Tag Archives: update

Dec16

Quick And Affordable Mini Home Makeovers

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Quick And Affordable Mini Home Makeovers

Making some home improvements is an excellent way to transform your space but, unfortunately, they can cost a lot of money. When things are tight, but your home needs a refresh, there are ways you can make some simple and affordable changes that will make a big difference – even if it’s just in the short-term.

Get some inspiration for your home with some quick and affordable mini makeover ideas:

A fresh coat of paint:

Never underestimate the difference a fresh coat of paint can make to your home. Whether you’re covering up a tired paint job or you’re looking to get rid of some dated wallpaper, new paint can be a cheap way of changing the look of your home. Fresh white walls are simple to achieve or you can mix things up with a color block or a feature wall. Check out some color trends to watch out for next year to give you some inspiration.

Upgrade to vinyl flooring:

Laying new flooring can seem expensive, but there are some great ways of making this task more affordable. Quotes from vinyl flooring companies can show you exactly what’s possible – you’ll be surprised at how cost-effective it can be. Vinyl flooring offers a range of options, including wood-effect, tiled, marble, and more to provide a long-lasting and budget-friendly flooring type for your home.

Paint your kitchen cabinets:

If your kitchen is looking a little dated, you might not want to spend much time in it! But the cost of a brand new kitchen could be something that’s out of your reach right now. Have you considered painting your cabinets, instead? A fresh color and some new handles could easily give your kitchen a new look. Just be sure to check out ways to avoid mistakes when painting your cabinets to help you get the best results.

Switch out your light fittings:

New light fittings can make a big difference to your home. They can make it look more modern and spacious, while also changing the feel of a room. Some new light fittings could be a cheap way of giving your home a makeover without having to make some drastic changes. Fairy lights are also a fun addition to give a soft glow to any area.

Get organized:

Sometimes, all your home needs to look a little different is to get it organized! Putting everything away into its rightful home will reduce the amount of clutter, while also making it easier to maintain. Creating a low maintenance home is a great way of changing how it looks, helping to create a more stress-free environment.

Transforming your home is something that can take a long time, so you shouldn’t feel pressured to make big changes overnight. There are a lot of things you can do that are simple and affordable, but will make a big difference. Try your hand at some mini home makeovers today!

Featured Image By: Unsplash

Dec2

Lil Red’s Thanksgiving

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Lil Red’s Thanksgiving

Hello! For those of you who don’t know, Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. I love sitting around the table with my family and enjoying the most delicious food that I have been waiting all year to eat, lol! Unfortunately, due to the nature of my job of working in several different homes throughout the course of this pandemic, Johnny and I deemed it unsafe for us to participate in the holiday with both of our families.

Making that decision was not easy and I honestly cried for at least three days about it. However, safety is and will always be my primary goal and anything I can do to protect my family, my clients, and myself is worth all of the hardships. As I’ve mentioned before, COVID-19 has been on a terrifying rise in Ohio and it has made doing anything other than work and grocery shopping damn near impossible for those who are taking the virus seriously.

On Thanksgiving, Johnny and I were able to visit with my family outside and my parents were nice enough to drop off our Thanksgiving meal to our apartment. It was not traditional in any sense of the word but we all felt good with that decision no matter how hard it was.

As someone who has worked in the health care field throughout this entire pandemic, it is safe to say that I am totally burned out. However, a bright ray of sunshine is on the horizon for me come Christmas. I have not taken any time off to recharge for the past nine months and I plan on taking two weeks off prior to Christmas so I can celebrate safely with my family.

It will feel so good to have that time to relax, breathe a little bit easier, and be able to watch my family open all of the gifts that I picked out special for them. Thanksgiving was a bust but I am going to make this Christmas the best one yet and I can’t wait!

How did you celebrate Thanksgiving this year? What is your favorite holiday? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

PS: Thank those of us in the health care profession not just with your words but by wearing a mask and social distancing to help curb the spread of COVID-19. We are tired. We are exhausted. And we need your help!

Nov15

What Have I Been Up To?

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What Have I Been Up To?

Howdy! I will always be the first to say how much I miss pre-COVID life. I miss going on dates with Johnny, seeing all of our friends, and not worrying my head off every time I’m in public. And, as someone who works with very high risk families, nonessential outings just seem unimportant to me. So what in the heck have I been up to, then, if I don’t do much of anything in public any more? A whole lot of the following:

Reading:

I love, love, love to read and always have so ample at home time has meant finishing beaucoup books. I try to read at least two chapters or thirty or so pages depending on the book daily. Right now, I am finishing up the prequel to The Hunger Games called The Ballad Of Songbirds And Snakes and it is excellent! I have such a hankering now to go back and read the entire series and watch all of the movies, of course. 😀

The Sleeping Nymph by Ilaria Tuti is what’s on deck after my Hunger Games book. I am also always open to suggestions of your favorite books so be sure to let me know in the comments!

Duolingo:

Like reading, I try to practice all five of the languages I’m learning daily on Duolingo. I am currently on a twenty day streak of studying French, Spanish, Italian, German, and Czech and that is huge for me. The last time I had a streak that long was when I was recovering for a month from my oral surgery gone wrong.

I am very motivated to keep that streak going and I am so excited for Johnny to get me Duolingo Plus for Christmas so I no longer have to worry about having enough hearts to complete each practice session. I also plan on adding Swedish, Latin, or Greek into the mix next!

Video Chats:

My ultimate BFF, Lea, and I still see each other about once a month to have a social distanced drink at either one of our homesteads. Other than that, I do a lot of FaceTime, Skype, and Zoom to “see” all of the rest of my pals in my friend group. I love setting aside an hour block or so on the weekend to catch up with friends both near and far and it definitely helps keep me sane to chat even if it isn’t face to face.

Video Games:

Johnny and I are both in love with our Nintendo Switch and when I have some free time, I enjoy playing Animal Crossing. It is so relaxing and fun and I am always excited when the game updates so that you can catch new fish and bugs and participate in different activities like growing pumpkins or foraging mushrooms. I cannot wait to see what our island looks like for Christmas!

I also just beat Paper Mario: The Origami King last week and it was an absolute blast. Johnny got it for me for our one year anniversary and it felt so good to finally beat it. The game was insanely entertaining, visually beautiful, and it was challenging without ever being too too hard. I plan on buying a new Mario game for the Switch soon so if anyone has any favorites, please let me know. 🙂

Online Shopping:

Finally, there is nothing like a little bit of online shopping to help perk me up. I have so enjoyed all of my early Christmas shopping and I am very pleased to say that I am almost done buying for everyone on my gift list. Of course, that doesn’t mean I don’t pick out a little something something for myself too – especially since I haven’t gone shopping in person since February.

I love ordering small pick me ups like face masks to pamper myself with and, when I really feel like splurging, I never say no to a new pair of shoes!

Are the activities I listed above the most exciting? Not by a long shot. But I value my safety and those around me much more than needing to be out and about right now. So, in the end, it’s not all that bad. ❤

What are your favorite at home activities? What do you miss the most from pre-COVID times? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Nov5

Literally Falling For Fall Update

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Literally Falling For Fall Update

Hello! If you have been following lifewithlilred for a while, then you have been with me through all kinds of ouches like when Johnny and I got in a car accident and I was hospitalized and an oral surgery gone dreadfully wrong. My most recent “whoopsy daisy” of taking a tumble on the wet, leaf strewn wooden walkway to my apartment was nowhere near as severe but, gotDAMN did it hurt and I’ve got a hell of a bruise to prove it. Check it out:

Now, this is not a post to get sympathy for this deep purple monstrosity. Rather, it is a reminder to be careful!! Coincidentally, my Johnny took a spill mere hours before me when he was taking out the trash that day and we have since been taking our time making the walk to our apartment on the wet, rainy fall days that Ohio has been plagued with.

Johnny has actually been so sweet because, most days, he gets home from work before me and he’ll text me to remind me that it’s really slick so I don’t take another spill. Falls, tumbles, accidents, oopsies, boo boos, or whatever you call it can be so painful and even fatal for some so this is just your Lil Red reminder to take your time while walking (And driving!) during this slippery weather so you don’t end up with a major bruise on your side too!

What is the fall weather like in your neck of the woods? What are some of your safety tips for bad weather? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr26

Hanging In There?

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Hanging In There?

Hi! I just wanted to do a check in to see how everyone is doing because I think we are all getting to the stir crazy point of our stay at home orders. Things are difficult right now and I want to remind all of you that it is okay to be upset! We have all literally never dealt with anything like this before and there is no right or wrong way to feel so hang in there, as our inspirational kitten meme says.

When all of this started, I thought that I would be fine if I just didn’t let myself get frustrated. This was a huge mistake and, as we learned from my mental breakdown when my nails weren’t successful, just the smallest straw can break the camel’s back when you are bottling everything inside. So let it out!

Blogging has been a huge help to me during this crazy time and I really view it as my online journal right now, especially when I can’t frequent TJMaxx and show you all what’s good! Find your medium that helps you express yourself and dive in. Write in your diary, paint a picture, or whip up a delicious dessert. Immerse yourself in something that makes you feel good and watch your mood improve vastly.

Still looking for a project? As always, I invite all of you to guest blog on my page and you can email me at: sarah.mush6794@gmail.com if you would like to be featured as lifewithlilred’s once daily post. You can also friend me on Facebook at: Sarah Mushenheim for all of the best memes and the random thoughts that don’t make it to my blog. See you there!

What has been your go to hobby in self-isolation? What is something that makes you feel better? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Featured Image By: Medium

Feb8

Facing Your Fears: A Memoir

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Facing Your Fears: A Memoir

Hi! For those of you who recall, around this time last year I was suffering through a recovery from an oral surgery gone severely wrong. For those of you who don’t recall, I had an oral surgery last year that went severely wrong, which you can read about on the provided link! I have always been wary about the dental arts and, after such a traumatic experience, the last thing I wanted was any more people poking around in my mouth with sharp objects.

Unfortunately, things didn’t pan out the way I hoped, which was never having to go to a dentist or oral surgeon again. Especially because the surgery I had last year left me with some lingering problems that needed corrected. And, especially because I turn twenty-six this year, these issues needed sorted out ASAP before I get off my mom and dad’s insurance.

So, with a heaping dose of anxiety, I made my way to the periodontist who my mom recommended as a patient herself. After an exam, the decisions were made that 1) the doctor was very nice and 2) I would need to undergo a deep cleaning of my gums to help with the recession that was happening as well as the recession that became worse post surgery.

This past week, I had the first deep cleaning on the right half of my mouth and I would be a liar if I said I wasn’t freaking out. Last year, one bad procedure on my mouth left me drinking Ensure and out of work for a month and a half. However, I knew that all of this work had to be done so I bucked up and sat myself in the chair after announcing how nervous I was, of course.

In fact, I started crying as soon as the first numbing injection took place. Yes, I was being a baby but I just couldn’t help myself. I was traumatized by a quack of an oral surgeon and being back in an office to get work done on my mouth made a whole flood of scared emotions come out. But, I gritted my teeth metaphorically speaking because my mouth was open and had the doctor continue.

By the time the numbing kicked in, I literally couldn’t feel a thing and the doctor spent at least an hour cleaning the first half of my mouth (I’ll get the second half done this week). At the end of the procedure, my periodontist thanked me for trusting him because he knew how much I had suffered and how hard it was for me to allow someone to do that type of work on me.

I was so moved by this because I was downright embarrassed. No one wants to hear that they take poor care of their mouth and also no one wants to burst into tears as soon as a needle gets pulled out. I didn’t feel one ounce of shame after the doctor thanked me because he understood where I was coming from and didn’t take it lightly that I was even there to begin with.

After the procedure, I was a bit sore and nauseous but, within a few days, everything was back to normal. My mouth already feels infinitely better and, shockingly, I’m looking forward to getting the other half taken care of this week. The doctor helped restore my faith in those working in the field of dentistry and it also motivated me to continue taking the best care of my teeth as all of the problems I have begin to resolve.

I faced my fear in a big way and the risk was definitely worth the reward. Despite not feeling well post procedure, I felt proud of myself and strangely confident. I confronted one of my biggest fears head on and I came out on top. This is a lesson that I am going to always come back to in my life because sometimes taking a leap of faith pays off in the best way!

What are you afraid of? How did you confront that fear? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jan20

Paranormal Activity Pt. 3

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Paranormal Activity Pt. 3

Hi! So as all of you know, I have experienced some paranormal activity in my apartment. The major occurrences happened when I first moved in and the last activity before the most recent one took place about a month ago. This spooky situation came about on Friday the tenth around two in the afternoon and it had me SHOOK. So, let’s discuss:

I always have the afternoons off on Friday and some of the days are spent running around doing errands while others involve curling up with a good book and a cup of coffee. This Friday afternoon happened to be one of those days, so I lit my candles, got myself comfortable, and cracked open one of my comic books.

All was going well and I was enjoying my time relaxing when a piece of paper I had on my coffee table FLOATED ON TOP OF ONE OF THE CANDLES. This paper was sitting on top of a board game that was about a foot and a half away from my candles and when I adjusted my head I saw the paper in the air.

Luckily for me, the piece of paper landed on a candle that was burnt down enough that the flame wasn’t going to touch it. But, the candle that it did fall on was about six inches away from a brand new Yankee Candle that I got for Christmas whose two wicks were burning close to the top. Yikes!

Needless to say, I freaked out and phoned my parents who know about the haunting situation in my apartment and they freaked out too. Lol, it was such a crazy thing to have witnessed and I still get goosebumps when I think about it. There was just no way that that paper floating could have happened on its own. It had also been sitting there for months and a situation even remotely similar has never happened.

I have come to associate my “friend” in my apartment with being a man. When I first moved in, I always seemed to hear heavy footsteps at night coming from the office in my top floor apartment. In fact, I used to have to go downstairs to make sure there was no one there.

There is also a mirror in my loft bedroom with a skylight shining directly on it. And, at night when the light from the outdoors is coming in, the shadowy shape that forms behind the mirror looks like a poor silhouette of a man to me. Believe you me, nothing makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up like when I see that at bedtime.

The paranormal activity I had in my apartment in December seemed to be a friendly one but this last occurrence was anything but. I think it will be a good long while before I light my candles again!

What did you do to deal with paranormal activity if you’ve ever experienced any? Does anyone have any advice for me? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec27

Paranormal Activity Update

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Paranormal Activity Update

Hello!! So as you guys might remember, I experienced a few instances of paranormal activity in my apartment when I first moved in. It definitely gave me the creeps but, luckily, after those initial encounters, I haven’t had any cases of unexplained occurrences happen at chez moi. That is, until about one week ago.

I had an unexpected day off on Monday because a client was sick, so I went back to bed for a while and then got up and began to get some writing done. That’s when I heard the catchphrase of little Agnes from Despicable Me, “IT’S SO FLUFFY” coming from my office.

In my office, I have a closet. In this closet, there is my hair dye hoard on one of the top shelves on the left wall, some boxes from when I moved in, and plastic bags from grocery shopping. And, tucked into the corner of the right wall is a bag of stuffed animals, one of which is the stuffed unicorn from Despicable Me, whose paw you can squeeze (Quite hard, I might add.) to hear phrases from the movie.

Because you have to physically squeeze the paw with some extra oomph because of it’s awkward shape, there’s just no way this could have happened on its own. When I checked my closet, nothing fell on the stuffed animals or was out of place in any way. It just happened.

I’d be a liar if I said that I haven’t been freaked out since this paranormal activity occurred, especially because it has been such a long time since I moved in. I don’t think my ghostly friend is trying to be mean, though. Maybe it was just his or her little way of saying “hello” and that they’re still here.

Am I thrilled about it? Not particularly. But, who’s to say that people and spirits can’t live in harmony?!

Have you ever experienced paranormal activity? What did you do about it? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec3

Accident Update

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Accident Update

Hellooo everyone! If you recall, in late September, my boyfriend and I were hit head on by a reckless driver and I was hospitalized. I was pretty banged up and went home with a catheter and a lot of pain. Since then, my shoulder area has never stopped hurting. There’s times when I wake up in the morning and I can’t even apply my makeup because I can’t lift my arm.

I assumed that this pain would go away on its own but, then, things began taking a scary turn when I was at work in mid October. My right arm went completely numb and my hand essentially stopped working. I couldn’t grip anything and was dropping stuff left and right. I immediately scheduled an appointment with an orthopedist and was given a cortisone shot with the hopes that that would help.

Unfortunately, a week later, the symptoms moved into my left arm as well as the right and my arms began feeling fuzzy and so heavy that lifting them was impossible. It just didn’t feel like my arms. I called the orthopedist back with the update and an MRI was scheduled and in the time of waiting for that to happen, the pain moved into my neck and collarbones.

The MRI results showed a lot of swelling in my right shoulder as well as an injury to the cervical spine and my doctor ordered physical therapy. I have to begin trying to strengthen these areas of my body for three weeks and if that doesn’t work, then I’m not really sure what happens next.

This whole situation has been extremely frustrating and inconvenient, to say the least, and I am just completely over it. Especially considering that it has been over two months now since the accident and I’m still experiencing symptoms that are quite scary. But, here’s to hoping that the physical therapy will help!

I have had so many people reaching out to check up on me and I appreciate it so much. Thank you all for the well wishes and I will update everyone once the physical therapy finishes up and I find out what happens next.

What have been your experiences with physical therapy? How do you stay positive during a difficult situation? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct17

I Said Yes!

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I Said Yes!

Hello, hello everyone! Some very exciting news in my life is that my best friend of over ten years, Lea, is newly engaged!! Her boyfriend proposed to her in August and they are already beginning the wedding planning process. I am so beyond happy for the beautiful couple and am so honored to have been asked to be a bridesmaid on their big day. Lea came over when I was babysitting my niece to officially pop the question and I said “I DO”!

idolea

I have never been a bridesmaid before and I can’t think of a more perfect initiation into the club than my taking part in my best friend’s wedding. Lea is going to be the most gorgeous bride and I want her day to be nothing short of magical. I can’t wait to help her plan, make new friends, and just enjoy the whole process of making her feel like the queen of the world – even though she already is!

I am so thankful for the friendship and the bond that Lea and I share. In over a decade, we have never had as much as a disagreement with each other and have so many amazing memories to reminisce on. From birthday celebrations and road trips to simply girl talking on the couch, any time we spend is my favorite time.

Thank you so much to my best friend for inviting me to take part in her big day. Let the celebrations commence! ❤

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