Vacation...HOORAY!!!

I just finished a much-needed 10-day vacation. I was able to fly to Utah on Friday, 2/6/09 and spend the following week with my fabulous family. My mom and Laurel met me at the airport and I was FINALLY able to introduce myself to Princess Paisley (this is what I have named her). We meet Daddy, Brady and Jocelyn for dinner at Cafe Rio...I have to eat here every time I am in town because I literally crave the pork! The rest of the evening was just spent hanging with the family at home...

Princess Paisley and me catching a little shut-eye that night...

Saturday was dubbed "Daddy Day"...the rule was that we were going to let Daddy plan the day...however, with all us girls you can imagine how some of the day was spent...that's right...SHOPPING! We ate lunch that afternoon and then shopped while waiting to see the movie Taken.

Laurel and the Princess enjoying lunch...

Sunday was such a great day. We were able to go to church and have a fantastic Sunday dinner thanks to Mom and her outstanding cooking. That night we visited with Judy, Bart B., Jared and Ashley and their boys...so fun!

Me and the Princess after church...

There was nearly a fight between us and the Primary presidency about who got to hold Paisley during the first hour of church...sadly, we didn't get her until Sunday School.

Monday we drove to Idaho to spend the night with Emily and the boys. We had a blast just visiting and singing to the IPod on the drive up.

Jocelyn always entertaining us!

Mom trying to maintain her sanity while driving through the snow and listen to my music!

The Beauties...

The Princess slept the entire drive...such a darling angel!

Once we got to Idaho Falls, we headed straight to Johnny Carinos for dinner.

Cutey Crew-boy!

Emily, Greg and the Boys...thanks Greg for letting us invade!

We then headed home for a night of "The Bachelor"...Greg came home from playing basketball, saw us all in his bed and made a beeline for his friends house...

The next morning we hung out at the house and played with the boys and then hit a few boutiques before lunch and the drive home.

Cannon demonstrating how he can "fly like Superman"

Never a dull moment with this little guy around!

Two of my very favorite boys!

Wednesday morning was spent playing cards with Grammy Char, Mindy, Lorin (thanks for playing hookie to join us), Aunt Emily, Mommy, with Laurel and Paisley meeting us a few hours in. Devin joined us for a quick lunch. That night my mom and I were able to go to the Laker-Jazz game with my parent's season tickets. As you can imagine, none of the brothers-in-law were very happy to hear that the tickets had been reserved for ME! Mommy and I had an absolute blast! Plus, just being that close to Kyle Korver is fabulous...man is he hot!!! And best of all, the Jazz were victorious! I may live in Los Angeles, but if you are a Jazz fan it is worse than kissing your sista to cheer for the Lakers. Plus, we have a few Clippers players that we have gotten to know who live in our apartment building so we gotta cheer for them...

Brady demonstrating his "football hold" for baby Paisley

Teaching Princess Paisley the wonders of Internet shopping. I have already informed Brady of her very appropriate Princess name addition and that she will be treated as such.

Me and my Mommy...isn't she gorgeous!

D-Will shooting a free throw near the end of the very close game...

Kyle....I Love You!

Kyle....I Love You Even More!

Boo.....

Evidence of a hard-fought win!

Thursday I spent the day getting my hair done (thanks to my wonderful Aunt Emily I am a "true" red-head once again and that nasty blonde that is starting to take over is just a memory). I then was able to spend the evening with my amazing medical school friends Amber and Alissa....oh how I miss not living closer to them!



Friday morning we went to Salt Lake...you guessed it...a little more shopping. We then enjoyed lunch at the Cheesecake Factory and then off to LA I was headed....however, not back to work. My wonderful, adoring, perfect husband whisked me away to a resort in Newport Beach Harbor for a romantic Valentine's Day celebration. Once getting to the hotel, we couldn't face leaving after enduring the Friday night LA traffic so we had a wonderful dinner of room service in bed while watching the 3-point and Dunk contest as part of the NBA All-Star weekend.

Only in Newport Beach do the parking meters along the side of the road accept credit cards.

Saturday we slept in, ate a wonderful breakfast, and watched movies in bed. We then journeyed out to see "Confessions of a Shopaholic" and enjoy a walk on the beach at sunset.

Sunday morning again was spent sleeping in, watching movies and eating a great breakfast. Then it was back to reality and back to LA.....

Thank you Babe for letting me go to Utah for a week without you and spend some much-needed time with my mommy and daddy, sisters and of course Princess Paisley. Thank you for being the most wonderful, amazing, loving, adoring husband that you are. I am head-over-heels in love with you and become even more so everyday!

Fabulous Friends!

When I reflect upon my time in medical school, it isn't the studying or rotations that come to mind. My first thoughts are always of my precious friends Alissa, Amber and Rebecca (left-->right in the picture above) without whom I would have never survived those difficult yet delightful four years. We all quickly became friends early into our first year. The library to much unhappiness always knew of our presence as we couldn't go more than a few minutes without laughing about something or other. I still remember fondly studying pharmacology during the spring of our first year and the sayings we made up to remember the drug...what it treated...mechanism of action...side effects. A table full of candy and snacks while trying to study 8-10 hours a day for 6 weeks while preparing for Step 1. Learning the ins--and--outs of physical exams while each taking our rightful turn as the patient. And let us not forget to mention...the oh so often and always needed shopping escape!

A few weekends ago my dear friend Amber was able to visit from Utah. Amber is in her last year of OB-Gyn residency and will be starting a laparoscopic gynecology fellowship in Michigan this summer. She is truly my shopping soul-sister! I miss her dearly but treasure the time we do get to spend together when I visit Utah and when she can make an escape to Cali for a shopping excursion.

Amber arrived on Friday afternoon. I was able to share her first Pinkberry experience...glad it lived up to the hype! That night Todd, Amber and I drove to Sherman Oaks (30 minutes north of LA) to have dinner with our good friend Rebecca and her husband Dave. Although Rebecca lives only ~45 minutes away from me, it is all too infrequent that we see each other.

Alissa...we missed you!  Can't wait to see you while I am in Utah soon!

Rebecca, Amber and Me...

Todd and Dave

Saturday morning Amber and I were up early and on our way to Orange County to go shopping at the mecca they call South Coast Plaza. Two shopping divas and seven hours of uninterrupted shopping (not a stop was made to eat or use the bathroom) and still about 1/3 of the mall was left unexplored. We then hurried home to relax for a short time and then we were off to Santa Monica with Todd to enjoy dinner at a great Italian restaurant along the ocean front.

Sunday we spent the day talking and reminiscing to the evenings of nicknaming all of the potential wives on "The Bachelor" while watching an episode from this current season. And then all too quickly, it was time for Amber to return to delivering babies and removing those uteruses now misbehaving.

Thanks for taking the time to come visit...can't wait for my visit to Utah soon!

Happy Birthday Daddy!!

Happy Birthday to the most wonderful father! He is the most loving, generous, smart, dedicated, witty, funny dad. How blessed we are as a family to have him. He is the hardest worker and never thinks of himself, always giving everything possible to those around him. He never fails to be able to make everyone in the room smile and laugh because of his quick wit. I treasure so much being able to talk with him about medicine and know he will understand my fulfillment and frustration. The memories from our family vacations are priceless...and how grateful I am for his continued generosity to our family in providing for trips together and for visits to California. I am so blessed to have a father who honors his priesthood and observe him use it in our home many times while growing up and still today. He was my constant traveling companion to watch Todd run for Weber State for which we both truly enjoyed...especially Todd since he was easier on him after a tough race than I was! I know Todd considers him a second father as well as a dear friend...and I couldn't ask for anything better! Thank you Dad for being you....WE LOVE YOU!

The look on his face is fantastic...

Countless hours have been spent shopping with 4 daughters...many of which he has financed and never complains about!

G-L-A-M-O-R-O-U-S

3 days and 2 nights without sleep while trying to keep 1 critically ill patient alive including 3 separate codes during one of which emergently opening the patients abdomen and completely emptying his entire small bowel and part of his colon onto his belly and shocking the Cedars ICU nurses and residents as they had never seen such a thing before and this is the result:

In the "in-famous" words of my sister Emily: Don't hate me because I am beautiful.

Hope you enjoy this glamorous view into the life they call "residency".

And yes, this is how I looked the last 36 of the 60 hours at the hospital.

Christmas...at both of our HOMES!

Todd and I had a WONDERFUL Christmas! He and I both worked on Christmas Eve day, but were able to spend the evening together. We went out for a quick dinner at CPK and then opened presents with each other. This year, Todd and I have been able to earn extra money working moonlighting shifts, so I was able to spoil my most fantastic husband...something in years past he has given up in order to provide me with fabulous presents!

Our Christmas Tree

He was given clothes (not so exciting for him), a new IPod, and his most prized gift...a Playstation 3!

Showing off his "loot"

Todd never fails to surprise me...I had received a very nice purse for my Birthday/Christmas. However, he let me do some shopping and even went so far as to wrap the things that I had bought for myself. He then hid a small box under the Christmas tree skirt that he gave to me later in the evening...beautiful black pearl earrings that match a necklace he gave me for my 30th birthday! He is the best gift-giver ever...all husbands should be so good!

We then spent the remainder of the evening watching the classic holiday movie...Lampoon's Christmas Vacation!

We both worked Christmas morning and then spent the afternoon listening to Christmas music while preparing a turkey dinner that we were blessed to share with our sweet sister missionaries. They shared a beautiful Christmas message about the Savior and brought an amazing spirit of peace and gratitude into our home. The rest of the evening was crazy...we did laundry and packed to leave for SLC early the next morning. There was much anxiety and stress as we learned at 8PM our time that the SLC airport was closed due to snow and it was unsure as to when it would re-open. Todd and I decided we would get up and go to the airport for our 6AM departure and prayed that the runways would be clear....PRAYERS ANSWERED!

We arrived sleepy but safely to Utah early morning on the 26th. We immediately went to visit with Todd's grandparents and then had a nice dinner and belated "Christmas Day" celebration with Todd's family.

My 4-inch high heels were not what you call "snow-friendly"

Todd with Grandpa and Grandma Grunander

Todd, Jason and Mallory anxious to open their gifts!

Cute picture of Jen, Heidi and Andrew....sorry, couldn't get it to flip the right direction.

Carl and Christine....thanks for a wonderful Christmas.

The evening of the 26th was spent opening gifts with my family. John and Brittney had also flown in that same day and it was so great to have everyone together!!!

What an angel...so beautiful!!!


Dad enjoying his new office chair and Colts shirt!


We were definitely spoiled...thank you Mom and Dad!

The 27th was spent with my family. All of the boys spent the morning playing basketball and trying not to kill each other. The rest of the day was spent in a fierce competition of Madden Football on the X-Box. The girls knew the better way to spend the day...shopping the after-Christmas sales (as if we didn't get enough Christmas presents already).

"Shopped Til We Dropped"

Shoes...always bring a smile to my face!!!

The Wolthuis/Herbert Clans were nice enough to delay the traditional Christmas Eve party until the 27th when we could all be there! Thank you everyone for waiting...it made Christmas!

Bart and Jared in the Grandad Bart Memorial Jumpsuit...belt not included!

Devin, Eileen, Gwen and Emily singing "Must Be Santa....Snotty Nose"

Cannon, Emily, John, Brittney and Elle with their presents for the Left-Right game...




Lorin with his present...a size 12 shoe...only 2 sizes too big. Too bad Devin stole it from you.




Todd couldn't have been happier than with his present...$5.



Emily showing off the gift she brought...a sleeve tattoo...

which Brady ended up with...and wore to church the next day!

As if the sleeve tattoo wasn't popular...the most prized gift of the evening was

Hannah-Montana wig...

What I would look like as a blonde...I finally fit in to the family!




"John-celyn"



You can't help but adore this precious woman!

Sunday couldn't have been better...sleep in, great breakfast, attending church, Sunday dinner, and visiting with both families.

Monday we went down to SLC to eat dinner and walk through Temple Square...oh how I miss living on first avenue and being able to see the Capital Building and Temple Square from our balcony! The weather was perfect, the lights were amazing, the company the best!

Jocelyn is always gorgeous...Cannon refusing to smile...oh how I love that guy!

Brady enjoying his gift to Laurel...the IPod touch.



Me and my FAVORITE brother!




Emily and Colton...oh how I love that guy!

The True Meaning of Christmas!

Of course we couldn't leave Utah without a day of cards/games and Cafe Rio, which is how we spent Tuesday before heading to the airport to return to LA.

Thank You to both families for making our visit so wonderful!! We are so blessed to have your love and support!!! WE LOVE YOU!!!

Away from Home on Christmas....

What could be more depressing than being away from home on Christmas you ask???

Answer: Being away from home while working at a Jewish Hospital. No signs of Christmas to be seen except for a few lights hung on the side of the walkway connecting the employee parking lot to the main hospital...of which, only about ~1/3 of the stings actually light up...almost more depressing than if the lights weren't hung at all!

I did come into the ICU today to be greeted by a lighted menora celebrating the beginning of Hanukkah. So, I guess I will pull out my dreidel and join in the festivities....or maybe just go home and sit in front of my beatifully lit Christmas tree, look at my nativity set, listen to The Mormon Tabernacle Choir singing songs rejoicing in the birth of our Savior and reflect on Christ and His meaning in my life...

And yes, I will be away from home on Christmas Eve and Christmas day, however Todd and I will be celebrating and exchanging gifts on Christmas Eve and have the blessing of feeding our dear sister missionaries on Christmas Day (best way to spend the day if not at home in Utah).