Chicago Baby Shower - Decemer 15, 2007

My good friends from college, Amanda Brooks and Melissa Triska and my sister, Terri Holley hosted a wonderful baby shower for me on December 15th at the University Club of Chicago. It was so fun to see everyone. Annabel received so many beautiful gifts, she is going to be all set when she arrives thanks to every one's generosity.

Snowy Night

Last night Chicago got about 5 inches of snow. It was so pretty. We finished putting up our Christmas tree. How quickly it goes from Fall to Winter here! Today I had my 29 week doctors appointment and all is going well.

Cubs Games

Made it to a few Cubs games this past season. Below are some pictures from when my brother, Walter, was in town in April.

Concerts

Tonight I discovered that there are a few things from earlier this year that I have not included in this blog. My next few posts will be about these events.

On a very cold February night (2/15/07) this past year we saw George Strait at the Sears Center Arena in Hoffman Estates, IL. We do not have any pictures from this concert but it was FANTASTIC!

Fellow country legend Ronnie Milsap served as a special guest and teen-aged singer Taylor Swift was the opening act. Ronnie Milsap and George Strait have so many number one hits. It was a really great show.

Below are pictures from the Willie Nelson concert.
Willie Nelson teamed with Merle Haggard and Ray Price for the "Last of the Breed Tour", March 25, 2007 in Rosemont, IL

Fall in Chicago and Thanksgiving in Texas

The trees on our street this fall were beautiful. So pretty that I had to have Brodie and Billy Dee pose for a picture. For Thanksgiving we went to Hughes Springs, TX (where Brodie's family is from/lives). We had a great time seeing everyone. Thanksgiving dinner was very big since there are so many grandchildren and great grandchildren. After dinner Brodie and I opened presents from his family for little Annabel. Dinner was at Brodie's cousin, Rocky's restaurant in Hughes Springs. We spent a few other nights there that week. On Saturday night they had a "hometown band" play. They were great and the restaurant had a pretty big crowd. It was nice to be back in Texas. We wish we could go more often. Billy Dee even enjoyed being in the country where he could take in all the scents and play with Panzer and Gretchen.

Now This is Cool!

We are very proud to introduce to you Miss Annabel Gordon. These are her first pictures ever. She is due on February 20, 2008. We are just beside ourselves we are so excited. At her last ultrasound they said she weighed around 1.7 lbs. We are busy preparing her nursery and reading all the parent books we can.
Stay tuned . . . there will be many more posts about her!

Ole Miss Football

This year we made it down to two Ole Miss Football games, the Mizzu and Alabama game. Maybe next year we will see a Rebel win. No such luck this year. However, we had a great time seeing our friends and family and enjoying one of our favorite towns.

Notre Dame vs USC - October 20, 2007

Emily and Jay Barry invited us to the Notre Dame vs USC game on October 20, 2007. It was a beautiful day! We were able to hang out at Emily and Jay's tailgate and visit with their family. We also met up with my co-worker, Mimi, and her family for a while. Mimi grew up in South Bend and is a veteran of these games. We ended the evening at Kevin's rental home to witness their lavish set up. It was a great day. Thanks Emily and Jay!

Steve Miller Band at Ravinia

On July 13, 2007 we joined our good friends Darby and Lincoln Walden for a night at Ravinia with the Steve Miller Band. It was a great night. The train ride home was entertaining as well. Below is a statement from the Ravinia website that better explains the whole Ravinia experience.
The Ravinia Experience
There’s more to Ravinia than merely the world’s greatest music. For as many people who walk through Ravinia’s gate each summer, there are just as many ways to enjoy what we call “The Ravinia Experience.”
For some, it all starts with a picnic picked up along the way, followed by a hop on the train and greeting your friends at your favorite spot on the lawn. Gradually, day turns into evening, and from the comfort of your perfect lawn spot, it culminates in a great concert by candlelight as you gaze at the stars above.
For others, it’s a dinner reservation at one of Ravinia’s popular on-site restaurants followed by a casual stroll to the Pavilion, where you go to see and hear the stars on the stage.
Bring your own lavish picnic, treat yourself to an ice cream cone at intermission, or just come as you are and leave the details to us.
Since 1904, Ravinia has been Chicago’s “sound of summer,” a place where you can meet up with your friends, have a wonderful time and hear some of the greatest music in the world.

Cow Creek Ranch, Pecos, New Mexico

In July of 2007 we joined Robert Mead and friends on a great trip to Cow Creek Ranch in New Mexico. Our time at the ranch was spent fly fishing, horse back riding, shooting at sporting clays and enjoying excellent meals. Robert's sister, Lanier, is the Ranch Manager. She and her staff did a fantastic job of keeping us entertained, feed well and relaxed. Our group was so much fun too! Everyone had a great time. We all spent our last night in Santa Fe and did a little shopping before we headed home. Please take a look at the website for Cow Creek Ranch. You will really get a better idea of how cool this trip really was. http://www.cowcreek-ranch.com/