Sep30

Bath & Body Works Online Haul

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Bath & Body Works Online Haul

Hi! Both Johnny and myself freaking love the foaming hand soaps from Bath & Body Works. We have an excellent system in place where we switch off on who’s paying when we need more but the treat is that even when Johnny is paying, he still lets me pick out which scents we get. 🙂

This past week, our soap shipment arrived and, overall, I am pretty pleased with the fragrances I chose. It’s hard to pick which scents you want when you can’t smell them so I tend to stick with things we’re both more than likely going to enjoy. A trip to B&BW is a lot harder than you would think when your county is in a threat level red for COVID. -_-

Anyways, take a look at these soaps and I’ll let you know which ones I love and would leave if you are ordering online too:

Love Or Leave?

  • Beautiful Day: LOVE
  • Don’t Stop Be-Leafing: LEAVE
  • Cranberry Peach: LOVE
  • Peach Bellini: LOVE
  • Afternoon Apple Picking: LEAVE
  • All About Fall Y’all: LOVE

Lol, a lot of these picks should be no surprise to all of you! Everyone knows I love my peach and apple scents. So why did I not care for the Afternoon Apple Picking soap? Cinnamon, cinnamon, cinnamon. I HATE cinnamon. This soap has all of the scents of juicy apple and pear but, unfortunately, it is laced with cinnamon and I just can’t get down with it. It makes me feel like I am washing my hands with Big Red gum and I definitely wouldn’t have purchased it if I read its description a little better!

The Don’t Stop Be-Leafing scent of orange vanilla swirl is also one that I could do without. Originally, I thought a creamsicle fragrance would be nice and light but, unfortunately, this one is heavy to the point that it’s almost musky. When it comes to hand soaps, both Johnny and I detest a perfume-like heaviness so this is one that I will also not be buying again.

Despite two duds, I had four successes and that isn’t too bad when it comes to online soap shopping! Bath & Body Works is almost always running a six for twenty-six dollar deal on their foaming hand soaps so do be sure to get some delicious smell goods of your own. 🙂

What is your favorite B&BW scent? What is your favorite fall fragrance? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Sep29

Having Trouble Focusing While Working From Home?

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Having Trouble Focusing While Working From Home?

Many of us have had to get used to the prospect of working from home over the past few months. While there are undeniable benefits to being able to take care of business in your own space, a lot of people have trouble adjusting to it, as well. If you’re having trouble getting productive, here are a few solutions that might help you get back on top of things:

You’re not making time for it:

With the flexibility that comes with working from home, it might feel tempting to simply do work whenever it suits you and not have any solid plans. However, this tends to end up wrecking your work-life balance. It’s a good idea to find what time you’re more productive and create a daily schedule around that, complete with strict starting and finishing times. This way, your life and work-life don’t start to bleed together to the point that you feel like you have to be half “on” whenever you’re in the home.

You’re surrounded by clutter:

It might sound like the difference would be minimal, but a neat and organized desk actually has a big impact on your mental condition while you’re working. Clutter has been shown to be a more significant cause of stress than we otherwise give it credit for. Maximizing closet space and making use of things like desk trays in the home office can ensure that you’re not surrounded by bits and bobs all day long. You may find that your office space becomes cluttered quickly because you don’t have enough surfaces to work at. If that is the case, then it might be time to check out Office Monster to see if there is any furniture that you could add to your current set up to help better organize your space so you can complete your day’s work free of distractions.

Your office doesn’t give the right vibe:

This point might sound nebulous, but getting yourself in the right headspace to work is vitally important. As such, investing in decor that can help you create a quirky but professional vibe is important. You want to make sure that you’re surrounded by imagery and designs that inspire and energize you while also ensuring that the workplace is subtle enough that it doesn’t serve as an ongoing distraction.

For some people, it might be as simple as hanging a few pieces of art to give the room some life. For others, it could be a total change of scenery to complete a huge deadline. If this is the case, utilizing Hamilton Cabin Hire (or a similar service in your local area) could give you a welcome reprieve from your home office to focus fully. Your best work might just be a long weekend away.

You’re physically uncomfortable:

Of course, even if your office gives the vibe you need and is organized to perfection, you’re going to have a hard time enjoying it if you’re dealing with a sore back. You might not notice the impacts of poor posture immediately, but if you start to feel some aches and pains in your back and joints towards the end of the day, that means it’s time to look at your chair and desk setup. Ergonomic furniture design can help support these achy parts of you, leading to a more comfortable working day while decreasing the chances that you might actually injure yourself.

It isn’t always easy to create a home office that feels right for your working needs. However, it’s worth taking the time to implement fixes and find what works for you rather than letting yourself start to hate the prospect of working at home entirely.

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Sep29

Lil Red’s Book Club: The Family Upstairs By Lisa Jewell Edition

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Lil Red’s Book Club: The Family Upstairs By Lisa Jewell Edition

Hello! While I had to take an entire week of work off for being sick, I was able to finish the book I’ve been working on called The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell. Despite enjoying this book very much, it is easy to say that it is not for everyone. Before we discuss (Without spoilers, of course!), I’ll be putting a trigger warning on The Family Upstairs for child abuse and heavy cult activity. Now, let’s get to it:

Libby Jones lives the average life of a freshly turned twenty-five year old. Struggling to make ends meet, constantly attempting to climb the corporate ladder, and trying to figure out just who the heck she is in this world (Ringing more true for her, as she is adopted). But Libby has been somebody to her real family since she’s been born and now it’s time to find out where she came from.

Shortly after Libby’s birthday, a letter arrives claiming that she is the inheritor of a mansion as well as learning about her real parents. Although ramshackle, abandoned, and with a dark history the home is still worth a fortune. A dark history, you say? Well, what else would you call a home in which children have gone missing and a perfectly healthy ten month old baby girl is living among the corpses of three adults in black robes?

This entire story is honestly just weird. But good weird! The mansion Libby inherits was once magnificent with fine furnishings, designer clothes in each closet, and the best of the best or it wouldn’t do. So how in SAM HILL was there nothing left in the home when the baby was found by the police? What was the baby doing there to begin with?!

The baby was not old enough to take care of herself so who was taking care of her? While Libby is searching for herself, there are others hot on her trail. The “baby” has now turned twenty-five and a handful of people have been waiting a quarter of a century for it. Friends? Foes? Family? Read The Family Upstairs to find out!

Told in an interweaving round between Libby and two others who may or may not have lived in the home previously, there are surprises and red herrings during every chapter making it impossible to put down. In fact, just talking about it is almost giving too much away. Life changing secrets are looming in the dark of the once grand home that Libby is now the owner of and each sick twist brings her one step closer to who she was, is, and will be.

Now, if you think my description of this book is intense, then you are in for a wild ride if you actually read it. The Family Upstairs turned and writhed throughout each sentence into a fireworks finale of the grand reveal. It was a great reveal, by the way, but I am proud to say I figured most of it out beforehand, thank you very much! 😀

I highly recommend this book if you can stomach it and am awarding it with an eight and a half out of ten stars. This has been one of the best story lines I’ve read in a long while and each and every character will leave you shocked for good or bad. Tuck into this page turner and enjoy, you won’t regret it.

Which book are you currently working on? Who is your favorite author? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Sep28

Solutions For Having Too Much Stuff

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Solutions For Having Too Much Stuff

We’ve all been there. Somehow, over the years, you’ve accumulated piles upon piles of stuff, and now you don’t know what to do with it. The stuff could be work-related (think heaps of documents, bits of equipment you never know if you might need, old materials, even backlogged products you’ve yet to sell) or personal.

What are you meant to do with those homework files from twenty years ago, the hundreds of drawings and old toys your kids used to play with, all those films you watch once in a blue moon? Getting rid of all of this stuff can be difficult, both psychologically and practically, but luckily there are some solutions that can help you move on with the old:

Sorting and Organizing:

If you don’t want to throw everything (or anything!) away, some simple organization can help clear your space. First, sort all of the mess into clear piles. You might even find that one of these piles becomes items you can throw away – it’ll be easier to see with it all separated out. The piles can be sorted by many different categories; age, how often you use something, the type of object it is. Once this is done, put each pile into a separate box and stack them neatly, or find other places to store them. This organization can clear space and create order without forcing you to get rid of all your stuff – a perfect solution!

As you organize, you might find that some of the clutter is coming from storing things for other people. Perhaps you have some of your sister’s clothes in your closet. Maybe your mom’s baking tins are in the kitchen or you have a stash of books from your friend you have been meaning to return. While you have organizing in mind, send those unneeded items off! Services like those provided from Drift Couriers (or a similar business in your local area) offers same day delivery. Your house will be less cluttered and those items you have been meaning to return can be checked off your to do list.

Storage Solutions:

Sometimes, you simply might not have enough space even after sorting and organizing everything. In this case, if you’re still unable to make great inroads by using the trash, it’s worth looking at external storage solutions. These come in many shapes and sizes, from storage trailers, to garage-sized units, to entire warehouses. Renting storage is an amazing solution if you’re running a business that requires surplus stock, and also personally if you’re moving house and need temporary storage for a while.

Having A Clear Away:

Finally, we come to it. The best solution for having too much stuff is simply to get rid of it, and yet this is easier said than done. Many personal items can hold sentimental value and letting go can be harder than it sounds – yet often, after the initial separation, you may never think of it again! It’s hard to believe, but it’s true. To help yourself let go, you can use a tidying method like the famous Marie Kondo.

Getting Help:

If you’re struggling to clear all of your stuff (and who doesn’t), it’s time to get help. Having another person in the room, a friend or a partner, is a great way to force yourself into making decisions. They are there to tell you when you’re being overly sentimental, and to grieve with you over the little items you’ll miss, but really don’t deserve to be taking up space any longer. Getting help doesn’t mean hiring a demolition company, it just means finding a friendly (but stern!) voice to keep you company while you make your decisions.

Clean away your clutter and make your home (and headspace) much more clear! 🙂

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Sep28

Hold My Beer

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Hold My Beer

Hello! Being self employed is super rewarding and there is nothing better than being your own boss. However, I do have one complaint: Taking time off sucks! When I am sick or going on vacation, I don’t get paid time off so I often end up running myself ragged until all of it catches up with me. Like last week, for example.

I’d like for all of us to take a minute to laugh at what I told Johnny when I returned home from work last Monday. I believe it went a little something like this: “I’m really not trying to take time off until Thanksgiving”. Then, the world said “hold my beer” and I ended up having to take the rest of the week off from being sick.

When I woke up on Tuesday, it was like a switch flipped on and “Sick Mode” commenced. Oh my, was I miserable. I had a hell of a sinus infection and all of the drainage going into my stomach made me nauseous to the point of throwing up. I was so tired constantly even though some nights I slept for close to twelve hours. Needless to say, there was no way I was going into work.

It honestly took falling sick and feeling so yucky for me to realize that I need to be far more generous with my time off – even if I’m not getting paid for it. My health should always come first, especially in COVID times and I can’t take care of my clients or myself properly when I am so worn out and going for months on end without a week day or two off.

Being the CEO to two thriving businesses has its perks. I love making my own schedule, being one hundred percent in control of everything, and only having myself to answer to. But, being the boss also means knowing when an employee needs a break and I plan on being much more accommodating to that from here on out.

I’ll tell you what, being sick and all alone in my apartment while Johnny is at work is for the birds. And not having my parents take care of me like back in the day when I was under the weather is for the birds too. So, here’s to less days off from being sick and more days off for pure fun and relaxation. Let’s get it!

How do you keep sane while self employed? How did you spend your last day off? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Sep27

September 2020 Finishes

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September 2020 Finishes

Hi! So it’s already the end of September, which is mind blowing to me. I know all of you think I’m crazy for starting Christmas shopping so early but, damn, the countdown feels on now! We’re coming in hot to 2021 and all I can hope with each passing month is that things get a little better, lol.

Because times are so stressful, it is very important to me to continue doing all of the things I love to pamper myself. I revel in my bubble baths and face masks and still stick to a strict skin care regimen. These empties are the fruits of my labor to keep me from going insane and I’d say they served their purpose well. Check it out:

Would I Use Again?

  • Bath & Body Works Champagne Apple & Honey shower gel: YES
  • SkinLab Lift & Firm moisturizer: YES
  • Azure Lux Rose Gold serum: YES
  • Azure Lux 24K Gold serum: YES

As you can see, these are my “usual” finishes for the month and you can read more about them by clicking the link. For more of the best beauty on lifewithlilred, how about checking out the following?

It’s easy to feel down and out about everything from COVID to the election and all of the craziness of daily life. It’s also easy to take some time just for you to help sooth your nerves and relax. Soak your feet, paint your nails, or get dressed up for the first time in forever. Or maybe use up that bubble bath that has just been taking up space so you can have some empties too. 🙂

Which products did you use up this month? How do you destress? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Sep26

Making Every Family Dinner Special

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Making Every Family Dinner Special

If you want to spend more quality time with your family but you’re struggling to figure out how to do it, one way is to start making your family dinners special. If you all sit down for dinner and ignore one another while scrolling on your phones or watching TV, of course it’s going to feel like you don’t have enough quality time together.

Similarly, if you all eat dinner separately, then you’re missing out on a great opportunity to catch up with one another. It might not be possible to do this every day, but there are all kinds of benefits to having dinner together each night. If you want to make the family dinners that you do have together more special, then read on for some advice:

Make It A Ritual:

Start by making it a ritual. Try to do family dinners at the same time, wash up beforehand, and name three things you’re grateful for before you begin to eat. Of course, your ritual may differ – but it’s definitely worth coming up with one that means something to you.

Set The Table:

Set the table for your dinner with nice plates and cutlery, place mats, a tablecloth, and even candles. Make it look fancy. This is especially important if you don’t get to have many family dinners together. Setting the table nicely can make a huge difference to the atmosphere.

Have Themed Nights:

It can be really fun to have themed dinner nights together. You could have Mexican nights, Italian food nights, and even nights based around Porter & York meats. Having themes can keep family dinners exciting and give some structure to your week if you have one every few days.

Turn Off The TV:

Ban phones from the table and don’t watch the TV, either. Enjoy one another’s company. Listen and concentrate – these could be the most meaningful moments of your day! This is so much better than spending hours sitting together while not really concentrating on one another at all.

Prep Together:

Involving your family in the preparation of the dinner can help everyone to get more invested in the meal and bond beforehand. This is especially great for younger members of the family, as they tend to enjoy helping and will learn a lot from it. They are also far more likely to eat different foods if they have had a hand in making them!

Find Something To Celebrate:

It doesn’t need to be a special occasion for you to find something to celebrate. Has somebody in the family achieved something? It doesn’t matter how small – find something and celebrate it! At the very least, this will make each dinner a cheery event and teach everybody to look for the good, no matter how small and seemingly insignificant!

Family dinners are tons of fun and helps bring you and yours closer together. Bon appetit!

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Sep26

Quarantine Weekends

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Quarantine Weekends

Hello! Going from being out and about every weekend with Johnny at the beginning of this year is a far cry from what we do now. With COVID and the fact that my county is now in a threat level red, our weekends have went from full and busy to full of binge watching in the blink of an eye. The worst part? The weekend still ends quickly even though we’re not doing much of anything, lol!

Johnny and I have a pretty standard weekend format that goes a little something like this: Video games, movies, and TV. I am currently obsessed with the video games he gifted me for our anniversary so I have been playing a lot of Paper Mario and Diablo III. We also take turns picking movies to watch in between our viewings of The Last Kingdom and SuperStore – both of which I highly recommend.

Does it sound boring yet? I know it does but it actually isn’t all that bad. For the first time literally since I started working at sixteen, I have weekends that are completely agenda free. All I have to do is sit on the couch and stay safe and I’m confident that Johnny and I can keep doing that.

One of the best parts of our weekends is actually thanks to the change in weather. Because fall temperatures are upon us, it has cooled down our apartment significantly. Believe it or not, I find myself telling Johnny “I’m cold” more often than not now. This makes being stuck in the apartment much more tolerable and there is nothing better than bundling up in hoodies and blankets while it’s nice and crisp in and outdoors!

Speaking of cooling down outdoors, I can’t wait to start taking hikes and doing all of the Halloween themed activities soon. Have fun and keep on staying safe. ❤

How do you spend weekends in quarantine? What is the weather like in your neck of the woods? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Sep25

Caring For The Trees In Your Garden

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Caring For The Trees In Your Garden

If you have a large garden, planting some trees is a great way to use the space and attract wildlife. However, trees do require a lot of maintenance, especially as they get larger. Before you decide to put any trees in, it’s important that you know what is involved in tree care so you can make sure that they stay happy and healthy for years to come. These are some of the most important tree care tips that you need to know:

Early Tree Care:

When you first plant your trees, they need to be supported by canes and tree guards so they can find their feet without getting blown over by the wind. It’s important that you check inside the tree guards on a regular basis to make sure that there are no pests in there and they are still stable.

You shouldn’t need to water your trees because they will adapt to their natural environment. Over watering them in the early stages could cause the roots to rot, so make sure that you are careful when watering the surrounding areas. Cutting the grass can be an issue as well because it encourages faster grass growth and the grass competes with the tree for moisture. If you do want to cut the grass, do it carefully and leave the area around the tree.

Pruning:

Pruning is an important part of tree care because it encourages them to grow upwards, rather than outwards, and it helps to remove any diseased branches before the infection spreads. Pruning a tree in the right way can be quite difficult, so it’s best to call out a professional company, like VistaScapes LLC to handle it for you. You don’t necessarily have to prune your trees if you don’t want to but they will spread outwards and take over the garden and the risk of disease is much higher.

Coppicing:

As your trees get larger, you need to think about coppicing. This is the process of cutting lower branches and making cuts near the base of the tree to encourage new growth. It also allows more light to reach the ground so any flowers and plants that are close to the tree can still flourish. You shouldn’t need to worry about this until your tree gets quite large, usually after around seven to ten years of growth. To find an expert to help with coppicing when the time is right, simply enter a search for “tree service jacksonville fl” or your local area. This service will help to keep an adult tree in good health.

Avoiding Pests:

Pests love trees because they can climb up and use it as a way to access your home. If you have rats in the house, it may be because your trees are too close to the roof. When you are pruning, make sure to trim the trees back enough so you do not allow easy access for pests. If you do notice a lot of pests, it may be worth putting some traps around near the base of the tree. Just make sure that you don’t use harsh chemicals that could damage your tree. If you are tending to a pest issue, it is a good idea to book an appointment with professionals in Tree health analysis services. Pests can cause more damage to a tree than you might think and you will want to ensure that it remains in optimum health.

Safety Check:

As you can see, there is a lot more that goes into planting and caring for a tree than you might have thought. As your tree matures, maintenance is encouraged and should not be left to DIY skills because you could get really hurt. It is a good idea to have a Tree Removal Company selected should you need help. A well rounded tree removal company will not just specialize in tree removal itself and can provide you with the services and knowledge to keep your trees thriving.

Trees are a great addition to the garden. Let them thrive by following these tips!

Featured Image By: Pixabay

Sep25

Are You A Science Person?

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Are You A Science Person?

The power of narrative in our lives is quite extraordinary. For instance, have you ever heard somebody say that they’re not “a cat person?” On the face of it, it seems like they’re saying that they don’t like cats. But when you dig a little deeper, it turns out that they are trying to describe their minds to you. “Cat person” has all sorts of connotations that go well beyond traditional preferences.

The same goes for when people say that they’re “practical,” “analytical,” or “intellectual.” It’s more about their identity than any particular facts of the matter. But here’s an annoying truth: we’re all general-purpose thinking machines. A human can do an enormous variety of tasks, from change a nappy to write a symphony. And this suggests that we’re harder to typecast than we imagine.

It’s just not true, for instance, to say that certain people are “social people” or “spiritual people”. We all have these capacities so long as we allow ourselves to access them. Let’s take a look at another example:

Are you a science person?

Nowhere is this mode of thinking more evident than when people talk about the type of academic they are. From an early age, students get the sense that they are “artistic” or “scientific,” and then they tend to run with it for the rest of their lives.

How many times have you heard people say, “I was never good at science at school”? Usually, this isn’t just a statement of fact, but also one of mind. The person saying it genuinely believes that there is some defect in their brain that gets in the way of their understanding of the material, preventing them from ever exploring it fully.

There’s probably no fundamental reason why they couldn’t complete a master of science in engineering management or a foundational physics degree. It’s just that they have this belief that they can’t. It becomes a part of their identity.

These kinds of thoughts are painfully self-limiting. People who engage in them are denying themselves valuable experiences and education that they could have. For instance, learning about engineering could provide them with the skills to figure out whether a project is viable or not. Learning chemistry and biology could help you with environmental projects, like changing single-use plastics to biodegradable SciQuip gloves. Knowing about mathematics could allow them to understand scientific papers or other insights from the academic literature and so on and so forth.

Typecasting people is generally a bad idea. But doing it to yourself is arguably worse because you’re placing arbitrary limits on what you can do. If you don’t believe you can do science, you’ll never get into the science field, and you’ll never get to experience that aspect of life. And that’s a shame.

Pexels Image

Perhaps there are brain differences between people who are great at science and those who aren’t. Maybe Einstein really did have more grey matter between his ears to solve complex problems than the rest of us. But that doesn’t mean that the science parts of your mind are somehow atrophied compared to the norm. Just like everything in life, doing great science requires practice.

Featured Image By: Pexels