Tag Archives: hobby

Dec11

Lil Red’s Book Club: Last Girl Ghosted By Lisa Unger Edition

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Lil Red’s Book Club: Last Girl Ghosted By Lisa Unger Edition

Hello! We interrupt your regularly scheduled programming of bonus pictures from my last OOTD for a new edition of Lil Red’s Book Club. Today, we are going to be discussing a thriller called Last Girl Ghosted by Lisa Unger – without giving any spoilers away, of course! Before beginning this review, I will be placing a trigger warning on this book for general violence and terror. Let’s get to it:

Wren Greenwood had lived a lifetime of trauma before she was even in the double digits. With lots of hard work, however, she has made a name for herself and a comfortable living as an advice columnist for “Dear Birdie”. Saying Wren is a workaholic is an understatement and her bestie, Jax, encourages her to sign up for the popular dating app called Torch to have some fun.

After a couple of Torch dates that Wren considered a bust, she decided to give it one more go before calling it quits. She matched with a man named Adam Harper who intrigued her through his panache for poetry and brooding image. After one date, Wren found herself head over heels and her and Adam were inseparable for the next three months. Until…

On the eve of Adam asking Wren a very important question, he disappears without a trace. Wren is completely heartbroken in the aftermath but things are about to get a lot more complicated than just a broken heart. Private Investigator, Bailey Kirk, knocks on Wren’s door to discuss Adam with her because he has been linked to the disappearance of three other young women.

In an ultimate game of cat and mouse, Bailey and Wren begin the search for Adam and his missing exes. Red herrings, possible sightings, and eerie text messages appear at every turn until, eventually, Wren and Bailey are led back to where it all began – her hometown. Will Wren and Bailey find the girls alive and well? And just who is Adam Harper? Read Last Girl Ghosted to find out!

Last Girl Ghosted is one of the best books that I have read in a while and I really enjoyed it. I read ravenously and finished this four hundred page thriller in about five sittings. I couldn’t put it down if you paid me! From multiple narrators, a back and forth timeline, and an urgent chase, Last Girl Ghosted incorporated everything I like and did it just right.

I will admit that at the beginning of this book, I found it to be a little cliche. But, as I continued to turn the pages, I was hooked. In fact, it kind of reminded me of You by Caroline Kepnes. I loved Wren’s strength and she was a character that I found myself rooting for because she truly deserved happiness. Her roots as a blogger also spoke to me!

Not only was Wren an exciting heroine but the supporting cast was just as likeable, as well. Her best friend, Jax, was someone that anyone would want in their corner and PI Bailey Kirk definitely fit that bill too. Even Adam Harper started out great until he did a one eighty really fast.

I am going to award Last Girl Ghosted with an eight out of ten stars. While I figured out the grand reveal fairly quickly, this was still an excellent thriller and I highly recommend it. I also have to say that this book would have earned an additional star from me, however, there was a considerable amount of typos in it which drove me nuts!

What are you currently reading? What should I read next? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec8

3 Delicious Baking Recipes For The Holiday Season

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3 Delicious Baking Recipes For The Holiday Season

Tis the season of going home for the holidays, staying close to those you hold dearest, and decorating everything with a sprinkle of joy. Most importantly, tis the season to experiment in the kitchen. Yes, most people have enough extra hours at work, renovating with a Renewal by Andersen Windows, or being a full time parent. But, you’ve seen the films of families getting together and baking a splendid dessert. There’s no reason for you to miss out!

This article will teach you baking is for everyone and give you the chance to impress your loved ones. It’s time to get creative, throw on an apron, and decide what type of dessert calls out to you:

Gingerbread Cookies:

Gingerbread cookies are a holiday tradition and for a good reason. They are a taste of holiday possibility best accompanied by hot cocoa with marshmallows. Baking gingerbread cookies is a fantastic activity for young children to participate in and feel included in the festivity preparations.

Ingredients:

  • Brown sugar
  • Egg
  • Molasses
  • Ground cinnamon
  • Ginger
  • Cloves
  • Nutmeg
  • All-purpose flour
  • Butter

Prepare: For this recipe, you will have to whisk the following ingredients together in a bowl: baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, salt, ginger, and flour. Next, you will beat the dough and add the butter and sugar with a hand mixer. Finally, add the previous flour mixture to the dough and beat until combined.

Then, you must chill the dough, first dividing it into two parts and rolling them into a ball. Next, flatten the ball and wrap it in plastic wrap inside the fridge for close to an hour. Once chilled, unwrap the dough, place it on a floured surface, and use a cookie cutter of your preference.

Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for eight to ten minutes. Finally, take your cookies out of the oven and let them sit for five minutes. Eat them with a glass of milk, coffee, hot chocolate, or start decorating to enjoy at a later time.

^^^ Image By: Jill Wellington on Pixabay

Linzer Cookies:

Nothing like some good Linzer cookies to dip into milk…

Ingredients:

  • Flour
  • Almond flour
  • White sugar
  • Butter
  • Salt
  • Cinnamon
  • Vanilla extract
  • 1 egg yolk
  • Powdered sugar
  • Raspberry Jam

Prepare: Like most baking recipes in this article, you’ll prepare the dough. Have the butter, white sugar, and cinnamon ready to beat in a bowl. Carefully add the yolk and vanilla to combine them. Whisk the salt, flour, and almond butter together in another bowl. Combine both of the mixtures.

Just like the gingerbread cookie recipe, repeat the process of dividing and refrigerating the dough. Take out the dough from the fridge and allow it to soften for five minutes. Roll one disk on a floured surface and use the desired cutter to give shape to the cookies.

Bake the cookies for fifteen minutes and then let them cool for a few minutes. Powder your cookies with powdered sugar and add jam to their center. Cut a hole on top of other cookies and place those on the first ones.

Picture By: Devanath on Pixabay

Cinnamon Rolls:

The smell of cinnamon rolls is truly enchanting. Ask anyone within reach of a bakery and they’ll tell you how cinnamon rolls bewitch the heart. 

Ingredients:

  • All-purpose flour
  • Salt
  • Instant yeast
  • Two percent or Whole milk
  • Salted butter
  • 1 Egg
  • Granulated sugar
  • Brown sugar
  • Cinnamon
  • Powdered sugar
  • Vanilla

Prepare: You’ll have the perfect cinnamon rolls to dig into in six easy steps. First, you will add salted butter, yeast, milk, egg, salt, brown sugar, and water in a bowl. When you’re done with the mixture, heat water, butter, and milk together to add it to the butter mixture.

Time to knead the dough! Don’t be afraid to make a mess. With your hands, knead the dough. Let it rest for a couple of minutes and prepare the ingredients for your filling: sugar, cinnamon, and butter. Get your dough, roll it out, spread some butter, add cinnamon, and sprinkle some sugar. Roll the dough and cut it into even pieces. Grease a round pan and place your rolls inside. Allow the rolls to rise for sixty minutes.

Finally, bake the cinnamon rolls until they look golden brown. The only problem left is resisting the temptation to eat them all in one sitting!

Picture By: Monika on Pixabay

Call a friend, bake with family members, or spend this time with whoever makes your day. You will have amazing memories and treats to show for it!

Featured Image By: Jill Wellington on Pixabay

Dec2

Completed Whomping Willow LEGO Set

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Completed Whomping Willow LEGO Set

Hi! Johnny and I had a wonderful Thanksgiving break and I hope that all of you did too! We built LEGO, had a day date, took our niece to see Santa, and (as always) watched so much Criminal Minds lol. I had a hankering to work on one of our Harry Potter LEGO sets and we completed the Whomping Willow in about two hours this past Friday. 

Although this set is a lot smaller in comparison to what we like to build, it is an important one to have. The Whomping Willow set connects some of the ones that we already have like The Great Hall and Clock Tower to make our Hogwarts castle even bigger! Check it out:

Building LEGO with Johnny is one of my favorite things to do on a day off and it’s such a great project to complete together. While I prefer the big sets for more of a challenge, it was fun to bust out the Whomping Willow set quickly. As with all of the LEGO sets, there were tons of cool surprises tucked away in the build like Trevor the frog, the spinning Whomping Willow, and the potions and baubles throughout each room. These little details make even the smallest set exciting to put together!

Now that this set is complete, all Johnny and I have left from a previous LEGO haul is the Hogwarts Chamber Of Secrets and I am itching to start it. As usual, I already have my eye on what I want next which is the Astronomy Tower and the Hogsmeade Village. In non Harry Potter news, the LEGO Haunted House looks amazing and really speaks to mine and Johnny’s spooky selves. 😀

Unfortunately, we don’t have lots of room in our apartment to show off our completed builds so at some point we are going to clear off our Spooky Shelf to showcase our work. Keep it posted for the end result, which we’ll get to eventually lol!

Who else likes to build LEGO? Where can you score great deals on new sets? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

 

Dec1

Lil Red’s Book Club: Sometimes I Lie By Alice Feeney Edition

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Lil Red’s Book Club: Sometimes I Lie By Alice Feeney Edition

Hi! Today, we are going to be discussing Sometimes I Lie by Alice Feeney – without giving any spoilers away, of course. If this author sounds familiar to you, it should! I recently finished another book by hers called His & Hers. Much like the last book of Feeney’s that I reviewed, I will be putting a massive trigger warning on Sometimes I Lie for graphic scenes of violence and sexual assault. Now, let’s get to it:

Sometimes I Lie opens with our main character, Amber Reynolds realizing that she is in the hospital in a coma after a horrible accident. She can hear what is going on around her, but she cannot move, see, or speak. As we embark on this reading journey, we learn that Amber is a broken woman and not just in terms of the current state of her body.

The chapters of Sometimes I Lie alternate between Amber in the hospital, the days leading up to her accident, and the diary of a young girl. From the diary entries, we learn that whomever wrote them had a difficult childhood due to neglectful, alcoholic parents and moving around constantly. Things haven’t been easy for Amber since the diaries have been written and she is riddled with OCD rituals, low self esteem, and the nagging idea that her husband is cheating on her.

Despite what could be considered a “dream job” of being a presenter on a popular radio show, Amber is chronically unhappy in her work and life in general. Tensions are high between Amber and the star of the radio show until she develops a plot with her friend to get the problematic host fired, and the metaphorical shit hits the fan from there.

Stresses at work, an overbearing sister, inattentive husband, and the return of an ex boyfriend push Amber to her breaking point until she finds herself in the coma. As the days blend together in her state of permanent sleep, Amber’s foggy mind tries to connect the dots of how she got there in the first place. How did she end up in a coma? And what has Amber been lying about? Read Sometimes I Lie to find out!

There were a lot of things that I liked about Sometimes I Lie but, unfortunately, the things that I didn’t enjoy about this book outweighed the good. We all know that Lil Red loves back and forth chapters as well as multiple story lines. However, there was way too many convoluted plot twists and I never thought that I would find myself saying that.

So many complex story lines in Sometimes I Lie made this book insanely difficult to follow and I honestly still don’t know if I understand it completely. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mind when some things are left up to interpretation but not the entire story line! Amber begins this book by admitting that “sometimes I lie” which means that literally everything that she is saying could be false.

Knowing that there might not be an ounce of truth to what Amber says made for a muddled grand reveal and absolutely no closure once finishing the book. I did enjoy individual aspects of the story lines of Sometimes I Lie but when mixed all together into a relatively short book of two hundred and sixty pages, it made my final interpretation murky at best.

I am going to award Sometimes I Lie with a four out of ten stars. If you are looking for a vague but interesting enough read, give it a shot. However, if like me, you prefer not to second guess everything you read in a book, then you can definitely skip on this one. Trust me, you’re not missing much.

What did you think about Sometimes I Lie? What are you currently reading? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

 

Nov27

Lil Red’s Book Club: Treachery Times Two By Robert McCaw Edition

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Lil Red’s Book Club: Treachery Times Two By Robert McCaw Edition

Hello! Today on Lil Red’s Book Club, we are going to be discussing the fourth novel in the Koa Kane Hawaiian Mysteries called Treachery Times Two by Robert McCaw. Although this is the fourth book in the series, it can be read as a stand alone title, which is what I did and I also think is very cool. As always, there will be no spoilers in this post so as not to ruin all of the insane twists and turns of this book! Let’s get to it:

Koa Kane is the Chief Detective of Hilo, Hawaii and it is his career to uncover dark secrets and put the bad guys away. However, his past offense of murdering his father’s nemesis and covering it up thirty years ago would definitely qualify himself as someone he should be tracking down. Although he is, indeed, a murderer, Koa worked hard to turn his life around through his time in the military, as a detective, in his community, and with the love of his life, Nalani.

A common saying is to leave the past in the past but that is awfully difficult for Koa when the grandson of his victim comes to the islands investigating his death, which had been ruled a suicide. On top of this, an earthquake had uncovered a makeshift burial ground with a fresh corpse of a Tiger Baldwin, who had been shot and killed as well as had her fingertips cut off. Needless to say, Koa has his hands full.

Tiger’s murder baffles Koa and his team and if they don’t solve the mystery fast, America as we know it could be at stake. Through his detective work, Koa discovers that Tiger works for an ultra high tech and ultra secret company located in Hawaii called X-CO. After much digging, we learn that the employees at X-CO are working on a new military weapon called Deimos – the most dangerous development since the atomic bomb.

When functioning properly, Deimos can withstand and protect soldiers against the terrors of war. But bad code in the programming can cause the machine to begin attacking those it was meant to protect. Was Tiger Baldwin behind this major breach in security or was she trying to fix it? And just how deep does the treason to our country go? Read Treachery Times Two to find out!

Robert McCaw’s Treachery Times Two was a wild ride and it felt like you were right alongside Koa in Hawaii sleuthing too. I loved how McCaw was able to immerse his readers in Hawaiian culture, language, traditions, and scenery. It wasn’t a book just set in Hawaii, because with a big enough imagination, you were in Hawaii. This was so neat to me and I can’t recall a book that I have read recently that included this much detail about the location through such vivid imagery.

If you know Lil Red, you know that she loves a book with multiple story lines and Treachery Times Two included this, as well. Not only were you reading about the secrets of Deimos being uncovered but you were also on the edge of your seat as the grandson of Koa’s victim tried to crack the thirty year old suicide. I, frankly, can’t remember ever hoping that a murderer would get away with his crime but I found myself rooting for Koa the entire book!

Treachery Times Two was a unique reading experience for me. While we all know that I love a mystery, I have never read too many books about government secrets before. This book was definitely one that you had to be careful with as you read because there were so many details that could be easily missed. However, I am pleased to say that I solved most of the grand reveal thanks to Koa’s handiwork. 😀

I am going to award Treachery Times Two with an eight out of ten star rating. I so enjoyed getting lost in this book and read it ravenously. It also made me really want to go back and read the first three books in the series. Highly recommend!

What are you currently reading? What should I read next? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Nov12

Fun & (Video) Games: Animal Crossing Update Edition

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Fun & (Video) Games: Animal Crossing Update Edition

Hello! One of my favorite hobbies to help me relax is playing Animal Crossing, which I’m sure you all know because I talk about it enough lol. At the beginning of the pandemic when Johnny was furloughed, he played Animal Crossing so much that he could no longer do it and I have taken over on our island ever since. Unlike my husband, I have yet to grow tired of island living and play every chance I can get – especially since the game just got a huge update!

Us devoted Animal Crossing players have been waiting for this update for months and, let me tell you, it did not disappoint. There are so many new things to enjoy from this update and after raving about it to Johnny, he even admitted that he might have to start playing again. Yeah, it’s that good.

The biggest things that helped to bulk up your island experience include Brewster’s Cafe, exploring islands with Kapp’n, an outdoor market at Harv’s Island, all of the gyroids, and cooking recipes in your kitchen. Not only can you cook but you can also grow crops other than pumpkins like potatoes, tomatoes, carrots, wheat, and sugarcane. You can even come up with tasty recipes when you go fishing, which makes catching endless amounts of black bass not completely useless.

What I am most excited about from the update is the outdoor market at Harv’s Island. The property behind his house will feature stands for Leif, Kicks, Jolly Redd, Katrina the fortune teller, and much more. Each stand will cost a steep 100,000 bells to activate and, sadly, you can only donate once per day so time traveling will be in order if you want all of the stands quickly. Right now, I only have Leif and Katrina but Jolly Redd is definitely next on the agenda so I can continue growing my art collection.

Another cool thing that the Animal Crossing update offers is 9,000 new items to decorate your home and island with. I am especially partial to the new goodies that you can buy with your Nook miles and have already blown almost my entire savings on my purchases. My haul included a Ferris wheel, balloon stand, carnival games, and train to create the ultimate amusement park on my island. This redecorating is going to take a considerable amount of time to do, though, because I have So. Many. Flowers. to dig up. *eye roll*

If you are new to Animal Crossing, then welcome to the party. And, if you are returning after a long hiatus, then welcome back. This update will have you logging into your island again and again just like the good old days before you abandoned your villagers completely! 😀

What is your favorite part of the Animal Crossing update? Which villagers do you have on your island? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct31

Easy Tips For Improved Cooking Skills 

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Easy Tips For Improved Cooking Skills 

Knowing how to cook is a basic, fundamental skill that we all need to have. The pandemic has been tough on everyone, but many people have gone out of their way to get creative. Some have headed outside and created a garden packed with new flowers and veggies. Others have turned their hand to DIY and revamped their entire houses.

Then, there are those who turned to cooking. With the pandemic ending and lock downs lifting, people are choosing to Google ‘bakery course near me’ to improve their cooking skills that they learned while they were unable to go out and see people. Cooking is an amazing skill to have – it’s science and a little bit of magic all rolled together. Learning to bake a beautiful loaf of bread or cook the perfect roast chicken dinner? It’s all part of the fun.

If you want to improve your cooking skills, you can, and we’ve got some tips for you below to continue building your skill set:

Shop Well:

You can’t cook delicious meals without delicious ingredients, right? Ingredients that are fresh and vibrant in taste and color can help you to make transformative foods. Even the most basic dishes can become five star meals when you choose the right ingredients, and that’s the best place to start.

Get Equipped:

Can you cook the perfect fried egg if your pans are scratched to pieces? Of course not. If you want to make cooking a hobby of yours, then you need to equip yourself with the right tools. The right pans, the best knives, new kitchen scales, and the right cutlery can ensure that your cooking becomes something better than you ever thought it could be. The best quality equipment will help you to bring those recipes out properly.

Prepare Beforehand:

Be prepared. You need to get yourself set up by weighing and measuring all of your ingredients before you even get started. Warm up the oven early, and get into the habit of preparing your ingredients before you do anything else. This will make the whole process easier on you when you want to improve the current skills you have.

And, remember, part of the prep work before making anything involves reading the recipe thoroughly! When you are just beginning to take cooking more seriously inspect the recipe carefully no matter how easy it might seem. From pasta sauce to a diet-friendly edibles recipe, you don’t want to realize you don’t have some necessary ingredients halfway through the process!

Have A Tasting Spoon:

When you cook, you need to taste. You’ll see the best chefs tasting as they go and they do this for a good reason. Tasting will help you to tell whether you have seasoned enough and it can help you to avoid plating up a dish that really doesn’t taste great. Of course, you need to keep this spoon separate from the rest of the cooking utensils you use!

Use the tips above to make the next meal you prepare even better. Happy cooking!

Featured Image By: Pexels

Oct31

5 Reasons Why Being A Sports Fan Is Great For You

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5 Reasons Why Being A Sports Fan Is Great For You

Many of us have a love of sports and there is something so exciting about following your favorite team as they make their way to the championship. Whether it’s cheering on the Baltimore Ravens in the NFL or Liverpool in the premier league, watching your team achieve greatness is the best thing. In fact, there are many benefits to being a sports fan, and some studies show that being one has positive psychological, emotional, and social benefits like the following:

Sense of Community:

The sense of community is a key component to what makes sports so popular. It’s a way for people who might not have much in common or from different parts of the world to connect. In our society, sports have become a way for different people from various cultures and backgrounds to come together and share in the excitement. The power of cheering and support from other fans in the stadium is amazing. It’s great being part of a big community and sharing sports news through sites similar to https://sportnews.in/.

This sports fan community really is there when you think about it on a smaller scale too. How many times have you worn your favorite Steelers or Cronulla Sharks merchandise and then got engaged in conversation from a stranger? Whether it’s playful banter about whose team is better or which player is looking good this year, your sports merch is inviting a chat with anyone who loves the game. You might make a new friend from something as simple as wearing a team jersey!

Help To Deal With Stress:

Sports have always been a great way to relieve stress. Watching sports helps to relax, distracts you from your problems, and gives you something to talk about with other people. We all know that there is nothing better than watching your favorite team win. Watching your favorite player score a goal or make an awesome play is so inspirational. It’s easy to be transported when watching a big game and having something to focus on and cheer for is a perfect way to shake away stress.

Happiness:

When it comes to the team’s fans, they have their own set of reasons to cheer on the team. Some may have been born into sports fandom like Stephen Troese Jr, some may be cheering for their favorite player, or they could just be cheering for the joy of being in a good mood. One study found that 50% of participants reported feeling more energetic when it comes to baseball games and 41% felt more relaxed after watching the game with happy spectators. Those numbers speak for themselves!

Increased Self Esteem:

Overall, sports fans not only get to reap the social benefits but also the psychological benefits as well. We often feel down on ourselves and forget about our accomplishments. It’s easy to get caught up in the negative aspects of life. But cheering for your favorite team has been found to boost self esteem and make you feel better about yourself.

Make Some Money:

Sports betting has become an increasingly popular hobby and can be quite lucrative. Whether it’s a small wager among friends or using an app or website to bet, it’s important to be smart about it. Do your research of the team and all of its players, look into the buzz on Champions League Predictions or the next big game coming up, and only make a bet with an amount you are comfortable with losing. While this is not for everyone, it can be a bit of fun and might provide some extra pocket change.

If you enjoy sports betting, be sure to keep your finger on the pulse of big changes in your preferred sport so you can make informed decisions. You will want the most current information while also being well versed in the past performances of players and the franchise as a whole. Looking up “football predictions today“, for example, can help you start considering your bets for the night’s big game. The most accurate information is also beneficial as it gives you the opportunity to think about all possible outcomes before laying your money down.

When a sports fan cheers for a team, they are not only boosting their own self esteem but also supporting their hometown or country’s success. It’s a common trend for people to be more connected with the community when they are enjoying a game all together.

Featured Image By: Jimmy Conover on Unsplash

Oct29

Attack On The Burrow Harry Potter LEGO Set

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Attack On The Burrow Harry Potter LEGO Set

Hi! During the last LEGO haul that Johnny and I had, he surprised me with an additional set for our two year anniversary. To continue on with our Harry Potter collection, he got me the Attack On The Burrow set which is one that I have had my eye on for a while. This build took us about five hours to complete and we just finished it this past weekend – it turned out great and had all of the quirky touches that you would expect in the Weasley home. Check it out:

The Attack On The Burrow is, easily, one of my favorite sets that we have built together because it was so different than any of the other Harry Potter ones that we have. All of our other Harry Potter sets are in the Hogwarts castle and while they were very fun to build, each one was quite similar in terms of color palette and the hidden surprises. The Attack On The Burrow was a colorful and unique change of pace and the end result looks fantastic, if I do say so myself!

The best part about building LEGO sets is all of the detail that they incorporate into it. The Burrow wouldn’t be complete without them and the set had surprises in spades. I loved Molly’s knitting nook where a Weasley sweater is being made and the picture above it of their trip to Egypt. The kitchen is also a delight with a big breakfast on the table, potted plants, and Floo Powder fire place in the adjoining room. And, yes, it does have a knob that you can turn to make the fire go from red to green. 😀

If you look at the pictures of the set in its entirety, you can see that it is built on a slant which adds to the charm of the Weasley household. I didn’t even realize this as Johnny and I were building so seeing it once we were done was another awesome surprise. And, of course, the animal friends like the pig, Hedwig, and Errol was another nice touch. 🙂

It goes without saying that Johnny had to take care of all of the detail work on this build while I took care of the bigger pieces. Thank goodness for that because there was, obviously, a ton. Don’t believe me? Just take a closer look at the breakfast table lol. Next on deck, we plan on building our Hogwarts Chamber Of Secrets set and we are already itching to get started for more witchcraft and wizardry right in our apartment! ❤

What are you currently building with LEGO? Do you have any of the Harry Potter sets? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct21

One Year Duolingo Streak!

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One Year Duolingo Streak!

Hi! This has been a year of very exciting milestones for yours truly. I recently achieved a 1,000 day streak of writing in a row on lifewithlilred and, today, I have reached one full year of daily practice on Duolingo! Every day, I have been working on my French, Spanish, Italian, Czech, and German and I am amazed at the progress that I have made in all of them. If you can’t tell, I am a woman who thrives with a routine and it is so exciting to see my hard work continue to pay off.

Because I have six years of experience of being taught French in high school and college, it will always be my best language in terms of speaking, reading, and comprehension. Unfortunately, I’m not really sure how speaking my other four languages would go because I haven’t had the opportunity to interact with anyone who speaks them – especially in COVID times because Johnny and I haven’t been able to travel for our honeymoon like we wanted.

That’s not to say that I haven’t noticed big improvements, though. I am always tickled when Johnny and I are watching a TV show or movie and one of my five languages is being spoken. More often than not, I can get the basic gist of what is being said and it makes me feel very proud of myself. Now, the next challenge will be figuring out which language to start learning next!

For the longest time, I have answered the “What would your super power be?” question with being fluent in every language. It has been a time consuming task to achieve this without being bitten by a radioactive spider but learning on Duolingo every day brings me one step closer to that dream. 🙂

Which language should I learn next? Which languages can you speak? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah