Christmas Vacation - Part 1

Now that my Christmas vacation is nearing the end, I suppose I owe you some recaps.  I'll start with the first few days, including Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

Before parting ways for our split vacation weeks, the trauma team enjoyed a family picture.  Aren't we a pretty fine looking group at 4:30AM?

Friday night, after battling heavy traffic in I-85, I arrived home to this smiling face.  Mom and Dad greeted me too, but Bailey certainly stole the show for enthusiasm.  I was beyond exhausted and frustrated from the long drive and found myself passed out in no time at all.

Saturday morning we all drove into Atlanta for the Christmas 5K in Virginia Highlands.  It was 27 degrees that morning - not exactly ideal conditions for outdoor activities.  Nonetheless, we bundled up and hit the pavement.  Bailey and I ran with Dad in an attempt to help him set a 5K PR.  Thanks to Bailey's zig-zagging through the crowds and Dad's new found speed, we all crossed the finish line together at 25:59 - a 4 minute PR for Dad.  Bailey finished as the second place dog, and I have no doubt she would have taken 1st had we not held her back.

After the race we went in search of a hot cup of coffee and a hearty breakfast.  Thanks to Yelp, I found Highland Bakery just a short drive away.  Oh my - what a meal!  Seriously, you have to check this place out!

RUSTIC ITALIAN  Two pieces of grilled rosemary garlic bread with melted mozzarella served with sauteed mushrooms, spinach, tomatoes, onions, red peppers with two over medium eggs topped with marinara, fresh basil and shredded Vermont white cheddar. 

 Crab Cakes Benedict 
Two lump crab cakes, eggs poached medium, and sauteed spinach, covered in Hollandaise and served on a toasted whole wheat English muffin with choice of potatoes or grits 

 Peanut Butter French Toast 
Challah bread filled with peanut butter, dipped in batter, encrusted with bran flakes and topped with caramelized bananas 

Royce recently took up road biking a few months ago, yet we haven't been able to ride together due our schedules.  We made time though on an afternoon that promised to have a slight bit of sunshine.  We enjoyed 30+ miles on the road and promised to make it a regular ride when I'm home.

Christmas Eve was rainy and we opted for a lazy evening at home.  After filling up on munchies - nothing better than the plentiful food associated with holidays - we played dominos and awaited the arrival of Royce and Erin.

Once the whole crew was home, we dined on potato soup, Great Harvest cranberry orange rolls, and apple banana salad.  Perfect meal for the dreary weather.

After opening our traditional Christmas Eve pajamas, we bundled up and settled down for a long night's sleep, guaranteeing that Santa could work without disruptions.

STOCKINGS!

We must have been two really great kids, because there sure are lots of presents under the tree.

Bailey was more concerned with getting attention from her Daddy than she was opening presents.

My gift to Royce - UGA Cycling Jersey

Mom helps Bailey open a new toy.  A mere 30 seconds later the furry critter received a deathly puncture through the heart.  No more squeeker.

After opening stockings and presents, it was time for Christmas Breakfast.  This meal is a classic - grits casserole, cream cheese stuffed pecan sweet rolls, and grapefruit.   After my meal settled, I enjoyed my annual Christmas morning run with Bailey.

Time for family pictures!  We first took a couple traditional "stand-by-the-tree" shots, but I think this picture does better justice to our personalities.  I wish there wasn't a four-hour drive that prevented from seeing my little brother more often.

These too are pretty cute too!

Another spread of goodies

Mom is busy preparing the holiday dinner.

Royce and I battled it out with a few games of pingpong

Bailey kept herself entertained watching the squirrels in the trees.

Time for Christmas Dinner!
Arugula, Pear, and Blue Cheese Salad, Cranberry Pork Roast with Gravy, Sweet and Red Mashed Potatoes,  and Tarragon Green Beans.

Thanks for hosting another FABULOUS holiday Mom and Dad!!

And that completes the first half of my vacation.  Up next, we're headed to a cabin in the mountains.

Christmas 2012

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM OUR FAMILY TO YOURS

Our Christmas day included sleeping in, exchanging gifts, feasting on our traditional holiday breakfast, a 6 mile run, afternoon snacks, and a hearty dinner.   I am beyond thankful to be spending the Christmas week with my family, and am savoring every moment.  My hope is that each of you had an equally stellar holiday.  MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Making a List . . .

  . . . And Checking It Twice.

In my typical organization-obsessed nature, I spent a few minutes Friday night making a weekend to-do list.  It seemed quite lengthy, but as I sit here on Sunday night, I'm happy to report that all but a single item has been checked off.  Now if only I could find a pair of brown boots.  Does anyone else struggle to find boots that aren't too big around the calf?  I've been looking for the perfect pair of boots for two years now, and am still boot-less.

While I may be missing boots, I'm pretty sure these new socks are a satisfactory replacement.  Consider these the result of retail therapy after a bad day at work.  Some people have a few drinks to relax and de-stress; I buy compression socks.  Expect these to make an appearance at the Christmas 5k next weekend.

Aside from checking tasks off my list, I enjoyed a few good eats.

Pan-seared tofu, roasted butternut squash and Japanese sweet potatoes, and zucchini

Bagel Sandwich
Asiago cheese bagel, fried eggs, tomato, swiss chard, and cheddar cheese

Eggnog latte made with Silk eggnog, almond milk, and espresso

It's not a weekend unless pancakes are on the menu!
Pumpkin spice pancakes, almond butter, banana, cranberries, maple syrup, and a sprinkle of cinnamon

Sockeye salmon, macaroni and cheese, green beans

Now that I'm healthy again, I've been working my way back into shape - off-season shape, that is.  Saturday I hit the YMCA for an hour of weights followed by a 2500m swim.  I had planned a long run for today, but the cold weather and rainy drizzle meant I opted for a 90 minute bike trainer session followed by yoga instead.

Oh, and I almost forgot about my alternative form of exercise on Saturday night.  BOWLING!  We had a surprise birthday party for one of the residents at Ten Park Lanes.  My round included three strike and a total score of 133.  I'm pretty sure that's a record for this bowler.

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The trauma team celebrates a birthday and weekend off with bowling and beverages.

Naturally, I'm beyond excited to celebrate the holiday season, but the recent events in Newtown make me even more thankful that I get to spend precious time with my family.  I have found myself thinking about the children's and teacher's families frequently this weekend.  In an instant their world's have been permanently changed, and I cannot even begin to imagine their loss.  There simply are no words to describe the tragedy.

On an cheerful note, t-minus 120 hours until VACATION!  I can't believe Christmas is a week away! 

Second Thanksgiving

Christmas arrived a few weeks early! 

Chad and Laura hosted the annual Second Thanksgiving – a celebration of the holidays and surviving yet another year as an orthopaedic family.  It’s tough to gather all twenty of our residents plus their spouses and families for a single gathering, but baring any unforseen circumstances, nearly everyone marks this date on their calendar.

Laura goes above and beyond to make the party a complete success.  From a beautifully decorated home, to an incredible spread of food, a video presentation and photo booth, party favors, and  a gingerbread house competition – everything is perfect!

The photo booth was a new addition this year and we certainly had fun capturing the perfect picture.  Well, at least the girls did.  Trying to corral the boys into a single picture, on the other hand, was a difficult feat. 

This is a food blog, so let’s discuss the eats.  Laura insists on making everything herself, only borrowing other’s kitchens for extra cooking space.  Check out the menu!

Three dining tables were required to seat the crew and provide space for the dishes.  Note the formal place settings, including china.  Stunning!

I opted for a scoop of most everything, and my favorites were the Sweet Potato Granola Casserole and Poppy Seed Fruit Salad.

Family portrait time!  

We were all instructed to wear jeans and either a white or black top for optimal pictures.

Who says orthopaedic residents can’t have fun?  

We’ve had our wine and dinner, time to break into the chocolate fountain!

After all of the children had been fed, we were gathered around for the video presentation.  Thanks to some ridiculous personalized JibJab videos and creative story telling, we found ourselves laughing and reminiscing over the previous year.

Time for the main event – gingerbread houses.  Each of us brought assigned toppings, that when combined, created giant sugar mountains on each table.  After being instructed on the rules of competition, we got busy.

After an hour of very focused work and surgeon-like skills, the results were revealed and judging commenced.  I partnered with Chad to create a hospital scene, complete with a helicopter, ambulance, operating room scene, and a drunk motorcyclist with a bloodied leg (first picture).  What can I say, you just can’t take the doctor out of us.  We took second place – being outdone by a stripper club.  Classy.

By the end of the evening, we were having a bit too much fun, 

and next thing I knew icing was on my face and not on the house. 

We all admired our colleagues work before scooping up the plastic sheets 

and putting all of our artwork in the garbage can.

What a fantastic night!  Due to work schedules and travel, we may not all get to spend the holidays with our families.  Fortunately, we have an incredible “second” family to surround ourselves with and enjoy moments such as these.  99% of the time we work incredibly hard and focus only on orthopaedics, but tonight we were real people enjoying fun times and celebrating the holidays with friends and “family”.  Life is good!

An Early Arrival and Lots of Sleep

I made it!  The past fifteen days will most definitely go down in history as some of the most difficult that I can recall.  I've long known that my work schedule surrounding Thanksgiving would be two weeks of hell, but what I didn't imagine was that I'd fight the flu, a painfully broken rib, and a stomach virus during the exact same time.  Fortunately, I'm now on the other side of it all and very gradually finding my way back to my usual healthy state.

I've been looking forward to this weekend for a couple months, as I had planned a family Thanksgiving celebration in Charlotte.  It turned out to be a more low key weekend than I originally anticipated, but it was perfect given the circumstances.  Friday morning I pulled in the driveway about 8am, dragging home from night float.  I was expecting Mom and Dad's arrival about 2pm and was focused on a hot shower and morning nap.  Out of the corner of my eye, however, I spotted a pink nose smushed against the front window of the house.  It was Bailey!  Assuming she had not traveled alone, that could only mean that Dad and Mom had planned a surprise early arrival without me having a clue.  After struggling through the past two weeks, I cannot even begin to tell you how wonderful it was to see them.  They had arrived Thursday night and wiped every surface of the house down with Lysol to ensure the flu-germs were gone.  And on top of that, they brought Christmas cheer.

After several hours of sleep with my favorite puppy curled up at my side, I returned to the world of the living and we enjoyed lunch at Cowfish.  Dad ordered the veggie burger, and it's hands down the best and biggest restaurant veggie burger I've ever eaten.

Mom and I split two sushi rolls:

Miss Moffitt’s Roll

Spicy tuna, scallions and crispy tempura flakes rolled inside, topped with thin slices of fresh avocado, then drizzled with sweet eel sauce

The Neon Dion Roll

  

Tempura coconut shrimp, kani and English cucumber roll coated in crispy tempura flakes. Topped with fresh papaya, avocado and Cajun marmalade, and dusted with coconut flakes to finish

We returned home to find this crazy animal full of energy.  We turned our backs for a few minutes and next thing we knew she came sauntering down the stairs with my scarf in her mouth.  I think she was trying to tell us she was cold, because as soon as I wrapped it around her neck she was happy as could be.  I also later discovered that she had graciously emptied my garbage can onto the bedroom floor and even attempted to brush her teeth with my flu-ridden toothbrush that I had intentionally thrown away.  Does anyone know if dogs can catch the flu?

Friday night's dinner was a cozy meal - homemade turkey and rice soup that Mom brought from home, salad, and a cranberry orange roll.  It was the perfect comfort food that only Mom's can create, and promptly resulted in heavy eyes and need for sleep.  Eleven glorious uninterrupted hours of sleep happened that night, and I needed every bit of it.

Saturday we made a trip to the farmer's market, strolled through the park, and enjoyed lunch in the sun at Luna's Living Kitchen.  We returned home and in about 60 seconds flat I was passed out on the deck in the sun.  We enjoyed a lazy afternoon of football, including Georgia's disappointing loss, and then I got to work on dinner.  I modified the elaborate Thanksgiving meal I had originally planned to accommodate the three of us.

Crispy Baked Kale with Gruyere Cheese

Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Parsnips, and Brussel Sprouts with Honey Glaze

Vegan Meatloaf with Mushroom Gravy

I still haven't developed my hunger pains as meal times approach, and most definitely am missing my usual grazing behavior, but still enjoyed the hearty meal.  Cherry pie was the finishing touch for dessert
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Sunday marked my official return to exercise after 16 days of absolutely no workouts.  Dad and I enjoyed a 5 mile run at 9 minute pace - normally a very easy run for me, but today that pace felt more like 7:30 pace.  It wasn't easy, but it was nice to break a sweat again.

To wrap up the weekend we sipped on coffee at Not Just Coffee in 7th Street Public Market.  I had a caramel latte, and it might have possibly been the best latte I've ever had.  I'll definitely be back!

How has the entire weekend passed and Sunday night has arrived already?  I need another weekend!  Five days of work and then two more days of rest . . . I can do this.