Planning for Spring in Kentucky

This past weekend, we enjoyed a girls’ weekend in Lexington. We saw Mama Mia at the Lexington Opera House and hit up a couple of my favorite restaurants – The Village Idiot and Windy Corner.

Stephanie, Sarah, and I before Mama Mia

Winter starts wearing on me, and I always get in a funk in February. Getting out of the house and laughing with friends always does the trick. This weekend was just what I needed to help combat the funk. I’ve found that I start planning fun weekend events and vacations for the warmer months around this time of year, so it gives me something to look forward to. Although I like extended vacations, research shows that having more smaller events to look forward to is more beneficial than one larger event, so I’ve compiled several events that are on my radar right here in Kentucky.

*Side note: Read this and replace “Mom” with “Laura,” and you have a legitimate one sided conversation I have with people when talking about Lexington (where I live now), Bowling Green (where my parents live), and Somerset (my husband’s hometown). I seriously believe what I say too!

Anyways, Lexington, which has often been overshadowed by Louisville, is becoming a hip and foodie destination in its own right. More entrepreneurs and business owners are changing the landscape of small towns throughout Kentucky for the better. There is definitely plenty to see, do, and eat these days in Kentucky!

March 31 – Old Crow Medicine Show Concert – A classic crowd-pleaser with a cult following. Scoring tickets may be difficult.

April 9 – Under the Streetlamp – This show features the past performers from Jersey Boys, which is one of my favorites! Guaranteed to hear some doo-wop and Motown favorites, and probably some coordinated foot action as well!

May 22 High Hope Steeplechase – I say I’m going to go to this every year, and something always comes up. I hope to make it this year!

June 1-12 Phantom of the Opera – Another great Broadway favorite! Sarah shared how she won free tickets to KyPAC in this post, so you Louisvillians may want to try it for yourself.

June 10-12 Lake Cumberland 360 – If you’re a fan of the lake during this summertime, this festival includes activities beyond the normal lake day. We’ve participated in the bike ride before.

June 11 Beer Cheese Festival – I’ve never been to this quirky festival before, but I’ve heard it’s a good time. What’s not to love about beer cheese?

July 8-9 Master Musicians Festival – This falls during the same month as Forecastle in Louisville, but I like this music festival so much more! It is laid back, lawn chair friendly, and normally has a good selection of food and drinks.

Do you have any plans for warmer months?

Cheers!

Laura

Friday Favorites

 

After a mini-snowcation last weekend, I had a major case of the Mondays that I never really recovered from. Since it looks like the weather is going to be really nice for this time of year, I’m hoping to hop on my bike for a long ride on Saturday.

Shine Theory Ok, so shine theory is not necessarily a new idea, and honestly, it shouldn’t even be that radical of an idea for us women. However, it’s been on my mind a lot lately! It’s so common that whenever one woman experiences success, we use it as an excuse to compare ourselves to her in a negative light. Shine theory says that instead of giving in to this destructive knee-jerk reaction, befriend that woman because learning about all of those things that make her shine can help encourage you to shine too. It’s the associative property of awesomeness. – Sarah

Valentine’s Day Movie List I’m always up for a good rom-com, so I really don’t need an upcoming holiday as an excuse to watch one of these movies. Nevertheless, I’m hoping to watch one of these flicks this weekend. – Laura

Hound Runs Half Marathon When everyone in our family saw this news story, we immediately thought that this would be something Sarah’s dog, Lou, would do! This Alabama hound came in 6th place despite stopping to smell a bunny,visit another dog, and hang out with some cows and mules. Hilarious! – Laura

Spring Dress We still have a couple more months of winter in Kentucky, but I’m already ready to pack away my tights, boots, and heavy coats. I love this casual dress with the longer sleeves, which is perfect for 60 degree spring days. With a boat neck and navy and white stripes, what more could you want? – Laura

These look seriously tasty!

Cheers to a fabulous weekend!

Laura

Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day in elementary school was just the best! I loved picking out my box of Valentine cards, carefully tearing down the perforated lines of the card stock, selecting which card I would give to my closest friends and secret crush, and taping a piece of chocolate on each one. I loved decorating my shoe box that would become my Valentine mailbox and making crafts out of pink and red construction paper and doilies. I loved looking through all of my cards during my afternoon ride home on the school bus. Seriously, it was one of the best days of the year!

Then middle school happened, and Valentine’s Day became one of my least favorite days. It became a stressful holiday where I had to think about romance or worse – the lack of romance in my life, depending on the year. Although I’ve been fortunate enough to have the BEST Valentine the past few years, it still stresses me out. Candlelight dining and the pressure to make the evening feel special is just too much for me.

Around this time every year, Jay and I hesitantly look at each other and agree to not exchange gifts. Inevitably, he’ll surprise me with flowers, and I’ll make him a sweet treat. We’ll decide to do something together because that is way more fun than receiving heart-shaped jewelry. A couple of years ago, I happened to be in San Antonio for a work event that ended on Friday, so Jay flew up and joined me for the rest of the Valentine’s weekend. We rode bikes to missions along the river, ate well, and enjoyed the 75 degree weather. It was the best!

This year, we have less time to get away and are planning a longer trip for later in the year, so we’re heading to one of my favorite places in Central Kentucky – Shaker Village! We are spending the night, going to brunch, and if the weather cooperates, hiking and exploring the village in the afternoon. It should be just long enough to feel like a mini-getaway.

If you haven’t been to Shaker Village recently, it has seriously gotten cool. There are so many events I want to go to in the next few months, from beer and bourbon tastings to concerts to yoga and paddle boarding. We’re heading to the Bee My Honey Brunch, which couldn’t be more perfect for us with brunch fare, honey, and bourbon.

One thing that I do like to do on Valentine’s Day is have a festive outfit. Since it falls in the middle of winter, little red dresses and pink skirts are out of the question in Kentucky. Because we’re having a casual Valentine’s Day, I’m all about being comfortable and wearing practical clothing. Here’s what I’ll be packing for our weekend…

Sweater    Blouse    Jeans    Nail Polish    Bracelet    Flats

 

I’d love to hear your thoughts on Valentine’s Day! Some people love the romance and others prefer to pass on celebrating. What will you be up to?

Cheers!

Laura

Weekend Recap

If you reside in the Bluegrass or really anywhere in the Upper-South/Mid-Atlantic region, then you were probably snowed in for much of the weekend like we were. During January and February, I relish snow days and think they are good for the soul. They force people to slow down and take some time to rest from the normal bustle of life. However, by March, I definitely have spring fever and am ready to be outside without having to bundle up.

Other than heading out for the UK vs. Vanderbilt basketball game on Saturday, we spent much of the weekend playing in the snow, curled up with hot beverages and books, and eating comfort food.

On Friday, I was so tempted to make a big batch of chocolate chip cookies, but I satisfied my baking bug by making this honey wheat bread. However, by Sunday, I couldn’t hold out any longer and just made some cookies. I also made a big batch of The Pioneer Woman’s potato soup that we’re still enjoying. I substituted milk for half of the heavy cream in the recipe, and I think it still tastes decadent.

Here are some scenes I snapped of our weekend:

Where did all the squirrels go?

We did a lot of this after playing in the snow.

The view from our front porch. Jay won the neighborhood superlative for best shoveled sidewalks.

Spent some time planning a girls’ trip to New England this summer. I’m most excited to visit Maine!

We also stopped by the Bluegrass Barkery this weekend to pick up some of these Pawz booties and a few treats. After a light snow last Wednesday and the snowstorm this weekend, the pads on the bottom of her paws were getting red and irritated from the ice and salt. These little booties were great to put on her before walks and playing in the snow. She normally doesn’t like wearing anything, but she tolerated these better than I anticipated. The booties are reusable and disposable, so they come in packs of 12. Annabelle wore the same booties for several days, and they are still in good shape. The pack will definitely last all winter and possibly even into next winter. If you have a dog that you walk frequently, I definitely recommend these booties!

 

I hope you’re well rested and ready to take on the week! Cheers!

Laura

Friday Favorites

Did anyone else FINALLY feel back in the swing of things this week? It’s not a bad feeling, and coupled with a three-day weekend ahead, it’s a really awesome feeling! Here are a few things that caught our eye this week!

• Almond Crusted Chicken Nuggets – Since this week has been fairly quiet most evenings, I’ve been a bit more adventurous in the kitchen. I’ve enjoyed trying some new dishes and flavors, but I’m also craving some comfort food. I saw this recipe on one of my favorite food blogs and am planning to make these next week.
• Bikini Body – I’m really proud that this awesome lady is a fellow Kentuckian. As women, I think it is important to take care of our bodies and appreciate them for everything they allow us to do. Whenever I look in the mirror and think my butt is too big or my calves are too muscular, I try to turn my thoughts to gratitude for my ability to walk and run and do all of the other things I love doing.
• These Booties – I’ve been eyeing these booties since September and tried to hold out until they went on sale – but that never happened! I broke down and ordered them earlier this week and have been wearing them nonstop since they arrived. I ordered them in the “putty” color, but if you like them in navy, I found them on sale on Abercrombie’s website of all places. *Disclaimer: They’d probably smell like the cologne your high school boyfriend doused himself in everyday. Anyways, I’m officially on the booties bandwagon (3 years after everyone else…)!
• Oh You Steppin’ – The health and wellness program where I work offered super discounted Fitbits for employees who sign up for a step-counting challenge, so as someone on the fence about the Fitbit craze, this was enough to push me over the edge. I’m one of the worst users ever because I don’t really like wearing the thing (honestly, it makes for a less cute arm party), so I usually take it off after I reach my 10,000 steps. While it’s amusing to see people marching around and swinging their arms for the sake of a few steps and free swag, if it makes people more conscientious about staying healthy, then I’m a supporter!

3,097 steps and a shameless arm party pic at work

Whether you’re staying in for the weekend or taking advantage of an extra day to squeeze in a quick trip, some of our posts earlier this week have you covered. Check out Sarah’s favorite new releases and my favorite podcasts.

Cheers and Happy Friday!

Laura

My Old Kentucky Home Renovations: Foyer and a Plea for Help

You may remember the December bucket list I put together about a month ago. I’m happy to report that I completed everything except creating a piece of artwork to hang in my home. Time just got away from me, and this goal fell by the wayside. When I wrote that to-do item down, I envisioned making a large statement piece to hang in our foyer because it is lacking in organization, inspiration, cohesion… You get the picture.

Anyways, over the next couple of months, I’d like to whip our foyer into shape. Unfortunately, it has become the “catch all” spot, and you can see the mess from almost every other room in our house. It has a lot of square feet and really great lighting, so it has the potential to be a great entrance to our house.

I’m hoping that I can share some “after” pictures with you by the end of February. Here are the “before” pictures in its current state.

As you can see, we’re doing a little work on the plaster above the fireplace, so it is a little more messy than normal. It is a relatively blank canvas, and I painted it in Sherwin-Williams Drift of Mist this past winter.

Here are some challenges to the space:

1. Budget – I’d like to keep everything under $300.
2. Attachment to existing items – Jay has a sentimental attachment to some of the furniture, so we’ll have to come of with a creative way to create a cohesive look. Did you see that little orange school room desk? Yikes!
3. Little wall space – While the space is large, there are 4 doors or hallway entrances, 2 windows, and a fireplace.
4. Visibility – Besides being the first room you encounter, it is visible from everywhere on the first floor except the kitchen, so it needs to match the rest of the house.

I’d love to hear your thoughts and suggestions on how to improve this space!

Cheers!

Laura

Reality Check in 2016

After indulging in sweet treats, cheesy hors-d-oevres, and several glasses of champagne on New Year’s Eve, the first thing I put in my mouth on the morning of January 1^st was a big old bite of a chocolate chip cookie. Great start to 2016, huh?

Let’s be honest, just because it’s a new year doesn’t mean we magically turn into new people. Even those of us with the strongest willpower are still versions of our old selves. I respect the ambition of those who set resolutions for the New Year, and conversely, I respect the practical and realistic folks who adamantly don’t set resolutions for the New Year.

Moderate that I am, I tend to fall somewhere in between. As someone who is naturally introverted and introspective, I find myself reflecting on goals and personal improvements several times a year, and I think the break from normal routines and schedules around the holidays allows for a little time to reflect on ways to improve.

The number one thing on my list to work on is prioritizing my family and friends because is there really anything more important than those people?

This past weekend, Jay and I planned to go to the UK v. Ole Miss basketball game. As it turns out, Sarah and my mom scored tickets to the UK game too, so the plan was for them to swing by the house a little bit before the game, and we would head to the game that evening. That left me a free day to grocery shop, do laundry, tackle a few projects around the house, and go to yoga class before rewarding myself with the game. Perfect!

Then, my dad calls and says he plans to ride with my mom from Bowling Green to have dinner with us and hang out with Annabelle (our super cute golden mutt) during the game. Okay, maybe I’ll save laundry for Sunday. Friday night rolls around, and I find out that my uncle will be in town and needs to pick up something from my parents. He plans to meet at our house at 4:00, and he’s bringing a friend. Nix the painting project, and be sure to vacuum and clean the dog hair off the couch. On Saturday morning, a dear friend happens to be in town and texts me to see if I can get lunch. No yoga, and I’m going to have to double time my efforts to get everything ready before 4:00 (really 3:30 because my family is notoriously early).

I share all of this to let you know I was flat out humbled and realized I have a LOT of personal growth to work on in 2016 and beyond. My anxious, OCD self was stressed and frazzled every time I found out I would have another “interruption” in my day. Sheesh! As you might have already guessed, January 2 turned out to be a great day! I saw several people I love and enjoyed spending time with each of them. I know I’ll remember the meals and time I shared with them, and I’ve already forgotten about the to-do list.

My other works in progress are…

1. Serve others more
2. Make better use of mornings
3. Grow Kindly Kentucky
4. Become more mindful

I’ll spare you from the specific, measurable action items I plan to take to achieve each of those goals, but I hope to share some positive updates throughout the year. Best wishes for a great start to 2016!

Cheers!

Laura

NYE Recap

Does anyone else tend to feel stressed out around New Year’s Eve? Every year, I seem to find myself worried about getting invited to the perfect event and finding a sparkly outfit to boot, as though the new year will be doomed to be a tragedy if I’m not tooting party horns with at least 50 of my closest friends at the stroke of midnight. Kentucky native Jennifer Lawrence even took it one step further to say she always ends up drunk and disappointed on NYE. Thank you, J Law, for saying what goes through my mind every year. I feel you. I really do.

This year, I decided to take a little bit of a step back. There was no huge road trip or scouring my favorite online stores for a glittered frock. Instead, Ryan and I headed down the road to Lexington to join Laura and Jay for their annual NYE party. Don’t get me wrong–it’s not as if Laura and Jay don’t know how to throw a party. Between Laura’s spread of hors d’oeuvres and Jay manning the bourbon bar all night, it tends to be quite the affair. What I mean by “taking a step back” is that instead of chasing the perfect night, I rolled up to a party where I knew a total of 3 people aside from my sister and brother-in-law. When the clock struck midnight with my fiance to my right and a group of strangers to my left, I realized how perfect and appropriate that was to represent this time in my life. Over the past year and a half, I’ve moved to two different cities, started and finished a graduate program, traveled to foreign countries, found a new job, and started a relationship that recently turned engagement. To say the least, life for me lately has constantly been on the brink of discomfort and defined by new things and new people. So, of course this is how I should spend my NYE. And I believe that 2016 will be all the better because of it.

Cheers!

Sarah

Holiday Hosting and Raspberry Trifle

This weekend, we hosted some of our extended family for a Christmas lunch. The first holiday meal I ever hosted was a Christmas gift exchange with my high school girlfriends. Of course, my mom did most of the the planning and grocery shopping, and over the years I’ve learned much more about hosting meals, parties, and tailgates thanks to LOTS of advice from my mom and LOTS of trial and mostly error.

I’m by no means an expert, but here are the key tips I’ve learned from hosting – whether it is a smaller dinner party or a large bash.

1. Keep the menu simple: I like to plan my menu around food that I’ve made several times before. This way, I know the food will taste good, and I won’t have a melt down minutes before guests arrive since it’s harder to botch a familiar recipe.
2. Do as much work ahead of time as possible: Two nights before the event, I created my tablescape, set out my serving dishes, washed the holiday china, and prepared any food that I could get a head start on. The day before, I cleaned the house (minus the kitchen). This meant that on Sunday morning, I was only responsible for popping a couple of dishes in the oven, doing a light spot cleaning and vacuuming, and putting final touches on everything.  
3. Delegate tasks if it makes sense: Since this was a smaller family gathering, I didn’t feel bad asking people to contribute. My brother-in-law brought the wine and each couple brought a side dish. Generally guests want to bring something or help in some way, so if the situation is appropriate, I encourage it and give them a guideline, such as, “It would be great if you could bring a salad.” Then I know that I don’t need to prepare a salad, and the generous guest knows they won’t be duplicating a menu item I’ve already made. Being fairly general also gives them autonomy to put their personal spin on the dish.

Here’s the menu I planned for our Christmas lunch:

Appetizer: Beaten biscuits with country ham

Main: Beef tenderloin, salad (brought by guest), green vegetable (brought by guest), mashed potatoes, and rolls

Dessert: Raspberry trifle, assorted homemade Christmas candy

Raspberry Trifle Recipe

This is the same dessert I made for my girlfriends in high school. It is a go-to recipe because it looks pretty and festive,  is easy to assemble several hours before guests arrive, and is practically no-fail.

• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 (10.75 ounce) package prepared pound cake*
• 2 (10 ounce) packages frozen raspberries, thawed**
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, for dusting

1. In a medium bowl, beat cream with 1/4 cup sugar until stiff peaks form. In another bowl, cream together cream cheese, lemon juice, vanilla and 1/2 cup sugar. Fold 2 cups of whipped cream into cream cheese mixture. Reserve remaining whipped cream.
2. Slice pound cake into 18 – 1/2 inch slices. Drain raspberries, reserving juice. Line the bottom of a 3 quart glass bowl or trifle bowl with one-third of the cake slices. Drizzle with some raspberry juice. Spread one-fourth of the cream cheese mixture over cake. Sift one-fourth of the cocoa over that. Sprinkle with one-third of the raspberries. Repeat layers twice. Top with remaining cream cheese mixture, whipped cream and sifted cocoa. Cover and refrigerate 4 hours before serving.

*I love to bake, and I would normally make a homemade pound cake if I was serving a more simple dessert, such as pound cake with fresh berries. However, since I had a busy weekend and the trifle had plenty of flavorful ingredients, a Sara Lee pound cake from frozen foods aisle worked great.

**I bought a 26 ounce bag of frozen raspberries because it was a better deal at the grocery store and ended up using the entire bag. If you and your guests like raspberries, you may want to use a few more than the original recipe suggests.

I hope you’re enjoying your holiday festivities!

Cheers!

Laura

December Bucket List

As someone who lives by lists (daily, weekly, monthly, yearly, and varying other time increments), I thought I would share my December bucket list. Most items are fun and holiday related, but there’s one item that is mostly a big chore I want to tackle when I have a few days off work after Christmas. You should have no trouble spotting that one.

What are some things on your December bucket list?

Cheers!

Laura