Apr26

New Sparkling Cherry Cola Nails

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New Sparkling Cherry Cola Nails

Hello! Because of a busy work schedule, it took me longer than usual to get into Elysian Nails for my monthly fill and let me tell you – I needed it! My nails were so grown out and I broke one of them at work and it was unbearable to me to have a stumpy nail for over a week. Thankfully, my go to girl, Gabby, always gets my nails looking right and I am in love with my new claws. Check it out:

I have been getting my nails done for years and Gabby is, hands down, the best nail tech I have ever been to. She works so quickly but in that time she creates masterpieces and her attention to detail is astounding. I was really impressed this time around because she didn’t even have to remove my nail that broke which is what I have always experienced before. She shaped a good as new talon out of the broken remnants of my pointer finger and free shaped the acrylic to lengthen the nail. This was so awesome to me because I absolutely hate getting acrylics removed and this was a pain free and crazy quick alternative.

As per ushe, my nails turned out flawlessly and I am completely obsessed with my color combination this time around. I really wasn’t sure what I wanted for this fill as I have been more focused on what my nails for my wedding will be like – especially because I’ll be getting them done at my next appointment! I normally have a pretty good idea of the colors I would like to have before I go to the salon so I approached the polish wall hoping that a shade would jump out at me. And that’s exactly what happened!

The first bottle of polish that I saw was the sparkling raspberry red and I fell in love with it instantly. The hue made me think of a freshly opened can of Diet Coke (My fave!) even though the cans are silver! I decided a cherry cola theme was the way to go and settled on a pinky mauve shade which worked perfectly because of its brown undertones. The end result was even better than what I had in mind and I can definitely picture myself getting this combination again.

Saying I look forward to my monthly fills is the understatement of the century and I left the salon feeling like a million bucks and then some. I simply cannot wait for my appointment for my wedding nails to get here and know that I will be in the best hands at Elysian Nails! ❤

What do you call pop in your neck of the woods? What were your nails for your wedding like? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr25

April 2021 Finishes

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April 2021 Finishes

Hi everyone! April is drawing to a close and it’s about that time to discuss my beauty finishes for the month. There isn’t too much to talk about because a lot of my empties for the month you have all seen and heard before. However, I’m super happy because I finally finished the rest of the Azure Lux serums that I had in my stockpile so I can move on to exclusively using the Eclat Vitamin C serum for the foreseeable future. It’s about time! Now, let’s get to it:

Would I Use Again?

Why/Why Not?

B&BW Lotion: I have a love/hate relationship with lotion and I’m either really good about using it or don’t want to use it at all! This past winter, however, I began applying lotion every night before bed and have stuck with this routine since. I definitely notice a difference in the softness of my skin and I even think my tattoos look better and brighter than usual from being moisturized daily. My new routine also gives me the opportunity to use up the endless supply of Bath & Body Works lotion and body butter from The Body Shop!

It took me a solid two months of daily use to finish the Pink Prosecco body cream from B&BW. While I enjoyed using it, I must warn all of you that it smells a tad boozy and by a tad I mean a lot lol. You can certainly pick out the scents of the different fruits like nectarine and pomegranate but the base of sparkling pink prosecco is there in abundance. If I was a daytime lotion wearer, I would say no to this lotion because I wouldn’t want to smell like alcohol during the work day but I will say yes to night time use!

Neutrogena Moisturizer: I freaking love the Hydro Boost moisturizer by Neutrogena and I consider it well worth the fourteen dollar price tag. I have reviewed this product before in previous posts but I just wanted to share with all of you that Johnny loves it too! His forehead gets pretty dry so I apply the moisturizer for him as needed and you can tell a huge difference in just one day. Skin care for men is just as important as it is for the ladies and I plan on creating a skin care routine for Johnny during my next online shopping sesh.

Azure Lux Serums: I have been using the Azure Lux Sparkling Oil serums almost exclusively for the past two years and change and I honestly think my skin is immune to any benefits of it as this point. That’s not to say that the serums weren’t effective and I remember first using the Rose Gold one and noticing a big difference in my skin. However, after seeing immediate results with the Eclat Vitamin C serum, I knew it was time for a change. I think that the Azure Lux serums are fabulous for people in their younger twenties and would still recommend them. As for me, at almost twenty-seven, I just outgrew it!

Although I won’t be using the Azure Lux serums again, I am so pleased with my finishes from April because that means I can use new products. There is also nothing better than depleting the ol’ stockpile a little so I can get new goodies in the near future! 😀

Which products did you use up this month? What is a must have in your beauty stockpile? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr24

Feeling Blah

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Feeling Blah

Hello! Man, I don’t know about you guys but it has been a week for Lil Red. My lil niece was under the weather which resulted in me getting sick and to make matters worse, it was that time of the month on top of it! It has been a very stressful time in my life recently and I think that made whatever little bug I got from my niece even more debilitating because I was in a bad way. Due to all of the COVID safety precautions, I have not been sick in a really long time so this bout with the flu completely knocked me off my feet.

Being sick is always a bummer and, unfortunately, Johnny and I experienced another bummer to add to the overall blah feeling. We had viewed and applied for a home to rent and it was absolutely perfect. It was an ideal size, wonderful location, and a very cute little neighborhood. I felt so good about the impression that we made and was pretty confident that we would get approved to move in. I checked Trulia religiously after we applied and was crushed when I saw that it had been taken off of the market without us being contacted.

At the end of the day, not getting the house wasn’t a huge deal but it was definitely disappointing. It was just so nice and Johnny and I both loved it. Because of that and feeling confident about the possibility of moving in, I think I got a bit ahead of myself so seeing the house being taken off of the market felt like an even bigger blow. It also made me realize that finding a house to rent might be a lot harder than I had originally bargained for which sucks because I would really like to move out of the apartment!

Needless to say, it has been a blah time in Lil Red’s world but I think things will start turning around soon. A vent sesh on the ol’ blog always makes me feel better so thanks for listening to me complain, lol. Let the Trulia and Zillow searches commence…. again!

Do you have any tips for finding a house to rent? What makes you feel better when you’re feeling blah? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr23

My Wedding Glam Squad

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My Wedding Glam Squad

Hi! Johnny and I will be having a very small wedding that literally took no planning for accommodations for our ceremony. It will be short, sweet, and simple – exactly how we want it. However, preparing our wedding looks was a totally different story and a lot of thought went into it so we can show out on our big day. I am so thankful to have the ultimate wedding glam squad tending to me and am honored to be able to showcase their talent at my wedding. I have a very specific look in mind and it would not be able to be achieved without the genius of the following:

Anna:

Anna has been my hair stylist since I was eight years old and absolutely no one but her is allowed to touch my hair. She is also one of the few people who has seen part of my top secret wedding look – that’s how much I trust her! I live for my time spent with Anna at the salon and I can’t believe almost twenty years later she will be doing my hair for my wedding. Time and time again, I will use the word “nontraditional” to describe my wedding style and my hair is no exception. In fact, the suggestion Anna made was something that I didn’t even know existed, so we are all in for a treat!

Katie:

My makeup test run with Katie was beyond what I was expecting and I had never felt so beautiful. She took every vague idea I had, ran with it, and came up with the results I had in my head but couldn’t quite put into words. I have never had my makeup done professionally before and it felt like Katie was painting the most gorgeous picture as she airbrushed away. I cannot wait until my wedding so she can do it all over again. 😀

Gabby:

Gabby is my go to girl when it comes to my nails and I already know exactly how I want my claws to look for the big day. It took me a long time to find the right nail tech for me and now that I have found her, I could never imagine anyone else sharpening my talons to perfection. I recommend her to everyone who compliments my nails and I love seeing her work on my friends who go to her now too.

Emily:

Other than four tattoos, all of the rest that I have have been done by Emily and I will most definitely need a touch up session before the wedding. I am so proud to be a walking billboard for my dear friend and her amazing talent and cannot wait for my tattoos to pop in my wedding dress. Emily is, easily, one of the best tattoo artists in my area and her work blows me away – especially her work on myself!

I cannot wait to share in my wedding day with my favorite gals because they truly make up the ultimate wedding glam squad. I know that I am in the best hands with all of them and having my wedding appointments scheduled in their books eliminates any stress for my big day. ❤

Who was a part of your wedding glam squad? Who is your go to person for your hair, makeup, or nails? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr22

My Top 3 “Feeling Sick” Beverages

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My Top 3 “Feeling Sick” Beverages

Hello! The last two times I saw my sister this past week, my lil niece was feeling under the weather. While Kristen and her SO, Ramon, are immune to the “Toddler Flu” by now I, on the other hand, got hit with it hard. My niece was coughing and her little nose was running faster than she could and I just had a feeling I was going to get sick. And, man, was I right because I spent the entire past weekend in complete misery.

Kristen and Ramon have parent level immune systems and were A-okay while I felt like I was going to burst from all of the congestion. During my weekend, I tried to recoup with lots of Animal Crossing, My 600 Lb. Life, and forcing myself to drink disgusting tasting daytime flu medicine. Of course, I attempted to stay really hydrated too and had a glass of one of my go to “feeling sick” beverages handy at all times. We all have them and these are my top three:

Green Tea:

I don’t need to be sick to enjoy a hot or cold glass of green tea but it definitely hits different when you’re not feeling well! I worked through an entire carton of Arizona green tea in two days and tried to drink at least two cups of hot Salada green tea per day too. In my opinion, there is nothing more soothing than tea when you’re under the weather and the steam from the hot tea offered some relief for my clogged up sinuses. Needless to say, I am going to have to restock my supply next time I go grocery shopping.

Orange Juice:

You can’t go wrong with a cup of OJ when you have a cold for an extra dose of Vitamin C. I really don’t drink juice very often but I couldn’t get enough of it this past weekend. Call it wishful thinking or whatever you will but I did feel a bit better after a glass or two in the morning. It was also nice to drink something orange flavored that didn’t taste like battery acid like all daytime flu medicine does. Orange colored anything should never taste that disgusting!

Cream Soda:

When I was little, flat cream soda was my favorite drink during a stay home from school sick day. To this day, it still reminds me of my grandma because she always had a healthy supply at her funeral home and it was such a treat to have some! Johnny had a couple of bottles of IBC cream soda in the fridge and I couldn’t not partake in one of them to not only hit me right in the nostalgia but shake some of the blahs of the worst cold imaginable away. We all need a sweet treat every once in a while. 😀

Spending my weekend sick as a dog isn’t exactly what I had in mind but I did try to make the most of it! I was so thankful to my sweet bestie, Kate, of Live In The Nautical for video chatting with my miserable self and there is nothing that a nonstop My 600 Lb. Life marathon can’t fix, either. I raise my glass of OJ to both Kate and Dr. Now for helping get me through this dark time lol! ❤

What is your go to feeling sick beverage? What makes you feel better when you’re under the weather? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr21

Wedding Makeup Sneak Peek

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Wedding Makeup Sneak Peek

Hi!! Ever since Johnny and I announced our engagement, we have been not only flooded with well wishes but So. Many. Questions. about what we are going to be wearing! We are so thankful for everyone’s kindness and support and are tickled by how invested people are in our wardrobe choices. Our outfits are top secret so expect a grand reveal the day of our nuptials but I can give you all a little sneak peek of my makeup for the big day! Check it out:

This past Friday, I went with my sister, Kristen, to Carol Martin salon to get a test application for my wedding makeup. I was really excited to have Kristen with me because she is a makeup queen and I knew that she would help me better vocalize what I was wanting. It was also so nice to have her opinion and reassurance because the test run was the most makeup I have ever worn in my life!

I chose my friend, Katie, to be my makeup artist and I felt confident that she would be able to deliver the look I was going for. I wanted a bold, two toned lip because I love the Bratz doll makeup trend with fresh, dewy skin and champagne eyeshadow. Katie took my ideas and ran with them and my completed MOTD was even better than what I was imagining.

I am completely obsessed with my fashion doll lipstick, glamorous false lashes, and sparkling champagne eyes. I felt like a million bucks and then some the day of my test run and was so sad when I had to take it all off that night. I cannot wait for Katie to be a part of my big day and am simply blown away by her talent. I definitely plan on going back to her when Johnny and I host a reception later this year. 🙂

My makeup test run was so special to me because my sister came with. Johnny and I are having a small and quick ceremony so we literally have nothing to plan for. Be that as it may, I still wanted my mom and sister to be with me on the odds and ends errands and am so happy to have had this time with Kristen and getting my dress measurements taken with my mom. The makeup test run makes my upcoming wedding seem even more real and I cannot wait for the big day! ❤

What was your wedding makeup like? Did any of your loved ones help with your wedding preparations? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr20

Reunited And It Feels So Good

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Reunited And It Feels So Good

Hello! After many a video chat dates with my BFF, Lea, we finally were able to reunite in person as she is fully vaccinated and Johnny and I just need our second shot. I had been looking forward to our real life reunion for several months and, needless to say, I was counting down the hours until I was done at work and could see my bestie again.

As always, Lea and I had a fabulous time girl talking, reminiscing, and laughing hysterically for hours on end and I felt so incredibly thankful for that time with her. It also gave me the opportunity to officially ask her if she’d like to attend my family only wedding ceremony! Throughout the pandemic, video chat dates with my friends helped keep me sane but there is nothing like seeing someone who you love so much in person after months of going without.

With so many of my family and friends getting vaccinated, it truly feels like a bright light at the end of such a dark tunnel. Seeing Lea was my first in person hang out with one of my friends since mid December and it couldn’t have come at a more perfect time because I had had a rough couple of days. Taking a break from my stress even for just a little while to go through a litany of all of the dorky things my BFF and I did in high school was the best thing for me.

I always say that every hang out with Lea is my favorite but this reunion definitely tops the charts. I cannot wait to get more real life hang outs scheduled in the books and I am so delighted for my best friend to be able to join Johnny, myself, and our families on my wedding day! ❤

Have you been able to reunite with any of your loved ones recently? What are some of your social distanced summer plans? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr19

175 Day Duolingo Streak!

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175 Day Duolingo Streak!

Hello! The last time I gave an update on my Duolingo progress, I had just achieved a one hundred day streak and I finally received my badge for adding seventy-five more days to it. I am so pleased with my progress and am proud of myself for continuing to practice five different languages every day for close to half a year. I am leaving previous goals in the dust and I feel like my skills in French, Spanish, Italian, German, and Czech are improving tenfold.

Thanks to Johnny gifting me Duolingo Plus for Christmas, practicing every day has become an exciting thing rather than an inconvenience because Plus gives you unlimited life. This is so handy on especially tough lessons and I don’t think I would have made it to a one hundred seventy-five day streak without it. I will most definitely be renewing my Plus subscription at the end of the year and highly recommend it.

Other than writing, learning languages is my favorite hobby and I feel good about committing myself even more to it. Similarly to how I feel after I finish a blog post for the day, I feel accomplished every time I complete my language lessons and it has really helped me shake away the pandemic boredom blahs. It’s hard to feel like there is “nothing” to do when I can go on Duolingo and learn brand new words and phrases in multiple different languages!

While I am over the moon with my one seventy-five day streak, I am nowhere close to being done yet because I will not be satisfied until I have a full year’s worth of days on my streak counter. I am almost halfway there and cannot wait to see the results of my hard work after one full year of practicing five languages. Great success!

Have you made progress on your pandemic hobbies? What is your favorite hobby? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr18

What Have I Been Watching?

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What Have I Been Watching?

Hi! In pandemic times, there has been nothing better than finishing up the day’s work and sinking into the couch to watch TV or play video/board games with Johnny. Whether together or separately, we have been watching a lot of feel good shows lately… Minus one insane documentary we watched on Hulu! Let’s discuss:

Superstore:

Johnny and I are huge fans of Superstore and, although we are both saddened by the show’s completion about a month ago, we agreed that it ended on a really solid note. We looked forward to new episodes every week and miss it so much that we just decided to watch it in its entirety again. Superstore is an amazing show to try out if you are looking for a laugh and every character is funny in their own way. My favorite characters are Dina, Marcus, and Glenn and Johnny freaking loves Sandra lol!

My 600 Lb. Life:

When Johnny is at band practice, I normally settle in with Animal Crossing and an episode or two of My 600 Lb. Life. This has been one of my favorite shows for years and if you’re friends with me on Facebook, then you know I am constantly posting about it! Dr. Now is my freaking hero and My 600 Lb. Life really inspires me when someone succeeds in their weight loss journey. I spend each episode rooting for the patient and it makes me proud to see people trying to turn their lives around for the better.

One Punch Man:

My brother gives me lots of great suggestions for animes to watch and while I continue to look forward to season two of Demon Slayer, I have been working on finishing One Punch Man. I am currently halfway through season two and really enjoy it! Although it is not as dark as Castlevania or Demon Slayer, I like the Dragon Ball Z-esque vibes that it gives off with all of the insane monsters and fighting and I am obsessed with cool as a cucumber Saitama. He is so funny! I plan on watching Death Note or The Promised Neverland once I am all done with One Punch Man.

Shrek 1 & 2:

I have actually never seen the other movies in the Shrek franchise and that’s fine because the first and second movies are my favorite and that is enough for me. This past month, I watched both Shrek one and two and laughed just as hard as I did when seeing it for the first time. My dad took me and my siblings to the first Shrek in theaters and we all loved the Shrek 3D ride at Universal Studios so I have a lot of happy memories attached to both movies. Shrek never gets old and the soundtracks simply slay!

Q: Into The Storm:

Q: Into The Storm is a documentary on QAnon that aired on HBO and is currently on Hulu. Johnny really likes documentaries and wanted to check it out because he heard it was crazy so down the rabbit hole we fell. Other than very basic knowledge, I knew absolutely nothing about QAnon and Into The Storm was an investigative piece on who Q might be.

This documentary legitimately gave me nightmares and I had to shield my eyes and cover my ears during a fair amount of it. It is not for the faint of heart in any way shape or form but it was highly educational and eye opening because I really had no idea about any of it. After having watched it, I never want to hear anything on the subject again and trust and believe I had to watch like ten episodes of Superstore to get myself back to baseline once the six part series was finished.

What have you been watching recently? Which TV shows or movies do you recommend? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr17

Pineapple On Pizza: Yay Or Nay?

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Pineapple On Pizza: Yay Or Nay?

Hello! Much to the annoyance of others and the delight of Johnny and myself, we have a handful of movie or TV scenes that we quote constantly. It’s never not funny to us and a shining example of that would be the Pizza Order sketch from Key & Peele. If you haven’t seen it, do yourself a favor and give it a watch:

^^^ As always, I have no rights to this video.

In this sketch, a man named Wendell tries to order three pizzas with pineapple, meat, and cheesy crust and the phone call to the pizza shop gets really weird really quick. To Johnny’s surprise, I have never tried pineapple on pizza before so he decided that this past Sunday was the day to change that. He ordered a pizza with pineapple, bacon, and cheesy crust for himself and one with pineapple, jalapenos, and (of course) cheesy crust for me.

As always, the Pizza Hut presentation never ceases to amaze me, lol. Take a look at this masterpiece:

As a vegetarian, I thought that pineapple and jalapeno would be the way to go for a little sweet and heat. The pineapple was a huge success and I loved the sweet and salty combination between the fruit and the sauce. The jalapenos, however, were a totally different story and I never plan on getting it again. It’s so weird because I enjoy spicy food and never have shied away from it but my mouth was on freaking fire from these peppers. I felt like my mouth was burning long after I ate and my stomach wasn’t thanking me, either.

I feel like such a baby to be saying that the Pizza Hut jalapenos were really spicy but DAMN, lol. In conclusion? I say “yay” to pineapple on pizza and while I wouldn’t order it every time, I would definitely get it every once in a while. And a big fat “nay” to jalapenos!

What are your favorite pizza toppings? Should pineapple go on pizza? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah