Sometimes you just have to slow down

We on the goo goo ga ga have been on the road quite a bit in the last 6 months. First was 3 weeks in Italy...then it was 2 weeks in Philadelphia. Then we took alittle trip recently to the land of horses, bowling, basketball and baseball bats...Louisville, Kentucky. I must admit that my first response to my wifes suggestion that we all follow her on this business trip was alittle tepid. After all...this concrete jungle, fast city life boy would be traveling to a part of the country that is second probably only to New Jersey in it's ridicule from around the country. Is it Looville...Loville...Loonieville?? We'll, can you believe, that this city boy was charmed by Louisville, Kentucky. I have a whole new respect for this part of the country. The people were great...except for the exchange on the street of a man singing his lungs out and a lady getting into her car across the street explaining in a most deffening shrill that she did not appreciate his tone ALL THE DAY LONG!! Me walking hand in hand with the little ones was alittle concerned as we walked by :)

I must say though that the slow down of the south did not start in the airport. Coming into Houston for our connecting flight we only had 50 minutes from the time we landed to the time we took off to Louisville. Unfortunately we had to, with little ones in tow, run it seemed like 2 miles inbetween terminals. Let me say...when they say everything is bigger in Texas...they mean....EVERYTHING IS BIGGER IN TEXAS!! AND LONGER!

Fortunately for my wife and I this (below) is what happened to both of the kids on our puddle jumper flight to Louisville.

The same pose could be said for our son on this flight. To say that I was exhausted after just manageing to make this flight would be an understatement. We both needed a rest after that sprint through the Houston airport.

On this trip we did managed to do some of the touristy things in Louisville...Louisville Slugger facility...horsefarms in Lexington and yes...we did go bowling.

Churchill Downs had to be the favorite thing that we did though! Site of the most famous horserace in the world. We took a behind the scenes tour of the facilities and who do we stumble upon in the jockey lockeroom?? Calvin Borel....two time winner of that "most famous horserace in the world". Our tour guide told us that that just doesn't happen because these tours don't run when it's this close to race time. Just that day because it was the second time in history that they had night racing at the track. He was super nice. He picked up my daughter and we all posed for a family shot. The also gave the kids a pair of their riding goggles! Had to be the highlight of our trip. Even though horseracing is not something that my wife and I are a big fan of. We loooved it.

We ended our trip to the track by attending the first few night races. And yes...we did put a dollar or two on our new friend...ya know..the jockey who won "the most famous horserace in the world" Unfortunately he did not Win Place or Show in any of the races :(. In fact in one I think his horse is still running :)

I would just like to sum quickly because I'm posting more about the feel of our trip rather than what we did on it. Ya see this city boy got a taste of Louisville. As you can see in the title of this blog I mentioned slowing down. You might have thought that we traveled somewhere where it is slower than our fast paced life. And you would be right. But I came away thinking that maybe this is the speed life should be and not the speed that I'm use to. I came away from Louisville with a whole new respect for the region. They take their basketball and horseracing very serious but they do not let you know it....much :) You see it in how clean they keep their city and their farmlands. I have to say that I will probably never return to Louisville but I am so glad to have visited. It was a pure pleasure. One that I will never forget.

P.S. - The mint julips...if you ever make it to the south and have one...it is BOURBON!!! Don't let em tell you it has sugar and mint in it....IT IS BOURBON!!....lol...holy smokes...a few drinks of one and you can say bye bye. I managed to have just a couple of sips before I declined the rest...knowing that if I were to drink it all I would not be able to drive back to the hotel :) lol.

Another little P.S for all that follow our blog. We are here...we are healthy...we are raising our kids and having a blast doing it. We are though, unfortunately, spending probably way too much time on Facebook. :) Hope this finds you all well.