Category Archives: Holidays

Jan15

Pandemic Worthy New Year’s Resolutions

Posted on January 15, 2021 by lifewithlilred

Hello! I, personally, never make New Year’s Resolutions. But, that doesn’t mean that I can’t help you come up with yours! I’m sure it feels difficult to set goals when leaving the house isn’t the best option so how about some ideas that you can accomplish from the comfort of home? Like the following:

Doing workout videos:

If losing weight is one of your goals, then there are a plethora of work out videos online that you can do from your living room. From yoga and Zumba to simple stretches, there is sure to be something that works for you. Maybe some of the trainers at your local gym even have classes recorded! Start with one or two classes a week and continue adding on from there once you feel ready. Hey, just one half hour class is an awesome achievement if it’s something you’re not used to. And Netflix isn’t going anywhere, I promise. 🙂

Caring for indoor plants:

If you want to improve on your green thumb, try caring for some indoor plants until it gets warm enough to garden outdoors. Not only will they beautify your space but they will help clean the air as well as give you something productive to do. Check out Pinterest and create a photo worthy succulent garden. Or grow some herbs indoors to use while you test out new recipes. It feels good to take care of a plant and help it grow and it will be exciting to track its progress every day.

Scheduled video chats:

The COVID-19 pandemic has meant that family and friends do not get to see each other as often as before. If this is something that you have been down about, then pencil in scheduled video chats with those you miss. It is the next best thing to hanging out in real life and it feels nice to have something to look forward to marked in your calendar. I live for my FaceTime dates with my besties and this reminds me that I have to schedule some calls, myself!

Fostering/adopting a pet:

If you have always wanted a furry, scaley, or feathery friend to keep you company, then there is no better time than the present – especially if you are working from home. Do your research and visit a local animal shelter or rescue organization for your new best friend. If you are not ready for the full time commitment of a new pet, then fostering is also a great and much appreciated option.

If you love animals but cannot commit to having a pet, you can also help local shelters by providing old blankets or towels, food, and toys. Organize a community drive and help make a difference.

Work on a new/old hobby:

As always, the New Year is the best time to learn a new hobby or get reacquainted with an old one. Set aside a half hour every day or few days to work on a hobby that is fun for you. It’s impossible to be good at something overnight but the improvements that you will make with steady practice will help motivate you to keep working at it. Learn a new language, paint that picture from a tutorial, or try your hand at Photoshop. Practice makes perfect and by 2022 you will be amazed at how far you’ve come!

Get inspired with the tips above and carve out some time at home to begin working on your goals!

What are your resolutions for 2021? Have you been sticking to them so far? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec30

Christmas Present Pride

Posted on December 30, 2020 by lifewithlilred

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Hello!!! This year sucked and I really wanted to spoil my Christmas giftees rotten because we have all diligently worked through these hardships together and I feel it was much deserved. I have so much fun picking out the perfect presents for the people on my list and was eager to get my Christmas shopping started all the way back in August! I love all of the gifts that I selected for everyone under the tree but I am particularly fond of a piece of decor I got for Johnny. I better be, because he hung it up as soon as he took it out of the box! Lol, check it out:

My Johnny loves the Rolling Stones so much and we were actually going to see them this past June in Cleveland but the concert got cancelled due to COVID. I certainly hope that we can see the Rolling Stones in concert eventually, more for him than for me but it sure would be fun! For Christmas, I got Johnny a few shirts from his favorite online retailer, PHIX. But, when I saw this homemade neon sign on Amazon worthy of being in the coolest bar ever, I just couldn’t say no because I knew he would freaking love it.

I have been looking forward to giving Johnny his Christmas gifts since I purchased them and after we were done with our gift exchange, he could finally see why. I was so tickled that he wanted to find the perfect spot for his new decor immediately. We settled for in our living room but I can’t wait to get a bigger place soon so we can hang it up in a game room.

Hearing Johnny say how much he loved his gifts was a present in itself for me and I can’t look at the neon sign without smiling. The creator of the sign has a ton of really neat designs and I might just have to pick out a girly one for me too! 🙂

Do you have a favorite gift that you gave this year? Where do you find the most unique home decor? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec29

Holiday Haul: Boyfriend Edition

Posted on December 29, 2020 by lifewithlilred

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Hello! I am so happy that I got to celebrate another Christmas with my boyfriend, Johnny. He means the absolute world to me and I love him so much. After months of asking him if I could tell him what I got him for Christmas, we finally made a deal to open our presents to each other on the afternoon of the 24th. So, you could imagine my surprise when he came home from work on the 22nd and said we should open our gifts now!

Not only is he getting me a new game for the Nintendo Switch as well as a year’s subscription to Duolingo Plus, he also treated me to the following:

As soon as I opened my guillotine earrings, I gasped because I have had my eye on them for forever. In fact, I have at least five screenshots saved to remind myself to purchase them whenever they show up on my Facebook newsfeed. The first thing that came out of my mouth was “how did you know?!” because I can’t remember ever telling Johnny how much I liked them. He told me when he saw it on his Facebook he knew that I would love them and that made this gift as well as the matching necklace even more special. He knows me like the back of his hand. ❤

I am so excited to pick out a new game to play on the Switch because I have already beaten the Paper Mario game that Johnny got me for our one year anniversary. I will have to do some browsing before I make my choice but I am definitely thinking more Mario! And, finally, the subscription to Duolingo Plus really takes the cake because for one full year I won’t have to worry about running out of hearts while I practice French, Italian, Spanish, German, and Czech. It will be so handy and SO freaking appreciated and I plan on starting a new language to learn since I’ll have the extra cushion of unlimited hearts. I am currently debating between Swedish, Latin, or Greek!

My Johnny knows how to spoil me and I feel like the luckiest girl ever. Duolingo Plus is exactly what I wanted and a new game and jewelry are exactly what I needed even though I didn’t know it yet! Is he the best boyfriend ever or what? ❤

How do you and your SO celebrate the holidays? What is your favorite game for the Switch? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec28

Holiday Haul: Gemini Twin Edition

Posted on December 28, 2020 by lifewithlilred

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Hellooo everyone! I hope all of you enjoyed happiness and safety throughout this holiday season and it has been a crazy one, hasn’t it? In fact, it has just been a crazy ass year in general, lol. A lot of people had to get used to video chatting in 2020 but my sweet best friend, Kate (Genius author of Live In The Nautical), and I have been hip to it for a good long while. As we both live in different states, all of our hang outs for the past several years (aside from one real life meeting) have taken place on video chat.

On a normal year, I would go crazy without Kate. But, in 2020, I know that I would have gone certifiably insane! I absolutely live for when we can spend an evening gabbing away and it is so refreshing to have that time with her, especially since I have been limited to my apartment and work since March. Kate and I met through the blogosphere and became fast friends through our passions of writing, figure skating, fashion, and Harry Potter! I simply could not imagine my life and enjoying our very close June birthdays without her.

Birthdays and Christmas with Kate as a friend is quite possibly the most exciting thing ever. I thought that I was a great gift giver but DAMN, lol Kate knocked it out of the park this year with the literal BEST gift that I have ever received. Check it out:

Kate is the queen of customized gifts and I feel spoiled rotten. I have never once opened a gift that was so perfectly tailored to yours truly. The beautiful ice skate adorned card was a delight in itself and I love that she treated me to my own mini bottle of vino because, more often than not, I always have a glass handy when we are video chatting. How can you have girl talk without it?!

Just when I thought that things couldn’t get any better, I unwrapped the painting and coffee mug with my likeness and clutched my pearls. The first thing I thought about when I saw the painting was when Kate and I ice skated together at Rockefeller Center. The second thing I thought was that I looked FIRE! Haha, both of these customized pieces capture a different part of my personality from glam skater girl to constantly needs to be caffeinated blogger. And each with the poise of a Disney Princess, no less.

I feel so incredibly thankful to have received the most amazing gifts from the most amazing friend. These presents made me feel known, understood, and so loved. Thank you, Kate. You are an angel! ❤

What is the best gift that you have ever received? How do you personalize presents? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec25

Merry Christmas!

Posted on December 25, 2020 by lifewithlilred

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Hello everyone and a Merry Christmas and very happy holiday season to all of you! I just wanted to stop by to send wishes of health and happiness to you and yours as well as good vibes for 2021 not being as sucky as 2020. If you are celebrating with your loved ones, please continue to be smart and safe. Although the holidays are an exciting time, the coronavirus still gives massive cause for both concern and caution.

I never thought that I would be warning people of a global pandemic in one year’s time when I was writing my Christmas post last year. But, we all have to keep rolling with the punches and looking forward to better times ahead. My heart goes out to those who will not be able to celebrate with their family and friends this year but Christmas is not just a holiday – it’s a feeling. You can keep the holiday cheer going all year round and gather with those you hold dear when it’s safer.

No matter what you do or how you celebrate, I wish all of you the happiest, safest, and merriest of days and I just know that better times are right around the corner! ❤

Happy Holidays!!!

How are you safely celebrating the holidays this year? What are you looking forward to in 2021? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec22

Holiday Haul: BFF Edition

Posted on December 22, 2020 by lifewithlilred

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Hello! For as long as I can remember, my best friend of over twelve years, Lea, and I have had a Christmas gift exchange. Wine is poured, presents are unwrapped, and we spend the whole evening gabbing away about anything and everything. It is one of my favorite holiday traditions and I was so excited to see her during our hang out because, with the pandemic, we are lucky if we see each other once a month. Hanging out was a gift in itself but I am so in love with the thoughtful presents from my bestie. Check it out:

For birthdays and Christmas, Lea and I always gift each other with a bottle of wine. We have a long standing joke of saying “I wonder what this could be” because there is no way to wrap up wine without it being totally obvious about what’s underneath the paper! Not only do I love a Pink Moscato but I absolutely adore the black and white striped safety seal on the bottle that Lea picked out. She told me right away that she knew that I would like that and, of course, she was right on the money!

Not only did I receive vino but I was also gifted with Bath & Body Works foaming hand soap – my favorite! Nothing beats the holiday scents from B&BW and presents from there are also a huge staple in mine and Lea’s gift giving arsenal because we both know that we will use their products happily. An adorable new glass to enjoy my wine with and some homemade hand soaps wrapped up my haul and I am so thankful for all of the sweet and incredibly useful gifts from my best friend.

Lea and I both revel in the gift giving process of the holidays and I love being able to share in the season with her. I felt so happy after seeing her because she is and always has been a breath of fresh air in my life. She brings me so much joy and I have absolutely NO idea what I would do without her. Here’s to a million more Christmas hang outs together! ❤

How do you and your BFF celebrate the holidays? Do you have any “staples” in your gift giving arsenal? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec21

Holiday Haul: Surprise Gift Edition

Posted on December 21, 2020 by lifewithlilred

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Hello!! For those of you who don’t know, my “big girl” job is as an Independent Provider for people with special needs. I am proud to say that I have worked throughout the entirety of this pandemic and I am even prouder of my county’s board of Developmental Disabilities for taking such good care of all of their employees. From care packages filled with PPE as well as wonderful donations of games and crafting supplies to help keep our clients entertained, we have not been without during the pandemic and it is SO, so, so appreciated.

As if all of the supplies and encouraging emails weren’t enough, my county’s DD board provided us providers with a special gift for the holidays. I was so surprised by this generosity and I am in love with my prezzies picked out just for us. Check it out:

For my surprise gift, I received a beautiful travel mug filled with caramel and chocolate covered popcorn. I also got the most comfortable pair of socks I have ever owned with “Making A Difference” on one foot and “It’s What I Do!” on the other. How awesome is that?! This gift absolutely touched me and not only did I feel appreciated for the work that I do but it put me in the best mood all day. I was so eager for Johnny to come home from work to show off my spoils and the discovery that my new socks are perfect for sliding around on our hard wood floors!

I love my job so much and would never expect anything in return and I think that’s why these presents mean so much to me. I can’t wait to fill up my travel mug with hot coffee in the morning because I already know it will put a smile on my face. How can the sweet messages printed on the front and back not?!

What makes you feel appreciated? How has your job changed throughout the pandemic? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec18

Christmas Decor Sight Seeing Fun

Posted on December 18, 2020 by lifewithlilred

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Hello!! Downtown Cuyahoga Falls is referred to as the Riverfront because it is directly along the Cuyahoga River. In the past several years, lots of upgrades have been made to bring small businesses back to this area and now it is booming with restaurants, specialty shops, and cute boutiques. This year, to help bring some holiday spirit into our neck of the woods, there will be free parking all along the Riverfront to help encourage people to shop locally. What’s more, local schools and organizations decorated each parking meter with a Christmas theme!

This past week, my brother and I went to check out the handiwork and creativity of our amazing community and it was a blast! I so enjoyed ogling at the masterpieces, discussing which ones we liked best, and seeing all of the masked up shoppers toting their parcels. These were some of my favorite decorated meters:

As you can see, we have many talented holiday enthusiasts in the 330 and each parking meter was awesome in its own way. I am particularly fond of the Cousin Eddie meter from National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, myself. However, I think the Mr. Grinch created by the owners of Harps & Thistles (A specialty shop for all of your knitting and crocheting needs) took the cake. I also love the tire snowman made by the Kiwanis Club Of Cuyahoga Falls. What a cute idea!

Despite this holiday season being so different than last year’s, I felt more in the Christmas spirit than ever after checking out the decor in downtown Cuyahoga Falls. Happy holidays to all!

How does your community celebrate the holidays? Do you have an area like downtown CFalls in your neck of the woods? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec16

Holiday Haul: My Friend Edition

Posted on December 16, 2020 by lifewithlilred

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Hello! It is a very rare thing for me to take time off from work. Mainly because I love my job but also having no paid time off, lol. However, I have taken two weeks off so I can safely celebrate Christmas with my family. I have had such fun enjoying the holiday season with my clients. From online shopping for the perfect presents for each of them to decking out their homes with Christmas decor – it really doesn’t get much better than that!

On my last week of work before my holiday vacation, one of my dear friends who I have the joy of working with bestowed these beautiful gifts onto me. Check it out:

My pal and I love to color together and I am tickled that he selected a coloring book and colored pencils just for me. I am so excited to bring the Buggie Buddies book with me the next time I watch my niece because she loves stickers and creating masterpieces with crayons. The Malley’s Chocolates are delicious and tastes like a fancy Heath Bar, which is perfect because that’s one of my favorite candies. I also love the Christmas card that came with my gifts – it is absolutely adorable!

Nothing is more special to me than the gifts that my sweet friends have chosen. Honestly, the selection above is already my favorite gift and it isn’t even Christmas yet. I know how much thought and care went into picking these gifts out – from the carefully wrapped package to the contents inside that are filled with such happy memories. I know my friend is going to love the present I got for him and I cannot wait to call him on Christmas day when he opens it! ❤

What is one of your favorite gifts that you have received? Is there a gift that you’re really excited about giving this year? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec14

Getting In The Holiday Spirit: Christmas Tree Decorating Edition

Posted on December 14, 2020 by lifewithlilred

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Getting In The Holiday Spirit: Christmas Tree Decorating Edition

Hello! This past week, one of my clients and I continued on with our tradition of decorating the Christmas tree together. For the second year in a row, we were rockin’ around the Christmas tree, singing Christmas carols, and enjoying each other’s company. It hasn’t felt much like Christmas time considering the state of my state right now, as the coronavirus continues to run its course through Ohio. However, just like when my client and I decorated the Christmas tree last year, I felt much more like celebrating by the time we were done. 🙂

Check out our handiwork:

My friend absolutely loves Christmas and has been excited for the upcoming holiday for months now. His joy for the season is contagious and it was so much fun to decorate the tree with him. Especially because I haven’t decorated the tree in my family home in years because we keep it up year round, lol! While all of his favorite tunes played, we debated the best placement for the ornaments and wondered out loud what would be waiting for us under the tree this year. I can’t wait for him to open his gift from me on Christmas day! 🙂

Everything feels so scary and different right now and it was really nice to spend a peaceful afternoon around the glowing lights on the tree. If you have the Blue Christmas blues right now, as I did, I highly recommend doing a little decorating, yourself. Whether that be hanging ornaments on the tree or placing Christmas village figurines on your mantel, a little holiday cheer can go a long way. I can attest to that firsthand. ❤

How do you get into the holiday spirit? Do you have a favorite holiday decoration? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

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