I took a vacation! Me! Without bringing work with me.

Oh my goodness! I had a wonderful trip a couple weeks ago. Wednesday January 15- Monday 20th. I've spent the weeks afterward getting back in to the groove of things and it's taken me awhile to write about it. My goal was to get it done before February. So be prepared, lots of pictures!

We're off to Indiana!

Wednesday night Brian took us downtown to see Indianapolis.

Brian and Lori freezing in front of the capitol building. It was SOOO COLD!

I get a kick out of Brian's school's name. :)

It was fun to see where Brian takes his classes. He works on teeth on a dummy like this. 

 

I had a blast playing with Maybrie and Thomas. The funniest was playing school with Maybrie.  They both love to sing and dance. It's more fun watching them dance in person let me tell you.

I could not get enough of this guy. Ezra is still so tiny. I was wondering if I should have gone out there when my Dad did in November because he was lucky enough to be there when Ezra was born. But after being able to hug, cuddle, and love on this little one I decided I got the better deal. Poor guy had to stay in the hospital for a couple weeks after birth so my dad only got to hold him still attached to machines. I could hold Ezra and walk around with him and sit on a comfy couch and enjoy myself.  

Lori is hilarious with babies. Can you caption this pic?

"He does what?!"

We went to the zoo Thursday during quite the snow storm. You could say we had the zoo to ourselves.

Walking to the dolphin show. 

Snow, snow, and more snow.

Petting sharks. 

We really did have so much fun together. I miss having Brian and Summer closer to us. 

Lori, Maybrie, and I played out in the snow while Brian was still at school on Thursday.

On Friday morning we headed to Louisville, Kentucky to meet up with Darin, Christy, and Makaela.

First stop…Louisville Slugger Museum

It was really cool to go through. Baseball isn't my favorite sport but I was surprised at how much I enjoyed the museum and watching and learning how they made the bats.

At the end of the tour we were given mini Louisville Sluggers. :)

Dinner at Havana Rumba

It started snowing again while we were having dinner. After we were done Lori and I rode with Darin and Christy to their house for a couple days. 

When we arrived at Darin's in Richmond we had a lovely dessert waiting for us. Christy is very talented and makes wonderful cakes. You know me, I'm not a big cake fan. Even when people swear that a cake is so good, I generally think it's good but I could pass on a second piece. Not this cake. OH so good!

We were lucky enough to get it more than one day! ;) After cake we hung out and visited and watched a movie.

Makaela is so fun and sweet. She has the cutest little voice. I enjoyed reading books and playing with her. 

Saturday we went to the Kentucky Horse Park. It would have been fun to see it in the spring or summer when they are full with horses and have lots of activities to do but it was still fun for us to walk around and pretty much have the place to ourselves just like the zoo.

They had large rocking horses that we were able to ride on.  We could sit on a saddle and it projected the person on the saddle up on the tv screen and they'd be sitting on a horse. It looked very real.

I've always loved horses. I was excited to pet this sweet clydesdale. She looks like the 4 on the new Budweiser commercial for the Super Bowl! 

I had to get a pic with Secretariat. Olivia loves that movie. I was eager to see the Triple Crown trophy. Don't get your hopes up. It's not a crow. It's the triangular bowl. But on each side it has the name of the three races. Still cool to see along with Many Kentucky Derby trophies. Being married to a major sports fan I've learned a lot so going to the horse park museums allowed me to put visuals together with things that Jaime has told me about it. 

I love this picture. I don't have the one with all of us. It's on Darin's camera. So when I get those maybe I can include them in this post. (hint hint)

After the horse park we took Christy home to put Makaela down for a nap and Darin took us to Penn Station for lunch. I had so much good food on my trip I could go back just for that! 

Saturday night Christy, a masseuse, gave me a full body massage! When I was told I'd get a massage I figured it'd be "lay on the floor, or couch, and I'll give you a back rub" type massage. Which I wouldn't have complained about! But when I came downstairs the lights were dim, Christy had soft music playing, and her "utility belt" to hold her massage lotion in. I climbed in to a HEATED massage bed and just relaxed. Thank you Christy for a wonderful 90 minute massage! 

Darin showed off his guns. This is his newest. Definitely not for me. It's heavy!

Sunday we went to church with Darin and Christy, then home for an awesome lunch and some more delicious cake…I should have taken some on the plane with me. (grumble grumble)

Darin drove us part way to meet up with Brian then Brain drove us the rest of the way back to his place. We spent the rest of Sunday evening visiting and hanging out and enjoying another great meal.

Monday morning Brian and Summer took us to the Children's Museum, Indiana State Museum, Monument Circle, and Rocket Fizz (a candy and soda shop) all on Monday before we had to hit the airport at 4:30. Monday was the best day to walk around to all these places. The air wasn't so cold that you felt like you had frost bite the minute you walk out.

NCAA Hall of Champions! I would have really liked to go in there but we didn't have time before heading to the airport for our flight home.

You may recognize something similar to this in my post from when Jaime, Lori, Lindsey, Olivia, and I went to Seattle. This glass sculpture is made by Chihuly just like the entire Chihuly glass museum in Seattle. It was fun to see one at the children's museum in Indianapolis.

I met Bumble Bee up close!

There was lots to see and do at the Children's museum. I love my brothers and sisters. This time was well spent being together. We like to be kids again sometimes. ;)

Dinosaurs coming into the museum!

 

We didn't even see half of all there was to see at the children's museum due to lack of time but I was happy with what we did get to see.

After all our fun we went back to Brian's for an early dinner at 4 since we wouldn't be landing in SLC until 9:30. We said goodbyes to Summer and the kids then Brian dropped us off at the airport at 4:30. 

Lori thanks for coming with me! I enjoyed staying up late (or early like 2 a.m.) just laughing and talking with you. We had a blast racing through airports to get our connecting flights, and laughing and hanging out like we like to do. Did I mention laughing? Yes we like to do that. The 6 days of my vacation went very fast. I missed my hubby and kids while I was gone but this trip also makes me miss Darin, Christy, Makaela, Brian, Summer, Maybrie, Thomas, and Ezra more. :) Thank you all for making me feel so loved and welcomed. I love you!!!