Louisville

Friday August 8th was the end of our Chicago summer. Ethan had to go into work that day but only for a quick exit interview and was home by 10:30. By 1:30 we were all packed and loaded to head out. Our first stop was going to be in  Louisville which was slightly out of the way, but we really wanted to see the Platts. 

Our landlord had some vacuum bags so driving home was a little more classy than driving out

On our way through Indiana, this car flew past us! We were so excited we wanted to follow him or rear end him or something to get his attention and show our approval.

I was excited to drive through Indiana because I really wanted to see Indianapolis. Talk about the lamest city ever. I mean LAME! There was NOTHING there.  This is it! No joke! I really big hospital and that building in the background. 

We didn't stop.

On the way through Indiana we also passed through Whiteland. They were experiencing a Heavy Drizzle. Not rain or mist or just a drizzle, but a heavy drizzle. Oh Whiteland. Could you sound any more pretentious.

After only 5 hours we made it to Louisville. Since I don't really know my geography very well I didn't realize that it was right outside of Indiana and right on the river. It was really fun to drive into for those reasons. It was the cutest little city.

On Saturday the Platt's showed us the town! It was so much fun to be with them again. It had definitely been way too long. Our first stop was the Louisville Slugger bat museum where we got to see how they made bats and then  play around with a bunch of baseball stuff. Rich would have loved it!

We are both holding Mickey Mantle's bat. I asked for Ripken's, but the bat guy confused. It was seriously okay though because I thought Cal Ripken was Mark Rypen who went to Shadle Park, and when I figured out how wrong I was I realized I don't know enough about sports to care who's bat I was holding. 

Rich seriously would have loved this place. Here is me with Ken Griffy and Ethan at the batting cages with a bat that simulated Babe Ruth's bat!

While Ethan was at the batting cages Kelsey and I went to the little tyke cages. She wasn't very good, but it was so much fun! She laughed and laughed and laughed as did Julie and I.

We couldn't get a picture but we also got to stand behind this glass wall that shows you how fast pitchers pitch and the ball hits the wall. We stood behind it while a 90 mph fast ball came towards us and oh my goodness! I can't believe anyone can hit that ball!

Coolest street was have seen all trip.

After naps and lunch we got the tour of Churchill Downs where the Kentucky Derby is held. Unfortunately the races ended the week before we got there, but we still got a pretty good idea of it. It is MASSIVE!!! Like so big! I couldn't believe it. Also, the humidity in Kentucky is the WORST! Oh my goodness. We literally swam everywhere we went. It was terribly humid.

And our tour wouldn't be complete without some hat modeling! We were going to buy them but mine cost I think $110 and Julie's cost $85. Um... never mind!

Across from Churchill Downs is where all the Louisville sports stadiums are. Talk about impressive. Each sport has its own stadium. We saw football, baseball, track, field hockey, lacrosse, and I think soccer. It was just miles of stadiums.

Kelsey and I were getting super hot so we decided to play at home while the rest of the group went to see Zachary Taylor's grave which was like down the street from the Platts. I didn't see it in life, but it looked super awesome.

The Platts were the best hosts! We got to eat at a genuine Kentucky BBQ place for dinner and got some ice cream at a place called the Comfy Cow. It is nationally known and I actually heard about it in Chicago. It did not disappoint. Julie and I were a little upset though because in our attempts to branch out we accidentally got an ice cream called Miss Piggy, which was delicious until we found the BACON CHUNKS in it!!! I HATE the whole maple bacon craze. I think its so stupid and gross. It was a slight let down. That's what I get for getting something other than Cookies and Cream.


On Sunday we took a walking tour of Downtown by the river. Again a super hot and humid day but being on the bridges was nice because it was super breezy. Trent also took us on a drive by of where he is going to school. It was just so much fun to be with them.

 

Some really cool boats that you can take rides on around the river. 

On the bridge between Kentucky and Indiana.

We all had so much fun, but I think Kelsey had the most fun. She LOVED Trent and Julie. At first she kept calling Trent Rich, but then she kept calling him Dad. No matter what she called him, he responded and just showed so much love back. Julie and Trent played with her and talked to her and showed her more attention then she had gotten probably since Grandma had visited Chicago. It was just so cute. She followed them everywhere. They will be greatly missed. Its sad to say but we just don't know when we will get to see them again. Maybe soon, maybe not. I kind of hate that part about growing up.

That's a Wrap!

Before we left Chicago I wanted to make sure that we got downtown one last time. I also had four places left that I wanted to see so on Wednesday August 6th, Kelsey and I planned a crazy adventure down town for the very last time. I have never felt more capable and more city like in my whole life. It was exhilarating.

Kelsey and I rode the Metra into the city and our first stop was the Money Museum at the Federal Reserve Bank. It was surprisingly really cool and really kid friendly.

Kelsey loved the money floor the best

Here is 1 million dollars!

And here is one million dollars again

This was my favorite part. They showed how they destroy money when its counterfeit or just old. After they showed you how to shred it they they let you take home a bag of the shreds. Basically I made $364 on Wednesday. No big deal.

This was a simulator of how the money is spent in the US and how some of it goes really quickly through the system and how some goes really slow. All the colors meant something but I didn't have time to really read up on it.

 

Different currencies

 

The real/counterfeit game. Kelsey should go into the banking business because she guessed every single one right! She's a genius.

The top is fake the bottom is real :)

After the money museum we hopped on the brown line and headed to the Harold Washington Library, but let me pause right there a take a moment to celebrate  the eL! I finally did and I finally saw where Lucy works in While you Were Sleeping!!

Here's where Jack purposes (not really but play along!)

  

And here's where Peter falls on the tracks! (Ps there is NO WAY that Lucy could have slipped them under the station away from the train. I totally checked)

 

Seriously though the eL is the way to go. Its so much faster and less crowded and just fun!
We rode the Brown Line to the Library and ran up to see the roof.

The library is where we had a parental induced melt down. Let me explain. For Wednesday to work, everything had to be on time and on schedule. I thrive on that sort of stuff and to me that kind of adds to the fun. BUT because that was the case we didn't have time for two year old shenanigans. Kelsey was super awesome by the way, not where I'm headed. When we were in the library I decided to let Kelsey walk with me if she held my hand allowing me to still feel in control but allowing her to feel freedom. Win/win. We were looking at the roof and then it was time to go and right then I saw the elevator doors open. If we really hurried we could make it to the doors in time and save ourselves a whole 45 seconds to get to the train that much sooner. Everything was perfect. I grabbed Kelsey's hand, pushed the stroller with my hip and took off assuming that Kelsey would run along side me. I'm basically running through the library when some man was giving me the most dirty looks I have ever seen! Naturally I glare back. How dare he judge this awesome mom! After I glared back, I heard a faint cry from below my hip, "MOOOOMMY!" I looked down and I Kelsey was on her stomach and knees literally being DRAGGED across the library floor! She was trying so hard to get on her feet but I was in too much of a hurry. What made the situation even cooler was the first thing I said to Kelsey included something like this, " Kelsey! There's no time!!!" HA! At this point I lost it.  I started laughing so hard that we did in fact miss the elevator and probably another one after. Luckily Kelsey really wasn't that hurt or bothered but my goodness! I so wish I could have seen me that day. Ultimate tourist right here!

After our fun at the library we hopped on the Orange Line and headed to the Thompson Center where we grabbed a much needed burger and root beer float. Yes, the root beer float was most needed.

You are allowed to ride the elevator to the top but ever since having kids, elevators just aren't my friend so we decided to skip that ride.

After lunch we grabbed the Red Line Subway and headed to North Chicago to finally get my Sprinkles ATM cupcake!

I LOVED the subway! It was so much fun!

After weeks of anticipation, the door finally opened to reveal our over priced yet delicious cupcake!

Red velvet and cream cheese frosting

And from Sprinkles we grabbed bus 66 to head on home. Kelsey was such a trooper the whole time.We saw everything I wanted to, completely completed my Chicago "To Do" list and successfully rode every form of transportation in the city. It was a great day and I feel completely cityized! 

And with that, that's a wrap! Live from Chicago for the last time, goodbye and goodnight!