Vacation is officially over

The last leg of our trip was in Utah. We decided to try dining in a yurt at Solitude mtn.  We hiked up a short trail through the woods to find a yurt just big enough to fit our group of 26 people for an incredible 5 course meal. The new chef, Cole, cooked up a storm while simultaneously entertaining us. We mingled with other couples sitting around us while we stuffed ourselves into a food coma and then we ice skated down the mountain under the starry sky after it was all over.  It was a really great meal in a super unique venue - definitely a worthwhile experience if you're headed out that way!

David skied Alta and Snowbird, while I sat outside in the almost 70 degree weather knitting away! Usually when we go out west I can acclimate to the high altitudes without any difficulty, but we stayed on Big Cottonwood Canyon at a higher altitude than Jackson Hole and I just couldn't acclimate this time! So, I decided to take the last few days off from XC skiing/snowshoeing and instead finished a few knitting projects.  I finished a hat for David, an ear warmer for Sheela, and fingerless mittens, which Rachel may snag for texting in cold weather. 

I came home on Sunday and David continued on to Colorado for a few more days of skiing fun.  Although I was sad to leave David, I got to come home to my SNOOGLE!  Do you know what a snoogle is?  I had never heard of it until a few of my recently pregnant friends told me about it.  It's this gigantic funny snake shaped pillow that somehow makes sleep easier while preggers!  Actually it's not only great for sleep, but it's great for even for just sitting on the couch! It's amazing. One friend told me that when she was pregnant, she used the snoogle too but it wasn't long before her husband discovered the amazingness of the snoogle and would somehow snag the snoogle away from her and wake up all cuddled up to the snoogle! Well...after hearing about one night of bad sleep, my mom got right online, discovered the snoogle on her own, and had it shipped to me. What a good mom I have!!

I came back before David to start my new rotation - Adolescent Medicine (still in Flushing, Queens). In order to graduate, we were all required to take another  "pediatrics" rotation in the 4th year of medical school. I decided that I wanted adolescent medicine as my pediatrics rotation as this would have the most opportunity for counseling young women as I will be doing in ObGyn. I got lucky - the doctor who I'm working with is one of the good doctors in this world. Our first day in clinic, she spent over 30 mins counseling two different patients who were juniors in high school about their plans for college and a career...she did this on top of the routine check up stuff. And she wasn't offering advice because they were interested in medicine - they were interested in pursuing business and law. She gave fantastic advice, advice that I wish I had heard at that age. Then today, she spent close to 45 minutes counseling a family about how to advocate for their children in the NY school system.  Although the schedule won't be nearly as cushy as radiology was, I'm really happy to be paired with someone who I can learn so much from before senioritis and baby brain fully take hold!