Tag Archives: spring

May25

Spring Hiking Spree Success

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Spring Hiking Spree Success

Hello!! My neck of the woods is gifted with countless beautiful Metro Parks to hike, bike, and explore and I love visiting them with my brother. We got extremely into hiking about a year ago and even completed the Fall Hiking Spree together for the first time. The hiking sprees are exactly what they sound like – hike at X amount of parks in a certain amount of time and get rewarded with a new shield for your hiking stick. We had so much fun achieving this goal and were most excited when a Spring Hiking Spree was announced. I am pleased to report that we finished this challenge this past week and I think we saved the best hiking trail for last!

^^^ Giving ALL the Shrek vibes

our final hike for the Spring Hiking Spree, we visited a Metro Park called Sand Run for a trail we have never been on before. This was no ordinary trail, however, but a Parcours! As we hiked through the scenic woods, we shortly came across a numbered wooden sign that walked us through a work out for arm circles. Rather than bypass it, we completed the advised reps and decided to do so for every sign we encountered. The work outs started out easily enough: Leg lifts, toe touches, torso twists, and balance exercises and it was honestly really fun to see what we were going to have to do next. It almost turned the hike into a game and it was so different than any other trail we have done before.

As we made our way through the lengthy woods and exercises, we began to notice a huge increase in difficulty. The trail was winding and the work outs were getting intense. We’re no longer talking toe touches but push ups, chin ups, hand walks, and vault jumps. I am not sorry in the slightest to say that we bypassed those lol! Eventually, we got out of the woods and the end of the hike was upon us. Or so we thought! We ended up on a bike trail that took us past a huge swamp that was serving so much Shrek and then we were back into the woods for another good twenty minutes to complete the trail. We were exhausted by the time we finished our work out within a work out but both agreed that we would love to do the Parcours again!

My brother and I finished our Spring Hiking Spree right in the nick of time because it has rained every day since. We can’t wait to get back on the trails once they dry out!

Have you gone on any good hikes recently? Where did you go? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May14

Beat The Spring Blahs

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Beat The Spring Blahs

Hello!! When I think of spring, of course, rain is involved. However, I mainly am focused on sunny days, light jacket weather, and pretty spring flowers blooming. Unfortunately, the sunny days in my neck of the woods have been extremely limited and it has been grey, cold, and rainy for a majority of the season. It sucks! In fact, I’m bundled up in a heavy hoodie and beanie as I type this and I am still chilly. With days that feel like it’s six o’clock in the evening all day, everyone in Akron is desperate for a change in the weather as the blahs have definitely kicked in. Mine most certainly have and I have been trying to do the following to help perk me up. Maybe some of these ideas will help you too:

Make Your Own Sun:

If the sun isn’t shining, who says you can’t make your own?! Try incorporating brightness into your day any way you can. Whether this be picking up a bouquet for your kitchen table, wearing a bold colored jacket, or painting your nails in a shocking hue. These vivid shades add a much needed pop to the dreariness outdoors and it will be sure to make you smile when you utilize them. I employed this method by getting bright pink and orange nails during my last fill and complete strangers have told me how nice it is to see some color!

Take Advantage of Rain Free Days:

The rain free days have been scarce, but when the days are blessedly clear, you best believe that I am walking! Take full advantage of the break in weather and get outdoors. Your dog will love a good walk or hike in the woods, you can complete lawn work, or simply sit outside and read a book or chat on the phone. You will be so happy that you took the opportunity to get out and get active once that next storm hits and it is back indoors.

Rainy Day Activities:

There are some activities that just hit different when it’s raining out. IE: Crafting, reading, listening to music, or watching scary movies! If the day is a wash, you might as well make the most of it indoors and enjoy yourself. Use these rainy days to relax, recharge, and unwind because the rain falling on your windows gives you the perfect soundtrack. And, yes, these rainy day activities can also include a good nap to catch up on some Zs! 😀

Daydreamer:

Summer might not be here yet but that doesn’t mean you can’t start planning for it now! What is your perfect warm weather day like? A BBQ with friends? A late evening bonfire? Going swimming or playing outdoor games? Build your day and make it happen as soon as that warm weather hits to celebrate. It’s always nice to have something to look forward to and a fun day or party is just what the doctor ordered. After a big get together in the sun, you will be kissing those springtime blahs goodbye.

I am not a summer girl in the slightest but I have been craving it something fierce as of late. Just a few more weeks to go and I cannot wait for the rainy day blahs to kick rocks!

What is springtime weather like where you live? What is your favorite rainy day activity? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May8

Take A Hike!

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Take A Hike!

Hello! In my neck of the woods, we are blessed with an abundance of beautiful Metro Parks to hike at. In fact, there are more than I can count in just a ten mile radius from where I live. It’s awesome! There is nothing like a good, brisk hike on a lovely day and I am always with the best company during my adventures: My big brother! Last year, we completed the Fall Hiking Spree for the first time together and we were genuinely sad when it was over. We enjoyed visiting old and new to us trails so much but by the time the spree concluded, winter was well on its way and we moved our workouts to the gym.

After a long winter with minimal outdoor walks, we could not wait to hit the Metro Parks as soon as the warm weather hit. And, we are simply delighted by the fact that there is now a Spring Hiking Spree!

The Hiking Sprees are exactly what you think they are: Those who want to participate receive a list of different trails throughout the county, there is a minimum amount you have to visit, and a reward like a pin or a shield for your hiking stick is gifted at the end. It’s basically just hiking lol but there is a goal and because my brother and I are extremely goal oriented, it is the perfect activity for us. It’s exciting to work together to achieve something and we really do look forward to our weekly hikes.

While there are several trails on the list for the Spring Hiking Spree that we are familiar with, we bypass those for new to us locations. It amazes me that some of these trails are a hop, skip, and a jump away and we have never been! This has opened our eyes to brand new experiences all in our own backyard. Of course, the Hiking Sprees are an excellent reminder to get active. However, it also serves as a reminder that while Ohio can be boring AF, it sure has a lot of beauty and I feel lucky to have access to all of these wonderful Metro Parks!

We have four hikes to go until we complete our Spring Hiking Spree and I cannot wait to see where we end up next!

Does your neck of the woods do a hiking program similar to mine? Where is your favorite place to hike? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May5

Bird Watching

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Bird Watching

Hello!! Spring is here in all of its glory and it is so exciting to see my dad’s beautiful yard come back to life. Flowers are blooming, darling bunnies hop about, squirrels run and play, and there is an abundance of birds at every feeder set out. One of mine and my dad’s favorite things to do is watch all of the activity from his “nature window” to see what kind of visitors we have. Recently, our hummingbirds came back as well as a new friend. My dad informed me that a new to our backyard Rose-breasted Grosbeak has been by and I was lucky enough to see it too. I was so happy to have been able to snap these pictures because this is one of the prettiest birds I have ever seen:

This bird fits my go to color palette to the T: Black, white, and red! I was absolutely blown away by the shocking patch of crimson on its chest and told my dad that it looks like a heart. While the Rose-breasted Grosbeak is aptly named, we prefer to call it the Heart Bird and that is what we are going with! This past week was a bit crummy and our new backyard bird couldn’t have come at a better time. This special visitor was such a wonderful reminder of better things to come and bright spring days ahead!

If being an adult means getting really excited about bird watching, then I guess I am okay with that lol. I cannot wait to see the Heart Bird again! ❤

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

Apr28

Marvelous Maxi Dress OOTD Bloopers

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Marvelous Maxi Dress OOTD Bloopers

Hello everyone and welcome to the Blooper Reel from my Marvelous Maxi Dress OOTD! Since starting my TikTok, I have had a crash course in the art of using the tripod. Mine is, admittedly, not the best and is pretty rickety. However, practice really does make perfect and I have noticed a huge improvement after shooting at least two outfits per week. Despite all of the time and effort, there are some things that I can’t improve no matter how hard I try – the weather! And let me tell you, the sky was angry the day I shot this OOTD. It was windy AF and made for countless moments like this lol:

^^^ Just a little taste of what you’ll find on my TikTok! 😀

Now, where was I? Ah, yes. The sky was angry that day, my friends. You can literally hear the wind howling! At one point, this was excellent. As I pretended to model, I was having full fledged wind in the hair moments and I was living for it! I flipped my new hair this way and that and you know your girl was feeling her damn self. I was well aware of my tripod being slightly tipsy (Too many mimosas before a morning OOTD shoot, perhaps?), but like the throwback toy – Weebles wobble but they don’t fall down. The ol’ tripod held on for dear life until it came toppling down with a resounding thud.

Blessedly, this whoopsy was no harm no foul to my phone and I assumed the position to shoot at least one decent video. And then the tipsy tripod continued to fall again, and again…. and you guessed it – AGAIN. I kid you not, this must have happened between five to seven times and I was getting irate at this point lol. Back when I first started shooting with my tripod, there always came a time when I just threw my hands up and called it a wrap because frustrated. This feeling came back tenfold every time I heard the thud of the tripod fall but, hey, it made for some fabulous blooper footage. It wasn’t a complete wash, either, because I still managed to find ONE good take amidst the rubble of tripod falling down videos. The sky may have been angry, but there was definitely a silver lining!

As one of my favorite theater warm up tongue twisters goes: Whether the weather is cold or whether the weather is hot: Whatever the weather we’ll weather the weather, whether we like it or not. I definitely didn’t like it lol but I think I weathered the weather the best I could!

What is springtime weather like in your neck of the woods? Have any spring flowers bloomed in your yard? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr27

Marvelous Maxi Dress OOTD

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Marvelous Maxi Dress OOTD

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new OOTD here on lifewithlilred! Ever since I got my hair done, all I want to do is show it off and have been having so much fun shooting fashion content for the ol’ blog and TikTok (@lilred6794). Better yet, the weather has been behaving (kind of) and that means I can break out ALL of the dresses for spring. Today, we are going to take a look at a look featuring one of my personal favorites – the maxi dress. And, yes, it’s mainly a personal favorite because no leg shaving is required lol lazy girl win! Check it out:

Who? What? Wear?

Maxi Dress: Hayden Los Angeles, EmLeigh’s and Mama B’s

Heeled Boots: Formentini, TJMaxx

The belt was purchased forever ago from some stand in the mall and I’m ninety-nine percent sure the earrings are from Target!

I am, indeed, dress obsessed. And, yes, you guessed it – it’s another lazy girl win lol. Dress OOTDs are the best because there is literally nothing to it. Dress, shoes, accessories, done. I chose the Hayden Los Angeles dress for this look because I have been waiting on pins and needles to break it out. It is the perfect spring time maxi dress! It offers flowy movement, a gorgeous palette of flowers on a deep navy blue background, and I just love that Western inspired piping. This dress is ideal for a garden party, dinner on the patio, or a springtime special occasion. And, while this dress might seem “dressy” – don’t let it fool you. It is comfy as can be so you can show out in style while feeling like you’re wearing a nightgown. There is, truly, nothing better!

Next, it was time for shoes and accessories. This dress is actually too big for me but it was the only one in the store so I bought it anyways. To add some shape, I put on a belt with the most darling apple clasps. It cinched in my waist and provided a fun pop! I also opted for a pair of long, dangly earrings to accentuate my neckline as the open real estate for showing skin was minimal and I wanted to add length wherever I could. Finally, I chose a beautiful pair of stone grey Formentini boots. As they are a neutral, it was no harm no foul and it gave me the height boost I needed. Who says a five foot one gal can’t wear a maxi dress?!

With that, I was ready to strut my stuff in my Marvelous Maxi Dress OOTD feeling like a Spring Fling Queen!

What is your favorite style of dress? What do you look forward to wearing in the warm weather? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr9

Florals For Spring OOTD

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Florals For Spring OOTD

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new flowery OOTD here on lifewithlilred! In the eternal words of the great Miranda Priestly in The Devil Wears Prada “Florals for spring? … Groundbreaking”. But, hey, it wouldn’t be spring without beautiful flowers blooming outside and on clothing too! I wouldn’t say I’m a huge floral pattern girl, however, I fell immediately in love with the statement trench coat you are about to see and that love has only strengthened since bringing it home lol. Check it out:

Who? What? Wear?

Floral Trench Coat: Solitaire, TJMaxx

Black Sweater: Shrinking Violet, TJMaxx

Coated Skinny Jeans: Seven Jeans, TJMaxx

Platform Boots: Olivia Miller, TJMaxx

Hoop Earrings: Argentino Vivo, TJMaxx

OOTDs that revolve around a statement piece essentially build themselves. When I think of “statement” clothing, I think of something so bold and eye catching that it really doesn’t need anything else. With clothes like that, the goal isn’t so much building an outfit but simply enhancing your established focal point. In my OOTD’s case, the trench coat by Solitaire was the star and I wanted it to shine fully.

As you can see, there were several colors that I could have pulled from in the trench coat BUT I didn’t want to go the matching route. There were so many pretty shades and I wanted the focus to be on all of them rather than one specific hue. So, I gave the trench coat a fully neutral backdrop with an All Black Everything ensemble underneath. That way, the coat did the talking and the outfit would still make sense if I took the trench off. I definitely don’t think this outfit would have had such a sleek end result if multiple different colors were fighting for attention.

With the base of the OOTD good to go, it was time for shoes and accessories. For shoes, I chose my favorite pair of platform boots by Olivia Miller. I loved that the chains added a blingy surprise as the faux suede coat is quite muted in terms of color and texture. To play into that pop of silver, I added on a long necklace with a thin silver chain. Then, I pulled from the sage green in the trench coat and popped on a pair of dark green hoops by Argentino Vivo and was on my way with a spring in my step!

Florals For Spring might not be groundbreaking but they are a beloved staple and I love my take on it!

What is your favorite piece of statement clothing in your closet? What is a pattern that you like for spring that isn’t floral? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar30

Dress + Pants OOTD

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Dress + Pants OOTD

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new OOTD here on lifewithlilred! Dressing for spring in Ohio is truly like a box of chocolates lol. It could be frigid cold in the morning and then the temperature will skyrocket by mid afternoon. It might be freaking freezing all day or feel like a glimpse of summertime weather. In conclusion, it’s basically a big question mark when you’re deciding what to wear. Of course, come springtime, my heart says wear ALL the dresses and my brain says to hold that thought and consider other options. But why can’t I have both? I present to you, the Dress + Pants combo:

Who? What? Wear?

Dress: Zara

Coated Skinny Jeans: Seven Jeans, TJMaxx

Word Bubble Heels: LFL, TJMaxx

I’m pretty sure the cross earrings are from Claire’s!

I have a confession to make… Despite having this dress by Zara for upwards of eight years, this is the first time I ever wore it. Why, you might ask? Believe you me when I say, this dress is see through. The top is fine and I don’t mind a peek a boo of a bra. However, the bottom half has evaded me because you’re screwed either way with the panties or commando route. Typically, I never keep a piece of clothing that I haven’t worn for as long as this dress. But I vowed that at some point eventually, I would figure it out and it turns out all I needed was pants lol.

Before we talk about the build of this OOTD, can we please talk about this dress? I find it to be so striking and it felt SO good to finally be able to wear it! The silky material, the stark white with the black flower sketches, and those corset sides? Forget about it! I also just love the flowy sleeves that taper into a tight cuff at the wrists. This dress is full of surprises everywhere you look and is an ideal option to welcome springtime.

Although there is a lot to look at in regards to the Zara dress, the beauty of it is that it’s still a fully neutral piece. Meaning? I could have some fun with the rest of the outfit, no harm no foul. I decided to play into the sheen of the dress by pairing it with a gorgeous pair of coated skinnies by Seven Jeans. These two like elements flowed seamlessly together and that was most helpful in creating the illusion of length.

For shoes, I chose a funky pair of word bubble heels by LFL which were perfect with the black and white palette established. These heels are the definition of quirky cute and allowed for a surprise pop of red toenail polish. Between all of the different textures and patterns in this look, jewelry wasn’t necessary and would only clutter what I find to be a very sleek and chic fit. So, I popped on a pair of dangly crosses and was ready to take some pictures feeling so sweetly spring – Lil Red’s way!

The mystery of what to wear with my Zara dress was solved with one killer Dress + Pants OOTD. I am obsessed with this combo and cannot wait to bust it out again!

Do you have any clothes that you have no idea what to wear with? Do you have any clothes that go with everything? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar14

Spring Flower Surprise

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Spring Flower Surprise

Hello! The weather in Ohio these past few weeks has been crazy. It went from single digit temperatures and snow to a full fledged heat wave this entire week. Since Sunday, we have been experiencing blessedly warm temperatures in the high fifties and low sixties. It might even get up to seventy degrees this weekend! I have been loving it and it feels so weird to not be bundling up in a million layers every time I step foot outside. The sunshine alone has put a huge pep back in my step because my seasonal depression has kicked rocks and left me with plain old depression lol. But, hey, that’s manageable! 😀

Because the weather did a complete one eighty, spring flowers weren’t anywhere on my mind because it just seemed too early. However, I had an amazing surprise when I worked at chez mom and dad on Tuesday. My dad let me know that a patch of pretty yellow flowers had bloomed! Check it out:

When I visited the backyard before heading home, I was expecting to see a couple of flowers bravely peeking out of the ground. I was so shocked to see a huge patch of yellow flowers, instead! It took my breath away to see the petals dancing in the wind and was just what I needed after having a lot of recent stress. It felt so good to see these beautiful blooms, gulp down the fresh air, and have a big smile on my face. I think I could have stood out there all day. I always look forward to the first flowers of spring and these ones were there when I needed it most – I am so appreciative for that. ❤

I hope these flowers brightened your day as much as it did mine. Here’s to warm weather and all the spring flowers!

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

May2

Spring Picnic OOTD

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Spring Picnic OOTD

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new OOTD here on lifewithlilred! This past Friday, Johnny and I attended a spring picnic hosted by our friend Tim Misny. This was a party for social media contest winners and it was such fun to mingle with so many cool new people at Misnyland. We had beautiful weather for the get together and it was the first day that truly felt like spring in forever. Naturally, I had to show out in a little something something! Check it out:

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Who? What? Wear?

Dress: Altar’d State

Cardigan: Candie’s, Kohl’s

Studded Mary Jane Heels: White Mountain, TJMaxx

Normally when I’m preparing an OOTD, I tend to know what I’m going to wear almost immediately. I plan outfits in my head and make adjustments as I’m putting the outfit on. For this particular case, I had an adorable outfit in mind with a bodycon skirt and button down. However, it was just not it once it was on because of the change in my hair color. It has been a while since I had gotten a full on hair makeover and I forgot how the new colors might not compliment every single thing in my wardrobe. At this point, I had to pivot hard.

With what felt like no options and endless options to pick from, I spent a bit of time floundering around my closet and wondering what to do next. With minimal time to get ready and make the hour drive to Misnyland, I decided the best route was the easy one – a dress. Dresses are fantastic because there’s a limit to what you can do with them. It was also the perfect something to throw on for a spring picnic because dresses just scream spring to me!

Once I figured out a solution, it was go time. I browsed the dresses in my closet, but felt bored with what I was seeing. Many of the dresses I own have already been featured on OOTDs before or weren’t appropriate for the weather. Then, I stumbled upon a dress that I had honestly forgotten I had – a pretty little black and white floral number by Altar’d State. This was definitely the one and I loved how it went from form fitting to a flirty flounce on the hemline.

Although I have no problem wearing this dress without anything covering it in the summertime, I needed something for the party. I didn’t want my bra straps showing around a bunch of strangers! The weather didn’t call for a jacket, but I could certainly get away with a light cardigan. I went with an emerald green cardi by Candie’s, which is old as dirt but I still like all the same. The jewel tone against the neutral palette of the dress helped liven things up and the fit was spot on because it ended right when the dress did.

Finally, it was onto shoes and accessories. For shoes, I chose a sweet pair of studded Mary Jane heels. The embellishment added a unique touch and the heels were sturdy, which was essential because we’d be walking on gravel. As a heavily tattooed gal, I tend to shy away from accessories when my ink is out because those are my accessories lol. Anything more just looks like too much so I put on a simple pair of stud earrings and was ready for the party with a few minutes to spare!

My Spring Picnic OOTD was not what I had in mind originally in the slightest. However, it worked beautifully for the occasion and I felt like the Spring Fling Queen in my look!

What colors look the best with your hair color? What would you wear to a spring picnic? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah