Tag Archives: lilred

Lil Red’s Soap Box Special

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Lil Red’s Soap Box Special

Okayyyy guys, it’s time for one of our little heart to hearts, compliments of my experience at Starbucks this morning. So sit back, relax, and enjoy the view of my ass as I get up on my soap box…Here we go:

In my Sociology class we learned about people acting as bystanders and how if you are in a situation where you need help you are less likely to get it if there’s a lot of people around. I witnessed this first hand as I was waiting to get my coffee at Starbucks. It was mid morning and Sbux was fairly busy, with people seated throughout the store and standing in line for drinks. I was standing by the counter in full on zombie mode because I’m dead tired today and I’m sure that I made all of the employees uncomfortable by how intently I was staring at nothing…but that’s neither here nor there.

ANYWAYS, once I came to my senses I saw from across the store a man in a wheelchair struggling to open the door. Within half a second, I ran the length of the store before he reached the second door to open so I could get it for him. When I opened the door with a huge smile he thanked me so graciously and I noticed that he was an amputee. I waved him off with well wishes and headed back into the store to get my coffee as if nothing happened.

As I walked back to the counter to retrieve my drink, two ladies sitting RIGHT BY THE DOOR told me how sweet I was for helping this man. I had to bite my tongue, because I was very close to telling them that I was just acting on my responsibility to be a good person and to help those who need it. Instead, I smiled, thanked them, got my drink, and went home. This situation has been on my mind all day now and frankly, I’m disturbed by it. What is the world coming to if not one person in a room full of people will get up and hold the door open for someone? I just don’t get it. I mean, I get the whole bystander effect thing, and I was so glad to help this man – but why was it necessary for me to run across the store to get the door for someone who was showing such extreme difficulty?

I’m not writing this post as a way to say “look at me, I’m a good person” because that situation was just me being a person. I’m flattered that those ladies found my act sweet, but the thing is – it wasn’t sweet, it was something that’s ingrained in me to give my service to those who need it. Like I said, it was me being a person. The lack of initiative from everyone in the store to get up and do a simple favor to make someone’s day easier really bothers me. I know I’m kind of rambling at this point, but I don’t know guys, I’m all kinds of shook up by this. How can the world be a better place if no one can step up from their fucking frappachino for thirty seconds to hold open a door? Jesus Christ.

I guess the point of this post is just a friendly reminder to be kind to people, help one another, and don’t be a bystander. Alright, Lil Red’s Soap Box Special is complete. Rant over, but make sure you tune in next time I come across a social issue that irks my nerves. ๐Ÿ˜‰ Until then, how is everyone’s day going so far? Has anyone ever encountered a situation similar to this? I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

The Wizarding World Of Harry Potter

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The Wizarding World Of Harry Potter

Hey heyyy everyone and happy Tuesday! As you guys know this week on lifewithlilred will be featuring posts all about my Universal Studios adventure, which started with yesterday’s Monday Update: Orlando Vacation Edition. To continue with this theme, I thought that we could finish our conversation about my favorite part of my vaca – The Wizarding World Of Harry Potter. Take a look at these cool pics and then let’s discuss:

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As I mentioned before, Universal Studios added on to The Wizarding World Of Harry Potter park with Diagon Alley. The pictures that I’ve posted and will continue to post throughout the week does not do the HP replicas justice in the slightest. We’ve already talked about a lot of what the newest HP park has to offer yesterday but we have yet to talk about all of the different rides, so let’s get on that!!

Diagon Alley features two new rides, an interactive train ride on the Hogwarts Express and Escape From Gringotts. The nice thing about boarding the Hogwarts Express is that it takes you to Hogsmeade, which lies in the neighboring park, the Islands of Adventure. And of course you can hop the train and head back to Diagon Alley. To get to the Hogwarts Express you must walk through Kings Cross station, complete with the luggage of Hogwarts students and a hologram which makes you look like you’re walking through the wall to Platform 9 3/4 to onlookers.

Once you’ve boarded the train you enter into a spacious cabin boasting luggage racks, plush seats, and framed photos of London. As the train begins to move you can see scenes of London streets, HP characters like Hagrid, and the approaching Hogwarts castle through your window. Make sure you pay attention to your cabin door as well, where you will see silhouettes of Harry, Ron, Hermoine, and the soul sucking Dementors. Once Harry’s Patronus charm chases the Dementors away, you can exit the train and you will find yourself right in the heart of Hogsmeade.

The second new ride in Diagon Alley is the Escape From Gringotts, a high speed 3D roller coaster. The awesome thing about a lot of the rides at Universal, specifically the HP rides, is that they make the waits in line completely tolerable because you are able to interact with your surroundings. In the line for Escape From Gringotts, you get to experience walking through a perfect replica of the bank, complete with high vaulted ceilings, crystal chandeliers, and talking and moving goblins. And it wouldn’t be a HP ride without talking and moving pictures on the wall!

After your walk through the bank, you board an elevator that’s measured in miles instead of floors to take you deep into the bottommost layers of Gringotts. Before you begin your mine cart ride, you get to see a short hologram interaction between Bill Weasley and a goblin, to tell you a little bit about what you’re in for during your tour of the Gringotts vaults. From there, you enter your mine cart and get down to business. If you are expecting a nice leisurely ride, you will be in for quite a shock…Especially during your run ins with trolls, dragons, Bellatrix, and Voldemort!

There are three rides in Hogsmeade, but I am only going to discuss one of them, as the other two are your standard roller coasters. One of the best rides that Universal Studios has to offer is Harry Potter & The Forbidden Journey. This is another 3D roller coaster which takes you on a grand tour of the Hogwarts castle and grounds. Similar to Escape From Gringotts, a lot of the fun is waiting in line! During your wait you get to walk through the corridors of Hogwarts, where you encounter holograms of Dumbledore, Harry, Ron, and Hermoine. You get a look at the greenhouse, the Gryffindor common room, as well as multiple classrooms. You also get to see the pictures on the walls interacting with each other. The most interesting picture experience comes from watching the founders of each house discuss letting muggle born students practice at Hogwarts. (We all know how Salazar Slytherin feels about this!) And of course, a tour through Hogwarts wouldn’t be complete without hearing the fat lady sing! All of this excitement occurs before even coming close to going on the ride!

You know that you’re in for a wild ride just from getting into your cart because they are moving along a platform at a pretty quick speed, and once you’re on and buckled in the ride begins. Harry Potter & The Forbidden Journey let’s you feel what it’s like to fly as you travel behind Harry and the gang, going everywhere from the Quidditch field to the Forbidden Forest. Be on the lookout though because your journey is filled with dangerous twists and turns, putting you face to face with giant spiders and Dementors. You get up close and personal with the HP trademark, the Whomping Willow, as well as a high speed adventure beneath the Quidditch field rafters a la Harry Potter & The Chamber Of Secrets. The Forbidden Journey is a long ride and by the time you’re done you really feel as though you made the million mile trip throughout the Hogwarts grounds. Shake it off and cool down with a delicious frothy Butterbeer…you earned it!!

So there you have it, the Lil Red inside look at the rides of The Wizarding World Of Harry Potter! Make sure you tune in at the same time and same place tomorrow for more of my Orlando, Florida vacation fun! Until then, have any of you been to Universal Studios before? What was your favorite ride there? I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Lil Red’s Vacation Homecoming!!

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Lil Red’s Vacation Homecoming!!

Helloooo everyone and TGIF! This post is going to be the last of my prewritten “away on vaca” articles and it’s just to let you know that I will be returning home soon! I will be back in action for the usual Monday Update and Man Crush Monday posts starting on the tenth! Until my homecoming, please continue to peruse the various archives of http://www.lifewithlilred.com. No matter what your interests are, I’m sure there is a post for you on my page somewhere! ๐Ÿ™‚

Wish me save travels on my journey home and I will talk to you all very soon! What is everyone up to this weekend? Any fun plans? I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

If The Shoe Fits – Guess Edition

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If The Shoe Fits – Guess Edition

Helloooo everyone and happy Thursday!!! Welcome to another issue of If The Shoe Fits – Guess style! I purchased my army green beauties a year or so ago and they slowly but surely became one of my favorite pairs of wedges. Take a look at some pics of these funky shoes and then let’s discuss:

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This cool pair of wedges came into my possession during a shopping trip to TJMaxx with my mom. We always spend a lot of time in their shoe department because we both have a deep love for all things footwear! While we were browsing I looked at these wedges a few times but didn’t try them on. I actually didn’t really plan on it either until my mom pointed them out and insisted that I give them a try. I figured “why not”, so I slipped them on and of course I fell in love. What initially turned me off about these shoes was the cut out design but as soon as they were on my feet they just looked so darn good! These wedges were definitely a case where they look much better on the foot than on the shelf. After strutting about the shoe department hallway, I knew that they had to be mine so into the cart they went!

If it wasn’t for my mom, I would have never given these shoes the time of day and that’s actually quite shocking to me. Usually I know what I love and what I completely hate. As I glanced at the wedges while shopping around, I really did want to love them and thanks to my mom giving me the push to try them on they are now a tried and true favorite in my massive shoe collection. There are very few items in my wardrobe that were bought because of other people and I never really give them credit for helping me add to my “could be a boutique” closet and shoe wall. So this post is not only a shout out to my fabulous green Guess-es but also to my darling mama for knowing her daughter well enough to see that the wedges were meant for Lil Red!

Once my wedges were safe and sound on my shoe wall after the TJ’s trip, I couldn’t believe that I almost didn’t try them on. The more I looked at them, the more I loved them. The unique shape and color grew on me like a fungus of similar color and I can’t picture my life without them! My Guess-es fit like a glove and my style savvy mom knew that they fit my fashion personality to the T as well. I love wearing my bad boys with literally EVERYTHING! From dresses and shorts to maxi skirts and jeans, these shoes are my go to-s to add a little extra oomph to my outfit. In fact, I just recently sported my shoe babies to my brother’s graduation in May and they were a hit! Take a gander:

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^^^ Looking good feeling great! #Ihatemyself โค

I can’t put my finger on what made me shy away from my shoesies during that fateful TJMaxx trip but I can only hope that my Guess wedges will forgive me…I was just playing hard to get! ๐Ÿ˜‰

So there you have it, the latest issue of If The Shoe Fits – Guess Edition! Now I need your help. What shoe should I write about next? Your choices are between Elle floral print heels, Guess wedged combat boots, or Calico primary color kitten heels. I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

MIA On Vaca!!

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MIA On Vaca!!

Hello everyone and happy Saturday! This is an FYI announcement to let you guys know that I’ll be out of office starting today until the tenth because this bitch will be on vacation!!!! But fear not – I plan on prewriting some of the usual posts for you to enjoy on http://www.lifewithlilred.com including Man Crush Monday, Woman Crush Wednesday, and If The Shoe Fits. In fact, this post is prewritten! Until I return home, please continue to show the ol’ blog some love through your likes, follows, reblogs, and comments! There are now over three hundred and fifty posts for all of you to enjoy on lifewithlilred so make sure you scroll through the archives and check out some of the articles that you might have missed!

Oh…my bad, guys. I totally forgot to let you all know that I’ll be getting my Harry Potter on at Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I’M SO EXCITED!! I can’t wait for a full week of nothing but exploring the amusement parks, eating hella food, and going to the beach! God knows I need it after an entire summer of slaving away on school work! I’ve been looking forward to this Florida trip for months and I plan on enjoying every second of it…except the eighteen hour drive. -__- #FML

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To anyone who is a Florida native or vacationer, I need your help! What are some of your favorite restaurants, bars, or shopping centers that I should visit? What television series should I watch on the drive to my vacation destination? I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

It Was A Good Day

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It Was A Good Day

Heyyy everyone and TGIF! Sorry that I was MIA yesterday – Lil Red was a busy gal! Despite the somewhat stressful parts that occurred, I gotta say it was a good day. Let’s discuss:

My day began with running errands until mid morning or so when I had a lovely hang out with my old skating coach, Sarah, and her precious little girls, Charlotte and Brooklyn. It was a surprisingly hot day in Ohio, so we walked over to the local park so Charlotte could play in the wading pool while Sarah and I caught up on all of each others latest news. I always enjoy the times that I get to see Sarah and her darling family. I love all of their company and it’s so fun seeing how much both of the girls grow each time I see them!

Once I got home from the park, I had to finish my last exam for my summer classes…the dreaded math final. DUN DUN DUNNNNNN. All afternoon I checked and rechecked my final until I was satisfied and prepared my scanner at home to send it over to my professor. All summer my scanner worked perfectly and I never had a problem with it, so naturally it would stop working the day I needed to send my final in. For an hour I tried to fix the scanner on my own with the ancient 90’s technique of turning it off and turning it back on as well as unplugging and replugging it. Unfortunately, none of my efforts worked and at that point I was completely freaking out. My exam had to be turned in by the 31st and I refused to use the lame excuse of “my scanner broke” to my professor. I’m sure that an email complaining of technical problems would be answered with “nice try” anyways. -_____-

After lots of deep breaths, I decided to call tech support for the scanner and thankfully after an hour we were able to work together and fix the problem. My final got sent in with plenty of time to spare and I could finally stop having a stress induced heart attack. I think I did pretty well on my math test and I know for a fact that I did great on both my Sociology and Social Psychology class – I got a perfect one hundred on my Sociology final! HOLLA!

After my disastrous afternoon of technical difficulties, I had a wonderful hang out with my sweet friend, Cat, to look forward to. Cat was one of my sales associates at PacSun and she also happened to be one of my favorites! We had a fabulous evening of manicures and martinis at my bar of choice, the Cashmere Cricket. Thursday night is ladies night, so their delicious martinis are only five dolla holla and you can’t beat that! Our night consisted of pampering, girly drinks, and lots of laughs – it was seriously perfect. I’m so glad that Cat and I have remained friends outside of work because I just adore her. You know that you have a good friend when the first thing you say to your mom when you walk in the door is how much fun you had/how much you love your drinking partner! โค

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Yesterday was the best kind of busy and for the most part I enjoyed every minute of it! I hope all of you guys had as great of a day as I did! What is everyone up to this weekend? Any fun plans? I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Weekend Wedding Reminder

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Weekend Wedding Reminder

Helloooo everyone and TGIF! I’m just dropping in to let you lovelies know that I will be MIA this weekend because it’s my brother’s wedding! Hurray! I’m actually writing this post on Thursday and scheduling it for today because my family and I will be leaving around nine o’clock this morning to get to the destination. I won’t be home until Sunday evening but you can expect to hear from me for the usual Monday Update. Until then, enjoy exploring the archives of lifewithlilred and have a fabulous weekend! Before we go our separate ways, crank up the wedding themed tunes, take a look at some pics of the happy couple, and read some sweet sentiments from yours truly!

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Dear Peter and Megan,

I love you both so much and am so thrilled that you’re finally tying the knot! I really admire your love and devotion for one another. It has been a pleasure watching you grow together over your seven year relationship, which is a really long time! Holy smokes! I am super excited to see what the future holds for both of you and for me too, for that matter. Yes, me too, because you gain a wife but I get a new sister!! Megan, prepare yourself for lots of shopping, getting our nails done, and eating Taco Bell four times a day! Welcome to the family and the sisterhood of Lil Red. Sincerest congratulations to my favorite newlyweds and have the best time ever on your honeymoon! I LOVE YOUUUU!!!! โค Sarah

I hope all of you have a wonderful weekend – I know I will! What is your favorite wedding themed memory? Do you have any words of advice for Peter and Megan? I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Pampering Party!

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Pampering Party!

Helloooo my loves and happy Tuesday! I had a lovely weekend of head to toe pampering starting with dying my hair with my beloved Vidal Sassoon Runway Red dye from their London Luxe collection. My brother is getting married this weekend so best believe that my hair has to be nice and fresh. I’ve been coloring my hair with Runway Red for close to a year now and it has saved me a buttload of money because the color perfectly mimics what I was paying a lot of cash to get done at the salon. While I was waiting for the dye to set I had a half hour of TV time so I figured a selfie was definitely in order! Take a look:

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^^^ Lol, I always joke that I feel like Heatmiser from the Christmas cartoons when I dye my hair so it was absolutely necessary to do a side by side PicStitch! My color turned out beautiful as usual and on Sunday I got my angular haircut shaped up for the wedding so it looks sharp and sleek. I plan on curling my hair and pinning it for the big day so if any of you have some hair styling tips, please let me know!

To keep my red at its brightest at all times, I only wash my hair about two times a month. I’ve been blessed with locks that don’t get greasy or oily so all I need is a dash of dry shampoo to keep it feeling clean. I usually use Batiste or Dove dry shampoo but my mom brought home a can of Herbal Essence’s “Color Me Happy” dry shampoo and I just had to try it. Let me tell you, I’m so glad I did because I absolutely LOVE it! For one, it smells awesome. For two, it makes my hair feel infinitely cleaner than Batiste or Dove. With just a quick spritz of this new product my hair goes from a weeks worth of not washing it to freshly scrubbed in a matter of seconds. If you’re a dry shampoo girl like myself then I can’t recommend this product enough! So fabulous.

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If you recall from an earlier post “Lil Red Shopping Tips: Freebie Edition” then you’ll remember my recent steals from Bath & Body Works. At least once a month I get a free lotion coupon from them in the mail and every time I redeem it I go with my favorite scent called “Beautiful Day”. My go to fragrance is anything apple-y and “Beautiful Day” is the perfect combination of both floral and fruity. Not only does it don my must have scent of apples but the name of the lotion is also the name of my all time favorite song “Be,autiful Day” by U2. You can’t beat that! Every night before bed I lather myself up with my freebie lotion and it’s such a fun treat. The sweet smelling moisturizer goes in so smoothly – you can’t even feel that you have lotion on. That’s a big plus for me because I hate when I wear lotion and it feels greasy. If you’re looking for a new perfume spray or lotion to try, definitely consider “Beautiful Day” from Bath & Body Works!!

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If there’s one thing that Lil Red can never recommend enough, it’s TREATING YOSELF! Nothing makes me feel better than taking some extra time to pamper and love myself. Whether that be a deep conditioning hair treatment or a spritz of a new perfume, I think it’s so important to take the time to make yourself feel good. With small pick me ups throughout the week like a rub down with a new lotion or a stylish new hair cut you’re in for a better mood and an even more fabulous appearance. So to all of my lovely readers: Take ten minutes out of your day and TREAT YOSELF!!!

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So there you have it, my Pampering Party post! I hope all of you are having a great day so far! Does anyone have any tips for curling hair? What’s your favorite Bath & Body Works scent? I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Man Crush Monday: David Bowie Edition

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Man Crush Monday: David Bowie Edition

Helloooo everyone and welcome to another edition of Man Crush Monday – David Bowie style! I’ve loved my #MCM since I was a little girl. I was intrigued by his fashion, his unique glam-rock music, and what was hiding behind those beautiful different colored eyes. So here’s to you, D-Bo, and welcome to the land of lifewithlilred!

Dear David Bowie,

Alright, let’s state the obvious – you’re gorgeous. I mean seriously, DAYUM. Everything about you just screams pure European glamour and I can’t get enough. I love looking at pictures of you and witnessing your fearlessness and how confident you are in yourself through your clothing, hair, and makeup. You sir, are stunning. So not only are you everything that my heart desires as far as appearance goes but you are also SO extraordinarily talented. “Suffragette City” was the first song by you that my older brother introduced me to and from that moment on, I was hooked. I must have been nine or ten when I first heard you and it was like nothing I had heard before. Your music has such a fabulous femininity about it but it’s still so distinctively rock n’ roll and I think that’s what really made me gravitate towards it. When I hear your songs I get filled with this confidence that I never knew I had before…it makes me want to grow out a rocker mullet and take on the world! I come from a family of fans of yours so my love for you has done nothing but blossom over the years. This post about you, my sweet David Bowie, would not be complete if I didn’t bring up the movie Labyrinth…So here we go: Your performance in this muppet filled masterpiece was groundbreaking, to say the least. I have no shame in admitting that Labyrinth is one of my all time favorites and that your junk looked AWESOME in those tight pants! Hubba hubba. David Bowie, you are a true gift to the world and I thank you for gracing all of us with your presence. I LOVE YOU!!!

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^^^ My god is he glorious. It’s seriously a dream of mine to recreate that shot of him in the black and white body suit – especially since we’re both rockin the red hair! โค

So there you have it, my Man Crush Monday: David Bowie Edition! I hope all of you are having a great day so far! Who is your #MCM this week? What is your favorite creative endeavor by my man crush? I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Monday Update: Old Faithful Edition

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Monday Update: Old Faithful Edition

Heyy everyone and happy Monday! Sorry that I was MIA this weekend – I was pretty busy with school and reuniting with some of my old tried and true favorite friends. Because of these fabulous hang outs I had an awesome weekend despite one unfortunate encounter! Let’s discuss.

Friday night was absolute perfection minus throwing up for a half hour in my front yard. My darling boy, Seth, took me out for a night of drinking frivolities and heart to hearts. After a bottle of wine and four vodka sours it’s safe to say that Lil Red got white girl wasted! Seth took really good care of a bitch and was such a trooper the entire night, even when I was super sloppy. He’s handsome and kind and a real keeper – especially considering that he had to witness me puking my brains out and made sure that I got in the house okay instead of peaceing out. Seth and I have known each other for over six years now and he still manages to blow me away when I see him. What a guy! Lucky me! ๐Ÿ™‚

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^^^ That picture was from the last time we hung out for my birthday! Isn’t he such a cutie?

On Saturday I woke up with the worst hangover in the history of ever, so I spent a lot of the morning and afternoon laying in bed and being miserable. But I had to get up eventually because my beloved basic ass Pantech phone decided to completely stop working. After making myself presentable and eating half of my weight in carbs, my mom and I headed to the Verizon store to get me a new cellie. I’m very anti smart phone simply for the fact that it saves money by not having one so I just went with the basic ass Cosmos to replace my basic ass Pantech. I can text and make phone calls on my new phone and that’s all that really matters to me!

My day on Saturday was going pretty well despite my lingering headache and constant cotton mouth. However, a run in with my ex best friend at Starbucks made my evening kind of sucky f0r three minutes. (I got over it pretty quickly!) It was just very awkward and when I saw her I wanted nothing to do with her – so I guess that’s how you know a friendship is over. After that little run in happened, I decided that I wanted to take advantage of one of my dear friends’ offer to go out with him that night. I met up with one of my favorite ex-coworkers in the world, Nick. Him and I go way back from the time I was sixteen and first starting at PacSun and we’ve been friends ever since. Even though I was really tired I made it out to a bar in Akron that his roommate works at and we had a terrific time! This was our first time going out together where I could drink legally so it was an exciting milestone in our friendship! After a drink or two and a lot of laughing about morbid, vulgar, and completely off putting subjects I called it a night and went home. Being able to hang out with my sweet Nick made going out even though I was exhausted completely worth it!

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^^^ #babes

I’ve had such a blast rekindling relationships with people who I haven’t seen in forever. By losing one friend I gained a lot more and I couldn’t be happier. I’ve had a lot of really great people fill my time this summer and I wouldn’t change one thing! So here’s to the Old Faithfuls – my tried and true friends who have been there for me in the long run. I love and appreciate all of you so much! โค

I hope that all of you had a good weekend and a wonderful start to your week! What was everyone up to these past few days? Anything exciting? I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah