Author Archives: lifewithlilred

Unknown's avatar

About lifewithlilred

Just your average gal blogging an average blog!

Bath Bomb Blitz: Da Bomb Galaxy Bomb Edition

Standard
Bath Bomb Blitz: Da Bomb Galaxy Bomb Edition

Hello! For my twenty-sixth birthday, my bestie treated me to some bath and body care goodies including a salt soak, bath bomb, and face mask. This past week, after my long day at work, I returned home to an empty apartment because my boyfriend was at band practice. So, I figured it was the perfect time to treat myself to a nice, cold bath.

Yes, I did say cold! Lol, it has been hot, hot, hot in Ohio. Therefore, it is simply unbearable in my apartment and cold showers and, now baths, have become the norm. It’s funny, because just as one sinks into the steamy bath water, I did the same in the cold and it still felt just as good! The bath bomb just added to the ambiance! Haha, check it out:

8B1DBA61-F9B7-4DBB-8B11-E363EA824172553EA4E5-3DF7-405B-B4C8-3656C89B9DAEB209DE15-BC4B-471F-91EB-90A977CB3CAC49CC265E-D950-4242-822E-9F73202C616E53001168-6364-4AA2-95AC-FB4D56C5E9EC5D02DBA9-1806-47EE-892F-8862CE3008EF

Despite being labeled as “Fun Size” on the packaging, this Galaxy Bomb by Da Bomb (Love that name!) packed a huge punch. In under two minutes, my bath water achieved the inky black hue that I love so very much. The amber scent, which I am normally not a fan of, somehow added a touch of warmth into the cold water and taking an evening soak turned out to be one of my biggest treats of the week.

My best friend, Lea, knows me so well. Obviously, I love bath bombs. But, she always knows how to incorporate my favorite color of black into everything, which made it an ideal fun sized surprise. Speaking of surprises, a small prize was added into each bath bomb and I fished out a tiny golden shield from the water after the bath bomb fizzed out. It still smells like amber! 😀

Da Bomb is a company formed by two sisters and I have never heard of it before. But, this bath bomb was definitely one of the better non-Lush ones that I have used and I would recommend it! Overall, I rate this bath bomb with a: six out of ten stars and was really impressed with the color and scent of my bath water. Thanks, Lea! ❤

What is your favorite bath and body care brand? Do you prefer hot or cold showers? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Happy Birthday To Me Haul: Blogging BFF Edition

Standard
Happy Birthday To Me Haul: Blogging BFF Edition

Hello!!! Lifewithlilred has come a long way since its start in September 2014 – almost six years ago. Like all blogs, it began small and modest but, somehow, over half a decade later, lifewithlilred is being read in over one hundred and ninety countries. Wow! Despite my page constantly changing and evolving, there are some things that have remained a constant in my blogging life and that something is actually a very special someone… My blogging BFF, Kate, from Live In The Nautical.

Kate and I became fast friends almost immediately after lifewithlilred began and we remain so until this day. From visiting her in New York City to our FaceTime dates and birthday and Christmas gift exchanges, we always make time for each other even while in separate states. We are hoping for a reunion post COVID but, in the meantime, we had the best time catching up and swapping prezzies for our Gemini Twin June birthdays.

Now, normally, every gift I receive is my favorite. But, this treasure from Kate is actually my favorite. Check it out:

84FCB2F3-EC71-42C1-8973-B25A19AE0C2E70F157FB-ED3A-4AC6-9D7B-4699F272CFF8

For my twenty-sixth, Kate gifted me with the most beautiful reminder of all of the hard work that I have put into my page every day for the past six years. She also gave me a beautiful reminder to never lose my car keys with an adorable lil red fob! My plaque is proudly displayed on my curio cabinet filled with all of my most special knick knacks and my fob is eagerly awaiting for my boyfriend to put my keys on. I’d do it myself but talon nails, lol.

After twenty-five, I can’t say I am thrilled to continue tacking another year on. But with such amazing friends and lovely low key celebrations, I guess twenty-six isn’t so bad. And, I have the friendship with Kate that I hold so dear and all of my sweet family, friends, and boyfriend to thank for that. ❤

How long have you been blogging for? Do you have a blogging BFF of your own? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Embracing Your Inner Gym Bunny

Standard
Embracing Your Inner Gym Bunny

While in lockdown, you may have been hankering for your work out sessions at your fitness gym and you now have to make do with some at-home exercise. This will suffice for now, but what about when you can go back to the gym? Times will have changed, and there will be a new normal that you have to adjust to. You will have to remain socially distant, classes may only involve a handful of people, you may need to buy your own equipment, and hand sanitizer will become your best friend. Take a look at why you should *safely* embrace your inner gym bunny when lockdown ends:

The Range Of Exercise:

If you are used to doing twenty minutes on the cross trainer, a 5k run on the treadmill, and pumping some iron in the weights area, then an aerobics class as seen at YouTube.com at home simply isn’t going to cut it. Being able to work a wider range of muscle groups and having the equipment to tailor your workout so that it is bespoke to you is only available at a gym. While you might not be paying your full subscription fee each month at the moment, you will relish having the chance to when you can get back to a spin class and enjoy your HIIT workout once again.

While you are indoors a little more, take the chance to hone a new workout plan for when you do head back to the gym. If you are keen to lose the weight in your arms or you want to strengthen your core, construct a workout plan specifically for these areas using the many free guides available on the Internet.

Gear:

If you are looking to head back to the gym, make sure that you look the part. You want to be turning heads for all of the right reasons, so go to a site like curvesncombatboots.com and check out their achingly cool leggings and awesome tops so that you look amazing when you venture to do some exercise for the first time in ages. Pair your clothing with some new running shoes. While you might not fancy heading to the high street or the mall, there are plenty of online retailers with some excellent discounts at the moment. Take advantage of them while they are trying to encourage more shoppers back to their stores.

Classes:

While classes may be smaller, having an instructor in front of you yelling at you to go faster can actually be inspiring and make you work harder. Finding your mojo at home when watching a YouTube session or when trying to go for a jog outside can be tough. Sometimes, you need that expert to encourage you. Classes range from Zumba to box-fit and from spin to circuits. Each of these classes will help you to shift the pounds and tone up. You will also find that your dopamine levels increase negating the cortisone levels in your bloodstream. This can make you feel more positive, content, and happier in these uncertain times.

Venturing to the gym was something that we used to take for granted. Follow this guide, and enjoy embracing your inner gym bunny in the post-pandemic world.

Featured Image By: Pexels

Happy Birthday To Me Haul: BFF Edition

Standard
Happy Birthday To Me Haul: BFF Edition

Hello! Last Monday, I loved having my BFF of over ten years, Lea, over for a little birthday celebration. White Claw was drank and after four long hours of much needed catching up, we finally retired for the evening. It has felt like forever since I have seen Lea – probably since before the restaurants all closed in mid March. But, in true BFF fashion, we never miss a beat once we are reunited after time apart.

After over a decade of gifting each other for birthdays and Christmas, Lea and I have definitely began to recycle our ideas… Which is just fine by us because who doesn’t love wine, bath and body care, and candles?! Lol, check it out:

6162B29F-7EE6-44F0-950A-216954F544BFA081B53A-4B26-4303-8071-6FF019E78B81D302A46A-2BFE-4E6C-A717-DAF6E364F200

For my twenty-sixth, Lea treated me to a bottle of rose and wine stopper, a super delicious smelling salt soak, face mask, and bath bomb – AKA all of my favorite things. There is nothing quite like taking a bath using goodies that you would have never bought for yourself. This is why I love getting bath bombs! I freaking love them but they are also not something on my radar to buy when I like getting shoes so much. 😀

Lea provided me with all of the makings for a relaxing evening in and I plan on using my new treats ASAP. There will also be plenty of product reviews coming up so keep it posted. ❤

What is your favorite thing to be gifted with? How do you spoil your friends on special occasions? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Happy Birthday To Me Haul: Work Fam Edition

Standard
Happy Birthday To Me Haul: Work Fam Edition

Hello! June seventh was my twenty-sixth birthday and, in true Lil Red fashion, it has been drawn out a few days with individual hang outs with friends and family. I also end up celebrating with the families who I work with and have ended up becoming a part of in the past three years of doing my job. One of my client’s families always ends up super spoiling me and I received the following this past week:

36EAEA8A-E758-4CE6-B5CD-5DC7A8D4C42E6AD0BE3B-311B-48CF-81FA-3A61FB8B175A

As soon as I walked into work on Monday, “Happy Birthday” was sung and gifts were handed to me at an alarming rate. Each one I opened seemed to be more lovely than the next and “this is way too generous” was the catchphrase of the opening session. This was matched by each member of my work family assuring me that “you’re worth it” every single time.

Becoming a member of three different families wasn’t exactly what I was setting out to do when I began providing care for people with special needs. But, sometimes things just happen like that and, now, celebrations seem to happen constantly. Whether it be a holiday or a member of my “pseudo family’s” birthday, I am always a part of it and it feels good!

There is truly nothing better than walking into work Monday through Friday and stepping into a family environment. It has also been such a godsend during all of the craziness of COVID to have so many extra people to talk to! Work families are so important and I am so thankful for all of mine. ❤

Do you consider the people at your job a family? Are you an unofficial member of someone else’s fam? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Animal Crossing Outdoor Fun

Standard
Animal Crossing Outdoor Fun

Hello!! Children, teenagers, and adults alike have all been getting super into Animal Crossing during this quarantine. And, Johnny and I just so happen to be the adults who are super into it, lol. The charmingly simple game of building a prosperous island has captured many a hearts and I always look forward to when I can fish or catch some bugs for a while on our island of Dingusburg (Johnny’s idea, haha).

Recently, at work, I was outside with my client and her nieces and we decided to do some real life Animal Crossing of our own after we saw a big, beautiful butterfly flitting about the back yard. One of the girlies grabbed her butterfly net and the chase was on. We all took our tries at catching it and had no such luck. The butterfly flew away but it was still fun!

If you have little ones with some pent up energy from being cooped in, how about some Animal Crossing fun of your own? Set up a scavenger hunt outside or grab some butterfly nets and toy fishing rods and have an adventure in your back yard. Animal Crossing is all about enjoying the simple things, like planting flowers, picking fruit, and catching bugs… All of which can easily be done from your yard!

Still need some inspiration? Message me on Facebook at Sarah Mushenheim for my friend code and come visit Dingusburg. Then, bring a little of our island life into your activities with your kids for the day. 🙂

animal

Which games have you been hooked on in quarantine? What are some of your favorite activities with your kids? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

My 26th Birthday Celebration

Standard
My 26th Birthday Celebration

Hello! My 26th birthday was this past Sunday and, although quarantine kept me from celebrating a little more heavily, I got to spend such a wonderful time with my family on both days of the weekend. On Saturday night, Johnny and I had a pizza dinner with my mom, dad, and brother. We also returned on Sunday so I could see my sister and her daughter in a safe environment because there are currently beaucoup ant traps set up at my apartment right now… Not very baby friendly!

After a Sunday afternoon at my mom and dad’s, Johnny and I spent the rest of the day watching Public Enemy and Inglorious Bastards. He also humored me by watching an episode of America’s Next Top Model together. What a guy! It was, indeed, a low key birthday but sometimes those are the best kind. And, as much as I would like to turn up, it’s just not safe. So, a pizza night at my parents’ seems like a close second to me. 🙂

How did you celebrate your birthday this year? Do you have anything exciting coming up? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Looking After Your Physical Health In Lockdown

Standard
Looking After Your Physical Health In Lockdown

When practicing social distancing by staying at home, it can be difficult to keep your physical health in check. It’s no longer possible to go to the gym, run an organized race, or meet up with your sports team. And our normal food, sleep, and hygiene routines have gone out the window. Much has been said about how to look after your mental health in these stressful times, but your physical health is important too. We don’t know how long social distancing measures will be in place, so it is crucial that you stay on top of your fitness now and don’t wait until the lockdown is over.

If you are struggling to look after your health in lockdown, here are a few tips to help you:

Have a routine:

With your professional and social life on hold, all sense of routine has disappeared. You might feel there’s no need to establish a schedule for your days when you barely leave the house, but this may be more damaging to your health than you think. A lack of structure in your life can make you less motivated to look after yourself and promote bad habits regarding eating, sleeping, and exercise. Establish a framework to your days by getting up and going to sleep at regular times, and sticking to set meal times. Plan your days to fit in healthy activities and use the extra time productively.

Get enough sleep:

These are stressful times, and many people are struggling to sleep right now. The quantity and quality of sleep have a huge impact on your mental and physical health. If you don’t get enough, you may find yourself with weakened immunity, cognitive impairment, weight gain, and a higher risk of conditions such as heart disease and diabetes. Go to bed and wake up at regular times, and make an effort to reduce your exposure to phones and social media in the hours before bed, as these will only impact your sleep further.

Be active every day:

The lockdown has made it harder to motivate ourselves to exercise, but that doesn’t make it any less important. Thirty minutes of moderate-intensity exercise every day will make you stronger and fitter, as well as reducing your risk of almost any health condition, including cardiovascular problems, diabetes, and cancers. Not to mention the mental health benefits. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a brisk walk or an online fitness class or a yoga session, schedule in some activity every day, and you will soon feel the benefits.

Eat well:

When you’re always within a stone’s throw of your kitchen, it can be hard to eat right all the time. Although comfort food can be beneficial now and then, you need to maintain a balanced diet if you want to avoid health problems. Avoid the temptation to order takeout and start preparing yourself nutritious meals with plenty of fruit and vegetables. Stay hydrated by drinking lots of water, and take care to reduce your alcohol and caffeine intake.

As well as taking these steps to maintain your physical health, it is also crucial that you deal with any new or existing health conditions promptly. You can talk to a doctor online about any medical concerns, so you don’t even have to leave the house. Stay well!

Featured Image By: Pixabay

My First LEGO Set!

Standard
My First LEGO Set!

Hello!! One of my favorite shows that Johnny and I have watched while in quarantine is LEGO Masters. I had never played with LEGO in my youth and Johnny was all about it and he still is. Watching the friendly competition show definitely spiked my interest and Johnny and I resolved to build a LEGO set together… Which he gifted me with for my 26th birthday! Check out my Harry Potter themed masterpiece:

DF782B31-126C-441A-A785-C490CA33BC9D7FC47107-153C-4BED-96B8-528770A5F73290852FAD-9502-4A30-BCE1-9B66EFD3B5260C67CD57-E040-4EE6-81AD-360369202D20357B9A13-6C13-47E7-A0C4-0FAF580AADDC6FC7859C-8555-4E80-82E1-942BE9718DE01B4F6AB1-DCBB-4160-8789-A7AA51E827E3

From the rubble of LEGO bricks scattered all over my coffee table, a replica of Hogwarts Castle during the Yule Bar arose within one evening at chez moi. Johnny and I cleared the clutter, improved the lighting situation with a standing lamp from the bedroom, and began to build along with the assembly instructions. And, I have to say, the first brick was so satisfying!

Very early on in our build, Johnny and I found that with my talon nails, assembling the smaller LEGO pieces was damn near impossible. So, I handled the big pieces while Johnny focused on the details and it made for a perfect pairing. It was so amazing to see our hard work take shape as the castle came alive with such iconic parts of Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire.

A Christmas time ball at Hogwarts does, indeed, sound magical and I think that added to the joyous atmosphere of the entire evening. Johnny and I worked together and made something awesome and it was hands down the best quarantine date night we’ve had. We are looking forward to continuing to extend Hogwarts and plan on getting more sets to add on soon. Keep it posted!

What was your favorite childhood toy? Have you built anything cool with LEGO recently? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Six Ways To Help Your Mental Well Being

Standard
Six Ways To Help Your Mental Well Being

With all of the craziness of today’s world, it’s easy to let your mental health slip. But, there are always steps that you can take to help improve your mental well being, like the following:

Speak To Your Loved Ones:

It’s always good to speak to others when you’re feeling low. Social connection is something we need as humans to function. Going without speaking to anyone for a long time can definitely take its toll, and when you’re not feeling yourself, that feeling can be even worse. Communicating is important, and we all have those individuals, whether they’re friends or family, who we can trust to speak openly about anything. Surround yourself with people who you feel comfortable with and can talk to, rather than being around people who might bring you down or make you feel like you can’t be open about certain things in your life. Pick up the phone or see them in person, whatever form of communication you use, make sure you’re doing more of it when you can.

If there is something that is weighing heavily on your mind, you might not want to open up to friends and family and that’s okay. However, that doesn’t mean that you should be keeping it all in and therapy might be a better approach. That way, you can speak with a fully neutral and confidential party about what’s troubling you. Therapists like those at empoweryouexperts.com (or a similar practice in your local area) can give you a safe space to speak openly while providing you with the tools to handle these situations and improve your well being. This is a great first step in changing your life for the better.

Learn To Forgive Yourself:

There’s a lot in life that we can end up regretting, things happen and mistakes are made. However, when it comes to focusing on what we’ve done in the past, we tend to reflect more on the negatives and less on the positives. Looking at what we’ve achieved is more important than those things in life that we’d rather forget. There are also times in life where events might happen that are simply out of control. A lot of heartbreaking situations like an abortion procedure or having to deal with a difficult breakup are just a few examples where we have to learn to forgive ourselves. It’s important to understand that these things happened, and forgiving yourself is the first step to accepting it.

Of course, learning to forgive yourself can be far easier said than done and no one needs to go through this process alone. Talking to a therapist can be most helpful or a mental health treatment center can benefit those who need more intensive care. To find a center that is the right fit for you, simply enter a search for “Mental Health treatment in Woodland Hills, CA” (or your local area). Don’t be afraid to ask questions or even schedule a tour to see if their options suit your needs.

Focus On What Makes You Happy:

As you go through life, you start to understand what makes you happy. There are certainly things that you might have done in the past or you will do in the future that you feel could have been handled differently. As long as you’re learning from these experiences and putting your own happiness before others, that’s all that matters. We spend a lot of time making sure everyone else is happy but spend a fraction of that time making sure that we are happy. Self-care is a word that’s thrown about a lot nowadays, and it’s an important one. It’s important to spend more time on yourself to help give your mental well being a boost when it needs it.

Have A Healthy Work-Life Balance:

Work-life balances are something that can be difficult to perfect, and we’re all different in how we see a career. For some, work is simply a way of earning money to spend more time enjoying life. For others, it might be something that they love to do and sacrifice other areas of their life, perhaps being less sociable, for example. However, it’s important that whatever your attitude is towards work and life, it’s good to try and balance it when you can. For all of the work you do, it’s important to enjoy the fruits of your labor. The same goes for your lifestyle and that in order to have a good one, you need to work and be able to support yourself independently, even with a partner.

selff1

Pexels Image

Take A Digital Detox:

Digital detoxes are something that many are considering to be very important nowadays. We spend so much time on social media and technology that it can be exhausting when we don’t switch off from it. As far as your mental health goes, it can be very difficult to not compare yourself to others online. We all want to share the very best version of ourselves and not so much of the negativity. However, what that does is show a reality that’s not actually always a positive one. It can be easy to compare yourself in a number of ways to others online, whether it be to do with your looks or the amount of success someone might be having in their life compared to yours.

It’s good to take a digital detox every now and then when you can. Whether it’s a day or two, a week, or even a month. Switching off from social media can be refreshing but will also help you refocus your own ambitions and goals in life.

Consider Your Diet & Exercise:

Diet and exercise are important to stay healthy in life, but for some, it can be difficult to manage. Even with all of the hours in the day, it can be hard to exercise if you don’t have the motivation. It’s even harder when you’ve not found something that you enjoy when it comes to fitness. The same can go for your diet and enjoying food that is healthy without it being something you don’t actually like. Try to find ways of improving both where you can because eating the right foods and exercising regularly can contribute to better mental health and well being. Find sports or exercise you enjoy and try new foods to see what you like and don’t like. Don’t feel guilty for indulging every so often either!

Helping your mental health is important, and it’s something you certainly need to do a lot more of. Use these tips to help spend time on your well being and do them more when you’re struggling. See friends, keep a priority on your happiness, and take a detox when needed.

Featured Image By: Pexels