Tag Archives: lifewithlilred

Dec7

Holiday Season Writing Prompts

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Holiday Season Writing Prompts

Howdy! In case you haven’t noticed, I am most sympathetic to bloggers that are struggling to create content during the COVID-19 pandemic. Writing is an amazing outlet and I think that I would go crazy if I didn’t keep with my routine of daily blogging. It saddens me that there are people in the blogosphere who feel like they have nothing to say right now and I want to help. I have posted several dozen writing prompts throughout this year and I don’t plan on stopping now!

If you need some inspiration to get a post going, try writing about the following:

  • Holiday gift guides (Best gifts for him, her, parents, children, etc.)
  • Safety tips for celebrating this holiday season
  • Stories behind any of your favorite holiday decor
  • Special holiday memories
  • Favorite recipes for cold weather
  • A favorite gift you have received or given
  • What your holiday will look like this year in comparison to last
  • Sweet treats! Cookie decorating, chocolate making, etc.
  • What winter weather is like in your neck of the woods
  • A holiday themed OOTD or MOTD
  • Holiday traditions in your family
  • Pro tips for perfectly wrapped presents
  • Favorite cold weather activities
  • What the holiday season means to you

The list could go on and on…

If you’re still having a rough go of creating content and find these posts helpful, let me know because I can always make more. Questions or concerns? Write a comment or email me at: sarah.mush6794@gmail.com ❤

Has blogging in 2020 been hard for you? What are you excited to do when it’s safer to do so? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec6

2020 Writing Tips

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2020 Writing Tips

Hello! lifewithlilred is known for having fresh new content every day and, other than a few rare occasions, I can say that I have posted something daily for the past six plus years of my blog’s existence. Mind you, this is no easy task and even I suffer from writer’s block – especially in 2020.

I’ll be the first to admit that it’s hard to come up with content when there really isn’t anything to do safely, compliments of COVID. That hasn’t stopped me, though, and it shouldn’t prevent you from creating, either. If you’re struggling to post new content, take a look at some of the tricks that I use daily for a little inspiration:

Your posts do not have to be “groundbreaking”:

Just because it feels like you have nothing to write about doesn’t mean you don’t have anything to write about. Your posts don’t always have to be deep or profound. They can be goofy, short, and simple and people will still like it just the same. I find that my readers are happy to hear from me daily even if some of my posts are just a couple of paragraphs long.

Don’t drive yourself crazy trying to come up with content that could go viral or spark a huge discussion. All this will do is make you second guess the ideas that you have that aren’t as grand. We are all struggling through 2020 together and your readers aren’t going to like you any less if your content isn’t up to your usual standards. I promise, we all get it. ❤

Find inspiration in small things:

Johnny and I have been pretty much confined to our small apartment since March. Of course, it’s difficult to come up with posts when we are no longer going here, there, and everywhere. However, this has taught me to find inspiration in all of the little things to write about.

Did you watch a great new series on Netflix? How was your Zoom game night with your friends? Did you wrap any holiday presents recently? I promise that your small victories, struggles, or hilarious mishaps are all post-worthy. Big or small, your readers want to know what you’re up to. Don’t be so hard on yourself!

Have FUN:

I know this sounds lame but writing should be fun so have a ball with it! I love writing to music and once I’m jamming and getting into a good groove, I feel like I can’t stop writing even if I want to. Being a blogger is as fun as you make it and that should be encouraged on your page.

Host a question and answer session. Try a holiday giveaway. Do a top ten countdown of your favorite posts. There are plenty of ways to get feel good vibes on your blog but it starts with you. Don’t get discouraged – just put on your favorite songs and see what you can come up with. 🙂

I have been asked countless times throughout the COVID pandemic how I am still writing every day and I tend to answer with a combination of the tips above. I can’t wait to see what all of you come up with on the blogosphere!

How do you find inspiration for your posts? What do you do when you have writer’s block? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec5

Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree

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Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree

Hello! Way back in May of this year (Doesn’t that seem like forever ago?!), one of my favorites, Sheryl, guest blogged on lifewithlilred for the first time. We became fast friends and I am always so happy to chat with her whether that be over the blogosphere, Facebook, or email. Despite never meeting in real life or our difference in age (Although, Sheryl doesn’t look a day over twenty-one!), we have so much in common and I am very thankful to be her “young friend” as she calls me. ❤

Please check out Sheryl’s Light to keep up to date on all of the delightful musings of my dear friend and enjoy her guest post that she made special for lifewithlilred:

Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree

I’m posting today in answer to my friend, Sarah’s, call for holiday guest blog posts. I wasn’t going to blog today so reading her post prompted me to jump on the bandwagon. In reading my Facebook newsfeed I have noticed a lot of my friends have already put up their Christmas trees to stave off the coronavirus blues. Yesterday, I decided to decorate mine too! Sometimes I get lazy or my back will hurt. I’m glad I did.  

Seeing a winter scene of twinkling Christmas house lights on a snowy landscape is so pretty. The same feeling comes with the lights on my Christmas tree:

image(5)image(6)

My son and his family are visiting his dad in Florida so I snapped the top picture to send to him. He loved it, stating that they couldn’t wait to get home to Texas to put up their tree. They have this huge Christmas tree that was decorated minimally for the last few years because of the grabby little hands of my two grandsons. This year, with them being four and five now, they can put a few more decorations on their tree! I can’t wait to see it.

Next, I’m going to pull out the rest of my Christmas decorations completing the scene. I save all of my old Christmas cards to put up on the doors which makes it very festive! This year will, of course, be very different from the previous years. Where I live there will be no Santa for the kids, no hot chocolate and cookies, and no decorated Common Room. 

The positive that’s coming out of all of this is not boo-hoo what I’m missing but more that I will never take the get-togethers of the Christmas season for granted ever again. I came across this hilarious video which is so true of Christmas 2020.

Take Care,
Sheryl Rose

Have you completed your holiday decorating? How does it look? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec2

Lil Red’s Thanksgiving

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Lil Red’s Thanksgiving

Hello! For those of you who don’t know, Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. I love sitting around the table with my family and enjoying the most delicious food that I have been waiting all year to eat, lol! Unfortunately, due to the nature of my job of working in several different homes throughout the course of this pandemic, Johnny and I deemed it unsafe for us to participate in the holiday with both of our families.

Making that decision was not easy and I honestly cried for at least three days about it. However, safety is and will always be my primary goal and anything I can do to protect my family, my clients, and myself is worth all of the hardships. As I’ve mentioned before, COVID-19 has been on a terrifying rise in Ohio and it has made doing anything other than work and grocery shopping damn near impossible for those who are taking the virus seriously.

On Thanksgiving, Johnny and I were able to visit with my family outside and my parents were nice enough to drop off our Thanksgiving meal to our apartment. It was not traditional in any sense of the word but we all felt good with that decision no matter how hard it was.

As someone who has worked in the health care field throughout this entire pandemic, it is safe to say that I am totally burned out. However, a bright ray of sunshine is on the horizon for me come Christmas. I have not taken any time off to recharge for the past nine months and I plan on taking two weeks off prior to Christmas so I can celebrate safely with my family.

It will feel so good to have that time to relax, breathe a little bit easier, and be able to watch my family open all of the gifts that I picked out special for them. Thanksgiving was a bust but I am going to make this Christmas the best one yet and I can’t wait!

How did you celebrate Thanksgiving this year? What is your favorite holiday? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

PS: Thank those of us in the health care profession not just with your words but by wearing a mask and social distancing to help curb the spread of COVID-19. We are tired. We are exhausted. And we need your help!

Nov30

Wanted: Holiday Season Guest Bloggers

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Wanted: Holiday Season Guest Bloggers

Hi everyone! I don’t know what COVID is like in your neck of the woods but it is bad, bad, bad in Ohio. Johnny and I are even more hunkered down than ever and, if that’s the case for you, then why not fill a free afternoon with guest blogging for lifewithlilred?!

From your Christmas cookie decoration station to gift guides, delicious recipes, favorite holiday memories, etc. if it has something to do with the holiday season, then I want it on my page! If you are interested in being a featured blogger for the day on lifewithlilred, please email me your post ideas at: sarah.mush6794@gmail.com so that we can chit chat and get you scheduled. 🙂

Once you guest blog on my page you will always be welcome back with open arms so join the Lil Red fam today! Stay safe and happy holidays! ❤

Nov26

Happy Thanksgiving!

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Happy Thanksgiving!

Hello everyone and a very Happy Thanksgiving to all of you! Compliments of COVID, the 2020 holiday season is going to be a lot different. Family get togethers might be taking place over Zoom rather than in person or the celebrations could be pushed back until everyone can participate without crippling anxiety. No matter how you spend your day, I urge all of you to do it as safely as possible so all of your loved ones will be around to celebrate a *hopefully* normal Thanksgiving and Christmas next year.

2020 has been a wild ride and the craziness just reminds me of how thankful I am for all of the wonderful things about my life. A beautiful family, loving relationship, rewarding job, and fabulous friends both in person and online in the blogosphere are certainly nothing to sneeze at!

Thank you all so much for sharing in lifewithlilred with me because each and every one of you help keep me motivated to write each and every day. I am so proud of the sense of community that I feel on my page and I wish nothing but health, safety, and all of the good things for you and yours. ❤

Happy Thanksgiving!

Nov17

Blogging Through 2020

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Blogging Through 2020

Hello! For over six years, lifewithlilred has been going strong on the blogosphere and, unless there are some crazy circumstances, I write each and every day. You all have been with me through a lot from graduating college, break ups, car accidents and everything in between. With that in mind, there has never been a lack of anything for me to write about because it always felt like something new was happening.

Then, COVID-19 came around in 2020 and said “hold my beer”. As someone who works with extremely high risk families every day, all of my previous favorite activities fell by the wayside to not only protect me but all of my clients and loved ones. This meant no more shopping in store, no movies, no restaurants, no bars – no nothing, really.

This change from a constant on the go career as well as bopping around here, there, and everywhere with Johnny as his band played shows to a mostly sedentary lifestyle in my apartment was a huge shock. I have never had a lack of things to talk about on my blog but now, some days, I just don’t feel like I have anything to say!

But, we all know that Lil Red having nothing to say is impossible and I still have managed to write every day of 2020 despite the constant ups and downs. This is something that I am really proud of myself for because I have had to get so creative with my content to keep new posts coming, which can be uber difficult when you barely leave the house, lol.

Blogging through 2020 has taught me about finding inspiration in unlikely places and being more forthright in my own opinions and beliefs. I am so thankful that all of my beloved readers have stuck with me through such crazy times and it makes me that much more motivated to get up early every morning and write before I have to head to work.

Honestly, I have always been my toughest critic and it’s sometimes hard for me to come up with nice things to say about myself. It feels so good to see the fruits of my labor every day with a new post on lifewithlilred and having such a sense of pride in my work has increased my self esteem tenfold.

Times are hard right now and everyone’s situation is different. But, in Lil Red’s world, we’re all in this together so thank you for continuing to share in this crazy journey with me! ❤

Has it been difficult for you to blog during 2020? What do you do when you have writer’s block? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Nov1

Lil Red PSA: Vote, Vote, Vote Edition

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Lil Red PSA: Vote, Vote, Vote Edition

Hi everyone! Election Day is fast approaching and I wanted to use my platform to encourage everyone to participate in their right to vote. This is going to be, quite possibly, one of the most important elections of my lifetime and I can only hope and wish that a more suitable candidate will soon be in office.

I’m sure everyone can guess who I voted for if they keep in touch with me on Facebook but I want all of you to vote no matter who it’s for. Letting my voice be heard politically is something that makes me proud and I am proud of anyone who will be exercising their right as this election draws to a close.

These are extremely scary and tense times and the fate of America’s safety rests in the people’s hands. Send in your mail in ballots and if you’re voting in person, please continue to follow social distancing standards to help keep yourself and those around you safe. ❤

Vote, Vote, Vote

*And remember your loved ones who could be effected if the wrong person gets in the White House!

Featured Image By: Elemant5 Digital from Pexels

Oct31

Happy Halloween!

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Happy Halloween!

Hello everyone! Just swinging by on this spooky Saturday to wish all of you a very Happy Halloween! Although this year is much different than Halloween’s of past, there is still plenty of fun to be had. From scary movie marathons and crafts to a social distanced bonfire or a scavenger hunt at home, this could potentially be your best Halloween yet because you will have to do something totally different if you wish to be in COVID safety standards. But, something totally different doesn’t mean anything less enjoyable!

Visit previous Halloween posts here on lifewithlilred to help get you inspired and bring some scary fun and completely safe Halloween spirit to you and yours. ❤

Happy Halloween!!

^^^ Never forget my sweet doggie’s Minion costume!

How are you celebrating Halloween this year? What is your favorite Halloween costume ever? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct20

Liebster Award #20

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Liebster Award #20

Hi! A few days ago I was nominated by one of my dear friends, Sheryl, of Sheryl’s Light for lifewithlilred’s twentieth Liebster Award! You might remember her guest posting on my blog, which is how we became fast friends. Now, it seems like we are always chatting in some way over Facebook or our blogs! Sheryl is an absolute joy and I am so lucky to have her in my “circle”. Do be sure to give her blog some love, too! Here are the rules for the Liebster Award:

The Rules:

  • Thank the blogger who nominated you.
  • Answer the 11 questions the blogger asked you.
  • Nominate 11 bloggers.
  • Ask your nominees 11 questions.
  • Notify your 11 nominees.

Q & A:

What is your favorite childhood memory? Other than all of the wonderful vacations we would go on I would probably have to say watching the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics with my dad. That was the year Sarah Hughes won the gold for America in figure skating. My dad asked if that was something I would like to try and, of course, I said yes. The rest is history because, after that, he signed me up for ice skating lessons and I fell in love. I still am in love with the sport to this day, eighteen years later. ❤

Why did you start blogging? For fun! My blog is like my online journal and all of the amazing friends I’ve met along the way are the most wonderful bonus!

Who is your favorite actor? I love Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie.

What is your favorite holiday? Thanksgiving! Lol, I was literally just telling my client I can’t wait for Thanksgiving because all I want to do is eat food… Thanksgiving food is one of my faves!

If you could go anywhere all expenses paid, where would you go? Definitely to France so I could put my French speaking skills to good use.

What is your favorite music? I like all kinds of music. Everything from indie and alternative to rock and emo all the way to gangster rap, opera, and musicals. You never know what you’ll end up listening to if you’re ever a passenger in my car!

What is your favorite food to eat? I love all kinds of food and am always willing to try something new as long as it’s vegetarian. I’d have to say that Indian food is one of my top faves, though.

What positives have come out of the coronavirus for you? Johnny and I have saved so much money from no longer going to bars, restaurants, movies, etc. so that rocks!

What would you tell your teenage self in a letter? That things will get much better.

If you could turn back time where would you go? Back to before Donald Trump was president, lol.

My Nominees (I’m only doing three):

My Questions For You:

  1. Which shows have you bingewatched compliments of COVID?
  2. How do you safely go out right now?
  3. What is your favorite place to get take out from?
  4. What is fall weather like in your neck of the woods?
  5. What are COVID precautions like where you live?
  6. What is the last book you read?
  7. Last movie you saw in theaters?
  8. What do you love the most about blogging?
  9. What do you admire about your best friend?
  10. Do you have a celebrity crush? Who?
  11. How early do you start your holiday season shopping?

Thank you so much again to Sheryl for the Liebster Award nomination! How would you answer some of Sheryl’s questions for her nominees? How about some of my questions for mine? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah