Tag Archives: enjoy

Jul7

July 2020 Funky Time Jams

Posted on by
Standard
July 2020 Funky Time Jams

Helloooo! As a rule of thumb, Lil Red never listens to the radio while driving. I prefer to play my own music because I know that I will always be satisfied. Lol, except when it’s Throwback Thursday, that is. TBT is a radio program hosted on 88.1, which is the student station for The University Of Akron.

Every Thursday pop, rap, and R&B bangers from the 90s and early 2000s are played all day. It honestly doesn’t get much better than that and all day on Thursday my radio stays tuned into 88.1. Until last Thursday when Johnny refused to let me play it in his car, that is! But, it’s no matter, because I can just dedicate a whole blog post to it. Haha, check it out:

^^^ As always, I have no right to these songs or videos!

My sister’s boyfriend and I had a laugh because he told me that he played a throwback station on Spotify for her that is very similar to 88.1’s TBT and she was entertained and happy for a five hour car ride. I know that I would have been, too! There is something about the hits from however long ago that you still know all the lyrics to that just… Well… Hit different, lol.

Everyone has something that they look forward to during the week. Whether that be a standing hair appointment, lunch time with coworkers, or simply a weekend off. My instance happens to be my drive to and from clients every Thursday so I can have my solo singalongs in the Little Red Love Machine. Silly? Maybe. But it is a hell of a lot of fun for me!

What are a few of your favorite throwback hits? What do you look forward to throughout the week? 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 by
Standard
What Have I Been Watching? Pt. 3

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

Jun25

Face Mask Festivities: Sephora’s The Bubble Mask Edition

Posted on by
Standard
Face Mask Festivities: Sephora’s The Bubble Mask Edition

Hi! There is nothing that Lil Red loves more than when I can apply a face mask during my free time in the evening. During my last Sephora haul, I purchased a bubble sheet mask to help me get over the fifty dollar free shipping threshold. The baby blue packaging and the description all looked and sounded so nice and I am happy I bought it because it WAS nice! Take a look at some pics and let’s discuss:

2C5DAE1C-A629-43B7-AD68-7DA6E8B6D604EBBC0264-2325-4DAC-B928-E16527B248EEE94C322A-0858-4ED0-B735-82736A3B91F8

Alright, let’s start off this post by saying that sheet face masks are, admittedly, extremely creepy. The creepier part? I had the intention of putting this face mask on all day and was looking forward to it at work. So, naturally, I had to apply the mask anyways while my boyfriend and I were watching Hannibal. There is something about wearing a sheet mask while watching a show about Hannibal Lector that seems so wrong and we were in stitches when I walked out of the bathroom with the mask on my face. But, hey, limited free time means pampering oneself while… one can? Lol!

Despite feeling like a total CREEPER, Sephora’s Bubble Mask was amazing! As soon as I put it on, I could feel the bubbling effect begin to take place. And, within minutes, my face was being treated with luscious, sudsy bubbles popping and fizzing away. This mask was refreshing and it was so cool to feel it actually working instead of just sitting there like a clay mask.

My only qualm with this product is that the sheet mask was SO saturated with the treatment that it would slide down my face. This was not great because the liquid would get in my eyes and it burned. In fact, I couldn’t even leave the mask on for the full fifteen minutes, as much as I would have liked to, because it hurt too bad. Had this not been a problem, I honestly would have rated this mask with a ten out of ten.

Although there was the problem with the eye irritation, I cannot even tell you how shocked I was with the results once I removed the mask. My skin looked SO fresh, it was almost as if I spent all day getting beauty sleep instead of working. It looked radiant and bright and I definitely plan on purchasing it again if I need a little extra something to get me free shipping when I shop online with Sephora. But, next time? No watching Hannibal during my relaxation time! 😀

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

Jun20

New LEGO Rolling Stones Mini Figs

Posted on by
Standard
New LEGO Rolling Stones Mini Figs

Hello! Quarantine has definitely gotten Johnny and I acquainted with our inner child and it has been all LEGO everything. From the competition show LEGO Masters to the Harry Potter set Johnny got me for my birthday, we have been hooked on creating and adding to our collection.

A while back ago, Johnny and I had the inspired idea to make Mini Figs of ourselves and stumbled upon a website called MiniFigs.Me. Sadly, we never made our own Minis of each other but I did end up getting him a little something special from the site as a late birthday gift. Behold, a custom set of his favorite band the Rolling Stones:

lego5lego1legolego2lego4lego3

From making your own custom Mini Figs to purchasing sets of iconic musicians and characters, the MiniFigs.Me website has it all. Johnny has been enamored with the LEGO replica of the Rolling Stones for a long while and I was so happy to finally purchase it for him. I also love the stage he built – perfect for when they perform as the resident band of Hogwarts!

I am looking forward to getting many more Mini Figs from our newly discovered favorite site. I have my eyes on a little David Bowie and Johnny can’t stop talking about the characters from “The Nightman Cometh” from It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia. The Rolling Stones Mini Figs are just perfect and they were made and shipped so quickly. I probably got it a week after I ordered them and they came all the way from England.

Johnny and I can’t recommend MiniFigs.Me enough and I can’t wait to continue showing all of you our newest additions in our LEGO world. ❤

Who would you like to have a Mini Fig of? Do you have a favorite Mini Fig of your own? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jun14

Animal Crossing Outdoor Fun

Posted on by
Standard
Animal Crossing Outdoor Fun

Hello!! Children, teenagers, and adults alike have all been getting super into Animal Crossing during this quarantine. And, Johnny and I just so happen to be the adults who are super into it, lol. The charmingly simple game of building a prosperous island has captured many a hearts and I always look forward to when I can fish or catch some bugs for a while on our island of Dingusburg (Johnny’s idea, haha).

Recently, at work, I was outside with my client and her nieces and we decided to do some real life Animal Crossing of our own after we saw a big, beautiful butterfly flitting about the back yard. One of the girlies grabbed her butterfly net and the chase was on. We all took our tries at catching it and had no such luck. The butterfly flew away but it was still fun!

If you have little ones with some pent up energy from being cooped in, how about some Animal Crossing fun of your own? Set up a scavenger hunt outside or grab some butterfly nets and toy fishing rods and have an adventure in your back yard. Animal Crossing is all about enjoying the simple things, like planting flowers, picking fruit, and catching bugs… All of which can easily be done from your yard!

Still need some inspiration? Message me on Facebook at Sarah Mushenheim for my friend code and come visit Dingusburg. Then, bring a little of our island life into your activities with your kids for the day. 🙂

animal

Which games have you been hooked on in quarantine? What are some of your favorite activities with your kids? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jun8

June 2020 Funky Time Jams

Posted on by
Standard
June 2020 Funky Time Jams

Hello! Wow, everything sucks. But, the end of June will be an exciting time because my family is going to have a little mini vacation to North Carolina. Now, this by no means will be a normal Mushenheim Family Vacation where my dad plans a perfect week full of activities and restaurants. Rather, it will be a more chill time of relaxing in a nice house and eating takeout. The best part? Finally meeting my new baby nephew and having my boyfriend join us on a vacation. 🙂

To keep going with a vacation mood, let’s all go to a happy place in our minds with the following:

^^^ And, as always, I have no rights to these songs or videos!

Feel good music has been a big part of what keeps me sane during the stressful times that we’re all currently living under. During all of the driving I do for work, I use my time in the car to get my mood back to a happy place with a few funky time bangers. And, who doesn’t feel like they just had an afternoon at the beach after hearing “Soak Up The Sun” by Sheryl Crow or “Kokomo” by The Beach Boys?!

If you find yourself getting anxious with today’s uncertainty, put on your favorite jam, take a vacation in your head, and get yourself back to baseline. ❤

Which songs make you think of vacation? What are your plans for the summer? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jun3

Enjoying Improving

Posted on by
Standard
Enjoying Improving

Hi! During quarantine, I have been enjoying getting to practice all of the different languages that I have been learning. I have much more time to do so and have noticed how much I’ve improved thanks to the almost daily practice sessions. On Duolingo, I am taking French, Spanish, Czech, German, and Italian. I also have been LOVING practicing American Sign Language through YouTube videos.

Recently, I began taking an online ASL Zoom class taught by the fabulous Doctor Jen. Unfortunately, she stopped doing her weekly teaches and I was left high, dry, and disappointed because I have been wanting to learn ASL for forever. Especially since teaching myself a little from books was nothing in comparison to watching someone teach you.

It was important to me to find another source to continue learning ASL with because I was doing way better than I expected. And, luckily, I landed on ten twenty minute lessons of basic sign language from a guy who looks like Steve Martin AND the one guy from Whose Line Is It Anyway? You’ll see what I mean, I promise:

^^^ And, as always, I have no rights to this video!

Although I loved learning ASL under Doctor Jen, it’s nice to continue learning even if it is with someone different. And, thankfully, Doctor Byron Bridges is a close second! Born deaf to deaf parents, Doctor Bridges has degrees from numerous different schools and is dedicated to teaching his craft.

Not only is he brilliant, but it’s impossible to not grin from ear to ear when you see how animated and in he gets to each lesson. If you’re looking for something to help pass the time, why not give a few of these ASL classes a try? You’ll be glad you did!

Where else offers ASL classes online? Which languages do you know? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jun2

Butternut Squash Risotto Recipe

Posted on by
Standard
Butternut Squash Risotto Recipe

Hello! For the past few months Lil Red has spent a majority of her time indoors due to the coronavirus. When you have no access to the outside world, it is way harder than you can imagine to create daily content! Ever since lifewithlilred began over five years ago, I have always encouraged guest bloggers on my page – especially now!

This is why I am so grateful to my sweet friend, Alice, from Alice Rambles for reaching out to me with a tasty recipe for butternut squash risotto. This recipe combines a bunch of my favorite things and I am looking forward to trying it myself. After checking this post out, do be sure to give Alice’s page some love and if you are interested in guest posting on lifewithlilred, please email me at: sarah.mush6794@gmail.com .

Now, let’s get to it:

Butternut Squash Risotto

Hi everyone, my name is Alice (from Alice Rambles). Sarah has very kindly offered to let me write a guest post for her blog, and I thought today I’d share one of my favourite easy recipes – butternut squash risotto!

In the UK, butternut squash are harvested throughout summer and autumn, so this dish not only uses fresh, seasonal vegetables, but it also reduces our food air miles which is always a great thing to consider. This recipe is also easy to adapt for vegetarian and vegan diets and serves four people.

Ingredients:

  • 1kg butternut squash, peeled and cut into cubes
  • 50g butter (or vegan alternative)
  • 1 brown onion, diced
  • 300g arborio risotto rice
  • 150ml white wine
  • 1.5 litres vegetable stock
  • 50g Parmesan cheese (or vegetarian/vegan alternative), finely grated
  • Olive oil
  • Salt and pepper
  • Handful of sage (fresh or dried)

 

Equipment:

  • Large baking tray
  • Medium saucepan
  • Large wide saucepan or deep frying pan
  • Wooden spoon
  • Ladle

Method:

  • Heat your oven to 200°C/gas mark 7. Mix your chopped squash with some olive oil, salt, pepper, and sage. Spread it over the baking tray and roast it for 30 mins, until it’s soft on the inside but slightly coloured on the outside. Mash half of the squash into a rough puree, and leave the other half whole.

  • Next, heat up your stock in the medium saucepan – bring it to the boil first, and then lower to a simmer. In the wide saucepan, melt the butter on a medium heat, then add the onion and cook it slowly until it is soft, but not coloured.

  • Stir the rice into the buttery onions, and keep stirring until the rice is shiny and the grains are starting to become transparent.

  • Pour in the wine, stir it through and simmer until it has all evaporated. Turn the heat down to low, then start adding the stock (one ladle at a time) and stir continuously.

  • Keep going until you’ve used up all of the stock – at this point the risotto should be thick and creamy, with the rice still retaining a bit of bite to it.

  • Stir the squash puree through the risotto, then add the grated Parmesan.

  • Serve, and garnish with the remaining chunks of roasted squash.

content

And there you have it, so simple! This recipe is great for when you fancy a nice warming meal and, of course, you can mix it up by adding your own herbs, spices, and flavours if you wish. If you’d like to see more of my posts then do check out my blog (Alice Rambles), and let me know if you give this recipe a try!

Thank you so much again to Alice for sharing her delicious recipe with all of us! What is your favorite kind of risotto? What is one of your favorite seasonal dishes? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May28

3 Ways To Keep Busy During Lock Down

Posted on by
Standard
3 Ways To Keep Busy During Lock Down

As the days in lock down turn into weeks and the weeks roll into months, it can become increasingly difficult to know what else to do with all of this extra time on your hands. Well, most people always wished they had more time and now that it has come, we should put it to good use. Whether it’s spending more time with the children or learning something new, it’s safe to say that this opportunity will probably never become available again. Without a firm quarantine end date in sight, check out this list of three ways to keep busy during the lock down:

Learn a New Language:

The benefits of learning a new language go beyond being able to order food while on holiday. It also comes with both personal and professional advantages. On the personal side, it strengthens your IQ, and it is also a great workout for your brain. These cognitive benefits help to ward off dementia and enable you to be more decisive and focused on the task at hand. Did you know that learning a new language also sharpens your sensory perceptions in terms of touch, hearing, sight, speech, and movement? Not many other hobbies can attest to this claim.

On the professional side of things, having bilingual skills greatly opens up your job prospects and makes you more attractive to employers. For companies, it allows for a greater ability to reach new customers in new markets worldwide. Learning a foreign language also sharpens your communication skills making you a more rounded employee.

Take Up a New Hobby:

With most people working around the clock in today’s modern societies, not much time is left for extra-curricular activities and hobbies. Yet the advantages of having hobbies are priceless. For one thing, it keeps you present in that moment. A lot of time is spent regretting the past or planning for the future that most people never truly live in the ‘now’. Hobbies can be used for stress relief as it diverts your attention to something that creates pleasure. Hobbies help you connect with people or groups with similar interests. This encourages feelings of inclusion, support, and community, which is great for your mental health.

There are many hobbies that you can consider taking up, including writing, photography, cooking, and gardening. If you think that you have green fingers, why not get out of the house and into your backyard and try to grow something a bit different than the standard household vegetables. As summer is on the way, try growing some pineberries (white strawberries) or some achocha pods. If you’re really adventurous, you could look up how to grow a luffa gourd, then have the added benefits of organic sponges for your bath or kitchen. No matter what hobby you choose to take on, it will certainly help you while away the extra time on your hands.

112

Give gardening a go!

Catch Up on Family Time:

Spending more time with your family can be done in multiple ways thanks to the technological advances in video calling. If you don’t have immediate family around you, then you could link up with them via Zoom, WhatsApp, and many more similar programs. Family time is probably the most important use of our time, yet hardly any time is committed to it. Why not jump in and play some fun games online with your kids or video call your aunt or grandparents – you’ll certainly be glad you did!

Dedicating your time to worthwhile hobbies will make your quarantine much more enjoyable. Choose something you’re interested in and watch a day go by as you immerse yourself in something new!

Featured Image By: Pexels

May27

How To Live A Calmer Existence At Home

Posted on by
Standard
How To Live A Calmer Existence At Home

Our homes should be much more than just places to lay our heads at night and store our belongings. It should be the place where we recover the energy that we’ve lost during the day; it should be our retreat from the mania of the outside world. But, of course, this is only in theory: sometimes we find that our homes are just as stressful as public spaces. If you find yourself in this position, then it’s recommended that you take steps to make your home calmer. Take a look at our tips below and turn your home into the ultimate place for relaxation:

Set the Tone:

You should always try to start as you mean to go on. If you’re walking into a chaotic home, then it’ll be little surprise if your state of mind is chaotic while you’re there. Instead, look at making a few small changes to your entrance way. For example, you could look at adding plants, making the space brighter, and having a space for your coat and keys. Setting the tone is about more than getting the space organized, however: it’s about adding those touches that enhance the mood. For example, candles and incense can both make your entrance space much more enjoyable!

Clean and Spacious:

It’s much harder to live a calmer existence when it feels as if our material possessions are piling up all around us, or we’re living in an unclean and all-around disorganized space. As such, one of the best ways to create a better environment at home is to look at taking the minimalist route, and creating a clear and calm space. If you’ve been in your home for a few years, then you’ve probably got more material goods than you really need. So take a look at having a clear out. You can sell the items or, if you know that you’ll need them in the future, you can put them in climate controlled storage. You’ll find that it’s much easier to enter a calm state of mind when you’re not doing battle with all your possessions.

Tech-Free Spaces:

There’s much to love about technology, especially in the home. Who doesn’t enjoy playing video games, watching videos, or browsing the web? However, it’s important to remember that there is such a thing as too much tech in the home. Technology generally isn’t very calming, so if there’s too much of it in your home, then you might find it difficult to really relax. It’s recommended to put together a tech-free room in your house. There, you’ll do nothing but read, meditate, talk, and other activities that help to calm your mind.

Deep Comfort:

Finally, look at upping your home’s comfort levels. Things like new blankets, towels, and bed sheets can really take your home’s comfort credentials to the next level. It’ll allow you to fully sink into all of the cozy goodness that your property can provide, especially during the chilly winter months, when there’s nothing better than curling up on the couch.

Get ready, get set, and relax at home with the tips above!

Featured Image By: Pexels