Tag Archives: lifestyle

Jul21

Born To Ball OOTD Bloopers

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Born To Ball OOTD Bloopers

Hellooo everyone and welcome to the blooper reel from my Born To Ball OOTD! I took a brief hiatus from OOTD posts for a bit due to the craziness that is my life and it feels great to finally be back at it. I love to style outfits for any and all occasions – even when I put a look together just to put my pajamas back on afterwards. Fashion has always been a huge passion of mine, mainly because it is just pure fun. I have a blast every time I go shopping in my closet and seeing what I can dream up next! Of course, even if the outfit is straight fire, there will forever be pictures that are so not lol. Let’s take a look at some of these shots that definitely didn’t make the first cut:

Wishing you all a friendly howdy do!

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When you text someone in the same room and are waiting for them to read it

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Preparing for blast off!

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I LOOK GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!

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Subtly flashing the beaver teeth lol

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Who, me? 

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As an adult, it can be really hard to do anything more than adulting. Go to work, make money to pay bills, return home exhausted, and then rinse and repeat until the weekend. Then, it feels impossible to live it up on the weekend when all you want to do is relax. I have fallen into this vicious cycle more often than I care to admit and have been trying my best to not let it happen again. Everyone needs fun in their lives and sometimes you just need to muster up the strength and go even if you aren’t entirely feeling it. Getting back into weekly OOTDs were my way of dipping my toes back in the water, so to speak, and it really has helped. It makes making plans and sticking to them way easier when you are already looking fresh to death!

Since mine and Johnny’s Fourth of July staycation, I have realized the merits of outings, home projects, and hobbies and I feel like the pep in my step is back. I have a lot of stress in my life and adding one more thing to my schedule used to stress me out doubly, even if it was something fun. Once I got out of my own head about it, making plans turned into a welcome relief and distraction instead of a chore. If you find yourself caught in a similar situation, I encourage you to dip your toes in the water too. Start small with something simple that brings you pleasure and keep building up from it. You will thank yourself when your life starts to feel more well rounded than just going through the motions. I sure did. 🙂

Doing OOTDs and it feels so good! Keep checking back in for all of the fashion, musings, and more from your favorite Lil Red blogger on the daily and let’s continue to beat the blahs together!

What is your favorite hobby? How do you pencil fun into your schedule? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jun24

Squeezing In Some Fun

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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!

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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

Jun9

One Of Those Weeks

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One Of Those Weeks

Hello!! Has anyone ever had one of those days that is simply filled with minor inconveniences? Maybe you broke a glass, then you were running late, then got stuck in traffic, etc? Believe you me, I feel it because this entire week something has seemed to gone wrong every day! I could just be a huge butterfingers or overdue for an unlucky streak, but oh my goodness has it been annoying. Annoying with a capital A and NNOYING!

This past Monday, I woke up at my normal three AM time and as I carried our laundry hamper down the stairs, I was really awake. When we first moved into our new apartment, Johnny and I worked hard to create an art wall going up the staircase and I love it so much. The only thing I hate about it is that I always seem to be knocking our clock off of the wall because it juts out more than a framed painting. This has happened more times than I can count and, yes, it happened on Monday. The only difference this time is that the clock actually broke and shards of glass went everywhere. SMH.

Because of the bunnies, I am a paranoid mess when it comes to broken glass and spent what felt like an eternity sweeping the floor. Once I was satisfied with the results, I continued to go about my day accident free. It was short lived because on Tuesday morning, I dropped my phone and part of the back shattered. Yet again, I went back to the floor to clean up and it was all good. I thought I had had my fill of objects breaking into a million pieces… Until Wednesday morning. Guys, I legit don’t know what happened. I worked from home, I took my client to work, then went back home to work more. Sure enough, as I looked at the floor beside me, there was MORE broken glass that was definitely not there earlier. It legit felt like I was being pranked!

While the broken glass portion of my week sucked, the worst was yet to come. On Thursday morning, I woke up to find that one of the balls on my septum ring fell out in my sleep. Johnny attempted to put it back in, but it wasn’t quite right and I fiddled with it so much that it fell out again. Needless to say, putting a tiny ball on a tiny piece of jewelry is difficult – trying to do it with talon nails is impossible! After several failed attempts, the ball went flying out of my hand and landed promptly in the toilet which I forgot to shut. Before you ask, YES. I did fish it out lol! For the remainder of my day, I had to walk around as One Ball Barry and after sanitizing the hell out of it, Johnny was able to get it back on after work. Can this unlucky streak be over now, or?!

As of Friday morning while I type this, I am still finding broken glass on the floor. At this point, the best solution seems to be to find a new apartment. Lol, that’s not going to happen so I will continue to cross my fingers and toes that Lady Luck smiles on me soon!

What is something annoying that happened to you recently? Would you consider yourself to be clumsy? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb8

Step To It

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Step To It

Hello!!! I am thrilled to be able to have a shift in my schedule because it is so nice to be able to change things up. I have been working a lot more from home starting in January and I also have been doing several transportation shifts as an Independent Provider too. It has been my wish to work as much as I can from home and I’m happy that it’s becoming true! However, you know that whole thing about the Freshman Fifteen? I’m convinced there is one for WFH too lol.

When you work from home, you don’t realize just how sedentary your day becomes. Paired with the frigid temps of winter, I have felt sluggish this past week and I turned to Johnny for inspiration. Johnny works in a factory and has taken great pleasure in monitoring his steps throughout the day. He has been doing an awesome job and it motivated me to start getting active once my work is done for the day.

Although it’s tempting to crash after a long shift, I have been trying to Step To It while Johnny and I watch TV. It might not be the most exciting form of exercise to march in place or walk back and forth across the room. But, it’s the best I can do until it’s warm enough for hikes after work and I feel good about making this change. I have been trying to get to or close to ten thousand steps a day and I can tell it’s working just after a little bit. I noticed an increase in my energy and stamina from merely pacing the apartment and that’s a wonderful improvement for something so simple. 🙂

My next plan of action to assist with the slower paced WFH life is to order a work out ball to sit on while I’m at the computer. It’s another easy solution to boost my activity throughout my shift and I can’t wait to try it!

How do you stay active at home? Where is your favorite place to walk at? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jan24

Lazy Weekend

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Lazy Weekend

Hellooo everyone!! Is January still not over yet? Lol, these past few weeks have felt like a year in itself – especially this last one. Even though Johnny and I enjoyed a day off on Monday for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the remainder of the week dragged serious ass. It was freaking freezing all week with temperatures in the teens and by the time the week ended we got a ton of snow. It was definitely a cruel shock after the insanely mild winter we have been having and it wore me out!

Normally over the weekend, Johnny and I try to do at least one fun thing. Whether that be an outing together or hanging out with friends, it always gives us something to look forward to. This weekend, however, was an incredibly lazy one and it was just what we needed. In fact, we didn’t even take OOTD pictures – it was WAY too cold for that! Because I knew that we would be staying in, I made it my goal to complete my Tim Misny Christmas puzzle and had high hopes of accomplishing it…

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And let’s just say that I didn’t even come close lol. After I spent what felt like forever sorting the pieces out, I was already SO done! I didn’t even finish the border and that’s the easiest part smh. Don’t tell Tim! After realizing that the puzzle was a bust, Johnny and I went on a binge watching marathon and it was great. Usually, our “day of lay” on a Sunday involves a lot of quality time with our TV, but we decided to make that happen on Saturday too.

After I took a relaxing soak with a bath bomb (Stay tuned for a new Bath Bomb Blitz tomorrow!), our day(s) of lay commenced. On Saturday, we watched The Hunt For The Wilderpeople (Our favorite!), The Lord of The Rings, and Diary of a Mad Black Woman (We are on a HUGE Madea kick!). And, of course, LOTR was the extended edition which is the only way it should be watched! On Sunday, we stuck with our tradition of watching the new Saturday Night Live and Criminal Minds for the rest of the day.

Even though we really didn’t do much of anything over the weekend, Johnny and I still had a blast because we were together. Sometimes, you really do need a few days to just veg out and I’m glad we did. I think we were both pretty rundown from the work week and I know that I woke up for my three in the morning day on Monday feeling much more well rested. Well, as well rested as I can be for being up that early. I would absolutely say that that helped make the weekend an ever bigger GREAT SUCCESS!

When you’re feeling worn out, it can be so easy to just keep going and doing anyways. Johnny and I listened to what our bodies needed and that was a heaping dose of R&R. As I write this on Monday morning, I feel very ready to take on the week ahead!

How did you spend your weekend? What is your favorite way to relax? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec19

Hats Off: Misny Merch Edition

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Hats Off: Misny Merch Edition

Hi darlings!! It has been forever since we’ve had a new edition of Hats Off because I haven’t bought a new hat in… Well, forever. That changes today, though, because we have a few hats from the Misny Merch collection to check out! Ohio’s favorite local celebrity, Tim Misny, is the man and it was such a joy to create content with him. We had so much fun showing off the Misny Merch line in its entirety and shining a light on the Cleveland City Mission. All proceeds from merch purchases directly benefit this amazing charity that helps battle homelessness in Cleveland. Tim is a huge supporter of the Cleveland City Mission and I tip my new Misny Merch hats to all of those who give their time and love to those who need it at the CCM. Let’s take a look at this swag!

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During the fall and winter, I feel like I am constantly rocking a beanie. They are such a classic cold weather staple and it’s just too easy to throw one on in the morning and call it a day. My go to beanie features the phrase “bad hair day” and, yes, it does cover up my crazy hair from first waking up but also assists in my pure laziness lol. During the work week, I am either up at three or four thirty AM and the last thing I am concerned about is the state of my hair in the wee hours of the morn! I am LOVING my new Misny Merch beanies because they are really similar in style to my bad hair day one and offer an infinitely cooler tagline: A variation of Tim’s signature catchphrase, “I’ll make them pay”.

Another fun item from the Misny Merch line are the baseball caps that say “Misny To The Max”. I think the slogan is absolutely hilarious and I also have this cap in black too. In fact, I wore it in the OOTD I styled to win the contest that put me into Tim’s orbit. Everything that Tim does, trust and believe he does it to the max. Whether that be helping the Cleveland City Mission, taking on a personal injury case, or even decorating Misnyland – he’d rather go big or go home. These hats are a fabulous reminder to do everything to the max and see what happens. It applies to me firsthand. If I didn’t have a “to the max” attitude, then I never would have secured the interview that made me and Tim instant besties!!

Live your life to the max and good things will come your way. Live your life in a “Misny To The Max” baseball cap and you’ll look cool while doing it. Buy yours today at Misny Merch and support the Cleveland City Mission!!

How do you live your life to the max? What is your favorite style of hat? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec13

Give Me A Boost

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Give Me A Boost

Hello!!!! Johnny and I had the misfortune of getting Covid late this September and it was about a bitch lol. The last time we had Covid was in 2020 and we were both completely asymptomatic. If I didn’t know I was exposed, we never would have known we even had it. This past time around, we had ALL of the symptoms and it sucked. The general rule of thumb is to wait three or so months to get a vaccine or booster shot post Covid and I finally was able to get my updated booster this past Friday and… it SUCKED!!!!!

I have gotten every Covid vaccine and booster available and I have never reacted well to them. I’m not sure why I expected this time to be any different and, bully for me, because this was probably my worst experience yet. Pretty much immediately after my shot, my arm was extremely sore but I was still feeling okay physically. Fast forward to that night after a delightful hang out with my bestie and I spent my slumber sweating to the oldies. My pillowcase is now a shocking combo of red and blue hair dye because of it SMH.

On Saturday, I woke up with a pounding headache, nausea, and a fever that flip flopped back and forth with chills. I spent all day watching Criminal Minds and My 600 Lb Life and despite them being two of my favorite comfort shows, I was not comforted one bit! I had no appetite, felt so run down, and couldn’t wait to go to bed with the hopes that I would feel better on Sunday. I slept and sweat for a solid twelve or so hours and somehow managed to wake up feeling worse.

Sunday was a doozy of a day and my nausea was at an all time high. I ralphed four times and only started feeling slightly better when I was able to keep some food down for dinner later that evening. Thankfully, after another super sweaty night, I am feeling much better as I write this Monday morning. I can only compare this booster experience to my day three or four of having actual Covid and it was a pretty miserable way to spend the weekend.

Having said all of that, I am SO happy to be boosted up just in time for the holidays. I consider these booster shots to be a necessary evil because of how poorly I react to them. However, I know that if Johnny and I were to get Covid again, it would be so much worse without the added protection. Even though it was a major bummer to spend the weekend feeling like ass, I knew that I would feel better soon and that was good enough for me. I’m just glad to be over and done with it and now I have the pleasure of taking care of Johnny when he gets boosted this upcoming weekend! 😀

Unfortunately, Covid is something we’re always going to have to deal with. The vaccines and boosters make me feel much more comfortable with that fact and I am proud to do my part to keep myself and those around me safe. ❤

How did you react to your Covid vaccines and boosters? So so or oh NO? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec6

Why You Should Embrace Your Inner Child

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Why You Should Embrace Your Inner Child

Adulthood was once considered the time to ‘put away childish things’ as a famous poet once wrote. But why? There are so many benefits to embracing your inner child that we should all be making more time to get back into the kid headspace more often. Let’s discuss:

Laughter is the Best Medicine (and It’s Free!):

Remember when you used to laugh so hard that milk would shoot out of your nose? Okay, maybe don’t aim for the nose-milk part, but laughter really is good for you, and science says so, so there (see I’m getting childish already). It relieves stress, boosts your mood, and even burns calories. So go ahead, watch that cartoon, giggle at silly jokes, and let your laugh be as loud and unapologetic as a child’s.

Playtime Isn’t Just for Kids:

Play isn’t just for the under-10s; it’s a crucial part of being a happy, well-rounded adult too. Yes, really! Okay, so what does this play look like? This could mean anything from board games and sports to arts and crafts, or maybe even building up an army of your favorite collectible toys and letting them battle it out whenever you need to de-stress. Speaking of stress, ever tried adult coloring books? They’re like therapy, but with more crayons and less awkward silences.

Curiosity Didn’t Kill the Cat; It Made Life More Interesting:

Kids are curious about everything, and somehow, as adults, we lose that. Well, now it’s time to reignite your curiosity. Ask questions, explore, and try new things. It keeps life interesting and your brain engaged. Remember, it’s never too late to learn how to play the guitar or speak another language. Unless it’s Klingon. Maybe draw the line at Klingon. This will keep you feeling young, but more importantly, it will keep your brain healthy as you get older, too.

Emotions: Feel Them All:

Kids feel their emotions deeply and aren’t afraid to show them. As adults, we often bottle things up, and this is not, for the most part, a good thing. It’s okay to be vulnerable, to feel sad, happy, or even throw a good old-fashioned tantrum (preferably not in the middle of a supermarket, though).

Imagination: More Valuable Than You Think:

Our imagination seems to shrink as we age, but it’s one of our most powerful tools. Use it! Dream big, think creatively in your job, or just daydream about being a pirate. Imagination adds color to the mundane grayness of adult life.

Say Yes to Adventure:

Remember when a simple trip to the park felt like an adventure? Bring that feeling back. Be spontaneous, say yes to new experiences, and see where life takes you. It’s about making memories, not just to-do lists.

Your hair might be grey and your knees might ache like never before, but that doesn’t mean you can’t embrace the child within every day!

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Nov1

How To Learn A Brand New Skill In Middle-Age

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How To Learn A Brand New Skill In Middle-Age

Middle age is nowhere near the “can’t teach an old dog new tricks” stage yet, and that adage is hardly even true in the first place. Sure, nootropics like Fasoracetam can give you a leg up, but nothing beats diligent hard work and motivation. So, let’s say you want to dive straight into embracing your novicehood in a brand new skill. How might you go about it? That’s not an easy question to answer, but in this post, we’ll help you get there. Let’s begin:

Don’t Over Complicate It:

Your age doesn’t mean you have to swim before you can walk, so never over complicating your pursuit is healthy. Say you want to learn how to draw – using anatomy figures and learning very basic perspective tips with YouTube tutorials or even sketchbooks can be tremendously helpful. Perhaps instead of learning a new hobby, you would like to try a different career. You can do this no matter what your age is and all you need to do is start. You can look into local colleges, certification programs, or community services courses online so you can learn in your own time and give back to those who need it. Remember that you have nothing to prove to anyone but yourself.

Fall In Love With The Craft:

As we get older, we tend to learn skills for practicality. This is because we all have to earn a living, or refine ourselves in certain roles, be that parent, homeowner, business person, etc. But obligation can often make you feel disconnected or even tired of the skill or habit before you even begin. That’s why it’s good to fall in love with the craft, even if it’s learning basic DIY so you can improve certain aspects of the home more cheaply and integrate your own aesthetic changes.

Join A Social Group:

This is an optional step, but you’ll find it’s much healthier to learn alongside and make mistakes with novices just like you, who may be in the same boat. For example, you can definitely learn yoga poses and take classes online, but there’s something connective about being in a studio with people from all walks of life and trying not to fall down among them during increasingly difficult poses that yes, you one day will pull off. Not only does this turn the skill into an event, but let’s face it, it can be harder to make friends as you get older. As such, this provides a golden opportunity to get started and socialize while doing it.

With this advice, you’re sure to not only learn, but excel in a brand new skill, no matter your age!

Oct16

How To Bring A Little Joy Into Your Life

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How To Bring A Little Joy Into Your Life

Many times in a person’s life they can find themselves feeling stuck in a rut, deflated, or that there is nothing positive happening. If you feel like this, then it could be for many reasons. One of which could simply be that you are not giving yourself the time you deserve to enjoy the possibilities that life is presenting you. So, whether it is cutting out negative habits, creating new and healthy ones, or simply allowing yourself time to relax, here are several ways in which you can bring a little joy into your life:

Limit your time on social media:

Social media is still a relatively new thing as far as human existence goes. Although it has brought about many new and exciting possibilities, it also has some fairly negative attributes associated with it. Many people can find themselves consuming social media for hours, and letting the days slip by without doing the important things that make them happy. When consuming a large amount of social media it can be hard to detach from what you are consuming, and many people find themselves constantly comparing their lives to those they see online. Both of these situations can impact your mental health in a negative way, and suck the joy out of your life. To combat this, you should consider limiting your time on social media, and instead give that free time to yourself. Even if you do nothing and simply relax, this is better than an all evening social media session.

Find something fun to do outside:

It is no secret that many people, whether they realize it or not, gain huge benefits and satisfaction by spending time outside. If you can couple that with doing a fun activity or having new experiences, then you will significantly increase the joy you experience in life. Whether you live by the sea or a lake and want to learn the basics about paddle boarding, or perhaps if you live near the woods and want to explore your local areas and find out about all the wildlife, consider getting yourself outside and doing something fun to live more fully.

Make time for your loved ones:

Humans are meant to be social creatures. Although it’s perfectly fine to spend time alone, often you will experience a larger amount of joy when spending time with loved ones. This could be anything from taking a vacation together, to simply eating regular meals together. As long as you are enjoying each other’s company is all that matters!

Treat yourself:

If you want to truly boost your happiness in life, you need to learn how to be your own best friend. Do you need to take a break? Take it. Do you want to have that treat? Have it. Do you want to do something different? Do it. Self-love is one of the best ways in which a person can bring a little extra joy into their life.

There are many other ways in which you can bring joy into your life, but why not consider these first?

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