Tag Archives: happy holidays

Dec4

Sweet Surprises: A Thanksgiving Stowaway Edition

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Sweet Surprises: A Thanksgiving Stowaway Edition

Hello!! Sadly, Johnny and I were not able to attend Thanksgiving with my family and it really, really sucked. It was so hard to visit my loved ones outside and not be able to hug them and enjoy the day together. It was especially difficult to not be able to hold my niece, Valerie, because she is my lil BFF and I have never not held her whenever I see her since she has been born.

My parents were nice enough to drop Thanksgiving dinner off on mine and Johnny’s doorstep and it wasn’t until the following day that I noticed a little stowaway on the bag they sent over:

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Valerie loves playing with stickers and her and my sister stuck this little guy from Trolls onto our to go bag. I didn’t notice it right away because it was on the backside of it and it made me so happy when I finally saw this “hi auntie” message from my niece.

The little things really do make the best sweet surprises. I wish I could have been there to hear Val say “uh oh” when one of her stickers ripped and I am so ready for Christmas so I can be there when her and her parents open all of her prezzies.

This Thanksgiving was straight up not a good time for me or Johnny and I am sharing these stories to help remind and encourage people to continue wearing their masks and social distance. The food, my sticker stowaway, and being with Johnny made the day not the worst but our Thanksgiving would have been so much better had we been able to celebrate traditionally.

Regardless, my sweet surprise from my niece and sister definitely helped perk me up. It is also a nice reminder that even the smallest gestures can have such a great impact. Be kind to everyone because you have no idea what they’re going through. Who knows, you might be helping make their bad day just that little bit better. 🙂

How did you safely celebrate Thanksgiving? What are you looking forward to as the year comes to a close? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Nov30

Wanted: Holiday Season Guest Bloggers

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Wanted: Holiday Season Guest Bloggers

Hi everyone! I don’t know what COVID is like in your neck of the woods but it is bad, bad, bad in Ohio. Johnny and I are even more hunkered down than ever and, if that’s the case for you, then why not fill a free afternoon with guest blogging for lifewithlilred?!

From your Christmas cookie decoration station to gift guides, delicious recipes, favorite holiday memories, etc. if it has something to do with the holiday season, then I want it on my page! If you are interested in being a featured blogger for the day on lifewithlilred, please email me your post ideas at: sarah.mush6794@gmail.com so that we can chit chat and get you scheduled. 🙂

Once you guest blog on my page you will always be welcome back with open arms so join the Lil Red fam today! Stay safe and happy holidays! ❤

Oct23

Stuck On Early Holiday Shopping? Have Some Ideas!

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Stuck On Early Holiday Shopping? Have Some Ideas!

Hello!! Yes, yes, roll your eyes all you want to my last minute holiday shoppers but Lil Red is over halfway done with her Christmas shopping! In case you haven’t noticed, I absolutely love gift giving and because I have so many people to shop for – the earlier I can get done the better for me. A stress free December where all I have to do is wrap up prezzies is the goal.

However, my drive to complete my holiday shopping doesn’t mean I haven’t gotten stuck on gifts to purchase. In fact, it’s been difficult this year because I feel like I’ve used up all of my best ideas before. Lol, so I had to get creative and if you got gifter’s block like me, you might appreciate these ideas:

Insect Condos:

I have quite a few giftees with a positively green thumb and gifts for the garden always go over well for them. This year, I was very interested in insect condos to help promote healthy garden growth as well as our bee population. These little “houses” feature all of the materials that handy insects like lady bugs, bees, butterflies (the list goes on) love like sawdust, bamboo, and cedar wood.

I thought these insect condos would be a perfect addition to the gardens that my giftees tend so lovingly and you can find tons of amazing homemade ones on Etsy or there are plenty on Amazon. I also had to snag a butterfly feeder for my dad (He doesn’t read my blog so I can post this, I swear!) because him and his granddaughter love watching the butterflies in his garden together. I know they will both be happy with it!

Baking Boxes:

This year, I wanted to get something different for the families I work with as opposed to the normal holiday decor, chocolates, or ornaments. So, I found some baking boxes through King Arthur Flour to gift them with. These boxes come with all of the ingredients to make a delicious dessert and I thought it would be a fun activity that all of them could bake and enjoy together.

There is nothing better for baking than products from King Arthur Flour and I was happy to be able to get such nice gifts for a price I was comfortable with. In fact, I plan on purchasing more as it gets closer to Christmas to have shipped to other loved ones on my list.

Willow Tree Figures:

I have always been fond of gifting the beautiful Willow Tree figurines to people because they are sentimental and simple decor and it’s easy to find one that applies to wherever your giftee is in life. For example, last year when my mom and dad became grandparents, I gifted my mom a statue to represent that, as it was a grandma holding her sweet grandbaby.

From celebrating your pets and relationships to saying thank you by purchasing a Willow figure holding a bouquet of flowers, you are surely to find the right one for your giftee!

Stocking Stuffers:

Stocking stuffers are great if you need a little something extra for a gift or you want to do an entire goodie basket. Winter accessories like hats, gloves, and scarves are a great place to start if you’re doing a gift exchange in your friend group. Cozy blankets, a decadent box of chocolates, and bottles of wine always go over well too! Still stuck? Candles, bath and body care, gift cards, your favorite book, and even socks (I like getting them!) are all crowd pleasers.

Take some of the stress out of your holiday preparations with the gift ideas above. Happy shopping!

When do you normally start holiday shopping? Who is the most difficult person on your list to shop for? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul30

Feeling Blue? Get In The Christmas Spirit Early!

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Feeling Blue? Get In The Christmas Spirit Early!

Christmas will be here before we know it. It’s scary how quick this whole year has gone and everything that has happened. But with recent events it is understandable that many of our minds just naturally wander to Christmas and some of the brighter times we have in the future. Chase the Christmas spirit by getting organized early. You won’t believe how less stressful Christmas time can be when you don’t leave things to the last minute. With that in mind, here are some top tips to get ready for the festive season ahead:

Create lists:

Writing up a list can save you a lot of hassle and time. It’s a way of downloading all those ideas you have in your mind and having them safe somewhere for you to refer back to. List what you need to do, who you need to buy for, gift ideas, and budgets. Check things off as you go along and you’ll be holiday season ready in no time.

What about the Christmas budget?

The sooner you start thinking about Christmas might be the moment you start to panic about the financial side of things. Many people save up throughout the year, but others may find that that they need some extra help around the holiday season. This is when looking at ways to finance the Christmas period could be useful. Many then use the following months to start planning and paying things back off.

Plan a party:

Planning a Christmas party filled with gifts, games, good food, and beautiful decor could be just what you need to give yourself something to look forward to and keep you busy. You will have a guest list to prep, a menu made according to food sensitivities of your guests, games and a playlist to perfect, and of course you will need a venue to host at. The venue is something you will want to book well ahead of time before it gets filled for the holiday season. To get started, simply enter a search for “Christmas party venues Brisbane” (or your local area) to find an amazing location in your budget. It will make the decor aspect of your party much easier to visualize when you have your venue already selected.

Get those holiday cards written:

With all of the writing and sending off of Christmas cards in time for the actual day, it might be best to get them out of the way now. The same can be said for if you decide to throw a Christmas party or gathering. One of the biggest jobs is getting those party invitations sent out to your guests. Again, give yourself plenty of time to do this and consider having them printed to save on time.

Start bulk buying the food:

We know that Christmas is a time of eating and drinking with friends and family. While you can’t stock up on the fresh stuff, you can begin to buy in the food and drink that will last. This helps spread the cost of Christmas over a few weeks instead of feeling the pinch in one big food bill.

Buy gifts when you see them:

If you are out shopping and you are suddenly inspired for a gift idea, get it there and then. You will either forget it or regret it if you don’t purchase it. Buying gifts early can not only help spread the cost but it also gets you super organized. You may want to look at the gifts for the day and also any stocking fillers, things such as Christmas sweaters and shirts could be a good option to buy now and websites like UglyChristmasSweater.com have a great selection.

Start wrapping early:

Finally, when you buy a gift wrap it up and put it away. The last thing you want is a huge pile of gifts to wrap all at once. You will feel so much better knowing this job is done and you are prepared for the big day ahead.

Let’s hope these top tips will assist in getting you organized for the Christmas season and help improve your current 2020 blahs!

Featured Image By: Pixabay

Jan2

Holiday Haul: Boyfriend’s Family Edition

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Holiday Haul: Boyfriend’s Family Edition

Hello everyone! I was so thankful this past year to spend another beautiful holiday with my boyfriend, Johnny’s, family on Christmas Eve. We spent the whole day together opening gifts, playing games, enjoying a delicious meal, and watching their yearly viewing of National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. It was such a blast taking part in their family traditions and my time between their house on Christmas Eve and my family’s on Christmas day made it the best holiday yet.

I was just happy to be a part of the day with my boyfriend’s family but I was completely blown away by their generosity. Check it out:

haul1

As you can see, Johnny’s family knows me pretty well already considering I was treated to gift cards to all of my favorite places: TJMaxx, Elysian Nails, Marshalls, and Dunkin’ Donuts. It was so sweet, because Johnny’s aunt gifted both myself and his mom to a gift card to Elysian so we could get mani pedis together. I’m really looking forward to making a date of it with lunch or coffee thrown into the mix for a perfect girls day.

And, of course, you can never go wrong with giving me chocolate and bath and body care as a present, because I can always put all of that to good use! I am also very excited to break out my adult coloring book set. I used to use those all of the time and just fell out of it so it will be nice to get back into it with such lovely pictures and supplies.

Honestly, my boyfriend’s family didn’t have to get me one damn thing but I am so grateful and touched that they did. I can’t wait for more holidays and hang outs with each of them and my life is so much better for having them in it! ❤

Where did you spend your holidays at? What is one of your favorite Christmas movies to watch? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec25

Merry Christmas!!

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Merry Christmas!!

Hello everyone and a very Merry Christmas to all of you! No matter how you celebrate in the holiday season, I hope that it has been a happy time full of warmth, love, family, and friends. I have been looking forward to Christmas day for a long time now and I’m sure everyone else on my gift list has been too, so that I can quit badgering them to let me announce what I bought for them!! But, the time is finally here and I can’t wait to see everyone’s reactions to their presents.

Last Christmas, I was recovering from a horrible surgery gone wrong and couldn’t enjoy anything about the day. I was in an insane amount of pain and I may or may not have shit my pants while everyone was eating Christmas dinner… but that’s a story for another time. THE POINT IS, that this year I get to actually be mentally and physically present for one of my favorite days with my beautiful family and boyfriend and I am going to revel in every minute of it.

I am so thankful to be well enough to have a great day and my Christmas wish is that the same goes for all of you on your celebrated holidays or Christmas. As always, thank you for your continued love and support and happy holidays to all! Much love. -Sarah

Dec12

Holiday Card Call To Action

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Holiday Card Call To Action

Hello! While scrolling through Facebook the other day, I stumbled upon a news article that someone posted about a Wisconsin man, Gene Weittenhiller, who is currently dying of cancer. In this article it explained the hardship and that his last Christmas wish is to receive a ton of Christmas cards. You can read the full article here if you would like more details.

Gene is a father, grandfather, and loving husband and his story touched me. So, the following day, I sent out a Christmas card myself to Prairie Du Sac, Wisconsin in the hopes that it would give him a little holiday cheer from Akron, Ohio. But, how wonderful would it be if he received cards from all over the world? Cue the lifewithlilred platform!

If you would like to send off a card to Mr. Weittenhiller, you can do so to this address to give him his best holiday yet:

Gene Weittenhiller

410 20th St.

Prairie du Sac, WI 53578

I hope that all of my darling readers can take some time out of their day to spread some happiness to a family who is in such desperate need of it. My heart goes out to the Weittenhillers and my wish is that their mailbox is overflowing with holiday cards daily. ❤

Who is sending out a Christmas card to Gene? Where in the world are you located? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec8

It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas

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It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas

Hello everyone! With annoying annoyances and the stresses of being a working adult, I just haven’t felt too much into the holiday spirit as of late. Of course, I’m excited for giving and receiving presents as well as quality family time but I haven’t felt that happy go lucky mood that comes with Christmas approaching. However, that all changed this past week when I enjoyed decorating the Christmas tree at one of my client’s homes. Check out our handy work:

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This particular client of mine is the literal light of my life. He is an older man with Down Syndrome and he is the physical embodiment of joy. It’s honestly hard not to get excited over small things that delight him and his smile and laugh are absolutely contagious. My friend loves the holidays and has been talking about us decorating the Christmas tree together since June, at least.

So, once I arrived at his house, we got to work. As the lights of the tree changed color we decorated with everything from bulbs and stars to tiny nativity scenes and birds. We played the Christmas music that he loves so dearly and took pleasure in the simple joy that comes with hanging a bauble in the perfect spot.

We decorated the tree for an hour or so and then sat back to admire our work and I have never felt more in the holiday spirit then I did right then and there. If that’s not the true meaning of Christmas, then I don’t know what is. ❤

How do you get in the holiday spirit? What is your favorite piece of holiday decor? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Nov29

Ringing In The New Year: Lil Red’s Pro Tips

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Ringing In The New Year: Lil Red’s Pro Tips

Hello everyone! It is almost 2020 on good old planet earth and that means it’s time to start thinking New Year’s Resolutions and how to improve the way you go about your life with another year’s worth of knowledge behind you. I, for one, never participate in New Year’s Resolutions but that doesn’t mean that I don’t have some good tips and tricks to help you ring the new year in right. Let’s get to it:

Get A Calendar:

The first thing I always do when a new year is upon us is get a new desk sized calendar. With my crazy schedule, organization is key and it’s always nice to see my days planned out before my eyes. I’m sure all of you can relate to a busy lifestyle and the stresses that come with it and, sometimes, all you need is a visual of what you have going on to help you get through your day in a timely and effective manner.

Have A Think:

What goals do you want to accomplish in 2020? What bad habits would you like to break? How are you going to better yourself? Working out? Therapy? Budgeting more wisely? The possibilities for your New Year’s Resolution are endless, which is why it’s important to think long and hard about what you would like to achieve.

It is also crucial to think of goals that are possible to reach. Is it really plausible that you can lose fifty pounds in one month by going to the gym once a week? No, it’s not. If you create unobtainable goals, you’re just going to end up feeling down and out about it and giving up. Create small goals and challenge yourself more and more each time you achieve them for maximum results.

Leave Negativity In 2019:

Feeling bad about yourself or being surrounded by toxic people is so 2019. So, maybe your New Year’s Resolution can focus on bringing more positivity into your life. It is okay to let go of certain people who cause you undue pain and stress. Your well-being should be your top priority so don’t be afraid to let it be. Focus on you and watch yourself flourish in the new year.

Self Care Is Cool:

Sometimes it’s impossible to cut back on the hustle and bustle that goes on in our daily lives. Believe you me, I get it. But, it’s also important to set aside at least a little time for you during the week. For example, I always look forward to my Wednesday night bubble bath. It’s a small Hump Day treat that makes me feel happy and pampered. Think of a way that you can treat yoself throughout the work week and I can guarantee an improved state of mind.

And, Remember:

Not having a New Year’s Resolution is fine, too! Maybe your 2019 was a banger so if it’s not broken, don’t fix it. If you feel comfortable and content with where you’re at in your life, why rock the boat? New Year’s Resolutions are not meant to stress you out but to help you make positive changes. If you find yourself freaking out about it, then maybe the hype of “new year, new me” just isn’t for you – and that’s okay!

2020 is coming in hot so follow the tips above and let it be your best year yet!

How do you feel about New Year’s Resolutions? What are your goals for 2020? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jan1

Happy New Year!

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Happy New Year!

Hello everyone and a very Happy New Year to one and all! We are officially in 2019! Can you believe it?! It’s a brand new year for all of us and another year of fabulousness on lifewithlilred. As usual, I didn’t make any New Year’s Resolutions. And, sadly, my mouth is still wreaking havoc on me from my surgery, so celebrating isn’t in the cards for me, either. But, to continue on in the holiday season is exciting, all the same, and I hope that all of you enjoy yourselves no matter how you spend your day! Happy 2019!

How are you celebrating New Years? What are some of your New Year’s Resolutions? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah