LulVille, LooeyVille, LouisVille, LooVille - Take Your Pick

Hello Blogger World! This is Kurtis, attempting my hand at blogging at the request of my sweet wife. Until now I haven't taken an active role in the composition of this blog. I've given some creative criticism along the way, proofread, requested that embarrassing pictures of me be excluded and embarrassing pictures of Camee be included, and overall have just enjoyed reading all of the fun things that Camee comes up with, much the same way that I'm sure all of you do. After I made a few editorial changes to the police story below (to ensure accuracy in case it ever goes to trial), Camee decided it was time I make an actual post all of my own. So, in an effort to keep her happy and in the kitchen making a wonderful dinner for both of us :), here we go.

This weekend we decided it was time to get out of town again. This was only the third time since starting residency and first time since August that I have had the weekend completely off. Camee gets up early every morning for Seminary, works for 4 hours a day, and spends a few hours on her lesson for the next day. We're both tired, and with a window opportunity looming, we decided we needed to make the most of it. Since I had to teach Elder's Quorum on Sunday and would be on call on Monday, we decided not to go too far. But we thought a nice little overnight would be good for the sanity of both of us. Louisville, here we come!

Camee made all of the plans while I was at work on Friday, and after a long afternoon of clinic, I came home to our bags all packed (isn't she great?), and just enough time to load the car and we were on the road by 6 pm. After a 3-hour drive through southern Indiana we crossed the bridge over the Ohio River, and just like that, we were in Kentucky for the first time! We navigated our way into downtown and hoped to enjoy some free exhibits Camee had read about, but the Titanic exhibit was closed, and the art galleries just make me feel weird. In the tradition of my father, I tried to sit down with some of the locals and ask for directions, but they weren't much help.
We did see some people dancing in the streets with faces painted and spinning hoops of fire to celebrate "Dia de los Muertos." Then after a quick look of longingness at the Louisville Slugger factory, we holed up for the night in a Fairfield Marriott, Book of Mormon in desk and all, that Camee found super cheap online (again, she's great!).

The next morning we got up and drove a little ways out of town to go to the Louisville Temple. We have been trying to go each month, despite our busy schedules and the distance because we know it's important. It was great to be there. It's a smaller one for sure, and very similar to the Columbus temple, but a wonderful place to be. We're lucky to still be able to get to the temple while we're here.

Then we went back into town and treated Camee to one of her favorite restaurants - The Old Spaghetti Factory. You've rarely seen a girl get so excited about spaghetti, a glass of milk, and a cup of spimone ice cream!

From there we went to a place that I can only image is close to what heaven must feel like - The Louisville Slugger Museum. (Take a virtual tour here.) You are greeted by a 120 ft bat that seems to tower over you, while bekoning you on, saying, "Welcome home." This is followed by a wall of imprints of signatures from all of baseball's greats - Babe Ruth, Ted Williams, Hank Aaron, Joe DiMaggio (they even have the bat he used for his 56-game hitting streak), Ryne Sandberg, a hole where Derek Jeter's used to be with a new imprint reading "Removed at the Request of Offended Mothers Everywhere."
A museum exhibit follows that teaches you about the history of the company, how it started as a wood working company that made bedposts and swinging butter churns, but evolved into something much greater after one of the sons made a bat for a professional player. Exhibit after exhibit shows the history of so many greats who have used bats made in that very factory to entertain so many hopeless dreamers over time. In a brush with greatness, they will even let you put on white gloves and hold a bat used by a legend. We had the choice between Miguel Cabrerra, Mickey Mantle, Jim Thome, or David Ortiz. Being an anti-Yankee, but still a fan of the game, I had to choose Mickey Mantle. Camee and I both got to hold the bat. But ONE of us forgot to read rule #4, and decided to swing an historic treasure like they were taking a warm up swing to send one to the moon. OOPS! The worker cringed, but was nice and told us he didn't mind as much when girls did it. (At least she didn't tap the plate or break the dirt off of her cleats with it!)
We also got a tour of the factory and got to see how the bats are made. Now that's what I call art, a true master work. Definitely a place all baseball fans should go, and a great way to pick up a mini bat for free. Also a great place to see what a 90 mph fastball looks like close up. See below. YIKES!

To round out to day we also decided to see how the other half lives and we made a stop by Churchill Downs. Camee said it reminded her of "better times" when her Grandpa Murray used to drive her to Wyoming Downs and let her pick the horses. :)

We watched a couple of races, and got a feel for the intensity that must run through a person's body as they watch their house payment hinge on their lucky horse's stamina. (See below to get a glimpse of the action.) We did see a few of the people who live the "high life," dressed in their Sunday best for a day at the track. But we sat with the other half, spending most of our time trying to stay up-wind from all of the cigarette smoke. I think the thing that amazed me most was the number of baby strollers and little kids. Who knew that horse racing was a family affair? See the horses in action in the video below.

With daylight fading we left town, very happy to have spent a fun-filled day together, away from the our home-away-from home, Muncie. Of neccessity we stopped at some outlet stores just off of the freeway on the way back; Camee was looking forward to them from the moment we passed them on the way down. Then we arrived home, safely, but not without the capstone of our little adventure mentioned below. The End.

Well, that's it. I hope you enjoyed my blogging. I'm sure this was a little different, and lengthier than you're used to from Camee, but it's been awhile since you've all heard from me so BACK OFF! If you don't like it then don't read it! But if you did like it, well, thanks, you're sweet. Maybe I'll write again someday if you're nice.

Be good to each other. Miss you all....