Dec12

Traditions It’s Okay To Break During Christmas

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Traditions It’s Okay To Break During Christmas

Hi everyone! Today’s post is guest written by my sweet friend, Ester. Her blog is excellent and chock full of gorgeous photos, travel, and well written passages. So, do be sure to check out her page and give it some love! Please enjoy this lovely guest post and if you are interested in sharing your work on lifewithlilred, shoot me an email at: sarah.mush6794@gmail.com !

Dear World,

A week or so ago, I was talking to my boss about sales at Christmas time and how that’s having an impact on how we exchange presents now compared to previous years. This conversation then made me think about all of the little traditions I’ve been changing and adapting every year and how I now live the Christmas period today. It is very interesting how we all try to follow the traditions because that’s what makes us human (that is, culture) but we also want to adapt them to our modern world.

I’m personally very okay with breaking the rules, I’ve been doing that my whole life. I like traditions with a twist. On the one hand, I love how comfortable and homey it feels following a ritual, but I also want to change my lifestyle for the best. Moreover, spending the Christmas holidays in other countries and being exposed to other cultures had an impact on how I now spend my time in December. So without further ado, here are the traditions that I am okay breaking this Christmas:

Ordering your Christmas dinner online:

Last year I spent hours cooking what I really wanted to be an absolute wonder of a meal. I slow-cooked the lamb and I tried my best to make a chestnut puree. It took me a whole afternoon of grocery shopping and a whole morning spent in the kitchen to go through all of that. The result, though, was a disaster. I think I put so much pressure on myself because I really wanted to somehow cook this Masterchef dinner that I screwed it all up. The meat was not tender and the puree was just uneatable. Somehow, I managed to finish it out of compassion and pity.

This year. I’m not going to repeat that experience or decide that I’ll magically become a chef in no time. That’s why my Christmas dinner will be kindly and lovingly prepared by Waitrose and Partners. I’m sure it will be much better than what I could ever cook myself. We will eat it at our place, next to the Christmas tree while drinking a good bottle of Prosecco. I’ll have the morning to relax and call all of my family and friends in Italy and I won’t be panicking in the kitchen. I, too, deserve to enjoy my Christmas morning.

ester

Exchanging gifts after Christmas:

This is actually the topic that led me to write this post in the first place. Here in London families are now embracing a new tradition: instead of exchanging presents on Christmas day, they organise a shopping trip to the mall on Boxing Day (or the week after Christmas) to buy each other what they really want at a cheaper price. If you think about it, that’s a win-win situation: everyone will receive what they want and the cost will be heavily reduced by the sales.

I know, I agree that is very nice and special to open your presents on Christmas day but, hey, you could have one gift under the tree and the rest at the Boxing Day sales. I, myself, have decided to wait a bit longer to buy my own Christmas present this year (I always treat myself to something special) because, by waiting a week or two I can buy my gift at half price. So, why not?

ester6If you’re in London for Christmas, try and find Harry Potter’s magic wand!

Eating way too much:

My relationship with food used to be quite complicated. I’m now fine but, if I eat too much, my stomach hurts badly. To be fair, I suppose it’s quite normal. If we eat too much, we don’t feel great at all. That’s why I always need to make sure I don’t cross that line at Christmas. I really hate feeling nauseated with stomach pain and a heavy head during the holidays. Also, I don’t want to ruin all of the hard work that I’ve been doing for the past few weeks.

This means, that I’ll do my best to go running once a week. But, I will also make sure that I won’t have three slices of Panettone in one day. I’m sure you know your limits, as well.

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Wrapping paper:

I’m not very good at leading an environmentally-friendly lifestyle but, after living in London for almost two years, I understand the importance and urgency to do so. Here in the city, everything is wrapped in plastic or paper. Every single lunch has some plastic in it and we all abuse the use of plastic bottles. It was a friend of mine who made me notice it and it’s very true, so I’m now trying to be more sensitive to that matter.

For this reason, I’m also considering what to do with wrapping paper. Not all wrapping paper can be recycled. Foil or glitter-decorated paper cannot be recycled and the same goes if there’s sticky tape or decorations on it. My suggestion here would be to make sure you buy wrapping paper that can be recycled easily – even better if that’s made with recycled paper.

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Of course, I understand the huge importance of traditions in our life and I, myself, love gathering together with my family to spend a wonderful Christmas together. However, traditions can be adapted to lifestyle and personal preferences. At the end of the day, what really counts is that we all spend a memorable day surrounded by the people we love the most because that’s what will make us happy.

What do you think? Are there any traditions that you are going to break or bend this Christmas? Let me know what your plans are for the holidays!

Best,

Ester Piubeni

My website: esterpiubeni.com

My Instagram account: ester_piubeni

Thank you again to Ester for her guest post on lifewithlilred! Happy holidays! Much love. -Sarah

Dec11

Is Your Home Ready For Winter?

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Is Your Home Ready For Winter?

The days are getting shorter, the nights longer, and winter is officially among us. The temperatures are dropping and you don’t have to be an expert to know that you have to get yourself ready for the cold. As a person, you bring out the winter coats and sweaters, swapping sandals for boots and wrapping up in scarves and fluffy hats. Preparing yourself for the cold is easy, but you need to think about how you’re preparing your house for the battering of the wind and rain that’s bound to happen. There are a lot of things that you could be doing to make sure that your home is as ready as possible for the season.

Getting your house ready is not just about keeping the cold out of the house. It’s about making sure that you’re not paying out damages because your house hasn’t managed to stand up under the freezing conditions. So, with all of that in mind, you need to consider what you should be doing to get your house ready for the cold months and how to ensure that it doesn’t become damaged in the process:

Clear Your Gutters:

Rain and wind whip up leaves and debris, blocking the gutters and causing a sloppy mess to clog the drains. With the freezing temperatures, you end up with frozen water behind the gunk in the gutters. This causes a blockage, the gutter to crack, and an overflow issue that could turn into icicles over the side of the house. The problem with this, is that if they break up and fall, it could cause a lot of damage for cars – and people.

Clearing the gutters is one option, however years of neglect can cause overgrowth which can be too difficult to clear on your own. Another option would be to look into Saint Petersburg Gutters replacement (or a similar service in your area) in order to have a fresh set of drains ready for the winter months for years to come. Whichever option you decide on going with, it’s one of the most essential tasks on your to-do list if you don’t want leaks in the roof and the walls of the home. Speaking of the roof – it is a good idea to give it a once over while tending to the gutters to site any roofing repair that might need complete before the cold weather.

Check Your Boiler:

One of the worst things that could happen to your house during the winter is the loss of heating. Over the winter, the last thing that you need is to have freezing cold kids and be able to see your breath in the house. The one thing that you need to do is get your boiler serviced before the cold really does set in. If you think a repair is needed – don’t wait to call because the closer it gets to winter, the more full the schedule will be. You can find an expert to help by entering a search for “boiler repair gateshead” or in your local area. Making sure that your engineer is able to check over your boiler is important, and they will be able to catch any issues before your boiler breaks down and you lose your heating or hot water in a sudden breakdown. You might also want to look into how to apply for a boiler grant if something like this is offered in your local area. These grants were made to replace outdated boilers with energy efficient models so it is definitely worth seeing if you are eligible.

Watch The Foundation:

Did you know that the cold has a huge effect on the foundation of your house? Fixing a foundation crack is only easy if you can find the crack and know what caused it in the first place. Soil heaves and contracts when the ground freezes and melts, and this is called a frost heave cycle. It’s also the cycle that has a negative impact on your home’s foundation. They are dangerous and can be incredibly expensive to repair. The damage can and does occur before freezing point, too, and if you don’t take care of the foundation, you risk huge damage to the rest of the house.

Sweep The Chimney:

Not everyone has one, but if you have a chimney that you need to maintain, it’s time to call in the professionals. Chimney fires are caused by unclean chimneys that haven’t been looked after. You could severely underestimate the severity of a chimney fire, forgetting to clear out the chimney altogether. They do occur frequently, though, so think about bringing in the professionals now and get it cleared so that you don’t end up with a house fire to end all house fires. Businesses like Priddy Chimney (or a similar one in your local area) offer chimney sweeping services as well as annual inspections which is another great thing to look into. Like any other heating system, it should be reviewed by a professional before being put to use.

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Sweep that chimney!

Insulate Your House:

You invested in a proper winter coat, with scarf, gloves, and a hat for yourself. The thing that you have to do next is ensure that you’ve insulated your house well. Most of the heat in the home is lost through the roof and this means that insulating the loft is the best thing that you could do for your home. Cavity wall insulation is the next thing that you can invest in, and if you are really wanting to invest in some insulation, think about providing your house with extra carpet offcuts, rugs, and curtains! Any way that you can insulate the house should be done, and you should do it early so that you don’t end up with a house that is losing energy.

Hug Your Pipes:

Speaking of insulation, have you invested in pipe insulation yet? These look like pool noodles covered in electrical tape and they are the best thing that you can put around your pipes to make sure that there isn’t any freezing water in the pipes that could cause them to burst. It’s not just a way that you could flood your home, it’s also a way to have a very expensive repair bill when you have to replace your entire plumbing system. Go around your pipes and insulate them well, removing any vegetation as this can also cause damage to the pipe systems.

Being ready for winter with cute boots and a new thick coat is one thing, but you have a house to prepare, too. Get warm, get the right people, and make your house the coziest ever this winter.

Featured Image By: Pexels

Dec11

Bye Bye, Wisdom Teeth

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Bye Bye, Wisdom Teeth

Hiiiii! So, this past Friday I got my wisdom teeth removed. I now have four less teeth so, if you don’t recognize me, I completely understand! The oral surgeon also had to take some of my gums from the roof of my mouth and sew it into the bottom of my gum line so that was really tasty, too.

Aside from waking up in loopy-ville, the pain hurting like the dickens, and the fact that my face swelled up to chipmunk proportions, I’d say that I did pretty well! But, the best part, was all of the ice cream that I got to eat. The most delicious being the Chocoholic Peanut Butter Ripple from Handle’s.

Originally, I asked my dad to get me Peppermint Stick but, then, I realized that I really really wanted some chocolate. My dad doesn’t have a cell phone, so I did what any girl in pain (And also on her period! TMI?!) would do. I called Handle’s and asked them to let “the man with a mustache and flannel” know that I changed my mind. The girl on the phone was SO sweet and when my dad returned home with my treat there was an adorable note from the employees at Handle’s wishing me a quick recovery. 12/10 will FOREVER be getting ice cream from there again!

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

Dec10

Small Steps To Big Changes: Simple Ways To Get Your Health Back On Track

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Small Steps To Big Changes: Simple Ways To Get Your Health Back On Track

We’re approaching that time of year when we start to think about the months ahead. As we near the New Year, many of us will be making resolutions. Often, we take vows and make promises to improve our health and boost our happiness, but many people lose interest in resolutions very quickly. Sometimes, this is due to the fact that we tend to be a little too optimistic when it comes to goal setting. If you’re keen to get your health back on track, the key to success lies in taking small steps. Here are some simple measures that will make a massive difference to your health and well-being:

Adjust your sleep routine:

Are you one of those people that doze off in front of the TV every night and then struggle to get up in the morning? If you’re not getting seven to eight hours of quality sleep on a regular basis, modifying your sleep routine is one of the best ways to improve your mental and physical health. You have an internal clock, and it is possible to get into a routine, which will help you get more sleep. Instead of curling up and nodding off on the sofa, go to bed an hour earlier. Rather than hitting the snooze button, get up at the same time every morning. Your body clock will soon adjust to these new times, and you should find that you’re enjoying better quality sleep, as well as more downtime.

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Catch some Z’s!

Drink more water:

Are you guilty of turning to sodas when you’re thirsty or is your body fueled by coffee? If you don’t drink enough water, this is a really simple resolution to stick to. Aim for two liters of water per day, and carry a bottle around with you so that you can sip and go. If you’re not keen on the taste of water, consider buying sparkling water with a hint of fruit flavor or add sugar-free cordial. Dehydration increases the risk of headaches, muscular pain, fatigue, and dry skin.

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Cheers!

Be more active:

It’s very common for people to go on a fitness drive after the holidays. It’s a brilliant move to try and get into exercise, but often, we try and do too much too soon, and we lose interest and motivation. You don’t have to join the gym and go every single day to get in shape. You can increase your fitness gradually, and you can try a whole host of activities. If you know you don’t enjoy running on a treadmill or spinning, consider joining a sports team or trying classes like boxing, Pilates, or high-intensity interval training.

Aim to work out a couple of times a week, and increase the frequency as you get fitter and stronger. Exercise is often used as a means of shifting festive pounds, but it’s so much more than a weight loss tool. Being active reduces your risk for lots of serious physiological health issues, such as diabetes and heart disease, and it’s also proven to lower the risk of depression, stress, and anxiety.

If you’re on a mission to get your health back on track, start by taking small steps and setting manageable goals and watch yourself succeed!

Featured Image By: Pixabay

Dec10

Oh, Christmas Tree

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Oh, Christmas Tree

Hiiii! With the holidays right around the corner, I thought that I would share with all of you what my family Christmas tree looks like. Fortunately for me, I get to see it year round, because we never take our tree down. In fact, my family has gotten into the habit of putting other holiday themed decor on it like Easter eggs and Happy Harvest gear for fall. So, don’t be surprised if you see some ornaments that don’t quite belong! Haha, take a look:

oh2oh4oh7ohoh1oh6oh5oh3

As you can see, we have a very large collection of ornaments on the Mushenheim family tree! My dad loves travel themed ornaments and I always try and get him one on every vacation we go on or any trips that I take by myself. Most of my siblings have followed suit on that tradition, so my dad has ornaments from all of our travels. So fun!

Other than the vacation ornaments, many of the ones that are on our tree date back to decor from both sets of my grandparents and from when my siblings and I were little. I think that, despite it being a little quirky, all of us like having the tree up at home, because it’s just one of our “things”. And, it’s nice to feel some holiday cheer no matter what the season is. 🙂

Do you have any travel themed ornaments on your tree? Do you have a favorite ornament in your collection? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec9

New (Short!) Glitter & Black Nails

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New (Short!) Glitter & Black Nails

Hiiii everyone! After a disastrous trip to LT Nails last month, I changed salons to Elysian Nails and had a most pampering few hours getting my nails worked on. And *gasp* they’re short! It was due time to give them a cut down and begin the growing out process again so now I have cutesy tiny daggers instead of my normal long claws. Annnnd, my new nail tech, Sam, convinced me to change my color palette up so check out my New (Short!) Glitter & Black Nails:

short

Ahhh! So crazy, right?! Originally, I was just going to do a glitter nail for the accent color and my normal all black everything for the rest. But, Sam (Who is such a doll!) encouraged me to try something new. We both agreed that the glittery white is perfect for an Ohio winter, especially since it was snowing fairly hard out while we were tucked away in the salon. And, for good measure, Sam let me have a black accent nail on a different finger, no less! Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes!

Elysian Nails definitely proved to be worth the hype, because it got amazing reviews on Facebook and every opinion giving platform that I could find. The salon was decorated beautifully, it was spacious, and all of the nail techs were as nice as can be. The prices were good, the service was fabulous, and I can’t wait to go back next month. 🙂

What color of nail polish do you have on right now? How do you deck your nails out for the holidays? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

 

Dec8

December 2018 Funky Time Jams

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December 2018 Funky Time Jams

Hello! We are already a week into December and Christmas is literally right around the corner. So crazy! We’re blazing through this month, so it’s time to discuss some fiery jams to match. I participate in a vinyl record club at one of my local libraries and it is my turn to pick the album come January. I had great success with The Pale Emperor by Marilyn Manson so it is important to me to keep the streak going. So, this month has been about listening through some of my favorite albums on my iPod to make sure that I make the best decision. So far, I’ve been selecting through albums with some of the following songs:

(And, as always, I have no rights to these songs or videos!)

So many choices!! At first, I was really leaning towards Arcade Fire’s Funeral or Apologies To The Queen Mary by Wolf Parade. But, then I began playing around with other options and got distracted from my original choices. As of now, I am probably going to go with Decemberunderground by AFI. That album features songs that had radio success for them like Miss Murder and Love Like Winter, so some if it might be familiar to my record club friends, which is always a good thing. Plus, I had the pleasure of seeing AFI in concert for my birthday last year, which will make for good conversation. I think that I have my mind made up, but we all know that that’s subject to change within an hour!

Which album would you play for a vinyl record club? What are some of your absolute favorite albums? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec7

Take Back Control Of Your Health And Life

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Take Back Control Of Your Health And Life

If you have been seriously ill or suffered from mental health issues, the time might have come for you to take back control of your health and of your life. Give in to these conditions and you will live a life of misery and despair. Fight back and you can turn your life into something much better. Give some of the following a try:

Take Little Steps:

You will be doomed to failure if you try to change everything in one go. Look at each symptom you are suffering from and tackle one at a time. Choose to deal with the simplest first, as each time you conquer one it will empower you to move onto the next.
Regardless of whether your illness has been physical or mental, it is very likely that you are suffering from anxiety because of it. This can always be a good place to start, as it will make it harder to cope with everything else.

Mediation and yoga are just two ways to help reduce your anxiety, and as this starts to happen you may well notice that your other symptoms start to improve. Give it a try, you might be surprised at just how much it improves your wellness levels.

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Annnd break!

Ask For Help:

You should never be afraid to ask for help. It could be from friends and family, in a sober living community, therapists, or maybe from a personal trainer or life coach. The point is, that there are people ready and willing to help you and you should take advantage of that to assist you on the road to recovery.

Don’t Shut Yourself Away:

Although chatting with friends and family might be the last thing you feel like doing, it can be one of the finest things for you. You may find it tiring, but the benefits are well worth the effort. Socializing can take your mind away from the issues you have, which will always seem worse if you isolate yourself. Just a few minutes of interaction every day can make a big difference in the way you feel, and if some fun and laughter can be involved, that is even better.

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Spend some time in the sun, too!

Don’t Beat Yourself Up:

No matter what health condition you are up against, there will be times that you have a bad few hours or a bad day. These are all part of the recovery process and you should not give up or beat yourself up over it. It is perfectly natural for this to happen, and you just have to put it behind you and look forward to the new day tomorrow.

Congratulate Yourself:

Sometimes, you need to stop and look back at how bad you were before you started your journey to recovery. It is easy to forget the things that you have managed to put right because they have gone from your daily life. You should be proud of what you have achieved so far and congratulate yourself on it. Always do this if you start to feel a bit low, as the reminder of what you have managed to pull yourself through can help to lift your mood.

The little tips above can make a big difference, so follow suit and get back to living your best life!

Featured Image By: Pexels

Dec7

Urban Decay Eyeshadow Swatch In Snakebite

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Urban Decay Eyeshadow Swatch In Snakebite

Hi everyone and welcome to my final swatch from the Urban Decay Naked 2 palette! Today, I saved the best for last because this shade is definitely what I would consider my number one fave. The color that we’re going to be looking at is called Snakebite and, in my opinion, it is the perfect combination of sexy and edgy. And, I want to send an extra special thanks to my sister for so generously donating the Smoky and Naked 2 palettes to the Lil Red Foundation! Now, take a look at some pics and let’s discuss:

snakebitesnakebite1snakebite2

^^^ The first heart is the color wet and the second one is when it’s dry.

When you first look at Snakebite, you might think that it’s typical Sarah because of the bronze hues that you immediately see. But, upon further inspection, you can really see more brown undertones with this cool filmy green mixed in, like algae. The bronze is just added in for good measure and that is more apparent when the eyeshadow is wet, as you can see above.

The metallic pop in this color gives it some sex appeal but, the overall look feels much more edgy. Snakebite reminds me a lot of my Furless eyeshadow in Sinister and that is an excellent word for my new hue. The color feels foreboding and wicked but, damn, is it chic! I have already worn Snakebite quite a bit since I’ve acquired it on Thanksgiving and I am so looking forward to wearing it more. Spooky chic is my style and there’s nothing like a new eyeshadow that embodies it to add an extra confidence boost!

What has been your favorite shade from the Urban Decay palettes? Are there any other colors that you would like for me to swatch? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec6

Urban Decay Eyeshadow Swatch In Verve

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Urban Decay Eyeshadow Swatch In Verve

Hi everyone and welcome to another eyeshadow swatch here on lifewithlilred! The color that we will be chatting about today is from the Urban Decay Naked 2 palette and it is a lovely champagne shimmer shade that makes me want to pop some bubbly and be bougie all day long. But, then again, when do I not want to do that?! Take a look at Verve and let’s discuss:

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^^^ The first heart is the color wet and the second one is when it’s dry.

While the Urban Decay Smoky palette is all about sultry sex appeal, the Naked 2 palette gets its kicks with sweet touches of glitz. The champagne pop color of Verve is the perfect shade to apply on your eye’s inner corner as well as a little below the bottom lid to brighten up your peepers with every use. It is also a versatile color, too. Because it’s so light and shimmery, Verve can absolutely be used as a highlighter, if need be.

Now, normally, I only wear my eyeshadows wet, because I love a deeper more saturated color. And, when wet, Verve is stunning. But, I’d be a liar if I said that I didn’t love the pixie dust feel of the shadow when it’s dry! Use this color to apply over your eye makeup to make it look like Tinkerbell danced across your lids. A perfect little trick for all of the upcoming New Year’s Eve parties!

Do you prefer a more sweet or sultry eye makeup look? What color of eyeshadow do you wear most frequently? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah