Out of Town

I am currently in So. California for Christmas break. I will update everything when I get back in town later this week. We had one more interview add on, so for those of you in Utah. . . . there is a chance we could end up there. I will continue to add to the list if other interviews become available. Well, enjoy the end of 2008. (Only one day left)

Where to next????

Since we are not going to do our training with the military, we can start playing the where to next game. Below I will list all the places Chad is interviewing at and the specialty. If more interview requests come in I will add those too. You can weigh in with your opinion about what we ought to choose and why. So here goes. . . .

1. Texas Tec. (Lubbock, TX) Surgery

2. University of Albuquerque (NM) Surgery

3. University of Texas Health Sciences Center in San Antonio (TX) Surgery

4. University of Wisconsin (Madison, WI) Internal Medicine

5. University of Louisville (KY) Internal Medicine

6. Jewish Hospital (Cincinnati, OH) Internal Medicine

7. University of Utah (SLC, UT) Internal Medicine

8. Mayo Clinic Arizona (Scottsdale, AZ) Internal Medicine

9. St. Mary's (UCLA) (Long Beach, CA) Internal Medicine

10. The University of Arizona-Tuscan (Tuscan, AZ) Internal Medicine

11. University of Wyoming (Cheyenne, WY) Family Medicine

12. Idaho State University (Pocatello, ID) Family Medicine

Disappointment Again

For those of you who were wondering, we didn't match in a military residency program.  Crazy huh.  Well, okay then. . . maybe we'll have better news in March.  Or maybe we're just not supposed to be in medicine.  Who knows.  I need a vacation.  

$150,000.00 of debt in a career you never had the chance to finish isn't all that much right.  Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!  Okay, I'm done now.  Somehow this too shall pass, but how, I don't have a clue.  

Star Wars Lunchables

For those of you who are cringing to find out that I do on occasion feed my children lunchables I apologize.  (But when they cost $1.50 at the store and you have a coupon, it's hard to resist.)  

This last Tuesday I let Jake and Joe pick out a lunchable and to their surprise the lunchable had a punch out Star Wars game connected to the box.  I am assuming this game was in someways supposed to resemble a Pokemon game, but whatever the intent, it has become my kid's favorite game.  It's crazy that 4 small little card that either beat or tie their opponents cards can be so much fun.  For whatever reason, it must be the key to the lunchables, McDonalds happy meal, etc. . . . enterprise.  I will never cease to be amazed that both popularity and fortune can come to a product if simple, mindless toys and games are attached.  

Disco Dancing Prior Elves

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Pre-Christmas Fun and Gingerbread Houses

I've decided that our family is into last minute chaos, so at the last minute we decided to travel to Utah for Thanksgiving.  Chad wasn't able to take any vacation time, so he flew in Thanksgiving morning, I drove with the kids the day before and we all drove back home on Sunday.  Talk about a quick trip, but it was a whole lot of fun.  

As part of the Thanksgiving get together traditions we do all of our Christmas stuff the day after Thanksgiving.  This makes the reunion time feel like two holidays in one, and it gives us a chance to enjoy opening each other's gifts together.  Every year the cousins participate in a gift exchange and when the kids go to bed the adults commence in their own gift exchange.  As adults we draw numbers and either steel or open a gift of our choosing.  We have a lot of fun and there is usually quite a bit of laughing, teasing, and plotting going on.  

Opening gifts at Grandma and Grandpa Prior's house.  

  Sorry Chad you are sideways.  

Another tradition at the Prior home is to have an all boys outing.  This year we girls rebelled and included an all girls outing with the teenage cousins on babysitting patrol.  The boys went golfing and the girls went to see Twilight.  For as much as I disliked the book, I actually enjoyed the film.  I think the whinny female character in the books got to me, but the actress seemed to internalize more of those emotions, so the film was fun to watch.  I may actually consider finishing the books, when I have a spare moment or two.  

After two days of driving and three days of fun in Utah we arrived home and for family night decided to build gingerbread houses.  Each child came up with their own design and it might surprise you when you see who made each one.  

Picture #1 Joey, #2 Rebecca, #3 Sara, and #4 Jake.  

(I didn't help any of them, they each came up with their own designs)

I hope you are all enjoying your December chaos.  If letters don't make  it out and the baking doesn't happen, know that I still love you all and think about you often.