Indianapolis, IN

We spent Memorial Day Weekend 2019 in Indianapolis, IN to see the 103rd Running of the Indianapolis 500. Until a couple of years ago, I never knew that my mom is a big Indy fan. When I was trying to figure out a Christmas gift for them, we decided on this trip as Indy was also a bucket list item for Dave.

We arrived early Saturday morning (about 2am local time). This was the airport greeting.

Saturday I thought we were sleeping in, but Dave was up early to go get the rental car and he said my parents were down eating breakfast and I was the only one still in bed. I got up and got ready and we made it to the Indy Parade in downtown Indianapolis.

Pippa Mann - the only female driver in the race this year.

Leave It to Beaver (I never watched that show so I don't really know who he is).

I was too late in taking this picture but I do remember Marc Summers from Double Dare.

We didn't know it then, but this is the race winner.

After the parade we went and checked into the Airbnb. Since we arrived so late/early Friday/Saturday we just stayed in a hotel near the airport. Our Airbnb was on the canal walk, so after we checked in Dave and I went to check it out.

Our Airbnb building.

Sunday morning we were up before 5am to get on the road and get to IMS. The gates opened at 6am, with festivities starting about 9am and since this may be a once in a lifetime event for us we wanted to make sure we didn't miss anything. We were one of the first to arrive but we found a great parking spot for pretty cheap and didn't have to walk too far. We had read we may sit in traffic for 2 hours+, but that was not the case either.

Mom having one of the best days of her life! Notice her checkered flag party nail too :)

One of the first people in our seats.

Once we got settled, Dave and I decided to take a walk and see the sights. We walked across the track so were able to see some things a bit closer up. Simon Pagenaud pit.

We walked across Gasoline Alley and saw some of the race cars being taken to the track. We headed back to our seats about an hour before the track closed but by the time we left there were so many people.

Balloons released during the singing of Back Home Again in Indiana.

This was our view for 500 miles of racing. The forecast called for thunderstorms, but it ended up being a perfect overcast day for racing with no rain.

Hard to see the #22 is at the top of the pole.

Simon doing his victory lap around the track.

After the race we went to Bru Burger for dinner and everyone went to bed early.

Monday we stopped at Coat Check for coffee. This was not a coffee shop that I had researched before the trip, but one we just happened to find when we were looking for coffee before the parade. It was so good...my favorite coffee shop in Indy.

We decided on the Zoo for Monday...

...saw Lionfish...

...bears...

...orangutans...

...meerkats...

...giraffes...

...rhinos (Dave's favorite animal)...

...and elephants.

Dinner Monday night was at Hedge Row in downtown Indy.

Tuesday morning we went to Bee Coffee, which is one of the top rated coffee shops, but I was not too impressed. 

We then went on a tour of the Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site.

We then drove to TradersPoint Creamery for lunch. This is a working farm and they serve lunch and dinner.

We took a tour of the farm, which was about a 1 mile walk.

After the walk we had some ice cream from the farm.

From here we were on our way to the airport to fly back to Phoenix. A fun time and a successful trip.

May 2019 Events

Since I am not keeping up on blogging individual events like I was a decade ago, I decided I would blog the month of May so far...parties, Mothers Day, Otis, The Weather, Soccer and Gardening.

On May 3rd, Lauren celebrated 39. We went over to her house for a little get together to celebrate.

The next day, May 4th, we hosted a Kentucky Derby party for family and some friends. We had so much fun that we are going to make it bigger and better for next year.

Mom and Dad at the Wager Window. It was $1 per entry and you only picked winner.

Dave was the bar tender. A Kentucky Derby party would not be complete without a mint julep.

Lauren and I

Mikele and I

The kids had fun in the pool - next year we need some horse floats.

Uriah came in his bow-tie.

Dapper looking nephews.

Mom, Kellyn and I

Dad with his two favorite people :)

Just after the race ended, we had a little excitement with a snake that decided to show up in the backyard.

Jason and Dave were the snake whisperers. The kids all had fun watching the snake and the snake was safely put in the wash behind our house without anyone being harmed.

Dave with the original winner of the Derby, Maximum Security.

These were the winners, had Maximum Security won, of course. However, there was a turn of events and Maximum Security was disqualified. 

Which meant that Country House was the winner.

Todd and Molly were the only two to choose that horse, which means they each went home with $40.

The entire group...thanks everyone for coming!

Next up was Mothers Day. We had lunch with mom a week early at The Henry.

Kellyn and Coby were out of town on Mothers Day (hence the early celebration), so Dave and I had Uriah and Owen come over after church on the actual Mothers Day. We took them hiking at Pinnacle - this only lasted about 15 minutes because we heard thunder so headed back to the car.

We stopped at Kale and Clover for a green smoothie, Uriah's favorite.

Owen had a few drinks and Uriah finished the rest of his.

We also went for a hike around the wash behind our house. The word "Dave" was probably said over 100 times between the two boys - Uncle Dave is a favorite for sure.

It has been just over two months now without Sam, and Otis has been next to me constantly (he is sitting right next to me as I type this). That is fine with me as I am so thankful to still have him around. I do miss Sam all the time and it still doesn't seem real that she is gone.

The weather this month has been amazing...all of us Phoenicians are LOVING it. It is late May and we still have doors and windows open because it is so nice outside. This was a storm rolling through a couple weeks ago.

Last week I went to a tax conference (free CPE) at the Biltmore hotel. This was a tiramisu dessert cup that I thought was really cute...and it was GF and tasted great also.

Yesterday we went to Uriah's last soccer game of the season. We only made it to two games but it was fun watching him.

Finally, I have been testing out my green thumb.

In early April we planted two tomato plants, as well as a bell pepper and eggplant. This is the start of an eggplant earlier this month.

And the first tomato I noticed.

This is the tomato today, as well as the eggplant and a bell pepper below. I am thankful for the cooler weather allowing these guys a chance to grow.

Given we have mostly desert landscaping they are in raised beds so need to figure out how to keep them cool once it does hit 100 degree temps.

But, right now they are flourishing. 

That's all for now.