Tag Archives: adorable

OOTD Surprise

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OOTD Surprise

Hello! This past weekend was a glorious one because it was a three day weekend, baby! Very rarely do I take a holiday like Labor Day off but I went for it and I am so glad I did. Minus a visit with my sister and sweet nieces and a video chat with my blogging bestie, this was the first weekend Johnny and I had zero plans since our birthaversary at the beginning of June. All of the summer activities and get togethers were so lovely but we were long overdue for a few days of doing nothing. Of course, other than doing an OOTD shoot. A shoot that got cut short from the most adorable surprise! Check it out:

Johnny and I decided to walk through the path that goes behind some of the apartments in my community for this shoot as it features a lot of pretty greenery. It was the perfect place to post up and the picture taking commenced. Everything was going as normal until I heard a rustling behind me. I turned around and was able to see a cat bolt it into the foliage. I figured it was long gone and then it came back seconds later and I realized it wasn’t a cat at all but a KITTEN! Johnny and I named her Tiger and she was as friendly as can be. Stick a fork in that photo shoot because it was SO done lol.

As we were giving Tiger all the love, her darling calico kitten companion watched from the sidelines as well as the mama cat which we didn’t even notice was on the apartment side of the path the whole time. We must have spent a solid half an hour playing with Tiger and it was so hard to tear ourselves away. We were worried that they didn’t have a home and were blessedly able to confirm with someone who was walking to their apartment who the owner was and we confirmed with them too. Had they not had an owner and if we didn’t have bunnies, I think they would have been as good as ours!

This is the first and cutest time an OOTD shoot as ever not gone accordingly to plan and I am so not mad about it. Our little afternoon with Tiger is easily one of mine and Johnny’s favorite OOTD memories!

Have any of your blog posts or pictures not turned out the way you wanted? What happened? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Columbus Zoo Babies

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Columbus Zoo Babies

Howdy! This past weekend was a super great one because I went to the Columbus Zoo with Johnny and my big bro, Andrew. We decided to do an end of summer hurrah with a little road trip and had the most wonderful day exploring the gigantic and beautiful zoo. We also had the perfect weather for it – cloudy and barely eighty degrees. That’s what I’m talking about! We saw so many incredible things during our day trip but perhaps the most exciting was seeing all of the baby animals that have recently been born. A brand new baby elephant, gorilla, orangutan, and mandrill. Baby girl gorilla, Mara, was feeling shy and tucked away with her parents but we had excellent views of the other three! Check it out:

Baby girl elephant has yet to be named!
Baby Clementine!
Baby Link!

Miss Baby Elephant was born about a month ago and weighed in at two hundred and fifteen pounds. Since then, she has gained eighty and is getting bigger by the day! The elephants had a massive exhibit at the Columbus Zoo and a special area for viewing the new baby girl. My crew arrived at the viewing station at just the right time. She was laying down beneath her parents for a few minutes but then got to her feet! She walked a bit with her mom and dad, walked by herself for a while, and was getting used to moving her trunk around. It was SO amazing to see and I seriously could have watched this little big one all day. It was absolutely majestic and I cannot wait to find out her name after the zoo hosts a contest to select it. ❤

The buzz on the baby elephant was so strong that I had no idea we would be seeing other babies too. Three precious baby monkeys, to be exact. Unfortunately, I couldn’t get a picture of baby gorilla, Mara, because she was safely tucked away in the shade with her parents. We did get fleeting glimpses of her, though, and oh baby was she a cutie! Miss Mara is a little over one year old and is still tiny as can be. We got to see her roll around and get comfortable away from all of the hubbub and I bet she was ready for a well earned nap after finding that sweet spot!

In the orangutan exhibit was darling little Clementine and I legit can’t get over how adorable her name is. Just thinking about it now has me distracted from cuteness overload! Clementine was born in late November of 2023 and was the first baby of her mom, Khali. Like our viewing of the baby elephant, we got to see Clementine right in the nick of time. She got out of her mom’s embrace for a few moments and explored the grass before Khali scooped her up and took her into the tree house. Had we arrived at the exhibit any later, we wouldn’t have got to see Clementine at all and I am SO happy we did. It was one of my favorite parts!

Finally, was a baby boy mandrill named Link. As avid Legend Of Zelda fans, we were all about that name! Link is a little over a year old and was so totes adorbs. He was having some solo time when we got to his exhibit and was digging about in the dirt, playing with sticks and leaves, and carefully examining tree bark. It was so neat because he was literally right in front of us and I was on pins and needles to see what he did next. After his play time, he sat down and I melted into a puddle when I saw his great big eyes. I think he is going to be a handful for his mom and dad in the best way possible. ❤

A day at the Columbus Zoo is a ball no matter what but these babies made it so much better. Stay tuned for more from this fabulous trip!

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

New Manna Tumbler

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New Manna Tumbler

Howdy!! Once upon a time, I had a Stanley mug that my niece used for strawberry milk during one of our slumber parties. Johnny never washed said mug, it became riddled with mold, he threw it out, and that was the end of my Stanley experience. Since then, I have used many a different random tumblers I have to sip on water throughout the day and began using a Halloween mug exclusively. Whether at home or out and about, I had my mug in hand… Until I dropped it and it broke lol. I had been using the broken mug despite its cap no longer screwing on and it has been pretty annoying. Thankfully, I had a surprise TJMaxx shopping trip this past week and was able to replace my broken tumbler with this pretty little number:

On Tuesday, my mom and I decided to go on an impromptu TJs adventure during my break to spend some gift cards. Unfortunately, my sweet mom struck out but, as per ushe, I ended up with a haul. Lol, no surprise there! As we made our way throughout the store, we ended up in the home goods department and I thought that now would be a perfect time to snag a new tumbler. There were so many options to choose from and they even had Stanley mugs there. Of course, they were significantly more expensive than the other tumblers on the shelf and I wanted something on the cheaper end as my shopping cart was bursting at the seams!

A couple of tumblers caught my eye, but my new pastel pink and blue mug by Manna was the winner. It was huge, on clearance for twelve bucks, looked similar to a Stanley, and was just so cute! I love the colors and those little flowers at the bottom added a unique and adorable pop. As darling as the appearance of this mug is, the size was also a deciding factor. In the case of travel mugs, bigger is always better and I feel like I was refilling my old one constantly. This mug will also keep my water ice cold and that is exactly what I need. The temperatures here have skyrocketed into the nineties and your girl is dying lol. -_- This will definitely help keep me cool and hydrated this summer!

My fallen Stanley and broken Halloween mug have finally been replaced and it couldn’t have happened a moment too soon. Stay tuned for more from my haul and a surprise gift for the bunnies!

Do you have a favorite tumbler? What is your favorite thing to drink throughout the day? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Sweet Surprises: Painted Parrot Edition

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Sweet Surprises: Painted Parrot Edition

Howdy!! This past Wednesday, my darling niece, Val Gal, came over for a slumber party. It is something we both always look forward to because it is such fun!! I make us dinner, we have ice cream sundaes for dessert, enjoy a movie, and play, play, play. For our entertainment while we noshed on Mint Chocolate Chip sundaes, Val chose Mulan and I was stoked. That was one of my favorite Disney movies as a kid and we were also eating my favorite ice cream. And I was with my favorite person! As always, our partay was a raging success and a full on rager. I was also presented with quite possibly the sweetest gift ever. Check it out:

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Val is a huge fan of crafting. She loves to paint, color, and make masterpieces with Play Doh. For Christmas, I got her a set of animal figurines that she could paint because that is one of her favorite activities. I had honestly forgotten about it when Val told me she brought me something. She handed me a parrot from the set that she painted and said “This is for you, TT. You got it for me for Christmas, but I wanted you to have one too.” Believe me when I say, I completely melted. Out of the mouths of babes!!

My sweet niece is just the coolest kid and Johnny and I cherish the time we spend with her. Val is the best big sister to Raya and is so kind, talented, and absolutely freaking hilarious. That girl keeps me in stitches and I am constantly quoting the ridiculousness she says on the daily. The parrot that she made with love is a testament to what an amazing little girl she is. It was yet another reminder of her thoughtfulness and it really moved me. We are each other’s best friends and she makes my life infinitely better. ❤

My parrot has a prized spot on our knick knack shelf and I smile every time I look at it/think about it. Here’s to many more slumber parties and fabulous memories with my lil BFF!

What is a gift that you cherish? What is your favorite thing that someone made for you? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Groovy Movies: Barbie Edition

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Groovy Movies: Barbie Edition

Hello!!! This past Friday, I saw the Barbie movie with one of my dear friends from my retail days and it was amazing! It was such fun to get all dolled up and share in the collective excitement that has been revolving around Barbie for so long. I had no idea what the basic plot of Barbie was and, honestly, I didn’t care lol I heard so many fantastic reviews that I just knew it was going to be great. And, it sure was! Without giving any spoilers away, let’s discuss this adorable flick further:

^^^ As always, I have no rights to this video!

In Barbie Land, everything is perfect. Everything was perfect yesterday and everything will be perfect tomorrow too. In Barbie Land, life is dance parties, going to the beach, and amazing fashion. It is also a land of girl power where the girls can do it all and Ken is just… Ken. Then, things take a major turn when Barbie starts thinking about death. Her feet turn flat, she has cellulite, and is being introduced to all kinds of new feelings that she has never experienced before.

After a trip to the “Weird Barbie”, our heroine learns that whoever is playing with her in the real world is putting her own emotions into the doll. To return life back to the perfect status quo, Barbie must go to the land of humans, find her owner, and get the bad vibes to go away. As Barbie takes off in her pink car, she is surprised by Ken joining her for the trip. They travel by boat, spaceship, snowmobile, and roller blades to California and the human world is nothing like they imagined.

In the human world, men rule and women are an afterthought. While Barbie searches for her owner, Ken learns a thing or two about patriarchy and resolves to make some changes in Barbie Land. And, once Barbie finds her owner she decides to make some changes herself. With the help of new friends, it is up to Barbie to return her home back to normal after Kens take over and make a choice. Stay as a doll in her perfect land or stay in the imperfect world of humans. What will she choose? See the movie to find out!

The Barbie movie was just pure fun through and through. The clothes, the sets, humor, music, and actors all worked in tandem to create a movie that was unforgettable. I have never seen anything like it before and it reminded me of the joy that I felt when I would use my imagination to play with dolls in my youth. It was impossible not to smile ear to ear the entire movie and as soon as it was done, I wanted to see it again… and again, and again.

Margot Robbie brought Barbie to life beautifully and her performance never came across as shallow, but endearing. Yes, Barbie can do it all. But, when she began to experience human emotions like depression, it was a reminder that Barbie will always be what you make her. Ryan Gosling as Ken was hysterical and never felt like himself without being by Barbie’s side. He, too, was on a mission of self discovery and even though it went horribly wrong, things always have a way of working out in Barbie Land.

The Barbie movie taught that imperfect is the most perfect thing of all and that you are “Kenough”. I left the theater buzzing with positivity because the movie just makes you feel good. It was silly, sweet, empowering, and something that can be enjoyed by anyone. If you haven’t seen Barbie yet, I can’t recommend it Kenough!

Have you seen Barbie? What did you think about it? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

PS: Stay tuned for my All Dolled Up OOTD!! ❤

New Debut Crochet Sweater

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New Debut Crochet Sweater

Hello!! I had a lovely shopping date at TJMaxx with Johnny’s mom last week and it was a very successful trip. Why? Because it is one of my favorite times of the year! Summer clothes are going on clearance and fall clothes are being reintroduced. While the store wasn’t bursting at the seams with jackets, sweaters, and cardigans; I saw a glimmer and I was loving it. As an added treat for yours truly, TJMaxx launched their Halloween home decor collection already! You can peep my purchase from that department tomorrow. Now, let’s take a look at this adorable sweater by Debut:

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When I saw this pretty little thing hanging on the rack, I literally gasped. It was just SO cute and one of those pieces that I instantly knew was going home with me. I had never seen anything like it before and I was enamored. The color bursts against the creamy base made me smile and I couldn’t think of anything better to begin my fall shopping with. Although I did find some summer pieces that I liked a lot during previous trips, they could all kick rocks as far as I was concerned. Fall was officially here… At TJMaxx, anyways. 😀

I wasn’t surprised when I tried my Debut sweater on and it was amazing. Like I said, I just knew! Everything about it worked. While it was a cropped sweater, it hit right where a normal rise pair of jeans would begin. This was great because I never understood why anyone would want their stomach bare when it’s chilly out! The crochet style was also just right. Although there were gaps in the fabric, it wasn’t so big that my bra was visible through them. Winning marks all around and all of the outfit ideas began to swarm!

Once this sweater was on, I really didn’t want to take it off. I loved it so much lol and it was comfy as can be. I have been eager to begin styling fall OOTDs for so long and I know exactly what I’m going to feature as soon as the temperature begins to drop!

What is your favorite season to shop for? What is fall like in your neck of the woods? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Brick Convention Haul

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Brick Convention Haul

Hello!!! If you have ever watched Lego Masters, then I am sure you have noticed all of the adorable accessories that the contestants sometimes wear made from Lego. I am extremely partial to the Lego hair bow, myself, and that is what I was hoping that I would find at the Brick Convention. And I did! One of the vendor stands called AbbieDabbles was selling hair bows, earrings, and necklaces made from Lego bricks and I couldn’t say no to the following:

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I will be the first to admit, I found my purchases to be insanely overpriced lol. In fact, when Johnny and I took a closer look at them he told me exactly how we could have made them ourselves. Hindsight is 20/20, though, and I love my Brick Convention mementos anyways. When at the Brick Convention, as they say, and I can’t wait to sport all of my new accessories!

The AbbieDabbles booth had hair bows of every color, but I chose black because I pretty much already have every other color in my hair right now. And, as always, black is my favorite color! The earrings were much harder to choose from because they were all so cute! There were so many spooky earrings including ones with little skulls and little bones. The bat ones just had that something extra to them! I also adore the stud leaf earrings with the ladybug on top, which you can see in an upcoming OOTD very soon. 😀

Huge shout out to AbbieDabbles for all of the adorable Lego swag. 12/10 would recommend! We have a jam packed agenda coming up here on lifewithlilred so keep it locked for two new OOTDs, a TJMaxx haul, and my review for the Barbie movie!! ❤

Is there a Brick Convention coming to your neck of the woods? Are you going to go? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Surprise Gifts For Mel & Pen

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Surprise Gifts For Mel & Pen

Hello! Johnny and I had a very low key birthaversary week and received so many lovely well wishes and gifts, which were much appreciated. One of Johnny’s sweet aunts apparently didn’t want our bunny babies, Melvin and Penelope, to go without gifts of their own and sent them some prezzies too. It was such an adorable gesture and, as always, Mel and P are spoiled rotten. Hey, these little gremlins are so cute that they deserve it! Check it out:

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When I first opened the bunny gift box, I was unsure what I was looking at because I saw a strawberry shape and pattern first. I assumed it was a little backpack for Val! In reality, it’s a bag that you can put hay and treats in that can be clipped onto their hutch. We also have variety because of the carrot one! I love the fact that Mel and P now have these accessories so that they can start styling just like their old mom and pop. And, they actually just tried strawberries for the first time as a treat this week and it was a huge hit!

My gremlins also received a huge set of their favorite toys in their goody box, which are balls made out of various chewing materials. These are a staple in every Chewy order I make because Mel and Pen make such quick work of them and they are only available in a set of three. I like to place some in their cage as well as in our bunny proofed area for them to roll around and toss. While they enjoy all of the different textures, their favorite has to be the ones with openings in them because I’ll put treats inside. My goal is to get Mel and P to be able to roll the balls back to me so now we have lots of practice material to work with. 😀

Mel and Pen loved having gifts of their own and I know because I’m their mom lol. And, yes, they had a blast with the box itself too and were sitting inside of it as I typed this! Spoiled? Yes. Insanely loved? Abso-freaking-lutely! ❤

Do you buy gifts for your pets? What is your pet’s favorite toy? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Best Bunny Dad Ever!

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Best Bunny Dad Ever!

Hello!! Johnny and I have had our sweet bunny babies, Penelope and Mel, for two weeks now but it feels like we have had them for forever. They are the most wonderful pets and it is an honor and a privilege to be their parents! The most pleasant surprise of this experience is, easily, Johnny’s transformation into a full on bunny dad. I knew from the jump how much I was going to love them but it is so adorable to see how equally obsessed my husband is with them too:

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^^^ Proud papa!

When we brought our mother and son duo home, it was safe to say that Johnny didn’t seem particularly thrilled about it. However, that changed drastically the following day! When I returned home in the evening, Johnny couldn’t wait to tell me about all of the fun him and the bunnies had together. They spent hours on end snuggling and playing and Johnny even treated them to a banjo concert lol. It was also VERY NICE to hear every wife’s favorite words of “you were right”!!

Johnny, Penelope, and Mel have been best buddies ever since and it’s so hilarious to me. The whole situation is such a classic turn around from “I don’t want a pet” to constantly snapping pictures of them and oohing and ahhing over every single thing the bunnies do. Johnny is always calling Mel his “special boy” and Penelope his “favorite girl” and it melts my heart every time. 🙂

Now that we are the proud parents to our furry little children, our evenings our spent watching them explore our apartment. Johnny actually went to Menard’s and got a bunch of baby proofing stuff so Mel and Penelope can safely go on their adventures. I’m sure everyone at the store thought he was preparing for a new baby so I would have loved to see what they had to say if Johnny told them it was for his bunnies lol. He is truly the best bunny dad ever! ❤

Becoming pet owners has been so exciting and every day with our precious babies brings me so much joy. Having Johnny so clearly feel the same sentiments is the cherry on top!

Has anyone else had a similar experience to Johnny over a new pet? What are some of the nicknames you have for your pets? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Bath & Body Works Halloween Haul

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Bath & Body Works Halloween Haul

Hello!! A full size product freebie coupon from Bath & Body Works turned into a full blown haul because their Halloween line has launched! It was complete cuteness overload and in a perfect world I would have every single item from the line inspired by the greatest season of all. As a *somewhat* responsible adult, I, sadly, had to limit myself to just a few treats for myself and the apartment. That doesn’t mean that I’m not daydreaming about everything else I want to buy, though lol! Check it out:

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Like a woman possessed by the Halloween spirit, I was adding goodies to my shopping basket left and right. I adore the light up skeleton hand sanitizer holder, which alternates between white and green eyes. I actually don’t even plan on using it for its intended purpose because it will make a great addition to mine and Johnny’s spooky shelf. I also couldn’t say no to a bath bomb in Ghoul Friend, a scent that features strawberry, citrus, and peony. I can’t wait to use it!

Not only did I have a coupon for a free full size product but I also had one for a free wallflower too. I have never used B&BW’s wallflower plugins before and never really planned on it. As you can see, that changed drastically when I laid eyes on the wallflower holders! I received my freebie wallflower in Vampire Blood and I also bought one in Ghoul Friend for good measure so it only made sense to buy two holders, right? 😀

Like I said, I was thinking with the indulgent side of my brain and when I saw the hand holding an apple, it was an instant yes. The same goes for the adorable little ghost in the clear globe. Because I was in a frenzy, I didn’t even realize that each holder had a light up surprise until the following day when I was writing. And, yes, it did say this on the tag but that’s neither here nor there!

Both of these wallflower holders light up 24/7, making a wicked apple appear as well as orange bats on my wall. Originally, I thought that these holders were perfect as is so it’s safe to say that my mind was BLOWN. I still can’t get over how clever the idea is and how amazing they look and smell in the apartment. The scent that is released isn’t overpowering in the slightest and that was something that I was definitely worried about. Even if it was, I think I would overlook it for all of that cuteness.

If you are a fan of Halloween themed scents and decor, RUN don’t walk to Bath & Body Works – especially considering I might just mess around and buy the whole lot!

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