We started our week with an early morning stop at Keeneland Race Track. They run the horses from dawn to around 10 a.m. each day. This trainer was kind enough to pose behind the boys for the first photograph.
It was very tricky to get a good shot of the horses in motion. Pictured above are my best attempts. The track was quiet, except for the sound of the horses running. It was a lovely spot to spend our morning.
Next, we went to the historic Lexington Cemetery. This is a beautiful arboretum with extensive grounds and lovely statuary. The boys and I enjoyed walking around and taking pictures (we each had our own camera).
After dinner on Monday night, we made our way to the State Botanical Gardens on the campus of UK. The meandering trails were occupied by runners, and it made me wish I could enjoy an evening run there myself. Instead, we enjoyed a brief walk among the flowers.
On Tuesday we spent several hours at the Explorium, a children's discovery center downtown. This attraction was by far the most popular with the boys, and this water exhibit was their favorite. You could create a flood or a draught; build a dam; or re-route the water.
You could walk on the moon, pilot an aircraft, or climb a mountain. My favorite attraction at the Explorium was the "Bubble Room," shown above.
On Tuesday night, the Water Professionals gathered for their end-of-conference celebration at the Kentucky Horse Park. I had been here as a girl, so this return visit stirred lots of memories. The boys enjoyed the shows featuring the different horse breeds and the former racing champions. Afterwards, we enjoyed a late night pizza at Joe Bologna's on the campus of UK.
Our last stop in Lexington was at this antebellum home, built by the grandnephew of Daniel Boone. We had a very intense tour guide (dressed in a period gown) who paused after every fact she shared for questions (we think...). This made it a bit uncomfortable, as we were the only family on the tour. Tim and I had to pay great attention so we were prepared with appropriate questions to ask. The boys were tremendously relieved when it started to rain as we began the tour of the grounds, and our visit was cut short.
(Pictured above: top, Joe Coker, Doug Voiles, and Tim; bottom, Seth, Layton Coker, and Reed)
The kids were excited about their first tubing adventure (pictured L to R, Seth, Will, Eric, Maya, Reed and Jack). After splashdown, they took off downstream (much quicker than the dads). The super cold water cooled their enthusiasm, however, and a troop of shivering children and a waterlogged Tim (Andre had returned with Reed and Jack earlier) trudged back into camp more than an hour later. 
Tim brought along an ax and a hatchet, but neither made much of an impact on this piece of wood. Finally, determination paid off with this handsome log for the fire. 
One of the highlights of my day was to be with both Jennifer and Jinda. They've heard "Jenn" and "Jinda" stories for years, but they had never met! 
Andrew didn't let a little thing like a missing grill rack stop him. Grilled corn on the cob, burgers, hot dogs, broccoli slaw (didn't you know it's traditional camping fare?), and watermelon: yum, dinner time!
The kids enjoyed the game of "Signs" more than the grown-ups, I think. They are much less inhibited about standing in the middle of the circle.
Tim fed a perfectly toasted marshmallow to Reed, and then indulged in a new creation: two toasted marshmallows nestled between M&M cookies. Mmmmm, the perfect end to a festive Fourth.
On our trek, we came across this vine hanging from the treetops. The kids had fun swinging from it. On top, you see Tim giving Maya a push; in the center, Reed is pictured mid-swing; on the bottom, you see that even the big kids couldn't resist, as Andre swings Tarzan-like through the trees: "Aaaaaaiaiaiaiaaaaahhh..."
First on Reed and Maya's agenda was dam-building. After they built a tidy little dam that would impress the local beavers, they followed their big brothers creek hopping downstream.
Creek hopping is not as easy as it looks, but the middle picture proves I gave it a try (however brief). The bottom picture shows the hoppers who perservered the frigid waters and slippery rocks to reach our destination. 
The day ended with an important discovery. Question: If a friend jumped off a cliff, would you jump too? Apparently, the answer is "yes," as Tim jumped off the rocks into the creek, followed by Andre (though it was really Andre's idea!). The top photo shows Andre's splash (you can see Tim holding on to the rocks on the right). The final photo shows Jenn and me, enjoying our shady spot and smiling because their jump is safely over.
