Tag Archives: weekend

Jan23

Mexican Sunday Dinner

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Mexican Sunday Dinner

Hi everyone and happy Monday! I hope all of you had a wonderful weekend. So during the week at my household, we eat easy to prepare dinners – pasta, pizza, stir fry, and the likes. But over the weekends, my mom and I go hard when it comes to cooking an evening feast – soups, homemade pizzas, pasta salads, bread, frittatas, and oh so much more. This Sunday, I prepared a meal that I was particularly proud of that I just had to share on here. Seriously, it was that delicious.

My family loves Mexican food and as a primarily vegetarian household, it is always something that all of us can eat and enjoy. And enjoy, we did. For Sunday dinner I prepared homemade guacamole paired with vegetarian black bean enchiladas compliments of the fantastic website Cookie + Kate. Kate’s website specializes in vegetarian cuisine while her pup, Cookie, cheers from the sidelines. My mom actually found that website and was instantly drawn in by the delicious recipes but most importantly, that it was in some ways dog related (lol). Anyways, here’s the finished product:

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For the enchiladas, I followed the recipe pretty closely because I had never made it before but I did change a few things up to accommodate my cooking style:

  • I added a healthy amount of chili powder and cayenne pepper to the dish.
  • I added cilantro into the mixture as opposed to just using it to garnish.
  • I lessened the amount of broccoli in the recipe as a family preference.
  • I squirted fresh lime juice into the mixture and topped the finished product with it.
  • I used store bought enchilada sauce instead of making it myself because ain’t nobody got time for that.

* If you’re not hip to vegetarian eating, then I would recommend sauteing stripes of chicken, steak, or shrimp (or all three!) in a mixture of olive oil, cumin, cayenne pepper, and chili powder (you could also go crazy and add in some lime juice and a tablespoon or two of enchilada sauce). Then, you could add it into the enchiladas or just eat it on the side.

I was pleasantly surprised by how much my dish looked like the pictures that Kate posted on her website but most importantly, my entire family loved it. For an additional topping, I free-styled some guacamole and here’s what I used in my makeshift recipe:

  • 1 large avocado
  • 6 cloves of minced garlic
  • About 3 tbsp of super finely chopped red onion
  • Juice from 1/2 of a lime
  • Cilantro!!
  • A couple shakes of cayenne pepper
  • Black pepper
  • Morton Kosher salt
  • 3-4 tbsp of small tomato chunks that I wish I added but forgot to get from the grocery store!

I really really love guac and I thought that the above concoction turned out amazing. It was bold and flavorful and although it turned out chunkier than what I normally like, I think that it just added to the deliciousness considering you could eat it by the forkful – which we did!

My mom described my Mexican Sunday Dinner as “going out to eat in our own house” which I thought was super precious and we will definitely be making the above recipes again! What is your favorite meal for Sunday dinner? What kinds of food do you love to cook? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jan21

Pinup Girl Style Swap

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Pinup Girl Style Swap

Hi everyone and happy weekend!! My dear friend, Carlie, and I decided that it would be super fun to do a style swap themed blog post – and of course we were right! During our communications via email we each assigned each other a style that we might not dress in on a regular day. If you’ve seen Carlie’s blog before, you’ll know that she is the epitome of pinup girl rocker chic and that is something that I am so not! Knowing this, I thought that it would be a friendly challenge to give Carlie the task of creating a preppy look while she assigned me with styling a pinup girl OOTD.

Quite honestly, I know nothing about pinup girl and rockabilly style so I had to turn to good ol’ Google Images to assist me with my challenge. After scouring the pics for a while, I noticed a common theme of cute curls and sassy updos, tied at the waist plaids, flirty dresses, and bustier tops. Unfortunately, I don’t really have any dresses or tops in my wardrobe that give a super accentuated cleavage while providing a tiny waist line because I’m just not comfortable with that, so I had to think outside of the box. Here’s what I came up with:

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What I Wore:

  • Checkered Top: Hollister, GoodWill – $4
  • Black Shorts: So…, Kohl’s – $12
  • Color Blocked Kitten Heels: Calico, GoodWill – $6
  • Daisy Earrings: Forever 21 – $4

I’m going to keep it real with you guys –  some of the pieces in this outfit are like six years old haha I’ve had my GoodWill Hollister top and Calico heels for ages. But it felt good to be able to style such a cute and sassy look for under thirty dollars with some oldie but goodie wardrobe essentials.

However, I knew that just an adorbs outfit wasn’t going to be enough because in pinup girl fashion, there seemed to be a huge emphasis on hair. I rarely ever make an effort at curling my hair because it’s simply a matter of preference – I love when my hair is pin straight. I knew my curls wouldn’t be perfect because I have no practice doing it, but I gave it a go anyways with my flat iron and surprisingly loved the way it turned out. I felt like my effort looked like an ode to pinup girl style without being super obvious and I even felt encouraged to wear my hair like that again in the future. And, of course, pinup girls wouldn’t be pinup girls without a cherry red lip so I broke out my tried and true NYX True Red matte lippie to complete the look.

Finally, it was picture time! In all of the pictures that I studied to give me some pinup girl inspiration, I noticed that there were a lot of specific poses that seemed to be used constantly. Popped legs, bent knees with your hands on your thighs, and a booty tooch with an arched back for starters. So, I practiced in the mirror and then had my dad who is super handy with a camera snap away.

After three or so minutes, I took a look at the pics and was SO happy with the results. After seeing the look come together in the photos, I felt like it was easy to recognize what style I was emulating while stilling giving it a fun Lil Red twist. I was going for a more modern pinup girl look and I hate to toot my own horn – but I think I nailed it!

So now, the question is: Would I wear a pinup girl style look again? I can’t say that this would be an every day look for me but it was fun to change things up. I can see myself wearing an outfit like this during the summertime while going to the pool or browsing around my favorite outdoor shopping mall. However, I think that I would try to tone the look down depending on where I was by throwing on a pair of combat boots or an edgier heel so the look wasn’t so cutesy because I am a punk girl at heart!

So there you have it, my Pinup Girl Style Swap! Make sure to check out Carlie’s preppy look transformation, too! How would you describe your style? What type of style or clothing do you rarely find yourself wearing? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jan15

Happy Gotcha Day, Doggies!

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Happy Gotcha Day, Doggies!

Hi everyone and happy weekend! Yesterday was a special day because it was one of my precious pooch’s fourth Gotcha Day since we welcomed her into our family. Our Golden Retriever, Gem, has been such a wonderful, beautiful addition to our home and the love that my family has for her knows no bounds. Additionally, our little Terrier mix, Ollie, will be celebrating his first Gotcha Day coming up soon on February 13th so it will be an exciting few months to be a dog in the Mushenheim household!

Both of my pups were rescued through the amazing group that my mom, sister, and I volunteer for called Canine Lifeline. Gem and Ollie were both brought to Ohio from rural shelters in Kentucky and each became members of the family at first sight. Our rescue dogs bring so much joy to our home and are each true cases of ‘Who Rescued Who?’. Happy Gotcha Day to you, Gem! And almost little Ollie!! ❤ ❤ ❤

Also – if you are in Ohio and are interested in finding a new furever friend, then I encourage you to check out the pups at Canine Lifeline, where I’m sure you’ll find your new BFF! Not in Ohio but still want to help? CLL happily accepts donations and would greatly appreciate if you would spread the word! 🙂

What kind of pets do you have at your home? What is something unique or silly about your pet’s behaviors or appearance? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jan6

We’ve All Got Them! What To Do With Those Unwanted Christmas Gifts

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We’ve All Got Them! What To Do With Those Unwanted Christmas Gifts

We’ve all been there. At some point, we’re bound to open gifts that we don’t like or we’ve already got. If you’ve got a pile of unwanted presents, here are some handy suggestions.

Unwanted Clothing: If you’ve got items of clothing that don’t fit you or suit your style, don’t just throw them into the wardrobe and let them sit there with the tags still on for years to come. If you’ve got the receipt or the labels are still intact, take them back to the store and get a credit note or an exchange. You might as well get something that you’re going to wear. If you can’t return it, consider reselling it on an online auction site or hitting up a store like Plato’s Closet to see if you can sell it there.

Regifting: If you’ve got more than one of the same item or you’ve been given something that you won’t use, consider regifting it. There’s nothing wrong with passing on presents as long as they’re suitable for the recipient, and they’re in pristine condition. I’ll admit that I’ve been guilty of regifting before – but shhh, don’t tell. 😉

Donating To Charity: If you were spoiled by friends and family and you’ve got a few items lying around that you don’t want to keep, consider donating to charity. For many people, the holidays are a lonely time, and it’s nice to give to people less fortunate.

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Wikimedia Image

Host a Beat The January Blues Party: January can be a sobering month, especially after the frivolities of the festive season. It’s cold and dark outside, and everyone’s feeling a little low after the holidays. If you’re keen to cheer everybody up and shift some unwanted gifts, you could host a beat the January blues party. Get everyone together, put a playlist on, lay out some food and drinks, and organize an exchange of white elephant gifts. Your spare presents will find a home, and your friends will leave in good spirits.

Have a Clear Out: There’s no better time of year to have a clear out than January. We tend to accumulate a lot of stuff over the holidays and it’s a good idea to declutter and free up some space. Get rid of all the trash and then have a look through your cupboards, wardrobes, and shelving units to see if there is anything you want to throw out or sell. If you’ve got a lot of items in good condition, you may be able to make some money. Gather everything together, and organize a yard sale. Send out some fliers, put some signs in the driveway, and say bye bye to your unwanted holiday clutter.

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Flickr Image

Most of us get at least a couple of unwanted gifts each year. Perhaps you’ve got items that don’t fit or suit you or you’ve got the same presents you got last year. If you have got unopened presents lying around, don’t just throw them in a cupboard or put them in the bin. There are lots of things you can do to make use of your gifts. Donate them to charity or give them to a friend or family member who would appreciate them. Sell them online or have a clear out and host a yard sale when warmer weather permits. Happy weekend!

Featured Image By: Pixabay

Dec31

Selfie Spam

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Selfie Spam

Hi everyone and happy weekend! Thanks to a fun post Christmas shopping trip to the mall and a shopping spree for my graduation, I wound up with an outfit this week that I was really feeling. This past Tuesday, I unleashed my inner David Bowie with a bright red pompadour (complete with hair glitter), a chic pair of velvet skinnies, and a faux fur jacket that screamed rock n’ roll glam. And, finally, my signature red lip to top it off! Take a look and let’s discuss:

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Excuse the Selfie Spam, but there is something about walking around in an outfit that makes you feel like a million bucks that cost you less than one hundred that feels SO. DAMN. GOOD. I felt like rock royalty while running every day errands and then going out to dinner with my family and it was definitely something that I could get used to! I feel like this look would have made one of my idols, David Bowie, proud and I was able to fall in love with fashion all over again with just one killer outfit.

Not only was I in love with the clothing itself that I was wearing but I was really proud of my pompadour! I stopped attempting fun hair styles on myself long ago but with the outfit that I had in mind, I would be damned if I didn’t at least give a glam updo the old college try. Thanks to beaucoup hair spray and an all over dusting of gold hair glitter, I was left with a look that stood out and totally sparkled. Now that I know that I can actually do some of the hair styles that I would normally leave to my hair dresser, I can’t wait to experiment with my hair more. Score!

Some days you just feel like getting yourself dolled up and taking selfies until you’re literally sick of yourself. I admit that I’ve been lacking on my selfie game both on here and on social media so my dress up day felt like the perfect opportunity to get some fierce new pics onto the interwebs. I am so happy that I took some pictures that I actually like because, I have to say, it was exhausting! I genuinely don’t understand how some people take selfies every day that always look good. Luckily, now that I have a few newbies up, I can take a selfie break so don’t expect any more from your girl Lil Red for a good long while! 😉

So there you have it, some Selfie Spam for you to feast your eyes on! What are some of your selfie taking tips? What is your favorite filter? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec11

Pedi Party

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Pedi Party

Hey everyone and happy Sunday! So yesterday I had myself a little Pedi Party with one of my favorite high school teachers and it was such fun. I had never gotten a pedicure before and was treated to it as a college graduation present. And guess what?! I didn’t even let my ticklishness get the best of me – which I unfortunately can’t say for the one and only massage that I have ever gotten!

As you guys know, I am a devout fan of my acrylic nails so you would think that I would have gotten a pedicure by now. Not the case, guys. Not the case. I guess I really just have never cared about my toes enough to pamper them. 1) They’re not pretty to look at. 2) I barely have nails worthy of painting on my tootsies. And 3) My pinkie corn chip toe is an embarrassment to mankind!

Despite the litany of ugliness that I just described, my nail tech did an amazing job of salvaging some dignity out of my toesies and left them looking so pretty! Take a look, and if you have a foot phobia: SORRY but if you have a foot fetish: YOU’RE WELCOME!

pedi

Obviously, I went with black to match my talons! :*)

All in all, the pedicure was fabulous and I had a great time spending the afternoon with my dear friend. However, I do feel like kind of an asshole because my legs were SO. HAIRY. I guess I didn’t really think to myself “Hey, Sarah – your legs are hairier than most guys right now. Maybe you should clean yourself up”. I mean obviously I didn’t because when the poor nail tech was scrubbing up my legs he was fighting against a forest of prickles! What can I say, WINTER IS MY HIBERNATION TIME and don’t think for one minute that I didn’t apologize profusely for him having to rub on woolly mammoth fur. 😉

With my tail hung between my (hairy) legs, I tamed the beast last night and now have legs as smooth and pretty as my little black seashell toenails. GREAT SUCCESS! Thank you to my wonderful friend for such a treat of an afternoon yesterday and thank you to my nail tech for putting up with me! 🙂

I hope everyone is having a fabulous day and my final questions for you are:

  • Would you rather not shave your legs for a year or not wear makeup for six months?
  • Would you rather get a hot stone massage or a mani/pedi combo?

I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Nov11

They’re Baaaack

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They’re Baaaack

Hi everyone and TGIF! Okay, so this week’s Monday Update involved me freaking out because I broke one of my natural nails that I have been trying so freaking hard to grow out in lieu of getting acrylics. Well, two days after that, another nail broke so I said “fuck it” and went to get my claw babies back on Thursday. After about a year of being talon-free, it felt so good being back in the trusted and true hands of my beloved nail tech, Vinny.

As I mentioned before, asides from dying my hair, getting my nails done is my absolute favorite way to pamper myself. I love being able to sit back, relax, and let Vinny work his magic and make my nails look pretty. One of the things that I love the most about long nails is how they make my hands look. Naturally, my hands are quite small and stumpy but lengthy nails make my hands look elongated and beautiful. When I had to cut my natural nails after two of them broke, I was so sad to see my hands shrink down to their bitty size right before my eyes. But now, everything is as it should be and having janky nails is one less thing for me to worry about. Take a look:

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The other main reason that I wanted to get my nails done was for my graduation which is coming up on December 15th. I told myself that if I can’t get my natural nails how I like them, then I would treat myself to my acrylics and I am so glad that I did! I do wish that they were a little bit longer but they will do for now and Vinny said he’ll take care of it when I get them filled – he’s such a gem! :*)

Now my graduation ceremony beauty check list for looking fab as I strut across the stage looks something like this:

  • Get nails filled.
  • Dye hair.
  • Get a hair cut.
  • Put together a graduation ceremony worthy outfit!

I am so happy to have my nails back but it has been a doozey of a twenty-four hours while I get used to living my life with talons again! So far, everything is going just fine minus a small scare with my car door. Other than that things are A-okay – especially now that I can put my babies to work on my laptop keyboard again! LOVE IT! ❤

I hope everyone has a super fun and relaxing weekend! What kind of outfit do you think I should wear for graduation? Who else has a passion for long nails? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct15

PAJAMA PARTY!

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PAJAMA PARTY!

Hi everyone and happy weekend! Last night I had a little Pajama Party with me, myself, and I…and also Harry Potter. I have been OBSESSED with the new jammies that I got from Target and have taken every opportunity I’ve had for the past two weeks since buying them to get comfy, cozy, and cuddle up. I have been in need of new pajamas for years now but have just never really bothered. I just continued to make do with the body butter and lotion saturated sweats that I purchased from Aerie like three years ago.

However, this past month I have been OBSESSED with finding the perfect pair of PJs. I had tried Kohl’s, TJs, and Target a few times but nothing really spoke to me. I was looking for something that was the perfect combination of cute and cozy so not just any pair would do. After shopping trips to the three stores resulted in failure every time, I had damn near given up. But one final trip to Target changed the PJ game.

I had tried Tarjay before and was in love with their Disney line PJs but they were absurdly expensive for a nightgown or top and bottom set. So, despite the cuteness, I had to pass. My mom had pointed out the pair seen in the picture below and initially I turned them away. But after further examination, I decided that the red, flannel, lumberjack chic jammies were perfect. They were warm, cozy, and absolutely adorable. I could definitely picture myself counting a few sheep in them! Take a look:

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It’s admittedly not the best picture but you get the point. I love snuggling up in my new pajamas every night and now I just need a pair in every color! You can shop Target in stores or online to join in on the Lil Red Pajama Party happening nightly! Where is the best place to get pajamas from? What does your perfect pair of PJs look like? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct14

Weekend Photo Shoot

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Weekend Photo Shoot

Hi everyone and TGIF! This weekend, I will be doing a photo shoot with my fabulous friend, Britta, who I had the pleasure of working with a few months ago. As an exchange of services, I will be conducting an interview with her so she can tell my readers and her clients all about the rebranding of her business. It should be a lot of fun and I am so excited to sport some fall fashion because it is my absolute favorite.

BUT, I need your help! I am looking for recommendations on outfits that I should wear. To help a sister out, please feel free to browse my Facebook page and pictures and tell me what in my wardrobe I should wear for a fresh fall look. You can also peruse through the “Fashion” tab on my blog to see some of my latest purchases that might not be showcased in a Facebook picture just yet. So take a look and I can’t wait to hear what you guys come up with! Much love. -Sarah

Oct8

Vacation Photos

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Vacation Photos

Hi everyone and happy weekend! I arrived back home in good ol’ CFalls, Ohio this past Wednesday after a wonderful week away in Asheville, North Carolina with my family. We had an amazing time hiking, horse back riding, apple picking, EATING, and shopping! My family had visited Asheville in June and we liked it so much that we just had to come back and this time our two dogs, Ollie and Gem, joined us for the festivities. 🙂 ❤

Take a look at some of my favorite photos from our fall vacation:

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^^^ So. Much. FUN!!

Fun fact for ya, the butterfly, hummingbird, and duck pictures are all made out of LEGOS! They were being featured at the North Carolina Arboretum and they were so incredible! Asheville treated the Mushenheims so well and my only regret is that I’m not there right this minute! Have a fab weekend, everyone! Much love. -Sarah