Author Archives: lifewithlilred

Unknown's avatar

About lifewithlilred

Just your average gal blogging an average blog!
Oct2

*Super* Early Christmas Present

Posted on by
Standard
*Super* Early Christmas Present

Hi! When it comes to gift giving occasions, I simply cannot wait for the day of and ask my giftees if I can give them their presents as soon as they arrive in the mail. My sweet Johnny knows this firsthand because I don’t think we have ever waited until the day of a birthday, anniversary, or holiday to open gifts! This year, Christmas came especially early for us as we already gave each other presents last weekend lol. Take a look at the best give ever from my husband:

I like to do all of my present shopping way ahead of time so, of course, I had Johnny’s Christmas gift ready to go since the beginning of September. I guess I inspired him to shop early because he let me know that he had my gift too!

Knowing that each of us had our prezzies already was going to make it impossible to wait until Christmas. We decided to give each other a hint and if we guessed right, then we would tell each other. Johnny’s hint to me was “it is something that you have wanted for forever but never want to pay for”.

Right off the bat, I was stumped because there’s a million things that I would love to have but don’t want to pay for – mainly clothes related. Then, it clicked. My favorite comic book series, Sandman, by Neil Gaiman will have its own Netflix show which will be releasing soon. Johnny isn’t familiar with it, so I have been talking about it constantly and every time it gets brought up, I mention how much I would like to have the Sandman Omnibuses so I can have the complete collection.

As you can see, I guessed correctly because that is, indeed, what Johnny got for me for Christmas. It is, hands down, one of the best gifts I have ever received and I cannot wait to reread my favorite series in its entirety for the millionth time – no trip to the library required! 😀

One of my many favorite things about Johnny is how incredibly thoughtful he is. This gift is the ultimate testament of how he listens to me when I’m talking, even if I’m rambling about something for the hundredth time. That is the best gift of all – no matter how freaking cool the Omnibuses are! ❤

Who else is excited for the Sandman series on Netflix? Who has started their holiday shopping already? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

 

Oct1

Bath & Body Works September Freebie

Posted on by
Standard
Bath & Body Works September Freebie

Hello! This past weekend, I had a much needed girl’s day at the mall with my friend Danielle to scope out new clothes for fall. I got there early because I needed to pick up a few quick odds and ends including a freebie from Bath & Body Works. This month, they really upped their freebie game with an $8.50 limit so it included hand creams and body sprays!

Thanks to shopping B&BW’s semi annual sales as well as doing huge hand soap hauls, my beauty stock pile has been overflowing. But that doesn’t mean I can’t use more and cashed in my coupon for a body spray in one of my favorite scents, Gingham:

Johnny’s mom gifted me with a Gingham body wash during our first Christmas together two years ago and I have been a huge fan ever since. In fact, I am currently using a Gingham body wash right now compliments of another free coupon! While I usually prefer fruity scents when it comes to bath and body care, I can’t get enough of how fresh and clean Gingham smells and it reminds me of having a picnic on a slightly brisk spring day.

In all of the years that I have been receiving coupons in the mail from Bath & Body Works, they have never offered a free mini body spray before so this was a treat! Although it is about a third of the size of a full sized body spray, it is sure to last a good while because it takes me over six months to finish the full size.

Once I finish my Country Apple spray, I can’t wait to use Gingham and know that I’ll be purchasing more of it during their next big sale! 😀

What is your favorite Bath & Body Works scent? Which store offers the best deals? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Sep30

LEGO Hogwarts Whomping Willow Set

Posted on by
Standard
LEGO Hogwarts Whomping Willow Set

Hello! Johnny and I recently had a huge LEGO haul with three new sets to build. He also gifted me with an additional Harry Potter set for our two year anniversary when our haul arrived in the mail. You would think that we wouldn’t need more LEGO for a while but, on the contrary, we always need more LEGO!

This past week, I went on a Target run with my brother and mom and had to peak in the LEGO aisle to see what they had. I really didn’t plan on buying anything but when I saw the Whomping Willow set on sale, I just had to get it:

I have wanted this Harry Potter set for a while now because it serves as a connector to the Clock Tower and Great Hall which we already have. It is one that I have held off on buying since Johnny and I usually like to splurge on bigger sets but it has stayed in the back of my mind – just like the million other LEGO sets that we want!

I got my flu shot at Target and since the price was right on the Whomping Willow set, I decided that I deserved a treat. This purchase was the adult equivalent of a child receiving a sticker after a doctor’s appointment and I have no shame in admitting that lol. Too much LEGO ain’t enough LEGO as they say! And by they, I mean me.

Building LEGO with Johnny is one of my favorite things to do and I can’t wait to complete the three Harry Potter sets we have on deck together. This past weekend, we started working on our Attack on the Burrow set so be on the look out for pics of the end result once we finish it!

What do you like to build with LEGO? Which sets are on your wish list? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

 

Sep29

Getting Back To Work With An Injured Finger   

Posted on by
Standard
Getting Back To Work With An Injured Finger   

No matter what kind of injury, you need to make sure that you don’t exacerbate it when you return to work. For a lot of people, a finger injury might not seem like a big deal. However, if you spend a lot of your time working, it can really get in the way. As such, here are a few tips to help you get back to tapping away without worrying about exacerbating the injury any further:

Take on a little less work:

It might not sound like the solution that you want, but you may simply have to get used to the fact that you’re not going to be able to type as much as you could. Most finger jams and sprains don’t take more than a few days to heal but, in the meantime, you shouldn’t think that you can keep up with your pace just by relying on your other fingers. This is going to strain other parts of the hand much more than they’re used to, which can then lead to repetitive strain injury in the hand or wrist, which can see you taking even longer to get better.

Make sure that it’s resting:

If you’re typing at the keyboard, you need to make sure that you’re not using the injured finger to do so. You need to keep that finger in a state of rest as much as possible. One of the best ways to do this is to make sure that it’s dressed to avoid using the fingers any further down your hand (so, don’t use your pinky if you have injured your ring finger, for instance.) Learn how to wrap a jammed finger so that you can keep it compressed and prevent it from wiggling too much while you’re typing, as well. It might take a while to get used to typing without all your digits on your side, but it is worth it.

Managing the pain:

Even if you’re able to avoid using the affected finger while you’re working, you’re still going to be moving the digits around it, which can affect the tendons controlling that finger. Micro-movements can still cause the pain to get a little worse. For that reason, you might want to look at some of the natural ways of easing pain that you can rely on during the day to make sure that you’re alleviating some of the stress that you might be causing. If the feeling starts to tick a little higher on the pain chart, it’s important to stop and rest for a while. Don’t work through the pain, that can only make it take longer to recover fully.

You might be going a little slower than usual for a while, but it’s important to make sure that you give your finger the time it needs to heal. If you have to talk with your employers or clients about maintaining expectations until you’re back at full strength, then you simply have to do it.

Featured Image By: Pixabay

Sep29

Sticker Surprise

Posted on by
Standard
Sticker Surprise

Hi! This past Friday at work, I was having some coffee and thought that I had spilled some on my hoodie. Yes, it’s finally hoodie weather in Ohio and I am LOVING it!! When I looked down, I noticed what I thought was coffee but, to my surprise, it ended up being a sticker that my lil niece had stuck on there back in the springtime:

I couldn’t believe that this tiny butterfly (Her favorite!) sticker had stayed on for that long because it was barely hanging on by the time I noticed it. The sticker withstood me putting it on and running out into the cold and windy morning to my car. I am so glad that it did because this Sticker Surprise was just what I needed after a super long week at work.

I have been insanely busy on the ol’ blog and I had been getting up at 5:45 every morning last week to get things done before going to my other job. By the time Friday rolled around, I was completely exhausted! Looking down and seeing a sticker from my niece on my hoodie turned a normal day into something special. Despite being drop dead tired and all, I had a great day because I had the best pick me up in the morning.

Feeling down or worn out? Always look for your own personal butterflies to help turn things around! It’s the little things, right? ❤

What makes you smile? When do you normally get up for work? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Sep28

September 2021 Finishes

Posted on by
Standard
September 2021 Finishes

Howdy! September was a super exciting time for Lil Red as I completed my 1,000 day streak of writing! It was also a hugely successful month for product empties because I got to finish up a lot of the skin and bath and body care that I had been using for a while. Some of these products were new to me too, which is always fun! Take a look at my empties and let’s discuss:

Would I Use Again?

Why/Why Not?

B&BW Body Wash: Other than apple, vanilla is one of my favorite scents and I was really eager to try Bath & Body Works interpretation of Vanilla Bean. It definitely didn’t disappoint and this is actually one of my favorite scents that I have tried from them. While I love vanilla, I hate when it is scented too strongly or too sweet. B&BW’s Vanilla Bean was nice and light and wasn’t sugary in the slightest. It took me a month and a half to finish one bottle.

Tree Of Life Serum: For some reason, Amazon has stopped selling the Eclat Vitamin C serum that I was using and I was so disappointed! The Eclat serum had an unbeatable price (seven dollars) and my skin had never looked better when I was using it. The Tree Of Life Vitamin C serum was the next cheapest alternative (ten dollars) that still had good ratings so I gave it a shot.

This serum is much thicker than the Eclat one, which is nice because you don’t need to use as much of it. Most importantly, it worked well on my skin and gives an extra boost of brightness and radiance. My main qualm with this product isn’t so much the product itself as it is with the dropper. It is so short that by the time you finish two thirds of the bottle, you have to start tipping it out into your hands because it can’t reach the rest. Annoying? Totally. Deal breaker? No.

LANEIGE Mask: I so enjoyed using the Berry Lip Sleeping Mask by LANEIGE, which you can read about more in the linked post. It took me almost four months to complete the tiny sample sized jar!

TBS Mask: The Japanese Matcha Tea Pollution Clearing Mask was, easily, one of the worst products that I have used by The Body Shop. That is really saying something because I have a deep love for most of their products. After twelve or so uses of this mask, I still didn’t notice any type of difference in my skin afterwards. Whomp Whomp.

TBS Eye Cream: On the contrary, the Vitamin E eye cream from The Body Shop is the absolute best! My favorite thing about this eye cream is that it literally lasts for forever and it took me about three months of morning and night uses to complete the tube. This eye cream makes the delicate skin around my eyes feel so moisturized and stronger too. It also does wonders in decreasing the designer bags under my eyes which isn’t so bad, either. 😀

Like I mentioned before, I finished a lot of products this September and almost all of them were a success. Here’s to pampering products for all in October!

Which products did you finish up this month? What is your favorite eye cream? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Sep27

Lil Red’s Book Club: False Witness By Karin Slaughter Edition

Posted on by
Standard
Lil Red’s Book Club: False Witness By Karin Slaughter Edition

Hi everyone and welcome to a brand new edition of Lil Red’s Book Club! Today, we will be discussing a book called False Witness by Karin Slaughter – without giving any spoilers away, of course. Before we begin, however, I will be placing an extreme trigger warning on this book and post. False Witness covers every type of abuse imaginable, violence, rape, and drug addiction. It is definitely not a book to be read by the faint of heart. With that in mind, let’s get to it:

Big sister Leigh and little sis Callie spent their childhood in poverty and immersed in abuse at the hands of adults who should have been protecting them. Finally, the hunted became the hunters and the sisters murdered one of their abusers – the father of the child that Callie was babysitting. They cleaned house, covered their tracks, and lived their lives as if nothing happened afterwards.

To cope, Leigh worked hard to the point of obsessive and became a defense attorney for a major law firm. Callie, on the other hand, turned to hard drugs to ease her pain from scars both mental and physical. She would show up in Leigh’s life occasionally to steal money and possessions but mainly lived on the streets or seedy motels.

For over twenty years, the girls thought that they had gotten away with the perfect crime and did their best to keep it in the back of their minds. That is, until Leigh is hired to defend a new client on brutal rape charges. Who is he? None other than the boy that they babysat all of those years ago.

Andrew Tenant is clearly guilty beyond a reasonable doubt and everyone seems to know it. However, he expects to get off scot free because he has leverage over Leigh that will incriminate both her and Callie if she doesn’t succeed in trial… He knows that they killed his father. How, you may ask? Read False Witness to find out!

Let me start off by saying that False Witness in its entirety was insanely hard to read. Its content was nothing short of heartbreaking and deeply disturbing. Having said that, it was a book that kept my attention to the very end with twists, turns, and complete curve balls on every page.

The subject matter was, at times, unbearable. However, Karin Slaughter crafted the two sisters in such a way that I was rooting for them harder than I have for any other character in the books that I have read recently. Despite their flaws, both Leigh and Callie were likeable, smart, so strong, and sometimes absolutely hilarious. In fact, I liked them even more because of everything that they have gone through.

Slaughter hit hard in this book to the point that it was almost grueling. She shined a light on very real issues and wrote in such a way that it felt like you were reading a true story. The sense of urgency in this book was palpable. There were also delicious moments of comic relief that had me in stitches, which was much needed and appreciated.

I am going to award Karin Slaughter’s False Witness with a six out of ten star rating. While I can’t say that I enjoyed this book due to its graphic nature, I loved how it was written as well as the two main characters. If you can stomach it, False Witness is certainly worth the read. If not, please don’t bother with it because it is not worth damaging your own mental health.

What are you currently reading? What should I read next? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

 

Sep26

Jeans & A T OOTD Bonus Pictures

Posted on by
Standard
Jeans & A T OOTD Bonus Pictures

Howdy and welcome to some bonus content from my Jeans & A T OOTD! I don’t know if it was my hair, my outfit, or the setting at Taco Bell but I liked so many of the pictures that Johnny took for me that I had an insanely difficult time narrowing it down. That’s why we are going to look at some extra pics as well as a few blooper ones as well as discuss how we ended up at Taco Bell in the first place! Let’s get to it:

^^^ Can you guess which ones the bloopers are?! 😀

On Saturday morning, Johnny told me what every girl wants to hear when she wakes up: “I’m getting us Taco Bell for lunch”. It was the nicest thing that anyone has ever said to me and I couldn’t wait for my husband to return home from errands with TBell in hand.

While Johnny was out, I texted him what I wanted and, instead of putting a “medium Baja Blast” I just texted “medium Baja”. I assumed that he knew I meant the drink but assuming makes an ass out of U and ME. Once he got home, I didn’t see my blue drank and figured that he left it in the car. When I asked Johnny where it was he told me: “I thought you meant a medium amount of Baja sauce on your food”. LOL!

The Taco Bell was delicious, as always, but it would have been even better to wash it down with a Baja Blast. I joked with Johnny about it and in between laughter, my sweet husband told me that we could go back to TBell on our way to taking pictures at a new hiking trail.

As I mentioned in yesterday’s post, we drove around everywhere and could not find this trail to save our own lives. I also still really wanted my Baja Blast so I told Johnny let’s just forget it and take pictures at Taco Bell. At first, he didn’t think I was serious but I meant it with every ounce of my being. So, we turned around and headed to TBell and after getting a drink for the both of us, the photo shoot commenced!

Taking pictures for my Jeans & A T OOTD was a mini road trip and one hundred percent hilarious. It also gave me some of my favorite pictures that I have ever taken for my blog. Johnny’s silly mistake ended up being a blessing in disguise! ❤

What is your favorite fast food place? What is your usual order from Taco Bell? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Sep25

Jeans & A T OOTD

Posted on by
Standard
Jeans & A T OOTD

Hello and welcome to a brand new OOTD here on lifewithlilred! After getting my hair done and having a wildly successful Fall Haul, I just had to take pictures this past weekend. I wanted to check out this new hiking trail nearby with my husband/photographer but we couldn’t find it to save our own lives. So, Johnny and I settled for taking pictures at Taco Bell instead lol. As we all know, T-Bell is my absolute favorite so this was just fine by me! Check it out:

Who? What? Wear?

When it comes to my OOTDs, the more extravagant the better. However, there’s some days where you just have to throw on jeans and a T and go. This outfit is one of the most minimal looks I have featured on my page but it packs a punch thanks to the accessories, super distressed jeans, and pops of color. It was a perfect look for running errands with Johnny because we always try and show out even if we are just making a Target run!

To add some interest to a simple jeans and T look, it is all about the accessories. I didn’t want to overpower the black and white palette that I had going so I relied on the extras in my OOTD to give small but effective pops of color. I started by putting on my platform heels which added a fun surprise with the flames on the heels. It also helped create the illusion of length as it blended seamlessly with my jeans.

I went with my Union Jack shades and purse to give a pattern to my OOTD without being overwhelming to the muted palette. These accessories provided visual interest that enhanced the look because the colors weren’t too bright and minimal enough that it didn’t put all of the focus on one piece of the outfit. To complete the look, I put on my favorite bracelet from Claire’s that has a chain which connects to a ring and walked out the door feeling my damn self.

By the end of my styling session, I felt like a million bucks and had an outfit that I was in love with even though it is a far cry from my norm. For some people, stepping out of their comfort zone means wearing a more bold piece. For me, it means toning things down and my Jeans & A T OOTD definitely did that! The accessories tied this look together but, let’s be honest, the outfit was already made with Britney Spears on my T-shirt. ❤

Tune in tomorrow for bonus pictures from this look as well as the funny story behind winding up at Taco Bell for a photo shoot! 😀

Who is your favorite pop star? How do you step out of your comfort zone in your outfits? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Sep24

Clothing Staples For Your Wardrobe

Posted on by
Standard
Clothing Staples For Your Wardrobe

Creating the perfect wardrobe for you is something that takes time. Unless you’re a celebrity, literally no one is buying an entire closet full of clothes in one shopping trip! Today, we are going to explore three different components of day to day life and the clothing you need to make it work:

Work:

Clothing that is appropriate for work is completely dependent on where you work, of course!

  • If you work at an animal shelter, clothing that moves well and is comfortable is the way to go like stretch jeans, leggings, and light long sleeved tops.
  • If you work at a restaurant or a grocery store and are in and out of the freezer constantly, a cozy cardigan should help the cause just fine. (And, if your freezer system at work is on the fritz, consider walk-in fridge repair for businesses to assist!)
  • In an office setting, you might want to opt for smart, professional clothing like blazers, slacks, blouses, or pencil skirts. Don’t forget a sharp pair of oxfords or kitten heels to complete the look!

Think about where you work and plan accordingly. Is the temperature comfortable or can it get a little warm or chilly? What are your coworkers wearing? Is there a dress code? This will all help you make the right decision on work appropriate attire.

Play:

You might not have much of a choice in what you can wear for work but play attire is a totally different story! Clothing for running errands, hanging out with friends, or a date should be all about what makes you feel confident. These are going to be key pieces in your play wardrobe’s arsenal:

  • A great pair of jeans is a definite must. A great pair of jeans with big pockets is even better! Skinny, boot cut, flare, or high waisted – a pair of jeans can be dressed up or down for whatever the occasion. Knowing your measurements can be a huge help when it comes to shopping for bottoms and can save you many a back and forth trip from the fitting rooms.
  • Statement jackets can turn an ordinary outfit into something special. Moto jackets with patches are always fun and edgy while a classic trench coat is a timeless piece. From sophisticated in a peacoat or sassy in a faux fur number, throwing on a jacket is an ideal option when you don’t feel like styling a look!
  • No matter if your style is simple or total fashionista, everyone should have at least one bold “look at me” top in their wardrobe. This is the perfect opportunity to play with patterns, bright colors, and unique shapes. If you are uncomfortable with something so loud on top, a patterned skirt is a great way to dip your toes in the water.

Leisure:

We can be so focused on work or play clothing that we tend to forget about pieces that are made purely for comfort like these cozy co-ord sets. I am definitely guilty of this and my life changed for the better when I allowed myself to purchase pajamas and sweatpants! 😀

  • Leggings and sweats are the best for lounging at home, working out, or even going out and about in a sporty chic look. Leggings will also come in handy when it’s cold because they can easily be worn under your jeans. If you like to work out outside, be sure to invest in some hi vis jackets for your safety.
  • Wrapping yourself up in a snuggly, chunky cardigan is so comforting on a brisk day or when you’re curled up on the couch. Accessorize with a cup of tea to complete the look!
  • Cute pajama sets feel so luxurious, especially if it is something that you normally wouldn’t buy. Treat yourself to some new PJs and a matching robe and hit the hay like royalty.

Complete every aspect of your day in style with the tips above!