Tag Archives: birthday

Jun23

B-Day OOTD

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B-Day OOTD

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new OOTD here on lifewithlilred!! And, as always, check out the videos from this look on my TikTok! 🙂 For mine and Johnny’s birthaversary gift, we requested a big family lunch at Olive Garden this past weekend. We wanted to celebrate with my family all together, eat delicious food, and enjoy each other’s company. We did just that and it was the perfect gift! Of course, I had to show out for the b-day outing and put together this fun little fit:

Who? What? Wear?

Crochet Crop Top: Rebellion Again, TJMaxx

Tennis Skirt: Kyodan, TJMaxx

Wedges: Charles By Charles David, TJMaxx

The earrings are by Sincerely Jules and were a birthday gift from my niece! ❤

It has been hot, hot, hot here in good ol’ Akron, Ohio and keeping it cool, cute, and comfy has been the name of the game. To achieve that, I began styling this outfit by browsing in the skirt department of my wardrobe. Skirts are great because they’re basically shorts but dressier and that is exactly what I needed to be cool and cute for my birthday lunch! In some cases, however, skirts are both a skirt and a short like the adorable tennis skirt by Kyodan. This gauzy pleated skort is everything and is perfect for some fun in the sun. It is so light, the shorts provide coverage for any wardrobe malfunctions, and I love that you can see the shorts through the skirt’s fabric. We had a winner and the rest of the outfit built itself from there.

For my top, I decided to go with a darling little crochet number by Rebellion Again. I am a huge fan of pairing black with white or a close enough shade of white and this top was ideal for adding contrasting colorblocks. Not only did this top provide a color palette that pleases me but its crop was just right in length. It hit right at the waistline of the skirt so only a minimal peek a boo of tummy was visible. For my own personal rule of thumb, I usually don’t like pairing two revealing items together and this top allowed my legs to still be the main attraction.

Finally, it was onto shoes and accessories. I went with one of my go to pairs of summer wedges by Charles By Charles David. These wedges are such a classic summer staple and their black and woven palette tied the look together from head to toe. Jewelry was a no brainer because I knew exactly what earrings I was going to wear: The gorgeous pair by Sincerely Jules that my niece gifted me. She was just as proud to see me in them at lunch as I was to wear them! ❤

I had the best birthday celebration and felt like a star rolling into the Olive Garden in my B-Day OOTD!

How do you like to celebrate your birthday? What is one of your summer wardrobe staples? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jun22

Garlic Gift

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Garlic Gift

Hello! For mine and Johnny’s birthaversary gift, we decided that we wanted to celebrate with a big family lunch at Olive Garden. We went this past weekend and had the best time eating like kings and enjoying all of us (Sans my big bro and family who live out of state) being at the same place together. It really was the perfect gift! Not only did we have a simply wonderful outing, but my dad presented me with one final prezzie before we parted ways: A total blast from the past product from our family vacations to Asheville, North Carolina. Check it out:

My family vacationed in Asheville in 2016 and 2019, respectively. One of our favorite things to do on family vacations is visit farmers markets and local shopping centers and we would go to the same gigantic market every time we were in the area. There were countless booths peddling their wares but we were primarily interested in one lone vendor: Joy’s Gourmet. Joy’s Gourmet features all kinds of delicious canned goods like salsa, pasta sauce, and salad dressing. Their piece de resistance, however, is their garlic spread. All it took was one taste of the samples at the booth and we were hooked! My favorite is the Chipotle and Sundried Tomato spread and we would stock up on them to bring back to Ohio.

These garlic spreads are absolutely divine and I would put them on everything – sandwiches, pasta, as a dip with crackers, etc. My family would savor every bite once we returned home after vacation and the last time I had this spread was after our last trip in 2019. Until this past weekend, that is! A few weeks ago, my dad called me out of the blue to ask if I remembered Joy’s Gourmet and I said did I ever lol. He still gets emails from the shop and informed me that they were offering free shipping, he was going to place an order, and wanted to get me a few jars for my birthday. This was the last thing I was expecting him to say and I was blown away by how thoughtful it was. He remembered that these garlic spreads were my favorite thing on the planet, saw an opportunity, and went for it! ❤

After our lunch, my dad delivered the goods and it was the cherry on top to an already amazing day. This has been the best birthaversary ever!!

What is your favorite thing to do on vacations? Are you going anywhere exciting this summer? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jun21

Super Sweet Birthday Gifts

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Super Sweet Birthday Gifts

Hello!! My birthday was on June 7th and I have been having the best time celebrating! This past week, I enjoyed two more b-day extravaganzas: A delicious family lunch and a sleepover with my two darling nieces. Since last year, my eldest niece has decided that a slumber party is a perfect birthday gift and it has become our tradition. This was also the first time that her younger sister has joined the crafting/movies/ice cream sundae jamboree and we all had a blast. It was exhausting, but a hoot! As soon as my nieces arrived for our party, they came barreling in with the sweetest prezzies for their favorite aunt. Check it out:

For my big day, I was presented with the most gorgeous wall art and earrings I have ever seen. They were already amazing gifts, but what really took the cake was that my oldest niece helped select the embroidery and picked out the earrings all by herself. Like the slumber party, she thought they were “perfect” for TT and she was so right! Anytime the girls have something just for me is special and I was so touched that my niece wanted to have a hand in shopping for my gifts. It turned a gesture that was lovely to begin with into something that I am always going to treasure.

Can we talk about how pretty these two prezzies are?! Johnny and I have an extensive collection of wall art and I am especially partial to anything embroidered. In fact, if I saw the wall art I was gifted with during a shopping trip, I would have definitely bought it! I love the thick stitches of the flowers and greenery and the huge, over the top gold frame. I can’t wait for Johnny to find an empty space to hang it up! And, of course, we can’t forget the birthday bling with the earrings. This dazzling dangly pair has so much movement, personality, and all of the glitz and glam to ring in my thirty-first year. I was beyond excited to wear them to my family lunch and my niece was just as proud to see them displayed as I was to wear them! ❤

I am the luckiest gal in the world for having the best party with my nieces, which would have been a gift enough. I feel so totally and completely spoiled!

Who is your favorite person to shop for? Do you have any celebrations coming up? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jun19

Sweet Surprises: Birthday Bouquet Edition

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Sweet Surprises: Birthday Bouquet Edition

Hello!! Johnny and I have had such an awesome birthaversary celebration so far and the good times are going to continue rolling all month long. We still have plans for a concert, a baseball game, and hang outs with all of our nearest and dearest and it is such fun to take over the entire month of June with Johnny! I have been surprised with so many wonderful messages and gifts already and had a “but wait – there’s more!” moment when Johnny brought home this gorgeous bouquet that his aunt sent for my birthday:

When Johnny walked through the door, I could barely see him over the huge bouquet bursting with the most beautiful blooms. Of course, I was surprised by the sheer enormity of it, but what really blew me away were the colors! Burnt orange, pale peach, purple, and pink flowers worked in tandem to create a display that is truly stunning. I can’t help but to smile every time I look at it because it’s just so pretty and thoughtful. Johnny’s aunt doesn’t live in Ohio so it’s like getting a great big hug from her!

I absolutely love being gifted with flowers because bouquets are something that I don’t buy for myself and they always remind me of my dad. Whether it’s a bouquet he picks up from the store or one he created on his own from the garden, he frequently surprises my mom with flowers. I think it is the sweetest thing and look forward to seeing his masterpieces front and center on the kitchen table. A bouquet is like a little ray of sunshine just for you and I am so appreciative for the flowers in both mine and my parents’ home. ❤

My birthday and apartment got so much brighter from this Sweet Surprise. I am in awe of this bouquet and it was the most lovely gift!

What is your favorite flower? Do you have fresh flowers in your home? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jun14

New & Improved Concert Lineup

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New & Improved Concert Lineup

Hello!! During the pandemic, Johnny and I had a plethora of concerts that we were going to attend but, sadly, couldn’t. One of the most painful losses was easily not seeing My Chemical Romance for their reunion tour and I am still Not Okay about it! While it was a bummer to forego all of these shows and experiences and basically eat my money, I am so happy that Johnny and I are making up for it this summer. We have already seen AC/DC and will be seeing Bob Dylan and Willie Nelson next weekend and Weird Al in September. But wait! There’s more!!

For my birthday, I was surprised by not one but two sets of tickets. For my gift, Johnny ordered us two tickets to see The Struts for their tenth anniversary tour at the House of Blues. We are avid fans of The Struts and to make it even better, they are playing at my favorite venue! I have seen countless shows at the House of Blues and they have always been some of my favorite concerts. It is a smaller venue and gives you the opportunity to get up close and personal with the stage. It makes for such an exciting evening and being in such close proximity to your favorite musicians is intoxicating. I have been dropping helpful hints that I would love to see The Struts since I learned that they were coming to Cleveland and I am so happy Johnny caught on. 😀

Not only did Johnny gift me with concert tickets, but my beloved big sis did too. We recently learned that Lil Wayne was coming to Blossom Music Center and I let Kristen know but we didn’t do anything with that information. This was okay because I actually saw Lil Wayne at Blossom Music Center when I was a teenager (I definitely sneaked out to see that show!). I had kind of forgotten about his upcoming show because I assumed we weren’t going. Then, Kristen texted me with the most beautiful sentiment I ever read on my birthday: “Do you have tickets to Lil Wayne?” I was on cloud nine and Kristen, my brother-in-law, and I will have a banner night on the town. So nice, I’ll see him twice and I can’t wait for my belated birthday outing!

This was a musical birthday, indeed, and I am so excited to make so many amazing concert memories this summer with all of my favorite people!

Are you going to any concerts this summer? Who would you love to see live? 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!!!!

Jun10

Birthday Partay OOTD

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Birthday Partay OOTD

Hello!! June first was my sweet Johnny’s birthday and we had a little get together at chez nous to celebrate. It was nothing major, just a few friends but it was oh so much fun! It was also delightful to have one of our dear friends who officiated our wedding and his fiance join us. For such a monumental occasion, we just had to show out in our birthday best to get our partay on. Who am I kidding, for every occasion, we always show out! Take a look and let’s discuss:

Who? What? Wear?

Lipstick Kiss Cami: A New Day, Target

Coated Skinny Jeans: Seven Jeans, TJMaxx

Speech Bubble Heels: LFL, TJMaxx

Bracelet: Allsaints, TJMaxx

I think the earrings are from Target!!

It has been getting hot, hot, hot in good ol’ Akron, Ohio and TMI but I had finally shaved my armpits lol. So, I started building this outfit by browsing in the cami department. Hey, I just had to show off those silky smooth pits! My eyes landed on the adorable lipstick kiss cami that I purchased at Target for mine and Johnny’s Valentine’s Day date this year. While this pattern might be traditional for V-Day, that doesn’t mean it can’t be worn literally whenever I want and I love this top. It fits like a glove, has a gorgeous sheen, and is sexy without me feeling like it’s too much. With this little number as the focal point, the rest of the outfit built itself from there.

For jeans, I decided to go for a fantastic pair of coated skinnies by Seven Jeans. These pantaloons are my pride and joy and feature the slightest snakeskin pattern. However, it is so minimal that it can be worn with another pattern no harm no foul. Of course, I chose these jeans because they are the freaking coolest, but it was primarily for the sheen from the coating. Because the cami had a similar motif, they worked in tandem rather than clashed against each other. Remember, you can always pair two shiny pieces together and they are going to work especially well if the base color is the same!

Finally, it was onto shoes and accessories. For a pop of pure fun, I went with my word bubble heels by LFL with the bold statement of “Who Cares!”. And, the answer is: I most certainly don’t! These provided a sassy pop of red toenail polish to tie the look together from head to toe. I had plenty of open real estate for jewelry but I didn’t want to overdo it as I was already working with sheen on sheen on sheen. I put on one of my favorite bracelets by Allsaints as well as a pair of dangly black teardrop gem earrings. With that, I was ready to get my partay on with all of my favorite people!

Johnny and I were looking our best and had the best time for his birthday. If you’re going to celebrate, you have to do it in style! ❤

What have you celebrated recently? Have you done any summer clothes shopping? 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 and holy moly! Today is my 31st (…21st?) birthday!! When I started lifewithlilred in 2014, I never imagined writing a birthday post for myself eleven years later but here we are. And I wouldn’t want it any other way! As it’s mine and Johnny’s birthaversary, I have already had a wonderful celebration so far. A party at home, dinner with my in laws, and treating myself to a fresh new fill. I am also very much looking forward to a birthday FaceTime with my blogging bestie, a hang out with my other bestie, and a big family dinner at Hibachi Japan. Why celebrate for one day when you can celebrate all month, amiright?!

As I reflect on another year older (And hopefully wiser!), I can’t help but to think how lucky I am. Lucky to have an amazing family, friends, husband, bunnies, and the whole blogosphere in my corner. It is such a gift to be surrounded by so much love every day and no matter how much I wish I could slow the aging process down, it is a gift to be able to do so with the best company by my side. You know what? These past handful of years have been some of the best of my life so maybe getting older isn’t all that bad. Not that thirty-one is old (I’m trying to remind myself!), but you know what I mean lol. All I know is that I am in store for another great year and I can’t wait to share it with each and every one of you!

Happy birthday to me and thank you ALL for spending time with me on lifewithlilred every day. I love you!!!
Jun6

Bath & Body Works Birthday Haul

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Bath & Body Works Birthday Haul

Hello!! This past Monday, Johnny and I enjoyed a wonderful birthday dinner at Texas Roadhouse with his parents. It might seem like an odd choice for a vegetarian, but apps and salads always reign supreme for me! After a whole weekend of celebrating our birthaversary, this was the perfect cherry on top. Any time with my in laws is such a gift that anything else is completely unnecessary. However, it was so nice to be spoiled with some goodies to pamper with from Bath & Body Works. I never don’t want bath and body care since I use it daily and I can’t wait to use one of my old favorites and new to me scents. Check it out:

Champagne Toast: Lol, let me start off by saying that Champagne Toast is a staple in my household and one time Johnny thought the packaging read “Champagne and Toast”. I can never picture it as its normal name again! ANYWHO, Champagne Toast is a classic B&BW scent featuring notes of “bubbly champagne, sparkling berries, and juicy tangerine”. Some scents based on alcohol smell so much like the real thing which can be really off putting. Champagne Toast does smell bubbly, yes, but thanks to the berry and tangerine, it’s a lot like a sparkling juice. It is light, fizzy, and fruity and would definitely be a safe bet to gift with. If you aren’t a fan of giving alcohol as a gift, a bundle of Champagne Toast products is the next best thing!

Waikiki Beach Coconut: My husband is all about tropical scents. Me? Not really, but I only wear lotion to bed so whatever it smells like doesn’t matter all that much to me. The only tropical scent I do like a lot, however, is coconut! I always loved the coconut line from The Body Shop and while nothing will beat that, the Waikiki Beach Coconut is very nice. This scent offers notes of “tropical white coconut, saltwater breezes, and sun-bleached woods”. While I can’t speak for the sun-bleached woods, lol, this scent smells exactly like sun, sand, and surf. It has a bit more musk to it than a traditional coconut scent but, all in all, this is a day at the beach fragrance for sure.

Starfruit Sangria: Speaking of alcohol based scents that don’t smell like alcohol at all, we have Starfruit Sangria which features notes of “golden starfruit, kiwi nectar, and chilled sangria”. This scent is incredibly light and it’s hard to pick up on the fruit notes as starfruit and kiwi aren’t exactly known for a strong aroma. It’s a very soft and fresh scent, which is perfectly fine by me because I don’t care for anything too overpowering. Like Champagne Toast, Starfruit Sangria would be a great gifting option if you are not sure what fragrances your giftee likes. Perfect for a summer birthday!

I haven’t had a good Bath & Body Works haul since their winter semi annual sale and my stockpile has been in need of a re-up. These sweet gifts will certainly tide me over until the next big sale!

What is your favorite thing to receive as a gift? What do you like to gift for other people? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jun1

Happy Birthday, Johnny!!

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Happy Birthday, Johnny!!

Hello!! Today is a fantastic, wonderful day because it is my main squeeze, Johnny’s, birthday!! My beloved’s birthday kick starts our birthaversary extravaganza and I am so excited to celebrate our big days and wedding anniversary together. I truly do not know what I would do without my Johnny and I consider myself to be the luckiest girl in the whole world. We have been together for well over five years and those first date butterflies have remained every day since. I miss him when we’re apart, I think about him all the time, and it is still exciting when he greets me at the door after work. It’s safe to say I am madly, deeply in love!

Whether we are at home binging our favorite shows or on the go, it is never a dull moment with Johnny. We just have fun together and his personality and laugh are infectious. Johnny is never without a kind word to say to anyone and he provides such a bright light to everyone he encounters. He is always, always thinking about others before himself and loves fiercely. It is so beautiful to see him interact with those he holds dear because it simply radiates. It is my absolute favorite to watch him play with our sweet nieces and nephew and he really is joy personified.

Being married to Johnny is a nonstop adventure and waking up next to him is a gift. Since our first date, we have barely been apart from each other and I wouldn’t want it any other way. We have been through so many of life’s ups and downs together and I couldn’t and don’t want to imagine anyone else by my side. Johnny has made my life better in more ways than I could ever count and I fall in love with him more every day. And I don’t even care how cheesy that sounds because it is the truth! ❤

Happy Birthday, Johnny! I love you always!!!! ❤