Tag Archives: favorite

Nov13

SO Excited!!!

Posted on November 13, 2024 by lifewithlilred

Hello!! My favorite place in my neck of the woods has got to be Playhouse Square in Cleveland, hands down. I have seen countless amazing shows there with Johnny, friends, and family and have the fondest memories of each and every visit. Playhouse Square dates with Johnny are something I revel in and I consider our Valentine’s Day date of 2023 to be one of the best. That was when we saw Hadestown together and it skyrocketed into one of our all time favorite musicals.

Since seeing the show at Playhouse Square, we must have said over a million times that we would love to see Hadestown again. As fortune would have it, I received an email from EJ Thomas Hall in Akron for their spring lineup and Hadestown was on the bill. Does EJ Thomas hold a candle to Playhouse Square in terms of overall experience? IE: Venue, theater size, visibility of the stage. Absolutely not. But, I saw Jesus Christ Superstar there and it was a phenomenal effort for what it was. In fact, there were some parts of the show that I liked better than the Playhouse Square production of it that Johnny and I saw. (Also one of the best nights ever!!)

Although EJ Thomas isn’t my preferred venue, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity for Johnny and I to enjoy Hadestown once more. I ordered us our tickets this weekend and scored awesome seats: Smack dab in the middle of the third row on the balcony. The best part? We will be seeing it the week after Valentine’s Day so it will be like a do over of our treasured V-Day date two years prior. This past week, I have been really trying to make space in my schedule for fun and purchasing these tickets was the perfect way to dip my toes in the water. We can’t wait!!

If Hadestown is playing in your area, RUN to go see it. You can thank me later when it becomes your favorite musical too. I am so lucky to be able to see this show twice for Valentine’s Day with my main squeeze!

What is your favorite musical? What is the best date you have ever been on? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Sep21

Fall Family Fun

Posted on September 21, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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Hello!! I am a fall girl through and through. The weather, the fashion, the holidays – it is just the best! Fall is when your favorite elder emo couple thrives because we do not do well in the hot weather whatsoever. Johnny and I both get burned to a crisp and I always end up feeling nauseous from being in the heat too long (medication side effects). As soon as that brisk weather hits, we are ready for all of the activities and it’s even more fun with our families and sweet nieces in tow. Here are some of the outings I hope to have as well as some other ideas too:

Apple Picking:

Apple picking is SO obvious but it needs to be said as it is quite possibly my favorite autumn activity. It truly is a fall staple and there are so many gorgeous orchards in my neck of the woods. Apple picking is such a wholesome outing and there is nothing better than taking a leisurely stroll amongst the trees. If the orchards in your area are similar to mine, there are also sure to be lots of kid friendly attractions too – hay rides, petting zoos, crafts, games, etc. These extra bonuses will make for a day that your whole family, young and old, can enjoy together.

Glass Blowing:

There are several glass blowing studios nearby to me and it is something that I have always wanted to try! Now, especially, because I have seen countless ads on Facebook from said studios offering classes for glass blown pumpkins. While this isn’t an ideal activity for younger kiddos, it would be great for teens or a date night. Johnny and I already have countless pumpkin related Halloween decor but nothing handmade by us so I would love to get a class scheduled and learn something new.

Movie Night:

Johnny and I try to watch as many scary movies as humanly possible during spooky season and we both really look forward to it. Movie nights are simple, yes, but they can be as extra as you wish. You could set up twinkling orange and purple lights and a blanket fort and make all of the treats! A caramel apple station with a variety of topping options will be sure to please. You can also find recipes for mocktails that will look like a bubbling brew and serve them in potion bottles for the full effect. Revisit Disney channel movie classics for younger kiddos or cool claymation flicks like Coraline or Paranorman for your teens!

Decorate:

Mine and Johnny’s main qualm with apartment living is that we don’t have a yard to decorate for Halloween, so please decorate in our honor. This is something that the whole family can pitch in on. Littles could make paper chains, paper bag owls, and paint pictures for the indoors. Older helpers can work outside to create Halloween magic! Set a budget per person, visit local discount stores, and see what you can come up with. Who knows, your house just might be the best decorated one on the block.

Scavenger Hunt:

Speaking of decorations, if your neighborhood or surrounding areas boasts well decorated homes – turn it into a scavenger hunt. Make a list of what you are looking for, grab some travel mugs of hot apple cider, and hit the road to see what you can see. And play the Monster Mash on repeat, obvi! This is the perfect activity for when you just feel like getting out of the house on a chilly night. After your drive, take a superlative style vote for best decorated, scariest, and silliest. You also might get some inspiration for your own home’s decor!

Johnny and I have emerged from our coffins and are ready to enjoy a fun and full fall together and with our families. It really is the happiest time of the year!

What is your favorite fall activity? What are you dressing up as for Halloween? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug7

JC Comics Haul Pt. 2

Posted on August 7, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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Hello! During a visit a few weeks ago to the best comic shop in my neck of the woods, JC’s, I was introduced to a horror series called Nailbiter. It is about solving the mystery of why a small town has a double digit amount of serial killers. The owner of the store convinced me to give it a go with the promise that I would love it. So, I went ahead and purchased Volume One and Two. He was so right because I devoured both volumes and couldn’t wait to return to the store to get volumes three through eight that were special ordered for me. I picked them up this past weekend and cannot wait to sink my teeth into them! Check it out:

I consider myself to be a pretty frugal person. Other than the every few months or so trip to TJMaxx and a meal or two out with Johnny in a month, I really don’t spend much on anything but necessities. This massive haul of the completed set of Nailbiter was a major treat yoself purchase for me and it was a thrill because I don’t do something like this very often. I was SO excited to have the entire collection and I was able to justify buying it all in one fell swoop. I’d much rather have the next volumes in the series readily available as opposed to going back to JC’s every time I need a new one. I have a feeling I’ll be back at the store soon enough once I’m done with the series! 😀

Back in my theater days, I used to love going to bookstores and buying new plays to read. It felt like I was spoiling myself and I remember rushing home to crack open my new purchases. This haul brought me back to that wonderful sense of anticipation when you just know you are about to read something good. These past few months have been trying times for yours truly between the stress of work and life in general and getting back into graphic novels has really given me something to look forward to. I considered my Nailbiter haul as a reward to myself for completing three successful months as Tim Misny’s social media manager and all of the hard work I’ve put in to make this job possible. Nothing says “celebrate” to me like a bagful of books… or new clothes… or shoes. 🙂

Johnny and I are definitely in our treat yoself era. Graphic novels for me and records for him. It is a joy to be able to invest in our hobbies and our time off of work is infinitely more pleasurable because of it!

How do you treat yourself? What is your favorite thing to shop for? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul25

Flower Child OOTD

Posted on July 25, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new OOTD here on lifewithlilred! Today, we’re going to take a look at a look that I wore for a date day with Johnny this past Saturday. We enjoyed lunch with our favorite neighbor and then headed to downtown Cuyahoga Falls to do some shopping at the Jenks Building. The Jenks is a hub for local artists and musicians. It is an eclectic location that offers a little bit of everything and I wanted to dress the part. I admit that I had a case of “styler’s block” when I began creating this look. Then, it came to me in a vision and I am obsessed with the end result! Check it out:

Who? What? Wear?

Crochet Top: Rebellion Again, TJMaxx

Trapeze Pants: Patrons Of Peace, TJMaxx

Lace Up Heels: BCBG, TJMaxx

Butterfly Sunglasses: A Signature Antiques

I think the turquoise cross earrings are from Target!

It is very easy for me to fall into the trap of having “nothing to wear” during the summertime because my wardrobe is more curated to cold weather. When dressing for the summer, my main concern is staying cool while looking cute. However, I can only wear so many shorts and tops combos until I grow bored with it. I was definitely hitting a wall so I really needed to take the time and shop in my own personal boutique for inspiration. Saturday was hot but not unbearably so. With that in mind and expanding my horizons a bit further, my eyes landed on my Patrons Of Peace trapeze pants and I knew we were in business.

I think these pants are just the tops. I love the colors, the pattern, and the way the breezy fabric moves. They are incredibly comfortable and so unique in the sense that these pants could be viewed as a maxi skirt depending on how they lay when you look at me. But what to pair them with? Originally, I started out with a white tank top tucked in and that did nothing for me. This was problematic because a majority of my clothes have some type of color or pattern that would clash with the pants. So, back to my boutique I went.

Before browsing my selection, I took the time to really look at the colors in the patterns of the pants to narrow down my options of what I could wear to accommodate them. Everything I had in jewel or burnt shades wasn’t going to work so I focused on the cream hues of the flowers. This brought me to my crochet top by Rebellion Again and I knew I had a winner. It might not have been a perfect match in color but it was close enough. Just like the pants, this top offered movement. The best part? The flower pattern on both the top and bottom worked in tandem and created a look with a lot of visual interest.

Next, it was onto shoes and accessories. For shoes, I went with a pair of lace up heels by BCBG. They are old as dirt, but I will never part with them as they are highly sentimental. They are one of the first pairs of heels I vividly remember buying at TJMaxx! I wanted a simple pair of shoes since this fit featured top to bottom patterns and they were just right. For accessories, I chose a pair of dangly turquoise crosses for a pop of color. And, of course, this was an ideal outfit to break out my new butterfly sunglasses that I got while antiquing with Johnny. They added some super 70s flare, bonus bling, and were exactly what I needed to complete the look!

My Flower Child OOTD is, easily, one of my favorite looks that I have styled this summer. If I had an entire closet full of clothes like this, maybe I would like summertime styling a bit more!

What is something in your closet that you can’t part with? What are your favorite accessories to shop for? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul22

Lil Red Fun Facts

Posted on July 22, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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Hello! I turned thirty in June and it is so weird to be in a brand new decade. I swear, things that happened literal years ago feel like they just happened yesterday and I know I am technically an adult but I still feel like a teenager! It’s honestly hard to wrap my head around it at times. Despite feeling way younger than I am, my blog is a firm reminder of my age because I started it when I was twenty and will have my ten year blogaversary in September. With that and my new decade in mind, I thought it would be cool to update my fun facts as a freshly turned dirty thirty year old. Let’s get to it:

No Kids For Me:

Johnny and I have been together for over five years now and married for three of them. We get asked ridiculously often if we are ever going to have kids and the answer is still a resounding HARD NO. We are extremely happy with our lives sans children and the desire for parenthood is just not there. However, we are very proud to be the Fun Aunt and Uncle to our nieces and nephew and that is plenty for us. We also love being pet parents to the best bunnies in the whole world, Melvin and Penelope!

The Grind Don’t Stop:

I have been self employed for close to a decade between being an Independent Provider, blog jobs, and social media management. I also recently accepted a job as the social media manager to Tim Misny and it has been amazing! I have an extremely busy schedule, but it is the best kind of busy. I am so lucky to be able to do what I genuinely enjoy every day and it rarely feels like work. I take a lot of pride in the jobs I created for myself and am always excited to see where each work day takes me.

A Few Of My Favorite Things:

My favorite things have really not changed all that much. I am still a horror and true crime aficionado, Mexican and Indian food will always reign supreme, and my days are not complete without a can or two of Diet Coke. The newest addition to my favorites is coffee. It’s not like I didn’t like it before. However, my Keurig perished during the Great Kitchen Flood of 2022 and I never bothered replacing it. For Valentine’s Day this year, Johnny got me a new one and now I don’t know how I survived so long without a morning cup of coffee (or ten lol). My go to KCup is Green Mountain’s French Vanilla and it is my favorite way to kick start the day.

Biggest Wish:

Johnny and I never had a honeymoon and that is definitely my biggest wish. More than anything, we would want a European honeymoon and often talk about all of the adventures we would have. At this point, though, traveling anywhere would be nice! This is easier said than done because Johnny has a normal schedule at his job and limited time off while I make my days up as I go along. Some day we will get to go out and explore the world and I can’t wait!

Guilty Pleasure:

There is nothing better to me than sitting on the couch, putting the TV on, and vegging out. I am obsessed with reality TV and am an avid viewer of basically everything on TLC. Give me ALL of the 90 Day Fiance! My most recent guilty pleasure has got to be Degrassi. I have been rewatching the show from the very beginning and only have two seasons left. Degrassi was mine and my sister’s jam in high school and it is amazing to me how hard the episodes still hit as an adult. I have definitely shed several tears over it and keep going back for more every time I get the chance. This is primarily when Johnny is running errands because he refuses to watch with me lol.

I’m Looking Forward To:

As of now, what I am looking forward to the most is the fall season. I have been over summer since it started and have been manifesting fifty degree days whenever I step foot outside. Fall is my favorite time of year – the fashion, SOUP, weather, and Halloween! Johnny and I already have our costume idea picked out and are planning on Candy Land inspired characters. Lord Licorice for him and a Candy Queen for me. All I need to do is actually find a costume and we are in business. I think it’s going to be adorable!

A new decade yes, but I am still the same old Lil Red as you can see. Some things don’t change all that much!

What are some fun facts about you? What is one of your goals for 2024? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May7

Midweek Date Night

Posted on May 7, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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Hello! Johnny and I have very demanding schedules for work and we both tend to be up around three in the morning most days of the week. Because of this, it is extremely rare for us to do anything during the work week because we are too tired. Not to mention that we both go to bed around six o’clock lol. On Monday, I accepted a new job as Tim Misny’s social media manager. On Tuesday, Johnny asked if I wanted to go to our favorite Mexican restaurant, El Meson, on Wednesday to celebrate. I was absolutely shook when he brought it up and happily accepted his offer!

All day on Wednesday, I was looking forward to our date night and was using all of my strength to will time into going faster. We left for El Meson as soon as I got home from work and I was buzzing the whole way there. I literally can’t remember the last time we did a dinner date during the week! At the restaurant, we were having so much fun sipping on tasty margs and feeling dizzy with delight over my new opportunity. Our first date was on a Thursday and I told Johnny that this felt like our first date.

After we finished our meal, Johnny asked for a to go cup for the rest of his margarita. I realized I needed one too and followed our server to the bar to ask him for one more. As I returned to our table, I got stopped by a few people sitting at the bar. One of the ladies asked if Johnny and I were on our first date because we both looked so happy. She couldn’t believe it when I told her that we have been together for almost five years and I actually just told Johnny that our evening felt like our first date. We both got a little weepy about it and it was so incredibly sweet. Then, Johnny and I joked that we were just really good at faking our happiness lol – classic!

I truly did have all of the first date feels during our celebratory dinner date and I love that this was apparent to other El Meson patrons. I felt so spoiled to be taken out to my favorite restaurant and am so thankful to have such a stand up guy! ❤

What was the best first date you have been on? What is your favorite restaurant? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar26

Spring Flowers

Posted on March 26, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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Howdy!! One of my favorite times of the year is right now. Winter is almost over, the promise of spring is so close, and it feels like anything is possible. The thing I look forward to the most is seeing spring flowers begin to pop up because it just makes me happy. After the grey, snowy days of winter, there is nothing better than seeing beautiful blooms and spring flowers are some of my favorites too. Daffodils, crocuses, and hyacinths brighten my day and I always try to take a moment to appreciate them. This past week, I was thrilled to see yellow daffodils in my parents’ yard – even though it was snowing!

Last week was a bit of a doozy for yours truly. I, unfortunately, had to stop going to therapy because mine and Johnny’s insurance is garbage. As you can imagine, this was really disappointing for me. It felt like I had literally just found a therapist I was comfortable with and then it got taken away. However, there wasn’t anything I could do after paying over seven hundred dollars in under one month. And, on top of that, my beloved Little Red Love Machine started making some crazayyyy noises so it was an expensive repair on top of the medical expenses. Talk about stressful!

As I left my mom and dad’s house feeling not my best, I noticed the daffodils in the yard and couldn’t believe I didn’t see them on my way in. I guess I had my blinders on! Instead of getting in my car and going straight home, I took some time standing as the snow fell to take it in. Even though the flowers were getting snowed on, they were still adding gorgeous color to the world. It was a nice metaphor for what I was going through in that immediate moment. Despite feeling sad, I can still do my best to continue to shine and that made the situation a bit more bearable. ❤

Spring Flowers are short lived and I am glad that I took those extra moments to let that fleeting beauty sink in. I needed some daffodils that day and I left chez parents feeling better than I did before.

What is your favorite flower? What is your favorite time of the year? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar18

ALL Of The Coffee

Posted on March 18, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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Hello!! Back in the summer of 2022, the Great Kitchen Flood happened when a pipe burst in mine and Johnny’s apartment building. It was insane! The water was literally pouring out of the walls and it was so gross because the water was straight up dirty. It completely waterlogged all of my countertop appliances, including my Keurig, toaster, and air fryer. At the time, I wasn’t using my Keurig very often so I never bothered replacing it. Fast forward to this past year and my schedule changed to having to get up at three AM three days a week. Needless to say, I need ALL of the coffee those mornings!

For Valentine’s Day, Johnny and I simply told each other what we wanted and then we ordered it. A new single cup Keurig for me and a new Levi’s jean jacket for him. I have been using my gift religiously since receiving it and all I have to say is: How did I survive this long without it?! Prior to V-Day, I was more than fine with stopping at Starbucks for a coffee or McDonald’s for a crispy Diet Coke during my early mornings. While I miss my little treats during those shifts, I am perfectly content with the K-Pod challenge… AKA just using my Keurig now lol.

I have been enjoying testing out all of the different K-Pods and my mind is never not blown by the infinite selection at the grocery stores. I started out with French Vanilla by Green Mountain Coffee and have since graduated to a Snickers flavored blend by The Donut Shop. They are both pretty good! My favorite part of the Keurig, however, is not so much the coffee as it is the coffee mugs. Lol, I have a substantial collection of coffee mugs and although I use them for any beverage, they hit different with coffee! It is also nice to remember the occasions that they were given to me for because a majority of them were gifts. In fact, the one pictured above was a mug that I got forever ago from my bestie and the sentiments ring true… Coffee always comes first! 😀

I have had my Keurig for well over a month now and I am just as obsessed with it as the day I got it. So glad that my fallen friend from the Great Kitchen Flood of 2022 finally got replaced!

What is your favorite kind of K-Cup? How many cups of coffee do you drink per day? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb20

New Matching T-Shirts!!

Posted on February 20, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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Hello!! When Johnny and I are watching our favorite shows or movies, we tend to make comments like “I want that shirt” that whatever character is wearing. For example, in the movie Step Brothers, Will Ferrell wears a Pablo Cruise baseball tee that we both loved. So, I got two of them for us so we could match! Although we frequently point out the shirts we like while we’re vegging out, we never really do anything about it… Until now. As a Valentine’s Day treat, I ordered two matching T-shirts for me and Johnny. These are truly an example of “if you know, you know” because they will be hilarious if you get it and will make you scratch your head if you don’t lol. Check it out:

Do you know what these shirts are from? If not, allow me to explain! Johnny and I are constantly quoting Flight of the Conchords and always enjoy watching their music videos from time to time. In their banger “Business Time” a “baggy T-shirt from the team building exercise you went to in 1999” is referenced and shown in the video. This is one of our favorite parts and I was tickled that the shirt existed when I looked it up. I mean, of course it did, but it was still a pleasant surprise! Our only regret is that we didn’t get them in a size too big to make it baggy lol.

The other shirt I got for us to match in simply states “Happy Birthday Jerusha”. This is from one of our all time favorite shows, Superstore. In one of the episodes, the store manager wants to take a picture for his wife, Jerusha’s, birthday with their huge brood of children. All of them are wearing a “Happy Birthday Jerusha” T-shirt, hence this purchase. We have seen every episode more times than I can count and, without fail, one of us brings up the fact that we need this shirt whenever this particular episode plays. It is exactly what I expected it to be and I am so glad that we finally have them!

If you got any of these slightly obscure references, kudos to you! If not, I can’t recommend watching these shows enough. Stay tuned because we will be rocking our new matching T’s together soon in a husband/wife photo shoot! 😀

What is your favorite Flight of the Conchords song? Who is your favorite character from Superstore? (I LOVE Dina!) I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jan10

Harry Potter Room Of Requirement Lego Set

Posted on January 10, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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Harry Potter Room Of Requirement Lego Set

Hellooo!!! Johnny and I only watch one show when it’s airing on television and that is Lego Masters. We enjoyed this past season (And all of them!) so very much and we always feel a Lego brick sized hole in our hearts when the show ends. When a season of Lego Masters is on, the desire to build with Lego bricks increases infinitely so I was most excited when Johnny gifted me with a new set for Christmas. He got me the Room Of Requirement from Harry Potter and we put it together last weekend. It turned out awesome, but it was such a speedy built that it didn’t satisfy my Lego cravings in the slightest! Check it out:

^^^ LOL at Johnny in the background!!! The angel boy!!

It has been a fat minute since Johnny and I have built Lego, but we were able to fall back into our rhythm immediately. When I first built Lego with Johnny, we learned quickly that my talon nails were going to be a massive hindrance. Putting the small pieces together proved to be impossible so we developed our own tried and true method. Johnny would assemble the small bricks and details while I would handle the more substantial parts of the build. Teamwork at its finest! Unfortunately, this set featured a lot of detail work so I didn’t get to sink my teeth into it as much as I would have liked, but I love how the set turned out!

Whenever Johnny and I build Lego, it never ceases to amaze me. It is wondrous to watch a pile of bricks turn into whatever it is you’re creating and the ingenious designs forever blow my mind. Many of the Harry Potter Lego sets feature lots of cool surprises and the Room Of Requirement was no different. The best one is, easily, the reveal of the door leading into the room where lost things go. There are two brick walls on a sliding panel that show the door when you pull them apart and I thought that was just the tops. And, of course, I always love a guest appearance by a Cornish Pixie flitting about on a stack of trunks. ❤

The Room Of Requirement was a fast paced, easy peasy build, but it was so much fun to get my brick on with Johnny. I hope this new year brings us lots more Lego sets! 😀

Do you watch Lego Masters? What did you think of this past season? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

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