Aug30

Loser

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Loser

Whatsup everyone and happy Sunday! So yesterday night my darling friend, Tyler, and I were FaceTiming and we had a very enlightening conversation that I would like to share with you. Sit back, enjoy this ironic choice of music, and let’s discuss:

During my chat with Tyler we both were expressing to each other how happy we our with our lives for the most part. This cued us to reminisce on high school and just how much it fucking sucked for the both of us. Saying that we had it rough during the supposed “best years of our lives” is a severe understatement. I had to laugh at one point with him, because this weekend I was interviewing a lovely girl for a new piece on lifewithlilred and she said something along the lines of how she always wanted to be my friend in high school because she thought I was really cool. When I told Tyler this, I followed it with “I don’t understand why, I was the biggest burnout, depressed loser ever in high school”.

After we chortled at my pathetic expense (lol), Tyler told me something that I thought was very profound. “Maybe it’s not such a bad thing being a loser in high school. I mean yeah, it sucked, but I feel like we both appreciate things so much more now”. I seriously couldn’t agree more. Tyler and I are both insanely pleased with where we’re at right now, which made how all of the “cool kids” from high school are doing now worth mentioning. It definitely seems like the tables have turned in a way, with the losers running the world and the cool kids stuck in their still in high school mentality. I’m not gonna lie, this is very gratifying!

The moral of the story? If you are or were a “loser” in high school – don’t fret, because your time to blossom is legitimately right around the corner. All you have to do is wait just a little bit longer and you’re going to be on cloud nine in no time. Now I get that saying to play the waiting game is easier said than done. No one knows how bad high school can suck more than me. But I promise you this, a happier life as a twenty-something is worth the wait. So for the time being: keep your chin up, grin and bear it, and know that two of the biggest losers that the high school world has ever seen are doing just fine now.

^^^ It seemed appropriate. 😉

I hope all of you are having a fabulous weekend chock full of lots of fun stuff! Can anyone relate to this post? Where are the cool kids and losers that you were in high school with at now? I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug29

My Issues – Teen Vogue Edition

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My Issues – Teen Vogue Edition

Whatsup everyone and happy Saturday! I hope all of you are having a wonderful start to your weekend! So I’m not gonna lie, as a twenty-one year old adult, I still enjoy flipping through the pages of Teen Vogue…but after my latest encounter with the teen mag – not so much. As I skimmed over the pages, I realized that I had a problem with so much of what the magazine was preaching. Allow me to explain:

First of all, the articles of clothing featured in the magazine are so ridiculously expensive – what teenager other than the filthy rich have the money to purchase clothing like that? Teen Vogue is teaching young women to idolize material goods and vapid celebrities rather than teaching them how to make a look that is uniquely their own. I would much prefer to see a teen magazine that’s teaching young folks how to manage their money and one might say “ball on a budget”. Yes, the clothes shown are great inspiration, but they’re just so unattainable to the point that it doesn’t seem fair. With the Kardashian girls seen on almost every page it almost feels like the only people who are worthy of great style are those who are famous simply for being famous. How can a teenage-something girl achieve a lifestyle like that? Making a sex tape maybe? #burn

My second bone to pick with the magazine is actually something that I’ve mentioned on lifewithlilred before but is worth talking about again. I am SO beyond annoyed with Teen Vogue for consistently lumping the way the “punk” or an “All American Girl” should be dressing just by the stereotype of how people assume these styles are dressed. Spoiler alert: Punk does not mean gothed out girls with black lipstick and clip in piercings. The “American Girl” does not equal a blonde haired blue eyed beauty in cutoff shorts and a flannel knotted at the waist. There are countless ways of outfitting different styles without giving in to the norm that everyone is familiar with. The best part about fashion is playing with it, not dressing up in an over exaggerated costume because a magazine suggests that that’s how it should look.

As I flipped more angrily through the pages, all I could see were caricatures of styles according to a looks stereotype. What “sporty” girl runs around town in her sports bra for every day errands? NONE. How in the hell can young girls develop a personal style if they are dressing exactly how a magazine thinks that they should look? Featuring slender models in high end couture clothing is NOT the way to teach girls how to dress. The more I looked through Teen Vogue, the more I felt that the originality of my own style was being sucked away from me as my grungy/rocker look was categorized into a costume.

Maybe I’m overreacting. Maybe my opinions are not how everyone else feels. But I literally got so worked up after I slammed the magazine shut that I had to go write notes about the thoughts that were going through my head as I perused the pages. Magazines, especially ones directed towards young people, should be focusing on the cool and creative not the celebrity cookie cutter version of fashion. My teenage self loved Teen Vogue, but looking at it from the perspective of a young adult definitely made me see things from a more critical eye. So I say, screw the message that that magazine is sending out. Focus on staying true to yourself in your personal style and don’t let anyone else tell you otherwise. The end. *Drops mic*

So there you have it, My Issues – Teen Vogue Edition. Has anyone felt similarly to me while looking through fashion magazines? What is your message for young people developing their own style? I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug28

iTunes Shuffle Challenge: Epic Failure

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iTunes Shuffle Challenge: Epic Failure

Heyyy everyone and TGIF! About a month or so ago, I wrote an article about my desire to play all of the over 8,000 songs on my iPod the entire way through on shuffle. (See: “iTunes Shuffle Challenge”) Unfortunately, I only made it to song 1,000. I seriously couldn’t handle not being able to hear my go to jams whenever I wanted, so thanks to a few of my favorite songs, the score is as follows:

  • Sarah: 0
  • iTunes Shuffle Challenge: 7496833058

Now it’s time to share with you the funky time jams that made the iTunes Shuffle Challenge triumph over Lil Red:

Wild For The Night – A$AP Rocky (ft. Skrillix, Birdy Nam Nam): Yes, the lyrics in this song are vulgar to the point that it’s almost shameful. No, I don’t care. This song is my fucking jam. Whenever I’m in the mood to blast rap music at the highest volume possible in the Little Red Love Machine (which is very often), this is my first choice. It’s so damn catchy and I have the biggest, weirdest crush on A$AP Rocky. Ain’t no shame in my game. 😉 #ihatemyself

One Time – K-Os: Oh yes, I looooove me some K-Os and “One Time” is one of my all time favorites by him. This track is so sexy it’s unreal and it’s another one of Lil Red’s go to driving jams. If you haven’t noticed already, a common theme in this post is that these songs are all ones that I like to drive to. Sue me for it. By the time I got about a month into the iTunes Shuffle Challenge, I was so over not being able to hear my favorite driving songs. Everyone has those certain tracks that put them in the best mood while driving and it was very difficult to live without them. But I digress. K-Os came out with a new album recently and I’m very excited to give it a listen…Also, give “One Time” a try. It’s the tits.

Wake Up – AWOLNATION: Obviously AWOLNATION is going to be on this list considering how much I freaking love them. (See: “AWOLNATION Concert” and “Man Crush Monday: Aaron Bruno Edition) AWOL is one of my favorite bands to drive to because their music is so fast paced and upbeat. Around song 500 on my Shuffle Challenge “Like People, Like Plastic” played and I freaked out with happiness and then spiraled into a depression because I couldn’t rock out to any more of their music. It seriously killed me. #neardeathexperiences

That Black Bat Licorice – Jack White: Once again, obviously my main man, Jack White, is going to be on this list. (See: “Man Crush Monday: Jack White Edition) I love playing anything and everything with Mr. White in it, so consider this part of the list an all inclusive blurb for all of Jack White’s past and present bands. Such a beautiful, talented, hunka hunk of burning love. I also really like the music video for this song!

Avocado, Baby – Los Campesinos!: I like this song a lot. Like a lot a lot. I’ve been a Los Campesinos! fan for years and this track is no exception. It’s cool, it’s catchy, and I play it in the Little Red Love Machine at least ten times per week. #MVP

Don’t Save Me – HAIM: Whenever I’m feeling sassy, which is very often, I loves me some HAIM. I’m a big fan of their entire album Days Are Gone and “Don’t Save Me” is probably one of my favorite tracks. I like to play HAIM when I’m in need of a heaping helping of girl power and best believe I’m singing poorly the entire time. Oh, what I wouldn’t do to be a member of that sisterhood (of the traveling pants).

Burnin’ Up – Jonas Brothers: Hahaha…haha…ha. JUDGE ME FOR IT!!! Whenever I’m driving with my sister, this is one of the songs that we like to belt at the top of our lungs. For that reason, “Burnin’ Up” was an accomplice to my iTunes Shuffle Challenge failure. You guys have no idea how hard it was to tell my big sis that she couldn’t play our JoBros anthem because I couldn’t stray away from my shuffle streak. I made a lot of musical sacrifices for the Shuffle Challenge, and not playing “Burnin’ Up” was one of the most difficult ones I had to make. #truestory

So there you have it, the tunes that turned my iTunes Shuffle Challenge into an Epic Failure. What are some of your go to driving songs? How many songs do you have on your iPod and do you think you could succeed at a Shuffle Challenge of your own? I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug27

If The Shoe Fits – Elle Edition

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If The Shoe Fits – Elle Edition

Hellooooo everyone and welcome to another edition of If The Shoe Fits – Elle style! These are my go to Barbie shoes and a wonderful addition to my wardrobe boutique, so take a look at some more pics and then let’s discuss!

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As you guys have gathered by now, I’m a big fan of shopping at Kohl’s. Many shoes in my collection have been purchased from there, including my floral print Elle heels. The first thought that came to mind when I saw these pretty babies was “Barbie” and my second thought was “I want them”. Frankly, I was shocked by my desire for the Elle’s…usually I prefer a much chunkier heel, but these were just so darn cute! I tried them on and they fit incredibly well, plus I felt like a real life fashion doll as I ambled about the shoe department, so I had to buy them, right? RIGHT!

My pair of floral heels was the first shoe that I can vividly remember thinking “I need to post these on my Facebook”. I just felt this insatiable need to show them off, so as soon as I got them home I took a picture and posted them to my page with the caption “Barbie heels <3”. One might say that my Elle’s were what ignited a love for discussing all things fashion on social media. From then on, I reveled in posting pics of my latest footwear finds and I became a subject of envy for many a gal with a passion for shoes!

Not only are these heels a source of inspiration, but they also have brought some humor into my life as well. The day after I bought my Elle’s, I decided to wear them to the mall to break them in…BIG mistake. The back of the shoes were rubbing in a way that was most uncomfortable and within twenty minutes my poor feet were bright red. With a cut forming on the back of my ankle, I knew that something needed to be done. With nothing but relieving my aching feetsies on my mind, I found the nearest bench and sat my sorry ass down. I began to dig through my purse for something, ANYTHING, that I could put in my shoe to ease the friction between the heel itself and my heel. Chapstick? No. Wallet? Negatory. Five receipts from Taco Bell? DONE. Pleased with my TBell tidings, I proceeded to stuff my shoes with the receipts and continued my shopping trip with heels full of paper proof of my love for burritos and happy feet. ❤

Now I’m not usually one to go full on girly girl with my style, but I feel like you just have to with these heels! I love wearing my Elle’s with sweet skirts and dresses paired with soft cardigans and jewelry. If you’re going to girl out, what better way to do it than with a pair of floral print Barbie heels?  (Seriously, if you have a better way to do it, then I wanna know, damnit.)

So there you have it, this week’s newest issue of If The Shoe Fits – Elle Edition! Now I need your help! What shoe should I write about next? Your choices are between INC knee high riding boots or Guess army green heeled combat boots. I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug26

Woman Crush Wednesday: Helena Bonham Carter Edition

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Woman Crush Wednesday: Helena Bonham Carter Edition

Helloooo everyone and happy Hump Day! Welcome to a new edition of Woman Crush Wednesday – Helena Bonham Carter style! I am such a big fan of the stunning Miss Helena…and so is my dad, for that matter – but that’s neither here nor there. ANYWAYS, enjoy this video of one of my favorite Sweeney Todd songs starring our lovely vixen herself and then let’s discuss:

Dear Helena Bonham Carter,

Ohhhhh sweet sweet Helena, I just adore you. You truly are such a phenomenal actress and it is such a joy to watch you light up the big screen. No matter what your role is, you always seem to steal the show. What I find so inspiring about you is that you never shy away from the weird and macabre but you embrace it with so much gusto that it makes “normal” people look like the weird ones. You’re an oddball, and I mean that in the most loving way possible. All of your cute little quirks are so endearing though because they are so relateable to so many people, myself included. You are unique and proud and it makes me want to scream Sweeney Todd lyrics at the top of my lungs from my bedroom window. Not only are you insanely talented and an amazing role model, but can we please talk about your staggering good looks? Hubba hubba, woman. Your off screen looks are killer and no matter what you look like in movies I always find myself weirdly attracted to you. Btw, I’m sorry to hear about your break up with your long time love, Tim Burton, but on the bright side – that means that you and I can get married! Hurray! I LOVE YOU!!!!

hbc3hbc1

^^^ Oh. My. God. I am so helplessly obsessed with that black and white picture. GORGEOUS!

So there you have it, this weeks Woman Crush Wednesday: Helena Bonham Carter Edition. Who is everyone’s #WCW this week? What is your favorite character that my woman crush has played? I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug25

Lil Red’s Online Boutique

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Lil Red’s Online Boutique

lifewithlilred's avatarlifewithlilred

Hey everyone and happy Tuesday! So a lot of people have reached out to me about where they can find items from my wardrobe that I feature on here and now I can finally answer with “on http://www.lifewithlilred.com”! Every once in a while during one of my cleaning sprees, I’ll be posting my unwanted items on here that are up for grabs for a reasonable price. If you see anything that you are interested in, shoot me an email at sarah.mush6794@gmail.com! The descriptions of each item will be listed after all of the photos are posted and the prices will be determined by me and you! Take a look:

boutiqueboutique1boutique2boutique3boutique4boutique5boutique6boutique7boutique8boutique9boutique10boutique11boutique12boutique13boutique14boutique15boutique16boutique17boutique18boutique19boutique20boutique21boutique22

Item Descriptions:

  • Black wedges: Vera Wang, size 8 Med
  • Britney Spears Circus perfume, over 3/4’s of the bottle left
  • Harajuku Lovers Baby perfume, brand new bottle
  • Peace, Love, & Juicy Couture perfume, brand new bottle
  • L.A.M.B. perfume, over half of the…

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Aug25

Happy 21st Birthday, Best Friend!

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Happy 21st Birthday, Best Friend!

Hellooooo everyone and happy Tuesday! Tomorrow is a very special day because it’s my darling best friend, Lea’s, 21st birthday! Lea and I have been waiting to be 21 together since our friendship began over seven years ago and now that moment is almost here! Some of my all time favorite memories have been with my sweet girl, so take a look at some cute pics and then enjoy a BFF love letter from yours truly:

bff1bff2bff3

Dear Lea,

Happy birthday, my pretty princess! Words can’t even describe how lucky I am to have you as my best friend. From our humble beginnings as little high school freshmen to our full on adventures as freshly turned twenty-one year olds, growing up with you by my side has been something I’m forever grateful for. I’ll never forget this one time when we were both having boy problems a year or so ago and I called you in tears. I came over to your house, we got ice cream, and we laid in bed for hours complaining about how much boys suck. But then something really cool happened – our whining turned into laughter. After we had our fill of chocolate ice cream and moping we got super silly and ended up having a blast. The fact that we can turn a not so great situation into us laughing until we cry really says a lot about our friendship. (That it’s perfect…just like us!)

Throughout our BFF saga, you have instilled such a joy for life in me that I didn’t know was possible. I am so confident that our friendship will only continue to grow and blossom and I can’t wait to see what our futures have in store for us. You are the epitome of beautiful inside and out. Not only do you have such a gorgeous heart but you’re also a real stunner too! Lucky me! 😉 I love you so much Lea, and I hope you have the best birthday in the world because you deserve nothing less! Love, Sarah ❤

I hope everyone is having an awesome day so far! Do any of you have a birthday coming up? What was your favorite birthday celebration? I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! And make sure you send Miss Lea some birthday shout outs! Much love. -Sarah

Aug24

Man Crush Monday: Alan Rickman Edition

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Man Crush Monday: Alan Rickman Edition

Helloooo everyone and welcome to a new edition of Man Crush Monday – Alan Rickman style! I know what you guys are thinking, “but Sarah, he’s old”. Well my response to that is: I just can’t help myself, he’s a babe! Take a look at this lovely duet compliments of Mr. Rickman and Johnny Depp in Sweeney Todd and then let’s discuss my #MCM:

Dear Alan Rickman,

Oh Mr. Rickman, you handsome, brooding, baritoned man you! I am so weirdly and shamelessly attracted to you and I apologize to no one. After a Harry Potter kick with my boyfriend where we watched every single movie within a week, my passion for you was rekindled and the fire in my loins burns deep. (AYYY!) Your performance as Professor Severus Snape in the Harry Potter films was truly one for the ages. You fit the description of Professor Snape in the books so perfectly and you added on to the character with touches that were uniquely your own. No one could have played the part any better. Your acting throughout the Harry Potter films made me laugh and cry hysterically. Every time I watch the scene of your death in the final HP film, I cry like a baby – lord have mercy on a gal. And please don’t even get me started on your performance in Sweeney Todd because I could babble about your baritone for days. So instead of blathering about your sexy deep singing voice, I’ll just blather about your sexy good looks! Hubba hubba, sir. Like a fine wine, you get better with age and I’m so excited to see what your career has in store for you next. I LOVE YOU!!!!!

alan1alan2

^^^ What a beautiful, beautiful man. BE STILL MY HEART! ❤

So there you have it, this weeks Man Crush Monday: Alan Rickman Edition! Who is your #MCM this week? What is your favorite creative endeavor by my man crush? I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug24

Monday Update: Exciting Occurrences Edition

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Monday Update: Exciting Occurrences Edition

Helloooo everyone and happy Monday!! So a lot of really cool stuff has been happening these past few days and will be coming up in the near future, so I want to share all of it with you in this Monday Update: Exciting Occurrences Edition! Grab a cup of coffee, kick your feet up, and enjoy an early morning post by yours truly:

Exciting Occurrence #1) School starts today!! This semester at Tri-C, I’ll be taking Ethics, French, Comparative World Religions, and History of Civilization. I took French in high school and I was very good at it, however, because I had no one to speak it with, I lost a lot of my skills. I’m really looking forward to relearning everything that I lost as well as all of the new subtleties and nuances my class will teach me. As many of you might remember, I’m an Athiest – so why am I taking Comparative World Religions? Because it sounds interesting, sue me for it! Just because I’m a nonbeliever doesn’t mean that I’m not fascinated by the ways other people worship, so I think that this course will be a lot of fun. Similar to my religions class, I think that Ethics and History of Civilization will be a great learning experience as well. I’ve always loved history and I’m excited to explore the worlds of philosophical thinking even further with Ethics! I think that this fall semester is going to be my best one yet and I can’t wait to see what Tri-C has in store for me!

Exciting Occurrence #2) I have an audition for a play called The Boys Next Door tonight! After performing in the film, Beat The Heat, the acting bug bit me hard and now all I want to do is get back into theatre again. I browsed through the internet looking into possible auditions and unfortunately I was too late for almost all of them. BUT, I found the audition for the play that I’ll be trying out for tonight right in the nick of time, so I can’t wait to give it a shot. The audition is a cold reading, which is great, because getting into a character quickly is a major strength of mine. I also prepared an oldie but goodie monologue of mine as well, just in case! The play sounds very intriguing, as it focuses on mental health issues – which is right up my alley! There is only one female role available, so I’m really hoping that I have what this company is looking for! The only problem is, is that the theater that the play will be held at is quite far away from me, but if I get the part the drives will be totally worth it! Wish a bitch luck!

Exciting Occurrence #3) Similarly to the last Exciting Occurrence, I also have another theatre related update! I got word of a one act play festival happening this fall that is looking for original pieces to stage. Lucky for me, I wrote a play in high school, so now I have to go through and pick out two or three short scenes from the play that I think are the best and find a way to piece them together so that they fall in the ten minute range. Dwindling down the play to something so small is going to be a challenge but I definitely plan on giving it a try!

Exciting Occurrence #4) I have a boyfriend!! HURRAY! 🙂

trueee

^^^ #TRUE

So there you have it, this week’s Monday Update: Exciting Occurrences Edition! What is everyone up to this week? Who is starting back at school soon? I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug23

It’s In The Bag – British Invasion Edition

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It’s In The Bag – British Invasion Edition

Hey everyone and happy Sunday! It’s time to debut a new segment on http://www.lifewithlilred.com, which is appropriately entitled “It’s In The Bag” for obvious reasons! If there’s one thing that I know every girl loves, it’s a great statement purse, and now I’m here to discuss some of my personal favorites from my wardrobe boutique with all of you! Take another look at my go to handbag and then let’s discuss:

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I’m very particular about all of the pieces in my closet and purses are no exception. All of my purchases have to have just the right touches of edgy rocker chic and nothing does it better than this fab find from Charming Charlie! For those of you who are unfamiliar with CC, it’s a huge accessories store – we’re talking purses, jewelry, hats, scarves, clothing, the whole shebang. I don’t venture into Charming Charlie very often, but when I do, I always manage to find some fun new goodies!

I found my British Invasion purse during a shopping trip to Crocker Park, a gorgeous outdoor mall in Westlake, Ohio. Crocker Park offers a huge Charming Charlie that has so much cuteness it’s almost overwhelming. My (ex)friend and I entered the store and the first thing that caught my eye was my studded bag baby. Usually I’m not one to go completely gaga over a purse but I just couldn’t help myself – this one was special. I plucked the bag from the display and power walked my sweet tookus to the closest mirror possible and it truly was perfect. It felt so right flung over my shoulder or clutched in my protective hands. I remember that I was wearing all black that day (as usual) and the bag simply popped against my blank canvas of an outfit. It had to be mine.

Not only is this purse stylish but it’s also very functional, which is something that’s very important to me. When I’m in need of a new bag, the size has to be just right. I don’t want anything too big, like a hobo bag, and I can’t do anything too small either, like a clutch. My ideal purse has to have enough room to fit my wallet, car keys, cigarettes, lighter, lipstick, and any other odds and ends that I might need. My British Invasion purse fits everything comfortably and still offers additional room if I need to throw anything else in. Despite the Lil Red Approved size, I still manage to have difficulty finding my things in there…Go figure. -_-

In all honesty, I’m not a girl who’s one for designer anything, especially when it comes to purses. I’d prefer to find a unique piece that I know not everyone will have and most importantly, I prefer to find it with a reasonable price tag attached. I scored my Charming Charlie British Invasion purse for thirty dollars and to me, this is such a steal. I like to use the “cost per wear” method and the amount of times that I’ve used my bag baby has paid for itself a hundred times over. This purse is sharp, sleek, and so damn cool! I get compliments on it wherever I go and I feel awesome strutting about with its beautiful little self casually hanging over my shoulder. It’s in the bag. ❤

So there you have it, the first edition of It’s In The Bag – British Invasion Edition. Now I need your help! What purse should I write about next? Your choices are between my Betsey Johnson telephone purse or my Target animal skull satchel. I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah