Saturday in the 'Ville

The kids were up way early this morning - well I guess it was their normal time but we are on EST so it seemed earlier. We got dressed and went down for breakfast - the kids were delighted to find Lucky Charms and donuts at the buffet. We ate and went back to the room to pack up - I had done almost all of it the night before but I needed to pack toiletries and PJs. I checked our route on mapquest and then we were ready to go.
The ride down was pretty - because it is a bit warmer down state some of the trees were already in bloom. We found some things along the way that we might stop in on the way back to Indy. We arrived in Jeffersonville around 11AM and found Schimpff Candy. It was two old store fronts and the front window had a couple of women hand dipping chocolates. When we walked in the smell of cinnamon was in the air - Rob started talking to an older man and it was the owner and he grew up just a few blocks away from us. The kids and I looked around while Rob was talking. They're the makers of cinnamon red hots and gummy products as well as all the chocolates. We ended up getting some bourbon chocolates, some Easter chocolates and one of their signature chocolates - a marshmallow covered in caramel and chocolate.
I called Julie to find out if she was ready for our invasion - she said no quite ready so we went to the Visitor center and the kids posed with the Col (KFC) for a picture. We found some brochures of things/places to visit. We were off to Louisville Slugger factory. Julie and Karlton (we approve) met us there. We had about 40 minutes until our tour began so we looked around the museum and the kids played in the kids area. Nick was pretty good batting left on t-ball. We took the tour - incredible that this all was done by hand not too long ago. We got to see the production from trees being cut down through the logo being placed on the bat - pretty neat.
We all got Louisville Slugger mini bats at the end of the tour.
After the tour we stopped in the gallery which had a Norman Rockwell museum and we discussed food options - we had found a brochure for a place called Lynn's Paradise. The brochure coined it as if Dolly Parton and Salvador Dali were to own a restaurant together Lynn's might be it. We decided to go there and it is the finniest thing - you are going down the street and would never know it is there until you pull up to it. Outside was a whole bunch of playful art and statues and inside was a gift shop with crazy things.
We got seated and the table was not a disappointment - Find Its and mini dinosaurs and crayons. The menu was full of choices - breakfast and lunch items but the Throwndown with Bobby Flay french toast jumped off the menu at me. French toast with chocolate and vanilla bourbon sauce and strawberries - yummy. We had a delightful lunch and a great time catching up and getting to know Karlton. After lunch Julie gave us a scenic tour of her work - amazing how huge the facilities are. We then checked into the hotel and Julie and Karlton went home to get some rest before we met up later this evening for appetizers and drinks.
The hotel is amazing - we inquired when we checked in if they had any suites available because it is nice to have the separate sleeping area and living area and they did have one available and the lady nicely upgraded us. The living room section of our room is its own room - very spacious and nice. Rob told the kids he would take them swimming and I checked to see where the closest grocery store was. Rob and the kids went to swim in the very large pool while I went to the store to pick up appetizers for this evening.
I got back just as they got back from the pool. The kids were going stir crazy waiting for Julie to arrive. We had the most excellent visit - so many laughs and stories. This is the reason Louisville was out spring break destination - to hang out with our awesome friends. Of course, it is a whatever happens in Vegas moment and I cannot disclose what actually was said...
Julie and Karlton left a short time ago - we will meet up with them again tomorrow for a trip to see the helicopter Karlton flies and I am sure some other great things. We are planning on hitting the science museum in the morning and then meet up around lunch time.
I was a bit too busy to notice aches and pains today. My feet reminded me they were attached to my body a few times but my hands were all right. Visualising my healthy and continually healing body and the new normal, Tree