It's the most wonderful time of the year...

This is a great time of year for many reasons, but right now, I'd say it's the most wonderful time of the year because my patients are bringing us food! It's just so nice when someone you've been working on and seeing progress does something personal and giving for you. One patient made the neatest Santa cookies with shaves coconut on the white icing for his beard, a mini-marshmallow for the ball on his red hat, chocolate chips for eyes and a peanut butter chip for his nose. To top it off, it tasted good, too. Patients have brought mini candy bars and peanut brittle and coffee cakes (of course, we also have one patient who brings candy every time she comes in ... we always look forward to Tuesdays).

Doug confirmed yesterday that they won't be able to come down this weekend with the fivesome to do Christmas, but we went ahead and got the big tree up last night (much to the cats' excitement). We bought new ornaments from Kmart ... Martha Stewart's unbreakable ornaments ... and they look real good on the tree and in the living room. We'll post pictures today or tomorrow. I guess since we have the time this weekend now that I'll have to rake the yard. I've run out of hope that all my leaves will just blow away. Maybe Jeni will do her Christmas baking while I rake. That's a fair deal.

Vacation for me is just over a week away. I haven't taken time off in a year-and-a-half so it'll be nice to be away from the office. It's the right time to take off since our visits will be down anyway with the holidays. Next year Jeni and I will have to take a real, go somewhere we've never been before, just the two of us vacation. We haven't done that since our honeymoon.

OK ... back to work ... after a quick snack.