Sell Your Home Quickly With These Tips

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Sell Your Home Quickly With These Tips

Do you want to list your home on the market quickly? If so, then you have come to the right place. This guide will help you to make the right changes so you can get your home on the market as fast as possible and move onto bigger and better things:

Perform a Deep Clean:

One of the first things you need to do is perform a deep clean from top to bottom, on the inside and the out. You also need to keep in mind that cleaning costs nothing, but it is a major part of selling your home. If you have carpets and curtains that could do with a deep clean, then this is money that is well worth spending. Cleaning your home is quite possibly one of the biggest chores that you will face when the time comes for you to sell your, and a lot of people disregard it without much thought. If your home is cleaner than the rest of the homes on the market, then it will look better and make it easier to get the sale you need.

Declutter:

Get rid of all the clutter around your home and you will soon find that it looks bigger. It will feel to buyers like a tidy and organized place to live, which is exactly what they are looking for. If possible, you also need to take note that decluttering will save you moving expenses at a later date as you won’t have as many things to clear out. If you can keep things like this in mind, you will find that it becomes easier for you to get the motivation you need. It’s vital that you look at your home as being a commodity that you can sell and that you work with the emotional bond that you have with your home. Focus on the new life that you are going to be creating when you move, and don’t hold onto things that could make your home look messy or untidy.

Fix Anything that is Broken:

You also need to take the time to fix anything that might be broken. You need to finish any DIY jobs and you catch up on maintenance too. At the end of the day, a well-maintained home that is well-cared for will really stand out to buyers. Buyers will mentally reduce the maximum price that they are willing to go up to if there are a lot of things that need fixing. Unfinished or botched DIY jobs need to be done by a professional if possible because if you don’t get this done, then it will make things much more difficult for you in the future. If you intend on selling or transferring your home to a family member, then jobs like this may not be as important.

When you are making repairs, keep documents of everything so that potential buyers know that things are all in recent working order. Keep this, along with all of your other information for this process, well organized. And, when the time comes to sell, look into a Deeds.com Quitclaim Form so you can make sure that you have all of your paperwork in order.

Additional Help:

A family emergency or a change of job could warrant a move and you might not have the luxury of waiting for your house to sell. If you need to make a quick move, the tips above might not be as useful. However, you could explore other ways of selling your home that can often result with cash in hand for the sale. If this sounds like what you need for your moving process, simply enter a search for “sell my house as in KC” (or your local area). Once your home is sold quickly, that is one less worry as you start a new chapter in your life.

A tidy, well maintained home is a buyer’s dream so do what you can to make this possible!

Featured Image By: Pexels

What Have We Been Watching?

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What Have We Been Watching?

Hello!! Johnny and I love to watch TV, movies, and documentaries together. It’s how we unwind after work and there’s nothing better than having something new to look forward to after a long day. For the past few months, we were definitely on a comfort show kick. The past few weeks, however, we have dived back into some pretty crazy documentaries that we both really enjoyed. In a spoiler free setting, I thought we would discuss a few of them today as well as my most recent guilty pleasure and a new quiz show. Let’s get to it:

Degrassi:

Ladies first, right?! Yes, I have been rewatching Degrassi: The Next Generation on HBOMax and it has been wonderful. Degrassi was mine and my sister’s JAM in high school and I have not seen it since then. I am pleased to report that the show still hits in adulthood. In fact, it seems to hit even harder. I remember the cast and a majority of the episodes. The details are a different story, though, and it is drama central! I have found that my favorite characters in high school have remained my favorite during my rewatch and it has been such fun to watch an episode or two every day!

The Contestant:

I learned about the documentary The Contestant because it was showing at the International Film Festival at Playhouse Square in Cleveland. The premise seemed extremely interesting and I was excited that it was on Hulu. Johnny and I watched The Contestant last week and it was a wild ride. Basically, a Japanese game show aired in the late 90s called My Life In Prizes. The Contestant, named Nasubi, had to survive off of food and prizes won from mail and phone contests until he reached one million Yen worth of spoils. Nasubi had no idea that for fifteen months, his time spent in isolation was being aired on TV for the world to see. The documentary explores the taping of the show, the aftermath it had on Nasubi, and how he managed to come out on top. There were times when this doc was hard to watch, but I would highly recommend it.

Lover, Stalker, Killer:

On Wednesday, Johnny and I decided to watch a documentary on Netflix called Lover, Stalker, Killer and WOW. It was freaking NUTS. In this Baby Reindeer-esque doc, we learn about a man named Dave and his online dating experience from hell. After his marriage ended, Dave turned to Plenty of Fish for some casual relationships. No strings attached, just fun. He got a whole lot more than he bargained for when he met Liz and Cari and was targeted in a deadly campaign of harassment. This documentary had so many plot twists that it made my head spin. In fact, it felt more like one of my beloved “LifeTime movie books” than real life. There was nothing fake about Lover, Stalker, Killer and it was harrowing from start to finish.

Dancing for the Devil:

One thing that Johnny and I are particularly interested in are cults and we have watched several docs pertaining to those that function online. The most recent one we watched was called Dancing for the Devil on Netflix. Long story short, a leader of a church saw the potential for profit from the viral dance trends on TikTok. He then formed a management company called 7M that targeted popular dancers on the platform. In Dancing for the Devil, we learn about the culty methods of 7M from people who escaped and the loved ones of those still in its grasp. The families and friends of people in 7M have had little to no contact with them since joining the management company. Those who have say they barely recognize their child, sibling, or friend since getting involved with 7M. This was a thought provoking documentary that showed the real life effects of online cults in real time.

The Quiz With Balls:

And, finally, on a lighter note – we have The Quiz With Balls lol. Johnny discovered this new game show airing on Fox through one of his podcasts. We decided to watch the first two episodes this past Thursday and I am SO glad we did. It is an absolute riot from start to finish. There are two families competing against each other to answer trivia questions. It goes like this: There are five correct answers for five family members and one wrong one. The family must select answers, stand in place, and prepare for a plunge into a pool if they are wrong. They will literally get hit by a gigantic ball into the drink for an incorrect answer. It is ridiculous, hilarious, and was a hoot to play along with. It also inspired us to watch quiz shows more often because we enjoyed the rack your brain challenge so much.

Call us couch potatoes if you will, but we prefer entertainment enthusiasts lol. I can’t wait to see what we watch next!

What are you currently watching? Do you have a documentary to recommend? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

One Of Those Weeks

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One Of Those Weeks

Hello!! Has anyone ever had one of those days that is simply filled with minor inconveniences? Maybe you broke a glass, then you were running late, then got stuck in traffic, etc? Believe you me, I feel it because this entire week something has seemed to gone wrong every day! I could just be a huge butterfingers or overdue for an unlucky streak, but oh my goodness has it been annoying. Annoying with a capital A and NNOYING!

This past Monday, I woke up at my normal three AM time and as I carried our laundry hamper down the stairs, I was really awake. When we first moved into our new apartment, Johnny and I worked hard to create an art wall going up the staircase and I love it so much. The only thing I hate about it is that I always seem to be knocking our clock off of the wall because it juts out more than a framed painting. This has happened more times than I can count and, yes, it happened on Monday. The only difference this time is that the clock actually broke and shards of glass went everywhere. SMH.

Because of the bunnies, I am a paranoid mess when it comes to broken glass and spent what felt like an eternity sweeping the floor. Once I was satisfied with the results, I continued to go about my day accident free. It was short lived because on Tuesday morning, I dropped my phone and part of the back shattered. Yet again, I went back to the floor to clean up and it was all good. I thought I had had my fill of objects breaking into a million pieces… Until Wednesday morning. Guys, I legit don’t know what happened. I worked from home, I took my client to work, then went back home to work more. Sure enough, as I looked at the floor beside me, there was MORE broken glass that was definitely not there earlier. It legit felt like I was being pranked!

While the broken glass portion of my week sucked, the worst was yet to come. On Thursday morning, I woke up to find that one of the balls on my septum ring fell out in my sleep. Johnny attempted to put it back in, but it wasn’t quite right and I fiddled with it so much that it fell out again. Needless to say, putting a tiny ball on a tiny piece of jewelry is difficult – trying to do it with talon nails is impossible! After several failed attempts, the ball went flying out of my hand and landed promptly in the toilet which I forgot to shut. Before you ask, YES. I did fish it out lol! For the remainder of my day, I had to walk around as One Ball Barry and after sanitizing the hell out of it, Johnny was able to get it back on after work. Can this unlucky streak be over now, or?!

As of Friday morning while I type this, I am still finding broken glass on the floor. At this point, the best solution seems to be to find a new apartment. Lol, that’s not going to happen so I will continue to cross my fingers and toes that Lady Luck smiles on me soon!

What is something annoying that happened to you recently? Would you consider yourself to be clumsy? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

New Tangerine & Neon Blue Nails

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New Tangerine & Neon Blue Nails

Hello!! On Tuesday, I spent some time getting some much needed pre birthday pampering at Elysian Nails. I was in desperate need of a fill and I was even more eager to go because my nail tech just did a manicure for my mom last week. Tuesday has become my new go to fill day and I make my way to the salon during a break from work. It is the perfect treat to get me through the day because nothing is better than showing off some fresh new claws! I was ready for some bright, summery colors for this appointment and am loving what I picked out:

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Sometimes, I have absolutely no idea what colors I want my nails to be. Other times, inspiration strikes and that was the case for this fill. It has been heating up in Akron, Ohio and I had vivid orange hues on the mind. But paired with what? At the nail polish wall, I made a beeline to a neon tangerine shade and it was exactly what I wanted. I toyed with the idea of purple and neon pink, but an electric blue caught my eye and it was game over. Orange and blue is a combo that screams fun in the sun and we were in business for some poppy, so bright you need shades nails.

During my nail appointments, my tech and I normally catch up on the latest in each other’s lives. This time around, there wasn’t too much to discuss because I literally just saw her four days ago lol. This was totally fine by me because I could just sit back, relax, and go brain dead for a bit before it was back to work! While I zoned out, I swapped between watching HGTV and the magic that was unfolding at my tech’s station. Before this appointment, a few of my nails were definitely lifting and were feeling less than sturdy. In what felt like no time at all, I had a fill so good that it felt like I had a brand new set on. They are sharpened and shaped just the way I like them and just right for ringing in the summer vibes!

This was just Part One to my birthday pampering and I can’t wait for Part Two later this month for a brand new do at the Shear Shop. I am stepping into my thirties in maximum style!

How do you treat yourself for your birthday? What color of nail polish are you rocking? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Happy Birthday To Me!!!

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Happy Birthday To Me!!!

Hello!!! Johnny’s birthday came and passed, our three year wedding anniversary was next, and now it is time for… DUN DUN DUN… My thirtieth birthday! Oh yes, your girl turns the Dirty Thirty today and I’d be a liar if I said that I’m completely okay with it lol. But hey, another year older another year *hopefully* wiser, right?! As my sweet husband has said, “at least you’re not turning thirty-five” so there’s that. 😀 Despite the slight sense of impending doom I’m feeling, there is so much in life that I am so thankful for. And, a lot of it took into my mid to late twenties to happen. When I remind myself of that, aging doesn’t seem so much as aging but more like an improvement.

While I am sad to be officially done with my roaring twenties, so much good has taken place during my last trip around the sun. The excellent health of one of my loved ones was celebrated, Johnny and I got to spend another year together and watch our nieces and nephew grow, and I even got a new job. And, of course, I can’t forget another year of loving my bunnies and creating daily content for lifewithlilred. Clearly, twenty-nine was pretty good and it makes me feel hopeful that this positive trajectory will continue into a brand new decade.

Although welcoming my thirties is bittersweet, it is the best to be able to celebrate with my Johnny. We have a hot date planned tonight to go to the Olive Garden and rent the new Strangers movie at home and I am thrilled! I have been craving the Olive Garden for months and I have also been looking forward to this new scary movie for months. It is exactly how I want to spend my birthday and I love that we are keeping it simple for maximum quality time. Turning thirty or not, I feel like the luckiest girl in the world to be so loved by our nearest and dearest for mine and Johnny’s birthaversary week and always! ❤

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Happy Birthday To Me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Manis With Mom

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Manis With Mom

Hello!! There are three places that I find shelter from the storm: Elysian Nails, the Shear Shop, and TJMaxx. They are my happy places and I recommend my two favorite salons to literally everyone in my local area – including my mom! After a delightful outing at Elysian Nails for pedicures for my mom’s birthday, she told me she had a hankering for a manicure a few weeks later. That could be very easily arranged and I set her up with my go to girl for a gel mani as a belated Mother’s Day gift. It was a wonderful time and had me even more eager for my fill appointment a few days later!

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I used to frequent a couple nail salons before falling in love with Elysian Nails. Don’t get me wrong, every tech I have been to at other salons are very good. There’s just something about Elysian that hits different, though. The salon is gorgeous and feels so high end, the prices are phenomenal, and I have never had a bad appointment there. That is why I recommend it so highly – because I know everyone who goes is going to have the ultimate pampering experience. My mom definitely did and we were both so impressed with the results.

I have never had an actual manicure at Elysian because of my beloved acrylics. Of course, I had some idea of the process, but it was so much more than both my mom and I expected. My tech is an absolute expert at shaping nails, real or fake. By the time she was done trimming my mom’s cuticles and nails, they were unrecognizable from when she started. They had way more length and looked stronger and healthier too. After snipping and clipping, a lovely light rose gel polish was applied. But wait, there was more! Once the polish was set, a hand massage and hot towel was next to wrap up the appointment. It was the perfect touch to complete the pampering and I loved being able to spoil my mom!

My mom’s nails turned out spectacular and I could tell she enjoyed every minute of her appointment. I can’t wait to go back to the salon together for more mother/daughter pampering in our happy place!

What did you do for Mother’s Day? Do you prefer regular or gel polish? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Clear The Clutter & Improve Your Business

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Clear The Clutter & Improve Your Business

As a small business owner, you’ve got a lot on your plate. You’re trying to do whatever you possibly can in order to have a steady future for your business. It’s a lot of hard work. Just think about it: you’re dealing with managing talent and employees, handling customer inquiries, juggling inventory, and keeping the finances in check; it can feel like you’re constantly spinning plates. If you don’t have a team, just yourself, well, the plates are about to overflow and keep stacking up!

When you’re busy and doing everything, clutter will happen more and more. Yes, clutter as in physical clutter like your workspace but technically your schedule too. Decluttering is not just for aesthetics. It’s not just for your house. You need this in your professional life too and it doesn’t always mean tidying up. It’s about creating a space that fosters productivity, creativity, and efficiency. Let’s explore how decluttering can transform your small business and the detrimental effects clutter can have on your operations:

Again, clutter can come in a variety of ways, from a daily cluttered schedule to your actual surroundings. You might be aware of the effects when it comes to your home, but it’s true for work, too. There are plenty of articles that say a “cluttered and messy desk means you’re a genius,” but no, don’t fall for that. It’s actually bad for you mentally.

Walking into a cluttered workspace can immediately elevate stress levels. There is absolutely no one who likes that! Piles of paperwork, scattered office supplies, and general disorganization creates a chaotic environment that can make you and your employees feel overwhelmed. When stress levels rise, productivity tends to plummet. A cluttered workspace can make it difficult to find what you need, leading to frustration and wasted time.

Clutter is the enemy of efficiency. When your workspace is cluttered, you spend more time looking for things and less time doing meaningful work. Imagine the minutes or even hours lost each week just trying to locate a specific document or tool. Over time, these little disruptions can really add up.

First impressions matter, especially in business. If a client or potential partner walks into a cluttered office, it can create a negative impression. Clutter can make your business appear disorganized, unprofessional, and unreliable. A tidy and organized workspace, on the other hand, conveys professionalism and attention to detail

Decluttering can be as simple as sorting through what you need and what you don’t or even just moving everything into reliable storage solutions until you need certain tools or equipment. But, of course, you’ll also need to learn how to let go of things that have absolutely no use. Space planning can help, too. For the most part, decluttering is a mental challenge more than anything else. So, with that said, how can it be good for business?

Decluttering your workspace can lead to a significant boost in productivity. When everything has its place, and you can easily find what you need, you spend less time searching for items and more time focusing on your work. Having an organized environment allows you to streamline your processes, reducing the time spent on mundane tasks and freeing up time for more important activities. Plus, when you can’t find something, it usually puts you in a bad mood, too, right? That will be a thing of the past!

There’s no guarantee that the stress will drop down by a lot, but it will at least drop down a little bit, and that alone is super helpful. To a degree, decluttering can create a sense of calm and control, reducing stress and anxiety. When your surroundings are orderly, it’s easier to maintain a clear mind and stay focused on your goals. This improved mental state can lead to better decision-making and overall well-being.

If you have a cluttered workspace, it’s going to be hard to create behind-the-scenes marketing content for your social media profile. Having a cleaner space makes it easier to create content and help give your social media pages a boost.

Decluttering aspects of your business is only going to help you – start now and reap all of the above benefits!

Featured Image By: Pexels

Johnny’s Birthday Shenanigans

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Johnny’s Birthday Shenanigans

Hello!! This past Saturday was Johnny’s 35th birthday and the kick start to our birthaversary season. Our respective birthdays and wedding anniversary felt like forever away. Then, before we knew it, May was done and it was time for your two favorite Geminis to take over! For my birthday this Friday, we are going to the Olive Garden and renting the new Strangers movie at home. Johnny requested a birthday dinner too and wanted some of our friends to come by on his big day. Although his original dinner spot was a bust, it was still a banner time indeed!

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Our Plan A for the birthday boy was to go out to eat at Outback Steakhouse on Friday. Despite there being literally nothing for this vegetarian at Outback, it’s not every day your husband turns thirty-five! After work, we made our way to the restaurant and we were both verging on hangry. We were leaving early enough that we assumed we would get seated right away. However, as the old saying goes, assume makes an ass out of U and ME lol. Apparently, everyone and their brother was graduating from school that day and the parking lot was filled with people ready to celebrate. With a line out the door, we had to pivot to Plan B and went down the street at an Akron staple restaurant called Rockne’s.

Rockne’s is one of Johnny’s favorite restaurants and we finally ended up going together. It’s not like I didn’t want to go with him before. But, like Outback, there is literally nothing for this vegetarian to eat at Rockne’s! On the bright side, we got seated immediately, drinks were served, and we were both beyond ready for our meal. Johnny got a gigantic sub and I went for their Cajun pasta. It was no TGI Fridays (Their Cajun pasta is the BEST!), that’s for sure but at least my hanger was satisfied! After our dinner date, we went home to play some games and tuck in early for Johnny’s big day.

On Saturday, we spent the first half of Johnny’s birthday preparing the apartment for our guests and hanging out. By the time the evening rolled around, it was SO on! My brother and our bestie, Cliff, came over first and we had a blast playing some Mario Party all together. Then, my brother headed home and our friend Ty joined as shortly afterwards. It was so nice to catch up because we have all been so busy that we haven’t seen each other in what felt like ages. About an hour into our get together, I couldn’t wait to go to bed and Johnny set me up with a bowl of cereal and put Tarzan on TV upstairs. From our room, I could still hear the guys playing music, games, and laughing constantly. It’s safe to say that the party definitely was still going without this sleepy gal!

On Sunday, Johnny and I spent the day recovering from all of the birthday fun. It was a small price to pay for the best time celebrating my amazing guy!

How old are you turning this year? How do you like to celebrate your birthday? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Happy Anniversary To Us!

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Happy Anniversary To Us!

Hello!! Today is a joyous, lovely, wonderful day because it is mine and Johnny’s three year wedding anniversary!! There was a point in my life when I was convinced I was never going to get married. That all changed the day Johnny and I had our first date because it was a love at first sight extravaganza. I genuinely believe in my heart of hearts that if Johnny and I were to have gotten married the day we met, we would still be exactly where we are right now. Johnny also confirms this sentiment so it must be true!! Even though I would have been so game to tie the knot immediately, I am SO glad we had a beautiful wedding that was perfect for us:

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Johnny and I got married in our friend’s backyard on June fourth of 2021. We had a short and sweet ceremony surrounded by our immediate family and closest friends and it was the absolute best. Our decorations were simple – red fabric to walk down the aisle, a trellis, and black fabric to hang over it. Our attire was so very us in a black wedding dress and veil for me and black skinny jeans, a white button down, and a black Western inspired jacket for Johnny. There was no fanfare, no crazy reception, and literally no stress. We wanted our wedding to celebrate us as a couple in the easiest way humanly possible and that is exactly what we got.

I have heard so many stories about people not even enjoying their wedding because of the whirlwind of activity involved. I am so thankful to say that we enjoyed every second of every minute of our wedding. We both remember it like it just happened – Well, minus the parts when we got blitzed at the bar afterwards lol. There are countless moments from our big day that we still bring up and laugh about years later and that is very special to me. What I cherish the most about our wedding is the complete and total love that encompassed our backyard ceremony. It was like a pulse you could feel and it turned our understated wedding into a fairy tale. I think about our wedding day often and, when I do, that warm fuzzy feeling comes rushing back. It was the best day of my life!

Happy Anniversary to my Johnny!! I love you so much and wish we could get married every day!!

Snack Attack

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Snack Attack

Howdy!! I wouldn’t call myself a big snacker. That’s all my husband’s department lol. Johnny is all about crackers, chips, popcorn, and candy to munch on. I much prefer having a meal and eating actual food until I’m satisfied. That’s not to say that I don’t have my vices, however. I absolutely LOVE tortilla chips and dip. It could be hummus, spinach artichoke dip, salsa, queso, street corn dip – literally anything and I am so there for it. Very much like my darling niece, I am happiest at a Mexican restaurant with a bowl of chips, salsa, and queso! I have never found a grocery store equivalent to queso from a Mexican restaurant. That is, until mine and Johnny’s last grocery shopping trip to Marc’s. Check it out:

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In my neck of the woods, Marc’s is a discount grocery store and beloved staple. It is famous for its “closeout aisles” and generally much cheaper prices to its competitors. Every time Johnny and I do grocery shopping, I like to get myself a new container of salsa from their refrigerated section. There are always different variations to what they had previously and it’s nice to have a slight switch up on my favorite snack. During our last trip, the Margaritaville salsa caught my eye. We also decided to throw caution to the wind and get some queso dip from a brand called Gordo’s. Spoiler Alert: The cheese dip was SO good that I made Johnny go back and get more a few days later!

With a kitchen full of fresh groceries, Johnny requested that I make my jalapeno popper quesadillas – one of our favorites. That could be very easily arranged and I was excited to try out our new dips! The chipotle garlic salsa was, hands down, the best grocery store salsa I have ever had. It was spicy, tangy, and each bite was jam packed with zippy pieces of pepper and garlic. The queso took the cake, though! Guys, I kid you not, this queso tastes exactly like what you would get at a Mexican restaurant. If I had a bowl of both queso options, I don’t think I could tell the difference and it is a game changer to snack time. The Gordo’s queso is a true taste alike brand and I can only hope that they continue to carry it at Marc’s. Fingers AND toes crossed. 😀

If you are a salsa and queso fan, I cannot recommend the Margaritaville and Gordo’s brand more highly. RUN, don’t walk to find them because your Snack Attack will never be the same!

What is your favorite snack? Where do you do your grocery shopping? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah