Tag Archives: happy

Sep17

Fall Flowers

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Fall Flowers

Howdy! In my neck of the woods, there’s a really awesome garden center called Graf Growers. They have farmer’s market events, workshops, a garden store, and a market filled with fresh produce. Every week during the fall, you can get a Market Basket that comes filled with fresh fruits and veggies along with recipes and a surprise gift. In the basket that we just got, all of the vegetables that were included could be used to make pico de gallo. Yum!

Normally, the surprise gift is an extra selection of produce but, this week, we were treated to a beautiful bouquet from their gardens. Check it out:

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What I love about this arrangement is that it looks like fall. The deeper colors that are used are so striking, and they look so lovely against the white roses and snap dragons in the arrangement. There is nothing like a fresh bouquet of flowers to make you smile, especially one that was a surprise! And, this special treat certainly displays all of the glory of autumn in one small bunch. So pretty! :*)

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

Sep16

Four Year Blogiversary?!

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Four Year Blogiversary?!

HOLY MOLEY!!!! According to WordPress, I have had lifewithlilred up and running for four years as of the thirteenth of September and I had no idea! It feels like just yesterday that I started my blog as I prepared to start college and, now, here we are four years later and still going strong. I am so proud of my dedication to keeping my page afloat for four whole years. That’s almost a half a decade of fabulousness and I’m so thankful for having such a wonderful group of readers to share that with.

Blogging can sometimes be a thankless job, but the friends that I have made and the businesses that I’ve had the pleasure of working with make it all worthwhile. There is nothing like a blogiversary to give you a swift kick in the booty to keep up the good work and my motivation is sky high right now. Here’s to another four years of lifewithlilred and I’m looking forward to sharing it with all of you! Much love. -Sarah

Sep15

Do You For You

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Do You For You

Hello everyone and happy weekend! As many of you probably know, I figure skated competitively for close to ten years. I still love to hit the rink every now and then to get my skate on, but, I haven’t had a real lesson in about eight years. And, this past week, that changed! After running into one of my old coaches while I was at work, I decided that I would like to try my hand at ice dancing. And, try my hand at ice dancing I did!

I had the absolute best time being back on the ice and actually learning something new. Ice dancing is completely foreign to me, but the old girl can’t jump like she used to so I figured that dancing would be the best way to go. I had a half hour lesson with my coach, Chris, who is really the end all be all in my neck of the woods when it comes to all aspects of skating. Then, I got to practice on my own for a half hour.

By the end of my time on the ice, I was beat! But, boy, did it feel good. As I consider continuing to learn ice dancing, I find myself leaning towards not doing it, because it’s rather expensive. And, then, I find myself thinking that I do so much for others and that maybe I should do something for me, for once. Having a lesson every other week is definitely not as desirable as weekly skate time. But, it’s the best I can do and it sure would make me happy.

It feels so good to have something that I’m genuinely excited about. I’m twenty-four, which, for all intents and purposes, is over the hill in the skating world. But, I came back on the ice strong, I tried hard, and I can’t wait to do it again.

Doing you for you is so important, because if you don’t take that extra time for yourself, it’s so easy to become burnt out. I was definitely getting to that point and just one hour on the ice made me feel totally rejuvenated. And, you just can’t put a price on that. 🙂

Then and now! ❤

How do you do you for you? What is a hobby that you did when you were younger that you would like to get back into? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Sep8

The Magic Of Koselig

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The Magic Of Koselig

Hi everyone and welcome to a guest post brought to you by my friend, Christina, over at Stiina Marie! As a reader of my page, Christina knows that I have a fondness for learning new languages and, today, she is going to teach all of us about the Norwegian term called “koselig”. Read on to find out more!

The Magic Of Koselig

Warm light from candles, a cold breeze, and rustling leaves as you scoop up some stew your friend just made. You take a sip of some beer and talk with your friends about everything and anything. A fire is lit and you hang out well into the night. You get drunk, forgetting that the weather is not so great – or is it? This is Norwegian Koselig.

The more popular sister to Koselig is Hygge from Denmark.“While there’s no one English word to describe hygge, several can be used interchangeably to describe the idea of hygge such as coziness, charm, happiness, contentedness, security, familiarity, comfort, reassurance, kinship, and simpleness” says hyggehouse.com. Let’s describe it better in pictures:

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Thank you lifewithlilred for allowing me to post about my beloved Norway! Learn more about me and my new life in Norway by following my blog: Stiina Marie. Next time we will learn Koselig words in Norwegian! Any questions? Comment below!

Is there a word or phrase in your country similar to koselig? What is fall like in your country? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

 

Sep6

Preparing To Attend A Baby Shower

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Preparing To Attend A Baby Shower

Baby showers are a traditional way to celebrate pregnancy and the introduction of a new life into the family. Family members and friends gather to shower the expecting mother with a variety of cards, gifts, supplies, advice, love, and support. There are usually fun games to be played and delicious refreshments to be served, as well. Below are some tips if you are attending or planning a baby shower soon:

Purchasing the Gift:

At a typical baby shower, the most common gifts include newborn clothing, newborn sized diapers, blankets, and bathing supplies. This is especially true when the gender is kept a secret, because all of these items are gender neutral baby gifts. It’s always a great idea to purchase useful items that other people may not think of, such as larger diaper sizes (2’s or 3’s), diaper pail liners, unique gift baskets, high quality cloth diapers, wipe warmers, matching clothes hampers, car window shades, or adorable “emergency” kits for the new mother’s diaper bag. Check out Kaiby Prime for baby hampers that make great gifts too.

While the mother to be probably has a registry, you might want to go with more unique but equally thoughtful options from stores that people haven’t thought of. Shop around with Nuna, Premium Car Seats, Pushchairs, and Baby Gear AU for all of the things that the soon to be mommy can be gifted with.

Cards & Gift Cards:

When selecting a card, be sure to leave a message for the mother and a message for the baby. This card may be handed down to the child when he or she is older, making these little notes very special. If a gift card is to be inserted into the card, be sure to choose a very popular retail chain where the mother could purchase baby supplies; she might decide to stock up on diapers before the baby arrives.

Be Ready for Games and Food:

Most baby showers feature fun games for the guests. These games may involve guessing the number of candies in a jar for a prize, blindfolded drawing contests, baby food identification, or bingo. It is important to dress comfortably, especially if the shower is held outside during the warmer months. Since most showers also offer food, it is recommended to eat a light snack before attending. Guests are always encouraged to take full advantage of the food, if it is provided!

Baby showers are fun, care-free, and casual parties that are meant to bring friends and family together in a joyous celebration of a new life. When attending one’s first shower as a guest, it is relieving to find that they are quite easy to prepare for!

Sep3

Flowers From Friends

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Flowers From Friends

Hey everyone and Happy Monday! To me, there is nothing better than a bouquet of flowers for the kitchen table. Whether they’re store bought, home grown, or picked on the side of the road, it doesn’t matter. Just as long as they’re pretty. And, because they’re flowers, you never have to worry about them not being pretty! This past weekend our wonderful neighbor stopped by with this gorgeous bouquet to celebrate an exciting development in my mom’s health and it’s so lovely that I had to share it with all of you! Take a look:

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There is no sweeter surprise than receiving Flowers From Friends and the above sure are beauties. I am particularly obsessed with the little purple fuzzy ones, even though I have no idea what they are. But, they sure are cute! I love that this bouquet looks like the upcoming fall season in its colors and selections, which makes me very excited because I do love me an autumn arrangement!

Having a neighbor as amazing as ours is a blessing, and these flowers are a special reminder of her surprise stopping over to celebrate my family’s happy news with us. This bouquet will definitely be making me smile for many days to come. 🙂

Who else has a really good relationship with their neighbor? Has anyone ever had a bad next door neighbor? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug31

Pacer Update (Finally!)

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Pacer Update (Finally!)

Hello everyone! It’s been a while since I updated you guys on my Pacer pedometer app progress and, honestly, that’s because there wasn’t much. This past month and a half has been a total doozy. I was so mentally and physically drained, and the last thing that I wanted to do was commit to walking 10,000 steps per day when I could have been laying on my sorry behind watching TV!!

But, that wasn’t really getting me anywhere and, as soon as the events that were taking place in my life that caused me a lot of anguish turned around, I was excited to pick up the Pacer again. This past week, I have been really dedicated to getting my 10K steps in at least four days of the week and I have blown that goal out of the water. It feels good to get myself moving again and although a lot of progress hasn’t been made, I’m back on the horse and I’m proud of that. Take a look at my stats:

  • Steps Taken: 1,364,282
  • Calories Burned: 33,311
  • Miles Walked: 445
  • Hours Active: 211
  • Days As A Pacer User: 177

I was also really pleased to see that I’ve been more active than sixty percent of the users on Pacer because, the last time I did an update, I was at a measly thirty percent. I doubled that! Things are looking up, and my exercise regimen is back in full swing, which makes things seem like they’re looking up even more! I feel really happy, and I can’t wait to get my 10,000 steps in today! 😀

Who else uses a pedometer app? How do you get back on the horse after a hiatus from working out? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug15

How To Be Happier In Your Home

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How To Be Happier In Your Home

Your home is the one place where you should be able to feel truly happy at all times and, sadly, that might not necessarily be the case for some. For most people, there will always be something that can be done in order to feel happier in the home, and that is worth remembering if you are trying to make sure that this is as true for you as possible. In this article, we are going to take a look at just a few things to consider doing if you want to be as happy as possible in your home:

Make It Safer:

It is hard to be truly and genuinely happy if you are not safe in the home. And, for that reason, you will want to make sure that you are doing whatever might be necessary in order to try and make it as safe as possible. Achieving safety in the home can be done by paying attention to a few things in particular. First, make sure that the doors are secure and that they are not damaged at all. Second, direct that same attention to the windows, and be sure to find some replacement fiberglass windows if they need replacing or repairing. Then, make sure that you are following basic safety procedures to keep the home safe from disasters. As long as you are doing all of that, you will feel safer – and therefore much happier – in the home.

Fill It With Life:

One great way to ensure that the home is going to be as conducive to happiness as possible is to fill it with life of different kinds. That could mean having pets, plants, or a combination of the two. In either case, you will find that having more life in the home can definitely make one happier, so this is something to consider, as well. It is relatively simple to fill your home with life, and it will make such a huge difference in the overall feeling of your abode.

Keep It Personal:

Finally, be sure to fill it as much as you can with items that remind you of your life and your loved ones. Keeping it personal in this way does wonders for making you happier in the home and will make you feel like those that you hold dear are close to you, even if they might be far away.

Creating happiness in your home is all about perspective. Add in what brings you joy and watch your positivity increase in no time.

Featured Image By: Pexels

Aug5

Making New Friends As An Adult

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Making New Friends As An Adult

Hey everyone and happy Sunday! As I make my way deeper into my twenty somethings, I find that I have had an increasingly difficult time making new friends. I work for myself, I’m no longer forced to be around anyone because I’m not in school, and, sometimes, talking to new people can be down right scary! Although Lil Red might seem like a confident gal, I still have issues with social anxiety. And, racing thoughts of whether an attempt at small talk will be a hit or miss can leave even the most confident in a tizzy.

But, then, I started utilizing the “what have I got to lose” mindset. The literal worst that can happen is that someone gives you the old “let’s get coffee sometime” and you never do. But, if you’re successful, you could have a brand new friend to get to know and spend time with.

I’ve began putting myself out there more and more lately and, I’ve got to say, it feels great! I’ve been attending different clubs of my interests at the local libraries and have even suggested a hang out with my favorite barista at Starbucks – and it worked! I have also been trying hard to maintain wonderful relationships with my old friends, because a phone works two ways.

I want to continue spending my free time in a meaningful way, and putting forth a better effort to make new friends has definitely helped me achieve this goal. Within just a few months, I feel like my anxiety in unfamiliar situations or speaking with a stranger while out and about has decreased significantly.

I started out small, by striking up a Facebook conversation with the people that I admired from afar and worked my way up from there. And, now, I have a plethora of both new and old friends that I would feel comfortable initiating a hang out with. I’m proud of myself for setting this goal and sticking to it, because meeting new people can be hard. But, once I got over the initial scare factor, it turned out to be an exciting adventure in my life and I’m looking forward to continuing to meet more new potential friends!

Making new friends as an adult can be challenging, but there are ways to make the process easier. One of the best things you can do is look for opportunities to meet new people. This could mean joining a club, taking a class, or even going to concerts like a Ravehub – anything that gets you out of your comfort zone and interacting with others. Another great tip is to be open and friendly when meeting new people. Smile, strike up conversations, and be yourself! People are more likely to want to be friends with someone confident and easy to talk to.

Does anyone else experience difficulty making new friends in adulthood? What are some of your tips for putting yourself out there? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul31

See Ya, July

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See Ya, July

Hello everyone! Today is the last day of another wonderful month here on lifewithlilred and I just wanted to thank all of you for spending it with me. I also wanted to give all of you the heads up that a fall themed guest bloggers series is coming up soon. YOU KNOW WHY?! Well, obviously because I love all autumn everything. AND, because I’ll need some extra help around the blog when I move into my apartment at the end of August or early September!!

This is all very exciting and it also means that we’re going to be delving deeper into home decor and how to create your dream space on a budget! Here’s to another fun, fashion, and beauty filled month on lifewithlilred, and I’ll see you all in August! Much love. -Sarah