So, as it turns out, this blog thing is harder than I thought-especially when I forget to take pictures. Del and I had several members of my intern class over last friday for a grill out but I totally forgot to take pictures! Del grilled steak kebabs, chicken and corn on the cob and I made basil-parmesan dip with pita chips, guacamole, a tomato pie, deviled eggs, peach cobbler and brownies! It was a lot of food but turned out really well!

obviously thrilled to be at the country's largest mall

The next day Del and I drove up to Minneapolis and checked out the Mall of America. It really is as big as they say and has a full-size Nickelodeon theme park inside with multiple roller coasters and water rides. We didn't ride any rides - we're saving that up for when visitors come! I don't think it will be someplace I go regularly to shop because it's way too big which was disappointing because the mall in Rochester is tiny with possibly the worst Macy's I have ever been to! I guess it will help me save money though....

This has been my last week on the NICU. Saturday I switch to general hospital service.Tomorrow night is my last NICU call until November when I'm back again. I have really enjoyed this month and have added it to the list of things I might want to be when I grow up. I love babies and I like critical care so, looking back, it's surprising it wasn't on my list before! I will miss "my" babies-they won't still be there when I get back in November! It will be nice to move on to something else though-see what else is out there. I'm also looking forward to getting to work with more members of my class though.

The weather has been beautiful here this week and so Del and I have spent a lot of time outside. Here's a look at some of our favorite parts of our house-the yard and deck!

View from the back deck including the kennelapple tree in the backyard-artsy pic by Del

Bell pepper plants on the deck
Assortment of herbs

How to write your first blog post

So I guess I should start by saying why we started this blog.  We moved very far from our family and friends in the last month and we wanted to have a way to show them what was going on in our lives without sending out mass emails.  We also wanted to prove what a foreign land the Midwest is.  Everyone talks different, eats different things, drives differently and, most of all, acts different than what we have been raised with.  Don't get me wrong-people are, for the most part, very very nice but there is definitely such a thing as "Minnesota nice," which one of my new friends let me in on.  It's the type of "bless-her-heart" southern nice that I am used to but with a more dry undertone (unlike the "kill more flies with honey" that I was raised with).  With that in mind, here is what we have been up to in the last month:

We moved into this lovely establishment....

We have made a few new friends-pictures to come later!

      The cat has 24 hour a day entertainment....

And we have been able to spend a little time exploring the area....

Lake Pepin-which is actually a naturally-dammed portion of the Mississippi River [that's Wisconsin on the other side] where the big activity is sailing.  After living further south on the Mississippi, I couldn't believe that this was part of it-no dishwashers?!

Hopefully I will be able to keep up with posting (I hate to say that already) but with call every fourth night for the next 2 1/2 months, it is a little questionable.  But since I have a sweet husband who let me get this...

I have no reason not to!

Next posts: What I actually do with my days (it's not all glamour!), pictures of the house, dinner party with my fellow interns at my house