Sweet Home Alabama

Awwwwww...to utter these words can only mean one thing. We are going to the state of Blake's birth...ALABAMA! Memorial Day weekend couldn't come soon enough as we are both being over-worked and in need of a break. I can't wait to get down there and just chillax. No worries....just lay out by the pool...hang out with family....grill out and do NOTHING....listen to the crickets chirping at night and enjoy the southern way of life. It's the good life and definitely a different pace from here in Louisville. After visiting Alabama multiple times over the years I can sincerely understand why Blake misses it and why it's so sentimental and relaxing for him to go back. Can't wait to see the in-laws Kim and Steve and of course good ol' Granny. God love her. We leave Friday after work...come on 5:00 o'clock!! Hope everyone has a wonderful Memorial Day weekend...be safe and have fun! And welcome back Mom an Dad from Orlando Florida!! I'm so very sorry that it was a wash out. :(

I'm freaking out!!!!!!

I'm allowed to have a moment of weakness and a meltdown right? Well, one is right around the corner. At my place of business we do a monthly live talk show with Wave 3 News called Louisville Listen's Live. It's hosted by Cindy Sullivan and it helps to showcase our business! I've actually been on there before performing various services that we offer and that's always been a piece of cake. BUT, tomorrow at 10:00 on Thursday, our esthetics side of the business will be showcased and Cindy will be interviewing me and I have to come up with some interesting stuff to say live on TV. UGH! I'm honestly freaking out and i'm sooooooooooooooooooooo nervous about it. It didn't hit me until lastnight, I've been cool as a cucumber about it but NOW, it's all going downhill. I've already got the nervous stomach and all that goes along with that. I hope I don't screw up and make myself and our business look completely stupid. If you can tune in, please do...or at least tell me you are so I can have your support. I need it! Can't wait for tomorrow to be over!

Random pics...

I think this will be last post about the Derby. But hell, at least this gave me something to talk about! Some random pics featured here...I'll run through them and explain....the first is of the muddy track that day on the backside (so wonderful that it didn't rain), the second is a pic of our "camp" on the backside. This is how we looked most of th day...studying the races and trying to place th perfect bet. The third pic is of me and Blake's Mom somewhere on the backside. We tried to get a kickass picture of the twin spires behind us but apparently that was too much to ask of the person who took this pic. I guess it's okay, just not what I pictured in my mind when we posed for it. The fourth pic is of the beautiful little fillie named Temple Street who won us $340!!! She is the horse that trainer Brad Cox has worked with. YAY! She was such a doll. The final pic is probably my favorite of the day. I look at it and can't help but giggle or smile. This horse kept shaking his head frantically up and down everytime we walked by. I swear to you, he wanted his picture taken so I got a great shot from the front of him doing his bobbing. TOO FUNNY!

Pictures of the actual race...

I have the coolest camera ever! THANKS so much to my loving husband for purchasing it for me several Christmas's ago. :) It has a setting on it which allows me to take a sequence of pics in just a few seconds. It's great for action shots and for sporting events. I decided to try it out for the Derby and I got some great moving pictures! I have about 20 frames in all of the actual running of the Derby but I only a uploaded what I could today. You could feel the thunder from their hooves as they rounded the first turn. I mean you could seriously feel in your core. What amazing athletes these animals are! We do take them for granted.

More pics and stories...

So here are some more behind scenes Derby Day pics that I wanted to share. :) The first is of the wonderful Brad Cox Racing Stables sign. What makes this so significant is this is the guy that got us in on the backside. Blake works with his brother-in-law and he was nice enough to drive us into the backside. A MILLION THANKS to Brad!!! ALSO, one of his horses, Temple Street (which he trained) ran in the Humana Distaff race that day. She was a longshot going off at 20-1 or 30-1, can't remember exactly, but we decided to bet that little girl across the board for sentimental reasons. She ended up coming in second and we won $340 for the bet we placed. WOOHOO!! THANKS again Brad! We ended up breaking even for the day so we were, to say the least, pleased with how things worked out. Brad is an up and coming trainer and owner and I'm sure there are nothing but great things to come for him. Also pictured is one of the many horses we saw that day in the stables, another of Bob Baffert the famous trainer and a pic of race horse getting his horseshoes put on. It was soooooo neat getting to watch that. And it was really nice that no one on the backside cared that we were standing around taking pictures and walking up to the horses. More stories and pics to come in the following days. Remember the name Brad Cox, he's gonna have a Derby horse one of these days! :)

Kentucky Derby 2009

I know, I know....everyone is probably tired of hearing about the Derby but I feel the need to share some pictures of our day at the downs for those who are out of town. Long story short, we had the time of our lives at our first Derby ever. Churchill Downs was still beautiful even though the days was gloomy (at least it didn't rain) but the temperature was perfect. We had the unique opportunity to go to the backside of the downs (this is where all the horse stables and barns are located and where all the trainers and owners hang out before the race) and let me tell you, it was unbelievable! We were up close and personal with all the horses and we were able to walk right up to them and pet them! It was so much fun and the best thing is....is that we broke even for the day! YAY! We had our own betting windows on the backside and we bet every single race. Studying the horses and then coming up with bets was a blast. Another great thing was how we were so close to the track for the races. You could literally feel the thunder from their hooves...it was exhilirating! For the Derby the owners and trainers walk right by us for their walk to the paddock to saddle up their horses and then when the race was over the jockeys ran by on their horses. I NEVER in a million years thought I would be able to witness Derby in this way. This is all I can post for now...I'll post more pics and stories in the days to come. Pictured above: Winner of the Kentucky Derby Mine That Bird with jockey Calvin Borel being interviewed after the race...then the famous twin spires, Blake and I at the betting windows and Bob Baffert walking his Derby horse Pioneer of the Nile. Enjoy!

And they're off!

Awww....Louisville at Derby time...the buzz is in the air and everyone feels a sense of pride. I'm so excited to say that Blake and I will be attending our first Kentucky Derby this year! We have a friend that will be able to get us into the backside of the track to enjoy the event. I've been told that the backside is where all the action happens, tons of horses, owners and trainers, and rubbing elbows with people in the industry...all while wearing a comfortable pair of jeans and a sweatshirt. Gotta love life! I figure this is a once in a lifetime shot at seeing the Derby up and close and personal so we better jump on it. I sincerely hope that the rain and thunderstorms will stay away but regardless, I'm going to enjoy it...mint juleps will help. :) Also, in other news, Blake's interview in Evansville, IN went extremely well but he didn't get the job. They decided to go with a local and that's all good. Blake and I were just a little dissapointed because it would have been a big move him and his career but there is a time and place for everything so we will just have to be patient. So Louisville, you will have to deal with us! Hope everyone has a wonderful Derby weekend and hope everyone picks the winning horse. LOVE YOU ALL!