Catching Up: My Ol' Kentucky Home Summer 2012

We flewed! TOGETHER!! (That was one dang early flight!)

So, my last post was a brief one but I wanted to do two separate posts about Kentucky. It may turn into three but I'm not sure yet.

THIS post is all about what Neil and I did aside from the Open House. It's also a peak into what my family is like when they think my camera isn't looking.(Actually, camera or not, this is basically how they are. So fun.)

Sammy thinks he's a lap dog but I don't mind too much.

Making popcorn for the open house.

Sammy was banned for some thing or another.

View from my front porch.

The home that I love so very much.

From the garden. I will always love Hydrangeas. They remind me of the Azores.

Emma is one cute little firecracker.

Liam is hilarious and boy can he eat his popcorn!

"Sir Padre! (Dad's "grandpa name") I must away to my people!"

"Would you do the honor of sending me off?"

"Thank Yooooooou!!"

My family made a LOT of popcorn for the open house and it was yummy!

 Churchill Downs:

Neil and I took some time to squeeze in a trip to the famous (and my favorite) racetrack Churchill Downs! It was so much fun and even though there weren't any races going on the atmosphere was still buzzing with that Derby energy. It was such a fun time.

Neil in front of the Barbaro statue out front.

VERY HAPPY. I love that place!

Standing where I was, it is darn near impossible to get both spires in a pic! (At least with an iPhone)

 Fun Fact: The twin spires of Churchill Downs are a symbol of the Commonwealth of Kentucky and can not ever, by law, be altered. So in fifty years when I can afford to go and sit up in a fancy box thingy, they'll be exactly the same! Cool right?

Old retired race horse. He seemed pretty friendly.

Neil is gonna win the Derby!!

It was a fine (actually, SUPER humid) day at the track.

You know, I do have to admit that when I saw the twin spires and as I stood there by the fence, I couldn't help but feel this overwhelming love for Kentucky. It made me think about my first time at the Derby (I was selling sandwiches for a school fundraiser) and how overwhelmed I was as I stood and sang "My Old Kentucky Home" with the rest of the crowd. I realized that I loved, and still love, Kentucky and I knew that, in some weird way, I was always supposed to be there when I was. It was a mind opening experience.

After Churchill Downs, we went to one of my favorite restaurants, BD's Mongolian Grill.

We also had the opportunity to spend time with one of my BEST FRIENDS Alisa and her husband.

Totally stolen from Facebook because for some weird reason I don't have a pic of them and us. Rude.

I love them SO MUCH! We went to Stake and Shake

and then headed over to the movie theatre and watched The Amazing Spider-Man.

 (Carl wrote a review that convinced me I could stomach it.) I hated Spider-Man after the first movie that came out with whats-his-bucket and couldn't see how people even liked the "Super Hero". Then I read Carl's review and decided it was worth seeing. Then I saw it and I LOVED IT! It made more sense. It was much more intelligent than the other three combined. It was true to its title and was, indeed, AMAZING!

We had so much fun in Kentucky and we were sad when we had to leave but we promised ourselves we'd go back. We have even toyed with the idea of going during Derby season!! That would be stupendous!