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Winter Life Hacks By: Sinal Patel and

Vanja Zaninovic

1. We all Hate it when your boots are falling down in the shoe closet and creating a

mess. well, using pool noodles will help solve the situation. Just take half of a pool noodle and stick it into the shoe. This will prevent it from falling down.

2. Want to keep your feet warm while still wearing your shoes? Cut out insoles from fabric, preferably wool, and size them to your feet. This is a great way to upcycle old sweaters and fabric, too.

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3. Hate it when your canvas sneakers get wet from snow or even rain? Well, there is an easy solution for this problem. Just take a candle stick and rub it on the sneaker, then take a blow dryer and dry the candle wax. The candle wax will be melted and you will be left with a waterproof shoe.

4.Before you leave, put your mittens over a heating duct so when you put them on, your fingers will be nice and warm. 5. Last but not least, if your house isn’t warm, bake something! Whether it be brownies, cookies, or even cake, bake some treats that are not only yummy, but will also keep your house warm. If your home still isn’t as warm as you prefer, once you’re done baking and you have turned off your oven, leave the oven door open so it could let the hot air out and cool the oven as well. be Careful!

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Hot Chocolate with cookies to dip: 3 recipes you have to make January - arguably the best month of the year. Don’t agree with me? Think

about it: snow, fireplaces, family, food, New Year’s Day, and more. But, one of the best parts of January, is being able to snuggle up next to the fireplace with snow falling outside, Grey’s Anatomy on the laptop in front of you, and a steaming cup of hot chocolate! Here are three recipes you have to make this January! 1. White Hot Chocolate with White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies Ingredients: White Hot Chocolate ~ 4 cups of milk (any type, but I recommend 2%) ~1 teaspoon vanilla extract ~8 oz white chocolate, or 1 cup of white chocolate chips.

- First, you put all the ingredients in a saucepan and stir over medium-low heat. - Keep mixing until all the chocolate is melted, but watch out so it does not burn. - Once melted, turn off the heat, let it cool, and serve with marshmallows or

whipped cream. White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies ~1 cup of butter, softened ~¾ cup light brown sugar ~ ½ cup white sugar ~2 eggs ~½ teaspoon vanilla extract ~½ teaspoon almond extract ~2 ½ cups all purpose flour ~1 teaspoon baking soda ~½ teaspoon salt ~1 cup coarsely chopped macadamia nuts ~1 cup white chocolate chips

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- First, beat together the butter and the brown/white sugars. - Slowly add the eggs and the two extracts. - In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually mix it

into the butter mixture. - Lastly, fold in your chocolate chips and your nuts. - Bake in a 350°F oven for 8-12 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp on the

outside. 2. Hazelnut Hot Chocolate with Chocolate Dipped Sugar Cookies. Hazelnut Hot Chocolate *I actually made this recipe when I was very young, and it is quite possibly the best one I’ve ever made!* Ingredients ~2 cups of milk ~½ cup Nutella

- First, you measure out your milk in a cup or saucepan. - Add your Nutella and mix with a fork until most of the chocolate has dissolved. - Heat the mixture either for 2 minutes in the microwave, in thirty second intervals-

or on the stove for around 5-8 minutes, stirring constantly. Chocolate Dipped Sugar Cookies ~ 2 ¾ cup all purpose flour ~1 teaspoon baking soda ~½ teaspoon baking powder ~1 cup butter, softened ~1 ½ cup white sugar ~1 egg ~1 teaspoon vanilla extract

- First, cream the butter and the sugar. - Beat in the egg and vanilla. - Gradually, add in the dry ingredients. - Bake in a 375°F oven for about 8-10 minutes or until it is light brown and stiff. - While they cool, melt your chocolate in 30-second intervals in the microwave. - Once cooled, dip half of a cookie in the melted chocolate and let it harden in the

refrigerator. Serve with hot chocolate.

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3. Peppermint Hot Chocolate with Dark Chocolate Fudge Cookies Ingredients Peppermint Hot Chocolate *This is one of my favorite recipes for Christmas time, and it goes perfectly with a movie and a snowy night!* ~ 2 cups of milk

~ ⅔ cup dark chocolate chips ~ 1-2 candy canes

- In a saucepan, heat your milk and chocolate chips on medium low until they are melted and everything is combined.

- Turn the heat down and stir in the candy canes until they either dissolve a little, or the flavor is to your liking.

- Serve hot chocolate with whipped cream or marshmallows Dark Chocolate Fudge Cookies ~1 cup salted butter, softened ~ 1 ½ cup white sugar ~ 2 teaspoons vanilla ~ 2 eggs ~3 tablespoons of strong, black coffee ~2 ⅔ cup all purpose flour ~½ cup cocoa powder ~½ teaspoon baking soda ~½ teaspoon salt ~ 2 cups of dark chocolate chips

- First, beat together butter, vanilla, and sugar. Incorporate the eggs, one at a time. - In a separate bowl, mix together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. - Stir the butter mixture with the dry ingredients together, slowly. Add the coffee

every so often, in between the flour. - Fold in the chocolate chips. - Bake in 350°F oven for about 8-10 minutes and cool. Serve with the hot

chocolate.

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A Winter Story BY: Rosamargot Chang

Ever since that sad December twenty-five years ago, Melanie’s hometown has not seen snow. Only some knew the feeling of being outside

and touching that rich, white, and powdery gift of nature called snow. Many may wonder what happened to the snow and if it will ever come back, but that question is yet to be answered. Melanie lies in her bed on a Saturday morning wondering about this topic. Melanie was a sweet high school girl, and she had a very large interest in finding the truth that lies within this mystery; she also had no clue what she was doing with her life. She put off most of her studies to research about the mystery and was below average in all her classes because of this. She came across a couple of useful books that could possibly be helpful in her research and decided to head to the library.

“We have rain, thunder, hail, and dust storms. Why can't we ever have snowstorms though?” thought Melanie in her head as she walked to the library. Her head high and hands in her pockets, she knew there was an answer to her question. Melanie reached the library and slowly entered. She asked the librarian , Mrs. Sean, if she could help her find a couple of specific novels. Mrs. Sean was 64-year-old woman who counted down the days until her retirement came. She hated her job, children, and most people. “I'm on break, kid, and I can't help you. It's not worth it anyway since there hasn't been snow since I was in my late thirties,” explained Mrs. Sean before entering the break room. Melanie, definable, wasn’t going to receive help from this old woman, so she had to do something else. She decided to stay until closing time at the library and search every single shelve herself. She searched the shelves for what seemed like 48 hours until she finally found something. It was a newspaper that was titled, “MAN CLAIMS TO HAVE SOLVED SNOW MYSTERY .” It was from the

WEEKLY CITY REPORT and it was dated January 22nd, 1992. The article explained about how a man named Oscar Theodore believed that he

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had the answer to the snow mystery. He was arrested for trespassing through the mayor's office just to tell him about his theory. “If I can find him on the city’s directory, then maybe he’s still alive and he can help me!” thought Melanie with an excited voice in her head. She then searched for the city’s address book and instantly found him. The library’s closing time hit her and she was rudely kicked out by the janitor. She took a taxi home since it was getting dark, and she was afraid to walk alone. The next day she came back from school with high hopes. Using her phone and a map, she walked and made her way to the Theodore household. She reached the house rather quickly since it was surprisingly only five blocks away from her home. She knocked twice on the door and waited patiently. She knocked again, and there was no answer. She waited about ten minutes before a shaggy old man answered her call with a cane in his hand. “Hello young lady. How can I help you?” he answered. Melanie quickly explained to the man that she had gotten his information from the newspaper archive at the library and wanted to speak to him about the snow mystery. He let her in, and they spoke for a while. The man explained to her that he believed that a curse was put on the city and this was the blame for the sudden disappearance of the the snow. He said that he lived through his early years with all the snow he could ask for. Everyone in the town was happy about the snow but one man. “Brandon Cavalier was his name, and he had a serious problem with snow. He absolutely hated every grain of it because it caused his disability. As a kid, he loved snow so much, but then he suffered from an accident which caused him to never be able to move his legs again. Since then, he was stuck in a wheelchair for the rest of his life,” explained the old man. He then continued to explain that Brandon didn't like the fact that he couldn't enjoy snow anymore, so he made it disappear forever. He put a curse on the city using dark magic that

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messed with time, weather, and Mother Nature. As the man continued to explain, Melanie gave him her feedback on his thoughts, and they decided to go somewhere. She and the old man took off to the cemetery where Brandon was buried two years ago. The man believed that the open spellbook (which he had seen before) that lied next to his tombstone could be their solution. They reached his tomb and analyzed the book for clues. They found a chapter that seemed helpful. The small chapter read:

How To Reverse Any Spell: Made a mistake or took matters that you regret? Don't worry, and use this helpful spell that can reverse any spell in the world. No wand or dark magic required! SPELL: Mistakes tragic all for all end this darn spell once and for all! Melanie and the old man recited the spell three times until it

finally worked. It was winter, so the snow fit right in with the weather. There, in front of their eyes, was a rich powder called snow, slowly falling from the sky and gracing their hands with its magical mist. It was a beautiful type of weather that gently coated the city in a white blanket as time passed. Soon all residents of the city realized what was going on and tried to find an explanation for the sudden return of snow. News reporters came to the town, and this snow miracle was all over the headlines since it was so bizarre. Melanie and the old man became world famous because of their achievements. They then went on to become a scientific duo that solved more mysteries after that. They moved out of the city and no one knew where to find them.

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LA LA LAND MOVIE REVIEW BY SEUN OLANREWAJU

Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone star in what critics are calling “the

must-see movie of the season”- Owen Gleiberman, and a movie that “has the potential to make lovers of us all”- Stephanie Zacharek. This romantic drama shows the tale of two artists who were drawn together by their desire and passion of the arts. Along their way to reaching their dreams, Sebastion (Ryan Gosling) and Mia (Emma Stone) are faced with challenges that may threaten their relationships. Maintaining their goals, they worked hard to achieve, and continuing their love affair will be a challenge if they are willing to work for it.

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5 fun diys for your bedroom By Tobi Olanrewaju Pinterest inspired

1. Diy Gold foil letter Supplies: Wooden letter, paint any color of your choice, tape, and

gold paint. Directions: Get your wooden letter and put tape across the letter or any other way you desire. Get the colored paint and paint one side of your letter. Take the tape off and paint the other side with the gold paint. You can add glitter and other decorations to make it Fancier!

2. Money saver jar Supplies: WOoden palette, Mason jars...your choice in color, mini chalkboard and chalk, twine, acrylic paint...your color in choice,paintbrush, glue gun and glue stick DIrections: grab your wooden palette and paint it the color you chose. GLue the mason jar and chalkboard to the palette( look at picture to see the placement). Put the twine around the neck of all of the mason jars. On the three mini chalkboards, write “spend” “give” and “Save”.

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3. Picture wall Supplies: lights, pictures. Close pins, and hooks Directions: get the lights and hang pictures on it with close pins. Put hooks in your wall and hang the lights

on them. 4. Mini teepee Supplies: any type of string, regular bed sheet, and wooden dowels Directions: Double the wooden dowels to make five long ones. Shape the dowels to spread out and when done, try to put the dowels together and tie them with your string extra tight. Put your blanket around the poles and tie it tightly with your yarn. Tuck the edges into the pole and decorate the inside with whatever you want. 5. Clay jewelry holders Supplies: Gold marker and Clay...any color or colors of your choice Directions: make the clay into a bowl shape. Follow the directions on how to harden the clay in your oven. When the clay is hardened, get your gold marker and put a gold rim on the lip of your bowl. Put jewelry, rings or anything else to hold.

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January Fun Facts

By: Amelia Siczek

1. On average, January is the coldest month of the whole year.

2.Garnet is the gem of January, and the flower of January is a carnation.

3. January is full of events including Baking Month, Oatmeal Month, and Mentoring Month.

4.The only Shakespeare plays that mention the month of January are Much Ado About Nothing and Winter’s

Tale . 5.January 1st is both the closest and furthest day

away to December 31st!

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6.In the United States, January is considered National Soup Month and National Hobby Month.

7. At midnight on January 1st, 2,000 pounds of confetti are dropped on the crowd in Times Square to celebrate the New Year.

8.The “ball” that drops in Times Square when counting down the seconds until midnight (January 1st), weighs 1,000 pounds. It is also made from Waterford Crystals and has 9,000 LED lights to light it up.

9.While beginning to celebrate the New Year, starting on January 1st, about one billion people watch the ball drop in Times Square on television.

Bonus Joke: Q:What do you get when you cross a snowman with a vampire?

A:Frostbite!

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˅ Valentine’s Day Crafts˅ BY: Amrit Kaur and Alexandra Bartoszek Me + You Tree: Materials: ➔ Fire Wood ➔Utility Knife ➔Heart Stencil ➔Sandpaper ➔Woodburning tool ➔Saw Directions: ➔Choose a piece of firewood. If the

bark is falling off very easily, it will be hard to carve your heart. Cut the bottom (and top if you want) with a saw to make a flat base.

➔ Lay the heart stencil on the log and start tracing it with the utility knife. Try to push as far deep as you could to make the heart’s shape easier to cut out.

➔Use the utility knife to chip away the bark. ➔Use the wood burning tool to draw whatever you want in the heart. ➔Show it off at your Valentine’s Day party or gift it to your special

someone. (Use caution with all tools.)

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Love Potion Bath Bombs: Materials:

■ Baking Soda ■ Citric Acid ■ Fine Epsom Salts ■ Jojoba Oil ■ Love Potion Essential Oil ■ red food coloring ■ Witch hazel ■ Mesh strainer ■ Spray bottle ■ Silicone heart mold ■ Plastic gloves

Directions: ➔Place a mesh strainer over a large

bowl and pour in 1 cup of baking soda, 1/2 cup citric acid and 1/4 cup of fine epsom salts. Sift to remove any lumps.

➔ If you’re unable to find fine epsom salt, put it in a food processor or blender and pulse until fine.

➔Stir baking soda, citric acid and epsom salts until well blended, making sure there are no lumps.

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➔Next, slowly add 1/2 tablespoon of jojoba oil to the dry mixture. Add 10 drops of Love Potion essential oil and 1 to 2 drops of food coloring.

➔Wearing plastic gloves, mix the oils and food coloring through the dry mixture until it is well incorporated and pink.

➔Once the mixture is blended, slowly add witch hazel, one spritz at a time, until the bath bomb mixture sticks together when squeezed.

➔You’ll need about 8 to 10 spritzes of witch hazel to get the right consistency. The mixture should not be crumbly. It should stick together when squeezed, but you don’t want it too wet or it may begin to fizz.

➔Pack the slightly damp mixture tightly into the heart shape molds. Be sure to pack the mixture well, fitting in as much as possible into each mold. (This recipe should make 5 to 6 heart-shaped bath bombs.)

➔Allow to dry for several hours, or ideally overnight, then remove the homemade bath bombs from the molds.

➔They should be very hard when you remove them from the molds. Wrap bath bombs tightly in plastic wrap and store in a cool, dry place, away from any moisture.

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Materials: ● A clean and empty jar ● Valentine's Day M&Ms ● Ribbon ● Glue ● Paper (optional) ● Red/Pink Marker (optional) Directions: 1. Take your jar and clean it, if you haven’t already. Let it dry completely. 2. Take your M&Ms and separate them by color. 3. Going one color at a time, pour the M&Ms in any order you want. (Use the

picture for reference.) 4. Once your jar is mostly full, close it. Then take a Valentine’s Day ribbon

and tie it around the lid. Knot the ribbon into a bow. 5. If you’d like, cut out a piece of paper that can fit on top of the lid. 6. Using the red/pink marker, write a message to the person you want to

give the jar to. 7. Glue the paper to the lid. 8. Give it to someone special on Valentine’s Day!

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Top 5 Songs on iTunes 1. Shape of You - Ed Sheeran

2. Bad and Boujee - Migos featuring Lil Uzi Vert

3. Black Beatles - Rae Sremmurd featuring Gucci Mane

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4. Starboy - The Weeknd featuring Daft Punk

5. Closer - The Chainsmokers featuring Halsey

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10 Facts About February An Article Written By Mackenzie Bruce

1. February was added to the Roman Calendar in 713 B.C.

2. February is the third month of the winter.

3. The birthstone is amethyst, the flowers are Iris or Violet, and

the zodiac signs are Aquarius and Pisces.

4. February is National Pet Dental Health Month and National Bird

Feeding Month.

5. The month is named after a spring cleaning ritual, called februa

6. February is the shortest month of the year, having only 28

days, and 29 on leap year (Which occurs every 4 years).

7. February had as little as 23 days in the Roman times.

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Be a part of quote of the month! Think of a quote and write it down, then submit it to Mrs. White or Mrs. Buffa and maybe you will be the lucky person to have your quote be included in next month’s edition of the Crusaders

Chronicles Newsletter! * Please submit quotes that you thought of yourself!!! * If you choose to submit a quote created by someone else please submit your name and the name of the original author!!! * Include your first name and last name on any quotes that you submit!!!

HAVE FUN!

Til’ Next Time at Crusader

Chronicles ... Editors: Fatema Ahmed and Nishat Ahmed

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