Tag Archives: family

Jan1

Happy New Year!

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Happy New Year!

Hello everyone and happy happy New Year!! I hope all of you are having a wonderful time ringing in 2017! I, for one, am so excited to push 2016 aside and begin a fresh new year both in my life and here on lifewithlilred. Despite the excitement and anticipation that comes with entering into a new year, I am pretty bad at celebrating it because I NEVER make New Year’s Resolutions!

Lol, I guess I figure that if I want to do something like exercise more or lose a couple of pounds, I will do it when I feel like it as opposed to feeling obligated to doing it for the new year. Instead, I just try to focus my energy on things like *trying* to be a nice, well rounded person while dedicating myself to things like my work, family, pets, volunteer work, and friends.

But, no matter which way you cut it, I think we all can agree that the new year is a perfect time to make improvements. Whether you’re about to hit the gym or stop binge drinking every Friday, Saturday, and Wednesday the new year is the time to bring about healthy changes and a new perspective in your life. For 2017, I encourage my beloved readers and blogging family to practice kindness to everyone that they encounter to do their share in making the world a somewhat more tolerable place! 🙂

Happy 2017, everyone! Enjoy the rest of the holiday season and your new year’s celebrations and also: BYE 2016, ya bish. What is your New Year’s Resolution for 2017? What was your favorite or least favorite part about 2016 (or both!)? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Now, enjoy some new year’s themed music by a few of my faves:

Dec29

This Guide Will Help You To Create A Kid Friendly Kitchen

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If you have kids, allowing them to help you in the kitchen can have so many benefits. They’ll learn a ton of new skills, have fun, and you’ll both get to bond. However, if you’re going to do this, you need to make sure your kitchen is kid friendly. This guide will help you to create the perfect kid friendly kitchen:

Add A Bright Color: Adding a bright color to the kitchen will make it a lively and more fun place to be for kids. That doesn’t mean that they can’t have fun in a neutral kitchen. You could always use patterns and things to make it pop for them instead. Just remember, you can still have a classy kitchen suitable for adults while making it look fun for kids too. It doesn’t need to look like a play room!

Try Kid Sized Furniture: If you like, you could include a few pieces of child sized furniture. If you like having little helpers in the kitchen and they enjoy helping you, getting them a suitable work surface could actually be a great addition to your kitchen.

Consider Creating A ‘Kid’s Area’: If you do consider adding kid sized furniture, you could always think about making a complete ‘kid’s area’ if you have the room. This could include a blackboard and other accessories that they can use.

Include Fun Accessories: There are so many cool accessories that you can include in the kitchen to make it more fun for kids. How about bright coasters, chopping boards, and other chef kitchen decor? You could also include dress up aprons, tea towels, pastel colored utensils, and so much more!

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Flickr Image

Keep Things Organized: Keeping things organized is key if you want to know where everything is, and this will teach your kids to be organized, too. There are lots of ways you can do this. Some people like to make extra use of their cabinets by sticking hooks and things to the inside of the door so that they can hang extra utensils. Not only will this help your kids to become more self sufficient in the kitchen, but it will also teach them the important skills of staying organized and putting things back where they belong.

Lock Away Dangerous Substances: Make sure that you lock away dangerous substances, either in a high up cabinet or with a sturdy lock. If they’re old enough, you should explain to them why they shouldn’t touch these products. It’s all too easy to mistake a colorful bleach bottle for a tasty drink when you’re a child. You should also make sure that it isn’t easy for them to get their hands on lighters, matches, sharp knives, and scissors.

Child Proof Sharp Corners: Make sure that you also take the steps to child proof any sharp corners in the room to avoid injuries. When kids are a certain height, they could very well cut their head open or damage their eyes on a sharp corner. Teach them not to climb up onto high surfaces either and that you don’t give them an easy way to do it!

Dec25

Merry Christmas!!

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Merry Christmas!!

Hello everyone and a Merry Merry Christmas to all of you!! I hope that you guys have a wonderful day celebrating or doing whatever it is that you do today. No matter what holiday you celebrate, my wish is that you have a joyous holiday season with your friends and loved ones. I am SO excited to give all of my gifts to their recipients because I have literally been waiting ALL MONTH to do so! I am also really looking forward to ringing in the New Year with all of you here on lifewithlilred.

I am keeping this Christmas post short and sweet so that you can get back to going about your day so I will talk to all of you later. Remember that you are each so special to me and please accept a big, virtual holiday hug from me to you! What was in your holiday haul? How do you celebrate the holiday season? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!

Dec22

How To Save Time While Keeping Your Garden In Tip Top Condition

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How To Save Time While Keeping Your Garden In Tip Top Condition

Garden maintenance is probably the last thing on your mind at this time of the year. With Christmas just around the corner, you’re probably far too busy buying presents and ingredients for the big day. However, now is the best time to start thinking about your garden because you’ll have to start working on it in the spring. We’ve come up with some excellent tips that could help you to save a lot of time and money. So, don’t stress too much when you think about how long you’ll have to spend outdoors. It’s possible to make sure that your garden is in tip top condition without spoiling your weekend or breaking the bank!

Get a Brand New Mower From a Local Retailer: There are hundreds of different lawn mowers available on the market today. If you’ve had your model for more than a couple of years, then you need to purchase something new. The motor will have deteriorated and the blades will have become blunt. That means that it will take a lot longer than it should to cut the grass. It says at http://www.lawnmowerlane.com/honda-variable-speed-lawnmower/ that Honda makes the best products around at the moment. You just need to read reviews and perform some research to ensure that you don’t make the wrong decision. Mowers are expensive, so you don’t want to waste your moolah.

Get the Entire Family Involved: When all is said and done, you are not the only person living on your property. So, it makes sense for you to get the whole family involved when it comes to garden maintenance. There is no reason why your children can’t help to rake the leaves or remove some weeds. It will get them away from their computer screens for a while, and that can only be a good thing. Also, many hands make light work. You could have the job complete in a matter of hours if you can convince your family to assist. Maybe you could offer to treat them to a special day out for their efforts? Sometimes there’s nothing wrong with bribery to make the job go by faster!!

Call the Experts: If you want to save as much time as possible, then the best thing that you can do is call in the big guns. Whether you need HEDGE TRIMMING SERVICES or a full fledged landscaping makeover, there are lots of professional firms willing to undertake the work. They charge a fee for their services, but it’s not usually too expensive. Taking that action would allow you to stop worrying and relax on your days off. Journalists at http://www.nytimes.com/1993/08/12/garden/hired-hands-in-the-garden say lots of people choose that option. It’s convenient and people working in the industry know how to achieve fast results.

Use the suggestions from this page to remove all of the headaches from gardening in 2017. Who knows? With a bit of luck, you might have everything sorted in time for when the weather improves. That means you could start hosting outdoor parties and BBQs again without having to complete any gardening tasks for the occasion. At the end of the day, you can make the work as easy as you want. It all depends on how much cash you’re willing to spend.

Featured Image By: Flickr

Dec20

Christmas Countdown Questionnaire

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Christmas Countdown Questionnaire

Hi everyone and happy Tuesday! I hope that all of you are having a wonderful start to your week. With Christmas being just around the corner in a whopping five days, I thought that it would be fun if we all answered some holiday season related questions and see how everyone is faring during this super festive time of year. Feel free to reblog this post and find out how your readers would answer these questions! You are also more than welcome to add questions of your own or change any of mine – I promise I won’t be offended! 😉

Holiday Q & A:

  1. What is on your holiday wish list this year?
  2. What is your favorite seasonal food or drink?
  3. Are you an early or late holiday shopper?
  4. On a scale of 1 to 10, how good of a gift wrapper are you?
  5. Best present you’ve ever received?
  6. How about the worst?
  7. Do you prefer shopping in store or online?
  8. What holiday are you celebrating this season?
  9. Who is the hardest person on your list to shop for?
  10. What is a gift that you would like this year but will never in a million years receive?

My Answers:

  1. My holiday wish list is usually the same every year – moolah and makeup! I love when I can get a full restock of my favorite beauty essentials on Christmas. It may seem kind of boring, but my beauty must haves are things that I use daily and run out of quickly so having a few extra on back stock is a godsend!
  2. I LOVE Christmas dinner, which is typically the same as Thanksgiving dinner! So stuffing, mashed potatoes, yams and all of the vegetarian side dishes are my faves. I don’t really have a favorite holiday drink but I do enjoy treating myself to a Peppermint Mocha from Starbucks at least once during the winter.
  3. I am a very early holiday shopper! I was done buying and wrapping presents by early December and I am so happy for it. Shopping any later would give me anxiety!
  4. I would say that I am a 4 when it comes to holiday gift wrapping. I start out strong but then by gift number three, I think that a toddler could wrap better than I can.
  5. Hmm…last year my mom got me a gorgeous new coat from Target that I had my eyes on for forever and I freaking love that thing so much.
  6. I can’t really think of the worst present that I have ever received – that’s what gift receipts are for!
  7. Online holiday shopping is a must for me. I honestly can’t remember the last time that I did a majority of my Christmas shopping at the mall or wherever. Almost all of my shopping was done on Amazon and it made all of my Christmas purchases a breeze.
  8. My family celebrates Christmas but as a nonbeliever, I am only there for the food and the presents!
  9. MY SISTER IS SO HARD TO SHOP FOR. You would think that she would be one of the easiest but that has never been the case. My sister is very specific when it comes to things that she does and doesn’t like. That’s why I usually have to opt for gift cards or booze for her!
  10. An all expenses paid trip to Europe, duh. 🙂

How would you answer some of the questions on my Christmas Countdown Questionnaire? How does your family ring in the holiday season? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec16

Graduation Pictures!

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Graduation Pictures!

Hi everyone and TGIF!! Yesterday was my big day – I graduated from college!! If you don’t already know, I just got my Associate of Arts degree from Cuyahoga Community College. The graduation ceremony was last night and it was great! It was barely over an hour, too, which was especially nice because I much prefer short and sweet over something long and drawn out. My (almost) entire family came out to watch me strut across the stage but unfortunately my dad was really sick and couldn’t make it. Luckily, there are some great pictures and videos to show him, including some of these:

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Walking across the stage to shake hands, kiss some babies, and get my diploma was freaking awesome. AND I was magna cum laude or however you spell it so that’s pretty cool, too! There will definitely be more pictures to come from the ceremony because they had a professional photographer taking pictures and I know he snapped some good ones!

Now, I have my graduation party to look forward to tomorrow! In the afternoon I will have an open house style get together at my home for my family, Special Olympics students, and some former teachers. Then, in the evening my friends and I will go to my favorite bar, the Cashmere Cricket, for some drinks and some good old fashioned white girl wasted tom foolery. I CAN’T WAIT!! I haven’t had a day dedicated just for me in a long time so it is going to be a lot of fun to bask in the glory of being a genius college graduate for the day!

I hope everyone has an amazing weekend and a fabulous day today! How did you celebrate your high school or college graduation? What drink(s) should I get tomorrow night to celebrate? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec14

The Guests Are Coming: Last Minute Christmas Preparations

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The Guests Are Coming: Last Minute Christmas Preparations

There’s a point in December when you suddenly realize that you’re running out of time. Only a week ago you were telling your friends, rather smugly, that you’ve finished your Christmas shopping and are well ahead of the game. But you still have the food shopping to do, the Christmas Day meal to prepare, and your guests are due to arrive. It’s all a bit stressful. Take a deep breath and follow these last minute preparations:

Make A List: Make a list of everything you have to do between now and Christmas. Work out what can be delegated and get other family members involved. You can’t do everything yourself, and you shouldn’t have to. Are there any tasks that could, at a pinch, be completed after your guests arrive? For example, last minute wrapping, etc.? If so, move these items to the bottom of the list and start with the more pressing issues.

Comfort: Is everything in place to ensure everyone’s comfort during the holiday? Is the house warm enough? Do you need to bleed the radiators? Do you have adequate seating? If not, consider investing in some giant bean bags. Check the dimensions of the room and find the perfect sized bean bag for you. Find it at Fombag or other retailers. Also, ensure that you have adequate dining room chairs.

Food: You should also get the big food shop out of the way before your guests arrive. You don’t want to leave them to their own devices and then head off to the shops. Try to find a quiet time to do this and avoid the crowds. Late at night or early morning often works well.

Have you catered to all tastes and dietary requirements? If you’re entertaining new guests such as new girlfriends, husbands, etc., check whether they have any specific dietary requirements. You don’t want to find out that your mother’s new partner is vegetarian just as you’re serving the turkey.

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 So cute!

Guest Bedroom: Is your spare room ready to receive your guests? Temporarily relocate any large storage items such as furniture, boxes, and exercise equipment. Dust and vacuum thoroughly. Strip the bed and make it with fresh linen. Clear a space in the closet for hanging clothes and storing shoes, etc. A carefully placed string of fairy lights will provide some festive cheer. Leave some spare towels for your guests and ensure that the bathroom is adequately stocked (and clean!).

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 Love the lights!

A Warm Welcome: Provide a warm welcome to your visitors by paying attention to the front of the house and entrance. Clear any leaves and debris from the yard and wash the front door and windows. A Christmas wreath and string lights will add a little Christmas cheer. Ensure the hallway is also welcoming. Remove any clutter and make it as easy as possible for guests to enter with suitcases and boxes of gifts. Add garlands to banisters and decorate the walls.

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Love these little guys!

All’s that’s left is to put the kettle on or mull some wine. Then you can sit back and enjoy the Christmas tree lights and wait for the doorbell to ring. AND THEN OPEN PRESENTS!!!!!!

Featured Image By: Pixabay

Dec13

Become A Healthier Mom To Your Kids By Doing The Following 3 Things

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It’s so important for moms to follow good health habits because once you have a child, you are a role model to them. So everything you do, they will keep a note of. And unless you want your kids to fall into bad habits, you need to cut yours now. And being healthier is essential so that you can be around your child for longer. Here are three things you should do to become a healthier mom to your kids:

Follow a Healthy Diet: When you are busy looking after children, it’s easy to end up eating a poor diet. It could be a struggle to find a chance to make a healthy dinner for your family so you might opt for unhealthy meals which are full of fat. But if you are constantly eating bad food, you might end up putting on weight. And being overweight could cause you to have heart problems in the future. Also, if you are cooking unhealthy meals, you could end up putting your kids’ health at risk, too. It’s essential to follow a healthy diet to ensure you stay a yummy mummy. Have plenty of water a day and consume lots of fruit and vegetables. If you need help regarding your diet, there are plenty of books available online regarding healthy eating. Or your doctor can point you towards a good nutritionist who can advise you on meals.

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 Yummm

Give Up Smoking: It’s a brave and great thing to give up smoking since doing it around the kids is never good. Second-hand smoke has the great potential to harm their lungs. And by smoking, you could end up with a higher risk of lung cancer and heart disease. Unfortunately for a lot of people, the path is never easy to a smoke-free life. Make sure you find some way that you can come off slowly to ensure it’s something you maintain. You might want to opt for nicotine patches or vapor using e liquid to help you cut out the bad habit. And remember to work out why you are smoking. It might mean that you need to cut some stress out of your life to ensure that you don’t pick up the habit again.

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 Wikimedia Image

Exercise Daily: Of course, it can be a challenge to fit in exercise in your everyday life. With childcare being the number one priority, exercise is probably at the bottom of your list. But if you want to stay healthy, it’s a must that you work in some working out. Try and find a work out that you can include your child in, like a walk to the park or swimming at the pool. You can also read our previous blog for other ways to fit exercise into your life.

 And remember to try and cut stress out of your life if you want to be a healthy mommy!

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    Pixabay Image

 

Nov24

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

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Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Hello everyone and happy happy Thanksgiving to everyone!! I’ll keep this post short and sweet because I am sure all of you have some driving, cooking, and HELLA eating to do! I just wanted to wish everyone the happiest of Thanksgivings today and a most wonderful holiday season. All of my readers and blogging friends already know how thankful I am for each and every one of you but I will say it again: I’M THANKFUL FOR EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU. Thank you for always offering me your support, kind words, and friendship!

Have an amazing day and don’t get too down on yourself if you have to unbutton your pants button or add a few more notches to your belt! As always, I plan on going hard this Thanksgiving and hope everyone does the same! What is your favorite Thanksgiving food? What is your favorite holiday tradition? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Nov18

Graduation Countdown!!

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Graduation Countdown!!

Hey everyone and TGIF! According to my handy dandy calendar, I only have TWENTY-SEVEN DAYS LEFT until I graduate. But who’s counting? The answer is ME. I have been literally staring down the clock every day just wishing for time to go by faster so I can tick another day off in my mental countdown. Unfortunately for this Lil Red, time seems to be dragging on for forever during this home stretch period.

I guess this is a good and a bad thing, though. With Christmas just around the corner, it is important for me to incorporate some online or real life holiday shopping into my homework and work schedule. When time really seems to be lagging, I just hop on the computer and check out the latest additions to my normal website stomping grounds. That doesn’t always mean that I’m shopping for other people, though! A combination of boredom and stir craziness always brings me back to sites like ModCloth and TJMaxx so that I can ogle at all things pretty!

I’m glad that this vortex of a twenty-seven day eternity is giving me some time to get my holiday shopping taken care of but, my goodness, I cannot wait for it to be over! Asides from the obvious of the excitement of walking across the stage in the ceremony, I am very excited for my graduation party! My family rarely has get togethers so I am thrilled to be able to host a celebration at my home for little old me!

The afternoon portion of my grad party will take place at Chez Red and will include my family, some former teachers, and my students and their parents from the Special Olympics. Then, in the evening I will be meeting up with my friends at my favorite bar, the Cashmere Cricket! It is going to be such fun, I can’t even handle it. The last get together that I had was for my twenty-second birthday this past summer but prior to that I have literally had nothing so an entire day dedicated to me, me, me is just what I need! (And, don’t tell anyone but I can’t even remember my birthday party so consider my evening out a redo!)

The Graduation Countdown is freaking ON and until it strikes zero, your girl will be freaking out! I hope everyone is having a super fab week and enjoys their weekend. Who has finished their holiday shopping already? What is on your holiday wish list? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah