Hi! If you know Lil Red, then you will know that I simply cannot wait to give people their presents for gift giving occasions. My fiance, Johnny, on the other hand prefers to open gifts until the day of the birthday or holiday or at least get fairly close. So, imagine my surprise when Johnny wanted to give me my birthday presents super early. Our birthdays are one week apart from each other in June and this was an excellent development for me because I had been dying to give him his gifts!
Earlier in May, Johnny gifted me with an amazing standing makeup holder for all of my bits and baubles. And, this past week, he gave me my main gift… the original Paper Mario for the Nintendo 64!
For our one year anniversary, Johnny got me Paper Mario: The Origami King for the Nintendo Switch and this past Valentine’s Day, he gifted me with Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door for the GameCube. Can you tell what one of my favorite video games is? To complete my collection, I needed the Paper Mario for the N64 and I also need the one for the Nintendo 3DS. With my early birthday prezzie, I am one step closer to having all of the Paper Mario games and I am eager to give my new (old) one a try as I have never played it.
Time and time again, I am blown away by Johnny’s thoughtfulness more than anything on gift giving occasions. Whenever we give each other presents, it always seems to be exactly what we both wanted. This shows me that we are actually listening to each other when we talk and that is the best gift of all. Johnny is such fun to shop for and he received some Legend Of Zelda Amiibos as well as a blazer from his favorite website, Phix, for his birthday. Nothing was better than seeing the look on his face when he opened them and I can’t wait for a lifetime of birthdays and holidays with him. ❤
What is your favorite video game? Who is your favorite person to shop for? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah
Hello!!!! This past weekend was an awesome one because I went to my first movie in theaters since 2019! I went to see Demon Slayer The Movie: Mugen Train with my brother, Andrew, and brother in law, Ramon, for part of Andrew’s birthday celebrations and it was absolutely amazing! Andrew introduced me to the anime, Demon Slayer, during the pandemic and I have been dying for more ever since finishing season one. So, you can only imagine my excitement when Mugen Train was set to come out in theaters, showing the in between of seasons one and two.
After much planning around busy schedules, we were finally able to see the Demon Slayer movie at a local Cinemark and it was so wonderful being back in a movie theater after so long. I was able to order our tickets online and once your purchase is made, it blocks anyone from buying seats next to you and it made me feel really comfortable and I appreciated all of their excellent COVID precautions. I also really appreciated the nachos from the snack bar! 😀
Now, without giving any spoilers away, let’s talk about this flick:
^^^ And, as always, I have no rights to this video!
Demon Slayer The Movie: Mugen Train begins where season one left off with Tanjiro, Zenitsu, and Inosuke boarding the Mugen Train. Along with Tanjiro’s demon sister, Nezuko, safely in tow in her travel box, of course. Many passengers have disappeared on the train, which can only point to demon activity. So, the boys are instructed to meet up with the Fire Hashira, MISTER RENGOKU, and defeat the demon that is causing so much catastrophe. They are in for a long, hard fight because while incredibly badass, Enmu who is Lower Rank One of the Twelve Kizuki, uses some pretty insane Blood Demon Art that puts her opponents to sleep.
Not only do you get to explore the train and its surroundings outside with our heroes but you also get a glimpse into their dreams as well, thanks to the sleep induced by Enmu. The dreams of Mister Rengoku, Tanjiro, Zenitsu, and Inosuke gives you a better understanding of their past and shows you their deepest desires. The only catch is that once you are asleep, you can’t wake up!
Once Tanjiro figures out how to get himself out of the dreaming world, it is ON and the action that follows is nonstop until the movie is over because another member of the Twelve Kizuki shows up for good measure. Will the Demon Slayers be able to stop Enmu in her tracks on the train? Are they getting closer to finally defeating Kibutsuji? And just how many people are going to die in this process? See Demon Slayer The Movie: Mugen Train to find out!
The Demon Slayer movie was an incredible ride and I didn’t want it to end, even though it was just about two hours long. It was so jam packed with action and information that it could have gone on for another two hours and I would have been happy. The movie gave you such a sense of claustrophobic urgency because they were limited to the interior of the train full of passengers for a while and fatalities seemed eminent. Once the fighting started on the train top, all of my tension was released and all I could feel was adrenaline as I rooted for the Demon Slayers. Like I said, it was quite a ride.
The story line of Mugen Train was excellent but the beautiful animation is what really drove it home for me. The colors, scenery, and sometimes hilarious facial expressions are so visually appealing and it was nothing short of a delight to watch. In fact, my favorite part of the movie was Enmu of the Twelve Kizuki because she was amazing to look at and I felt disappointed every time a scene with her in it ended. I loved her menswear inspired outfit, facial markings, hair, and her walking hand with a mouth and eye of its own. Her Blood Demon Art of gifting people with sweet dreams or endless nightmares was also very cool.
Demon Slayer The Movie: Mugen Train is a must see for anime fans and I am sure it will blow you away, as it did for me. I am awarding this movie with the prestigious ten out of ten star rating and I cannot wait for season two to be released!
What is your favorite anime? What is the last movie that you saw in theaters? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah
Hello! Johnny and I are both avid video gamers and have been looking forward to the release of Pokemon Snap on the Nintendo Switch for months. In fact, Johnny, myself, and my brother were literally counting down the days as the release date grew closer! I am about to age myself significantly, but I can remember renting Pokemon Snap for the Nintendo 64 from Blockbuster in my youth and have fond memories of playing it with my siblings.
Pokemon Snap for the Switch came out a few weeks ago on April thirtieth and it took me a while to finally play it. Johnny and I got the second shot of the Moderna vaccine on the twenty-ninth and we were both hit hard with side effects the following day. While Johnny played it for an hour or so, the nausea I was experiencing would not have sat well with the forward motion of the game as you cruise through different landscapes.
I was so eager to play our new game and trust and believe that as soon as I felt better it was ON! Johnny and I have already played Pokemon Snap for hours on end and are close to beating the main story line. In Pokemon Snap, you are basically a wildlife photographer for Pokemon and can make them pose and interact by playing music or throwing fruit and Pokeballs. As you gain experience and take more pictures, different levels and landscapes are unlocked and you never will play a course the same way twice.
Every time Johnny and I get to a good stopping point, it seems like we discover something new and it makes Snap so hard to put down because it’s exciting to see what will happen next. There is an abundance of courses to explore ranging from jungles and parks to caves, the beach, and snowy mountains as well as the opportunity to photograph during the day or nighttime. I am partial to the beach and jungle, myself, but each course is equally fun and unique in its own way.
The new landscapes to explore are, of course, insanely cool but my favorite part of the game is how the Pokemon activity changes as you level up. The higher your level gets in a location, the more Pokemon will appear to photograph as well as the option to take your vehicle on different routes. There’s nothing better than exploring a brand new location or level and seeing all of the new Pokemon to snap pics of for the first time. However, it can be a bit overwhelming because I always want to see absolutely everything in one go!
As soon as Johnny and I get home from work and have dinner, we have been playing Pokemon Snap until we wind down with a TV show and go to bed. We pass the controller off once the course is complete and for the entire level, we our constantly exclaiming our signature Snap catchphrases of “Woahhhhh!”, “That was a good one!”, and “Did you see that?!”
Pokemon Snap will hit you right in the nostalgia and it is both relaxing and extremely exciting at the same time. I can’t wait till my shift is over today so I can play more! 😀
What do you think of the new Pokemon Snap? What is your favorite Pokemon? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah
Hello! When we’re not making preparations for our wedding, Johnny and I have been enjoying lots of new games and TV shows in our downtime. Once we are both home from work and dinner is made, we like to spend our evenings with video games or laughing hysterically to old and new favorite shows. We’ve been super into the following:
Stupid Deaths:
Johnny and I purchased the party game Stupid Deaths on one of our date days and I finally had the chance to play it with a lot of people when my brother and his family visited from Georgia. It was so much fun and super easy. The point of the game is to vote on if a unique death read from a card actually happened or not and to avoid the Grim Reaper on the board. Stupid Deaths was a hit with my whole family and, despite Johnny and I being downright awful at it, it was a blast and is sure to be a hit for your next game night. I want to buy Stupid Criminals next!
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe:
Johnny recently purchased Mario Kart 8 Deluxe for the Switch and it quickly became our new favorite video game to play together. The race tracks are awesome, the character and car selection is massive, and the battle games are a hoot too! I consider myself to be highly proficient at Mario Kart 64 and Double Dash but Johnny gives me a run for my money every time we play Deluxe. It’s fun to get competitive and the first time we played it, we raced for four hours straight without even realizing it. Time flies when you’re having fun. 😀
The Promised Neverland:
While I am still looking forward to seeing the Demon Slayer movie in theaters, my attention has turned to a new anime as per my brother’s suggestion called The Promised Neverland. I just started season two and it is EXCELLENT. I can’t say much about it without giving the major surprise of the first episode away but it is a dark, fast paced show that is both gorgeous and exciting to watch. I have never seen anything like it and I just adore the kids whom the show revolves around. I have to laugh because, for the most part, I can’t stand child actors but anime children are just fine by me lol!
Schitt’s Creek:
My brother, Peter, and his wife, Megan, highly recommend Schitt’s Creek when they visited so Johnny and I decided to give it a try and I am so glad we did. It is absolutely hilarious and we were in stitches minutes into the first episode. We have only watched three episodes so far and I am itching for more. Eugene Levy and his son Daniel as well as the incomparable Catherine O’Hara are a match made in comedy heaven and it’s a trip to watch an uber rich family gone broke try to make it in the not so glamorous real world.
Ever since Daniel Levy’s amazing Saturday Night Live debut, Johnny and I have been interested in watching Schitt’s Creek. Peter and Megan’s recommendation was just the push we needed to begin watching what I have a feeling will be our new favorite comedy.
What have you been watching recently? How do you like to spend your evenings? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah
Hi! In pandemic times, there has been nothing better than finishing up the day’s work and sinking into the couch to watch TV or play video/board games with Johnny. Whether together or separately, we have been watching a lot of feel good shows lately… Minus one insane documentary we watched on Hulu! Let’s discuss:
Superstore:
Johnny and I are huge fans of Superstore and, although we are both saddened by the show’s completion about a month ago, we agreed that it ended on a really solid note. We looked forward to new episodes every week and miss it so much that we just decided to watch it in its entirety again. Superstore is an amazing show to try out if you are looking for a laugh and every character is funny in their own way. My favorite characters are Dina, Marcus, and Glenn and Johnny freaking loves Sandra lol!
My 600 Lb. Life:
When Johnny is at band practice, I normally settle in with Animal Crossing and an episode or two of My 600 Lb. Life. This has been one of my favorite shows for years and if you’re friends with me on Facebook, then you know I am constantly posting about it! Dr. Now is my freaking hero and My 600 Lb. Life really inspires me when someone succeeds in their weight loss journey. I spend each episode rooting for the patient and it makes me proud to see people trying to turn their lives around for the better.
One Punch Man:
My brother gives me lots of great suggestions for animes to watch and while I continue to look forward to season two of Demon Slayer, I have been working on finishing One Punch Man. I am currently halfway through season two and really enjoy it! Although it is not as dark as Castlevania or Demon Slayer, I like the Dragon Ball Z-esque vibes that it gives off with all of the insane monsters and fighting and I am obsessed with cool as a cucumber Saitama. He is so funny! I plan on watching Death Note or The Promised Neverland once I am all done with One Punch Man.
Shrek 1 & 2:
I have actually never seen the other movies in the Shrek franchise and that’s fine because the first and second movies are my favorite and that is enough for me. This past month, I watched both Shrek one and two and laughed just as hard as I did when seeing it for the first time. My dad took me and my siblings to the first Shrek in theaters and we all loved the Shrek 3D ride at Universal Studios so I have a lot of happy memories attached to both movies. Shrek never gets old and the soundtracks simply slay!
Q: Into The Storm:
Q: Into The Storm is a documentary on QAnon that aired on HBO and is currently on Hulu. Johnny really likes documentaries and wanted to check it out because he heard it was crazy so down the rabbit hole we fell. Other than very basic knowledge, I knew absolutely nothing about QAnon and Into The Storm was an investigative piece on who Q might be.
This documentary legitimately gave me nightmares and I had to shield my eyes and cover my ears during a fair amount of it. It is not for the faint of heart in any way shape or form but it was highly educational and eye opening because I really had no idea about any of it. After having watched it, I never want to hear anything on the subject again and trust and believe I had to watch like ten episodes of Superstore to get myself back to baseline once the six part series was finished.
What have you been watching recently? Which TV shows or movies do you recommend? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah
Hello! Prior to our engagement outing and day date this past weekend, Johnny and I have not been out in public together since the beginning of October of last year. So, needless to say, they were both very exciting days for us! Prior to the pandemic, Johnny and I were out and about in downtown Kent constantly. Whether it was for games or trivia night, dinner dates, or when Johnny’s band was playing a show – we always seemed to have plans.
Last weekend when Johnny suggested we go to Off The Wagon, a specialty toy shop in Kent, I thought it was a great idea. He recently had a huge haul of board games from there and wanted to pick some more out with me. Not only did we get to run into some of our friends who I haven’t seen since last year but we also picked out a new party and word game. I have a feeling we will be the hosts with the most when it is safe enough to have a game night again! Check it out:
Unfortunately, when purchasing these games we both didn’t quite realize that they were meant to be played with more than two people. Lol, WHOOPS! But that’s okay because I think they are going to be a hit among our friend group. Johnny and I played a few rounds of Stupid Deaths together and it’s a party game where you decide if a unique manner of death actually happened or not, all while avoiding the Grim Reaper on the board. The deaths cover a vast period of time and some were well known while others I genuinely had no idea if it was true or false. It was really fun even with just me and Johnny and we want to get the game Stupid Criminals by the same company next!
Concept is a word game that you play on teams. You have to use tiles with pictures of different adjectives to create a clue of whatever word or phrase you have for your partner. Johnny and I are both very fond of word games, however, we probably wouldn’t have bought this one had we read the box better and realized that it was a team game! I can definitely picture playing this with my siblings and their partners, though, so no harm no foul.
The next game we have our eyes on is a cooperative adventure game based off of Stephen King’s The Shining. We would have purchased this one without a question but you need at least three players. Trust and believe we will be buying it as soon as we’re comfortable with game nights again!
What is your favorite board game? How about your favorite party game? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah
Hello! A few weeks ago, Johnny surprised me with a bunch of board games for us to play together and the last one in his haul arrived in the mail earlier this week. We have been having such a good time playing something other than Diablo III nonstop and are especially partial to the adventure board game, Horrified. Clearly, we enjoy more intense gaming options but that doesn’t mean we don’t like silly games too – and the latest addition to our board game collection definitely falls under that category! Check it out:
Johnny and I are both huge Seinfeld fans and after purchasing Seinfeld Clue, he couldn’t not get the Festivus board game! Lol, Johnny and I were both in stitches just from the box and the directions. We have yet to play it because we think it would be better with more people but are excited to try it out during future game nights with our friends. As the box states several times, it really is a Festivus miracle and has inspired Johnny and I to get our own Festivus pole come the holiday season.
When we’re not saving our village from movie monsters in Horrified, Johnny has just started helping me with The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. I spent my childhood watching my siblings play Zelda games and while I have tried playing a few, I have never beaten one. Johnny, on the other hand, has beat them all several times and promised me he would guide me through Ocarina of Time when we inherited our friend’s Nintendo 64 and all of his old games. I’m still getting the hang of it and I am so glad to have Johnny’s expertise every step of the way.
Finally, I just beat Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door which Johnny got me for Valentine’s Day. In my youth, I rented this game from the video store but couldn’t beat the final boss so I was thrilled to reign supreme well over a decade later lol. The Thousand Year Door was such fun to play and I can’t wait to get the N64 Paper Mario so I can have the complete collection!
What is your favorite board game? How about your favorite video game? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah
Hi! I bet none of you knew before my recent post about my old school phone that I was using such an outdated model. Meanwhile, I am constantly getting comments on it whenever people notice it in public in my neck of the woods! I am very open on both my blog and Facebook page (Sarah Mushenheim) about all of my little quirks and favorite things but I’m sure there are many that I have overlooked. So, today, I am going to share some Random Lil Red Fun Facts that you might not have known before:
My favorite fast food restaurant on planet Earth is and will always be Taco Bell forever and ever, Amen.
I am a Diet Coke fiend and I always have to have it in my apartment.
I never don’t want to watch America’s Next Top Model and freaking love Tyra Banks even though she butchered hosting on Dancing With The Stars.
I used to despise listening to the radio a few years back but now I keep fairly up to date on all of the top forty hits. My current favorite is Dua Lipa – I loved watching her perform on Saturday Night Live!
It’s no secret that I am a die hard TJMaxx Maxxinista and my favorite thing to shop for is definitely shoes. Mainly because you don’t have to worry about them not fitting when you online shop lol.
I worked retail for a good four and a half years as well as participated in theater throughout high school and my early twenties. I still have dreams to this day that I am running late to open up the clothing store I worked at or have forgotten all of my lines before a big show.
I have worked in the care field for people with special needs for over five years now and enjoy my job so much!
I am a really organized and clean person. However, there are just some chores that I freaking hate doing – taking out the trash and cleaning the bathroom, blegh.
Saying I am obsessed with soup is a severe understatement and I will crave a big bowl of French Onion even in the summertime. Don’t even get me started on minestrone, tomato, broccoli cheddar, cauliflower cheese, butternut squash, and lentil soup… The list goes on!
My boyfriend is currently on a huge Popeye’s kick and, I kid you not, just ordered it four times in one week lol. Their biscuits are heaven on Earth. ❤
The things I miss the most during the pandemic include figure skating, seeing family and friends regularly, and going to see my boyfriend play shows with The Outside Voices.
My blog will have its seven year anniversary in September!
What are some fun facts about you? Do you have any questions for me? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah
Hey! So yesterday, we discussed various forms of my lock down entertainment but I left out one major talking point in the TV section. I had just watched the Netflix documentary, Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel and it was all news to me. Despite the Elisa Lam story apparently being huge in 2013, I had no idea about any of it – the haunting viral video, the dark past of the Cecil Hotel (American Horror Story even based Hotel off of The Cecil!), and all of the conspiracy theories of what could have happened to Elisa even though her death was ruled an accident.
Because I had no past recollection of the Elisa Lam story, I devoured the four part under four hour long documentary in one evening. It took me a while to digest all of the information because the “elevator” video was playing on a loop in my head. However, after thinking about it for a few days, there is still something about the Elisa Lam story that just doesn’t sit well with me. At the end of the day, we have no firm idea of what her last few days were like which makes the case feel severely lacking in closure. I don’t believe in any of the far fetched conspiracies about the case but I have a feeling that the management of the Cecil Hotel knew more than they were letting on. The hotel manager didn’t seem particularly trustworthy to me and she had an extremely defensive standpoint throughout the documentary.
Speaking of conspiracies, I thought that this documentary focused way too much on them. I was completely shocked to learn at the very end of The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel of Elisa Lam’s struggle with her mental health as well as her family’s confirmation of it. Instead of starting a conversation about mental health, the documentary almost encouraged the Internet Sleuth sensation while only briefly glazing over a life that these “detectives” ruined – Pablo Vergara’s. Elisa Lam’s story just felt like it got added in after the fact.
This is the third documentary that I have watched recently on Netflix and I can’t say that I have been very impressed with any of them. Each documentary has just had so much extra crap muddled in that I feel like it doesn’t do the actual story any justice. While the first two episodes of Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel were really gripping and informative the remaining two indulged heavily in conspiracy theories which was a missed opportunity for more meaningful conversation.
What are your thoughts on the Elisa Lam story? What was the last documentary you watched? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah
Hi! My lock down entertainment has mostly consisted of watching movies and TV and playing video games with Johnny as well as practicing Duolingo and reading at my leisure. Prior to the pandemic, Johnny and I already had a majority of the available streaming services and I was thankful for all of them then and I’m even more thankful for them now because we will never hurt for something to watch! Here is the latest of what we have been enjoying lately:
TV Shows:
Johnny has currently been making his way through a couple of Ken Burns documentaries and if I don’t feel like watching, then I might pop on an anime on my computer. Johnny and I recently watched Castlevania on Netflix and, despite season three not being the best, it was overall really good. My brother recommended Parasyte and Demon Slayer to me and I absolutely loved Parasyte and finished it in a matter of days! I am now working my way through Demon Slayer and plan on giving Death Note a try next.
When we are not watching our shows separately, Johnny and I love tuning into the new episodes of Last Week Tonight With John Oliver, Superstore, and Saturday Night Live every week. We also just binged The Mandalorian in a week! I am absolutely obsessed with The Child and already can’t wait for season three. Since The Office has been taken off of Netflix, we are watching King Of The Hill as our comedy and I am absolutely obsessed with Bobby too, lol. I am also very much looking forward to Netflix’s Sandman series which should be coming out at the end of 2021!
PS: For my fellow French speakers, La Mante on Netflix was excellent. 🙂
Movies:
Johnny and I really haven’t been watching too many movies lately. We watched Mad Max: Fury Road on Valentine’s Day at Johnny’s request and it was whatever, haha. It was just a two hour long car chase! Other than that, we watched Casablanca a few weeks ago which was fun because I had never seen it and Johnny has only saw it once. Trust and believe we said “we’ll always have Paris” like five hundred times while Johnny built his LEGO Paris skyline set. Obviously, we thought it was pretty funny lol!
Other than that, I watched a couple of French movies on Netflix in the past few months and both of them were awesome! If you like foreign films, then definitely check out Mon Frere and The Most Assassinated Woman In The World.
Reading:
The last book that I read was The Wrong Family by Tarryn Fisher which was not only crazy AF but fairly disturbing. I definitely needed a palette cleanser after that so I am just in the process of finishing The Authenticity Project by Clare Pooley. It is a charming, weaving tale of how one little book ended up bringing together a group of unlikely friends. I only have a little over one hundred pages left so be on the lookout for a new edition of Lil Red’s Book Club soon.
Duolingo:
On my last Duolingo update, I had just reached my one hundred day streak and I am currently past one twenty-five. I am so proud of my commitment to learning French, Italian, Spanish, German, and Czech as well as all of the progress that I have been making because I can definitely tell a difference. I also still can’t recommend Duolingo Plus enough. It is so nice to have unlimited hearts during a difficult lesson and also ad free which speeds up the process immensely.
Video Games:
For Valentine’s Day, Johnny got me Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door for the GameCube and I have been having so much fun playing it! I have been on a huge Mario kick during the pandemic and beat Paper Mario: The Origami King and Super Mario Galaxy which were both a blast. I have basically dropped off of Animal Crossing but will pop back on once they do an update for spring. You can only catch the same fish and bugs so much, ya know? Johnny and I play a lot of Diablo III together and we are also about to inherit our friend’s Nintendo 64 so we are really looking forward to that!
While going out would be nice, it’s just not safe right now. But you know what is nice for me? Ample time to watch all of the shows I never had time for, read all the books, and improve on my favorite hobbies – all while helping slow the spread of COVID-19. Enjoy your time in and make the most of it!
What has been your lock down entertainment? Which streaming service do you use the most? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah
lifewithlilred 