Author Archives: lifewithlilred

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Just your average gal blogging an average blog!

Attack On The Burrow Harry Potter LEGO Set

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Attack On The Burrow Harry Potter LEGO Set

Hi! During the last LEGO haul that Johnny and I had, he surprised me with an additional set for our two year anniversary. To continue on with our Harry Potter collection, he got me the Attack On The Burrow set which is one that I have had my eye on for a while. This build took us about five hours to complete and we just finished it this past weekend – it turned out great and had all of the quirky touches that you would expect in the Weasley home. Check it out:

The Attack On The Burrow is, easily, one of my favorite sets that we have built together because it was so different than any of the other Harry Potter ones that we have. All of our other Harry Potter sets are in the Hogwarts castle and while they were very fun to build, each one was quite similar in terms of color palette and the hidden surprises. The Attack On The Burrow was a colorful and unique change of pace and the end result looks fantastic, if I do say so myself!

The best part about building LEGO sets is all of the detail that they incorporate into it. The Burrow wouldn’t be complete without them and the set had surprises in spades. I loved Molly’s knitting nook where a Weasley sweater is being made and the picture above it of their trip to Egypt. The kitchen is also a delight with a big breakfast on the table, potted plants, and Floo Powder fire place in the adjoining room. And, yes, it does have a knob that you can turn to make the fire go from red to green. 😀

If you look at the pictures of the set in its entirety, you can see that it is built on a slant which adds to the charm of the Weasley household. I didn’t even realize this as Johnny and I were building so seeing it once we were done was another awesome surprise. And, of course, the animal friends like the pig, Hedwig, and Errol was another nice touch. 🙂

It goes without saying that Johnny had to take care of all of the detail work on this build while I took care of the bigger pieces. Thank goodness for that because there was, obviously, a ton. Don’t believe me? Just take a closer look at the breakfast table lol. Next on deck, we plan on building our Hogwarts Chamber Of Secrets set and we are already itching to get started for more witchcraft and wizardry right in our apartment! ❤

What are you currently building with LEGO? Do you have any of the Harry Potter sets? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

bellapierre Cosmetics Mineral Blush Swatch In Desert Rose

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bellapierre Cosmetics Mineral Blush Swatch In Desert Rose

Hello! We are going to wrap up our swatch posts from my hand me down haul from my sister by discussing a mineral blush by bellapierre Cosmetics in Desert Rose. This loose powder blush is oh so pretty and even has SPF 15 in it which I thought was very cool because I have never had a blush that offered that before. Now, let’s get swatching:

When opening the jar of Desert Rose blush, my initial impression was that it was a bit too dark for my liking because I have such a fair complexion. However, I was pleasantly surprised to see how light it applied and can definitely see myself using it as a nice change of pace from my Body Shop blushes which I have been using since I was a teen! My makeup motto has always been if it’s not broken, then don’t fix it so it will be fun to try something new that I didn’t have to commit to buying.

This bellapierre blush applied so smoothly and I love that it had a pinch of shimmer in it for glowing skin and protection from the sun all in one. None of my blushes have ever had a touch of glitter in it so this blush is full of firsts for me. 😀 When I do my makeup next time I can’t wait to try it out!

Many thanks to my big sis for passing her unwanted makeup onto me – I LOVE YOU!!!!!! ❤

What is your favorite blush? Where do you like to shop for makeup? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Simple Steps To A Healthy Lifestyle

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Simple Steps To A Healthy Lifestyle

Taking care of yourself is so important. The better you take care of yourself, the better your quality of life can be. It also potentially extends your life. But being healthy can often mean making changes to your lifestyle that may feel expensive, time consuming, and inconvenient. It is, however, vital that you make these changes. Here are a few to start with:

Managing Illness or Injury:

It’s particularly important to take care of your health and wellbeing when you are feeling unwell, hurt, or run down. This will help your body to recover as quickly as possible. If you experience an illness or injury, contact professional medical help – whether that’s urgent care or a standard appointment with your GP. They will be able to ensure that you get the medicine, therapy, or other treatment you need to get better. Recommendations for what you need can vary. Perhaps it is therapy to improve your mental health. A rehab facility for addiction. Or even a peyronies disease treatment greenville (or your local area). The most important thing is that you get the help you need to make your life the best it can be.

Diet:

Of course, what you put into your body is your fuel. So, you need to make sure that you’re fueling your body the right amount and with the right foods. Let’s start by looking at calorie counts. Every person requires a unique amount of calories, but the amounts outlined below should serve as a good rough guide:

  • Children aged 2 to 8 – 1000 to 1400 calories
  • Girls aged 9 to 13 – 1400 to 1600 calories
  • Boys aged 9 to 13 – 1600 to 2000 calories
  • Active women aged 14 to 30 – 2400 calories
  • Sedentary women aged 14 to 30 – 1800 to 2000 calories
  • Active men aged 14 to 30 – 2800 to 3200 calories
  • Sedentary men aged 14 to 30 – 2000 to 2600 calories
  • Active adults over 30 – 2000 to 3000 calories
  • Sedentary adults over 30 – 1600 to 2400 calories

Once you know your calorie count, you should do your best to eat as balanced a diet as possible. This means not cutting out any key groups. It also means eating everything in moderation – not too much or too little of one thing or another.

Exercise:

You should get one hundred and fifty minutes of moderate aerobic exercise every week or seventy five minutes of vigorous aerobic exercise every week. All too many people fail to achieve this. This is often because they can’t find a form of exercise that they actually enjoy, so there is no motivation to engage with it. There are all sorts of exercises out there, so you simply need to think about what you like. Do you like socializing? You may prefer team sports or fitness classes with members and instructors. Do you like building your strength? You could try weight lifting or machinery in the gym. Do you like being in the water? Swimming could be an option for you.

Or maybe you have children and would like to include them in your exercise routine to ensure you’re all getting the physical activity you need. Find a form of physical activity you all enjoy and commit to it. For example, if you enjoy baseball, consider watching batting videos and learning to improve your technique to help your children engage in the sport too. Exercise is crucial for the whole family, not just the adults, so don’t forget to include them. When you find activities that involve the entire family, it will make it harder to miss out on any exercise sessions.

These steps are simple to incorporate into your day to day routine. It’s just a matter of habit and building them into your schedule. Hopefully, you’ll be able to benefit from them because they can really make all the difference!

Featured Image By: Pexels

3 Reasons Why You Should Consider A Dog For Your Family

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3 Reasons Why You Should Consider A Dog For Your Family

Anyone who has ever had a dog will know how affectionate they are, what good company they make, and how it can be a huge bonus to simply have one in your home. If you have never had a dog and you’re considering getting one for your family, there are some excellent reasons why that is a wonderful idea. Children (and adults) can benefit enormously from a dog. So if your children have asked you whether they can have one and you’re wavering on your decision, take a look at these reasons, and you might find yourself convinced:

Good Friend:

Children can easily fall out with their human friends. They can have arguments. They can be upset. Maybe they’re sick and can’t play. With a dog as a companion, however, none of that will happen.

A dog will never stop enjoying your child’s company, and will prevent them from feeling depressed and lonely. A dog can easily and quickly become your child’s best friend, and you can rest assured that there will be no bullying or disagreements that lead to a miserable, crying child who needs comforting. Your child might even find that they can confide in their dog when they have no one else to talk to, which reduces worry. Plus, a dog is great entertainment that can make your child feel better when they are angry, nervous, sad, or stressed.

Good For Health:

Having a dog as a pet is connected to having good health. Dogs love to be outside playing, running, chasing a ball, playing fetch, and learning tricks. Of course, they also need to be walked at least once a day. Therefore, if your child is the one taking care of their dog, they will also be outside more, be more active, and generally feel better and healthier all around. Walking their dog means that your kid is not sitting in front of a TV or computer screen, and it helps to maintain a healthy weight (along with a balanced diet). Breathing fresh air is a wonderful thing.

For younger children, parental supervision will be required on these walks away from home, so it’s good for the entire family. On top of all of this, studies have shown that having a dog gives your child a strengthened immune system, so they are less likely to get sick and will be less prone to allergies.

Good Life Skills:

A child will spend a lot of time playing with and caring for their dog, and in doing so, they will constantly be developing valuable skills for later on in life. Taking care of their dog will show your child what it’s like to look after another living being, which will add to their ability to parent if and when they choose to do so. This will include ensuring that their dog is well, feeding them, giving them healthy treats like CBD for dogs, and making sure that they are exercised.

Grooming a dog can boost motor skills, which is another important skill. Kids can even improve their reading by reading aloud to their pet; a dog won’t interrupt or criticize, so the child will have more confidence to attempt even harder words. Dogs are also great when it comes to learning how to socialize. Going out to the dog park and mingling with other dog owners will increase your child’s confidence in social situations.

Welcoming a dog into your home is special for the entire family. And, as always, adopt don’t shop when you are giving a pup a furever home!

Featured Image By: Pexels

Katherine Natural Cosmetics Eyeshadow Swatch In Espresso

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Katherine Natural Cosmetics Eyeshadow Swatch In Espresso

Howdy! Today, we are going to check out an eyeshadow swatch by Katherine Natural Cosmetics in Espresso. This color is from her Coffee Talk palette and I’d like to take some time to reflect on how much I adore that name. I have always been a huge Saturday Night Live fan and enjoy watching both old and new episodes alike. Coffee Talk is one of my favorite sketches and boasts one of my most loved quotes of “Duran Duran is neither a Duran nor a Duran… Discuss”. Lol, but I digress! Let’s get swatching:

This eyeshadow was a hand me down from my big sis and it is one that I can definitely picture myself wearing. With my newest hair change of red, pink, and violet, I have grown especially partial to mauve, brown, purple, and pink hues on my eyes. It always blows my mind how changing my hair completely changes my color palette in both makeup and wardrobe because these are shades that I normally would shy away from before. Not that I didn’t like them but because they didn’t look good with whatever color my hair was!

The Espresso shade of this eyeshadow will look charming in assisting with a purple smokey eye and I plan on at least attempting it even though I am not the best at doing eye makeup. However, the fact that this eyeshadow applied like a dream will certainly help the cause. The eyeshadow’s texture is so soft and creamy and I love its ultra rich pigment. SO pretty. 😀

The talk of Coffee Talk is this beautiful Espresso hue by Katherine Natural Cosmetics. I can’t wait to try it out when I actually feel like doing my makeup lol. Cheers!

Is Duran Duran neither a Duran nor a Duran? What are your tips for the perfect smokey eye? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Meech & Mia Eyeshadow Swatch In Beige

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Meech & Mia Eyeshadow Swatch In Beige

Hi! Today, we are going to get our swatch on with a hand me down Meech & Mia eyeshadow from my big sis in Beige. No longer used products from the makeup guru herself are always a treat and I was delighted when she handed me a Birchbox box full of makeup! 😀 Let’s get started and be on the lookout for more product swatches soon:

This eyeshadow was a bit of an enigma because upon first inspection, it looks burnt orange to me – not beige at all. When on, I still see an orange tint depending on the lighting which reminds me of that dress that everyone freaked out about on social media because they couldn’t tell if it was blue or grey or something? Lol but I digress. This is not to say that the color isn’t lovely, it’s just not what I expected!

I do like this color a lot and it is pillowy soft to the touch. However, I am not a huge fan of loose powder eyeshadow. When it comes to makeup, I am not the best at applying and I feel like this eyeshadow would get everywhere if I tried to use it. In fact, it did get everywhere just from opening the jar.

I can’t say that I would use this as the only eyeshadow on my MOTD because it is not pigmented enough for my liking. But, I think I will try dusting it over the color that I choose for some extra shimmer – it’s way too pretty to not at least give it a shot!

What color does this eyeshadow look to you? Do you prefer a loose powder or more compact eyeshadow? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

How Not Sleeping Enough Affects Your Health

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How Not Sleeping Enough Affects Your Health

Not sleeping enough over any prolonged period of time will negatively affect both your mental and physical health. If you are regularly getting less than at least seven hours a night, you will fall into the category of not sleeping enough. Perhaps you already have started to notice some symptoms of lack of sleep. Or maybe, you are unaware of the consequences. Either way, if you, do not sleep enough, you should make a valiant effort to get more of it, and here are a few reasons why:

Your Immune System:

When you are asleep, your body gets to work on fixing and repairing any damage that has occurred during the day. Beauty sleep is called beauty sleep for a reason! The body is able to help strengthen the immune system and regenerate cells which are vital to helping you fight off infections. Over time, if you do not sleep enough, you will find that you fall victim to more colds, flues, and potentially worse infections.

Your Memory:

While you sleep, the brain changes short-term memories into long-term memories. You may find that not sleeping enough goes hand in hand with a bad memory.

Your Central Nervous System:

Not sleeping an adequate amount can disrupt the body’s ability to send, receive, and process information. Sleep deprivation will exhaust the brain just as much as the rest of you. It will affect your concentration levels and you might find it difficult to learn something new. It can affect your coordination, meaning that you are more prone to accidents. This can have drastically tragic consequences on things like driving, for instance. Your mental and emotional state will be in constant flux. You will have more mood swings and become far less patient. It will also affect your decision-making ability. If you have a chronic lack of sleep, you may even start seeing hallucinations or trigger things such as mania and paranoia.

Depression:

Lack of sleep can lead to depression. Having our mood affected in such a way can have very serious consequences. It may even lead some people to consider suicide or begin drinking or taking drugs. The irony is these habits negatively affect sleep even more. If this resonates with you, then maybe going to rehab centers may help you see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Your Heart Health:

The health of your heart is affected by your blood pressure. When you sleep, the body regulates blood pressure and helps to prevents heart disease. That means that by not sleeping enough, you may end up with heart complications.

Obesity:

Unfortunately, not sleeping enough may well be a contributing factor to obesity. Some people who do not sleep enough will find that due to their lack of energy, they eat more sugary or fatty foods to compensate. It is a false economy and does not work. Also, being overweight may cause you to wake up hungry in the middle of the night, resulting in more snacking.

A good night’s sleep, clearly, does a lot more than make you feel well rested every morning. Catch some Zs and let your body work behind the scenes to help keep you healthy.

Featured Image By: Pixabay

Improving Your Professional Image: 3 Mindsets To Integrate

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Improving Your Professional Image: 3 Mindsets To Integrate

Some people feel like they are not respected in their professional environment. When people are going for promotions, they may want to give themselves a makeover of sorts. It’s important to build a professional image, but you must build one from your own foundation. A solid foundation is integral to so many aspects of your life, from your health to your happiness, so when it comes to improving your professional image, you need a solid foundation to begin with. So what does it take?

Removing the Seeds of Doubt:

To go in all guns blazing, we’ve got to present a united front between our head, heart, and body. There are people who will look at you up and down and decide you do not have what it takes because there is just something about you that doesn’t scream the word “professional.” Sometimes, we’ve got to take a long hard look in the mirror and make over certain components. It could be to do with our style, or it could be to do with some aesthetic issue. The great thing is that there are many ways to fix the little things, dental services can fix teeth problems and a new hairstyle can completely reinvigorate you. But remember, removing the seeds of doubt is not just about the doubts in yourself, but the doubts from the people who will be judging you every step of the way.

Understand Your Shortcomings:

It’s important to remember that you don’t know everything. Many people who try to climb up the career ladder think that they’ve got to put on a front that they know it all and can do anything. It’s important to be enthusiastic but it’s also important to admit when you cannot do something. In many cases, if there is something you don’t know how to do, you can always find out how to do it. Half of the problem is that many of us think that in asking for help, we are showing signs of weakness. Weakness is a strength, and we can turn it into a positive.

It’s About the Job You Do:

If you want to get recognized for a promotion, you can’t be considered for the top position when you haven’t already proved your worth in what you are already doing. In order to look like a professional, you’ve got to be professional in your current role. If you do excellent work, people will always notice even if you’re not shouting it from the rooftops. It’s all about building a professional reputation. You have to make sure that what you do stands the test of time.

Improving your professional image is not just about the physical. It’s about the complete package. Work hard, never stop improving, and you will find yourself earning recognition in your work place.

Featured Image By: Pixabay

Lil Red’s Book Club: The Spires By Kate Moretti Edition

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Lil Red’s Book Club: The Spires By Kate Moretti Edition

Hello everyone and welcome to a new edition of Lil Red’s Book Club! Today, we are going to be discussing The Spires by Kate Moretti – without giving any spoilers away, of course. 🙂 The Spires was a fast paced read that I finished after a mere four reading sessions. Although it wasn’t my favorite, it definitely qualified as unputdownable as twists and turns seemed to happen with every short chapter. Now, let’s get to it:

Bland, rational, shy Penelope has been living her life on autopilot for the past year. With her unemployed husband not picking up any extra slack, Penelope has been forced to juggle absolutely everything – A demanding job, cooking, cleaning, and two children with tons of extra curriculars. She is run down, exhausted, and closer to reaching her breaking point with every passing day. But, with the arrival of a friend who she hasn’t seen in twenty years on her doorstep, her busy life becomes the least of her problems.

Willa and Penelope were best friends in college and lived with each other and three other roommates for a year after graduating. Willa was the resident life of the party in the renovated church that they lived in, which made her state at Penelope’s door startling. She was terrified of the abusive ex that she escaped from and needed a place to stay.

At first, Willa was a welcome guest in Penelope’s home. She cooked delicious meals, cleaned, and helped out with the kids. Then, things started turning very suspicious. Jewelry of Penelope’s began turning up missing, major boundaries in the home were being crossed, and photos of her life that she can’t recall anyone taking appeared in her bedroom. The worst part? No one believes Penelope, which leaves her questioning her own sanity and sinking further back into her history and the tragedy that took place in the church house.

With no one in her corner, Penelope goes at it alone and the secrets that she uncovers about Willa unravel her even more. In a shocking final stand off where it all began, the truth of the tragedy at the church house is revealed as well as one more grand reveal that will make your jaw drop. Will Penelope survive the show down? Read The Spires to find out!

What I liked the most about The Spires was its format. No one loves a back and forth setup more than Lil Red and this book alternated from Penelope in present and past day to present day Willa. The chapters were short and sweet which is what made it so hard to put down because just a few more pages would uncover even more game changers. And, we all know that just a few more pages means you end up reading fifty more!

While I enjoyed the story line of The Spires because it was different than anything I have read before, I wasn’t particularly fond of any of the characters. Penelope bored me, her husband drove me crazy, and Willa was SO annoying. Not feeling any type of connection to any of the main players made for a lackluster reading experience despite a riveting plot.

Overall, The Spires is one that you could take or leave and I am going to award it with five and a half out of ten stars. These stars were given for the unique plot and enjoyable format. Had I liked even one character, it would have been a much higher star rating. If you are looking for a quick read, give The Spires a try. If you are looking for something deeper than that, it is one that you can pass on.

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

Bath & Body Works Haul

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Bath & Body Works Haul

Hello! When it comes to my beauty hoard, I like to keep it very well stocked. This means having at least two backups of my most used products on hand at all times. Johnny and I are both extremely partial to the hand soaps from Bath & Body Works so when I saw that we only had one left, a restock was definitely in order! Check it out:

Would I Buy Again?

  • Island Papaya: YES
  • Ghoul Friend: YES
  • Afternoon Apple Picking: YES
  • Blueberry Maple Pancakes: NO
  • Peach Bellini: YES
  • Let’s Get Nuts: MAYBE
  • Spooky Hand Sanitizers: YES!

Despite a couple of misses during this B&BW haul, I am still pleased with it. The Island Papaya was a huge success with Johnny who loves all things tropical and I am always happy to get another Peach Bellini hand soap – it’s my favorite! Afternoon Apple Picking was also a scent that we both really liked because it smelled strictly like apples without a touch of cinnamon, which we both hate lol. Now, let’s move on to the not so liked buys:

When I saw the Blueberry Maple Pancakes soap, I thought that it would smell amazing and was looking forward to its arrival in the mail. Unfortunately, it missed the mark big time. Instead of a delicious blueberry bakery scent, it just smells like straight up syrup and is almost sickeningly sweet.

Let’s Get Nuts is another scent that I could probably do without. It is your basic vanilla and, don’t get me wrong, I am a huge vanilla fan. However, vanilla can be kind of boring when there are so many other fun hand soap scents to explore. I actually didn’t plan on buying the soap but almost all of the Halloween scents were sold out so I added it to the shopping cart to make the most of the six soaps for twenty-four dollars deal.

The biggest success of this haul was not the soaps but the hand sanitizers! Last month, I got a coupon for a free sani and I absolutely loved it. The scent was nice and light and it made my hands feel clean without drying them out. Since we couldn’t get many Halloween scented soaps, we settled for the five for eight dollars spooky sani pack which is a great deal. Johnny and I are both currently using Vampire Blood and the only thing that would make it perfect is if we had the hand soap too – it smells SO good!

Hit or miss, you can never go wrong with the foaming hand soaps from Bath & Body Works. I am already looking forward to the next restock! 😀

What is your favorite B&BW scent? What is in your beauty stock pile? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah