And they're off!

Where we live, spring means many things. But, one of the unique and really fun things about this area is the amazing horses that are everywhere! Keeneland is just around the corner from our house, and every spring (usually April, I believe), the races begin. Big, fancy hats, and beautiful spring dresses dot the grounds, along with seersucker suits.

We're actually just around the corner from the fall racing season at Keeneland, but this past spring we decided to hit the track for breakfast, and enjoy the morning warmups. We loaded up the kiddos, along with grandma and grandpa, and headed out of the house around 7:00 AM. And it was so much fun! Here's a little glimpse of our morning...

My new friends...

One of the things I've been longing to do since moving to Kentucky is visit a horse farm so that I can photograph the horses! I was able to see that dream realized a couple of weeks ago when Click-ish Photographers (the local photo group I belong to) visited Bachelors Barter Farm in Harrodsburg, KY, home of April's Andalusians. Here's a sampling of what I was able to capture...

Jadira DD

Jadira & her half-sister Indira

Katie gets a good shot of the sisters kissing each other.

Tia was a sweetie!

Abby saying hello to Dia & Nobleza

My husband & daughter meet Tia.

Well, hello there!

Katie's son was a natural. 

Getting a bit of a shave... how embarrassing for this girl! :)

This is their stallion Campero. He wasn't allowed to come out and say hi, but we enjoyed him from a distance.

The Click-ish girls getting up-close shots of the new blooming daffodils. The grounds were absolutely beautiful!

Campero strutting his stuff near the barn.

Inside the house... was built in the late 1700's, by a friend of Daniel Boone's!

The huge fireplace in the original kitchen, which was in the basement.

My studly husband enjoying the pasture view.

I love all these beautiful old stone walls that are littered throughout Kentucky's horse country.

Katie's son felt a little adventurous, and wandered into the pasture. Thankfully, the owners were quick at jumping fences. :)

Thank you to all who made this fun day possible!!

Christmas Tree Hunting 2006

I know we're a long way from Christmas, but I couldn't help but think about it today. Whenever we go Christmas tree hunting, we try to really make it a fun day. We listen to only Christmas music, drink hot cocoa, and bundle up nice and warm. There is a tree farm nearby that really capitalizes on atmosphere, so we like going there. They have great big Percherons that drive sleighs throughout the farm—complete with sleigh bells. It's just perfect! When you come back from picking out your tree, you can step into their barn and sip on warm hot cocoa and eat cookies. We have such a fun time! It really starts to feel like Christmas once we've been there.