Vacation, Part Two---The Louisville Zoo

Our last full day in Louisville began with rain.  We had originally planned on going to the zoo in the morning to beat the heat but had to alter those plans at the last minute.  In the spirit of the entire trip, this change of plans ended up turning out to be super fun!  After breakfast we went to an early showing of Cars 2 rather than the zoo.  This was Q and E's very first movie in an actual movie theater and it was on our list to do when we got back home.  They had sooo much fun sitting next to Kali and Karson and sharing popcorn!

By the time the movie ended, the skies had cleared and we hit the zoo.  It was a great zoo-day:  Not too hot (until we were leaving...see sweaty family photo below) and not at all crowded. 

K and E walking like penguins.

Karson ran through a mister---this photo reminds me of the monkeys that sit in the hot springs in Japan in the snowy winter.

Vacation, Part Two: Who Needs Disney World?

Who needs Disneyworld when you can dress-up like a princess in Kentucky?

Quincy chose to bring her ballet recital outfit as her dress-up outfit.  I'm thinking we should have brought her tights for it... 

They honestly wore there outfits for the better part of the day.

So did Julie (just kidding!).

When it came time to go out for a snack, Ellie (our level-headed child) decided she was going out in normal clothes. 

Quincy and Kali?  They decided they were not taking off their outfits until bedtime.

Kali and Q stumbled upon some remaining rose petals left over from a wedding that had just occurred in a courtyard.  I think it fit right in with their princess-reality at the moment.

After dinner Julie and I took the girls on a carriage ride of downtown.  Of course both the carriage and the horse were white (think Cinderella).  The girls were beyond thrilled!  It was just too much fun for all of us and looking at these photos is cracking me up again!

Vacation, Part Two: Churchill Downs

The first full day we spent in Louisville was at Churchill Downs.

We went to the museum first (which had a lot of pretty neat activities the kid's enjoyed).

Kali is used to petting and riding the real thing, not the fiberglass replica...

 
...whereas Q and E are used to petting horse-size dogs.

An actual retired race-horse....

Kali could almost fit in the jockey's uniform.

After the museum the real fun began:  It was the last weekend of horse-racing and we joined in the festivities.

The jockeys...going to their horses???  Just guessing here.

We had box-seats and the adults had Mint Juleps....the kids had water.

Quincy gave Eric a good luck kiss on his first bet....

 

 ...but it didn't help!

It turned out the horse we bet on won!!!