Author Archives: lifewithlilred

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About lifewithlilred

Just your average gal blogging an average blog!

New Orange & Red Violet Nails

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New Orange & Red Violet Nails

Howdy! It is spooky season alright, which means that Halloween nails were in order when I got my fill at Elysian Nails. All day long, I was debating which color combination to go with because I didn’t want to do something as obvious as red and black. Then, I began going through a mental list of Halloween movies to draw inspiration from and settled on Hocus Pocus for a unique orange and red violet combo. Check it out:

While I love my nails and the fact that the tech I went to did a speedy job, I miss my old go to girl very much. Which is why I can’t wait for my next fill because she’ll be back! Although it’s always nice to sit back and be pampered without much chit chat, the girl talk is part of the reason why going to the hair or nail salon is one of my favorite hobbies. So, the silent fill I had this time around without any dishing about work, significant others, etc. felt incomplete.

Despite a somewhat lackluster experience, my nails did turn out great and I am obsessed with the colors that I chose. Aside from my wedding, I have never gotten fun designs on my nails simply because I don’t feel like paying for it. This is why I wanted a nontraditional color combo that still said Halloween.

Like many who think of Hocus Pocus, the first thing that came to mind was Winifred’s hair! The orange was a must but what would go with it? I went through my mental archives some more and settled on Sarah’s purple accents on her dress. Originally, the colors I selected at Elysian were much darker but it felt kind of blah. I scoured through the polish wall several more times and went with brighter hues in each shade and ended up with exactly what I pictured in my head! 😀

It’s all just Hocus Pocus but it sure is fun. Happy Halloween to all!

What is your favorite Halloween movie? What colors make you think of spooky season? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

 

Finding Bigfoot

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Finding Bigfoot

Hello! One of the souvenirs that Johnny and I brought home from the Poconos was a Grow Your Own Bigfoot. It was a goofy buy but Johnny apparently couldn’t pass it up lol. When we returned home, we began the process of growing our Bigfoot friend in a measuring cup full of water. It definitely took longer than the instructions said for Bigfoot to expand to its full size but it was worth the wait! Check it out:

For six days, Johnny and I checked in on our progress constantly to see how our Bigfoot was doing. And, trust and believe, we used the word “crowning” more than I would care to admit. We both wanted to see the end result ASAP so it was quite a painstaking process. So, I made the executive decision to remove Bigfoot from his stump once it was cracked completely because we couldn’t wait any longer.

After Bigfoot was freed from the stump, we left it in the water for another day or so. Now, I am pleased to say that we have a happy, healthy Bigfoot in our apartment! Although this was a silly purchase, it was a lot of fun and brought us back to our youth because we both used to enjoy the “Grow Your Own” products. Our Bigfoot will also make a fine addition to our Spooky Shelf! 😀

When in the Poconos, it is an obvious must to buy a Grow Your Own Bigfoot in Jim Thorpe. I guess it’s time to call in a documentary crew since the real deal is currently chilling in our apartment! 😉

Do you believe in Bigfoot? Where do you think he is located? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Lil Red’s Makeup Must Haves

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Lil Red’s Makeup Must Haves

Hi! Yesterday, we took a look at all of Lil Red’s beauty essentials and today we are going to continue on by discussing my must have makeup. Thanks again to the darling Libby of Goddess Attainable for the prompt! Let’s get started:

Maybelline Tattoo Studio Eyeliner:

Once I complete my morning skin care routine, I let the products sit for about a half hour and then I apply my makeup. For as long as I can remember, I have always started the makeup process with eyeliner on my bottom lid first. The Maybelline Tattoo Studio eyeliners has been my go to for forever. I love its price (seven dollars) but I am especially fond of how creamy and pigmented it applies. This eyeliner also never budges throughout the day so you will never face a “How long has my eyeliner been smudged?” moment in the mirror!

Selena Gomez Rare Beauty Palette:

I purchased the Rare Beauty palette earlier this summer and I am so glad that I did! I was sick of all of the eyeshadow colors that I had been using for the past decade and had never bought an actual palette before. While online shopping with Sephora, I decided to give the Rare Beauty palette a try because the colors were beautiful and the price at twenty-five dollars wasn’t bad, either.

Once my order arrived, I was blown away by the quality of these eyeshadows for the price. It applies so rich and lasts all day. The Rare Beauty palette encouraged me to play around with makeup more and I have been having a blast in the process. 😀

Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara:

To complete my eye makeup routine, I end with a healthy dose of Better Than Sex mascara by Too Faced. My sister introduced me to this mascara several years ago and I have been a faithful user ever since. In fact, it is one of the few makeup items that I splurge on at twenty or so dollars per tube. In my opinion, it is worth every penny. The Better Than Sex mascara gives me long, bold lashes perfect for fluttering and it will always be a staple in my makeup stock pile. Which reminds me… I need to order more!

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Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blush In Fresh Pink:

As I’m sure you all can tell, I stay dedicated to the products that I like and the Dream Bouncy blush by Maybelline is no exception – I have been using it since my teens! To begin the process of face makeup, I start with a base of Dream Bouncy in my favorite shade of Fresh Pink. This creamy blush applies so smoothly and I use it on the apples of my cheeks all the way up to my hairline. At first, it’s a bit much but I tone it down in the next steps…

The Body Shop Blush In Bubblegum:

To continue on with the pinky keen palette, I dust on a powder blush by The Body Shop in Bubblegum. And, yes, I have been using this blush since my teens too lol. The powder blush helps mellow out the super bright Dream Bouncy blush without losing the original color and provides a matte finish. I also apply this blush from the apples of my cheeks to my hairline.

Sephora Golden Hour Highlighter In Dusk:

Three years ago, I got hip to highlighter and Sephora’s Golden Hour in Dusk was my first purchase. At first, I wasn’t so sure about highlighter because I didn’t want it to be super noticeable. The Dusk shade offers a soft pink hue that gives my face angles for days without being incredibly obvious, which is exactly what I wanted.

Once my blush is on, I will apply the highlighter on the ridge of my nose and my chin. Then, I brush it on from the apples of my cheeks to my hairline down to my left and right jawline. Which brings us to our final step…

The Body Shop Brush On Radiance In Pink:

To finish off my makeup routine, I use the Brush On Radiance in Pink by The Body Shop all over my face and down my neck. This helps blend together all of the different products and gives your skin some shimmer. This is one of the first products that I ever used by The Body Shop in my teens and my makeup routine would feel so weird without it. The Brush On Radiance beads are so pretty and they literally last for forever which makes the twenty plus price tag much more bearable.

Lipstick:

With my ever changing hair, I have had to alter the lipstick colors that I wear. As I’m sure you all can remember, I always used to wear the Pure Red lipstick by NYX. Unfortunately, it just doesn’t look good anymore with my red, pink, and lilac hair. So, I have had to change things up and have grown partial to nude, mauve, and pink hues.

Right now, I am loving my Bite Beauty Lip Crayon in Glace for full face makeup occasions. For more casual outings, I tend to apply something quick and easy like the Clinique Chubby Stick in Super Strawberry. The Chubby Sticks are a tinted balm but you would be amazed at how bold the color is once its on!

During my work week, I rarely wear makeup so it is always fun when I have a chance to beat my face with the products above! ❤

What is your makeup routine like? What are some of your must have makeups? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Lil Red’s Must Have Beauty Products

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Lil Red’s Must Have Beauty Products

Hi! I consider myself to be a skin care fanatic. I have had a full fledged skin care routine since I was fifteen and I love testing out new products and revisiting old favorites. So, when my dear friend Libby over at Goddess Attainable emailed me about her upcoming post about her must have products, I just had to participate too! Today, we are going to look at some of my go to’s when it comes to skin and hair care. Let’s get to it:

IGK Mistress Hydrating Hair Balm:

I received this product in a Sephora Play! box and it became an instant staple in my beauty routine when I straighten my hair. The IGK Mistress Hydrating Hair Balm offers heat protection, decreases frizziness, and leaves my hair feeling silky smooth. The hair balm receives top marks from me because I don’t wash my hair at all and it never makes my hair oily or greasy, which is a huge necessity.

Ban Deodorant:

Who remembers Teen Spirit deodorant back in the day lol? As soon as I outgrew that sickeningly sweet deodorant, it was all about the unscented Ban roll on! Now, normally, I am a huge scent girl but I just can’t do it when it comes to deodorant. I have been using the Ban deodorant since my teens because it keeps me fresh all day long and doesn’t dry out my skin, either. Who wants dry armpits? Not me!

Bath & Body Works Lotion:

Wrapping up my nighttime skin care routine is not complete without a healthy dose of lotion afterwards. I cannot stand wearing lotion during the day time due to the texture and overpowering scents so I only wear it at night. I am currently working on the Portofino Pink Prosecco scent from Bath & Body Works, which I purchased during a semi-annual sale haul. This is one that you wouldn’t want to wear during the day, anyways, because it smells super boozy!

Garnier Micellar Water:

The Garnier Micellar Water has been a staple in my beauty hoard for the past several years. I use it as a makeup remover, toner, and clean my nose piercings with it too. I always keep several bottles handy at home and might have to restock more often! I have been trying to do Johnny’s makeup since our vacation and it has not gone very well so we have been going through a lot of micellar water. Practice makes perfect, though, and I’m confident that he’ll be rocking guyliner with the best of them soon!

Tree Of Life Vitamin C Serum:

Vitamin C serum has been an essential in my skin care routine since I was a teenager and I have just recently started using the Tree Of Life serum. I love Vitamin C serum because it makes my skin luminous and bright even on days when I feel dead tired. Both my morning and nighttime skin care routine has started with a Vitamin C serum for so long and I often wonder what my skin would look like without being such a dedicated user for over a decade.

e.l.f. Holy Hydration! Eye Cream:

More often that not, you can catch Lil Red using drugstore brands as you can see from several items on this list. I am nothing if not frugal when it comes to skin care and don’t believe in paying an arm and a leg for it. At about six dollars per jar, the e.l.f. Holy Hydration! Eye Cream is a true testament to that. This is the first time I have used this product and I plan on rebuying it again. At two months plus, I am still using the same jar. It is so gentle on the sensitive skin that it targets and I feel like my designer eye bags have decreased too. 😀

Garnier SkinActive Moisture Rescue Gel Cream:

I have been using the Garnier SkinActive moisturizers since the beginning of the pandemic and I don’t plan on stopping any time soon. You simply cannot beat the price at eight or so dollars per jar for such an effective product. The Moisture Rescue gel cream absorbs quickly, sits well under makeup, and leaves my skin feeling so nourished and soft. With twice daily use, I typically finish one jar per month which is also a great value.

Thank you so much again to Libby from Goddess Attainable for inviting me to join in on her beauty post. And, keep it posted, because we will be talking makeup must haves soon on lifewithlilred! ❤

What are some of your beauty staples? What is your favorite skin care brand? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

4 Creative Ways To Make Lasting Memories With Your Partner

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4 Creative Ways To Make Lasting Memories With Your Partner

Sustaining your relationship with your partner requires hard work, commitment, and creativity. Making memories with each other can be beneficial in many ways, including positively affecting your well-being. If you’re wondering what ways you can make unforgettable memories with your special one, here are some simple tips worth considering:

Be creative with your gifts:

Gifts are an exciting way to remind your partner that you love them and are worth remembering. It’s even more special when you give them something without waiting for a special occasion. Getting the right gift can be challenging at times, but considering their interests and being attentive to their needs can make it easier for you to choose the perfect gift. If you want to playfully communicate to your partner how much they mean to you, why not try a love book? Not only will it be a memorable present, but it also allows you to record some of your best-loved memories with your partner and remind them why they mean so much to you.

Plan a getaway:

Sometimes, you and your partner need to get away from the hustle and bustle of life to spend quality time with each other. It doesn’t have to be anything too fancy or faraway. You can go somewhere you both love and unplug from everything else like your phones, busy schedule, etc. Doing this could work wonders for your bond with each other and help you to have some moments worth cherishing. You can do this for a short period like a long weekend. Alternatively, you can get away for as long as you both would like so that you can return refreshed with a renewed spark. Any kind of trip with your partner is a really special time so be sure to capture those memories with a digital film camera. Once you return home from your getaway, you can make photo albums together of your travels so you can look back on them and smile.

Take advantage of your skills:

Another great way to make memories with your partner is by using your skills. For instance, if you love to cook, you can prepare a hearty meal for breakfast or a new dinner recipe and have a meal together while you relax on a picnic blanket or in the candlelight. You can also make handmade gifts that your partner will always appreciate and remember if you’re an artistic person. Aside from your skills, you both can spend time enjoying your favorite hobbies, such as reading together, singing your favorite songs during karaoke night, etc.

Have clear boundaries between work and home:

Another way to let your partner know that they’re a priority in your life is by separating your work from your time with them. No matter how busy you may be, it would help to put everything away when you get home. Doing this will make your partner feel valued, and you can spend time, no matter how short, doing things that you both enjoy. It also allows you to listen to your partner, share how your day went, and enjoy each other’s company just hanging out at home.

Making time for each other is essential in helping you both spend memorable moments together. These practical and thoughtful ideas will help you and your partner create some exciting memories and remind each other why you fell in love in the first place.

Featured Image By: Pixabay

Zempertoopa Skeleton Sweater

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Zempertoopa Skeleton Sweater

Hello! From band Ts to straight up silly ones, Johnny and I have a decent amount of matching T-shirts. I always joke that our matching tops will prevent us from getting lost when we are out and about! And, now, we can be twinsies in sweaters too during the cold weather because he bought a skeleton one off of Amazon that didn’t fit and had to order a size up. It was no harm no foul though because it’s mine now! Haha check it out:

For most people, the winter holidays are the most wonderful time of the year. For me and Johnny, however, it is the entire month of October – AKA spooky season! We live for Halloween and prefer to stay in the spooky spirit all year round. Our new sweaters will definitely help the cause of living every day like it’s Halloween. 😀

Johnny has wanted a skeleton style sweater for forever so he was very disappointed when this one didn’t fit. Myself, on the other hand, was more disappointed that he didn’t order me one too so I guess things all worked out in the end lol. This will be the perfect sweater for snuggling up and watching scary movies or going out and about to do fall activities with.

The next outing on our agenda is to hit the pumpkin patch but it won’t be to pick out the perfect Jack-o-lantern pumpkin. We have literally no room in our apartment to carve pumpkins so our plan is to purchase some anyways and go to a wooded area to break them open for all of our animal friends. Pumpkins are a delicious treat for woodland animals and I encourage all of you to do the same when you’re clearing out your Halloween decor. 🙂

Skeletons, pumpkins, and apple orchards – oh my! Your favorite resident emo couple is living their best life right now and I hope the same is true for you too. ❤

Do you like carving pumpkins? What are you going to dress up as for Halloween? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Our Spooky Shelf

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Our Spooky Shelf

Hi!! In my household, it is Halloween all of the time. Johnny and I love scary movies, spooky decor, and all things true crime. We have a fairly large amount of Halloween themed decor and, until this past weekend, we never had anywhere to display them because of limited space in our apartment. So, I was absolutely delighted when Johnny cleared off the game shelf on our cabinet record player and turned it into our spooky shelf, instead. Check it out:

Whenever Johnny and I are running errands, we often tend to bring home little surprises when we find something that each other would like. For example, I purchased the cowboy skeleton and undead bunny statue for Johnny when I had my Halloween Haul with my sister and niece. And last Friday, Johnny brought me home the little bat plushie front and center on the shelf. He also got the vampire puppy for both of us! ❤

We got the Frankenstein and Skeleton Man plushies on our family vacation to the Poconos and we are particularly fond of them. They are so cute! The rest of our decor was given to us by Johnny’s mom and we are insanely appreciative of that. A lot of the statues are from Johnny’s childhood but all of the orange pumpkins were hand painted by his grandma. It is incredibly special to have them and they are just adorable. My favorite is the one in the middle that is sitting on its side. 🙂

Johnny’s executive decision to create our spooky shelf was an inspired one, indeed. And, trust and believe we’ll be leaving it up all year round!

What is your favorite holiday to decorate for? Do you leave seasonal decor up all year too? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Top Tips For Looking After Your Teeth

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Top Tips For Looking After Your Teeth

The ABCs of oral health is brushing, flossing, and rinsing, but they’re not the only measures to take. In order to achieve a sparkling smile, you should go beyond squeezing toothpaste out of the tube – you should get started with the tips below:

Visit The Dentist:

The reason you don’t see the dentist often is likely to be a dental phobia, financial constraints, or just plain neglect. Visit your dentist regularly (the ADA recommends twice a year), and you’ll detect problems like decay, gum disease, trauma, or cancer earlier when they are more manageable, not to mention easier and less expensive to deal with.

Recognize The Age:

Most parents tend to overlook the oral health needs of their toddlers and elderly relatives, but they require regular dental visits just as much as the rest of us. Before they’re coordinated enough to tie their own shoes, children should be seen by a dentist by the age of one. The elderly have their own oral health issues too. As people age, their saliva production decreases, resulting in more tooth decay and discomfort for people wearing dentures. Arthritis and dental decay can make brushing and flossing difficult.

Drink Less Soda:

Having an extra fizzy drink is fun, but it is also partly responsible for the bad effects soda has on our teeth. Carbonated soda contains phosphoric acid and citric acid, both of which act to erode the surface of your teeth. Even though one can or more of soda a day won’t harm your teeth, drinking more than one of them makes them more susceptible to cavities. You can add flavor to water by slicing citrus, crushing berries. or adding mint leaves.

Mind The Sugar:

Tooth decay is caused, in large, by sugar consumption. Plaque forms in your mouth and consumes your tooth enamel and gums as it fuels bacteria. When you indulge in sweetened coffee in the morning or ice cream at night, your pearly whites are bombarded with twenty minutes of acid production. Try cutting down on sugary treats and brushing and flossing every time you eat or snack to avoid being one of the twenty percent of Americans who suffer from tooth decay.

Use The Right Toothbrush:

It is best to use a brush with soft bristles. A brush this size should last for two to three months with proper care. Whenever you notice bent bristles, it’s time to replace it – but don’t wait too long. It is possible to damage the teeth and gums even if a straight bristle tip does not become rounded.

Practice Proper Technique:

While most people know that they should brush their teeth at least twice a day, a lot of people don’t bother thinking about how they should do it. Make gentle, short, circular motions with the toothbrush at a forty-five degree angle pointed toward the gum line. Be sure not to over brush each tooth. Over brushing damages teeth and erodes the gum line. If you are practicing proper brushing technique and are still noticing discoloration, you might want to consider a website like Teeth Whitening Direct which can ship whitening strips and kits straight to your door. Incorporate them into your oral hygiene routine to fast track the whitening process for a brighter smile.

Good Flossing:

A healthy mouth and teeth are nurtured by flossing. It can cause friction and damage your gum line when you don’t floss properly, just like brushing. Keep about two inches between your fingers as you wrap floss around your index fingers. You can use an automatic flossing device to break up plaque and keep your gums healthy. If not, make sure that you unroll fresh floss for each tooth while keeping it tight against the tooth.

This guide should help you to look after your teeth and keep them healthy for bright, radiant smiles all of the time! 🙂

Featured Image By: George Becker from Pexels

Vacation Souvenirs

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Vacation Souvenirs

Hello!! My family vacation in the Poconos was the absolute best and I am definitely ready for another one lol. It is so hard to go back to work after all of the fun, family time, amazing food, and relaxation! No vacation is complete without plenty of souvenirs and Johnny and I got several to enjoy in our kitchen and on our knick knack shelf. Check it out:

The favorite vacation purchase for me and Johnny is, easily, our Frankenstein and Skeleton Man plushies from the small store at Heckman Orchards. They are SO cute and we love snuggling up with them while we watch ten episodes of Criminal Minds in a row. 😀

The earrings (Which I’m obsessed with!) and the Grow Your Own Bigfoot were bought at a couple of shops in Jim Thorpe. The rest of our souvenirs came from Country Junction, which is the world’s largest general store. And, let me tell you, if you are ever in the area you just have to check it out.

Country Junction was a mishmash of a billion different things and it was like being in a carnival fun house. The actual general store was HUGE and it was the size of at least three Walmarts all put together. There was a section for everything from children’s toys to grilling supplies, pet care, and old fashioned candy. In almost every corner, there were gigantic statues that could move and talk including scenes from the Wizard Of Oz and a Jurassic Park-esque velociraptor. Oh, and did I mention that there was a full arcade with bumper cars too?! 😮

The madness wasn’t limited to the inside, no siree bob. Outdoors, there was a petting zoo, hay rides, playgrounds, and a small carnival complete with old school rides, fun houses, and food vendors. It was absolutely nuts lol. I so wish that I took pictures of this madness but the weather was rainy and Johnny and I were carrying all of our shopping bags by the time we caught up with the rest of the family.

Our purchases were pretty heavy because we bought a ton! I did some early Christmas shopping, got prezzies for my niece, nephew, and sister, as well as lots of treats for me and Johnny. I am particularly fond of the items that I bought by Our Own Candle Company. The Hot Chocolate candle smells delicious and I can’t wait to use the bar soap – the Peach scent is to die for!

If you have the time, definitely check out Country Junction online because you will be just as blown away/dumbfounded as I think everyone is that steps foot on the property!

Do you have anything like Country Junction in your area? What is your favorite one stop shop? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

The Old Jail Tour Pt. 2

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The Old Jail Tour Pt. 2

Hello everyone and welcome to the second part of my experience at a tour of The Old Jail in Jim Thorpe, PA! To kick things off, check out some pictures and then we will discuss more:

To start our tour of The Old Jail, we watched a fifteen or so minute video which taught us about the plight of the Irish people during the Potato Famine and how they got to America. Despite being out of the country, Irish people still had a rough time because no one wanted to hire them for work. Other than the coal mines, that is. And it was a dangerous job, indeed.

Cue, the Molly Maguires. The Molly Maguires were a secret society who basically tried to improve everything about the coal mining industry for its workers. As mentioned in yesterday’s post, The Old Jail was where four accused Molly Maguires were hung at the gallows after multiple violent conflicts. After learning this, the tour of the jail itself began.

The tour of The Old Jail was really cool because after our guide gave us some history, we were allowed to move about freely to explore more. We began on the first floor, which is where the gallows were as well as some other unique features. If you look at the ninth picture down, the pictures on the floor were from magazine cutouts that one of the prisoners stuck to the ground with sugar water.

Of course, the most famous feature of The Old Jail is the hand print of one of the Molly Maguires. Before his hanging, he dirtied his hand and placed it on the wall of his cell declaring that it was the hand print of an innocent man. His hand print was attempted to be removed via scrubbing, chiseling, and painting but it still remains, clear as day, to this day. (To preserve the print, we were not allowed to take pictures of it.)

Once we were done on the first floor, we descended down the stairs into the dungeons where people in solitary confinement were kept. Back in the day, those in solitary were in shackles and in the pitch black twenty-four hours a day with nothing but a bucket and a sleeping mat in their cell. All of this is crazy uncomfortable, but add the three coal burning stoves that are located in the dungeons and it was pure misery.

After we saw the dungeons, the tour was pretty much over and we were able to poke around for a bit more before exiting the building. I don’t think any of us could shake the creeped out feeling the entire drive back to our lodging. Speaking of creeped out…

Later that evening, I began the process of going through the pictures that I took and emailing them to myself. I got to the halfway point where I was sending pictures of the dungeons and, all of a sudden, my phone screen went completely frozen and white. I closed out of my email and tried again but it was the same thing every time.

Finally, I decided to restart my phone and it worked perfectly. Was it nothing? Maybe. Or was it the fact that I had just spent time in a haunted location and was working on pictures where people were kept in solitary confinement? Maybe. I know how I feel about it but I’ll let you make your own conclusions!

The tour of The Old Jail was one of the neatest outings both Johnny and I have ever been on. We can’t wait to explore more places like it! 😀

Are there any haunted locations in your area? What are you afraid of? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah