BRRRRRR....................

As those of you in the Deep South may not realize, the Midwest has been in the grip of a cold snap and several winter storms over the past week. Don't believe me? Yesterday I went to the grocery store, and the Salvation Army bell-ringer had come INSIDE to ring the bell!!

Thanksgiving and Birthday

James and I went to Georgia for Thanksgiving and my birthday (which was a few days later). We had a BIG dinner, and it was fun!!

Mom and Anna Kate














Me and Tyler














Tom, Madeline, and Meghan














AK enjoyed her dinner!!

Halloween Fun

October was an extremely busy month for us. James has been the nightfloat resident this month, which means that he works the night shift from Sunday-Friday, as well as a 30-hour shift on Sunday-Monday morning. It's EXHAUSTING, and I've been working extra hours moonlighting to pay for some of the things that we need to fix around the house.

We did, however, manage to have some fun this month! One Saturday afternoon, I had my friend Kim over to make cupcakes, and we decorated them with candy. The guys in the neurosurgery department ate them all in about 2 days.

Here's Kim...














Some of our finest...















James and I also got a pumpkin to carve for our front steps. James did all of the work on that one, b/c my art skills are nonexistent.

Before...















The surgeon at work....a small glimpse of what James does all day...















He had already drawn the face on it at this point, but you can't tell from the picture...















And the finished product! James named him Julius the Jack-o-lantern.

Trip Home Last Week

James and I went to visit my parents in Georgia last week, and we had a great time! Jordan's birthday party, visit to see the babies in Augusta, I got to hang out with my sister and her new husband and play with her ADORABLE new puppies, James beat an Xbox 360 game, James ALMOST beat a Playstation 3 game, and we had dinner with Jordan and Sarah in Atlanta!

Jackson Hole Trip

I just realized that I never posted my pictures from the Pastors' Summit trip to Jackson Hole, Wyoming. We had a great time, and next time I want to take James out there!

The mountains in the national park were like nothing I've ever seen before.






























Bob and Janet Burns...















One of the gorgeous waterfalls






























Erin Guthrie and I with our new bear buddy...



















The mountaintop barbecue site...





























Denise, me, and Caroline...















Our resort, the Snow King...















At the top of the ski lift (yes, it was July...)















Denise and Michael riding the alpine slide!

Where James Lives....

I thought that everyone might be interested in seeing the place where James spends at least 16 hours each day....often well over 100 hours per week....Barnes-Jewish Hospital!!!

We'll Miss You, Tony

A week ago, James and I lost a very dear friend to an incurable brain tumor. His name was Tony Milin, and he was in James's class at Wash U. Tony was a sweet, fun, kind, happy guy, and we spent hours on end hanging out with him and talking. I know that for the rest of his life, James will never operate on a patient with a brain tumor without remembering his oldest friend from medical school. We'll miss you, Tony...

Hilton Head and Savannah

Here are some pictures from our vacation with the family!

Congratulations, Will!!

James and I went to Boston last weekend for his brother Will's graduation from Emerson College. We had a great time hanging out with the family, and we are so proud of Will's accomplishments!

Here we are at the graduation reception...














Katie, Will, and Jackie...














the brothers...














the family...














Will and his parents...














Katie, Becca, and Jackie...














James and I with his grandmother...














This was Paul Revere's grave, which we found in a cemetery near our hotel...














...and this was the grave of Mother Goose!



















The Boston common...














Some tulips on the common...