Tag Archives: cll

Apr29

Flashback Fun

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Flashback Fun

Hi everyone and happy Sunday! When I talk about my dogs to anyone who will listen, nine times out of ten, I end up showing them the pictures of my rescue pups dressed up for Halloween. Ollie, my terrier mix, and Gem, our Golden Retriever, make up a huge part of my happiness. And, when I think about them, I often flashback to their Despicable Me minion costumes for Halloween this past year:

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I LOVE the polar opposition in these pictures between my babies, because Ollie is just going about his day as normal. Gem, on the other hand, looks freaking PISSED. I am that crazy dog mom who would have pictures of them in my wallet if I could. But, when dogs are the topic of discussion, showing these pictures from my iPod always gets a laugh – and hopefully it makes you laugh, too! It’s just a fun party trick of mine, you know?

Do you dress your pets up for Halloween? Are they like Ollie or Gem when it comes to wearing clothes? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Nov3

Four Legged Friend Friday

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Four Legged Friend Friday

Hey everyone and TGIF! With Halloween now behind us, I had to dedicate one last post to some spooky fun on lifewithlilred until next year. My two beloved rescue pups, Gem and Ollie, got a little more than they bargained for this Halloween when my mom and I decided that dressing them up as Despicable Me minions was the way to go for our neighborhood’s trick or treat:

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As you can see, Ollie doesn’t seem to care too much about his new side job as one of Gru’s pill shaped sidekicks.

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Gem, on the other hand, couldn’t wait to get out of her costume immediately!

I hate to say that I was laughing at poor Gem’s expense, but oh my goodness – I could not stop laughing. Despite how cute she looked in her minion garb, nothing was cute about her STINK EYES that she gave to literally every single member of my family as we tried to snap some pictures. Gem is a really emotive dog facially and her death stare, as seen above, says that she was not too pleased about her costume.

Even though Gem was a total diva while we prepared her Halloween wardrobe, she definitely perked up once the trick or treaters started arriving at the door. Gem and Ollie enjoyed all of the attention and were happy to have made all of the little kids laugh. But, best believe, that they were happiest of all once their minion costumes came off and were retired to the closet until next year!

My Four Legged Friends were an obvious hit this Halloween and they sure are cute – costumes or not! Did you dress up your pets this Halloween? What should Gem and Ollie be next year? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Sep24

Lil Red Loves: Giving Back!

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Lil Red Loves: Giving Back!

Hello everyone and happy Sunday! If you have been following lifewithlilred for a while or even are just friends with me on Facebook, you will know that there are two particular causes that are very close to my heart. One being animal rescue organizations and the other being the Special Olympics. Canine Lifeline, the rescue group that I volunteer for, and the Special Olympics are both organizations that I have worked with for about three years. Both causes are incredibly dear to me and I am here to talk about why. Let’s discuss:

Canine Lifeline:

I have had many a post on my blog about my precious rescue pups, Gem and Ollie, both of whom came from Canine Lifeline. This rescue group brings dogs up from rural, all kill shelters and tries to find them a new furever home in Ohio. Not only that, but they work hard to cover the medical expenses for the pups that are heartworm positive or who suffered in abusive conditions in their previous owner’s “care”.

My mom, sister, and I try to do everything within our time budget to help out with the needs of this amazing organization. Whether it be walking the dogs, bathing them, washing the blankets in their cages, or giving them some play time, we try to lend a helping hand as often as possible. We also have fun trying our luck at their raffle fundraisers where you can win amazing gift baskets! If it wasn’t for CLL, Gem and Ollie wouldn’t be here to be such a treasured part of our lives. With that in mind, the least we can do is try to give back!

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^^^ Gem is in the first picture and Ollie is straight lounging in the second one. *Featuring Patrick Starfish*

Special Olympics:

This will be my third year of coaching Special Olympics figure skating and I am SO excited for practices to commence in October. I have been working with people who have special needs for roughly three years, as well, and I can’t imagine being in a better, more rewarding field. Compliments to about ten years of competitive figure skating, I have been able to use my somewhat forgotten skills to help my students grow as athletes and it brings me so much joy.

Coaching and motivating my athletes in whatever way that I can has led me to wonderful new friendships as well as a weekly workout – it’s really a win/win situation! I live for the practices, the actual Special Olympics games, and the celebration banquet when it is all over. Seeing my students enjoy themselves and succeed in an incredibly difficult sport is all the payoff that I need, and I plan on coaching every year until I physically can’t do it any more. Plus, Coach Sarah has an excellent ring to it!

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^^^ Team picture!!! ❤

There is nothing better than volunteering your time, energy, and skills to an organization that is special to you. And, of course, monetary donations are also much appreciated, especially to both of my above causes, which are nonprofit.

And speaking of nonprofit organizations, if you are helping to plan a fundraising event for one of your causes, then the services at Eventbrite are a great place to start. Your raffle or dinner will be sure to be a hit with Eventbrite’s event planning, promotions, and social sharing tools to help your favorite cause reach new audiences and, of course, earn some money.

Lil Red Loves: Giving Back and I hope that this inspired you to help out with a cause that is meaningful to you! Which organization do you volunteer for? How do you give back? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Featured Image By: Comal Habitat

Jul22

Puppy Peek-A-Boo

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Puppy Peek-A-Boo

Hi everyone and happy weekend! So nine times out of ten during the day, my little baby dog named Ollie is basically joined at my hip. His favorite place to be is right at my feet while I’m working at the computer. His other favorite hang out, whether I’m in my room or not, is underneath my bed. Take a look at Ollie’s adorable, but ultimately unsuccessful, attempt at hide and seek the other day:

I wonder where my doggie is…

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There he is!

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Boy, does that little cutie always know how to brighten my day! What kind of dog do you have? Where is your dog’s favorite random hang out spot? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jun19

Monday Update: Canine LifeLine Edition

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Monday Update: Canine LifeLine Edition

Good morning everyone and happy Monday! I had a lovely afternoon yesterday with my mom and sister. We all volunteer for the rescue group, Canine LifeLine, and each of our schedules worked out so that we could go together and walk some of the pups that are up for adoption. It was a beautiful, dog-filled time and it was nice to be able to walk the puppers all together for the first time in the years that we’ve been volunteering.

Canine LifeLine is the rescue group that both of my sweet pups, Gem and Ollie, were adopted through. CLL brings dogs up from rural shelters (both of my dogs are from Kentucky) and provides them with medical treatment and a new shot at life in Ohio. I believe so strongly in the work that this group does and it only makes sense to try and give back to them as often as we can since they made our home complete with our two beloved pets.

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^^^ My babies! ❤

If you are located in Ohio or have family and friends here that are yearning for a rescue pup, please direct them in Canine LifeLine’s way! There is sure to be a sweet dog for you and you might just run into yours truly! And, of course, if you have no Ohio relations, then we always accept donations too. 🙂 #shamelesspromotion

So there you have it, this week’s Monday Update: Canine LifeLine Edition! Do you have a beloved pet at home? Who else is a proud dog mom or dad? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb25

DOGS!!

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DOGS!!

Hi everyone and happy weekend! I realize that it’s been a long time since I’ve blessed all of you with some precious pics of my pooches so I figured that now would be a great time to do so! Our darling Golden Retriever, Gem, and Terrier mix, Ollie, are doing just swell and are as cute as ever. We are all currently itching to give both of them a new little brother or sister and by we I mean everyone but my dad – but we’re working on him! But, of course, we are perfectly happy with our two pups because two is company and three is a crowd. 😉

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^^^ I LOVE THEM!!

Pic #1: Gem and I just chilling and watching My 600 Lb. Life. *insert cool emoji with sunglasses here*

Pic #2: So my mom taught Gem this trick where she’ll “clean up” her toys and put them all into one spot, which is usually her doggie bed. Of course we reward her for this sweet ass trick so now Gem will just sit there with a toy in her mouth until we give her a treat and it’s basically the most ridiculous and adorable thing ever.

Pic #3: Ollie just snuggling up to Patrick Starfish! A weird fact about my family is that we’ve legitimately had that stuffed animal for well over thirteen years and, I kid you not, it has been sitting on that freaking chair THE ENTIRE TIME. Lol, Patrick has become a signature staple of our living room, like our Christmas tree that we still have yet to take down. I like to think that it just adds to our quirky charm! 😉

You guys already know how much I love my DOGS and now I want to learn about yours. What kind of dog do you have? What is his or her name? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jan25

Give A Little Love To Man’s Best Friend

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Give A Little Love To Man’s Best Friend

Sharing your life with  a dog is probably one of the best things on earth. If you are a dog person, man’s best friend is not said lightly. Dogs really are a part of the family who reward you with love, loyalty, and companionship regardless of the type of person you are, or what kind of mood you are in. They forgive us for forgetting to feed them on time, not wanting to take them out for a walk if it’s raining, and not finding humor in getting mud tracked all over the house. Our dogs give us so much in so many subtle ways, so here is a quick look at how you can say thank you in return, the dog way:

Take Them For a Run: Depending on the type of dog you have, it is likely that running is one of the best things on earth to them. It can be hard to change the routine of a quick couple of sprints around the block but make some time to get out into a huge space where your hound can run around without fear or care of anything else.

The woods is an amazing place for most dogs. Here, they have the freedom to really stretch out their legs and their senses. Dogs adore getting their nose in among all the action. They communicate with other dogs through scent marking and smell so being out in the woods will give them hundreds of stories being told to them in midair. Whilst it’s important to keep your dog under control at all times, try not to keep calling him back to you all the time. You are part of his pack and most dogs will want to keep you on the radar. Just bare in mind that some dogs have a pretty large radar range!

After all that running, let him enjoy sleeping like a king. Dogs love a good nap so invest in something special, like one of these orthopaedic dog beds. Not only will he feel safe and content, but you’ll know that you are helping to ease any aches and pains.

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DOGS! ❤

Play All Day: Just like humans, your dog loves playing. Water is a brilliant place to play, maybe not so much for baths, but rivers, lakes, and seas offer a dog a vast new place to explore. Find a local water spot and, if you are brave enough, wear an outfit that you don’t mind getting wet with. Your friend will love nothing more than playing with you –  Splashing, jumping, and fetching balls until it’s time to dry off and go home.

Teach Them Tricks: Happy dogs are dogs who are learning, Especially puppies. They adore making you happy so performing tasks for you and receiving praise and love puts them in their happy place. Have a look at these cool tricks you can learn with your dog and set aside plenty of time with your new pupil. Make sure that you are extra patient with him just as your BFF is with you.

Treat Time: And, of course, your pup loves a good treat. Get creative with dog treats and put lots of love into them. You can even bake your own wheat free cheese biscuits then sit down together for snack time – with human snacks for you, hopefully!

Featured Image By: Jaymantri

Jan15

Happy Gotcha Day, Doggies!

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Happy Gotcha Day, Doggies!

Hi everyone and happy weekend! Yesterday was a special day because it was one of my precious pooch’s fourth Gotcha Day since we welcomed her into our family. Our Golden Retriever, Gem, has been such a wonderful, beautiful addition to our home and the love that my family has for her knows no bounds. Additionally, our little Terrier mix, Ollie, will be celebrating his first Gotcha Day coming up soon on February 13th so it will be an exciting few months to be a dog in the Mushenheim household!

Both of my pups were rescued through the amazing group that my mom, sister, and I volunteer for called Canine Lifeline. Gem and Ollie were both brought to Ohio from rural shelters in Kentucky and each became members of the family at first sight. Our rescue dogs bring so much joy to our home and are each true cases of ‘Who Rescued Who?’. Happy Gotcha Day to you, Gem! And almost little Ollie!! ❤ ❤ ❤

Also – if you are in Ohio and are interested in finding a new furever friend, then I encourage you to check out the pups at Canine Lifeline, where I’m sure you’ll find your new BFF! Not in Ohio but still want to help? CLL happily accepts donations and would greatly appreciate if you would spread the word! 🙂

What kind of pets do you have at your home? What is something unique or silly about your pet’s behaviors or appearance? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr10

DOGS

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DOGS

Hello everyone and happy Sunday! I hope all of you are having a wonderful weekend! As you guys know, our newest addition to the family was adopted on Valentine’s Day. He’s a little dog named Ollie and he’s seriously the cutest thing on the planet. Every day my family learns something new about Ollie and it has been recently discovered that he’s really afraid of storms.

The first major rainfall in Ohio happened a couple of weeks ago and Ollie was so scared that he retreated under my bed. We didn’t know this, though, and my dad ended up calling my boyfriend and I upstairs from the basement because he couldn’t find Ollie anywhere. We scoured all of the closets, cabinets, and corners and finally Kyle found him curled up under my bed. It was so scary not being able to find him for those few minutes so it was definitely a huge relief when Kyle discovered Ollie’s hiding place.

Now that we know of Ollie’s storm phobia we decided to break out the thunder coat that belonged to one of our past precious pooches. But the trick is, is that the thunder coat is five times too big for little Ollie! My mom and I managed to figure out a way to get the coat wrapped and secured on Ollie and he was then able to brave the next storm like the big boy that he is! Take a look:

^^^ Omg. SO cute.

I love how the thunder coat looks like a little cape on Ollie! He looks like a tiny super hero dog. The picture of me holding him was taken when it was raining and I couldn’t get over how adorable the way I was holding him was. He got himself like that on his own and it was like cradling a fury little toddler!

So there you have it, some cute new pictures of my brave wittle Ollie!! Has anyone welcomed a new pet into their home recently? How do you help comfort a pup that is afraid of storms? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb19

Hi! My Name Is…

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Hi! My Name Is…

Hiii everyone and TGIF! Okay, so if you read one of my previous posts, It’s A Boy!, you’ll know that my family recently just adopted a new sweet addition to our home. We finally have decided on a name for our little pup…and “Ollie” stuck! From the very beginning, my mom and I were very pro Ollie but my dad unfortunately was not on board. BUT after almost an entire week of my mom and I calling him Ollie, my dad finally came around! Is he happy about it? I don’t know. But I knew my mom and I had this small victory in the bag when I heard my dad calling him Ollie last night! Score!

My dad snapped some pictures of our little peanut bear and his Golden Retriever big sister, Gem, yesterday so take a look at our dog children:

^^^ Lol, that second picture kills me! #selfie

We are so happy to have our Ollie Bear and Gem and we are extremely thankful to the rescue group, Canine Lifeline, for helping to make them part of the Mushenheim family! Be sure to check out their website and give their Facebook page a like as well! 🙂

Oh, by the way, Ollie says “thank you” to everyone for all of the sweet compliments on my previous post about him! He was so flattered! Happy Friday! Much love. -Sarah