May18

One Lovely Blog Award #5

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One Lovely Blog Award #5

Hi everyone and happy Thursday! This post is compliments of my darling friend, Kimmiee, at The Typical Beauty Blog. This lovely lady nominated yours truly for my fifth One Lovely Blog Award so many thanks to her for that! Please be sure to check out her page and give it some love! I feel like I’ve been doing so many of these posts lately that I’m running out of fun facts about myself so check out the rules and let’s see what I can come up with:

The Rules:

  • Thank the blogger who nominated you.
  • Share seven facts about yourself.
  • Nominate five bloggers.
  • Let them know that they’ve been nominated.

Fun Facts:

  1. I’m getting a new tattoo on Saturday and I’m very excited!
  2. I love to read and am currently working on We Need To Talk About Kevin. I loved the movie and the book is even better.
  3. The last food that I ate was strawberry shortcake! 😀
  4. My life basically revolves around quoting Seinfeld. When I grow up I want to be Elaine.
  5. I have many a celebrity crush but my number one fantasy man is Jack White with Marilyn Manson coming in at a close second.
  6. It was my brother’s 28th birthday yesterday! ❤ ❤ ❤
  7. Skin care is a passion of mine and I love using face masks a few times per week.

My Nominees (I’m only doing three):

Thank you so much to Kimmiee again for my nomination for lifewithlilred’s fifth One Lovely Blog Award! You’re a doll! Who is your celebrity crush? What are some fun facts about yourself? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May17

Silver Linings PantyBook

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Silver Linings PantyBook

Helloooo everyone and happy Hump Day! So as you guys know, I have had some major Panty Problems this past weekend. You can read all about my tale of woe in the link but just know that it was a really hard time for me, okay?!?! BUT, with every hurricane comes a rainbow and the Silver Linings PantyBook happened on Monday night when I decided to give Aerie’s online store a go.

I’ll be honest, I wasn’t expecting much out of the online site considering I had such abysmal luck in store but I took a deep breath and checked out the panty section, anyways. My thought process behind this one final attempt at panty redemption was the fact that I had a gift card so generously given to me by my mother and if you haven’t figured it out yet, I really need new panties. As I scrolled through the online store of panties galore I….

Wasn’t impressed. BUT that didn’t mean that I was at a complete loss! Aerie, the sneaky devils, decided to hoard all of their cute stuff as online exclusives and sent the rest of the not so stellar shipment to the stores (or so it seems!). So amidst the losing pairs of panties that I had already seen in the store, there were little gems peppered into the page in their online exclusives. Aerie’s usual deal is seven pairs of panties for $27.50, which I think is such a steal so I hunted down seven WINNING pairs to add to my shopping cart.

I ended up with some thongs, cheekies, boyshorts, and a good ol’ pair of period panties for when the time comes. With shipping and tax, I ended up paying a little less than the amount that I paid at Victoria’s Secret for only THREE panties, which I’ve since returned. Aerie has slightly redeemed themselves in my mind after the Silver Linings PantyBook occurred in my online order. BUT, that doesn’t mean that I’m not still disappointed in their lack of cute underthings!!

Will I be satisfied with my order once it arrives? Will I ever stop using the word PANTY? Find out next time when the Panty Problems series concludes with Panty Palooza! Where is your favorite place to shop lingerie? Which store has the cutest panties on the block? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May16

New Alien Green & Black Nails

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New Alien Green & Black Nails

Hiii everyone and happy Tuesday! Yesterday, I participated in Mani Monday and got my beloved talons filled. I prolonged my length between fills from three to three and a half weeks and was actually quite surprised at how un-janky they looked. In fact, I probably could have waited a little bit longer but I had nothing to do yesterday so I figured that I would get them done. So, this time I will probably see if I can stand going four weeks until my next fill because ballin on a budget. But, enough about that, let’s see these bad boys!

claws

^^^ Pretty! :*)

When my dad asked me what I was doing yesterday and I told him that I was going to get my nails done, he asked if I was going to get them taken off. LOL, I don’t think that that’s ever going to happen. My claws make me so unbelievably happy and it’s really the one “treat yoself” thing that I do, considering I dye my hair at home now. I can’t picture myself without them and, damnit, I don’t want to!

Unfortunately for this fill, I ended up picking the worst shade of green because in the bottle it looked super neon but on the nail it just looks kind of thin and dull. But that’s okay, because the overall effect is still really nice! I got the sparkle hearts top coat on my accent nails last time and I loved it so much that I had to get it again. Without them, I would have been super disappointed in the green and asked to pick out a different color but I’m not that picky and still like the finished product well enough just the same.

Regardless of how I feel about the blah green, I have already gotten a ton of compliments on them in just one day thanks to my nail tech, Steve’s, nail wizardry. So, I guess the wait out for my next fill won’t be all that bad! What color of nail polish do you have on right now? How about on your toes? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May16

Food-Tastic Gifts For The Health Nut In Your Life

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Food-Tastic Gifts For The Health Nut In Your Life

We all know one. In fact, we all wish we could be one! What am I talking about? I am, of course, talking about the health nuts that we all know and love. You know, the people that hit the gym on Christmas Day or don’t eat carbs, sugar, and everything else that tastes good. They are healthy, they are committed, and they are people that we all love and admire. The only problem most of us have with them is gift giving. Yep, there are only so many running shoes a person can buy, which makes getting them the perfect present tough.

But, fear not because we are here to help. So, put away the catalog and shutdown the laptop (after you read this!) because you can find out all you need to know underneath:

Air Fryer: Nope, it isn’t a new age device that belongs on the International Space Station. Although when you look it at, it does have a certain alien quality. An air fryer is a machine that makes the frying process healthier. In fact, according to some studies, it can reduce the amount of fat in a meal by three-quarters. That is a huge amount in anyone’s book, never mind a health-obsessed foodie! If you don’t know where to start, you can find a comprehensive list of the best value air fryers here. After all, you don’t want to give them a gift that isn’t up to standard.

Zoodler: What, you have never heard of a zoodler? Well, I can guarantee that your foodie friend has, and they will be delighted with your choice. In layman’s terms, a zoodler is a tool that strips vegetables into thin slices. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a zucchini or a potato because the effect is the same. Most people will wonder why this is even a thing. But, you have to get into your friend’s brain to understand the genius of this tool. Quite simply, it makes eating vegetables less daunting. Yep, that’s it! As it turns out, people are more likely to eat healthier if the portions are small and non-intimidating. And who doesn’t like the fun noodle shape?!

food5

I want one!

Oil Mister: Yes I would like some oil, please! Only joking. This, of course, isn’t someone asking if you would like oil (ba dum chhh). It is a small device that turns oil into a mist. What will they think of next? As it happens, oil isn’t very good for the human body when people like you and I fry it in a pan. In fact, it’s downright unhealthy. Even virgin oil in its regular form contains a lot of calories and fat. Any self-respecting health enthusiast can’t afford to consume more than necessary. And with a mister, they don’t have to any longer as the mist covers the food with just one spray. Because it cuts costs as well as calories, they’ll cherish this gift forever.

Finally, don’t forget about a slow cooker. A slow cooker is a great way to eat more vegetables, maintain nutrition, and avoid nasty additives. All in all, it’s a wonder appliance and your foodie friend will love you for it!

Featured Image By: MaxPixel

May15

Panty Problems

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Panty Problems

Helloooo everyone and happy Monday! I hope that all of you had a wonderful weekend and a lovely Mother’s Day if you celebrated! I have to tell you guys, I am having some MAJOR Panty Problems up in here, up in here. Your girl has needed some new panties for a while now and I decided that this was the weekend that I would make the panty purchase. My mom and I were going to go up to Belden Village, which is a mall about a  half an hour away from us in Canton so that I could shop at Aerie and I was really excited!

Unfortunately, no other malls near me have an Aerie, which is a damn shame considering it’s my normal panty stomping grounds. But that always has been okay with me because Belden Village is my favorite mall to shop at. Before my faithful sidekick – MY MOM and I left, she also treated me to an Aerie gift card as an early birthday present so that I could get my panty on. It was basically the sweetest thing ever and I was so ready to hit the road so that I could revamp my panty drawer ASAP.

SO, we got to the mall and we went to Aerie and it was essentially the most disappointing moment in my life because every single panty there was nowhere close to moving me on a spiritual level . Like, seriously? I have this here gift card and have made the trek to the mall and literally Not. One. Single. Panty. spoke to me. I couldn’t believe it.

I have never not had good luck at Aerie when it comes to panties, but here I was being surrounded by these…these…panty imposters with a gift card burning a hole in my pocket and NOTHING to spend it on. I was in shock. I was disappointed. And I was simply beside myself in mourning for the current uselessness of my gift card and the fact that my panty drawer would be none the better that night.

We walked out of Aerie and I felt dejected and defeated but I figured that we might as well look at Victoria’s Secret, since we were at the mall. I’m not a huge Vicky S fan when it comes to panties. Frankly, I think that they’re an absolute rip off – but at this point, I felt like I needed something and Victoria’s Secret beckoned me into their pink and black emblazoned store with the promise of severely overly priced panties. And like a sheep walking into the slaughter, I entered the store.

Oh, Victoria’s Secret. A store full of sexy little underthings for prices that you could probably buy a kidney with off of the black market. Don’t get me wrong – all of my bras are from Vicky S. I’m just a ballin on a budget kind of gal. I’m more than willing to shell out for a nice bra but panties are just a different story, which is why I’ve always shied away from purchasing them from Victoria’s Secret. But, there I was, Angel Card in hand and a whole store of panties to pick from…

And I hated all of them. Every single panty there that was on some type of a promotion did nothing for me. Similar to Aerie, they were all just blah. But guys…guys…I really felt like I needed to buy some freaking panties – so what did I do? I made my way to the most expensive table of panties which were three for thirty-five or something along those lines and began to hunt for the perfect pairs because it was the only table in the store that I even remotely liked.

After about five minutes, the deed was done and I made my way to the register. The total came close to forty dollars and I just had to stare at the price for a minute, like a cow looking on to an oncoming train. And, I swiped my card and exited the store…

Instantly, I felt like I had made a big fat mistake but didn’t say anything until we got into the car and were on the highway. I then made the announcement that “I have no idea why I just bought those”. It was obviously a moment of weakness because I genuinely see no justification in spending forty dollars for three pairs of panties and I ended up returning them at a nearby mall the next day.

Long story short, my Panty Problems have been a source of much grief and woe this past weekend and here I stand, STILL PANTY-LESS. G DMXCN SMZDNCDCLKSANCKMASJM AHHHHHHHHHHH. Okay. Wow, I really needed that. Anyways, I guess the moral of the story is to not buy something because you feel obligated to (ESPECIALLY expensive panties), patience is a virtue, yada yada yada. And I guess I’m just going to have to wait until Aerie’s panties don’t completely suck until I spend my gift card. *Patience is a virtue, patience is a virtue, patience is a virtue.*  Smh. The End.

So there you have it, my Panty Problems for the weekend, which is obvs enough to last a lifetime! Where do you get the cutest panties from? How about the best bras? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May14

Happy Mother’s Day!!

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Happy Mother’s Day!!

Hello everyone and a Happy Happy Mother’s Day to all of the lovely people celebrating today. I’ll keep this post short and sweet so that you can get on with your brunches, walks in the park, and other Mother’s Day activities. But I just wanted to give a big lifewithlilred thank you to all of the mamas out there. Whether you’re a mom to children, your pets, a foster parent, or are in the process of trying to conceive or adopt – this day is all for you! Thank you for all that you do and for giving the world a dose of the love and care that only a mother can provide! Much love. -Sarah

May13

Sunshine Blogger Award #3

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Sunshine Blogger Award #3

Hi everyone and happy weekend! My third Sunshine Blogger Award is brought to you by one of my literal favorite blogging babes on the planet – the darling K.M. from Ankhor You. K.M. is one of the sweetest, funniest gals that I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing. She is sunshine and also a mermaid. So thank you, my beautiful friend – I love ya!! In conclusion: READ HER BLOG! Alright, let’s do this:

The Rules:

  • Thank the person who nominated you
  • Answer the questions
  • Ask your own questions
  • Nominate eleven fellow bloggers

Q & A:

1) The most important question: How do you take your coffee (Or tea)? If I’m drinking hot coffee, then black. But if I’m drinking iced coffee, a splash of cream is a must.

2) What are you most excited about this summer? A guy who I’m totally in love with is coming to see me for my birthday! And then I’ll be visiting him in North Carolina at some point, too! I CAN’T WAIT.

3) How did you pick your blog name? Lil Red was a nickname given to me by one of my favorite coworkers when I was at PacSun and it just stuck. It was fitting, thanks to my signature red hair and red lips so that was what I was usually referred to throughout the store by my customers and coworkers alike. So when I needed to create a name for my blog, I thought that lifewithlilred flowed perfectly.

4) What is a television show that you are currently obsessed with? FARGO!! Season three is on right now and I friggen love it. Okay, then.

5) Lipstick or lip gloss (or none)? Lipstick. Matte red lipstick for days. Lip gloss is just too much for me, I’m not a fan and I never have been.

6) What is one place that you would sell your soul to visit or to go back to? EUROPE! Obvs. I’d also love to visit one of my darling blogging friends in Uganda.

7) What is a fashion trend that you are obsessed with this season? I don’t follow trends, I set them! 😉 No, but seriously, trends are something that just doesn’t interest me so I don’t go out of my way to find out about them. When it comes to my personal style, I’d much rather do my own thing.

8) What is your song for the summer? Uhhh… I dunno!

9) What is one thing that always makes you smile? MY DOGS!! :*)

10) Morning or evening person? A little bit of both.

11) What is your favorite sport to watch or play? (and yes shopping DOES count 😉) Figure skating! Both watching and playing, since I used to be a competitive skater. I miss it terribly!

My Nominees (I’m only doing three):

My Questions For You:

  1. Are you constantly early or running late?
  2. Who was your grade school best friend?
  3. What was the name of your first pet?
  4. Favorite ice cream flavor?
  5. Do you sunburn or tan?
  6. Any big summer plans?
  7. Last show you binge watched?
  8. One embarrassing song on your iPod?
  9. Biggest guilty pleasure?
  10. Favorite way to relax?
  11. Last song you listened to?

Thank you so much again to my darling K.M. for nominating me for my third Sunshine Blogger Award! How would you answer some of K.M.’s questions? How about some of mine? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May12

First Sephora Purchase!!

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First Sephora Purchase!!

Hi everyone and TGIF! Yesterday my sister and I went to the mall and I *gasp* bought something from Sephora! I really wasn’t expecting to or planning on it. Really. But it happened and I can’t say that I’m too upset about it! It only seems fitting that my First Sephora Purchase would be a red lipstick (yes, I’m obsessed), so take a look and let’s discuss:

seph2seph3seph4

Urban Decay Metallized lipstick in Wrath

So, yeah. Like I said, I really wasn’t planning on buying anything – let alone a seventeen dollar lipstick. But, damnit, I just couldn’t help myself. IT’S SO PRETTY! As you guys know, I just bought myself a new lipstick with glitter in it but that doesn’t mean that I wasn’t still in love with metallic shades, either. This Urban Decay shade spoke to me on a spiritual level and I desperately needed it in my life.

The purchase of this lipstick was a bit of an emotional rollarcoaster, because there were no tubes of Wrath to buy behind the tester. Just my luck. Frankly, I wouldn’t have been all that disappointed if they were all out, but still – I really liked it. I asked one of the employees if they might have any more and she legit searched for five minutes and with every passing second I could feel my heart sink lower and lower.

BUT MY LUCK TURNED AROUND because she finally found my new lipstick and at that point, I couldn’t not buy it! Guys. This shade is SO. Freaking. Gorgeous. It’s great because when you think metallic for shades of red, you think of colors with a more rusty, orange tint to it (and any shade of orange lippie looks horrendous on me). But not Wrath. This Urban Decay lipstick has the purest of red pigments with a chrome finish and I am so madly in love with it.

I asked one of the employees if she could put it on for me just so I could be sure and I got the stamp of approval from both her and my sister. And also me, too! Because that would have kind of sucked if I ended up hating this color! As soon as I wear this lipstick out, I will be sure to take a shameless selfie so that all of you can see it, too!

So there you have it, my First Sephora Purchase! What was the first thing that you bought at Sephora? What is your favorite Urban Decay lipstick shade? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May12

A Parents And Teacher’s Guide To Teenage Depression

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A Parents And Teacher’s Guide To Teenage Depression

As a parent or teacher, we know that it is normal for teenagers to be moody and sullen. However, it is important to understand when this becomes something more serious. It is a sad fact that the suicide rate in young people is growing, so as a concerned adult you need to recognize the symptoms of depression and understand the pressures your children might be facing.

It may be that you already work in the field of mental health, are considering a career in doing so, or taking one of the masters in clinical mental health counseling programs. Parents, teachers, and counselors are on the front line when it comes to caring for children, and it is vitally important that you know how to help when they are suffering inside. Depression sucks, and here’s a few of the reasons of what might be causing it in your children, students, or friends:

Causes of Depression: Medically speaking, there is still no real evidence as to what causes depression. Genetics may play a part, as is a chemical imbalance in the brain. For the teenager, there are certain factors that can contribute. These include:

Self-Image: Every day, children are bombarded with messages from the media, peers, and social networking on how they should look, feel, and conform. Many young people suffer from body issues when they unrealistically compare themselves to the airbrushed models in magazines and online. If they are not the right weight or don’t have the right clothing, this can be a great source of stress for the teenager, especially when they face bullying because of it.

School: We all know how hard school can be (as if we needed reminding!). It is supposed to be a place of learning and growth, however, for some young people, the only knowledge they are getting is that they are not good enough. Fitting in with peers, broken relationships, dealing with too much homework, studying for tests and exams, and preparing for colleges can add a huge amount of stress into your child’s life.

Bullying is a major issue that can affect children physically and mentally. With the rise of social media, so much bullying is done online, with vile private messages and the posting of personal pictures, which the child has no control over. This can give off the illusion of nowhere being safe for the child.

What can you do? For starters, be there to offer support. They may not tell you how they are feeling, but encourage them to talk when appropriate. Symptoms of depression include moodiness, withdrawal from family and friends, lack of passion in things that they normally enjoyed doing, and mood swings. Some of these are normal for a teenager as their bodies change, but they could also be warning signs.

When you talk to your child or student, be open and listen to what they have to say. Do not judge or say something glib, such as ‘snap out of it’ (smh!!). Share your concerns with a doctor and other mental health professionals to ensure that the child receives the help that they need to get them back on track and smiling again.

Featured Image By: Vimeo

May11

Mystery Blogger Award #2

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Mystery Blogger Award #2

Hi everyone and happy Thursday! This post is compliments of my friend, Tiffany, over at Tiffy’s Wild World, who nominated me for my second Mystery Blogger Award! Her blog is a real treat so please make sure to check it out. 🙂 I always am so flattered whenever I get nominated for something, and I think that these award posts are so fun and such a great way to get to know our fellow bloggers a little bit better. I always jump at the opportunity to make these posts so a major thank you again to Tiffany for the nomination! Alright, let’s get to it:

The Rules:

  • Thank whoever nominated you and provide a link to their blog.
  • Mention the creator of the award and provide a link as well
  • Tell your readers 3 things about yourself
  • Answer the questions from the nominator
  • Nominate 10-20 people
  • Share a link to your best post(s)
  • Notify your nominees by commenting on their blog
  • Ask your nominees any 5 questions of your choice

3 Fun Facts:

  1. My current favorite movie is The Eyes Of My Mother, which can be watched on Netflix. If you are a horror movie junkie, like myself, watch it and you’ll thank me later!
  2. I’m turning 23 very soon on June 7th and I am SO not excited.
  3. Prison TV shows are my favorite and Bea Smith from Wentworth is my red haired spirit animal.

Q & A:

What would your perfect date be? Hmm…Let’s see…Probably going ice skating and then to Taco Bell. It doesn’t take much to make me happy!

What is your favorite beauty hack? I’m not creative enough to come up with my own beauty hacks!!

When was your favorite birthday? Even though I don’t remember much of my 22nd birthday, I had a really great party and everyone told me after how much fun that they had! So, I’m guessing that I had fun, too!

When was the last time you went on holiday? Last October my family went to Asheville, North Carolina and I loved that. It’s such a cool area and the people and atmosphere are all wonderful.

If you could go and live anywhere in the world, where would it be, and why? Probably London or Paris. Preferably Paris, though, because fashion and I can perfect my French.

My Best Post:

Uhhhh…I don’t know. Lol, I literally don’t know. I’ve never really thought about it before.

My Nominees (I’m only doing three):

My Questions For You:

  1. Who or what is your spirit animal?
  2. Is there a food or drink that you like that everyone else hates? (Everyone but me in my family hates Indian food! I friggen love it.)
  3. Where do you like to do your blogging at?
  4. How do you normally start your day?
  5. If you were a boy, do you know what your name would have been? (Mine would have been Matthew or Phillip.)

Muchos gracious again to the lovely Tiffany over at Tiffy’s Wild World for nominating me for my second Mystery Blogger Award! How would you answer some of Tiffany’s questions? How about some of mine? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah