Kentucky-Themed School Supplies

I LOVE back to school season. I love beginnings and fresh starts and the possibility of a blank slate.

Of course, the best part of back to school season is school supplies! I recently asked everyone over on bluegrass redhead's Facebook what their favorite school supply was and people had some passionate opinions on the superiority of highlighters versus post its.

Got me thinking... you don't have to be a student to enjoy school supplies and what could be better than school supplies that remind you of the Bluegrass state!?!

You'll need pencils.

A notebook or two.

How about some decoration for your laptop?

And of course, a bag to carry it all in!

~ Sarah Stewart Holland

Original Makers Club Louisville Dinner

I just heard about the most amazing event, y'all. It's a celebration of some of the best things Louisville has to offer, courtesy of our friends over at Original Makers Club.

Next Friday night, in the middle of Main Street in downtown Louisville, Chef Edward Lee of 610 Magnolia and MilkWood (and whom you've probably seen on Iron Chef, or Top Chef, or on the cover of his new book Smoke and Pickles...) will be cooking for 100 people. The event, one of the Original Makers Club's signature dinners, will serve as the kickoff for the 50th Anniversary celebration of Actors Theatre of Louisville.

Now, I just adore the food scene in Louisville -- the restaurants have the imagination and quality of a bigger city without the pretension.  Chef Lee is one of Louisville's bona fide stars; 610 Magnolia has been on the short list of the city's top restaurants for as long as I can remember. And, I'm told by folks who know the drama scene far better than I do that Actors is a training ground for serious talent. Add in the beauty of downtown Louisville on a summery Saturday night, and it's sure to be a can't-miss event!

You can visit the Original Makers Club website for more information or to purchase tickets.

Don't you need a new Tervis?

I always tell myself that I have plenty of Tervis Tumblers.

We have beach designs, equestrian themes, and plenty that share our team pride. I always think we have enough. I mean, we can only drink out of one at a time, right?

Then, last night, my beau and I walked through the cutest little store in Oxmoor Center, and we ran across all kinds of fun new UK designs. A few more wouldn't hurt, especially since we're right in the heart of Cardinal country...

I love this chenille design. It looks like the lettering on my dad's high school letter jacket. Such a fun little nostalgic touch!

And these two neon designs? I think I need them, y'all!

I can never get enough Tervis Tumblers. Do y'all collect them too?

Click below to get free shipping on orders over $75.

{Disclaimer: This is an affilliate-sponsored post. A small percentage of purchases made through affiliate hyperlinks will be given to HerKentucky.)

The Sacred Maybe

Here at HerKentucky, many of us are in the midst of big transitions. Some of us are adjusting to new cities; others are adjusting to new school schedules for the kids. Erin was recently called to minister a new church in Kansas City. Here's a beautiful essay she wrote about parenting and faith in times of transition. As always, you can read more from Erin on her blog,

Irreverin

. -- HCW

I have a boy who is almost 3, but he’s been talking like 4 since he was 2. He didn’t get the memo that boys and/or second children do not develop vocabulary as quickly as their female/first child counter parts. I mean, boy likes to chat. At his two year check-up the nurse said, “does he know a) 5-10 words, b)10-20 words, or c) more than 20 words?” My husband and I kind of looked at each other and said, “um…why don’t you ask him?”

For all his articulate advancement, there are certain turns of phrase that he doesn’t quite understand. Kind of like that foreign exchange student you knew in high school who was a better writer and test-taker than you, but didn’t get nuance or figures of speech. “What do you mean, that’s cool? Would you like to borrow my sweater?”

Yeah, ambiguities really don’t fly with little boys. And maybe that’s not so much a development thing as it is a little boy thing…

“Are the cinnamon rolls ready yet?” “Almost.”

“Can we go to the park?” “Maybe later.”

“Can I watch a cartoon?” “We’ll see.”

In every instance, (especially those related to food), he just cannot accept the ‘maybe’ as my real answer. He doesn’t have a fit, and he doesn’t scream and yell. He just looks at me, perplexed, like I’m speaking some exotic foreign language, and then he asks me again. And again, and again, in his hyper-articulate little posture, until I deliver a clear “YES,” or “NO,” or “NOW.”

So you can imagine how the almost-3-year-old brain–even one with excellent language skills–struggles to process “we are moving. Later. Soon. Eventually.”

Every time we get a box packed up and moved into the garage, there is this little person standing there, asking earnestly, “NOW is it time to go to Kansincity?”  (For the record: “Kansincity,” in his mind, equals the hotel where we stayed on our short visit there. “Kansincity has an elevator!” he shares with all who will listen. “And a pool! And Fruit Loops!”)

Anyway…how do you explain 90 days/ 6 weeks/ 1 month to a small child? When words like ’soon,’ ‘later,’ and ‘eventually’ are terms from a parallel universe? The vagaries of time are mysterious enough to the supposed grown-ups. What is as small kid supposed to do with, “We will load up the moving van exactly 30(?) days from now, and then we will get in our car and drive for AWHILE, and then we will be ELSEWHERE and then we will live SOMEWHERE, and then… and then we will find the library and the grocery store.”

Luckily, his attention span is as short as his vocabulary is wide. He is easily distracted with toys, books, ice cream… Sure, he will ask me again later. But for now, I can hold him off and deal with my own discomfort brought on by those same words: ’soon,’ ‘maybe,’ and ‘somewhere.’ Even for supposed grown ups, those are hard words to live by.

And when you’re moving–not just house to house, but into a whole new life place–those words sometimes feel like the only words there are.  Everything in my life right now is a big fat ‘maybe, later, we’ll see.’

Truth is, we all hate ambiguity. We are programmed, culturally and maybe even biologically, to want ANSWERS. Preferably, now.  We cling to present comfort over future uncertainty, any day of the week. Some even cling to present misery over possible growth; because that possible future is unknown. Later. Maybe. Elsewhere.

When I think of all the opportunities I could have easily passed up because my present was comfortable–or because my misery was familiar–I get a little short of breath. I could have missed meeting my husband; I might have stayed in low-paying, soul sucking jobs my whole life long; I’d have missed seeing the world; I’d for darn sure never have been a pastor; or a mother, for that matter.

Whether by choice or by the nature of circumstance, we all find ourselves living, from time to time, with a certain degree of ambiguity. In seasons of transition and becoming, we can crash headlong into the first easy answer; or we can learn the spiritual discipline of living in the empty space. We can seek the sacred in the sea of change and trust that, like any good parent, God will be with us for the whole ride. And probably help find the grocery store.

We could live our whole lives small and scared. After all, what’s here and now is almost always easier than ‘maybe,’ ‘later,’ and ‘elsewhere.’ But my, how much we would miss. So many wonderful things–really, all the wonderful things–start as That Which Might Be. The college application; the unbaked bread; the pregnancy test; the blank page; the road to nowhere/anywhere/somewhere… Not a simple yes or no among them.

All this is to say; sorry, small man-child of mine. I don’t much like it either, but our lives right now are a mess of boxes, ‘maybe’s,’ and ‘eventually.’  But, eventually, we will find the grocery store, the library, your new bedroom, and probably, another doctor who will not believe how many words you know. You will shout ‘conquistador!’ at the top of your tiny lungs, and then you will recite the whole of Ephesians. But none of that is quite as important to me as how you answer the big questions later… the big questions that have no easy answer or discernible timeline. My great hope is that you will one day look that big, gaping ‘elsewhere’ in the eye, and count it as joy, and say “I don’t know,” and “we’ll see.” And it will be such good news.

I heart Kentucky

I love Kentucky. I am not originally from Kentucky and may have hemmed and hawed when we moved to Paducah, Kentucky my freshman year of high school but when people ask where I am from, I proudly say Kentucky.

A few weeks ago, I was in Lexington and I locked myself out of my friend’s house as I was packing up my car to go to Louisville. I only had my car key and my car.  So after about 10 minutes of panic, I got into my car and found the nearest establishment to see if I could use their phone.  I pulled into Rose and Jim’s, a biker bar off of Georgetown Road, and was met with southern hospitality. They let me use their phone, patrons bought me beers and I met my freshman year roommate’s high school teacher.  Their kindness really turned a terrible experience into one I will never forget.  

One of my new friends from work decided to go to the University of Kentucky for undergraduate on a whim and will be leaving for Lexington in two short weeks. I was so excited when I heard this and told her to read up on the rules of basketball!  She inquired about Kentucky because she has not been to Lexington yet and I talked her ear off. I told her that I have never met a state that is more beautiful and if there is a state that has more state pride, I have never found it.  I told her about the story above and her jaw was on the floor.  I told her about Keeneland and tailgating. I told her about Ramsey’s and Cheapside. I also told her to check out HerKentucky…the premier source for all things Kentucky!

I am putting together a Lexington guide for my new friend but I have not lived in Lexington for over 10 years. I am using HerKentucky as my main resource for all things awesome in Lexington, but wanted to know what is your favorite new thing in Lexington? What should I recommend?

Thanks for your help y’all! I really appreciate it!

HerKentucky's Instagram Photo Contest

Contest Rules

1. Follow HerKentucky on Instagram.
2. Tag your favorite Kentucky photograph #herkentuckyphotocontest and tell us where it was taken. 
3. You may enter as many times as you wish between today and August 16, 2013 at midnight. 
4. HerKentucky will select and announce one winning photo on August 17, 2013.   Winning photo will be featured on HerKentucky's Facebook page and Website.

Prizes

Winner will receive one $25 Amazon gift card and a 10x10 copy of my Instagram photo.

*This contest is solely sponsored by HerKentucky. 

Spicy Chocolate Bourbon Pops

Last year, I rocked the summer with the Maker's Mark and Ale-8 popsicles. I am told you can make a popsicle with something besides bourbon. This is a very interesting theory I fully intend to test...one day.

Until then, I have created a new popsicle for the lovely Rachel at A Southern Fairytale I knew I had to share with y'all. Rachel is from Texas. (If you can't be from Kentucky, I suppose Texas is an appropriate substitute.) So, I created a pop that has some Texas heat, Kentucky bourbon, and chocolate - the great uniter!

They are the perfect summer treat, especially if you like a little kick on a warm summer night!

Click on over to A Southern Fairytale for the complete recipe!

~ Sarah Stewart Holland