. He actually never returned to our table until he brought the check. He definitely did not win server of the night. With full stomach's we made our way to the student union (and I amazingly did not spontaneously combust) to have a drink and listen to live music. We bar hopped with a couple of Tara and Andy's friends until we were about to drop dead tired and then crashed.

The next day we met Tara's parents for breakfast and then headed to the farmer's market. Ari was joking around because they kept telling us you could get ANYTHING there so Ari said he bet he wouldn't see jicama... which we actually did! Needless to say the market was huge and wrapped around the capital building. From fresh fruits and veggies, to cheese, to baked items, spices, sauces, meats, and flowers the place was a cornicopia of yumminess! This picture is the crazy guy selling honey (sorry there aren't more pictures). Finally it was time for us to part ways. Andy, Tara, and her parents were off to the game and we went home to catch up on some much needed sleep.

Season Opener

The Q4 Kickers are back and better than ever after the summer hiatus. Reivigorated by enthusiastic interns and strengthened by returning veterans, the team got off to a good start Tuesday night in the season opener. Though we were short some Y chromosomes we made a run for it (literally) and lost in the bottom of the ninth. Congratulations go to all the new players who quickly acclaimated to the game and played some great defense. Special honors go to Brian Branchford, clearly the MVP after turning not one but two one man double plays then kicking a two run home run... and nearly having to push me into home plate! Other honors go to Matt and Maraty Gray for his clutch catches and her quick feet. Can't wait until next week!

Meeting Addison

Long time, no blog! For the past four weeks we have been working nights and it has reeked havoc on our social lives! Now that we are finished, we decided to take a trip down to Rockford, IL to meet Jason and Jen's new addition. Addison Nathan Clark (by name alone destined to be a great Cub fan) is now 5 weeks old. He was born on the luckiest day ever 7/7/07! Hopefully that luck won't spill over to the Cubs!! Addison slept through the first half of our visit... through both lunch and two games of bowling. It was pretty impressive that the bowling alley has smoke free afternoons; good for young babies' lungs and for adults that don't want to stink! Ari let the lead slip away to Jason both games and Jen and I split the wins. We went back to their place to catch the end of the Cubs/Cardinals game, we won't talk about the result because this is a happy blog entry! We also played Balderdash, which is always a ton of fun... I am not just saying that because I won. Finally, it was time for us to go. I was so exhausted that I passed out as soon as we got on the highway. Poor Ari had to drive through monsoon conditions to get us home safely... but not before we stopped at Fazoli's for a late dinner. (That one was for you Laura!!) We really enjoyed meeting Addison and can't wait to watch him grow... into a Cardinals fan?!

A Delta Zeta Mini Reunion

After both of us working over night last Thursday and into Friday, Ari and I went straight to the airport to fly out east to visit my sorority sisters Lynne and Jenn. Despite our lack of sleep, we were anxious to go because Lynne, her husband Matt, and their son Joseph are finally living back in the states. None of them have met Ari since they couldn't come back for our wedding and I hadn't met Joseph. On the plane, Ari slept, but I just couldn't get comfortable. We then hopped a train to meet Lynne and Jenn in Bethesda. After socializing for a bit, I took a nap when Joseph laid down. When I woke up 3 hours later, I felt much more like myself! We were all starving so we headed to downtown Bethesda for dinner. We ate delicious Mexican food and had to hide the margaritas since they looked so good to Joe. Afterward we crossed the street for some ice cream... perfect on such a hot day. Lynne and Matt then took Joe home for bed while Jenn, Ari, and I explored the downtown area. We had some fun shopping and then went back to Lynne's to sleep.

They let Ari and I sleep in and we finally woke up at 11am!! Matt is very busy with his dental fellowship so he took Joe to Annapolis to be watched by Lynne's mom and he could study. Jenn, Lynne, Ari, and I then headed into Baltimore. We wanted to go to the National Aquarium but the next available tickets were for 5pm so we headed to Obrycki's for a late lunch first. The girls all got cream of crab and asparagus soup which was amazing and I had a crab cake melt which was delicious! Ari was a good sport and found a veggie wrap on the menu. We then walked through a very shady neighborhood and over to Fell's point for some more browsing in some very fun shops. Finally, it was time to get out of the heat and hit the aquarium. The dolphin show was fun but I think my favorite part was the frogs... I love that blue poison dart frog! He is so cute!! The sharks were really creepy. Hours later when we emerged from the aquarium, Jenn and Lynne took us to Vicaro's in little Italy for gelato... and that is an understatement. They have these giant gelato sundaes that are enormous. Since we had only really eaten lunch, we all got our own and we looked like such piggies!! Hyped up by all the sugar and caffeine from my coffee I started telling my stories faster and faster... it was a riot! We then took a quick peek at Jenn's apartment and headed back to Bethesda.

Sunday Matt went and got lox and bagels for breakfast...mmm... and we sat around in our PJ's playing with Joseph. If you ask him to show you his eyes, he squints them and it is so funny! Soon it was time to go and Jenn drove us down to the airport. I got back in plenty of time for my over night shift.

The Golf and Tennis Outing

August 1st was the annual Pediatric Housestaff Golf and Tennis Outing. For the past two years I have played tennis because I am clearly better at that than golf but this year my friends persuaded me to hit the links. Jackie, Sarah, Tara and I played nine holes of golf during my usual nap time. I have been working nights for two weeks so I sleep from 8am-6pm... our tee time was 2pm! It was boiling hot but we had a great time golfing. I actually was driving pretty well... the golf ball, not the cart! My putting left something to be desired, however. Afterward we joined the other housestaff at the country club for dinner and prizes. I went home just in time to get a quick nap and return to the hospital. Thankfully it was a quiet night. *** Special note, this picture is me and Aaron, he wanted to make the blog!!***

Tara and Andy's Wedding

Just when you thought the celebrations couldn't get any better after the fireworks, the wedding the next day was fabulous! It was an absolutely beautiful day for an outdoor wedding. It was sunny and warm with just enough breeze. Ari looked very dapper as an usher but Tara stole the show! She looked SO beautiful! The ceremony was performed by the groom's uncle who did an amazing job personalizing the wedding and capturing the essence of Tara and Andy... I cried, of course. After the ceremony it was time to... finish getting ready! Jackie, Sarah, and I had late nail appointments so I came to the ceremony sans make-up. After getting myself together, it was time to celebrate. Ari enjoyed dinner, where he was the only male at the table since Megan's husband had to work and Steve was a no show. The food was delicious and the company was better. Then it was time to strut our stuff on the dance floor. I didn't participate in the polkas... must be a northern Wisconsin thing... but we spent the rest of the night gettin' down. Ari was upstaged, however, by Andy's 10 year-old cousin who had some sweet moves. By the end of the night we were exhausted! What an awesome day!

Fireworks on the Farm

This past weekend was Andy and Tara's wedding in Wausau, WI. They kicked things off with a rehearsal at the beautiful outdoor amphitheater where they would have the ceremony. The most important thing that came out of that was the ring bearer was replaced... Tara's nephew Cayden was not about to walk down the aisle so his little brother Max got the part. After the rehearsal we headed to Andy's dad's farm for dinner and fireworks. I am sure you are thinking what I was thinking... backyard, anybody can buy 'em fireworks... but that is so wrong. After eating a ton and enjoying delicious wine, Tara brought out a birthday cake so we could sing to Sarah (who's birthday is Wednesday). The cake was so yummy. We then found our places for the fireworks show. It was getting colder so we buddled up under blanket and sat around a fire. Then all of the sudden there were fireworks shooting into the sky. Huge, beautiful fireworks better than the 4th of July. Apparently, Andy's dad is in charge of the Wausau fireworks show every year and has a good friend who makes his own fireworks. The show was super and even included some pyrotechnics. What a way to celebrate a wedding! I was exhausted after the show so we headed back to the hotel.

Ari's New Chair

Ari has been dreaming of owning his very own "man chair" for some time now. He was looking for a comfy leather chair that was optimum for T.V. viewing and napping. So for graduation his parents, my mom, Kristen and Larry, and I pitched in to buy him his chair. We searched long and hard; he finally settled on a beautiful leather chair with reclining capabilities from Crate and Barrel. The chair arrived two weeks ago and Ari loves it! He and our kitty Eckstein probably find it to be their favorite place in the house! It is definitely a well deserved treat. Congratulations Ari!

Vacationing in the Dells

So after months of planning, mom, Kristen, Larry, Ari and I headed to the Dells the 5th of July. We went to spend 3 days in the water park capital of the world... or so they proclaim but I did see Noah's Ark on the Travel Channel! Anyway, the big plan was to get out of town, catch some rays, relax, and enjoy each other's company. Mission accomplished!! We checked in to the Chula Vista resort and threw our swimsuits on to go investigate the place. I picked this condo because we all wanted to cook and there was a water park there and its free when you stay... what a deal! Just as we headed to the slides a dark cloud passed overhead opened up on us. We were actually kind of thankful because everyone got up and ran to the indoor water park and we got a seat five minutes later when the rain let up! After soaking up the last of the days' sunshine, we headed to the indoor water park. There were some fun slides in there! Finally, we headed back to the condo and I made fish (and two soy) tacos, mmm... The next day, mom and I found seats early by the wave pool and delved into our books. Kristen and the boys took on the outdoor water slides. When we were ready for a break we played a round of mini golf... Ari won as usual, though I did make a run at the back nine. Mom was in charge of dinner and she made ribs, corn on the cob, cucumber salad, and zucchini souffle. There is nothing better than home cookin'! We then played some dominoes... we totally got Larry hooked! The last day, Kristen, mom, and I again went back to the wave pool for some reading and this time added some frozen drinks! The boys went to explore the downtown Dells. After baking (and me frying) in the sun, Kristen, Larry, Ari, and I headed back to the indoor water park. They had some slides you could race on... they flashed the winner and their time and everything! We also rode Jungle Adventure which is a 2 person tube ride that shoot you into a big room with flashing lights and music before you crash down into the pool, way fun! We played some more adventure golf after eating Kristen's homemade pizzas, which I nearly won... guess who did though! (Ari) The next day we headed back home. *** I supremely apologize about the lack of pictures, I got off to a good start taking pictures of the condo and then I fell apart... too much fun to be had!

Hellos and Goodbyes

In the medical world July 1 is an exciting time, all over the country medical students are starting school and new residents are eagerly/anxiously awaiting the first time that they will introduce themselves as doctor. With all these fresh faces, however, it means that many residents are saying goodbye to residency and starting a whole new adventure as attendings. Though there are many people we will miss, this week we said goodbye to three good friends. Dennis and Davette (pictured here and throughout the blog) left Monday morning to return to Wyoming. They have been great friends and we will miss their company. We are definitely looking forward to visiting them in their native state where there are apparently many chickens?! I am sure Davette will be back here to utilize their vacation home (unfortunately they haven't sold their home in Milwaukee just yet) and to prowl the malls with me.

Larissa is a peds graduate that is starting a new chapter in her life in Waterville, Maine. I think she was trying to get as far away from Milwaukee as possible while keeping in the same climate... to each their own! All I know is that town is sure lucky to have such a caring and brilliant pediatrician. I have also never been to Maine... maybe during the summer I can visit!

Let us not forget the hellos that we have to say! Hello to the new pediatric intern class! Do not worry, your seniors (yep, I am one of them already) are here to help you... even if it is just asking the dose of Tylenol. We are also looking forward to Ari's new crew at St. Joe's.

Graduation Part Deux

Sunday, after Ari's graduation, was the Pediatric residents' graduation. The beauty of our graduation is that it is a required event, one of only 3 days of the year where ALL 80 pediatric/med-peds/prelim residents are excused from the hospital. We are lucky to have many generous fellows and attendings who will play our roles while we are away. I was especially delighted this year because I got out of 6 hours of NICU call! Thanks Dr. Mulrooney!! At our graduation we recognized not only the seniors leaving us (the count down is on!!), the interns for all the hard work they do, and the graduating pediatric fellows. This makes for a LONG ceremony. The company was good, however, and the food was okay. Ari's graduation was definitely more fun. I was very surprised at the end to win award. Every year the emergency department recognizes one outstanding resident from each class, this year that was me! Ari must be rubbing off!! Finally, the end had come and I said goodbye to my senior friends and my husband to head back to the hospital.

Ari's Graduation

I am so proud to announce that Ari officially graduated from residency Thursday, June 21. This day marked an end to his 3 year emergency medicine residency and more importantly the end of call for ever. We couldn't have asked for a more beautiful night to celebrate; the temperature was perfect for enjoying hors d'oeuvres outside of the yacht club. We were so lucky to have Ari's parents in from Oregon, my mom in from St. Louis, and Kristen and Larry up from Chicago (but recently in from enjoying their anniversary in Mexico). Once we were seated inside we were truly impressed with the food. Ari had even gotten the honor of picking the vegetarian menu: polenta with roasted vegetables in red pepper sauce. Dr. Callahan, Ari's program director, kept the evening light-hearted by reading excerpts of all the graduates personal statements... they were a stitch! The graduates in turn roasted their attendings with a Colbert Report-esque video. Finally the laughs were over and Ari received his certificate. He is going to make a brilliant attending, I am so lucky to have him as a husband!

Happy Birthday to Me!

This past Sunday was my birthday and believe it or not I had the day off! I slept in (until 8 am!!). When Ari got up he was so excited he gave me my presents right away. He gave me some art work that I have had my eye on for a long time. Then he took me out to my favorite place for breakfast. After breakfast I got some time to spend working in my garden but Ari told me I had to be ready to go by 2:30pm... he wouldn't tell me why. So after planting lots of flowers, we were off. He took me to a really cool miniature golf course I hadn't been to before. I even got a hole in one! It kind of balanced out the holes where I got six!! It was such a beautiful day to be outside. Afterwards Ari took me to Ulta and he had me pick out some new make-up and fun beauty things. Next stop, dinner at Bravo Cucina Italiana... a restaurant I have been dying to try. Dinner was amazing. They had Prosecco by the glass... which is my favorite Italian sparkling wine. Ari started with the gazpacho which was delicious. I had chicken scallopini and he had tortaloni. Mmmm.... I am drooling just thinking about it. Even though they had cannolis on the menu, Ari said I had to wait for dessert. We mosied over to the book store after dinner and I also got a couple of fun books to read. Finally we went to Kopps for custard and Ari had arranged for our friends to meet us there. The custard was great and so was the company! I almost forgot that I turned almost 30!!

In The Car Again?!

After returning from our road trip Friday, it was time to get back in the car Saturday to go to Lansing, Michigan where one of Ari's college friends was getting married. Tom and Sarah picked us up early and we were on our way... relieved that we didn't have to drive! The drive there was uneventful, but filled with expensive tolls (ugh Illinois!). We also got to pass through the very scenic Gary, Indiana. Finally we arrived and checked into our hotel. Luckily, we remembered there was a time change so we had plenty of time to get ready... unlike some of our friends. We then walked across the street to the Sheraton where Amanda and Nate's wedding was held. It was so awesome to reunite with all of Ari's college friends: Jason, Jenny, Dan, Amber, Karen, and Andi. We also got to meet the newest member of this group Jen, who is Jason's girlfriend and the mother of his soon to be son. The ceremony was a record 7 minutes long and then it was time to party!! We all had a great time (some more than others). After the wedding was over many people still wanted to go out, but Ari and I pooped out. We were really glad we had after the stories of the adventures that were had in downtown Lansing... I am leaving this out of the blog! We all met up for breakfast, except for Tom who was paying for all the fun he had the night before. Finally, we were able to get him in the car. After a 45 minute pit stop at a rest stop he felt much better and we were on our way back home... to stay!

Road Trip!!

This past week Ari and I went on a Midwest road trip to visit many friends that we had not seen for a very long time. First stop: Iowa City, IA. We went there to visit Bob and Gwen, friends from medical school, and their three kids Eric, Charlotte, and Layla. We had not seen Charlie since she was a baby and she is 3 now! Layla is the newest addition just born in January. We had so much fun catching up on their lives and of course playing with Charlie who has SO much energy.

Next stop: St. Louis, MO. We had a full itinerary in St. Louis.

Monday night we had dinner with Tracy, my mom, and John

at a winery in historic St. Charles call Little Hills. Our food was

delicious but the service was awful! Tuesday, we took my mom

out to lunch, did a little shopping and then headed to Busch

Stadium for the Cardinals v. Pirates game. We met Laura, Tim,

and Audrey there. It was doubly special because this was Audrey's first Cardinal game! She was all ready in her Cardinals gear and was very lucky to see a victory. She did amazing; the fireworks didn't scare her, she shared lots of smiles, and she made it though the whole game! At the game we also had to meet up with our friend Grant who was in town visiting his brother and Mrs. Bennish, an old family friend, got to meet Ari for the first time. Wednesday, Ari went to work with Dr. Crane while I went to have my teeth cleaned. Dr. Crane is an emergency medicine doctor turned sports medicine guru who does cutting edge therapy on joints and tendons. Ari had a great time playing in his office for the day and injecting people! I did not fare as well at the dentist's office. Chris was so nice to fit me in for a cleaning, something I had been neglecting since the start of residency. She so nicely told me that I needed to step up on the flossing. Then Dr. Weber came to take a look... when he took his explorer and it stuck in one of my teeth, I knew that was a bad sign... my second cavity! He asked me to come back Thursday for some fun with the drill :( Mom and I then were off to the little cafe across the street for some lunch. Wednesday night Ari and I met up with another medical school friend, Holly. We got to see her fun apartment in U city and then went to Cicero's for pizza, a favorite hangout of mine during high school. Afterwards, we made it through a couple of rounds of dominoes before calling it a night; Holly was post call and I had a date with drill! Thursday morning it was back the the dentist. My cavity was so shallow I didn't even need Novocaine! Once I was fixed up, it was back in the car.

Third stop: Springfield, IL. Okay this was only a pit stop but we did get to enjoy a sub at one of our favorite sandwich shops in medical school: Head West. The hippies were the same and the subs were still delicious! Fourth stop: Peoria, IL. There we met up with Tim and Michelle our friends from med school and their two adorable daughters Elizabeth (3) and Lauren who is one and a half. After playing doctor for a little bit we went to meet Dave and Amanda, more med school friends, for dinner. We had a great time catching up with everyone and then went out for ice cream. We spent the night with Tim and his family then got back in the car and finally drove home. Our kitties were so glad to see us!!

Peds Prom

Every year the pediatric department puts on a dinner dance to acknowledge their appreciation for the residents and we affectionately call it Peds Prom. We look forward to it all year because it is one of two days that all nearly 80 residents are let out of the hospital at once with fellows and staff covering all the patients. Okay, we also like the free dinner, drinks, and dancing! This year was more fun than last, probably because it was held in the spring instead of winter. Everyone is starting to celebrate the graduating class's accomplishments and get excited for where they are heading to next. So after a lengthy cocktail hour, we sat down to dinner. All of the carnivores enjoyed their meals but unfortunately Ari and Melissa (Grant's wife) got the short end of the stick with the vegetarian meals... not so yummy. During dessert a couple of awards were given to staff that have worked at CHW for more than 25 years and to some residents and fellows for research projects. After dinner, the real entertainment began. Many residents and staff hit the dance floor when the band began to play. I will keep them anonymous... you wouldn't probably know their names anyway, but let me tell you some of the staff were really gettin' down. It is so funny to see the docs who seem so serious and driven at work let their hair down. I still think there should have been a dance off. At about 11pm, we were exhausted and the on-call residents had to go back to the hospital... I didn't say they got 24 hours off!... so we retired home.

Fun to Play

The team we played in kickball last week summed it up best, "You guys are really fun to play but aren't that good." So we still haven't won a game this season, but you wouldn't know it by looking at us. We all get out there and have a great time, no one gets aggravated when an error is made, and we cheer like crazy. That is the point isn't it? After this week's game we headed across the street to O'Brien's for food and libations... though I don't think anyone really needed more libations after Jess's punch.

The Next Big Move!

It is official! As of 11 am this morning I matched at Cincinnati Children's for my hematology-oncology fellowship. Most of you have followed my trials and tribulations during the interview process and probably had to listen to me stress about my rank list. After much discussion, however, between Ari and I we knew that Cincinnati would be the best next step... maybe not the best place to live out of my choices but definitely the best from a career point of view. I was absolutely blown away by their program, they have everything I want: high volume, great research, and great mentors. The emergency department at the university is ranked in the top 5, so hopefully Ari will find what he is looking for as well. Kris, another peds resident, matched at her first choice as well at the University of Wisconsin.

For the big day, Ari surprised be by putting flowers in my mailbox at the hospital. Then I was excused from neurology clinic to wait by the computer for my match to appear. I was glad to share my good news with everyone at journal club this afternoon. The real celebration took place during NICU call. Yep, on call on match day. We made the best of it though... Jackie brought sparkling grape juice and I brought a cookie cake and all the on call residents and fellows ordered chinese food. Then I got even more flowers! Mom sent me a beautiful bouquet to the hospital. So now all is quiet and I am going to try to get some sleep... we'll see how that goes.

Tailgating... Part 2

We had so much fun tailgating before the Brewer v. Cardinal game on Tuesday, we decided to have and encore on Friday. They were giving away terrace seats for $6.50 and hot dogs and small sodas were $1. That really drew the crowds and about 12 of the peds residents plus spouses. Aaron was in charge of buying the tickets and we found out when he picked them up at will call that he had bought all individual seats... none of them were together!! So we all got in the park and found a section that had a big group of seats together, which was great until the group showed up in the fifth inning (who doesn't come until the fifth inning?!) We went a section over to get more seats together. In the next inning, our previous section was named "The Party Section" and they all got balloons and tshirts and Bernie came over to party with them. Ari and Andy were very disappointed... maybe next time boys. Before I knew it, it was 9:30 and I told Ari we had to go. I was on call in the NICU the next day and had to be up at 5am. Stay tuned for more baseball adventures!!

Cardinals Defeated

In the wake of the tragic death of pitcher Josh Hancock, the Cardinals regrouped in Milwaukee to face the division leading Brewers. Ten of us braved the chilliness and wind to tailgate prior to the game. We had a plan, we seemingly had everything we needed: Brats, hot dogs, veggie brats, potato salad, chips, nuts, beer, soda, oreo cookies, grill, music, plates, forks, napkins... wait a minute, what is missing?! How about some chairs!! Luckily, it was only a minor set back and since most of us are docs we are used to lots of standing. We made our way into the game as the sun went down and the temperature continued to drop. Our seats in the bleachers were good but with so many empty seats (I am unaccustomed to seeing this at Busch Stadium) we headed toward some prime property along the first base line. It was good to see Suppan pitch (a former Card) but terrible to see our team defeated 2-6. The Cardinals just could not get themselves together. Kip Wells threw a couple of bad throws to first missing the outs. Also, the Brewers just seemed to be positioned perfectly for where we were hitting the ball. Oh well. We had a good time even though I was heckled for wearing my Cardinals gear... Milwaukee fans just are not good sports!

The PL-2 Retreat

This past weekend the second year residents packed their cars and headed to Sheboygan, WI (Affectionately known as Shevegas) for their annual retreat. The added benefit for the second and third year residents is that spouses and families get to come along. Our friends Tara and Andy decided to wait for Ari to finish work on Friday so that we could all drive up together. We packed their Santa Fe to the brim with all of our stuff: luggage, games, and libations. About halfway to Sheboygan there was a car pulled over on the side of the road and I immediately noticed that it was our classmates Jackie and Sarah. Andy pulled over and we all went to see what had happened. Jackie had a nasty flat tire. She had AAA on the way though so we helped by getting back on the road to let her know the nearest mile marker. We went to dinner at the Horse and Plow with almost all of my classmates and their spouses. It was tons of fun socializing with everyone outside the hospital while enjoying fried cheese curds... its a Wisconsin thing! Once we got checked into the resort, Andy, Tara, Ari, and I settled in with Scattergories. People popped in and out of our room to visit and try to get us to explore Shevegas with them, which we declined since we were saving ourselves for Saturday (Tara's birthday). During our game, Andy tried to pass off "kamel" as a farm animal and things never got more serious than that! As he always does with word games, Ari won by a landslide. The next morning we had breakfast and then a couple of lectures... no matter how relevant they were painful; our jobs just do not require sitting for long periods of time so most of us have no tolerance for it. When we were finally finished we headed into town for pizza. We had this awesome Italian style pizza to get our energy up before heading back to the resort's waterpark. Ari loves waterparks so I was so glad he was able to get the day off. We have actually been to a waterpark in the Dells that was bigger but this one did have some fast slides. After riding them quite a few times and enjoying a trip around the lazy river we went to dry off and warm up before dinner. Since it was Tara's birthday we decided to start the night early at the resort's wine and tapas bar. I had the best martini I have ever embibed called a mochatini... vanilla vodka, godiva liquer, and starbucks liquer... are you kidding me? Coffee and a martini! I was in heaven. We also split some baked brie which was also delicious and headed downstairs for cocktails and dinner. Dinner was tasty, the drinks were not so we headed back to the tapas bar after dinner. We took up an entire half of the restaurant. I had another mochatini before we all headed to Tara's room to celebrate her birthday and not being on call. The night quickly turned into a dance party thanks to someone bringing their iPod speakers and I picked out the tunes from my classmates iPod. Everyone had a great time... some more than others... until the party was broken up by security at about 2am. The next morning we had breakfast and it was pretty clear who had the most fun the night before. We packed up the Santa Fe and headed home. This time I drove so poor Andy and Tara could recover from their hangovers. We definitely had a great time!!

Kickball Double-header

This past Thursday the Q4 Kickers had a double-header since our games last week were snowed out. The team came out enthusiastic but we got clobbered 24-1 in the first game... thank goodness Brian Branchford kicked a homer to save us from a shut out. The next game was neck and neck until one bad inning so we lost again! We went across the street to strategize afterwards... or at least drink our sorrows away. We are very excited that we are starting to get a fan base, though. One of our favorite PICU nurses and a PICU fellow came out to cheer us on.

Celebrating Mom's Birthday

This past week, I flew down to St. Louis to celebrate my mom's ...th birthday with her. Getting there turned out to be the biggest problem since Milwaukee was in the midst of getting a foot of snow the day I left. The streets were a mess so I knew the airport was going to be backed up. They kept cancelling flights so I was definitely glad that I got on the plane just a couple hours late. Retrieving my baggage was also a problem since they decided to set it down two baggage lifts from where it was supposed to be. Once I finally found it and spurted out a few explitatives (it happens!!) I was ready to greet the birthday girl. Mom had to work the next day so I took myself shopping... I know you are shocked. Then I met Laura and Audrey for dinner at PF Chang's. I LOVE that place. We had a wonderful time catching up and were so busy talking that we forgot to take pictures until we got to the parking garage!! Mom was home from work by the time I got back and we played some cards before bed. The next day we started with pedicures and manicures and then made our way to Wapanga, this awesome Latin restaurant. We treated ourselves to steak for lunch! We then hit the malls. We got tons of great deals. Then we headed to U City to meet Holly for dinner at Saleem's... the King of Garlic. Good thing there were no boys around when we were through! Saturday we hit the gym... you have been keeping track of all we've eaten, haven't you?! We then went over to Mike and Tracy's to have chili. We brought the cornbread and Gail brought this awesome dip. It was so damp and cold outside, perfect chili weather. We finished the dinner with carrot cake and unfortunately watched the Cardinals lose to the Brewers. Sunday we got lucky with some bleacher tickets and some warmer, drier weather and headed to Busch Stadium. We got to see Mrs. Bennish. The game was AWESOME. We beat the Brewers 10-2 and Albert Pujols hit 2 homeruns. It was a great day to be a Cardinals fan!! We went to eat a bite at Union Station before it was time to head back to Milwaukee. Thankfully, the plane was on time and all the snow had melted by the time I got home.

Vegas, Baby!!

A couple of weeks ago... sorry I have been busy!!.... Ari had a conference in Vegas and I was able to maneuver my schedule to tag along. We stayed at Caesar's Palace, which I have to admit was a bit disappointing compared to the Paris. The pool, however, was very nice. I enjoyed my time laying around, reading, and sipping frozen treats while Ari went to the lectures. When he was finished we spent a lot of time gambling, eating, and enjoying time with his classmates. The first night we had an awesome seafood dinner at Roy's, don't worry Ari got to substitute tofu. Unfortunately, the gambling wasn't as good as the food and we left Vegas as losers for the first time but not before enjoying the weather and a gondola ride at the Venetian. We shared our gondola with our friends Dennis and Davette. Our gondalier was so funny and his singing wasn't bad either!! No more Vegas for us for awhile... we are going to have to forget the sting of defeat!!

On the Interview Trail

It has been an absolutely crazy 2 months. In addition to my regular work schedule I have gone on 4 fellowship interviews, flying from Milwaukee to Memphis, Nashville, and Durham trying to find our next home. It has been an interesting experience, the hematology-oncology programs that I have visited are so different! So here's the recap.

I started off the adventure at Vanderbilt... it their children's hospital that is pictured to the left. I had a very frustrating lay-over/delay in Cincinnati so I didn't get to my hotel room until 1am the night before the interview and the program director picked me up for breakfast at 7:30am! Though I was feeling a bit sleepy and also had a bizarre case of vertigo, I very much enjoyed my day. Fellowship interviews, I have learned, are grueling days. I started with the director and then had a series of 8 interviews with a break in the middle to have lunch with the current fellows. When I was finally finished, my medical school roommate and her husband picked me up. They live in Lexington, KY so we planned a whole weekend together and Ari flew in that night. Nashville is such a fun town! We ate at tons of great restaurants, spent some time shopping, and mostly enjoyed catching up with our old friends who are actually also considering moving to the area.

Next stop, Memphis to interview at St. Jude. I have a special tie to this hospital because of the 3 months I spent doing research their in medical school. It is an amazing place to be if you are a hematologist-oncologist because they do cutting edge research, they even have a Nobel prize winner, and they treat all children despite their ability to pay for the care... which is not cheap! I enjoyed revisiting the city... my first stop was Rendezvous which has the best BBQ in the city. Then it was another full day of interviews. It was nice to actually know some of the people there.

My third interview was here in Milwaukee. This was the strangest day because I already know all of the staff and they know me. It was a lot of learning about their research interests and hearing about the fellowship intracacies. Though I have had a great experience here in residency, I think it is time to move on.

A couple of days ago I returned from Duke. This was a surprising day. I actually did not think that I was going to enjoy the program, but I actually loved it. The staff was warm and friendly... and surprisingly young. They do great research and Durham is beautiful! I spent an extra day down there just because I had never been to the city. The Duke campus is amazing and the area is very interesting because of the four universities in the area. The weather was perfect, too.

So now I just have one interview left in Cincinnati. I am not so excited about the city but their children's hospital is one of the best in the country. After I am finished I will have to make my rank list and wait for May 9th which is match day... cross your fingers for me!

Congratulations Kristen!!

Today Kristen's fledgling company, Vine Journeys International, was noted in the Chicago Sun Times! If you keep up with the blog, you will know that her company focuses on bringing wines from emerging wineries in Argentina, Chile, New Zealand, Australia, and South Africa to the public both by hosting local events in Chicago and in the future taking wine enthusiasts to the wineries themselves. She is preparing for her third local event this month and so far has been hugely successful. Click on the title of this post to be linked to the article. If you look to the sidebar there is a link to her website and information about her events. Well done Kristen!