Tag Archives: best day ever

Jan14

TT & Val Day

Posted on January 14, 2023 by lifewithlilred

Hello!! At three and a half years old, I thought this winter would be the perfect time to teach my niece, Val, how to ice skate. For a long time, Val used to say that skating would be “too scary” and didn’t want to try it – and that was totally fine! This winter, however, she said that she would like to learn and I had grand plans of taking her to an outdoor rink in Cuyahoga Falls this past Tuesday afternoon. To both of our disappointment, the rink was closed (Naturally) on our treat day but that didn’t stop us from having lots of fun together anyways!

^^^ That last picture. 🙂 The taste of sweet success!

After informing my sister that skating wasn’t going to happen, I told her that I would just watch Val at my parents’ house for the afternoon. Kristen let me know that Val had little wooden bird boxes to paint and has also been wanting to bake brownies and I thought that sounded like a great time! As soon as Val arrived, we got to work on painting and she did so awesome. She finished most of an entire bird house by herself but then got distracted by our dog, Archie, so TT and Momo had to finish things up lol. We decided that the bird houses are probably too small for birds but will be perfect for fairies and butterflies. ❤

Once our group effort masterpieces were done, it was time to make some brownies and Val was very excited. She loves to help her mom bake and they are constantly bringing cupcakes and cookies to my parents and me and Johnny. For our baking process, literally all I did was measure out the liquid ingredients and Val did everything else. She poured the ingredients, cracked the egg, mixed the batter, and filled up the pan by the spoonful all by herself. I was so impressed!!

While our brownies baked and cooled, Val wanted to lay down so we watched a few episodes of Paw Patrol to recharge. That really did the trick because after resting we had brownies to frost and sprinkle. For this, all I did was dollop the frosting on the brownies and showed her how to spread it with a spatula and she was a quick study in this too. After Val perfectly applied rainbow sprinkles to our bakery, I asked her what she wanted to do next and she said “Eat the brownies!”. Lol, that was very easily arranged and I could tell that she was so proud of her hard work. 🙂

Even though our TT and Val day didn’t go accordingly to our original plan, we still had the best day together. I love my lil BFF so much! ❤

How old were you when you started playing a sport? What is your favorite sweet treat? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Sep22

New Sincerely Jules Vest

Posted on September 22, 2022 by lifewithlilred

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Hello!! This past Saturday was absolutely FABULOUS. It was seriously the best day that I have had in over a month and it was just wonderful. To start, Johnny took some new OOTD pictures for me (Check it out soon!). Afterwards we went on a crawl of all of my favorite places. We went to my happy place of TJMaxx and then to my other happy place of El Meson for Mexican food. Once lunch was over, we spent a lovely afternoon at my parents’ house and then back to our apartment for an evening of video games. Like I said, it was the best.

Johnny and I went to TJMaxx with the purpose of checking out their Halloween decorations. As always, I couldn’t go to my own personal Disney Land without buying a little something for myself too lol. The store was overflowing with gorgeous fall clothes and they were all speaking to me. Out of hunger and knowing that Johnny wasn’t going to last long during a morning shopping session, I walked away with a darling houndstooth vest by Sincerely Jules. It’s SO cute and was convenient because I didn’t have to try it on in the fitting room lol check it out:

Dressing for fall is such fun for me because I get to layer up with all of my favorite things – sweaters, cardigans, flannels, and jackets. Why stop at just one piece when you can layer?! I was ecstatic when I saw this Sincerely Jules number because I don’t have anything like it in my wardrobe and, yes, it is a perfect layering piece! Of course, it will be great over top of my plethora of black sweaters but can you imagine it over a jewel tone like cobalt blue? Beautiful!

What I like about this vest the most is its shape. Normally, vests for women taper sharply inwards underneath the breasts and that is not flattering for my body type at all. My new Sincerely Jules vest, however, has a more straight fit to it and invokes all of the menswear vibes, which I am so there for. It has some extra wiggle room to it that provides a bit of movement and will be able to be worn comfortably over a thicker top.

I cannot wait to style this vest for a future OOTD post and I already have so many ideas. To keep with a menswear theme, I plan on raiding Johnny’s wardrobe because he has the best button downs. A more masculine fit on top begs for some sexy heels on the bottom so I might just have to break out my wedding heels one time for the one time. Stay tuned on lifewithlilred to see the completed look!

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

Jul2

Memphis Kiddie Park Day Trip

Posted on July 2, 2022 by lifewithlilred

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Hello! I have been having so much summer fun last month and especially over this past weekend. My brother and his wife and son came to visit from Atlanta and we all had a blast hanging out. It was SO awesome for my niece and nephew to play together and they both solemnly announced that they would miss each other when it was time to go home. How sweet is that?!

Last Monday, we took the kiddos on a little day trip to Memphis Kiddie Park close to Cleveland and a delicious Mexican dinner afterwards. This was a very special outing, indeed, because my siblings and I used to go there all of the time when we were little. Whether we went with my parents or my grandma, it was always a huge treat to go to Kiddie Park and get ice cream after and I have so many fond memories of afternoons spent there.

When I was little, I remember thinking that Kiddie Park was a Cedar Point level amusement park. So, all of my siblings and I had a huge laugh when we saw through the eyes of an adult that it was the size of a large parking lot. It surely didn’t feel that way to my niece and nephew, though!

^^^ The white Love On A Hanger top is one of my faves!

When we got to Kiddie Park my nephew, Patrick, was ready to ride all of the rides. My niece, Valerie, on the other hand… Not so much. Lol, it definitely took her a minute to get warmed up and, surprisingly, the only thing she wanted to ride at first was the Little Dipper rollarcoaster with me. Of course, I obliged and it made me think of all of the times that I would ride it with my grandma and we would go on it again, and again, and again. ❤

Val’s reaction to the Little Dipper was either going to be really good or really bad because she had never been on something like that before. Even more surprisingly, she loved it and after a juice box and a pretzel she was good to go. I guess she was just hangry and it was, honestly, such a mood!

After Val rallied, her and Patrick rode so many rides together and it was SO. Freaking. Cute. They loved the boats, spinning turtles, airplanes, and mini cars and it warmed my heart to see them waving to all of us and having a ball. Naturally, neither of them wanted to go home afterwards and, despite having no more ride tickets left, they were asking for “just one more ride”. ❤

Something tells me that we will be taking Val to Kiddie Park again this summer and I’m sure we will go all together with Patrick next summer too. It was just as fun for the kids as it was for the adults and it was the best day!

Do you have something similar to Kiddie Park in your neck of the woods? What is one of your fondest childhood memories? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May10

Akron Zoo Get Closer Experience

Posted on May 10, 2022 by lifewithlilred

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Hello!!! This past Friday was basically the coolest ever because my brother, Andrew, and I went to the Akron Zoo for a Get Closer Experience. This was a gift to him from my other brother and it allowed us to get up close and personal with the zoo’s two Galapagos Tortoises. It was AMAZING and I wish it could have lasted forever! Check it out:

During our Get Closer Experience, we were able to feed and love on Pecos and Boxy who are my new best friends. They very much enjoyed their treats of bell pepper and collard greens and the neck and haunch rubs!! What was supposed to be a twenty or so minute time slot for TURTLE TIME ended up being the better part of an hour and Andrew and I loved every second of it.

It was a rainy day on Friday, which was fine because the “Galaps” (as their handler called them) have an indoor and outdoor exhibit. The inclement weather actually ended up working in our favor because the zoo was essentially empty so we had the whole area to ourselves. Had the weather been better, we would have been able to assist with Pecos and Boxy’s bath time. Andrew and I both agreed that what we got to do was even better, though, because we got to spend so much time with them just hanging out.

Boxy is a spring chicken at thirty-one years old and she was a feisty thing! She definitely had a bigger personality than Pecos and warmed up to Andrew and I instantly. Seventy year old Pecos was a bit shy but she came around after lots of hand fed veggies, which are apparently like eating dessert for a Galap. Both were absolute angels and I miss them terribly already!

The Akron Zoo offers other Get Closer Experiences but the Galapagos Tortoise one was, easily, the best because you could interact with them. That isn’t the case for the Red Panda and Grizzly Bear Experience for obvious reasons! If your zoo has something similar to the programs that Akron’s does, I can’t recommend treating yourself to one enough. It will make for an unforgettable time!!

What is your favorite animal? Have you ever done anything similar to this experience at your zoo? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar12

Happy Day!

Posted on March 12, 2022 by lifewithlilred

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Hello! This past Sunday was a wonderful, happy day with my family because we celebrated my niece’s third birthday. It seems like just yesterday that my sister brought her home from the hospital and I was in all of the feels. I didn’t think I would be so emotional but then I found myself crying not once or twice but THREE times when we took Val to her first movie at the theaters to see Sing 2.

Prior to seeing the movie, Val enjoyed a huge present haul from her TT and Uncle “Ohnny”. She loved all of her new Mini Mouse gear, pop up books, and a ukulele from Johnny. He got her a purple one and a black one for himself so they can have lessons together. How sweet is that?!

After lunch and lots of playing, we headed to the movie theater for Sing 2. None of us have seen the first one but that didn’t matter much because what is there to know about animals singing? I must admit that Johnny and I weren’t chomping at the bit to see this movie. We were definitely more excited about Val’s first movie theater experience. However, by the end of the flick we were eating our words because it was pretty much the cutest movie ever.

Long story short, a musical theater group are putting on an intergalactic themed show for a not so nice entertainment bigwig. The songs in the movie are mostly current popular hits including songs by Billie Eilish, The Weeknd, and Shawn Mendes. Not to mention that Bono of U2 (our family favorite band) does a voice in the movie which we were all stoked about.

Sing 2 opened with “Let’s Go Crazy” by Prince and we were all hooked from there. I was getting super invested in this movie and when Bono’s reclusive character had some struggles, I couldn’t help but shed a few tears. THEN, Johnny and I were surprised to hear one of the characters singing “Could Have Been Me” by The Struts. We absolutely love them and I started crying again not because it was sad but I was just so happy lol.

Finally, I cried three times a lady at the end when the space themed musical wrapped up with “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” by U2. We were all singing along, including my little niece and it just melted my heart. My dad even shed a tear or two! Meanwhile, Johnny just laughed at me because I literally cry during ninety percent of the movies we watch. It truly doesn’t take much!

We all had the best day celebrating my best girl and I have been looking back on it fondly all week because it was such a Beautiful Day… See what I did there, U2 fans? By the way, if you are looking for a fun family movie, I can’t recommend Sing 2 enough. Just have some tissues at the ready because you may or may not cry too!

What is the first movie you saw in theaters? What is your favorite animated movie? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar3

Super Happy Great Day!

Posted on March 3, 2022 by lifewithlilred

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Hello! After a long week, I was SO ready for some time off over the weekend. This past Saturday was a wonderful one and it was such a treat – it was a low key day but it was spent with the best company and that’s what made it fabulous!

I was so happy to be able to treat my sister, her boyfriend, and my sweet niece to lunch at Chipotle. I am constantly craving it and it was delicious! It’s also one of my niece’s favorite eateries and she was so excited about “me beans and rice”, which I am still cracking up about. 😀

After lunch, we went back to my parents’ house to hang out before Kristen and Ramon had to go to work and I stuck around for some extra time with my Val Gal. We read books, played hide and seek, and watched some of the new Space Jam movie. We loved it! And, of course, it was so fun to see our hometown hero, LeBron James, in it.

My day was already great but it was even better once I got home because one of mine and Johnny’s best friends, Shannon, stayed the weekend with us. He lives in Marietta so we don’t get to see him too often but he was photographing a concert in Cleveland and we were more than happy to provide him with a place to crash.

Once he returned back to our place from the show, we spent hours catching up and laughing hysterically about anything and everything. He is an absolute delight and we can’t wait for the weather to warm up so that we can spend the weekend at his place. A fun time was definitely had by all. ❤

I was working hard for this past weekend and it was so worth it because it was a hoot. Good company and good food makes for a very happy me!

How was your weekend? What is one of your favorite restaurants? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug25

D-Day Reenactment Adventure

Posted on August 25, 2021 by lifewithlilred

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Hi! This past weekend, Johnny and I had a road trip to Conneaut, Ohio where we saw a reenactment of D-Day. My husband is a history buff and is constantly teaching me new things from the many books he has read, documentaries he has watched, and podcasts he has listened to. World War II is his favorite thing to learn about so when I found out about this reenactment so close to home, I knew we had to go because he has never been to anything like it but has always wanted to. Check out some pics from our adventure:

Our day spent in Conneaut was an absolute thrill and it was so much fun to see Johnny in his element! It was amazing to see him chatting it up with all of the volunteers, actors, and veterans and every time I looked at him he was grinning from ear to ear. While the “big show” of the D-Day reenactment was spectacular, seeing how much Johnny was enjoying himself was my favorite part of the whole thing. ❤

The morning of our outing started out with a bang when we saw a reenactment of The Battle for La Fiere and that was insanely cool! We definitely both jumped out of our skin when the first shots were fired lol. From there, it was a whirlwind of tank and mortar firings, weapon demonstrations, SAS trainings, and camp shows. I was most partial to The Battle for La Fiere reenactment and we both loved the mortar demonstration!

While there was plenty in the schedule that we did to fill up time until the D-Day reenactment at three, we both enjoyed walking around the different areas representing Germany, France, and England and taking in all of the sights. It was also a lot of fun to browse through all of the different vendors and eat fair food and drink hella fresh squeezed lemonade. Johnny walked away with lots of souvenirs that are now proudly displayed on our knick knack shelf.

The actual D-Day reenactment was so well done and, although our view wasn’t the best, it was still really special to see. The coolest part had to have been seeing the P51 Mustangs and the C47 Transport planes flying around the beach as well as watching the boats come up onto the sand with more and more soldiers. From the sounds and the smoke to the tanks and guns firing, it was an astounding display and we can’t wait to go back next year.

Thanks to some tips from other viewers, we learned about more reenactments in our area and I just know it will become a regular thing for us to do. We thank all of our veterans and those who lost their lives from the bottoms of our hearts for their amazing service and bravery.

Have you ever been to a war reenactment before? What was it like? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug19

Date Day!

Posted on August 19, 2021 by lifewithlilred

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Hello! This past Saturday was so fun because Johnny and I had a date day. We were joined by fabulous friends along the way, got to explore a brand new to us consignment shop/art gallery, and heard some great live music. It was one of the best outings that we have had since being fully vaccinated and I can’t wait for many more to come! Let’s get to it:

On Saturday afternoon our dear friends in the band, the Buffalo Ryders, were playing at the Jenks Building in Cuyahoga Falls. I have been dying to see them play again because they give me all of the Jack White vibes and the venue was a whole five minutes away from our apartment so we just had to go.

Our friends were playing at the Jenks Building and, despite living in CFalls, both Johnny and I had never heard of it. We plan on going there often now that we know it exists because it is literally the coolest place ever. It is a consignment shop/art gallery/music venue and as soon as we stepped inside, I felt like I wasn’t in Ohio but rather a big city. There just aren’t places like it or even remotely close to it in my neck of the woods.

Browsing through the Jenks Building was an adventure and I have never seen anything like it before. The basement was an art gallery with the most unique pieces I have ever laid eyes on and Johnny and I wanted all of them for our apartment. The ground floor is a consignment shop completely filled with treasures and a garage style area for bands to perform. There is a second floor, as well, with an in house painter and a photographer too and even more items you didn’t know you needed to look through.

Shopping around while hearing the Buffalo Ryders play was awesome and the Jenks Building had a huge beer selection so you could have a drink while you look around. Johnny and I both tried a fruity sour beer and it was delicious! We left with lots of amazing finds that you can see tomorrow and I can’t wait to go back so I can take pictures, interview the owner, and buy all of the things!

After the Buffalo Ryders set was over, we headed down the street together to mine and Johnny’s favorite cocktail bar, the Cashmere Cricket. Johnny and I went there for our first date and we celebrated at the Cricket after getting engaged too. Saturdays at the Cricket are the best because they make all of their drinks with dry ice! Our minds were blown when the beverages came out bubbling and smoking like a potion after our engagement and it was a hit with our boys in the band too.

It was so nice to hang out on the patio of the Cashmere Cricket with my husband and such wonderful company. The weather was great too. There was a much welcomed breeze which was so refreshing after the past week of stifling hot and rainy days. We already have plans to go back and, afterwards, I am making all of the guys watch Jesus Christ Superstar with me and I am beyond excited lol. 😀

When Johnny and I returned to the apartment, we Doordashed Taco Bell and played Pokemon Snap until one of our other band boys came by for a spell. As always, it was a hoot and it was so sweet of him to come by since he was in the area. ❤

Once our hang outs with friends were over, Johnny and I had our usual weekend festivities of listening to music, playing video games, and talking the night away. We got a couple of records at the Jenks Building so we listened to some of them and then turned to YouTube because we love introducing each other to our favorite songs and bands.

Our Date Day was a huge success and I am so excited to go back to the Jenks Building and many more Dry Ice Saturdays with our darling friends!

What is a perfect date like for you? Do you have any exciting upcoming plans? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul21

Wedding Pictures!!

Posted on July 21, 2021 by lifewithlilred

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HELLO!!!!!!! Johnny and I got married on June 4th and I am so happy to finally be able to share some wedding pictures with all of you! Our photographer did a bang up job and I am so appreciative of her hard work on our big day and afterwards with the intricate editing process. I am in love with the sneak peek she sent us and cannot wait to see the rest! Now, without further ado, here are some shots from my wedding:

Johnny and I had a small wedding ceremony in his best man’s backyard and it was short, sweet, and absolutely perfect for us. It was so special to be surrounded by just our immediate family and best friends and I wouldn’t change a thing about it. Looking through the photos from our photographer with Johnny had us reliving our wedding all over again and I can’t wait to frame and hang up our favorites. ❤

I had been so eager to get some pictures back because I was also super looking forward to sharing them with my dear readers. We thank you all so much for the well wishes and support because it really does mean the world. Keep it posted on lifewithlilred for all of the latest and greatest as well as more wedding photos soon!

What is your dream wedding like? What was your wedding like? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jun14

Wedding/Taco Bells

Posted on June 14, 2021 by lifewithlilred

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Hi! My wedding day was an amazing but very busy one and I spent the entire day until our late afternoon nuptials preparing. After I blogged and packed for our wedding and weekend getaway, it was off to the hair salon. Then, I had a short window of time to get something to eat until it was time for my appointment to get my makeup done. So, obviously, I ended up in the Taco Bell drive thru!

Taco Bell will always and forever hold a special place in my heart and I couldn’t imagine having anything different for my wedding lunch. You guys have no idea how many people laughed at me for this but, hey, a girl has gotta eat! I must say, the Taco Bell I went to in Tallmadge really delivered on my wedding day and I was simply thrilled because it wasn’t the best the last time I was at that location.

Once wedding bells were about to ring, the tip of the cap to T-Bell continued because our lil flower girl niece threw Taco Bell sauce packets instead of flower petals. Mine and Johnny’s last task to complete before our wedding was opening, emptying, and cleaning handful after handful of sauce packets to be thrown. Our “sauce packet girl” was a hit and I am tickled to have been able to represent my favorite eatery/happiest place on Earth at my wedding!

Were there any nontraditional aspects to your wedding? What is your favorite fast food restaurant? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

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