the Weekender

Hey there! Happy Saturday from a sunny and soon-to-be 62º F day (depending on when you read this). Woo-hoo.  Spring is on the horizon!

The week flew by, but it wasn’t too shabby. It started with a coffee date with a local friend that I hadn’t seen since January. I met Jane at WW a couple of years back, and we’ve been Rogersville buddies ever since.

She and her husband have been on a roller coaster of emotions with COVID and a slew of other unexpected scares with health. Her husband was in the hospital for 66 days with COVID.

After keeping in touch via text, it was nice to see her and talk through God’s faithfulness. It was an excellent start to the week.

Let’s see what else was on my radar this week. Grab your diet coke, tea, or coffee, and let’s get this par-tay started!

Miscellany:

1. The Dentist. Boooo! Haha. I’m 99% sure that I have White Coat Syndrome. Every time I go to my family physician, dentist, gynecologist, etc. — my blood pressure goes up. And as I’ve gotten older, it seems to be a wee-bit worse.

Overall, I have healthy teeth, but as we all know, things seem to start switching gears as we get older. And dental work isn’t cheap.

Nevertheless, I got a good report. There are two areas we’re keeping an eye on for any changes. One requires a tooth to be pulled, with an implant being necessary. The other will eventually need a crown. Fun-fun, right?

2. Remember I mentioned my new e-mail services? I’m working on a segment for new subscribers and would like YOU to be part of it.

How? I’d love to include some blog testimonials (reviews) from YOU — the readers. I thought of having a segment that included “what readers are saying…” What do you think? Could you shoot me an e-mail? Mmm-kay. I’ll only use your first name and first initial of your last name, so there’s no invasion of privacy. E-me: kelly(at)livelaughrowe(dot)com.

It would look something like this:

*Bonus points to those of you that send me a headshot/selfie of you for me to include. Seriously, how fun. Come on — you know you want to.

3. Music. My sister (Kristine) and I are music fanatics. I tend to listen more to worship music, and she likes to listen to country and pop stations. And don’t get me wrong, I have plenty of secular music in some of my playlists; however, I lean into worship music more often for a calm and peaceful mindset.

I digress. Anywho, this past week, Kristine told me to give a listen to “Half of my Hometown” by Kelsea Ballerini.

It was a pleasant surprise, taking me on a walk down memory lane of where I went to high school, our school colors, working the concessions at a football game, etc. Maybe you’d enjoy the nostalgia of this song too.

4. Target Salvage Stores. Did you know they exist? Because they do! Unfortunately, I don’t have one in my town; however, you might be one of the lucky ones. Check out this round-up of salvaged stores and their locations.

5. Sister Time! Yesterday, I had lunch with my sister, and we did a little perusing at our newly relocated Hobby Lobby. I honestly can’t remember the last time I was in Hobby Lobby. Maybe around the holidays.

Quick side note. It’s safe to say that I broke my no-spend month commitment — not that housewares and blog supplies count, but let’s be honest, I’m weak when it comes to shopping. It’s shameful but true.

Ok, back to Hobby Lobby. Ahem.

What I thought would be a 30-45 minute walk around the store ended up being over 2 hours and $200 in damage. GULP.

I know what you’re thinking.

“What in the name of goodness, Kelly?!? Good Lord.”

I know. Now I remember why I like to hunker down on the homefront.

However, I did get some fun things and ideas to share here on the blog — from small projects to inspirational ideas to printables. I’d say that’s winning. Right?!?

6. Today, I’m super excited that we’re finally heading into town to do a little bike shopping. Steve and I agreed to buy bikes for ourselves as Christmas gifts. We want to start visiting some area parks with trails and enjoy the great outdoors via bike. The stars have finally aligned, and this weekend we’ll be stopping by a local bike store. Yahoo!

I bought this Huffy Cruiser during Covid for use around the neighborhood, but the silly tires don’t hold air well. Now I can mix it up between biking and walking. I’m excited about the extra exercising option.

On to a bigger and better bike, I guess. Although having speed settings on a bike is something I’m looking forward to having. And, no, it won’t be electric. We’re looking at Trek bikes.

7. If you’re still with me — well, you’re the bestest. On a final note, I wanted to share that I’ve been doing some real soul searching this week. Something I’ve discovered about myself over the past few months is that when it comes to working — I’m fiercely independent. I haven’t decided if that’s good or bad, but it’s 100% true.

I’ve been reading the devotional 100 Days to Brave: Devotions for Unlocking Your Most Courageous Self by Annie F. Downs. It’s got me doing a lot of thinking.

Around the Web:

These Pressed Flower Stickers.

This Hummingbird Dump Cake.

Ummm. These Baklava Rolls. 😋

This Tall Glass Pitcher (great for lemonade).

These Easter Trees (apparently they’re trending).

This Afternoon Tea Party — perfect for Spring.

This Rattan 3-Tier Storage Tower.

This Peanut Butter Mousse Recipe.

These Baked Oatmeal Breakfast Cups.

One Last Hoorah:

These Muslin Easter Treat Bags are seriously the easiest and the cutest Easter craft around. Super sweet. Enjoy!