Author Archives: lifewithlilred

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About lifewithlilred

Just your average gal blogging an average blog!

Happy New Year!

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Happy New Year!

Hello everyone and a very Happy New Year to one and all! We are officially in 2019! Can you believe it?! It’s a brand new year for all of us and another year of fabulousness on lifewithlilred. As usual, I didn’t make any New Year’s Resolutions. And, sadly, my mouth is still wreaking havoc on me from my surgery, so celebrating isn’t in the cards for me, either. But, to continue on in the holiday season is exciting, all the same, and I hope that all of you enjoy yourselves no matter how you spend your day! Happy 2019!

How are you celebrating New Years? What are some of your New Year’s Resolutions? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Happy Haulidays: Sister Edition

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Happy Haulidays: Sister Edition

Hello everyone and welcome to the last post of the Haulidays! Today, we will be looking at what my sister, Kristen, gifted me with. Kristen is an amazing gift giver and always seems to pick out the perfect presents, even if it’s never necessarily what I ask for! But, that’s just what sisters do, I guess. 🙂 Take a look at some pics and let’s discuss:

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The Haul:

  • Lush Jelly Bomb in Turtle
  • Lush Bath Bomb in World’s Smallest Disco
  • Huda Beauty palette in Emerald Obsessions
  • Victoria’s Secret Dream Angels bra

Quite the haul, right?! Like some of my other friends, Kristen knows to gift me with Lush products for holidays and birthdays. I love every single item from Lush, but they are treats that I rarely buy for myself, so it always makes for the best gift. And, let’s be honest, what girl doesn’t need a new bra? I only wear the Dream Angels collection from Victoria’s Secret and will opt for black lingerie nine times out of ten, so the bra Kristen picked for me is definitely one that I would buy for myself!

Finally, the Huda Beauty palette in Emerald Obsessions. Long story short, it is GORGEOUS! We will look at it in more detail tomorrow so be prepared for a palette filled with the most stunning metallic golds and greens that you’ve ever seen. Both of which are my favorite eye makeup colors to wear. Each gift that Kristen got for me was a home run, and her thoughtfulness and generosity truly makes her the best sister that a gal could ask for. :*)

What did you get for your holiday haul? What do you like to gift for your siblings? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Happy Haulidays: Brother & Sister In Law Edition

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Happy Haulidays: Brother & Sister In Law Edition

Howdy! For a few days until Christmas Eve, my brother and sister in law flew up from Atlanta, Georgia to be with my family. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to spend as much time with Peter and Megan as I would have liked, because of complications with my wisdom teeth surgery. But, I was still so happy to see them and celebrate all the same! Here’s a look at what they brought Lil Red for the haulidays:

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The Haul:

  • Flat top hat
  • Black lace parasol

Peter and Megan really pulled through on their purchases, because I wanted a parasol BAD this Christmas. It has been an accessory that I’ve felt suits Lil Red for a long time and this black lace one is just perfect. It’s edgy, cool, and going to be oh so extra when shading my pasty pale skin from the sun! And, of course, you can never go wrong with a hat for me, because I love hats of all shapes and sizes. I don’t own any completely flat top styles in my collection, so this new one is a great addition to my hat hoard. Love it!

Did you have family from out of state visiting this holiday? Does a lot of your family live close to you? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Happy Haulidays: Mom & Dad Edition

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Happy Haulidays: Mom & Dad Edition

Hi! In today’s Haulidays post we will be looking at some polar opposite prezzies from my mom and dad. This year, things were a little bit different becauuuuuuse *drum roll please* my dad actually picked a present out for me! Haha, my dad is notorious for the ol’ presents “from mom and dad” trick and I think that he’s always just as surprised to see what my mom picked out as we are. So, it was an extra special touch that I got the perfect daily calendar from my beloved dad! Take a look:

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The Haul:

  • Daily True Crime calendar
  • Betsey Johnson gemstone snake wrap around necklace

My dad knows me all too well, because I couldn’t have asked for a better day by day calendar if I tried. He knows that I am an absolute horror junkie so I guess when he saw these daily factoids about crazy killers, it spoke to him. And, I don’t see why it wouldn’t, with a caption like “wife cannot recall cutting off his penis” on the front! My dad seemed very pleased with his purchase and, as morbid as it is, I’m flattered that this made him think of me. 😀

And, from my mom, came a gorgeous Betsey Johnson snake necklace that I’ve had my eye on from TJMaxx. I have a pretty sizeable collection of snake themed jewelry and I am so happy to be able to add this necklace to it because I freaking love it. It’s just beautiful! The dazzling colors and the slithering surprise of what the necklace actually is shaped as is so me and I cannot wait to break this baby out!

How do your parents buy your Christmas presents? What is one of the most thoughtful gifts you received this hauliday? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Happy Haulidays: Brother In Law Edition

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Happy Haulidays: Brother In Law Edition

Howdy! Today’s Haulidays post is compliments of my sister’s long term boyfriend, Ramon! Ramon is one of my best friends in the world and, even though he and Kristen are expecting a little baby together soon, he still lets me third wheel all the time. What a guy! Not only is Ramon one of my favorite people on the planet, but he is also an excellent gift giver and always knows just what to get for Lil Red. Take a look:

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The Haul:

  • Step Brothers fleece blanket
  • Step Brothers Boats N’ Hoes glass
  • Rainbow glitter shot glass

As I’m sure all of you know by now, Step Brothers is one of my favorite movies of all time. So, it always behooves people (And myself!) to get me themed presents from Will Ferrell’s finest. Ramon hit the nail on the head big time with the huge fleece blanket with front and back images of Brennan Huff and Dale Doback’s smiling faces and I love wrapping myself in it every night. And, nothing is better than enjoying a cold one in a new glass that promotes their hit single, Boats N’ Hoes! Turn up! 😀

What is your favorite movie? Is there a theme for gifts that always work well for you? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Your Checklist To Prepare Your Home For A New Dog

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Your Checklist To Prepare Your Home For A New Dog

Getting a dog and bringing it to your home can be a huge milestone for the entire family. From a new puppy to adopting a dog, there is so much fun and excitement that comes with a new pet for the family. The environment that you bring them home to is so important, though, and the first day that you bring them back is crucial, too. Your dog is going to be full of nerves and excitement, as they are brought into something so different than what they have been used to. So being able to make them as comfortable as possible is key. With all of that in mind, here are some things that you can do to make sure that the transition to getting a new dog goes well:

Prepare All Household Members:

If you have other family members in the home, even if it is just you and your partner, you all need to be prepared for the new arrival. If you have children at home, then it is a good idea to talk to them about what is going to be happening. It is also wise to assign out the expectations of welcoming a new dog into the home, as well. If you expect the children or teenagers to help with walking the dog, then they need to know ahead of time that it is what you expect of them.

Get The Right Equipment:

Before you bring the dog into your home, you need to make sure that you have all of the right equipment in to make things more comfortable for your dog. A dog bed, bedding, bowls, toys, and food is a must, of course. The food can be trial and error with a new dog but starting with something like TreeHousePuppies could be a good idea. Vitamins can be a good for your dog, too.

Puppy-Proof:

All dogs are going to react differently to different things and the new environment that they are going to presented with. But it can be made much simpler by making sure that you have done your bit to puppy-proof the home. It could be simple things like putting houseplants out of reach for your dog or moving things like roach traps out of the way, too. If you don’t want them to go upstairs, then getting gates for the stairs, much like baby gates, is going to be a great idea and using them right from the start is a must to avoid confusion.

Getting a vet for your dog is one of the things you should do once they’re all settled. This can be especially important if you are adopting a dog as you won’t know what the state of their health could be. But most of all, enjoy your time with your new addition to the family!

Featured Image By: Pixabay

Happy Haulidays: Blogging Bestie Edition

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Happy Haulidays: Blogging Bestie Edition

Hello and welcome to the Happy Haulidays posts here on lifewithlilred! The sweet gifts seen below are compliments of my Blogging Bestie, AKA Kate from Live In The Nautical. The package that came all the way from New York arrived at the exact right time last week, because I had just returned from an absolutely traumatizing appointment at the oral surgeon and a pick me up was much needed. I was so happy and surprised to find a bag full of goodies from Lush waiting for me on the kitchen table and it definitely made me forget about my misery for a few precious moments. Take a look:

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Bath Bomb Blitz:

  • Shoot For The Stars
  • Cheery Christmas
  • Yog Nog Yule Log Bubble Bar

Kate is one of the most thoughtful young ladies that I ever have had the pleasure of knowing. She has this amazing ability of knowing exactly what to gift for me, because it’s always goodies that I would never buy for myself. Kate knows how much I love Lush products and picks me a variety that she knows I will enjoy every time.

Receiving this present was the literal warm hug from a dear friend that I needed when I was in so much pain and I can’t thank my Kate enough for it. Be sure to hop into the sea and visit this real life mermaid on her page and give her all of the lovings! I love you so much, Kate, and can’t wait for some much needed pampering with my treats from Lush! ❤

What are your favorite Lush products? Have you received any surprise gifts during the haulidays? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

6 Ways To Warm Your Wintry Walls

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6 Ways To Warm Your Wintry Walls

Houses get cold in the winter. They just do. The onslaught of freezing conditions from rain to snow is enough to make the interior temperatures fall dramatically inside the house. It’s not nice, it’s not comfortable, and we didn’t buy and build houses just to feel like we are outside. Keeping your home warm in the winter is important, and you want to be able to do that with the least amount of money spent at the same time.

It’s crucial that you start thinking about warming your home for the winter as early as possible before the season begins. You don’t want to be caught freezing your toes off because you didn’t get that furnace tune up that was on your to-do list and had been from the last month. Heating a house takes a lot of energy – especially if the house is a big one. If you’re not looking after your home energy properly, all you’re going to do is cost yourself some cash. So, let’s look at six ways that you can make sure your walls are warm this winter:

  • Use Your Curtains: You have windows and they allow for sunlight. The sun is free – and it’s hot, even in the winter. Open your curtains in the day to allow the sunlight in for the free warmth. When it gets dark, shut the curtains and keep that extra insulation layer. Make sure there are no gaps, and you won’t have any warm air leaking out.
  • Use Timers: Central heating should be programmed so that you aren’t wasting your energy. Put the heater on the timer so that it’s not burning all day and not costing you money at the same time.
  • Move Your Furniture: If you have a sofa in front of the radiator, move it now. You may feel warm and toasty in your favorite chair, but the sofa and other furniture is blocking all the hot air from heating the room.
  • Layer Up: Adding blinds under the curtains, rugs to the carpet and throws to the furniture is going to add layers to each room, making you warmer than you thought you could be. Lagging the boiler can also help massively.
  • Block Draughts: Make your own draught excluders and replace the rubber sealant around the windows and doors. They’re both easy to install, but you should get them all done before the winter really does set in. Think of it this way: if there are cold air patches coming into your home, then there will be warm air leaking out of the sides, too.
  • Upgrade The Boiler: Sometimes, your actual boiler really needs an upgrade. These can make all the difference to the way your home is heated, and you should be looking into it properly before you spend winter in a freezing house with no hot water or heat.

Getting warm? Not always easy. Assessing and fixing the problems that could occur before they could happen is the key!

Featured Image By: Pexels

Bath Bomb Blitz: 5 Below Edition

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Bath Bomb Blitz: 5 Below Edition

Howdy! I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas! Today, we are going to discuss one of the prezzies I got from my BFF in this new edition of Bath Bomb Blitz. Although it was a super thoughtful gift and I love Lea more than life itself, this bath bomb from 5 Below was the worrrrrst. Take a look at some pics and let’s discuss:

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When I think of bath bombs, I think of wonderful little delights that smell awesome and make a show of the bath water before taking a relaxing soak. And, unfortunately, this bomb from 5 Below had none of the above criteria going for it. It smelled like nothing, even though the scent was cotton candy. And, it did nothing to change my bath water other than fizz out. However, I will grant that it did take at least three minutes to dissolve completely, which is pretty good!

I love bargain stores more than the next but, when it comes to bath bombs, I’ll definitely be leaving it to the experts at Lush for the full experience. I am glad to know that the 5 Below bath bombs are not the best, though, so that I know not to gift them for people or give them a try myself! A blessing in disguise! 😀

Which brand makes the best bath bombs? What is your favorite bath bomb from Lush? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Merry Christmas!!

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Merry Christmas!!

Hellooooo all of my beloved readers and friends and a very Merry Christmas to each and every one of you! I am so happy to be able to celebrate the holiday with my family today and I hope that no matter how you spend your day, you have an amazing time doing so. It has been a hell of a few weeks for Lil Red and Christmas day spent with family, presents, and lots of good cheer is just what the doctor ordered! May all of you have a safe and love filled holiday and I will be back with the latest and greatest tomorrow! Much love. -Sarah