Homemade Iced Vanilla Latte Recipe

My favorite drink to get from Starbucks is a tall iced vanilla latte. It has just the right amount of coffee and tastes like heaven. Whenever I would try to make an iced coffee at home, I could never get it to taste as good as my go-to Starbucks drink. Recently, I discovered how to make my own iced vanilla latte that tastes just as good as the one from Starbucks. If you're looking for a new drink to try or you love the iced vanilla latte as much as I do, this recipe is for you. Enjoy!

What you'll need:
-Milk
-Regular coffee (not anything flavored)
-Ice
-Vanilla coffee syrup

To Make:
-Fill a large glass with ice (think venti size)
-Brew a small cup of coffee (I took a French Roast k-cup and used the smallest cup size on my Keurig)
-Take 1 1/4 cup of milk and either keep it in the measuring cup or put it in a separate glass. Keep in mind that there has to be room to add the syrup and mix it in without the milk overflowing.
-Add 2 Tbsp. of vanilla syrup to the milk and mix well
-Pour the vanilla/milk mixture over the ice
-Add the coffee until you reach the desired taste
-Enjoy!

Canada Trip 2015

This past week, I attended the Stratford Festival with my best friend Kianna and her family. After months of planning the trip, we finally left Monday afternoon and arrived in Stratford, Ontario Tuesday morning. It was a long six hours in the car that was filled with Disney sing-alongs and trying to fall asleep while driving through construction.

Tuesday was the busiest day. We had two shows scheduled while also trying to unpack and eat. The first show we saw was The Sound of Music. I love the movie version of this and have watched it numerous times. I know all of the songs and I was really excited to see the stage performance. It did not disappoint. All of the actors and actresses were incredible. They hit all of the notes in the songs and the story was beautifully told. They had one main set and then different props were brought in to make it seem like there were multiple rooms around. My favorite part of the performance was the actress who played Maria Von Trapp. I lost my program so I don't remember her name but she was incredible.

The set of Sound of Music 

The second show we saw was Hamlet. I read Hamlet in my Humanities class my senior year of high school. My teacher is obsessed with Hamlet and she passed her love and obsession onto her students, myself included. I've only read a few plays from Shakespeare, but Hamlet is my favorite. I had high expectations going into this show and it was fantastic. The actor who played Hamlet was the perfect choice. He could be moody, angsty, and mad all at the same time. I didn't know whether to love or be annoyed by him. My other favorite character was surprisingly Polonius. He was incredibly sarcastic and fun. He had a few great one-liners and expressions that drew laughs from the audience. Although I would have preferred to see Hamlet first and then The Sound of Music, both were incredible performances.

Summer Bucket List

Summer has officially started for me! Even though I have technically been out of school since May, my family is now on summer break as well. Each year I make a list of things that I would potentially like to do or accomplish this summer. The list consists of little things, like finishing up a book series, to larger things like going on a trip. Summer is my favorite season because it seems like the possibilities are endless! I already have some summer plans but here are some of my "bucket list" items that I hope to accomplish!



1.) Go to Chicago: I live in Michigan so Chicago is about a 2 1/2- 3 hour train ride. I love exploring the city because there always seems to be something new to discover, plus the food is delicious. I want to either take a day trip with some friends or even go for a few days with my family!

2.) Spend an entire day at the beach: Last summer I participated in beach week which is an entire week where the seniors camp out at the beach. My friends and I had such a good time going out to the beach every morning and staying until sunset. I love going to the beach and even though camping out for a week might not be possible, spending a day there with some friends sounds great.

Top Tuesday #2

Let's talk about my top 5 favorite TV shows!

1.) Parks and Recreation 
This show has quickly become one of my favorite shows of all time. I love all of the characters and the story lines. All of the characters are hilarious and I often found myself laughing out loud. Although the hilarity is undeniable, this show also made me cry because there were some really sweet and heartwarming moments. Don't hesitate to start watching Parks and Rec. It is so good and you won't regret it.

2.) Once Upon a Time 
This is my fangirl show. Captain Swan is my favorite ship (couple for those who don't understand what shipping is). OUAT is a show about fairytale characters who get stuck in our world and have to figure out how to live. There is magic and mystery, romance, and a huge emphasis on family. It is so good, especially if you are someone who loves fairytale retellings.

How to Survive Winter

Winter can be a brutal time, especially if you live in the Midwest or on the east coast. Personally, I hate winter. I think the snow is pretty but I hate the cold. Growing up in Michigan, I'm used to harsh winters. Over the years I've found things that I like to do to prepare myself for the polar vortexes that are bound to ensue. These are things that I like to get and that I find essential in trying to make the winter months a little better.

Most Anticipated of 2015

I know that I'm incredibly late at putting this up but I thought I should anyway. These are my most anticipated books, TV shows, movies, and albums that are either being released for the first time or coming back for 2015. I'm so excited about each of these things and I can't wait for them to come out!

Books 
All Fall Down by Ally Carter- January 20
Fairest by Marissa Meyer- January 27
Miss Mayhem by Rachel Hawkins- April 7
A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas- May 5??
The Sword of Summer by Rick Riordan- October 6
Throne of Glass #4 by Sarah J. Maas
P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han
Winter by Marissa Meyer


T.V. Shows
ONCE UPON A TIME- March 1 on ABC
Friends on Netflix

Movies
Cinderella- March
Avengers: Age of Ultron- May
Pitch Perfect 2- May
Pan 
Star Wars 7 - December 15
Paper Towns 

Music
R5's new album
Smoke and Mirrors by Imagine Dragons

5 Tips to Help You Start Second Semester

For many college students, winter break has come to an end and it is time to head back to school. The month off of school was pure bliss compared to the hell that is finals week. There was no homework to complete, no alarms set, and no dining hall food. For me, my second semester started last week Tuesday so I've already had a week of classes. It was hard to get back into the swing of things after not having any responsibilities for a month. Here are some of my tips to help you start the semester off right.

1.) Get a planner
      This one may seem obvious but trust me, a planner is one of the most helpful things you can ever buy for college. Mine is from Vera Bradley and it has a big calendar for the entire month plus places to plan out the week. It has been my life saver since day one of college. I can copy down all of my assignments and social events that I have going on throughout the month. Another tip is to buy colorful pens and color code your classes. My favorites are the marker pens from Paper Mate.

2.) Copy the syllabus into your planner
     In most college classes, the first day you will receive the syllabus that has assignments and due dates for the entire semester.  I'm in four classes this semester and I copied every single assignment from each syllabus into my planner. This helps keep me organized and prepared for class. I just have to look at the date and see what assignments I have due before the next class. It makes staying on top of work very easy.

3.) Take breaks while studying
      It can be hard to get back to school and suddenly have all of this homework and studying that needs to be done. It can be a tedious task that most students dread. My tip is to take short breaks while studying. It will help keep your mind fresh and not feel overloaded with information.

4.) Organize your notes
     Personally I love color coding my notes. My binder and notebook are the same color and stored together on the same shelf. I also love tab dividers to separate notes, handouts, worksheets, and schedules. It will make things so much easier to find when studying.

5.) Grab things you need the night before
     Another obvious tip, but it has saved me when I'm running late for class. The night before, I take    everything that I'll need for class the next day and put it in my backpack. I also fill up my water bottle and charge my phone. It may seem silly but it's definitely worth the extra minutes of sleep I get in the morning.

I hope these tips help you start off your second semester in a good way. It'll take a little bit of time to adjust, but once you're there, it's almost as if you never left campus at all! Have a great second semester everybody!

Winter Break So Far

I have been on winter break for about 2 weeks. I actually finished my finals early so I was able to come home a lot sooner than I expected. So far, my break has been very busy. I've hung out with friends from high school, had holiday parties, finished Christmas shopping, baked cookies, and lots more. Being home for Christmas, I expected to be busy but I didn't realize how busy I would be. Being home is completely different than being away at college. At my school, I am so used to a routine and doing homework that I sometimes forget to have fun and do something that I enjoy. Even though I've been busy during break, I am so thankful for the things that I have been able to do.

Last Thursday, my best friend Parker and I visited our favorite high school English teacher. We brought her coffee and sat and chatted for over an hour. She asked us about life and how our school years were going but then we started talking about what we wanted to do later in life. I brought up that I would love to travel around the world (another thing that I've realized over break is that I want to travel as much as possible). She asked about study abroad opportunities and where I would like to go. As I listed the places, I felt myself grow more and more excited. She and Parker both said to go after it. If it is something that I really want to do, find a way to make it happen.

For the rest of break, I'm focusing on spending time with my family and friends. I love being home and plan to enjoy myself. Break is not going to slow down for me. I have things almost everyday but I plan to make the most of it.

I hope everyone has a great Christmas and a happy New Year!!

LD