Ky Derby Museum

Hayley's class had the perfect day for a field trip to the Kentucky Derby Museum and I am lucky enough that I got to tag along.We have never been there and she was super excited to see where the Derby takes place!!  I am counting my blessings and days that I am able to do these things because I know that soon enough these days will be over.

First up was Rhythm Around the Track: very neat program, kids learned about the different sounds they may hear and got to make and play their own song with horse type instruments (brush, pick, comb, horse shoes)

Next up was a quick walking tour of the Paddock area. No horses were out but we did get to see where they stall and walk them onto the track. Lots of preparations were going on to get ready for Derby 139!! Painting like crazy and they were changing the "numbers" while we were there. How exciting!!

Hayley was excited that she found Secretariats name...excellent movie you must watch!

We headed back inside where the kids got to watch a neat little movie about the history and what goes into making the Derby so special and then spent the rest of the afternoon looking and playing at exhibits.

My little jockey wanna be

As soon as I saw Hayley go to this exhibit, I knew that my Daddy would be proud!! Watch out you now have a Granddaughter who is getting a taste of  horse racing in her blood. I see a day at the Downs in the near future!!

She picked a horse (based on the name), placed a bet ($2 to win),

watched and cheered her horse on

and then WON!!!

What a perfect way to end a day at the track..winning!! We headed to Fazoli's for lunch, she was in heaven....horses and spaghetti make for a perfect day in her book!!

1st track meet

The kids had their 1st track meet bright and early last Saturday morning at Fern Creek High School

. As soon as we got check in they got their numbers, it was all official!! This is how they would track their times for each event they ran.

I was very stressed to say the least, lots of kids (over 300)  all over the place,

 NO PA system, and not very well organized. Sometimes it stinks to have OCD and be AR, but it is what it is and most people love me for it!

As far as the events were concerned they had as many heats as was needed, lanes were 8 kids wide and they ran until no students were left.

100 yard dash:

Hunter was 1 in his heat and 4th over all with a 16:22

200 yard dash:

400 yd dash

1:33:79 (9th over all)

4x100 relay

(times not posted when we left)

400 run

(times not posted when we left) 

200 yard dash

Hayley was 2nd in her  heat!

400 run

1600 run aka mile

(this is where I was getting nervous--I was praying for NO asthma attack!)

Her coaches are such awesome people and explain everything step by step to the kids. These pictures make my heart swell

4x400 relay

Me and my gal after her 1st track meet, I am one proud Momma!!

Whoever said that farmers tan were not sexy is wrong! I will be nice and dark come summer!!

I was totally emotionally and physically exhausted by the end of the meet. Both kids did AWESOME and know they are getting a fill for what they do/don't want to run at their next meet!

Tree Farm Fun

Sunday, was the perfect day to spend outdoors enjoying this BEAUTIFUL weather we have been having. We loaded up the truck and headed to Indiana to check out the tree farms. We stopped by Grandpa and Grandpa's nursery (Lincoln Springs) on the way, they are just now getting all their stock in and people have been buying it up like crazy since the weather has been so nice!!  It has been forever since we spent a day there (Hayley was a toddler) and we wanted to see all the things that have changed since then. I can remember setting Christmas Trees with Brian and his Uncle Doug back when we were dating, 12 years ago!!

 Christmas trees were all around as far as you can see

I have a picture of the kids in this exact pose when they were 2 and 11 months--I wish I could of found it!!

LOVE walking around and seeing all the different types of trees, shrubs and plants they have growing!!

Every time we are out and I see these wildflowers I smile, there is something about yellow flowers in spring that brings instant happiness to my face. Brian will never stop the car and let me dig them up but today he couldn't stop me!! I was in HEAVEN and got a ton to plant in planters and in my yard!!

there is something to say about a Daddy and his Daughter

After we walked around and piddled in everything we decided that it was time to sight in the kids guns!! They are now getting big enough that they are asking to hunt more (squirrel, rabbit, and Hunter is wanting to start Coon hunting--LORD HELP ME!), think its just because they like to shoot their guns. 

It was last Spring when the kids had last shot their guns and they picked them back up like it was nothing. I was very relieved that there was NO meltdowns!!

Hunter took to shooting the target like a Pro!! He struggled a bit with the moving target and I think it's because of his eyes. After a couple of practices and coaching from Brian he HIT it and was SUPER excited!!

Hayley hit the moving target on the first time but struggled with the still target! Complete opposite of Hunter. I am thankful that each of my kids are so different in areas and we celebrate the differences, Lord knows that I couldn't handle two kids completely the same :)

Blue River is just down the road from the farm and we have talked about going on a canoe trip this summer with some friends . We stopped and showed the kids where we would put in and the neat bridge. This is one of Brian's favorite memory he has as a child, how neat that we are passing it down to our kids. PRECIOUS MEMORIES!!

So thankful for a much needed family day out in nature. It doesn't get any better then this!

Practice makes perfect

Each night we all (Brian included when he is home) have been running and its been great!! The kids are LOVING track and Cross Country and are all about running when we have extra time. I measured the distance to the cabin and its exactly a mile there and back....PERFECT!!!!

 Hayley is now running it non stop and has made lots of progress as far as maintain a constant speed, its not the fastest, but we are working lots on the proper elements of running and the importance of proper breathing (NO ASTHMA ATTACKS thus far!!), posture, etc.  I have to say that I was a bit nervous about her wanting to to CC, but I know that she will be fine and this will actually be good her her lungs!!

Hunter is running about 3/4 of way and then stops and has to walk for a while. This kid is SO fast and is always thinking he has to WIN everything, we are having issues with the consistency of pacing himself, but know that it will come with time!!

Today on the way home from school they were upset that is was going to rain before we got to run and asked if they could run on the way home! I stopped the car and dropped them off and they their mile home! (Yes, I was behind them in the car) SCORE one for this Momma, getting their practice in!!! Just one of the many benefits of living in the country, you can drop your kids off in middle of road and let them run!!
I timed the kids: Hunter ran a 7:09 and Hayley ran a 8:25, not to bad for a 8 and 10 year old!!  Our road is very hill, part black top and then turns to gravel so I am proud of them for running so well!!

 

Our first track meet is Saturday and can't wait to see the kids run!!

Love Note

 Getting in my car after school today and found this note on my seat. Will be married 10 years in May and I still get random love notes!!

Happy Birthday, Momma!

Sunday we headed over the river and through the woods to Grandma's house to finally celebrate her birthday. It was the perfect afternoon to grill out, play, watch the CATS and enjoy time with the family. It seems like it keeps getting harder and harder to find times to get all of us together under the same roof!

While we were waiting for the food to finish, Grandpa was bribing the kids to pick sticks up in the yard for a $1!! Cheap Child labor and the kids were all about it, anything to earn a buck

Cousins and best buds!

The laughter was uncontrollable as the kids had scooter races down the alley. Seems like it wasn't that long ago that my sisters and I were doing the same thing with our Huffy bikes or was it our HeMan big wheels?!

Brian is such a good person when it comes to getting kids all worked up and hyper and then having to leave for work! No wonder why they all love him so much.

We headed inside to enjoy a YUMMY lunch of hot dogs, hamburgers, chicken, asparagus, mac and cheese and Oriental salad

After lunch (and during half time of the game) we gathered to watch some old VHS tapes that family friends had converted to DVD of our vacations together to Lake Cumberland and the "old" Paradise. It was so neat to finally show the kids after they have been hearing us talk about the "good ole' days"  They all couldn't believe how different we looked--it was quite hysterical looking back and seeing what was in fashion code.

Amy is in the chair with a teal shirt on, Erin in on the floor, Momma (with her long hair) is by the screen and I am in the chair with hot pink shorts (probably Umbro's and a black tank)

Momma had requested a red velvet cake and cream cheese icing from the lady who made Erin's wedding cake (who also used to babysit us!) Good thing we have connections, I picked the cake up on the way in town.

Happy Birthday to you,

Happy birthday to you,

Happy Birthday dear Grandma,

Happy Birthday to you!!

This is when it all get funny:

I had talked to Amy a couple of weeks ago to see if there was anything Momma had asked for or hinted that she wanted. When I was told Heely's I couldn't quit laughing. OK, its her birthday and if that is what she wants, then that is what she will get, so we ordered them!!

She was so excited when she pulled them outta the bag--it was like Christmas to her all over again!!!

She waisted NO time putting them on and heading outside to try them out

Talking about the funniest. thing. ever.   Picture a 55 year old woman trying Heely's for the first time, I had tears running down my face from laughing so hard. The kids were trying to give her step by step instructions on how to do them. We took turns walking with her, pushing her, pulling her, anything so she could get the feel of them. Little by little she could do it, not for long, just short periods of time, but she DID IT!!!!

A quick picutre with Grandma and Grandpa

After  we had been home for a while I get this text from Daddy...

I couldn't quit laughing and HAD to call and see what was goign on. Dad was laughing so hard we could barley speak--she had fallen and broke her kneecap! Only my Mother would do something like that.

She was laughing too and evidently had all the nurses and people at the ER laughing as well when she told them how she injured herself.  It gets even better, she was walking out to go home and laughing with the nurses and Daddy and fell on her butt!! I am sure that was a sight to see. Thinking we should of bought her the protective gear that went with it?!

Momma went to the Orthopedic Surgeron yestreday and it was a clean break and should heal on its own. She just needs to keep it in the lovely brace and no weight/pressure on it for 2 weeks.

All in all it was an AWESOME day, filled with sunshine, great food, family and laughter. I am so blessed that we are able to find time for the entire family to get together and help celebreatign Momma. Happy Birthday, Love you lots!