Sassy's New Haircut

Because Sassy is a long haired cat we often have trouble keeping her coat knot free, especially in the dry winter. For the first time this year, we decided to help her out and have her shaved. My mom and I have attempted to do this at home before with little success (the clipper noise really upsets her) so we took her to the vet. A little anesthesia, 45 minutes of shaving, and a rough post-anesthesia course later we had a well groomed kitty. I had no idea that her body was so small under all that fur! Doesn't she look like a little black and white lion?!

A Day at the Domes

To finish off our Memorial Day weekend, do some last minute Milwaukee site-seeing, and spend some time with Tara and Andy, we decided to go to the Mitchell Park Horticultural Conservatory (also known as the domes). They have three separate domes; one tropical climate, one arid climate, and one rotating exhibit. We started in the special exhibit which is currently "Appalachian Summer." That is the picture to the right. It was so fragrant, the wonderful scents enveloped us as we walked in. There were a lot of beautiful colors and some flowers we already knew by name. The arid climate was hot... go figure... and had one of my favorite plants of the day, the woolly cactus. The tropical climate was lush and also beautiful. After getting our horticulture lesson for the day we got a beverage in the third ward at The Wicked Hop and then had dinner on Cathedral Square at Louise's. The homemade pasta really hit the spot. Overall it was a great day for exploring the city we are getting ready to leave.

A Family Packed Memorial Day Weekend

Now that we are in full fledged moving mode, Memorial Day weekend was a great opportunity to spend some time with people we care about. We kicked off the weekend with Tom and Sarah. Tom is one of Ari's college roommates that has fortunately for us lived just a few miles away for the past 2 years. We went to their son Conner's little league game (in near winter temperatures) then dropped Conner off with a babysitter so we could have some adult time. We had dinner at Chili's and then went to a local bar that has shuffle board, darts, pool tables, and bowling. We had a great time hanging out with Tom and Sarah... and beating them at all three games! But we all realized we are getting old when we were worrying about the safety of the younger bar patrons. We will also never forget Steve, who befriended us... it is better just to leave that alone.

The next morning it was off to Naperville for a Pope family BBQ. As is usual, we walked into a house smelling of wonderful food... with special attention to veggie dishes just for Ari. We enjoyed catching up with my dad and Lily while dad was the maestro and I played his sous chef. Slowly but surely the Pope's started rolling in, if I added correctly there were about 35 people there that I was related to! It was awesome to see some family members that we haven't seen since Kristen's wedding nearly two years ago. We feasted on Portillo's beef, pasta, a multitude of salads, and even made s'mores for dessert. Yum! We eventually went to bed after watching the Cubs lose to the Pirates... I might have been cheering all by myself.

The next day we had some tentative plans for golf since the weather was iffy. The weather held up but we couldn't handle the golf Gestapo so we only played 2 1/2 holes. That is a long story best shared over a beer. Next it was lunch at Jimmy's which was interrupted by a flash thunderstorm. We enjoyed most of our meal outside until the rain started pouring sideways! When the weather was clear we said our goodbyes and headed to see the Kohn clan. Chuck and Vicky (Ari's cousin) hosted us, Aunt Ellen and Uncle Kenny, Michelle, and of course their kids Brad and Dana. We had a great dinner, did a lot of catching up, and got to watch the Cubs lose again... why am I the only one cheering?! Aunt Ellen even surprised me with an early birthday present. Then it was back to Milwaukee. 3 1/2 weeks and counting!

Senior Retreat

This past weekend was our last resident retreat. Friday afternoon we were excused at noon (who doesn't like that?) and we planned to meet for dinner later that night. I got in a quick work out and went to pick up Jackie. We drove down to our resort Lake Lawn Resort on Lake Delavan. The trip only took about 40 minutes. Unfortunately there was some confusion at the front desk about room arrangements; I didn't want to room by myself (kind of defeats the purpose of last chance bonding) so I snuck in with Jackie, Sima, and Lindsay who had a four bed room/loft. After we got settled in our room, it was off to Popeye's on Lake Geneva... no, not that Popeye's! It is a family restaurant located right on Lake Geneva. Thankfully Jen had found a place to accommodate the 24 people that showed up. I think just about everyone got the fish fry (I wonder if Ohio is as passionate about year-round fish fry as Wisconsin is... might be better if it is not!). We had a great time catching up in a casual/non-work environment and seeing some of the spouses and kids. Unfortunately, Ari could not attend this year :( Afterward we headed back to the resort where Patrick set up rock band. Some of the guys, however, were itching to play poker. Never ones to turn down a poker game, Tara and I asked to be dealt in. We played a small tournament and took the boys' money! I won and Tara got second! Silly boys, we warned them that we knew how to play!!

The next day, we had a couple of scheduled meetings after breakfast: transitioning to become a fellow/hospitalist/community pediatrician, risk management and health literacy, and evaluations. The first session was the best as I am starting to get a bit nervous about starting my fellowship. Next it was off to lunch at Panera and then mini golf. Kevin, Rob, Jackie, and I paired up for the mini golf which was fun except for the swarms of mosquitoes and lake flies. Kevin won overall but Jackie got major style points for frequently hitting her ball outside the course! Afterwards, we all went to do our own thing. Jackie and I snuck in a quick work out while watching baseball (go Cards!). Then it was on to dinner, which was actually delicious! The Cesar salad was nice and garlicky, the chicken was moist, and the veggies actually weren't soggy (that can be hard in a buffet). The bread pudding was scrumptious as well and had this rich caramel pecan sauce...mmm... Afterwards all the little ones ran around the banquet room for awhile which actually seemed to tire out the adults because we did little more than sit in Brian's room watching TV.

Sunday we had breakfast and headed back to Milwaukee. I think it was a great way to end... now just 5 weeks left!

A Cardinals Filled Mother's Day

I was so lucky this year to have my mom up in Milwaukee for Mother's Day. She and John drove up on Friday and got here in record time (mom is more of a speed demon than I gave her credit for). I made a scrumptious carnivore feast of flank steak with portabello mushrooms, blue cheese mashed potatoes, and broccolini. It was fun to cook meat! Mom made a delicious chocolate cake to cap off the meal. Then I headed in to work a short ER shift from 9pm-3am. We woke up early... 7:30am, you do the math... to have breakfast and do some work around the house. Since Ari and I are not the handiest around the house John was a huge help fixing a leaking utility sink, a screen door, and an injury to our over hang in the front. What would have taken Ari and I a full weekend just to decide on a plan, John finished in just a couple of hours! We were then off to Miller Park to watch the Cardinals take on the Brewers. Dressed in full Cardinals garb we were definitely not alone in the stands! We had great seats and the game was great; the Cardinals pulled out the win in the ninth inning. We had just enough time to catch a quick dinner with Ari before he went to work over night. Since I had so little sleep, I crashed early. Sunday we were back to Miller for more baseball. Unfortunately, the Cards looked like their heads were somewhere else... maybe with their mom's?! After some atrocious base running and little to cheer about, the Brewers put us out of our misery winning 5-3. Despite the loss it was great to spend some quality time with mom!!

Gods of Rock

Last night, Mike had a "Gods of Rock" party so that the residents could get together and show off their Guitar Hero and Rock Band skills. Since I have never played guitar hero or any video game since the original Super Mario Brothers (am I dating myself), Ari gave me a brief tutorial before we arrived. Jackie and I took over the Guitar Hero corner, nicknaming it the "bunny hill" since we definitely were playing easy songs. They kept trying to get us to play Rock Band with the big boys but we just never were ready. We did really improve, though!! Ari did both. We then moved into the other room for a little pool. Ari won two games, I won one, and poor Jackie lost all three. We stayed until past midnight, contrary to popular belief I did not turn into a pumpkin!

Cancun

Finally, something to blog about! After buying our new house, we have been working like crazy and our schedules have been so off there has been little to blog about. So as a reprieve from our oh so exciting lives we went on vacation. We planned a trip to Cancun with our friends the Fords and we had the best time! We stayed at the Riu Palace Las Americas which is a beautiful all-inclusive resort. It has two infinity pools, five restaurants, multiple bars, nightly entertainment, and of course opens on to a beautiful white sandy beach. We arrived shortly before our friends so we threw on our swimsuits and headed right to the beach. It was amazing how white and soft the sand was and it was so cool despite the 85 degree weather. The ocean was a mixture of the most exotic and breath-taking blues that I have ever seen. We played in the water for a bit and enjoyed some pina coladas before Dennis and Davette came to find us. We had a nice dinner and crashed early (that may actually be a theme for the 7 days!).

The second day was a bit of a chill day, lots of pool and beach. We ironically met some people from Ohio who work at local hospitals and know some of the same people we do... the world is so small! We made our way through some more frozen cocktails and guacamole (another theme), enjoyed the evening show, and went to bed early because we planned a big day for day 3.

We got up nice and early on Wednesday to take a tour of Chichen Itza. It takes approximately 2 1/2 hours to get to the Yucatan via bus (which thankfully was a full sized tour bus). On the way to the ruins, we made a pit stop at one of the cenotes which are underground caves filled with water. Ari couldn't wait to get in; he jumped off a platform that was about 12 feet above the water. I was a bit of a chicken, especially when everyone was exclaiming how cold the water was so I just climbed down the ladder. It was definitely amazing. We had to dry off quickly and head back to the bus to get to lunch. After lunch it was on to the ruins. Pablo gave us an hour narrated tour through the ruins telling us about the Temple of Kukulkan which was the basis of the Mayan calendar. He showed us pictures of the spring and fall equinox which is when the sun hits the pyramid just so that the shadow looks like a serpent. Also, when standing next to the temple if you clap it sounds like an eagle squawking. He told us about the bloody games played on the ball court and the ritualistic sacrificing of the victor. He explained Mayan lore about fertility (he pointed me out as an example of a fertile woman... one can only hope...). After the tour was over we got to explore the grounds and the many crafts for sale. Can you believe I didn't buy anything?! We all passed out on the bus on the way back to the resort. It was then time for dinner, cocktails, and another crazy show. I guess I should explain that these shows are put on by young Mexican "activity directors" and range from interpretative dances to American movie themes to the Miss Riu contest which is not a beauty contest but more of a series of games of skill such as balloon popping. They really were hilarious.

Thursday, Friday, and Saturday were a blur of sun, reading (I finished 3 books during the vacation), eating, and drinking. Dennis and Ari went parasailing one day while Davette and I indulged ourselves with massages. I had a hot stone massage; if you have never had one I highly recommend it. We did try to teach Dennis how to play cards one night and found out there was a reason he was avoiding our poker parties.

We went out with a bang on Sunday. We got up early to catch a catamaran to Isla Mujares... or island of women. Apparently, the Spanish explorers named it that because the island was covered with statues of women in all stages of pregnancy and child birth. It is apparently sacred ground. Our tour guide warned us not to partake in "coochie coochie" after visiting unless we
wanted to get pregnant. Seriously, if this vacation doesn't work; I don't know what will! So we boarded the catamaran with about 12 other people. What an eclectic group: there was a group of Italians with their guide, a couple from South Africa, another couple of Americans, and then a few others from some unidentified eastern European nation. Herson, our guide for the day, let us know right off the bat that there were two rules on the boat: no siestas and no party poopers. We knew after that we were in for a good time. Our first excursion on the boat was a snorkeling stop. Herson had promised that I would see a sea turtle so I got my gear on and followed him very closely. Not two minutes after hitting the water we saw a turtle! It was one of the coolest things I have ever seen in person. I actually saw the same turtle twice. I looked up to find Ari but he hadn't gotten off the boat yet, bummer. After about an hour in the water, we all got back on the boat for a date with some sharks. Don't worry, they were cat sharks... no teeth! Teeth or not, I surely did not get out of the boat to swim with them, though Ari and Dennis did. After the crazies returned from the sharks, we set sail again. It was then time for the spinnaker swing. Basically what it entails is sitting on a rope swing that is attached to a large sail. Once you are on, the wind catches the sail and you soar through the air. I was definitely game for that. When I got on the wind really caught me and I got about 30 feet in the air! The crew started reeling me and I jumped into the ocean at about 12 feet... it was awesome! Poor Ari, when he got on the wind died and he got a wimpy ride. After all that excitement (and a few drinks) we arrived at the island for lunch. We chowed down and then headed inland for some shopping.

Again, I bought nothing... maybe the sun really got to me!! We boarded the boat to go back and it was party time. The crew cranked the music and the rum punch flowed like water. Despite the large waves, everyone was up dancing. Some poor guys hat flew in the water and we stopped the boat to let him jump in after it. Herson then came around with tequila shots. Despite the fact that tequila makes my stomach turn ever since my bachelorette party, I took a shot. Yipes! By the time we got back to shore we were three sheets to the wind and we felt like we were still rocking on the boat! What a great day... the memories are definitely worth the sunburn I got!

The next day it was over. We had breakfast and said goodbye to our friends and headed back to 37 degrees, wind, and snow flurries. It just isn't right...

Our New House

This is it!! This is the super fabulous house we will be moving into in June. Last week we flew down to Cincinnati for a house hunting trip. Since I have been obsessed with realtor.com for about 3 months, our realtor scheduled us to see 33 houses in two days. I know that sounds insane, but some we just drove by after looking at the surrounding areas. We probably actually went into 28. Heather, our realtor, was so fantastic; she put together binders for Ari and I with the picture and all the info of each house we were seeing and then we would write down notes as we walked through. Sunday got off to a promising start. We first saw a charming house that was really our style but about the same size as the one we own now... we were hoping for something a little bigger. After that we saw about a dozen more including the one with the hideous wallpaper... click on the title for the pictures. A couple made the short list (including one runner up) but we were excited for day two because we were scheduled to see the houses in Avondale which is an amazing area in the city with old, charming houses. Since we left Milwaukee at 6 am and finished seeing houses around 8pm, we were exhausted.

We were up early on day 2 to head to Avondale. We saw many of the houses that we were really excited to see in person since the online pictures had been beautiful. Two went on the list and we went on our way. As we pulled up to the house we actually bought, I told Ari and Heather that this was the one I thought we would buy. Boy was I right! The house has great curb appeal and just the coolest screened in porch with 3 ceiling fans. The inside was pristine! The current owners bought the house strictly to renovate it and no one has lived in it since. With the exception of the wallpaper in the foyer, which the owners have agreed to take down, the house is move in ready. I am not sure what is my favorite part: the beautiful floors, the charming built-ins, the enormous windows, the gourmet kitchen, the outdoor fish pond, or my future dressing room. It is absolutely crazy! It is 100% our dream house. We can't wait to have you visit!

After seeing the house, we reluctantly left to see more houses that just didn't live up to this one. We picked three to take second looks at and went to meet Sarah, my roommate from medical school for dinner. We had a great time catching up; unfortunately the pictures from dinner go erased to make more room for pictures of the house!

On day three we revisited the top choices and the favorite remained the favorite. We wrote a contract and then went to Brent and Nahid's to meet baby Eva. We had a good dinner and nervously sat around waiting for the call. After a couple of back and forth offers and counter-offers, our contract was accepted! The inspection was today so after we agree on a few fine points all we will have left is the waiting.

The Second Annual Cocktail Kegger

Friday night was Ellen's annual Cocktail Kegger. The name really is all the description you need: coctail attire is recommended and she and her husband provide a keg. They actually provide the keg, plenty of mixers for drinks, great music, and lots of yummy food. Ari and I were not able to attend last year so we were excited to have our schedules clear for the shindig.

I will be the first to admit that I started getting cold feet Friday night... I was having a fashion crisis and feeling fat (ladies you KNOW what I am talking about) and just overall exhausted. We had promised a friend to drive her to the festivities so off we went. Boy am I glad we made it! I really cannot remember when I have had that much fun. Right when we walked in we bumped into a guy wearing the same outfit as Ari! He had the exact same lavender shirt on, the cousin to Ari's tie, and black pants with white pinstripes just like Ari; it was hilarious! Usually it is the girls worrying that they will match someone! Check out the picture!

We had a great time visiting with the over 60 people that were there, I even indulged in some wine since Ari was the DD. The most suprising thing is that we stayed out until 2 am and I did not turn into a pumpkin! Ari was so excited! After we made it home Ari took really good care of me, making me drink a ton of water and take some ibuprofen. It didn't make much difference yesterday, though. I had quite a nagging headache but it was worth it! We just relaxed last night with Tom, Sara, and Conner. I made homemade pizzas and we played mexican train.

Catch Up Time!

Now that things are settling down from a busy and emotional January, let me just update you on the fun we did have. Early in January we headed down to Chicago to help celebrate dad's birthday. He knows we are super busy (and that our off days don't often coincide) so we kept it a suprise that we would be making it to his birthday dinner downtown. We met Kristen and Larry early for a little sangria at a restaurant whose name I can't remember. Finally the birthday boy arrived with Lily and Kelsey, he was so suprised to see us! We had a delicious dinner. If you click the title to go to the pictures you will see Kristen and Larry opening their Christmas gifts, too.

A couple of days later we went to Andy and Tara's to watch the national championship college football game. The Badger and Illini fans banded together to root for the Big Ten. While the game got off to a promising start, it quickly dissintigrated. We decided to then turn to America's new past time: Guitar Hero. Brian and Lindsay had never played which made it fun to watch. There were new people battles, couples battles (not me, I haven't tried it yet), and girls v. girls, and guys v. girls. It definitely was more entertaining than the game!

A couple of weeks ago, Kristen headed up to Milwaukee for a little girl time. I picked her up at the train station and we headed for Cedarburg for some pottery painting... you know this has become one of my favorite past times! We stopped by a local coffee shop for some yummy warm drinks before starting our craft bonanza. Kristen designed a really super "#1 Hubby" mug for Larry while I took on an ambitious utensil holder. It wouldn't have been nearly as ambitious if I hadn't decided to paint an argyle pattern on it; calculating the size of the diamonds so they would meet perfectly and tracing on the pattern. Needless to say, we shot for the stars and after FIVE hours of painting still had not finished our projects so we were STARVING. We packed it up for the day and headed for Mitchell's Fish Market. We had some delicious gumbo followed by crab cakes, filet mignon, and topped off with a succulent banana bread pudding. Mmm, my mouth is watering just thinking about it. Afterward, we just crashed on my couch and Kristen got to catch up on American Idol since she has no TV right now... they are getting ready to move into their new condo, more on that when the big day arrives... The next day it was back to Cedarburg to finish our painting. We dragged Ari along and he painted this cute little penguin bank. Kristen finished her mug but despite my utmost concentration I was unable to finish the argyle utensil holder. Maybe I just wanted an excuse to go back to Glaze?! A little more relaxing and another excellent dinner later and it was time to take Kristen to the train station.

During the frigid, snow-packed, hospital-filled month of January, I was the senior resident for the hospitalist team. This is easily the busiest team in the hospital as we take care of all the kids who do not have pediatricians or who come from so far away that their own doctors don't have priveledges at Children's. I had the extreme pleasure of working with some great interns, medical students, and some of my most favorite faculty members which helped lift my mood during all the mayhem. The hospitalist team is also known for its team spirit. Affectionately known as the Red Falcons, the team wears as much red on Thursdays as possible to earn points for their team (med students v. interns v. seniors). To end the month, we played a version of Stump the Attendings appropriately renamed Stump the Falcons. Joanne, one of the super interns, went head to head with Dr. Weisgerber and won! She got the crown of glory while Dr. W walked away with a fancy button proclaiming his falcon valor.

Loss and Sorrow

I am sorry for the lack of blogging recently; I have been pondering whether or not I should share our recent loss with you all. In the end I have decided to write down the story, hoping that it will be somewhat cathartic and will bring us some peace. Most of you know that Ari and I have been trying to have a baby for over 2 years now. We have had all the work-up and seen the specialists and nothing has worked. In the midst of starting to seriously consider procedures we thought we would never have to worry about and looking at adoption, in a month without any treatment I found out I was pregnant. You can only imagine how excited we were. I told Ari and 5 a.m. and he jumped out of bed and was so excited that he couldn't go back to sleep. We told our families who where of course thrilled that we would be bringing the first grandchild into the world, on both sides. Kristen started getting her knitting needles warmed up. Amidst all the excitement I was working hard on the wards and suffering from morning sickness; which I joked that I had been waiting two years to experience. Then without even getting to my first prenatal appointment, I had a miscarriage. Despite the grief I have experienced losing loved ones before, this was undoubtedly the worst experience of my life. I have never felt so helpless. So together Ari and I have cried and grieved for the little one we so desperately wanted to bring into the world. We thank everyone for the love and support. Two weeks have now passed and we know that our hearts will hurt less each passing day but we will never forget the blessing that was just not meant to be.

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.