Fall has Fallen!

For Labor Day weekend we went to a place best described as "the southern midwest":  Louisville, KY.   Rob and I deliberated all the way home yesterday and decided on this, since it's not really the north and not really the south.  Gary says it's the south, Beth says it is not because you can see Indiana. Kentucky, I heard from the internets, is technically a "border" state. Anyway, I'm not going to argue, because everyone seems pretty dead set in their opinions. Either way, it's delightfully charming.

We've certainly been missing Rob's uncle Gary, aunt Beth and their 3 girls (Ally, 8; Jaimie, 12; and Kaitlin, 14) since they moved from Helena, AL to Louisville sometime last year.  They were in limbo and an apartment for a while, but they are all moved in and settling into their beautiful new home!  So it was high time for a visit, and we were certainly happy to impose ourselves on them for a weekend.

We tailgated for the University of Louisville v. University of Kentucky football game on Saturday, Rob and Gary went to the game, and I got to hang out with Beth and the girls.  They showed me lots of their cool city, even though I'm pretty sure the older girls thought it was lame.  We spent lots of time walking in the gorgeous pre-fall weather and gazing across the river at Indiana.  Sunday Beth and I went running together (I'm ALWAYS happy for a running buddy!), showed me around the neighborhood, then we went back to the waterfront and saw the fountain that kids like to swim in and the vast number of parks.  We also got to spend some time by the waterfront.  Both Saturday and Sunday were filled with simply gorgeous weather. A very busy weekend indeed, but so much fun.  Lots of captioned photos below!

Bella (found out her whole name is Bella Blue) helps Rob navigate Nashville rush hour.  Brutal.

Gary and Beth have now have their own piece of the world on Tavener Drive. 

Now you know and you can go see them!

Neighbors' flowers in bloom, probably some of the last of this season:

We went to the Zachary Taylor Cemetery and played "Who's been dead the longest?".  

It was Zachary Taylor.

 Goofing off in front of the OH river and Indiana:

Kaitlin and Ally

Beth and Girls

A beautiful Sunday afternoon, pre-housewarming

Belle of Louisville, the boat, not me.  

Gary and Rob work hard on their brisket competition.  

Gary won this one, so now they need a tiebreaker!

My husband, the homemade grill-maker.

The party gets in full swing. 

See the guy in the light-blue button-down?  

There will be a post solely dedicated to him later this week.

Ms. Marie is 97!

Relay spent the evening really wishing for some brisket. 

Two of my favorite people from the weekend are in this pic.  

One told me I looked like a high schooler, which I realize is untrue, but shut up.

The other told me that I have smooth glamorous hair.  I'm sure they were both paid!

If you go visit Gary and Beth over on Tavener Drive, you must bring either bourbon or coffee.

You have been warned.

Surely they are making an instructional video.  

And surely they are all sober.

We all ate way too much!  Delish food!

We thought we would stop on the way home for some BBQ, it being Labor Day and all.  We went to TWO BBQ restaurants that were, much to our dismay, CLOSED!  This was a major fail:

SO:

Thanks again to the Louisville Mans Clan for a lovely time! Hope everyone had an eventful Labor Day weekend.  

Happy Tuesday!