Tag Archives: celebrate

Happy Birthday, Mom!!!!

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Happy Birthday, Mom!!!!

Hello!!! Today is a fantastic, wonderful day because it is my mom’s birthday!! My mom is my best friend in the whole world and, I hate to brag, but she’s the best mom in the whole world too. Every day she inspires me with her strength, bravery, and positivity and I am a better person because of it. People always seem to have a fear of turning into their parents as they age, but that is far from the case with me. As I get older and catch myself doing “mom-isms” of my own, I feel proud to be even an iota like her! Check out this stunning beauty:

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My mom fiercely loves her family, grandchildren, and pets and faces every single hardship with a smile on her face because of it. She radiates joy and it is impossible to be in a bad mood around her. And, if you are, you’ll forget about it after just a few minutes of being with her. Even at almost twenty-nine, a hug from my mom still serves as my favorite cure all and I always can’t wait to see her again as soon as our visits end. ❤

As I type this, Melvin and Penelope are out running around and I have my mom to thank for that. Watching her care for our family dogs and be an A+ pet parent all of my life makes me want to provide nothing less for my bunnies. As I type this, my watercolor flowers that we just painted together are still on my desk and I have my mom to thank for that too. By signing herself, me, and my sister up for a class this past summer, she gave me and her a brand new hobby to do together. I feel proud that she encouraged all of us to try something different and that we are still painting several months later.

Everything I love, I have my mom to thank for because she has been with me every step of the way with her endless support and unconditional love. Being her daughter is a gift and I love her so very, very much. Happy birthday to the best mom and I will see you later today!

❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤

Fun Aunt & Uncle

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Fun Aunt & Uncle

Hello!!! Johnny and I are firm on not wanting children and are very happy to be bunny parents. Another title that we take very seriously is the “fun aunt and uncle” to our two sweet nieces, Val Gal and Raya, and our nephew, Patrick. There is nothing better than raising a ruckus with our favorite little humans and then sending them back to their parents afterwards! This past Tuesday was an incredibly special day because Miss Val turned four years old! To celebrate, Johnny and I hosted a birthday slumber party on Thursday with all of her favorite things: Spaghetti and pesto for dinner, a vanilla cupcake and sprinkles for dessert, and lots of presents!

Val is so dear to Johnny and I because she was only half a year old when he and I started dating and she has grown up with us as a couple. We couldn’t wait to have her over for a party just for her and I thought that we had to be more excited than she was. However, we were proved wrong when Val decided she wanted to skip her dance class (Her fave!) to start the festivities early. And, believe me when I say, Val came to our apartment ready to rage lol.

Within minutes presents were ripped open and Johnny was on the floor being attacked by the Tickle Monster. I began the chant of “fun aunt and uncle” and it spread like wildfire between the three of us. Very shortly after, Val assured her mom that she could go home and our party continued with checking out some of her haul. Rather than the toys, Val was enamored with the music box I got her and was convinced it was magic when she shut the box, opened it, and the ballerina continued to spin. It was a hoot. 😀

With promises of birthday cupcakes after dinner, we settled in to eat and watch an episode of Sonic The Hedgehog as per her latest obsession. Johnny and I thought it was hysterical and we were snuggled up on the couch together in stitches. After a rousing round of “happy birthday” and cupcakes, Johnny assembled her new mobile pet grooming station and we played Pet Shop and Johnny’s favorite childhood board game of Uncle Wiggly. Val also got a surprise visit from my bunny baby, Melvin, who so graciously let her and I give him a cuddle before bed. 🙂

Once Johnny went to sleep, Val and I began winding the party down with a bit of TV and silliness. She wasn’t awfully fond of TT’s favorite game called “let’s go to sleep” but she did love jumping on the bed every time I turned my back. Hey, you only turn four once! Johnny and I had the best time celebrating our best girl’s big day and we are so lucky to be the Fun Aunt and Uncle to the coolest kids on the planet! ❤

Did you have a favorite aunt and uncle growing up? How did you celebrate childhood birthdays? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Post V-Day Sweetness

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Post V-Day Sweetness

Hello! Johnny and I went to see Hadestown at Playhouse Square as our main Valentine’s Day event and had the best time! We still listen to the soundtrack basically every day and it has been playing on a constant loop in our heads since the show. Prior to going to the theater, mine and Johnny’s dinner plans got sidetracked and he felt so bad that I barely ate at the restaurant we went to. In my defense, the food wasn’t good at all lol and I told him I didn’t want anything else for Valentine’s Day. Of course, Johnny didn’t listen!

Last week, he ordered a DVD of the NBC live taping of Jesus Christ Superstar just for me. Well, actually it might have been more for him since Alice Cooper played King Herod! But I digress. Jesus Christ Superstar is my all time favorite musical and we saw it last year at Playhouse Square for our Valentine’s Day date. Several years ago, I was so stoked that NBC was going to do a live taping for Easter and very much enjoyed the production. However, I haven’t seen it since it aired on TV. So, needless to say, I flipped my shit when he gave me my part two gift.

This past Saturday, Johnny and I DoorDashed some dinner and watched the DVD together for an at home date night and it was a blast. My heart simply exploded over the fact that Johnny was singing along to the lyrics with me when I had to damn near beg him to watch the original film with me when we first started dating! It was fun to compare and contrast the Playhouse Square show to the live taping and it was the cutest thing to hear Johnny deem production decisions as a “good choice”. Lol, he’s turning into a theater nerd just like his old ball and chain! ❤

The Post V-Day Sweetness didn’t end after our viewing of JCSS because we also had company over that night. Me, Johnny, and our bestie, Cliff, have become obsessed with Saturday night wrestling purely for shits and gigs. It has now become a weekend tradition and we couldn’t wait for the cage match event. When I saw Cliff prior to Valentine’s Day, I jokingly told him and Johnny that I expected chocolate from each of them. I didn’t expect Cliff to take me seriously in the slightest and he presented me with this:

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Apparently, Cliff was running errands and saw a Red box of chocolates and couldn’t not get it for me! Cliff is one of the kindest people that I have ever met and he is so thoughtful. Like me, he is constantly storing away gift ideas and when I said I wanted chocolate even as a joke, he took note. Cliff has been Johnny’s best friend since kindergarten and it really touches me whenever he thinks about me for a gift giving occasion too!

I spent Saturday evening being spoiled by my two best guys and I feel so lucky to have had not one but two Valentine’s Day celebrations. Here’s to many more and all of the Saturday night wrestling!

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

Double Date Night

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Double Date Night

Hello!! Johnny and I have a select few people that we regularly hang out with and my best friend and her husband are two of them. Lea and Brandon are our favorites and ever since Johnny and I got married, him and Brandon have become straight up besties. It’s so cute! Once a month, we get together for a double date night at either of our apartments or out on the town. This past week, we were supposed to hit up our go to haunt of Bucca De Beppo but didn’t feel like making the forty-five minute drive to the restaurant. So, we substituted for Mexican food at El Meson and it was just what the doctor ordered!

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El Meson is an absolute staple in Cuyahoga Falls and it is SO good every single time. It is the perfect place to go for a quick dinner and drinks and was the obvious next choice when we weren’t in the mood for our trek to the Bucca. The restaurant has the most fun, lively atmosphere and it’s safe to say that we go there a lot when the staff members recognize us! Their to go Margaritas were also a life saver when we were craving Mexican during the pandemic but didn’t want to go into the restaurant. 😀

After a few past hang outs at our places, it was so nice to have a night out with our main baddies. It also couldn’t have come at a better time because I just got an amazing job offer shortly before meeting up. We turned this dinner into an impromptu celebration for my good news and to hype Brandon and Lea up as they begin house hunting. Our meals were delicious and, as always, their drinks were out of this world. Our server must have been able to tell how much we were enjoying them because he offered us two large additional Margs for us to share that was a mistake from the bar. He knows us so well. ❤

Lea and Brandon are our only married friends and Lea and I are over the moon at how well our guys get along with each other. Our double dates have become a monthly must and it gives us something to look forward to as soon as date night draws to a close. I am already daydreaming about Bucca De Beppo for next time!

Do you like double dates? What is a staple restaurant in your area? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Happy New Year!!!!

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Happy New Year!!!!

Hello everyone and a very Happy New Year to all of you!!! I am so thrilled to be able to celebrate another holiday here on lifewithlilred and continue on with another year of daily content and fun on my page. Most importantly, I’m excited to share it with all of my dear friends and readers and I thank each and every one of you for stopping by! I don’t know about all of you, but 2022 mainly sucked eggs for me so here’s to lots of good things in store for 2023. And, yes, I definitely did type 2022 first instead of 2023 lol I’ll be doing that for a while. *Face palm*

I have never been one for making New Year’s Resolutions like working out or eating less Taco Bell and when I have, I didn’t keep them. Rather, I like to set goals that I want to accomplish in the new year and see what happens. For example, it would be awesome if the followers on lifewithlilred and my social media platforms (Instagram @lifewithlilred94 and Facebook is: Sarah Mushenheim) increased and I will be working hard to achieve that. I would also LOVE to take a mini vacation of some kind with Johnny, which would be our first time doing so. Maybe this summer?!

As you might have deduced if you keep up on my page, the last several months of 2022 were not good for me in any way shape or form. So, I am trying to manifest all of the positive things to come mine and my family’s way in 2023. I think we could all use a break! During happy or sad times, however, it always brings me joy to sit down and write a post for my blog and I am so thankful to have that and all of you as a constant in my life – no matter what the year is! ❤

I hope that all of you and yours have the happiest, most prosperous, and safe new year. Have a blast celebrating and keep it locked for another year of your favorite Lil Red blogger! Here’s to 2023 – Let’s make it our best year yet!

Happy New Year!!!!

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Do you have any New Year’s Resolutions? Was 2022 a good or bad year for you? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Happy Haulidays: Husband’s Family Edition

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Happy Haulidays: Husband’s Family Edition

Hello! On Christmas Eve, Johnny and I celebrated with his wonderful parents and Aunt Elaine and it was a hoot! We had a delicious dinner, opened gifts, and continued on with the thirty year strong Miller family tradition of watching National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. We spent a fantastic day together and it felt so warm and fuzzy – both from the family love and the fact that it was way warmer at Chez Miller than it was in mine and Johnny’s apartment! As always, Johnny’s family spoiled us rotten and we are so appreciative for their way too generous gifts. Check it out:

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This is my third Miller Christmas and just when I thought that my second family couldn’t outdo themselves any more in their holiday game, they proved me wrong. Johnny and I were blown away by our gifts under the tree and in our stockings and our gifters truly know us too well. Three or so days before we celebrated, Johnny was so close to buying the Willie Nelson Chia Pet at Walgreen’s! I was really surprised that Johnny didn’t make the purchase and part of me thought he was holding off to make it a post Christmas treat. That’s one future errand to cross off the list. 😀

My favorite gift from this haul has to be the hilarious mug my father-in-law gifted to me. I haven’t been tempted yet to send Johnny off to the circus but this mug has certainly given me some ideas to think about. 😉 Johnny’s dad also gifted us with the spray fire extinguishers. He is the king of funny and practical gifts! And, can we talk about how adorable the Son’s Survival Kit is that Johnny’s mom got him as a stocking stuffer? I thought that it was so sweet and had to include it in this post even though it’s not mine. ❤

Aunt Elaine gifts me and Johnny with our absolute favorite chocolates from Boston every year. They are simply the best and we have been making very quick work of our Christmas candy selection! Candy is synonymous with Christmas at the Miller home. My mother-in-law makes amazing homemade chocolates that are seriously to die for. I actually have one of her huge homemade candy trays at my parents’ house that I can’t wait to dig into later today!

I am lucky enough to celebrate every holiday with two families that I love so much and this Christmas was a GREAT SUCCESS. I’m already excited for next year’s celebration! 😀

What kinds of gifts did you give this holiday season? What is your favorite gift that you received? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

My Presence Is A Present OOTD Bloopers

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My Presence Is A Present OOTD Bloopers

Hello everyone and welcome to the blooper reel from my Christmas OOTD entitled My Presence Is A Present lol. I had grand plans for lots of Christmas time looks and, unfortunately, that didn’t go accordingly to plan at all. We celebrated with Johnny’s family on Christmas Eve and when we woke up that day, the temperature in our apartment was barely sixty degrees. It. Was. Awful. The culprit was a very improperly sealed front door and the last thing I wanted to do was stand on the cold tile of the bathroom to do my hair and makeup! These bloopers will be the last of my holiday season OOTDs so keep it posted until next year for more! Haha check it out:

A nice shot of me and my dog’s butt

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That face you make when you see your dog 🙂

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Hiking up my britches for a Christmas extravaganza

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Hey girl hey!!!!!!!!

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I’ll nail the dramatic turn eventually

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I LOOK GREAT!!!!!!!!!

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I have no idea what is happening here

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One final give me my phooooooooone of the year

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Although none of these pics are worthy of being included in a Christmas card (Or are they?!), I had a celebration worthy of a Hallmark movie. My family Christmas was so incredibly perfect and it was a joy to be almost all together. We were missing my brother-in-law, Ramon, who had to work. Negative four degree temperatures didn’t slow down our celebration at all and we spent the day opening gifts, enjoying a delicious meal, and basking in the excellent company of each other. My best face might not have been forward in these bloopers but, rest assured, it was all smiles all day this Christmas. ❤

I hope that each and every one of you had an amazing holiday season. Stay tuned on lifewithlilred to ring in the new year for lots more fun, fashion, and bloopers too! ❤

How did you celebrate the holidays? Did everyone keep warm this past weekend? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

My Presence Is A Present OOTD

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My Presence Is A Present OOTD

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new OOTD here on lifewithlilred! This little fit was worn during my Christmas celebration with my family and it was such an amazing day. My Presence Is A Present might be a cocky title for a holiday outfit, however, I had to let it be jokingly known to everyone since I was sporting an adorable bow headband! This outfit isn’t the most exciting but it was perfect for the day of running around after three small children and kept me warm with the frigid temp of negative four. Yikes! Check it out:

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Who? What? Wear?

This outfit is actually a very far cry from what I had in mind. Originally, I was planning on wearing a skirt and jacket combo to my family Christmas extravaganza. Obviously, it didn’t end up hitting the way I had hoped for and, honestly, it was a good thing. It was SO. Freaking. Cold. and rather than spend time trying to make a less warm outfit work, I scrapped it entirely for a look that I wouldn’t completely freeze my nads off in. I also wanted an outfit that kept me comfortable as I tried to keep up with my nieces and nephew!

With simplicity, warmth, and comfort being the new focus, my striped sweater by Philosophy was the optimum choice. It is so soft and I love the way it fits. It has just the slightest touch of slouch in the sleeves while being more form fitting in the torso, which is refreshing after endless aisles of oversized cold weather apparel. And, although this holiday fit ended up being basically All Black Everything, the poppy bright stripes added some festive cheer. This sweater was an awesome purchase and it served me well in the clutch when my first fit was an epic failure.

Since a skirt wasn’t in the cards, the only other option for bottoms was a pair of jeans and I wore my old standby from American Eagle. I sure as hell wasn’t going to be wearing the distressed pair with under zero degree weather! As always, the jeans from AEO are the absolute best. They fit so well and hug the curves of my body without being too tight. I have never owned a better pair of pantaloons in my life and can’t recommend them enough if you are on the hunt for a good pair of skinnies.

For accessories, not only was my original outfit a bust but so was my hair. It just wasn’t behaving the way I wanted it to and I was getting so annoyed lol. After what felt like forever of mussing and tussing my hair in the bathroom mirror, I threw my hands up and said “Screw it, I’m getting a headband”. The green bow band that I selected was bought for a dollar at a local discount store and it was just what I needed to tame the beast of my mane and incorporate some holiday fun.

With a headband on, I didn’t want to overdo it with a flashy pair of earrings to avoid looking cluttered. So, I kept things simple with a pair of Betsey Johnson earrings in a lovely teardrop shape. This pair was ideal because it didn’t hang too low and, of course, I like anything with skulls on it! These earrings were a gift from my mom two Christmases ago and I was happy to break them out for our celebration this year. ❤

Finally, it was time for shoes and I selected my pair of Olivia Millers. I purchased these for twenty dollars last winter and they are adorable and of such good quality despite the discounted price. The white stitching around the chunky base is such a cool detail and the bold silver chain turns the basic shape of the boot into something special. Granted, I did slip a little outside in these babies in the snow and ice but that’s neither here nor there. 😉

Even though my presence wasn’t a present in the OOTD I had planned for, I still like this one all the same! Keep it posted for bloopers from this look tomorrow!! ❤

How did you celebrate the holidays? What did you wear? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

 

Merry Christmas!!

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Merry Christmas!!

Hello everyone and a very Merry Christmas to you!! Whatever holiday you celebrate this winter season, I hope that all of you have been having the best time enjoying great company and food and making wonderful memories. This is the eighth holiday season that I have had the pleasure of wishing good cheer to my dear friends and readers throughout the blogosphere and it never gets old. Each and every one of you are the reason why I get up extra early to write every morning and my page would not be what it is without that constant motivation. You are all so amazing!

I’m sure all of you have family gatherings to attend and gifts to open so I will keep this post short and sweet. I just wanted to personally send my well wishes to you and yours for a fantastic holiday season and prosperous new year. Thank you for being my friend and for taking the time out of your days to keep up with Lil Red. I love you all!

Merry Christmas!! ❤

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Updated All About Me

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Updated All About Me

Hello! In September, lifewithlilred celebrated its eight year blogiversary, so I figured it was high time to do an Updated All About Me post. So much has changed since I started my page as a twenty year old college kid – a husband, nieces and a nephew, and becoming bunny parents! Although I can’t say I’m thrilled to be approaching thirty in barely two years, it has been amazing to measure the time here on lifewithlilred. If you are just tuning in or have been a long term reader, here are some fun facts/updates about yours truly:

  1. After wanting bunnies for forever, I finally have them: I have always thought that having pet bunnies would be the best thing since sliced bread and it really is! Johnny and I are so obsessed with Penelope and Mel (a mother and son duo) and we have barely had them for over two weeks! Of course, we love their names but they have plenty of nicknames as well. Because, let’s be real, are you really a pet parent if you aren’t calling your pets anything but their real names? 😀

You can catch me calling Penelope:

  • Mama
  • Miss mama
  • Miss lady
  • Mama’s girl
  • Missy miss

Melvin’s nicknames include:

  • Mr. Melvin
  • Mister mister
  • Mister man
  • Mama’s little man
  • Tiny wanderer

2. Johnny and I are the “cool” aunt and uncle: Whenever Johnny and I are asked if we are going to be giving our parents grandchildren, we reply that the best we can do is grandbunnies lol. However, we LOVE being the cool aunt and uncle to our nieces and nephew, Valerie, Raya, and Patrick. They are the sweetest little humans and we revel in treat days when we can spoil them rotten. The best part? When the fun is over, we can give them back!

3. Married life rules: Johnny and I have been together for over three years and have been married for one of them. It’s actually literally no different than when we were dating but it’s still awesome because it was awesome when we were dating lol. The best part is definitely the novelty of saying “husband” and “wife” and I don’t think that it will ever get old. ❤

4. A new-ish apartment: Johnny and I moved into a new apartment in May that is much bigger than our old one but still in the same community we were already living in. Compared to our old place, this one feels like a luxury resort and I still can’t believe it sometimes! Having windows that actually open, a functional air conditioning unit, and better heating is so fantastic that it’s crazy to think about the pure discomfort we were living in before. The best part, however, is having two bathrooms – one on the upstairs floor and one downstairs. This makes me feel like queen of the castle when I don’t have to stumble my way downstairs to use the bathroom in the middle of the night. GREAT SUCCESS.

5. The Lil Red lifestyle hasn’t changed: lifewithlilred started out as a place for me to express myself, make some friends, and have fun and that hasn’t changed at all. I wanted to create a space to celebrate uniqueness because it’s safe to say that I’m pretty unique when you look at me! The Lil Red lifestyle is all about being true to yourself and living life in a way that makes you happy. I have tried to embody this since the start of lifewithlilred and am proud to say that I’m still holding to that eight years later.

6. Best jobs ever: When I am not doing freelance writing, I work with people with special needs and it is simply the best. I have been in the field for close to eight years and have been an Independent Provider for almost five of them. Every day, my clients teach me something new and it is such a joy to be an important part of their lives. Having a job where you feel genuinely happy at every day is a blessing that I don’t take lightly and I pay homage to that by being my best self daily for each person I care for.

7. Still a Diet Coke fiend: Diet Coke has always been my all time favorite drink and that has yet to change! Since being with Johnny, I have learned the joys of the Diet Coke from McDonald’s because, surprisingly, I have never had it until a year or so ago. Now, it is such a treat when I can get a real CRISPY DC from Mickey D’s and it’s a wonderful change of pace from the canned Diets that I am constantly guzzling lol. #blessed

While some things in my life have changed drastically, I am still the fun loving, goofy Lil Red that you met eight years ago. Thank you all so much for sticking with me on this crazy ride and here’s to eight more years of lifewithlilred! Although in eight years, I might have to change my page’s name to lifewithmiddleagedred… We’ll see what happens! -_-

What are some cool updates in your life? What are some fun facts about you? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah