Tag Archives: happy

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

Jul22

Northeast Ohio Rocks Pt. 2

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Northeast Ohio Rocks Pt. 2

Howdy everyone and happy Sunday! If you can remember back to a post I made in April, I discussed a really cool local tradition called Northeast Ohio Rocks. The idea is that you paint or Sharpie a rock as you see fit and then hide it somewhere in public where a stranger can find it. Then, you do what you will with your surprise on social media and rehide the rock for the next lucky person to find. It’s such a fun community program and people have had get togethers at their homes or local meeting centers to create more rocks to hide around Northeast Ohio.

At a Green Day concert at Blossom Music Center last year, I found a solar eclipse themed rock hanging around by the entrance. I felt so lucky to have stumbled upon such a beautiful creation and vowed to give the magic back in due time. I thought that it only seemed appropriate to return the rock to the location that I found it at last summer and that moment finally came last week when I saw Marilyn Manson perform at Blossom.

We’ll chit chat about the show tomorrow, but I wanted to follow up on the post that I made in April to let everyone know that I kept my promise to bring the rock back to its original location. I wrote my web address on the back of my Northeast Ohio Rock, so hopefully whoever found it will come to my page to let me know that their surprise was received!

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Does your area have a similar program to Northeast Ohio Rocks? Would you ever like to start a local tradition? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul20

From Paris, With Love

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From Paris, With Love

Hi everyone and TGIF! If you know Lil Red, then you’ll know that I am an avid lover of all things French. The language, the fashion, the architecture, the food – I am a huge fan of all of it and it is my dream to spend a few months there. Unfortunately, that dream hasn’t come into fruition yet, so the closest that I can get to Paris is practicing my French on Duolingo. Disappointed doesn’t even begin to cover my emotions about that!

But, the brilliant surprises of exploring a new country can take place right where you are, if you have an awesome mom, that is. Over the weekend, I was called downstairs from working on my French by my brother so that he could tell me something. While we were chatting, my mom went into my room and replaced my sad, old bed sheets and comforters with this gorgeous set:

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Upon returning to my chambers, I couldn’t believe the fantastic surprise that my mom had for me. This new bed set is absolutely stunning, and it looks like illustrations and writing taken straight from someone’s travel journal. And, did I mention that my new blankies are the epitome of comfort? They are so soft but light, and are perfect for wrapping yourself in during a warm summer night.

I might not be in Paris any time soon, but at least my new bed set will take me there in my dreams! Thanks, mom! ❤

Where is your dream travel location? How do you bring some of your favorite country to your home? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul15

Duolingo Progress (Finally!)

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Duolingo Progress (Finally!)

Hello!! So for a solid month I felt like I was completely slacking not only on Pacer, but on Duolingo, too. I was feeling super unmotivated and depressed and, damnit, I just didn’t feel like doing anything. But, now that I’m back to my normal, chipper, go getter self, it was time to get back on the horse and start making some progress again.

I’ve recently began working on my advanced French and beginner Spanish again and, I’ve got to tell you, it feels great. The mental exercise that I get from spending time with my languages daily makes me wonder why I ever stopped practicing in the first place, because I feel so good afterwards. In fact, it has motivated me to start practicing sign language again, which I took a hiatus from after having difficulty finding folks to practice with. Regardless of regular use or not, knowing a plethora of languages is an amazing skill to have, and I want to keep sharpening those skills on the daily.

I was halfway nervous to start practicing my languages again after a depression break, because I was worried that I had lost all of my knowledge in one short month. But, like riding a bike, I was able to pick up right where I left off and have since been enjoying every second of it. I’m proud that I didn’t let my anxiety about forgetting my skills get the best of me in regards to whether I should bother practicing again or not. And, even if I did forget anything, the worst that could happen is that I relearn something – and what’s the harm in that?

I’m getting back to feeling great mentally and physically after a rough past month and I am ready to continue making daily progress again just like in the good old days! 😀

Are you learning a new language right now? Who else utilizes Duolingo? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jun17

24th Birthday Haul

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24th Birthday Haul

Hiiiii! Despite not being thrilled about turning the big 2-4, I did get to ring my birthday in with some super fun outings and beautiful presents from friends and family – like the following:

  1. Tickets to X-Fest from my parents: The best gift I’ve received in years. I got to spend an entire day in Pennsylvania with my sister enjoying the sunshine, drinks, and music of lovelytheband, Sir Sly, AWOLNATION, Cold War Kids, and Jack White. And did I mention that it was all from the view of the front row? It doesn’t get much better than that!

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2. An in theater showing of The Room and dinner with my sister: I have been trying to get Kristen to come see The Room with me at the Cedar Lee theater in Cleveland for literal years. And, for my birthday, she finally agreed to join me. We went to dinner at my favorite restaurant, Barrio, and were in hysterics the entire time at the movies. It was SO fun!

3. A boxed wine hang out and goodies from the BFF: My best friend, Lea, and I have been celebrating our birthdays together for ten years now, so we were definitely due for a hang out! I received wine, coffee grounds, a Starbucks gift card, and a new mug all while enjoying out boxed moscato together. It was all of my favorite things! And, we are going to plan a weekend trip in July to celebrate both of our summer birthdays – I can’t wait! :*)

4. Bath bombs galore from my sister and other BFF: The beautiful Kate of Ankhor You and my sister both treated me to some products from Lush, which was so incredibly kind because I normally don’t buy that type of stuff for myself. It was such a wonderful surprise to receive a package from my Gemini twin, Kate, in the mail and I was so touched by her generosity and how she knows exactly what I am going to like every time. I love you, darling! ❤

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5. Cash flow and gift cards from my brothers: My two older brothers, Peter and Andrew, played it simple and effective with some cash money and a gift card to TJMaxx. Obviously, it was just the right gift for their favorite shopaholic and it fit like a glove! 😉

6. Foley + Corinna purse from my mom: When it gets closer to my birthday, my mom will let me pick out something special for myself during one of our shopping trips together. This year, I chose a beautiful Foley + Corinna purse that I am completely in love with and have already got amazing use out of!

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Thank you so much to all of my amazing friends and family for their generosity and for making 24 start off with a bang! I love you all! ❤

What was your favorite gift that you received this year for your birthday? How do you like to celebrate your big day? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah