DIY Christmas Gifts

So I found this blog today(thanks to pintrest) with a ton of FABULOUS homemade gift ideas!!  There are 25 gifts ideas.
Here are just a few of the cute things they have tutorials for....

Can't get enough Coffee!

I love coffee so much.  I am struggling right now with the fact that I am dehydrated but only want to drink coffee.  It has been getting a lot colder in Seattle and coffee just makes it better and more manageable :)
Coffee makes my life more comfortable

Back in Seattle; Surprise!!

I know I haven't posted anything for a while but here I am!  I have been so busy with my crazy and unpredictable life.  So, I am back in Seattle after the summer months of thinking I was going to stay in California.  The transition has been difficult but also very good for me.  I am very close with my family and even though it is my junior year, I still have trouble with wanting to be home sometimes.  School is going good.  I am officially living in a house where I pay rent and utilities.  This is a first for me!  The past two years I lived in the dorms and I just paid it all to the school.  My landlord is actually a professor at my school and she is so sweet and there for us when we need anything.  I am living off campus but I am only a four minute walk away which is really nice.  I also have a job on campus.  I work at one of the coffee shops on campus.  I had a hard time when I first started because I didn't know how to work the register and didn't know where anything was.  The person who I had to ask questions to was not helpful and a bit rude so I felt lost.  Now that I know everything it is really fun!  I work at 645 in the morning which I really like because I get off but then have all day for class and studying.  This year is super busy also.  Pretty much when i am not in class or working, I am studying.  It has been good so far and I have been blessed in countless ways since the first day I got here.
A theme that is my focus for me this year is growth.  I have realized that I put too much pressure on myself to be at the finish line before running or even training for the race.  I have been trying to see and be intentional about making small steps of progress each day.  There is no need to wish I was somewhere else or in the future because then I miss out on what is happening right now.  I am blessed where I am at:  Seattle, in College, and currently sitting gin the Student Union Building drinking a delicious pumpkin spice latte and eating a bagel with pumpkin cream cheese.  I promise to update more often!  I haven't forgotten about you all!

Fall Time is my favorite time!

Finally Baking!

It's summer time and I am HOME!
I am still unpacking but it is slowly coming along really well.  I have sooo many clothes!!  Today I got to bake some cupcakes.  I tried one recipe and they turned out awful.  I had to throw all of them away.  I then tried a different recipe and they turned out better then I hoped.  They are lemon cupcakes.  Here is the recipe! 

Cake Batter...  Yumm!

First batch in the oven

Lemon Frosting

Lemon Rind for the top of the cupcakes

This mornings baking playlist!  Lots of country :)

All done!

I used a different recipe for the frosting.  I used a butter cream frosting(butter and powder sugar) and added lemon extract.  I used a ziplock bag to ice the cupcakes.  Just cut the corner off and it works almost as good as the real thing.
I also got an iphone yesterday which has been fun  :)