Tag Archives: love

Sep1

Our Two Year Anniversary!

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Our Two Year Anniversary!

Hello!!! Today is a special, happy day because it is mine and Johnny’s two year anniversary of couplehood! We are also fast approaching three months of being married. 🙂 Two years ago today, Johnny and I made our relationship “Facebook official” and we have been together almost every day since. It has been the best adventure of my life and every day I am excited for what is in store for us next. In these next few weeks, I predict it will be lots of LEGO building thanks to our anniversary gifts! 😀

Now, let’s go down memory lane with some of my favorite pictures of us:

^^^ I could go on forever!

Although Johnny and I agree that being married doesn’t feel any different than our relationship felt before, we both freaking love being married! We truly have never left the “honeymoon phase” from when we first started dating and it makes each moment spent with him special. In fact, I still get butterflies whenever I see him and it is the best thing to come home to him every day after work.

While I love our date days more than I can say, my favorite times are spent in our apartment enjoying each other’s company. There is nothing better than sitting down with him after cooking dinner, tuning into our “programs”, and spending the evening talking and laughing. And, believe you me, we never are hurting for things to laugh about because we could bring up a quote from a show that we watched when we first started dating and are instantly in stitches… Much to everyone else’s annoyance! 😀

Being married to Johnny makes every day a good one and I never take that for granted. It always feels like a sunshiney day with him no matter what weather Ohio serves to us in the given hour lol! Here’s to our permanent honeymoon phase and a lifetime of happiness. ❤

Are you celebrating anything special this month? What are you looking forward to? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug16

My Favorite Easy Dinners

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My Favorite Easy Dinners

Hi! I have so enjoyed cooking lots of delicious homemade meals this past month and I am proud of the mental health one eighty that was accomplished by my new job. It has turned cooking back into something that I love to do rather than a chore and I can’t wait for a lifetime of meals with my husband. ❤

It has been a while since I have gone grocery shopping because I will buy a lot at one time which eliminates the need for time consuming, weekly trips to the store. When this happens, Johnny and I default to “easy” dinners to use up the rest of what we have in the freezer and pantry. While a home cooked meal is amazing, a big pot of spaghetti or an oven pizza just hits different! Here are some of my favorite easy peasy dinners:

Spaghetti:

I actually just made a spaghetti and garlic bread dinner last night and it was SO good! Spaghetti has been one of my favorite foods since I was little and I love how versatile it is. I always remember my dad preparing spaghetti for dinner when my mom would return home from work back in the day and it is still one of the sweetest things to me. While Alfredo and red sauce are delicious, my perfect plate of spaghetti is angel hair covered with my favorite: Pesto! And, also, who doesn’t love hella leftovers? 😀

Grilled Cheese:

In my household, you cannot go wrong with grilled cheese and it is one of mine and Johnny’s go to weekend lunches. I hate to brag, but I make a mean grilled cheese. However, it pales in comparison to when my mom makes it with her homemade bread! Johnny doesn’t like anything but cheese on his sandwich but I really like honey or brown mustard on mine. We are also partial to mac n’ cheese grilled cheeses for the ultimate comfort food.

Oven Pizza:

I don’t care what anyone says, oven pizza is the bomb lol. Johnny and I are obsessed with the Digiorno croissant and stuffed crust pizzas and I always have to get at least one of each when I go shopping. Sometimes I’ll doctor my portion of the pizza up with chopped veggies but they are so good as is. And, of course, you can’t forget the ranch dressing to dip it in! 🙂

Air Fried Commodities:

Although our air fryer is on the fritz, Johnny and I still love it dearly and the novelty of using it has yet to wear off. Appetizer food like mozzarella sticks, cheese curds, and French fries air fried are the absolute best and it feels like such a treat whenever we have apps as the main course. When we got our air fryer for Christmas, we went to the store so we could try air frying all of the things and I think about that every time we break it out. ❤

Quesadillas:

If you can’t tell by now, Johnny and I love cheesy food! Quesadillas are so easy to make as well as improve upon and I make them often when we are running low on dinner options. I usually will try out a different kind of salsa or two whenever I do shopping and quesadilla night is the perfect time to test them out!

The best part of my evening is having dinner while watching a show with Johnny. It also is the sweetest thing because whether I spend an hour or five minutes on a meal, he will always compliment and thank me for it. ANGEL! ❤

What is your favorite easy dinner? What are some of your favorite recipes? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug2

Garden Tours

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Garden Tours

Hi! My dad is, hands down, the best gardener in the world and has a million green thumbs. Whenever I’m over at my parents, I always enjoy our “Garden Tours”. My dad and I will walk through the backyard together and check on the progress of his flowers and veggies. There is something new to see every time and it never gets old! Take a look at some pics from our backyard stroll and keep in mind that it was all done by a man who recently broke his dominant arm. Like I said, my dad is the best gardener in the world. ❤

My dad’s garden is home to many creatures both real and fake. There are bunnies, butterflies, bees, and bats as well as all of the decorative birds, lizards, frogs, and gnomes! My niece loves to play outside and my dad is always on the hunt for new lawn decorations to surprise her with as she is partial to the fake flamingo he has. It is also so much fun to look for bunnies and butterflies with her. 🙂

A few weeks ago, we had a family visit to the Kingwood Center Gardens in Mansfield. The botanical gardens were splendid, but I don’t think they have anything on my dad’s backyard and I live for our Garden Tours. What a guy!

What are you growing in your garden? What is your favorite flower? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul30

Sweet Surprises: Best Mom Ever Edition

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Sweet Surprises: Best Mom Ever Edition

Hello! My mom is one of my most favorite people to ever exist and Johnny and I had a blast taking a road trip with her to Indiana this past weekend. I hope to be just like her when I grow up! JANE has this amazing way of making everyone around her feel special and I am so proud to be her daughter. ❤

While out and about or online shopping, my mom loves to pick up little surprises for her children, grandchildren, dogs, and grand dogs. No matter how old I get, I feel like a kid on Christmas when she tells me she has something for me! I was the recent recipient of a French inspired lotion from JANE as I speak the language and, as per ushe, she knocked it out of the park. Check it out:

Whenever my mom shops with TJMaxx, she is always on the lookout for new skin care or bath and body care for me. JANE knows how much I enjoy testing out new products and I can post about it on here so it is a huge win/win. This Wildflower scented lotion by A La Maison de Provence boasts original French formulas for a taste of Paris even in Akron, Ohio. I can’t wait to try it out! 😀

I am the luckiest girl in the world to have the best parents in the world and I treasure every minute I spend at chez parents. I LOVE YOU MOM AND DAD! ❤

Who is your role model? What are you thankful for? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jun29

TJMaxx Home Goods Haul

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TJMaxx Home Goods Haul

Hi! After a long year and change without in store TJMaxx shopping, my mom and I finally had our first outing to TJs last week. It was everything I ever could have imagined AND MORE! While it was great fun to spend my birthday gift cards, it was even better to spend time with my mom browsing the aisles and modeling the clothes we tried on together. We both walked away with lots of goodies that we are so happy with and I have been mentally reliving our shopping trip since we left the store.

Today, we are going to look at a few of the home goods items that I got for mine and Johnny’s apartment. My TJMaxx clothing haul will begin on July first after we discuss my June 2021 Finishes so keep it posted for that! Now, let’s get to it:

Since moving into my apartment over two years ago, I haven’t bought too much in terms of home goods. Between my initial Moving On Up Hauls and all of the things Johnny brought when he moved in, we really didn’t need anything. However, the laundry hamper that I purchased at TJMaxx when I moved was falling apart at the bottom and it definitely needed replacing. I was hoping to find a new one during my outing with my mom and the TJMaxx gods must have felt it! I love the woven wood hamper that I picked out because of how sturdy it is, the fact that it has a lid, and it is way prettier than my old one. 😀

For my kitchen, I picked up a few odds and ends like ice cube trays in an adorable honeycomb pattern, plates, and a few dish towels. Johnny and I have been saying for forever that we need some ice cube trays and the ones I found are ideal because they won’t take up a lot of room in our tiny freezer. The plates were also a must because we are constantly running out of them, which means we are constantly doing dishes! I thought that four plates for eight dollars was a steal, too.

TJMaxx didn’t have a whole lot of choices in terms of dish towels, but the Love Birds ones that I selected (On clearance!) will do just fine. In fact, they are perfect for us as a newly married couple! My mom was even kind enough to get some of the home supplies for us as an extra wedding prezzie. So sweet! ❤

Shopping at TJMaxx with my mom was absolutely amazing and this outing in particular will forever hold a special place in my heart. We picked up at TJs right where we left off so long ago and I am already looking forward to our next shopping trip. ❤

Where is your favorite place to shop? Who do you like to go shopping with? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jun25

Dry Goods Haul: Blu Pepper Sweater Edition

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Dry Goods Haul: Blu Pepper Sweater Edition

Hi! This past weekend, my friend Danielle and I hit up Summit Mall for a little retail therapy. It has felt so good to have actual shopping trips again instead of plopping down in front of my laptop to scroll through endless pages on TJMaxx’s website! Our outing was fabulous and she introduced me to one of her favorite stores, Dry Goods. I had been in this store once several years ago and didn’t care for anything I tried on so I never bothered with it again.

This time around, however, was a great success and I found two new tops there, helping to complete my summer wardrobe refresh. The light sweater we are about to discuss was something I originally picked out for Danielle and it looked so cute on her that I had to try it too! We both fell in love with it and are now twinsies. 😀 Check it out:

I just adore my new Blu Pepper sweater and it is really a perfect all seasons option. It is light enough that you could wear it for an outdoor meal during a chillier summer evening and will layer so well during the colder months. I thought it looked amazing on Danielle and, not to toot my own horn, but it looked awesome on me too. Thanks to the charcoal grey and dusty rose color combo as well as the not too tight or too loose fit, this Blu Pepper number is universally flattering.

While the side button details are cute, the real piece de resistance are the elbow patches! I am a huge sucker for them and like the old school flare that they add to modern clothing. The details, color, and shape all work together incredibly well and I am so happy with my purchase. At first glance, this sweater seemed a bit too Plain Jane for me but I ate my words as soon as it was on and am so excited to be twinsies with one of my favorite gals! ❤

Do you have any clothes that you would consider to be universally flattering? What are your favorite details in clothing? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jun20

Married Life

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Married Life

Hello! Ever since tying the knot on June 4th, Johnny and I have been asked time and time again if we feel any different and we always answer with no. Being married to Johnny is the best thing in the whole world but we both agree that it feels exactly the same as it did before when we were dating and recently engaged. We have had a wild bag of replies back of people concurring or feeling the polar opposite but we can all agree that married life rocks!

Since our nuptials, Johnny and I have enjoyed double birthday celebrations, a road trip to Marietta, trivia night, and the endless support of our loved ones and it has been awesome. In fact, all of these outings after being in the apartment for over a year due to the pandemic feels more like when we first started dating! It has been so exciting to finally be fully vaccinated and have the opportunity to go out and about with our friends and the novelty has yet to wear off.

While our now weekly date days and hang outs with friends have been great, our favorite thing to do is veg out together after work. Whether we are playing video games, watching documentaries, or endless hours of Family Matters we both love our time to relax and enjoy each other’s company after a long day. As soon as I exit my car and walk to the apartment when I return home, I always feel butterflies knowing that my Johnny will be there to greet me and it never gets old.

We have both come to realize that married life doesn’t feel much different because we have never left the honeymoon stages of our first dates and there is no better feeling than that. Here’s to our never ending honeymoon! ❤

Did married life feel different to you? How so? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jun12

Wedding Hair

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Wedding Hair

Hello! One of my favorite parts of my pre-wedding prep was getting my hair done both the day before and the day of my wedding by my stylist and friend of over nineteen years, Anna. No one but Anna is allowed to touch my hair and I had been looking forward to her working her magic for my wedding since Johnny and I got engaged. The day before my wedding, I spent the entire afternoon at the salon getting my hair dyed and hanging out with Anna which was so fun and very special to me. The morning of my wedding, I returned to the Shear Shop for an end result of:

To achieve my wedding do, Anna bleached and redyed my convertible hair with Pulp Riot’s red in Fireball and bubblegum pink in Blush. The first time we tried this combination on my hair, we both agreed that we would like the pink more if it were lighter. To remedy this problem, Anna dyed my roots in Blush and pulled a ballet slipper pink through the rest to lighten and add dimension with different shades. Her solution was a great success and everyone in the salon was in love with the color too!

Not only did Anna do my color the day before my wedding but she also began knotting gold tinsel in my locks for some sparkle on my wedding day. While fairy hair is adorable, it is a time consuming task and I am so glad we didn’t leave knotting a majority of it in until the following day. Anna was able to see me first thing in the morning the day of my wedding and it was nice to not feel rushed in any way because so much groundwork was laid the day before.

The gold tinsel offers sweet flashes of bling in my wedding do but the real piece de resistance were the hair charms that Anna incorporated into my braid. When we began talking wedding hair, it went without saying that it had to be unique. I also let her know that I definitely wanted some type of braiding. With that, Anna suggested that I purchase some “hair hardware” on Amazon to further embellish my look.

On my wedding day, Anna came prepared with needle nose pliers to help pull the hardware rings apart and put them back together again. Once the rings were hooked into the braid, she simply pushed them back together and they were locked securely in place. The final result is something I have never seen before and I felt like royalty.

Finally, Anna created a bump in the back of my hair which would make a home for my veil to be locked into. My veil was purchased for a whole twenty dollars on Etsy and feels like something out of a dark fairy tale. Prior to securing my veil, Anna ingeniously removed any wrinkles from it with a blow drier! 

The look that Anna achieved for my wedding was everything that I wanted and so much more. I asked for something unique and she gave me a do that I didn’t even know could exist. Anna is such a gifted artist and I feel so lucky to have had her keeping my hair beautiful for almost two decades. Her friendship is the most beautiful gift of all and the time spent together in the salon for my wedding will forever be cherished.

What color is your hair? What is the craziest color you have ever dyed your hair? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

 

 

Jun7

Happy Birthday To Me!

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Happy Birthday To Me!

Hello everyone and happy birthday to me!! It’s my twenty-seventh birthday and within the past week I got married and celebrated my husband’s birthday on the first. Needless to say, it has been the best week ever!! Today also marks the sixth year that I have celebrated my birthday with all of my dear readers and that isn’t anything to sneeze at, either. For the past six plus years, I have so enjoyed getting to know each and every one of you and it is such a joy to share a slice of my life with all of my readers and friends.

From sharing in my excitement, random musings, disappointments, and holidays together, you guys have been through it all with me and that is incredibly special. Here’s to six more years of birthday celebrations on lifewithlilred and tomorrow, it will be time to talk wedding! See you then. ❤

Happy Birthday To Me!! ❤

Jun4

Wedding Band Reveal

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Wedding Band Reveal

Hi!! When Johnny and I got engaged, I took my carved pearl ring to Jared’s to get resized and they did a fabulous job. I was so impressed by them and I knew that I wanted to go back when it was time to purchase a wedding band. At the end of April, Johnny and I went to Jared’s together and their employees helped create us a ring that was exactly what I wanted at a price point that we were both comfortable with.

After almost an entire month of waiting, I was finally able to pick my wedding band up and it was even better than I could have imagined! Check it out:

When it came to my wedding band, I had two requirements that absolutely needed to be met: Black diamonds and rubies. I also wanted a shape that was unique and would fit well with my engagement ring. After discussing a budget as well as some trial and error, the employees at Jared’s were able to customize a ring that is completely perfect for me. In fact, Johnny and I are so in love with both of our wedding bands that we’re already wearing them lol.

The diamonds in my wedding band along with the gemstones look so beautiful when paired with the pearl of my engagement ring and it fits like a glove. It was important for me to have a band that truly complimented the engagement ring and my favorite part is how the the rubies lined up to be on either side of the pearl skull’s teeth. The shape of the bling is also incredibly unique and I have never seen anything like it before.

My wedding band has been in my possession for the past week or so and I have probably looked at it a million times since picking it up. I knew that I was in good hands with the expert help I received at Jared’s and I will never forget the trip there that I took with Johnny to create a one of a kind band that is one hundred and fifty billion percent us. ❤

What is your favorite type of accessory? What does your wedding band look like? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah