Cradle & ALL

Enjoy July 4th Events

Lexington’s Fourth of July festivities kick off on Friday, July 1 this year with the Great American Pie Contest and Ice Cream Social at noon at Cheapside Park downtown.
The fun continues Sunday, July 3 with a patriotic music concert at 8 p.m. on the Transylvania University Morrison Lawn.
The Bluegrass 10,000 Race begins Monday, July 4 with the wheelchair division at 7:25 a.m. The 10K begins at 7:30 a.m., and the Fun Run at 8:15 a.m.
For registration information visit www.lexingtonky.gov.
The Fourth of July Street Festival will run from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. with free family fun, shopping and food vendors. The parade begins at 2 p.m. running down Main Street. Live music will take place at Cheapside Park from 7:30-9:30 p.m.
A fireworks display begins at 10 p.m. Fireworks will be launched at Alumni Drive across from the Arboretum.
Parking lots around Commonwealth Stadium will be available as a place to park and watch the fireworks.
Info: www.downtownlex.com/lexingtons-4th-of-july-festival.

Breyerfest Returns To Horse Park

Breyerfest returns to the Kentucky Horse Park in July for the annual celebration of horses.
Breyerfest “Carnival!” includes workshops, crafts, a petting zoo, pony rides, demos and more family fun.
Breyerfest runs Friday and Saturday, July 22 & 23 from 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday, July 24 from 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Single and three-day tickets are available.
Info: www.breyerhorses.com.

Sound Off

Difficult Discussions

Agunman killed 49 people in an Orlando nightclub on June 12. We asked our readers: How do you talk to your children about tragedies like this one?

♦ “We talked to our 7-year-old about how sometimes there are people who do very bad things and hurt other people. Her school practices for this kind of emergency just like they do a tornado, etc. so, she is already a little aware.” – Cindy Downey

♦ “I just open up by asking them if they’ve heard about the incident in ‘X’ city and state. If they have, I ask what are their thoughts about it. If they haven’t, I tell them the gist of what happened then ask them how they feel and their thoughts.
“We then discuss further about praying for those affected, making choices and how choices impact others, being aware of their surroundings, etc.” – Rhonda Jackson

♦ “Our highest level of preparation for our children is to teach them all the benefits of tolerance, acceptance and understanding, even when people look, think and live differently from you. “If we all built a global culture of acceptance, then love wins, and there would be no motivational glory in terror.” – Melinda Kelly

By the Numbers

♦ Nearly 50% of family vacations include grandparents as well as children and parents
♦ 35% of grandparents foot the entire bill for multigenerational vacations
♦ $4,300 was the average cost of a week-long vacation for a family of four

Book Review

“Nightfall”
by Jake Halpern & Peter Kujawinski

Review by Eryn Keenan
8th grader at Edythe J. Hayes Middle School
The authors invent an amazing world full of mystery that will keep readers turning pages. As the creatures loom ever so close, a mysterious voice both Marie and Kana have heard before attempts to guide the group to safety.
Can the voice be trusted or is it a trap? The group faces many unexpected twist and turns. Will they survive?
… Full reviews available at lexingtonfamily.com