the Weekender

Happy hello’s from St. Louis! It was a wild week on the homefront, so Steve and I decided to take a last-minute weekend getaway to the Lou.

We’ll be eating at a couple of our favorite spots, and hopefully, we’ll hit up IKEA and World Market.

I’m looking forward to our little adventure — just the two of us.

Miscellany:

1. Sound of Freedom. What a fantastic movie! I can’t believe it was made five years ago, and it took this long to get it into the theaters. I encourage you to see it, friend.

It breaks my heart to hear people say they don’t want to see it due to the subject matter. We NEED to see what is happening in our backyard. The United States is #1 in the world for sex trafficking. We must spread awareness.

2. Nash has been a little off this week. I don’t know if he got into something at doggy daycare or in our backyard, but it’s been rough. He had me up 3 or 4 times in the wee hours of the night during the week. Midnight, 4 a.m., 5:45 a.m., and he vomited in his crate one night. 🥱

Friends, I need sleep, and I’ve been a walking zombie most of the week. I’m no spring chicken anymore — and menopause. Haha.

Everything took a turn for the better on Thursday. I spoke to the vet and got a prescription. Nash slept through the night, and we’re on the mend. Praise the Lord.

3. We’ve had soooo many beetles in our backyard — red and black. It’s gross. And we don’t have shrubs or flowers — they’re all in the grass.

When we put the back patio light on, it was swarming with beetles. Have any of you had this problem? My sister said it’s been like this at her apartment complex too.

We picked up this Sevin Insect Killer at our local Home Depot and sprayed the backyard. Later that night — they were nowhere to be seen. Boom! We’ve since bought a couple more bottles in case they start to creep back.

4. The Snail Mail series continued this week, focusing on the letter. I talked about who to write, when to write them, and what to write about. PLUS, there are a couple of free printable stationery pages for you to use.

5. Printable Stationery Subscription. Would you be interested in a printable stationery subscription? Paper, Notecards, Envelopes, Stickers, etc., sent straight to your inbox?

If this intrigues you, please fill out this form — you’re not committing to anything. This allows me to collect information from those who want to learn more if it comes to fruition. Mmmmkay?

6. Have you been following the story of the battle over the “Taco Tuesday” trademark? Thankfully I’m not a HUGE fan of Taco Bell, so it’s not a big deal not to give them my business.

However, it does chap my hide that a mega company (Taco Bell) forced the hand of a little guy (Taco Johns) due to a trademark over two words. I understand why Taco Johns consented, but they should’ve never been put in that position.

I feel like it’s setting a precedent. Many common words are trademarked, so will they be in jeopardy now?

Shame on you, Taco Bell.

7. Barbie (the movie). So, how does everyone feel about the Barbie movie? I think it looks cute, and let’s be honest, Ryan Gosling is adorable. Right? I’m on the hunt for a cute Barbie t-shirt, and after the hype of the movie’s premiere, I hope to see it with my sister. We’ll take a ride down memory lane to our Barbie Era days. Haha.

Gosh, I remember when we were younger, playing with our Barbies. Such sweet memories!

I love this original Barbie design t-shirt. And this Beach Barbie one is cute too!

p.s. Go to Google, type in Barbie the movie, and hit enter. As of 7/21/23, you should see pink starbursts, and your screen will turn pink.

8. Do you love to save? I do! I installed the Capital One Shopping extension on my web browser a year (or so) ago. I use it to check for promo codes and accrue reward cash back. In about a year, I had earned $75, which I cashed in for gift cards.

If you shop online frequently, I would encourage you to add it to your browser and create an account. I’ve scored some significant savings.

You know me, I like reward-based programs. Haha. In all honesty, why not take advantage of them?