Tag Archives: cute

Monday Update: Valentine’s Day Edition

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Monday Update: Valentine’s Day Edition

Hellooo everyone and happy Monday! I hope everyone had a fantastic weekend and a lovely Valentine’s Day if you celebrated. Yesterday was my first time ever celebrating Valentine’s Day with my boyfriend, Kyle, and it was certainly a day for the memory books! Take a look at us being cute and then let’s discuss:

^^^ I love us!!

Yesterday our day started out kind of late because we both slept in but it was so nice and much needed. By the time we got ourselves ready, it was already noon and we still had no idea what we wanted to do with ourselves for the day. Kyle and I are literally the worst at picking out places to go to for food, drinks, or activities so we usually just end up binge watching Netflix all day…Not that there’s anything wrong with that!

We went back and forth for a solid half hour on where to go for lunch and thanks to a shocking suggestion from Kyle, settled on an Indian buffet. I absolutely LOVE Indian food and Kyle has never tried it, nor do I think he wanted to that much! Spicy foods and Kyle don’t always get along too well. I’ve been talking about wanting some good Indian food for a while so it was definitely a pleasant and sweet surprise when he came up with that idea.

We Google searched for Indian restaurants close by and were presented with two options and a Kentucky Fried Chicken. We decided to go for Bombay Sitar because of the amazing looking food pictures we saw that were snapped on Yelp. After all of the last minute preparations at home, we were finally ready to go and I was SO excited and so insanely HUNGRY.

The thing about me, is that I’m one of the biggest babies on the planet. When I’m A) really tired or B) really hungry I turn in to such a little diva. Thankfully, the restaurant wasn’t too far away and we didn’t have to wait long to take part in the buffet so Kyle didn’t have to deal with too much sass! As soon as we walked in the restaurant, I began to droll because of how good everything smelled so needless to say, I tore that buffet up!

At Bombay Sitar, they brilliantly arranged the buffet in a vegetarian and meat section and I took a helping of everything that the vegetarian side had to offer. By the time Kyle and I made our rounds around the buffet, my plate was piled with food and I was ready for action. I couldn’t wait to get the first few forkfuls down my gullet but I was also looking forward to Kyle’s reaction to the food. I had a feeling that he would like it but it was a definite possibility that Indian food might not be his cup of tea.

Luckily, after our first few bites, I had nothing to worry about! Kyle completely devoured his plate full of Indian cuisine and went back for seconds and dessert. He even contemplated going back for thirds!! Success! Our lunch was absolutely to die for but let me tell you, mama needed a nap afterwards. Like I said, I adore Indian food and if it were up to me, I would eat it all the time. However, the richness of the dishes are my downfall and I’m always left feeling like I need to sleep for thirty-six hours straight after an Indian meal.

Once we got home, we decided to spend the afternoon in. We lounged in the robes that were deemed “too tattered” from the restaurant and villas Kyle works at, binge watched Wentworth, and played Mario Kart. We both agreed that the downtime would do us good and then in the evening we would go out for a light dinner and drinks. But leave it to the most indecisive/cutest couple ever to turn that idea into a wild goose chase!

We came up with the plan of going to a pet store and then hitting up a nearby restaurant to continue the festivities. I have my heart dead set on getting a bunny so Kyle was going to take me to snuggle up with some little critters and see if there were any that caught my eye. Unfortunately, the pet store was closed by the time we got there so we had to push dinner to the top of the priority list.

We began to drive around the shopping area we were in to scope out a nice place to go. Of course, with it being Valentine’s Day and all, every bar and restaurant was jam packed. We ventured on and brainstormed different places and ideas, which all ended up getting vetoed for some reason or another. At this point, I was getting sleepy from the drive and really just wanted to go back into our little basement bungalow. That’s when we both agreed on the idea to go to Pizza Hut and order the biggest, cheesiest, stuffed crust pizza that we could get our hands on.

Kyle and I had to laugh at the fact that it took us being twenty minutes away to come up with the idea that we should get a pizza – something that easily could have been done from home! After rerouting the trip, we ended up at the Pizza Hut that’s literally two minutes away from his house to order our pizza. We waited in store for our Extreme Cheese Lovers pie to bake, took the cute pictures seen above, and doodled on the little chalkboard they had set up that was obviously meant for children.

Finally, our pizza was ready and we headed back home. We piled our plates high, got back into our PJ’s, and turned Wentworth back on to continue our marathon. It. Was. Perfect. Kyle is watching the season premiere of The Walking Dead as I write this and soon it will be time for more pizza, more Netflix, and bedtime after the best first Valentine’s Day a gal could ask for. I love you, Kyle Kyle! ❤

So there you have it, this week’s Monday Update: Valentine’s Day Edition! How did everyone celebrate V-Day? What was the best or worst Valentine’s Day you’ve ever had? I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Big Chill Kitchen Makeover

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Big Chill Kitchen Makeover

Hi everyone and welcome to a fun Kitchen Makeover edition of lifewithlilred, compliments of Big Chill! When I was asked to create my dream kitchen by Big Chill, I just couldn’t refuse. They specialize in vintage appliances that are sure to make an amazing centerpiece to get people talking at your next dinner party. There are so many darling choices to pick from that it was hard to choose a favorite! Shop along at: bigchill and see how I would decorate my dream kitchen:

^^^ The thing about my style, is that it’s very eclectic. There’s no rhyme or reason for why I like certain things and I’m never too concerned about creating the perfect match. Is my dream kitchen worthy of being featured in the top five “world’s most beautiful kitchens”? Probably not, but I sure had a good time making it! Take a peek inside my mind and see why I picked the items featured above:

Cherry Red stove: As I browsed through Big Chill’s website, the first item that really caught my eye was their Cherry Red stove – which shouldn’t be that big of a surprise! As soon as I saw it, countless ideas for a retro 1950’s chic kitchen began to bloom and I knew that I wanted it for my centerpiece. Yes, it’s one of my favorite colors but it’s just so darn fun! I love to cook and thinking about creating meals for my family on this little beauty made me so happy. It’s bright, cool, and the perfect pop of color for a kitchen that wows.

Kitchen cabinets: I like how the cabinets that I found are kind of shabby chic. They scream “1950’s starter home kitchen” to me and I think it’s really charming. Once you have true vintage style appliances line the ones from Big Chill, you just have to ride out the theme and I think these cabinets do it perfectly. I would change the color to a few shades lighter but other than that, I’m a fan!

Black dishwasher: Despite all of the darling colors you can pick from on Big Chill’s site, I didn’t want to go too crazy and stuck with a classic black dishwasher. To me, the color looks matte, which is nice because it lets the vibrant appliances like the refrigerator and stove do the talking. Of course, you may need the help of Ferris Plumbing, Heating & Cooling to get it fitted but that can make your kitchen refit even more convenient. Not all homes from back in the day had a dishwasher but it was a must for me because Lil Red does not do dirty dishes!!

Hand towels & wall art: I wanted some sweet hand towels to lay around the kitchen so I kept with the color red and found some cute checked ones to scatter about. They’ll be perfect for slopping up spills of wine, coffee, and junk food! I also wanted some unique pictures to hang and I really like the black utensil decor. The wall art is simple but it still looks sharp and stands out and I think they’ll make a great addition to my dream kitchen.

Beach Blue refrigerator: Oh yes, I love love LOVE this Big Chill fridge! The Beach Blue color is so vibrant and bright, it’s just delightful. I also really like combining this cheery blue with the Cherry Red stove. This refrigerator is pure fun and I couldn’t imagine how envious my friends would be if I had this appliance in my home.

Kitchen table: A vintage style kitchen needs just the right table and I adore the red and white dinette that I found. It looks like it came straight out of the cutest mom and pop diner and it really ties the retro theme together. All it needs now is a nice big bowl of fresh fruit and a vase full of bright and blooming flowers.

Pink Lemonade Microwave: For Lil Red, a microwave is a must. No one likes to cook all the time! I went with Big Chill’s Pink Lemonade microwave for my kitchen. I didn’t want to repeat any of the colors of the other appliances so I went with the pink, which is a color I don’t normally pick. I like how girly and sweet it is, though, and I think it compliments the other appliance colors really nicely. The Pink Lemonade color is more muted, too, which I think is a plus. A microwave any brighter would probably clash with the other items in my kitchen.

Vanilla walls: To complete my kitchen, I would paint the walls a rich and creamy vanilla. To me, that color is a neutral even though it isn’t your standard black, white, or beige. I think the vanilla walls would make the Big Chill appliances really pop and it has a great quirky and retro feel overall.

Ta da!! My Big Chill Kitchen Makeover! I had so much fun writing this article and giving a go at home decor. Please make sure you check out the other wonderful appliances that Big Chill has to offer at: bigchill. How would you decorate your dream kitchen? What color of appliances would you get from Big Chill? I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Target Haul

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Target Haul

Hello everyone and happy Hump Day! I’ve been on a bit of a shopping hiatus these past few months thanks to my college tuition, my car, and purchasing holiday gifts. Last week, however, I finally got some fun new pieces to add into my wardrobe, compliments of Target. Take a look and then let’s discuss:

What I love the most about these pieces, starting with the button down, is that it’s a smart shirt with an added surprise. Usually I would never pick something like this out for myself (all black everything, please) but when I saw the back of it, I just had to try it on. I love anything with a peek a boo back because I like to show off my tattoos so the surprise sheerness was what made this shirt a definite contender.

I’ll admit, I was slightly nervous to try this shirt on because I didn’t want to look like a freaking goon but I was so pleased with the results! The top in itself really isn’t very edgy, which is what I like. However, I was able to alter the sweetness of the shirt with my piercings and tattoos and that turned it into a very cool and unexpected piece to add into my wardrobe. This button down will also be great to wear year round which is another bonus, in my opinion.

The black cardigan with white crosses decorating it was obviously a no brainer. It has everything that I like on it – my favorite color, my favorite pattern, and just the right amount of rocker edge that I love. As soon as I saw the cardi, I knew that I would be purchasing it. I’m actually wearing it right now as I type this! My style is very distinctive, so when I find pieces that scream out “Lil Red”, like my new cardigan, I just have to splurge!

Currently, I’m rocking my new cardi with my snakeskin patterned black skinnies, a graphic white tank, my black cross dangle earrings, and my Michael Kors combat boots. I plan on wearing my button down with my mustard yellow suede skirt from H&M, a cool pair of heels, and a sharp little jacket for a fun take on a woman on the go outfit. I can’t wait!

I’ve been very bored with my wardrobe as of late and have fallen into the pattern of wearing the same things over and over again. I definitely needed a clothing pick me up and my new button down and cardigan were the perfect pieces to do that with. I’m looking forward to incorporating both tops into my day to day outfits to freshen things up and make my old clothes feel like new again. Thanks for the cute new clothes, Target! ❤

So there you have it, my latest Target Haul! Where is your favorite place to score some new clothes? Who has recently had a haul for themselves? I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Monday Update: New Year’s Eve Edition

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Monday Update: New Year’s Eve Edition

Hello everyone and welcome to the first Monday Update of 2016! On New Year’s Eve my darling boyfriend, Kyle, took me out on the most wonderful date night ever. We enjoyed dinner at Gervasi Vineyard, where he works as the assistant manager. In our over four months of dating, I had never eaten there before – asides from food heated up in the microwave, which so doesn’t count! When Kyle told me he had made New Year’s Eve reservations for us I was beyond excited! Take a look at us being a cute couple and then let’s discuss:

kyle!

^^^ I love us!!!

Gervasi Vineyard is one of the most gorgeous eateries in the Akron/Canton, Ohio area. There are three restaurants on the property, Tuscan style villas to stay in, an apple orchard, a beautiful lake, and of course – their vineyard! Kyle has been working there for close to five years and is amazing at his job. I kept telling myself it was only a matter of time until we had a special dinner there, so as I mentioned before, I was so thrilled when he told me about our reservations!

The entire night was so fun and even just getting ready to go to our 6:15 reservation was a treat. I got to help pick out Kyle’s outfit for the evening and it was so cool! Haha, I always love exploring a new wardrobe! We got dressed to the nines and made our way to the restaurant, which he lives very close to. We were the perfect amount of fashionably early for our table and got seated right away so we could begin our meal.

One thing (of many) that I love about Kyle, is that no matter what restaurant we go to, he always plans the dishes that I can eat ahead of time by researching their menu because I’m a strict vegetarian. Since we were on his home territory, however, he spent the whole car ride there describing all of the different things that I could order. Believe me, by the time that we were seated I was drooling like a dog in front of a tub of peanut butter. Classy! 😉

Thanks to Kyle’s expert descriptions of all of my options, I didn’t even have to look at the menu to know what I wanted. For our first course, I chose their butternut squash soup and Kyle got the apple salad. We also ordered a bottle of their sparkling white wine to enjoy with our meal. Butternut squash is my all time favorite kind of soup and it was seriously the best bowl I’ve ever had. It was so creamy and perfectly seasoned and it was so worth the four month wait to try it out!

For our entrees, Kyle ordered the lobster gnocchi and I opted for their linguini with an aglio e olio sauce topped with fresh spinach and arugula. While we waited for the main course we were serenaded by the saxophone player who was performing in the restaurant and it was all so very romantic! Our entrees came very quickly and they were to die for – just like the entire meal!

We finished the main course in record timing and then ordered a small dish of their bread pudding for dessert. We could barely finish half of the serving before tapping out but it was delicious! It had a caramel sauce and rum ice cream to top if off and it’s safe to say that I was in carbohydrate heaven! Once we completed the three course meal, I felt like I was going to explode from my belly full of food. I also was wearing a skirt that wasn’t very forgiving so I’m sure the whole restaurant got a nice view of my big ol’ gut! 😉

To finish our night, Kyle and I went to Giant Eagle after we decided that we could move again and purchased a bottle of champagne to toast with. It was around eight thirty when we got home and after a glass or two of champagne and a few episodes of Malcolm in the Middle, I was beyond ready for bed. I ended up falling asleep at nine thirty, well before the commemoration of the new year at midnight!

By the time I woke up the next morning, I felt like such a goon for falling asleep so early and missing what would have been our first new year’s kiss together. Lucky for me, I have a boyfriend who’s always coming up with sweet surprises for his girl! Kyle showed me a poorly lit but super cute picture that he took of him giving my sleeping self a kiss on the forehead at midnight for proof that I still got my new year’s kiss. How lucky am I? Very. ❤

So there you have it, this week’s Monday Update: New Year’s Eve Edition! My evening was straight out of a fairy tale and I’ll never forget it. I hope all of you had just as great of a time celebrating! How did everyone ring in the new year? Is there a place similar to Gervasi Vineyard in your neck of the woods? I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love and happy 2016. -Sarah

Monday Update: Holiday Haul Edition

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Monday Update: Holiday Haul Edition

Hello everyone and happy Monday! Welcome to this week’s Update: Holiday Haul Edition! Lil Red made out like a bandit this Christmas and it’s still not over! I still have presents to receive from my sister and my best friend later this week. But so far, the loot has been fantastic. I feel so spoiled because I’ve never had a boyfriend during the holiday season and Kyle and his mom were nice enough to give me some amazing presents. Take a look at what I received on Christmas according to each person:

My parents:

I am SO in love with the gorgeous coat that my mom and dad got me. I’ve been eyeing this jacket from Target for over two months now and I’m so happy that it’s finally mine! My mom got it for me the day after I tried it on in front of her in October and has been hiding it for my surprise ever since. What a lady! I also received a generous donation to the Lil Red Foundation as well as a fresh supply of my favorite beauty products from The Body Shop and Trader Joe’s. Thanks, mom and dad!

My brother and sister-in-law:

From Peter and Megan I received my first Adult Coloring Book, complete with colored pencils and a sharpener. My sister and I have been interested in these for a while so I’m so excited to unleash my inner child and crack open the coloring book with her. I also got a Groupon for two free admissions to a Paint Nite. In Ohio, there are certain bars that offer a night of drinking and canvas painting and I’ve heard that they’re so much fun! It will be the perfect date night for me and Kyle!

The most special gift I got this Christmas, however, was the rosary that Peter and Megan brought home for me from their honeymoon in Italy. It’s my favorite color and it is also blessed by Pope Francis from when they had the honor of meeting him. How cool is that?!

My other brother:

cash

From my second oldest brother, Andrew, I received another generous donation to the Lil Red Foundation. You can’t go wrong with cold hard cash!

My boyfriend:

My darling Kyle spoiled me rotten this year with some of the most fantastic gifts ever!! He gave me an entire family of stuffed animals from Despicable Me – one of our favorite movies. I also got a stuffed Moogle from Final Fantasy, which I’m pretty stoked about! To continue with the Minion theme, Kyle got me the most comfy pair of Minion patterned fleece pajama pants, which were unfortunately in the washing machine while I was taking my haul photos! Rest assured, they’re cute. 🙂

Kyle did a wonderful job of picking me out some beautiful accessories as well. I was so surprised when I opened the boxes of gorgeous jewelry, which included two stunning bracelets and a necklace. Kyle also knocked it out of the park with a burgundy and grey infinity scarf (Which I’m wearing right now!) and burgundy and black trimmed gloves. I can’t wait to wear my new scarf with all of my favorite sweaters and pair my gloves with my new coat from my parents! Thanks, babe – I love you! ❤

My boyfriend’s mom:

I was so humbled by the lovely gifts that my boyfriend’s mom treated me to. She got me the absolute cutest ornament for my tree of a little penguin ice skating. I made sure to put it right by my human skater, which I got at a figure skating competition in New York. Mrs. Kyle’s Mom also gifted me with some luscious bath and body products from Philosophy. I’ve never used their products before but have always wanted to so I was SO excited to try both of them out! Spoiler alert: They’re amazing and they smell heavenly!

As much as I enjoyed receiving all of these beautiful presents, I enjoyed giving everyone the gifts I picked out special for them even more! I am so thankful for all of the goodies that I was gifted with but would have been just fine with only having the quality time with my family and loved ones. My Christmas this year was one of the best ever and I can’t wait to continue the celebrations this week with my sister and darling best friend!

So there you have it, this week’s Monday Update: Holiday Haul Edition! How was everyone’s holiday? What was your favorite gift that you received or gave? I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

If The Shoe Fits – Apt. 9 Edition

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If The Shoe Fits – Apt. 9 Edition

Helloooo everyone and welcome to a new edition of If The Shoe Fits – Apt. 9 style! I got these beauties for an incredible bargain while shopping at Kohl’s and they have become one of my go to pairs of heels – especially since my beloved Vera Wangs are not what they used to be. Take a look at my shoe babies and then let’s discuss:

aptapt1

If there’s one thing that you guys should know about me by now, it’s that I love a bargain! Target, Kohl’s, and TJMaxx are my favorite stores to ball on a budget at and my Apt. 9 wedged heels were no exception! These shoesies were purchased with my shopping partner in crime…My mother. We always have such a blast when we go out together and I vividly remember our shopping trip that resulted in my Apt. 9s like it was yesterday.

Kohl’s always has the best end of season sales so my mom and I had a mother daughter rendezvous at the end of April. Usually when we go shopping together we divide and conquer the store and then meet up in a place we can enjoy as a pair…the shoe department. :*) Not gonna lie, the shoe section was looking a hot mess because of overzealous shoppers but we perused the aisles and found multiple winners to try on. I locked eyes on two gorgeous Juicy Couture heels (which I ended up purchasing) and I was so focused on them that I almost left the shoe sanctuary altogether because I thought I had found “the ones”…

Little did I know, one of my favorite pairs of shoes would be found after one last look around of the shoe department before we checked out our goodies. I scanned through the aisles, rejecting the pairs that I deemed “shameful” before and giving a slight nod of approval to the shoes that I thought were cute but not cute enough to try on. That’s when my slight nod at my Apt. 9s turned into a shake of disapproval that I hadn’t plucked them from the shelf earlier. I don’t know what made me shy away from them before – they have everything that I like! A heel, zippers, and most importantly – they’re black! But better yet, the price was only seventeen dollars! Seventeen. Freaking. Dollars. That’s when I knew that they were coming home with me.

I sat my sweet ass down, pulled off my shoes one last time, and gave the Apt. 9s a try…and they were fabulous!! They reminded me SO much of my beloved black lace up Vera Wang wedges but they were still unique and cool in their own right. I only needed about a thirty second inspection in the full length mirror to know that my edgy wedges would be an excellent addition to my collection. I returned to the bench and added the Apt. 9s to the pile which resulted in three pairs of shoes for under one hundred dollars! #SCORE

My pretty babies truly are my Vera Wangs reincarnated because I seriously wear them everywhere now. They were my first day of school shoes this semester as well as my go to-s for running errands, date nights, hang outs, and concerts. You name it, I’ve probably worn them for it! I loveeee wearing my Apt. 9s with my black skinnies from H&M which can be seen in my featured image photo. They have zippers starting at the bottom of the jean that go halfway up my calf and it makes such a rocker effect to have the zippers from the jeans and shoes staggered on each other. When I want to sport an All Black Everything look, pairing my outfit with my Apt. 9s is a no brainer!

So there you have it, the newest issue of If The Shoe Fits – Apt. 9 Edition! What is your favorite pair of shoes that you got for an amazing deal? Who is your favorite person to go shopping with? I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dresses For Sale!

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Dresses For Sale!

Hey guys and TGIF! I recently went through my seasonal purge of my closet to prepare for fall and there were three particular dresses that I really do love but just don’t do it for me anymore. I wanted to give all of you lovelies the opportunity to add one or all of them to your wardrobe because they really are cute as can be! Take a look and if you’re interested in any of them, please shoot me an email at sarah.mush6794@gmail.com so we can negotiate a price and shipping:

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Dress #1) Modcloth, Hot & Delicious, size M. This sweet little number is honestly one of my all time favorites but it unfortunately does not fit as well as it used to in the bust. I love the bubble skirt and it’s in wonderful condition, however, there is a slight ring of color on the inside of the collar from hair dye/makeup. #fakehaircolorproblems

Dress #2) PacSun, LA Hearts, size S. Once again, I really like this dress as well but the fit is just not up to par on my body type. Usually if things don’t fit just so, I shrug it off, but I’m becoming such a stickler for fit that if it isn’t perfection then I won’t stand for it! But it’s a sweet summer dress in great condition. #fashionistaproblems

Dress #3) PacSun, O’Neil, size M. The fit issue on this dress is actually all my fault. I bought this beauty without trying it on and naturally the size was too big and I never bothered fixing it. Because I rarely wore this, it’s in awesome condition! #lazygirlproblems

As I said, I think these dresses are just too darling to not try and hand them off to the capable hands of one of my very stylish readers! And as I also mentioned, you can reach me at sarah.mush6794@gmail.com, leave me a comment, or friend me on Facebook at Sarah Mushenheim if you are interested! THANKS. ❤

Man Crush Monday: Adam Scott Edition

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Man Crush Monday: Adam Scott Edition

Helloooo everyone and welcome to the newest edition of Man Crush Monday – Adam Scott style! Mr. Scott has made me swoon as douchebag brother, Derek, in Step Brothers and sweetheart soulmate to Leslie Knope on Parks and Recreation, Ben Wyatt. Take a look at the classic “Sweet Child O’ Mine” scene from Step Brothers and then let’s discuss:

Dear Adam Scott,

Oh Adam, you darling sensitive man, you! I was introduced to your cuteness and Vanilla Ice lip syncing self in Step Brothers and I have been so fond of you ever since. It was such a treat to see you in Hot Tub Time Machine 2, which my boyfriend and I watched recently – we replayed the scene of you majorly tripping so many times! And please, PLEASE don’t even get me started on my deep love for you on Parks & Rec. My mom and I freaking adore your character, Ben Wyatt. His adorable picture perfect relationship with Leslie Knope is the most precious thing on the planet. You play his sweet and incredibly nerdy character so well and you and Amy Poehler were absolute gold together. Not only are you an amazingly talented actor but you’re also amazingly handsome! Hubba hubba, sir. Your staggering good looks are unmatched and I can totally see why Leslie Knope has a strong yearning for your butt on Parks & Rec!! Keep being the funny, charming, gorgeous guy that you are and I think that your Hollywood career will be just fine! I LOVE YOU!!!

adam2adam1

^^^ Oh-em-gee that hair!!!! ❤

So there you have it, this week’s Man Crush Monday: Adam Scott Edition! Who is everyone’s #MCM this week? What is your favorite cute moment between Ben and Leslie on Parks & Rec? I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

If The Shoe Fits – Michael Kors Edition

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If The Shoe Fits – Michael Kors Edition

Helloooooo everyone and welcome to a new issue of If The Shoe Fits – Michael Kors style! In association with my post yesterday entitled “Fall Shopping Fun” these beautiful Michael Kors booties were also purchased with the intention of adding them to my cold weather wardrobe. Take a better look at my pretty new babies and then let’s discuss:

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Alright, first let me just say that I am far from a label whore when it comes to my clothing. I don’t care for designer anything. I live for a good deal at Target, Kohl’s, or TJMaxx so it’s extremely out of the ordinary for me to own anything from what I consider a “high end” designer. BUT I saw these boots while shopping with my mom at TJ’s and I fell in love. So how did these MK buckle adorned beauties end up coming home with me? I’m so glad you asked!

I LOVE going to TJ’s with my mom. I can remember going shopping there with my grandma when I was really young and ever since I’ve been a die hard Maxxinista. Whenever my mom and I hit up our favorite store, we always always start in the shoe department. The past few times we’ve shopped at TJ’s we’ve been unimpressed with what they had to offer but not this time around! As I ambled through the aisles of boots, heels, and flats my eyes locked on the industrial style booties. I hurried over and plucked them off the shelf and immediately turned them over to inspect the price. When I saw the tag was far out of my normal price range, I realized that they were Michael Kors. “Oh, that explains it”, I thought to myself and put them back with a heavy heart.

Once my mom caught up to me she asked me if I saw anything that I liked and I pointed out the booties that I just recently returned to the shelf. “Well are you gonna try them on?” she asked. “No, they’re too expensive and I know that if I try them on I’m going to like them too much.” My mom didn’t argue with my logic and we continued to peruse the shoe department together. As my partner in crime tried on some cute new booties of her own, all I wanted to do was try on the Michael Kors. I voiced my insatiable desire deep in my loins to her and she urged me to give them a try. Well, she didn’t have to tell me twice. I rushed my sweet ass to the MK’s and snatched them so fast I was worried that I was going to break a nail. I brought them back to the benches to try them on for the moment of truth…

I sat my sweet tookus on the bench and slipped off my knee high tan riding boots all while thinking, “Sarah, you really shouldn’t be doing this”. But it was too late, my shoes were already off and the Michael Kors were sitting there, waiting patiently to join forces with my feet. I took a deep breath, closed my eyes tight, and shoved the right boot on. I zipped up the zipper on the side and told myself that “that wasn’t so bad” and pulled on the left shoe to complete the pair. I hoisted my sweet badonk off of the bench and walked slowly to the mirror. “Damnit,” I thought as I saw my reflection, “I love them”.

As soon as I saw them in all of their rocker chic glory I knew that I couldn’t leave the store without them. They. Were. Perfect. These Michael Kors booties have legitimately everything that I love. They’re black, buckled, zippered, and edgy as hell. As I previously mentioned, I don’t care about labels. In fact, I hate them. BUT for my first and only pair of designer shoes, I think that they hit the nail on the head!

I don’t plan on buying any more “high end” heels or boots to add to my collection because I really do think that they’re unnecessary. However, I deemed my purchase “worth it” because it really is a one time splurge and the only harm in that is to my wallet. Yes, I do have a lot of beautiful clothes, shoes, and accessories but 99% of them were purchased with price in mind. I’m a smart shopper, I always wait for the best deals, and I like to think that I ball on a budget – but I don’t know any girl that’s going to turn down a pair of Michael Kors booties that were literally made for you!

So there you have it, my latest purchase documented in If The Shoe Fits – Michael Kors Edition. With my amazing new booties and fun new shirt that you can see in “Fall Shopping Fun”, I think that I’ll take a break from the mall for a while…But I really do love both of my new editions to my wardrobe! What has been your favorite splurge purchase? What are you most looking forward to wearing this fall? I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Recipe of Life

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Recipe of Life

Heyyy everyone and welcome to a very special post about one of my new music obsessions, Recipe of Life. ROL is made up of two darling girls, Shelby and Ariel, who are both full of sunny personalities and sweet voices to match. I have been hunting these girls down for months trying to feature their ukulele duo on http://www.lifewithlilred.com and it’s finally happening!

I seriously couldn’t be more excited to shed some light on such a talented group, especially considering they just wrapped up their Lake Erie Shore Tour on top of releasing a new single “Are You Ready?” which is now available on their iTunes, Spotify, Rhapsody, and bandcamp page. “Are You Ready?” is such an addictive song it should be illegal, so check it out and get hooked! (I, for one, am ready! And all of the links to the mentioned sites can be found at the end of the post!)

Recipe of Life debuted their first full length album The Secret Ingredient in 2014 and now I would love to take some time to discuss my personal favorites off of it with you! The Secret Ingredient can be found on all of ROL’s music pages and can be purchased for ten dollars. So click the link and listen along as I offer my humble Lil Red opinion on the album! And make sure you stay tuned after for an exclusive interview with the ROL duo, Shelby and Ariel! Let’s get to it:

Love You Today: This is the first song off of The Secret Ingredient and I absolutely love it. I was listening to this while laying in bed and I kid you not, my notes on the song were “this reminds me of how I feel when I have a crush on someone”. So many of Recipe of Life’s tracks have this ability to bring on the butterflies of being googly eyed over that special someone and “Love You Today” sums that up perfectly. Such a sweet and strong opener!

If the Shoe Fits: Obviously this song is one of my go to’s considering the title is the same as one of my segments on lifewithlilred. 😉 I really like the harmonies that the ROL gals have going on in this track and the lyrics are cute as can be. When I first heard Recipe of Life’s music, I was honestly shocked that I liked it so much. I’m such an alternative and indie girl at heart but it’s impossible to not appreciate this band. All of the emotions in their songs are so honest and relateable. I can’t think of one person who hasn’t wished for a romance that Shelby and Ariel are swooning about in “If the Shoe Fits”.

Spot On: If you guys have read my music reviews before, then you’ll know that this song had me at the opening “doo doo doo’s”. I LOVE THEM! What I think is so memorable about this song is how much fun the girls are having with it. Their little laughs throughout “Spot On” made me smile each time and this is the type of tune that should be played with all of the windows down on a bright day. At the beginning of this post I described Shelby and Ariel’s personalities as “sunny” and you can definitely see why after listening to this little ditty.

Unlovable: This is my favorite song off of The Secret Ingredient, hands down. Honestly, “Unlovable” describes some very real feelings for me, especially with their lyric “Why do you thank me? When there’s nothing to thank me for”. Ugh, I love that. “Unlovable” is the second track off of The Secret Ingredient and I think that it’s such a solid follow up to the opener “Love You Today”. “Unlovable” is the longest song on the album at 4:39 but I wish it could have gone on forever.

The End: Appropriately titled, “The End” is the closing song on The Secret Ingredient and I will seriously be a monkey’s uncle if it isn’t a song in a Disney movie. Literally all I could think about while I listened to this song was a Disney prince and princess serenading each other…Judge me for it. “The End” is a beautiful song to wrap up a beautiful album, so bravo!

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I had the opportunity to sit down with the lovely Shelby to chat about the band, boys, and everything in between. Unfortunately, the other half of the Recipe of Life duo, Ariel, is away at college and was unable to attend the interview – but fear not! I was lucky enough to “speak” with her via email to get her input. Thanks to the ROL girls, I have the answers to the questions that I’m sure you’re all dying to know, so take a look:

  • Lil Red: So how did your duo come into being?
  • Shelby: Ariel and I became friends our sophomore year of high school. We became Facebook friends because she was friends with my boyfriend, Jimmy, throughout freshman year, so we both figured we should be friends!
  • Ariel: Shortly after our friendship started we made a cover video of YouTube musician, Orla Gartland’s, song “All The Little Details.” The video got one thousand plus views and we were shocked! That’s when we thought “Hmm. Maybe this music-y thing could go somewhere”. After that pleasant surprise we decided to perform as a duet for the Battle Of The Bands at our high school.
  • LR: I’m positive that my readers will be curious about where the name Recipe of Life came from, because I definitely am. Is there a story behind the band name?
  • S: When we were preparing to compete for BOTB, we realized we needed a name! We turned to the internet for inspiration and found a quote that said “Friendship is the most important ingredient in the recipe of life” and it stuck. We thought that it might be too cheesy, but we never changed it!
  • LR: Would you agree that friendship is the most important ingredient?
  • S&A: Yes!!
  • LR: So how did Recipe of Life do in the Battle Of The Bands competition?
  • S: We won! It was so exciting. We performed two cover songs and the first song that I ever wrote “Forever Yours”, which can be heard on our album.
  • LR: I noticed that a common theme in your songs is the “perfect” guy, where does the inspiration for this stem from?
  • S: Definitely my boyfriend, Jimmy. We’ve been dating for six years and I feel like literally all of my songs are about him. Ariel and her mom always were pushing me to write outside of my comfort zone, so the first song I wrote that wasn’t about love was a huge deal!
  • A: Sometimes my songs are inspired by a relationship – but not as often as Shelby’s! Although, the first song that I wrote about a significant other, “Spot On”, is about the same guy that I’ve been with to this day, three years later! I’m still trying to figure myself and life out, so this gives me a lot of situations to draw from when I write a song. A general curiosity for life helps when I’m trying to put pen to paper.
  • LR: Six and three years is a long time! My longest relationship was two weeks…ANYWAYS, sometimes I’m shocked by the people who I find out read my blog. Have you ladies ever been surprised by anyone who you found out was a Recipe of Life fan?
  • S: Our usual demographic is sixteen to twenty-five year old girls, so we were both definitely shocked by our following of middle aged men who were musicians in college!
  • A: Middle aged adults was definitely unexpected! We also get quite a bit of attention from Christian audiences as well, which I think is interesting. Someone that we were both taken aback by was when Orla Gartland commented on our video for “All The Little Details” saying that she loved it. Like, what?!
  • LR: Middle aged people is not what I was expecting to hear! But hey, a fans a fan! And now for the interview cliche question, where do you girls see Recipe of Life in two years?
  • S: Hopefully on tour with a new album out. We would really like to branch out our audience and perform in a bunch of new locations.
  • A: I would love to hear us on the radio someday so maybe two years is enough time to get that ball rolling! But our next goal as of now is making another full length album.

You heard it first on lifewithlilred! It was so fun having a chit chat with Shelby and Ariel! If you would like to read more of our interview, let me know in the comment section so I can make it happen!

Like it? Love it? Want more of it? You can show love to Recipe of Life by:

  • Liking them on Facebook
  • Purchasing The Secret Ingredient off of their music pages like bandcamp and iTunes
  • Snagging their new single “Are You Ready?”
  • Checking out their website
  • Shooting them an email
  • Commenting on this post so I can relay the message

Here are all of the links to the websites mentioned above:

It has been a complete blast getting to know the Recipe of Life girls, Shelby and Ariel. They are certainly a ukulele strumming duo to watch out for, so be on the look out! How do you feel about Recipe of Life’s music? Do you have any constructive criticism or advice for Shelby and Ariel? We wanna hear from all of you, so leave us a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah