Category Archives: Weather

Nov25

Don’t Make These Common Errors With Your Heating System This Winter

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At this time of the year, it’s vital to switch on your heating system. After all, the weather is freezing so you need it on to ensure that your family stays nice and toasty. However, a lot of people make errors when it comes to their heating system and they pay the price when their bill arrives. Here are some common errors people make with their heating system so that you can avoid them!

Not Getting it Checked out Before Switching it on: It’s easy to turn on your heating system and then walk away without a second’s thought. But do you know if your system is working efficiently? Before you switch on your heater, you need to make sure you get the heating system checked out by a professional. They will check for any problems and will make sure that you won’t end up with a high bill. Also, in between maintenance appointments, make sure you are changing your air filter which can become clogged up with dust over time which restricts the airflow. And as this feature explains, the longer it goes on, it will be harder to keep your home at the right temperature.

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Setting it to High All Day Long: A lot of people switch their heating system on high during the winter due to the freezing weather. But if you do this, you will end up with an expensive bill. Make sure you get a thermostat installed which will let you adjust the heating during the day. That way, it can be on low when your family is outside of the home. It will stop you from having to set it to high for the whole day. And remember, putting it on high won’t make the furnace heat your home any quicker so be patient with your heating system!

Not Replacing it When Necessary: You need to make sure that you are replacing your old heating system when it’s past its sell-by date. Furnaces tend to last around 18 years, but if you are noticing problems, it might be time to get a new one. Safety for your family is paramount in this situation. You can find lots of information online about new systems available such as on furnaceprices.ca. There are even some great high-tech options which would be perfect for your family!

Another thing to note is the importance of replacing the heating oil when necessary to avoid not having heat on a cold winter’s day. You can save yourself a lot of hassle in this regard when you look into the auto delivery benefits of getting oil bought right to your door once a month (or whenever you may require it).

Not Making Sure the Doors and Windows are Air Sealed: It can be frustrating when your home seems to be freezing even though your heating is on. But rather than turning the heating higher (it will cost a fortune), you should ensure that your doors and windows are properly sealed. That way, no air is escaping during the winter months. You can buy some excellent sealing products from hardware stores. And remember to keep doors closed while the heating is on to retain the temperature. Just don’t forget to keep hoovering as well-sealed doors and windows can cause the air to go stale. As I said before, during this time, you might find more dust in your home.

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***AND: Remember to get a good carbon monoxide alarm put next to your furnace. That way, it will alert you if there is an issue!

Nov24

The Quick Guide To Getting Your Home In Great Shape, Whatever The Weather

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Whatever the weather chooses to do, we often find ourselves rushing back into the house to get away from it. We seek shade when it’s hot and we seek warmth when it’s cold. Somewhere dry when it’s raining and somewhere out of that wind! Our homes protect us from all that the weather throws at us. But without regular maintenance, and some seasonal adjustments, it can’t keep doing that forever.

Rain: Wet weather can make us so miserable. Nobody likes to be damp or find the rainwater dripping off their nose. There are several different parts of the house that prevent the rain from getting in. The first, and most important, is the roof. Roof tops like tiles have a limited lifespan. While they may stay in good shape for one hundred years, you really should check them regularly every so often. Damage can occur easily during a storm. And even just a tiny drip can leave awful water stains and mold in your home.

Check your guttering too. If it is blocked, the rainwater will over-spill. This can then penetrate your brickwork or wooden facade. Soon you’ll find the evidence of it inside the house in the form of smelly mildew! Finally, check the seals around your exterior doors and windows. If the wind is strong, it can blow the rainwater toward one side of the house. Keep the water out with good quality rubber seals. If your home or property is particularly tall, these maintenance tasks can be hard to complete without professional help. You might want to consider entering a search for “company with rope access Sydney” (or your local area) to find a team that can get all of those impossible to reach places in top shape.

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Wind: If you live in an area susceptible to violent wind storms, then you know how important it is to protect your glass panes, fences, and paneling. Hurricane window protection is a handy way to boost your property’s tolerance to these awful storms. If you have stormy seasons, it’s worth preparing your yard area in advance. Put loose items like trash cans, patio furniture, and garden tools way. Tying them down can help prevent them from getting moved about, too.

Checking your yard walls and fencing is something you should be doing annually. After all, if something falls on a visitor like the Postie, you could be sued. If you feel there may be a weakness, replace the faulty panel before the weather hits. Check that fascias and gutters are fully secure. And cut back excess branches of nearby trees to avoid them breaking or striking your house.

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WERK!

Hot and Cold: Whether it is sweltering or freezing, you can reduce your energy costs with careful maintenance of your home. Air conditioning can be very expensive to run if you don’t have any free solar energy to draw on. But you can reduce how much you need by preventing excess heat from getting into the house. Shutters, blinds, and anti-glare film can reduce the amount of direct sun through the windows. In the winter, thermal lined drapes and draft excluders can prevent your heat from getting out.

Loft insulation can help prevent heat loss in cooler weather, too. And through-drafts created from open doors at either end of the house can be very welcome in the heat. You can use secure screen doors to give you peace of mind while you are in the home. Stay safe from the weather, whatever the weather!

Oct11

5 Reasons Why It Pays To Live Somewhere Sunny

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Did you know that being in a warm, sunny place can improve your mood? Put a smile on your face, get some Vitamin D in your life, and contemplate on more reasons why a sunny location can really pay off:

5 Reasons Why It Pays To Live Somewhere Sunny:

We all know it’s true that many people enjoy living in colder parts of the world. The idea of spending a lot of time in the snow and enjoying skiing is a happy one for lots of us! The thing is, those of us that live in sunnier climates often lead healthier and better lives! Here are the reasons why:

  1. You’ll be at your happiest: The idea of building snowmen outdoors or sitting by warm fire inside might sound fun to some of us. But, when temperatures drop well below freezing for months at a time, that fun soon wears off. Sunshine is a proven way to help our body temperatures get more well regulated. Plus, the sun provides us with much-needed Vitamin D to stay healthy. And it’s obvious you will feel happiest when you’re not shivering all the time!
  1. You’ll enjoy your job more: Because happiness levels get boosted by the sun, you’ll have a better quality of life. That also rings true for where you work. Why? You’re less likely to end up working in an unhappy environment!
  1. You can drive a convertible: Fed up of driving a car that hasn’t even got a sunroof? Imagine if you could drive around with the wind flowing through your hair? Well, if you lived somewhere sunny, you could enjoy the benefits of convertible ownership year round!
  1. You won’t need to use a dryer at home: If you’ve got a large family in tow, that usually means spending a lot of time washing and drying clothes! The advantage of living somewhere sunny is that you can dry your clothes for free outdoors. Now there’s no need to buy a dryer and you can keep your electricity costs down too, as a result!
  1. You can power your house for free: Last, but not least, when you live in a sunny area you can convert the sun’s energy into electricity! Take a look at America’s top ten solar cities to see the places that benefit the most from solar power below:

Infographic By: Semper Solaris San Diego

Mar6

Welcome, Spring! OOTD

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Welcome, Spring! OOTD

Hi everyone and welcome to a very special Sunday post! When I got emailed from Nida at Shopaholic Blogs inquiring about guest blogging here on lifewithlilred, I couldn’t say no. Her blog is just darling and I knew that she would do an excellent job. My hunch was right, because she came up with a fabulous OOTD post to welcome spring weather to share on my page. Take a look at what Nida created special for lifewithlilred and then give her page some love:

If there is one thing I enjoy just as much as shopping it’s getting all dressed up 👗! I love mixing and matching different pieces in my wardrobe and getting the most out of my purchases 💵. Adding accessories like scarves, jewelry, and watches can really make your outfit pop!✨
Here’s one outfit that I put together just for spring 💐. Thanks to Sarah from lifewithlilred for giving me the opportunity to do this OOTD post on her awesome blog 😘!
I like to invest in neutral pieces that I can wear different ways and change up with a few accessories.
This look uses one of my favorite color combos especially for warmer weather.
✨ Top & Pants: Loft Petites
The ivory top is light, drapes beautifully, and goes well with the khaki crop pants.
✨ Scarf: Old Navy
I added my pop of color with a coral scarf that has embroidered flower accents .
✨ Blazer: Hollister
The checkered blazer is my way of adding a pattern to the look and gives my casual outfit a more polished finish. (Plus I am forever feeling cold so I always keep an extra layer with me to combat those chills 🌬)
✨ Shoes: Vince Camuto
I’m a flat shoe girl all the way. These ballet flats are super cushiony and cute.
✨ Handbag: Marc Jacobs
I love my tote bags! This is technically a hobo but carries just as much as a medium tote. Plus it has a cross body strap for those days when you want to be hands free!
✨ Watch: Mistura
This adorable watch has a wooden case and a real gold leaf and flower inlay. Perfect for spring  😘!
✨ Nails: Sally Hansen Extreme Wear in Strobe Light
I’m a sucker for all things glittery and sparkly  😍✨. You need at least 3 to 4 coats to get a real shimmer with this polish.
That’s it peeps! 💞 My spring outfit of the day! Hope you guys like the look and many thanks to Sarah for doing this!
Until next time xoxo 💋!
^^^ Isn’t she amazing?! I enjoyed Nida’s post so much that I invited her back for future Sunday articles. Thank you so much again for your adorable Welcome, Spring! OOTD, Nida! What is your favorite piece from your spring wardrobe? What is your favorite season to dress for? I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah
 * And once again, be sure to check out Nida’s page at Shopaholic Blogs!
Feb21

Hello, It’s Me!

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Hello, It’s Me!

Hey there everyone and happy Sunday! I hope all of you are having a wonderful and relaxing weekend. I’ve noticed that I haven’t put up a whole lot of pictures of me on the ol’ blog lately. To remedy that, I had my dad break out his prized camera and snap some pictures of me during this past week. We shot some pictures outside and as you can see, Ohio got quite a bit of snow! (So much so that I was snowed in at home for an afternoon!) We also took some pics on our cool, color blocked hallway for your viewing pleasure. Take a look:

^^^ Thanks, dad! ❤

What I Wore:

  • Featured Image Jacket: This was one of my Christmas gifts, compliments of Target. You can read all about it in my post, New Coat Heaven.
  • Killin’ It Hoodie: My hoodie dress is one of my all time favorite Forever 21 finds which you can read about in my Monday Update: Forever 21 Haul Edition.
  • Black Skinnies: I got these from Express about a year or so ago. They used to have the coolest snakeskin pattern printed on them but unfortunately it faded away after over a year of washing. -_-
  • Zipper Front Heels: These babies are one of my steals that I got from Kohl’s a while back ago which you can read about in, If The Shoe Fits – Apt. 9 Edition.
  • Teal Fingerless Gloves: My glovies are one of my favorite accessories that I own. My mom got these for me from TJMaxx when I was in high school. It was on a day that I didn’t feel like going to school so we went shopping instead! I love them just as much now as I did when I first got them.

It was so nice to be able to spend the afternoon being photographed by my dear old dad. He definitely shot some winners and it was a great way to spend time together! How has everyone’s weekend been? What kind of weather are you having in your neck of the woods right now? I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec15

Treat Yoself! Schofferhofer Edition

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Treat Yoself! Schofferhofer Edition

Helloooo everyone and happy Tuesday! I hope you’re all having a fantastic week so far. So usually I’m not a big beer drinker, I’m definitely more of a wine kind of gal. But over the weekend I just had to pick up a special alcoholic treat from the grocery store, Schofferhofer’s grapefruit beer. It was one of the first drinks that I had at the bar when I turned 21 this past summer and it’s remained one of my favorites ever since. Let’s discuss:

Right now the weather in Akron, Ohio has been insane. It’s the middle of December and we’ve had temperatures in the high 60s, which is completely unheard of in our neck of the woods. Last year around this time, I can vividly remember brutal snowfalls and way below freezing temperatures. With the warm winter time weather, I developed a taste for summer over the weekend that I just couldn’t shake.

While grocery shopping with my mom at the local Giant Eagle, I swung by the alcohol department to pick up some Christmas gifts. As I browsed through the different seasonal beers, a four can pack of the Schofferhofer grapefruit beer caught my eye. I had no intention of picking anything up for myself but I just couldn’t help it! I had summer on my mind and my favorite summer time drink was calling my name.

When I saw the beer I was taken back to this past summer – my first summer of being 21. I was a big fan of ordering the tasty grapefruit flavored wheat beer at the bars, compliments of the suggestion from my sister. I love all things fruity and sweet so it was the perfect beer for me to sip on during summer nights out. What I love about Schofferhofer is that it tastes carbonated, to the point that it feels like drinking a soda. It’s SO good. After the montage of sweet summer time played through my head, I couldn’t not grab a pack of Schofferhofer from the shelf!

Over the weekend I enjoyed two cans of my favorite beer per night and it was just the little Treat Yoself pick me up that I needed. The best thing about being 21 isn’t going out to the bars to get completely white girl wasted – it’s being able to have a nice casual drink at home without having your parents jump down your throat about it! If you’re of legal drinking age and are looking for a new (super girly) beer to try, I can’t recommend Schofferhofer’s grapefruit beer enough! It’s delicious!

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So there you have it, this week’s Treat Yoself! Schofferhofer Edition. Every once in a while you need to get a little something special for yourself and that’s exactly what I did this past weekend. Who has tried my favorite beer before? Are there any super fruity beers that you recommend? I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Sep5

Excited For Fall? Me Too!

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Excited For Fall? Me Too!

Heyyy everyone and happy Saturday! Good news, my bitch ass is feeling better! Bad news, Sunday is Lil Red’s blogging day off, as you all know, so allow me to leave you with a fun post for the weekend until the Monday Update and Man Crush Monday posts commence!

With fall on the horizon, every white girl comes out of her spray tanned summer hibernation in search of all things pumpkin flavored. I promise you guys I’m not that girl…You know I would never tan! BUT, I am very excited for the upcoming autumn season, so let me tell you why!

  • PEACOATS!!! Honestly, this is my number one reason why I love fall. I loves me a good peacoat and I can’t wait to put my navy blue, red and blue plaid, and emerald green coat babies to work this season! #peacoatparty
  • Semi-cold weather AKA my favorite type of weather! Summer weather is too hot for a Lil Red, winter is too cold, and spring is too rainy but fall weather…fall weather is just right!
  • Fall clothing in general! This ties into both of the previously mentioned statements but it must be said. Fall. Clothing. Is. The. Best. Point blank, period. I love nothing more than sweet sweaters, cozy cardigans, booties, flannels, chunky scarves, fingerless gloves, the whole shebang. If it’s an article of clothing you can wear in the fall, you bet your sweet ass that I’m excited for it! #betyourbottomdollar #andyoursweetass
  • The colors!!!! Ugh, the autumn color palette makes my heart so warm. Burnt oranges, mustard yellows, deep reds – fabulous on the changing leaves of trees and on those cozy cardigans I just mentioned! Burnt orange has been my latest obsession, so I’m really excited to feed that addiction even more with a fall shopping trip soon!
  • One – ONLY one Pumpkin Spice Latte. Yeah, yeah, such a white girl, I know. But it’s not fall for a suburban girl without one PSL from Starbucks! I’ll be indulging in my pumpkin treat this morning for a coffee date with my dear friend, Tyler. Yum!
  • Halloween – it’s a given. Except I can’t decide on if being Agnes from Despicable Me is a good idea because she’s not particularly slutty…Does anyone have a naughty nurse costume I can borrow? #please??
  • HAUNTED HOUSES! I love them! I love them! I. Love. Them. Fun fact for ya: my first job was working as an actor at a haunted house and I had the time of my life! I also picked up smoking cigarettes there…But that’s beside the point.
  • Fall weather hang outs AKA the best kind of hang outs! I absolutely adore fall time activities! Hiking through the metro parks, scary movie marathons, crafting, drinking apple cider, drinking hard apple cider – it’s all so much fun! Everything increases in enjoy-ability when the air is crisp, your cheeks are flushed, and you’re with some of your favorite people.
  • White girl watching…it’s like people watching, but better! Fall time is the white girl’s peak season to emerge and prosper. The temperatures have dropped which means so have people’s standards! Thus, yoga pants, leggings, and Ugg boots are somehow acceptable to wear in society. May god help us all…But anyways, I always get a kick out of seeing all of the white girls in their flock of spandex pants and boots that were made out of the skin of sheep who were tortured. Bonus points if there’s a Pumpkin Spice Latte in their hands!! #UGHboots

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^^^ Current blogging soundtrack, judge me for it. #whitegirl 😉

So there you have it! A few Lil Red Reasons of why I’m Excited For Fall! What is everyone most looking forward to this autumn? Who has some fall time traditions that will be taking place? I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May8

Ohio Weather Update: Feeling Hot, Hot, Hot Edition!

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Ohio Weather Update: Feeling Hot, Hot, Hot Edition!

Heyyyy everyone! So as you can see by my featured image, it’s super hot in good ol’ CFalls, Ohio right now. It’s our first summer like day of the year, so what better way to celebrate than by having a little Popsicle party?! Take a look:

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My mom got these super delicious jelly bean flavored Popsicles from the grocery store and I’m pretty obsessed. My sweet treat didn’t last too long in the eighty-six degree heat, however! About two minutes after this picture was taken it started melting like crazy! This little impromptu photo shoot was fun and as usual, here’s the break down of each item that I’m wearing in my OOTD!

  • Bad Ass tank: PacSun, Volcom
  • Shorts: Kohl’s, So
  • Wedges: Kohl’s, Apt. 9
  • Daisy aviators: PacSun

And in case you were wondering about the black lace poking out from beneath my tank top, that’s actually my bra not a bandeau, and it was purchased from Victoria’s Secret!

I’m very excited that it’s finally nice and warm in my neck of the woods, but I’m hoping it cools down just a little! My ideal temperature would be in the high 60’s or low 70’s. When it gets really hot out, I can literally feel my pale skin melting off…Now I know how my cherry Popsicle felt in the heat today! The lovely sunny weather that Ohio has coming up officially means that summer and most importantly my birthday (ha!) are on its way – and this lil lady is freaking pumped!

I hope the weather is terrific where ever you guys are at right now. Is it warm? Chilly? Just right? I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar16

Monday Update: Back To School -__-

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Monday Update: Back To School -__-

Hello one and all and Happy Monday! I had a beautiful spring break last week, but all good things must come to an end, and now I’m back to the usual Tri-C grind. -___- Honestly, this semester has been wicked annoying because I hate all of my classes. As a reminder, I’m taking Beginning Algebra I, College Composition II, and General Psychology. You all should know by now that I hate math, but I shockingly have an A in the class, so snaps for me! I actually dislike my College Comp class the most out of everything I’m taking – which is weird because one would think that it would be my favorite. But alas, I completely hate that class. Yes, it’s writing, but it’s very proper writing and super research based which really isn’t my thing. I’m all about creative writing and just letting things flow, so when my creativity is hindered by guidelines and right and wrong I instantly become super uninterested. It’s not like I’m doing poorly in the class or anything, I have an A, but it just bores me to no end. Writing is something that I don’t try very hard in and the class doesn’t really challenge me, so I suppose that’s why I’m genuinely more interested in my math class. At least in my math course I’m actually thinking really hard and I feel like I’m learning something. I have a sense of accomplishment when I do well in math, therefore I actually like doing the homework. In Comp, it’s more of a do the work and get the grade type of feel, which I’m not really into. My General Psychology course is pretty easy, I’m taking it online, so I basically just read the book, take the tests, and call it a day. And surprise! I have an A in that class too! Killin it!! I’m definitely pleased with my triple A grades, but I’m sooo ready for this semester to be over! The spring semester ends on May fourth, so it won’t be too long!! Then I’ll have an almost three week vacation before I start my summer courses, so that should be fabulous. I changed up my class lineup a bit for the summer, because I actually want to enjoy my break! So I dropped the history class that I originally planned on taking and will now just be doing Beginning Algebra II, Intro to Sociology, and Social Psychology. I’m not particularly thrilled about summer classes, but it will be good to get them out of the way now so I don’t have to worry about it later. And only taking three fast paced classes will still give me plenty of time for adventures and hangouts with my friends! AND as an extra special bonus, it FINALLY feels like spring in good ol’ Akron, Ohio! Hurray!!! The temperature has been in the forties and fifties and it’s been glorious. All of the snow that was heavily blanketing the city has melted away revealing green grass – a luxury that we haven’t seen in months! The mild weather has allowed me to break out my lighter jackets, maxi dresses and skirts, and (this is the best part) A PAIR OF SHORTS! I never thought my pasty pale legs would live to see the day outside of my skinny jeans after this awful winter – but lo and behold, I was able to break out a pair of sunflower printed shorts this past weekend and it was absolutely beautiful! Of course with the warmer weather coming on strong, this means I’ll have to shave my legs more often. -___- But I guess that’s just a small price to pay for some sunshine!

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Welp, I’m off to go get some more school work done, #fml. I hope you all have a fabulous rest of your day! Where are all of my fans of The Following at? How excited are you for tonight’s new episode? How do you feel about season three so far? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar5

Winter Wonderland of Awful

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Winter Wonderland of Awful

Hey! Good news, I’M ON SPRING BREAK!! But unfortunately, it doesn’t feel like spring quite yet in good ol’ Akron, Ohio (#represent) because there’s still an ungodly amount of snow on the ground. -___- Luckily, it’s warming up a little bit so fingers crossed that all of the snow blanketing my homeland will melt away pronto! All I want to do is wear a dress without tights, is that too much to ask for?! My sister Kristen and I went on a walk yesterday at one of Ohio’s lovely hiking trails the Beaver Marsh, and it was basically like trekking through the tundra. We were out of breath, tired, and slightly damp from throwing snowballs at each other…but we managed! Here’s a few PicStitch collages that I created of our excursion:

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Now you guys might be thinking “that looks so pretty and picturesque!” But I’m thinking “this snow better fucking melt ASAP before I loose my mind.” I’m experiencing spring fever like no other and the only prescription is green grass and sunshine. Akron is truly a winter wonderland of AWFUL right now and I’m so over it it hurts! I have hella homework to finish up before I can fully enjoy my break of sitting around and doing nothing, so like I mentioned in my last post, I’ll be M.I.A. minus a few short and sweet entries. So this is me checking in and wishing you all a fantastic day! This is also me procrastinating a little bit before I buckle down and do some math homework….at least I’m honest! OH btw, I got the first math test we took back today and I got a B!!!! I’ll take it! YAY SARAH!

Well, I must be off, so I will talk to you all very soon! But before I go, what’s the weather like where you’re at right now? If it’s sunny and warm, I’m jealous of you by default. Do any of you have any wild spring break plans? I’d love to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

PS: My featured image is a lovely view of my sister from behind! Nice ass! 😉