Face Mask Haul

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Face Mask Haul

Hello! One of my favorite ways to relax in my free time is by trying out new face masks. Whether they’re good or bad, it doesn’t matter all that much to me because I’m spending some me time pampering myself. It has been a while since I had a big face mask haul so when I was at Target, I just had to pick up a variety to enjoy on those snowy nights in. Check it out:

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I don’t venture to my favorite stores very often anymore, which is so sad to me. In fact, the last time I went actual shopping at TJMaxx was months ago! So, I was surprised by the huge variety of face masks that Target had to offer. Originally, I thought that I would just purchase one or two but I ended up with six and if I didn’t contain myself, it probably would have been more like ten lol!

Since it’s winter, I picked out a couple of masks specifically to hydrate and combat dry skin, which will be most useful. And, of course, I never say no to a brightening or charcoal mask, either! While all of these masks will be fun to use, especially the glitter gel mask, I am most excited to try out the lip mask. My lips have been SO dry as of late and nothing that I do seems to help. Fingers crossed that the BioRepublic lip mask will perfect my pout so I’m not feeling like Napoleon Dynamite all winter long. 😀

Be on the lookout for lots of new Face Mask Festivities posts these next few weeks, starting off with the much anticipated lip mask!

Which products do you like for dry lips? What is your favorite face mask? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

What’s The Skinny?

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What’s The Skinny?

Hi! Before we begin, I am going to put a trigger warning on this post for references to weight and eating disorders.

My weight and self image has always been something that I struggled with. I actually haven’t really thought about it in a while until one comment sent my mind back into a tailspin. With the holiday season in full swing now, I thought that it was high time to give everyone a friendly reminder so let’s get to it:

Due to COVID, it has probably been ages since people have seen their friends and family for a holiday gathering. In that time of everyone staying in and turning to video chat to connect, people’s bodies could change. Whether weight was gained or lost during that time it is NEVER your place to say anything. Why ruin someone’s day with a completely unwarranted comment?

Weight is a sensitive subject for many people and it is also something that can fluctuate for a multitude of reasons. Of course, it’s not anyone’s business but the person themselves and here are a few of many reasons for weight change: Medication, eating disorders, an illness, depression, PCOS, and so on and so forth.

I, myself, am well aware that I have lost weight thanks to everyone and their brother telling me. Just this past week, one of my old skating coaches who I haven’t seen since the start of the pandemic made it a point to tell me that I “trimmed down”. Little did he know, my weight gain came from a time of serious depression and a binge eating disorder. He also has no idea that I am a recovering bulimic.

What this person thought was a compliment hurt me deeply and it took me back mentally to when I could barely stand to look in the mirror. So, yeah, “you lost weight” is a statement that is filled with negative connotations when the person didn’t volunteer information like that they dieted or went to the gym.

Commenting on someone’s weight after you haven’t seen them in a while also can make it seem like the person’s self worth is directly correlated with how much they weigh. A true compliment if you feel the urge to say something would be that “you look happy”. And, if you’re unsure: Say nothing at all.

Words have power and as a writer, I know this firsthand. What my old coach deemed innocent enough has still been swirling around in my head days later. In fact, it originally made me not even want to go back to that rink at all. That’s pretty sad considering how much I look forward to my time on the ice.

This holiday season, I urge all of you to keep things merry and bright and leave comments about weight off the table. Chances are, your words are going to linger well beyond the holiday gathering.

Can anyone relate to the above sentiments? What is your favorite compliment to give? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Flight Of Fancy OOTD Bonus Pictures

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Flight Of Fancy OOTD Bonus Pictures

Hello everyone and welcome to some bonus pictures from yesterday’s Flight Of Fancy OOTD! That Saturday was such a fun day of playing model with my husband, having a libation at our favorite bar, and enjoying a community holiday activity with my family. It was the perfect day immersed in holiday spirit and I loved every minute of it! Let’s get to it:

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Over the past several years, downtown Cuyahoga Falls has transformed itself into a happening little place. Prior to the renovations, this area had more closed down shops and restaurants than open. Now, every storefront is practically filled with unique eateries, boutiques, and novelty shops. Not to mention all of the amazing holiday activities and festivals that are hosted there throughout the year.

This past Saturday, downtown Cuyahoga Falls opened up its outdoor skating rink and had a Santa parade, fireworks, and tree lighting ceremony to celebrate. Johnny and I met up with my parents and niece for the festivities and had an absolute blast. Our niece got to see her TT skate for the first time and she also got to see Santa riding on a firetruck through the streets.

Not only was the area beautifully decorated for the holidays but it was also snowing which made for a scene fresh out of a Hallmark movie. There was music playing, people dancing in the streets, and an indoor area to warm up, sip hot chocolate, and have the little ones write their letters to Santa. So much fun! 😀

A wonderful time was had by all this past weekend and I am so appreciative to my hometown for hosting such awesome events to bring the community together. ❤

How does your neck of the woods get in the holiday spirit? Is there a similar area to downtown Cuyahoga Falls where you live? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

6 Tips For Staying On Top Of Your Health

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6 Tips For Staying On Top Of Your Health

Everyone recognizes the value of good health, but figuring out how to achieve it can be difficult. Let’s have a look at some of the options available to you in the next section so you can be your healthiest self in 2022:

Consume A Variety Of Foods:

For a healthy body, we need more than 40 different nutrients, and no single diet can offer them all. It’s not about a single meal; it’s about making long term, well balanced dietary choices that will make a difference. A low fat dinner could be offered after a high fat lunch. After a hearty beef dinner, perhaps fish should be the next day’s meal?

Eat A Wide Range Of Fruits And Vegetables:

Fruits and vegetables are some of the most important foods for getting enough vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Our goal should be to consume at least 5 servings every day. A glass of fresh fruit juice for breakfast, an apple and a piece of watermelon for snacks, and a variety of vegetables at each meal, for example.

Remember that if you are not consuming the necessary vitamins and minerals to keep you healthy that supplements can be very beneficial. Websites like https://supplementswise.com/collections/longevity (or a similar business in your local area) can provide a one stop shop for a variety of supplements to help boost your diet, increase wellness and longevity, and ease joint pain. Be sure to speak to your doctor prior to adding anything new to your regimen.

Drink Plenty Of Water:

Every day, adults must drink at least 1.5 liters of water! Especially if it’s hot outside or they’re doing anything active. The best source, of course, is water. Fruit juices, tea, soft drinks, milk, and other beverages are all okay if used in moderation.

Maintain An Appropriate Body Mass Index (BMI):

Our optimal weight is determined by factors such as gender, height, age, and heredity. Obese and overweight people are at a higher risk for diabetes, heart disease, and cancer, among other disorders.

Excess body fat is caused by consuming more than we need. Extra calories can come from any caloric meal, including protein, fat, carbohydrate, and alcohol, however, fat is the most concentrated source. Physical activity allows us to burn calories and feel good at the same time. The message is simple: if we want to lose weight, we need to eat less and exercise more! You should also bear in mind that BMI could be considered as outdated. It fails to take into account things such as muscle weight, so someone who trains heavily may appear on the BMI scale as overweight.

Make It A Habit To Get Moving:

Physical activity is good for people of all shapes and sizes, as well as those with various health problems. It helps to burn calories, is good for the heart and circulatory system, keeps or builds muscle mass, improves focus, and improves overall health and well being.

To get moving, we don’t have to be Olympic athletes! It is recommended that we engage in 150 minutes of moderate physical exercise per week, which may easily be included in our daily routine. These pointers should make it easier for you to maintain a healthy lifestyle without making it too difficult.

Concentrate On All Aspects Of Your Health:

In addition to the aforementioned, you should also pay attention to other aspects of your health, such as going to the optometrist or the dentist. Whether it’s cosmetic dental procedures or just a monthly check up, it all contributes to your overall health.  It’s also important to note that health is relative, so for some, simply going on a walk three times a week can be a healthy change to their routine (walking is great exercise, after all), while for others, trying a keto diet or finding phentermine online can give them the boost they need.

These six tips should help when it comes to taking care of yourself and staying healthy. We only have this body and it deserves our respect by practicing a healthy lifestyle!

Featured Image By: Tirachard Kumtanom from Pexels

Flight Of Fancy OOTD

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Flight Of Fancy OOTD

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new OOTD from my Thanksgiving weekend! This past Saturday, Johnny and I visited our favorite bar, the Cashmere Cricket, and then met up with my parents and niece for a Santa parade in downtown Cuyahoga Falls. As always, Johnny was kind enough to take some pics of yours truly – he’s a total blog husband! This is one of my favorite OOTDs that I’ve done in a long time so let’s get to it:

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Who? What? Wear?

I have been waiting for the right occasion to break out my feather collar and I thought that a day date with Johnny was the perfect time to do so. This OOTD is exciting to me because most of the pieces that are in this look are fairly old and just one accessory breathed new life into all of them. In fact, I totally forgot that I even owned the Express blazer that I purchased during a trip to Goodwill!

When I originally was styling this outfit, I had a simple black sweater on but it wasn’t doing anything for me. I decided a pop of color was needed and went with a white button down that I had bought at H&M forever ago. It has seriously been years since I have worn that shirt and it was just what this outfit needed against the all black palette.

Another thing that I struggled a bit with was finding the right coat to wear because it was friggen freezing that day! One of my heavy winter jackets did the feather collar no favors and I knew that I needed something thinner, despite the cold. Anything for fashion! It took a second trip back into my closet to discover the Express blazer and it was perfect for the sleek silhouette that I had envisioned.

Finally, all that was left were pants and shoes and what I went with was an obvious choice for an almost All Black Everything OOTD. With simple pieces and one outrageous accessory, I felt like a model when my husband was taking my pictures. It was also so nice to revisit one of the spots where we had our engagement photo shoot!

Once I was satisfied with the pics that Johnny took, we warmed up in the Cashmere Cricket while we waited for the parade to start. I enjoyed a delicious color changing martini called The Butterfly Effect and I definitely know what I’ll be ordering again the next time we go!

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Be sure to tune in tomorrow for bonus pictures from my Flight Of Fancy OOTD as well as more about the Santa parade!

How would you style my feather collar? Have you done any fun holiday activities? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Completed Whomping Willow LEGO Set

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Completed Whomping Willow LEGO Set

Hi! Johnny and I had a wonderful Thanksgiving break and I hope that all of you did too! We built LEGO, had a day date, took our niece to see Santa, and (as always) watched so much Criminal Minds lol. I had a hankering to work on one of our Harry Potter LEGO sets and we completed the Whomping Willow in about two hours this past Friday. 

Although this set is a lot smaller in comparison to what we like to build, it is an important one to have. The Whomping Willow set connects some of the ones that we already have like The Great Hall and Clock Tower to make our Hogwarts castle even bigger! Check it out:

Building LEGO with Johnny is one of my favorite things to do on a day off and it’s such a great project to complete together. While I prefer the big sets for more of a challenge, it was fun to bust out the Whomping Willow set quickly. As with all of the LEGO sets, there were tons of cool surprises tucked away in the build like Trevor the frog, the spinning Whomping Willow, and the potions and baubles throughout each room. These little details make even the smallest set exciting to put together!

Now that this set is complete, all Johnny and I have left from a previous LEGO haul is the Hogwarts Chamber Of Secrets and I am itching to start it. As usual, I already have my eye on what I want next which is the Astronomy Tower and the Hogsmeade Village. In non Harry Potter news, the LEGO Haunted House looks amazing and really speaks to mine and Johnny’s spooky selves. 😀

Unfortunately, we don’t have lots of room in our apartment to show off our completed builds so at some point we are going to clear off our Spooky Shelf to showcase our work. Keep it posted for the end result, which we’ll get to eventually lol!

Who else likes to build LEGO? Where can you score great deals on new sets? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

 

Lil Red’s Book Club: Sometimes I Lie By Alice Feeney Edition

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Lil Red’s Book Club: Sometimes I Lie By Alice Feeney Edition

Hi! Today, we are going to be discussing Sometimes I Lie by Alice Feeney – without giving any spoilers away, of course. If this author sounds familiar to you, it should! I recently finished another book by hers called His & Hers. Much like the last book of Feeney’s that I reviewed, I will be putting a massive trigger warning on Sometimes I Lie for graphic scenes of violence and sexual assault. Now, let’s get to it:

Sometimes I Lie opens with our main character, Amber Reynolds realizing that she is in the hospital in a coma after a horrible accident. She can hear what is going on around her, but she cannot move, see, or speak. As we embark on this reading journey, we learn that Amber is a broken woman and not just in terms of the current state of her body.

The chapters of Sometimes I Lie alternate between Amber in the hospital, the days leading up to her accident, and the diary of a young girl. From the diary entries, we learn that whomever wrote them had a difficult childhood due to neglectful, alcoholic parents and moving around constantly. Things haven’t been easy for Amber since the diaries have been written and she is riddled with OCD rituals, low self esteem, and the nagging idea that her husband is cheating on her.

Despite what could be considered a “dream job” of being a presenter on a popular radio show, Amber is chronically unhappy in her work and life in general. Tensions are high between Amber and the star of the radio show until she develops a plot with her friend to get the problematic host fired, and the metaphorical shit hits the fan from there.

Stresses at work, an overbearing sister, inattentive husband, and the return of an ex boyfriend push Amber to her breaking point until she finds herself in the coma. As the days blend together in her state of permanent sleep, Amber’s foggy mind tries to connect the dots of how she got there in the first place. How did she end up in a coma? And what has Amber been lying about? Read Sometimes I Lie to find out!

There were a lot of things that I liked about Sometimes I Lie but, unfortunately, the things that I didn’t enjoy about this book outweighed the good. We all know that Lil Red loves back and forth chapters as well as multiple story lines. However, there was way too many convoluted plot twists and I never thought that I would find myself saying that.

So many complex story lines in Sometimes I Lie made this book insanely difficult to follow and I honestly still don’t know if I understand it completely. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mind when some things are left up to interpretation but not the entire story line! Amber begins this book by admitting that “sometimes I lie” which means that literally everything that she is saying could be false.

Knowing that there might not be an ounce of truth to what Amber says made for a muddled grand reveal and absolutely no closure once finishing the book. I did enjoy individual aspects of the story lines of Sometimes I Lie but when mixed all together into a relatively short book of two hundred and sixty pages, it made my final interpretation murky at best.

I am going to award Sometimes I Lie with a four out of ten stars. If you are looking for a vague but interesting enough read, give it a shot. However, if like me, you prefer not to second guess everything you read in a book, then you can definitely skip on this one. Trust me, you’re not missing much.

What did you think about Sometimes I Lie? What are you currently reading? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

 

Thanksgiving Day OOTD

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Thanksgiving Day OOTD

Howdy! I hope all of you had a wonderful Thanksgiving filled with good food and good company. I know that Johnny and I did and it was a vast improvement from last year because we had to sit it out due to a potential COVID exposure for yours truly. Rather than spending my day crying and watching Law & Order SVU, I got to enjoy my Thanksgiving with my family and I am very… THANKFUL!

Check out this lil OOTD before your girl got into her PJs and let the food coma take over. Featuring a cameo by Archie the dog:

Who? What? Wear?

For my Thanksgiving OOTD, I wanted to incorporate fall colors as well as maximum comfort because we all know that it’s a bad idea to wear something tight fitting before a big meal! I played around in my head with what I wanted to wear for Turkey Day several days prior to and am very happy with what I came up with – especially my owl knee highs which I forgot that I even owned lol.

My OOTD started with the Luna Moon peasant blouse that I got during a recent TJMaxx haul and I thought that it was perfect for Thanksgiving. I absolutely love the mustard yellow base combined with the colors of the beautiful embroidery and thought that it screamed fall festive. The skirt was actually a hand me down from a client’s friend and it paired wonderfully with the gold button accents.

It was a cold and rainy Thanksgiving day in my neck of the woods and I knew that I needed something to cover up my legs. I was hoping to wear a white pair of tights but realized that I didn’t have any so I had to do some digging in my odds and ends box in my closet. There, I discovered my owl knee highs that I purchased during a brief stint of working at Claire’s and knew that they would do just fine. In fact, I liked it even better than the original idea of tights!

To complete my outfit, I chose my Lulu Hun heeled oxfords for a little touch of student teacher chic. I haven’t worn these shoes in a while, which blows my mind because they are adorable. These shoes also helped tie together the fall palette that I wanted to create with each component of my OOTD.

When it comes to combining cute with comfortable, this look accomplished my mission to the T. I love how the different colors and patterns worked all together, which made for a really fun OOTD out of fairly simple pieces. Although, I’d be a liar if I said that I wasn’t dying to get into my pajamas all day!

How was your Thanksgiving? What did you wear to stunt in your house? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Holiday Gift Ideas

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Holiday Gift Ideas

Hello! We are going full speed towards gift giving holidays so I thought that it would be the perfect time to share some gift ideas for all of those last minute shoppers out there. I have been done with my shopping since October and just the thought of completing shopping now gives me anxiety! On the contrary, though, I have been SO procrastinating on wrapping all of them lol. Whether you want to find unique gifts for phlebotomists or you want something more general, this list is going to give you the inspiration you need. Let’s get to it:

Baking Kits:

King Arthur Flour has an amazing gift selection filled with baking kits and gear. Even if you aren’t so handy in the kitchen, the kits make it easy to bake a delicious dessert and it’s also a fun activity to do if your giftee has little ones. This year, I purchased a hot chocolate kit for the families of my clients that included two mugs too. It was so reasonably priced and I think that they are going to love it!

Relaxation Station:

If you have a giftee who could benefit from some extra chill time, how about a relaxation kit filled with candles, aromatherapy oils, and bubble bath. You could even take it one step further and gift them with a gift card or membership to a yoga studio. These past two years have been so difficult for everyone and relaxing themed presents will also gift the person you’re buying for with some much needed “me time”.

Sports Fan:

If you have a sports fan on your shopping list, then you have a plethora of options to choose from. Customized gear of their favorite team will be much appreciated or you could get them a puzzle or model of their favorite stadium. You could even take them to try their hand on the links with a golfing instructor. If they are not the athletic type, sports games at an arcade bar will do just fine. As always, tickets to a big game will always go over well!

Travel Lovers:

Those who love to travel will surely enjoy guides to the next place they’d like to go to. You could get them all kinds of travel sized products, a subscription to Audible for those long plane rides, and a neck pillow or blanket. Then, put it all in a customized carry on. The ultimate gift for the wanderlusters on your list.

A Piece Of The Beach:

For many, the beach is their happy place. If you know someone who daydreams of the ocean on a dreary day, then bring the beach to them. There are many Etsy shops that put sand from a favorite beach into a locket style necklace for a beautiful and timeless gift. In fact, I bought something like that for one of my besties and she absolutely loved it!

If jewelry isn’t your giftees thing, then fear not. You could go with beach themed decor, a stack of books to tackle on their next ocean side vacation, or a noise machine so the sound of crashing waves can soothe them. Bringing a touch of the beach into freezing December has never been easier.

Subscription Services:

There are so many awesome subscription services out there, which are truly the gift that keeps on giving. You could sign your giftee up for Netflix, Spotify, Audible, or Amazon Prime for easy access to entertainment. There are also monthly gift boxes like Sephora Play! for makeup gurus, BirchBox for pampering, or Hello Fresh for those who can’t stand cooking. It will be like the holidays all over again when their monthly box arrives in the mail!

If you are stumped for gift ideas, then hopefully the ones listed above will help steer you in the right direction. If you guys finish your shopping, then I guess I can finish my gift wrapping! 😀

Are you an early or late holiday shopper? What is your favorite type of gift to receive? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

November 2021 Finishes

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November 2021 Finishes

Hey everyone!! It’s about that time to discuss my product empties for the month because we are almost done with November! I swear, the days seem to fly by in double time during the holiday season and before we know it, we will be in 2022. This month, I finished a ton of products which included a few that I have been working on for forever and that is always exciting for me… It’s the little things lol! Let’s take a look:

Would I Use Again?

Why/Why Not?

B&BW Lotion: After what seemed like FOREVER of using the Portofino Pink Prosecco lotion, I am finally done with it! For about three months, I have been using this lotion on my hands before bed every night so it was a welcome change to switch to a new lotion that I have been loving. Of course, I always enjoy my B&BW products but I will be the first to admit that the boozy scent of this one definitely got old lol. If given the opportunity, I would use it again because I never say no to B&BW but I think a new scent will be in order during my next semi annual sale haul.

B&BW Shower Gel: Gingham from Bath & Body Works is one of my favorite scents and I finished this shower gel in two months. It was also a freebie, which is nice since it’s a full size product! This scent reminds me of a picnic on a warm spring day, which is a great thing to manifest during my morning showers in the cold winter months.

Now that I’m done with this shower gel, I have moved onto one of the bars of soap that I got when I was on vacation. While I always prefer shower gels, I love me a bar soap every once in a while so the ultra moisturizing soaps by Our Own Candle Company will do the trick for dry winter skin just fine.

Hyaluronic Acid Serum: This serum by Tree Of Life was the “dud” of the multi pack that I purchased and if it wasn’t such a darn good deal, I wouldn’t use this product again. I was looking forward to trying the Hyaluronic Acid serum out because it’s a wonderful ingredient to incorporate into your skin care routine. However, after completing a bottle with morning and night use, I noticed no difference in how my skin looked or felt. #notimpressed

Summer Fridays Mask: I got the Jet Lag face mask by Summer Fridays as a freebie during my last Sephora haul and it left a lot to be desired. I got about eight uses out of the tube and I did like the way my skin felt but I would never pay forty-five dollars for a full size of it. As a freebie, this was a nice mask to try out. However, my skin feels equally as good, if not better, when completing my normal skin care routine with mostly drugstore products.

November brought me so many finishes and I am glad for it! There is nothing better to me than completing a product that I have been using for a while and I can’t wait to see which empties I’ll have in December for our last finishes post of 2021. 😀

Which products did you use up this month? What did you think of the products above if you have used any of them? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah