Louisville, Kentucky

After that first T ball game our family has been going non stop. It has been a fun, but crazy month.
It started by our trip to Kentucky. We had so much fun. Bryce's sister lives in Louisville so we surprised her. And when I say we visited her I mean our whole family. It was Bryce's parents, our family, and his sisters family with their kids. So on the airplane there were 8 adults, 4 kids (under the age of 4) and 2 babies (under 3 months). Which sounds a little terrifying, but everyone did so good. I was worried about my kids, but on the descend into Louisville Abby was laughing because her stomach was doing flips. Ben couldn't stand it he was so excited.
The morning we left we had to wake our kids at 6 am to leave. But they didn't care because it was their first airplane ride. Ben and Abby did an "airplane dance" all around the house until we left. By the time we got to the airport Abby was a little more unsure, but Ben was still so excited.



The flight went better than I could have hoped for. The kids were great.

Then we were on our way to Ali and Jeff's. Ali didn't know we were coming, she knew her parents were, but that was all. So they went to her house and we drove around for a few minutes. Then showed up on her doorstep. She was so surprised. It was a great. We just had dinner (which we ordered in pizza, because Ali had a delicious dinner for four) and hung out at their home. Then we went to the hotel.
This is the kids is our very happening minivan that we traveled Louisville in
They loved the fact that they got their own bed -to share
Even though we are on vacation - bedtime routine as usual, quite a process

The next day we went to the Louisville Slugger museum where they make baseball bats. It was really neat, but would have been better if Abby wouldn't have been scared and had her ears plugged the whole time and Grace got hungry in the middle. But I don't think anyone else noticed. Ben was right up front with the rest of the group loving every second.

The best thing about traveling is going to see a place yourself. We had seen pictures of the museam when Lynn and Kay visited and we assumed it was this big museum in a large area, but instead it is a very tiny building right in the middle of downtown surrounded by other old building. Just not what you would expect. This is Bryce holding a bat that was used in a game by Mickey Mantle (pretty cool - huh)
After that we went to a park for lunch. It was the best park ever. It was so big and the playground was so awesome. It had a gate around the entire things. I wish they had one in Utah. Anyway the kids could have played there all day. Bryce followed Abby around while she played on the playground, while Ben followed his cousin Molly. He didn't leave her side. When she would slow down he would ask where they were going next. She would look around and then just take off and he would laugh and just follow her everywhere. He loved it. The humidity was a little tough for Ben to get used to. By the time we left the park he looked like he had been swimming. His head was soaked.



Then we went to Jeff's dental school in the downtown "getto" of Louisville. Once again Bryce and I left early since Grace was hungry. We didn't get to see much, but we are so excited for Jeff to graduate from school and have a dentist my kids will love.
Last, but not least we went to Churchhill Downs, where they have the Kentucky Derby. We were walking around inside when the guys made friends with a worker there. He let them go down in to the horse stalls where they have the jockeys bring the horses out to show the bidders. (I don't really know a lot about horse racing, but it's something like that). So anyway they went down as the horses walked right in front of them. Then he took all of us down the alley where they bring the horses into the track and weigh the jockeys. Then we got to watch a race right next to the race track. It was so neat.
Bryce and Ben infront of Churchhill Downs
Ben "weighing in" for the horse race
(This is them down next to the horses)
Our family at the horse races (if you wonder where Grace is this trip - she was either in her carseat or eating)
A picture of Grace's head (see she was there) I couldn't take the stroller down the alley where the horses go (I guess strollers are not good for the brick we had to walk down, but they can take horses??? not sure about that)
Then we celebrated Ali's birthday that night at the hotel. (I need to at least mention that it was Ali's birthday since that is why we went to visit that weekend)
The next day we went to the zoo. I have to admit I don't love animals and am not a big zoo lover, but this zoo was so fun. Ben brought his camera and had to take a picture of every animal on the map. He had so much fun. The temperature was so perfect that the animals were all out and walking around. The lion and lioness were walking around then the lioness started roaring. It was pretty cool. I just really liked the way the zoo was set up. The kids love all the animals and even got to go on a train ride and see the back of all the building (ha ha - not the best train ride).

Then that night we celbrated Gavin's 1st birthday. He was so cute. He didn't really love his cake, in fact he was a little sad about the whole thing. Gavin got a slide for his birthday and I'm glad they gave it to him before the zoo (when he was the only kid there) because I don't know if he got another turn to go down the slide. It was a big hit with all the kids.

Ben loves his uncle Jeff and aunt Ali. When we got home he kept asking when he could go back to visit Ali and Jeff. We even had to have "standins" at our Family Home Evening (Abby's dolls) that represented Jeff, Ali, and Gavin. Because my kids missed them so much.

See Grace was there and had a great time, she just liked Ali's house better than anything we went to see.
Abby with her dolls at the hotel. She took them all over Louisville.
Ben and Abby walking down the hall at the hotel, just so cute.
The next day we started at a slower pace and let the kids go swimming in the hotel. They loved it. Bryce had both Ben and Abby down in the pool and they thought it was so fun.
I mean don't they look like their having fun (well at least Bryce is)
Then we went bowling later that day. Ben loves bowling. He had a blast. Abby liked her treat Grandma gave her more than anything.
Abby and her cousins, Chloe and Molly. They had a blast pushing the ball around to each other.
That night the guys drove to Cincinnati to go to a baseball game. While the girls watched The Little Mermaid at Ali's. We had a relaxing night and let the kids play.

The next morning we had to leave really early again. The flight went really well again. Abby had one little episode where she needed her dad and let the whole plane know. But really it wasn't very bad. She really was grandma's best friend and Kay and Lynn were wonderful to help us with the kids and all our stuff. I don't know how people travel with kids by themselves. Where do you put everything to start. Anyway they helped so much and Abby got to sit by them during the plane ride. On the last flight there was enough seats that she got to move around a little and that was great.

We had such a fun trip. It was so fun to go see Ali, Jeff, and Gavin. We miss them a lot. My kids had a blast and can't wait to go back (which is very unlikely). We were glad that the kids were so good and everything went so great.