Tag Archives: coronavirus

Jul4

A Friendly Reminder!

Posted on July 4, 2020 by lifewithlilred

Hey everyone!! I recently went on a getaway staycation with my family in Lexington, Kentucky and, although the trip really just consisted of chilling, it was the most fun I’ve had in ages. I wanted to remind everyone that you can still have a great time despite taking extra precautions like face masks and social distancing. Especially since I can imagine we are all going a bit stir crazy right now!

During our trip, all of us stuck with what we were comfortable doing. If that was wearing a mask and going out, fine. If it was just hanging out at home in the air conditioning, that was okay too. It’s easy to feel trapped in this situation, which is why going out of state for a while felt like the perfect solution… Even if it was just to sit in a different living room and watch TV. 😀

Feeling stressed amidst the coronavirus pandemic? Try planning a small, safe getaway. Stay in a hotel for a night or rent a cabin in the middle of nowhere! Sometimes the best thing you can do is get out of the house or apartment you’ve been stuck in and experience a change of scenery. Keep your safety standards high and I promise you, it will make you feel like a brand new person. I know I do!

Are you planning a safe getaway any time soon? How do you destress during the coronavirus pandemic? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul1

Peachy Clean

Posted on July 1, 2020 by lifewithlilred

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Hello! These past few months of quarantine due to the coronavirus have been fairly stressful for yours truly. As an “essential” employee, I have been working this entire time and it can be a lot, especially when my clients don’t fully understand the extent of what’s going on. On the other hand, my boyfriend has been on furlough since late March and will be returning to work in early July.

There have been days when it feels nearly impossible to get myself ready for work when I know that Johnny is home. But, he has seriously been so amazing throughout this whole thing and I can’t imagine being confined to the apartment all day every day. We both have very different situations and are handling it the best way we know how. But, at this point, we kind of have it down to a science.

While I am at work, Johnny has been doing all of the household chores like the dishes, taking out the trash, and clearing out the clutter. And, on Wednesday evenings and Sunday, I take over the cleaning for the day. This past week, I had a particularly difficult time and Johnny texted me to let me know that I should look in the bathroom for a surprise when I got home.

Naturally, we had to have our immature exchange about a toilet catastrophe and when I was reassured it wasn’t that, I spent all day being curious about what was awaiting me in the throne room. As soon as I get home, I ran into the LOO and saw:

A CLEAN SINK! I have been going on about how I need to clean the bathroom for the past few weeks and have just been too drained to do so. Johnny then took it upon himself to take care of it for me. Is it clean enough to eat out of? No. But it is way better than before and I couldn’t think of a better bathroom surprise if I tried! 😀 ❤

How does your significant other like to surprise you? How do you two divide up the household chores? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jun27

What Have I Been Watching? Pt. 3

Posted on June 27, 2020 by lifewithlilred

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Hello! As the old saying goes “When in quarantine, do as those who are quarantined do”… Or however it goes. But, we all know that this means watching ample amounts of TV. And I mean AMPLE. We’re talking one new series a week or you’re doing it wrong. Haha, well maybe not that extreme but you get the point.

Johnny and I are both huge fans of the entertainment world. We love movies, TV, music, and video games so we never have a lack of things to do. We also have four different streaming services so the options are endless. As soon as I get home from work or am off on the weekends, we immediately watch some of the following:

Hannibal:

Johnny’s mind was completely blown that I had never seen The Silence Of The Lambs before. Believe you me, I understand how crazy it is that I haven’t seen it either since I am a horror fan. But, my logic was that I’ve gone this long without seeing it, so why start now? I have to say, I loved the movie and can’t wait to watch it again.

In fact, I loved the movie so much that we began watching the TV series called Hannibal, who is played by the incomparable Mads Mikkelson. Long story short, this is all of the cat and mouse drama between Hannibal Lector and the FBI before he gets caught. Every episode leaves me gasping, freaking out, and at the edge of my seat. And, of course, we always have to watch a few!

Hannibal is a show that is absolutely NOT for the faint of heart because every trigger warning imaginable is in it. But, if you can stomach all of the high fashion horror that takes place, then you’re in for a wild ride.

The Office, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Parks & Rec:

After all of the intensity of Hannibal, Johnny and I will usually end our days with shows that make us laugh. Something lighthearted and pure fun. Cue The Office, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, or Parks & Rec. We have both seen The Office and Parks more times than we can count and typically just end up quoting each episode verbatim.

We have never watched Brooklyn Nine-Nine before and are just about done with it. 9-9 follows the 99th detective precinct in Brooklyn, obvi, and the cast is led by the hilarious Andy Samberg, Terry Crews, Andre Braugher, and my absolute favorite: Stephanie Beatriz (She’s a badass!).

I don’t know if we’ll watch 9-9 again like The Office and Parks & Rec but it certainly has provided us with a lot of laughs. I’ll be the first to admit that it kind of slows down towards the last few seasons but I am looking forward to finishing it. 😀

Le Manoir:

As all of you know, learning languages is one of my favorite hobbies so I love watching foreign films in my free time. This past week, I watched a dreadfully funny French horror comedy called Le Manoir. It was basically a spoof on your classic horror movie thread of staying in an old school castle or mansion and having all of your friends die off, one by one.

A scary plot, yes. But, the cast of twenty-somethings who were such caricatures (social media queen, wannabe actor, etc.) brought so much humor into it. The plot twist ended up shocking me and there were some parts that had me just rolling with laughter. I got to practice French and I was thoroughly entertained. I can definitely see myself watching Le Manoir again!

Blind Date:

Now, I’m sure all of you know by now that Lil Red is not a romantic comedy type of gal. However, I LOVE French romantic comedies and Blind Date was simply adorable. I just feel like the characters in French romcoms are so much more like regular people than anything made in America and it keeps me interested.

There was really no fluff to Blind Date because the man and woman in a very peculiar relationship started out the flick as enemies! I can’t tell you the nature of their relationship because that would destroy the movie. But, if you enjoy foreign films and are looking for a cheeky and very real romcom, then do yourself a favor and watch Blind Date. Similar to Le Manoir, I plan on watching it again ASAP.

Now you know all of my recommendations and I want to hear about yours! What have you been binging on? Which streaming service is your fave? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jun23

Face Mask Festivities: Actual Face Mask Edition

Posted on June 23, 2020 by lifewithlilred

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Face Mask Festivities: Actual Face Mask Edition

Hello!!! My county board of Developmental Disabilities has been doing a wonderful job of educating and protecting all of their employees and the people we help. Earlier in May, a care package was delivered to me that was filled with games and activities to help entertain my clients while in quarantine.

This month, a box of personal protective equipment was dropped off and I was able to divvy up the goods between all of the families I serve. I even got to keep two cloth face masks for myself and Johnny. I was so happy because I’ve been meaning to buy cloth masks for a while but never did because Johnny and I have been using the disposable hospital masks.

I love that the cloth masks can be reused and, while they may seem thicker than the disposable masks, I feel that they are so much more breathable. I also am a huge fan of the paisley pattern on mine! Check it out:

Normally, I would go for the plain black mask that I chose for Johnny but the bright orange and yellow on mine just made me happy. In fact, I didn’t even mind putting it on when I ran into the store. Summit DD provided me with a lot of pattern options from polka dots and paisley to rainbow and regular, solid colors. Each of my clients enjoyed picking out their favorite and I enjoyed knowing that they had an extra way to keep them safe.

Are face masks the most fun thing to wear? No! Especially if you wear glasses, lol. But, my new cloth mask certainly makes, what I feel is an obligation, a whole lot easier. ❤

What pattern is on your face mask? Do you prefer cloth or disposable masks? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jun16

Embracing Your Inner Gym Bunny

Posted on June 16, 2020 by lifewithlilred

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While in lockdown, you may have been hankering for your work out sessions at your fitness gym and you now have to make do with some at-home exercise. This will suffice for now, but what about when you can go back to the gym? Times will have changed, and there will be a new normal that you have to adjust to. You will have to remain socially distant, classes may only involve a handful of people, you may need to buy your own equipment, and hand sanitizer will become your best friend. Take a look at why you should *safely* embrace your inner gym bunny when lockdown ends:

The Range Of Exercise:

If you are used to doing twenty minutes on the cross trainer, a 5k run on the treadmill, and pumping some iron in the weights area, then an aerobics class as seen at YouTube.com at home simply isn’t going to cut it. Being able to work a wider range of muscle groups and having the equipment to tailor your workout so that it is bespoke to you is only available at a gym. While you might not be paying your full subscription fee each month at the moment, you will relish having the chance to when you can get back to a spin class and enjoy your HIIT workout once again.

While you are indoors a little more, take the chance to hone a new workout plan for when you do head back to the gym. If you are keen to lose the weight in your arms or you want to strengthen your core, construct a workout plan specifically for these areas using the many free guides available on the Internet.

Gear:

If you are looking to head back to the gym, make sure that you look the part. You want to be turning heads for all of the right reasons, so go to a site like curvesncombatboots.com and check out their achingly cool leggings and awesome tops so that you look amazing when you venture to do some exercise for the first time in ages. Pair your clothing with some new running shoes. While you might not fancy heading to the high street or the mall, there are plenty of online retailers with some excellent discounts at the moment. Take advantage of them while they are trying to encourage more shoppers back to their stores.

Classes:

While classes may be smaller, having an instructor in front of you yelling at you to go faster can actually be inspiring and make you work harder. Finding your mojo at home when watching a YouTube session or when trying to go for a jog outside can be tough. Sometimes, you need that expert to encourage you. Classes range from Zumba to box-fit and from spin to circuits. Each of these classes will help you to shift the pounds and tone up. You will also find that your dopamine levels increase negating the cortisone levels in your bloodstream. This can make you feel more positive, content, and happier in these uncertain times.

Venturing to the gym was something that we used to take for granted. Follow this guide, and enjoy embracing your inner gym bunny in the post-pandemic world.

Featured Image By: Pexels

Jun12

Looking After Your Physical Health In Lockdown

Posted on June 12, 2020 by lifewithlilred

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Looking After Your Physical Health In Lockdown

When practicing social distancing by staying at home, it can be difficult to keep your physical health in check. It’s no longer possible to go to the gym, run an organized race, or meet up with your sports team. And our normal food, sleep, and hygiene routines have gone out the window. Much has been said about how to look after your mental health in these stressful times, but your physical health is important too. We don’t know how long social distancing measures will be in place, so it is crucial that you stay on top of your fitness now and don’t wait until the lockdown is over.

If you are struggling to look after your health in lockdown, here are a few tips to help you:

Have a routine:

With your professional and social life on hold, all sense of routine has disappeared. You might feel there’s no need to establish a schedule for your days when you barely leave the house, but this may be more damaging to your health than you think. A lack of structure in your life can make you less motivated to look after yourself and promote bad habits regarding eating, sleeping, and exercise. Establish a framework to your days by getting up and going to sleep at regular times, and sticking to set meal times. Plan your days to fit in healthy activities and use the extra time productively.

Get enough sleep:

These are stressful times, and many people are struggling to sleep right now. The quantity and quality of sleep have a huge impact on your mental and physical health. If you don’t get enough, you may find yourself with weakened immunity, cognitive impairment, weight gain, and a higher risk of conditions such as heart disease and diabetes. Go to bed and wake up at regular times, and make an effort to reduce your exposure to phones and social media in the hours before bed, as these will only impact your sleep further.

Be active every day:

The lockdown has made it harder to motivate ourselves to exercise, but that doesn’t make it any less important. Thirty minutes of moderate-intensity exercise every day will make you stronger and fitter, as well as reducing your risk of almost any health condition, including cardiovascular problems, diabetes, and cancers. Not to mention the mental health benefits. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a brisk walk or an online fitness class or a yoga session, schedule in some activity every day, and you will soon feel the benefits.

Eat well:

When you’re always within a stone’s throw of your kitchen, it can be hard to eat right all the time. Although comfort food can be beneficial now and then, you need to maintain a balanced diet if you want to avoid health problems. Avoid the temptation to order takeout and start preparing yourself nutritious meals with plenty of fruit and vegetables. Stay hydrated by drinking lots of water, and take care to reduce your alcohol and caffeine intake.

As well as taking these steps to maintain your physical health, it is also crucial that you deal with any new or existing health conditions promptly. You can talk to a doctor online about any medical concerns, so you don’t even have to leave the house. Stay well!

Featured Image By: Pixabay

Jun3

Caring For Your Senior Loved Ones During Lock Down

Posted on June 3, 2020 by lifewithlilred

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Caring For Your Senior Loved Ones During Lock Down

Lock down has been tough for many of us. As the days and weeks roll on, life has become rather mundane, and in some ways, quite stressful too. Not only do we need to find new things to do with our time (after binge-watching the entirety of Netflix), but we have had to cope with the mental effects of lock down too.

Times are hard indeed, but if they are hard for us, they will be especially difficult for our senior loved ones. If they are living independently, they might well be suffering from the effects of loneliness and stress themselves. So, consider what you might do to care for your aging parents or your grandparents. Here are a few suggestions:

Ensure they have health support:

If they need support with any health-related issues, now is the time to make sure your senior loved ones have everything they need. It might be that you need to collect any prescriptions for them or you might need to contact their doctor to refill them. Specialist home care services, such as those provided by Serenity Home Health, can offer support to the elderly, so get in touch if your loved one hasn’t yet accessed such support. And speak to your loved one’s neighbors, and ask those that can be trusted to keep a socially distanced eye on your family member.

Stay in touch:

If your senior loved one is living alone, you should make an extra effort to get in touch with them. A daily phone call might make their day, although you could also use Skype, Zoom, or social media to stay in touch with them too. And when you talk to them, be reassuring. The last thing they might need is your stressed-out tones if you’re worrying about lock down, as they might have similar worries themselves. Instead, be encouraging and reassuring, and do nothing to exacerbate their fears. Let them talk to your kids, share stories that will make them smile, and answer any questions they might have if they do share any concerns with you.

Offer practical support:

We have already suggested picking up their medications, but there are other ways to offer practical support too. You might arrange food deliveries for them, for example, or you could take food parcels to them. Maybe you can help them stay on top of their garden and you could drop off books, DVDs, knitting supplies, and anything else that will give them something to do while they’re restricted at home.

If you aren’t in a position to offer practical support hands on, there are still other options. Sarah Care, for example, or Care.com can be most helpful in finding you a helper. You might also want to consider chelseaseniorliving.com/locations/new-jersey/sparta/ if your loved one has more critical needs that can’t be met through drop ins.

Share ideas with them:

If your senior loved ones are unable to exercise outside, share these 10-minute chair exercise ideas with them. If they are experiencing anxiety, research breathing exercises, and go through them with your loved ones on the phone. And if they have any other needs that could be met through your research, do what you can, and provide them with the solutions to the problems they are facing.

Your extra care to your elder family members is just what they need right now. Use our suggestions and research other ideas online to meet their particular needs during this crazy time.

Featured Image By: Pixabay

May31

Fine Dining At Home: Soup & Sandwich Combo

Posted on May 31, 2020 by lifewithlilred

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Fine Dining At Home: Soup & Sandwich Combo

Helloooo! One of my most favorite foods in the whole world is SOUP. I friggen LOVE it and find myself craving a huge bowl of French Onion even during the hot summer months. Weird? Maybe. Delicious? Always. While in quarantine, I have become increasingly fond of the soup and sandwich combo for lunches at home on the weekend.

Although, nothing beats my mom’s homemade soups, I have had pretty good luck finding vegetarian friendly canned soup at the grocery store. Normally, I’ll heat up whichever soup I feel like on the stove top (I’m partial to Progresso’s Butternut Squash) and make a grilled cheese or bagel sandwich to go with it.

I am a huge fan of Everything bagels and recently went with the following for an easy and filling lunch:

The Amy’s Southwestern Vegetable was definitely not as good as their Black Bean soup but it was alright. Although, I can’t say I would want to get it again. Meanwhile, on my sandwiches, I love to have a leafy green on it like spinach, lettuce, or sprouts. Then, to break up the dryness of the bagel, I apply hummus and a spicy mustard for that extra special little kick. 😉

We are in a very weird time right now and, purchasing food that you can stretch out will really help you limit your visits to the grocery store. The beauty of the bagel sandwich? You could get yourself the ingredients for about ten bucks and it would provide you with lunches for an entire week!

I have grown very fond of packing myself a bagel sandwich for my longer days at work and it always nips the hunger pains right in the bud. It has been a solid month since I have gone grocery shopping for myself and my boyfriend so, hopefully, this fondness will continue as I eat my way through this bag of bagels. 😅

What is your favorite kind of soup? What is a food that you can eat any time no matter the weather? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May30

Fine Dining At Home: So Much Spaghetti Edition

Posted on May 30, 2020 by lifewithlilred

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Fine Dining At Home: So Much Spaghetti Edition

Hello! My method of grocery shopping has always been to just do one big monthly haul and be set for the next four to five weeks. This technique has proved especially beneficial while in quarantine because it minimized the amount of times that Johnny and I have been in a grocery store exponentially. But, once we get to the point of needing another trip to the store, it is super slim pickings in our kitchen. And, in those trying times of feeling like I have “nothing” to eat at home, I say a special little thank you to the spaghetti and noodle family.

Johnny and I will make a pot of spaghetti with garlic bread once or twice a month. It is never not delicious and it also gives us a lot of leftovers, which is always nice. And, it’s also nice to share a bottle of wine with your Italian dinner! My pantry has a ton of spaghetti staples to help complete the meal and I love trying out different sauces when I go to the store. We currently are working with the following in our pantry:

Spaghetti has been a Mushenheim family go to meal for as long as I can remember and it has forever been one of my favorites. I never say no to Alfredo, pesto, or tomato sauces and tend to have at least one of each kind at the ready in my cabinets. There is nothing better than plain old spaghetti with sauce but the best part of the noodle family is all of the delicious pasta salads that you can make!

When I have fresh veggies at home, I love to chop up a selection of colored bell peppers, zucchini, onions, and garlic to saute over the pasta. Then, I add fresh mozzarella and balsamic vinegar for a tasty summer salad that I enjoy throughout the year. 😉 Don’t forget the garlic bread, bread sticks, focaccia bread, or baguettes. And only the finest Barefoot Peach Fruitscato wine (which is my obsession right now) for a delicious, easy meal.

What are some of your favorite simple dinners to make? Which meals can you make stretch for infinite leftovers? (Mine is baked ziti!) I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May29

Bath & Body Works Online Haul

Posted on May 29, 2020 by lifewithlilred

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Hi! During the coronavirus pandemic, the foaming hand soap from Bath & Body Works has been a godsend. They leave my hands feeling so clean without being stripped of moisture in any way. And, when you’re washing your hands way more frequently than usual, you have no idea how nice it is to have a soap that won’t turn your hands into bright red lobster claws!

I began purchasing B&BW soaps when I moved into my apartment last year and have not looked back since. My boyfriend, Johnny, loves them too and I love being in charge of which scents we pick out! Like all of these ones, when we had to restock online:

Which Scents?

Sunwashed Citrus
Peach Bellini
Shell Yeah (Peach Passionfruit)
Stay Pawsitive (Iced Vanilla Cookie)
Pineapple Mango
Pomegranate Lemonade

Bath & Body Works was running a six for twenty-four dollar promotion on their hand soaps and you just can’t beat that. Of course, shopping online for scents is hard so I just went with what sounded good to me. I had to grab another Peach Bellini because it’s my favorite but I decided to get all new scents for the other five choices.

I absolutely love the adorable marketing on the Shell Yeah and Stay Pawsitive bottles and they both smell awesome. The Iced Vanilla Cookie one smells so much like the real thing that you just want to eat it, lol. I also am a huge fan of tropical/citrus scents, as is my boyfriend, so the Pineapple Mango and Sunwashed Citrus were easy choices to make.

The only scent that I am not thrilled with is the Pomegranate Lemonade. The lemonade part isn’t noticeable and the pomegranate portion is so overpowering and it just smells… Not great. Very old lady-ish, actually, so I definitely won’t be getting it again. But, five out of six ain’t bad and having clean, smooth hands makes one disappointment one hundred and fifty percent worth it!

What is your favorite Bath & Body Works scent? How do you keep your hands from drying out after a lot of washes? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

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