Amazing Adventures of Emma-Lynn

-Emma-Lynn 
 Ps if your looking for more gift guide inspiration check out this one from Covering the Bases and this one from Classy Girls Wear Pearls 

Midterms are coming and finals may feel like months away but they are really around the corner. Herer are some awesome tips to help you stay focused and study better and improve your grades!

1.  Put your Phone in Another Room 

As the years have gone by and especially as I have gone to college I found myself eating quick things, stuff that is not that great for me. I learned a valuable lesson, quick and easy is not always rewarding in the long term. So I began to try and teach myself new eating habits. This yummy recipe is so delish and fulfilling but is still really great for you!

Ingredients
- 2 tomatoes (plum or Roma)
- 1/2 tablespoon of dried basil flakes
- 1 clove of minced garlic
- three slices of cheese (i use mozzarella but you can experiment)
- Wassa crackers (I use the whole grain ones but feel free to branch)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon of oil

1. start by cutting your tomatoes into chunks. This makes them easier to break down
2. while the tomatoes are on the cutting board add basil, garlic and salt and pepper
3. warm frying pan and add oil
4. add tomato mixture and cook it on a low heat until it reduces... no more chunks
5. grab a pan and put two Wassa crackers in add cheese evenly to both crackers
6. when tomato mixture is done lay it on top of the cheese and crackers and put it into the oven to broil
7. broil until the crackers start to take colour and the cheese melts
8. take out and enjoy!

Hope you like it !

-Emma-Lynn

Whether you're a babysitter or a parent the weather forcing children inside for the fall is a common problem. Personally, I do a lot of babysitting, it helps pay for university and pulls me out of the books for a few hours. But when summer ends the weathers turns ugly I am at a loss at what to do with three kids for four hours. Here are four fall crafts that will get you guys busy and active.

1. Pumpkin Carving
This is great especially for younger ones, you may have to handle the knife and the actual carving bit but they can draw on their designs and dig out the pumpkin guts. Maximum entertainment for the little ones. Just make sure you lay down newspapers and clean up really well.


If you feel like being really creative then after the pumpkins have been gutted you can roast the seeds for a snack for the little kids! Just make sure you handle all the cooking and check for allergies. I usually make them drag over a chair and then they stand and watch. I like this recipe it tastes really good!

2. Photo Shoot
This next idea relies heavily on it not being rainy. Take the kids outside and get them to throw leaves around. Take their picture and you have a little fall photo shoot going on. Try and get them to spin, jump and laugh as those make the best picture. Just make sure that if you are not the parent that you ask them for permission to do so. I usually take picture of all my little babysitting minions and send them as updates to the parents throught the day

3. Scarp book
Grab a cheap photo album and some cool leaves from outside and you will be well on your way to an afternoon of entertainment. If you decide to do the fall photo shoot some of those pictures would look really cool in the album. I usually grab some leaves and write out what the kids are thankful for! It adds a super nice touch.

4. Apple cider
This is really easy if you just want something really simple to do with them! Plus a tasty treat for later. Apple cider makes the whole house smell amazing and gives kids tons to do. Ask them to help you measure out the ingredients and feed them apples while you prepare(get that fruit in) Its tons of fun for all ages. I like this recipe it's super simple !


I am sure there are many things you can do with kids during the fall but these are some easy and cheap ways to keep them occupird. You will be the favourite parent or the best babysitter in the world after these crafts.

-Emma-Lynn

Commuting in Vancouver can be rough... its rough anywhere really. For those of us who live close enough to our respective colleges to not justify staying on campus, it can be an even longer trip. It takes me 2 buses and a train to get to school (which as horrifying as it sounds only works out to be about an hour and ten minutes.) and sometimes I feel like that is wasted study time. Here are some tips to help you maximize the time spent on transit

1. Do your reading
If your class requires you to read a textbook for homework do that on the train. It will kill the dead hours and allow you to get work done while still being productive. It also does not feel like you are doing homework as you are doing something else productive at the same time.

2. Cue Cards
I made cue cards for all of my classes and I carry them in bulldog clips around with me if I need to study. It is remarkably easy to pull them out and do some quick revision on your way to or from school. Here are some of the cue cards I use to study with !

3. Downtime
Sometimes I need to recharge and rest my brain between school and home. At home, I am tasked with the daily mountain of homework that awaits most college students and so often times I will use the train as a bit of a brain break. Relaxing and people watching so I can recharge and start my homework as soon as I get home.

4. Plan
Most time I will whip out my agenda and try and figure out what I need to do with the rest of my day allowing me to plan accordingly and remain organized.

5. Notes
I try and review my notes that I have taken during lectures that day. It allows me to maintain and retain information as well as be better equipped for the next class. However, if you take notes on your laptop this will not work. A notebook is much easier to review with and allows you to keep high-value things in your bag and away from prying eyes.allows your to keep high value things in your bag and away from prying eyes.

For other university woes check out my post on how to be sick in university as well as my post on some essentials that you may need to complete your spot secondary education.

My favourite time of the year is here! Fall has arrived in Vancouver and I am enjoying every minute of it. The colours and warm feelings make me grateful for the change of seasons. In honour of the most awesome time of year (second only to Christmas) I have compiled a list of items that I have seen in my online shopping adventures that I think would be good investments this fall. Enjoy!

The glorious days of fall have returned, bringing pumpkin spice lattes and riding boots but also the uninvited fall cold. Now when I was in high school it was no big deal, take a couple of days off.  It will be easy catch-up... not so much for university. Taking two days off in university can cost you marks and put you seriously behind. Here are some of my tips to help elevate the damage a cold or sickness can do to your marks 

1. Laptop

• You can use any type you want but I prefer sea salt! I grabbed mine from Cosco it really does a good job and doesn't leave your hair feeling funny like regular salt will. Plus it comes with the added bonus of having sea salt on hand for all of your baking and cooking needs. It doesn't break the bank either, which is always a score in my book!

• Your gonna want this water to be pretty warm in order to dissolve the salt. I found that if I used cold I would get chunks of gel and undissolved salt. Having hot water is probably the most important part of this recipe 

• Now, I use one specifically designed for curly hair this helps the hairstyle stay in place and provides a little bit of weight so your hair isn't too voluminous. However as has been mentioned in the past be careful with your proportions Do not be afraid to mess with the amount if you have fine hair or thick hair.  

• A spray bottle will help you evenly distribute the liquid instead of just putting it on in clumps, I got mine at Sallys Beauty Supply for $2 

1. Place 2 tablespoons of hair gel and 3 tablespoons of salt into your container 
2. Fill the bottle up with warm water, though it is wise to leave a little room to allow for the water to move around when you are shaking it!
3. Shake your bottle until the products are dissolved. This step is extremely important! If you have any doubts at all about how dissolved the mixture is kept mixing, if you don't you could end up with clumpy or crunchy hair
4. Spray this liquid gold into your damp hair and scrunch! Get ready to have those beautiful waves