I can’t begin to imagine the terror brought forth by the giant in the sky earlier this week just outside of Oklahoma City. More than 10,000 lives were directly impacted that day, with at least 24 fatalities, and up to a billion dollars worth of damages – all in a few minutes that must have seemed like hours to those hiding from one of nature’s most fascinating evils.

It has been confirmed that Monday’s tornado was without a doubt an EF5, with winds as high as 210 mph. Repairing the damage that has been done will take several years, and the mass amount of people affected will surly take a lifetime to get over.

If you are interested in helping the victims of Monday’s events, I am including a list from USA Today that has information on what you can do and who you need to contact to do it.

How to Help the Victims in Oklahoma – USA Today

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The post Where the Wind Came Sweepin’ Down the Plain: Healing Oklahoma appeared first on CertaPro Painters of Louisville.

Come to The Highlands this weekend and check out our booth on the 1500 block of Bardstown Rd. We will have lemonade and Liz’s famous cake pops to compliment a beautiful day of supporting local business owners. We will also be handing out our Envision magazine that is full of design tips for your home.

The event goes all day, and we will be greeting folks for most of the afternoon. So instead of going to the gym this Saturday, walk the strip and check out some of the best local venues in Louisville.

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As someone who lives in a small apartment with limited garden space, I have to resort to mostly indoor gardening. This is not impossible, but can make growing some things a bit more challenging. As small as my apartment is I actually have a huge pantry that I use mostly for storage – I don’t buy a lot of canned goods or boxed food. As I expand my indoor garden I need more space for potting. Luckily, I have a window in my pantry. So, if you’re in a similar situation where your pantry is kind of going to waste, this could be a great project.

Cleaning Out the Junk

My first challenge will of course be getting rid of the “storage” I have accumulated. Luckily, it’s spring and about time for my cleaning out the old anyway. So get your Goodwill bags together, and be ready to set up some creative storage possibilities – I recommend plastic storage bins for the larger things, and decorative fabric drawers for the smaller items.

Creating Sunlight

You may not have a window in the pantry, but if you have available sunlight in your kitchen area you may be able to make it work. Does the pantry have a door? Can you leave it open or remove it? Once the pantry is opened up try using mirrors to direct the sunlight towards your gardening room. You may have to be creative here, but you can do it. If not, look into indoor plant lamps you can strategically place in the room.

Placement and Decor

The great thing about a pantry is that you already have the shelving. Have fun with this; paint your shelving and put up wallpaper or borders. Next, buy some cheap planters or create your own and decorate them to fit the style of your room. Try painting them and stenciling cool designs. Finally, do your research: how much space does this plant need to grow? What does the temperature need to be? Which ones need more sunlight? Having an indoor garden requires a bit more study and flexibility, so prepare yourself before you start renovating.

Image Credit

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So here we are in the middle of the week before the week before Derby. Thunder is under our belt, the glowing balloons are ready to launch, and fresh mint is stocked behind every Kentucky bar.

The prettiest girls in the country stare at their large, floppy hats everyday in anticipation, and every restaurant manager rushes to order extra of their best bourbons. This is the Kentucky Derby.

Whether you get to grace the track with your presence or not, Louisville is bustling with new faces, wild energy, and a little taste of old Kentucky luxury everywhere.

I am sharing some of my favorite Derby pics from the high rollers to the trenches. I would love to hear your favorite part of the Derby, or even tips regarding the best places to eat, who has the best Mint Juleps, and those freaky Derby superstitions.

Also, be sure to check out the schedule of events leading up to the big day!

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One of the best parts of living in in The Ville is Thunder Over Louisville. We’re not the only ones who get to join in all the fun though, we have our neighbors just across the river to share this experience with.

As someone who has had the pleasure of experiencing both sides of one of the most exciting days in the midwest, I can honestly say I don’t have a  favorite. To me, they are both tons of fun, they’re just different.

The Louisville side is far more spread out, they are able to accommodate larger bands, and you can actually get into some of the planes and have your picture taken. The Indiana side, however, is far more cozy. It’s smaller and you can literally be a toe away from the river for the fireworks.

So where is the best spot for you this weekend? Most people go with whichever side they live on. If you’re in my shoes, you have friends and family on both sides and have to switch it up every now and again.

Personally, if you’re spending the day with the family I would go for the Jeffersonville or Clarksville area on the Indiana side. There are more families than groups of friends there, plus they have a playground and a really awesome hill that the kids love to roll down.

Whenever I want to just be with my friends I almost always choose the Louisville side; there are always people our age there, a ton of music, and there’s just more space. I have also heard that New Albany is turning out to be a great spot for a group of friends, however you are farther downstream from the fireworks show.

Where is your favorite spot for Thunder?

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There’s cooking and then there is creating a masterpiece. I took some ideas from our Pinterest page for today’s post – and let me tell you – most of these look too good to eat.

Zinnia Flower Cookie

 The Starry Night Cake

Coffee Cup Cake

A Couple of Bad Eggs

 Lunchbox Art

The Vegetarian/Vegetable Dr. Oz

Angry Birds Pizza

Carrot Carving

Eggplant Penguins

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Over the Easter weekend I got to watch a video of my cousin coloring while singing a song she made up called “Razzmatazz.” Turns out, that was the name of her beloved crayon. I started researching crayon names and found a fair amount that were either really creative or just downright silly. So I thought I would share my top 10 with you today, as well as my lovely cousin’s rendition of “Razzmatazz.”

Razzmatazz

Atomic Tangerine

Electric Lime

Fuzzy Wuzzy

Jazzberry Jam

Macaroni and Cheese

 Mauvelous

 Neon Carrot

Tickle me Pink

Alien Armpit

Images: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11

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It’s spring! Unfortunately, Louisville weather would have us believe otherwise – it is snowing as I write this. I’m trying to look at it as extra time to get my ducks in a row. Spring is a time of renewal. Hopefully we have grasped what we needed to learn from the year before and we’re ready to see what is in store for us in the months to come.

Here are a few ideas to get you going once Louisville decides to let us have our spring.

Start a home garden

This may seem like a big commitment but start slow, and stay slow if you want to. If you don’t have a plot look into Apartment Gardening and some of the Ville’s community gardens.

Go to the movies all by yourself

If you have never done this you’re missing out. I like to grab lunch somewhere in The Highlands, then walk over to Baxter Theatre. Don’t forget to get yourself a delicious treat that you don’t have to share with anyone.

Buy food from a street vendor

They can be hard to spot sometimes but you can catch these guys downtown around lunchtime or after hours. Don’t let it scare you, the food is delicious and the vendors love giving you the works for nothing extra.

Take a huge group of friends to Trolley Hop

If you don’t know, Louisville’s Trolley Hop is the first and last Friday of the month. Get a huge group together, get dressed up, and go for dinner in Nulu or Crescent Hill before setting out to explore the many galleries and shops.

Spring clean your house and your head

Sometimes I really dread spring cleaning but once I get started I just can’t stop. This year don’t just get rid of material things: de-clutter your mind, work on breaking a bad habit and putting something good for you in its place.

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I don’t know about you but my Facebook News Feed has been packed with pictures of friends entering the mouth of the newly opened Big Four Bridge. We have watched this bridge sit lonely and abandoned for years, and now it has finally been brought back to life.

While the Indiana end has not yet been finished it hasn’t kept bikers and walkers from enjoying the party. The most interesting thing about this is what it may mean for our many spring and summer events: Forecastle, Waterfront Wednesdays, and even Thunder Over Louisville. I see little hot dog and sandwich vendors, maybe a stand for wine and beer, there’s just no telling where we can go from here.

What other fun things could we do with our new locale?

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The Highlands‘ St. Patricks Day Parade is this weekend, which means spring is upon us and Louisville is going to be hoppin’. The parade stretches from Baxter Avenue to Bardstown Road, one of the most popular areas for St. Paddy’s day fun.

The line runs Saturday at 3pm. It will begin at Broadway and Baxter and end at Mid City Mall. The theme this year is: 40 Shades of Green, so dress accordingly.

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