We took things at a slow pace in Louisville, hanging out with my cousin Eric. The kids got to meet and play with his two-year-old daughter Maddie, something they've been looking forward to since June. Eric and I talked and practiced slight-of-hand card tricks, unless that was supposed to be secret that he's been doing that with his time, in which case, no, we didn't. After lunch we headed out to the Louisville Slugger Factory.
The Sandlot is on display in the hallways, celebrating the 25th anniversary of the movie.
This ball and glove were carved from stone.
{Three, Two, Four, One, Five}
This is the only picture I got going into the factory tour because there is no photography allowed in the factory. This is a staged depiction of how bats used to be handmade.
During the tour, we were constantly handed a bat to hold as an example of what the tour guide was talking about--the firebranding, the painting, the carving, the knobs for the manufacturing process, etc. Five hated that because we were supposed to hand the bats off to other tourers, or back to the guide. He got so upset with it that he stopped accepting the bats when they were offered to him. At the end of the tour, they hand out a mini bat for free. Five wasn't about to be tricked again by a bat he'd have to give back after 10 seconds, so he turned into my shoulder. When I whispered to him that he gets to keep the bat and take it home, he perked up and happily and gratefully accepted the gift.
All five kids happily posed for a picture with the giant bat, and in numerical order on their own accord!
{Five, Four, Three, Two, One}
{Three, Two, One}
{Four, Five}
Eric explained that these horses are scattered around Louisville and placed in front of historical buildings. This horse is painted to depict the building it stands in front of.
{Two, One, Five, Three, Four}
Three requested her own picture with the horse.
Walking back to our parking spot.
Eric tries not to be in pictures if he can help it. Ahaha!
After the factory tour, Eric headed to work and the kids hung out with their cousins, while I hung out with Maria. At one point Aubrie came into the room and asked me, "Aunt Megan, will you hand me that?" Maria laughed that she called me "Aunt." I said it's okay for me to be Eric's cousin and his daughter's aunt and it's kosher because we don't live in West Virginia. I don't feel a need to explain to Aubrie that I'm her first cousin once removed and that she is second cousins with my kids, because it makes more sense to her that I'd be her aunt and my kids are just her cousins. Likewise, when I visit my uncles or aunts who have kids nearly the same age as mine, I don't bother to tell those kids that I'm their cousin; they can just have my kids for cousins.
I took the kids to a park to run out energy after dinner, then after they went to bed I ended up talking with Maria's mom, Teresa, about the colloidal silver she had generating in the kitchen. It was such fun discussing something we both love.
From the park. It's really okay to let a playground just be a playground. It's not necessary to build in ridiculous educational parts.
The next morning, we said our goodbyes before heading to Churchill Downs on our way to Ashland in Eastern Kentucky.
{Me, Two, Maddie, Three, Eric, Four, Five, One}
Signs at Churchill Downs
Four got in this kick of wanting to pretend to be sad. It's a step up from her actually pouting.
{One, Two, Three, Five, Four}
{Three, One, Two, Five, Four}
On the tour
Timeline of winners
Hey, look! There's Paul Jones!
By the paddock.
The paddock
The Twin Spires
{Five, Two, Four, One, Three}
The track
Gettin' their fancy schmancy on.
{Four, One, Two, Five, Three}
Playing "jockey" in the museum.
Fashion is as much a part of this 143-year-old tradition as is the actual race.
These flowering trees decorate the whole parking lot.
We left a message with my cousin Callie, who is on her mission in Louisville, but didn't get a hold of her. From here, we proceeded to Ashland, KY.
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