Christmas Cookies!

Earlier this month, the RSA got together with the kiddos for some Christmas fun.  We went over to Katie Hake's house to decorate Christmas Cookies!  Here is what ensued:

Katie and her daughter Julia welcomed us all into their beautiful home

She and Rhoda had already baked Christmas cookies!

The kids had a blast decorating their cookies with frosting and sprinkles:

The results! 

yum....

Evelyn agrees :)

Game Night- Ornament Exchange Party

I just wanted to let everyone know it's at my house. Please feel free to contact me at merlynsamayoa@yahoo.com for an address, directions or questions.
Details are in the RSA newsletter and we hope to see everyone here!!

-Merlyn

Be an Elf!

Volunteer Services is looking for a few elves to help with this year’s toy distribution. If you're feeling especially filled with the holiday spirit, why not give some time during the month of December. Santa is coming to JPS early this year. He’ll arrive Dec. 19 to give toys to our outpatient pediatric patients. The Volunteer Services Department needs help with sorting and moving toys, and of course with giving them out on the big day. Those of you who draw the envy of all of your co-workers with a desk that is organized and junk drawer with pens and pencils lined up neatly in a row call or e-mail Yvonne Kyle (x1590). If your messy desk is covered in paper and you still want to help anyway, go ahead and call Yvonne. She needs your help, too. All volunteers are required to go through orientation, which begins next week. Hurry, we’ll need your name by Thursday, Dec. 3!

December Newsletter

December Newsletter

Merlyn's 24th Birthday!

On Thursday, December 17th I turn 24! In celebration of one year away of mid twenties, I'd like to spend the night with good friends and a lot of laughs! I'd like to extend an invitation to everyone in rsa and spouses and friends to Downtown Fort Worth. We are starting at Flying Saucer at 7 for a quick drink and dinner. Then heading to Curtis Needs A Ride at Four Day Weekend for only 10 dollars a person for a show at 8pm. I plan on heading over to Four Day at 7:45pm. The show ends at 9:30 so we will head to The Library for 1.50 drinks after. If any of you don't drink or don't want to be around it, just come out for the comedy show, you won't be dissapointed!! I hope to see y'all there!
RSVP at merlynsamayoa@yahoo.com just so I know to look for you if you do come!
P.S. Please do not feel obligated to buy me a gift. All I want are good friends around me for my birthday. :)

-Merlyn

Steam Cleaner?

Does anyone have a steam cleaner I may borrow? I have some upholstery that is no longer able to withstand my toddler. She needs a pick-me-up. I will pick up and return in great condition! Thanks!

Craft Day Pics??

...Or should I say Twilight T-Shirt making day pics?? :)

Whoever has pictures, can you post them??  I want to see!  Thanks!
S

Jingle Bash!

If anyone's looking for free, fun entertainment this weekend!

November Newsletter

November Newsletter

Pumpkin Carving!

Pumpkin Carving is So Much FUN!




Ollie likes it too :)

Thanks to Amber for hosting! I personally think the monster is the best, although the pumpkin eating a pumpkin is pretty cool, too.

New Title

It has come to our attention that the title that announces this blog, "Resident Spouse Alliance," may strike fear in the heart of those among us who are unmarried. So much so, in fact, that others may feel excluded from exciting festivities, like a pumpkin-carving party, for instance. I move we change the name to "Resident Support Alliance," "JPS Support Team," "The John Peter Smith Group to Tend To, Care For, Feed, and in Any Other Possibly Helpful Way Support the Residents of John Peter Smith Hospital by Those Who Love Them."
Or something like that.
Do I hear a second?
Do I hear a better suggestion?

Thursday Night Comedy at Four Day Weekend with Curtis Needs a Ride!

Curtis Needs a Ride- Improv Comedy

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Curtis-Needs-a-Ride/23647727100?ref=search&sid=42000058.376466352..1&v=wall


Check out their Facebook page and head on down to Four Day Weekend Thursday night comedy show for just $10!!!

One of the members of this comedy team works with me and so I have become a follower of their improv comedy.

I went to the show last Thursday and my mouth was sore from so much laughing. It is truly worth the $10 spent to have a night out with good friends and many laughs. You may even get called up on stage!

I want to dedicate a night where the RSA group can go. If you love to laugh, you'll love this show!


P.S. They did say paying $20 for the weekend shows are definitely worth it!

BYOP

That's right! Bring your own pumpkin!

It's time for the annual JPS Pumpkin-carving party!

This is your chance to transform one of these...

into this:

Or, if you like spooky, one of these:

Silly?

Is anyone up for a challenge?

I dare you!

Let me not forget to mention, there will be food:

If you bring it. Potluck style. There will be drinks and desserts. If you want anything more than that, please feel free to bring it.
Also, bring your knives!

When:
Saturday, October 24
6:00 pm

Where:
16 Cliffside Drive
Fort Worth, TX 76134

Email amberjoyc(at)yahoo(dot)com for directions. See you all there!

JPS: Working 30 hours? We'll cut dinner and limit your food purchase.

Is anyone else annoyed that JPS has cut back on cafe hours, the lunch budget and the amount of food that can be purchased at once? The cafe hours are now only for breakfast and lunch, so when are they able to eat dinner on call? I refuse to accept McDonalds is their only course of food when they used to have salads and subs (healthier options) in the cafe. The budget has been cut, which is also rediculous expecially for those living alone who don't have time to cook because they are so sleep deprived. They have now also limited how much you can buy at once. If someone is on call and they have closed down for dinner, they should be able to purchase to main entrees. Is there anyway RSA can e-mail JPS to express to them our concerns for our interns and residents? They should reevaluate their cafeteria. A lot of patients and families could benefit from that too, it's not just the employess. Although, I feel that these cutbacks are hitting the employess the most.

Thanksgiving Plans

Dear friends,
The holidays are quickly approaching, and I know many of us are miles away from family and vacation time doesn't always correlate to holidays. I want to extend a special invitation to my home for Thanksgiving Day. I'll be cooking up a storm. So please come if your spouse is working, if you are far away from home, if you'll be alone, or if you're just plain hungry. But try to let me know ahead of time so I can know how big of a turkey to roast.
Email me at amberjoyc(at)yahoo(dot)com if you are interested in coming. Even if your spouse is off but you're still a long way from family. All are welcome.
Happy holidays,
Amber Brantly

Oliver is here!!

Just letting you gals know that he is here! We're all excited to meet Sara and Jared's baby boy :) Welcome to this world Ollie, you have great parents!

Sara posted on Facebook...

that she thinks she might be in labor!! No updates yet but just know Oliver may very well be on his way :)

DENTIST anyone? Anyone??

So for those of you who have been here for a while, or were on top of your game when you moved here this summer and found a dentist already, I need one! Preferably soon since Jason has an easier month this October (yay! *Happy Dance*). Any suggestions? Thanks ya'll. ;)

TWILIGHT

As mentioned before, we are planning to attend the NEW MOON movie on the 20th. Read Twilight---watch the movie and read New Moon and watch it in theaters with some of the RSA gals! Have a good weekend!

JPS Softball Game!

Mark Your Calendars Now!

Didn't make it in the newsletter, but mark your calendars for the JPS Softball game next month!! Should be a great time.

September Newsletter

Check your inboxes for the September Newsletter!

If you didn't get a copy, please e-mail sgbrinker@gmail.com to be added to the mailing list (or just read it here).

September Newsletter

Bee Wise, Immunize!!

We had a great turn out for the Bee Wise, Immunize event. I had no idea what a huge even this was until I got there to volunteer- there were literaly hundreds and hundreds of people waiting in line to get shots for $10. Denise and Lesley facilitated signing people in, and Merlyn made use of her Spanish speaking skills. I (along with my 8 month pregnant belly!) basically sat in a chair and made sure people stayed in line- a tough job but someone had to do it!

Game Night!

We had an all around good time at game night. The consensus was that circuses, do, in fact, have giraffes. Delicious food was brought by many, ranging from low to high class- chicken nuggets and bruschetta, and even dirt dessert (ask Denise).

We only got a chance to play apples to apples and outburst, so we didn't make it to Balderdash or Bunco. SO by popular demand, game night will be back next month. If you didn't make it this time, join us next time around! The next game night will be at Samantha's house. Details to come!

Bounce House

I've been meaning to post this for a while... sorry. There is a bounce house near us that has a really good deal. On Wed. the whole day is half price. Here is there website if you want to check it out http://www.bouncinbonanza.net/. Nathan loves it! Let me know if you go and we would love to meet you up there. I only pay a $1.5o when I go on Wednesdays!

Thanks, Katie Hakes

Bee Wise Immunize Update

I'm up late studying and I just received Pam's e-mail so I thought I'd post directions if someone stops by the site for information regarding Bee Wise Immunize tomorrow.

We'll be at La Gran Plaza on August 24th from 12pm - 3:30pm if you want/can stay that long. It is located off of I-35 & Seminary Road. It is the "International Mall". This is heading south from JPS.
We are in the middle of the mall. If you park by Levines and come up the escalator at entrance #1 you will find us.
-Pam

Good night everyone,

Merlyn Savikko

Book Reccomendations

As discussed in today's meetings, some of you wanted book suggestions. I am an avid Mystery/Thriller reader with other random books suggested to me.

My favorite authors are Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child:
Thunderhead is my number one favorite. Nora, a female anthropologist discovers mysteries in the Anazazi ruins of New Mexico. It's a page turner! Here are a few other books by them:

Thunderhead, The Ice Limit, Mount Dragon and Riptide

The Relic and Reliquary are the first books of Preston and Child's Pendergast series. Pendergast is an unique FBI agent who is incredibly smart, mysterious and somehow mostly always right when solving his mysteries. It's a mixture of real life situations with a not-so-real life. As you continue reading these series, characters start to intertwine and solve mysteries together. Here is a list of the entire collection in order of reading:

RELIC

Reliquary

Cabinet of Curiosities

Still Life with Crows

Brimstone - Part One of the Diogenes Trilogy

Dance of Death - Part Two of the Diogenes Trilogy

Book of the Dead - Part Three of the Diogenes Trilogy

The Wheel of Darkness

Cemetery Dance

James Patterson is another favorite of mine. He writes the Womens Murder Club series (made into a show but did not last) It's a group of five women, each have different careers and they all solve murder mysteries.

1st to Die, 2nd Chance, 3rd Degrre, 4th of July, The 5th Horseman, The 6th Target, 7th Heaven, 8th Confession.
I haven't read the 8th but I will soon

Carl Haaisen is yet another favorite of mine. His books are mainl based in Florida. He write hillarious books that involve murder mysteries as well. Each book has a character you can laugh at. A list of the ones I have read:

Nature Girl, Skinny Dip, Basket Case, Sick Puppy, Strip Tease, Skin Tight, Double Wahmmy and Tourist Season.

I have a lot more books but I feel like I have taken over much of our blog space. So I'll end at...

The Twilight Saga! A few of us girls are already planning to attending the release of New Moon at the theatres. So I must suggest you read these incase you want to join us as we turn thirteen and play Team Jacob and Team Edward (if you're cool like me, you'll choose Edward) haha!
You may be wondering, "Why will I want to spend my free time reading about teenage vampires...?" I don't know how to answer this except that you will get sucked into each book. Stephanie Meyer is a great writer and she will keep you up til three in the morning reading this books!

Alright ladies, I hope some of you find entertainment in the many books I have listed. Sara, please add these to the newsletter (you may list whatever you want and guide them to this blog for the rest of the books not listed on the newsletter)

Have a good weekend and I hope to see some of you on Monday for Bee Wise Immunize!

-Merlyn Savikko

Changing Driver's License Online

ALL:
Just found this great service for changing address to my Driver's License. It already costs $10 to do in office...just add an extra $1 convenience fee to do online and they'll send your new license in the mail. SO WORTH IT. Here's the site for those of you who still need to change your address after moving here...
https://www.texasonline.state.tx.us/tolapp/txdl/welcome.dl

Rhoda

RSA Meeting on Friday

The RSA meeting will be at 10:30 AM on Friday morning. We will meet at Leslie's office at JPS hospital. Her office is located on the 4th floor adjacent to the Family Health clinic so that she can show us where the conference room is. Take elevator A to the 4th floor. You can always call my cell phone (806)317-4460 if there are any problems finding her office.

Watermelon 5K!

For you joggers out there:

Newsletter Input!

Hello Ladies!

Even though it's just the middle of August, I am getting the September newsletter ready to go. If anyone has a story they'd like to share, or an important date (birthday, event, etc) be sure to email me so I can put it in there! sgbrinker@gmail.com

Also, if anyone is interested in heading up a book club, playgroup, or any other type of group, let me know. Suggestions for volunteer activities are also greatly appreciated!

babysitters?

Does anyone know any good babysitters that you'd recommend to me? I have a 2 1/2 yr old and 5 mo old. Being new to town, I am trying to build up my list again.
Thanks! Rhoda

August Newsletter

 

 

 

WAFFLES!

It was so much fun meeting everyone for waffles! I think we're going to have a really great year.

Upcoming Events:

July

Burgers & Bock- Free Live Music & good times at Central Market. Thursday-Saturday from 6-9PM. Is there a particular evening when people might want to go??

August:

Volunteer Opportunity- Be Wise, Immunize
Details to come

The Kimbell Art Museum

I am Amber; my husband is Kent Brantly (Family Medicine), and we have a 4-month-old named Ruby.
To all those new to the area, I thought you'd like to know about the Kimbell Art Museum. It's open Tuesday through Sunday, and it is always free! That's right. Free. They do host special exhibits which cost, but on Tuesdays entry is half price. And it is a lovely museum.
If any of you love art or have children who need an outing for some culture and fun, I'm always game to go as well.

JPS RSA

This is the blog for the JPS RSA. Here we'll post information about events or other topics of discussion.