Tag Archives: birthday

Apr6

Happy Birthday, Dad!!

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Happy Birthday, Dad!!

Helloooo everyone and happy Thursday! Today is a wonderful, special, fabulous day because it’s my dad’s birthday!! Although my beloved father isn’t particularly fond of birthdays, I can’t not celebrate my handsome, charming, adoring dad here on lifewithlilred. There’s a saying that talks about how a dad is the first guy that a girl loves or something like that and it is so true because my dad is basically my number one. Let’s discuss all of the reasons why!

From a dry but silly sense of humor that occasionally results in laugh attacks to the compliments and approval that is always special when it comes from my father, my dad is the best. He plans the most wonderful vacations, he has two green thumbs, loves his backyard animal friends, and is always down to watch two episodes of Seinfeld in a row as a “double feature”. CHARLES has excellent taste in music, too. If you were to see him cruising around with his stunner shades on, chances are he’s listening to The Rolling Stones, The Black Keys, The Who, U2, and an abundance of other classics in a rock n’ roll lover’s arsenal.

My dad is just a cool guy. Seriously. So here’s to a man that makes me laugh, smile, feel increasingly warm with love, and, of course, some type of way! I love you, my daddy dearest. Happy birthday!!

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I LOVE YOU, DAD!!!! ❤

Mar22

Happy Birthday, Mom!!

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Happy Birthday, Mom!!

Hi everyone and happy Hump Day! Today is a special day because it’s my mommy’s birthday!! As I’m sure that you guys have gathered by now, my mom is basically my best friend. We love to hang out together, cook, watch movies, go shopping, pet dogs, and play Scrabble. My mom is easily one of my favorite human beings on the planet and everyone who has the honor of knowing her feels similarly. It’s hard not to!

I am so thankful for having a mom who is as funny, smart, wonderful, and perfect as mine. Not to mention how caring, supportive, and encouraging she is. I can always count on good ol’ JANE to be there when I need to talk and am appreciative to have a mother who is a fantastic listener. No matter how my mom and I spend our time together, I always enjoy it because I am seriously in the best of company when I’m with her. I love you so much, mommy!

Happy Birthday!! ❤

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Mar22

Beauty And The Beast Review

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Beauty And The Beast Review

Hiii everyone and happy Hump Day! Yesterday night was a fun one because my older sister, Kristen, treated me and my mom to a night at the movies to see Beauty And The Beast for my mom’s birthday. I have to admit, I was semi ambivalent because I had heard some amazing reviews, some horrible reviews, but mostly very average reviews about the film. But the remake of Beauty And The Beast made me eat my words five minutes in because I absolutely LOVED it. It wasn’t just me, though. My mom, sister, and what felt like the entire audience seemed to be in agreement that this film was really special. Let’s discuss:

What I loved about this remake was that they stayed true to the original cartoon and then enhanced it appropriately. With these improvements, we gained further insight into the backstory of Belle, the Beast, and the castle’s inhabitants. Some people on my Facebook newsfeed deemed these additions “pointless” but I thought that they were brilliant. Why would a classic film be remade at all if there were no changes made to it? If it was a literal live action play by play of the cartoon, I would rather watch the original any day.

Now, let’s all be honest with ourselves here. We all know that that was not Emma Watson singing. The autotune was strong for her – so strong that it sounded exactly like the singing in the cartoon version. I ain’t mad at it. Only a little! Another teeeeny tiny bone that I have to pick is that the British accents seemed incredibly out of place because they are in France, after all. I would have loved to have had the entire film done with really good French accents, but we can’t always get what we want. And, finally: WHY WAS BELLE’S SKIRT TUCKED IN ON ONE SIDE?! IT DROVE ME FREAKING CRAZYYYYY!

Okay. I’m glad I got that off my chest.

But really, though. It was a hell of a remake. It really was. And that’s saying something coming from me because Beauty And The Beast is easily one of my favorite Disney movies. I laughed, I cried, and I enjoyed myself immensely. The cast was so strong and complimented each other so well, which made each scene in the movie flow perfectly. I wanted more. I was honestly sad when it was over! The little tastes of the retelling of such a beautiful tale left me ravenous and if a sequel were for some reason announced I would probably cry from happiness.

It’s crazy, because when you’re a kid, you don’t really think about how intense Disney films are. It’s only when you’re older that you can look at the film and be like “wow, that’s kind of fucked up”. I mean, there’s an entire song in Beauty And The Beast dedicated to killing the Beast. And don’t even get me started on the turmoil that Maurice goes through upon returning to the village after Belle stays as the captive. Of course, the cartoons are sad. But there was something about seeing this remake after not having seen the original in so long that made me weep like a baby. The characters were so easy to connect to so all you wanted was the very best for them. And for Gaston to jump off of a freaking cliff!!

Speaking of, I loved, loved, loved to hate Gaston with every ounce of my being! He was so bad and so good and I was so pleased with the “Gaston” number in the bar because that’s weirdly my favorite song. And, I thought Monsieur LeFou was perfect. The combination of Gaston’s meatheaded nature and LeFou’s sass for days was definitely a fun twist. And LeFou is obviously better at seeing the good (or lack thereof!) in people for crushing on a total asshole!

All in all, I’m rating this movie with a ten to the ten, ten, ten. Despite me being nitpicky, I had a fantastic time at the movies last night and would happily go see Beauty And The Beast for a second time!

(And, as always, I have no rights to this trailer or featured image.)

So there you have it, my Beauty And The Beast Review! What did everyone else think of this movie? Which Disney flick do you hope is remade next? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Featured Image By: Disney UK

Mar1

Accessory Story: Sparkling Snakes Edition

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Accessory Story: Sparkling Snakes Edition

Hellooo everyone and happy Hump Day! I hope all of you are having a wonderful week so far and are looking forward to an exciting weekend ahead. When it comes to fashion, Lil Red loves it all. Beauty, makeup, clothes, shoes, purses, hats, and of course – jewelry. I have quite a staggering jewelry collection that I am just now beginning to appreciate. I’ve grown to love layering necklaces, throwing rings on multiple fingers, and stacking bracelets and bangles on my arms. This Accessory Story is an ode to two of my personal favorite pieces – my Sparkling Snake arm cuffs. Take a look:

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One of these bracelets is Betsey Johnson and one of these pieces is from the gift shop at the Akron Zoo. Can you guess which is which? Lol, don’t worry – I’ll tell you! The gold snake with the pink toned gems is a Betsey Johnson cuff that my mom gave me a few Christmases ago and the blue gem snake is from the zoo (which sounds so weird saying!). I am an avid lover of all of the fun, quirky, sassiness that is Betsey Johnson so my mom was spot on in gifting me with this cuff. I actually think she might have gotten me the bracelet from the zoo, as well, as a birthday present. So shout out to my beloved mama AGAIN!

When it comes to jewelry, I don’t do subtle and soft. I want loud, in your face pieces that really make a statement. And, honestly, what better way is there to make a cool, glam rock impression than a couple of gem stoned snakes coiled around your arm? I normally like to wear one snake for each arm and love breaking them out in the summer time when they can be fully appreciated thanks to tanks, tees, and crop tops. Not only that, but in the intense summer sun, you can only imagine how gorgeously these cuffs glisten!

So, how did my mom land on gifting me with snake themed bracelets? Do I like snakes? Not particularly. I don’t dislike any animal but it’s not like I’m going to go out of my way to get a pet snake any time soon! And also – HOW DO THEY PEE?! I wish that I could say that jokingly but I REALLY WANT TO KNOW!! But I digress. I actually think I pointed out the zoo snake bracelet to my mom and told her how much I liked it. Then, it must have been the same year that she gifted me with the Betsey Johnson one at Christmas because she had to have remembered how much I liked my birthday prezzie. Oh, mom! What a darling, perfect gal! ❤

So there you have it, my latest Accessory Story: Sparkling Snakes Edition! Does anyone else own any animal themed jewelry? Where is the strangest place that you have ever bought jewelry from? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar1

Gift Ideas For The Sports Lover In Your Life

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Gift Ideas For The Sports Lover In Your Life

Ahh, we all have a sports mad man or woman in our lives. But as much as we cherish their impact on us, they can often be the hardest person to buy a present for. You know that celebrating their passion is the perfect foundation for finding a great gift. Unfortunately, narrowing it down from there can feel like a minefield. So how can you give yourself a sporting chance of finding the ideal solution? Try these ideas on for size:

Enhance Their Playing Experience: There’s no doubt that playing at least one sport offers huge benefits to our lives. Your sport-loving friend or relative appreciates this more than most and is always seen with a bat or ball in their hand. So why not embrace their activities by increasing their fun? This could mean buying a new pair of shoes, football, or virtually any accessory. Even if it’s a fitness watch to help them record data regarding their activities, those additions will brighten their time on the field. From their perspective, that’s the greatest gift ever.

Celebrate Their Love Of A Team: As well as playing sports, your gift receiver is probably a fanatical supporter of their favorite team. Buying tickets to a game or a stadium tour is a great way to provide an unforgettable experience. Moreover, you can use this as an opportunity to show an interest in their passion by attending the event also. Let’s face it; you’ll probably enjoy it, too, even if it’s just from seeing the happiness of your giftee.

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Woooo!

Make Memories With Memorabilia: It’s hard to explain the strength of the emotions gained from sports to an outsider, but let’s just say it’s massive. This is often a love that follows us throughout our lives and that’s why we idolize those on field heroes. From the gift giver’s perspective, this is the ideal opportunity to shine. Signed memorabilia from their favorite star, such as from Domonique Rodgers NC State, is something that they’ll cherish forever. Or you could use a personalized bobblehead to immortalize the receiver as a sports star. Either way, those products are a guaranteed way to brighten up the home for many years to come.

Think About The Home Arena: Does the sports enthusiast in your life constantly watch ESPN? If the answer is yes, create an even greater viewing experience and the presence of your gift will be felt every single day. The possibilities will be dictated by where they watch it. However, the additions could include a projector, new seating, or a beer fridge. Whatever option you go for, a better place to entertain friends when watching the game will not go unappreciated.

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^^^ Excellent idea

Subscriptions: Your sports-loving friend or relative wants to feel closer to the action. Whether it’s a magazine subscription, an online streaming service, or points for their video games doesn’t matter. Buying a present that strengthens the relationship with their favorite sport can only be positive. Best of all, many of those presents are recurring monthly ideas. The recipient gets a regular reminder of the gesture while your payment for the gift will be staggered across an extended period. Even if you don’t particularly like sports yourself, that surely makes you a gift giving champion.

The world of sports is a vast one but once your gift giving ideas are narrowed down, the end result will always be a touchdown!

Featured Image By: Google Images

Jan19

BevRAGE App

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BevRAGE App

Hey everyone and happy Thursday! So yesterday was one of my best friends, Danielle’s, 24th birthday so I spent the day celebrating with her. We went out for drinks and then spent the evening going out to eat with her dad (who coincidentally has the same name as my dad AND they BOTH have a mustache!) for her birthday dinner. It was such fun!

While we were at our favorite bar, Merry Arts, in the afternoon, a friend of hers told us about a super handy app called BevRAGE. This app essentially gives you cash back via check or PayPal when you purchase certain kinds of beer, wine, liquor, or mixers when you’re out at the bar or a restaurant or when you’re doing grocery shopping. When I woke up today, I just had to download it because who doesn’t love free money AND alcohol?!

I think that this app is completely genius, and now if you download it and use my referral code, we both get two dollars FO FREE! Here is the post published on my Facebook with the code for those of you who aren’t friends with me on there:

Get cash with the bevRAGE app when you buy beer, wine and liquor. Sign up using my referral code: HUOXPBBQ
https://www.bevrage.com/promo/HUOXPBBQ
Handy little app! Use my referral code and we’ll both get cash back for buying booze! Who doesn’t love that?!

Download and enjoy! Happy drinking! 🙂

ALSO: My pinup girl themed style swap collaboration post will be up this Saturday and I enjoyed creating it SO MUCH. I’d love to do a style swap collab again so if any fashionistas are interested in participating, shoot me an email at sarah.mush6794@gmail.com !

What are your favorite handy apps? What techniques do you utilize to save cash? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug10

ModCloth Haul

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ModCloth Haul

Hey everyone and happy Hump Day! I recently just received the sweetest ModCloth Haul of all time – a box that went up to my shoulders filled with shoes for me! That’s right, I got FOUR pairs of ModCloth shoes for SEVENTY DOLLARS thanks to their end of summer sale. I stocked up on cute boots and killer wedges for a fraction of their original cost. I could not be happier with my purchases so take a look and let’s discuss:

^^^ PRETTY!!!!

My relationship with ModCloth is for the most part, nonexistent. Their prices just do not fit into my Lil Red Lifestyle of ballin on a budget so I just admire all of their gorgeous clothes and accessories from afar. I constantly lust over all of the prettiness that ModCloth has to offer and when the end of summer and winter come around, I religiously check the site to see when their amazing end of season sales take place. Usually around these times, the out of season items are marked down and an additional percentage is taken off, too. So, needless to say, when I learned that ModCloth’s sale items were an extra FORTY PERCENT OFF, homegirl just had to jump on the opportunity.

Jump on the opportunity? Psh, more like a pounce on said opportunity. I scoured the sale items and clicked on anything that tickled my fancy. After all, the prices were right! I ended up with two funky pairs of wedges, a penny loafer wedge, and my beautiful, beloved, gorgeous star studded booties. Said booties are actually what I would like to discuss today because there’s kind of a funny story behind them considering this was the third time that I ordered them. Let me explain…

I’ve been hungrily staring at these amazing booties on my laptop screen for the better part of two months. As soon as they got marked down, my mom generously offered to pay for them as an extra birthday present. As soon as “extra birthday present” traveled from my mom’s mouth and into my ears, I was on the computer and ordering the boots as quickly as my little fingers could. The boots arrived. They were perfect. End of story? Eh, not quite.

Literally three days after my order was placed, the boots were marked down further. *Sigh* So I had to do the old rebuy and return trick to get the better price. The boots arrived, again. They were still perfect. And the more expensive pair got returned. End of story?! Still no.

While browsing the sale pages, there they were. My star studded boots were marked down even further. *You’ve got to be freaking kidding me* Thankfully, I was still within the thirty day time period for a refund and was able to buy the boots one more time and return my current pair. The boots arrived, yet again. You already know that they were perfect. And that is the end of the story. The moral being: That I will do anything to save some extra moolah, even if that means buying the same pair of shoes three times to get the right price. #SMH

I have worn all of my new shoes except for my star booties which is funny considering the trouble I went through to get them. Reason being: It’s too damn hot in the AK-Rowdy to be marching around in skinny jeans and boots. So for the time being, I’ll march around in skinny jeans and wedges instead.

So there you have it, my latest ModCloth Haul! What is your favorite site to online shop on? What is your favorite ModCloth purchase? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. –Sarah

Jun20

Monday Update: Vacation Purchases Edition

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Monday Update: Vacation Purchases Edition

Hi everyone and welcome to another week here on lifewithlilred. Unfortunately, I don’t have a lot of spare time to do hella blogging this summer but I will try my best to at least get a weekly post in via the Monday Update. As you guys know, my family went on vacation to Asheville, North Carolina a week ago and your girl did some amazing shopping there! Take a look at the latest goodies that I added to my wardrobe and beauty collections:

^^^ Hurray!

One thing that I absolutely love to do while I’m on vacation (and basically every day of my life) is SHOP. There is nothing better than exploring the different stores that places outside of your hometown have to offer. Usually during family vacas we dedicate a day to shopping local and hitting up an outlet mall if the area has one. During our shop day, I scored some amazing bath and body care products and my new favorite shirt from Forever 21, so let’s discuss!

While shopping local, we came across the most fantastic store called Appalachian Naturals which offers homemade bath and body care products. The shop was filled with bar soap, shampoos, bath bombs, and even some soap for your four legged BFFs. My mom and I must have spent close to an hour scouring the store, chatting with the employees, and filling a shopping bag with our purchases.

We ended up leaving with twelve bars of soap, a bar of soap for our pups, shampoo, chapsticks, a bath bomb, and a “meatball” made from excess shavings from the soap making process. The meatball was literally a pound ball of over thirty different soaps combined together and it’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever seen…so obviously we had to get it. Pictured above are three of the soaps that I wanted for myself – a face bar, and a Mountain Apple and Peppermint flavored bar soap. I’m very excited to work the complexion bar into my skin care routine after I finish the cleanser that I’m currently using and the same goes for the bar soap for when I finish the shower gel I have open.

At the outlet mall I was able to spend my birthday money on some new treats for myself which was so nice! I’m seriously obsessed with the gorgeous floral blouse that I got from Forever 21. I’m usually not a big fan of wearing white because I’m so pale that all it does is wash me out. However, this stark white top was so different because of the bright, Kimono style floral pattern. The colors complimented my hair and skin so well that the pure white base color made everything pop.

I’ve been trying to incorporate more business casual clothes into my wardrobe and I like that this shirt can be worn to work or my internship but I could still hang out with my friends in it. I purchased this shirt for $22.50 and I thought that it was a steal considering it looks so much like the clothes that I always ogle over at too expensive for me Express!

Speaking of steals, can we please talk about the Semi Annual Sale at Bath & Body Works?! Last year at B&BW’s sale, I discovered my favorite scent – Country Apple. This fragrance only makes an appearance during the Semi Annual Sale because it’s part of the oldie but goodie collection that they bring back special for the occasion. Knowing this, it was a must to stop in at the B&BW at the outlet mall to stock up on my gotta have it body spray.

All of the originally fourteen dollar body mists that were on sale were only $3.75 so, needless to say, I went HARD. I took four Country Apple sprays and four of the Mango Mandarin, too, because it smells amazing and it’s always nice to switch things up a little bit. As I walked up to the register, I remembered that back in good ol’ Ohio, there was a coupon for ten dollars off a forty dollar purchase sitting idly on my desk.

I was already at the thirty dollar mark with my bundle of perfumes and when I explained the situation to the worker behind the register, she was kind enough to provide the coupon for me. I was so incredibly thankful and went back to the front of the store to grab one more Country Apple and Mango Mandarin spray. I was at five perfumes each and I needed one more thing to reach a forty dollar purchase. I debated on which scent to get one more of – the apple or the mango but then realized that getting six of one and five of the other would drive me crazy. So I decided to go for a Sun Ripened Raspberry spray to get me to the price I needed to use the coupon.

Thanks to the kindness of the worker, my total bill for eleven body sprays was $33.44. The coupon knocked each perfume down to $2.86 for an originally FOURTEEN DOLLAR fragrance. Hell yeah! Because I was so grateful to the B&BW employee for helping a sister out, I emailed their customer service center to write her a rave review. I was so pleased to get an email response back from them saying that she would be receiving a certificate from the regional manager for excellence in customer service. She so deserved it! 🙂

So there you have it, this week’s Monday Update: Vacation Purchases Edition! I’m so happy with all of the goodies that I got to return to Ohio with and I can’t wait to start using all of them! Has anyone shopped any good sales lately? What store has the best deals right now? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jun13

Monday Update: Vacation Pictures Edition

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Monday Update: Vacation Pictures Edition

Hi everyone and happy Monday! I have returned home from my beautiful Asheville, North Carolina family vacation and am ready to bring you the latest and greatest in my world. I have to admit, I’m not thrilled to be home since Asheville was so gorgeous! It was such a nice change to be surrounded by all of the art and nature that NC had to offer as opposed to the flat and boring Ohio. But before we begin this post, a round of applause is in order for all of my fantastic vacation guest bloggers! Thank you so much for all of your help in maintaining lifewithlilred while I was away. Great job! Now, let’s take a look at some vacation pics, shall we?

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^^^ Can I go back now, or?

My family had the best time exploring Asheville and we left with so many great memories. One of my favorites was going horseback riding for the morning through a ranch that provides trail rides on their vast 550 acre property. My horse was named Sassy and we were obviously a perfect match! Despite getting super sun burned thanks to our three hour trek, it was definitely a lot of fun!

You might notice some random pictures in the slide show like the snap of a flashlight in its packaging. That happens to be a birthday gift given to me from the Blue Mountain Pizza Company. Lol, I got a glass of wine and when they asked for my ID my dad mentioned that it was my birthday on that very day. The meal was delicious and at the end, our waiter came back with a super special birthday flashlight for yours truly because the restaurant gives presents to those who are celebrating. I can’t say that I’ll make very good use out of the flashlight so I regifted it to my dad who can at least do something with it!

One of our days was spent exploring all of the downtown shops in Asheville so make sure you check back for a post on my vaca purchases. As you can see, my mom and I proudly posed in front of a sign for Appalachian Naturals – the most amazing little homemade soap store that Asheville has to offer. We must have spent close to an hour browsing the store, selecting soaps, and chatting with the knowledgeable and helpful employees.

We left with an enormous selection of handcrafted soap, chapstick, shampoo, dog soap, bath bombs, and…a meatball? Haha, yes. One of the products that the store had to offer was a one pound ball of soap that was made from the excess shavings from the soap making process. It’s admittedly the most ridiculous thing ever but we couldn’t not get it. One of the employees told us a story about how a husband had startled his wife while she was in the shower and she ended up throwing the soap ball at him which resulted in two black eyes and a broken nose. Yikes!

The final picture of the slideshow is a family photo at El Poncho, a Mexican restaurant in Atlanta, Georgia when we went to visit my brother and his wife to start our vacation. The food was SO good and we had such a great time. I got serenaded by the mariachi band for my birthday and throughout the meal they continued to come back and play for us. At one point my parents got up to practice their Rumba and ChaCha while the band performed. They were a hit!

At the end of the meal we decided to take a family photo and everything looked awesome except for one thing. The man on the farthest right has no relation to our family. Lol, we got photobombed so hard by this guy sitting at the bar and none of us can get over how good of a job he did. He seriously looks like he belongs in the picture. When we caught the culprit after we took a look at the picture we invited him into our family as an adopted son and brother. He has yet to accept or decline this offer.

So there you have it, this week’s Monday Update which displays some of the many Vacation Photos that were taken during our week in Asheville! Who is going on vaca soon? Where is your favorite spot to travel to? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jun7

Happy Birthday To Me!

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Happy Birthday To Me!

Hello everyone and HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!! Today I celebrate my 22nd birthday in beautiful Asheville, North Carolina. This is my first time becoming another year older away from home and I’m so excited to be able to celebrate the birth of beautiful me while I’m on a family vacation! I want to thank all of my guest bloggers that are helping maintain lifewithlilred while I’m away. And, of course, I want to thank all of my wonderful readers for being such amazing friends. Lifewithlilred would be nothing without all of you!

If you’re interested in seeing how I’ll be celebrating my birthday, feel free to follow me on my personal Facebook. You will also be able to see all of my vacation posts before they hit my blog upon my arrival home. A birthday like on my page for lifewithlilred is always nice but what I would really love is for everyone to click on my Twistfire ads on my personal FB page so I get a big fat birthday paycheck! 🙂

I will be back on June 12th so until then, enjoy all of the guest posts that I have lined up for the rest of my vaca! Much love. -Sarah

❤ HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!!! ❤