Bluff City Blog

New Cooking Blog

2010-04-16T18:04:00.001-07:00

Because I'm so busy, I've decided to start a new hobby (ha!). It's my new cooking blog. I'll be attempting to add new recipes & comment on my trials with these recipes. Hope you'll join me on these adventures & let me know how your experiments go as well.

Here's the site:

http://www.haystacksandchampagne.blogspot.com/

As can be seen below, there are some who look forward to my "experiments" in the kitchen.

Spring Sprung Forward

2010-03-24T03:41:00.001-07:00

But we are terribly behind on capturing the last few months. Though we were not able to celebrate Easter this year due Caroline being sick and then passing the virus on to her mother, we still enjoyed time together as a family at home. Here is our little "funny bunny"....

And these are the budding trees in our backyard announcing Spring.

Life has been very, very busy for our family, but we are glad spring is here; we welcome more sunshine, the fact that we can take Caroline outside (her favorite place ever), flowering trees, and longer days.

Here is the view of the horses in the neighbor's yard behind our house:

I will miss the chill when the oppressive Memphis heat that I despise so much rears its ugly head in a month. But at the moment, we are making the most of Spring. It's going to be a busy one!

Here is our little darling enjoying the weather on the porch.

Many mornings, it feels like we wake up in the aviary section at the zoo. Due to the amount of trees around our house, we have an overabundance of bird friends (but not compared to the squirrel population). This is the discovery we made in our front yard on Easter weekend: a Robin's egg.

It's herb planting weather-I was fortunate to have Cort plant these for me because I was too busy with Caroline....love him! So if all works out, I can't take credit. Like last year, we have planted basil and parsley, but this year we added dill, lemon verbena, and a couple bell pepper plants. The bell peppers are my first experiment with vegetables. Should be interesting. If it goes well, we may try tomatoes and squash and/or green onions next year. Fun to see it grow!

This is a terrible night shot & you may be able to tell that my rosemary bush in the middle may not come back....may be time to replant.

It's also grill season! Woo-hoo! We've been eating dinners out on the porch as a family now on nights that it's pleasant outside & loving every minute of it. There's something about eating outdoors....

Cort has been at Le Bonheur (the children's hospital) during the months of February & March and taking call every 4th night. It's been vastly different from his Baptist months, but for the month of April, he is enjoying his rotation at the women's hospital. He still has some short calls (5pm-2ams)-not so fun.

In addition, our new hobby has been to look up in the attic & in closets to see what we can purge & sell on Ebay. I finally have learned to sell on ebay (just a little) & I can see why it's addictive. Spring cleaning is in full force.....we just need more time!

Hope everyone is enjoying the incredible blessing that the Spring rebirth is providing. I'll be trying to catch up with events from the past few months in posts after this one (if you've kept up with us from FB, please excuse repeats).

Holidays 2009/2010 (Monster Post)

2010-01-08T18:19:00.000-08:00

Hope you all enjoyed the holidays! We sure did. Our little trio was able to spend Christmas morning together. It was our baby's first Christmas and Cort came home from another night float in time for whole grain chocolate chip waffles and presents. It was wonderful to have him home!

And it was fun to see Caroline tear apart wrapping paper and try to climb out of the boxes.

Spencer was feeling generous and let Caroline get close to him. Of course the treats on my knees did help. He actually thought she was taking them away & sort of smacked her--to which she giggled.

I got this from my friend, Kaylee, another stay at home mom that really "gets" it (b/c I never stop "working")!

Later that afternoon, we drove up to Chicago to see my family--where they were eagerly awaiting their first grandchild. When we got off the highway at 11pm on Christmas night, we played Christmas music and watched the snow fall peacefully on the eerily quiet and empty streets of the western suburbs. Even Caroline Reese sensed that something different was happening; she awoke to gaze out the windows at a magical world with mouth agape. What moments! We had a white Christmas after all. Here is a video of me breaking the law because I "forgot" what it's like to drive in snow......:

Cort was so sweet to go help Dad clear the driveway of snow the next morning.

My parents loved spending time with Caroline.

And since Caroline is bigger now, we put her in the booster seat for the first time & brought her to the table with us. She enjoyed that very much. We had our Romanian meal and she had puffs. Of course.

Here is our little snow bunny with her uncle:

We enjoyed spending time with cousin Matt, who was home from his nursing program at Florida Hospital; Aunt Cami and Uncle Gabi who were so happy to show her snow and teach her to play with her new toys.

We had a terrific dinner out in the city with Ryan Kelley--a classmate of Cort's from Mount Pisgah Academy that recently moved to Chicago. It was great to catch up and flip through old pictures. We are hoping to see more of Ryan from now on--thanks to him, we now have a love for Flat Top Grill.

In addition to the night above, Mom & Dad also got us a gift certificate to this wonderful Italian restaurant (Antico Posto) and we had a great night out just the two of us again. Thanks Mom & Dad!

We drove back home in time to spend New Year's Eve with Cort's parents--it had been a long time since they last saw Caroline too. I must admit that although CST midnight found us in bed, we were still able to toast the midnight hour on EST (we're wild & crazy like that). And as our annual New Year's tradition continues, we enjoyed a fabulous Gruyere fondue dinner.

On New Year's day, Caroline had a third Christmas with gifts from the Asheville/Knoxville/Greenville crews. Lucky girl. This is going to be a hard habit to break. I think we're going to need some new Christmas rules. She received a bunch more toys and clothes. We are SO blessed to have such a generous family.

Here she is with Grandparents Sommerville & the new doll she received from them:

Here I am helping her put together the new wooden train set she received from Grandma Luci & Grandpa Mike. (The abacus in the background will hopefull be used as a numbering tool & not a standing prop as has been the dangerous case lately.)

Here is Caroline feeling out her new doll (Polly) made by Great-Grandmother Marje. Polly is a recession doll (Great Grandmother Marje was born during Depression years).

I'm SO proud of Caroline! This is the first documented case of sharing. Her favorite thing in the whole world, right now, is puffs. And here she is sharing her puffs with Grandma Carol:

Holidays are so special when shared with children!

Caroline apparently LOVES to play the piano! She first played with Grandpa Mike in Chicago & then played with Grandma Carol. This is her "jazz face".

We're still ironing out this gchat business, but we somehow managed to see Jen, Ryan & cousin Elle too! Elle's shriek at seeing "Ca-lick-a-line" was priceless!

Unfortunately, as has been the pattern this winter, we contracted some other virus (are there any left we have not met?) and spent most of the weekend hacking. Even so, I had a wonderful highlight that weekend: Carol taught me to make her famous double almond toffee. If anyone has had this toffee....they will know how incredible it tastes and what a lucky girl I am! Here we are making it:

And here is the finished product...I've been caught chocolate-handed:

It was also very good to get some rest before facing the work of the new year.

Happy New Year to all of you! Our daily reminder for 2010 will be: "This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." -Psalm 118:24

The 2009 Sommerville Christmas Letter

2009-12-19T06:53:00.000-08:00

Well, it's that time of year again. THE CHRISTMAS LETTER. This year it's virtual. For those that have kept up with our blog, there isn't much to catch you up on. We find ourselves in an entirely different place & with different roles since the last letter. Recently we read that people have a love/hate relationship with Christmas letters. Everyone loves to read updates, but often the letters come across unrealistic--no one wants to read that life is too perfect. Well, we will be the first to tell you that we very far from perfect. Life is hard, there are constant obstacles & bad days, we don't get everything we want when we want it, and there are fears & un-met goals; Yet we find ourselves, still, very blessed. We're betting many of you out there feel the same way--especially given the hardships that have befallen this country in 2009. But, here's a recap on us:

The BIG Event (Offspring):

I'll get the bragging out of the way first: If you don't already know, we had a baby this year. And now we know why people are so obsessed with their kids & act as if they're the first people on earth to ever have a child. We've been indoctrinated. Caroline Reese, has been a joy since the day she was born (April 29, 2009). They always tell you time goes by faster when you have a baby, but what they don't tell you is that it feels like you are riding a speeding train and the emergency brake is broken. Before we knew it, our child was smiling, talking, sitting up, eating solids, crawling, teething, and generally responding to the world. Unfortunately, there is no guide book on parenting; so we continue to stumble along & be awed when Caroline Reese continues to thrive despite our interference. Overall, Caroline has been an easy and calm baby. And really through no doing of our own. A few things about her:

1) Her disposition has been happy, happy, happy all the time.
2) She has fallen in love with our cat, Spencer. But alas, the feeling is not reciprocated & heartache is written on her face when he is near.

3) Her penchant has been for the kitchen--especially discovering the contents of drawers & cabinets. She's going to be a great little helper one day.
4) She follows me all around in her walker and I take her just about everywhere. She has learned to flirt with the salespeople and customers at Target. I'm hoping she can talk them into some deals.....

5) Traveling is a breeze for Caroline. So far, 9 flights with no tears & several long road trips. She has a good sense of people. Undeterred by the businessman who was not thrilled to be our seatmate on the last flight, she attempted relentnessly to charm him by tugging on his watch, sleeve, and newspaper. She smiled without mercy. I had horrible flashbacks of business travel, but in the end, he seemed impressed (thank God for patient people!).

6) She goes to a Mother's Day Out 2 half days a week (something from which she & I both benefit). While there, she is building antibodies & learning to be social.
7) She may be a fast talker. Just after 6 months, she said "duck" & "cat"--with witnesses. We're ok with that as long as she doesn't say "American Express", "boy", or "car".

8) She has conned her grandparents into thinking she can do no wrong.

I could go on & on, but we'd risk losing readership. And I fear, we're dangerously close already.

Since we can claim no family in town, we are overjoyed when they visit or when we get some babysitting from our awesome neighbors as it gives us a chance to go on dates that don't involve Costco. Cort & I have come to realize that we've had more visits this year than all our years in Memphis totaled. And it has nothing to do with us. But it might have a lot to do with why our daughter wants to be held all the time..... As new parents, we have found ourselves capable of a joy we never knew possible. Once you get past the inital phase of sleep deprivation, it is an amazing experience to see the world through a child's eyes. It's as if you never knew what you were missing.....

CORT:

Cort is halfway through his 2nd year of Radiology (3rd year of his 5 total years of residency). This year in particular is more difficult and he has been working really hard. He has worked some long stretches of nights where he was the only resident responsible for reading studies from several hospitals (all the guys in his program rotate through these weeks). Caffeine & the fear that he could miss something life-threatening have kept him going. He enjoys the dark side very much--all that technology, I suppose. He seems to be mastering a significant amount of anatomy. Though he's been doing a lot of interventional procedures (for those that have asked, he does breast, thryoid, liver, & bone biopsies, vascular access, angioplasties, abcess drains, IBC filter placement, etc.); he's reached his goal of never having to perform a pap smear again (so far). Another major accomplishment this year was passing the Radiologic Physics boards. Now, Cort's entertaining the thought of a fellowship after residency. What's another year at this point? I'm happy to report his dry sense of humor has remained intact. He is still tweaking with our home technology. The goal is keep the wife on her toes and see if she's paying attention (apparently not). I am amazed at all the things he knows & wants to do. But, I count it a real success that he became convinced that he really doesn't have the time to build a wood-burning pizza oven/fireplace from scratch for our patio. One day, we're going to have to get this guy a "manshed"--a place where he can tinker with tools, wires, & wood (safely).

A lot of Cort's "free time" (really a laughable term this year) seems to be tied up in yard work. Who knew that moving from downtown to a neighborhood with trees also meant raking & blowing & filling up countless bags of leaves? Sure makes up for gym time. Unfortunately, shoveling a truckful of mulch caused a shoulder injury & derailed his hopes of improving his golf game; thus teaching us that there really are some jobs worth outsourcing. Then again, there's no time to golf--much less keep up with his fantasy leagues--he will tell you his teams are "suffering". Since I am writing this letter, I can go ahead & tell all that he is a great dad. Though she spends all day with me, when he walks through the door, Caroline's face lights up like a Christmas tree. Nothing could make me happier. Well, maybe that & the idea of a housekeeper.

ANCA:

My glamourous life of travel has ended (ha!). I no longer shudder on Sunday evenings thinking about packing & setting alarms. I also, do not miss the management duties of mediation/training/teleconferences/performance evaluations/raises/hirings/firings, and all other aspects associated with corporate life. Unfortunately the remnants of that life are still in boxes in what we've dubbed, "the room projects go to die". Motherhood has surprised me--it's a natural transition, really. What I wasn't prepared for, however, was the scarcity of time. I'm learning that parenting helps cure selfishness--something I had in abundance, it now seems. My "to-do list" is getting longer--something every mom can relate to, surely. I've never had to fight harder to prioritize: there are mornings where there's a mountain of laundry to be done, bottles to wash, phone calls to return, etc. But instead, Caroline & I pull out the toys and sing "Baby Beluga" & "Day-O" while we dance & I remind myself that work will NEVER, EVER be fully "done".

In addition to being a mom & wife, I participate in a bible study and have kept social engagements on my weekly calendar. My mission statement these days remains somewhat the same: keep the customers happy. The only difference is, this time, it's fulfilling. And, happily, jeans is the dress code every day. I find myself just as busy, but somehow life feels calmer. I am exactly where I'm supposed to be for now & that is a peaceful feeling. Financially, it has been a major adjustment; but in the end, we decided that we just couldn't buy time. I used to think parenting would be limiting, but instead we feel like our roles have just expanded--unfortunately, the new roles are often intimidating. There has been a demotion in my status (for the better really) from domestic diva to housewife that specializes in 20 minute meals. "From scratch" is not a term we throw around lightly in this house. As much as we love cooking & entertaining, these days, we're just grateful to have food & friends at the dinner table--whoever's table it is & wherever it is! Simplifying our life has been great a change.

PETS--(they get a big section because they take up almost as much time as the baby for Anca):

Maggie continues to preside as dame of the manor. We've become the facilitators of inappropriate behavior such as feeding her all our leftovers in the spirit of fattening her up (nice problem to have, wouldn't you say?). She has settled down a bit & seems disinterested in most things except receiving attention & barking at servicemen (which sadly, we've seen too many of lately). There is a lot trepidation by delivery men when they spot her. She keeps her distance from the baby & is very protective. So much so that in a fit of desperation over hearing Caroline cry one night, she chewed up an ottoman downstairs. Her opportunity for walks have lessened as a stroller was enough to contend with. A pregnant lady being walked by a Great Dane was one thing....but a new mom holding on to what looks like a pony in one hand and a bulky stroller with a bewildered child in another, is quite a different story. As our guilt set in, we have given Maggie free reign of the front yard also; yet there are few things more unpleasant than watching your dog squat in the front yard just as your neighbors are coming home from work. At least we're getting some organic fertilizer. Unfortunately, she is still a fair-weather dog & often refuses to leave the garage on rainy/snowy/cold days & therefore leaves her business for Cort to attend to. Which, as a non-morning person who considers it a feat just to get to work on time, is no easy task. We've worked on some "attitude adjustment" with her electronic collar and joyfully share that the windows & doors are no longer being torn to shreds. (There is no cure for her separation anxiety, though. If it were up to her, she'd have herself surgically attached to our legs.)

Spencer is still the feisty cat. He keeps up with calisthenics & active sprinting up and down the stairs. He continues to push things off the counter in the middle of the night in attempts to entertain himself & awaken his "captors" (as we assume he considers us). We let him think he gets one over on us when he sneaks up to the attic. Little does he know that he's earning his keep by scaring off the squirrels who seem to have made the attic their second home. Spencer has made several escape attempts this year. The big one happened after we came home from the hospital with the baby. Because he is clever, he unlatched the screen door; he hadn't planned for the rain that curtailed his plan & he returned, defeated, with his tail between his legs. But not without first punishing Cort for bringing home competition by having him walk around the dark yard, soaking wet, with a flashlight. In the end, we all put our bruised egos aside and popped open some champagne to celebrate the homecomings. Unfortunately, Spencer also antogonizes Maggie, knowing full well that we'd admonish her to behave when hearing the skirmish (because she's the bull in the china shop). For a while there, we could have purchased some stock in the dog bed industry as he persecuted Maggie for simply existing by desecrating her happy spot. As of today, the two have brokered some kind of peace for the sake of the child (or so we'd like to think).

MISCELLANEOUS:

Our travel has been more limited this year (surprise, surprise, right?). We started the year in Portland & the Wilamette Valley with our friends Jason & Misha. But, we've also been up to Chicago several times (especially Caroline & I) and Maryville, TN. We even had a whirlwind road trip that involved fireworks at the Colburn lakehouse in Greenville, SC. And in October, we were able to meet the Sommervilles at Kiawah Island, SC, for Caroline's first beach trip, where she had a grand time both in the chlorine & salt waters & delighting in the presence of her cousin, Elle.

The other big production this year involved the remodel of our kitchen and the preparation of a nursery. We learned a lot. I guess googling "drywall supplies" 15 minutes before the hardware store closes, and hanging drywall at 1 am the night before the cabinets are to be installed, will do that for you. We can now tile, grout, & caulk. Cort & I were able to refine our negotiation skills when dealing with errors by workmen & the entity that is Lowes. Being that necessity is the mother of invention, I found myself soaring with joy, wielding power tools--sanding and painting furniture we bought off of Craigslist in the latter part of my 3rd trimester in preparation for the baby's sanctuary. Somehow everything got done in time. All in all, they were growth opportunites & we were grateful for them. And as with most things, no pain, no gain.

I guess that's an awful lot to say for people that really don't have too much going on! We're happy to report that as the Christmas season is here, we're finally seeing horses near the barn, just beyond our backyard. We have not had snow yet, but we are hopeful. And as we are shaken by what seems to be happening in our own country, we are reminded that Jesus isn't just the reason for the season, but our reason to hope in a tumuluous world (theme of last year's letter).

We welcome all visits! Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and a healthy, blessed, Happy New Year!

The Sommervilles: Cort, Anca, and Caroline Reese

The Holiday Season Begins

2009-12-19T05:37:00.001-08:00

Caroline & I went up to Chicago again the day after Thanksgiving as Cort started another week of night float. We managed to get great weather (55 degrees downtown on December 1st-almost unheard of!). Aunt Cami had the great idea to take Caroline to see the Christmas tree at Bloomingdale's.

And with ulterior motives (we think), Cami thought that since Caroline had her first picture at Bloomingdale's with Santa, that should be a yearly tradition now. That could be problematic. But "A" for effort on ensuring the child comes to see you guys every year. Ha, ha.

I think she liked Santa. That beard looks awful interesting......

And since Cort & I have wanted to start an ornament collection for Caroline, I was able to buy the first one here with meaning. Here she is picking it out with Grandma Luci:

We had some good girl time too & got our favorite tomato-basil soup & Tuscan Roast Salmon. Here she is at Nordstrom Cafe being sweet to her Aunt Cami.

Grandpa Mike was her caretaker in the evenings. He let her play in the makeshift bathtub (tupperware box) a LOT. They got her a new rubber duckie & we let her splash & talk up a storm. This is definately a water baby.

Even Uncle Andrei got in on the love....

In other news, we finally broke down & purchased a high chair when we came home. Now everyone can stop worrying about the child falling out of the bumbo. As you can see from the dirty socks below, she is quite mobile & has even made it out to the garage. Or maybe it means I'm a bad housekeeper......

Puffs are still Caroline's favorite thing to eat.

And we really need to be baby-proofing more. She also has the same affinity for the tupperware drawer. Maybe I'm wrong & she's taking inventory for our next shopping trip....

It is near impossible to get her to sit on her own in front of the tree....we have diagnosed her with Christmas tree OCD. So this is our best attempt since she can't get out.

Should we tell her there is no real Santa yet?

And since Cort has been working so much, we are learning to go to church by ourselves. Luckily, we have good friends whom we can sit with--here she is focusing on her boyfriend, Reese (how cool is that? They share the same name!).

I used to think I was the only one that would get excited about mail, but as you can see below, I am not the only one. I imagine she is thinking, "enough with the bills, are there any more Christmas cards?"

But of course, life's always better when Dad comes home from work.

And as you can see below, they have a special relationship. Makes me melt.....

Gingerbread lattes are seasonally available at Casa Sommerville.....come on over.

Hope everyone is having a wonderful holiday season so far!

Happy Thanksgiving--OCD Style

2009-11-26T21:28:00.001-08:00

Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving. Cort, Caroline & I had a quiet dinner at home. It was the first year I haven't cooked in years. We ordered our meal from Whole Foods & WOW, was it good! I now see a whole lot of appeal in simplifying these holidays.

Anyway, we have a heck of a lot to be grateful for this year! Mainly that we have awesome friends & family. Especially family that does not resemble the author of the email below. I just had to share this with you all.....actually makes me feel like a Type B. Enjoy!

From: Marney

As you all know a fabulous Thanksgiving Dinner does not make itself. I need to ask each of you to help by bringing something to complete the meal. I truly appreciate your offers to assist with the meal preparation.

Now, while I do have quite a sense of humor and joke around all the time, I COULD NOT BE MORE SERIOUS when I am providing you with your Thanksgiving instructions and orders. I am very particular, so please perform your task EXACTLY as I have requested and read your portion very carefully. If I ask you to bring your offering in a container that has a lid, bring your offering in a container WITH A LID, NOT ALUMINUM FOIL! If I ask you to bring a serving spoon for your dish, BRING A SERVING SPOON, NOT A SOUP SPOON! And please do not forget anything.

All food that is to be cooked should already be prepared, bring it hot and ready to serve, warm or room temp. These are your ONLY THREE options. Anything meant to be served cold should, of course, already be cold.

HJB—Dinner wine

The Mike Byron Family
1. Turnips in a casserole with a lid and a serving spoon. Please do not fill the casserole all the way up to the top, it gets too messy. I know this may come as a bit of a surprise to you, but most of us hate turnips so don't feel like you a have to feed an army.
2. Two half gallons of ice cream, one must be VANILLA, I don't care what the other one is. No store brands please. I did see an ad this morning for Hagan Daz Peppermint Bark Ice Cream, yum!! (no pressure here, though).
3. Toppings for the ice cream.
4. A case of bottled water, NOT gallons, any brand is ok.

The Bob Byron Family
1. Green beans or asparagus (not both) in a casserole with a lid and a serving spoon. If you are making the green beans, please prepare FOUR pounds, if you are making asparagus please prepare FIVE pounds. It is up to you how you wish to prepare them, no soupy sauces, no cheese (you know how Mike is), a light sprinkling of toasted nuts, or pancetta, or some EVOO would be a nice way to jazz them up.
2. A case of beer of your choice (I have Coors Light and Corona) or a bottle of clos du bois chardonnay (you will have to let me know which you will bring prior to 11/22).

The Lisa Byron Chesterford Family
1. Lisa as a married woman you are now required to contribute at the adult level. You can bring an hors d’ouvres. A few helpful hints/suggestions. Keep it very light, and non-filling, NO COCKTAIL SAUCE, no beans of any kind. I think your best bet would be a platter of fresh veggies and dip. Not a huge platter mind you (i.e., not the plastic platter from the supermarket).

The Michelle Bobble Family
1. Stuffing in a casserole with a serving spoon. Please make the stuffing sans meat.
2. 2.5-3 qts. of mashed squash in a casserole with a lid and serving spoon
3. Proscuitto pin wheel - please stick to the recipe, no need to bring a plate.
4. A pie knife

The June Davis Family
1. 15 LBS of mashed potatoes in a casserole with a serving spoon. Please do not use the over-size blue serving dish you used last year. Because you are making such a large batch you can do one of two things: put half the mash in a regulation size casserole with lid and put the other half in a plastic container and we can just replenish with that or use two regulation size casserole dishes with lids. Only one serving spoon is needed.
2. A bottle of clos du bois chardonnay

The Amy Misto Family (why do I even bother she will never read this)
1. A pumpkin pie in a pie dish (please use my silver palate recipe) no knife needed.
2. An apple pie in a pie dish, you can use your own recipe, no knife needed.

Looking forward to the 28th!!

Marney
Source: www. californiakara.blogspot.com

Doesn't it just make you feel normal???

News Update:

2009-11-23T06:28:00.000-08:00

We found out a few weeks ago that CORT PASSED PHYSICS BOARDS!!!!!!!!!! Praise the Lord!

I couldn't capture the happy facial expression when opening the mail...so here's another happy face instead:

Halloween Weekend 2009

2009-11-22T08:39:00.000-08:00

This has been the most gorgeous fall in the 6 years we've been in Memphis. Our mums were in bloom again....despite the fact we did nothing to help them along.

We had a great visit from Aunt Cami & Uncle Gabi--we call them Caroline's 3rd set of grandparents. Even though Cort was working part of the weekend, it was nice to have someone with whom to go to church.

It always makes me so happy when Cort comes home from the hospital! Poor guy has been working his tail off since July. I'm so proud of him.

Here are some pictures of our little bee this Halloween--keep in mind the little bee had a horrific pediatrician visit 20 hours before this--5 shots!

The menfolk took it upon themselves to show the little bee what it means to buzz around.

We took Caroline trick-or-treating around the neighborhood to visit the neighbors, and count ourselves lucky for not coming home with a bag full of candy! We probably just finished last year's stash a couple weeks ago.

I love this picture. Caroline's adoration for her father is very apparent...

October Beach Trip 2

2009-11-21T22:13:00.000-08:00

We had some fun formal pictures at the beach. Our sweetie was a good little subject.

What you see below is a picture of a remorseful Elle....poor thing accidentally let go of Caroline & since Caroline's crawling/rolling skills were not developed at 5 months, she just kind of rolled off Elle & landed face-flat in the grass. Of course Elle felt horrible, but this is just such a cute & funny picture that I couldn't help but show it! Caroline was fine-- it almost looks like she's concerned for Elle in this picture.

It was the moms' opportunity to get the girls dressed in matching dresses & as you can see, they were good sports.

It was the most spectacular sunset-the perfect end to a pefect day!

October Vacation (Caroline's 1st Beach Trip)

2009-11-17T19:00:00.000-08:00

This post is way overdue, but we had our annual Sommerville beach trip at the end of September/beginning of October & it was truly wonderful! We all concluded that this was, by far, the most beautiful time of the year to go to Kiawah Island--no kids, empty beach, superb weather. The girls were little sweethearts & we absolutely cannot wait until next year. 'Nuff said.

Click HERE if you would like to see more pictures of our vacation.

This is what we woke to every morning--(first picture is taken at high tide):

We were excited to take Caroline to the pool for the first time. She loved it! She splashed all over the place & laughed when she got water on her face. Before we knew it, she was on her belly in the water in no time.

This little hippo-water contraption belonged to Elle just a little while ago, but Elle was kind enough to share with Caroline.

Caroline also loved her time at the beach!

Sometimes she just wanted to chill under the umbrella--naps were preferred in the stroller, especially after a walk with Mom & Dad on the beach. But, Caroline did not like to sleep on the sand for some reason...

We quickly learned what it meant to go to the beach with kids...this is what happens....you become a pack mule....

It was also wonderful to eat meals and read out on the porch...something we have not able to do in the scorching heat of the Memphis summer.

Thank you Lewis & Carol for some fun memories. We feel really blessed to be able to come here!

SIX MONTHS OLD! And crawling....

2009-10-29T20:41:00.000-07:00

I've been really behind on blogging, but I'm catching up. Unfortunately, posts are going to be a bit out of order....

Our little pumpkin turned six months old on October 29, 2009. She is in the 80th percentile for height & 65th percentile for weight.

And she's learned some mad skills...including saying "dadadadadada" over and over (should I be offended?) and as you can see below...she can sleep upright with her hands behind her head....yes, we know, worthy of a guest spot on Letterman.....(ha, ha)

And then of course there's crawling...not proficiently by any means, but going backwards & very often forwards without dragging herself.....it's like she completely skipped the comando stage.

One day I left her one place, a minute later I turned around & she was gone! Sure enough...a few minutes later, I saw her pick up her arms and place them in front of her....sort of like a little leapfrog, and then she pulled up her legs and did it one more time!

I took her to the pediatrician's office for a routine visit & was asking why it was that she wasn't sitting up much, but then, she sat right up when the pediatrician placed her upright. Turns out, the pediatrician said she doesn't WANT to sit up. She wants to be on the move....places to go, people to see, move along folks....

Here she is with her big "sister"....

And here mean ol' mom, was messing with her....giving her a target to aim for....

And of course, she is always ALL SMILES! We are having so much fun with our little half-year baby.

Grandpa Comes To Visit & Solids: The New Frontier

2009-10-20T20:18:00.000-07:00

Mom & Dad got back from Italy and even though exhausted, Dad drove down to see his liitle beloved granddaughter for a marathon weekend trip! Caroline adores her Grandpa Mike. Here are some pictures from our weekend:

She protested bedtime....little smart cookie knew a non-parental unit would come rescue her from her crib so she could stay up a little later and watch the football game with Dad & Grandpa.

And we must touch on the other new skill--eating beyond liquids. To be fair....we really started with rice cereal on our beach vacation when Caroline was 5 months old. How do you think it went from the pictures below?

When we came back home, the solid eating took off like gangbusters....there isn't much our little one won't eat. Of course we did vegetables first.

Dad brought us some Michigan grapes & pears....

So I became inspired & put my Vitamix to work making baby food--something I have always wanted to do. It was fun! Below are carrots, green beans, peas, pears, and bananas.

I'm ready for more.....

And the milestones just keep on coming!

The rest of the summer....

2009-09-24T12:06:00.000-07:00

Sorry this is a long post--I've been behind on posting pictures and it was hard enough having to narrow down to these. You wouldn't think it due to the humidity & heat, but summer is supposedly over according to the calendar. Can't believe it, but Caroline Reese is almost 5 months old! She is SUCH A JOY. As you can see, she's our whole world now. It's all about the baby now....

Cort has had several weeks of night float & when he wasn't working, he was studying. We went to Chicago for Cort to attend a physics review course and then we went to Knoxville for him to take the physics boards. We are very glad to put the physics boards behind us. Here is a sleep-deprived Cort with his hands full.....

There are few words to express just how happy Caroline makes us. She is changing so fast day by day. She has been sleeping amazingly well--averaging 11 hours a night--now mainly sleeping on her stomach (which we're not thrilled with, but what can you d0). She loves to play in her exersaucer (hence so many exersaucer pictures), sit in her bumbo, and suck her thumb.

Caroline has been absolutely fascinated with the pets--her "brother & sister" as Cort would call them.

And she is a real cuddler.....must get that from Cort...

The sling is a real favorite nesting place...there are days where she refuses to sit up in it--it's just more fun to hang.......

In fact, the other day, I baked an entire birthday cake while Caroline was in the sling attached to my body. I don't think we dropped anything in the batter....Happy Birthday, Kaylee-we love you!

We are greeted by smiles every day--Caroline is very happy. We love to hear our little girl giggle. We honestly couldn't ask for a better baby. She has started a Mother's Day Out program a couple of days a week to give me more of an opportunity to get things done and we are both doing really well with that.

However.....when she is hungry....watch out! This is Caroline's "hungry face"....

And this is the "happy I got fed face"....

Otherwise, we have been really, really busy! And out of town a lot--so far, we have been taken 3 Chicago trips & 2 Knoxville trips. Caroline has been quite the litle traveller. She has two sets of grandparents in Chicago as well....my aunt & uncle (Cami & Gabi) are so doting and we are lucky that Caroline is loved as much as she is...

While in Chicago, Cort & I were able to take advantage of the babysitting & have some dates trying zagat-rated restaurants & seeing downtown.

Here are some highlights from the last couple months.......

One afternoon, we found 5 kittens by our trash can.

Spencer was very jealous that we took them in....only temporarily-they went to the pound eventually...

We FINALLY stopped at Lambert's Cafe on our way up to Chicago--always wanted to do that. It really is the home of the throwed rolls--they were being hurled across the restaurant. Happily, we escaped unpelted by butter....

While in Chicago, we ate at Rockit....a "hip" rock & roll-style restaurant that was named one of the best concepts by Conde Nast Traveler & we had the BEST burger in the nation--named so by Good Morning America. Burger made of kobe beef, melted brie, fried shallots, medjool date aioli, and served with truffle fries--a "once in a lifetime" junk food experience-but worth it!

Through an interesting twist of circumstance, Gabi & Matei came to Knoxville while Caroline & I were visiting. Matei even got to bathe a baby for the first time!

Dad & I even got in a couple of long bike rides on the Prairie Path. Here we are in Wheaton & at Wheaton College.

Here's our little cheerleader cheering on Tennessee against the Florida game--starting young, we know.

We were thrilled to have a short visit with Preston & Angela:

Tummy time has been useful as Caroline has been building "muscles":

Swing time with Grandpa Lew:

Reading:

Caroline's relaxed demeanor after her nightly bath-time with Grandpa Mike--she also LOVES when Grandpa Mike plays the violin for her...

Showing Grandma Luci that she can stand un-assisted for a few seconds at a time:

Playing "patty-cake":

We are anxiously awaiting the fall season (in terms of let's get this heat out of here!) and as hard as it is to see our little girl grow up, it really is fun to see all the new skills she is acquiring!

Caroline's Heirlooms so far...

2009-09-24T05:59:00.000-07:00

Just had to share these---they were done by artists (certainly not me). The first was done by a silhouette artist (Tim Arnold: http://www.silhouette-man.com/) at 4 and 1/2 months and the second done by Little Lasting Impressions (http://www.littlelastingimpressions.com/) at 1 month.

Turning 3 Months in Chicago

2009-08-02T08:45:00.000-07:00

Cort started night float week & Caroline Reese & I decided to get out of his way so he could sleep better during the days. We girls flew the coop---literally--Caroline had her first airplane ride. We were very fortunate to get bumped up to first class (both ways!). I was so amazed because Caroline did not cry one bit & was even able to nap on the flight.

Caroline & I were able to visit with some family friends, do some shopping (going to Ikea was a blast!) & eat some amazing home-cooked meals.

One of the biggest developments we have seen in her this last month have been crazy big smiles (sometimes she smiles so much, we can't get her to finish eating) & little cooings & "talking"....her little voice is adorable to us---we probably won't feel this way when she gets a little older & we won't be able to get her to stop talking!

Here she is grinning while we shopped at Saks Fifth Avenue outlet--definitely her momma's girl!

Caroline loved her walks with grandpa Mike:

Uncle Andrei got to meet Caroline for the first time:

Here is Caroline with her new toy & pacifier that Grandpa Mike brought back from Germany:

And here are some pictures with Grandma Luci & Grandpa Mike, Great-uncle Gabriel & Great-aunt Cami (all who were thrilled to pieces to see her!). Oh, and Caroline is absolutely & completely fascinated with flowers as you can see in the pictures.

Here we are on the way home:

We were glad to see that Caroline is a good traveler--it will be fun to see where else we can take her.

Sommer-vacation

2009-07-15T09:10:00.000-07:00

Cort & I took our first road trip with Caroline last week. We put over 1,000 miles on the truck, but went from Knoxville to Greenville to just outside of Asheville. Here is "Grandpa Lew" with his newest granddaughter & Fitch in Maryville:

We have been looking forward to getting over to the Colburns' Independence Day party for several years now and we finally made it. Cort also finally got to see Jen & Ryan's new house outside of Greenville--which is beautiful! (sorry forgot to get picture). It was a full house & luckily, our good friend Erinn was able to come down & spend some time with us

Jen & Ryan met us downtown Greenville & we were able to visit & see the sights....Greenville is now on our list of places we could settle down--once we leave Memphis (can't wait for that day!!!!). Here is a look at downtown Greenville:

It was great to have the two little girls together.....Elle could not keep her hands off of Caroline! It was so sweet! Caroline was "her baby".....

Jen, Ryan, Cort, Erin, Brad, Heather, Tyler (check out his shark floaty), new baby, Logan, & I all boarded the Colburns' pontoon boat on Lake Bowen for a dinner cruise (pizza!) and 4th of July fireworks. We had an amazing time! Here is Erinn enjoying the sights:

Brother & sister:

The next day was the big party. Here is the calm before the storm & the setting up of the party:

We were glad to be able to meet our new nephew, Logan--Heather now has 2 boys! The better to protect our girls.....

Cort with our niece & nephew:

And here is what it looked like when the boats started coming in to hear The Band of Oz:

And here is the band playing away to a hearty crowd on the deck & in the water (notice that our brother in law, Brad, stepped in to play the drums):

And my romantic in-laws dancing away to the great tunes:

Of course, Caroline wore her finest patriotic garb:

And here are more pics of the family (below are the Thrashes & below that are more of the Sommervilles--with DJ being too cool to show his face--too bad, because he's super cute):

After we left Greenville, we headed over to Cort's grandparents' lake house at Lake Lure--Cort & I hadn't been in 7 or 8 years & therefore we had really been looking forward to it:

Great-grandma & Great-grandpa Sommerville drove up to see us:

Our really good friends, Kevin & Shannon, were able to drive up to meet us for the evening--we have missed them a lot! Also, Paul drove down to stay with us at the lake house--we were glad to see him too--even if it meant separate from Erinn due to work schedules:

In the days following, we were able to relax & hang out. Carol & I even got to tube together (wish I had a picture of my mother in law & I hanging on for dear life & exercising our lungs!).

Here is Paul jumping off the hot roof of the boathouse:

Cort was able to waterski:

And here we are driving around the lake to see all the new monstrously huge houses:

Even Caroline Reese enjoyed her time by the water.....

I must say that one of the best things about being around the family was getting help with the baby--thanks girls!!!!

In fact, when we got back to Knoxville, Cort & I took advantage of our sitters & even got to enjoy an anniversary dinner by ourselves---6 years! Hooray!

Hope we can make it next year too!

2 Month Report Card

2009-06-30T17:30:00.000-07:00

REPORT CARD:

Shots: PASS, 3 down, endless more to go....

Weight: PASS, 11 lbs, 5 oz.--65th percentile (weighs a little less than Spencer)

Length: PASS, 75th percentile.

Head Circumference: PASS, 75th percentile.

Thumb Sucking: FAIL, has not yet found it--but seems to enjoy sucking on fist. Hmmm.....
Smiling: PASS, even heard a little laugh a few times.
Rolling Over: PASS, first time on the pediatrician's table before 9 weeks (woo-hoo!).

Getting out of Mom & Dad's room: PASS, in crib as of 6 weeks & doing great in there.

Naps & Schedule: Jury's out. Doesn't sleep whole time during naps, but is definitely taking them. Here she is enjoying her nightly routine of bath before bed:

Sleeping through the night: PASS, we think--maybe jury's still out. Most nights sleeps 6 hours in a row. Just started sleeping 8 hours in a row. Working up to more.
Cooing: PASS, very cute if we do say so ourselves. Caroline sticks out her tongue & opens her mouth & moves it as if she wants to say things--important things from the frowning associated with those movements.

Heart Murmur: PASS, it's not present--hole in heart has closed-yay!

Swing Time/Solitary Time: FAIL, mainly b/c it's not Caroline's favorite thing. Doesn't like it if we leave the room. We are working up to this as well.

Tummy Time: PASS, holding head up very well & pushing herself up.

Stroller Time: PASS, but only if it's not deathly hot out there. Otherwise, enjoys it greatly. Here, Grandma Luci had to take her out of the stroller--Caroline was crying because it was too hot & wanted to feel the breeze (definitely our kid--she hates the heat like we do).

Feeding: PASS, moved from every 2 hours to every 3 hours. Snacking has stopped. Here she is being fed by our sweet friend, Angela.

And as our friends Blake & Jaclyn say "Cuteness Factor": Off the charts! She's our little angel & we are loving every minute of her progress. Now if she could only STOP growing.

6 weeks:
Here she is at 7 weeks in her "party dress" when we had the Radiology group over for a Mexican Fiesta:

And here she is enjoying staring at the fan in our bed while her mom fills the tub for bathtime at 9 weeks:
More to come later....

First Father's Day

2009-06-21T07:19:00.000-07:00

Happy Father's Day to my husband Cort (who has already shown to be a great Dad--this is his first Father's Day), my uncles, my brother in law, my dad & my father in law. Love you guys!

Here is Cort with his girl:

And Caroline's message to her dad:

Here is my dad with his first grandchild:

And my father in law & brother in law with Caroline:

And here is a great description of how fathers are viewed through the years--and we are definitely at the point where we turn to ours (Thanks Dads!):

4 years: My Daddy can do anything!
7 years: My Dad knows a lot…a whole lot.
8 years: My father does not know quite everything.
12 years: Oh well, naturally Father does not know that either.
14 years: Oh, Father? He is hopelessly old-fashioned.
21 years: Oh, that man-he is out of date!
25 years: He knows a little bit about it, but not much.
30 years: I must find out what Dad thinks about it.
35 years: Before we decide, we will get Dad's idea first.
50 years: What would Dad have thought about that?
60 years: My Dad knew literally everything!
65 years: I wish I could talk it over with Dad once more.

(Anonymous)

Company's Coming: 1st Month at Home with Baby

2009-05-30T06:55:00.000-07:00

Making the decision to have a child is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body.~Elizabeth Stone

I think no truer words have been spoken......here's our heart (and next year at this time, we're guessing our heart will walk):

So, we made it to the one month mark. Whew! At first I wondered: now really, must a child eat every two hours? Then, Caroline Reese went on a hunger strike a couple of days into our stint at home and all of a sudden we became panicked parents. When she finally decided nourishment was needed and there was nothing to be gained from her protest, the new daddy was cheering and the new mommy was almost in tears (not a difficult task the first week). After a few changes, our little one was climbing the scale and after 2 weeks, she started fitting clothes too.

Here she is swimming in her newborn outfit (yes, I propped her right back up after the picture):

This is us leaving the hospital and trying to figure out how the straps work on the carseat:

Cort surprised me with champagne, strawberries & chocolate cake to celebrate our first night home with the baby

(how sweet is that?)

after 3 days at Baptist Memorial--whose cafe's food praises I cannot sing:

The nights were tough for both parents--can a person ever acclimate to sleep deprivation? We were so fortunate that Cort was able to take a paternity leave and help out. We think Caroline Reese is a sweet baby--only fussy or crying when she's hungry, has a dirty diaper, needs to be re-swaddled, or has gas. Probably the toughest thing is seeing your baby in some form of GI distress and being unable to help.

We were quite pooped and accepted all offers of help--and boy were we grateful. Oh, we talked a big game of how we were going to "handle it on our own a few days," but when Jen offered to come and help after the moms left, we caved with relief and almost begged her to come. No wonder this talk about how it "takes a village"!

These were our first visitors at the hospital, GREAT-grandparents, Bud & Marje Sommerville (this is their second great-grandchild, with Elle being the first):

Then Grandma Luci & GranCarol came (see Mother's Day post). Shortly thereafter, cousin Elle, Uncle Ryan, Aunt Jen, and Grandpa Lew came. It was such a fun visit! I adore this first picture of the girls.

Soon after, our good friends Jason & Misha Garey came to see their little "niece". The boys watched Caroline, while us girls got a few hours away. We even got to go strawberry picking at Shelby Farms! We all went out for brunch at Cafe Ecclectic and took Caroline out to her first restaurant. She did fantastic and slept in her carseat the whole time while kids around us howled!

Here we are reminding Jason & Misha how the South eats (good ol' Gus' fried chicken & Germantown Commissary BBQ) once they get out of pansy Oregon:

Then Grandpa Mike, Great-aunt Cami & Great-uncle Gabriel came to meet the first baby on our side of the family in years...It was a great visit--Mom took Caroline on walks while I rested, Cami fed the baby, Gabi worked some free electrical work (we owe you big time!!), and Dad loaded us with Costco goods & washed our floors! We took them to Gus's in Collierville for some down-home Southern food too.

Here they are at the park a few blocks from our house:

We stare at her & wonder: how could we be so lucky? Here she is after the first bath at home--not too happy on the first try, but now she LOVES it!

The Life of a Newborn

2009-05-29T17:36:00.000-07:00

When my brother, Andrei, asked me to post videos of Caroline, I wondered what to post. So far, Caroline Reese likes to:

Sleep

Be taken outside

Get a warm bath

Be held

Stretch & wiggle

Suck on her pacifier

And these are the highlights, folks. And lastly, she has learned to smile! Here is a documented case at 3 weeks:

And here is an "activity" video at 2 weeks (ha, ha):

An Ode to the 3-Series

2009-05-25T16:37:00.001-07:00

Now, I am not normally a big car person, but I teared up yesterday as we bode farewell the white coupe that was Cort's first car out of college....and our first major inanimate object that we babied as a married couple. And before you can even say it, yes, I realize it's a ton of metal, but it also holds so many good memories. Caroline needs a place to sit & apparently we have mulch to haul, a piano to transport, Maggie's vet visits, and many more Lowes trips. Goodbye-old friend---unfortunately, you are no match for the big truck that has replaced you. At least we still have the heated seats.

I hope someone values you as much as I have. I'm sorry for the mark I made on the inside by trying to shove a swan-painted trunk in the passenger seat--I knew I should have driven an SUV to furniture shop. And, I'm even sorrier, for the time that Spencer pooped on your leather when I picked him up from Paul & Erinn's after vacation--he didn't want to leave the ongoing lovefest they had over him. I tried really hard not to throw up on you on the way home that time after the cheese party when we drove home with my head out the window. Thank you for always getting me to the airport in no time (and with no speeding tickets!) all those weeks I was late for my flights. Thank you for allowing Cort's many textboooks to be strewn across your backseat, golfclubs to roll around your trunk, and for proudly carrying his white coat that undoubtedly got him out of speeding tickets. You took us on some great dates and road trips.

It's the end of one era & the beginning of another......we feel like such "grown-ups".....

The rest of the shoot....

2009-05-19T20:16:00.000-07:00

http://elizabethwiggsphotography.blogspot.com/2009/05/sommerville-family-newborn.html

Sneak Peak of Caroline Reese's photoshoot

2009-05-13T19:44:00.000-07:00

Our lovely photograher emailed us one preview picture of last night's photoshoot; we will let you all know when we have more. (www.elizabethwiggsphotography.blogspot.com)

Elizabeth told us that she thought Caroline was a very good natured baby. We suspected as much...and of course, we're just the slightest bit proud.

First Mother's Day

2009-05-12T19:52:00.000-07:00

It has felt wonderful to hold my baby in my arms & know that God intended her just for me. Though, I think I'm still in denial that I'm actually a mother. It may have to do with the sleep deprivation (notice the bags under the eyes). I'm excited about many more Mother's Days to come!

Cort & Caroline were sweet enough to get me these gorgeous pink roses & lillies.

It was great to have my mom (Luci) here last week to help with us with work around the house & the baby.

And now, we have Cort's mom (Carol) here this week to do the same.

Having them around has made me appreciate each of them so much.

Whatever else is unsure in this stinking dunghill of a world a mother's love is not.~James Joyce

Caroline's Birthday

2009-04-29T17:58:00.000-07:00

Introducing Caroline Reese Sommerville!!!

Born on 4/29/09 @ 12:35 p.m. CST

Click Here for more Photos

Weighing in at 7 lbs 2 oz and measuring 20.5 inches

Mom's First Look

The Nursery

2009-04-28T20:22:00.000-07:00

Thanks to the INCREDIBLY generous presents from our friends and family, we are physically prepared to meet our little girl.

The furniture is a mish-mash of thrift store finds that we've refinished (check out the 3-day job on the dresser!), sweet deals we have found, art from Mindy Herman (painting & mobile), & items we've recycled from around the house--it has really come together.

As you can see, we had a huge aversion to the main color of "pink" in the nursery, despite the fact that our baby is a girl. We found the light green & blue colors we picked, restful & we hope they will inspire the baby to sleep. Plus, she will be wearing plenty of pink!

We have come to our last night as alone as a couple without a baby & as much as we are enjoying it, we are also anxious & excited....thank you all for your prayers & encouragement. More pictures to come--we will keep you posted.

Nesting in the Home Stretch, Countdown Begins

2009-04-23T06:06:00.001-07:00

Those of us who have been pregnant know that pregnancy consists of not 9 months, as previously thought, but 10 months! So imagine our delight to be in the last week (well, especially the mom-to-be since pregnancy has been kinda rough).

Cort & I have been going out to eat a lot, watching movies, hanging out with friends, & getting projects done in preparation for the big day. It's been a really fun last few weeks.

I am in obvious disbelief that my stomach could stretch this far.

This is a side profile view at 38 weeks:

Tired, but happy:

Cort & I are anxious & excited about this last week.....I am in "nesting" mode especially--doing weird things (that I just can't stop!) such as scraping paint off windows or trimming the hedges.

Here is our "work zone" on the porch, where we still have a dresser & mirror to refinish (thank you Craigslist.com):

We've put about half the loot together......

And this is baby's resting place for a couple months:

Hospital bags 75% done.....almost time!

We will keep you all posted of any news to come. I have my last OB visit today (hurrah!) & for those of you that are wondering, I am dilated & effaced.

In conclusion, I would like to thank the girls in my life. My friends have been a pillar of support & encouragement. Thank you girls for all the help & advice. I love you all!!!: Sara, Kelly, Jaclyn, Kaylee, Julie, Jen, Heather R. & Heather C., Lila, Mindy, Karin, Christina, and Shellie.

Living Vicariously Through My Parents.....aaah, Italy!

2009-04-18T08:25:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited that my parents have finally taken their Italy trip that they've talked about for YEARS! This is the trip that Mom & Dad had planned to take prior to Mom's lymphoma diagnosis. The trip was cancelled & sadly, Mom started chemo. Three years later, they're off to Sardinia, Rome, & the Amalfi Coast & Mom is in remission--God is good!

For those of you that don't know, prior to Dad arriving in the states, he was "adopted" by a wonderful family in Italy for a few years. Nino, Laura & Eugenio and their families have always been Dad's love & "second family."

Here are some pictures of their trip so far---can't wait for them to get back & show us more!

Move Over Martha!

2009-04-16T12:49:00.000-07:00

Just kidding.....in my quest to find nursery furniture on a budget, here is the "before" picture of a $15 thrift store table I found--right after I learned to use the power sander and after I had bleached it.

I think I have a new love affair with power tools.......this is the "AFTER" picture:

I am not an alien....but I am pathetic for a while

2009-04-01T20:35:00.000-07:00

So, we finally bit the bullet & decided to splurge on the surgery for Maggie's eyelift. And, no, it was not to follow in Joan Rivers' footsteps--turns out she had entropia--a condition affecting purebreeds. She is miserable in this plastic collar that she has to wear for almost 10 days. It is a full time job for an almost 9 months pregnant woman to stop her from pulling out her stitches...never mind trying to get her in the car......

Makes me think of what Mom would say: "this hurts me more than it hurts you"....yeah, right!

Maryville Shower/Friends & Family Weekend

2009-03-28T09:02:00.000-07:00

Cort & I headed to East TN for a wonderful weekend. Jane Tolhurst & Vicki Rahn (and their sweet daughters) generously threw together a Ladies Spring Baby Brunch for me--5 weeks before my due date--so a perfect time to get us ready for little baby Sommerville's appearance.

We had even more family come in--Jim & Jaclyn Colburn, Grandma Marje, Patti & Dixie, and Cassi & Katie came down as well--it was a nice opportunity to see them. My mom (Lucia) was able to fly down for the event too so it was very special--here she is enjoying sun outside of Chicago:

While us girls were at the shower, the men stayed behind with the kiddies & went to visit a gunsmith. They had a good time discussing & learning about guns (for those that weren't Paul)......and the kids fell asleep in their strollers. Sorry, no pictures of that......

Special mention must be made to the beautiful, custom-made, artwork painted by Mindy Herman for our nursery--thank you, Mindy--this is so beautiful!

And here is my fabulous mother in law who hosted a full house this weekend:

And the other stars of the weekend, Tyler & Elle:

As a result of this fabulous shower, some of our very dearest friends were able to come down & meet us for the weekend. In addition to our awesome sisters- and brothers- in law (Jen & Ryan, Heather & Brad), Paul & Erinn Myers, Mindi Rahn, Kate Tolhurst, Lila Didenko, Ryan & Mindy Herman, Celisha Gerber, Cami & Eric Smith....and I know I'm forgetting some others but my pregnancy amnesia is hitting again.....in any case, we had an awesome time & left with heavy hearts to be so far away from those whom we love.....

For those that haven't seen how big my belly has been lately, here is a side shot--really scary--I'm worried we'll have a big baby on our hands!

Parting shot....

Memphis Shower

2009-03-26T19:33:00.000-07:00

My sweet, sweet friends threw a shower for me here in Memphis. Kelly Davenport, Erin Sturdivant, & Jaclyn Bergeron (all wives of residents) put together a great get-together at Kelly's house and these wonderful & kind girls that came delighted me with their lovely baby gifts to welcome our new addition. It was a truly humbling experience for me & I was very touched.

Here are some pics from the shower--including the cakes that Jaclyn made (who may have a new career if internal medicine internship year disappoints):

Kitchen Remodel Complete

2009-03-12T21:24:00.000-07:00

Our kitchen is about 95% done (still have a little caulking to do).....but we are thrilled to have more space, new appliances, and a workable kitchen! Here are pictures of our new space:

To recap, through this project, we have collectively (ok, Cort more than I) learned to:

Hang drywall
Tile
Grout
Caulk
Paint
Add undercounter lights and drill through cabinets
Hang pendant lights

A big "shout-out" goes to Lewis & Carol for coming to help us with our never-ending projects....including yardwork, painting, errands, and garage organization--not sure we could have finished without their help! They went through great lengths.......

In addition to the madness of the kitchen work, our neighbor frantically ran over because her husband had been electrocuted & passed out while doing remodelling work of their own.....so off went the doctors (Cort & Lewis) to the rescue.....there was a lot of commotion on the street (police cars, firetrucks, ambulance--apparently they had heard "shot", not "shocked"). In the end, everyone was ok and we were glad we'd hired an electrician after all.

There were definite problems with the remodel (as any remodel will give you), but we survived and we're pleased with the results.

Happy Birthday Cort!

2009-03-04T10:39:00.000-08:00

We woke up to MORE snow on Cort's birthday! It is the 3rd snowfall this year & most likely, our last. Cort enjoyed a chocolate-nut-rum cake (made by Christina) and he spent the weekend working on grouting/caulking--what a trooper! We will definately do something more special next year that does not include manual labor......

The pets also decided to make a little more progress in their relations--they spent an hour or so in the same room, on the same surface, without any hissing or barking. We were very proud. Obvious negotiations had taken place to commemorate the occasion of Cort's birthday.

Here is a little video showing how excited Maggie was to have more snow:

February 24: Anca Turns 30

2009-02-25T09:38:00.000-08:00

Everything I know I learned after I was thirty. - Georges Clemenceau

I had always imagined that I would spend my 30th birthday in Paris with the love of my life. So before I can mourn my circumstances....truth be told, my situation is much more fulfilling. Who needs the Eiffle Tower when they can have a new kitchen and a precious little girl in the tummy? A romantic weekend is nothing compared to a lifetime of love....and fortunately, I have the latter.

Though Cort has repeatedly lamented about not taking me on this trip...my husband is a real sweetheart! Besides coming home with these gorgous flowers:

Last night he surprised me with dinner at a middleastern restaurant (my favorite type of food) where he had collectively gathered an ecclectic group of our friends, unbeknownst to me. It was great to see so many wonderful faces come to celebrate a small milestone in my life (yes, I was a deer in headlights). On top of that....I found several cards with various little presents in different parts of the house & car...including 30 songs for 30 years! Thanks honey! I am so lucky to have you--I don't care how cheesy it sounds--YOU are my bestest present.

And thank you to Kelly Davenport for the strawberry cupcakes that started my morning in our bible study class & Jaclyn Bergeron for the chocolate cake--girls, you are such wonderful friends!

Recently, someone asked me if I was depressed about turning 30. It really got me thinking.....the truth is, I'm really not. The twenties were equally fabulous & challenging. They were about self-discovery, dating & getting married, trudging through an education, building a career, traveling, learning patience & mainly living for myself. The 30's will be somewhat different: I hope they will be more about selfless-ness, family, spirituality & prioritized living. And I can't wait!

So, I find myself asking on the precipice of a new decade: what do I need to do to achieve true grace & beauty that only the lucky few receive with age (and I don't mean a surgically-enhanced, starved-slim, mindless, socialite fashionista that our culture considers "beautiful")? (Feel free to send me input.)

Turning 30
This is for all you girls 30 years and over....and for those who are turning 30, and for those who are scared of moving into their 30's! (This was written by Andy Rooney from CBS' 60 Minutes)

As I grow in age, I value women who are over 30 most of all. Here are just a few reasons why:

A woman over 30 will never wake you in the middle of the night to ask, "What are you thinking?". She doesn't care what you think.

If a woman over 30 doesn't want to watch the game, she doesn't sit around whining about it. She does something she wants to do. And, it's usually something more interesting.

A woman over 30 knows herself well enough to be assured in who she is, what she is, what she wants and from whom.

Few women past the age of 30 give a damn what you might think about her or what she's doing.

Women over 30 are dignified. They seldom have a screaming match with you at the opera or in the middle of an expensive restaurant. Of course, if you deserve it, they won't hesitate to shoot you, if they think they can get away with it.

A woman over 30 has the self-assurance to introduce you to her women friends. A younger woman with a man will often ignore even her best friend because she doesn't trust the guy with other women. Women over 30 couldn't care less if you're attracted to her friends because she knows her friends won't betray her.

Once you get past a wrinkle or two, a woman over 30 is far sexier than her younger counterpart. Older women are forthright and honest. They'll tell you right off if you are a jerk if you are acting like one! You don't ever have to wonder where you stand with her.

So friends, let's toast the 30's!!!!

Week 4: Kitchen is 75% done

2009-02-23T08:46:00.000-08:00

As can be seen above, the granite is in, the backsplash has been done by Cort (and thanks to Andy's help), and appliances are finally in.

In my last Bible study, the mention of being grateful for the machines in our life has really taken on new meaning for me.....have we ever stopped to thank God for the machines in our home? I don't think I have before. Can you imagine how much more difficult our lives would be without these washers & dryers, blenders & food processors, hair dryers, trash compactors & dishwashers? Wow! We are truly blessed!

More pictures to be posted after the grout & painting are finished & we can see the last of the electrician (whew! shoulda been an electrician--they charge a lot!).

Super Duper Superbowl

2009-02-09T07:26:00.000-08:00

Meant to post this sooner to thank the Sturdivants, but we are so glad Joe & Erinn are back from Birmingham (first two pics below with baby Connor).....their superbowl parties are the best. Most of us (except for Ben--see below with "mini-me") were rooting for Kurt Warner & the Arizona Cardinals....which unfortunately, did not come to pass.

This is what was left after the hungry crowd assembled for the game:

Demolition & Installation

2009-02-06T08:50:00.000-08:00

Day 2:

Day 3: Drywall needed to patch up wall. Guess who did it?

Here is the "BEFORE" picture:

During:

And "AFTER":

DAY 3:

And the demolition begins.....

2009-01-30T12:14:00.001-08:00

DAY ONE: Second group of plumbers I've seen this week came to put in the gas line (the first group fixed the leak in the ceiling--yes, there's always something to fix in an older house).

No more electric range-yay!!! Never thought I'd be excited to say "I've got gas!!!"

Winter Fairy Tale Setting

2009-01-28T09:05:00.000-08:00

Even though we may be feeling a bit under the weather, the backyard looks like a winter wonderland this morning!

The Colburn Caravan

2009-01-26T08:50:00.000-08:00

Ryan, Jen, Brad, Heather, Elle & Tyler hit the road to come visit us in Memphis. Here is their travel vehicle taking up our ENTIRE driveway--looks very comfortable!

We had a wonderful visit and were reminded again how blessed we are to have family. The visit gave us a little preview of what life will be like with kids and pets. Maggie behaved very well--keeping a safe distance from the kids. Here is Tyler & Elle petting the animals and plotting how to get through the cat door.

And yes, Maggie was a giant compared to the kids.

Cort decided to watch Max Lucado's Hermie & Friends with the kids on Sabbath morning:

And of course, here are some pictures of us doing what we do best: eating & hanging out.

The guys were even nice enough to watch the kids to allow us girls to run out for a couple hours. We loved having everyone over! Can't wait for next time.

Snow in Memphis!

2009-01-20T08:43:00.000-08:00

Okay, so this is probably a pathetic snowfall, but it's our first this year. Granted it only lasted half a day.....yet, no one in the city seems to be able to drive in it. The streets were empty and panic reigned on the airwaves. I realized that these are the times to get errands done! Here are some pics of the backyard & neighborhood:

Going to see the Grizzlies

2009-01-14T09:50:00.000-08:00

One of Cort's attending physicians generously gave him tickets to the Grizzlies & Cavaliers game. We decided to take advantage of them (as we are squeezing in activities that cannot be done with a baby) and took Ronnie & Jessica and had a great time sitting in the comfy boxed seats! Now, that's the way to enjoy the game! Too bad the Cavaliers pounded the Grizzlies with a score of 102 to 87.

Starting 2009 in Portland: Happy New Year!

2009-01-05T12:35:00.000-08:00

This was our second trip to Portland within a year. We went to visit the Gareys and rang in the New Year together in their lovely new home on the side of Mount Scott. We went all over Portland to discover great places to eat, shop, and hang out. Eating out in Portland is always an adventure: Mexican, German, Lebanese, etc. We discovered Powell's books and again had some great Voodoo Donuts--something that remained in our memory from the first trip. Misha and I even got a fun spa afternoon to relax. Jason & Misha were wonderful hosts! Did I mention that Misha is a really good cook? Well, she is!

Here is picture of their neighborhood in the mornings:

This is at Cupcake Jones. We had to it compare against Saint Cupcake too! (two best in town)

Check out my burgeoning belly below--the baby kicked Misha hard (I wish I had a camera on her face!). Cort felt the baby kick for the first time too! That was awesome!

Christa & Matt came down from Seattle to hang out for a while too. We went to Multonmah Falls in the Columbia River Gorge to view the second tallest year round waterfall in the nation.

We also visited the Willamette Valley again--a beautiful, hilly, countryside that reminded us of Wears Valley. This valley is home to 70% of Oregon's population and is bordered by the Oregon coast and the Cascade mountains. The Willamette Valley is a great agricultural area responsible for growing many of the country's Christmas trees, hops, hazelnuts, many varieties of berries (including Marian berries) and vegetables.

I just finished reading "The Shack"--the setting for the book was set in this area. Here are some pictures from the valley:

After a winery tour, Jason & Misha decided to buy an old barrel. Many people use them for furniture and planting once the French oak barrels reach their 5-year usage. We were told that a brand new oak barrel costs the winery over $2,000.

After weeks of snow and rain, parts of the valley were flooded and even some roads were under water. We had to take some detours:

And ended the day with a rainbow!

We are looking forward to our next visit with the baby!

Christmas & A Little GIRL!!!!!!!!

2008-12-18T21:34:00.001-08:00

The best Christmas present of all: final confirmation of our sweet, little, baby GIRL:

Baby is 13 ounces, healthy, and heartbeat at 132. She turned to look at the camera in one of the pictures (face to face with her mommy!). Most of you voted for a boy (24/44), but I guess God gave us what He knew we needed.

In the meantime, not to be outdone, here is Maggie's Holiday Photo Shoot.........

Glamour shot of Maggie shaking herself off like a supermodel:

Being coy....

Sprawled out as if on a beach.....

Here are the signs of Christmas at our house.....

Gingerbread Lattes:

Tree lit up....

Cookies for the neighbors:

Stockings awaiting Santa...guess who's been naughty and who's been good.....:

Time with friends:

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM OUR HOUSE TO YOURS!

Early Christmas

2008-12-08T06:21:00.000-08:00

We had a lovely weekend with the Sommervilles in East TN---enjoying an early Christmas (since Cort will be working most of the holiday week this year). The girls went shopping and out to lunch on Friday while the boys were on baby-sitting duty. On Saturday, we enjoyed a nice visit from the Rahns--it was great to see Mindi back from Australia! This weekend, we ate, watched football, listened to Christmas music and were thoroughly entertained by the little girl in the group.

The star of our weekend, Elle,...well, "Elle-Belly" after we watched her eat all kinds of things (Carol & Lewis took us out to a delicious dinner at the Foothills Milling Company):

Of course, we enjoyed our favorite tradition--FONDUE!

Cort and I were generously given a start to some baby needs....teething rings, baby cream, Christmas outfits, baby books and cds, and stuffed animals (thank you!!!):

Elle even recognized some of the loot.....

Besides eating (did I mention Carol's amazing toffee?), other activities this weekend included sleeping and reading..

Elle is able to say "Cort"...here she is with her proud uncle:

We even had a "white weekend"---it snowed!

Merry Christmas!

Baby Update!!!

2008-12-02T16:47:00.000-08:00

Just left the doctor's office.....results are inconclusive.....sorry for being anticlimactic everybody! However, we are pretty sure it's a GIRL (that's two technicians' opinions). Baby was covering its private parts and kept its legs together most of the time.

We are really excited!!!! Everything looked okay (heart, kidneys, spinal chord, etc.).....our baby seems healthy at about 7 ounces (sleeping with her booty up in the air)....and I can feel her moving in the evenings and sometimes early mornings. She seems be a night owl like her daddy. If the doctor tells me it's a boy at the next visit, I may just fall off the table--but we aren't rushing out to buy pink just yet. Please continue to keep us in your prayers.

We suspected the baby may be girl for a few weeks now and have been dreaming about whether our little girl will have my skin and eyes, Cort's height and smile....all kinds of things. Mostly, we just hope for a healthy baby (as any new parents would).

The soon-to-be mom is doing pretty well--wanting to nest and start on the baby's room! I'm not quite waddling yet, but sleeping is getting a bit more uncomfortable. So far the cravings have been for chocolate and salty/sour combinations like sauerkraut...yes, I know that's weird. She wants what she wants! The soon-to-be dad is pillar of support and has even run out to pick up meals when I was too sick to cook.

Since I have been incessantly asked by my girlfriends....ladies, here are a couple pictures of my burgeoning belly (at 18 weeks):

Almost halfway through the pregnancy now!

Turkey Day Gratitude

2008-11-30T17:13:00.000-08:00

Our holiday was nice and relaxing. My parents drove down from Chicago and I did all the cooking. Thanksgiving menu included horseradish mashed potatoes, sweet corn & wild rice, roasted tomatoes with ricotta & goat cheese, crunchy green beans with roasted red peppers in ranch sauce, spiced cranberry sauce, mushroom gravy, and this is where I cheated: a hickory smoked turkey from Corky's. Of course, Mom left us with cabbage rolls...yum!

Maggie enjoyed some treats and was successfully bribed with some new toys so that she'd finally leave the pillows alone. She has proven to take after her European mom and is a water snob...preferring instead to chew on a perrier bottle.

The men worked on Friday--Cort at Baptist and Dad at home.....

Dad & Cort were able to make the pets very happy this weekend by installing a cat door for spencer and building Maggie an elevated food table. Here is a picture of the men at work with Maggie inspecting:

Here is the picture of the cradle Dad was nice enough to put together for us:

So, taking stock of my emotional inventory....here are the big & little stuff I'm grateful for this year:

1) That I married such a stud.....attractive & useful! How did I get so lucky???

2) This kinda surprising, amazing, pregnancy (no matter how sucky the pregnancy symptoms, what a privelege it is to carry a child God knew before He formed it!)
3) That we have sweet pets that are such good companions

4) That we found a crib on Craig's list and Cort won't have to spend weekend after weekend working on a project that would have cost us more money

5) That we have such good friends who are an extension of our family despite how far they live(although, it sure is nice to have friends near wine country....)

6) That my mom is still in remission from her lymphoma......3 years and CTs are clean...thank you Lord!!! (here is a picture of my pretty mom washing dishes for me all weekend since the dishwasher is on the fritz)

7) That we have siblings--also a sister and brother in law who have been through just about everything we have and can relate

8) That we have parents that love each other and will be such good grandparents (here's Mike & Luci eating barbeque this weekend at Neely's:)

9) That Cort can do my ultrasound and we saw our baby sucking its thumb and yawning! How cool is that?

10) That I was able to leave a high-stress corporate job with my wits about me :)

11) That Cort has a good schedule compared to other residencies (too bad we're too tired to do anything too productive!). Here's a picture of Cort building Maggie a bed frame:

12) That God has created a cozy and comfort season (yes, the days are shorter, but then we get to be home and with our loved ones)

13) That I have the ability to read......the world is at my fingertips.....I highly recommend the book I'm reading: "The Shack"

14) That I didn't have to rake my leaves this year (it took 5 men over an hour!!!)

15) That our church has neat young people and it is warm & loving

16) That my cousin Matt got into nursing school in Florida....one more person into the healthcare fold (congrats!)

17) That my aunt and uncle were able to get my grandma into a hard-to-enter nursing home in Romania to give my family peace-of-mind (evenwhile enduring travel woes of having a tree fall on their car!)
18) That my father in law will finally stop working himself to death (and instead comes to our house for a "worker bee" weekend--thank you so much Lewis!!--not quite fair, is it?)

19) That we will have another niece or nephew :) Way to go Heather & Brad! And that Elle made it to one and Tyler to two this fall.
20) That I see my imperfections every day to make me realize how much I need God....

Anyway, hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2008-11-25T09:45:00.000-08:00

May your stuffing be tasty,

May your turkey plump,

May your potatoes and gravy

Have never a lump.

May your yams be delicious,

And your pies take the prize,

And may your Thanksgiving dinner

Stay off your thighs!

Okay, so if you're part of our family, you already know this, but Cort is seriously into reading the "REAL" Thanksgiving story every year. If you haven't read it yet, I urge you to go ahead and read it:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1742553/posts

I'm a Free Woman! (well, sorta)

2008-11-15T12:07:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was my last day at work. It was bittersweet, as I have worked for this company for the last 4.5 years. The office surprised me with a cake. I said good-bye to the 11 field monitors that I managed (and my wonderful administrative assistant) and walked out of the gray corporate world rich with experiences and fond memories. The monitors have been wonderful to work with and I have been humbled and challenged through the experience. I'm putting the work thing aside to be a stay-at-home-mom (well, at least for a while). Can't wait to start on some long overdue projects!

It's been a wild ride, but I'm ready for some peace & quiet. Ha, ha, right? Considering in less than 6 months I'll be caring for an infant! Hopefully, the puppy thing will have worked itself out by then. Check out what awaited me at home this week--time for new toys (she's already chewed her new bed too!):

Introducing Maggie the Gentle Giant

2008-11-09T18:33:00.000-08:00

Cort and I made a 16 hour pilgrimeage to Kentucky over the weekend to pick up our "baby"---a 9-month old Great Dane we've adopted. She will be known to us as "Maggie," after Margaret Thatcher. We have instituted a tradition of naming our animals after political figures. (Spencer was the founder of the Libertarian party). She thinks her name is "MAGGIE NO."

Cort deserved a treat for taking a pregnant woman and an intestinally-challenged dog on such a long car ride. It was a gorgeous autumn day, but we had to stop every hour to go to the bathroom (courtesy of baby in utero) and had a diarrhea incident to clean up (courtesy of Maggie, cleaned up by Cort, dry heaves by myself). Then again, maybe I deserve a treat too for not once saying "I can't believe I gave in to the Great Dane YOU wanted." In the end, only Maggie got a treat because her parents were too pooped to do anything but crash.

Maggie is in need of some training, but she's very sweet and has to be near me or Cort at all times. She's kind of needy for attention so it makes it hard to get some things done. I have to watch her at all times--I guess this is good preparation for a child. She loves to shred paper, chew socks, and apparently takes after us as she has already gotten into a cup of coffee left on the table--I turned around for a second and the next thing I know she's licking it up excitedly.

She manipulates me better than Cort--I need to become "mean old mom". One look at those puppy eyes and I give in. She and I go for walks and she likes to lean on me if we stop. Everyone stares at her and asks us what kind of dog she is. Probably because she has a big head and walks funny.

She and Spencer (the cat) have already touched noses and like to be near each other....they have "stare downs"--Maggie is a little scared of him---she backs up when he comes near her.

She does, indeed, have something wrong with her eye. It started out as cherry eye and she has had surgery to correct it. Unfortunately, her eye will remain red as another surgery could impair her vision or damage her tear duct. But, we're imperfect too so she's perfect for us.

"Dogs teach us about faith, trust, and devotion. They teach us how to devotedly serve a higher master, how to attend and wait and how to let go of a drudge. But most of all, they teach us about the meaning and experience of unconditional love."
-Lama Surya Das, from the book "Dog is my Co-Pilot"

Happy Late Halloween....

2008-11-04T19:15:00.001-08:00

It's FRIGHT NIGHT at our house as we are watching the election unfold....

Reminds me of our pumpkins.....

We had a fun Halloween gathering at the Daniels a couple weeks ago (thanks guys!)....it was nice to do such a crafty thing to bring out the inner child.....I remembered why I wasn't an "art" major. Had to use a template. Felt like a quitter.

Cort stood back and watched. His powers of observation were especially useful as it got darker and darker and he got ADD with the flashlight....maybe that explains my pumpkin's expression:

Group effort:

Let's hope next year I can use a "level two" template :)

We're Moved In

2008-11-01T09:22:00.000-07:00

Here is Spencer peeking over the door to welcome our guests:

We've made the move to the new (old) house and are finally getting around to posting some pictures. We were fortunate to have some help from both moms with the move--thank you Moms!!

Cort finally got his big screen tv that he's been wanting for 5 years and we've finally upgraded to a new touchscreen computer station in the kitchen. Yay!!

Fall is in bloom at the Sommerville home. We've already had our first football, burger, & chili party with Cort's fellow residents, and enjoyed a fun Halloween night greeting Trick-or-Treaters!

Check out the gorgeous fall mums we've inherited:

However, moving from a new house to an old house presents some adjustments:

1) We can hear trains. How did we miss this? This presented us with some laughs. We've actually gotten used to it after 3 nights and it is surprisingly soothing.
2) Surprise--SEVEN hornet/wasp nests in our attic. My husband, the hero, bravely climbed the stairs to spray the nests and then made a faster-than-the-speed-of-lightening dash back. Day two: called exterminator. In fact, they've already made 3 trips here.
3) Less cabinet space in the kitchen. Wow, I have a lot of kitchen stuff! And I don't know what to do with it! Anyone need a salad spinner?

4) Why is it that an electrician is always needed when buying an older house? Day 3: 5 loads of laundry done.

5) Wow the yard is bigger than we remembered....it is going to be much more work than first thought....
6) IT issues....what a hassle! Our phone is still not hooked up--which has resulted in some wonderfully quiet evenings :)

And some wonderful surprises:

1) Spencer is on sensory overload in the screened porch--finally, a taste of the great outdoors!

2) Herbs in the garden! Wonderful mint drinks and basil pesto already made. Next step: rosemary hummus and tomato basil soup.

3) A big master bedroom where our we can finally fit our armoire.

4) Wood floors and cozy indoor rooms--we're over the cathedral ceilings (been there, done that).

5) Seeing trees on both sides of the house and big picture window to view the backyard while working in kitchen.

6) Shelves in living areas. Eliminates some need for furniture purchases (all about saving some dough).

7) Running errands doesn't take all day/night. Great grocery store nearby. Did I mention that we live about a mile from a gorgeous outdoor shopping area that includes J.Crew, Ann Taylor (& Loft), GAP, Banana Republic, etc.?

8) Cort can get to work in 1o minutes.

9) Our neighbors are wonderful. They brought over food and a housewarming present the first week. Here is a picture of our cul-de-sac:

Not everything is unpacked, but come and visit anyway--we have a great guestroom! More pictures to come later.....we're between cameras now.

BIG NEWS: WE'RE PREGNANT!

2008-10-05T10:45:00.000-07:00

Proud soon-to-be-daddy:

Well........we were surprised and ecstatic to discover that we will be expecting a BABY!!!

We have our first ultrasound picture and have heard a heartbeat: 163 beats per minute!!! It was the most amazing thing to watch that little flicker on the screen and know it was our baby's tiny heartbeat! God is definately in the details.

Baby Sommerville is due by May 2009 and the grandparents are anxious. Cort and I are still wrapping our heads around the idea of being parents, but have decided to share our delightful news with the rest of our friends and family. Please keep us in your prayers.

Having a child is surely the most beautifully irrational act that two people in love can commit.
-Bill Cosby

Keenly Kiawah

2008-09-14T17:33:00.000-07:00

We met the Sommervilles for our annual Kiawah trip this week--luckily, we were able to miss the hurricane altogether and enjoyed warm, sunny days. All of us spent some time on the beach--finding sand in some precarious of places several hours later. And some of us played at the pool with Elle, where she loves to float in a purple hippopatomus contraption. Our sweet niece is now 10 months old, anxious to walk, and very adorable (if we do say so ourselves)!

Cort was able to join the guys in some golf at the Turtle & Osprey courses while us girls had a shopping day. And we all were able to have a celebratory dinner at our favorite restaurant, Al Di La; a favorite Charleston tradition for Cort and I--this is our favorite, romantic, Northern Italian restaurant (that we dream about back home)--where the homemade gnocchi and foccacia melt in your mouth! All in all, it was a delightfully standard family visit at the beach. Check out some of our pics below.

Marshes off the bridges on the long ghost-tree covered way to Kiawah Island:

View from the condo at really high tide:

Lewis, escaping the noise by peacefully reading on the deck:

View from the Sanctuary:

Brunch at Jasmine Porch-another family tradition (must try Anson grits!):

Our sweetie, ready to walk:

In love with Uncle Cort (and obvious wonder):

Half a Garey is Better Than None

2008-09-01T07:17:00.000-07:00

Jason came to stay with us Labor Day weekend while Misha was involved in wedding attendant duties a few hours away. We had a great time discussing the exciting Sarah Palin VP pick, planning some long-term future trips, and eating some good ol' southern food. Jason has even got us trying "soy lattes"--I guess the granola lifestyle did get to him a little......we tried to make up for it and shoved him full of deep-fried hushpuppies, po-boys, and sweet potato fries. Take that Portland!

Here's a picture of Jason and Cort watching football--their favorite pastime:

Meanwhile, we continue to pack.....and live among boxes:

More Good News

2008-08-18T21:02:00.000-07:00

Two more great pieces of news for us.....

1) Cort passed Step 3 Boards!!!

2) We accepted an offer on our house after a little over a month: HOUSE SOLD!!!

Offer Made, Offer Accepted

2008-07-23T18:32:00.000-07:00

Yes, it's true. We're moving to the burbs, folks. Within a 36 hour span, we found a house, went to see it, dragged our realtor into a midnight contract, made an offer and had it accepted. It's somewhat scary considering we still have our home to sell and do not want to carry two mortgages. We are praying that the house sells.......

There's not much to do to the house in terms of "fixing it up" and the backyard overlooks a 10 acre horse and tree farm. The neighborhood is lovely, closer to everything we need, and the house is two blocks away from a park. We're really excited and hopefully we'll be in by the end of September--at which point we'll post more pictures.

Here are the first pictures of our new house:

Celebrating the 4th

2008-07-08T08:15:00.001-07:00

To celebrate Independence Day, we grilled out with friends and drove down to the end of the island to see the fireworks. It isn't a party until you find yourself riding in the cab of a pick-up truck! Erinn also brought the most delicious home-made blackberry pie that certainly deserves a mention.

Been To Beantown-5 Year Anniversary Trip to Boston

2008-07-01T04:45:00.000-07:00

In another impulsive move by the Sommervilles--we picked a random city we'd never explored, got excited about Boston, and booked a trip that very day. Who says we only do things methodically?

Our digs were the modern downtown hotel called Nine Zero (got an amazing deal and we loved it!). When we got in, we had suprise treats from Carol and Lewis and Jen & Ryan; it was the perfect way to relax from all that travelling. Thanks guys!!!!

The hotel overlooked "The Granary"--the resting place of Paul Revere, Sam Adams, Benjamin Franklin's parents and other famous patriots. We had a wonderful time eating superb Italian dinners in Beacon Hill (the North End), riding on the duck tour, and waiting in line at Modern Pastry for chocolate hazelnut torrone. We also traversed the city looking for the best Venezualan restaurant for lunch (Orinoco) and best bakery for breakfast (Flour Bakery).

It was a perfect reminder, in preparation of July 4th, of what an awesome country in which we are able to live. Here are some pictures of Boston (including the pond at Boston Common, sailboats in the Charles River, the glass Holocaust Memorial, ivy-covered Boston College, and one of the oldest churches in the country):

Goings on....

2008-06-23T14:01:00.000-07:00

INTERNSHIP IS OVER

Well, we've had a very busy spring and it looks like the summer isn't letting up. The madness of internship is over TODAY!!! Hallelujah! Cort has had six solid weeks of night call (he said he feels "batty") and suffered a bitter end from the "med karma gods" with some unpleasant patients. I just got back from a stressful business trip (my 4th this spring--lost lugguage and all) and have been dealing with some major drama at work (as I am still trying to master this "management" thing). I now have a new boss--which oddly enough, is my old boss--a wonderful person.

HOUSE

In typical fashion, Cort and I decided that we didn't have enough going on in our life and we've decided to put our house up for sale and start hunting down a new one. So, we find ourselves mulching, purging, and painting. And to add madness to our method (yes, you read that right), we're considering a "fixer upper" (please feel free to talk us out of this option as we have already met with a contractor). Most importantly, Cort is going to have to find a way to schedule in Step 3 Boards. It will all work out though--most of you guys have also dealt with such events and come through relatively sane, right?

VISIT

One bright spot is that we had a fun visit from Kate & Fred Tolhurst on their way out from bone dry California to the sticky humidity of the southeast. And we're looking forward to Jerry's (Kate's boyfriend) stay at the Sommervilla as well.

BLESSING

This is worth mentioning: even though it is strange to us to look back at our circuitous path, we are starting to see small ways in which God took care of us. Especially now when Iowa is is having terrible flooding problems in the exact place Cort interviewed and came close to getting a spot. We could have been dealing with the loss of a home now--so as those unfortunate victims of nature are probably asking, "why us?," we find ourselves asking, "why not us?"

Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion into clarity.... It turns problems into gifts, failures into success, the unexpected into perfect timing, and mistakes into important events. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow.
-Melodie Beattie

Memorial Day Wedding Weekend

2008-05-26T08:02:00.000-07:00

The Choate Wedding Weekend was a total success. The girls in Kathryn's life really enjoyed the Bridal Brunch at Paulette's. That was followed by the Rehearsal Dinner at the Memphis Country Club that same evening. The wedding ceremony was held at Christ United Methodist Church (where Kathryn's parents were married and apparently so was Peyton Manning) and ended with the reception bash at the University Club. Both families did an amazing job to pull together such a beautiful event. Everything went off without a hitch and we all had a wonderful time.

Best News of Our Year: CORT GOT INTO RADIOLOGY RESIDENCY!!!!

2008-05-22T12:00:00.000-07:00

Cort would not say he is afraid of the dark....he's more afraid of the light in the morning (click on the picture above to enlarge and see what I'm talking about). If you can't see the picture above, please click on this:

http://scrubnotes.blogspot.com/2008/03/how-to-choose-medical-specialty.html

This is a super exciting shift for us. Cort has been working nights, and will do so through June as well, until he finishes his internal medicine internship year. Though he is fatigued and we've been anxious for so long, we are now relieved, happy, and at peace.

Cort will be starting radiology residency this July and we have 4 more years in this city--not our first choice by any stretch of the imagination; but obviously this is happening for a reason, and we are learning to trust. Hope this gives all of you even more reason to have faith that there is a plan for your life too!

We welcome the life of Diagnostic Imaging and thank our friends and family for their endless support.

Bittersweet Weekend & Graduation(s)

2008-05-19T07:55:00.000-07:00

Cort & I flew home for a long weekend in order to attend Grandma Minon's memorial service in Maryville, TN. Vilma (Minon's foster daughter from Columbia, where she had been a missionary for many years) and her daughter, Becca, flew out from California to attend. The service that celebrated her life, was beautiful. It included a choral piece from a Union University choir (where she also taught), a picture slide show, a life sketch by her great friend, Larry Rahn, and a reading of her favorite Bible passage: Psalm 103, read by Cort & Jennifer.

We were able to bury Minon's ashes next to "The Thinker"--a modern rendition of Auguste Rodin's famous sculpture created by Wayne Hamm, Carol's brother. Wayne's ashes are also buried next to this sculpture, which had resided outside on the Southern's campus for many years. This is also the campus where Minon taught. In the end, mother was laid next to son and an azalea bush was planted to commemorate the occasion.

It was a pleasure to meet Jerry--Kate's boyfriend. Kate was in our wedding and a great childhood friend and a biochemistry buddy of Cort's. Kate & Jerry were in town prior to graduation (Congrats Kate on your impending graduation from LLU med school next week!!).

Click here for pictures of the weekend.

We were fortunate enough to also be able to attend Cassi's high school graduation (our cousin) in Asheville, NC. We were terribly proud of cousin Cassi who ended up being "student of the year," and graduated with high honors. And, she is following in the family footsteps and attending Southern (our alma mater). Fortunately, or unfortunately, Cassi is also interested in pursuing a career in medicine (may the force be with you Sommerville girl!).

BRUSH WITH FAME:

It was also wonderful to be able to see the extended family, including the Collins' and David & Amy Achata. For those of you who have not seen Amy's claim to fame on Youtube--click on the link below:

http://www.spectrummagazine.org/blog/2008/04/13/he_speaks_pastors_wives_get_their_day_youtube

Anca Working From Home!

2008-05-05T06:53:00.000-07:00

Got some good news on Friday afternoon--I will be working from home 4 days a week! I will go into the corporate office one day a week still for meetings. Those of you that have been keeping up with my work schedule, know that I have been at my wits' end with stress and increasing responsibilities. This is an answer to prayer for us.

Mom came down for the weekend and it was really nice to visit and get some help with catching up on projects! Thank God for mothers.

There's been a lot of back and forth, but we are still waiting on some good news for Cort, so we appreciate your prayers and thank you all!

Texts we've been living:
Psalms 27:14 Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.

Isaiah 40:31 But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

Much Needed Marvelous Mexico

2008-05-01T20:44:00.000-07:00

Vacation time again. Just got back and had the most fabulous and relaxing vacation. More reading, eating, sleeping and hanging out without any interruptions--this is the life (for a week, anyway). Excellence Playa Mujeres has got to be our favorite Mexican resort so far....maybe third time is the charm (although the first two were pretty incredible).....

Best guacomole, wonderful service, beautiful room, perfect weather, no cooking and cleaning for a week....why is it that one feels ready to face the world again after a week by the ocean?

Click here for more pictures of our getaway.

Flood!

2008-04-17T03:38:00.000-07:00

The mighty Mississippi has risen and people keep asking us if our house has flooded. No, we're fine, but check out some pictures I took while driving to work right above (excuse the poor quality)--all the trees are in the water-it's a lake out there! We're super fortunate compared to some poor folks in Arkansas and Mississippi whose crops and homes were ruined. Being on the bluff helps.

Mexican Dinner for Kathryn

2008-04-13T10:31:00.000-07:00

Angela, Jaclyn, Kelly & I arranged a mini Mexican fiesta for our soon-to-be-joined-in-connubiality buddy, Kathryn. She received some fun gifts and we toasted her last days of freedom and impending nuptials. New Orleans should be a great place to visit!

Sad News

2008-04-07T07:49:00.000-07:00

Grandma Minon passed away Friday, May 4. We are so sad not to have been present for her passing. She suffered a stroke and was found to have a pre-existing heart condition. We have been told she did not suffer, but poor Carol has been at the hospital countless hours worrying and carrying for Minon. Grandma Minon was a spry and witty woman. She was a brilliant teacher-beloved by her students and her Sabbath school attendees. She was a great puzzle partner, an avid reader, and a lover of the sweets. She loved her grandchildren dearly and we will miss her. Her memorial service will be held sometime in May and we will be heading back to Maryville for that.

Texas Trip

2008-04-07T03:30:00.000-07:00

Cort and I spent the weekend of the Final Four in San Antonio in April--we may have been the only people in the city NOT there to root for the Memphis Tigers. Hilariously enough, we decided not to stay downtown because of the craziness and ended up at a Kansas City affiliated hotel. Wow. We went for an interview and were sadly informed (at a later time) that the position didn't work out. We have to keep reminding ourselves that God is in control, but yet keep devising a plan.....

Nevertheless, a great time was had exploring the town. We had some fun culinary adventures with fresh tacos and french desserts. And no, there isn't something wrong with that house! The Liberty Bar really IS leaning! We had a wonderful meal there (you really do feel some vertigo walking in) and I took a picture of the stuffed poblano pepper and harvest salad (above). We also drove to Austin for one night, staying on the river, exploring the downtown, eating at a fantastic Cuban restaurant, and checking out the outlets--Cort was a good sport on this latter one.

Hermans come to visit

2008-03-05T20:59:00.000-08:00

It was so great to have the Hermans visit from Chattanooga. They were here for a conference and they brought their sweet toddler, Carter, who behaved like an angel. Ryan works for Southern Adventist University. Mindi is a stay-at-home mom and from the look of things, she's doing a great job! We went out one night downtown to show them a few of our haunts (including the Cheesecake Corner) and then had them over another night for burgers--anyone that knows me realizes I have come a long way if I am just serving burgers and chips, ha, ha! We all discovered what a huge fan of chocolate Carter is.

Birthday Celebration in the Pacific Northwest

2008-03-04T06:53:00.000-08:00

A decision was made to celebrate out of town....our birthdays are four days apart and we realized that the late twenties feel a lot different than the early twenties. For example, we know we are getting older because:

1) We considered buying a Volvo.
2) We actually think the Rolling Stones is a pretty good band.
3) We found ourselves discussing our 401K over dinner.
4) Most of our friends are having kids or have had them-yikes!

So, curious to see what all the fuss was about in the Pacific Northwest (see pictures here), we had a grand visit in what we discovered was an amazing part of our country. Our days were spent with our friends, Jason & Misha Garey, (who had recently moved up there) visiting landmarks and restaurants around Portland, Oregon. Some of the activities included a late night jaunt toVoodoo Donuts (famous and unbelievably, sinfully good--even Anthony Bourdain thought so!), a visit to Pittock Mansion, and an introduction to neighborhood coffee shops.

Cannon Beach was not to be missed. On the way over, we stopped at Tillamook Dairy Factory and sampled some ice-cream and various cheeses. We took our cheese and various sundries for a cold picnic overlooking Cannon Beach. When we were finished eating, we went down to fly a kite on the desolate beach and see Haystack Rock up close and personal. Haystack Rock is the third largest monolith in the world and was used in the opening scene of the Goonies movie.

Maybe my favorite part of our trip was the two days Cort and I spent in the Willamette Valley--wonderfully unpretentious and charming. Cort and I drove through the countryside, off gravel roads, and up and down the Dundee Hills area. In the end, we decided we could live here and devised a plan to buy some land with fruit-bearing trees and vines and sell the fruit to local businesses. Now it's a matter of convincing our friends and family to help....they didn't seem as enthusiastic as we were.

One evening, after an incredible Cuban meal, the four of us drove up to Seattle for a couple days and stayed downtown. We got a great deal on the Hotel Vintage Park, ate fresh sushi at midnight, explored the city on foot, and went up in the space needle--what views! Not to be missed, was a culinary walking tour through Pike Place Market where we tasted the market's delicacies--including the world's best mac & cheese, smoked salmon pierogis, and then hot melted chocolate with cloves. We learned the difference between a boy and girl eggplant, sampled various cherries, almonds, and cheesecakes, and then headed out to Serious Pie--a pizza place with a brick oven grill. On our last day, we visited "The Locks" to see where the salmon swim from the mountains into the ocean. Lastly, we drove out to the Puget Sound. It was an unbelievable visit and we cannot wait to return.

Starting the year...

2008-02-05T18:15:00.000-08:00

We spent Christmas in Maryville, where we were able to catch up with the Tolhurst Girls (see above), Mindi Rahn, and all the Runnes. Carol hosted a lovely dessert party. It was wonderful to see baby Elle who is growing like a weed and rock her to sleep! We got to have our traditional fondue dinner and Cort and I even made pomegranate panna cottas for the family. We also watched our European videos (entertaining only to us). I helped Grandma Minon with a puzzle and the rest of the time us kids pretty much zonked out, so it made this time very worth the drive!

January has been miserably hard for Cort who has been working in the wards again and bringing home colds--not fun. Other than that, we've been having dinners with our friends, anxiously watching the elections, and planning for the rest of the year. I even drove up to St. Louis to get us a new car--a silver SUV!

New Years & Christmas Message to Our Friends and Family:

2007-12-04T18:32:00.000-08:00

Glory to God in highest heaven,
Who unto man His Son hath given;
While angels sing with tender mirth,
A glad new year to all the earth.
~Martin Luther

The holidays represent the time of year when we look forward to re-connecting with all our friends and family. Cort and I love to receive your cards, letters, and pictures! When we are priveleged enough to be included into your lives, we rejoice in your successes and sympathize with you during your trials.

As we reflect on the "busy-ness" of 2007, we are reminded that our life, full of work, bills, housework, errands and the inability to "catch up" is not meant to be perfect! But THE PLAN is perfect. Through the grace that the birth of Christ gave us, there is a better life outside our world and our lives are destined for a greater purpose. So for 2008, let us acknowledge that every day is another chance for us to do better, to increase our faith, to know our Lord.
May the previous year be a reminder of the glorious blessings bestowed upon us and may we develop a more grateful heart starting in 2008. We hope that your families experience much joy in the coming year.

"One resolution I have made, and try always to keep, is this: To rise above the little things." ~John Burroughs

For the new year, we will aim to keep the above resolution. We urge you to do the same.

Merry Christmas & A Happy New Year!

A Bluff Thanksgiving

2007-11-23T09:42:00.000-08:00

Since Cort had to be on call over the weekend, we spent the holiday with our friends and neighbors. And it was finally cold enough to feel like Thanksgiving! We had the Macy's Day Parade on, drank gingerbread lattes, and my friend, Kelly Daniel, and I cooked all day.

We made: roast turkey, sourdough dressing, gravy (Carol, I did it!!), corn souffle with ricotta and basil, orange-cranberry sauce with mulled spices, horseradish chive and sour cream mashed potatoes, green beans with fennel, almonds and goat cheese, and roasted root vegetables in acorn squash. We even had fun with the appetizers too: walnut-pesto stuffed mushrooms and port-poached rosemary quince on polenta with blue cheese. Poor James (Daniel) had worked all day and Kathryn joined us halfway through the meal--her last single Thanksgiving!!

Cort and I have instituted some new traditions into our family for the Thanksgiving holiday: after dinner, we went around the table and noted what we were grateful for in the previous year. Then Cort read the "real" Thanksgiving history (we've been reading this since our first year of marriage)--the story NOT presented in our schools. Read the story here. We brought our desserts (an apple, cranberry, and pineapple crisp with vanilla bean ice-cream and a bourbon gingersnap pumpkin cheesecake) over to our neighbors house (D & Kiren) where they had a house full of guests and we played trivia late into the night.

Things Cort and I are thankful for this year:

1) My mom (Luci) is in remission from her lymphoma--2 years in fact. What a relief.
2) We have a nephew AND a niece--what a privilege!
3) We live in the United States of America--a free country--thank God for capitalism.
4) My love for speed has not culmintated in any more speeding tickets in the last few years.
5) When our plans don't quite work and life feels frustrating. It is then that we learn to trust God and have faith. We've had a lot of that this year.

Kathryn & Stephen are Engaged!

2007-11-17T07:59:00.000-08:00

Just wanted to fully exclaim our joy to our great friends Kathryn Finnern and Stephen Choate. We're looking forward to Memorial Weekend. I'm looking forward to being a bridesmaid again. Here's to hoping that wedding plans don't make you guys crazy.....Stephen, I can't believe you're taking my sweet friend to New Orleans. I am going to have to find another Spanish-speaking, fun-loving, practical, pottery-painting, buddy.

Meet Me in St. Louis

2007-11-11T23:50:00.000-08:00

We decided (on the spur of the moment) to drive up to St. Louis for the weekend. We got to spend part of our time with our good friends, Jeff and Shannon Longshore, who have recently moved there. They visited us a couple months back and now it was our turn :) We went to their loft downtown where Shannon had cooked the most fantastic fall meal for us.

We don't really have a fall in Memphis, so it was wonderful to experience the crisp weather and the myriad of colors on the trees. On Sabbath, we walked around Forest Park (which is technically 500 acres bigger than Central Park) and went to the Bodyworlds exhibit, #3. This exhibit was FANTASTIC! Granted, Cort and Shannon, being physicians, had seen the wonder of the human body in-depth before, but the exhibit was also artistic. It left us remembering Psalm 139:14: "I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works, and my soul knows very well." We walked away feeling the actual meaning behind this text. The original Hebrew text, the word 'fearfully' means: with great reverence and heart-felt interest and respect. The word 'wonderfully' means: unique, set apart, uniquely marvelous. If anyone has an opportunity to see this exhibit, do so!

Saturday evening, we went up to Bailey's Chocolate Bar in Lafayette Square for some treats (the restaurant wall looked like chocolate ribbons). And we also visited St. Louis' famous Italian-restaurant area called "The Hill." Dinner was had at family-owned, Larusso's--a great experience. Everyone went nuts for the squash ravioli with blue cheese and dried cherries and also the crispy spinach--what "novel" ideas. We loved returning to St. Louis (where we have spent an anniversary weekend as well) since it has a real "big city" feel. Much to Cort's chagrin, we came back with a carful of groceries from Trader Joe's and ran over a deer on the way home.

Celebrating an Engagement dowtown

2007-11-08T19:10:00.000-08:00

Ronnie & Jessica got engaged! We went downtown to celebrate at Bluefin-a great sushi lounge. We all kind of knew that it was a matter of time that these two wonderful friends would realize they were meant for each other and it's a relief they thought so too! What a blessing to find each other--we're looking forward to the big day.

Hello Elle!

2007-11-08T18:48:00.000-08:00

Our first niece is born! We've been waiting her arrival and she's made it--Jenelle Carolyn Colburn ("ELLE") was born at 2:18 pm on November 8, 2007 to Cort's sister, Jennifer, and her husband Ryan. Elle weighed 8 lbs 5 1/2 oz and was 21 inches long. We are half expecting Elle to speak Italian by the middle of next year after spending part of her first trimester in Europe. Her mommy was a trooper! We are looking forward to spoiling this baby.

Java, Java, Java!!

2007-10-28T18:27:00.000-07:00

We came back from Italy with a big twitch. Couple that with Cort's study time in coffee shops - and presto - we find ourselves with an early Christmas present to each other: a super-automatic Italian espresso machine! Because, let's face it, we're far too impatient to get one that doesn't grind its own beans. So far, we've been practicing the strengths--too weak, too strong, just about right Goldilocks.... We're learning to froth the milk--no need for Starbucks anymore. The crema (top caramel-colored foam) is beautiful. We're experimenting with syrups--pumpkin spice latte, here we come! So come on over for a cup...... See more photos.

Anca Has A New Job

2007-09-26T18:18:00.000-07:00

September news: I started a new position as the Manager of Clinical Monitoring with the medical device company I have been doing consulting work for the last 3+ years. I currently manage 11 monitors in the Spinal & Biologics Division. Often the days are overwhelming, but I find the work fun and challenging. Process improvement is often a dirty job. Apparently, part of working in corporate America means being in meetings all the time and eating oatmeal in the car on the way to work. My travel has decreased to a few trips a year and I now live with a blackberry (we refer to it as my "crack-berry"). My good friend Kelly Davenport (who's also my travel buddy) makes my life better and the trials bearable by working with me.

We are absolutely certain that God has led with this transition and it's been a real blessing to have a regular schedule. What a great thing it is for our need to be known before we even asked--good thing to remember when there are difficult days.

Perspective: Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men. -Colossians 3:23

Goodbye to Friends

2007-08-30T06:59:00.000-07:00

"Your friend is the man who knows all about you, and still likes you." -- Elbert Hubbard

Just wanted to say good-bye to Paul & Erinn Myers. You brought us here and now you leave us here. Good luck in OB residency and policing the streets of Charlotte. You will be missed.

Good-bye to Jason & Misha Garey. Hope you sell that house! Best wishes on dentistry and changing the face of Portland newspapers. You will be missed as well. Hope you guys don't go too "granola" on us.

"Some people come into our lives and quickly go. Some stay for awhile and leave footprints on our hearts. And we are never, ever the same."-- Anonymous

Cort's Intern Year: What Have I Gotten Myself Into??

2007-06-15T18:22:00.000-07:00

Well, that's his thought anyway. We came back from our European vacation and Cort was thrown into the fire--so to speak. He started his internship year as an Internal Medicine Intern in the medicine wards for the first 3 months. Working at The Elvis Presley Memorial Trauma Center ("the Med") has been an experience--it is a level-one trauma center, the third busiest trauma center in the country (right behind Cook County and Grady). Being on call has been challenging--especially 36 hour call. I, as his wife, am really proud of him: he has worked a few 100+ hour weeks and rarely complains. Working with such an indigent population has put things in perspective for us: we are truly privileged and blessed. And we are, like Dave Ramsey says, "better than we deserve."

Ralph Waldo Emerson:
Don't waste life in doubts and fears; spend yourself on the work before you, well assured that the right performance of this hour's duties will be the best preparation for the hours and ages that will follow it.

Cruisin' the Mediterranean

2007-05-27T19:21:00.000-07:00

Our two weeks in Europe were exhillarating! Mom & Dad Sommerville took us to Europe to celebrate Cort finishing med school and Jennifer finishing residency (and all our anniversaries). To see our pictures, click on the underlined words. We were on a cruise that covered: Barcelona, Cassis (Marseilles), Florence (and Tuscany), Rome, the Amalfi Coast, Mykonos, Athens, Istanbul, Kusadasi, and Venice.

It would be difficult to say what our favorite places were....Cort loved Barcelona and Rome. I loved Florence and Venice. Our first stop was Marseilles--a beautiful port. We spent the day in romantic and charming, Cassis, a picturesque ocean-side town that has hosted many a painter. We were thrilled with the south of France and hope to return. Barcelona was a feast for the eyes. We went to the market and we visited the creepy church, La Sagrada Familia, and ate in the Olympic park area.

We all were surprised by the south of France's charm! We ate crepes in the fishing village of Cassis and Anca bought some French perfume in a pharmacie. We found an amazing candy shop that would even have impressed Willy Wonka. The beach was stunning. It was an artist's paradise and we're definately coming back to the south of France....people were super nice and it was very clean.

Florence were busy, busy, busy! People everywhere. Thank goodness we hired a guide that had ordered our tickets to the Uffizi Accademia. Therefore we skipped the lines and breezed right in to see the David by Michaelangelo, which was spectacular! It's unfortunate that we weren't allowed to take any pictures. Cort was impressed with Michaelangelo's obvious knowledge of anatomy. We also went to the Ponte Vecchio where we window shopped. Gold and leather, were for sale--all pricey. We did not, however, have the patience to see the inside of the Duomo--an incredible architectural work. The lines were very long and we all wanted to eat. So off we went for some coffee and dessert. The afternoon was spent in Tuscany. We visited a winery and drove through the countryside and decided we had to come back here too.

Rome was just an interesting--people everywhere--tourists and working people. The Vatican was different than we imagined. However, seeing the Sistine Chapel was absolutely breath-taking. There was much artwork on the ceilings and the walls before we even got to the finale. The work was so good, that it looked 3-dimensional, but it was flat paint! The gates of Rome were also impressive. We were able to see how far the ground had risen in the last few centuries due to the sandstorms of Northern Africa. Another really thing we saw was La Bocca della Verita (mouth of truth) that is featured in the movie, Roman Holiday, with Audrey Hepburn.

Positano was especially charming. We actually ate right in front of the hotel featured in the movie "Under the Tuscan Sun." And since we were outside of Naples, we had to have wood-fired pizza. Everyone loved the Amalfi Coast. The roads were very narrow. We saw Gore Vidal's house on the cliff. Sorrento was a fun shopping town--plenty of beautiful silk ties. The size of Italian lemons blew us away--they were like super huge canteloupes. We drove through the orchards up into the hills where lemons and grapes grow side by side.

Ravello was spectacularly higher than the other towns and we enjoyed seeing the locals socialize in the piazza. Walking the winding roads, Cort and I listened to a soprano singing an Italian aria from open windows amid the sounding church bells. We walked into little shops and bought some coffee. This may be where we decided to get a real espresso machine.

We finished the Amalfi Coast tour with a stop in Sorrento. Sorrento was a fun shopping town and we all wish we'd had more time because there were beautiful silk ties and scarves for men and women. We ate Neapolean pizza and the restaurant owner came out and brought us cherries from his orchard after our meal. We tasted limoncello and rested our feet. What a great day! Next time we come back, we will have to see Capri and the Blue Grotto.

Mykonos is known for its windmills. The island seemed very clean, but run down with cats everywhere. The day was quiet, but we heard the nights are really jamming on this party island. There was a funny pelican on one of the main harbors who apparently walks into restaurants and steals food off people's tables. Someone told us that there are many churches in Mykonos because every time a fisherman from the island died at sea, the island people built a church in his honor. We tried "frappes" (iced coffee drink), but should have investigated the price a little better prior to our ordering--7.5 euros per coffee!!!

Athens was impressive....to imagine how civilizations used to live without the comforts we have! We ate Greek food in Plaka and it was nice to see Coca--Anca's relative and her Dad's great friend. The Acropolis was under renovation, but it was still impressive. Athens had a lot of traffic. And we experienced a scary miscommunication with one of the locals. All in all, a very busy time. But, the baklava was out of this world. And the frappes excellent here!

Istanbul was maybe our least favorite, but it was great to see that part of the world as well. The Grand Bazaar was impressive--something like 4,000 shops. We tried to bargain with the locals for pashminas. Sometimes it didn't go so well. The Blue Mosque was massive. We had to take off our shoes to go in. There was a separate place for the women to pray than where the men prayed. When we'd seen enough, we took off and studied the obselisks.

We were also pleasantly surprised with Kusadasi, a Turkish resort town. It was harder to communicate here. But this city seemed much quieter than Istanbul.

So, we ended in Venice--a city of great beauty. See our pictures of the approach and the city. Venice was one of the most romantic cities we've ever seen. There were so many nooks and crannies in the streets and it was a great adventure to get lost. The streets become empty after 7 pm and it is a visitor's paradise--Cort and I explored the city at sunset on th quiet, windy streets. The best gelato that we had was a Rick Steves' pick in Venice: La Boutique del Gelato. It was hard to come home after seeing all that history and splendor, but oh how lucky we are to live in the U.S.!

Med School Graduation--Hallelujah!!

2007-05-25T18:11:00.000-07:00

We've been waiting four years and it's finally here! The festitivities started with the senior roast on top of one of high-rise buildings downtown earlier in the week where there was some good Memphis barbeque! Then we celebrated Cort's certification graduation for his "Healthcare in Goverment" program on Thursday. Congrats sweetie! Our parents came just in time for the Parents' Appreciation Night, which was held at the Botanical Gardens that same night. The rest of our families came in town for the convocation ceremony (same church as our white coat ceremony 4 years ago) and the graduation ceremony at the FedEx Forum on Friday. We had three generations of doctors in attendance. Our family had a wonderful lunch at the Majestic Grill (the first restaurant we ate at in Memphis in 2003) in between the aforementioned ceremonies, and had a family dinner at our home Friday night. The whole weekend felt like a blur.....and believe it or not, so did the painful last four years. We had a wonderful time and we're so proud of Cort! Congratulations doc!

April

2007-04-15T02:22:00.000-07:00

We had another Kiawah visit for R & R this April after our taxes were sent in. Jen & Ryan brought their adorable dogs, Bailey and Bullit, and I got to walk them on the beach. Or rather, they took me for a walk! We went out to eat again in Charleston and did research for our big Europe trip as Carol had brought plenty of material. Lewis was able to rest a little after working so hard (we hope), but Jen was feeling the effects of pregnancy and it got us excited for the new member of our family. Cort got his new camera (graduation present from me) and started playing with it. Of course, Lewis has a matching one and it was like two kids with their toys!

On the homefront, I am still travelling and Cort is finishing his studies. We decided to plant roses this year and do what we can with a little plot of land. To our surprise, they took and Cort discovered another talent--ha, ha! Cort has become a bit obsessed with making the optimal pizza dough so he's been reading blogs, tinkering in the kitchen, and taking notes. See two of his pizzas here.

Senioritis in Spring

2007-03-17T22:00:00.000-07:00

This spring was filled with celebration. In March, we had Match Day & the subsequent Caduceus Ball. "Match" is a stressful day where every dutiful fourth year medical school classmen finds out where his next few years in residency will be spent. A group of us went out to eat at a Memphis institution, McEwen's on Monroe, to celebrate. It was disheartening to realize that a lot of us would no longer be living in the same city--that we were losing friends. The day continued with more celebration at Pat O'Brien's with the whole graduating class of 2007.

Andrei and Sara came to visit again and being in the spirit of things, we decided to try some truly "Memphis" things. We went to eat at the Arcade (the oldest diner in Memphis) and even visited the greyhound track as Tom Cruise had done in the movie featuring our city, "The Firm." I must say this latter activity was a new low and will never be done again.

The Caduceus Ball was a really fun evening with our classmen--many of whom were honored. The theme was "Luck" since it was St. Patrick's Day. After seeing themselves in scrubs for 4 years, it was a nice way to end the experience for the scholars dressed in "real clothes."

We also had a great day watching the Redbirds play downtown with the class. The stadium is new and clean and modeled after Turner Stadium in Atlanta. We were finally able to celebrate a Cinco de Mayo where Cort was finally not working that evening. Since his schedule had gotten a little lighter, we were able to hang out with friends (and celebrate birthdays--including Kiren's) and discover the dowtown area some more where several more new restaurants have opened up. One of our favorites is Spindini.

Valentine's Day in the Windy City

2007-02-15T19:41:00.000-08:00

Drove up to Chicago for the weekend. Cort and I used some hotel points and stayed at the Park Hyatt downtown---so wonderful!We tried more Zagat restaurants with much success (including the most delicious Middle Eastern restaurant called Fattoush with Andrei and Sara's friends) and walked around downtown and Navy Pier. Andrei and Sara took us to a wonderful Asian restaurant and then we also tried The Bongo Room for brunch (unbelievable Chocolate Chip Banana Pancakes with Creme Angleise sauce). Mom and Dad were especially glad to see us and we were glad to see them after our long days walking in the cold. The other really fun thing we did was to go to the McCormick place for the annual car convention and drooled all afternoon. Cort took pictures of the Dodge Charger with the Hemi engine--his dad's first car. That engine is still impressive!

January with a chill

2007-01-31T05:23:00.000-08:00

The month of January was a busy one with work and school, but we managed to squeeze in some social time too. Joe & Erin Sturdevant hosted a Superbowl party down the street from us. I made a mocha cake in the shape of a football and took it over. Joe & Blake took a field trip into the ghetto for some wings beforehand. It was a great party guy!

Also, during this chilly time, I hosted a "Girls' Night In" at my house and a bunch of us girls got together to eat and talk. It was a nice way to start the new year reconnected.