Tag Archives: fun

Jun16

Super Cool Customized Wedding Gift

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Super Cool Customized Wedding Gift

Hello! Johnny and I have been so thankful for the generosity of our friends and loved ones for our recent nuptials. One of the gifts that I am particularly fond of is a customized Connect Four board from my brother and his family. Check it out:

From board and video games to cards and word games, Johnny and I love it all and our biggest wish is to have a game room when we eventually move. As soon as I opened the personalized tabletop game, I had a feeling it would become the crown jewel of our game room and I can’t wait for that dream to become a reality. I can already picture the layout now with a nice big TV, our air hockey table, and a space for board games and puzzles. Not to mention plenty of music themed decor for Johnny and knick knacks galore because we sure have a lot of them!

Customized gifts are always incredibly special to me because of how thoughtful they are. I didn’t even know something like what my brother got for me and Johnny existed and it really made for a perfect wedding gift. Because my brother and his family live out of state, we have not been able to see them as much as we would like due to the pandemic. This gift shows that they think about us just as much as we about them and both Johnny and I can’t wait to see my brother, his wife, and son now that we are all fully vaccinated. ❤

Have you ever received a customized gift before? What was it? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jun5

Brunch Babes

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Brunch Babes

Hello!! Johnny enjoyed a three day weekend for Memorial Day and we had the most fabulous date day on Sunday. Any time with my beau is my favorite but it is especially wonderful to go out and about together after over a year stuck in our apartment. Now that we are both fully vaccinated, we feel much more comfortable with seeing friends, outdoor dining, and small outings. So we spent Saturday afternoon hanging out in Lakewood with our two friends, Jeff and Jeff, and had the best brunch with the best company.

Lakewood is a very cool area and I actually used to figure skate at the rink a few minutes away from where we brunched pre-pandemic. While I was in school, I would also make the small trek up there from campus to have dinner with friends. There is amazing shopping, bars, and unique restaurants and although it is only about forty-five minutes from me and Johnny, our afternoon felt like a mini day trip.

For brunch, the Jeffs, Johnny, and I went to the Buckeye Beer Engine and had a delicious meal. The garden quesadilla I ordered was the perfect vegetarian option that included eggs, peppers, onions, and mushrooms in a spinach tortilla topped with sour cream and pico de gallo. The food was awesome but, I have to say, the mimosas were even better!

The Buckeye Beer Engine had so many mimosa flavors to choose from and I went with Peach and Blood Orange while Johnny had a Pineapple and a Cranberry drink. They were the first mimosas we have had since before the pandemic when we would have breakfast dates and it was nice to reminisce on that as we clinked our glasses in celebration with the Jeffs. The weather was ideal for an outdoor meal and it is definitely true what they say… Brunch is always a good idea.

Once we returned home from our time in Lakewood, we were visited by our friend Corey for a quick video game session. While Johnny and Corey are both incredibly skilled in Mario Kart and Super Smash Bros., I am pleased to say that I kicked their butts! The video game extravaganza continued long after Corey left and Johnny and I spent hours playing Mario Party, Mario Tennis, Pod Racing, and Medal Of Honor. We also just had to pepper in a few episodes of our latest obsession: Family Matters lol.

No matter what Johnny and I do together, we are sure to have a blast and it feels so good to finally be more active in the community with him again. In fact, it kind of feels like going on first dates all over again because of how long it has been since we could do anything even close to having brunch with friends. Getting all dressed up to go out with my fiance on Sunday was simply the best and I can’t wait for a lifetime of dates with him! ❤

What is your favorite meal of the day? What is your preferred brunch drink? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May25

Movie Night

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Movie Night

Hello!! At the beginning of the month, Johnny and I began a new Tuesday tradition of movie night AKA “Gruesome Twosome Tuesday” a la It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia. We have been watching Star Wars (Johnny’s favorite!) in chronological order and it has been such a blast. I have only seen each movie in the series once when Johnny and I first started dating and all of them are pretty blurry to me, so it’s kind of like watching them for the first time again. Meanwhile, Johnny can quote each one word for word!

Every Tuesday I wake up excited to go to work so I can get home and enjoy movie night with my soon to be husband. We even have the next series to watch figured out once we’re done with Star Wars… The Conjuring!! Gruesome Twosome Tuesday has been such a success that we have decided to turn Friday nights into a movie night too. Johnny has recently been listening to all of the classic horror novels on Audible and would like to watch some black and white films like Dracula and Frankenstein which I am so there for.

Pre-pandemic, Johnny and I used to love going to movies together and had many a date nights at the movie theater. Although we are just in our living room on a slightly uncomfortable couch, our movie nights bring me back to amazing memories and it has been one of the highlights of this past month for me. After doing some grocery shopping, Johnny proudly showed me the Butter Lovers popcorn that he got which makes me look forward to movie nights even more! 😀

What was the last movie that you watched? What was 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

May24

Happy Early Birthday To Me!

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Happy Early Birthday To Me!

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

May20

Target Run

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Target Run

Hello! I have not been in a store just to browse since the beginning of the pandemic and you guys have no idea how much I have missed it. For a while, I was only going grocery shopping and I stopped doing that a few months ago, opting for curbside delivery instead. Now that I am fully vaccinated, I feel much more comfortable running errands so when my sister texted me last Saturday morning asking if I wanted to go on a Target Run, I couldn’t say no!

Kristen picked me up with my niece, Valerie, and I was so excited because Target is Val’s favorite store and I have never been there with her. Such good taste at just two years old! It seems so simple but that small outing that lasted a little over an hour was enough to make me insanely happy. It was, finally, a warm spring day in Ohio and driving in the car with Kristen and Val with the sun shining and music playing on the way to Target felt like the first semblance of normal I’ve had in a long time.

I am just as surprised as all of you that my first window shopping trip in over a year wasn’t to TJMaxx but Target is a close second and I wouldn’t have had it any other way. We even ran into Jared’s really quickly after our Target trip so I could check on the progress of my wedding band and it is looking amazing. Kristen and I are planning on doing another shopping excursion soon because we are both in need of new summer clothes and I can’t wait. Here’s to many more safe outings all summer! ❤

What have you missed the most during the pandemic? Which store is your happy place? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May15

Fun & Games: It’s A Snap!

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Fun & Games: It’s A Snap!

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

May12

What Have We Been Up To?

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What Have We Been Up To?

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

May7

The Best Day!

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The Best Day!

Hi! Although Johnny and I had a rough bout with side effects from the Moderna vaccine this past weekend, it was still a great one because my brother, sister in law, and their son traveled from Georgia for a visit. My family is fully vaccinated and it was such an amazing gift for all of us to be together for the first time since our family trip to Kentucky last summer. When my nausea subsided enough on Saturday, Johnny and I enjoyed a quick trip to the park with our nephew and it was so fun watching him run around and play. However, Sunday was the best day I have had in forever.

On Sunday, my entire family: Mom, dad, sister, brother, brother, brother in law, sister in law, niece, nephew, and fiance went to the Akron Zoo together. To visit the zoo according to their COVID standards, you purchase tickets for a time slot and a limited amount of people are allowed in the park. We got to view the Akron Zoo on a beautiful day and it wasn’t as crowded, which was really nice.

Of course, I love going to the zoo any time any day but it was the absolute best to be there with my whole family and see my little niece and nephew have fun. They both loved riding the carousal, seeing the Grizzly bears swim around in their exhibit, and each getting a stuffed bear from their TT at the gift shop. My only regret is how quickly our two hour time slot went by because I could have stayed there for hours with everyone if we could!

After our outing at the zoo, we had dinner on the patio of one of my family’s favorite Mexican restaurants, El Campesino. This was such a treat for me because Johnny and I haven’t been to a restaurant since the pandemic began. It was so special to share a big meal with every single one of us at the table and it was also so special to me to have my first Margarita in over a year lol! The food was delicious and just like our trip to the zoo, I was sad when it was over because I wish we could do family days like that all of the time.

Being surrounded by all of my loved ones on Sunday is a memory that I am going to cherish for forever. It was just awesome to see my brother, his wife, and my adorable nephew for the first time in so long and also a small miracle that we found a day that worked with everyone’s hectic schedule. I cannot wait for our next family event which can now happen more frequently since we are vaccinated and, until then, I’ll be replaying our joyous day on repeat in my head! ❤

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

May1

We Went To Jared’s

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We Went To Jared’s

Hi! This past Saturday, Johnny and I had a fabulous date day which resulted in picking out my custom wedding band at Jared’s. After getting engaged, I took my ring to Jared’s to get resized and they did an excellent job so I was very excited to go back to see what they could do for my wedding band. I was happy to see all of the wonderful employees who helped me previously at the store that day and Johnny and I left feeling confident and simply ecstatic on our purchase.

Johnny has had his wedding band for a while now and prior to our morning at Jared’s, I spent a decent amount of time coming up with a price point in my head that I was comfortable with. While what I originally had in mind was way over budget, the employees rallied together to help come up with a customized ring that was similar to what I wanted and was within my price point. They were so respectful about not trying to upsell me and I really appreciated that because when it comes to the jewelry business, pushing for a more extravagant purchase is usually the name of the game.

My wedding band will boast rubies and black diamonds which was the most important thing to me and the shape of the rocks are so unique too! I just know it will look perfect with my engagement ring and I cannot wait to pick it up later in May!

After wedding band shopping, Johnny and I headed to my mom and dad’s place to hang out with our little niece, play some games, and watch an episode of the Ken Burns baseball documentary that I got my dad for his birthday. We spent the entire afternoon there and decided to end our day by participating in Dry Ice Saturday at the Cashmere Cricket, our favorite bar.

Unfortunately, The Cricket was jam packed so we went to the Ohio Brewing Company where I had my first Moscow Mule in over a year and a half! I don’t know if it’s because I haven’t had a Mule in so long or the drink I got from the OBC was really that good but it was seriously the best Moscow Mule I’ve ever had. Once we were done at the bar, we returned to our apartment to play Trivial Pursuit and Super Smash Bros and had a blast.

These last few weeks have been extremely stressful for me and my date day with my fiance was just what I needed to help get myself back to baseline. It was a perfect day of ring shopping, family time, and video games and, as always, it’s very exciting to cross one more thing off of our wedding checklist. I cannot wait to get married! ❤

What is your favorite gemstone? What is an ideal date day for you? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr28

15 Cool Apps For Pet Owners

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15 Cool Apps For Pet Owners

Whether you’ve got dogs, cats, or reptiles, being a pet parent is a lot of fun. Of course, there’s plenty that you need to organize to keep your pet healthy and happy. Whether it’s games, health support, or training, these apps have got lots of handy features:

Apps for cat owners:

Cat Clicker Training:

Cat Clicker Training is a simple app that you can use to train your kitty. All you have to do is touch the paw on the screen, and you’ll hear your iPhone make the clicker noise. You can change the paw to different colors and adjust the background to white or black. Alternatively, you can prompt your cat to touch the screen of the iPad or iPhone using its own paw. The app provides instructions about training your cat, including photos to guide you.

Relax My Cat:

Relax My Cat is an app that offers relaxing music for cats! All of the music is composed using sound techniques that are calming for felines. Some cats have problems with sleeping or anxiety. If your cat experiences this, then Relax My Cat is the perfect app for you. Perhaps your cat gets scared by fireworks or construction work? If so, you can use this music to calm it down. The music can be used to comfort your cat when it’s unwell or to ease hyperactivity.

Fish For Cats:

Fish For Cats is a fun-filled game for your cat to play! It’s simple, all you have to do is choose a level and then you can watch your kitty start to chase the fishes. All you need is an iPad and a flat surface to place it on. There are four levels to explore and plenty of sound effects to keep your cat engaged! Every time your cat catches a fish on the screen, the score goes up. To ensure that your cat has a super fun playtime, try the Fish For Cats app.

11 Pets (Pet Care):

The 11 Pets Pet Care app is an excellent resource for families with pets. The app offers features to support you with all your pet care needs. A few of the best features include:

  • Reminders for deworming and vaccination
  • Access and store medical history for your pet
  • Share data with your pet sitter or your veterinarian
  • Set reminders for food and medications

Taking care of your pet isn’t just about vet trips, it’s about providing your pet with everything it needs. For more info about the best pet accessories check out at home for your pet.

Chewy:

Chewy is an app to make pet food shopping easier. Using this application, you can browse through thousands of pet supplies and food brands. The app helps you to research pet foods, find your favorites, and track orders. There are plenty of benefits to using the Chewy app, including.

  • Get free shipping when you spend over $49
  • 24/7 support from the customer service team
  • Choose from a huge variety of brands
  • Set up auto purchases so you don’t run out

Whatever kind of pet you own, Chewy can help you to find the perfect pet food. It’s important to provide your pet with a healthy and nutritious diet.

Apps for dog owners:

Doglog:

Doglog is a great application to monitor your dog’s health. Using the app you can track weight, temperature, and eating habits. You can also log exercise activities, medicine, and vet appointments. The app provides plenty of handy features including analytics, photos, and reminders. You can create a health schedule, plus access various other benefits including:

  • Get reminders about your training appointments or vet trips
  • Share info with your dog sitter and vet
  • Record activities linked to the health of your dog

With so many neat features to take advantage of it’s easy to keep your dog healthy and happy.

Bring Fido:

Bring Fido is an app that helps you to search for places that are dog friendly – it could be beaches, hotels, restaurants, or other attractions. You can book these places using the app. The search function allows you to specify distance, price, or rating. Using Bring Fido, you can plan the perfect day with your dog. If you have any questions, there’s a handy chat option where you can access expert advice.

Pet First Aid App:

The Pet First Aid application was made by the Red Cross Foundation. The app provides plenty of expert advice to support the health of your dog. You can access lots of content including videos, guides, and quizzes. There’s advice about emergencies, administering medication, and more. You can also get behavioral advice to help you with your dog training. Need to find a local vet or a pet-friendly hotel? The Pet First Aid app can help you with all this too.

GoodPup:

GoodPup is a dog training application where you can get training sessions via video call. There are a variety of dog training courses to choose from to suit your dog’s needs. It’s easy to set goals, track progress, and keep in touch with your trainer. When you train your dog at home, this can help them to feel at ease and relaxed. Positive reinforcement training can help your puppy to get into good habits and keep making progress. Choose from options such as basic commands, potty training, socialization, crate training, and behavioral training. It’s best to train your dog as early as possible to help them get into good habits.

Rover:

Rover is an app for dog walking and dog sitting. The app allows you to search for expert dog carers in your area, whether you need overnight care or an afternoon walk. The app allows you to track your dog’s walk, receive photo updates, and make secure bookings. All sitters on the Rover app are reviewed and pre-approved by the team. According to Rover, 95% of reviewed Rover bookings receive a perfect 5-star rating. It’s easy to message your dog sitters using the app, whether you’re at home or on the go.

General apps for pet owners:

Petcube

Petcube is a ‘pet home camera’ that includes a microphone, video, and laser point toy. All of these features allow you to watch your pet when you’re away from home. You can use the camera to play with your pet when you’re away or take fun photos. Petcube also allows you to interact with animals in pet shelters using your smartphone. It’s an interactive community where you make friends with fellow animal lovers and follow their social updates.

My Pet Reminders:

My Pet Reminders is an app to help you track your pet’s medication and vet appointments. First, you create a profile for your pet. The next step is to input your medical info, vet trips, and training appointments. It’s important to stay on top of your pet’s health schedule. No matter which animals you have, the My Pet Reminders app makes it easy to do so.

Kriddr Pet Parent:

The Kriddr Pet Parent app works by connecting pet owners with shelters and service providers. There’s also a fun feature called ‘bark recognition software’. The app records your dog barking and then suggests what your dog needs. The bark recognition feature is based on millions of dog barking samples. All the samples have been analyzed to look for patterns. You’ll have plenty of fun testing out the bark feature with your dog!

We Rescue App:

The We Rescue App can help you to find animals to adopt, whether you’re looking for cats, dogs, scaly animals, or unusual pets. There are 70+ search filters to choose from and it’s easy to search by breed. The app provides detailed information on every animal so it’s easier to make your choice. You can search using categories such as size, age, gender, breed, location, and more.

Lost Pet:

The Lost Pet app works as an announcement feed about pets that have gone missing. The app was designed to collect useful data to help owners find their pets. Lost Pet analyzes several different social networks and creates one feed for lost animals. Simply add a lost pet announcement and the app will post it to various social media groups. There are several helpful features that you can use including:

  • Read all the nearby lost pet announcements
  • Report a lost pet.
  • Read informative articles for support.
  • Create a lost pet leaflet to print.

All of the above apps can help you to keep your pets both happy and healthy. With the help of these tools, you’ll create the perfect lifestyle for your beloved pets.

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