March Favorites

March is coming to an end and I cannot believe I survived the most painful month of the year. The quarter ending and having no breaks is nearly impossible to survive through. Because of my excitement, I want to share my favorite things from the month of March.

Photo from
http://www.vans.com

Fashion-
Brass Plum Sweats- I love these sweat pants because they are so comfy you can go to be in them, plus they are so cute that you can wear them to school.
Vans sk8 Hi Shoes- I ordered these shoes and they haven't come yet but I am super excited. I've seen other people with these in black but not white, so I decided to try the white. They lo
ok super cute with just about any outfit.
Music-
Vance Joy-I've talked about this before on my blog, but I absolutely love all of Vance Joy. Playing his radio on Pandora is great music to help you relax a little before bed.
Frank Ocean- He is another great singer with a mixture of a little rap but also contemporary. Beauty-
Clinique High Impact Mascara- Not many people use this mascara and I can't figure out why. It is a great mascara that is natural looking with one coat and you can easily build upon it.
L'Orèal Magic BB Cream- This has great coverage and matches your skin color perfectly.

Food-
Trader Joes- Most places have a Trader Joes nearby, and because Utah just got one, I have been making many visits. Everything there is natural and nothing there ever tastes fake. They have such a wide variety of options there and all of it is incredibly tasty.
Hugo Coffee- Being a basic white girl, I love my Starbucks, but Hugo Coffee is a great place to go to support a local business. Obviously not everyone lives in Park City, UT where Hugo is, but going to any local coffee shop is a great place to get homework done.

Photo from http://pixshark.com/frank-ocean-album-cover.htm

Skincare-
All of the REN products have been working wonders on my skin. I use the Evercalm Gentle Cleansing Milk, Evercalm Global Protection Day Cream, and The Vita Mineral Omega 3 Serum. If you have sensitive or dry skin, I highly suggest these products.
Blogs-
"Just Another Blog"
"Head in the Clouds"
"Beauty Bets"

5 Easy After School Snacks

There are many store bought things to eat after school, but I find it much more fun to make a snack after school. I made every one of these after school to make sure they are super easy and achievable for the average teen.

1) Mac and Cheese-

My Mac and Cheese using
this recipe.

This one has been my go-to after school snack since I learned how to make it in the third grade. This one is a little more time consuming, but if you have time, it is worth it. I'm pretty sure this is the classic recipe, but here is how I've always made it:

Noodles: All you need to do is follow the instructions on your favorite noodles for mac and cheese. Elbow pasta is what I normally do, but penne and shells are also fun and tasty.

Sauce: Start with two tablespoons of butter in a pan. Once that is melted, add the same amount of flour, and quickly add around half a cup of milk. When that thickens, add a little more milk until it is a thick and creamy consistency. Add in shredded cheddar cheese to your liking. Put in the cooked pasta and you have the perfect Mac and Cheese.



2) Apple Sandwiches-

I love making these apple sandwiches because you can personalize them so much. All you do is slice an apple sideways with a hole in the middle where the core is so you have two pieces to act as the bread. Next, add your filling, either peanut butter, cookie butter, Nutella, or whatever sounds best to you. Add chocolate chips, coconut shavings, sprinkles, or keep it plain for the sides! This is fun to experiment with different flavors and decorations.

3) Smoothies-

All ingredients used in my smoothie

I'm sure I'm not the only one who forgets how delicious and healthy smoothies are and never makes them. As I am writing this I am drinking my absolute favorite smoothie, peanut butter banana. I took one banana, ice, a spoonful of Nutella, milk, and a few teaspoons of powdered peanut butter. I blended all of this with milk in my Magic Bullet blender to create a perfect, filling snack.

4) Tuna Melts-

There is only a few simple steps to follow to make some delicious tuna melts in under five minutes. Mix one can of tuna with two tablespoons of mayo. Add 1/2 teaspoon of dill and one stalk of chopped celery and set aside. Heat skillet over medium heat. Butter two slices of bread. Add 1/4 cup of the tea mixture to the unbuttered side of great and top with a slice of American cheese. Top with the other slice of bread, buttered side out. Cook in skillet until golden. Then, turn and cook other side until golden.


5) Quesadillas

You can make this one super simple or super complex, its up to you! If you don't have much time, put two tortillas with shredded cheese in the middle into the microwave for about a minute. If you want to go a little more gourmet, use a skillet with a little butter instead. It doesn't take much longer, but it makes a huge difference. You can add guacamole, salsa, taco sauce or anything you want to personalize this.

These recipes are things my mom always made me or I made up, but if there are some great ideas on the internet. Food Network is a great place to find delicious and easy recipes for after school snacks.

Travel Guide

Over Presidents Week I will be visiting Seattle, Washington for six days and I am planning for my trip. I love traveling, I've been everywhere from Costa Rica and Mexico to Portland and Hawaii. I plan on my job being related to travel, and try to leave my town whenever I get the chance. From all of my travel, I have learned a few things on how to spend your limited time wisely. I hope my tips will help you have the best time on your future vacations.

1) Pre-Plan-

I've been planing for my trip to Seattle for several weeks now because I want to make sure I do everything possible to see the greatest aspects of the city. Trip Advisor is a life savor for pre-planning where you are going to eat, the best tourist attractions, and the little holes in the wall that you would normally not visit. TV Food Network used to have a show called, "Best Thing I Ever Ate" and if you type in Google, "Best Thing I Ever Ate" followed by the city you are visiting. My mom and I were watching that show and ended up going to Portland because of a restaurant featured on the show.

Trip Advisor has everything from restaurant reviews to local's favorites.  Photo from http://www.tripadvisor.com/Tourism-g60878-Seattle_Washington-Vacations.html

2) Find a Reason-

Vacations are always so much more exciting if you have a reason to go. The reason I'm going to Seattle is for the coffee shops and flannels, so my mom and I will have a plan on what to do, making the trip have a purpose. This also makes the "pre plan" part much more exciting. My mom and I had a great experience when I was in fourth grade in Portland, OR. We saw a clip on TV Food Network about a biscuit place in Portland, so we made it a priority to go. I think this makes the experience so much more exciting and you may end up somewhere you love, like I did.

Pine State Biscuts was featured on "
Diners Drive-in's And Dives"
and we ate there as soon as possible. 

We made sure to find the "Keep Portland Weird"
wall while in Downtown Portland

3) Know where you are-

Although this is a vacation and a break from school, it helps a lot to know where in the world you are! Look up the city you're visiting on the map, you will then learn the area, landmarks, and surrounding rivers, lakes etc. This may sound ridiculous but I can guarantee it will make a difference in your trip.

I hope these few simple tips will help with future vacations, because I know it has helped me.