Tag Archives: christmas gift

Jun9

Sweet Surprises: Random Money Edition

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Sweet Surprises: Random Money Edition

Hello!! This past week, I had a little moment on my break at work that simply tickled me and I just had to share it with all of you. I don’t know about you, but every once in a while I will see a post on Facebook about someone finding random money on their person. Unfortunately, I can’t relate because I am one of those people that rarely carry cash… Primarily because I want to spend it immediately! However, that statement is no longer true because that is what happened during my break time surprise and, I’ve got to say, it was just as delightful as I imagined it being.

After finishing up some work on the computer, I still had a bit of time to kill. So, I started reading a new book called The Missing Half by Ashley Flowers (Peep the Book Club review soon!). As I was reading, I reached in my purse for anything that could be used as a bookmark and pulled out the first thing that felt like paper. As per ushe, I was expecting a receipt that I didn’t need but wasn’t going to leave my purse until cleaning it out. Rather, it was a small envelope. You can only imagine my surprise when I opened it to discover it was Christmas cash from last year from my parents. I must have stuck it in my purse with the intention of spending it, it got lost in the black hole that is my handbag, and I straight up forgot about it.

When I made this discovery, it seriously felt like getting a hug from my mom and dad. Yes, the cashola was nice but it was even better to have a Christmas surprise in June! I immediately called my mom to announce my findings and what I thought would be a short call turned into a ten minute gab fest and that was the cherry on top. I was already having a great day but this made it an excellent one and it really is the little things in life that make it so much sweeter. ❤

Like I said, as soon as I have cash – I want to spend it! I used it to buy more leafy greens for the bunnies, a couple of dinner options for me and Johnny, and some super yummy dill pickle trail mix too. Dinner and snack time for us and the bunnies were proudly sponsored by mom and dad. I just love them!!! :*)

What is a little thing that made you happy recently? Have you found random money before? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr10

New Stunner Shades

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New Stunner Shades

Hello!! I love treating myself to a new pair of sunglasses every once in a while because it’s a cheap and fun way to change things up. However, I feel like there comes a point every year when all of my sunglasses are on the fritz. They might be crooked, scratched, or straight up broken but the damage to each pair always seems to happen really closely to each other, leaving me with crappy back up sunnies as a replacement. This just so happened to be the case recently so I made a quick stop at TJMaxx to purchase a few new pairs with the rest of my Christmas gift cards. Check them out:

^^^ The first pair is Lucky Brand and the second pair is by House of Harlow. Also one time the dumpster behind me was on fire and it was crazy!

Over the years, I have experimented in sunglasses in every possible shape, style, and color. From aviators and cat eyes to gigantic hater blockers in all shades of the rainbow, chances are I have been there done that. So when I am looking for new sunnies, I am on the hunt for something that is totally different. I definitely think I found that with my two newest additions! These two pairs totaled to twenty dollars and they are, easily, some of the best I purchased in recent memory.

I was very excited to find some Lucky Brand sunglasses because it’s one of my all time favorite brands and these circular frames are spot on. Circular sunnies are a style that I like a lot but they tend to be more miss than a hit. The frames are usually pretty small and it does me no favors. The Lucky Brand pair might not be a true circle in shape but it is close enough and the size is just right. Not too big, not too small and I love the quirky bridge of the nose. I have been wearing them every day since I got them last week and I just feel so cool every time I put them on. 😀

Next up is the unique pair by House of Harlow, another brand that I am a huge fan of. You can’t go wrong with they grayscale tortoiseshell but what I was especially drawn to was the shape. Like I said, I want different and this connected bridge was something I have never seen before. As soon as this pair was on, they were off immediately because they were instant winners. Now, here’s to hoping that these two pairs never break because I am obsessed!

I made great use of my holiday gift cards to TJMaxx this year and my new sunnies were the perfect treat to spend the remainder on. You can’t beat two beloved brands for twenty bucks!

Do you buy new sunglasses often? What is your favorite style of sunnies? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb21

TJMaxx Skin Care Haul

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TJMaxx Skin Care Haul

Howdy! I get a plethora of TJMaxx gift cards for Christmas every year and it is a beautiful, beautiful thing. TJs is where I find true and perfect peace and after a lot of holiday shopping for my big family, it is so nice to have a good haul for myself – free of charge. It is my tradition to do a skin care restock with my gift cards because those products are something I will absolutely need and use. A few weeks ago, my mom and I enjoyed a shopping trip together so I could do just that as well as pick up a few fun odds and ends. And, surprisingly, I didn’t go over budget and STILL have gift cards left. That never happens! Check it out:

When I am shopping skin care, I have my method down to the T with standards that I have perfected over time. 1) First and foremost, each item I select must be cruelty free or it will not be coming home with me. 2) I will happily buy old favorites but am always looking for new products to review and enjoy. And 3) I like to get at least a three month supply of product to sustain me for a while. As much as I would love to go to TJs every time I need a restock, it would be very damaging to my wallet lol.

For this skin care haul, I needed everything but the kitchen sink. We’re talking cleansers, serums, moisturizers, eye cream, and micellar water. I was ecstatic to have found a couple of my go to Evoluderm micellar waters in a huge pump bottle, which I have never seen before. I bought the lot and a few small bottles for good measure. I was also able to restock my eye cream with a tried and true favorite of Vital Beauty’s Cooling Eye Gel AND find a brightening eye cream of the same brand too – something else that I haven’t seen before. The final familiar brand I revisited was with a face scrub by ValJean Labs. This is a new to me product but I am currently using a cleanser from this brand and am loving it. I am definitely in for a treat if this scrub is half as good as the cleanser!

As far as moisturizers and serums go, the selection was pretty bare in terms of what I could buy according to my standards. A majority of the offerings were not cruelty free, which was a bummer. What remained was brands that I have never used before so I am very interested in trying them out and seeing what’s the what. I’m particularly looking forward to the bottles of Precision Beauty serum for no reason other than that the packaging is really pretty lol. It was a cold AF day during this shopping trip and the colors reminded me of sunshine which is probably why I gravitated towards them. And, in case you were wondering, NO. I am NOT okay over the fact that “wrinkle reducing” is now a key component in the moisturizers I choose. But, hey, here’s to *hopefully* slowing down that process. 😀

I have a stockpile full of goodies waiting for me so keep it locked for brand new product reviews coming soon!

Have you used any of the above products before? What did you think about them? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jan29

BFF Christmas Gift

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BFF Christmas Gift

Hello!! Every holiday season, I look forward to celebrating with my besties, Lea and Kate. It has been a regular occurrence each year for longer than we all care to admit but the novelty of it will never wear off! Due to extenuating circumstances, my Christmas get together with Lea had to be postponed to this past weekend. I was missing her something FIERCE so it couldn’t have come a moment too soon! We had a divine meal, girl talked the evening away, and finally were able to exchange presents. Honestly, talk about saving one of the best for last because my A1 knocked it out of the park. Check it out:

When I opened my gift from Lea, I clutched my pearls. I have been the proud bunny mom to Melvin and Penelope for over two years now and I don’t think it’s humanly possible to be more obsessed with them than I already am lol. Mel and Pen have made my life so much better from the infinite amount of joy that I get simply by looking at them. Even on the worst days, it is absolutely impossible not to smile at the pure cuteness overload! In fact, as I type this, Melvin and Penelope are binkying all over the room and it is so distracting in the best way. ❤

While I have bunny home decor galore, I am lacking in any type of clothing that symbolizes my love. This does seem ridiculous as I think about it now because Johnny has a shirt that says Bunny Dad! You know what they say about hindsight lol. This hoodie is so perfect in every way. It is soft, comfortable, my favorite color, and just right for these frigid winter days. Coincidentally, it is actually the same brand that we use for Misny Merch hoodies and I could tell as soon as I tore the package open… I have literally been living in my Misny hoodie for the past month because it’s my favorite for all of the same reasons why I love my gift. Just don’t tell my boss that I like my Bunny Mama swag best! 😀 ❤

With that, my holiday hang outs are now complete and I am so happy to have been able to share that belated celebration with my best girl – the best gift of all!

Do you have any clothes related to your pets? What is your favorite hoodie to warm you up? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jan14

New Malfoy Manor Lego Set

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New Malfoy Manor Lego Set

Howdy!! Johnny and I received a very generous gift card to Target from my brother and sister-in-law for Christmas. We couldn’t wait to hit the store and cash it in because we knew exactly what we wanted: a new Lego set! This past Friday, we made our Target Run and, unfortunately, it was slim pickings in the Lego department. Understandably so after the holiday rush. We considered three different sets from the limited options – the Durmstrang Ship, Hogwarts Express, and Malfoy Manor. Each one had their pros and cons but we went with what originally really caught our eye and that was the manor. Check it out:

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The last time Johnny and I built Lego together, it wasn’t exactly together lol. For my Christmas gift, Johnny got me the Lego Dobby set and I completed it *almost* all by myself. While it was cool to achieve a milestone like an independent build, my favorite is still when Johnny and I work side by side. That’s actually exactly why I wanted to get the Malfoy Manor set. It had the most potential for us to pick back up on our normal building routine with me handling the big pieces and Johnny taking care of the detail work. Those tiny bricks are a total pain with my talons!

As soon as we got home after making our purchase, we proceeded to be kids on Christmas Day. We zipped to the game room, set up our folding card table, and got to work. Johnny and I spent a fantastic two or so hours building, listening to music, and chatting away. We made it about halfway through the set before we called it quits for the day and I was glad for it so we could build more this weekend. Breaking up the build also gives us the time to truly appreciate it. There are SO many unique things about this set and we were astounded by some of the outcomes. I can’t wait for all of you to see it!

Stay tuned for the Part One breakdown of our Malfoy Manor build. They may be villainous but I guess it can be good to be bad because this is, easily, one of my favorites from the Harry Potter collection!!

Did you get any Christmas gift cards? Have you spent them yet? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jan10

Merry Christmas To Me!

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Merry Christmas To Me!

Hello!! I absolutely loved completing my Christmas shopping this year and the last person on my list was myself. Every Christmas, I like to treat myself to a gift. Whether that be new tattoos or a spot of online shopping, it’s something I really look forward to each year. For my prezzie this year, I knew exactly what I wanted: The completed set of the Preacher graphic novels. This past week, they finally arrived in the mail and I cannot wait to sink my teeth into them:

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I am an avid fan of graphic novels and the Preacher series by Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon is one of my all time favorites. A few months ago, I was lucky enough to find Volumes Two through Four while shopping at a discount store with one of my clients. It drove me crazy to not have Volume One, but I held strong until Christmas knowing that I could purchase the remainder of the series with gift cards. I was ecstatic when I placed the order because it felt good to spoil myself with something I coveted and I was eager to start reading again.

I don’t have much mental capacity for books anymore and graphic novels are my compromise to that. It has been a while since I read Preacher in its entirety and it’s nice to know that I have each volume at my disposal to work away at. The plot is so exciting, the artwork is insane, and Johnny even told me we could start watching the Preacher TV series again once I am all done reading my completed omnibus. We watched some of it when we first starting dating then fell off the wagon so it’s like a bonus gift! 😀

A surprise for myself was the perfect way to wrap up this holiday season and I can’t wait to share the amazingness that is Preacher with all of you on the next edition of Lil Red’s Book Club!

Did you buy any holiday gifts for yourself? What are you currently reading? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jan2

Best Gift Ever

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Best Gift Ever

Hello!! Johnny and I are the proud “fun aunt and uncle” to five little darlings. There are four girls and one boy and celebrating the holidays all together was the most wonderful gift. It was so sweet to watch them rip open their presents and play the day away and it also gave me an even deeper respect for all the parents out there. We were exhausted by the time we got home! The kiddos weren’t far from our minds, though, because we spent the rest of the evening talking about how cute they were and laughing about all of the funny things they said and did. And, of course, treasuring the Best Gift Ever that my eldest niece presented me with. Check it out:

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Back in my day, my grade school would have a “Santa Shop” during the holiday season to purchase small gifts for loved ones. At our Val Gal’s school, they apparently did the same. On Christmas, she was so proud to hand out gifts that she got all by herself. This included a pretty “Grandma” heart shaped necklace for my mom, a wrench keychain for my dad, and the stuffed mushroom for me lol. I’m honestly not sure why this was my gift – part of me thinks it’s because we watched the Mario Movie together or maybe the colors reminded her of my hair. Whatever the reason is doesn’t matter because the fact remains that she saw it and thought that I would love to have it for Christmas. And she was so right!!

As an extended Christmas gift from Johnny and I, we hosted Val for a slumber party. As soon as she came barrelling through the door, she immediately saw my new stuffie displayed front and center on one of our knick knack shelves. I told her that I put it there as soon as we got home from our holiday dinner and that delighted her because it was further confirmation that TT loved her gift. Although we each got spoiled rotten this Christmas, our catchphrase during the slumber party was saying “you’re my gift” to each other. There is truly no better gift than that… Except for my mushroom. ❤

Our nieces and nephew are literal sunshine and I am so thankful that we were all home for the holidays. It really was one of the best Christmases ever!

Who was your favorite aunt or uncle growing up? What was the best gift you received this year? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec31

Holiday Haul

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Holiday Haul

Howdy!! Johnny’s family knows how to spoil a girl rotten for the holidays and I am always so thankful to have been thought of. Well, thought of or straight up had my mind read! This year’s Holiday Haul was a particularly excellent one because I received SO. Many. Gifts that I had every intention of purchasing for myself with Christmas gift cards and moolah. Like me, my in laws love to go Christmas crazy and it definitely shows. Check it out:

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Johnny’s family is REALLY good at giving gifts that are, without a doubt, going to be used. This just so happens to be my favorite kind of gift because chances are high that I would need to buy something similar anyways so I can use that money as a little treat for me or to save up. The set of cutting boards is a shining example of that. I have NO idea how my mother-in-law knew that I needed new cutting boards because I’ve never mentioned it to her or Johnny. I was elated when I opened the set because 1) Literally all of my cutting boards suck. 2) They are all too small. And 3) I was going to buy a new one for myself during post holiday shopping. Is being absolutely stoked by cutting boards what it means to be an adult?!

Another instance of my mother-in-law “just knowing” was my bag of bath and body care. There’s no way she could have known that I have been especially partial to bar soap recently and I was just about out of the one that I was using. I tried out the Peppermint Candy bar soap she got me today and it was divine! Not only that, but I was ALSO almost out of my Bath & Body Works hand sanitizer and she had that covered too. The candles were a very nice touch as well because I never buy them for myself. As I write this, I am burning the Sweet Orange & Agave and it is the perfect zesty and invigorating scent for an early morning computer sesh.

Finally, from Johnny’s aunt Elaine, I am also sporting the adorable cropped hoodie she got for me as I write this. It is so cute and comfy and I cannot wait to pair it with leggings and the boot socks that were included too. As a practical gift, she gave us a hand vacuum which is really good motivation for me and Johnny to clean out our cars… Eventually, anyways. It is the holidays after all! 🙂

I have already been making great use of the gifts from Johnny’s family as well as buying some extra goodies for myself with gift cards. Check out those hauls soon!!

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

Dec30

For The Lols

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For The Lols

Hello! Johnny and I had a wonderful holiday celebration with his family on Christmas Eve. As per Miller Family tradition, we enjoyed a delicious meal, opened presents, and then had our annual viewing of National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. This has been the formula for the past five years and I would not change it for the world! We were treated to so many amazing gifts and an extremely funny one that I just had to share with all of you. This was mailed to us from one of Johnny’s aunts and I literally can’t even lol. Check it out:

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Johnny’s Aunt Eileen is a true spitfire of a woman. She is (as you can see) hilarious, sassy AF, and a ball of energy that cannot be contained. When Johnny opened this gift box, I didn’t see the “surprise” inside – but whatever it was gave him a full fledged laugh attack. He tossed the box to me with the adoring words of “just for you” and I was greeted by a middle finger on a spring!! We were in stitches and all in agreement that this was so “classic Eileen”. 😀

That’s it. That’s the post lol but I couldn’t not show it off to the blogosphere. And, in conclusion, this small and silly gag gift was one of our favorites so take a note from Aunt Eileen’s book and never be afraid to have FUN with your gifts!

What is the funniest gag gift you ever received? Do you have a White Elephant tradition in your family? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec29

It’s In The Bag: Anne Klein Edition

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It’s In The Bag: Anne Klein Edition

Hello to you and welcome to a brand new edition of It’s In The Bag! Today, we are going to take a look at the piece de resistance from my mother and father-in-law for Christmas – a gorgeous new bag by Anne Klein! Johnny’s mom managed to get me SO many things that I was planning on buying for myself and she read my mind with this purse. After restocking my skin care with TJMaxx gift cards, I thought it would be nice to use the remainder on a new bag! So, maybe shoes instead?! Take a look:

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When I opened my new Anne Klein purse, I literally clutched my pearls. It’s just so beautiful and I am in love with the dusty rose hue. Dusty rose looks absolutely stunning on my mom and sister, but it washes me out badly. So, it is a color that I don’t have any of in my wardrobe, accessories included. Until now, that is! The shape and color of this bag are the epitome of chic to me and I cannot wait to empty my old bag out so I can have this pretty little thing draped from my arm, instead.

Speaking of my old bag, it has not been it for a while and I have just been too lazy to change it out lol. It has several different compartments on the inside and you have no idea how many times I find myself per day digging through it like a racoon trying to find my chapstick. What is also especially pleasing to me about my new purse is that there are, blessedly, no compartments for all of my odds and ends to get lost in. It might not be as spacious as my old bag, but I’m using that as motivation to stop putting Every. Receipt. Ever. in it and not throwing them out! 😀

This purse is, hands down, one of my favorite gifts from Christmas. I am so excited to be a woman on the go with my new bag in tow!!

Which colors look great on you? How about not so flattering? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah