May11

Happy Mother’s Day!!!

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Happy Mother’s Day!!!

Hello everyone and happy Happy Mother’s Day to all of the wonderful moms, pet moms, moms to be, and every other kind of mom out there! I so hope that you can spend your day exactly the way you want to and feel celebrated and showered with love. There are so many amazing moms in my life that this day is special for and not a day goes by that I am not blown away by their hard work, dedication, and unconditional love that simply radiates. It is such a beautiful thing and should be appreciated constantly – not just one day of the year!

I am lucky enough to have the best mom in the world and she serves as inspiration in every aspect of my life. My mom is so fun, funny, caring, and loves fiercely. She is never without a kind word for any and everyone she encounters and can instantly turn a bad day around from just a phone call. I am my mom’s thirty year old baby lol and it is an absolute gift to be able to have that relationship with her. No matter what the situation is, my mom is always the person I want to talk to first for encouragement, advice, or a laugh. And, believe you me, we are always talking because we miss each other as soon as we part ways! It is the most pure love and I wish I could carry my mom around in my pocket all day every day!! ❤

To all of the moms out there: Thank you and Happy Mother’s Day!!!

May10

New Cherry & Orange Nails

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New Cherry & Orange Nails

Hello!! I have had an incredible couple of days of pampering compliments of Elysian Nails. This past Friday, I enjoyed a pedicure appointment with Johnny’s mom and aunt and it was heavenly! I haven’t gotten a pedicure since last year and just like the last time, I left the salon wondering why the heck I don’t do that more often. Then, I remembered my talons which always take priority over toes! After getting my tootsies right, I was back at the salon a few days later for a fill featuring the sweetest Cherry and Orange combo. Check it out:

During my last fill, I was feeling an orange and pink combo. However, my tech showed me some brand new colors and I fell in love with the prettiest light pink and purple glitter polishes. I vowed to do the original colors I had in mind at my next appointment and it definitely made the daunting task of selecting nail polish a breeze! Granted, I couldn’t even remember the colors I was going to use but, hey, I knew it was orange and pink so anything in that realm would be close enough. I ended up with a shade called Cherry and another simply called Orange and we were in business! This is the perfect fruity and bright pairing to welcome warm weather with. Or, at least dream about because the weather has been crap lousy here. -_-

Once my colors were selected, it was time for my tech to work her magic and you know I hit her with the old “long time no see” considering it had only been four days! Hilarious, I know. 😀 As always, work her magic my nail tech did and, as always, she fixed them up just right. I never really notice any lifting or problem areas until the polish is off, like at this appointment for instance, and my tech repaired any uh-ohs with ease and speed. After two repairs, shaping, filing, and painting I was still in time for my next shift at work. I genuinely have no idea how she does it!

The weather might not be the best but my nails are fresh and gives me a dose of sunshine every time I look at them. I’ll take it until this rain, rain goes away!

What color of nail polish are you rocking? What colors should I get next? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May9

We’re Going To The Zoo!

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We’re Going To The Zoo!

Howdy!! The Akron Zoo simply blows my mind. It is the most wonderful place right in the heart of downtown Akron and every year it just gets better and better. It’s wild to think that this park and all of the amazing animals are literally right in the middle of the city lol. Every visit to the Akron Zoo is a fun one and it’s the perfect size because you can do and see everything in one afternoon. I recently took a trip to the zoo with a friend and I had no idea that I was going to be walking into Jurassic Park! Check it out:

When we approached the entrance to the zoo, we were greeted by a gigantic T-Rex and it was like “Wait, what?” lol. Little did we know, the zoo was setting up for an animatronic dinosaur adventure. Unfortunately, the dinosaurs weren’t moving when we visited but there were an abundance of them in all of their massive glory scattered throughout the park. It was definitely a different experience to be greeted by a Brontosaurus at the turn of a corner! Our visit turned into a scavenger hunt to find all of the dinos and it turned our outing into a unique adventure.

As we explored the park on the search for dinosaurs, we got to see so much awesome activity and a lot of napping in the exhibits. It was the first super hot day of the year and all of the big cats were snoozing in the sun! The animals that were up and about were moving and grooving, though. The penguins were swimming, the monkeys were swinging, and the Grizzly Bears were taking a dip in the pool. We were lucky enough to see the brother and sister bears, Cheyenne and Jackson, playing in the water. Granted, their playing looked a lot like fighting but as long as they were having fun lol. We could have stayed and watched them all day to see what they were going to do next. 😀

We were the happiest campers after our Zoo Day and have grand plans to return once the animatronics on the dinosaurs are in full swing. It will certainly be a sight to see!

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

May8

Take A Hike!

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Take A Hike!

Hello! In my neck of the woods, we are blessed with an abundance of beautiful Metro Parks to hike at. In fact, there are more than I can count in just a ten mile radius from where I live. It’s awesome! There is nothing like a good, brisk hike on a lovely day and I am always with the best company during my adventures: My big brother! Last year, we completed the Fall Hiking Spree for the first time together and we were genuinely sad when it was over. We enjoyed visiting old and new to us trails so much but by the time the spree concluded, winter was well on its way and we moved our workouts to the gym.

After a long winter with minimal outdoor walks, we could not wait to hit the Metro Parks as soon as the warm weather hit. And, we are simply delighted by the fact that there is now a Spring Hiking Spree!

The Hiking Sprees are exactly what you think they are: Those who want to participate receive a list of different trails throughout the county, there is a minimum amount you have to visit, and a reward like a pin or a shield for your hiking stick is gifted at the end. It’s basically just hiking lol but there is a goal and because my brother and I are extremely goal oriented, it is the perfect activity for us. It’s exciting to work together to achieve something and we really do look forward to our weekly hikes.

While there are several trails on the list for the Spring Hiking Spree that we are familiar with, we bypass those for new to us locations. It amazes me that some of these trails are a hop, skip, and a jump away and we have never been! This has opened our eyes to brand new experiences all in our own backyard. Of course, the Hiking Sprees are an excellent reminder to get active. However, it also serves as a reminder that while Ohio can be boring AF, it sure has a lot of beauty and I feel lucky to have access to all of these wonderful Metro Parks!

We have four hikes to go until we complete our Spring Hiking Spree and I cannot wait to see where we end up next!

Does your neck of the woods do a hiking program similar to mine? Where is your favorite place to hike? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May7

A Car Repair Cautionary Tale

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A Car Repair Cautionary Tale

Hello!! My car, AKA the Little Red Love Machine, is my little pride and joy. She is basically me in car form and I worked very hard to be able to buy my dream car. It is so important to me to make sure she is running in the best, safest way possible and I always stay up to date on regular maintenance. I began going to a shop down the street from me for oil changes and have had a positive experience every time. Except for the last time…

After my last oil change, I was informed that my car needed some extra work and that the price was going to be steep – the bare minimum being around $1340. YIKES! Right away, my feelers went up because what they were recommending was something that I had gotten done before and for way cheaper. Rather than commit to anything right away, I called another repair shop I go to on occasion and got a quote from them. The price just on the phone? $960. That was much more like it! Better yet, when I took my car to get fixed, the true price when they called me was $820. That was even more like it and over five hundred dollars less than the original quote!

While I was doing the happy dance for a repair that was even less than anticipated, I was a bit peeved. Did the people at the first repair shop think I was stupid or something? In fact, after they high balled me, I got a text from one of the team members saying I could get a free oil change if I wrote a review and I’m pretty sure they knew I had their number lol. (And, no: I did not write the review as temping as a free oil change is!)

This is why I decided to share my cautionary tale. If you are getting a major repair on anything done and the price seems way too high, get a second quote from a different source. Hell, get a few! If the prices are similar across the board, then that’s okay. However, you might find yourself in a situation similar to mine and will be so glad that you called around. This might seem like a no brainer but it is definitely worth the reminder so that you can continue to get the most bang for your buck and find professionals that are trustworthy. You couldn’t pay me to go to the original shop I went to again!

I am pleased to report that the Little Red Love Machine is back in excellent condition and my savings speak for themselves. You can’t beat that!

Do you have a story similar to mine? How much money did you end up saving by getting additional quotes? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May6

Boo To You!!

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Boo To You!!

Howdy!! Once upon a time, I received a Stanley mug as a gift and it was glorious. It was a beautiful shade of sea foam green and no one could tell me NOTHING while I toted my gigantic mug of ice water around. Then, my niece came over for a slumber party a few weeks later. I didn’t have any sipper cups for her drinks or straws so I improvised and offered her my Stanley mug. She delighted over the fact that she could drink her chocolate milk “like a big person” and it was just the cutest! I put my mug in the sink for Johnny to wash and then he… didn’t lol. For some reason, he bypassed the mug and by the time he opened it up to wash, it was filled with mold and he proceeded to throw it out so no more Stanley for me. SMH.

Since then, I wasn’t bringing any type of tumbler mug with me as I went about my day and opted for bottled water instead. Then, my niece came over for a slumber party recently and the same song and dance of no straws or sipper cups played. I browsed my options in the cabinets and stumbled upon this mug that I had all but forgotten and we were in business!

I purchased this mug from our local discount store, Marc’s, during the Halloween season. It was a steal for three dollars and I considered it my replacement Stanley – until I brought it home, couldn’t open it, and chalked it up as a three buck loss. Oddly enough, the top opened up so easily when I used it for my niece and I have been using it ever since! Not only do the spooky ghosts make me smile but I cannot recall the last time I have drank so much water regularly. It’s so nice to have the mug with me so I can sip away whenever I need to wet my whistle and I couldn’t even tell you the amount of times I refill it per day. It’s a lot!

Drinking more water in and of itself is a positive and I have definitely noticed the benefits as I increased my normal intake. I feel like I fall asleep so much easier at night and that has decreased my morning dose of caffeine significantly, which is something I have wanted to change. Don’t get me wrong, I still have my coffee and Diet Coke but I am no longer slamming them back to back lol. From a beauty standpoint, my skin looks fresher and clearer and it’s like getting a free skin care treatment every time I fill my mug back up. Why didn’t I start doing this sooner?! I guess I just needed the right mug. 😀

This is your friendly Lil Red Reminder to stay hydrated. Get yourself a fun mug and you will be amazed at how quickly drinking more water becomes part of your daily routine!

What is your favorite mug to use? How much water do you drink per day? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May5

Bird Watching

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Bird Watching

Hello!! Spring is here in all of its glory and it is so exciting to see my dad’s beautiful yard come back to life. Flowers are blooming, darling bunnies hop about, squirrels run and play, and there is an abundance of birds at every feeder set out. One of mine and my dad’s favorite things to do is watch all of the activity from his “nature window” to see what kind of visitors we have. Recently, our hummingbirds came back as well as a new friend. My dad informed me that a new to our backyard Rose-breasted Grosbeak has been by and I was lucky enough to see it too. I was so happy to have been able to snap these pictures because this is one of the prettiest birds I have ever seen:

This bird fits my go to color palette to the T: Black, white, and red! I was absolutely blown away by the shocking patch of crimson on its chest and told my dad that it looks like a heart. While the Rose-breasted Grosbeak is aptly named, we prefer to call it the Heart Bird and that is what we are going with! This past week was a bit crummy and our new backyard bird couldn’t have come at a better time. This special visitor was such a wonderful reminder of better things to come and bright spring days ahead!

If being an adult means getting really excited about bird watching, then I guess I am okay with that lol. I cannot wait to see the Heart Bird again! ❤

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

May4

New Hair Obsessed!

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New Hair Obsessed!

Hello!! I enjoyed a wonderful trip to the Shear Shop to get my hair right for spring in mid April and your girl has been feeling herself ever since! My amazing stylist, Anna, painted a beautiful palette with Pulp Riot’s finest in Pyro, Lemon, Blue Muse, and Desert Sky and it created pure Rainbow Ice magic. I am having so much fun with my new look and have been loving showing it off as often as I can get in OOTD posts while it is still at its freshest.

As I was shooting my 70s Spring OOTD, I realized that I had not changed my profile picture on literally any platforms in a PHAT minute. I decided to rectify that by taking some ready for my closeup shots and am so happy with how these turned out. And, yes, I do realize they both look exactly the same but I just don’t care lolol:

Whenever Anna does my hair, I always revel in the excitement of a brand new change. It’s such fun to experiment with different colors and I leave the salon feeling like a billion bucks and then some. I can definitely tell how good I feel in the photos above and the sentiment still remains the same! This trip to the Shear Shop couldn’t have come at a better time because I had a pretty crummy few months prior to. The new hair and taking pictures when I was feeling my absolute best was a major confidence boost. It was like turning a new page and I had the photographic proof that Lil Red was back, baby, and better than ever!

The moral of the story is that you can always bounce back to living your best life and sometimes you might need a little push. In my case, it was a new look to close a chapter with and I am ready to take on the next one with a better outlook AND better hair!

What makes you feel confident? What is your favorite thing about yourself? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May3

Garden Party OOTD Bloopers

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Garden Party OOTD Bloopers

Hello everyone and welcome to the Blooper Reel from my Garden Party OOTD! Today we are going to take a look at the yikes shots that definitely didn’t make the first cut. In fact, this outfit didn’t even make the cut either because I changed into jeans and a hoodie immediately after these pictures were taken lol. This fit was worn prior to visiting Johnny’s parents for Easter and we both wanted to be comfy for the occasion. I’m so glad we did because I was in a full fledged food coma afterwards! Let’s get to it:

Always tryna crank that Soulja Boy

Who, me?

Looking like I’ve got a mouthful of lemon but STILL werking

Going any way the wind blows

Lol, what is even happening?

Which shows do you like to put on purely for fun? For me and Johnny, we enjoy watching and playing along to game shows. This isn’t a constant occurrence but it’s always a good time and gives us the chance to take a break from whatever true crime show we are binging. In fact, we recently swapped out Fear Thy Neighbor for The Floor because we weren’t aware that a new season just ended! The Floor is a game show that really humors us because it’s essentially just naming pictures. We call it “adult flashcards” lol. Regardless of the simple premise, we like that we truly can play along with the game, use minimal think work, and still get answers right.

It has been a while since the last season of The Floor and I honestly forgot how much fun it was to put it on after work. By the time we are settled and the TV is on, it is game time! Johnny and I took great pleasure in rooting on our favorites, laughing at all of the peanut gallery commentary, and witnessing the major upsets. And, of course, the thrill of yelling answers at the TV and crushing categories in our own right. We breezed through the entire season of The Floor and were genuinely sad when it was over. Thankfully, there is always Family Feud because The Floor inspired us to have a laugh after work, yell stuff at the TV, and see what sticks!

However Johnny and I spend our time after work is great, but those game show viewings just hit different! 😀

What is your favorite game show? Which game show would you like to compete on? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May2

Get Organized For A Summer At Home

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Get Organized For A Summer At Home

Summer is fast approaching and that means now is the perfect time to get yourself organized and ensure that you and your home are ready for the sunny season, and all of the fun and joy it brings. Here are a few key things to get you started so that you’ll be ready when summer comes and you can simply sit back, relax and enjoy it:

Take Stock of It All:

Before you do anything else, you are going to want to take some time to wander around your home and take stock of anything that needs doing to get the place ready for summer. This could be the garden, which needs trimming down so you have a nice clear view of your surroundings or your kitchen which could benefit from a good clean, so you can hang out and make frozen cocktails with friends. Note down everything that needs doing and prioritize the most necessary jobs first.

Declutter to Destress:

Clutter is summer’s secret enemy. Piles of papers, abandoned flip-flops, and that stack of unopened mail whisper “chaos” every time you pass by. Embrace the three-box method: One for keepers, one for trash and one for “maybe later.” Go through your stuff with ruthless kindness. If you haven’t used it since last July, it probably won’t suddenly become precious this year. Clearing visual clutter will make your home feel calmer, and it might even spark joy, à la that famous organizational guru you all admire.

Command the Calendar:

When life feels unstructured, put it on the calendar. Block out time for work, relaxation, home projects and social calls. Color-code like a pro: Blue for focus hours, yellow for fun, green for errands, and red for “urgent but boring.” Seeing your entire summer laid out helps you seize the day without losing track of deadlines or dentist appointments. Plus, sharing your color-coded calendar with housemates or family can prevent those “Why didn’t you tell me” moments.

Automate the Annoying Stuff:

Bill reminders, subscription renewals, and routine home maintenance can slip your mind when the poolside calls. Automate online payments, set up digital reminders for filter changes, and subscribe to a lawn care service app that pings you before it’s too late to sharpen the blades. Automation isn’t cheating; It’s smart management.

Get the Garden Tools in Shape:

In summer, many of us spend a whole lot of time in the garden, which means we want it to look as good as possible, right? This means that we need to sort out that lawn mower repair, sharpen our garden shears, and oil those all-important garden tools so they are all in good working order and we can keep the garden in similar shape, with as little effort as possible.

Clean the Garden Furniture:

Now is also the perfect time to clean and patch up the garden furniture so that it is in perfect condition for sitting and enjoying the hard work you’ve put in to get summer ready at home. Comfy, inviting garden furniture is a must for get togethers, bonfires, and cookouts!

Summer? Bring it on!

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