Oct13

Disney Princess Party

Posted on October 13, 2023 by lifewithlilred

Hello! This past Saturday, I spent an adorable time with my sister and sweet nieces attending a Disney Princess Party. The event was held at an arcade bar called The Workz in downtown Cuyahoga Falls and it was a hoot. Kristen and I enjoyed good food and drinks while Val and Raya were awestruck by seeing Anna, Elsa, and Kristoff from Frozen IRL. It was so cute seeing all of the little princesses in their costumes and, yes, I am that extra auntie that dressed up too lol. I ended up wearing my wedding dress because I felt like a princess on my wedding day and I wanted to feel like that again. I’m pleased to report that it was a hit!

You can peep two new OOTDs coming soon, including me wearing my wedding attire one more time for the one time. But, now, let’s peep the festivities from girls afternoon out:

The princess party began with a riveting song by Anna, followed by an introduction from Elsa and Kristoff. Once the whole Frozen crew was on stage, they began to teach all of the kiddos games like the Freeze Dance. But, you had to “freeze” in a Frozen character pose. Sadly, Val was in a bit of a mood so she wasn’t really feeling the activities, but rallied hard when Kristen and I began participating too. I think she was just nervous to be in the presence of royalty!

After doing the Freeze Dance, Elsa performed “Let It Go” and she was SO good. Although let’s all agree that her wig is hit lol. Funnily enough, the actress who plays her actually works with my sister in the summertime. Go figure! When her big performance was over, the next game was dancing like your favorite Disney princess – IE, cleaning as Cinderella, swimming as Ariel… You get the point. The cast then wrapped things up and began walking the space to meet the kiddos, take pictures, and sign autographs.

When it was time for our turn with the character actors, Val did not want to speak to them or take pictures. However, she did have questions for them which Kristen and I asked for her and they all had great replies and encouraged Val to take a pic later if she wanted to. After our visit, I was SO proud of Val because after a few minutes she decided she would like a picture and she WERKED it! It took her a minute to get warmed up and that’s okay! I think I would be freaking out if I were her age and meeting my favorite Disney princesses too. ❤

Once the event was done, the kids all received a free half hour card to play the different arcade games. Val and I simply crushed in Mario Kart, Kristen dominated at Ring Toss, I was a beast at Ski Ball, and Raya was excellent support. The Frozen crew also came around to play games with the kids and Val loved watching Kristoff play the Test Your Strength game. She also learned that Elsa and Belle have a book club together when she wanted to know which other princesses she was friends with. So cute!

Everyone who attended the Princess Party was given the royal treatment and it was a delightful time. I love being able to do treat days with my best girls and I’ll be keeping my eyes peeled for similar events in our neck of the woods!

Who is your favorite Disney character? What is your favorite Disney movie? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct12

Slow Things Down At Akron’s Farm Table

Posted on October 12, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Hello! This past Friday was a hoot because Johnny and I went out to dinner with my boss, Karnchea, and his wife, Pam. Karnchea and I have been working virtually together since January and it was SO nice to be able to meet him in real life! In collaboration with our website, Nightlife 330, we were given the opportunity to meet up with the owners of Akron’s Farm Table, have a meal, and get the scoop on the brand new restaurant. It was such a delight to chat with John, Amber, and their sweet son, Tristan, about the ins and outs of Akron’s Farm Table. It’s an amazing concept run by amazing people! Take a look at some pics and read on for a lifewithlilred exclusive interview:

LR: You recently had your grand opening of Akron’s Farm Table and how do you think things are going so far?

John: Slow. We just aren’t getting the outreach right now. But, we offer a good place to come and have a cheap meal that’s all sourced locally. There’s not many places out there that you can get the same type of ingredients for the same price.

LR: What was your inspiration behind opening the restaurant?

Amber: We wanted to make good food accessible in downtown Akron to provide that feeling of security to everyone. We wanted to show people that this is where we get our food from and you can make the same things at home too.

John: Our customers aren’t just dollar bills to us. We want them to be able to come here and have an escape for as long as they need but have the comfort of feeling at home.

Amber: We want people to come and have a cup of coffee, to enjoy our handmade desserts. We want everyone to feel like they can hang out and have a good conversation because everyone has their own story just like we do.

LR: Wow, perfect segue! Tell me about your story.

Amber: John and I met through Plenty of Fish six years ago in November…

LR: Johnny and I met on Plenty of Facebook ba dum chhhh.

Amber: I picked him up from a three quarter house for sober living, John is a recovering addict. I took him home, we got married a year after we met. I picked him up and just never took him home! We want people to know that change is possible and it’s okay to slow things down to get back to your roots.

LR: Your roots are a common theme on your Facebook posts and your menu is filled with comfort classics. What do you both bring to the table for food prep?

Amber: When we started this big idea, John said “cook what you know” and that’s what I do. I cook most of lunch and dinner and John does most of breakfast. Our son, Tristan, is a huge help too!

LR: Are these dishes things that you grew up eating?

John: Definitely! These are recipes that we have known and loved for a long time.

LR: What is your favorite item on the menu?

John: The meatloaf.

Amber: The meatloaf, for sure. We had a lot of trial and error and found that making it in a bread pan made it too dry and grainy. I didn’t feel good standing behind it because I would never serve anything that I won’t eat myself. So we came up with individual patties, instead. We try to think outside of the box so our food is made fresh and not sitting in a warming tray all day.

LR: Where would you like to see Akron’s Farm Table one year from now?

Amber: Open.

John: I want to bring the people here. I would love to create a space for people to sell their fresh produce and come together. I hope in a year people will be here to have coffee and enjoy local produce without driving to the farms.

LR: What would you like to say to your future patrons?

Amber: Come here if you want to slow things down and get back to your roots. If you want to support a small business, we’re a small business and we would love to see you!

Akron’s Farm Table is bringing locally sourced goodness to downtown Akron and it is a joy to see. We loved our evening at this new spot and are sure that you will too. Support local and check it out!

What is your favorite local restaurant? How about your favorite local artist or musician? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct11

That’s So Fetch

Posted on October 11, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Hello!!! I used to be an avid user of the site InboxDollars and haven’t been on it in weeks. InboxDollars is a survey taking website to earn money for gift cards and I used to get Amazon cash pretty frequently with their paid emails. Then, they did away with them and I haven’t visited the page since. Luckily, my bestie introduced me to her favorite gift card app called Fetch when we were at dinner last week. I have been using it every day since and I am obsessed!

Fetch is really neat because literally all you have to do is take a picture of receipts from purchases and you earn points for gift cards. The receipts can be any price and from anywhere. In fact, I just submitted a receipt that was barely over a dollar from McDonald’s lol. You guys know I love a crispy Diet Coke! Fetch is a handy little app and I thought I would share it with all of you. Why not get something back from the items or services you are buying anyways?! I am already a fifth of the way there to a ten dollar Amazon gift card – it’s that quick and easy.

Below is my referral code so we can both earn points when you create your own Fetch account. Here’s to free money!

Have you used gift card apps or websites before? Which one is your favorite? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct10

Crochet For Days OOTD Bloopers

Posted on October 10, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Hello everyone and welcome to the blooper reel from my Crochet For Days OOTD! Every once in a blue moon, the photo gods are not in my favor and this photo shoot was a prime example of that. I wasn’t feeling 100% as I was recovering from COVID, but I was looking 100% and it just didn’t translate. As frustrating as this phenomenon can be, it really does happen to the best of us. On the bright side, at least some of the pictures worked because it was looking pretty bleak lol. This shoot did leave me with a lot of bloopers so let’s take a looksee:

Why does it look like I’m mooing in this pic?

Timber Top say heyyyyy say ohhhhhhh

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

COVID fatigue got me like

LOL wtf is this face?!

Sending a lil smile to all of you xoxo

Lumbering over to see the latest batch of disappointing pictures

Like everything in life, you just have to roll with the punches. When life handed me COVID, I took it upon myself to watch every Saw movie. It was a tough job, but someone has got to do it. 😉 When life handed me a major yikes amount of major yikes pictures, all I can do is laugh. When things go 100% according to plan, that’s awesome. But, that doesn’t always happen and you have to keep on truckin.

These past few weeks have been pretty weird in Lil Red’s world. Being sick sucked, ending up in the ER sucked, and also not having a lot of taste or smell sucks ass haha. However, just because life feels below average sometimes doesn’t mean that it’s not going to get better. And, I know that to be true! I have not been feeling myself and after one single appointment with a new therapist, I feel more like myself than I have in a month. Solutions are often available to something giving you grief so get creative, put a smile on your face, and keep on going. I believe in you! ❤

Fingers crossed for a much more successful OOTD shoot for my next look. Fingers crossed for GREAT SUCCESS for all of you and for me too. I love you all!

How are you today? How do you get creative when life hands you lemons? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct9

Cozy Decor Details For Your Home

Posted on October 9, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Ever walked into a space and instantly felt like snuggling up with a hot coffee and a good book? That, my friends, is the magic of cozy decor. And the great news? You don’t need to remodel your entire living space or spend a small fortune to get that oh-so-comfy vibe. With just a few touches here and there, you can transform your space into a snug paradise:

Snugly tone Veneer:

It’s hard to picture a stone veneer being cozy but prepare to be pleasantly surprised! There’s something incredibly comforting about the ruggedness of stone, and veneer brings that warmth without overwhelming a space. Whether you’re dressing up a fireplace or creating an accent wall, stone veneer introduces a texture that’s both rustic and inviting.

Chunky Knit Throws:

You’ve probably seen these draped over couches in every dreamy Pinterest living room picture. Chunky knit throws aren’t just trendy; they’re the embodiment of cozy. Just looking at one makes me want to wrap myself in it like a burrito!

Dimmable Lights:

Nothing kills the cozy decor vibe faster than harsh, bright lights. Opt for dimmable lights or, better yet, a few strategically placed table or floor lamps with soft white bulbs. The gentle glow creates a calming atmosphere, perfect for unwinding after a long day.

^^^ Pexels Image

Oversized Pillows:

If your couch or bed doesn’t resemble a marshmallowy cloud, you’re doing it wrong! Just kidding, but seriously, oversized pillows are where it’s at. They’re perfect for propping yourself up with a book or creating a makeshift bed for a movie night on the floor.

Candles, Candles, Candles:

No cozy list is complete without mentioning candles. Whether you’re into woodsy scents or prefer the smell of fresh linen, there’s a candle out there that will make your space feel like a warm embrace. Just remember to blow them out before snoozing!

Book Nooks:

Even if you aren’t an avid reader, having a designated nook stocked with books (or even a few pretty magazines) screams comfort. Add a soft chair, a plush blanket, and maybe a small table for that cup of tea, and you’re golden.

Wooden Elements:

From wooden beams to wooden trays and coffee tables, there’s an undeniable warmth that wood brings to any space. It pairs wonderfully with other cozy elements, adding depth and a touch of nature indoors.

Rugs Galore:

Cold feet? Not in a cozy home! Layer rugs or choose an ultra-plush one. Whether it’s a fluffy sheepskin rug by your bed or a Persian rug in the living room, they instantly warm up a space — both visually and literally.

Indoor Plants:

A plant or two (or ten) can breathe life into your home. They purify the air, add a touch of green, and studies show they can even improve your mood. If you often forget to water, don’t worry; there’s a variety of low-maintenance plants like snake plants or ZZ plants that thrive on neglect. Indoor plants can fit any decor motif based on the pots or planters they are housed in. Is your home chic and modern? You will love the high end corten steel or aluminum planters by Plantercraft. Perhaps your space is boho inspired? Hang some macrame planters from the ceiling for a unique touch. Pops of green throughout your home with well tended to plants can make a huge difference in the overall style.

There you have it – your very own cheat sheet to achieving peak coziness in your home this winter, so what are you waiting for? Make coziness happen!

Featured Image By: Pexels

Oct9

Crochet For Days OOTD

Posted on October 9, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new OOTD here on lifewithlilred! It has been a minute since I shot an outfit because COVID and I am a little late to posting these pics because there was a lot of updates to discuss. But, I’m back at it baby and you can expect more fall looks regularly on my page. While I love my Crochet For Days OOTD, this was a classic case of “looking good, but can’t take a good picture to save my life”. Lol, these were taken the weekend before I went back to work and I still was experiencing fatigue something fierce. I was left with minimal pictures that I actually liked and an endless amount of bloopers SMH. They can’t all be winners, though, and that’s okay! Let’s get to it:

Who? What? Wear?

Crochet Sweater: Debut, TJMaxx

The jeans are Johnny’s and are from Hot Topic

Platform Loafers: ModCloth

The earrings are a hand me down from my sister and are from Francesca’s

Ever since buying my Debut crochet sweater from TJMaxx, I have been really eager to wear it. It was purchased at the end of July, however, and it has just been too hot in my neck of the woods to break it out. With the temperature in Akron shifting into fall mode, I was finally able to style a look based around it. What I love about this sweater other than everything is the shape. It’s baggy without being oversized and it’s perfect for cozying up or stepping out in. And, of course, the mishmash of colors used is nothing short of a delight!

To play off of the shape of the sweater, I decided to wear a pair of Johnny’s jeans instead of my own. I don’t own any boyfriend fit jeans so I went with husband fit lol. While I could have easily worn this sweater with skinny jeans, I wanted to embrace the bagginess of the sweater by wearing looser fitting denim. Not only were Johnny’s jeans insanely comfy, but they emphasized the relaxed vibe that I wanted to invoke. This is not the first time I have worn my husband’s jeans and it definitely won’t be the last. 😀

With the base of the outfit sorted, it was time for shoes and accessories. Since my clothes weren’t form fitting, adding height was essential to keep from being overwhelmed in the fabric. I went with my platform loafers from ModCloth for the assist. They are old as dirt, but they still serve me well and were a laid back option to keep things cohesive. And, with not much real estate available for jewelry, I chose a simple pair of flower dangle earrings and called it a look!

Despite not having much photo evidence of my Crochet For Days OOTD, it still turned out great. It gave me all of the comfy cozy vibes for fall and is a fit that I plan on rocking again. Stay tuned tomorrow for the blooper reel!

What is something that frustrates you about taking pictures? Can you relate to not being able to take a good pic even when you’re looking your best? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct8

Therapy Success!

Posted on October 8, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Hello!! After a very unsuccessful first shot of therapy, I finally had an appointment with someone new this past Wednesday. And, I am pleased to report that it went awesome!! After canceling with the person who I was seeing, I had no plans of giving therapy another try. I felt really disappointed by how the session went because I didn’t feel heard whatsoever and it was hard for me to even set up an appointment in the first place. Thankfully, the receptionist encouraged me to give it another go with someone who she thought would be a better fit and she was completely right. It was a match made in therapy heaven!

During my introductory session with my new therapist, I felt really comfortable talking to her. She was pierced and tatted and I instantly liked that right away! I was also shocked to find that my last therapist wasn’t hearing me for real. My new therapist warned me that our session would be repetitive to questions already asked with the prior therapist and that was fine. I understood that she needed to confirm what was in the notes. However, MAJOR experiences in my life that are very important to my healing weren’t taken note of at all. This seemed so inappropriate to me because those appointments were not only a waste of my time, but it was went about in a way that I didn’t appreciate and it was confirmed.

Thankfully, not feeling heard wasn’t an issue at all with my new therapist. In fact, I felt better than I have in weeks after our session because I could tell she was truly interested in what I had to say. Like my first appointment with my old therapist, I made it clear that while I would like to learn new coping skills and get advice, I really needed my feelings validated and to talk about my trauma. My new one agreed 150% and my old one spent our appointments shoving halfhearted solutions down my throat. I am SO happy to know that I am going to get what I need during my next appointments and I feel great about the next steps going forward!

It’s true that you need to shop around for a therapist that works for you and this last session was a testament to that. I am proud of myself for trying again and so relieved to have found someone that I can do that with. 🙂

Have you ever had a bad therapy experience? What did you do about it? I honestly have half a mind to complain to the office about mine. I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct7

Lil Red & The Weird Weekend

Posted on October 7, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Hello everyone! Before we begin this post about some weekend weirdness, I will be placing a trigger warning on it for mental health, being in the ER, and blood. Now, let’s get to it:

It has been a hard past year and change in Lil Red’s world and this past week has been the absolute pits. Like, it was really bad and I was and still am pretty down in the dumps. I had a horribly stressful day last Thursday and spent the following days being super depressed. Friday came and went and Saturday felt like a bit of an upswing because Johnny and I spent the whole day together. We played lots of Diablo IV, ordered Domino’s for dinner, and settled down on the floor with the bunnies to play some Magic The Gathering.

As we schemed for our next turn, nature called and I went to the bathroom. When I sat on the can, I was startled to see that my sleep pants were soaked in blood. This was strange because Aunt Flo wasn’t scheduled to come for another four or so days. I wasn’t experiencing any pain or cramping and while it was weird, Johnny and I decided that we would visit the ER if I was still bleeding on Sunday. I was and it was off to Akron General that morning.

Thankfully, we were able to get right into a room once we arrived at the ER and that would have definitely not been the case if we went on Saturday night. The doctor came in and asked me questions like “Are you pregnant?” HARD NO. “Did you experience any physical trauma?” Nope. “Did something stressful or upsetting happen?” HARD YES. With that information, the doc decided to do blood work and a pelvic exam to see what was up with my down low area.

The pelvic exam was a pain in my pelvis, but we were relieved to hear that nothing was visibly wrong. So, we waited for the test results from the labs and swabs that were taken. As Johnny and I waited with bated breath, there was nothing to do but watch some TV. I selected the Lifetime channel and while Johnny initially grumbled, I am pleased to say that he was riveted by the time the movie ended. Lol, he is such a doll. ❤

Shortly after our Lifetime flick wrapped up, the doctor returned to tell us that my blood work and swabs were normal. She informed us that my hormones got out of whack from the stressful event and it triggered abnormal bleeding. Afterwards, I was able to change and Johnny and I could head home. As we drove back, we made a pit stop at Taco Bell and reminisced on how weird and unfortunate the situation was. My mind was hurting so much that it translated into a bodily reaction. I suppose we could have figured that out without a trip to the ER, but something like that had never happened to me before and it was scary.

I am happy to say that I am feeling better now. Not great, but slightly below average and that’s a big improvement. This is your Lil Red Friendly Reminder to take care of yourselves because, apparently, stress and depression can manifest itself in lots of crazy ways!

Have you ever been to the ER before? What happened? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct6

New Mocha & Oxblood Nails

Posted on October 6, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Howdy!! When Johnny and I had COVID, I had a nail appointment that needed to be cancelled. The last thing I wanted was to make all of the fabulous techs and patrons of my favorite salon sick! As I lounged about doing a whole lot of nothing, the promise of a fill was the treat I needed to look forward to. My nails were so grown out and it was driving me nuts! This past Tuesday, I couldn’t wait to hit the salon after a quick shift at work and Shelley slayed on these Mocha & Oxblood nails:

I was feeling very uninspired the past few fills in terms of nail polish colors. Summer was winding down, but it wasn’t quite fall and it was hard to determine what I wanted to go with. Not this time, though! On Monday evening, I went out to a delicious Mexican dinner with my bestie, Lea. She had on the most lovely beige polish and that was all of the inspo I needed. This is not the first time that I have done a variation of nude and red polish, but it hits just right every time. It feels so chic for fall and I am living for that oxblood polish – it is gorgeous!

When I have a first thing in the morning appointment at Elysian Nails, I am SO fine with the fill taking longer because my work won’t start until later. In the middle of the day, however, I want a super speedy session so I can get back to whatever else is on my agenda for the day. Shelley is synonymous with super speedy fills and she knocked mine out in forty minutes. As always, it is most impressive and she completely rocked it. In under an hour, my grown out talons were a distant memory and I left the salon feeling like a million bucks. This is the first fill I have been excited about in a while and the color combo has me feeling like a fall queen.

Some pampering was exactly what I needed for a post COVID pick me up and your girl is officially back to feeling herself. It’s amazing what a mere hour at the salon can do!

What are your favorite fall colors? What color of nail polish do you have on? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct5

Quick & Easy Pumpkin Milkshake Recipe

Posted on October 5, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Howdy! The transition into fall is the perfect time to host guest bloggers on lifewithlilred. It is such fun to be inspired by the autumn traditions and joys of dear friends and readers and it adds that extra touch of (pumpkin) spice to my page. Speaking of pumpkins, today, we will be checking out a pumpkin milkshake recipe by Rachael from And Fierce. I have never tried a pumpkin milkshake before, but with a recipe that sounds this yummy, I think I’ll be giving it a shot! Take a look:

Quick & Easy Pumpkin Milkshake Recipe

Compliments of Rachael from And Fierce

One of our local restaurants we like to hit up at the end of their season will have a pumpkin milkshake. Earlier this month, I kept saying we have to go the last day and get one. We ran out of time and never went. After that, I decided I would make my own at home.

Simple and real ingredients but the result is perfection! So let’s go!!

Ingredients:

15 oz can of pure pumpkin

10-12 oz of vanilla ice cream (if you want more feel free to add more)

1/2 cup of milk

1/2 inch nob of fresh ginger, peeled and grated

2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie seasoning

Salted caramel sauce

Real whipped cream

Directions:

Add your pumpkin, vanilla ice cream, peeled and grated ginger, milk, and pumpkin pie seasoning into a blender and mix it up.

Once blended, get a cup and squirt caramel on the sides of the inside of the cup. Squirt or dollop your real whipped cream and add more caramel sauce to the top.

Yeilds: Roughly 32 ounces

As you can see I split mine into three 16 ounce cups to share between myself, Atticus, and Winter.

These really hit the spot and are completely kid approved! I’m sure we will make these again!

Many thanks again to Rachael for sharing her gorgeous Halloween Wreath and Pumpkin Milkshake Recipe here on lifewithlilred. For more from this amazing blogger, check out her page and give her a follow on Instagram @kavebabe !!

What is your favorite fall flavor? Are you team pumpkin spice or apple? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

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