Tag Archives: vaca

Mar26

New Orleans Scenery

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New Orleans Scenery

Hi! I so loved my sister trip to New Orleans and we still managed to do a lot around the city before attending my cousin’s wedding. We explored the French Quarter in its entirety and also walked through the Garden District to fantasize about the mansions we would move into. It was actually SO disappointing because we arrived in the Garden District around one fifteen and an open house finished at one o’clock. It would have been way cool to take a looksee in one of the beautiful properties! As we made our way through the city, I had to take ALL of the pictures and wanted to share the sights with you too. Take a look:

During our weekend getaway, we were averaging at least fifteen thousand steps per day. There was just so much to do and see and we wanted to drink it all in. Trust and believe when I tell you that are dogs were barking when each day came to a close! In the French Quarter, we enjoyed going to all of the different shops, markets, restaurants, and bars. Before the wedding on Saturday, we shopped till we dropped to find the perfect souvenirs for our family and ourselves too. I am beyond happy with the mask I purchased for myself and love seeing it displayed in my apartment!

After all of our shopping, we decided to take a break and had a lovely sit down right by the Mississippi River. It was so relaxing to hear the water, feel the breeze, and watch as the boats passed by. I think it was even better to sit down, though! Once we got some rest, we made the trek back to our hotel with plenty of time to spare to prep for the wedding. We also took the opportunity to lay down and watch a hilarious Hallmark movie and play along to Family Feud. It was very hard to pull ourselves from the comfort of the hotel room but as soon as we were back in the warm sun, we rallied for our cousin’s nuptials. The pre-wedding drink we got at one of the bars also helped a little. 😀

On Sunday afternoon, everything went to crap. See the story about our travel turmoil here! But, before the panic of our flight being cancelled, we went to the Garden District to pick out our new mansion home lol. Every single house was stunning but our favorite was easily the one with the flowers all over it in the picture above. How cute is that?! The houses were all so amazing from the outside that we could only imagine what the interiors looked like. I wish we could have gotten a taste of it at the open house we just missed! Smh.

Although we were on limited time for the weekend, we made the most of it with our sight seeing adventures. We had a blast but were SO ready and happy to go home!

Have you been to New Orleans? What was your favorite thing there? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar25

New Orleans Wedding OOTD

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New Orleans Wedding OOTD

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new OOTD here on lifewithlilred! The weekend of Friday the thirteenth was a fantastic one as my sister, Kristen, and I were in New Orleans to celebrate our cousin’s wedding. We went to a wonderful pre wedding party on Friday and then the big show happened on Saturday evening. The wedding was absolutely beautiful and we even got to parade through the street after the happy couple said “I do”. It was way cool! It was such fun to get dressed to the nines with my sister and be with our extended family and new friends. Take a look at what I wore and let’s discuss:

Who? What? Wear?

Floral Dress: ModCloth, Coconinno

Fringe Shawl: TJMaxx, Laundry

Gloves: These belonged to Johnny’s grandma!

Heels: Steve Madden, Kohl’s (I think!)

I think the earrings are from Target!

Outside of going to Playhouse Square for a play or musical, I rarely have the chance to get super dressed up and definitely took advantage of the wedding to do so. Styling formal wear is something that I get to do maybe once a year and there is no better occasion than a wedding to get all dolled up! For my wedding look, I started with a gorgeous dress by Coconinno. I actually wore this when my oldest brother got married over ten years ago and am very glad it still fits lol. From the fitted top to the a-line skirt and the stunning medley of colors, this dress is so charming. This Coconinno number is also quite light making it ideal for a summer wedding or an early spring one in New Orleans. I just love the movement of the skirt and it was perfect for dancing the night away!

Next up was shoes and accessories. For accessories, I added a little bit of everything! First was an adorable fringe shawl by Laundry which is oh so pretty and unique. Although the dress could have been worn without it, the shawl covered up the bra area and I really appreciated that as I could attend the wedding without worrying about bra straps being visible. It also added movement to the top half of the look with the fringe bouncing with every step I took. I also decided to wear a pair of gloves that belonged to Johnny’s grandma which I thought looked so elegant. If you look closely, you can see that there are ruffles going around the wrist and it was yet another sweet detail that elevated this fit.

Last but not least for accessories, I added a pair of dangly three tiered black gemstone earrings. I styled my hair in a chignon inspired do and the gems looked so pretty as they danced around my bare neck. For shoes, I went with the very first pair of heels I ever owned – a strappy little pair by Steve Madden. I will never part with them and that is a good thing because they were exactly what I needed to wrap this OOTD up. That wooden heel is so funky and it was a thrill to hear them clacking across the brick sidewalks! With that, I was ready for a night to remember at the most lovely wedding. ❤

I felt like a star in this look and am so in love with how it turned out. The dress was already great but the accessories took it over the top!

Are you going to a wedding this year? Do you get the chance to rock formal wear often? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar23

New Orleans Eats

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New Orleans Eats

Hi!! My sister and I took an amazing weekend trip to New Orleans for our cousin’s wedding and had the best time! Even with our travel turmoil due to our flight home being cancelled, nothing beats quality time with Kristen and I reveled in it. Outside of attending our cousin’s beautiful wedding, we did a fair amount of sight seeing and shopping. As far as food goes… We ate what we could lol. Kristen and I have been strict vegetarians since childhood and New Orleans cuisine isn’t the most accommodating to our dietary needs. We made do with a lot of breakfast food and just had to try beignets and a hurricane too! Let’s chat about our New Orleans Eats and my favorite part of every meal – GRITS!!!

We attended a pre party for my cousin’s wedding on Friday night and it was such fun. There was a tarot card reader, a caricature artist, and a lovely spread of seafood that we couldn’t partake in. After chatting it up with family and new friends for the evening, we were completely famished and had to stop somewhere for some grub. We landed upon Cafe Beignet for some late night breakfast. Kristen went for a veggie sandwich which was just okay and I opted for a cheese omelette. My breakfast plate was fine but the grits reigned supreme. I could have ate a bucketful and still wanted more! With some fuel finally in our tanks, we decided to stop by a bar for a hurricane to share because when in New Orleans…

Let me preface this by saying that Kristen and I were doing a-okay pre hurricane. Post hurricane is a different story because holy cow was that drink strong!! After we got our drink at the bar, we decided to sip it on the way back to our hotel and that was a blessing. I don’t think we could have found our way back if we drank our cocktail before our trek to the Chateau Orleans! Although the hurricane is a force to be reckoned with, it sure was tasty. However, one was definitely enough for our weekend because I was feeling the consequences the next day lolol.

On Saturday morning, we decided to swing by Loretta’s for beignets as per our Uber driver’s recommendation. She said they are the real deal as opposed to Cafe Du Monde and we couldn’t wait to try them. We were starving! Unfortunately, the line for both Loretta’s and Cafe Du Monde were the equivalent of an amusement park line and we were too hungry to wait. Instead, we had brunch at The Market Cafe and it was wonderful. There was a band playing during our meal that was freaking awesome and we so enjoyed sitting outside in the pleasant seventy degree temps.

Kristen went for the breakfast buffet at The Market Cafe and I ordered a plate of their Cajun Alfredo. Shout out to my sis because my pasta took forever to arrive and she added grits and biscuits to her buffet plate for me to snack on. The biscuits were fluffy, buttery, and absolutely divine. The same sentiment goes to the grits too! Oh my god were they good. By the time my pasta arrived, I was getting full but I had to put in work. The Alfredo was creamy, spicy, and oh so buttery too and I thought I was going to burst halfway through. SO worth it!

For our final meal in New Orleans, Kristen and I went to a lovely restaurant called Curio and our breakfasts were delicious. Their jalapeno white cheddar grits were sadly just okay but those potato wedges saved the day. YUM! After we filled up, we visited the Garden District to take a look at our future mansions. Then, we made our way back to Cafe Beignet in the French Quarter to finally try beignets. They were… okay lol. The beignets were incredibly dense and I couldn’t even finish one of them. The Cafe offered three beignets for five dollars which is a deal but I couldn’t even imagine eating a full order to myself. I’m glad we got to try them, though, because (once again) when in New Orleans!

As our trip wrapped up, Kristen and I were craving Taco Bell in a bad way as per usual. I think we both deserve some after our weekend of being world travelers!

What is your favorite restaurant in New Orleans? Do you like to try new food when you are on vacation? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar21

Wedding Party OOTD

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Wedding Party OOTD

Hi! After my sister, Kristen, and I landed in New Orleans on Friday we were whisked away in an Uber to get to our hotel. We stayed at the Chateau Orleans and it was absolutely gorgeous. The staff was so wonderful, the decor was stunning, and the location couldn’t be beat as it was right in the heart of the French Quarter. We arrived at our digs around three thirty and relaxed until it was time to partay at a pre-wedding party for my cousin and his beautiful bride at the Napoleon House. It was such fun to get glammed up and let the good times roll! Take a look at the little look I put together for the celebration:

Who? What? Wear?

Polka Dot Slip Dress: Talia Benson, TJMaxx

Faux Fur Collar: St. Tropez, TJMaxx

Platform Heels: Bamboo, TJMaxx

The earrings were a Christmas gift from my blogging bestie!

I wanted to bring the drama to the pre-wedding party and I couldn’t imagine a better dress than this fabulous number by Talia Benson. It is one of my favorite dresses I have ever owned and I love it so much that I don’t even care about the slight difficulty getting it on and off. Those connected slip dresses can be tricky! This dress invokes my edgy girly style to the T and I felt like a star in it. That sheer mesh overlay, the dropped waist, and ribbon ties to cap the sleeve truly allow the eyes to dance as there is a lot going on but it still feels so cohesive. It was also the perfect dress to wear in the warm weather of New Orleans as the fabric was so light and breezy!

While this dress provided an excellent base, I wasn’t done yet and felt like something was missing. As I racked my brains on what I could add, I landed on faux fur and decided to pair it with an amazing lavender collar by St. Tropez. Regardless of if the dress had a pattern or not, it was still a neutral piece which meant that I could have some fun with accessories and I sure did! The faux fur collar elevated the dress to a whole new level and the silhouette it created was so striking. I have never paired this dress with the collar before and I can’t believe it took me this long to think of it smh.

For the remainder of my accessories, I chose a pair of sword earrings that my bestie gifted me with and it was like she was there for the party too. She is always very close to my heart! Finally, it was onto shoes and I went with a killer pair of platforms by Bamboo. They might have taken up a ton of space in my suitcase but it was so worth it because wow. That pop of red with the colorful embroidery made this look special from head to toe. With that, I was ready to celebrate good times in New Orleans!

There is a lot more fashion fun from my trip so stay tuned on lifewithlilred!

What do you normally pack on a vacation? Where is your favorite place to travel to? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar20

Travel Turmoil In New Orleans

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Travel Turmoil In New Orleans

Hello! My sister, Kristen, and I spent an amazing weekend in New Orleans for our cousin’s wedding. It has been a very long time since either of us have traveled by plane and we were both pretty nervous. Our flight from Cleveland to New Orleans went without a hitch and it was so exciting to be greeted by the warm weather when we landed as we reveled in our success. As our weekend went by, we were two gals on the go and were enjoying our sister’s trip so much… Until it all came to a crashing halt on Sunday afternoon:

On Sunday night we were supposed to take a late flight back home. It was going to be rough as the plane took off at nine twenty to go to Orlando. We then would have to spend a five hour layover there until we could go back to Cleveland. It was okay, though, because we were so ready to go home! At around four in the afternoon, I got a notification that our flight would be delayed. While this was a buzzkill, we were still going to leave that night so it was all good. We decided to go grab a coffee and sit outside and read for a while to kill time before we needed to be back at the airport. An hour later, a notification came that literally felt like a punch to the gut – our flight had been cancelled.

In this moment, all I wanted to do was throw an adult temper tantrum lol. We were absolutely exhausted and the rug had been completely pulled out from under us. Rather than cry as much as I wanted to, we handled our business and I am so proud of us. After some deep breaths, I gave us each a task. Kristen was going to find a cheap hotel in the area that we could stay for the night and I would find us a flight home. With every passing second trying to find a flight back to Cleveland, my heart sank further and further. The cheapest tickets were roughly six hundred dollars. Can you say ouch?! Then, I had a brain blast…

What if we flew into the Akron Canton airport instead? I altered my search and blessedly found a semi affordable option that would get us home. In fact, flying into Akron Canton was even better as it was closer to both of our houses. With that, we gathered our luggage and made the mile trek to our new hotel with suitcases in tow. It was honestly the longest mile of our lives and when we finally got to our hotel room, we sunk into the bed and it felt like laying on a cloud! Surely, after all of this we would have a good night’s sleep – right?

WRONG! We were so stressed out about the flight home due to the TSA strikes that we couldn’t sleep a wink. Could you imagine missing the plane due to the long lines and bag checks after already changing plans once? We sure couldn’t! We arrived at the New Orleans airport with over three hours to spare and we didn’t even need it. Everything was running as smooth as silk and by eight forty-five we were in the air to get to our layover in Raleigh, North Carolina. We anticipated a two hour wait to get back to Akron until we weren’t. The delays just kept coming and coming. It. Was. Awful.

We spent a solid six hours at the Raleigh airport waiting for our plane. Six hours filled with dread that our flight would be cancelled and we would have to rinse and repeat the same situation. During this time, we had lunch, finished our books, and watched some TV on my phone. And, finally, the plane we were waiting on from Florida landed. It was the most beautiful thing I have ever heard! The wait was grueling but at least we were going home. #blessed

The flight back to Akron took around an hour and I have never been so happy to be in the A-K-Rowdy. We landed in New Orleans to sunshine and returned home to snow and that was more than okay with both of us. After all of that, we had finally made it. There really is no place like home!

Have you ever had a rough travel experience like ours? What is your favorite airline to fly on? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar19

New Orleans Souvenirs

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New Orleans Souvenirs

Hello! This past weekend was a great big adventure because my sister, Kristen, and I went to New Orleans! When we got invited to our cousin’s destination wedding there, I was so surprised when Kristen asked if I wanted to go together. I couldn’t let that quality sister time pass me by and we flew into New Orleans on the morning of Friday the thirteenth. This might be considered an unlucky date but it was the luckiest in the world because we had the best time. I can’t wait to tell you all about it! The food, the scenery, the unfortunate cancellation of our flight home. And, of course, ALL of the OOTDs. But, first, let’s talk souvenirs because we shopped till we dropped in the French District:

The French District was a blur of shops, restaurants, music, and lots and lots of bars. We got to explore it a little bit prior to a pre-wedding party on Friday and then got to peruse it fully on Saturday before our cousin’s beautiful wedding. After a delicious meal at The Market Cafe, we got our shop on to purchase goodies for ourselves and family. The only thing I really wanted for myself was a mask and I fell in love with the one I found at a quirky souvenir shop. The mask itself is gorgeous and ornate but what sold me was the amazing plume of feathers. I also couldn’t believe the price at just thirteen dollars! It was a total steal and I cannot wait to display it in the apartment. It is even giving me ideas for future Halloween costumes. 😀 I am so delighted with this purchase and out of every mask we saw, this one just screamed Lil Red the most!

At another souvenir shop, I stumbled upon the fun little New Orleans Voodoo coffin and I knew Johnny would love it for our knick knack shelf. It is the perfect memento for our spooky selves and I also had to get a few more treats for him too. My Johnny was gifted with a great shirt that features a skeleton playing guitar beside the skeleton of a dog and it says “New Orleans Howlin’ Blues”. Just right for the man who brings music everywhere he goes! I also got him a stick of alligator jerky against my better judgement because gross. However, I knew it would be appreciated so up to the cash register it went smh.

The French District also featured a couple of regular shops that seemed horribly out of place. This included a random CVS, an H&M, Urban Outfitters, and Earthbound. We had never been in an Earthbound before as the closest one to us is about an hour away. It was a really cool store and I walked away with a fabulous wrap around snake bracelet. As you all know, I am an avid fan of snakeskin patterned clothing and snake themed jewelry. It is just so edgy and sexy too! The wrap bracelet I got is dynamite and we were at the store at just the right time. The employee told us it got restocked the day before and sells out very quickly. I can’t wait to rock mine in a new OOTD soon so you can see it in all of is glory!

Stick around on lifewithlilred for all of the New Orleans content. This was the trip of a lifetime and I am so happy that I got to share it with my sister. ❤

What is your favorite part of New Orleans? Do you have a vacation coming up? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb5

How To Plan A Trip That Doesn’t Rely On The Weather

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How To Plan A Trip That Doesn’t Rely On The Weather

Planning a trip that depends on good weather is such an optimistic personality trait. In some locations, it can make sense (like a beach or a desert, for example). But it also falls apart the second the forecast decides to act up, because of course it does. You do all the paper admin you need for your trip, be it visas for another country, renting cars, booking tickets, flights, boats, tours, hotels, and then everything you imagined you’d be doing in your head goes sideways because of the weather (well, the activities at least).

It’s great to make a full vacation schedule but it also is smart to plan for bad weather. Like it or not, it can definitely rain on your parade! What’s the best way to go about this? Keep on reading!

Build the Trip Like it Has Two Lanes:

The simplest way to stay sane is to plan a trip with two lanes: an outdoor lane and an indoor lane. It’s not exactly two fully scheduled itineraries, because that’s exhausting and nobody wants a vacation that feels like project management. See it more as Plan A and Plan B so you have two sets of options that can be swapped depending on the weather.

If you’re going to St. Annes on vacation or just coastal towns in general in the UK (as this is getting more common for tourists outside the UK), then the outdoor stuff could be cliff walks, beach time, visiting gardens, or walking in the cute touristy area. When it comes to indoor-oriented activities, you can check whats on Saint Annes local theater for live shows, look for shops, museums, or tasting sessions at wineries or restaurants.

Choose Indoor Plans that Still Feel Like the Destination:

A few examples were just mentioned above, but maybe you could consider them generic. But it seriously helps to pickout some destinations in advance that are indoor. If you want to visit London or Paris for the first time ever, sure, everyone wants to see the landmarks, but as you know, there’s famous indoor things to do as well. Like in London, there’s the Victoria and Albert museum that so many tourists flock to, and the Louvre in Paris, but they’re indoor activities, and they alone are like a destination. So, try to look around for that too for your upcoming trip. 

You Can’t Let Weather be a Dealbreaker:

You can’t control Mother Nature, and sometimes, you have no choice but to make the most out of the situation. Hopefully it’s not a horrible storm or anything, but just try and have fun anyways. Sure, if you’re camping or hiking during your trip, it can make it significantly less fun, and sometimes even full-on impossible, but for town and city trips at least, you can manage easily. 

Plan ahead for any bad weather during your travels and you will still have an amazing time indoor and out!

Featured Image By: Pexels Image

Dec6

5 Modern Travel Hacks You Shouldn’t Skip

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5 Modern Travel Hacks You Shouldn’t Skip

There are entire blogs filled with modern travel hacks that you can use to ease the stress of a vacation. However, there are some things that everyone should take note of that can really help things go more smoothly. From using packing cubes to first aid kits, here are some suggestions:

Prep Your Smartphone:

Your phone can be your best friend when traveling. You have all the apps and web access you need for traveling easier with a smartphone. With a phone you can check transport times, flight info, and accommodation availability in seconds, and you have access to advanced features like GPS for getting around more easily. You may not have access to your usual network, but you can save on roaming costs while travelling with an eSIM designed for easy access anywhere.

Pack with Cubes:

The laws of physics seem to go out of the window when trying to cram in as much clothing as possible into a suitcase, you know, that is too small! So what can you do? Fortunately, there are these handy inventions called packing cubes. Packing cubes are like mini travel bags you can place in your luggage. What makes them so useful is that they make it easier to use the limited space inside your suitcase much more efficiently as you fill the cubes and arrange them perfectly.

Modern Travel Hacks for Clothes:

Around 1 billion people per year travel to other countries. From the most beautiful places to visit in the fall to summer vacations, everyone has their idea of the best getaway. Something as simple as your clothing can ruin the best day, though, so always stay prepared:

  • Check if there are local storage lockers at stations or near tourist locations.
  • Always pack spare clothes and underwear just in case of an unfortunate accident.
  • Pack the opposite for the weather (such as a jacket if it’s sunny), as it can change.

Pack a Mini First Aid Kit:

You never know what can happen when traveling, and your adventurous side can get the better of you. Perhaps you feel like a Segway ride in a forest at 65 years old. It’s not the best idea, but heck, you’re on vacation. But alas, you realize you really shouldn’t have done that as you tumble off your ride like a drunken toddler. Maybe you are pretty far away from a local clinic, but you remembered to pack a little first aid kit. No more bleeding and an expensive bill avoided. Yay!

Stay Up-to-Date with Travel Info:

Traveling can be stressful, and the whole transportation industry doesn’t help. Delays, cancellations, and hackers are pretty common these days. Knowing your travel times is essential for organizing your day and making sure you never miss a departure. Things can change, and when they do, your plans need to as well. Make sure you stay up to date with travel info by using official websites or travel apps that can alert you ASAP when something changes.

Smart preparations for your vacation will ensure a stress free time in your dream destination paradise!

Featured Image By: Freepik

Aug15

Pool Party

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Pool Party

Hello! Swimming is easily the best summer activity and, unfortunately, I can’t tell you the last time I actually went swimming. I’m not talking the wading and treading water like I normally do but swimming for real. My hair has not been my natural color since my mid teens (I honestly have no idea what my natural color is at this point lol) and swimming + dyed hair is a recipe for disaster. Because I refuse to sully my funky colored tresses, getting my front and back stroke on is just impossible. However, I was determined to go swimming with my nieces and nephew when we went on a mini family vaca to Idlewild Park and SoakZone a few weeks ago. Our hotel had a pool and the water park looked like a blast and I wasn’t going to let anything stand in my way – my beloved freshly dyed hair included.

At the time, I had what I thought was a genius idea: Get a swim cap. My hair would be safely tucked away and despite a swim cap being the least cute accessory I can think of, at least I could swim. As soon as we got to the hotel after a day at the park, I made a beeline to the bathroom to get in my swimsuit, put on my cap, and hit the pool. Listen, I have NO idea how swimming enthusiasts get their caps on with ease because my experience was about a bitch lol. My bright purple cap was skin tight and I had to enlist the help of my sister to get it on and tuck away any loose strands. After wrestling with the cap for what felt like an eternity, it was time to put my idea to the test.

As soon as I got in the pool, I made use of the countless swimming lessons of my youth and it was absolutely delicious. I was doing laps with different strokes like nobody’s business and it felt SO good to be fully immersed in the cool water after a long day in the heat. I swam for a solid half hour or so solo and then went back into the hotel to gather the littles and swim altogether. I also couldn’t wait to see how my handiwork with the swim cap paid off. Let’s just say that it didn’t lol.

When I took my cap off, my hair was drenched. Not just a little damp but soaking wet. My hair was bleeding red, orange, and blue profusely and I all but destroyed several hotel towels. I had no idea where I went wrong. Maybe I wasn’t wearing the swim cap the right way? So, I gave it a Google and learned the hard way that swim caps are not meant to keep your hair from getting wet, it’s all about the aerodynamics. SMH this would have been a good thing to research beforehand! Blessedly, my hair didn’t turn into any weird colors but that was besides the point – it was still wet! -_-

My master plan had failed and I genuinely didn’t know what I was going to do at the water park the next day. Then, a little package of silver caught my eye in the bathroom and I saw that it was a shower cap. Was it going to work? No clue. But, it was my only option of protecting my hair and I knew it couldn’t hurt to try. At the water park, I changed into my suit once again and put the shower cap on too. It was kind of funny because I was getting compliments on my hair left and right and it was like everyone knew damn well why the cap was on which I really appreciated. 😀

I am pleased to report that my shower cap didn’t falter during my time in the wave pool, lazy river, and getting splashed by my littles in the Little Squirts section. It was a GREAT SUCCESS, for sure, but I am not convinced that a shower cap would help my hair during actual swimming and I’m too nervous to do a test run. So, I guess the point of this long winded story is that if you know of anything you can wear to keep your hair dry while swimming, let a Lil Red know!

What is your favorite summer activity? How do you protect your hair when swimming? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug4

Story Book Forest At Idlewild Park

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Story Book Forest At Idlewild Park

Hello! Despite no recollection of visiting Story Book Forest at Idlewild Park in Ligonier, Pennsylvania when I was little, we have countless family photos to prove it. It was a much beloved amusement park that is roughly three hours away from my home and my parents would take me and my siblings often. This past week, I had the pleasure of returning there with almost my entire family (Johnny couldn’t get off work) and my four sweet nieces and nephew. Being an aunt is one of my greatest joys and I am beyond thrilled to have the memory of this wonderful family getaway for keeps. Check it out:

Story Book Forest is exactly what it sounds like – a trek through the woods to visit the homes of all of the classic story book characters and even meeting some of them too. You begin by walking through the giant story book (Which is really cool!) where you are greeted by Mother Goose who tells you all about your adventure and sends you on your way. From there, the path winds all around and brings adults on a trip down memory lane while the children see all of the stories they know and love come to life. It is absolutely precious.

With my darling littles and family in tow, we explored all of Story Book Forest and had the best time! The kids loved interacting with all of the different character actors like Raggedy Anne and Andy, Snow White, Cinderella, the captain of the Good Ship Lollipop, Geppetto, and the wife of the Crooked Man. They played games with Raggedy Anne and Andy, swabbed the deck of the pirate ship and received candy for the loot, and took pictures with princess royalty. It was such fun to see all of these characters through the littles’ eyes and I think they couldn’t quite believe it themselves!

I’m sure all of the kiddos could agree that the best part was exploring all of the different homes in the forest and there were plenty of them. This included but was not limited to the digs of Little Red Riding Hood, the Crooked Man, the three bears from Goldilocks, Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater, Geppetto’s workshop, and the castle of Old King Cole himself. There were some homes you couldn’t enter like the Old Woman Who Lived In A Shoe, Snow White’s cabin, and the homes of the Three Little Pigs but they were all noteworthy landmarks to check out. 🙂

Story Book Forest ended at Old King Cole’s castle where you could walk through a town square, release Excalibur from the stone, make wishes at a fountain, and meet Cinderella on her royal throne. Of course, it wouldn’t be a theme park if you didn’t make the final exit through the gift shop which blessedly had air conditioning and an adorable array of plushies, princess gear, candy for days, and anything else that a child’s heart could desire. If you are in an area where a road trip is possible, I truly cannot recommend a visit to Story Book Forest at Idlewild Park with your little ones enough!

From start to finish, my family’s Idlewild adventure was joy in the purest form. I cannot wait to tell you all more about it but our time in Story Book Forest will hold the most special place in my heart! ❤

Which amusement parks did you visit as a child? Do they still exist today? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah