Tag Archives: thankful

Feb10

YAY! 6.5 Year Blogging Streak!

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YAY! 6.5 Year Blogging Streak!

Hello everyone!! I started lifewithlilred in September of 2014 and can’t believe I’ll be on my twelve year blogiversary this year! It literally feels like just yesterday when I got enough people telling me I should start a blog and I threw my hands in the air and said “why not?”. Since its conception, lifewithlilred has been a labor of love. I have always enjoyed writing and have been committed to creating a happy space for myself and others as soon as my first post published. Somewhere along the line, I decided that a few articles a week just weren’t enough and made it my goal to post daily content. I am pleased to report that I have officially crossed the threshold of having over six and a half years worth of articles published every day. It’s freaking crazy!

I often get asked how I continue to come up with content to post and my answer is a combination of a few different things. 1) First and foremost, it’s FUN! 2) It’s one of my favorite forms of self care. 3) I love interacting with my readers. And, perhaps most importantly of all – 4) I am stubborn lol. Once I start a streak of something, I simply refuse to stop. The challenge is incredibly motivating and publishing daily is so ingrained in me that I would hate to think of how I would feel if I didn’t sit at my computer and write every day. My suspicions all point to that it would feel freaking terrible. So, I will continue to pop a squat at my laptop with a smile because to reiterate Point 1, it is so much fun. 😀

I would say that I was a pretty lonely kid growing up. I didn’t have a lot of friends and that remained to be true until the end of high school. One of the few things that made me feel better as a teenager was social media. A place where I could post anything and everything and I knew at least someone was looking at it. Eventually, I began to post OOTD pictures which led to my friends on Facebook telling me that if I started a blog that they would read it. The sentiment was so kind and I figured that if my handful of people I interacted with on social media would pop by, maybe others would too. My goal when I started lifewithlilred wasn’t to make money or become famous but to hopefully make friends and expand my very small circle. It didn’t matter to me where anyone was located, just to have someone to talk to and have a space on the internet where I could shout into the void.

And you know what? As soon as my blog started, the loneliness began to dissipate. Every view was exciting, every comment a potential new friend and even a best friend too! Within weeks of starting my blog, the blogosphere brought me Kate of Live In The Nautical and we have been inseparable ever since. Everything I hoped for was happening and I am always going to feel so grateful for it. I went from writing the saddest shit in the world in my journals to writing on my blog for the pure joy of writing in the blink of an eye. lifewithlilred became my safe space. A place that I got to grow and nourish until I forgot why I was ever lonely to begin with.

All of this is a very long way of saying that I keep my daily content streak alive for the lonely girl I was. I keep it going for anyone who feels like they need a friend. Or anyone that needs the reminder to continue plugging away with a smile on their face and a kind word on their lips. lifewithlilred started for me but I realize that it has always been for all of you. I feel so proud to have maintained my streak, formed a happy place for myself and others to retire to, and found the best friend in the world to boot. I am eternally thankful for the encouragement I received to get this blog ball rolling as well as the encouragement to keep sticking to it. Because who knows what will be on my page next?!

Thank you to everyone who has ever stopped by on lifewithlilred. You made a huge difference to me! ❤

What helps motivate you? Do you have a streak going in anything? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb7

Lil Red Call To Action

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Lil Red Call To Action

Hi hi! If you noticed from my New Year’s Resolutions Follow Up, I did indeed start a new job. I am so happy to say that I am the new Social Media Manager for Empire Window Company in Solon, Ohio. They are a local business that has been doing window, door, and siding installations for the past sixty years. It might be a slight step outside of my comfort zone but if there is one thing that your girl knows how to do, it’s how to create content! I am incredibly excited to be able to work social media management again as my last situation was a complete bust. I feel very confident in saying that I think this is the company for me and that feels wonderful!

I would appreciate it SO so mucho if all of you would help a Lil Red out. Please give a follow to Empire Window Company on Facebook and on Instagram too @empirewindowco. I would love for all of you to see my handiwork as these pages get going! One of my goals has been to give social media management a final go and I have been working very hard on seizing this opportunity. It really is a gift and every interaction is a step in the right direction. I can’t wait to create and have fun with a brand new team and it would be the cherry on top for all of my dear readers to be a part of it. Many, many thanks!!

As a treat, here is me enjoying my OM-Cheese Burger from Applebees lolol:

How is your job going? Are you interested in starting a new job? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb3

New Year’s Resolutions Follow Up

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New Year’s Resolutions Follow Up

Hi! I like to make New Year’s Resolutions every year. They are never anything major, just small goals that I know I can achieve. So, rather, I like to make New Year’s Small Goals every year lol. We are a month into 2026 and I’m pleased to report that my goals have been going swimmingly. I might not meet each of the four tasks I set for myself every day, but I am definitely doing better than I did before and I’ll take it! Baby steps, baby. Let’s follow up and see where I’m at:

Replace Screen Time:

This is probably the most difficult Resolution I have because it’s all too easy to put on a show after work or scroll endlessly on my phone. Especially when the weather is freezing cold! I’m more lenient on myself for evening screen time but I think I have made some big improvements in the morning. Normally if I’m all done working in the AM and have time to kill, I’ll put the TV on and watch until I have to leave for my in person job. Now I’m spending more time scheduling posts far in advance on lifewithlilred, creating content for TikTok, and reading as much as I can of whatever book I’m tackling. It has made my mornings feel much more productive to do something I enjoy like content creating as opposed to just being done once my tasks are done. I might not be as committed to replacing my evening screen time but I think this is a good trade off. 🙂

Keep Moving:

When the weather is warm you can almost always catch me outside walking and hiking with my clients. It’s my favorite form of exercise and there is nothing like enjoying the great outdoors and feeling the sunshine on your face. Of course, being outside is a lot harder to do in single degree temps but I am making an effort. Even when it’s REALLY cold out, I am still bundling up to walk the family dog around the block. I have also been consistently going to the gym with my brother to put in some laps on the track. It isn’t the home workouts I intended on but that’s okay! I was able to modify my go to work out despite the weather and I feel great about that because it’s a lot more than I would normally do in the winter.

Mental Boost:

Engaging in more positive self talk was one of my goals and I think this is the one I’m doing the best at and I can tell! I have always had a hard time speaking kindly to myself and am my toughest critic by far. So, when negative thoughts begin to form I have been trying my best to redirect it. Rather than lament about going to work, I turn it around to that I’m going to have an excellent day. Or, perhaps something nice might happen and instead of questioning the motive or my worthiness, I shift it to “why not me?”. Thinking things that allow me to smile has made my work days go by quicker and I feel like I am enjoying myself way more than normal. A simple change of phrase has been most helpful and I am working hard to focus on maintaining more positive self talk. Soon, it will be second nature!

A New Job?!

I had a job interview in the middle of January and guess what?! Your girl is back in the social media management game and I could not be happier! I am so excited to be partnering with a local business and can’t wait to see what kind of fun we create together. We are still in the preliminary stages at the moment but be sure to keep checking in soon so you can take a look at the pages I’ll be revamping. Hurray!

After examining my New Year’s Resolutions closer, I can see that I’m doing a much better job than I thought and I can’t wait to keep improving more!

How are your New Year’s Resolutions going? Is there a small goal you are working towards? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec28

Work Family Christmas Gift

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Work Family Christmas Gift

Howdy! I love my job of working with people with special needs all of the time. Like literally every single second of my shifts. However, it just hits different around the holidays. Making plans, learning about their traditions, Christmas movies, and just having FUN. It feels so magical to share in the joy of the holiday season together and it means so much to me. One of the families I work with gave me a very unique gift that I wanted to share with all of you. It is something I have never even heard of and I think it is so way cool! Check it out:

When I opened my gift box and found my little Spirit Shaker I admittedly had no idea what it was but I sure liked how it looked. These Spirit Shakers are handmade and one of a kind. No two are alike and that is exactly what I like. Something that no one else has. Then, I read the description card and was even more enthralled. I am not a religious or spiritual person in the slightest but I need all of the help that I can get lol. Positive energy just by shaking this handcrafted masterpiece? I’ll take it! And you know what? I think it works because I think of my work family when I pick it up and smile. 🙂

This Spirit Shaker is so unlike anything I have ever received before and that’s what makes it so special. It touches me that my work fam saw this and it made them think of me. A token that says they want all of the best for me (And I to them!) and I can hold that good intention in the palm of my hand. This is your sign that if you see something that makes you think of a loved one immediately to go for it. It will make the perfect gift. I know I will cherish this one for forever and I can see what my work family was saying through it so clearly! ❤

A shake of my Spirit Shaker a day will keep the negative vibes away. I love having mine displayed on my knick knack shelf and will be using it regularly!

What is the most unique gift you have ever received? Who is your favorite person to shop for gifts for? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec25

Merry Christmas!!!

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Merry Christmas!!!

Hello everyone and Merry Christmas! I will keep this post short and sweet as I know we all have lots to do for the big day. I just wanted to send the biggest hug to you and yours for an amazing holiday season no matter how you celebrate. Consider this a Lil Red Christmas card! A wish for the absolute best for the remainder of the year and the next to come. A wish for good health, safety, and happiness. And a great big thank you for continuing to support lifewithlilred every day. ❤

The holiday season is my *second* favorite time of the year after Halloween and I am so excited to share it with my friends and family. That means all of you too! My blog has created a worldwide friend group and I can’t wait to see how all of you celebrate. Your hauls, delicious dinners, pretty outfits, and those what in the world White Elephant gifts. Holidays bring people together and I am so thankful that all of you are here to enjoy this special time with me. lifewithlilred would be nothing without each and every one of you so keep tuning in for more festive fun Lil Red’s way. Have the best day ever!!!

Merry Christmas!!!

I love you all! ❤

Dec18

New Hair, Who Dis?

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New Hair, Who Dis?

Hello! Due to a stint with Covid, I had to cancel my hair appointment and was blessed by my stylist who squeezed me in this past Saturday. Anna opened up The Shear Shop just for me on her birthday, no less, and we had the best time spending the day together while she created hair magic. Whenever Anna does my hair, I always say that it’s the best style yet. However, I REALLY think we are onto something with this new do. We went dark for winter and I am in absolute love. Check it out:

Pulp Riot Colors Used:

Pyro mixed with Fireball

Absinthe

Nightfall

To begin creating this look, we bleached my hair for about twenty minutes and it did the trick perfectly. All of the old color was stripped from my hair and what remained was the lightest lemon hue and a bit of green around the ends. This was no matter, though, as our experiment into the world of green hair would take place on the bottom layer. Once my hair was washed and dried from the bleach was when the fun part starts – painting on the color! 😀

For my Pulp Riot palette, we went with Pyro mixed with Fireball at the roots, a layer of navy Nightfall, and a layer of deep emerald green Absinthe. Anna and I have tested many a color at my roots but we have never had better regrowth than with Pyro and Fireball, which masks the incoming natural brown hair like a charm. From the red would melt into rich and bold navy and emerald and we were chomping at the bit to see the end result. We just had a feeling it was going to be good and was it ever!

This color combo is everything and we were blown away by the dimension of the Pulp Riot dyes. We only used three colors but it sure doesn’t look that way. There is a kaleidoscope going on! The red and blue near the roots mixed into purple, there are swirling teals, aquatic blues, and jewel toned greens that created a full fledged peacock palette. My favorite animal! I could not wait to take pictures as soon as I got home and I loved seeing the falling snow against the gemstone magic that my genius stylist and I dreamed up. ❤

This is the darkest I have ever gone before for my hair and my only regret is not doing it sooner. I feel completely fabulous and, as always, Anna continues to showcase the true mastery of her craft. I am so beyond thankful for her! ❤

How often do you get your hair done? What brand of dye do you use? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec16

All’s Well That Ends Well

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All’s Well That Ends Well

Hello! On the Friday of the first week of December Johnny and I tested positive for Covid after an exposure at his work. It was truly the best case scenario because we both felt perfectly fine and spent four days at home vegging out. As much as we love a solid hang session at home, it was a massive bummer. My holiday hair appointment had to be cancelled as well as my Christmas get together with my bestie girl. Johnny, on the other hand, had to miss out on Spamalot at Playhouse Square and was devastated. Naturally we got Covid on the weekend that we were actually doing stuff!

In my extensive tenure (Over twenty years!) of getting my hair done by my stylist, Anna, I cannot recall ever having to cancel an appointment. I was so sad because I really was looking forward to seeing her and having brand new hair for the holidays. I had come to terms with the fact that this was more than likely not going to happen. Even though Anna said that she would see what she could do, I knew the schedule at the salon was jam packed and that was okay. I would get my locks refreshed eventually and it would be glorious. ❤

When I returned back to work on Tuesday, I texted Anna to let her know I was negative and she sent me the most beautiful reply. She asked if I would like to spend her birthday with her at the salon on Saturday morning. Would I ever! You guys, I was so genuinely touched by this that it made me tear up. Anna has been doing my hair since I was seven years old and I am thirty-one now. She is the dearest friend and has literally watched me grow up. I would never expect her to make exceptions for me or overwork herself to squeeze me in before the holidays. The fact that she found a way to make it work was such a gift to me and I can’t wait to celebrate her! (Note – I am typing this the day before my appointment!)

Anna always knows how to make me feel special and this particular instance really took the cake. So, of course, I had to go to TJMaxx and pick out a pretty little something for her big day. It pales in comparison for all she has done for me, though. Anna isn’t just my stylist, she is one of my favorite people in the world. When I’m in her chair, I can tell her anything and have always put her as big sister status in my head. She has the most amazing way of making people feel beautiful inside and out and after my hair appointments I feel like my best self. She brings it out of me and I am so excited to show all of you my new do. 😀

My holiday wish for great hair came true by Anna and I only wish that Johnny could have seen Spamalot for a true All’s Well That Ends Well ending. But, hey, it’s close enough!

How long has your stylist been doing your hair? Did you get your hair done for the holidays? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Nov27

Happy Thanksgiving!!

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Happy Thanksgiving!!

Hello everyone and Happy Thanksgiving! I am going to keep this post short and sweet because we all have places to go and people to see… And green bean casserole to eat! Just me? Lol, that’s okay because y’all can send it my way. It is my FAVORITE! Thanksgiving is the time to celebrate what is important to you and what’s important to me is all of you – my dear readers. It has almost been another year here on lifewithlilred and even though it has been eleven years of Lil Red ramblings, I feel like I’m just getting started! I hope you will always continue to join me for the ride. ❤

No matter where you are located, you are a friend to me and there are few things I appreciate more than the friends I have. We might not really know each other and that’s okay. If you have read my blog, I think you get the idea! 😉 Having my little corner of the internet to create and share is something that I have always wanted. You know my old saying, even if no one read my blog – I would still write it for the joy of writing. That would get awfully lonely, though, and words can’t express how thankful I am that you are all here sharing this space with me. It means the world to me and I can only hope that you get a little bit of joy when you stop by on my page.

Thank you for being my friend, thank you for sharing with me, and thank you for being you. I love you all!! ❤

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Are you pro green bean casserole? What is your favorite Thanksgiving food? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug28

Eleven Year Blogiversary!!

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Eleven Year Blogiversary!!

Howdy! lifewithlilred has been a big part of my life for so long that I honestly forget how long it has been around for lol. It always comes as a surprise to me when I get the WordPress email that my domain name is about to renew and this time around was no different. You could have knocked me over with a feather when it dawned on me that my little corner of the internet is celebrating its Eleven Year Blogiversary! Not to mention over SIX YEARS of publishing daily content. Holy wow, it really is quite an accomplishment and I am so very proud of it. ❤

lifewithlilred started out as a pleasure project when I first started college and honestly it wasn’t even my idea. At that point, I was regularly posting pictures of my outfits on Facebook and I was getting constant comments that I should start a blog. I had always loved writing and, of course, fashion and I decided to go for it. I am so glad I did because I could not imagine my life without my blog baby today. lifewithlilred has given me countless gifts that I am eternally grateful for. It introduced me to my best friend in the world, provided me with the space to create, have fun, and be my most authentic self, and opened up an entire blogosphere with the most amazing people. I put myself into lifewithlilred fully and I was rewarded in ways that I will always treasure.

Of course, the most important aspect of lifewithlilred is you. My dear readers and beloved friends. You have been with me through life’s many ups and downs, through thick and thin, and every milestone for the past eleven years. You know me well and it is my complete pleasure to know you too. The blogosphere is my friend and I truly mean that. Whenever anything happens, you are the first person I want to tell and I eagerly await to put words to keyboard to fill you in. That is something that I can’t thank you enough for. lifewithlilred has shown me that you are all here with me no matter where we are located and because of that, I am never ever alone. ❤

Here’s to eleven years of lifewithlilred and eleven more. I love you all!

Jun15

Happy Father’s Day!!

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Happy Father’s Day!!

Hello everyone and a Happy Father’s Day to all of the dads, pet dads, and any other kind of dad out there! Today is the day to celebrate all of the fellas in our lives who make it so special. Whether you are spending your day grilling out, taking a hike, or my dad’s preferred desire for “peace and quiet”, I hope that it is the perfect day for you. While dear old dads should be celebrated each and every day, my wish is that you feel especially showered with love during your celebrations!

I am so incredibly lucky to have the best dad in the world and although he doesn’t care to celebrate his birthday or days like today, I just have to give him a shout out anyways! My dad is the most wonderful man. He is hilarious, kind, beyond skilled at gardening, and shreds on guitar. Not only is he my super dad, but he is the most loving PopPop of five and it is such fun to see him interact with my four nieces and nephew. It shows me what him and my mom were like when my siblings and I were little and that is a true gift to me. They were both the best way back then and they still are now. I love you, dad! Thank you for all you do each and every day. ❤

Happy Father’s Day!!!!