Tag Archives: best day ever

May7

The Best Day!

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The Best Day!

Hi! Although Johnny and I had a rough bout with side effects from the Moderna vaccine this past weekend, it was still a great one because my brother, sister in law, and their son traveled from Georgia for a visit. My family is fully vaccinated and it was such an amazing gift for all of us to be together for the first time since our family trip to Kentucky last summer. When my nausea subsided enough on Saturday, Johnny and I enjoyed a quick trip to the park with our nephew and it was so fun watching him run around and play. However, Sunday was the best day I have had in forever.

On Sunday, my entire family: Mom, dad, sister, brother, brother, brother in law, sister in law, niece, nephew, and fiance went to the Akron Zoo together. To visit the zoo according to their COVID standards, you purchase tickets for a time slot and a limited amount of people are allowed in the park. We got to view the Akron Zoo on a beautiful day and it wasn’t as crowded, which was really nice.

Of course, I love going to the zoo any time any day but it was the absolute best to be there with my whole family and see my little niece and nephew have fun. They both loved riding the carousal, seeing the Grizzly bears swim around in their exhibit, and each getting a stuffed bear from their TT at the gift shop. My only regret is how quickly our two hour time slot went by because I could have stayed there for hours with everyone if we could!

After our outing at the zoo, we had dinner on the patio of one of my family’s favorite Mexican restaurants, El Campesino. This was such a treat for me because Johnny and I haven’t been to a restaurant since the pandemic began. It was so special to share a big meal with every single one of us at the table and it was also so special to me to have my first Margarita in over a year lol! The food was delicious and just like our trip to the zoo, I was sad when it was over because I wish we could do family days like that all of the time.

Being surrounded by all of my loved ones on Sunday is a memory that I am going to cherish for forever. It was just awesome to see my brother, his wife, and my adorable nephew for the first time in so long and also a small miracle that we found a day that worked with everyone’s hectic schedule. I cannot wait for our next family event which can now happen more frequently since we are vaccinated and, until then, I’ll be replaying our joyous day on repeat in my head! ❤

What is your family’s favorite restaurant? What is your favorite family memory? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar20

Our Engagement! Here’s How It Happened

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Our Engagement! Here’s How It Happened

Hi! On March 13th, Johnny and I got engaged and it was the surprise of a lifetime because I had NO idea. As you all know, Johnny has been helping me photograph my Reimagine Your Wardrobe series and even agreed to be my model every now and again. He suggested that once the weather was nicer, we could go to downtown Cuyahoga Falls AKA the Riverfront and take some pictures together for a day date and I was ecstatic to go on a safe outing – one of our first since October of last year.

It was a beautiful day on Saturday with a clear blue sky and warmer temps so after hanging out in the morning, we got ourselves all done up and stepped out in our OOTDs. We spent an hour or so exploring different areas along the shopping plaza and the Cuyahoga River and were having so much fun taking pictures, pretending to be photographers and models, and enjoying the weather and each other’s company.

You can get all of the details for our outfits tomorrow as well as additional pictures but here is a little preview:

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Throughout our photography adventure, we were struggling with the timed setting on the camera and for our last pictures together he said we should just take a video and save our favorite screen grabs from it. That sounded much easier to me than having to run back and forth between the camera and where we were standing under a stone archway so we got ourselves situated and began posing while a video was being taken.

Johnny told me I should face the other way for a few shots so I turned around thinking he was working the camera right along with me. Then, he told me I should turn towards him and he was on one knee! You could have knocked me over with a feather – it was absolutely amazing. And, yes, I have watched the video of our engagement a million times since then. 🙂

After the proposal, we sat on the patio of our favorite bar, The Cashmere Cricket, to have drinks and celebrate. This also just so happens to be where we had our first date. How sweet is that?! On Saturdays, The Cricket makes their drinks with dry ice so our beverages were smoking and bubbling like a science experiment as we sipped on them and grinned from ear to ear every time Johnny delightfully exclaimed that he “got me”!

Once we finished up on the patio, we went back to our place and a few of our friends in our “COVID bubble” stopped by for an hour or so. Then, Johnny and I snuggled up on the couch to listen and sing along to some music together. We ended the night with a dance party while we watched Grease and it was simply perfect. ❤

Be sure to tune in tomorrow for our Engagement OOTDs and keep checking back in for more on my ring, which needs resized!

How did you get engaged? Where did you and your partner have your first date? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar19

Guess What?!

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Guess What?!

Hello everyone! I have got some big news for all of you so I am going to get right to it… JOHNNY AND I ARE ENGAGED!! He proposed to me on Saturday the thirteenth and I am still floating on cloud nine. You guys will have to tune in tomorrow for the full proposal story but here’s a little sneak peek of our day:

yay

I am, truly, the happiest, luckiest girl in the universe and this past Saturday was one of the best days of my life. I just melt every time I think of how Johnny proposed and we are so excited to share our joy and story with all of you. See you tomorrow! Much love. -Sarah

Feb20

Valentine’s Day Celebration

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Valentine’s Day Celebration

Hello! On Valentine’s Day this past Sunday, Johnny and I didn’t do too much of anything because there really isn’t much to do! But that’s A-okay with me since we both still had a great day. Our Sundays have always been what we call “Lazy Sunday” and, as you can guess, we just stay in our pajamas all day and catch up on all of our TV shows or watch a couple of movies. This particular Lazy Sunday which Valentine’s Day happened to fall on was relaxing, as per usual, and a huge treat for me because Johnny got us Taco Bell for lunch which is literally all I wanted since we had already given each other our gifts the week before.

We spent our Valentine’s Day watching the new Saturday Night Live, King Of The Hill, Demon Slayer, and Mad Max: Fury Road at Johnny’s request. We were both so full from lunch that I don’t think we would have done anything even if it was safe to do so! Mad Max was pretty good, despite it just being a two hour long car chase (lol), and Johnny thought it was the funniest thing every time I would yell or gasp about an explosion or close calls with the main characters. I couldn’t help it – Even though it was definitely not my kind of movie, it was still intense AF!

Prior to mine and Johnny’s lazy day, I also got to see my parents, brother, and my lil niece who they were babysitting. I had such a wonderful time making masterpieces with dot markers with Valerie and have her handy work proudly displayed on my fridge. We also had a blast dancing to our favorite songs from Moana, spinning around on our bums on the kitchen floor, and practicing colors and animal noises. My Valentine’s Day wouldn’t be complete without seeing my Val Gal, after all. ❤

Last year’s Valentine’s Day when Johnny and I spent a weekend in Marietta, Ohio while Johnny’s band played a show was, obviously, a lot more exciting. But, despite the circumstances this year, we both still had an awesome day gorging ourselves and getting to know all of our streaming services even better, haha. Any time spent with him is my favorite thing whether it be watching his band play live or just watching an action movie on the couch. Lazy Valentine’s Day was, in our opinion, still a huge success and I am so thankful for every holiday that we celebrate together!

How did you spend Valentine’s Day? What is a typical Sunday like for you? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Nov16

BFF Post Wedding Celebration

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BFF Post Wedding Celebration

Hello everyone! My bestie, Lea, got married on October 24th. I was supposed to be a bridesmaid for her big day but, unfortunately, I did not feel comfortable being there cause COVID. Of course, Lea was A-okay about it and was nothing short of totally understanding to all of the concerns I had. That’s what best friends of over twelve years is for! ❤

I wanted nothing more than to be at Lea’s wedding and, after she returned home from her honeymoon and was settled in, we had our own celebration. For the big evening, I got a bottle of champagne and we watched the professional video of the ceremony together.

Lea looked absolutely beautiful on her big day and it made me so emotional to see my bestie who I grew up with walking down the aisle. We laughed, I cried, and it was perfect. This hang out was, honestly, the next best thing to being able to participate in her wedding and I was so thankful that we got to have that time together because all it did was make our sister like bond even stronger.

After hearing all of the amazing stories from her ceremony and the reception to her secluded honeymoon in the mountains, Lea bestowed these lovely gifts onto me:

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^^^ How adorable is that homemade card?!

Lea has gifted her bridesmaids with the cutest prezzies throughout the months leading up to her wedding and I treasure all of them so much. She’s just the most sweet, thoughtful person and I felt honored that she still wanted to include me as much as she could despite my discomfort.

This was, easily, one of the best times I’ve had since COVID began in March and I am never going to forget it. Popping champagne with my BFF and celebrating her happiness got me over the slump that I have been in and I feel so excited to continue having life adventures with Lea every step of the way! ❤

Have you ever participated in a wedding before? How long have you and your bestie been friends for? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct30

There Are Good Ships, There Are Bad Ships…

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There Are Good Ships, There Are Bad Ships…

You know… I think the best ships are Auntships and yes I definitely made that up on the spot, lol. This past weekend, I had the absolute joy of watching my sweet niece Miss Valerie Jane. Val Gal is almost twenty months old and she is my sister, Kristen, and brother in law, Ramon’s, little girl. Valerie is honest to god my best friend and my life has been so much happier since she was born.

Despite having Blue’s Clues on in the background for the entire evening, Val and I had the best time playing, snacking, and enjoying a pajama party while her mom and dad were at work. Between her French lessons from her auntie, reading books, putting puzzles together, working on her flash cards, and cooking in her pretend kitchen we had a jam packed Saturday night!

I love being able to see Val’s happy and silly personality continue to develop every time I see her. I swear, she is always giggling, belly laughing, and on the move and I don’t know how her parents keep up with her. Especially considering that Kristen and Ramon have five pets, as well. Three dogs named Tydus, Winston, and Platinum and two cats called Mary and Gloria (All rescued). 🙂

I know I’m biased because Val is my niece but I am just so proud of her, Kristen, and Ramon because she’s legit the best kid on the planet. In fact, I tend to not like children that much to begin with but I wish I could see Valerie every day.

Being able to go to chez Kristen and Ramon’s for an evening and do nothing but make Val laugh hysterically from the “Where’s Val? I can’t find her anywhere” game was a high point of this entire year, lol. I was so tired after caring for a constantly on the move kiddo but all I have to do is think about our “auntie and me” time together and it never ceases to put a smile on my face.

Being an auntie to lil Valerie Jane is one of the best gifts I’ve ever had and I really do think the best ships are Auntships. ❤

Are you a proud aunt or uncle? Which TV shows are the kiddos in your life obsessed with? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Sep18

Lil Red & The Best Anniversary Ever

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Lil Red & The Best Anniversary Ever

Hello! On September first, Johnny and I celebrated our one year anniversary of dating. This past weekend, we celebrated officially by the most wonderful surprise that Johnny had been working on: A specially prepared dinner by a chef friend that I got to choose.

Originally, I wanted something bold like Pad Thai or Indian food but Johnny is not a fan of either so I went with an old favorite of fettuccine Alfredo, garlic bread, and a salad. This was sure to go over well with the both of us and on Saturday I was banished from the apartment while our mystery guest and Johnny got to work.

For a few hours I visited my parents and brother as well as their next door neighbor, Alice. But, the entire time, I was eagerly awaiting a text from Johnny to tell me I could come back home. I had butterflies in my stomach the whole time I was away and I was freaking giddy when I was allowed to start heading over.

I opened the door to our apartment and was greeted by the most delicious aroma of garlic bread you could ever imagine, a cleaned off kitchen table, and our friend Jimmy standing in the kitchen! Jimmy plays in The Outside Voices with Johnny and is an exceptional chef so Johnny hired him to prepare our anniversary feast.

I was literally speechless when I saw Jimmy because I had no idea who Johnny was talking about this whole time. Between that, my kitchen table being cleaned, and Johnny looking so damn fine I was completely floundering, lol!

Around seven, our meal was ready and Jimmy poured us both a healthy glass of wine and left us to begin our celebrations. Saying our dinner was to die for was an understatement. The fettuccine Alfredo surpassed anything I’ve ever had before (Take that, Olive Garden!). The rosemary garlic bread was so crisp and had enough garlic to kill a vampire but that’s exactly how I like it. And, finally, the salad was gorgeous – fresh greens with mozzarella cheese, blackberries, sliced almonds, onions, and an olive oil and balsamic vinegar dressing. Can you say, YUM?!

We ate like royalty and immediately after, we retired into our comfy clothes to begin the relaxation portion of our celebration. All night, Johnny and I listened to music, poorly did imitations of our favorite TV characters, and laughed. It was the best day of my life.

Johnny’s anniversary date night was one of the nicest things that anyone has ever done for me and I am never going to forget it. The following morning I told him I thought I gained a pound from dinner but that food baby was just a small price to pay for the most beautiful day! ❤

How did you celebrate an anniversary this year? How about a birthday? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar22

Happy Birthday, Mom!!!

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Happy Birthday, Mom!!!

Hello! Today is a happy, special, wonderful day because it is my mom’s birthday! My mom is my best friend and, although she deserves to be celebrated all day every day on and off the blog, I always look forward to bragging about her for her annual birthday post! With two new grandchildren being born in 2019, my mom had an exciting year and I can only hope that 2020 will continue to offer the best of all of life’s sweet surprises to her. Now, let’s take a look at this beauty:

mom2mommomm

Jane is a loving mother and grandmother and she is also a bona fide, badass, cancer survivor. We are so thankful for her remission status and, whenever I am struggling with something, I always remember the positive outlook my mom kept during that difficult time and it instantly makes things easier. No matter what curveball has been thrown at my mom, her shine never manages to dull. In fact, it radiates even more strongly and I think everyone can learn from that.

My mom is amazing and she has this beautiful gift that makes everyone around her feel amazing too. It’s hard not to when we’re together, considering you can literally feel the pride that she has for her family, grandchildren, and dogs! My mom is proud of me but I am even more proud to be her daughter and I will always aspire to be half of the woman that she is someday.

I LOVE YOU, MOM! ❤

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

Feb23

Valentine’s Day Bouquet Pt. 2

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Valentine’s Day Bouquet Pt. 2

Hello, everyone! I had a simply magical Valentine’s Day with my boyfriend, Johnny, and I hope that everyone had as wonderful of a day as I did… Whether it be with your spouse or a romcom and a bottle of wine! Johnny’s band, The Outside Voices, was playing a show in Marietta, Ohio on the fifteenth. So, Johnny and I decided to make a long weekend of it and drove there on Valentine’s Afternoon.

We stayed at a beautiful hotel called the Lafayette and we had a delicious dinner. Then, we went back to our room and drank champagne and watched Weird Al music videos for two hours straight. Like I said, it was simply magical.

The following day, we explored Parkersburg, West Virginia and Marietta before The Outside Voices played. Johnny and I spent the day checking out different thrift stores and boutiques and it was a complete blast. Definitely stay tuned for all of the amazing finds I scored from a trendy boutique that is in the process of going online so all of us can shop on there together! 😀

Johnny and I agreed to not go overboard with Valentine’s Day gifts and that was fine by me. Our entire weekend was the greatest gift of all and it was one of the best days of my life. But, being the sweet angel that Johnny is, he surprised me with roses and champagne and that was the cherry on top. Check it out:

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When Johnny and I celebrated our big one week (haha), he gave me one single rose and I gave him a pack of hard seltzer water. I have kept that rose in my favorite vase and put the not dead ones in there too for good measure. When will I take them out, save the petals, and clean the vase? The world may never know.

In case you haven’t noticed, I like getting flowers. I guess that stems from (Ba dum chhhhh!) the fact that I have so many vivid recollections since childhood of my dad gifting flowers to my mom. During the summer time when the flowers in our garden were in bloom, there would be a fresh bouquet on the kitchen table every weekend. And, once the flowers wilted come fall, at least once a month my dad would purchase flowers as a “splurge” from the local grocery stores.

We interrupt your normal blog viewing with a conversation that happened between Sarah and her dad two weeks ago:

Me: Dad, I like those flowers. Where did you get them?

Dad: At Aldi’s… I splurged!

We now return to our normally scheduled programming.

Anyways, I know that people always associate getting flowers with love. But, my association literally comes from seeing true love between my parents. And, that’s why a simple bouquet and a bottle of booze (!!!) was the perfect gift for me. ❤

How did you celebrate Valentine’s Day? What do you associate with love? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Nov28

Happy Thanksgiving!

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Happy Thanksgiving!

Hello everyone and a very Happy Thanksgiving to all of you! Thanksgiving is my absolute favorite holiday. Actually… any holiday that revolves around eating is my favorite holiday. But, seriously. There is nothing better than spending the morning helping my mom cook Thanksgiving dinner, chilling in the afternoon, and then sitting down to a beautiful meal with my loved ones.

The food is the bomb, the cozy atmosphere of my home is perfect, and the time spent with my family is second to none. And, I sincerely hope that the same goes for all of you. I always try to remember what I’m thankful for on the daily and all of my sweet readers in one hundred and eighty-eight different countries are on my list every time – especially today!

Thank you to everyone who has supported lifewithlilred throughout the years and, no matter how you spend today, I hope that it is an amazing one. Much love. -Sarah