Tag Archives: bff

Jun14

Bestie Birthday Gifts

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Bestie Birthday Gifts

Hello! June is a very special month because of mine and Johnny’s birthaversary, yes. But there is also another equally important special occasion to celebrate – My best friend/Gemini Twin, Kate’s, birthday! Kate of Live In The Nautical is my other half and our birthdays are a mere six days apart. June is truly our time to shine and to spoil each other like crazy! I am always so excited to shop for her birthday gifts as well as receiving her gifts to me in the mail. Seriously, I am like a child on Christmas day as soon as her packages arrive in the mail and tear them open like a rabid animal. Or just a very amped up best friend! As always, Kate crushed with my gifts and I think you can all agree that they are perfect for me! Check them out:

It is no secret that I am a reading and Lego enthusiast and these gifts spoke to two of my favorite hobbies. How freaking adorable is that Lazy One sleep sweatshirt?! The sage green color, gorgeous graphic, and sunflowers on the inside of the hood set the stage for the best hoodie to snuggle up in and crack open a good book. It is oh so soft and quite heavy and, as my apartment is like a sauna in the summer, I will have to wait until fall to break it out. However, when that first chilly day of autumn arrives you can trust and believe that it will be the first thing I wear. I can’t wait to get comfy cozy and binge read! 😀

Next up is the Gameboy Lego set and there’s actually a fun story behind that. Johnny got my brother the same set for Christmas and they built it together. We were both incredibly jealous of it because it’s just so freaking cool but never bought it for ourselves. The thing is – Kate didn’t know that (Which is surprising considering I tell her everything!)! My bestie does know that Johnny and I are huge gamers and love building Lego and was able to combine two of our hobbies into one perfect set. Johnny and I plan on building it together ASAP and we have my mind reader bestie to thank for that. Our Gemini Twin telepathy is always going strong and this is a true testament to it! ❤

My best girl is the best gift of all but her prezzies to me definitely come in second place. Thank you, darling! I love you so!!

Have you built Lego recently? Which Lego set do you have your eyes on? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jun13

Happy Birthday, Best Friend!!

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Happy Birthday, Best Friend!!

Hi!!! Today is a fantastic, wonderful day because it is my fantastic, wonderful best friend’s birthday!! When I started my blog almost twelve years ago, I was looking for a space to create. However, I was primarily looking for friends. I was a very lonely person at the time and the idea of meeting people all around the world was so enticing. The blogosphere heard my plea and blessed me with Kate of Live In The Nautical. Very shortly after my blog began, Kate and I began talking and we literally have never stopped twelve years later. lifewithlilred has done so much good in my life but bringing me my best friend is the best thing that it has or will ever do and I mean that most sincerely.

Although Kate lives in New Hampshire, it always feels like she is right down the street from me. We text each other novels (Johnny calls us Tolkien!) all day every day, FaceTime for hours on end every weekend, and my days just don’t feel complete without her. I fully believe that your best friends should inspire you and Kate inspires me to no end. Her fashion speaks for itself but her intelligence, kindness, bravery, and humor shine. Her laugh is infectious, her smile radiates, and she makes every person she encounters feel seen and heard. That is something that everyone can put on their inspo boards!

To think that our blogs put us together is honestly crazy because it was my wish literally coming true and I’m never not going to be thankful for it. Kate and I bonded instantly about being former figure skaters, being a funeral home family, and being the biggest true crime and reality TV loving fashionistas that I know of. Who knew that somewhere in this great big world, my perfect best friend was waiting for me in New Hampshire?! My Gemini Twin no less!

The universe and the blog gods brought us together and Kate has been with me through thick and thin. Through tears and laughter and every insane thing that life throws our way, Kate has been there. She’s the first person I want to talk to because she just gets it. Kate and I have only met each other once in real life but that is meaningless because I feel like we have known each other for forever. The mold was broken when Kate was made and it is a gift to be a part of her life. She is an absolute star and the best friend a gal could ever ask for. ❤

To my beautiful Gemini Twin:

Happy Birthday!!!!!

I love you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jun1

Happy Birthday, Johnny!

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Happy Birthday, Johnny!

Hello everyone! Today is a fantastic, wonderful day because it is my fantastic, wonderful husband’s birthday! My Johnny turns thirty-seven today which kick starts our birthaversary week. His birthday, our fifth wedding anniversary on the fourth, and my birthday on the seventh. I am so excited to celebrate with all of our friends and family! Johnny has been my main squeeze for over six years now and I simply couldn’t imagine going through this thing called life without him. He is my best friend, my pal and confidant, and every second of every day is the best because I’m with him. ❤

Every day when I’m at work, I literally am chomping at the bit to get home to Johnny because I miss him terribly. It is my favorite thing in the world when he opens the door for me, gives me a big hug, and asks me about my day. Then, everything is a-okay because the dream team is back together. Whether we are out on the town or just at home binging our favorite shows, there is nothing better than just being with him, talking, and laughing like crazy. No matter how low I’m feeling, Johnny can always coax a smile out of me and can instantly turn it into belly laughs in a matter of seconds. He is the personification of sunshine and just has that effect on people!

My Johnny is the kindest person I have ever met and it simply radiates. He lights up every room he walks into just by being his charming, goofy self and knows how to make everyone feel special. Especially me! Johnny makes me feel like the most special gal in the world and I am the luckiest gal in the world for it. For more than half a decade, I have never felt more seen or heard than when I am with him and that is the most beautiful gift anyone could ever give. It truly feels like we have been together for forever and, knowing Johnny, I’m sure he would quip back with “it feels like an eternity” before flashing his best smile. I wouldn’t have it any other way. ❤

To my amazing husband and love of my life:

Happy Birthday!!!!!!

I love you so!!!!!!

Apr8

Happy Birthday, Sister!!

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Happy Birthday, Sister!!

Hello everyone!! Today is a fantastic, wonderful day because it is my big sister, Kristen’s, birthday! Kristen is my bestie pal and I am still overjoyed at the fact that we got to have so much quality time together in New Orleans this past month. Our mini vacation turned us into teenagers again and it was, honestly, magical. We had slumber parties, sipped on drinks, shared delicious meals, and got to explore a brand new city side by side. Our trip was nonstop laughter and fun and I think it brought us even closer together. It has warmed my heart so much that we have been texting way more often since our return home! Maybe next year we could do another getaway for both of our birthdays but it will be so great to celebrate her here on her big day and every day. ❤

Kristen inspires me to no end and I genuinely don’t understand how she is still standing at the end of each day. She is a proud mom of three precious girls, two cats, and two dogs – I’m exhausted after a few hours at her place and she makes it look so easy. It is anything but and I couldn’t be more proud of her and all she has accomplished. Kristen is one of the strongest people I have ever met and I do not say that lightly. She has endured countless hardships and emerged victorious on the other side to create a beautiful life for herself. She is so steadfast and determined but greets any and all situations with kindness – a further testament to her fortitude.

It is so special to have a big sister as incredible as mine and it’s even better that we’re best friends too. We might not have always acted like it lol but we really are thick as thieves! From childhood to teenage years, I remember wishing that I could be just like her and I’m sure it was easy to get fed up with her constant shadow. Even when we had our tiffs, however, we both knew that I would never be far from under her wings five minutes later. It was so fun to return back to that sisterly bickering but loving every minute of it during our travels and I can’t wait to make more memories together. We have plans for a sister slumber party soon and I can’t wait! ❤

To my best friend and best big sis – Happy Birthday!

I love you, Kristen!!!!! ❤

Jan8

BFF Holiday Haul

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BFF Holiday Haul

Hello! This past Friday I finally got to celebrate Christmas with my BFF and this hang out was a long time coming. Getting Covid at the beginning of December threw a wrench in our plans and we couldn’t have our annual holiday hang until after the New Year. It was certainly worth the wait though because we had the most wonderful time! We ordered Chinese food, opened gifts, and girl talked the evening away. It was just what the doctor ordered to wrap up a beautiful holiday season. My bestie treated me to so many lovely gifts and I can’t wait for all of you to see the piece de resistance! Check it out:

When it comes to gifts, I absolutely love receiving bath and body care. What can I say, I’m a huge fan of smell goods! My bestie knows this and graced me with some goodies from Bath & Body Works. This included a shower gel of my favorite scent, Champagne Toast, or as Johnny would call it “Champagne & Toast”. I also got a Snickerdoodle candle that makes my apartment smell like a bakery and another of my beloved foaming hand soaps too. I had to laugh when I saw the scent was Pomegranate & Blackberry because this was actually a hand soap that I skipped on when I shopped the Semi-Annual Sale. Not because I didn’t want it but I had too many products in my cart. Lol, I got it after all and she knows me so well!

The next gift I unwrapped was a double gift – a travel jewelry case with the sweetest bunny necklace tucked inside. Perfect for everyone’s favorite bunny mom! I literally clutched my pearls when I saw the little bunny atop a gold moon and I have a feeling I will be wearing it every day. I also know that my travel jewelry case will be getting excellent use too. Johnny and I are going on a BIG trip this year (More on that later) and I now have something to safely store all my bits and baubles. It will be like a hug from my bestie when I take it on our travels. ❤

This post Christmas bash was definitely worth the wait! The best gift, though? My best friend (Of over eighteen years), of course!

How did you celebrate the holidays with your friends? Which of your gifts have you put to use? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul1

Stanley Surprise

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Stanley Surprise

Hello and holy wow! Johnny and I have had an extremely busy month celebrating our birthaversary and we spent another weekend living it up. My bestie, Lea, came over last Friday for dinner and my birthday hangout and Johnny and I went to Outlaw Fest on Saturday! Lea and I both share summer birthdays and this is our seventeenth year having a special get together for our big days. That alone is such a beautiful gift and I treasure the time with my best girl so much! When it comes to gift giving, Lea and I are very similar. We get our ideas from simply listening when people are talking and store them away for later use. That is exactly what she did for my prezzie and I can pinpoint the precise moment when she decided on my perfect gift. Take a look and let’s discuss:

The last time Lea was over a month or so ago, she came walking in with a gorgeous lavender Stanley mug. I complimented the color immediately and showed off my Halloween tumbler I was using after Johnny threw out my beloved sea green Stanley because he didn’t wash it and there was mold in it. SMH. I told Lea that my main qualm with my current mug was that I was refilling it constantly and wanted to replace it with something bigger, perhaps with some birthday cash. Looking back on that moment after Lea gifted me with my pastel pink Stanley, I just know she was like “noted” in her head! ❤ I felt so special and loved that she remembered this and it made receiving the cup even more special.

The funny thing is, the Tuesday before our hang out, I actually did end up replacing my old Halloween tumbler with a forty ounce beast by Manna from TJMaxx. When Lea walked into the apartment this time, she clocked the mug and realized she was gifting me with something I already had. The thing is, what she gave me was infinitely better. There were Stanley cups at TJs that I was going to get, but the one I purchased was cheaper and I didn’t want to go overboard as I was buying new clothes too. She gave me exactly what I wanted and would have bought for myself and there was also the BFF sentiment behind it, which makes it the absolute best. I am now the proud owner of a mom and baby tumbler lol:

Shout out to my darling Lea for helping me stay hydrated all summer long with the replacement of my fallen Stanley. I love it and I love YOU so much, my sweet angel! ❤

Have you had to replace anything recently? How do you like to celebrate your birthday? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jun13

Happy Birthday, Best Friend!!

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Happy Birthday, Best Friend!!

Hello everyone!! Today is a fantastic, wonderful day because it is my beautiful best friend, Kate’s, birthday!! Gemini season is in full swing and we are the stars!! This is our happy time and we spend the entire month celebrating and hyping each other up more than we already do on a regular basis. I met the esteemed, talented, gorgeous author of Live In The Nautical very shortly after lifewithlilred was conceived and when her page was still called Ankhor You. I will not age ourselves by saying how many years that has been but it has been a minute. Even if we both just turned twenty-one this year!

Kate is someone who I connect with on every single level and it was evident the first time we spoke. Seriously, one day we just started talking and we never stopped lol. That’s truly a magical thing to experience for two gals who live several states away from each other and I am thankful for it every day. And, yes, I actually do send out a special “thank you” into the ether every day because I am the luckiest girl in the world to have her as my A1, ride or die BFF. I always say that my blog has done so much good for me, but providing me with a best friend is the best thing it has or will ever do.

Imagine the most purest form of sunshine, sea breeze, and fairy dust in a bottle and you have Kate. She is the girl everyone wants to be friends with and her radiant smile and darling laugh are simply intoxicating. And, the beauty of Kate is that she makes everyone feel like her friend. She loves so deeply and pours kindness and care into everything she says and does. Kate is a giver and spreads joy liberally to her beloved family, friends, and any and everyone she encounters – myself especially!

Being besties with Kate is one of my greatest joys and I don’t even entertain the notion of what my life would be like without her. Since day one, she is the person who I want to talk to first on good days and bad. She’s the one to laugh with, dish on celebrity gossip with, and play detective with whenever we watch true crime documentaries. It is so special to share June with my Gemini Twin and I cannot wait for another year of text message novels and hours on end FaceTime dates with my best girl. ❤

To my other half and best friend:

Happy Birthday!!! I love you so!!!!

May19

Be That Neighbor

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Be That Neighbor

Hello!! Johnny and I were absolutely addicted to the show Fear Thy Neighbor and quickly finished the entire series with daily viewings after work and marathons over the weekends. As you can imagine if you haven’t watched the show, it is all about the worst neighbors ever lol. Our running joke as we watched the series was “What are we going to do, get mad at Tony?!”. Tony is our downstairs neighbor and he is the absolute best so every time we watched Fear Thy Neighbor, it was an exercise in “can’t relate” for which we are so thankful!

Tony, Johnny, and I became fast friends when Tony moved in and we would chat away every time our paths crossed when he was out for a smoke. This turned into Dinner Club get togethers, watching movies, going to the shooting range, and just having fun. And, of course, we always come running every time Tony might need a quick favor around the apartment. I’m going to be perfectly honest, our neighbors in our old apartment were not the best. Some were insanely loud and another was feeding the raccoons outside of her apartment door lol. So, when Tony moved in not doing any of that and being someone we actually wanted to hang out with, it was nothing short of a gift.

The other day as we were eating a baked potato dinner and watching an episode of SVU, Johnny got a call from Tony. It was nothing urgent, just asking if he could change the battery in his smoke detector as he wasn’t comfortable going up on the ladder. In a heartbeat, Johnny put down his meal and ran downstairs. In the handful of minutes while Johnny completed the task at hand, I couldn’t stop thinking about how lucky and proud I am. Lucky to have Tony and proud to be those neighbors. And not in the Fear Thy Neighbor way but in the best way possible!

Having a neighbor that we truly consider to be a best friend is something we have never experienced and it feels so good. I love that we are the people that Tony calls when he needs a helping hand and having regular hang outs together. The feeling is mutual across the board and that is a beautiful thing. The moral of the story? Be that neighbor!! Be the neighbor who fixes an extra plate at dinner. Be the neighbor who offers to take the trash out or shovel the walkway. Be the neighbor who is never too busy for a chat. It will do both parties a world of good and the relationship with our beloved neighbor is a testament to that. ❤

Johnny and I love our apartment so much and Tony is part of the reason why. I am so happy to have and be a good neighbor and the smoke detector story was a wonderful reminder!

Do you have a great neighbor? Have you ever had an awful neighbor? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr8

Happy Birthday, Sister!!

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Happy Birthday, Sister!!

Hello!! Today is a fantastic, wonderful day because it is my big sister, Kristen’s, birthday!! In case you haven’t noticed, springtime is a birthday jamboree in my family and it is so much fun to celebrate all of my favorite people. Having a sister is having a built in BFF and I am the luckiest gal in the world to have Kristen as mine. She is truly the best and I cannot wait to take her out on the town for her big day!

In my youth, I thought Kristen was the absolute coolest and my sentiments remain the same. In fact, even more so now. Kristen is the extraordinary mother of my three sweet nieces and they are a gift to their TT and Uncle Johnny. I genuinely have no idea how she does it all between her beautiful family, beloved pets, and work because she makes it look easy when it is anything but. Witnessing my big sis and brother-in-law blossom in their parenthood adventure is so special to me and it’s difficult to put into words how incredibly proud I am of them.

I wish that I could see my sister and her family every day and it is my favorite when we all get together. Whether it’s lunch at our go to Mexican restaurant, a trip to the park, shopping, or just hanging out, I cherish every second. And, of course, I cherish every second whenever I can get some solo time with my sister. Whenever we are together, it’s like we’re teenagers again! We listen to our oldie but goodie anthems, still frequent Taco Bell, and get told that we look exactly alike by a stranger at least once. It’s basically the best throwback ever and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Even though Kristen would roll her eyes at this, in my heart of hearts I feel like she is my other half and that sister/BFF bond is stronger now more than ever. ❤

To the most amazing, kind, fun, and every other good adjective sister in the world:

Happy Birthday!!! I love you!!!!!

Mar22

Happy Birthday, Mom!!

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Happy Birthday, Mom!!

Hello everyone!! Today is a fantastic, wonderful, glorious day because it is my mom’s birthday!! My mom is my A1 ride or die bestie and is a shining example of a person who is truly beautiful inside and out. She is strong, courageous, and resilient – even in the most difficult of situations and it has provided me with a masterclass on handling life’s curveballs with grace. On top of being a total badass, my mom is silly, hilarious, and sweet as can be. From my childhood to present day, I have never seen her without a smile or a kind word for everyone she encounters and I try to model that every day. I always remember her saying that these words and actions can make someone’s day and I apply that sentiment liberally.

My mom inspires me to no end. Of course, I find inspiration from her in my day to day life, but in my career too. I would not be an Independent Provider without her expert knowledge and guidance and her teachings are so beneficial to myself and my clients alike. It is such a gift! My mom plays a major role in all aspects of my life and I always want to talk to her. Whether it is working through a problem, sharing good news, or chatting about the day, it is a huge comfort to know that my mom is just a phone call or five minute drive away.

When people age, they tend to say that they are “turning into their mother” like it’s a bad thing. My biggest hope and wish is that I turn exactly into my mother. In fact, I love it when I have a “mom moment” because I know I am well on the right track! ❤

Happy Birthday, Mom!!!! I love you!!!!