Author Archives: lifewithlilred

About lifewithlilred

Just your average gal blogging an average blog!

Feb25

Trader Joe’s Berry Lip Mask Review

Posted on February 25, 2024 by lifewithlilred

Hello! My family absolutely loves Trader Joe’s. Unfortunately, the nearest one to us is about a forty or so minute trek, making it a highly inconvenient place to go to do grocery shopping. Every once in a while, however, my parents will make the trip to TJs (Trader Joe’s, not TJMaxx for once!) and did so a few weeks ago. As a Valentine’s Day treat, my mom surprised my sister and me with a Berry scented lip mask from their skin care department. I have been using it since I got it and I love it so very, berry much! Check it out:

I love the idea of a lip mask, but have never found one that works just right for me. I have tested quite a few and they were mainly ineffective. The best one that I have probably used was one by Laneige that I got as a freebie from Sephora. Then, I realized it wasn’t cruelty free (I HATE when that happens) and pretty much gave up on my hunt for a good lip mask. I opted for Pacifica lip balms, instead, and although they are amazing throughout the day, it just isn’t the same as a lip mask at night.

Because of my lack of luck for a decent lip mask, I was a bit ambivalent about the one from Trader Joe’s. Then, I opened it up and realized that even if it sucked, it still smelled fabulous lol. This mask smells exactly like Raspberry LipSmackers and works so much better! A little dollop of this product to cover my lips is all I need and I have woken up every morning since with a pretty pout. Not only do my lips feel insanely moisturized, but I think they look somewhat fuller too. It is truly the cruelty free compromise to Laneige lip masks and I am thrilled with this Sweet Surprise from my mom! ❤

If you are lucky enough to have a Trader Joe’s close to you, then I cannot recommend their lip mask enough. Who knew you could get such awesome skin care at a grocery store?!

What was your favorite LipSmacker scent? Have you found a lip mask that works for you? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb24

Terrific Trench Coat OOTD Bloopers

Posted on February 24, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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Hello darlings and welcome to the blooper reel from my Terrific Trench Coat OOTD! I had been looking forward to wearing my new Solitaire trench coat since I got it and finally got to break it out this past Saturday. Johnny and I enjoyed a very lazy three day weekend together and the only thing we did was get lunch with my sister and nieces. We went to our favorite Mexican restaurant, El Meson, and it was divine as always. There is nothing like having a go to restaurant that hits just right every time! Maybe it was a bad idea wearing a brand new coat for a lunch date with my two fave little ladies, but everything turned out A-okay! These pics, not so much? Check it out:

Here’s looking at you, kid

WTF is this face?! Yikes!

This one is only slightly better than the last smh!

Potentially the freaking WORST!

Looking like I just ate something incredibly sour

Serving straight SASS APPEAL look out!

Being around my nieces is such a blooper in and of itself. Raya is a year and a half old and Val will be turning five in March. They are at that age when literally everything they do and say is hilarious. The girls are nonstop energy and joy and I don’t think it’s humanly possible for them to sit still. In fact, with the cheerful music playing in the restaurant, Val just had to get up and dance and TT joined in for a twirl or two, or ten lol. Raya even did her best with a little side stepping action in that adorable way that only tiny walkers can. 😀

One of my fondest memories of Val is kind of a silly one. Two years ago when we took Kristen out for her birthday to Bomba (A new age Mexican eatery), our waitress approached the table. Before she had the chance to greet us, Val proudly proclaimed “Hi, I want cheese dip”. I was in stitches and also proud that she knew exactly what she wanted! Cheese dip is still a delicacy to Val Gal and we have to get some for her (And me to share!) whenever we go out to eat. This past time included. It’s nice to know that some things are never going to change no matter how old they get. ❤

A lunch date with all three of our best girls is just what Johnny and I needed. So glad I have my circle of people that I can depend on to always get Mexican food with me!

What is your favorite restaurant? Is your favorite food when you were little something that you still like now? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb23

Lil Red’s Book Club: No One Can Know By Kate Alice Marshall Edition

Posted on February 23, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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Lil Red’s Book Club: No One Can Know By Kate Alice Marshall Edition

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new edition of Lil Red’s Book Club! Today we are going to discuss a thriller by Kate Alice Marshall called No One Can Know in a spoiler free setting. It has been a minute since I had the chance to read one of my beloved “LifeTime Movie” books, as Johnny likes to call them lol. Hey, he’s not wrong – the books I tend to like do read exactly like a LifeTime flick! No One Can Know was a recommendation from my big sis as we tend to both read the same things. She gave this book rave reviews, but it wasn’t my fave. Before we begin our review, I will be placing a trigger warning on No One Can Know for murder, child abuse, animal cruelty, and disturbing content. Now, let’s get to it:

Emma Palmer and her husband, Nathan, are officially down on their luck. Nathan lost his job, meaning they can no longer afford the house they planned on purchasing. They have to vacate their current housing and to top it off, Emma is pregnant. With no family to turn to and no other options available, they end up in Emma’s childhood home which hasn’t been occupied in a long time. The only thing remaining there is the horrible memories that Emma endured throughout her life.

Emma and her two sisters, Juliette and Daphne, lived in a gorgeous mansion with their parents in their youth. They had everything and wanted for nothing. Well, except for normal, loving parents that is. Emma and her siblings were subjected to physical and verbal abuse from their mom and dad. Juliette, as the eldest, did what she could to appease her parents to avoid their beatings. Daphne, the baby, was her father’s favorite and didn’t get the worst of it. That was all left to the middle child, Emma, who refused to obey the rules. Rather, she laughed at them.

All of the girls had had enough of their parents. But, enough to kill them – who’s to say? One night, when the girls were “sleeping” in their tree house, Irene and Randolph Palmer were shot to death. Although she was never arrested, Emma was the prime candidate for the murders in the name of protecting her siblings. Unsurprisingly, Emma isn’t popular in her original neck of the woods and, although it is expected, it is a harsh reality to return to after all of these years with her husband.

As Nathan and Emma set up their new digs, they are treated to vandalism and a near obsession with the cop who tried to arrest Emma as a teenager. Instead of constantly running from her past, Emma decides to face it head on to try and find out what really happened the night of her parents’ murder. Her sisters have to know something but, then again, Emma wouldn’t know because they have been estranged for fourteen years. Until now. If Emma didn’t kill her parents and she believes her sisters didn’t either, then there is still a killer at large. Can Emma, Daphne, and Juliette solve the case? Or will Emma finally be behind bars for her parents’ murder? Read No One Can Know to find out!

Based on the synopsis, No One Can Know sounds exactly like a book that I would like. I thought it was well written and the ending was pretty good even though I figured it out almost immediately. My major qualm with this book was the characters because they were, truly, nothing to sneeze at. To me, a book just isn’t great if I can’t get behind the main character and that’s how I felt about Emma. During the entirety of reading this book, I wanted Emma to get that bite back that she had in her youth. Rather, she was vague, distant, and read as weak. There was nothing exciting about her and nothing particularly likeable about her either.

I think I would have liked this book more if any of the characters had any redeeming characteristics, but that wasn’t the case. Juliette came off as insanely arrogant and sneaky and Daphne was just all together off putting. And, don’t even get me started on Nathan because he actively sucked. Perhaps the only person likeable was Gabriel, Emma’s old high school crush, but he was so rarely in the book that it didn’t even matter. With this combination of one of the worst casts in a book I have read recently, it certainly dragged on and I was SO ready for it to be over.

I am going to rate No One Can Know with a three out of ten stars. I thought it to be lackluster, at best, and wouldn’t recommend it. Whomp, whomp.

What are you currently reading? What should I read next? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb22

Terrific Trench Coat OOTD

Posted on February 22, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new OOTD here on lifewithlilred!! Thanks to a recent TJMaxx Haul, I got several gorgeous new pieces to freshen up my spring wardrobe. It’s amazing how just a few things can completely breathe new life into what you already have and I have been most inspired by my new goodies. You already saw an adorable V-Day button down featured in a look, but what I was most looking forward to was rocking my new trench coat by Solitaire. Check it out:

Who? What? Wear?

Floral Trench Coat: Solitaire, TJMaxx

White Button Down: H&M

Skinny Jeans: American Eagle Outfitters

Army Green Heeled Boots: BCBG, TJMaxx

*** The bumblebee earrings are from Target!

When I style outfits, I am normally building around one specific piece and that was the case with this OOTD. I find it is so much easier to create a look to compliment a staple item because it narrows down your options significantly. For this outfit, I had my new trench coat in mind and all that was left to do was build the remainder of the look. To start, I put on a stark white button down by H&M. I wasn’t too concerned about what I had on underneath because it was freaking freezing out so the coat was staying on. However, I wanted the top to pop despite this and the crisp white against the muted florals worked perfectly.

For jeans, I kept things simple with a pair of plain black skinnies. The coat already offered texture from the faux suede material and a pattern (Obvi!) so anything more on the bottom would look muddled. This is a good rule to follow to keep from a cluttered appearance. Although, let’s say that the coat was just the dusty pink with no pattern at all and the same material. Then, a patterned pant would be just right!

Next, it was onto shoes and accessories. I went with a pair of army green heeled combat boots by BCBG for this look. It gave me some much needed height since the coat was pretty lengthy in itself. And, of course, the color was similar enough to the patterns in the coat to give top to bottom cohesion. Jewelry was all that was left and I decided on a pair of bumblebee stud earrings. I tried on a dangly pair, but they took away from my neck and that was a no no since not a lot of skin was showing in this look. The bumblebees also matched with the flower garden vibe of the trench coat, which I thought was a cute touch!

I had been so eager to wear my new little number by Solitaire and it felt fantastic in my Terrific Trench Coat OOTD. I have a feeling I will be living in it this spring! 😀

What is your favorite season to dress for? Which season do you have difficulty dressing for? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb21

Fried String Cheese Bites

Posted on February 21, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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Hello!!! I don’t know about all of you, but I am feeling so refreshed! I had a very restful three day weekend and sleeping in until nine in the morning every day was just what the doctor ordered. Normally on Sundays, Johnny and I tend to binge watch the day away to gather our strength for the week ahead. Don’t get me wrong, we still binge watched the day away lol, but I did manage to cook a little snack that I have been dying to try! The Fried String Cheese Bites I made thanks to Dancing Through The Rain’s recipe turned out as good as I was hoping they’d be:

I was scrolling through Facebook when I saw this recipe and I was instantly intrigued. What can I say, it had me at “fried cheese”! Of course, this snack was also very appealing because it looked so darn easy to make and I had all of the ingredients minus the string cheese readily available. In fact, it used all of the same things that I needed to make fried mozzarella sandwiches a few weeks ago. This is always a high selling point to me because I can try something new with the supplies I already have!

Prepping the fried cheese bites was really easy. I set up a station to coat them in with three bowls. One for flour, a wash of milk and egg, and Italian bread crumbs. All that was left to do was coat the cut up string cheese in the flour, the wash, the crumbs, and fry them up. This was a bit of a time consuming process because I made thirty bites in total and was SO ready to be done afterwards lol. On the bright side, the bites took minimal time to fry (Thirty seconds, tops.) and they were fabulous. The bites tasted just like mini mozzarella sticks and I definitely plan on making them again.

One thing I plan on doing differently next time I make Fried String Cheese Bites is adding some more cayenne pepper, as per the recipe’s recommendation. What I put in was not enough and I think these would be even better with a bit of kick to them!

What is your favorite thing to snack on? Have you tried any new recipes recently? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb20

New Matching T-Shirts!!

Posted on February 20, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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Hello!! When Johnny and I are watching our favorite shows or movies, we tend to make comments like “I want that shirt” that whatever character is wearing. For example, in the movie Step Brothers, Will Ferrell wears a Pablo Cruise baseball tee that we both loved. So, I got two of them for us so we could match! Although we frequently point out the shirts we like while we’re vegging out, we never really do anything about it… Until now. As a Valentine’s Day treat, I ordered two matching T-shirts for me and Johnny. These are truly an example of “if you know, you know” because they will be hilarious if you get it and will make you scratch your head if you don’t lol. Check it out:

Do you know what these shirts are from? If not, allow me to explain! Johnny and I are constantly quoting Flight of the Conchords and always enjoy watching their music videos from time to time. In their banger “Business Time” a “baggy T-shirt from the team building exercise you went to in 1999” is referenced and shown in the video. This is one of our favorite parts and I was tickled that the shirt existed when I looked it up. I mean, of course it did, but it was still a pleasant surprise! Our only regret is that we didn’t get them in a size too big to make it baggy lol.

The other shirt I got for us to match in simply states “Happy Birthday Jerusha”. This is from one of our all time favorite shows, Superstore. In one of the episodes, the store manager wants to take a picture for his wife, Jerusha’s, birthday with their huge brood of children. All of them are wearing a “Happy Birthday Jerusha” T-shirt, hence this purchase. We have seen every episode more times than I can count and, without fail, one of us brings up the fact that we need this shirt whenever this particular episode plays. It is exactly what I expected it to be and I am so glad that we finally have them!

If you got any of these slightly obscure references, kudos to you! If not, I can’t recommend watching these shows enough. Stay tuned because we will be rocking our new matching T’s together soon in a husband/wife photo shoot! 😀

What is your favorite Flight of the Conchords song? Who is your favorite character from Superstore? (I LOVE Dina!) I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb19

Bunny Galore Home Decor

Posted on February 19, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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Hello!! As you all know, Johnny and I are bunny parents to the sweetest mother and son duo named Melvin and Penelope. They are our little pride and joys and life simply wouldn’t be the same without them scampering about the apartment and being cute. This past week, we took a look at some gorgeous new clothes from my TJMaxx haul. This is all well and good and I love everything I got. However, there were some home decor pieces that I couldn’t pass up and they just might be my favorite things of all! Check it out:

^^^ LOL pardon my shedding husband in the last picture. SMH!!

Have you ever noticed how there is never a shortage of home decor for dog and cat owners in stores? No matter the time of the year, there will always and forever be “dog/cat mom” items to pick from. I have, honestly, never thought about this until this past shopping trip. When my mom and I made our way to the home decor department, I almost died and went to bunny heaven. There were bunny decorations everywhere and it took me a minute to realize this was in preparation of Easter lol. Now, I know that this is truly the bunny owner’s time to shine!

If I had all of the money in the world, I would have bought every single bunny item in the store. They were all just SO cute! The first thing that caught my eye was the topiary bunny on a pedestal and it immediately went into the cart. This was a great substitute because they had a huge topiary bunny that I wanted desperately, but lacked the space for. Next, my mom showed me the beautiful flower print bunny figurine and that also had to come home with me. They had this little statue in a variety of patterns, but the one my mom pointed out was the first one I saw and I liked it the most. I especially like that it makes me think about her when I see it. ❤

The last bunny items I purchased were some adorable decorative plates with images from Peter Rabbit on them. I have several Halloween themed plates from TJs that I just like to have so I was happy to add onto the collection. The pictures are so incredibly sweet and I actually have a few teacups with Peter Rabbit on them to match. Finally, Johnny and I are avid fans of wall art and after some deliberation, I added the butterfly illustration to my cart too. I have quite a few prints of scientific drawings of plants that I got from the Goodwill and this will look perfect hanging next to them. I love the frame and bold colors and, of course, I always think about my niece when I see butterflies – her favorite!

Now that I know when to find bunny themed home decor, you can catch me at the same place, same time next year. Thank you, TJMaxx, for making this bunny mom an extremely happy customer!

Do you change your home decor out every season? What is your favorite season to decorate for? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb18

New Solitaire Trench Coat

Posted on February 18, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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Hi!! To me, there is nothing better than refreshing my wardrobe with the change of seasons and TJMaxx delivered during my last shopping trip. Despite the crappy weather, spring was in the air at TJs and it was infectious! Today, we will be discussing the last item from my clothing haul and, in this case, I really did save the best for last. This trench coat by Solitaire made me clutch my pearls and it has skyrocketed to one of my new favorite things in my wardrobe boutique. Check it out:

The trench coat is, hands down, my all time favorite classic wardrobe staple. They are just so incredibly chic, universally flattering, and I love the versatility that a signature tan trench offers. I have had the same trench coat from PacSun since I was fifteen and it still looks as good as the day I bought it. Because of this, trench coats are never really on my radar as something I need. Why mess with perfection, amiright? Of course, I ate those words as soon as I saw this pretty little number by Solitaire. Hey, I have the classic trench already and now I have the 2.0 version too!

I consider myself to be a highly seasoned shopper, but never have I ever seen anything like my new coat before. The pattern is simply stunning with huge blooms and butterflies and the soft faux suede just makes you want to wrap yourself in it. I also can’t get enough of how the colors in the patterns pop against the dusty pink base. From top to bottom, this coat was everything I could possibly want and it’s amazing that I almost didn’t get it! Wait *record stops*… What?

Lol, yes. This coat almost didn’t come home with me! I tried it on in a medium and it was a bit too big. However, I couldn’t find a small on the racks to save my own life. That is, until my mom stepped in! At the beginning of our shopping trip, I explained my golden rule to my mom of always checking the sizes of each item in case it’s on the wrong size hanger. I broke this rule with the coat, but my mom remembered! She ended up finding a small on a size large hanger and it was nothing short of miraculous. I’m glad someone remembered my words of wisdom because I sure as hell didn’t haha.

Thanks to an astonishing assist from my mom, my dream trench coat was as good as mine. I cannot wait to show it off in a new OOTD soon. Peep the rest of my TJs haul tomorrow because my home decor got a refresh too in the best way possible! 😀

Do you have any golden rules when you shop? What is one of your spring wardrobe staples? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb17

New Modern Works Top

Posted on February 17, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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Howdy!! I had a surprise afternoon off two weeks ago and I got to spend it with my mom. We lunched at Panera and shopped at TJMaxx and it was absolutely fantastic! It’s finally time to take a look at my haul and it was a good one. TJs was fully restocked with spring fashion and, better yet, bunny decor galore! It was my lucky day and I walked away with a gorgeous new jacket, the cutest bunny themed decorations, and a top by Modern Works that we’ll check out now:

I think it’s extremely safe to say that I have an eclectic personal style and my wardrobe tends to reflect that. However, while I love bold fashion choices, I have a huge passion for classic pieces as well. We’re talking staples like trench coats, crisp button downs, and pants that fit like a glove. They’re clothes that will never go out of style and helps turn some of the louder pieces in my wardrobe into work appropriate when combined. The top above might not seem like a usual Lil Red choice but, with all of what we just discussed in mind, I was immediately drawn to it.

This top by Modern Works is a classic staple to the T. It is form fitting without being too tight, vertical stripes are always in, and the pearl white base makes for a perfect neutral. Not to mention that the top is soft and comfortable as can be. It felt fantastic on and I knew it was a winner because the outfit building portion of my brain began spinning into overdrive. I was picturing this little number tucked into black jean shorts during the summer and worn with a great pair of trousers for meetings at work. This is definitely a top that can be worn for work and play, which is always very appealing to me because I love versatile pieces!

I am so looking forward to featuring my new Modern Works top in an OOTD as well as sharing the rest of my haul with all of you. Stay tuned because I also have some matching shirts with Johnny that showed up in the mail that are hilarious if you know what they’re from! 😀

What is one of your favorite classic wardrobe staples? Are you updating your spring wardrobe soon? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb16

XOXO OOTD Bloopers

Posted on February 16, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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Hello everyone and welcome to the blooper reel from my XOXO OOTD! In case you couldn’t tell, this was a Valentine’s Day outfit and guess what I’m doing right now?? Enjoying my first cup of coffee from the Keurig that Johnny gifted me with! This is the first time I have had a Keurig cup of coffee since the Great Kitchen Flood of 2022 when a pipe burst in my apartment building. Water was literally pouring out of the kitchen walls and it ruined a majority of my countertop appliances. It was gross and highly inconvenient lol. ANYWHO, the coffee is great; These pics are not! Let’s check them out:

Easy, breezy, beautiful CoverGirl

Thank you, thank you! You’re far too kind!

TFYM when you’re drunk off Appletinis at Applebee’s

I LOOK GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I swear to stoned I’m not god

A very gingerly Ta Daaaaa

This past Saturday was a fantastic, wonderful day because Johnny and I got to hang out with our dear friend, Tim Misny. We made our way to Misnyland to create some content to show off the Valentine’s Day shirt that was released through MisnyMerch. On the front, it says “Tell me you love me” and on the back, it says “Or Tim Misny will make you pay”. Lol, classic! Not only is Tim’s merch cool AF, but it also does a lot of good too. All proceeds from each purchase goes towards supporting the Cleveland City Mission. This is a charity that is very close to Tim’s heart and I feel quite the same now. ❤ In fact, we sold over four hundred orders during the holiday season!

It is always such fun to do merch videos with Tim and it was even better this time around because Johnny was our videographer. We both thought he did a banner job for his first time doing anything remotely like that before. Videos are a whole different ball game than rapid fire OOTD shots! If you’d like to see the Part One and Part Two videos we made, visit me on social media! You can watch them on my Facebook page: Sarah Mushenheim. On my Instagram: @lifewithlilred94. OR on my blog’s Facebook page at: lifewithlilred . I hope you love them as much as Tim and I do. 🙂

I am pleased to say that none of these blooper faces made it into mine and Tim’s most recent content drop. They do, however, always have a very special home on lifewithlilred!

Who is your favorite internet personality? Do you prefer video or photo content? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

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