Tag Archives: husband

Squeezing In Some Fun

Standard
Squeezing In Some Fun

Howdy!! I don’t know about all of you, but I still mourn summer vacations even though it has been years since I was in school. Sometimes adulting can feel cruel and unusual and this is definitely one of those times! With an insanely busy work schedule it can be hard to Squeeze In Some Fun, even if it is sweet summertime. I know that it is often difficult for me to muster the energy to do much over the weekend, but I have been trying. And, although the sleepies never fully leave me, I do feel better when Johnny and I have plans for our time off and we have been putting the effort in!

bug2image_50453761(10)

The past year and change have been trying times for yours truly and it was almost impossible to pepper joy into limited downtime. This is in stark comparison to when Johnny and I first started dating and we were constantly going here, there, and everywhere. Then, the pandemic hit, crisis in my life happened, and we never got back into the swing of things. Until now, that is. It has felt like we have had plans every weekend for months and it has been really great! Whether it be get togethers with our friends or going out on the town, I feel like I’m on cloud nine afterwards because it’s fun to have fun. 😀

The best thing about this change of pace is planning dates with Johnny. While we enjoy our video game or movie nights, there is nothing better than stepping out in style with my main squeeze. It is also amazing to always have something to look forward to during the work week! I feel like I have been in a bit of a rut lately and this has really helped turn my outlook around. I have loved our dinner dates and meeting up for drinks with our friends at all of our favorite spots. Even returning home afterwards is exciting because we have also shook up our weekend evening activities.

For the last of Johnny’s birthaversary gifts, we picked out a good but budget friendly record player. Johnny has an expansive collection of records but no functioning record player and our purchase was a game changer. My boo spent so much time after we brought the record player home turning our “game room” into an actual game room. He cleaned, he added more artwork to the walls, and he cleared out the closet in the room to house the records in and give us more space. This has given us plenty of room to break out all of the board games we haven’t played in forever. While we play, we take turns picking records at random and listening to one side before swapping it out. We still are all about our video games, but this switch up has made our evenings feel like true quality time and it is a beautiful thing!

Even though we have no plans for a summer vacation, we are making our best efforts to make plans, actually stick to them, and enjoy our weekends more fully. It has definitely helped lift my spirits and I love having a calendar full of activities to motivate me during the work week!

Do you have any big summer plans? What do you do when you feel like you’re in a rut? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Happy Birthday To Me!!!

Standard
Happy Birthday To Me!!!

Hello!!! Johnny’s birthday came and passed, our three year wedding anniversary was next, and now it is time for… DUN DUN DUN… My thirtieth birthday! Oh yes, your girl turns the Dirty Thirty today and I’d be a liar if I said that I’m completely okay with it lol. But hey, another year older another year *hopefully* wiser, right?! As my sweet husband has said, “at least you’re not turning thirty-five” so there’s that. 😀 Despite the slight sense of impending doom I’m feeling, there is so much in life that I am so thankful for. And, a lot of it took into my mid to late twenties to happen. When I remind myself of that, aging doesn’t seem so much as aging but more like an improvement.

While I am sad to be officially done with my roaring twenties, so much good has taken place during my last trip around the sun. The excellent health of one of my loved ones was celebrated, Johnny and I got to spend another year together and watch our nieces and nephew grow, and I even got a new job. And, of course, I can’t forget another year of loving my bunnies and creating daily content for lifewithlilred. Clearly, twenty-nine was pretty good and it makes me feel hopeful that this positive trajectory will continue into a brand new decade.

Although welcoming my thirties is bittersweet, it is the best to be able to celebrate with my Johnny. We have a hot date planned tonight to go to the Olive Garden and rent the new Strangers movie at home and I am thrilled! I have been craving the Olive Garden for months and I have also been looking forward to this new scary movie for months. It is exactly how I want to spend my birthday and I love that we are keeping it simple for maximum quality time. Turning thirty or not, I feel like the luckiest girl in the world to be so loved by our nearest and dearest for mine and Johnny’s birthaversary week and always! ❤

bug

Happy Birthday To Me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Johnny’s Birthday Shenanigans

Standard
Johnny’s Birthday Shenanigans

Hello!! This past Saturday was Johnny’s 35th birthday and the kick start to our birthaversary season. Our respective birthdays and wedding anniversary felt like forever away. Then, before we knew it, May was done and it was time for your two favorite Geminis to take over! For my birthday this Friday, we are going to the Olive Garden and renting the new Strangers movie at home. Johnny requested a birthday dinner too and wanted some of our friends to come by on his big day. Although his original dinner spot was a bust, it was still a banner time indeed!

image_50462465(7)image_50437377(8)image_50768897(3)image_50737153(4)image_50419457(12)bug2bug1bug

Our Plan A for the birthday boy was to go out to eat at Outback Steakhouse on Friday. Despite there being literally nothing for this vegetarian at Outback, it’s not every day your husband turns thirty-five! After work, we made our way to the restaurant and we were both verging on hangry. We were leaving early enough that we assumed we would get seated right away. However, as the old saying goes, assume makes an ass out of U and ME lol. Apparently, everyone and their brother was graduating from school that day and the parking lot was filled with people ready to celebrate. With a line out the door, we had to pivot to Plan B and went down the street at an Akron staple restaurant called Rockne’s.

Rockne’s is one of Johnny’s favorite restaurants and we finally ended up going together. It’s not like I didn’t want to go with him before. But, like Outback, there is literally nothing for this vegetarian to eat at Rockne’s! On the bright side, we got seated immediately, drinks were served, and we were both beyond ready for our meal. Johnny got a gigantic sub and I went for their Cajun pasta. It was no TGI Fridays (Their Cajun pasta is the BEST!), that’s for sure but at least my hanger was satisfied! After our dinner date, we went home to play some games and tuck in early for Johnny’s big day.

On Saturday, we spent the first half of Johnny’s birthday preparing the apartment for our guests and hanging out. By the time the evening rolled around, it was SO on! My brother and our bestie, Cliff, came over first and we had a blast playing some Mario Party all together. Then, my brother headed home and our friend Ty joined as shortly afterwards. It was so nice to catch up because we have all been so busy that we haven’t seen each other in what felt like ages. About an hour into our get together, I couldn’t wait to go to bed and Johnny set me up with a bowl of cereal and put Tarzan on TV upstairs. From our room, I could still hear the guys playing music, games, and laughing constantly. It’s safe to say that the party definitely was still going without this sleepy gal!

On Sunday, Johnny and I spent the day recovering from all of the birthday fun. It was a small price to pay for the best time celebrating my amazing guy!

How old are you turning this year? How do you like to celebrate your birthday? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Happy Anniversary To Us!

Standard
Happy Anniversary To Us!

Hello!! Today is a joyous, lovely, wonderful day because it is mine and Johnny’s three year wedding anniversary!! There was a point in my life when I was convinced I was never going to get married. That all changed the day Johnny and I had our first date because it was a love at first sight extravaganza. I genuinely believe in my heart of hearts that if Johnny and I were to have gotten married the day we met, we would still be exactly where we are right now. Johnny also confirms this sentiment so it must be true!! Even though I would have been so game to tie the knot immediately, I am SO glad we had a beautiful wedding that was perfect for us:

Miller-174Miller-205Miller-62

Johnny and I got married in our friend’s backyard on June fourth of 2021. We had a short and sweet ceremony surrounded by our immediate family and closest friends and it was the absolute best. Our decorations were simple – red fabric to walk down the aisle, a trellis, and black fabric to hang over it. Our attire was so very us in a black wedding dress and veil for me and black skinny jeans, a white button down, and a black Western inspired jacket for Johnny. There was no fanfare, no crazy reception, and literally no stress. We wanted our wedding to celebrate us as a couple in the easiest way humanly possible and that is exactly what we got.

I have heard so many stories about people not even enjoying their wedding because of the whirlwind of activity involved. I am so thankful to say that we enjoyed every second of every minute of our wedding. We both remember it like it just happened – Well, minus the parts when we got blitzed at the bar afterwards lol. There are countless moments from our big day that we still bring up and laugh about years later and that is very special to me. What I cherish the most about our wedding is the complete and total love that encompassed our backyard ceremony. It was like a pulse you could feel and it turned our understated wedding into a fairy tale. I think about our wedding day often and, when I do, that warm fuzzy feeling comes rushing back. It was the best day of my life!

Happy Anniversary to my Johnny!! I love you so much and wish we could get married every day!!

Happy Birthday, Johnny!!

Standard
Happy Birthday, Johnny!!

Hello!!! Today is a fantastic, wonderful day because it is my darling husband’s thirty-fifth birthday!! Johnny’s big day kick starts our month of birthaversary celebrations and it is, truly, the happiest time of the year. I celebrate my main squeeze every day, but it just hits different on his b-day. Johnny is the absolute best. He’s my A1 ride or die bestie and everything feels better since we have been together for almost five years. And, of course, he is too cute to boot too:

IMG_6348IMG_7108image_6487327(41)

Johnny makes everything in life so much more fun. Whether we are going out or staying in, it’s nonstop laughter, goofing off, and silliness every step of the way. Even though he is five years older than me, he keeps me young lol. The simplest things like going out to dinner or a movie feel like an adventure while video game or TV marathons on the couch are like a cozy cocoon that I never want to leave. Johnny has such a bright, outgoing, and joyous personality. Most importantly, though, he is so genuinely kind to everyone he encounters and it is always beautiful and refreshing to be around.

I remember mine and Johnny’s first date like it was yesterday. Drinks on the patio of our favorite bar on a random Thursday in late summer. I am pleased to report that in our extensive tenure as a couple that the first date feelings haven’t gone away. If anything, they have only intensified the longer we’ve been together. It sounds cheesy, but whenever we are reunited after work it feels like I am seeing him for the very first time even though it has only been eightish hours! I am clearly getting all sentimental on my hubby’s birthday, but we really were a “love at first sight” situation and that is SO worth getting in the feels for. ❤

Happy birthday to my Johnny! I can’t wait to celebrate our birthaversary and many, many more together. I love you!!!!

Something For The Fellas

Standard
Something For The Fellas

Hello! Whenever I go shopping at TJMaxx, I always shop the men’s department too in case there is something that Johnny might like. I absolutely adore my husband’s style so it is really fun to pick clothes out for him. It’s also nice to save some dough at TJs too because the websites that Johnny likes to order from are pretty pricey. What can I say, we both have expensive taste! Johnny is very partial to graphic button downs and I have had moderate success when I look for them at TJs. This past shopping trip was a great success, however, because they added a ton of button downs to the men’s department!

image_50740993(10)image_50749697(5)image_50726913(4)

^^^ Once again, don’t mind my broken nail lol

The first thing I noticed when I ventured to the men’s section was a display rack filled with summer button downs. They also had matching shorts, but Johnny’s size small looked way too small and the mediums looked gigantic. But I digress so back to the shirts! There were at least five different patterns to pick from in a cool, breezy fabric. I knew which one I liked the best immediately, but I sent Johnny pictures so he could decide for himself. He, too, liked the one you see above the most so into the cart it went and it was only twelve dollars. You just can’t beat that. 😀

The shirt and short sets by Massive were fantastic and they screamed Johnny right off the rip. In fact, he has quite a few pairs of matching shirts and shorts and calls it his “loungeware” lol. While I understand the merits of that because they look insanely comfortable, I can’t wait to see him wear his new shirt when we are out and about. Johnny’s style is very retro and this button down emulated that perfectly. The muted colors with the 70s-esque pattern is everything and it had me wishing that I could find something similar in a dress or skirt for myself!

If the button down above looks like something your SO might like, RUN don’t walk to TJMaxx. You might hit the jackpot and pay a song for it. I was glad to be able to buy a treat for my main squeeze and the price was oh so nice!

What is your favorite era of fashion? How would you describe your SO’s style? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Happy Memories

Standard
Happy Memories

Hello!! I am one of those people who opens up Facebook as soon as I get up in the morning. It’s part of my little wake up ritual. I check my notifications, I look at my memories, I complete a French lesson on Duolingo, then I get up and start my day. Sometimes, the Facebook memories are nice. Sometimes, they are a reminder of total assholes (lol). And, sometimes, they are the most cringy statuses I have ever seen in my life!! On March 13th, however, was a very happy Facebook memory indeed. It was the three year anniversary of when Johnny and I got engaged!!

yay

^^^ We look so young!! Also LOL at how big the ring was – definitely needed that resized!

Before I met Johnny, I was in bad relationship after even worse relationships. I had completely sworn off dating after things ended with the guy I was dating before Johnny… Until my now husband asked me out for a drink, of course! It was a real deal instance of love at first sight and we were inseparable after our first date. In fact, we often say that we could have gotten married the day we met and would still be exactly where we are right now. In my heart of hearts, I genuinely believe that to be true.

I hate to admit, but I kind of forgot about our engagement anniversary these past few years because we weren’t engaged for long. We got married less than three months later so that’s the day that is always on my radar. As I said before, Facebook memories can be the worst or they can be the best. Waking up and seeing the picture we took after Johnny popped the question was the most wonderful way to start my day. Johnny and I spent the brief time we have together in the morning reminiscing about it and he was just as surprised by the three year anniversary as I was. I’m glad I wasn’t the only one and I’ll be looking forward to seeing upcoming memories of our wedding prep and day as we approach June 4th and celebrate our birthaversary week. 🙂

Although Johnny and I needed a Facebook memory to remember the actual anniversary of our engagement, we remember the day like it was yesterday. Maybe I’ll have to upload the video of when Johnny proposed soon because it was literally perfect! ❤

Are you good at remembering special dates or do you need reminders? What is something cringy from your Facebook memories today? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Double Sweet Surprises!

Standard
Double Sweet Surprises!

Howdy! One thing that Johnny and I love to do is surprise each other with little odds and ends when we are out and about. It could be anything from wall art and plushies to Halloween decor, and it is just as fun to give a surprise as much as it is to get one! This past Friday, I was delighted to find some adorable bunny trinkets at Target for our knick knack shelves and couldn’t wait to show Johnny as soon as I got home. Coincidentally, he had a treat for me too! Check it out:

image_50450433(8)image_50414081(8)image_50437377(5)

Thanks to a recent shopping trip to TJMaxx, I learned that this time of the year is prime for finding bunny themed decorations. You might be thinking “duh” because we’re entering spring and that means Easter. In my defense, lol, I don’t celebrate Easter and I also never shop around this time of the year. I prefer to hit up the post winter sales and wait till it gets completely warm out until I invest in new spring clothing. However, knowing what I know now, it makes me want to shop even more! As a proud bunny mom, I want all of the options that dog and cat parents have year round. The trick is that I have to cram it into a few months!

On Friday, I had a most excellent outing to Target with my brother to grab some new duds for his upcoming vacation. I genuinely had no intention of getting anything, but Target knows how to get you with the one to five dollar or so items right as you walk in. Immediately, small bunny statues in gold and white caught my eye and I just couldn’t help myself. Johnny and I are literally obsessed with the bunny decor I got from TJs and since he won’t let me get more bunnies, this was the next best thing. 😀

With my new bunny friends in tow, I made my way home after shopping to show the #1 Bunny Dad. My jaw hit the floor when he told me he had a surprise for me too! What are the odds?! For my treat, Johnny first presented me with a new kind of Warheads candy which we later determined to be disgusting. The real treat was a Gengar squishmallow that he picked up while running errands!! I have never had or even held a squishmallow before and, guys, the hype is real. It is SO soft and this gift couldn’t have come at a better time; I got sick the following day and cuddled with it as I rode out a cold from hell. It was even more comforting that it came from my Johnny. ❤

Johnny and I must have had some telepathy that told us we needed a little extra something this past Friday! It was a banner day for Double Sweet Surprises, indeed!

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

Date Night!!!!

Standard
Date Night!!!!

Hello!! This past Friday was simply wonderful! It has been a fat minute since Johnny and I went on a date night and that is exactly what we did. My sweet Johnny suggested a dinner out on Friday and we had both been looking forward to it all week. Rather than go to one of our usual haunts, Johnny had his heart set on Mike’s Place in Kent. This was perfectly fine by me because we haven’t been there since we got married! For our wedding, we spent the weekend in Kent and had breakfast at Mike’s before heading home. It was just as delicious, kitschy, and completely fun as I remember it being almost three years ago! 

image_50445313(8)image_50754561(4)image_50397953(6)image_50437889(9)image_50416385(13)image_50420993(8)image_50417921(12)image_50461441(10)

Mike’s Place is a beloved eatery in our neck of the woods and for good reason. The menu (as you can see) is expansive and offers options for any dietary restriction. This is something that is greatly appreciated by my vegetarian self and despite having access to the entire menu with substitutions, I was relieved that they had a “veggie” portion in their menu. There were just too many options! Mike’s Place has literally any dish or drink you can imagine and the roadmap menu is peppered with hilarious names and jokes for each item. You could seriously go there every day for months and not order the same thing twice!

While the food is enough to make you want to keep returning to Mike’s again and again, the restaurant is so much more than that. The atmosphere is so welcoming and accommodating and the service is excellent. And, don’t even get me started on the decor because Mike’s is like a museum! Johnny and I sat in a literal bus for our meal and it was awesome. The walls and ceilings are covered with crazy art and fixtures and each room has a specific theme. It really adds to the excitement of going to Mike’s Place because you never know where you’re going to end up.

For our drinks, Johnny went with the Dragon Slayer and I had a Margarita. I wasn’t overly impressed with my marg, but Johnny definitely loved slaying the dragon! We also shared a Peach Sangria that was simply delightful. I ordered cheese tortellini with white sauce, salad, and garlic bread and enjoyed every bite. Johnny got his classic bacon cheeseburger and French fries and he slayed that too lol. The French fries were SO good – super crispy on the outside and soft as can be inside. We were stuffed by the end of our dinner, both with food and feelings lol. ❤

Johnny and I ended our date night as we normally do… Playing Diablo IV. We had the best time going out and plan on making a night out a more regular occurrence. I think we will both be happy if we go to Mike’s Place again next time!

What is your perfect date night like? What is one of your favorite restaurants in your neck of the woods? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

V-Day Our Way

Standard
V-Day Our Way

Hello darlings!! Sending hugs and kisses your way because it’s almost Valentine’s Day! V-Day is one of those holidays that you either love, hate, or are totally indifferent about. I have to admit that I am one of those people who are right down the middle. Honestly, every day with Johnny feels like Valentine’s Day, so when the actual day does roll around we’re both just like “oh” lol. While it can be fun to go all out on the day of love with elaborate gifts and dates, Johnny and I do V-Day Our Way. It looks a little something like this:

Gifts: 

For a majority of the gift giving occasions, I like to surprise Johnny. However, there are times where we both have specific things in mind that we would like and it’s so much easier to just tell each other what it is. For example, Johnny told me that he wants a new denim jacket because his old one has seen better days. He found the one he wanted and I will order it. This worked out perfectly because I had a gift for myself picked out too: A new Keurig! My old one got waterlogged when my kitchen flooded due to a burst pipe in the building and we never replaced it. Now, I need one desperately because of my 3 AM work mornings and Johnny will order me a new one too and a pack of K-cups. I can’t wait!

Dinner:

Johnny and I rarely go out to eat and find that it is so much more luxurious to DoorDash something! To us, there is nothing better than getting food from one of our favorite places and enjoying it from the comfort of our pajamas. Texas Roadhouse is one of our preferred “special occasion” restaurants to order from so we might end up going that route. But, we’ll see what strikes us the day of… We are always one hundred percent content with getting Taco Bell. 😀

Entertainment:

Valentine’s Day is on a weekday and that automatically makes it highly inconvenient for me and my main squeeze. We both have very early starts to our morning and are normally exhausted by the time we get home. There is a one million percent chance that we will return from our shifts and be ready to turn Criminal Minds on! Over the weekend, I am sure we’ll take the night on Friday or Saturday to make it about us. And, by that I mean, we will play Diablo IV and Resident Evil IV together all evening. We love to game together and that is always our go to way to celebrate. It is never not a complete blast!!

V-Day Our Way looks like any other day for Johnny and I and that is fine by us. We tend to go all out for our Birthaversary and I anticipate slightly more than the usual in June! No matter how we spend the day, I’m just happy it’s with my husband. ❤

How do you feel about Valentine’s Day? How are you celebrating this year? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah