a chicago hoedown

well, we're back from our whirlwind weekend in chicago, where my sister rebekah wed her love josh jones, wearing red cowboy boots. yup, you heard me right! it was titled "a chicago hoedown", and we were to come dressed in the best western digs we could come up with, and ready to square dance. it was so much fun, and a delight to see everyone get into the full spirit of the occassion: cowboy hats and boots adorning most the heads and feet. and the band! oh, the band! where did they ever find such a band? (well, as fate would have it, their real-estate agent just so happens to be a 3rd generation caller, a rancher's daughter, and sings in The Golden Horse Ranch Square Dance Band...) they had our feet tapping and skirts twirling all night... probably the most fun dancing since i can't remember when. everyone danced for hours. it was great getting to see all our relatives again, and our whole family stayed in these sweet apartments just 2 blocks from wrigley field. (of course, greg had to check out the stadium, and of course he had to flash his Dodgers belt buckle at some Cubs fans lingering outside just to get a rise out of them. oh yeah, that and the taunts. (boys!) it could have gotten ugly, but i wasn't even there.)



all i got was a snapshot out a car window, sights of chicago as i'm driving by. welcome to chicago! goodbye chicago! (sigh) some other time, we'll have to take in more of the sights. at least francis and greg got to tool around a bit and take the El around town. the wedding took place in a 3rd floor, corner loft space, with two story high ceilings...and had to be decorated the morning of.







poor rebekah was not relaxing at all the day of her wedding; she and josh were setting it all up with the help of a few friends, so that we could all enjoy ourselves that night. (and i do believe they were the last ones out that night as well, even tho we tried to kick them out earlier.) they hung a white parachute from the ceiling, giving it an "under the canopy" effect, with big bauble christmas lights strewn throughout. pumpkins and wildflowers. i would show you more photos, but flickr is currently rejecting my upload attempts and it's really frustrating. and, i'm getting over the cold i've had all week. so try back later. but for now, here are a few... ok. nevermind. even blogger isn't uploading photos. drat! ok, i'll post this for now. the pictures will have to wait. but for those of us who were there: the memory lives on.

**pictures finally added oct. 16th, 2008**