Author Archives: lifewithlilred

About lifewithlilred

Just your average gal blogging an average blog!

Apr4

Fetch Review

Posted on April 4, 2024 by lifewithlilred

Hello!! Way back to last October, I went out to dinner with my bestie at our favorite Mexican restaurant. As we were paying our bill, I noticed she was snapping a picture of her receipt and learned that it was for an app called Fetch. She explained that all you had to do was take pictures of your receipts and you would earn points towards gift cards. So, I signed up, we both got points for her referral, and I was ready to take the Fetch app by storm!

When I first started using the app, I thought it was great! It was exciting to see the points climb with each receipt scanned and you would get a bonus scanning one receipt per day. With your receipt, you could spin a wheel for additional points and that really helped speed up the process. Another thing that made a difference in my point count was occasionally scanning receipts that I unknowingly purchased “featured deals” with. This would normally happen during big grocery shopping trips – one time I got twelve hundred points from one receipt. 😀

Despite constantly increasing my points with almost daily receipts and “spin to win” bonus points, it still felt like I had a long way to go. A ten dollar Amazon gift card alone costed twelve thousand five hundred points! Then, Fetch eliminated the bonus points and my account began moving at a snail’s pace. It took me from the beginning of October to the end of March to get my ten dollar Amazon gift card and it felt like a drop in the bucket for using the app almost daily for over a half a year.

As I have continued using the app, I find myself wondering why I even bother and am probably going to delete it soon. These receipt scan apps are, honestly, more trouble than they’re even worth. If you are consistently referring friends and shopping deals on Fetch, I’m sure it can be a somewhat lucrative tool. However, if you’re like me who has no friends and never shops any of the deals, you are in for a slow going process. Am I happy to have an extra ten bucks on Amazon? Sure. Was it worth saving and scanning receipts for such a long period of time? Meh… Not really.

If you are thinking the receipt scan apps will have you cashing out immediately, it is not like that whatsoever. They sound awesome until you realize how much effort goes into getting one gift card!

Have you used any receipt scanning apps before? What did you think about it? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr3

Face Mask Festivities: Refreshing Green Tea Sheet Mask By GlamUp Edition

Posted on April 3, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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Face Mask Festivities: Refreshing Green Tea Sheet Mask By GlamUp Edition

Hello everyone and I hope all of you enjoyed a lovely holiday weekend! I sure did. 🙂 Johnny and I both had Monday off and spent our long weekend doing a whole lot of nothing. We binged on all of our favorite shows, revisited a beloved video game called Unraveled, and tried out a new one called Little Nightmares. It was a blast and it felt so good to have some much needed R&R with my main squeeze. Between all of the vegging out, I decided to use a face mask by GlamUp and was expecting excellent results. The last one I used was delightful! Sadly, the Refreshing Green Tea sheet mask I tested missed the mark completely – a common theme with this brand SMH. Let’s discuss:

^^^ I’m sexy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I only have a handful of GlamUp masks left to use and I chose the Green Tea one because I have tea on the brain lol. Johnny has had the nastiest lingering cold and has spent the past several days with a cup of tea constantly in his hands. He always insists that I smell the tea as it’s steeping and while this sheet mask smelled nice, it definitely wasn’t as good as the real thing! The Green Tea mask did offer a soft, refreshing scent that was reminiscent of green tea leaves and I liked that it wasn’t overpowering. I tend to prefer a lighter scent when it comes to my skin care, especially for something like a mask because I want it to be soothing.

After applying the sheet mask, I let it sit for about twenty-five minutes. Normally, I am done as soon as twenty minutes hit, but this mask was so saturated in serum that it needed additional time. As the mask sat, I felt a slight cooling sensation and that was about it. I was hoping for something with a bit more oomph to it for a full “refreshing” effect and was disappointed from the utter lack of it. Once I took the mask off, I did think my skin felt a bit smoother. However, I felt no lingering effects after it was removed and that was what I liked the most about the previous mask I used. This was a fine but nothing to write home about experience, for sure.

I am going to rate the Refreshing Green Tea Sheet Mask with a four out of ten stars. It wasn’t the worst mask I have ever used, but it was certainly a step below average!

What is your favorite kind of tea? How did you spend your holiday weekend? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr2

Something For The Fellas

Posted on April 2, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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Hello! Whenever I go shopping at TJMaxx, I always shop the men’s department too in case there is something that Johnny might like. I absolutely adore my husband’s style so it is really fun to pick clothes out for him. It’s also nice to save some dough at TJs too because the websites that Johnny likes to order from are pretty pricey. What can I say, we both have expensive taste! Johnny is very partial to graphic button downs and I have had moderate success when I look for them at TJs. This past shopping trip was a great success, however, because they added a ton of button downs to the men’s department!

^^^ Once again, don’t mind my broken nail lol

The first thing I noticed when I ventured to the men’s section was a display rack filled with summer button downs. They also had matching shorts, but Johnny’s size small looked way too small and the mediums looked gigantic. But I digress so back to the shirts! There were at least five different patterns to pick from in a cool, breezy fabric. I knew which one I liked the best immediately, but I sent Johnny pictures so he could decide for himself. He, too, liked the one you see above the most so into the cart it went and it was only twelve dollars. You just can’t beat that. 😀

The shirt and short sets by Massive were fantastic and they screamed Johnny right off the rip. In fact, he has quite a few pairs of matching shirts and shorts and calls it his “loungeware” lol. While I understand the merits of that because they look insanely comfortable, I can’t wait to see him wear his new shirt when we are out and about. Johnny’s style is very retro and this button down emulated that perfectly. The muted colors with the 70s-esque pattern is everything and it had me wishing that I could find something similar in a dress or skirt for myself!

If the button down above looks like something your SO might like, RUN don’t walk to TJMaxx. You might hit the jackpot and pay a song for it. I was glad to be able to buy a treat for my main squeeze and the price was oh so nice!

What is your favorite era of fashion? How would you describe your SO’s style? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr1

Jean Queen Pt. 2

Posted on April 1, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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Hello! This past week, I made a quick run to TJMaxx to pick up a few odds and ends. I needed mascara, I wanted to find a birthday gift for my dad, and I was in desperate need of new black skinny jeans. It has been a phat minute since I purchased new jeans from American Eagle and one of my pairs got a hole right in the crotch and needed replaced. Smh! While I am extremely partial to the jeans from AE, I knew I could find a cheaper pair at TJs and ended up walking away with two pairs for under thirty dollars. Talk about a steal! Check it out:

^^^ Don’t mind my broken nail lol double smh

When I shop at TJMaxx, I can’t help but try on a little bit of everything even though I don’t really need it. What can I say, I live for my treats! The fashion gods must have been telling me to hold off, though, because literally everything I tried on didn’t work except the two pairs of jeans I picked out. I was on the hunt for a classic pair of black skinnies, but I wasn’t opposed to something different too. I asked and received because I got exactly what I wanted!

The first pair of jeans by Banjara was found in the juniors department and on clearance. I fell in love with the rhinestones adorning the distressing and I also loved the price. These were only eight dollars. Score! Although they aren’t a standard skinny fit, I was thrilled by them because I have been looking for a good pair of boyfriend jeans. I wore my husband’s jeans once and it was a never again thing lol. It was weird trying on something other than skinnies, but they fit perfectly and looked so freaking cool. I can’t wait to style an OOTD with them. 😀

After trying on the Banjara jeans, the great successes kept rolling with the skinnies by 1822 Denim. This is a brand that I am familiar with, but I have never owned anything by. Now that I know their jeans are awesome, I will definitely be looking for the brand again the next time I need a new pair. These jeans fit like a glove, were an inky jet black (My black skinnies are really faded), and offered a unique pop with the ankle fringe. Not only did they check off all of my boxes, but they were comfortable as can be. It felt like wearing leggings even though it was a jean material! As soon as I got home, my jeans with the crotch hole went straight into the garbage because I found the ideal replacement!

Sometimes, TJMaxx tells you what you need. Other times, TJMaxx gives you exactly what you need. The latter was the case with this shopping trip and these jeans gave American Eagle a run for their money!

What is your favorite brand of denim? How often do you buy new jeans? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar31

Happy Easter!!

Posted on March 31, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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Hello everyone and Happy Easter to those who celebrate! I hope you all have a fantastic day. 🙂 This past week was an absolute doozy in the worst way possible and it has been nice to take the time to unwind this weekend. Tuesday was literally horrible and I am hoping for sunshiny days ahead… Well, as sunshiny as you can get with April showers! Despite Tuesday being awful, I did have a little Easter pick me up that I thought I would share with all of you:

On Wednesday morning, I was still reeling from the day before and was feeling really blue as I went to pick up my transport client. All I wanted to do was sleep, but seeing my clients always perks me up and I am so glad that I powered through. As my client approached my car, I noticed him carrying a pretty wrapped package and card. It was an early Easter gift and it couldn’t have come at a better time. In fact, this is not the first time I was gifted a sweet surprise from this family when I desperately needed a pick me up. They must have some type of telepathy!

After I got my client to work, I parked my car to unwrap my prezzie because I couldn’t wait till I got home. I was delighted by a beautiful card and some Bunny Hollow hand soap! It was such a thoughtful gesture and is a true testament to wonderful things coming in small packages. Even though the week was extremely trying times for yours truly, this was such a welcome reminder of all of the good that is in my life. I was so thankful for this perfectly timed surprise. ❤

This little token of appreciation went a long way and it feels so good to be cherished by others during the holidays. Happy Easter to all of you and I hope this spring brings you flowers, rainbows, and happiness!

Have you had any sweet surprises recently? How are you celebrating Easter? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar30

March 2024 Finishes

Posted on March 30, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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Hellooo everyone! Is it just me or did January and February drag major ass and March simply flew by?! We are already wrapping up the month, which means that it’s time to discuss my beauty empties. This past month, I used several new to me products and that is something that I always enjoy! Were they buy again worthy or total duds? Let’s find out!

Would I Use Again?

Hope Soap Grapefruit & Bamboo Body Cream: MAYBE

Clinical Works Cleansing Toner: NO

The Beauty Standard Vitamin C Moisturizer: NO

Bath & Body Works Dry Skin Moisturizer: MAYBE

Provence Beauty Collagen Serum: MAYBE

Why/Why Not?

Hope Soap Cream: Hope Soap is a local business in my neck of the woods and my darling mother in law gifts me with their products for Christmas. I have used their Body Nectar several times and while they were nice, they didn’t blow me away. The mango butter body cream called The Sauce, however, was much more like it! The Grapefruit & Bamboo scent was zingy and refreshing and it felt so rich and nourishing on my skin. I wouldn’t go out of my way to buy it again, but it is definitely my favorite Hope Soap product that I have used. It took me about a month to finish the bottle with once daily use.

Clinical Works Toner: During my TJMaxx holiday gift card skin care restock extravaganza (What a mouthful!), I was so disappointed that there was not a single bottle of my beloved Evoluderm micellar water in sight. So, I had to make do with random toners instead like this one by Clinical Works. I finished the bottle with once daily use in a month and I was less than impressed. What I like about the Evoluderm micellar water is that it really does feel like a beauty treatment. The toner by Clinical Works literally just felt like I was rubbing water on my face lol SMH.

The Beauty Standard Moisturizer: Normally when I use a product, I make mental notes in my head of what I liked and didn’t like about it. In the case of the Vitamin C moisturizer by The Beauty Standard, I am drawing a blank! I genuinely can’t remember if I felt any type of way about it so I’m assuming that it was very average. Since it was anything but noteworthy in my head, this is a moisturizer that I wouldn’t buy again!

B&BW Moisturizer: During my winter Semi Annual Sale shopping spree at Bath & Body Works, I was surprised to learn that they had a skin care line. I purchased one of their dry skin moisturizers out of sheer curiosity and it took me a month of twice daily use to finish the jar. During that time, I enjoyed using the moisturizer and loved how soft and smooth my skin felt with each use. It was very hydrating and it just felt nice to use. Would I buy it at full price? Hard no. But, if it is on sale again during the summer Semi Annual, I will be more than happy to buy a few jars of it.

Provence Beauty Serum: I have used several Provence Beauty products in the past because they are almost always available at TJMaxx. For the most part, I have found their skin care to be a bit above average and those are my sentiments for the Collagen Serum too. This serum absorbed nicely into the skin, sat well under makeup, and I did notice a slight difference in the tightness of my skin after a month of twice daily use. Like most of the products we discussed, the jury is out on if I would buy this serum again. However, if it were available at TJs and I needed a serum restock, I would *probably* add it to my cart.

My March empties were, clearly, nothing to write home about but were certainly worth blogging about. You are not missing out on a majority of the above if you bypass them in the store!

Have you tried any new products recently? What did you think about them? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar29

1690 Day Blogging Streak!!

Posted on March 29, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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Hellooo everyone!! The other day, I was pretty impressed by myself with my 1250 Day Duolingo Streak. This equals out to be about three and a half years of daily practice! Then, I looked at my amount of days of daily content on lifewithlilred and had an “omg” moment. I am on a 1690 plus day streak which is four and a half full years of every day latest and greatest on my blog! I never pay too much attention to these numbers because I am so used to doing daily practice and writing. As you can imagine it comes as a huge surprise when I do notice and do the math lol.

Some four and a half years ago, I made the decision to start publishing daily content on lifewithlilred. Rather, I made the decision to do the best I could and no big deal if I miss a day or two. As you all know, I am a very goal and schedule oriented person so that day started the streak with no ifs, ands, or buts for a skipped day. A little bit crazy? Maybe! But I could not be more proud of myself and I look forward to writing every day. It is my release and it’s exciting to have a little corner of the internet that I carved out through this dedication.

Part of the motivation behind this streak came from me, myself, and I. However, a majority of it came from each and everyone of you. The most rewarding thing about blogging for me has always been making new friends. So, even if just a handful of people were reading and interacting, I’d still consider it a great success! lifewithlilred introduced me to one of my best friends almost a decade ago and countless others that make logging in every day a joy – not a chore in the slightest. Every morning, I can’t wait to see my notifications from the blogging community because it is what makes me happiest. A world full of friends that find enjoyment in my page as much as I enjoy writing on it. ❤

I am SO stoked to achieve a five year daily writing streak on lifewithlilred and it makes every day feel like a victory. Thank you to all of you for sticking with me – my blog would not be the same without you!

What is something that motivates you? What goals are you working towards? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar28

Condado – Not Impressed!

Posted on March 28, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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Hello! Most people hate Mondays, but I absolutely love them. It may be a three AM morning for me, but I always look forward to it. I take a client to work, then I either work from home or go to my online boss’s office. Working with my online boss is just the best and it is so nice to collab face to face on all of our different projects. It’s also awesome to be able to work side by side with someone whose company I enjoy because I am so used to working by myself.

This past Monday, I had an in office day and decided to bring home a treat for me and Johnny: Condado! One recently opened by where I work and I haven’t had it in years. Not since a show Johnny played forever ago in Columbus. I remember it being really good then, but not so much now… Check it out:

For my meal, I did the build your own tacos with a double stacked Sweet Lucy shell (a soft and hard shell with guac and queso), elote queso, and a marg to go. I couldn’t wait to dig in when I got home because I didn’t have time to eat before I left for work. While it was good, it wasn’t that good. The rice was really bland, the queso and guac didn’t have much (if any) flavor, and the chips for dipping were basically cardboard. In fact, I thought the chips from Chipotle were infinitely better! One saving grace was that the to go margaritas were pretty strong and that definitely helped lol.

In my neck of the woods, Barrio reigns supreme in the build your own taco world. Barrio mainly has locations in Ohio, but also has a few scattered across random states too. Despite endless options to add to your taco, I always get the exact same thing every time because it’s just so good every time! Once you have found a combination that you like at a restaurant, it’s hard to try anything different because it simply isn’t the same. I’m happy that I gave Candado another try because it has been on my to do list, but Barrio will be the move from now on. Way better food and prices too!

I’d be a liar if I said I wasn’t wishing my order from Condado was Chipotle or Barrio instead. If you already have a favorite build your own taco place like me, Condado is not going to blow your mind so you can save the trip! 🙂

Have you tried any new eateries recently? What was a restaurant you tried that was disappointing? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar27

1250 Day Duolingo Streak

Posted on March 27, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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Hello!! I have been using Duolingo for so long that I don’t really think about it anymore. It is a staple in my morning routine of wake up, check Facebook, check my email, and practice a French lesson before starting my day. And, as often as I can, I try to do lessons in Spanish, Italian, German, and Czech too. This past weekend, I achieved a milestone streak of 1250 days of completing a lesson on Duolingo and I couldn’t believe it. That’s almost three and a half years!!

HUZZAH!!!

In case you haven’t noticed, I am a very routine oriented person and it works beautifully for me. Once something that I am committed to becomes part of my schedule, I do everything in my power to keep it going. Duolingo is a perfect example of that because I love to learn new things – especially languages. Learning French is a goal that I have been working on since high school and I am thrilled to still be going strong with it. Although I wish I could practice my other languages more, I don’t have all of the time in the world in the morning and when I get home from work, I just want to sit lol.

Despite not practicing the other languages I am just okay at, I have noticed a better understanding when I hear them spoken. For example, Johnny has been sick with a nasty virus for the past handful of days. When I am sick, I turn to my comfort shows of anime and reality TV. Johnny, on the other hand, is a history buff and has been watching tons of WWII movies and documentaries. Whenever I am around and French or German is being spoken, he always calls me in to translate and I have a very high success rate! It is rare that I have the opportunity to put my language knowledge to the test and I was reveling in it. It made me feel so good that there were a few things in the programs Johnny was watching that he needed my assistance for. That seriously never happens!

I am so proud of my 1250 Day Duolingo Streak and can still barely believe my own eyes about it. It seems like just yesterday I downloaded the app and it has, without a doubt, been a fantastic tool to use. I can’t wait to get to a 1500 day streak – my next big milestone!

Do you use Duolingo? What language(s) are you learning? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar26

Spring Flowers

Posted on March 26, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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Howdy!! One of my favorite times of the year is right now. Winter is almost over, the promise of spring is so close, and it feels like anything is possible. The thing I look forward to the most is seeing spring flowers begin to pop up because it just makes me happy. After the grey, snowy days of winter, there is nothing better than seeing beautiful blooms and spring flowers are some of my favorites too. Daffodils, crocuses, and hyacinths brighten my day and I always try to take a moment to appreciate them. This past week, I was thrilled to see yellow daffodils in my parents’ yard – even though it was snowing!

Last week was a bit of a doozy for yours truly. I, unfortunately, had to stop going to therapy because mine and Johnny’s insurance is garbage. As you can imagine, this was really disappointing for me. It felt like I had literally just found a therapist I was comfortable with and then it got taken away. However, there wasn’t anything I could do after paying over seven hundred dollars in under one month. And, on top of that, my beloved Little Red Love Machine started making some crazayyyy noises so it was an expensive repair on top of the medical expenses. Talk about stressful!

As I left my mom and dad’s house feeling not my best, I noticed the daffodils in the yard and couldn’t believe I didn’t see them on my way in. I guess I had my blinders on! Instead of getting in my car and going straight home, I took some time standing as the snow fell to take it in. Even though the flowers were getting snowed on, they were still adding gorgeous color to the world. It was a nice metaphor for what I was going through in that immediate moment. Despite feeling sad, I can still do my best to continue to shine and that made the situation a bit more bearable. ❤

Spring Flowers are short lived and I am glad that I took those extra moments to let that fleeting beauty sink in. I needed some daffodils that day and I left chez parents feeling better than I did before.

What is your favorite flower? What is your favorite time of the year? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

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