Summer in the Bluegrass

This post will begin with the July 4th festivities in Lexington. And before anything else happened that day, Callie had an early morning visit with some friends while we donned our running shoes and ran the Bluegrass 10K. We were quite proud of ourselves for not only finishing but looking good while doing it. Plus, the race justified our recent purchase of new running shoes.

Once we had finished the race and showered we were ready to take Callie to downtown Lexington where the streets were close for the big day. There were quite a variety of booths set up and there was a specific area for kids. As you can see in the video below, Callie especially liked the kids area.





The slide was such a hit that we had to go down it twice. We really could have done it several more times but her father was getting sick of the crowds by that point. This is something we need to work on, because that story won't fly as Callie gets older.


Any good fair has fried food, but only the best have funnel cakes. Sarah had only one requirement that day, and it was to have funnel cake. Although this almost didn't happen since Callie started to have a minor meltdown, she was able to pull herself together and enjoy her first funnel cake in one of the downtown parks.

The very next day John flew to Scotland for a week. But the camera stayed in Lexington, so there are no pictures from his trip. He doesn't do well with taking pictures on his own anyway, so there wouldn't have been much to look at. However, he did have a good time and thoroughly enjoyed himself. While he was gone, Sarah and Callie stayed extra busy. Among other activities, they attended a backyard pool party at the Gipes.





Callie is certainly enjoying water activities more and more. And she was happy as a clam in the little pool that Sarah and Alex had set up for the occasion. Not pictured is the trip Callie and Sarah took to the horse show at the Kentucky Horse Park. They are trying to learn all they need to know before the World Equestrian Games hit town next fall.


As soon as John got back from Scotland the planning for the rest of the summer went into full swing. First stop, the Cincinnati Zoo. Here Callie and John board the train that circles part of the zoo. Note to any potential visitors - this train ride is not worth paying the additional fee for "all you can ride". However, we did see a wolf. So that was pretty cool.


One cool thing about the Cincinnati Zoo was that we were able to interact with several animals. As you can see in this picture, Callie had the opportunity to meet Alan the baby alligator up close. We also met a bearcat and fed a giraffe. Both were awesome. Unfortunately the pictures of the giraffe feeding are not exactly blog worthy. Sarah just got too excited and got in the way. It's understandable - those giraffes are amazing!


Callie's favorite animal seemed to be the elephants. We definitely needed to stay at that exhibit much longer than others. She couldn't get enough of them. And right outside of that exhibit was this statue of a baby elephant. Just the right size for a picture with Callie.





Overall the trip to the zoo was fun. Another one of our favorite sights was a mother Bonobo and her baby. The baby was holding on tight and it was extremely cute. Here's a little fun fact for you. The bonobo is the primate with the closest genetic link to humans. It shares 95% of its DNA with humans. Unreal.


As we left the zoo we had one final photo op with the rhino statues. There is an adult rhino and a baby. Here Callie is riding the baby rhinoceros. So a good time was had by all and now we just may have to check out the Louisville Zoo for comparison.

So what's next for the summer? Swim lessons, a Lexington Legends baseball game, trip to Chicago, and of course, lots of time at the park. We hope your summer is just as busy and fun. See you all soon.

Block Island

Our trip to New England started with Alison and Brian's wedding, but it did not end there. Fortunately for us, the day after the wedding marked the beginning of the Balestracci annual vacation on Block Island. We simply invited ourselves along and luckily Katie, Chris, Michael, and Brendan decided to let us stay. For four glorious days we got to know the island and spent time with the Balestraccis and Grandpa Jay and Nana Taffy.


The adventure definitely started on the ferry ride from Point Judith. Callie really seemed to enjoy the boat ride, but the boat and the ocean were no comparison to her cousin Brendan. Thankfully, Brendan did not mind accepting all of the responsibilities and burdens that come with such worship. It was very cute to see.


The weather was great while we were there and we got two great days in at the beach. Callie loved jumping in the waves and playing in the sand. She couldn't get enough of either activity. Below is just one of many pictures we have of Callie frolicking in the Atlantic Ocean, an experience she just doesn't get in the Bluegrass.



But our vacation was not just a day at the beach. We also had a great time biking around, playing board games, and enjoying the fine products of the local bagel shop. Let's be honest, food can sometimes make or break a travel experience. So it's good that Block Island has a number of options.

Here is the whole crew before we enjoyed dinner at the Naragansett Inn. We got to sit outside on the porch and ate good food while enjoying the view. It was fun, but we all missed the presence of Suzy, who was either riding an elephant or a bike through Thailand at the time. It's tough being a world traveler.


On the last day Katie and Chris took us to see Mohegan Bluffs, which is a really cool part of the island. Here is a picture of our gracious hosts and tour guides at the top of the long staircase that descends to the ocean below. It was a great way to end a wonderful time. We can't wait to get out there again.


To get home that day from Block Island to Lexington we had to go by boat, car, plane, train, and finally car. And we even had a detour due to a torrential downpour in New England to add to the mix. Through it all, though, Callie was a trooper as usual. It helps when you have fun travel companions like Nana Taffy. This is a really cool picture, isn't it?

So that ended our New England adventure for this part of the summer. But it certainly was not the end of the fun. Stay tuned for another update soon.

Alison and Brian's Wedding

As you may or may not know, one of John's closest friends from childhood is Mike Skonieczny. And by that we mean there was a period of time from about 6th grade to junior year of high school that John spent every other weekend at the Skonieczny household. And the Bowes and Skonieczny clans as a whole were extremely close and remain so to this day. And on June 27, the youngest Skonieczny, Alison, married Brian Zanardi in a beautiful ceremony on the banks of the Connecticut River.


It was pretty cool. In fact it started with the groom and his son arriving via boat on the dock near the Griswold Opera House. And as the crowd assembled we had the chance to talk to and reconnect with a number of folks we had not seen for a while. But the day was about Alison and Brian. And the picture here only gives you a hint of how great the day was and how bright the sun shined during the course of their wedding.


As mentioned above, Alison is the youngest. There are a total of five Skonieczny siblings and they have been making sure that the Skonieczny name carries on into the next generation. Pictured below is the whole clan, a total of nineteen and counting. Seriously, one is expected to arrive in the fall. Needless to say they are a good looking bunch.





Alison and Brian wanted to make sure not only that their reception was a rockin' party, but also that it was kid friendly. It is obvious that Alison is the director of a preschool program, because all of the kids in attendance had a blast. Who wouldn't with a table of candy with a sign saying "Help yourself" and a basket full of bubble mix.

Okay, who are we kidding. It's not just the kids who like the bubbles and candy. Chris Balestracci was into both the bubbles and the twizzlers, and Mike Skonieczny was more than happy to spray bubbles across the dance floor for all of the assembled kids. It was fun to watch.


And of course there was dancing. Our last picture illustrates both two hip dancers and also the manner in which the well known Bowes dancing style is passed from generation to generation. Callie loves to dance and was happy to shake a tailfeather with Grandpa Jay.





All in all, it was a wonderful day. We had such a great time and were excited to have the opportunity to spend time with all of the Skoniecznys young and old. Hopefully it won't be too long before we are able to do it again.