Author Archives: lifewithlilred

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About lifewithlilred

Just your average gal blogging an average blog!
Oct28

Whatever’s Clever COTD Bloopers

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Whatever’s Clever COTD Bloopers

Hello everyone and welcome to the Blooper Reel from my Whatever’s Clever COTD! This makeshift costume was worn for an evening of Halloween frivolity and I felt like a star in it. Was it the most cohesive look? Not exactly. Was it cute AF? Absolutely! I loved wearing it to go to a Halloween event with my nieces and to the Factory Of Terror. I will say, however, it was hilarious rolling into the Red Robin in this fit when Johnny and I grabbed dinner before the haunted house lol! Take a look at these yikes shots and then let me tell you about my stuck in the bathroom experience:

No idea what to do with all this hair!

Crouching tiger hidden devil

The light! It burns!!!

Clearly I have to practice my hair flip in this wig lol

Hanging on for dear life because…

YIKES!!!! Lil Red *almost* down

She sticks the landing!!!

SO. This skeleton bodysuit by Tipsy Elves is fabulous but it is a pain in the fanny to zip up. While I was getting ready at home it was a huge struggle to zip – it looked like it wasn’t getting stuck on fabric, it just straight up wouldn’t zip up. Trust and believe it felt like a major accomplishment when I finally got it! After taking COTD pictures, Johnny and I made our way to the family Halloween outing with our nieces and about halfway through, my worst fear happened. I had to use the bathroom. AHHHHHH!!!!

I went to the loo, did my thing, and sent a silent wish that my bodysuit would zip up once more. Let’s just say that the wish didn’t come true. Try as I might, the zipper wasn’t budging and I was stuck in my bathroom stall wrestling with my costume. I grabbed my phone and proceeded to call my mom and sister and had no service. My series of SOS texts weren’t going through and I was completely stranded. This was not the place to be walking around with my assets on full display.

As I continued to try to zip the bodysuit, I was getting more and more frustrated and even broke a sweat lol it was bad! I figured my best chance of emerging from the facilities was to ask for help from the next person who came in. About ten minutes later, my savior opened the bathroom doors: A kind woman in a yellow Yoshi costume with her little kid dressed as Luigi. With my tail between my legs, I explained the situation and she was ON. It. She told her kiddo “go to the bathroom, I have to help this nice lady” and within ten seconds, my bodysuit was zipped back up. I hugged her so tightly and told her she saved my life!!

This bathroom saga took at least twenty minutes and when I finally rolled back into the arts and crafts area my family was in, they all asked where I was. I told them I was in the bathroom the whole time and asked why no one came looking. They all assumed I was really doing my business and that couldn’t have been further from the truth. I was in there fighting for my life! Regardless of how annoyed I was, freedom was so sweet and I fear I would have been in the can all night if it wasn’t for my Yoshi goddess. Bless this woman and her family!!!! ❤

For the remainder of the night, I made my time in the bathroom work sans unzipping my suit. Note to self: Once the zipper on this bodysuit is up it is staying up!!!!

Have you had any embarrassing situations recently? What happened? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct27

Whatever’s Clever COTD

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Whatever’s Clever COTD

Hello! This past Friday we jam packed an entire weekend into one night because I got my Covid shot earlier in the day and knew I would be down for the count for the rest of the weekend. Johnny and I had a super fun time meeting my sister and sweet nieces for a community Halloween event and then it was off to the Factory Of Terror for a fabulously scary time. As we were in for an evening of spooky season festivities, I decided to get dressed up to surprise my nieces and show out at the haunted house. I didn’t want to bust out my sexy pirate costume for a family event so I just pieced together a few odds and ends for a devilishly good makeshift COTD. Check it out:

Who? What? Wear?

Skeleton Bodysuit: Tipsy Elves

Coated Skinny Jeans: Seven Jeans, TJMaxx

Devil Platforms: Dolls Kill

Devil Horns: We got these from a vendor at the AC/DC concert!

Ombre Wig: Spirit Halloween

I think the cross earrings were from Target!

My Halloween costumes always err on the side of sexy and that was so not the route I wanted to take for my night out. With limited not saucy costume pieces to pick from, I decided on simply pairing my skeleton bodysuit from Tipsy Elves with a pair of coated skinnies. Originally, this bodysuit was worn with a super mini red tutu but I didn’t want my assets hanging out for all to see lol! In theory, my little Tipsy Elves number is great. It kept me fully covered and offered some spooky flare. In practice? Not so much as I definitely got stuck in the bathroom at the community Trick or Treat SMH. Read more about that during tomorrow’s Blooper Reel! Where was I? Oh yeah…

So, the bodysuit and jeans were exactly what I needed to feel dressed up without going all out and the rest of my look was up to accessories. Does a skeleton bodysuit and devil horns and platforms go together? Not necessarily! But, hey, anything goes on Halloween and I had to work with what I had at home. To keep things feeling costumey, I used my dynamite devil platforms from Dolls Kill. I could have paired this look with my vertebrae platforms also from Dolls Kill. However, those were very tall and probably wouldn’t have been the best to stomp around in at a haunted house. The devil heels were much more compact in their height and I already planned on wearing the devil horns so whatever’s clever! 😀

Next on the agenda was hair and finishing touches. Rather than bother with doing something funky with my own hair, I decided to wear the curly ombre wig I got for my pirate costume. These luscious red locks were SO fire and I think it really helped tie the look together. You guys have no idea how weird it felt having that much hair! My AC/DC devil horns perched atop my new mane beautifully and gave a fun nod to vintage Halloween vibes. With that, I popped on a pair of cross earrings and was ready to go in my makeshift COTD. 🙂

Whatever’s Clever was the name of the game for this COTD and I honestly love how it turned out. Also major ups to everyone who called me a baddie that evening – mama loves you!! xxxx

Have you thrown together a Halloween costume before? How did it turn out? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct26

Lil Red’s Book Club: The Long Walk By Stephen King (As Richard Bachman) Edition

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Lil Red’s Book Club: The Long Walk By Stephen King (As Richard Bachman) Edition

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new edition of Lil Red’s Book Club! In a spoiler free setting, as always, we are going to be discussing The Long Walk by Stephen King (writing as Richard Bachman). As a huge horror movie gal, I am most interested in seeing the movie based on this book that recently came out. Of course, I had to read the book first! After reading through the sweet and cute as can be Chocolat series, I was very excited to delve back into my usual horror and suspense novels. I can’t think of a better place to start than with Stephen King – especially since spooky season is upon us! Before we begin our chat, I will be placing a big fat trigger warning on this book for graphic violence, child abuse, sexual assault references, harm to animals, and disturbing content all involving children. If you’re up to it, let’s get to it:

The Long Walk is the nation’s favorite yearly pastime. It is a contest in which one hundred teenage boys simply walk under the watchful gaze of soldiers and the mysterious Major. The catch? You must maintain a pace of four or more miles per hour. Should you hit below four, you will receive a warning. There is no additional warning after the third one – you will be dead before you blink. One by one, the boys will be eliminated until there is one lone Walker to claim the prize: Fame and money beyond your wildest dreams and wishes granted. This is a contest that is not for the faint of heart and for boys who have nothing in their lives to lose.

Ray Garraty is our primary contestant and has a strong backing from his state of Maine. Did he enter The Long Walk for the glory, for repentance, or because he has a death wish? Who’s to say? But he is here and he is going to give it his best shot. Some boys compete in The Walk with a plan like to lone wolf it or frustrate other people into making mistakes. In Garraty’s case as with many others, they linked up in groups. Regardless of how you go about The Walk, there can only be one winner. There are no runner ups, no honorable mentions, and death is imminent for ninety-nine other competitors.

Despite these horrible circumstances, the boys trudge on. Armed with nothing but the clothes on their backs, a canteen of water, and food concentrates they must withstand whatever The Walk brings: Stormy weather, the delirium of no sleep, intense mental duress, and the pain that shoots through every inch of their bodies. Yet, they walk on. They walk until their death is the only option they desire. Only the strongest will survive. Will it be Garraty? Read The Long Walk to find out!

I have really mixed feelings about The Long Walk because it was written in a way that told us so much but also told us nothing. The Walk was, obviously, the focal point of this book and was the main character. It surpassed Garraty as the lead meaning that we knew next to nothing about the boys competing and everything about The Walk itself. This left little time to learn full back stories of the key handful of competitors and I wish that that was explored more. In a way, it was a mercy on King’s part. There were several teens that you wanted to see succeed and knowing more would have made their probable failure even more harrowing. The thing is, is that I’m nosey and still would have liked a bit of background information. On the other hand, it gives you the opportunity to draw your own conclusions.

Although I have some qualms with where the plot lacked, that is not to take away from the fact that is was expertly written, as always, by Mr. King/Bachman. He has a style that is undeniably his own and it continues to radiate. The way he describes horror is almost in a casual sense, then he surrounds the situation with joy wherever it can be found. A funny joke told by one of the boys, a competitor helping a fellow Walker to their feet, a rally by someone you thought was done for. In these moments of beauty, whatever painful situation that comes next hits even harder. There were sections in this book where it literally felt like I was being punched in the gut. Love or hate his books, there is no arguing in that they are a masterclass in pure horror.

Overall, I am going to rate The Long Walk with a six and a half out of ten stars. It wasn’t my favorite King/Bachman novel but it was still pretty good. I am looking forward to seeing the movie!

Have you read The Long Walk or seen the movie? What did you think of it? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct25

Crafty Halloween Home Decor

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Crafty Halloween Home Decor

Hello! It is no secret that Johnny and I live for Halloween decor and our apartment is decorated for the happiest season of all all year round. At work, my Johnny is definitely the elder emo of the bunch and his work station is decorated with Halloween goodies too. Earlier this week, he sent me a picture of a craft that one of his coworkers made just for us. We were so genuinely surprised at how thoughtful this was and have it proudly displayed in our living room. I am absolutely in love with it and wanted to share it because it’s something that could be easily replicated. It can also be made to fit the upcoming holiday season too. Check it out:

Johnny and I were aware that his coworker makes crafts like this bottle nightlight and never expected to have her make one for us. It honestly came as a shock and we are just so appreciative for it because it’s so totally us! His coworker claims to not be crafty but we most certainly say otherwise. There are countless fun little details to this display. The spider, skeleton beads, and eyeball flowers took a simple craft into something really special. The bottle of Witches Brew set the tone and it bloomed from there!

A craft like this would make a fabulous gift and I can picture it perfectly for the holiday season. Start with a bottle of sparkling grape juice, Christmas ale, or a seasonal wine and add some twinkling fairy lights. For the flowers, I’m thinking poinsettias with sprigs of holly and a spray of glitter or fake snow. Then, it could be decorated with tiny ornaments, icicles, peppermints, or snowflakes. Any holiday staple that speaks to you! There is nothing better than a homemade gift and this is a great route to draw inspiration from. ❤

This Halloween craft was the perfect treat – no tricks involved. What a kind, generous, and wicked cool gesture! ❤

Have you made any crafts recently? How did it turn out? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct24

Last Minute Halloween Costumes

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Last Minute Halloween Costumes

Hello! Halloween is just around the corner! Are you ready? I sure am! In fact, I’ve been ready since last Halloween. 😀 It goes without saying that everything is SO. Freaking. Expensive nowadays and I completely understand not wanting to shell out for a costume if you are attending a party or an evening at the bars. As much as I love spooky season, I’m genuinely bitter by how expensive my own costume was. If you want to dress up on a budget, there are still plenty of options for you to show out in your Halloween best. Let’s explore a few last minute, budget friendly costumes that you can make with pieces you probably already own:

Robot:

If you’re like me, you are an early bird holiday shopper. Or, you might also be like me and love to online shop period! What does online shopping mean? Lots of boxes! Perfect for jerryrigging a robot costume. With a few boxes and spray paint, you’re in business for a classic robot fit. Simply pair your creation with a black long sleeved shirt and black jeans for underneath and viola. Just don’t try and take over the world when you’re wearing it! 😉

Scarecrow:

If you have a pair of boyfriend or baggy jeans and an old flannel, look no further. A scarecrow costume is the one for you! Bonus points if you have a straw hat but that could easily be found marked down in store for summer clearance or at a costume shop. You could even attach a few decorative crows or birds from a craft shop to your shoulder. You will need some patchwork makeup to sell this look so opt for bright oranges and yellows for this to make it pop. How easy is that?

Devilishly Good:

Love wearing the color red? Love it! If you have a pair of red jeans, a red top, and some funky red shoes or heels – turn this into a devilishly good COTD. Hit up Spirit Halloween for a pair of devil horns and a tail or staff if you’d like and your costume is good to go. This can also be done with an All Black Everything motif!

Your Favorite Person:

A few years ago I had absolutely no time to costume shop but still wanted to dress up, of course. So, I decided to dress up as my husband! After raiding his wardrobe, I came up with a COTD that was a huge hit and was so proud of the reaction I got for such a scrambled costume. This is a fun idea for couples, besties, or siblings so have a wardrobe swap and you’ve got a costume without spending a dime.

Prom King/Queen:

If you have a fancy suit or still own your prom dress or perhaps a bridesmaid dress – be king or queen for the day prom style. You can even make it scary by going as the Carrie version of prom king or queen! Complete the look with a crown and sash and you have my vote for Best Costume. This is your time to shine if you have kept your prom relics so break it out again for the one time!

If you have a majority of the pieces for these ideas, it will cost you roughly twenty to twenty-five dollars to purchase the remaining accessories you need, makeup, or spray paint. Make these last minute costumes your own and no one will be the wiser that you balled on a budget to create them!

What was your favorite Halloween costume you have worn? What are your Halloween plans? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct23

Factory Of Terror Date Night

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Factory Of Terror Date Night

Hello! If there is one haunted house to go to in the greater Northeast Ohio area, the Factory Of Terror is the place to be. It holds the record for the largest indoor haunted attraction in America boasting four different haunted houses, three separate bars, a dance floor, tarot readings, and axe throwing too. Every year you go is completely different than the last and you will never experience the same thing twice. It is absolutely amazing and my favorite place to go when spooky season hits.

Johnny and I had a date night to Factory Of Terror this past Friday and it was such a scary good time! I was also lucky enough to win my first radio contest EVER and scored two free tickets to the haunt. I couldn’t believe it and was literally on cloud nine. What’s better than a free night on the town to a place we planned on going to anyways?! SCORE! This was my third time going to the Factory Of Terror and I think it was the best year yet! Check it out:

^^^ Be sure to peep my TikTok for the video tour!!

Walking into the Factory Of Terror is like walking into a great big scary playground and the fun starts as soon as you set foot on the property. Character actors roam and are ready to sneak up on anyone that passes by. It makes something mundane like waiting in line for entrance wristbands into part of the experience and sets the tone perfectly for your night of spooky delight. After getting our wristbands, our first move was to hit the Poison Ivy bar for test tube shots. We opted for a blue concoction that tasted like straight up blue and was delicious!

After hitting up the Poison Ivy, it was off to the first haunt called the Forsaken Asylum. The bones of this haunted house hasn’t changed but the interior was totally different and transformed into a freaky hospital. It was filled with jump scares galore but the best part was twofold. Halfway through the house, there was a huge slide that you went down on a burlap sack. It was a wild ride! The ending was also excellent as it was a maze of mirrors. Johnny and I were running into the mirrors left and right and eventually a creepy doll character actor helped show us the way out lol. Not so scary after all and we were most appreciative. ❤

Next up was our favorite of the bunch – the Industrial Nightmare. This haunted house took us into the bowels of a factory complete with steaming pipes, compressed air switches on the ground, and glowing green lights to guide us through the pitch black setting. Everywhere we turned were “injured” employees from factory accidents and their scares couldn’t be beat. Some of the actors were legit perched on the ceiling, others were on bungee cords to leap out in front of you, and just being followed around in the dark was enough to send shivers down my spine. The highlight of this haunt had to be when the front of a train literally looked like it was coming straight towards you. I screamed so loud it could have shattered glass. It. Was. Awesome!!

The third haunted house holds a special place in my heart because it is Factory of Terror’s take on my favorite horror film, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. This is their staple haunted house called Massacre On Mahoning and while the theme remains the same every year, the inside always changes. For someone who is such a huge fan of TCM, going through this haunted house was a treat filled with tricks. Its setting was exactly what you could imagine if you are familiar with the story and was a pure celebration of one of the greatest, most influential horror movies of all time. I just loved it. 🙂

The last haunt to visit was called The Abyss and it simply delighted me and Johnny. For the first half of the haunt, we walked through almost complete darkness and were able to be guided by waist high walls to keep us on the path. After making it through this portion, we were welcomed into a sunken pirate ship and we were so there for it since we are being pirates for Halloween this year! The Abyss was so visually appealing once we made it to the light but it was also pure FUN. While we were waiting in line, we made friends with one of the actors and he made it a point to sneak up on us throughout the haunt. After we emerged on the other side, we all shared a great big hug and he asked us if we had a blast. It was a resounding YES on our part!! ❤

My first job was as a character actor at a haunted house and being at the Factory Of Terror hit me right in the nostalgia. This place is so incredibly special and all throughout the night I couldn’t help thinking how much fun it would be to work there. Our hats go off to the spectacular cast and crew that make the Factory Of Terror possible because the work that has gone into it is awe inspiring. We can’t recommend it enough if you are in the area!

What is the best haunted house in your neck of the woods? What are your Halloween plans? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct22

Wild Weekend

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Wild Weekend

Hello! There is a student run radio station called Z88 at the University of Akron and I listen to it pretty frequently. They all do such a good job! On my way home from work on Thursday, I tuned into Z88 for the last thirty seconds or so until I reached my apartment. It was literally right in the knick of time because I got the tail end of the announcement by DJ Kai that they were giving away two free tickets to the Factory of Terror for the fifth caller. Coincidentally, Johnny and I planned on going there on Friday so I thought I would give the contest a shot. I parked the car, waited about ten seconds, then started calling like crazy and…

I WON, I WON, I WON!!!!

I literally couldn’t believe it when DJ Kai answered the phone and said I was the winner. I have never entered a radio contest before and to win on my first go was so amazing. Regardless of the contest, we were going to go to the haunted house anyways but it provided us with a free date night!! Friday was our one night this past weekend to have some fun because we were on a time crunch. I got my Covid shot early that afternoon and knew darn skippy I was going to feel miserable the next day (And I did!).

On Friday we crammed an entire weekend of activities into one evening. We shot an OOTD and a COTD that I pieced together for our evening out and then it was go time. The first thing on our agenda was meeting up with my sister and sweet nieces for a community Trick or Treat outing. It was really great until I got stuck in the bathroom due to a wardrobe malfunction. You can read more about that in the Blooper Reel for my COTD but I was seriously trapped in there for a good twenty minutes until a kind woman in a Yoshi costume saved the day and my life! The culprit was this bodysuit:

After I emerged from the bathroom, we pretty much had to be on our way which was a bummer but Johnny and I were both super hungry! We planned on getting dinner on our way to the Factory of Terror which is a good forty minute drive from Akron. As luck would have it, we had this super random gift card to Red Robin which was a Christmas gift from Johnny’s aunt. There was one in the general vicinity of the haunted house and since we are never in that area we could put the present to good use.

It was absolutely hilarious rolling into Red Robin with my makeshift COTD on and Johnny in normal clothes lol. But, hey, I felt like a star and the world was my catwalk! There was a long wait for a table so we opted to sit at the bar and were served right away. I have to say, their margaritas were very good. They were nice and tart which is exactly how I like them! The veggie burger was alright but word to the wise: Don’t order their mac n’ cheese on the side. I’m like ninety-nine percent sure that it’s just Stouffer’s lol smh.

After a solid meal, it was time to go to the main attraction: the Factory of Terror! You can read all about it in a post coming soon but we had the absolute best time. It was scary good! It was a jam packed evening and I am so glad we were able to get everything we wanted to done as I knew my physical state was a ticking time bomb from the Covid shot. My arm started throbbing on the way to the haunted house and by the time we were through, I was totally and completely wiped out. I fell asleep as soon as I got home and woke up…

Feeling like total and complete ass lol. I was feeling nauseous but the worst of it was my body being so sore. It hurt to move and I felt like I got ran over by a truck. My day was a series of hot and cold flashes, moving as little as possible, and chugging blue Gatorade that Johnny picked up for me. However, this was definitely not the worst I have felt post Covid shot and for that I am thankful. This year, I decided to not get the flu and Covid shot in one go and I think that made a big difference. By the time Sunday rolled around, I was still tired but knew that I would be good to go for work on Monday!

Stay tuned for LOTS of fun on lifewithlilred! We will be talking Factory of Terror, there will be a new OOTD post, a COTD, and a COTD Blooper Reel so you can hear all about my trapped in the bathroom experience lol. -_- Be there or be square!!

Have you done any Halloween activities? What is your favorite haunted house? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct21

Pizza Grilled Cheese Recipe

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Pizza Grilled Cheese Recipe

Yoohoo! My dad did not plant his usual vegetable garden this summer and opted for beautiful flowers instead. However, he did end up with a cherry tomato plant from seed and it went crazy during the last warm days in the past few weeks. I absolutely love me a cherry tomato and happily took some so I could create one of my favorite meals: Angel hair pasta with pesto, pine nuts, fresh mozzarella, and cherry tomatoes on top. It is heavenly! There is nothing better than huge pieces of fresh mozzarell *chef’s kiss* and I dreamed up a little dish to use the rest of it: Pizza Grilled Cheese. It has become one of mine and Johnny’s favorites and I actually made it a few days ago. 😀

If you are in the mood to just carb out – you are going to freaking love this cooky concoction:

Ingredients:

  • Bread of your choice – I use sourdough
  • Parsley, garlic powder, and salt and pepper to taste
  • Butter
  • Shredded Mexican cheese
  • Fresh mozzarella
  • Pasta sauce
  • Pepperoni if you would like

How To:

1) The first step is to prep the slices of the bread to turn it into a pseudo garlic bread. Spread the butter and then add parsley flakes and garlic powder. I also use a fair bit of pepper and a pinch of salt. Then sprinkle some shredded Mexican cheese on top.

2) After your bread is ready, transfer one piece of it to a pan but do not turn the heat on yet. This is when you will add the filling. I use four pieces of fresh mozzarella for mine and top Johnny’s with the same as well as four pieces of pepperoni. Then you will add a few spoonfuls of pasta sauce on top and spread evenly. I use three to four spoonfuls.

3) Top the sammy with the second piece of bread and turn the heat on to three or four. You don’t want the sandwich to cook too quickly because then the thick pieces of cheese won’t get as melty and delicious. Flip occasionally and wait until the cheese has melted down before turning the heat up to six or so to get the bread grilled. It will be done when the Mexican cheese is a golden brown but Johnny and I like ours a bit crisper.

4) Serve and dig in!

Carbo load? Totally. Yummy AF? TOTALLY! Also, in case you were wondering, this was not a “highdea” even though it really does look that way! 😀

Have you tried cooking something new recently? Is anyone else already excited for Thanksgiving? (I sure am!) I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct20

Lil Red’s Book Club: Vianne By Joanne Harris Edition

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Lil Red’s Book Club: Vianne By Joanne Harris Edition

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new edition of Lil Red’s Book Club! In a spoiler free setting, as always, we will be discussing the newly released prequel to the Chocolat series by Joanne Harris called Vianne. I have read through *almost* the entire series, skipping on Chocolat as I know the story well, in preparation for the prequel. It has been a delightful experience to read these charming novels of magic, hope, and change. However, I’d be a liar if I said I wasn’t excited to delve back into my horror and thriller novels! Before we begin our chat, I will be placing a trigger warning on Vianne for pregnancy difficulties and miscarriage. Now, let’s get to it:

Vianne and her maman have been on the move for as long as she can remember. Their lives were spent traveling from country to country picking up menial work and living hand to mouth all in the name of avoiding the Man in Black. When the winds change, they ride it and go somewhere new. But, now, the destination is up to Vianne and her alone. Her mother has passed and Vianne would follow their old methods but these are special circumstances. Vianne is with child and she knows that she must find work and a place to call home to prepare for the arrival of her baby.

She ends up in Marseilles and every business she visits in search of work denies her. Finally, she tries her luck at a bistro called La Bonne Mere where the owner, Louis, takes a shine to her. Perhaps it is because of her pregnancy or he just needs the help, but he offers her a job in the kitchen and lodging. At La Bonne Mere, Vianne learns the recipes of Louis’s beloved wife and begins to get to know the people in the community. There is Guy and Mahmed who are opening a chocolate shop, cantankerous Emile, wise Khamaseen, and strangers who will become friends. Being Vianne, she has quickly turned Louis’s ramshackle bistro into a place to be but it worries her. It feels too much like home – too much like a good thing.

After an especially kind gesture from Louis, Vianne does what she does best. She flees. She ends up roughing it in Toulouse until she is beckoned back to Marseilles by Guy. He promises her work in the chocolate shop and will teach her everything he knows. Vianne is in no position to turn down this opportunity over living on the streets and accepts. Knowing that she must go back and make right the lives of the people who suffered in her abrupt parting.

With Guy, Vianne learns the magic of chocolate and helps prepare the chocolaterie for its grand opening. She revels in the ritual, in trying new recipes, and using her magic in a more domestic setting. Magic that spreads good into the world with the taste of chocolate on the tongue. Like the bistro, the chocolaterie feels like a place that Vianne can stay. But will that ever be good enough? Or will she answer the call to the wind once more? Read Vianne to find out!

I really enjoyed reading Vianne and it was so worth reading the Chocolat series through for this experience. After the entirety of the series was said and done, there was still so much that we didn’t know about Vianne prior to her arrival in Lansquenet. The prequel answered all of these questions and made me love this fantastical character even more. To finally know her backstory and fully understand her choices was like a gift from Joanne Harris and I craved reading Vianne as much as I crave chocolate on a regular basis.

For all of its delight, Vianne was a bittersweet read. We already know how it’s going to end because the rest of the series exists. But this book allows you to see what could have been. A cast of characters as dear as the ones in Lansquenet, another chocolate shop that is trying to stay on its feet, a permanent home for her children. Part of me wished for more of these stories because it was all too easy to find a closeness to the Marseilles community. We all know that Vianne wouldn’t be Vianne without accepting the winds of change and this book showed us how she came into her own. To learn the magic of chocolate and to be herself. The woman and mother she wants to be.

Overall, I am going to rate Vianne with a seven out of ten stars. This was definitely one of the better books in the series and was a lovely way to conclude my visit to the world of Vianne Rocher!

Have you read the Chocolat series? What did you think of it? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct19

Holiday Shopping For The Kiddos

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Holiday Shopping For The Kiddos

Hello! Johnny and I are the fun aunt and uncle to five amazing kiddos and it’s always so exciting to celebrate the holiday season together. I am pleased to report that I have put a decent dent in my Christmas shopping and like to think of myself as an excellent gift giver. However, with several holidays as an aunt under my belt, even I admit that I need some inspiration now and then for children’s gifts. There are seemingly endless options of adorable things and it can be hard to narrow it down! Let’s explore a few ideas to get that gift inspo flowing for the littles in your life:

First and Foremost:

Honestly, one of the best things you can do is simply ask the parents lol. This might sound lazy but it’s so true and you can be sure that you are getting exactly what is needed and wanted. It could be clothing in a certain size, a particular toy they have their eye on, or a couple packs of supplies like diapers and wipes. The last thing parents need is more clutter like yet another package of play food or making trips to return or exchange presents. If you are unsure – just ask!

Gifts of Experience:

Speaking of clutter, the resounding theme I have heard this year from my parent friends is wanting gifts of experience for their children. This is a fabulous way to make memories and have cherished quality time. It could be a trip to the zoo or aquarium, purchasing lessons for swimming or theater, or tickets to a movie or live show. Several beloved children’s programs like Paw Patrol, The Wiggles, and Gabby’s Dollhouse have theater performances that super fan kiddos will love. Lots of local theaters also have performances of The Grinch, Elf, and Rudolph which could be tons of fun too to get into the holiday spirit.

Craft Supplies:

If your littles are anything like mine, they love to get artsy! Arts and crafts gifts are great and can give parents a welcome reprieve while their kids work on their own projects. It could be big coloring or sticker books, figurines to paint, packs of model clay or kinetic sand, jewelry making kits, or retro fuzzy posters to spend an afternoon coloring. If you want to combine art with a gift of experience, how about a trip to a pottery studio like Color Me Mine or All Fired Up? Then you can enjoy creating together and eagerly await to pick up your masterpieces after they have been glazed.

Building Kits:

Of course, Lego is an incredibly popular toy but it is also incredibly expensive! There are some loopholes though. 😀 If you have a 5 Below near you, check it out. The one that I shop at has several Lego Creator and even Technic sets on the cheap. I was really surprised to find them and got a handful of kits for a song as one of my gifts for my nephew. 5 Below also has pseudo Lego kits for Strawberry Shortcake, Hello Kitty, and candy like Hershey’s and Reese’s. This can give a taste for building without breaking the bank.

And, finally, there is a store in my neck of the woods called The Exchange. It is a buy/sell/trade shop for video games, movies, records, and memorabilia and oftentimes they have used Lego sets there. If you have a similar store in your vicinity, it doesn’t hurt to stop by. Mine currently has a lot of the Wicked sets there for close to half off. Why pay more when you can pay less?!

“Pet” Gifts:

If your little has been longing for a pet of their own and it isn’t possible, there are SO many cute animal care toys on the market. My eldest niece, for example, would love pet bunnies because of my Melvin and Penelope. Who can blame her? They’re the cutest! Last year for Christmas, I got her a Little Live Pets set for bunnies and she absolutely loved it. These toys come with a mama animal and babies to birth. It also includes clothes to dress them up in, play food to feed them, and bedding to make their hutch cozy. These toys make noises and are super interactive. It could be the perfect introduction to caring for a pet of their own some day! *Note: PLEASE don’t gift real animals for the holidays. They are family, not a present to be returned.*

It feels like October is flying by and the holidays are just around the corner. Stay tuned for more inspo guides from your girl all holiday season long!

Are you an early or last minute holiday shopper? Who is the most difficult person to shop for on your list? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah