Author Archives: lifewithlilred

About lifewithlilred

Just your average gal blogging an average blog!

Aug21

Super Happy Fun Times

Posted on August 21, 2020 by lifewithlilred

Hi! This past weekend, Johnny and I went on a date for the first time since March. Now, I know what you’re thinking: “A date? You and Johnny barely leave the house!” Believe me, I would be thinking the exact same thing. But, thanks to a little something called DORA (Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area), Johnny and I were able to enjoy some drinks from our favorite bar in Kent while sitting outside in the park!

We spent two hours eating takeout from Taco Tantos and drinking Moscow Mules from the Zephyr and we did it all completely social distanced. Granted, it was a lot different than back in 2019 when we all had no problem being on the Zephyr’s back patio playing games and hanging out. However, what we did was the next best thing! Some of our Kent friends even stopped by for a chat, which was great because we haven’t really seen anyone since March, either.

Don’t get me wrong, I have no problem sitting in my living room with Johnny day drinking and watching The Last Kingdom. But, there is absolutely nothing better than getting dressed up and going out with my boyfriend. Sitting on that park bench in Kent laughing and taking selfies was one of the most joyous moments I’ve had in weeks and I am going to treasure it for forever. It brought me back to our first date almost one year ago and it was kind of magical.

The best part? Now that we know that the open container areas in Kent are something that we feel comfortable with, we can go on dates again whenever we want! As soon as Johnny brought our drinks to our bench, the first thing we both said was “this is so nice” and we are already looking forward to our next date very soon! ❤

How do you do social distance hang outs? Does your downtown area have a DORA program? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug20

Face Mask Festivities: Celavi Cucumber Sheet Mask Edition

Posted on August 20, 2020 by lifewithlilred

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Face Mask Festivities: Celavi Cucumber Sheet Mask Edition

Hello everyone and welcome to the final review from my set of Celavi sheet masks! In mid July, I ordered a pack of twelve sheet masks off of Amazon from the Celavi brand. I received two of the six different kinds which included Charcoal, Honey, Avocado, Pomegranate, Tea Tree, and Cucumber – which we will be discussing today.

As a reminder, the score for the masks I didn’t like is three and I only liked two of them. Will the Cucumber mask be the tie breaker? Let’s find out:

I decided to use this mask after returning home from my mom and dad’s house over the weekend. It was a hot day and that was exasperated by frolicking about the backyard with my adorable little niece. By the time I got home to my apartment, I was sweating my nads off and just wanted to put on a soothing mask to help cool me down. Cue the Cucumber sheet mask with the soothing and softening properties!

The Cucumber sheet mask was nice for multiple reasons. For starters, this mask fit my face really well so I didn’t have to deal with it slipping and sliding for twenty minutes. It also smelled great – like a freshly cut cucumber and I felt like I was at the spa! And, finally, my skin really did feel much better after using it.

When the twenty minutes of mask time was up, I had gotten my body temperature back to baseline and I was eager to see the results because I had a good feeling about it. Upon removing the mask, I was pleased to see the puffiness on my face from sweating profusely (lol) had disappeared and my skin felt clean and fresh. So soft, too!

This sheet mask is definitely one I would use again, especially on another hot day. It cooled me down completely, I loved the cucumber scent, and the grimy, sticky sensation of a scorching day had dissipated. Soothe and Soften it did and the Cucumber sheet mask was a success.

Unfortunately, this series of Celavi Face Mask Festivities ended in a 3-3 tie. The masks I liked were Charcoal, Pomegranate, and Cucumber and I found them to be quite effective. The masks I disliked were Honey, Avocado, and Tea Tree and they didn’t do squat.

So was the set of Celavi sheet masks I purchased something that I would recommend? I do. Despite not loving half of the masks, I got twelve of them for ten bucks and I think that’s a great deal! It’s nice to have masks at the ready at my apartment and, even though some were more successful than others, it makes for a cheap spa night and who doesn’t love that?!

How do you pamper yourself? How do you do an at home spa treatment? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug19

Audible Awesomeness

Posted on August 19, 2020 by lifewithlilred

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Howdy! Johnny and I both love reading and we have quite a respectable collection of books between the two of us. To me, there is nothing better than holding a tangible book in my hands and turning the pages myself. I have never been too interested in books for the Kindle or book tapes because I do prefer an actual book. But, that all changed when I was introduced to Audible through a chance encounter with my Facebook ads.

For those of you who don’t know, I am obsessed with the Sandman comics by Neil Gaiman. I have read the series countless times as well as all of the offshoot stories for different characters from Sandman. I have several tattoos from Sandman and when I feel like splurging, I might just fuck around and buy the (very expensive) omnibuses so I will have my own copy of the saga.

For those of you who don’t know again, there were talks of making a Sandman TV series or movie for years now but it just never got put into production. And, because it is such an epic tale, it would be hard to condense all of it into a season of TV or a two hour movie. I had all but given up on any Sandman content outside of the comics until I was scrolling through my Facebook newsfeed.

The ad I saw literally made me pump my fist in the air and say “YES!” because it was for a book tape of Sandman that could be listened to on Audible. It’s not just any book tape though because it features an all star cast with James McAvoy, Kat Dennings, Andy Serkis, and Neil Gaiman, himself, as the narrator. I needed it.

Because Johnny has Amazon Prime, we got a month subscription to Audible FO FREE as well as two free book tapes. Johnny picked a history one out for himself and I, of course, opted for Sandman. I began listening to it as soon as we finished completing the info for our trial order and I honestly could have cried. It was that good.

For the past over half a decade now, the amazing and fantastical characters of Sandman have kept me company. However, all of their voices just sounded like me saying the lines in my head as I read them. Lol, to actually hear the character’s voices while I pictured the comic book pages in my head was nothing short of incredible for me. I got to hear the character’s in a way that their creator, Neil Gaiman, saw fit and that’s the coolest part. And hearing Neil Gaiman narrate is own story the way he wanted it to be told was the cherry on top.

The Sandman audible tape covers the first three collections in an almost eleven hour recording. I am not quite done with it yet, however, I am already chomping at the bit for the next installment which I hope will be a thing. Fingers and toes crossed!

Johnny and I worked out a perfect schedule for both of us to enjoy our own hobbies. As soon as we both get home from work, he settles in to play Borderlands and I curl up on the couch to listen to my tape. For about an hour and a half or two, we hang out while we do our own thing and then we have dinner and watch our shows for the rest of the evening. And, I’ve got to say, it suits us just fine and I can’t wait to conclude the epic audio tale soon. 🙂

Do you prefer an actual book to a Kindle copy or book tape? What are you currently reading? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug18

Lil Red And The Rogue Cheerio

Posted on August 18, 2020 by lifewithlilred

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Hello! My boyfriend, Johnny, is basically the cutest and he is always doing little things around the apartment that make me think about him when I notice it. For example, he likes to change the position of my wooden artist’s body model and whenever I see which way the legs or arms are stretched out this time around it never ceases to make me smile.

Recently, Johnny has taken up eating Honey Nut Cheerios to lower his cholesterol ever since his friend came back from the doctor’s with a report of his cholesterol running high. It’s a little bit funny but more power to him for making a positive change!

Before he even began telling me about his new breakfast routine of having a bowl of Honey Nut Cheerios in the morning I definitely knew. How? He is always leaving a rogue Cheerio behind:

While Johnny makes his breakfast, he is definitely tired enough to not notice if an escape artist Cheerio ends up on our kitchen counter instead of in his bowl or the bag. So, when I am prepping all of my own stuff in the morning, I am greeted by the Cheerio that got away sitting all alone on the countertop.

When I asked Johnny if he ever notices the rogue Cheerio in the mornings, he replied with: “No, but it’s so you know I’m eating my breakfast”. And, now that he knows I notice it, I think he leaves a Honey Nut Cheerio behind anyways just to make me smile. It seriously always does and I do feel a bit better knowing that he ate before going to work!

The rogue Cheerio may seem like a silly story but I think it’s sweet and something so small can make a huge impact on your day. Normally, waking up for work is a drag but seeing that piece of cereal in the morning just tickles me. Instead of thinking about all of the crap I have to do for the day, I am usually thinking about how happy I am and all of the amazing times Johnny and I have had in our almost year of dating.

Moral of the story? The Rogue Cheerio makes for a very happy Lil Red and a boyfriend who is lowering his cholesterol one bowl of Honey Nut at a time, lol! 🙂

What is something little that makes you smile? What is your favorite kind of cereal? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug17

Looking Your Best Out Of Lock Down

Posted on August 17, 2020 by lifewithlilred

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The world is slowly returning a little more to normal after the global Coronavirus pandemic, we’re all looking forward to getting a more social again, safely. Whether it’s catching up with friends and family, going on socially distanced dates, or being able to meet colleagues in person again, we all have to readjust to doing things face to face. So it’s little wonder the question of how to look and feel good is at the top of our minds. How about starting with these tips?

Sort Out Your Smile:

Non-verbal communication and facial expressions are hugely important in how others feel about us. Just simple things like smiling more can change the way people perceive you. If you don’t feel confident about your smile, it’s easy to fix these days. Home teeth whitening kits are easier and safer than ever or you could try adding a charcoal toothpaste to your routine for a more natural boost. If you need a bigger change, cosmetic dentistry has some answers, such as invisalign braces to straighten out crooked or gapped teeth. Being able to smile with confidence can make a huge difference to the success of that job interview or date.

Add A Pop Of Blush:

We’re all a tad pasty from staying inside so much, so one easy trick to define your face more is adding a little extra touch of blush to your makeup. Cream or gel blush formulas tend to be the best – they blend out easier, give a fresh look, and it’s harder to be too heavy-handed with them. The vibrant color can be easily applied just by using your fingertips or a dense, fluffy synthetic brush. Hello rosy and defined cheeks! You’ll be glowing.

Fill In Those Brows:

Another important step for the ‘architecture’ of your face is well-groomed, neatly defined eyebrows. These frame your eyes, which are so important for expressing yourself, especially if you are wearing a face mask. Done correctly, a brow makeover can even make the rest of your face appear lifted and refreshed. Quickly brush them upwards with a spoolie or an old, cleaned up mascara wand, and then gently stroke through a brow pencil or a powder eyeshadow which matches the shade of your brows. If you’re blonde, consider a light taupe a shade or two darker, and if you have really dark hair, a shade or two lighter with a chocolate brown often looks softer.

Get The Lighting Right:

Hollywood actresses and Instagram influencers alike know that lighting is everything! So when getting back to socializing in person, you can feel confident by flattering yourself with the right illumination. Position yourself to be facing a window and you won’t get any harsh shadows that show up under eye bags and fine lines. Position a lamp or other light source to the other side for truly flawless results!

Everyone has their own quick fixes for looking their best and hopefully these will have you feeling it as you step back into this great big world. 🙂

Featured Image By: Pexels

Aug17

Fun Family Fiesta

Posted on August 17, 2020 by lifewithlilred

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Hello! Sometimes my schedule can change at the drop of a hat. Clients might cancel and I am left with a huge chunk of free time. For example, a few Wednesdays ago I only had to work with my morning client and not my afternoon one so I decided to go to my mom and dad’s place afterwards. Johnny would be at work and then band practice and I didn’t particularly want to spend all evening playing Animal Crossing… Again!

After I was done at work, I headed to chez parents. During the drive over, I gave my sister a call and she happened to be free too, which meant her and her daughter could join all of us for some family fun and a Taco Bell dinner party, as per my request. We spent time outside in my dad’s gardens but, mostly, we all just hung around and enjoyed each other’s company.

It is always such a treat when several members of my family can get together at one time and I know everyone had just as great of a time as I did. Since COVID, I still see my friends through Skype and social distance hang outs but that doesn’t happen often. However, I see my family numerous times throughout the week and that definitely helps. Even the shortest visits lift my spirits and, afterwards, I never fail to have an extra pep in my step.

A family Taco Bell night seems like such a simple pleasure but I am still looking back at it fondly a few weeks later. It was just so fun and the impromptu Hump Day dinner party kept me in a happy place as I finished up my work week. While going out frequently is not an option for me with such high risk clients, I have learned how to still have a good time with nights in. And you know what? Those nights in are awesome!

If these crazy times have you in a slump, you might need some quality family time to get yourself back in gear. Schedule a take out dinner “party” of your own and enjoy!

What is your favorite restaurant? How often do you get take out? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug16

Face Mask Festivities: Celavi Tea Tree Sheet Mask Edition

Posted on August 16, 2020 by lifewithlilred

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Face Mask Festivities: Celavi Tea Tree Sheet Mask Edition

Hello and welcome to the fifth sheet mask review from the set of six Celavi masks that I bought from Amazon! Today, we are going to be talking about the Tea Tree Calms and Refreshes sheet mask, which I definitely felt like I needed after a super hot summer day. I was always partial to the tingly cool Tea Tree products from The Body Shop so I assumed I was in for a treat, especially after a muggy day. But, as the old saying goes: Assume makes an ass out of U and ME and this face mask was less than impressive. Let’s discuss:

I was actually pretty excited when I put this sheet mask on because, like the Avocado one I tried recently, it was way smaller and fit well on my face. So, for twenty minutes I laid back, dug into my Audible book tape, and enjoyed not having to tend to a slipping off face mask. After my twenty was up, I couldn’t wait to examine the results because I had a good feeling about this mask. But, sadly, my good feeling was the only thing good about it! Whomp whomp.

After removing the sheet mask, the only difference I noticed was red, irritated patches on my face. I will say that my skin did look a bit more firm but that’s neither here nor there. I was more worried about this mask causing my skin discomfort or blemishes that wouldn’t go away ASAFP.

Luckily for me, after a half hour or so the redness dissipated. However, that’s definitely not the first thing you want to see when you take a face mask off! After the redness was gone I still didn’t notice any major changes one way or the other but, similar to the Avocado mask, it just didn’t seem worth it afterwards and I would not use it again.

Yes these masks are cheap and two of the ones I tried were actually pretty good. But, I have now disliked more masks than I liked with a score of 3-2. We only have one more Celavi sheet mask to try: A Smoothing and Softening Cucumber. Will this be the mask to even the score? Keep it posted and find out!

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

Aug15

August 2020 Funky Time Jams

Posted on August 15, 2020 by lifewithlilred

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Hi! We are breezing right along through August and spooky season will be upon us before we know it – hurray! I, for one, am so over the hot ass weather and am looking forward to curling up comfortably at home with a soft blanket without sweating my nads off. *Sigh* Wishful thinking. This summer has honestly been a bit of a bust so I say let’s keep moving forward into cooler, Halloween themed times to the tune of these songs:

^^^ And, as always, I have no rights to these songs or videos!

Now, you might be wondering why I only chose three songs for the August 2020 Funky Time Jams and it’s a bit of a funny story… My car radio died. That’s it, lol. My car radio died and I have yet to get it fixed so I currently have not been listening to anything in my car except for my iPod turned up really loudly. It basically sucks and I will most definitely get it fixed EVENTUALLY!

In the meantime, I am more focused on being hyped about new music from a few of my favorite artists like Marilyn Manson and Glass Animals. Mr. Manson will be releasing a new album next month and Glass Animals just dropped their newest, Dreamland, a week or so ago. I have been privileged enough to see both of these bands in concert and I still think back fondly to those shows to this day.

Every event that Johnny and I were going to go to this summer got cancelled (For good reason!) and it is nice to have something musical to enjoy. This especially rings true since we were supposed to see My Chemical Romance’s reunion at Riot Fest come September. Whomp whomp. I am eagerly anticipating Marilyn Manson’s new album next month and, until then, you can find me blasting Dreamland by Glass Animals which is out now!

Are any of your favorite artists releasing new music? Did coronavirus cancel any of your events? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug14

Face Mask Festivities: Celavi Avocado Sheet Mask Edition

Posted on August 14, 2020 by lifewithlilred

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Face Mask Festivities: Celavi Avocado Sheet Mask Edition

Hello! Today we are going to discuss the fourth out of the six Celavi face masks that I purchased from Amazon. I was most impressed with the Pomegranate mask I used earlier as well as the Charcoal one too. I was looking forward to trying the regenerating Avocado mask because I was on a bit of a roll with the success rate from this set. Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end because the Avocado one was whomp whomp. Lol, take a look at some pics and let’s discuss:

To determine if the face mask that I have just used is worth purchasing again, I ask myself one question: Do I feel a difference in my skin? If I can feel or see a difference – no matter how minor, I consider it money well spent and would probably purchase it again. So, did I feel or see a difference in my skin after using the Avocado mask? Not in the slightest.

As I said, I was eager to try this sheet mask because it promised a lot of good stuff and sounded so nourishing. In fact, I was thrilled when I put the mask on because it was significantly smaller than the other Celavi masks I’ve tried and it fit so much better on my face. Without all of the slipping and sliding of the gigantic sheet masks I used before, I settled onto the couch and watched My 600 Pound Life until it was time to take it off twenty minutes later.

I was really hoping for awesome results after removing the mask because my skin looked SO dull and tired prior to putting it on and was definitely in need of a good moisturizing, as well. Sadly, I really don’t think this mask did anything after examining the results which is disappointing because my normal skin care routine is easily more effective and I want at least a little something something!

As of now, my Celavi sheet mask success rate is tied at a 2-2 of whether I would use them again or not. I loved the Charcoal and Pomegranate masks but the Honey and Avocado ones were so not worth it. There are only two more Celavi masks left for me to try so keep it posted as we determine if the Amazon set I purchased was a steal or nah!

Which type of face mask do you prefer? How do you keep your skin nourished? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug13

My Attempt At Making Spaghetti Squash

Posted on August 13, 2020 by lifewithlilred

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Hello! When I’m at work, I am constantly being handed bagfuls of goodies from the gardens of whichever home I’m at for the day. During my produce haul last week, I was given a gigantic squash that I had absolutely no idea what to do with. My client’s mom suggested spaghetti squash and I have always wanted to try it so I thought I would give it a shot over the weekend.

Unfortunately, my attempt at making spaghetti squash was not very successful and, after a quick Google, I learned that the squash I used definitely did not look like traditional spaghetti squashes. WHOOPS! Lol, oh well. I tried something new and now I know differently for the next time! Take a look at some pics and let’s discuss:

To learn how to prepare my “spaghetti squash”, I visited the blog Cookie + Kate. This is one of my mom’s favorite sites to get vegetarian recipes from and, as her spiel goes, “Cookie is the dog and Kate is the human”. Lol, I consulted Kate’s recipe while making my squash and it was so easy to follow because it was just like learning how to make it from a friend. No unknown cooking terms and no long stories of how she found God while making this dish, haha.

To prepare my spaghetti squash, I cut it in half from the middle and then halved the pieces again. Afterwards, I scooped out all of the squash guts… AKA the seeds! It was actually pretty fun. Once the squash halves were seedless, I drizzled olive oil onto each of them and then seasoned with salt and pepper. All that was left to do was bake them and I kept my squash in the oven for a little under an hour at four hundred degrees.

I was eager to take my squash out of the oven but, sadly, there was nothing really “spaghetti” about it. I tried to fluff the insides into a spaghetti like texture as Kate had mentioned but there was hardly even any squash to work with on the interior. What I was originally hoping was going to be a noodle shape ended up being a few forkfuls of the squash and the texture definitely looked more like pulp. Although, I must say, it still tasted really good!

Sadly, my attempt at making spaghetti squash didn’t go too hot. However, I feel confident that if I ever get the right ingredients to make it with, it will turn out delicious with the help from Cookie + Kate! 😀

What is your favorite vegetarian recipe? What do you top your spaghetti squash with? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

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