Vacation 2013 - Huntington, WV!!!!

Its already been about a month since we got back from vacation and I'm just now getting around to posting about it.  But, as always, I have reasons.  Namely school started the week we got back and we have been running ever since!

My brother and his family moved from Arkansas to West Virginia a year ago and although they have had to make a few trips out this way for various reasons, we had yet to visit their new place.  The 14+ hour drive was a little daunting to us.  It was to be the longest we had ever taken with the kids but decided to break it up a bit going out and spend a couple of days seeing the sites along the way and it was super easy.  What made things even easier was having my Mom, Aunt and Uncle all back at our house taking care of the dogs and a few things around the house.  Can't thank them enough!

Our first day out we planned our overnight stop to be in the St. Louis area.  Got there in time for dinner and swimming at the hotel.  The next morning we hit the Gateway Arch.  This was totally on Wyatt's bucket list in life and he loved every minute of it.  I kept thinking as we were loading into the little pods that he was going to freak out but he just got more excited every minute of the three it took to get to the top. 

 

If you haven't ever been to the Arch (and yes, you need to go up in it to get the full benefit) it is truly a wonder.  The shear magnitude of its height from the ground leaves you awestruck, but wait till you get to the top!  There really aren't words to describe the view and how being that high up in the air makes you feel.  Other than brave of course!  Lorelai rode up just fine although she preferred to stay on the floor when we got to the top and not climb like a crazy monkey as her brother was.  This was my third trip up and I would go again.

After the Arch, we were off to Louisville, KY.  We were so excited to be headed to Louisville at the same time as some good friends and ended up at their hotel.  We don't get to see the VanLaeys family often enough so seeing them on vacation was a bonus!  There were a couple of stops we wanted to make in Louisville.  First up, baseball!  My husband and son are pretty avid baseball fans and they wanted to see the Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory.  Really neat place!  There is a ginormous bat out front that can literally be seen from the interstate.  Makes it pretty easy to find once you park the car. 

 They have a museum that has everything from life size models of professional baseball players to a pitching machine that lets you see just how fast those guys can throw the ball.  I have new respect for my sister's boyfriend who is a catcher!  They had an area with bats from famous players that you could hold and tons of other things to look at.  The tour through the factory was really interesting and I was floored by how many bats they turn out in a year.  1.8 million!!!! Who in the world is using that many bats?!  Another neat part of the museum is the batting cages.  You pay a dollar and can choose from numerous bats made just as your favorite player would use and in the cages you go.  I think Mike and Wyatt could have been in there all day!  Wyatt even hit a couple of them and the guy running the cages said he doesn't see many 5 year old that hit the ball so it made Wyatt's day when he actually did.  This is a definite must see in Louisville!


Our second stop there was on my bucket list.  As you can see, we are checking things off left and right on this vacation!  Here is the story of why this stop is so significant to me: While most little girls were probably playing with dolls or friends or whatever, I was parked in front of the tv on certain Saturdays with a pile of American Quarter Horse Journals from our farm vet, watching horse racing.  I would sit and flip through those magazines and absorb every move the trainers and jockeys and horses and owners made.  My favorite race was the Kentucky Derby.  It wasn't the hats that drew me in, it was the horses. 

While I had never been to the actual Derby, I had pretty much watched every race on tv since I was old enough to walk (or so it seems) and being able to visit Churchill Downs was pretty much the best thing ever.  This is a stop to make, even if you have never watched a race in your life.  I promise you will tune in from then on out.  Once we got our ticket, we were taken into a large room with an oval shaped movie screen above and watched an amazing video about the Derby.  The tour following took us to the paddock where jockeys mount the horses before the race. Riders Up! On the main grandstand building around the trim are the names of every horse that has won and the year.  I had to find my favorite and get a picture taken. 

Then it was on to Winner's Circle and the track.  We walked down the alleyway and when you emerge you are literally along the outside rail almost to the finish line.  I couldn't believe it!  There was seriously nothing between me and the track but the rail.  You have no idea how much I wanted to just take off running down the track!  My conscience got the best of me and just stuck my foot under and felt the dirt.  But you have no idea how close I was to running!

After our Derby experience it was off to Huntington.  The kids slept and Mike and I watched miles and miles of tobacco and horse farms go by.  We were ready to get to my brother's and have a couple of days to hang out and not stay in a hotel.  Plus, my brother is a pretty darn good cook and I knew there was going to be something on the grill or in the smoker at some point!  My brother's house is so stinking cute and Lorelai fell in love with their screened in porch which she called her green house.  Mike may have to put a screened in porch on our house just for her after this!  West Virginia is one of those states (probably like Kansas for a lot of you out there) that you just don't think about visiting.  And just like my state of Kansas, West Virginia is beautiful.  Huntington sits on the Ohio river and while the town has seen better days due to the economy, it is really a neat.  You have all probably seen or heard of the movie We Are Marshall. 

Well, Marshall University is in Huntington and where both my brother and sister in law work.  Marshall has a really nice campus and in the middle is the memorial for those who lost their lives in the plane crash.  Pretty sobering.  My brother took us down to the Ohio river which was quite beautiful.

I didn't get to do much shopping but one of the days the boys all decided to go to the Planes movie so my sister in law and I and the two littlest kiddos walked around this really great town square that is full of quaint little shops.  My sister in law bought some cupcakes at a little bakery there and they were to die for.  Yum, yum and yum!  There is so much I'm probably forgetting about now.  Really the best part of it all was spending time with my brother and his family. 

Playing baseball in Uncle Tony's hilly backyard!

Walking the stairs along the Ohio River

I have two nephews who are amazing little guys and I love them!  And if you could hand pick your sister in law, mine would be it.  We are so blessed to have her in our family.  Our visit was short but perfect and it seemed time to head home way too quickly.

Lorelai and Landry finding some shade

Brayden and Uncle Mike checking out the view on the Ohio River

Our drive home was to be pretty fast and furious with only one overnight stay so we could get home in time for school activities starting the next day.  We made it farther than we thought we would and stopped in Columbia, MO.  We found a great hotel on the edge of the MU campus and had a nice time swimming one last night and watching a baseball game and eating popcorn.  We made it home to spend a little time with my Aunt and Uncle before they headed back home and then off to Meet the Teacher Night at school.  Whew!

Vacations can be pretty stressful but I think we found the secret to a happy vacation for our family.  Don't plan too much!  We did just the right amount of tourist activities and then got to hang out at my brothers and regroup before the drive home.  When the kids are asking to stay on vacation, I think it was a success!

Hanging out in the top of the Gateway Arch!