Getting Lucky in Kentucky

Shad had to attend a CE course in of all places Louisville Kentucky. I wasn't going to let him go back there without me, so we drove up there on Tuesday and got back just after midnight Monday morning. Shad's brother Kade is just about to finish his Endo residency there, so we invited ourselves to stay with him and his family.

Kade and Emily were very generous hosts.  They took us across the street to the zoo for the first day.  It was a perfect day to go, not too hot and a slight breeze.  Plus there wasn't much of a crowd.  

I have a picture of Ella standing in front of this gorilla stand when she was just 2.  She was with a bunch of her friends from the old Crestwood ward.  Now she's with her cousin Maryn, who is 3, and Amaya, who is just 2.

Our family loves the giraffes.

Next is a picture just to make a few of my friends long even more for soft grass.  See most of North Carolina seems to have the centipede style of grass, it's not soft and not fun to run in barefooted.  Kentucky's grass is the opposite, it's soft and lush.

(I'm in serious need of a pedicure)

Another day we went down to Waterfront Park to play at a splash-pad that turned out to not be running yet.  We still had fun on the playground.  I wish my current city of residence had more parks without sand.  This one is entirely made up of that soft rubber mat stuff.

Amaya was swinging off the bar onto the slide, how come every kid figures this out, without someone teaching them?

Crazy Maryn on the merry-go-round.

Shad took this picture of Ella, it gives you an idea why we like this city. It's just a pretty placeto live.  That bridge in the background is under a "remodel".  They are making it a pedestrian bridge over the river to Indiana.

Kade was in charge of watching Dashle, while the rest of us were chasing kids through playground equipment.  It looks like he had the hard job....

On Saturday while Shad was at his CE class, the rest of us went down town to cheer on Kade.  He was running the mini-marathon.

The girls had fun clapping and calling out support for everyone that ran by.  Unfortunately they weren't as attentive when Kade actually came by.  I was on my way in search of a bathroom for my 6-year-old who forgot to go before we left the house and Maryn was in desperate need of a granola bar.  Kade got a half hearted attempt at support, from us.  Oh well,  he finished anyway.

I have to give it to all those who ran that day, it was bloomin' hot and that distance seems like such an accomplishment to me.  

Good Job, Kade!

One of my favorite moments was going to Cincy with Emily to the Gap Clearance Outlet. We left all the girls with their dads and just brought Dash. He was great, he ate when we got there then went to sleep for the next 3 hours giving me the chance to concentrate on bargain hunting. I scored 4 pairs of Gap and Old Navy jeans for $35, and 6 Old Navy shirts for $1.99 a piece, and that's just some of what I spent there. I really would like to live a bit closer to that place.

It is Derby Season and the balloon race was postponed because of wind, so on Sunday morning when Shad and I were leaving to take him back to his class we saw the balloons flying over Kade and Em's house.  It was so fun to watch them float by, I wish I had a better camera to have gotten a picture of about 20 or so of them heading into the sun.

Ahhh, we love Louisville, Ky.  If you ever get a chance to go and visit do, and if you ever get a chance to live there jump at it. It's a great city.

Thank you Kade and Emily we had a great time seeing you.