Author Archives: lifewithlilred

Unknown's avatar

About lifewithlilred

Just your average gal blogging an average blog!
Mar19

New Orleans Souvenirs

Posted on by
Standard
New Orleans Souvenirs

Hello! This past weekend was a great big adventure because my sister, Kristen, and I went to New Orleans! When we got invited to our cousin’s destination wedding there, I was so surprised when Kristen asked if I wanted to go together. I couldn’t let that quality sister time pass me by and we flew into New Orleans on the morning of Friday the thirteenth. This might be considered an unlucky date but it was the luckiest in the world because we had the best time. I can’t wait to tell you all about it! The food, the scenery, the unfortunate cancellation of our flight home. And, of course, ALL of the OOTDs. But, first, let’s talk souvenirs because we shopped till we dropped in the French District:

The French District was a blur of shops, restaurants, music, and lots and lots of bars. We got to explore it a little bit prior to a pre-wedding party on Friday and then got to peruse it fully on Saturday before our cousin’s beautiful wedding. After a delicious meal at The Market Cafe, we got our shop on to purchase goodies for ourselves and family. The only thing I really wanted for myself was a mask and I fell in love with the one I found at a quirky souvenir shop. The mask itself is gorgeous and ornate but what sold me was the amazing plume of feathers. I also couldn’t believe the price at just thirteen dollars! It was a total steal and I cannot wait to display it in the apartment. It is even giving me ideas for future Halloween costumes. 😀 I am so delighted with this purchase and out of every mask we saw, this one just screamed Lil Red the most!

At another souvenir shop, I stumbled upon the fun little New Orleans Voodoo coffin and I knew Johnny would love it for our knick knack shelf. It is the perfect memento for our spooky selves and I also had to get a few more treats for him too. My Johnny was gifted with a great shirt that features a skeleton playing guitar beside the skeleton of a dog and it says “New Orleans Howlin’ Blues”. Just right for the man who brings music everywhere he goes! I also got him a stick of alligator jerky against my better judgement because gross. However, I knew it would be appreciated so up to the cash register it went smh.

The French District also featured a couple of regular shops that seemed horribly out of place. This included a random CVS, an H&M, Urban Outfitters, and Earthbound. We had never been in an Earthbound before as the closest one to us is about an hour away. It was a really cool store and I walked away with a fabulous wrap around snake bracelet. As you all know, I am an avid fan of snakeskin patterned clothing and snake themed jewelry. It is just so edgy and sexy too! The wrap bracelet I got is dynamite and we were at the store at just the right time. The employee told us it got restocked the day before and sells out very quickly. I can’t wait to rock mine in a new OOTD soon so you can see it in all of is glory!

Stick around on lifewithlilred for all of the New Orleans content. This was the trip of a lifetime and I am so happy that I got to share it with my sister. ❤

What is your favorite part of New Orleans? Do you have a vacation coming up? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar18

Lil Red’s Book Club: Her Last Breath By Taylor Adams Edition

Posted on by
Standard
Lil Red’s Book Club: Her Last Breath By Taylor Adams Edition

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new edition of Lil Red’s Book Club! In a spoiler free setting, as always, we are going to be discussing an excellent thriller by Taylor Adams called Her Last Breath. I pride myself on being an amateur detective and often figure out the grand reveal in the books that I read. Not with this one! The surprise twist left me absolutely shook and kept me turning the pages at a rapid pace. This is easily one of the best thrillers I have read in months! Before we begin, I will be placing a trigger warning on Her Last Breath for highly disturbing content in police cases, child abuse, and graphic violence. You ready? Let’s get to it:

Tess and Allie have been best friends since childhood and it all started with a punch to the face. In grade school, a boy was bullying Tess and Allie responded with a slug that resulted in a split lip. They were inseparable ever since. While Tess is meek and shy, Allie is a take no nonsense kind of girl. She says what’s on her mind and has an adventurous spirit. So much so that she created an empire on thrifty solo travel. Her favorite activity, though? Going caving. That’s right, exploring the depths of the earth where catastrophe can happen at any step.

Allie has finally convinced Tess to join her for a caving expedition and it is all systems go. Both women might not be as close as they were in their childhood and they consider this trip a way to make up for lost time. After a hike through the woods to get to their location, they enter the cave and are greeted by a stranger a few paces in. He claims to be from Green Ridge to evaluate bats in the cave for an infection called white nose syndrome. Then, he asks Tess and Allie if he could join them on their adventure as an unofficial guide. He is making both of them uncomfortable and Allie promptly tells him to f off and they go on their way.

There are three people in the cave and only one will make it out alive. The stranger is, of course, not with Green Ridge at all and he is on the hunt. In the depths of the cave, they meet again and all hell breaks loose. There is no way out except to return the way that they came. But that’s not necessarily true. There is another way out that has yet to be explored. A chasm called Worse Than Death with impossibly small crawl spaces that just might allow you to see daylight again. If you can fit. In the dark of the cave, everything is not what it seems and the hunted might become the hunters yet. Who will make it out on the other side? Read Her Last Breath to find out.

I have been reading a fair amount of Freida McFadden books as of late and Her Last Breath by Taylor Adams was a delicious change of pace. The plot was fascinating, the twists were insane, and it was very well written. The best part of this book though has got to be the setting. I am so used to reading books that take place on earth – not under it! The majority of Her Last Breath took place in the cave and I could literally feel the claustrophobia as I read. Caves are dangerous and one wrong step can result in injury or for the ground to shift. As Tess and Allie made their way deeper and deeper, I couldn’t help but to hold my breath. Between the darkness, tight squeezes, and a dangerous man on their tail I just knew something bad was going to happen. It was only a matter of when.

I really can’t say too much about Her Last Breath because I want you to be just as surprised as I was if you read it. Just know that you are in for a treat! Although I love being able to solve the riddles in books, I love it even more when I can’t. Taylor Adams crafted the ultimate thriller and it sounds silly but it really did thrill me. At the end of the day, books that fall under the thriller/suspense category are a dime a dozen and eventually they all start to be the same. Her Last Breath was unlike anything I have ever read before and I can’t wait to read more by Taylor Adams. I have a very good feeling about her other books!

Overall, I am going to award Her Last Breath with the coveted ten out of ten stars. This book was ingenious from start to finish and I cannot stop thinking about it!

Have you read any of Taylor Adams’ books? What did you think of them? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar17

Puzzle Place Pt. 3

Posted on by
Standard
Puzzle Place Pt. 3

Hello! I got my parents hip to 5 Below as it’s the perfect spot to pick up little treats for the grandkiddos. About a month ago they took a trip there and my dad returned with two puzzles. One of Van Gogh’s Starry Night and Sunflowers. Although they were very challenging, it was such fun to complete them with my dad! I had a vague recollection of 5 Below carrying a puzzle of one of my personal favorite paintings, The Great Wave off Kanagawa by Katsushika Hokusai, and was so happy when they still had it available. We just finished it this week and it looks fantastic! Check it out:

Between the three puzzles we have just completed, I would rank them in difficulty with Starry Night being the easiest, The Great Wave coming in second, and Sunflowers being the hardest. Sunflowers was a massive pain in the nads because the color palette was so limited. While The Great Wave does feature a minimal palette, it still provided a lot that we could work with like the squiggly lines, speckles, boats, and the gold tips on the waves. We tackled this puzzle in sections with my dad starting on the boats. Then, I tapped in to work from the top down on the tan areas. All that was left was the wave smack dab in the middle which is where we ran into trouble because all of the remaining pieces looked like they could fit anywhere. It took a lot of twisting and turning of the pieces to find their happy home and it felt amazing to put that final piece in!

There truly is nothing like that last piece of the puzzle feeling and it was exciting because the next step is easily the best. My dad glues it, frames it, and hangs up the end result as wall art. Of course, I wanted this puzzle painting simply because I love it but I thought it would look so nice next to Starry Night! As anyone in my family can testify, my dad is a total and complete hoverer when puzzles are involved and I sometimes had to shoo him away lol! However, it has been a blast to have these puzzle projects to tackle as a team. With three under our belt since the end of January, I’d say we make a pretty damn good one. ❤

I’m not sure what puzzle is next on our agenda, maybe some Monet? Whatever we go with, I am already looking forward to it!

What is your favorite hobby? What is the maximum size of puzzles that you can do (Anything over five hundred is a hard no from me!)? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar16

Navy, Baby OOTD Bloopers

Posted on by
Standard
Navy, Baby OOTD Bloopers

Hello everyone and welcome to the Blooper Reel from my Navy, Baby OOTD! I am dead tired as I type this and am fantasizing about a crispy Diet Coke from McDonald’s. However, the blog must go on and I am nothing if not dedicated. Hello, six and a half year blogging streak! Perhaps I need a laugh to perk me up and maybe all of you do too. So, let’s take a look at these yikes shots and discuss why this chronically sleepy gal is extra sleepy today!

LOL Johnny brought up something that apparently made me want to throw up

This was the picture that was taken immediately after which isn’t bad for just hurling

Here’s looking at you, kid

Just out here doing my best!

The face of a gal who loooooves spring!

Looking at you from across the room like

Has Daylight Savings time thrown you for a loop? It most certainly has for me and your girl is dying! Johnny and I have a pretty unique schedule. We are both up for work around three AM and go to bed at six thirty or so. In normal circumstances, this is a-okay. In Daylight Savings time world, however, it is a massive problem. I am one of those people who simply cannot fall asleep unless it’s dark out and it throws a wrench in the plan when it is still light until eight PM. Eventually my body adjusts to this new rhythm but it is hellacious until it does.

When my alarm clock went off this morning, all I wanted to do was hit the snooze and keep snoozing until I got back to baseline. What motivated me to get up? The bunnies, of course! I know I would hate if I was hungry and my breakfast was late and, although my schedule has been unwillingly adjusted, there’s doesn’t deserve to be. While my mind screamed more sleep, my heart screamed “but the bunnies” louder and so here I am… Typing this post while half asleep! Zzzzzzzzzz

Can we all just make a pact to do away with Daylight Savings time because WOOF. Mama needs her beauty sleep!!

Has Daylight Savings time effected you? When do you normally go to bed? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar15

Navy, Baby OOTD

Posted on by
Standard
Navy, Baby OOTD

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new OOTD here on lifewithlilred! I don’t want to jinx it, but I feel like spring is officially here and it has been glorious! Frigid days and snow turned into balmy rainy days and I have been loving it. It is just SO nice to leave the house without it hurting my face and, although I enjoy dressing for winter, I was definitely over bundling up! This past weekend had sixty degree temps and I couldn’t wait to shoot some outfits without having to tap out from the cold. I knew exactly what I wanted to wear thanks to my last TJMaxx trip with my mom! Check it out:

Who? What? Wear?

Collared Top: Truth By Republic, TJMaxx

Skater Skirt: This was a hand me down but it’s from Rue 21

Snakeskin Pattern Boots: Vince Camuto, TJMaxx

The turquoise cross earrings were a gift from my mom and are Lucky Brand!

I tried on several different blouses at TJMaxx that were gorgeous for spring. However, none of them spoke to me as pretty as they were. What screamed at me was the fabulous collared top by Truth By Republic. I just think it is the coolest and is the epitome of a basic staple with a twist. The denim detailing is incredibly stiff and it’s such an interesting juxtaposition to the soft as can be remainder of the top. I love the colorblocked blue and this top is a perfect example of unique and simple details that go a long way.

Oftentimes when I am trying clothes on at TJs, visions of OOTDs come swirling into my head that feature the pieces that are coming home with me. That was very much the case for this top and my outfit turned out exactly how I imagined it. I love it when that happens! In the fitting room, I pieced together the top with my navy skater skirt to turn it into a pseudo dress. The colors in the skirt and top might not have been an exact match but it was close enough and that’s good enough for me. This skirt provided some flouncy movement as the top was quite form fitting and helped to create a sweet for spring silhouette.

Finally, it was onto shoes and accessories. As navy is a neutral, I could have fun with my shoe choice and went for a pair of snakeskin patterned heeled boots by Vince Camuto. I am very partial to a grayscale snakeskin print but those rich brown tones were too good to pass up and looked great against the navy base. For accessories, I simply popped on a pair of dangly turquoise crosses as there wasn’t much open real estate for necklaces or bracelets. That was no matter, though, because I wanted to let that crisp denim detailing do all of the talking!

This Navy, Baby OOTD can easily be replicated and is so fab for a spring day. Stay tuned for the Blooper Reel tomorrow!

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

Mar14

My Special Flower

Posted on by
Standard
My Special Flower

Hi! Our beloved downstairs neighbor, Tony, passed away last month and we miss him terribly. I always would tell Tony that Timber Top wasn’t the same without him and that sentiment is SO true. My days are not the same without our morning and afternoon chats when he would be outside smoking. I would give anything to smell those cigarettes again! I still say hi to him every time I pass his place, though, because I just know that he is there. I wish so badly that it was in a physical sense but his memory lives on every single day.

The day after his celebration of life, Tony’s daughter dropped by a beautiful orchid that served as centerpieces at the gathering. As touched as I was by this gesture, I have to admit that it made me nervous. When Johnny and I moved into our bigger apartment, we received several plants as housewarming gifts and I promptly killed them all lol. Clearly, I have no green thumbs! I wanted my orchid to thrive and I knew that there was only one thing left to do… Call my dad. 🙂

My dad is an excellent gardener and is incredibly knowledgeable on the care of flowers and plants. I called him to tell him about the orchid and requested that he adopt it. He agreed and I was so thankful as I knew my orchid would be in the best, most capable hands. It most certainly was because the day I dropped it off, my mom texted me that he went to the store to get special plant food for it. My dad has been tending to the orchid for the past month and I am so lucky that I get to see it almost every day. It is doing wonderfully:

Indeed, life is not the same without Tony because he changed our lives so much. We were lucky enough to have a neighbor who turned into our best friend. Someone who we could always count on for a chat, an afternoon movie, or a Friday Night Dinner Club meeting. We really did have so much fun together and I miss going to his place to make plans and mark it in both of our calendars with a heart. When I see my flower or say hi to him when I get home from work, it’s like he’s still here with me. He’s here with a smile, a kind word, and the lingering scent of cigarette smoke like always. ❤

Huge ups to my dad for caring for my orchid and giving it the best chance of survival lol because it definitely wouldn’t have had it with me!

What is your favorite flower? Are you good at taking care of plants? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar13

Cute In K-Pop OOTD Bloopers

Posted on by
Standard
Cute In K-Pop OOTD Bloopers

Hello everyone and welcome to the Blooper Reel from my Cute In K-Pop OOTD! As you all know, not every picture taken is going to be a winner and rather than instantly hit delete, I like to celebrate them. For every good picture I take, there are several bad ones to go along with it and I never miss an opportunity to poke some good old fashioned fun at myself. They may be yikes shots, but they are my yikes shots so let’s check them out and have a laugh:

Why isn’t everyone posing like this when they get engaged?

Ha ha ha ha ha…. NO!

Scratching at my imaginary beard

Holding my imaginary ball

The literal face of oopsie daisy!!

Lol say cheeeeeeese!!!!

While bloopers are a sure fire way to make me laugh, the most common way that Johnny and I get our yucks is through workplace comedies. We just love them! Like many people, shows like The Office, Parks & Rec, and Superstore are consistent background noise at chez nous when we are just hanging out or going to bed. However, we have seen each of those shows a thousand times apiece and needed something different. Thankfully, I feel like we are in a workplace comedy renaissance because we have added so many to our roster and have really been enjoying them.

For the past several months, Johnny and I have been watching Stumble, St. Denis Medical, Abbott Elementary, Animal Control, Strays, and Shelved. I actually don’t normally care to watch a lot of different shows at once because it’s so much to keep up with. But all of these are so funny that I’ll give it a pass! With a majority of these programs currently airing on TV, it gives us a daily show to look forward to and it has been so nice – especially since The Traitors and my beloved Olympics are all done. These shows have been the perfect way to settle in after work and no matter what the day has been like, we are always ending it in stitches!

If you haven’t given any of the above workplace comedies a try, we can’t recommend them enough. They are a hoot!

What is your favorite workplace comedy? Do you have a favorite game show (We are loving The Greatest Average American!)? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar12

Cute In K-Pop OOTD

Posted on by
Standard
Cute In K-Pop OOTD

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new OOTD here on lifewithlilred! Johnny and I had such a nice weekend and part of it came from celebrating our birthday girl niece. I got to spend a wonderful morning all together with my girl squad and I knew exactly what I wanted to wear – my K-Pop Demon Hunters cropped tee! The girls are avid fans of that movie and, damnit, so am I. It is SO good. The music is SO catchy. And I am never going to turn down a dance party to the soundtrack! Take a look at this fun little fit and let’s discuss:

Who? What? Wear?

Cropped Tee: 5 Below

Bejeweled Boyfriend Jeans: Banjara, TJMaxx

Lavender Platforms: Olivia Miller, Walmart

Earrings: SugarFix By BaubleBar, Target

With my K-Pop Demon Hunters cropped tee already in mind, this outfit essentially built itself. And, let me tell you, it was SO nice to simply wear this outfit out sans jacket because we had a glorious sixty plus degree day. Spring, is that you?! Can we talk about how fab this tee is, though? The picture of the Huntrix chicks is just adorable and it fits like a glove. It’s snug without being overly tight which is exactly what I like when it comes to my clothing. The material is soft as can be and I have a feeling I’ll be living in it this spring and summer!

In the pants department, I went with a cool pair of bejeweled boyfriend jeans by Banjara. Try saying that five times fast! I just can’t get enough of the distressing with the big fat rhinestones and these are one of my favorite pairs even if they aren’t skinny jeans. The relaxed fit of these jeans with the form fitting crop was a match made in heaven and while this look was super casual it still provided an interesting silhouette. A baggier piece paired with something tighter always makes for a good look. 😀

Finally, it was onto shoes and accessories which was an incredibly easy decision. For shoes, I chose a lavender pair of platforms by Olivia Miller. I got these shoes for a whole five bucks and talk about a steal! They are so sweet for the warm weather and comfy enough to walk for miles in (Maybe one or two lol). Although it wasn’t a true match to the colors in the cropped tee it was close enough and that’s good enough for me! In my jewelry box I selected a pair of glittery circular earrings that also fell in the pastel purple and pink category. It really tied the look together from head to toe and with that, I was ready to go!

I am so loving this Cute In K-Pop OOTD – stay tuned for the Blooper Reel tomorrow! 🙂

What is your favorite song from K-Pop Demon Hunters? Have you been treated to spring weather yet? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar11

Reanimal Review

Posted on by
Standard
Reanimal Review

Hello! Johnny and I absolutely love playing puzzle solving video games together like Unraveled and Little Nightmares. We were incredibly excited for Little Nightmares III and were thoroughly disappointed by it. Blessedly, shortly after, a new game called Reanimal came on the market and Johnny got it for me for Valentine’s Day. Reanimal was made by the same people who created Little Nightmares I and II and it begs the question of why the heck it wasn’t just Little Nightmares III to begin with. Reanimal completely blew it out of the water!! Let’s discuss:

Reanimal is everything that Johnny and I like. It is a fast paced horror driven puzzle solver revolving around a little boy and girl. Very similar to Little Nightmares! In fact, we lovingly just call our characters “Little Boy” and “Little Girl” which reminds me of Bird Box. In Reanimal, Little Boy and Girl must traverse through a war ravaged world to rescue their friends and defeat an overgrown sheep who is destroying everything in sight that remains. Whether they are hoofing it, traveling by boat, or vehicle there is imminent danger with every second that passes by. Little Boy and Girl are armed with nothing but lanterns, a knife, and a wrench to protect themselves. Combined with their smarts, they might be able to save the world yet!

From start to finish, Reanimal was a wild ride and was jam packed with gorgeous imagery. Like Little Nightmares, it was quite short and Johnny and I beat it in three or so sittings and we plan on playing it again ASAP. It is that good. This world that has been created is terrifying but simply amazing to behold and every moment felt noteworthy. I was especially partial to the first “boss” which definitely felt like a tip of the cap to the first two Little Nightmares. Upon its completion, however, is when things really started to pick up.

About midway through the game, a WWI arc began and that blew our freaking minds. We had to run through trenches, cross No Man’s Land, and inch our way further with puzzles without being shot. These scenes were such a white knuckle moment and any misstep resulted in fatality. While Reanimal was wicked fun to play, part of the delight came with communicating with Johnny. There were countless times when we had to put our heads together, workshop possible solutions, try them out, and alter our course to what we found. It was so interactive and was a game that you simply did not just play but worked through with your teammate. If Little Nightmares III didn’t do it for you, either, then you are going to love Reanimal just as much as we did. Highly recommend!

To me and Johnny both, Reanimal was a ten out of ten star experience. Buckle in and hang on tight because Reanimal is one of the craziest, best games we have ever played!

What was your favorite Little Nightmares game? Do you have a favorite puzzle solving game? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar10

Understanding Hair Loss & What To Do About It

Posted on by
Standard
Understanding Hair Loss & What To Do About It

Hair loss is a really common issue faced by men, and one that can cause them a lot of stress and negative feelings about their appearance. But you know what? People really do not have to live with thinning or balding hair these days. Advances in modern medicine and hair restoration technology have made it easier than ever to address hair loss and regain confidence. Understanding the causes of hair loss and the solutions available today can help to make informed decisions about their options:

Understanding why hair loss happens:

The most common cause of hair loss in men is something called androgenetic alopecia, but you might know it better as male-pattern baldness. It is caused mainly by genetics and hormones, which means it can be difficult to treat in a lot of men. Over time, hair follicles gradually shrink, producing thinner and shorter strands until growth eventually stops. Other factors that can play a role in male hair loss are stress, nutritional deficiencies, certain medical conditions as well as lifestyle habits. These are all things that can speed up the process of hair loss, but the underlying genetic pattern is still often the primary cause here. Recognizing the cause of hair loss is important because it helps determine the most effective treatment approach.

Early solutions that may help:

Men who notice that their hair is starting to thin early may have access to a number of non-surgical options that could help to slow down hair thinning or even stabilize the process. Medications designed to reduce hair loss or stimulate new growth are commonly used as a first line of treatment. Sometimes, lifestyle changes can also help. Things like eating a healthy, balanced diet, avoiding stress, avoiding harsh hair treatments, and taking a multivitamin can all be useful in the early stages. However, these solutions often work best when hair loss is caught early. Once hair follicles stop producing hair entirely, other treatments may be required to restore growth.

Modern hair transplant technology:

Hair transplant procedures have advanced significantly over the past two decades. Modern techniques are designed to produce natural-looking results while minimizing discomfort and recovery time. Today’s procedures involve relocating healthy hair follicles from areas where hair is still growing, typically the back or sides of the scalp, to areas affected by thinning or baldness. Because these transplanted follicles are genetically resistant to hair loss, they can continue growing naturally in their new location. Clinics with experienced professionals, such as Silicon Valley Hair Institute hair transplant specialists, focus on advanced techniques that create natural hairlines and carefully distribute transplanted follicles for realistic density. These modern procedures have helped many men restore their hair in ways that were not possible in the past.

Confidence and self-image:

Hair loss can have a significant impact on self-confidence because, for many men, hair is closely tied to how they feel about their personal identity and appearance. Naturally, experiencing thinning or balding can affect how someone feels about themselves in professional and social settings. To tackle the loss, doing some work on self-confidence and self-worth can be just as important as treatments and style choices.

Losing your hair? You have more options now than ever before!

Featured Image By: Pexels