We'd like to introduce you to Peanut...

AKA...Baby Ledbetter! We are expecting our little one in August and can hardly wait (for both baby AND hot weather!) I am 15 weeks today and am feeling really good. Thankfully, I did not have any morning sickness or nausea in the beginning at all, so that was a HUGE blessing. Baby L is currently the size of an apple :) We love getting our weekly Baby Center email updates and learning what type of "food" is growing in my tummy, ha! It's incredible what this little four inch life has already developed, internally and externally. I am starting to grow a little "pooch", but so far, can still get the pants on and zipped (most of the time, although, that's happening less and less). We find out March 16th if baby is a boy or girl! We'll keep y'all posted and I'll get some pictures up here soon. Hmmmm, now I'm craving an apple!

Snow, snow and more snow!

Well, I think the groundhog made it clear this week in many parts of the country that spring is NOT coming just yet...and here is the snow to prove it! I took these pictures just outside our apartment. It doesn't appear to be going away anytime soon. Ted left this morning for Florida for a few days for a work event...he got out just in time! I asked him if he could bottle up some 70 degrees and sunshine and bring it back with him (he said he would try, what more can I ask? ha!)

New Years in Palm Springs

Ted's parents decided to head back out to the desert again this year to spend some time in warm sunny CA. They graciously included us to join them for a week. So after a wonderful week in OKC, we hopped on a plane and headed West to Palm Springs. Ted's brother Grant and our sister-in-law Lindee came too...it was a blast!! There was a lot of golf, good food, bowl games, and relaxing that took place. Here are some pics from the trip.

Christmas in OKC

We are so thankful we were able to do some traveling over the holidays...we made it back to Oklahoma City for a wonderful visit with family and just had a great time! Lots of fun, good food, and family time. We even made it Sonic and Braums :) Here are some pictures from Mimi's house on Christmas Eve.

Mary Poppins...practically perfect in every way!

Ted surprised me with Mary Poppins tickets for my birthday (which was back in October, but the show didn't come to Detroit until December). It was spectacular! Delightful in every way, we thoroughly enjoyed the performance. Our favorite numbers were "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" and "Step in Time". Here we are in the lobby area in front of Mary...and yes, she really does fly with her umbrella in the show :)

The Big Chill

December 11, 2010 was The Big Chill, the college outdoor hockey game between Michigan and Michigan State here in Ann Arbor at The Big House. Some crazy number of fans (over 113,000) showed up to cheer and be a part of the largest crowd to ever witness a hockey game. It was really cool! I was graciously invited to view the game from one of the new suites (which I didn't think twice about turning down!) and snapped a few photos of the event. Michigan won 5-0!!!

Here's something we never expected to do....

Ice Skate at the Big House! As some of you may know, Michigan plays Michigan State in hockey this Saturday afternoon and they're actually going to play on the football field. They started working on setting up the rink after the last home game back in November. It was not cheap. So, they've been allowing several different groups, high school hockey teams, etc... to come and rent the "ice space". Well, last night it was open for the athletic dept and their families to use. Our time slot was 6:30pm-7:20pm Well I teach pilates until 6:30pm and thought by the time we got over there and got our skates on, it would be 6:50-6:55pm. Was that going to be enough time to skate? YOU BET IT WAS!!!!! It was so stinkin' cold, but boy was it fun. Here are Ted and I after a few laps around, and also his co-worker Russell (who we later found out played hockey growing up...no wonder he skated circles around us, ha!)

Midnight Madness!

Every year, usually the first Friday in December, downtown Ann Arbor holds what they call Midnight Madness. All of the stores stay open late (until midnight) and they usually have sales going on throughout the evening. Two of my dear girlfriends and I decided to make the trek downtown and be a part of the crowd! We first went to Starbucks to get us something hot because we were FREEZING. Then we went to Carol Roeda, our favorite store in Ann Arbor....maybe our favorite store EVER! Think scrap booking, but with magnets. You can design picture frames, boards, etc. It's a serious addiction! Here we are...Wendy, Emily and I out in front of Carol :) We wish we worked here!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Since we can't be with our Oklahoma family...here we are with some of our Michigan family. We are so grateful for these folks. Thankful for their friendships, the love and kindness they show us, and the wonderful meal they provided. Here are a few scenes from the day... I finally remembered to take some pictures this year!

Final Home Football Game

My youngest brother Kevin made his Michigan debut this past weekend, YAY!!!! We had so much fun...we went to a few of our favorite restaurants here in Ann Arbor, and Saturday we went to the Michigan football game (our friends Jon & Kelly Peacock and their friend Jason drove up from Chicago to join us!) It was so nice having him here. Thanks for coming Kevin, you'll be expected to come once a year now, ha! :)Here are some pictures from the weekend.

Where is it Christmas all year round you ask???

Why, at BRONNERS! My dear friend Katie and I have started a wonderful tradition (this was year 2) of driving to Frankenmuth, MI to go to Bronners, the most ENORMOUS Christmas store you've ever been to in your life. Oh, it's wonderful. Anything and everything Christmas is at this store...you name it, Bronner's has it! Here are Katie, her cute baby bump, and I outside with our purchases :)

It all started with a letter...

Okay, this story actually began several months ago when I received a letter...a letter I assumed was for me. I proceeded to open the card and began reading quickly to find this was not intended for me. Whoever sent this was obviously extremely close to the girl this card was intended for and she was battling some serious health concerns. Well, I felt terrible for opening someone's mail and so I decided to google the return sender's name and address to see if I could find a phone number to call this woman and let her know that she had the incorrect address, but that since I accidentally opened the card, I would be more than happy to stick it in a new envelope, stamp it and mail it. Well, I get her answering machine so I decide to leave a message. Several weeks go by, I haven't heard anything, I decide to tape the envelope back up and write on the front "Return to Sender". I'm thinking I just need to get it back to Birmingham, MI where it came from. Well wouldn't you know within the next day or so Susie (the sender) calls me and leaves me this long lovely message (I like to leave long messages too, so I knew instantly we'd be good friends!). We connect finally over the phone and Susie and I begin this wonderful friendship. She is the dearest woman who shares her love of Jesus so openly, and just loves everyone she meets! I feel like I've known Susie all my life :)

Well, we continue to talk and text over the summer...in Sept, Ted and I receive an invite to her 60th birthday party (thrown by her husband and two daughters and their husbands at the Birmingham Country Club-which is about an hour or so from Ann Arbor). Keep in mind, we've never met her. It's 100 of her closest family and friends and here she has decided to invite us! So imagine Ted's sweet face as I ask him if he'll join me on Oct 28th and go meet Susie and all her friends and family. The event was a sit down dinner followed by speaker and Christian author Jennifer Beckham (who they saw on tv and flew to MI to speak at this birthday event for Susie). Folks, this was one of THE coolest things, and it was the LORD! Completely! How he used a letter to bring us to Susie. Susie said she'd been praying about doing something like this for several years. She wanted nothing more than to share her faith with everyone she was closest too. I can't even describe to you the evening, but it was a huge blessing for Ted and I both. I guess one thing we took away is that Faith is Risk taking, and I'm so thankful that Susie took a risk on us and I guess we on her. Here is a picture of my newest friend :)

Mamas and the Papas

All the leaves are brown(and red and orange)...and the sky is NOT gray! In fact, October has been simply gorgeous! Lots of sunshine and pleasant temperatures. Both sets of parents have come up to visit over the last two weeks, and it was so wonderful to have them here with us. Ted's mom and dad came up for the Michigan State game, and my mom and dad came up last week for the Iowa game (such great fans they all are!). Here are lots of pictures from their visits...THANK YOU all for everything!!!

Porch decor

I bought this beautiful mum at the Ann Arbor Farmer's Market the other morning...my friend Emily snapped this photo of me holding it. We laughed because we couldn't believe how big it was..it hadn't even fully bloomed yet! (and it was only $8!) The lady said it should last about 8 weeks...we'll see if I can keep it alive for that long!

Our First Fall Visitors...

Were Mimi and my brother Carleton! They drove up last Thursday afternoon and we got to spend 6 wonderful days together. We ate well, shopped well, and cheered very hard on Saturday at the Michigan Football game :) I dropped the ball on my picture taking (sweet Ted, I didn't manage to get any of him or of the four of us together). I'm sorry honey :( We had a blast though and appreciated so much them coming up here and loving on us...I drove them to the airport on Tuesday afternoon. Mimi graciously gave us her old (but in pristine condition) Honda Accord b/c she bought a new one for her that sits up a little higher. So I'm saying goodbye to my Mazda, "Fosse" and hello to my Honda who I've named "Mimi" :) Thanks for coming guys, we love you so much and had a GREAT time. P.S. That first picture has Christmas Card potential you two :) ha! ha! (we were being goofy in the grocery store parking lot!)