Author Archives: lifewithlilred

About lifewithlilred

Just your average gal blogging an average blog!

Jun14

Thirty, Flirty, & Thriving OOTD

Posted on June 14, 2024 by lifewithlilred

Hello! This past Friday was my thirtieth birthday! Although I still don’t know how to feel about it, I am sure that I had a great time celebrating. I wanted to keep it simple for my big day and requested a dinner at the Olive Garden and to go straight home after to settle into my new decade. A birthday date night with my main squeeze was the perfect occasion to get dolled up and I knew exactly what I wanted to wear – the outfit I built during my last TJMaxx shopping trip! Check it out:

Who? What? Wear?

Cropped Sweater Vest: Industry Republic Clothing, TJMaxx

Tennis Skirt: Kyodan, TJMaxx

Lace Up Heels: Juicy Couture, Kohl’s

Silver Earrings: These were a birthday gift from my mother in law!

The last time I was at TJMaxx was during an outing with my mom and it was a delight. The Maxxinista gods truly smiled on me because I got everything that I was hoping for: A skin care restock and an outfit to wear to the next Misnyland picnic that I will be officially working at. For this summertime event, I wanted to find something cute, comfortable, and appropriate to sport as the brand new social media manager for Tim Misny. And, of course, it had to be unique enough that I could stand out and still feel like myself. I think this OOTD fits what I was looking for to the T.

During my rounds through the clothing department at TJMaxx, I was coming up with a big fat goose egg. Then, I clocked an adorable cropped sweater vest by Industry Republic Clothing and knew I could work with that. This knit vest is so ideal for summertime. It’s nice and light and the soft, creamy color will certainly keep me cool as opposed to my usual All Black Everything. This vest is the perfect combo of work appropriate while still being fun with the too cute flower details. But what to pair it with?

As I continued browsing the clothes, I was keeping my fingers crossed for a skirt to wear with the vest for an OOTD that looked more like a set. Once again, I was coming up empty. Then, as luck would have it, I found my new Kyodan tennis skirt displayed at the very front of the store. In that moment, I knew I had an outfit and all that was left to do was try it on. As I expected, this skirt was a dream match to the sweater vest. And… It has shorts underneath it!!! This was something I didn’t realize until I tried it on and that was a huge score. The last thing I wanted was anyone at the event getting a peek at my underthings if a breeze picked up! This skirt has divine movement with the gauzy, pleated fabric and added some edge to such a sweet top.

With the base of my outfit settled, shoes and accessories were next. For my shoes, I went with a gorgeous pair of lace up heels by Juicy Couture. These little babies are as old as dirt, but I still love them as if I got them yesterday. The cream color and black shoe laces gave cohesion to the established palette and the chunky heel is supportive so I can flit around the picnic and shoot content in comfort. Finally, I added a lovely pair of silver dagger earrings that I got for my birthday and my outfit was complete!

I absolutely love how my Thirty, Flirty, & Thriving OOTD turned out! I am also so glad that I decided to sport it for my birthday date night so Johnny could take my pictures. He will not be attending the picnic I am working and I knew I would be a mess by the time I got home lol. Work smarter, not harder!

Have you updated your wardrobe for summer? What are some of your summer staples? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jun13

Happy Birthday, Best Friend!!

Posted on June 13, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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Hello!!! It’s Gemini season, baby, and what a banner time it has been. Johnny celebrated his birthday, we had our wedding anniversary, it was my birthday and now… *Drum roll, please* it’s my best friend’s birthday!!!! Yes, today is a wonderful, fantastic day because it is my blogging bestie’s big day. I hate to age us both, but Kate of Live In The Nautical and I became instant BFFs almost a decade ago when lifewithlilred first began. She is my Gemini twin and soul sister. Despite living states away from each other, our lives are basically exactly the same and I know I can go to her for anything and everything. Not to mention she’s oh so beautiful inside and out!

Have you ever met someone and you just click? That’s how it was with Kate and I. What started as her being a guest blogger on my page turned into us chatting the days (and years lol) away. I live for our FaceTime dates and always laugh at the fact that we are true writers when we text. It’s literally just us sending novellas back and forth all day! Johnny has grown very accustomed to our texting style and forever refers to me as “Tolkien” when I’m giving Kate all of the updates. Even though we are far away, our textathons are a constant bright spot in my life and it feels like she could be right down the street from me. I wish she were!!

When I started my blog, of course, I wanted to make new friends. However, I was not anticipating to find a BBFF (Best Blogging Friends Forever) almost immediately. The blogosphere truly smiled upon me when Kate entered my life bringing her sunshine, fashion, sense of humor, and kindness. Kate is the perfect combination of sweet and sass and adds a touch of sparkle and shine everywhere she goes. This girl has been strong for me when I needed it, a shoulder to (metaphorically) cry on, and someone I can be my full self with. Everyone needs someone like that in their life and my wish on my bestie’s birthday is that you find and cherish that person. Kate is my one in a billion trillion gal and I am thankful for her every day. ❤

Happy Birthday to my Kate on her big day. The world is a better place with you in it and twenty-one (ish!) looks fab on you!!! I love you!!!!!!!!!!

Jun12

30th Birthday Fun

Posted on June 12, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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Howdy!! This past Friday was my dirty thirtieth birthday and it was absolutely fantastic. Am I particularly thrilled to enter into a new decade? Not especially lol. But, I had such a lovely weekend celebrating and that really helped make up for it. For my big day, I didn’t want anything major and requested a dinner at Olive Garden for a date night with Johnny. I was craving it something fierce and wanted to get my Middle Class Fancy on! I like to think we cleaned up pretty well and if you peep my hairy armpits – mind ya business haha:

Before it was time for my birthday dinner, I had to work up an appetite! I worked in the morning getting my transport client to his job and doing the social media thing. Then, I spent the afternoon hanging out with my brother. We went on a fantastic hike and saw so much wild life – a snake, turtles, and two tiny baby bunnies. They were so precious and it took all of my willpower to not snatch them up and take them home. Of course, I would never but Johnny probably would have had a harder time saying no on my b-day lol. Work smarter, not harder amiright?!

Once Johnny and I were both home, we took some OOTD pics (See those later this week!) and made our way to the OG. We were famished and it was a good thing we left early. About a half hour after we were seated, the place was packed. We had a delicious meal of salad, bread sticks, cocktails, and fettuccine alfredo (Plain for me, with chicken for Johnny!). Dinner was simply divine and we had such a great time gorging ourselves lol. There was no room left for my free birthday dessert of strawberry cheesecake so we took it to go. It was perfect to have with our leftovers the following day and we definitely plan on going to the Olive Garden more often. 😀

After we returned home from dinner in our respective food comas, we decided to break out Johnny’s new record player (A prezzie from me) and play some games. I got to pick the very first record we listened to on it and I chose none other than the original recording of Jesus Christ Superstar. This was my first time hearing it because we didn’t have a functional record player until now. It was freaking dynamite and an ideal soundtrack to completely annihilate Johnny in Monopoly. To the birthday girl gets the spoils!

The rest of my birthday weekend was nice and chill. I was able to video chat with my best girl, Kate, of Live In The Nautical on Saturday and watch countless episodes of Degrassi. I’ll be looking forward to the last of my birthday hangouts with my sister and other bestie, Lea, later this week! ❤

What is your favorite Middle Class Fancy restaurant? How do you prefer to listen to music? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jun11

Sweet Surprises: Birthday Edition

Posted on June 11, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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Hi! This past Friday, I celebrated my thirtieth birthday and had the most wonderful time. I felt so loved and spoiled and that definitely helped cushion the blow of entering into a new decade. On Friday, Johnny stopped at his parents’ house after work to pick up the remainder of his birthday gifts from me – a new record player. He returned home with his prezzie and a sweet little something from my beloved in laws for my big day. As always, the gifts from Johnny’s parents are so thoughtful, lovely, and totally perfect for me. Check it out:

Johnny’s mom loves to shop at the cool little boutiques that are in the greater Akron area. It makes gift giving occasions really exciting because I don’t shop at those stores so everything is something I haven’t seen before. Like the gorgeous silver earrings, for example. My mother-in-law knows that I am all about pretty things with an edge and my new jewelry is that description to the T. The flower stud that goes into dagger blades is *chef’s kiss* and fits me so well. I have several pairs of dagger earrings, which I am most fond of. These will fit in beautifully with my collection and I can’t wait to wear them!

I was also gifted with a gift card to the Cashmere Cricket and that is just the sweetest. The Cashmere Cricket is the most charming martini bar and is both mine and Johnny’s favorite. It also happens to be where we had our first date and went to celebrate after we got engaged. Needless to say, the Cricket is very special to us both. During the summertime, Johnny and I love to go have a drink or two on the balcony at the Cashmere Cricket. It is decked out in fairy lights and an ideal spot for an evening date. This gift card will definitely come in handy for drinks and dinner too. Not only are the martinis the best I ever had, but their food is literally to die for. I see a date night in my future, for sure. ❤

The best gift of all is feeling like a true daughter to Johnny’s parents. I love them both so much and am really looking forward to our belated birthaversary celebrations together!

Where did you and your partner have your first date? Do you still like to go there together? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jun10

Sell Your Home Quickly With These Tips

Posted on June 10, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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Do you want to list your home on the market quickly? If so, then you have come to the right place. This guide will help you to make the right changes so you can get your home on the market as fast as possible and move onto bigger and better things:

Perform a Deep Clean:

One of the first things you need to do is perform a deep clean from top to bottom, on the inside and the out. You also need to keep in mind that cleaning costs nothing, but it is a major part of selling your home. If you have carpets and curtains that could do with a deep clean, then this is money that is well worth spending. Cleaning your home is quite possibly one of the biggest chores that you will face when the time comes for you to sell your, and a lot of people disregard it without much thought. If your home is cleaner than the rest of the homes on the market, then it will look better and make it easier to get the sale you need.

Declutter:

Get rid of all the clutter around your home and you will soon find that it looks bigger. It will feel to buyers like a tidy and organized place to live, which is exactly what they are looking for. If possible, you also need to take note that decluttering will save you moving expenses at a later date as you won’t have as many things to clear out. If you can keep things like this in mind, you will find that it becomes easier for you to get the motivation you need. It’s vital that you look at your home as being a commodity that you can sell and that you work with the emotional bond that you have with your home. Focus on the new life that you are going to be creating when you move, and don’t hold onto things that could make your home look messy or untidy.

Fix Anything that is Broken:

You also need to take the time to fix anything that might be broken. You need to finish any DIY jobs and you catch up on maintenance too. At the end of the day, a well-maintained home that is well-cared for will really stand out to buyers. Buyers will mentally reduce the maximum price that they are willing to go up to if there are a lot of things that need fixing. Unfinished or botched DIY jobs need to be done by a professional if possible because if you don’t get this done, then it will make things much more difficult for you in the future. If you intend on selling or transferring your home to a family member, then jobs like this may not be as important.

When you are making repairs, keep documents of everything so that potential buyers know that things are all in recent working order. Keep this, along with all of your other information for this process, well organized. And, when the time comes to sell, look into a Deeds.com Quitclaim Form so you can make sure that you have all of your paperwork in order.

Additional Help:

A family emergency or a change of job could warrant a move and you might not have the luxury of waiting for your house to sell. If you need to make a quick move, the tips above might not be as useful. However, you could explore other ways of selling your home that can often result with cash in hand for the sale. If this sounds like what you need for your moving process, simply enter a search for “sell my house as in KC” (or your local area). Once your home is sold quickly, that is one less worry as you start a new chapter in your life.

A tidy, well maintained home is a buyer’s dream so do what you can to make this possible!

Featured Image By: Pexels

Jun10

What Have We Been Watching?

Posted on June 10, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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Hello!! Johnny and I love to watch TV, movies, and documentaries together. It’s how we unwind after work and there’s nothing better than having something new to look forward to after a long day. For the past few months, we were definitely on a comfort show kick. The past few weeks, however, we have dived back into some pretty crazy documentaries that we both really enjoyed. In a spoiler free setting, I thought we would discuss a few of them today as well as my most recent guilty pleasure and a new quiz show. Let’s get to it:

Degrassi:

Ladies first, right?! Yes, I have been rewatching Degrassi: The Next Generation on HBOMax and it has been wonderful. Degrassi was mine and my sister’s JAM in high school and I have not seen it since then. I am pleased to report that the show still hits in adulthood. In fact, it seems to hit even harder. I remember the cast and a majority of the episodes. The details are a different story, though, and it is drama central! I have found that my favorite characters in high school have remained my favorite during my rewatch and it has been such fun to watch an episode or two every day!

The Contestant:

I learned about the documentary The Contestant because it was showing at the International Film Festival at Playhouse Square in Cleveland. The premise seemed extremely interesting and I was excited that it was on Hulu. Johnny and I watched The Contestant last week and it was a wild ride. Basically, a Japanese game show aired in the late 90s called My Life In Prizes. The Contestant, named Nasubi, had to survive off of food and prizes won from mail and phone contests until he reached one million Yen worth of spoils. Nasubi had no idea that for fifteen months, his time spent in isolation was being aired on TV for the world to see. The documentary explores the taping of the show, the aftermath it had on Nasubi, and how he managed to come out on top. There were times when this doc was hard to watch, but I would highly recommend it.

Lover, Stalker, Killer:

On Wednesday, Johnny and I decided to watch a documentary on Netflix called Lover, Stalker, Killer and WOW. It was freaking NUTS. In this Baby Reindeer-esque doc, we learn about a man named Dave and his online dating experience from hell. After his marriage ended, Dave turned to Plenty of Fish for some casual relationships. No strings attached, just fun. He got a whole lot more than he bargained for when he met Liz and Cari and was targeted in a deadly campaign of harassment. This documentary had so many plot twists that it made my head spin. In fact, it felt more like one of my beloved “LifeTime movie books” than real life. There was nothing fake about Lover, Stalker, Killer and it was harrowing from start to finish.

Dancing for the Devil:

One thing that Johnny and I are particularly interested in are cults and we have watched several docs pertaining to those that function online. The most recent one we watched was called Dancing for the Devil on Netflix. Long story short, a leader of a church saw the potential for profit from the viral dance trends on TikTok. He then formed a management company called 7M that targeted popular dancers on the platform. In Dancing for the Devil, we learn about the culty methods of 7M from people who escaped and the loved ones of those still in its grasp. The families and friends of people in 7M have had little to no contact with them since joining the management company. Those who have say they barely recognize their child, sibling, or friend since getting involved with 7M. This was a thought provoking documentary that showed the real life effects of online cults in real time.

The Quiz With Balls:

And, finally, on a lighter note – we have The Quiz With Balls lol. Johnny discovered this new game show airing on Fox through one of his podcasts. We decided to watch the first two episodes this past Thursday and I am SO glad we did. It is an absolute riot from start to finish. There are two families competing against each other to answer trivia questions. It goes like this: There are five correct answers for five family members and one wrong one. The family must select answers, stand in place, and prepare for a plunge into a pool if they are wrong. They will literally get hit by a gigantic ball into the drink for an incorrect answer. It is ridiculous, hilarious, and was a hoot to play along with. It also inspired us to watch quiz shows more often because we enjoyed the rack your brain challenge so much.

Call us couch potatoes if you will, but we prefer entertainment enthusiasts lol. I can’t wait to see what we watch next!

What are you currently watching? Do you have a documentary to recommend? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jun9

One Of Those Weeks

Posted on June 9, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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Hello!! Has anyone ever had one of those days that is simply filled with minor inconveniences? Maybe you broke a glass, then you were running late, then got stuck in traffic, etc? Believe you me, I feel it because this entire week something has seemed to gone wrong every day! I could just be a huge butterfingers or overdue for an unlucky streak, but oh my goodness has it been annoying. Annoying with a capital A and NNOYING!

This past Monday, I woke up at my normal three AM time and as I carried our laundry hamper down the stairs, I was really awake. When we first moved into our new apartment, Johnny and I worked hard to create an art wall going up the staircase and I love it so much. The only thing I hate about it is that I always seem to be knocking our clock off of the wall because it juts out more than a framed painting. This has happened more times than I can count and, yes, it happened on Monday. The only difference this time is that the clock actually broke and shards of glass went everywhere. SMH.

Because of the bunnies, I am a paranoid mess when it comes to broken glass and spent what felt like an eternity sweeping the floor. Once I was satisfied with the results, I continued to go about my day accident free. It was short lived because on Tuesday morning, I dropped my phone and part of the back shattered. Yet again, I went back to the floor to clean up and it was all good. I thought I had had my fill of objects breaking into a million pieces… Until Wednesday morning. Guys, I legit don’t know what happened. I worked from home, I took my client to work, then went back home to work more. Sure enough, as I looked at the floor beside me, there was MORE broken glass that was definitely not there earlier. It legit felt like I was being pranked!

While the broken glass portion of my week sucked, the worst was yet to come. On Thursday morning, I woke up to find that one of the balls on my septum ring fell out in my sleep. Johnny attempted to put it back in, but it wasn’t quite right and I fiddled with it so much that it fell out again. Needless to say, putting a tiny ball on a tiny piece of jewelry is difficult – trying to do it with talon nails is impossible! After several failed attempts, the ball went flying out of my hand and landed promptly in the toilet which I forgot to shut. Before you ask, YES. I did fish it out lol! For the remainder of my day, I had to walk around as One Ball Barry and after sanitizing the hell out of it, Johnny was able to get it back on after work. Can this unlucky streak be over now, or?!

As of Friday morning while I type this, I am still finding broken glass on the floor. At this point, the best solution seems to be to find a new apartment. Lol, that’s not going to happen so I will continue to cross my fingers and toes that Lady Luck smiles on me soon!

What is something annoying that happened to you recently? Would you consider yourself to be clumsy? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jun8

New Tangerine & Neon Blue Nails

Posted on June 8, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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Hello!! On Tuesday, I spent some time getting some much needed pre birthday pampering at Elysian Nails. I was in desperate need of a fill and I was even more eager to go because my nail tech just did a manicure for my mom last week. Tuesday has become my new go to fill day and I make my way to the salon during a break from work. It is the perfect treat to get me through the day because nothing is better than showing off some fresh new claws! I was ready for some bright, summery colors for this appointment and am loving what I picked out:

Sometimes, I have absolutely no idea what colors I want my nails to be. Other times, inspiration strikes and that was the case for this fill. It has been heating up in Akron, Ohio and I had vivid orange hues on the mind. But paired with what? At the nail polish wall, I made a beeline to a neon tangerine shade and it was exactly what I wanted. I toyed with the idea of purple and neon pink, but an electric blue caught my eye and it was game over. Orange and blue is a combo that screams fun in the sun and we were in business for some poppy, so bright you need shades nails.

During my nail appointments, my tech and I normally catch up on the latest in each other’s lives. This time around, there wasn’t too much to discuss because I literally just saw her four days ago lol. This was totally fine by me because I could just sit back, relax, and go brain dead for a bit before it was back to work! While I zoned out, I swapped between watching HGTV and the magic that was unfolding at my tech’s station. Before this appointment, a few of my nails were definitely lifting and were feeling less than sturdy. In what felt like no time at all, I had a fill so good that it felt like I had a brand new set on. They are sharpened and shaped just the way I like them and just right for ringing in the summer vibes!

This was just Part One to my birthday pampering and I can’t wait for Part Two later this month for a brand new do at the Shear Shop. I am stepping into my thirties in maximum style!

How do you treat yourself for your birthday? What color of nail polish are you rocking? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jun7

Happy Birthday To Me!!!

Posted on June 7, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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Hello!!! Johnny’s birthday came and passed, our three year wedding anniversary was next, and now it is time for… DUN DUN DUN… My thirtieth birthday! Oh yes, your girl turns the Dirty Thirty today and I’d be a liar if I said that I’m completely okay with it lol. But hey, another year older another year *hopefully* wiser, right?! As my sweet husband has said, “at least you’re not turning thirty-five” so there’s that. 😀 Despite the slight sense of impending doom I’m feeling, there is so much in life that I am so thankful for. And, a lot of it took into my mid to late twenties to happen. When I remind myself of that, aging doesn’t seem so much as aging but more like an improvement.

While I am sad to be officially done with my roaring twenties, so much good has taken place during my last trip around the sun. The excellent health of one of my loved ones was celebrated, Johnny and I got to spend another year together and watch our nieces and nephew grow, and I even got a new job. And, of course, I can’t forget another year of loving my bunnies and creating daily content for lifewithlilred. Clearly, twenty-nine was pretty good and it makes me feel hopeful that this positive trajectory will continue into a brand new decade.

Although welcoming my thirties is bittersweet, it is the best to be able to celebrate with my Johnny. We have a hot date planned tonight to go to the Olive Garden and rent the new Strangers movie at home and I am thrilled! I have been craving the Olive Garden for months and I have also been looking forward to this new scary movie for months. It is exactly how I want to spend my birthday and I love that we are keeping it simple for maximum quality time. Turning thirty or not, I feel like the luckiest girl in the world to be so loved by our nearest and dearest for mine and Johnny’s birthaversary week and always! ❤

Happy Birthday To Me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jun6

Manis With Mom

Posted on June 6, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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Hello!! There are three places that I find shelter from the storm: Elysian Nails, the Shear Shop, and TJMaxx. They are my happy places and I recommend my two favorite salons to literally everyone in my local area – including my mom! After a delightful outing at Elysian Nails for pedicures for my mom’s birthday, she told me she had a hankering for a manicure a few weeks later. That could be very easily arranged and I set her up with my go to girl for a gel mani as a belated Mother’s Day gift. It was a wonderful time and had me even more eager for my fill appointment a few days later!

I used to frequent a couple nail salons before falling in love with Elysian Nails. Don’t get me wrong, every tech I have been to at other salons are very good. There’s just something about Elysian that hits different, though. The salon is gorgeous and feels so high end, the prices are phenomenal, and I have never had a bad appointment there. That is why I recommend it so highly – because I know everyone who goes is going to have the ultimate pampering experience. My mom definitely did and we were both so impressed with the results.

I have never had an actual manicure at Elysian because of my beloved acrylics. Of course, I had some idea of the process, but it was so much more than both my mom and I expected. My tech is an absolute expert at shaping nails, real or fake. By the time she was done trimming my mom’s cuticles and nails, they were unrecognizable from when she started. They had way more length and looked stronger and healthier too. After snipping and clipping, a lovely light rose gel polish was applied. But wait, there was more! Once the polish was set, a hand massage and hot towel was next to wrap up the appointment. It was the perfect touch to complete the pampering and I loved being able to spoil my mom!

My mom’s nails turned out spectacular and I could tell she enjoyed every minute of her appointment. I can’t wait to go back to the salon together for more mother/daughter pampering in our happy place!

What did you do for Mother’s Day? Do you prefer regular or gel polish? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

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