Tag Archives: anything and everything

Apr26

Hanging In There?

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Hanging In There?

Hi! I just wanted to do a check in to see how everyone is doing because I think we are all getting to the stir crazy point of our stay at home orders. Things are difficult right now and I want to remind all of you that it is okay to be upset! We have all literally never dealt with anything like this before and there is no right or wrong way to feel so hang in there, as our inspirational kitten meme says.

When all of this started, I thought that I would be fine if I just didn’t let myself get frustrated. This was a huge mistake and, as we learned from my mental breakdown when my nails weren’t successful, just the smallest straw can break the camel’s back when you are bottling everything inside. So let it out!

Blogging has been a huge help to me during this crazy time and I really view it as my online journal right now, especially when I can’t frequent TJMaxx and show you all what’s good! Find your medium that helps you express yourself and dive in. Write in your diary, paint a picture, or whip up a delicious dessert. Immerse yourself in something that makes you feel good and watch your mood improve vastly.

Still looking for a project? As always, I invite all of you to guest blog on my page and you can email me at: sarah.mush6794@gmail.com if you would like to be featured as lifewithlilred’s once daily post. You can also friend me on Facebook at: Sarah Mushenheim for all of the best memes and the random thoughts that don’t make it to my blog. See you there!

What has been your go to hobby in self-isolation? What is something that makes you feel better? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Featured Image By: Medium

Apr25

Paranormal Activity Pt. 4

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Paranormal Activity Pt. 4

Hello! For those of you who don’t know, I have experienced paranormal activity in my apartment ever since moving in last April. The last occurrence happened in January and, since then, it has been quiet. That is, until my ghostie friend popped by to make his presence known a few days ago.

For Easter, my boyfriend, Johnny, and I received a gift card to Wicked Good Cupcakes from his mom and dad. We ordered our treats online and they arrived packaged in mason jars with plastic silver spoons for each of us. I set the mason jars side by side on my kitchen counter and placed the spoons on top and there they remained until Johnny and I enjoyed them together.

Now, before I tell you what happened, just know that the two plastic spoons had ample space on top of the mason jars, making it impossible for them to fall off. And, the mason jars were placed over half a foot away from the edge of the counter. This sets the stage for a weekend afternoon when:

Johnny and I were watching Community and he got up to get something to drink from the fridge. I was sitting on the couch and facing where he was standing to continue our conversation. Once Johnny got his can of pop, he walked into the entry way where the kitchen meets the living room and stood there to open it.

The entry way Johnny paused in is parallel to my kitchen counter and as he was about to start walking back to the couch, the spoons on top of the cupcake jars fell all the way to the floor. Johnny saw it happen from his peripheral and I saw it happen full on. It literally looked like someone just swept their hand over top of the jars to knock the spoons over… Except there was no one there.

Johnny has heard my “ghost stories” before but never witnessed anything happen himself and I think he was just as shocked, if not more, than I was. I mean, there really is no way that those spoons could have magically been swept off themselves. I don’t know what was more startling – seeing them fall or hearing them clatter loudly once they hit the floor.

For some reason when I was at work, my client and I were talking about ghosts and spirits and I told him about my “haunted” apartment. Then, four to five days later, my ghostie stopped by to remind myself and now my boyfriend that he is always still there. He’s probably so annoyed that Johnny and I are at home constantly because of the stay at home order, lol!!

Have you ever experienced paranormal activity? What are some of your phobias? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr24

Tips For The Best Ways To Feed Your Horse

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Tips For The Best Ways To Feed Your Horse

If you’re a new horse owner or you simply want to become a better one, one of the things you’ll need to think about is how you feed your horse. It’s one of the most important things you have to consider when you own a horse and there are many decisions to make. We’re going to discuss all of that and cover the most important issues around feeding your horse correctly, so read on to learn more:

Stick to Trickle Feeding:

Trickle feeding is the process of giving horses small amounts of food at a time. This way of feeding horses is used because it’s how horses naturally eat and it suits the size of their stomach, which is relatively small. Because they’re being fed small amounts, they can be fed more often. Horses 400kg and above should only be fed around 2kg of food per meal.

Feed Plenty of Forage:

You can still feed horses plenty of forage, though, as this is essential for their digestive health and they’ll graze on it throughout the day. As well as helping their digestive health, it also makes it easier for horses to absorb vital nutrients from other sources, aiding their health and fitness generally. You should give them more than 1.5% of their body weight per day in forage.

Ensure Fresh and Clean Water is Always Available:

It’s essential that your horse always has easy access to fresh and clear water at all times. Without this, they’re only going to get dehydrated and it’ll eventually have a massively detrimental effect on their general health and well being. Don’t underestimate the importance of the water and replacing it with fresh, clean water at regular intervals.

Get the Logistics Right:

It’s also important to choose the right food and to ensure you always have a reliable supply of it heading your way. Places like https://www.naturafeed.com/production-distribution/ can help with the distribution of horse feed, and it’s a good idea to select an option that offers those provisions. Once you have a feed, you want to keep it consistent and always have it in stock. It’s best for your horse if you’re not making changes all of the time and swapping their feed.

Keep Feeding Times Consistent:

Horses like routines and form strong habits. That’s why it’s so important for their general happiness that you keep their feeding times as consistent as possible from day to day. You should also offer the amount of food that matches up to the amount of work that’s been done by the horse that day so their energy reserves are adequately replenished.

Feeding your horse correctly is a vital part of being a horse owner. Nothing should be left to chance and you should put real time and thought into working out how much feed your horse needs and what kind it needs. These variables will differ depending on your horse.

Featured Image By: Pixabay

Apr23

Learning Something New

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Learning Something New

Hello! As many of you know, I am extremely passionate about learning new languages. It is one of my favorite hobbies and I currently practice French, Spanish, Italian, German, and Czech on Duolingo. This past week, however, I added a sixth language to my arsenal: American Sign Language.

Maybe you remember a few years ago when I was teaching myself ASL through different books. It proved to be a lot harder than I thought and I eventually fell out of it, promising myself I’d take a class at the soonest opportunity. That never happened, either. Until the fateful day I saw an article on Facebook about a Doctor Jennifer Delora teaching ASL for free on Zoom during the stay at home order.

I was instantly intrigued and saved the article for later use and was so happy I did after watching the first Zoom class with Doctor Jen. In the first lesson, we went over the alphabet, numbers one through ten, greetings, pronouns, and other simple signs. It was a thorough lesson and I finished it feeling proud of what I had learned and eager to do the next one.

Not only is Doctor Jen hilarious but she is absolutely brilliant and teaches ASL in a way that anyone of any skill level could learn. She’s down to earth, amazing at what she does, and I felt like I absorbed everything she said like a sponge. You can find Doctor Jen’s videos on YouTube and I highly recommend giving them a try. Heck, even if you just learn the alphabet, that’s a wonderful first step. Catch you all at the next class!

Which languages do you know? Are you learning any new languages? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr10

Are Your Drains Healthy? Here Are The Signs They’re Not!

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Are Your Drains Healthy? Here Are The Signs They’re Not!

If there is one thing that can cause upset for your property, it’s drain issues. There are a lot of jobs around the house that you can do yourself, from fixing a busted fuse to changing a light bulb. However, there are just some jobs that require a little help from the professionals.

Plumbing and drain issues are some of the worst for a house. They cause a level of disruption that you can’t fathom until it happens to you! It’s hard enough to figure out what the problem might be, but fixing it? That’s a whole other ball game! If you need sewer line repair, you need to call the professionals. If you need to replace the drains, that’s another job you can’t do alone.

So, you need to know the signs of the drains being unhealthy, and we’ve got a list of the most common signs for you below:

Stinky Pipes:

Everyone notices the smell of a dead drain. The food rot, the rotting plants – they don’t smell great! Dirty water that stagnates has a foul odor, and you will notice it right away. The worst thing is that the smell will make its way through the house – not what you want! This is where you want to have your drains snaked and thoroughly cleaned by an expert right away. You can click now to schedule an appointment with a drain engineer for some advice or professional help if you feel that one of drains needs it. It’s also so important to dispose of the grease and fat from your pans properly. Don’t throw old grease down the drain – it’ll stink!

Slow Toilet Drainage:

We’ve all been there at least once: we flush the toilet, and we watch the water rise up before it drains. Except for this time, the water level isn’t changing, and nothing is flushing…oops! The worst is when this happens in someone else’s house! However, a plunger should work here, and that will help the waste to drain correctly. If you’re still having issues, then that’s when you call your Plumber!

Gurgling Drains:

Your drains should never be singing to you. Pipes and fixtures are designed to be silent, so you need to think about what could be causing the bubbles. Dirt and grease build-up is one reason, but you really need the water to drain down slowly. Clean drains don’t speak, and you need to ask the professionals at Ansell Drainage (or a similar company in your local area) to use a long wire to let go of all the built-up muck.

Dreadful Damp:

A drain or pipe that has collapsed or cracked can cause damp within your property. The damage that the drain causes will disrupt the flowing water, causing damp in the walls of the home. So, you need to avoid penetrating wet rot and learn to spot the damp signs in the house. When you notice it, try to figure out the source of the wet and call in the professionals to help. The last thing that you want is to deal with substantial damp patches all over the house.

Drains are supposed to be quiet, clean, and smell nice. If yours are playing up, call in the right professionals, and don’t wait around!

Featured Image By: Pexels

Apr6

Fun & Fresh Gift Ideas For Men

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Fun & Fresh Gift Ideas For Men

It’s not always easy to buy gifts for men. In fact, it can be really difficult and even more so now that we are unable to go shopping for gifts. So if you want to buy some unique and interesting gifts this year, take a little look at this mini guide to see what could work for your next birthday purchase for a special guy in your life:

Gadgets, gadgets, gadgets:

Most men love gadgets and at any time of the year too! A lot of companies launch new products at this time of year and there are usually special offers at certain times of the year. There are so many different types of gadget on offer, and this can make it tough to decide what to buy. You can buy everything from virtual reality gaming headsets to self-stirring mugs. Think about what your partner or your brother has already got and what kinds of gadgets would entertain them or make their life easier. You could go for something practical if they like specific things to do with DIY or art for example or if they just love playing with toy cars and helicopters!

Clothing and accessories:

Buying clothing isn’t a necessity at the moment but it will be again at some point and although this doesn’t sound like the most original idea, it can have a twist put on it. Why not add a personal touch to one of their fashion accessories? Nowadays, you can customize everything from trainers and football boots to caps and this may really impress some of the men in your family. If this idea sounds appealing, do some research online. You could add their name or a special date, for example to remember their anniversary or other occasion.

Sporting gifts:

If you live with a sports fan, the options are endless. Indulge their passion with a stadium tour, match tickets, or a private lesson. Buy books, DVDs, or novelty golf balls as stocking fillers. Research signed shirts or retro football online. If you’re married to a gym bunny, read up on the best wearable gadgets or order a personalized gym bag. There are gifts out there to suit every budget and for lovers of every sport – you could certainly look at tested paddles too so when the time comes to enjoy some Pickleball, they’re prepared!

Manly hampers? Sounds fun enough!

If you’re searching for unique presents for him, look no further than a bespoke manly hamper. You can order a hamper online or buy your basket and fill it with ingredients yourself, depending on what they like. Maybe they love Thai food, so you could make a Thai themed hamper! This is a great idea for friends and relatives who love to eat and drink.

Popular items include alcohol miniatures, chocolates, cheese, nuts, and more. If you make your own, you can put all of your loved one’s favorite things inside which will impress them and show that you know them too. You can add shower and shave gel, candles, soap, and beard oil if you don’t want to go down the food route. The options are really endless and it’s time to start thinking outside the box!

Use the ideas above to help get you inspired for gifting the guy in your life with the best present ever!

Featured Image By: Pixabay

Apr2

Be My Friend!

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Be My Friend!

Hello! With the stay in order in Ohio still going strong, I definitely have been spending more than the average amount of time on social media. So, I figured it was a great time to remind all of you that you are more than welcome to friend me on Facebook at: Sarah Mushenheim. Just send me a message so I know who you are and I’ll accept your friend request so you can see all of the dope memes I’ve been sharing. 😉

And, in case you don’t know what I look like, this is my profile picture:

fb

Catch ya on The Book! 💃

Mar31

They Raised You, Now You Raise Them: Looking After Aging Parents

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They Raised You, Now You Raise Them: Looking After Aging Parents

It’s one of those things in life that we all need to do at some point. As we get older we become more aware of our mortality and it’s when we end up looking after our parents that we can truly realize just how precious life is. But when we are looking after our parents it can take its toll on us. Whether you decide to put them into a nursing home or you try your best to push through without any professional help you need to understand what it takes to cope with looking after them. What are the best things to consider?

The Right Professional Help:

You may feel that to truly make the most of the situation so you don’t feel bound by various pressures that you put them in a care home. And many can do it thinking that it will be a better outcome for everyone concerned. However, this is not always the case. It all depends on the home. But you also need to be aware if there is something untoward going on.

There can be elderly abuse, something no one really likes to think about, but it’s definitely worth considering. There are websites like Chony.org that can help if you’ve got to the point where you put your parents in a home and there is something untoward going on. Professional help will always be beneficial because you are are able to make the most of a difficult situation. But you still have to do your homework. If the worst is happening, the immediate first step is to get your parents out of that situation. Then, you must find a lawyer for nursing home abuse or neglect to ensure that they get the justice they deserve. Pay close attention when you visit your loved ones for any signs of injury or emotional duress as this is a major warning sign.

If you are going the care home route or considering moving to an assisted living facility, it is so important to research different options extensively. Schedule tours, seek out excellent recommendations, and try to get a feel for the inner workings of each place. Is their Facilities Management staff trustworthy? Is the food served nutritious? Do they have friendly and responsible caregivers? This will all give you and your loved one peace of mind so don’t settle for anything less.

The Sibling Situation:

It can be incredibly stressful coping with looking after your parents so you may feel that if you’ve got siblings that they can help, but this can cause a lot of issues. It could be to do with the inheritance or it could just dig up old sibling rivalries. On Psychologytoday.com there are some pieces of information to consider when dealing with siblings. It’s never an easy thing to navigate when you are are looking out for the welfare of your parents especially if you’ve got a sibling that is just waiting for their slice of the inheritance. Do what you can for the benefit of the parent, not anybody else.

Looking After Yourself:

Having some “me” time is easier said than done in these situations but it’s crucial for your own sense of sanity. Whether you are looking after them yourself or you are feeling the stress because you put them in a home, you have to remember that life goes on for you, especially if you’ve got people dependent on you. You have got to make sure that you are looking after yourself properly. This means that it’s not just about the financial aspects but it’s about giving yourself that breathing space when you feel that it’s all too much. Take that opportunity to step back when necessary and assess the situation. It’s a very stressful situation for anybody. And feeling that you have to push through won’t do you any favors a few months down the line.

Coping with aging parents regardless of the situation is never easy but it’s something that we all will have to figure out at some point. Make sure that you are coping with the situation, not just for your benefit but for the benefit of those that really matter.

Featured Image By: Pixabay

Mar30

Smile! Spring Flowers Are Blooming

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Smile! Spring Flowers Are Blooming

Hello! Although times are crazy and the norm is now staying hunkered down to help ease the coronavirus, it’s important to find joy in nature more than ever. I, myself, take delight in seeing the blooms of spring flowers poking up from the ground and a few crocuses have made their guest appearance in my parent’s yard. I was so tickled to see the sweet, small flowers in yellow, purple, and white that I just had to snap some pics:

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When I see a tiny flower’s presence among all of the dead leaves and dry grass, it instantly fills me with hope. One little bloom struggled to get enough sunshine, rain, and nutrition to sprout up and say hello but it pulled through and now looks so beautiful. One little pop of colorful flowers makes me instantly feel like spring is here and that makes me happy.

The winter blues have went away and now it’s time for sunshine, rainbows, and all of the glory that comes with spring. Despite the unease that we all feel right now in the midst of the coronavirus, be sure to take notice of all of the exciting things happening in nature the next time you take a walk. I’m sure it will quickly put a fresh spring in your step!

What is your favorite part about spring? What flowers are blooming 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

Mar25

3 Ways Editorial Makeup Is Different From Daily Wear

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3 Ways Editorial Makeup Is Different From Daily Wear

When you have a shoot for a magazine, newspaper, or another form of press, you want to look your best. If you’re on a solo shoot, you want to be the star of the show. On the other hand, for a group shoot, you want to coordinate with others but still stand out. Whether you do your makeup or hire help for editorial makeup Chicago Il or elsewhere, you should understand how it differs from your daily routine:

1. The Focus:

Makeup for an editorial shoot should highlight your best features. Whether you have amazing cheekbones or luscious lips, you want to show that off. An editorial makeup artist will know how to highlight those parts of your face while still showing you. There’s no need to use layers of foundation when you already have glowing skin. By focusing on what you have, you will still look natural and put together for your shoot.

2. The Purpose:

Editorial makeup doesn’t always follow the same trends you see online. It sticks to the same few steps that it has used for years because it has a specific purpose. Be it a magazine or another form of press, an editorial shoot usually has one goal: to get you noticed. Odds are, your daily makeup routine is relatively basic. You probably follow the same steps, but for an editorial look, don’t be afraid to do things a little differently.

3. The Artist:

Most people can’t afford a makeup artist for their daily look, so you probably do your makeup yourself. However, for an editorial shoot, you should consider a professional makeup artist. An editorial makeup artist will know what techniques to use to enhance your natural beauty while making you stand out for the shoot. Unless you have a lot of editorial experience, consider hiring someone to help you create the perfect look.

To some people, it might seem that there are few differences between editorial makeup and daily makeup. But the two styles have important distinctions that everyone should understand.