Tag Archives: celebrate

Our Fifth Wedding Anniversary

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Our Fifth Wedding Anniversary

Howdy! Today is a fantastic, wonderful day because it is mine and Johnny’s five year wedding anniversary!! Rather, it is the middle part of our birthaversary week with Johnny’s birthday being on the first and mine falling on the seventh. We always joke that it makes it easier to remember everything but we both revel in our week of celebrations and I love how our special dates are arranged! What are the odds that I would fall head over heels with a guy whose birthday is so close to mine?! Let’s take a stroll down memory lane with some of these wedding shots:

Johnny is my main squeeze and has been since the first moment we met. It was truly a case of love at first sight and we have barely been apart since we started dating over six years ago. I wouldn’t want it any other way! To celebrate our birthaversary, we have a full hodge podge of activities planned. A party with friends and family, a big lunch with my family, all of the concerts, and all of the video games too! Our primary prezzies were concert tickets to three shows at Blossom – The Strokes, Josh Groban (lol), and Billy Idol. I am SO excited to extend our festivities throughout the summer with our lineup. We are seeing The Strokes in the next few weeks and I can’t wait! 🙂

I’m genuinely not sure what you are supposed to gift your partner with for different anniversaries but I’m pretty confident it isn’t music and video games. Isn’t it paper and pearls and stuff? But it sure works for us! We recently got a Switch 2 and purchased games for each other as well. The new Mario Kart for Johnny and Pokopia for me. It is basically like Animal Crossing but Pokemon and I have been playing it every day since Johnny got it for me. I am a woman obsessed! Oh – and we also got some really stellar Taco Bell this past weekend as an early celebration and that was just the tops. What can I say? We like what we like!

Five years of marital bliss with my Johnny went by so quickly and I still can’t quite believe my fairy tale. I am the luckiest girl in the world!

How do you celebrate anniversaries? Are you going to a concert soon? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

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, Brother!!

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Happy Birthday, Brother!!

Hi! Today is a fantastic, wonderful day because it is my big brother, Andrew’s, birthday! I am so lucky because Andrew isn’t just my big bro but my best friend. He is my workout buddy, video game partner, and closest confidant. Everything is better when Andrew is around and we just have so much fun together! Whether we are hitting the mini golf course or just driving around, it is always the best time as we chat, joke, and laugh the day away. Johnny, Andrew, and I are the ultimate trio and I can’t wait to make more amazing memories together this summer!

One of the things that I love the most about Andrew is his spirit of adventure. He is always down to try something new or hit the road and explore. It’s such a joy to join him at baseball and hockey games, on hikes, to the zoo, or simply bopping around at our favorite stores. A recent thing that we started attending together is a monthly anime club at the library which is a total blast! We both share a deep love of anime and I only watch what Andrew recommends. His selections have never steered me wrong yet and I am so enjoying My Hero Academia as per his suggestion. 😀

Andrew is one of the kindest people I have ever met and he truly has a heart of gold. No matter how lousy I am feeling about one thing or another, my day instantly gets brighter when I see him. He is always the first person to notice when I get my nails done or am wearing something new. Whenever I have a content shoot for work, he remembers and asks me the next day how it went. He is always thinking of others and loves his friends and family so fiercely. Andrew is the best big brother I could ever ask for and I am so excited to celebrate him on his big day!

Dressed To The Nines OOTD

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Dressed To The Nines OOTD

Howdy! We had too much fun celebrating my beautiful cousin’s wedding this weekend and made the most amazing memories with my family. Johnny and I live for a good wedding because it’s not often that we get to break out our special occasion wear. We’re just a fashionista couple through and through! The dress code for Anna’s wedding was “Creative Formal” and I understood the assignment perfectly. I was delighted to find two gorgeous dresses for both the wedding and reception and felt like a Hollywood star in my looks. I wore this pretty little number to the ceremony:

Polka Dot Dress: Shein

Vertebrae Heels: Show Story

Gloves: These belonged to Johnny’s grandma!

The earrings are from Target, I think!

During a shopping trip to TJMaxx, I found a very similar dress to the one I purchased on Shein. The only problem was that it was much too big. However, I loved it so much that I couldn’t imagine wearing anything different and turned to the world wide web to find a solution. I scoured through the TJMaxx and Marshall’s websites and came up with zilch. I found the dress on Poshmark but it was, once again, too big and too pricey. Then, I found a dupe on Shein and realized it was as good as it was going to get. Was I thrilled about ordering off of the fast fashion website? No and I would never order off of it again. Was I happy to have a low quality version of the dress I wanted? …Yes. Yes, I was. -_-

Although the quality of the dress pales in comparison to the original, I still love it oh so much. The polka dots, silk, and lace scream old Hollywood glamour and I just felt so good in it! I was getting compliments left and right and everyone was convinced it was a vintage piece as opposed to a twenty-five dollar knock off. This dress was ideal for the wedding ceremony but definitely not the reception… The bottom half of my frock was quite fitted and it was hard to take big steps in it let alone dance the night away!

In the shoes department, I needed a lot of length because, as you can see, the dress was still pretty long on me even with heels on! I chose my vertebrae heels from my wedding and it was so nice to break those bad boys out again. The heels also provided an edgy pop to the dreamy vibes of the dress. For accessories, I just had to don a pair of *actual* vintage gloves that belonged to Johnny’s grandma. It is always so special to wear them and they further enhanced the old Hollywood aesthetic. Since there was a lot going on in this look, I opted for a simple pair of black teardrop gemstone earrings to tie the look together. With that, I was ready to celebrate my cousin and her new husband! ❤

Stay tuned for my reception look (Audrey Hepburn, anyone?!) and all of the bloopers coming soon on lifewithlilred. See you then!!

What is your favorite era of fashion? Did you have a dress code for your wedding? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Wedding Fun

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Wedding Fun

Hello! This past weekend was absolutely fabulous because we got to celebrate my beautiful baby cousin, Anna’s, wedding! The day was filled with love, fashion, and oh so much fun. Anna’s wedding was held at the most stunning church – the Shrine Church of Saint Stanislaus in Cleveland and the ceremony was lovely. It has been a long time since I was in a church and I’m pleased to report that this ol’ atheist barely even sizzled! After the wedding, we checked into the Hotel Indigo for a breather before heading to the Garden Green to party hardy for the reception. It was a nonstop day but it was totally and completely perfect. Check out some pics from the festivities and be sure to tune in tomorrow for a closer look at my wedding ceremony OOTD!

Anna’s wedding reception began with an ultra cool cocktail hour in the basement of the Garden Green. Gin gimlets, champagne, and appetizers flowed while we got to catch up with all of my cousins and their partners. Anna has four other siblings and we actually just celebrated her older brother’s wedding in New Orleans in March. Love has definitely been in the air! After the cocktail hour, we returned to the main floor for speeches and dinner. While we ate, drank, and were merry the dance floor was prepped for an evening of shaking what our mamas gave us and did we ever. 😀

Once dinner was over, us gals made a trip to the bathroom before hitting the dance floor and were greeted by all of the ladies in front of the mirror applying gemstones and glitter. Anna had thoughtfully set out an array of sticky gems and tubes of shimmer for everyone to get creative with. As the word spread, guys and gals alike visited the loo to get their shine on and it was such a blast primping everyone. My sister did the cutest gem and shimmer set for my mom, Anna’s dad had a tasteful few gems by his eyes, and I got to go all out for my aunt who told me to just go crazy! By the time we exited the bathroom, we were all glowing and it looked so divine under the purple dance floor lights. Major kudos to Anna because this was such a delightful, interactive idea that we all had a blast with.

Post bathroom party, my dad picked my mom up to go home from Cleveland while Johnny, my sister, brother in law, and I cut a rug all together. We were dancing our fannies off and didn’t exit the dance floor until it was time to head back to the hotel or attend the after party. Trust and believe we chose to Uber back to the Hotel Indigo and hit the hay because holy WOW were we tired. Big ups to the after party crew for really rallying because I think I was asleep before my head even hit the pillow. A small price to pay for the most wonderful day with my family! ❤

Johnny and I simply come alive at a wedding and we are beyond ecstatic for Anna and her main squeeze. There is one person left in my cousin crew to get married and I think we are all ready for another party ASAP! 🙂

Are you attending any weddings this year? Do you have any special occasions coming up? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

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! ❤

Happy Birthday, Dad!!!

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Happy Birthday, Dad!!!

Hello! Today is a fantastic, wonderful day because it is my dad’s birthday!! As my dad refuses to celebrate birthdays, I gave him his prezzies last week on his unbirthday so he could still enjoy them lol. However, that will never stop me from sending him an extra special birthday shout out on the ol’ blog! My dad is my bestie pal and we have so much fun together. Whether we are doing puzzles, gardening, or playing along to The Price Is Right, there is nothing better than spending time with my dad. He is freaking hilarious and always keeps me in stitches. My dad also keeps himself in stitches as he is prone to laugh attacks which make the matters at hand even funnier. Not to mention how charming and handsome he is to boot! ❤

One of the things that I love about my dad is his spirit of adventure. He is constantly planning experiences for my family like vacations and nights at the theater and is always up for trying something new. For the past year, my dad has been taking guitar lessons from Johnny and he practices every day. I so enjoy being a fly on the wall during their lessons and hearing my dad practice because it’s just cool. Learning the guitar is no easy feat but he is dedicated to it and Johnny and I are both amazed at how much he has improved. No matter what, you should never stop learning and my dad really is a testament to that. It inspires me deeply!

Spending time with my dad is a lesson in good things taking time. It could be nurturing his beautiful garden, working on a difficult puzzle, or hearing him piece together a song. These are all reminders to just keep working at it and plugging away because something great is right around the corner. As a child and, honestly, sometimes as an adult, my MO has been to quit out of frustration. My dad has always been the one to encourage me to give it another try. One more lesson, one more practice, one more go and it worked every time. It worked because my dad was in my corner and that was the most important thing. Everything is better when he’s by my side because he is the best and I will forever be a daddy’s girl. ❤

Happy Birthday, Mom!!!

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Happy Birthday, Mom!!!

Hello!!! Today is a fantastic, wonderful day because we have a birthday girl in the house – my fantastic, wonderful mom!! My sweet mom is my little cutiepie lol she is a tiny ball of energy and spending time with her is one of my favorite things in the world. Whether we are shopping, walking our beloved Archie dog, or just sitting at the kitchen table chatting it is literally food for the soul. There’s a saying that as you age you turn more and more into your parents and I am a-okay with that. It is a gift to be anything like my mom!! ❤

My mom is my best friend and when we’re apart, we are sure to be texting or talking on the phone. Every Monday after work I give her a call on my way home and I look forward to that chat every week! I am lucky enough to see my parents several days of the week and live right down the street from them. Honestly, it’s not close enough lol. Whenever we are together, it promises to be a good time and we are always laughing about something. It could be my dad jogging through the house or my mom losing her glasses for the five hundredth time but the laugh attacks are always on the verge of striking!

All joking aside (Which is more often than not!), being around my mom is a masterclass in kindness. Ever since I was little, I can always remember her greeting every person we encountered with a smile and her deep passion for animal rescue. From childhood on, I wanted to be just like my mom and I still do. Her compassionate manner hasn’t faltered once in her life and if that isn’t an amazing role model then I truly don’t know what is. My mom is always who I want to talk to first whether I have good news or bad. She celebrates the good with the utmost pride and helps handle the bad even if we don’t say anything at all. Just being around her is enough because she radiates love and that is the best medicine of all. ❤

To my mom and A1 bestie – I love you more than words can say!

Best Weekend Ever!

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Best Weekend Ever!

Hello!! After a rough few weeks, Johnny and I had the best Valentine’s Day weekend ever and it was so very needed. This year we went a more interactive approach for our presents – I helped Johnny pay for the PS5 his friend sold him and he got us tickets to a Cupid’s Revenge haunted house. As a bonus prezzie for us, he also purchased a new game called Reanimal and it is freaking AWESOME. We are avid fans of the Little Nightmares series but were both thoroughly disappointed with the third installment. Reanimal is exactly what the third one should have been and we spent all Friday night playing it! We also just had to play it a bit more before heading out on our big date on Saturday. We had an amazing dinner at Boss ChickNBeer and a wacky time at the haunted house. Check it out:

Earlier last week, Johnny texted me on his break at work with the most beautiful sentiment. He asked if I wanted to get dinner at Boss ChickNBeer before the haunted house and my answer was a resounding YES! Boss ChickNBeer is a fantastic women owned business in the greater Akron/Cleveland area. They have a few other restaurants and we are lucky enough to have one ten minutes away from us. This restaurant offers a normal menu as well as a fully vegan version of it meaning that both Johnny and I can eat like kings. We were starving by the time we got to Boss Chick as we wanted to save our appetite and our eyes were, admittedly, a bit bigger than our stomachs. We did have leftovers for days, though!

Johnny ordered the chicken tenders and fries while I opted for a side of their queso mac, cauliflower wings, and an order of onion rings to share. The food is made right in front of you at Boss Chick and those onion rings looked way too good to pass up! As always, our meals were absolutely incredible and their cauliflower wings are easily the best I have ever had. They use full on florets, the most delicious breading that is so good that you don’t even need sauce, but obvi you’re going to get their homemade sauces too! They are so very filling that I barely made a dent in mine but I got to enjoy our meal again and again with everything we took home. 😀

After dinner, we made a quick stop back at our apartment to put our takeaway containers in the fridge as it was close to fifty degrees that evening. It was like a bonus Valentine’s Day gift to put on a skimpy little something and not freeze my nads off! Then, off to the Haunted Schoolhouse and Laboratory we went for their Cupid’s Revenge event. The festivities began with a cocktail hour at six o’clock with the haunt opening at seven. The setup was so unbelievably cute with a light up dance floor, flower wall, photo stations, and the haunt actors lurking around for photo ops. Honestly though, it was kind of a sad affair to start with as it wasn’t a raging crowd and everyone remained glued to their own tables. That was no problem for Johnny and I because we immediately made friends to booze and schmooze with and chattered the cocktail hour away until the gates opened for the haunt.

The Cupid’s Revenge haunted house was great fun and my only regret was that it wasn’t longer as it only used one of the two spaces available for the attraction. However, it was just a hoot to have Halloween vibes on Valentine’s Day that it didn’t even matter. Of course, they couldn’t change the bones of the Haunted Schoolhouse too much but the rooms were decked out in V-Day style with bleeding hearts, red streamers, classic Valentine’s Day decor, and their cast of wonderful actors handing out tricks and treats. One gave me a mushroom which we discovered when we got home and the other gave me a bag of candy! You just never know what you’re going to get!

Once the haunt was over, we were deposited back into the dance floor area and were about to make our way home. Then, we ran into the people we mingled with during cocktail hour and figured it couldn’t hurt to stay for one more drink because the party was jumping at that point. Pop hits were playing, the dance floor was packed, and the guests and character actors alike were all having a blast! While Johnny and I had an awesome time, there was one person we know for certain that had the best time of all. There was this one actor who was literally getting paid to spank people with a paddle for the evening. And the answer is YES, we did partake. And, yes, my fanny was on fire the following day. Hey, you have to go a little crazy on Valentine’s Day lolol!

Our V-Day outing was, hands down, one of my favorite dates we have ever been on. We cannot wait to go back to the Haunted Schoolhouse and Laboratory for their St. Patrick’s Day haunt and party!

How was your Valentine’s Day weekend? What is your favorite V-Day candy? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Last Minute Valentine’s Day Gifts

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Last Minute Valentine’s Day Gifts

Hi! Love Day is right around the corner! Are you and your significant other ready for it? Johnny and I sure are! For his gift, Johnny requested help paying for a PS5 that his friend sold to him on the way cheap. It was such a great deal and we are having so much fun playing on it! As for my gift, I really didn’t need anything although I had a couple of video games in mind that I would like to try. Then, I saw an ad on Facebook for a Cupid’s Revenge haunted house and decided that I would love that as my gift. It’s a great date that pairs our love of all things horror and haunted attractions with a sentimental twist. I can’t wait to go and tell you all about it! If you are lacking on ideas to spoil your SO with, fear not. Today, we are going to take a look at some last minute gifts that are sure to please. Let’s get to it!

How about gifting a little bit of everything with a Boo Box? Step 1) Find a pretty gift basket or box. Step 2) Fill it with sweet little somethings. It’s as simple as that! You could go the decadent route with boxes of chocolate, hot cocoa mix, and their favorite candies. Perhaps you will go with cozy gifts like new pajamas, a soft blanket, and a pair of slippers. Or, you could go sentimental with framed photos, love notes, and a handmade piece of art of jewelry. No matter what you choose, you cannot lose with a Boo Box and it’s as easy as a trip to TJMaxx!

Now, reservations for your first date night choices might not be doable as we’re getting down to the wire. However, it doesn’t hurt to try or come up with something more unique than a dinner out. A local theater might be doing romance movie screenings. There are sure to be plenty of couples wine and paint nights. You could create your own dinner at a cooking class. Or maybe you will try an activity that’s totally out there like visiting a rage room, going to a glassblowing studio, or taking a road trip to visit different boutiques and cafes that you haven’t been to before. Look for special events at museums, planetariums, restaurants that offer mixology courses, or scentology stores. Even if your date doesn’t fall exactly on Valentine’s Day, you will have a fun plan to look forward to.

Sometimes the best gift of all is letting your SO pick out their gift. Johnny and I very much agree to this! Set a shopping budget, fuel up at Starbucks, and visit your partner’s favorite stores. If your selection is a bit picked over from the holiday, improvise. Hit up vintage and antique boutiques, go thrifting, create your own bouquet at a flower shop, or pop into specialty stores for amazing jewelry or bath and body care. If all else fails – online shop till you drop! That is an especially good option if you can’t find the size or color of what you like the best. It will be like a bonus gift when it arrives in the mail. 😀

Spa related gifts are always going to go over well for those who love to pamper! Treat your SO to a new full set at their favorite nail salon. How about some hair treatments and a blowout at their go to hair salon? You could also book massages and facials at your local spa. Remember that even if this isn’t your thing, your partner will love doing it together. A couples massage, pedicures, masks, and wraps are something you can both enjoy and benefit from. Throw caution to the wind and book for two so you can both be primped and pampered for the big day!

If it’s in your budget, why not score some concert tickets if your SO’s favorite is playing nearby? You could also opt for tickets to a play, musical, or orchestra. If not, no biggie! You could purchase some new vinyl records, merch from their favorite musical, or bring the music right to your living room. While their favorite tunes are playing you can cook a delicious meal, make cocktails or chocolate together, or play a new board or video game. Music is definitely one of mine and Johnny’s love languages and there is nothing sweeter than putting on your partner’s favorite song and watching their face light up!

No matter the gift, Valentine’s Day is special because you’re both together. These ideas will only add to the ambiance!

How are you celebrating Valentine’s Day? What was the best date you have ever been on? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah