Tag Archives: surprise

Feb20

Surprise Vacation

Posted on by
Standard
Surprise Vacation

Hello!! After writing about my desire to achieve a better work/life balance, I had the opportunity to put my money where my mouth is. However, it wasn’t for a great reason. Unfortunately, my parents tested positive for Covid last Tuesday and I genuinely have no idea where they got it from. Thankfully, both of their symptoms were quite mild and they are on the up and up!

Usually, I am at my parents house almost every day of the week for work or just hanging out. Of course, that wasn’t a possibility while my parents were sick and I miss them and my brother terribly! The first day I couldn’t come over, I honestly didn’t know what to do with myself and the free time that fell in my lap. I felt bad all week that I was lounging in the comfort of my home but I also knew that there was nothing else to be done until there were negative tests all around.

During my Surprise Vacation, I caught up on my sleep a lot. Since the beginning of the new year, I have been waking up between 4:45 and 5 every morning to take care of the bunnies, get myself ready for work, work from home, then go to my other job. It was exhausting but necessary, especially as I started a new online gig. During my break, I was able to sleep in until… Drum roll, please… SIX O’CLOCK and it was awesome! I didn’t know how much I needed that extra sleep until I actually got it and it was just what I needed to rejuvenate myself. The extra sleeping in sessions also made it much easier to get up early again when I had morning clients.

I got a lot of work done online during my staycation and I also had time for extra cleaning, cooking, and enjoying some TV time before Johnny returned from work. You already know I watched lots of Hoarders while Melvin and Penelope romped around their bunny-proofed area. I also binged the first half of the new season of You in one afternoon flat. I can’t remember the last time I was able to do that and it felt so good to have a binge-watching session with a show just for me. Also, can we please talk about how freaking crazy that show is? Lol freaking Joe Goldberg, dude.

As wonderful as my mini work vaca was, I was ready for it to be over each day because I missed being able to hug my parents and brother. I can’t wait for negative tests so I can get back to my normal schedule feeling as refreshed as I have been in weeks!

How do you relax during time off? What did you think of the new season of You? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Advertisement
Nov10

Sweet Surprises: Husband’s Haul Edition

Posted on by
Standard
Sweet Surprises: Husband’s Haul Edition

Hello! This past weekend, Johnny and my brother visited a Comicon event that was happening right down the street from us at a banquet center. Like the last time that they went to a similar event this past summer, both guys walked away with a ton of awesome purchases from the vendors that were set up. By the time I returned home after their outing, Johnny was already out for the evening. But, he told me the amount of goodies he set up throughout the apartment and it was like a scavenger hunt to find them all! Check it out:

image_67174401(1)image_67220225image_67187457(1)image_67228417image_50449665(1)image_67515905image_50438657

As I wandered around the apartment trying to find all of Johnny’s purchases, I couldn’t quite believe it – everything was just so cool! I also loved that he knew exactly what I would have bought for myself if I had been able to come because I would have been all over that Sam Minifig from Trick ‘R Treat. The Link Minifig that Johnny got for himself also looks fantastic next to our collection of Legend Of Zelda amiibos. And, of course, our Funko Pop collection continues to grow with figures from our favorite holiday flick, Jingle All The Way. Now, I just need to get my hands on a Turbo Man Funko! 😀

What really blew my mind from Johnny’s haul was the perler bead art of R2D2 and Duck Hunt. Perler beads were something that I constantly played with when I was little and I hadn’t really thought about them until seeing our new wall art. The Duck Hunt one is so clever and I wish that I came up with the idea myself! In fact, I kind of want to try some perler bead kits in my free time – although it might be kind of difficult with my talon nails lol smh.

The most noticeable change in our apartment’s decor is, obviously, the huge horror movie icon prints that Johnny got from the hosts of Transylvania Tonight. All of these were painted by “Drac” and both him and “Countess Carita” signed the print of one of their advertisement shots. From what Johnny told me, they both definitely seem like our kind of people and I can’t get over how spectacular each print is. As soon as I saw them hanging up thanks to Johnny’s handiwork, I literally clutched my pearls!

I am so proud of my Johnny’s Comicon haul and I wish that I could have joined in the fun with him and my brother. However, it’s probably a good thing that I had other plans because our whole apartment would be overrun with purchases!

Have you ever been to a Comicon before? What is your favorite horror movie? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Nov2

Sweet Surprises: Sister Gift Edition

Posted on by
Standard
Sweet Surprises: Sister Gift Edition

Hello! This past week, I paid a visit to my sister and darling nieces at their place. Everything basically sucks and is crazy for yours truly right now but seeing my favorite lil ladies and big sister always puts a smile on my face. It’s hard not to smile when your nieces are literally the cutest people on planet Earth! Hanging out with all of them was a gift enough so I definitely wasn’t expecting this sweet surprise that my sister got for me:

image_67219201(1)

For those of you who don’t know, I am pretty much obsessed with Neil Gaiman and I consider everything that he does a masterpiece. Aside from Sandman, Coraline is one of my all time favorite books and I love the movie and graphic novel adaptation. My sister, Kristen, is well aware of this and when she saw the necklace with the key and seeing stone during some online shopping, she added it to her cart. It’s funny, because I actually just screenshotted something similar on my phone a few weeks ago – talk about sister telepathy!

During such trying times, it was so nice to receive a gift that I knew made my sister immediately think of me. It was such a thoughtful and much needed surprise and I was so flattered by it! I can’t wait to wear my new necklace as well as finally get Johnny to watch the movie with me because he fell asleep during our last viewing lol. Coraline is a perfect spooky season movie and, even though it’s November, Johnny and I are still in the Halloween spirit every day. 😀

If you haven’t seen or read Coraline before, then I can’t recommend it enough. While it’s a great book and flick for teens, I daresay that it’s even better for adults. Thanks again to my big sis for such a sweet gift! ❤

What is your favorite work by Neil Gaiman? Have you received any sweet surprises lately? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

PS: Be sure to tune in tomorrow for an OOTD shoot of my Halloween costume!

Oct23

Sweet Surprises: Spooky Decor Edition

Posted on by
Standard
Sweet Surprises: Spooky Decor Edition

Hello!! Whenever Johnny and I are running errands individually, we always seem to come home with a little treat for each other without fail. This has especially rang true throughout late September and the entire month of October because it is spooky season, baby! In our bigger apartment, it has been impossible to say no to all kinds of Halloween decor to deck our place out in. Thanks to Johnny stopping into Walgreen’s, we now have these new additions to our collection:

image_67181569(2)image_50385153(2)image_50393345(2)

Halloween is a state of mind and Johnny and I live in that mindset year round. Constantly watching scary movies, wearing spooky sweaters, and having a huge decor collection also really helps the cause! We have been living our best lives this October between date days, movie marathons, and all of the Halloween shopping. I suspect we will also be living our best lives in early November when all of the candy and decorations are on sale! 😀

It has been a rough few weeks in Lil Red’s world and Johnny always knows how to cheer me up. Sometimes it’s just turning on one of my favorite shows or, in this case, returning home with some surprises! We have yet to hang up the Prisoner Of Azkaban wiggle picture but I literally gasped when I saw the skeleton couple on their boat. The best part? It lights up! Its new home is on top of one of our book shelves and it makes a perfect little nightlight now that it is getting so dark early in the evening. I think the resemblance of me and Johnny is uncanny. ❤

As Halloween draws closer, it is becoming impossible to contain the excitement! Keep it posted on lifewithlilred for more scary good content including some must see horror flicks and my plans for the ultimate movie night on Halloween weekend!

What is your favorite holiday to decorate for? What is your favorite store to shop at for seasonal decor? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May26

Surprise Sweater

Posted on by
Standard
Surprise Sweater

Hey! My Johnny is a huge fan of podcasts and loves to listen to them while driving, hanging out at home, and at work. His absolute favorite is the Last Podcast On The Left, which discusses true crime, gruesome history, and all things horrifying in a humorous way. I, personally, don’t have the attention span for podcasts, however, when Johnny and I are taking a road trip or working on unpacking we usually listen to Last Podcast together.

We have a lot of gear from the LPOTL crew including stickers, books, coffee mugs, and my new sweater that Johnny got me from their online store:

image_50382849image_50365953image_50412545(3)image_50413057(2)

^^^ We love the elbow patch pentagrams!

A few weeks ago, Johnny and I were having our game night and he decided he wanted to see what was new at the Last Podcast On The Left shop. During his browsing, he pointed out the Hail Yourself cropped sweater and I instantly fell in love with it. I told him as such and without a second thought, he put it in the cart and ordered it for me. He also picked out a few goodies for himself!

We have been eagerly awaiting for our shipment and I couldn’t wait to get home and check it out when he told me that it had arrived. My new sweater is even better in person and I love the fuzzy lettering and oversized shape. In fact, I am wearing it as I type this and it is SO. Freaking. Comfy. It is also perfect for the weather today because it is pretty chilly out.

My Johnny and I love to spoil each other and it is because we both are really listening to each other when we talk. Just yesterday, for example, we were watching Impractical Jokers and Johnny said he loved one of the shirts that Murr was wearing. I looked it up, found it, and have it ready to order as a little treat. This is a constant thing for us and it is such a sweet pick me up to look forward to when one of us says that we have a surprise for each other.

Speaking of surprises and our active listening, my birthday present from Johnny is a prime example of it and you can peep that on tomorrow’s post. Hail yourself!

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

May5

Accessory Story: Forgotten Ring Edition

Posted on by
Standard
Accessory Story: Forgotten Ring Edition

Hello! I love putting on my engagement ring and wedding band every day because I think that they are the most “me” pieces of jewelry that I own. I didn’t think it was possible to love another piece of bling more so I was blindsided when I found this surprise ring while I was packing for mine and Johnny’s big move:

image_67216641(1)image_50420993image_67169025(1)image_50385665(1)

I have a pink dish chair that has held all of my bras, sports bras, and swimsuits for as long as I can remember. I also have not moved anything from that chair for as long as I can remember. Lol, Johnny caught onto this too because while I was boxing up everything from the chair, I found a velvet gift bag. At first, it felt empty and I almost threw it out. Then, I reached into the bag and discovered this gorgeous pearl ring with amber jewels!

I literally clutched my pearls when the ring was revealed because it was just so cute. It looks like a gemstone bow and I have never seen anything like it. I was so curious where this ring had came from because it was in the most random location. I couldn’t wait for Johnny to get home to question him about the ring’s origins because I thought that it might have been an engagement ring he picked out before ordering the one that I have.

Once Johnny got home, he told me that he also had no idea where he acquired the ring and then we started playing detective. It didn’t come from me so it would have had to have been from Johnny. We both thought that the gift bag’s gold motif was similar to my ring box and packaging from the Etsy shop we got my engagement ring from. Then, concluded that it must have been an extra gift for purchasing the engagement ring.

I asked Johnny how he could have forgotten this and I guess with the excitement of getting engaged it just slipped his mind! He also expertly hid it in a place where we both never look so I don’t think I would have ever found it unless we were moving. I love this bonus ring so much and I am thrilled that it is finally in its rightful possession – mine! ❤

Have you ever found anything unexpected while moving? Where is the best hiding spot at your place? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec2

Completed Whomping Willow LEGO Set

Posted on by
Standard
Completed Whomping Willow LEGO Set

Hi! Johnny and I had a wonderful Thanksgiving break and I hope that all of you did too! We built LEGO, had a day date, took our niece to see Santa, and (as always) watched so much Criminal Minds lol. I had a hankering to work on one of our Harry Potter LEGO sets and we completed the Whomping Willow in about two hours this past Friday. 

Although this set is a lot smaller in comparison to what we like to build, it is an important one to have. The Whomping Willow set connects some of the ones that we already have like The Great Hall and Clock Tower to make our Hogwarts castle even bigger! Check it out:

Building LEGO with Johnny is one of my favorite things to do on a day off and it’s such a great project to complete together. While I prefer the big sets for more of a challenge, it was fun to bust out the Whomping Willow set quickly. As with all of the LEGO sets, there were tons of cool surprises tucked away in the build like Trevor the frog, the spinning Whomping Willow, and the potions and baubles throughout each room. These little details make even the smallest set exciting to put together!

Now that this set is complete, all Johnny and I have left from a previous LEGO haul is the Hogwarts Chamber Of Secrets and I am itching to start it. As usual, I already have my eye on what I want next which is the Astronomy Tower and the Hogsmeade Village. In non Harry Potter news, the LEGO Haunted House looks amazing and really speaks to mine and Johnny’s spooky selves. 😀

Unfortunately, we don’t have lots of room in our apartment to show off our completed builds so at some point we are going to clear off our Spooky Shelf to showcase our work. Keep it posted for the end result, which we’ll get to eventually lol!

Who else likes to build LEGO? Where can you score great deals on new sets? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

 

Nov23

Sweet Surprises: C&C California Earrings Edition

Posted on by
Standard
Sweet Surprises: C&C California Earrings Edition

Hi! One thing that I always look forward to during my work week is seeing my sister, Kristen, and her family. If our schedules allow, we try to see each other every week for a hang session and dinner. It’s so much fun to share good food and the best company together with my sis and little niece. It is also a time when we like to swap our no longer wanted clothes, makeup, skin care, and accessories.

This past hang out, Kristen gave me these darling earrings by C&C California and I am genuinely unsure as to why she didn’t want them because I think they are the cutest! Check it out:

I love these earrings but, despite that, they are a pair that I would never buy for myself because I much prefer longer, dangly earrings with my short hair. Although these are not my preferred style, I love the colors of the hanging tassels along with the blingy gold and I think that they will look charming with my red, pink, and violet hair because the colors match perfectly! 😀

I am thinking of breaking these C&C California earrings out for Thanksgiving dinner if they look good with my outfit. However, if it were up to my little niece, she would be the one wearing them even though her ears aren’t pierced lol! She graciously let her TT hold onto them for safe keeping but I told her that as soon as she’s old enough to have her ears pierced she can have them back. ❤

Sweet Surprises or no, hanging out with my favorites is the best gift in itself and I am the luckiest sister and aunt in the whole world!

How old were you when you had your ears pierced? What style of earrings do you prefer to wear? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Nov16

Best Husband Ever!

Posted on by
Standard
Best Husband Ever!

Hi! Johnny and I rarely take time off of work except for holidays and vacations so when he took a day off last week it was very well deserved. Although, it was painful for me to go to work when he was hanging out at home! Shockingly, my husband didn’t just play video games all day and I returned from work and getting my nails done to the best surprises ever.

As soon as I walked in the door, I was so happy to see that Johnny took all of the trash out (which I hate doing), did multiple loads of dishes in the dishwasher, and tidied up the living room. But wait – there’s more! After singing his praises, I asked him what he wanted me to make for dinner because I was starving and he told me that was already taken care of too. Johnny did his own version of cooking and by that I mean he ordered us pizzas which were en route!

Needless to say, I felt spoiled absolutely rotten by my husband and all of his hard work on his day off. It was so nice to have to do nothing but kick my feet up, relax, watch Criminal Minds, and wait for dinner to come to us once I got home. I love to cook so we don’t order out too often but whenever we do it is such a major treat. Not having to do any chores after work was the best of all, though. 😀

Johnny and I like to treat each other often with little gifts from the store but this surprise definitely took the cake. My husband gave me an evening off that was fit for a queen and I am so lucky to have him! ❤

What makes you feel spoiled? How do you treat your loved ones? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Nov10

Sweet Surprises: Silly Socks Edition

Posted on by
Standard
Sweet Surprises: Silly Socks Edition

Hello! Some girls like being surprised with flowers from their significant other. Myself, on the other hand, loves when Johnny surprises me with spooky attire and decor for the apartment. So, when he came home from running errands and said that he had a surprise for me, I had a feeling that it was going to be from a discounted Halloween section and (as always! haha) I was right! Check out these adorable silly socks that Johnny gifted me with:

My Johnny has a staggering collection of Halloween socks. He seriously has over fifteen pairs and his collection seems to grow by the day. Despite my love of the holiday, I had not a one spooky pair of socks until this Frankenstein pair came into my life. They are so comfy and there is nothing like a new pair of socks to slide around the hard wood floors of our apartment with! 😀

You can’t put a price on happiness but, in this case, it came in a two dollar pair of socks that make me smile every time I look at them. Whenever Johnny or I are running errands, we always tend to pick up a little treat for each other if something catches our eye and it makes every time we return home an exciting event. While my Halloween sock collection will never be as magnificent as my better half’s, I think these Frankenstein socks will help me start off on the right foot. Ba dum chhhhhhhhhh! ❤

What do you like being surprised with? Do you have a silly sock collection? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah