Category Archives: Holidays

Keeping Your Health Intact During The Festivities: Top Advice You Need

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Keeping Your Health Intact During The Festivities: Top Advice You Need

There are so many benefits to the Christmas holidays. For one thing, you can spend time with your loved ones. And also, you get to enjoy a load of parties during the holiday season. But although it’s a very good time of the year, there are many things during the Christmas holidays that can jeopardize your health. So here is some of the top advice you need to keep your health intact during the festivities.

Watch Your Food Intake: With so many meals out, you can easily pile on the pounds over the Christmas period. After all, most of the grub you will be eating will be full of calories. But if you do put on weight, you could end up becoming overweight. And then you might end up running into health issues such as high blood pressure and diabetes. So be careful with your food intake over the festivities.

Opt for a healthy dinner which will help you get enough nutrients to stay fit and well.  There are some great cranberry salads around at this time of the year! And it’s not just dinners you need to be careful with this Christmas. Just because the sweetie tin is in full view doesn’t mean you need to keep picking at them (easier said than done!). You can easily end up having more than your daily calorie allowance! And as well as being damaging to your physical health, you could also damage your oral health, too. No one wants to end up needing fillings after the Christmas holidays!

Keep Warm and Cozy: It’s also so important that you stay nice and warm during the holidays. Although you might want to wear a killer dress during Christmas parties, you might end up with the flu. Make sure you wear a coat, scarf, and gloves while you are outside to ensure that you stay toasty during the festivities. And keep the heating on to stay warm in the house. If you do feel ill during the holidays and want to contact a doctor, you could always use a Healthcare App. That way, you can get in touch and ask for advice from the comfort of your home! Nice!

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Keep Your Drinking Under Control: You will drink more than you do the rest of the year when it comes to the festivities around Christmas. I know some of you are bound to get merry during the office work parties! And not forgetting the actual day where you will drink from morning to the early hours! But if you are silly with your drinking, you could put your health in jeopardy. For one thing, you could cause permanent damage to your liver. You might be surprised how damaging a boozy session can be to your organ. Not only that but drinking a lot can cause you to pile on the pounds. Alongside all the Christmas food, you could soon be overweight! And as well as this, drinking could put your health at risk if you get behind the wheel. Make sure you have fun but don’t go crazy with your drinking during the festivities.

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 Cheers!

 And once Christmas is over, you can start to work on keeping your health intact for the new year. You can read our previous blog for help achieving the body of your dreams.

Featured Image By: Pexels

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

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Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Hello everyone and happy happy Thanksgiving to everyone!! I’ll keep this post short and sweet because I am sure all of you have some driving, cooking, and HELLA eating to do! I just wanted to wish everyone the happiest of Thanksgivings today and a most wonderful holiday season. All of my readers and blogging friends already know how thankful I am for each and every one of you but I will say it again: I’M THANKFUL FOR EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU. Thank you for always offering me your support, kind words, and friendship!

Have an amazing day and don’t get too down on yourself if you have to unbutton your pants button or add a few more notches to your belt! As always, I plan on going hard this Thanksgiving and hope everyone does the same! What is your favorite Thanksgiving food? What is your favorite holiday tradition? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

The Advanced Guide To Christmas – Let’s Get It Right This Year!

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For most people, Christmas is a magical and wonderful time, full of celebration, presents, and good will. Unless you are the one that has to organize and pay for it all! Then, it can be a bit of a nightmare. But with a little careful planning, you too can have a perfect Christmas with a minimum amount of stress. Just read on to find out how:

Parties: One of the great joys of Christmas is sharing a drink and holiday treats with your friends and neighbors – unless it is your house that they are coming to this time. In which case, it is very easy to reach panic stations pretty quickly. Avoid the hassle and stress of entertaining at Christmas, not by hiding behind the curtains with the lights out but by being as prepared as possible.

A week or two before the party, make a list of everything that needs doing. The last thing on your list should be the decorations that you need to finish putting up on the day. If possible, get in food that is ready prepared so you just have to warm it up. Or, if you are cooking for the party yourself, make things that can be baked well ahead of time and frozen or stored until they are needed.

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YUM!!!

Presents: One of the most essential parts of Christmas is the gift giving. But Christmas shopping is so time-consuming and expensive. To lighten the load why not buy a joint gift for the families or households that you know? Consider something like a Christmas hamper delivery as a gift for an entire family. Then you can add in items that you know that everyone will like. Or you could choose to do secret Santa? Then you only have to buy one gift so it can save you both time and money.

Food: What Christmas day is complete without the traditional Christmas lunch? If you are dreading waking up at 5.30 am to get the turkey stuffed and in the oven, then read on. It doesn’t have to be as difficult as all that! If you can get away with it, choose a turkey crown or a smaller bird like a duck or goose. These won’t take as long to cook, so you won’t have to get up at some ungodly hour to ensure that it is ready by 1 pm. You can also make your life a great deal easier by choosing ready prepared vegetables and trimmings. They taste delicious and who is to know that you didn’t wrap that pig in its blanket personally?

Entertainment: One of the most dire thing that can happen is that you put a lot of time and effort into making Christmas wonderful and then boredom kicks in. After the presents are open and the turkey has been eaten, everyone just sits around doing nothing and feeling blah as can be. Pop out for a walk, or dust off a board game or two to keep people interested and feeling festive well past lunch time.

How do you prepare for the holiday season? Who is done with their shopping already? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Fun And Unique Gift Ideas To Make Anyone Smile

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Whether you’re buying a gift for a birthday, Christmas, or just because, a fun and unique gift is always going to be a winner. Some gifts are so cliche these days that many people don’t put any thought into it or appreciate it when they receive a gift. These fun and unique gift ideas should give you some great inspiration!

Bacon Toothpaste: For the bacon lovers out there, how about some bacon flavored toothpaste? Not quite sure if this would mean bacon breath all day long but it would definitely be a tasty way to brush your teeth in the morning.

Samurai Kitchen Knives: For the wannabe ninja and chef, what could be a better kitchen accessory than some samurai style kitchen knives? They will add personality to any kitchen, as well as a useful utensil.

Custom Bobblehead: This is a fun gift that the receiver can place in their car, on their desk, or anywhere else they’d like. A custom bobblehead can be handmade to look just like them. The unique craftsmanship is something else!

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Zombie Survival Manual: There are many people out there who believe that the Zombie apocalypse will soon be upon us. Although unlikely, it never hurts to be prepared. For the paranoid person who wants to survive the Zombies, a manual is a great gift.

Bubble Wrap Costume: Do you know somebody who constantly gets into scuffs and scrapes? A bubble wrap costume could be just the gift! They might not use it to protect themselves the next time they go out but at least they’ll have fun popping it.

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 I LOVE bubble wrap!

Mug Cake Recipe Book: Mug cakes are quick and easy ways of making a yummy dessert in minutes. If you know a cake lover or somebody with a sweet tooth, this could be the perfect little book for them.

Instagram Photo Printouts: Instagram printouts are thoughtful gifts for friends or family members. You could frame them or leave them loose, as some come in a sort of Polaroid style. Or you could create a scrapbook or photo album dedicated to the giftee in the situation.

Grow Your Own Bonsai Tree: Growing a bonsai tree can be lots of fun, plus, it’s beautiful to look at. One of these trees could be the perfect gift for an avid gardener or somebody who wants to spice up a work desk. Bonsai trees are said to make the owner more peaceful, as caring for one can be a great stress reliever.

Polaroid Camera: Polaroid cameras are perfect for those who want to take fun, vintage style photographs. It could be a good gift for the amateur photographer or for the young person who likes to document their social life.

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Cheese!

Donald Trump Toilet Paper: Well…this could be a fun novelty gift at the very least. Just be careful you don’t offend anybody with this gift! 😉

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

Coping With Christmas: Ways To Live Up To The Ideals You Have In Mind

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Coping With Christmas: Ways To Live Up To The Ideals You Have In Mind

We are now less than seven weeks from Christmas! Let that sink in for a moment. Less than fifty days away (http://emailsanta.com/clock.asp). Are you excited yet?

Of course, Christmas itself is a joy in most ways. But the thing about Christmas is that it happens in December. Right there in the winter, in the cold and the rain and, yes, the snow. So we can be excited for the season while simultaneously having a few fears about it.

What we need to do is focus on making Christmas as wonderful as the legend has it. To make sure that that happens, it’s important to meet the challenges that the season throws at you. And challenges there will be. So are you ready to roll up your sleeves and give it the best you’ve got? Of course you are! You might just need some guidance in that – and a refresher course in enthusiasm.

Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow: There’s no getting away from it – in the heart of winter the chances of heavy snow increase. It’s not the case everywhere but if you’ve got a White Christmas, then it may look like a picture-book. It may be what you want but it is also something you need to be ready for. Your yard can be treacherous to walk in – especially for elderly relatives. Snowblowers from the likes of http://snowshifts.com can make a big difference to keeping everyone safe.

Too Many Guests For Comfort? Christmas is a family holiday and it stands to reason that if you have a big family, you want a big family Christmas. Of course, if you happen to be the host for that gathering, it means your home gets fuller. And you may not see the damage until everyone else goes back home.

Your home is built for a certain number of people. When more cram into it and stay for a few nights, that’s more food being cooked. More dishes being washed, more showers being taken, and more people utilizing the throne room. It means pipes can easily get blocked – especially as colder temperatures could lead to freezing. So keep a plumber on speed dial. Overnight, turn off your main water supply – it makes freezing less likely.

Emotions Run High, For Better Or Worse: The fact that you have a lot of people in the home together can lead to some of the best memories you’ll make. And if the weather permits, it means the chance for some trips out and walks in the snow. But the longer a lot of people are cooped up together the more chance there is for discord.

So there has to be metaphorical cooling-off as well as the literal kind. If there tends to be tension between certain people, allocate cooler heads to them so groups can separate and steam can be let off.

When everyone has gone home after the family gathering, you want your home to still be that cozy refuge from the winter weather. But more than that, you want it to be somewhere you can feel happy and relaxed so you can enjoy the rest of the holiday season.

Featured Image By: PixaBay

Xmas Shopping Time! Fantastic Gift Ideas For Everyone In Your Life

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Xmas Shopping Time! Fantastic Gift Ideas For Everyone In Your Life

Can you believe it’s November already?! With the holiday season creeping up on us quicker than ever, here are some fab gift ideas for everyone on your shopping list:

Xmas Shopping Time! Fantastic Gift Ideas For Everyone In Your Life:

Christmas isn’t far away now and it’s an excellent time to start on your gift shopping! Many deals will be coming up in the next couple of months. You’ll especially want to look out for Black Friday deals later this November. You can grab some great bargains and get them all wrapped up in time for Christmas.

As fun as it is to go holiday shopping, buying gifts can be tough sometimes. Children often let you know a thousand things they’d like for Christmas. But when you buy new things for your spouse year after year, it can be hard to keep it fresh! You should also consider how to gift your parents and other family members. Here are some gift ideas for everyone.

For Him: Men can often be the toughest to buy for. They aren’t as interested in flowers and chocolate and socks and power tools can get boring after a while. When it comes to gifting your husband, father, brother or other male relatives, you might need to get creative.

It’s a good idea to try shopping online for the best gifts for men. You can find many unique gift ideas on sites such as Cuckooland.com. Perhaps your husband would enjoy some retro music equipment. Your brother might appreciate a whiskey hamper. Of course, things like male grooming equipment and accessories like watches and wallets always work. Another great option to consider are T-shirts to wear out and about or to lounge around the house. You could go the customized route or explore funny t-shirts that will provide a laugh every time he wears it.

If the men in your life are big sports fans, you might even want to consider event tickets. There are many places online to get tickets for football, rugby, or any other sport they may be interested in. You can take this gift over the top with authentic Broncos jerseys (or their favorite team) to wear while cheering them on at the game. Giving them an opportunity to support their favorite team in authentic gear will be a much-appreciated gift!

For Her: Husbands- make sure you get your wife something she loves! Getting the same perfume as last year will be disappointing. Make sure to also gift your mother well and any of the other important women in your life.

Cosmetics almost always make the beauty savvy gal smile so look into some great beauty gift ideas. Moisturizer, makeup, and hair products always come in handy! You might even want to treat the women in your life to a spa day. Every girl loves to relax and get pampered from time to time.

Jewelry is also an excellent gift idea, as long as you don’t go for anything tacky. Cute earrings or a stylish necklace will be truly appreciated. If you want to go for something unique, you can even get personalized or engraved jewelry. Make sure you get a stylish gift box to present it in!

For The Kids: Your little ones will most likely want some new toys for Christmas! You may want to check out some of the must-have toys of 2016 at MadeForMums.com if you have young children. Fill up their stockings with sweets, chocolate, and other fun gifts.

If your children are in their teens, they’ll want something a little more exciting. Christmas is the perfect time to gift them new electronics. A new laptop is a fantastic idea- it’ll motivate them to do their homework more as well as being a source of entertainment. Of course, smartphones and tablets never disappoint either. You can often get great deals on electronics on Black Friday.

If you really want to surprise your kids, you might want to get them the latest games consoles. An Xbox One or PS4 will make your youngsters very happy on Christmas morning. (Or your adult boyfriend! Ha, mine would love this!)

Who has began their holiday shopping? Who is finished already?! I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Featured Image By: Wikimedia Commons

Want To Look Gorgeous For Your Christmas Party? Start Preparing Today!

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Want To Look Gorgeous For Your Christmas Party? Start Preparing Today!

With the holiday season right around the corner, it is important to look your best. Work parties, family get togethers, bumping into everyone and their brother at the store – it is a time when it might seem like all eyes are on you. It may only be the end of October, but these tips will help you prep for looking your best this holiday season and all year round. Take a look.

Want To Look Gorgeous For Your Christmas Party? Start Preparing Today!

Work Christmas parties are often the highlight of the year and an occasion many people look forward to. It’s a chance for you and your work colleagues to let your hair down and enjoy yourselves after a stressful year. It’s also the perfect excuse to get dressed up and look your absolute best. While you understandably want to have fun, Christmas parties can help your career. If you stand out, network with others and impress your boss, you may have a promotion in your sights. So to give you the confidence to do this effectively, you need to feel good about your appearance.

Even though it might seem premature, there are things that you can do now to help you look gorgeous in time for your work party. Take a look at these tips to help you get prepared well in advance.

Get Style Inspiration: One of the benefits of getting ready for your Christmas party now is that you have plenty of time to find the perfect outfit. But before you hit the shops, you need to get some holiday style inspiration. To help you get started, talk to your boss and colleagues about the type of affair that the party will be. This will ensure that you choose an outfit that makes a statement while also being suitable for the activity. For instance, if you are going out for drinks at a local bar, a ball gown might not be appropriate.

So whether it’s a casual meal or a big holiday ball, you can start getting inspired by potential outfit ideas now. You can go on http://www.pinterest.com/ and look at fashion magazines and blogs. Social media is another resource you can use. You can also try on outfits at your favorite stores and boutiques to see how they look and make you feel. This can give you a clear idea of what suits you and what doesn’t. Don’t forget to look at possible accessories and shoes to accompany your outfit too!

Getting inspired before you start shopping can be extremely beneficial. It helps you find possible outfits that will suit your body type and colors that suit your skin tone. Knowing what kind of outfit you want to buy can simplify your shopping process and make it less stressful. You can also start planning how you want your hair and makeup to look. Don’t forget accessories too! Any holiday look isn’t complete without a touch of bling from paradigm jewelry. All of this information can make choosing a fabulous outfit for your Christmas party as easy as possible.

Whiten Your Teeth: A bright, white smile can make you seem more friendly and approachable to others. This is ideal if you plan to network and introduce yourself to others at your Christmas party. It can also make you feel more confident about your appearance which can make you feel amazing. So if you want to enhance your smile in time for your Christmas party, you need to whitening your teeth now. It can take weeks and multiple whitening sessions to get the results you want. This is why it’s always best to do this sooner rather than waiting till later.

The majority of dental surgeries now offer teeth whitening services to their patients. So contact your dentist to make an appointment. Alternatively, you can whiten your teeth by yourself at home. There are a number of kits you can buy that use either strips or mouth guards. These kits are easy to use and can give you excellent results but some are better than others. See http://TeethWhiteningAtHomeTips.com/ to find out which whitening strips are the most effective. It will be hard for you to stop smiling throughout the party when your teeth look so clean and bright.

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Smile!

Make an Appointment at Your Salon: As soon as the countdown to Christmas starts, hair and beauty salons will be overwhelmed with appointments. Remember that thousands of other people will be attending Christmas parties and want to look their best, too. To ensure that your hair looks beautiful for your party, you need to book an appointment at your salon now. This will ensure that you can have a consultation with your hairdresser beforehand to try out different hair styling ideas. You can also have your hair dyed, cut, and blow dried so it looks as fresh as possible for your party.

If you are unable to get an appointment for a consultation or cut at your hair salon, don’t panic. You can hire a mobile hairdresser to visit you at your home instead. But again make sure you make an appointment quickly as they too will get booked up.

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Start a New Skin Care Regime: When you are self-conscious of your skin, it can stop you from being confident and carefree. This is not how you want to feel when you celebrate the holidays. Instead of letting this continue, start a new skin care regime instead. This can help you get fresh and clear skin that makes you feel unstoppable. Makeup application can also be improved with clearer skin. It will go on more smoothly and stay in place longer. You also won’t have to wear as much because you won’t have blemishes or pimples to cover up.

It’s advantageous to start this regime as soon as you can to give your skin time to heal and adjust. Otherwise, you may not get the results you desire. There are countless products you can try to get glowing skin. But it’s vital that you create a regime with products that suit your skin type for the best results. Visit http://www.webmd.com/beauty/ or talk to beauty specialists to discover what your skin type is.

As part of your new regime, also get into the habit of cleaning your makeup brushes each week. Dirt, sweat, and old makeup can linger on your brushes and clog your pores. So using clean and hygienic brushes can benefit your skin significantly.

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Even though your Christmas party might be not be happening just yet, these preparations will ensure that you look gorgeous no matter what. The more you do in advance, the less stressful the getting ready process will be. So rather than leaving it till the last minute, start preparing for your Christmas party today. You won’t regret it!

What is your perfect holiday party look? What is your winter skin care regime? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Featured Image By: Pixabay

Dreaming Of Your December Decor Yet?

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Dreaming Of Your December Decor Yet?

I know it’s early still, but why not get excited about the upcoming holidays? I know I am! All the magic and atmosphere of those few short weeks brings a little cheer that can last through the entire winter. And you get to spend all that extra time with your lovely family! There’s food, drinks, friends, gifts, and lots of lovely decorations. What’s not to like?

Whether you’re a Scrooge with no fairy lights or a grid grinder that lights up the whole street, the festive period should bring you some joy. Most of us like a small number of twinkling fairy lights on the tree. And if you have kids, you might add some outdoor lights to your roof line as well. If you’re worried about the cost, or the effect on the environment, consider LEDs. They use far less energy so they’re much cheaper to run. You can also add a timer so the lights go out automatically when you want them to.

If you love crafts and DIY, you might work on a festive project each year to create your own decorations. Perhaps you like to paint a snowy scene? Or maybe make your own paper chains to hang around the room? Of course, if you prefer to buy good quality tree decorations or fun Christmas ornaments, they will last for years and can be used again and again. Pick a theme that means something special to you and your family. Or choose something quirky each year to bring a smile to all of your faces. If crafting is so not your thing, revel in decor shopping instead. Websites like Hammacher offer a one stop shop for all of your holiday decor wants and needs. Curl up in a blanket, get cozy, and shop away to fully immerse your home in the festive spirit – no crafting required!

If you’re like me, buying gifts might be your most favorite part of the season. Or it might be the bit that you dread the most! It’s always fun, though, if you take someone along with you. A friend, mom, or sister could be the perfect companion to help you make some fun gift choices. Stop off at a cafe for an eggnog and Christmas cookies! Make a fun day of it and you’ll soon be in the festive spirit.

Real tree or artificial? There are lots of reasons for choosing an artificial tree. They can be reused. You can leave the decorations on all year while it’s in storage. And you won’t get all the mess. But you also won’t get that lovely scent. You won’t get the joy of picking the perfect size for your tiny apartment. And you won’t have all the fun of dragging it down the street! Personally, my family has had the same artificial tree for years and the best thing about it is that you don’t have to take it down right away out of festiveness or laziness. Regardless of the reason, my family tree may or may not have been up until May of last year…

Do you like to have a festive centerpiece on the table for your Christmas dinner? You can make them quite easily with a few crafting essentials. Choose candles or battery powered lights for a warm glow. Just make sure your other table decorations are fire proof! Do you add decorations to your wine glasses? Glass charms come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. Pick a festive set, and charm your own glasses.

It’s lots of fun decorating the tree and the rest of the house for the festive period. It can be a good way to come together as a family, too. Best of all, it’s something wonderful to enjoy looking at for a few weeks while the weather is bad!

What is your favorite holiday decoration? What was the longest that you ever had a Christmas tree up for? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Featured Image By: Flickr

Two Year Blogiversary

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Two Year Blogiversary

Hi everyone and happy Hump Day!! As you might have guessed judging by the title of this post, IT’S MY TWO YEAR BLOGIVERSARY! That’s right, lifewithlilred has been a thing for two years as of today and I am just pleased as PUNCH! Thank you so much to all of my readers, followers, commenters, and friends in the blogging world. Lifewithlilred would be nothing without all of you! Without the wonderful support that lifewithlilred has received, I doubt that I would have even made it to the two year mark so THANKS A LOT!!!!!

❤ HAPPY BLOGIVERSARY TO ME!!! ❤

Happy Birthday To Me!

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Happy Birthday To Me!

Hello everyone and HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!! Today I celebrate my 22nd birthday in beautiful Asheville, North Carolina. This is my first time becoming another year older away from home and I’m so excited to be able to celebrate the birth of beautiful me while I’m on a family vacation! I want to thank all of my guest bloggers that are helping maintain lifewithlilred while I’m away. And, of course, I want to thank all of my wonderful readers for being such amazing friends. Lifewithlilred would be nothing without all of you!

If you’re interested in seeing how I’ll be celebrating my birthday, feel free to follow me on my personal Facebook. You will also be able to see all of my vacation posts before they hit my blog upon my arrival home. A birthday like on my page for lifewithlilred is always nice but what I would really love is for everyone to click on my Twistfire ads on my personal FB page so I get a big fat birthday paycheck! 🙂

I will be back on June 12th so until then, enjoy all of the guest posts that I have lined up for the rest of my vaca! Much love. -Sarah

❤ HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!!! ❤