It's Finally Here!!

It's here! The snow we've been wishing for since November is finally here and this is exactly how it happened:

At 5:30 my alarm went off blaring the song I Wanna Know You by the one and only Hannah Montana. I opened my eyes and looked outside hoping for snow but seeing only a thick layer of fog surrounding my house. I got dressed in the warmest, coziest outfit I could and started out on the endless walk to the bus stop. The bus lights shinning through the fog and coming right at me. I finally got to school and all during first period, nothing. Then on my walk to the high school for second period, nothing. THEN IT HAPPENED. As I walked out the door to head back to Treasure all I saw was the beautiful, big clumps of perfect snowflakes. It was coming down so much by the time I got to my third period, my hair was dripping wet and I had a pile of snow on top of my head. After that it didn't stop snowing until late the next day. It was amazing!!!

Photo Taken By Me

Of course with all the snow we had to go outside for PE. We did things like Nordic Skiing and Snowshoeing. Nordic Skiing wasn't too bad because we got to do whatever we wanted and it wasn't too hard to get the hang of. Snowshoeing on the other hand was one of the worst experiences of my life. The first day we just walked on a flat trail to the point where you couldn't walk anymore, but then we had to walk back! By the end of it I was so tired and plus we got back late so I was late for second period! The second day was so much worse! We walked all the way out to the trail in single digit temperatures with our hands freezing along with everything else. Then we had to put our snowshoes on and Mr. Torrey pointed us straight up the hill. It was honestly the steepest hike I've ever done but at least we got some good pictures. ;) The climb was so hard but luckily, as a class, we decided to stop every 2 minutes for a 5 minute break. It was great until we refused to go on but Mr. Torrey threatened us all with half credit if we didn't keep going so we trudged on and got to the top. But then Mr. T said that since we took so long to get up the hill we had to go down the exact same way, which was SUPER steep. And of course we had a class mate that was afraid of heights so we went super slow and by the time we got down, everyone was already back at school. So that wasn't the best start to my day but it was my last day of 9th grade PE so YAY!!!

Even after all this I'm so excited to have all this snow and I can't wait to ski in it! Jupiter at Park City Mountain Resort is gonna be so great!

Outfits and Clothing: Winter Trends

We're in the middle of winter, when the days are so short you barely catch a glimpse of the sun before it tucks behind the mountains for the night. When it's so cold, you can't go outside without a coat unless you want your fingers to freeze to the point where you can't feel them for all of second, and third period. And when all you want to do is cuddle up in layers of warm blankets and comforters and watch a season or two of iCarly reruns on your computer. Unfortunately you eventually have to pry yourself from the warmth of your bed and get yourself out the door to go hangout with your friends. When this happens you need to know what to wear so here are some winter essentials for you to look at...

Photo Courtesy of: Stylecollection

For Lazy Days:

Match a comfy college sweater with an original black pair of leggings. Wear a pair of warm Uggs and put your hair up in a messy bun for a laid back look.


For A Casual Looks:

Choose a tank-top that matches your style and find a long cardigan to match. Wear a pair of leggings and combat boots.


For Comfy Days:

Find an oversized sweater to match with your pair of leggings. Throw on a pair of Uggs and have some cute cute socks peeking out the top.


For A Dressy Day:

Wear a skater skirt with black tights underneath and a pair of Doc Martians for your shoes.  For your shirt wear a cropped sweater to make your look a little warmer.


For Normal Days:

Wear ripped jeans or normal skinny jeans with a long sleeve shirt. Then pick out a cute scarf to put on top, again, with more Uggs!


** A great add on is always a scarf! Scarves can go with almost anything and they're super comfy. I always find scarves at Charlotte Russe and they don't have to be infinity scarves!**

*** I LOVE SOCKS! I always think socks are super cute if they just peak out the top of your boots or shoes. My favorite socks Nike Elites because I always find them on sale and they have so many different color combinations.***

With all these outfits you can add your own style. Make sure not to copy what everyone else is wearing, make your own trends and don't follow someone just because they're popular... Also, try new things! Don't wear the same things over and over again because people are gonna start to notice. Winter is a great time of the year because it's right in the middle of the school year so not many people try to hard so you can wear sweats and no one cares! Actually I wore them recently because I just want to be comfortable at school!

Detox Waters

Water. We all need water. You should be drinking about three liters everyday. That sounds like so much, especially because we don't always drink just water! We like add sugar and flavoring or even carbonation. So here are some different detox water recipes that not only taste good but at the same time flush the harmful toxins out of your body! 

minty:

1. fill a mason jar with water

2. cut thin cucumber slices and add a few 

Photo Courtesy of Diva Wish  

3. mix in a handful of chopped mint leaves

4. add ice cubes and enjoy

classic:

1. fill mason jar with water

2. cut two lemons into thin slices and add

3. add ice cubes and enjoy

berry:

1. fill a mason jar with water

2. add 1/4 cup raspberries

3. add 1/4 cup blueberries

4. add 1/4 cup strawberries

5. add ice cubes and enjoy

lemon & lime:

1. fill a mason jar with water

2. slice 1 lime into thin pieces and add

3. slice 1 lemon into thin pieces and add

4. add ice cubes and enjoy

*For a more flavor refrigerate your drinks for 20-30 minutes before drinking*

Uses:

• Water is just plain good for us, but it mainly helps us flush nasty toxins through our system which makes it easier for our organs like the liver and kidney to do their jobs! 

• Mint leaves add a refreshing flavor to your drink and also helps you digest more effectively. It also helps relax cramped up stomach muscles.

• Lemon/Lime helps stimulate and regulate the digestive track. This helps when you have a stomach ache!

• Watermelon/Cucumber helps flush out toxins, it helps the liver and kidneys filter and get rid of ammonia which is damaging to cells. 


Making these is so easy! I like bringing these drinks to school and soccer just for a little extra to my water. And you can add whatever fruits you want: pineapple, blueberries, oranges, pomegranate, etc. It's fun to experiment and see what you can make.  Detox waters also help you burn fat depending on what ingredients you using...  Here's another website with even more recipes for you to try: 20 Delicious Detox Waters to Cleanse Your Body and Burn Fat

It's That Time Of The Year Again...

Hey guys so it's getting colder and lots of people are getting sick. I know at my school there are lots of different colds are going around and I've already gotten sick, TWICE! At first I just had a runny nose just like a normal cold and then right when I recovered, I caught another cold with a sore-throat and a nasty cough that lasted for 3 weeks! It sucks. So to help you if you get sick, here are a few tips...

If you have a cold:

• Always tissues with you to blow your nose constantly
• Drink lots of honey and lemon tea
• Sleep as much as possible, your body needs time to recover on its own ****
• Turn a humidifier or a vaporizer on in your room **
• Take a long, hot bath or shower to clear out your nose

If you have a fever:

• Lower the temperature of your room ***

Photo Courtesy of Pinterest 

• Get lots of rest ****
• Eat cold foods like popsicles or ice cream ***
• Drink different herbal teas
• Don't try to exercise

If you have the flu:

• Be sure to stay hydrated, drink lots of water
• Wash your hands frequently
• Eat healthy food
• Use a heating pad for comfort
• Blow your nose often

If you have a sore throat:

• Gargle with warm salt water
• Stay warm, bundle up in blankets
• Drink honey and lemon tea
• Use a humidifier **
• Drink a lot of fluids


It's also super important to remember a few things:
     1. Cover your mouth when coughing and sneezing to prevent your germs from spreading
     2. Constantly wash your hands to keep yourself safe from other peoples germs
     3. You can stay home for a day or two when you're sick so you don't get anyone else sick
     4. Don't drink out of other peoples water bottles or anything, this spreads germs super fast
     5. Take the medication needed to recover, believe me, I went through a phase where I refused to take any medicine at all, but it's the medicine that helps you recover the most


** A vaporizer or humidifier moistens your nasal passages making it easier to breathe
*** It's important to try to get your body temperature down, inside and out
**** Getting lots of rest allows your body to recover on its own


Getting sick is the worst. It's the time when you sit and ponder your life choices and think about what it was like when you were healthy. I love sitting in my bed and watching Netflix! Getting sick during school is the worst if you have a mom like mine who doesn't let me come home unless I'm throwing up. But if you got lucky with a mom who will be at your school in minutes along with Starbucks and food for you then congrats. I'm jealous.

Seasonal Sensation: Gingerbread Houses

One of my favorite things to make around Christmas time is a gingerbread house. I love being able to decorate it by myself and see how everyone else decorated theirs. Anyways, here's a recipe and some extra tips for decorating!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup of butter (room temperature)
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup light molasses
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon ground ginger
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons water

*Preheat oven to 375º F*


Directions:

1. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter, brown sugar, molasses, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and baking soda together. Cream until the mixture is smooth
2. Add the flour and water to make a stiff dough
3. Chill for 30 minutes, or until firm
4. Cut out the following paper patters for your template:
   - 2 rectangles, 3 by 5 inches SIDES OF HOUSE
   - 2 rectangles, 3 by 5 1/2 inches ROOF
   - 2 pieces, 3 in at base, 3 in to roof line, and slated to a peak 5 1/2 in from bottom ENDS

5. Roll gingerbread dough out to edges on a large, rimless cookie sheet
6. Place your templates on the dough, then with a straight-edge knife cut around the patterns
7. Bake at 375 for about 15 minutes until dough feels firm
8. Take pieces out of oven and place patterns on top of ginger bread again

Picture Courtesy of Love This Pic

9. Trim shapes again, then leave on baking sheet to cool



For Royal Icing:

• 1 pound (3 3/4 cups) powdered sugar
• 1-2 large egg whites
• 1 teaspoon almond extract, vanilla or lemon juice


Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients together until smooth and thick enough to be pressed through a pastry bag


Building Your Gingerbread House:

1. Put royal icing into into a pastry bag with writing tip to pipe designs like doors, windows, etc.
2. Let your frosting harden
3. Glue the front, back and sides of the house together using your royal icing
4. Prop up until icing is dry (it should only take a few minutes)
5. Glue the roof on using royal icing and let dry again
6. Decorate how you want using gumdrops, licorice, gum balls, M&M's an etc.
7. Finally, place your house where everyone can see it!


Making gingerbread houses is a fun way to get creative. So make sure you put your own twist on it because that's the point! There are also a lot of different recipes you can look at like Martha Stewarts!

** If you want you can pick the candy off your house once you've had it around long enough but the gingerbread might be too stale to take a bite **
     

All Nighter Study Session Not Working?

During our last week of the quarter, everyone has a final in almost every class. And along with the tests comes a lot of studying. Everyone has their different ways to study but I usually stay up all night the day before a test, and then I study. Not very smart. I know I'm not the only one who does this though, so I found some helpful things to remember during study time.

1. Find a place to study. Not your bed or a couch because it's easier to relax, space-off and fall asleep. So, study at a desk or your kitchen table! Make sure you have everything you need you so don't waste time getting up over and over again.


2. Turn off all distractions. Put your phone on silent, turn off the TV and make sure there aren't a lot of people around you.


3. Flashcards. If you're studying any vocabulary, grab some flashcards and study them whenever you can. If carrying around flashcards doesn't work for you try Quizlet. 


4. Eat healthy snacks while you study. Don't have cookies, chips or soda. Have some fruit and veggies to keep your brain moving.


5. Take breaks every once and a while. No one can study for 2 hours straight and get all the information, so relax and clear your mind. You can go on your phone, go for a walk or watch TV. Your break should only last about 15-20 minutes.

Photo Courtesy Of: Tumblr

I am not a good role model when it comes to studying.... Just remember to study early, don't wait for the night before to study. It's actually been proven that studying the night before results in lower test grades because you might think you know it, but your brain needs more time to sort the information and think about it.

Outfits and Clothing: Fall Essentials

Fall is hear but winter is near! I love this time of year because it's sweater weather, and everyone knows sweater weather is better! I love bundling up when it's cold outside, watching the leaves change color and being able to buy warm drinks at Starbucks. Then the snow comes! Living in Park City, how could you not like the cold weather?! Anyways, here are a few outfits sorted according to your style:

Comfy:

•Aztec Sweater
•Black Leggings or Jeans
• Combat Boots
• Stockings peeking out of your boots

Photo Courtesy of: Fashion Place Face

Simple:

• Flannel
• White or Black cami underneath
• Leggings or Jeans
• Converse


Cute:

•High Waisted Jeans
• Cropped Knit Sweater
• Converse or Combat Boots or Uggs


Laid Back: 

• Oversized Knit Sweater
• Infinity Scarf
• Leggings
• Combat Boots or Uggs or Doc Martens


Girly:

• Skater Skirt
• Crop Top
• Long Cardigan 
• Converse



Which style is most like you? I find myself wearing the laid back look a lot...

There's obviously a lot ways you can change these outfits up, and you might not have everything. IMPROVISE! Make it even more YOU! However, if you were interested in buying any of this stuff, here are some different websites where I like to find my clothes: Pac Sun, and American Eagle  


TIP: When shopping for these things, bring your student ID! A lot of stores offer a 10% discount if you have it with you. And don't be afraid to ask, what's the worst that could happen?