a little something to brighten the mood :)

It's been a little dark lately, eh? And you guys know that we haven't been posting THATHATHTHAT much due to a lot o' stuff...

BUTHERE'SSOMETHINGTHATYOUWILLIKE!

What You'll Need:

• Pointy Pen
• Crayons (a color that you like)
• Paper Cup
• Tape
• Wax
• OPTIONAL - Scented wax
• Wick 
• Knife
• Metal Soup Can
• Stove
• Pot
• Water

Pretty much all of this you can get at your local crafts store (the other stuff you should have lying around)

What To Do:

1. Boil Water
2. Put Wax over Water
3. While that is happening, poke a hole in the bottom of the cup. Tie a knot at the bottom and slip the wick through. Tape up the hole so that no wax will leak out.
4. Put paper towel down
5. Take wax off the water and cut. It should be soft now so it should be easy to cut.
6. Place 4-8 blocks of wax in your can, along with your crayons. They will melt faster if they are in small parts.
7. Put can in boiling water.
8. When everything is melted, pour into the cup. Wait a day or two for it to dry
9. When dry and hard, pull off the paper cup and THERE IS YOUR CANDLE!

Hope you enjoy! Any questions, comments?? Do so below!!

Sandy

Hello everyone, sorry if we haven't posted in a while :| It's been pretty busy at TRDR Headquarters.

We're sending our prayers out to all the people and families affected by Hurricane Sandy. Watching the news every day and putting our hopes out there.

acnefast method...by trdr

how to get rid of acne easy...and fast! the acnefast method (clean, easy, and acnefree) by The Rainy Day Reporter! we will be posting several acnefasts, so you can keep your skin totally beautiful. Follow all these steps to heavenly

clean
the first step of The Rainy Day Reporter's acnefast method is to get a clean, nice face.

1. Wash your face thoroughly. There should be no makeup, powder, and as little oil on your face as possible when you begin this treatment. You may use water and soap, makeup remover, or your facial cleanser to complete this step.

2. Pat dry. DO NOT SCRUB! Scrubbing your face while it's irritated with acne may cause more irritation and redness. Use a soft face towel and dab your face dry.

easy
let's get rid of those pimples! safely & DIY! **If you have an aspirin allergy - DO NOT USE THESE!! Please look for more acnefast updated methods... there are not currently any but we will be adding more soon.**

ingredients: 5 uncoated aspirin pills, distilled water, and 1 tsp organic honey, a mug
what it does: aspirin is an anti-flammatory, meaning it will automatically reduce redness and some irritation on your face. it contains salicylic acid, which is used in most acne products, that cleans your pores and exfoliates your skin. the honey helps keep your skin nice and glowing, while preventing breakouts and reducing flare ups that you have now.

3. Get your mug and drop in the aspirins with enough distilled water to make a pasty texture. Let the aspirin dissolve, mixing if needed. Add the teaspoon of honey to the mixture (or you can use olive oil if you have very very dry skin), and apply as needed!

4. Now wait 7 - 15 minutes, and gently wash off with moderate temperature water (meaning do not use very hot/very cold water to rinse!). Pat dry, and use again in about a week or so if more pimples appear!

5. Moisturize your face. Lock in the beauty & moisture, but don't overdo on the 'strizer, especially if you have oily skin.

acnefree
now that you've gotten rid of this acne, you really want to keep it that way. here's a few things you can do to help:

5. Drink green tea. It's filled with antioxidants and rids your body of a bunch of toxins!
6. Use the clean & easy methods from this post twice a week until the flare ups slow down. Then, use only as needed.
7. A lot of people think---falsely---that more products = less pimples. Absolutely wrong! Try using nothing on your face. If you go natural, don't pick at your face, and drink plenty of water, the pimples will go away faster,
8. A particularly itchy and irritated day for your face? Try a soothing mask! We have several, including the easy-but-helpful yogurt and steam masks, on this site! Search using our search bar and just relax. Let the adrenaline slow, and help yourself to a glass of warm water and a yogurt face.

iOS6 & iPhone5 - Apple's back!

Even after the loss of Steve Jobs (rest in peace, and thank you for changing all of our lives), Apple is still going on strong. The Rainy Day Reporter is here to update you on their newest progress.

iPhone 5 - Apple's iPhone 5 looks pretty similar to the iPhone4S, until you look closely. The screen is longer and the phone is thinner. It comes in two colors each, and the above shows you black and slate. According to Apple: "It's made completely of glass and aluminum." It's also got 4G, and it's coming to your favorite networks: AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint now. It'll also have Apple's free software, iOS6, built in. It's lighter than the 4S and 4 before it and it's faster. The current price range? $199-$399, but TRDR thinks its worth it.

iOS6 - It's free, and can be downloaded onto iPhone3G and after (Although 3G won't get Siri). We've tested it out on our own iTouches & iPhones, and we've got to say...it's pretty cool. A downside? They deleted the YouTube app and Google Maps. A plus side...Apple's got it's own new map program, already installed in. (Psst, you can get those individual apps on the app store, but they aren't the same as the built-in kind Apple deleted.) Panorama camera is now available and it works MUCH better than other apps you can get. Siri's better, too! You have the option of answering a call, reminding you later of a call, or replying with an automatic SMS to the caller. Facebook is now integrated into the system better, so it's easy to share. There's also 'shared photo streams,' which means you basically select photos you want to share and just email/SMS them to certain recipients! So much easier than uploading the photos to your computer or emailing a lot one-by-one. There's also FaceTime over cell networks, letting you FaceTime anytime anywhere. An updated interface for music, app store, iTunes, settings, and mail finishes off the upgrade.

Overall? 2 Thumbs Up!

Ronan

This post is dedicated to Ronan Thompson, a three-year-old little boy who passed away due to neuroblastoma in 2011. Taylor Swift wrote the song 'Ronan' for him after reading his mother's blog post*. She performed the song at the "Stand Up To Cancer" telethon on Friday night. Since then, it has gone viral everywhere.

Rest in Peace, Ronan, and all the other cancer victims. Please pray for the children and adults going through this as well as their loved ones. No one deserves it. Let's find a cure <3 br="br">



*Maya Thompson writes about her son here.

best conditioner for all types of hair!

hey everyone, it's the TRDR Team!(:

Recently I've been searching for the perfect conditioner. I have pin-straight hair that doesn't really ever give me problems, but I still want to make sure it's healthy, shiny, and flowing like those TV commercials! Recently I've come across a really great conditioner for frizzy, dry, straight, curly, healthy, shiny, dull, and every-other-type hair.

Suave Professionals Sleek Shampoo 

In my eyes, it is undoubtedly the best conditioner I've ever tried. On the bottle it claims that it's for 'dry or frizzy hair' but mine is neither and it still nourishes it. In less than a week of using it, my hair is already naturally softer, shinier, and doesn't tangle as easily! Look at that! It's really amazing, and I'm happy with the results. You can purchase it here really cheaply! I recommend this to anyone that's searching for a great conditioner.

Another ShoutOut...

To Gracie, a member of our TRDR Team!
Unfortunately, her dog Higgins passed away this year as well. Please send all your prayers her way. He was a great dog and will really be missed.

trdr reunion

hello everyone!
It's Evy of the TRDR Team. I met with Gracie, the other TRDR author, this week. (: It was a lot of work...but fun! (: We miss her and her little brother a bunch!

Cool crafts (You'll love these!!)

  Ok, so here are a few really cool, really easy crafts that you can do that are really fun and super easy (so you won't have to spend your entire night figuring out what the instructions mean by "connect point A to point B in a cylindrical fashion") <3 nbsp="nbsp" p="p">

Mini Craft Book-- CRAFT 1: A "Dry-erase Paint Chip Calendar" 

How to do this?? Paste the paint chips onto a large white paper or piece of card stock... Place it in a frame and viola!! A simple and wonderful little/large calendar!! <3 nbsp="nbsp" p="p">

Mini Craft Book-- CRAFT 2: A Teapot Placemat

If you have a teapot, and you want to keep it warm-ish, all you have to do is make on of these!! 

*Get a large piece of circular felt (preferably black) and place rocks on it.

*Hot-glue the rocks to the felt -- make sure that they STAY ON and are securely placed!! 

*Put your teapot on your NEW placemat!! <3 nbsp="nbsp" p="p">

Mini Craft Book-- CRAFT 3: A really cute "Get Well Soon" card!!

Ok, this really cute card goes without saying-- "I really like you because I took the time to make this"
And it also says "I am a really cute card"

And I don't think that I need to explain how to make it because it is REALLY simple <3 p="p">

** Thanks to pinterest.com and all of the crafty people out there :P

even hollywood's kids dress well...

Forget Tom Cruise, Beyonce, Brad Pitt, and Jess Alba - what about their kids? Turn your attention to this exclusive UsMagazine article, where the Hollywood kids dominate fashion. Among the divas listed are Suri Cruise, Zahara Jolie-Pitt, and Liam McDermott! 

~ Celebrity News brought to you by The Rainy Day Reporter via UsMagazine

glitterfy.com

What's a fun way to create glitter words? TRDR has got the scoop - the best one we've seen yet is glitterfy.com. It's completely free and lets you personalize the font, size, text, alignment, and sparkle. Here's one that we made just to show you guys:


[Glitterfy.com - *Glitter Words*]

Glitterfy is totally blog-, MySpace-, forum-, and email-compatible. It's fun and definitely easy to use with a bunch of different combinations! You can comment below YOUR Glitterfy creation.

home remedies for teeth whitening

come on everyone...you know you want those beautiful, straight, white smiles on picture day! TRDR has gathered together a couple of popular AND lesser-known teeth whitening techniques. check it out!

1. Baking Soda

One of the most popular ways to whiten your teeth at home.

You'll Need:

• Baking Soda
• Toothbrush
• Water

What To Do:
*WARNING!* This is not for more sensitive teeth. Read all the warnings below before you begin and please follow all instructions with care!

1. First, clean your toothbrush. Make sure there's no leftover food chunks or toothpaste from when you last brushed. I know this sounds gross, but trust me! It's for your own good!
2. Wet your toothbrush and sprinkle a little bit of baking soda on the toothbrush. You can also sprinkle about a teaspoon's worth onto a paper napkin and dip your toothbrush into it.
3. Gently brush your teeth in small circles. DO NOT apply very much pressure, as this might damage your teeth! You want to very gently rub the teeth. The baking soda (Arm & Hammer, preferably) will rub the stains off of your teeth, resulting in whiter and brighter smiles. :)

**Warning**: Make sure you do not use pressure or 'scrub' the teeth! This isn't like normal brushing. Be gentle while still making progress!

Time: It doesn't take very long, and you only have to do it once to see the difference!

2. Bananas for White Teeth!

A lesser-known technique. TRDR found this handy trick on YouTube! All rights to the YouTuber. :)

You'll Need:

• One Banana (only peel is used)
• A cup of water

What To Do:

1. Okay, so all you really need is the peel of the banana! Feel free to eat the banana, but do not throw away the peel.  (You probably want to brush your teeth before using this technique too!)
2. Take a length of the peel and bare your teeth. You'll want to rub the peel ON YOUR TEETH! I know this sounds weird, but it works! Rub the peel over all of your teeth and once you've finished, you can throw/compost the peel.

Time: This process also shouldn't take too long. If you really want shining chompers, you can try this technique twice a week for long-term results.

3. Tough, Tough, and Really Tough Love

This is a common technique, but used TO THE MAX!! 

You'll Need:

• One Lime or Lemon
• Baking Soda
• Toothbrush
• Water
• Small Bowl

What To Do:

*WARNING!* This is not for sensitive teeth! Read all the warnings below before you begin and please follow the instructions with care!

1. This is for really tough teeth...and bad ones too! Lay out a paper towel and shake some baking soda onto it. Then squeeze your lime/lemon until the baking soda makes a pasty texture. 
2. Take your toothbrush and dip it into the pasty mixture until it's on your toothbrush. Brush in small circles.
3. Rinse with water!

**Warning**: This is a very rough & tough tooth remedy! But it whitens tons. Make sure you brush normally with toothpaste after using.

4. Mystery Remedy

I'm not sure if it works! But it sure is a mystery!

You'll Need:

• Whitening Toothpaste

What To Do:

1. This is a mystery remedy. Does it work? Doesn't it? You'll want to take your finger and gently apply toothpaste to each individual tooth, making sure you cover the front of the tooth. Make sure it's got whitening agents in it.
2. Let the toothpaste sit on your teeth for a good 10 -15 minutes before washing off with lukewarm water. Some people say they've seen the results...other's say it's baloney! 

vacation anyone??

i just got back from a WONDERFUL time in Rhode Island! Anyone been there before??
We went (I just sat there and asked for Coke) sailing in Newport and took a cool little side-trip to Boston where we went to Chinatown... Really fun!



Any vacation stories?? Email us them!!

it's been a while...

sorry for the long wait for posts, guys!!
** Just getting used to the new schedule**
Anyone else?? New school, new place, new people, new teachers, new rules, new...  -.-

Yeah, 2nd day -- forgot ID
          3rd day --  forgot money for SLUSHIE
          4th day -- forgot violin
          5th day -- FINALLY remembered EVERYTHING :P


Anyone else?? Come on... Bad picture day or something?? I know I had one (hair sticking up... ugly shirt... bad face) :( Come on, fess up and comment...

<3 nbsp="nbsp">

happy birthday!

Hello, Evy of the TRDR Team here ~

I'd like to give a shoutout to one of the members of the TRDR Team, Gracie. Her mother's birthday is today! Happy birthday! :) Leave your birthday wishes for Gracie's mom in the comments below!

important bulletin

hello everyone! something has recently been brought to our attention--

THERE ARE FAKERS OUT THERE. the rainy day reporter is absolutely flattered, but please do not pretend to be a member of our team if you *are not*. keep an eye out for fakers and please report them for us:

ways you can tell it is the real The Rainy Day Reporter!

• in comments, we ALWAYS post with the TRDR Team account. we have the Blogger symbol next to our username and if you click on our username it will redirect you to our Google profile.
• WE DO NOT HAVE ANOTHER SITE FOR THE RAINY DAY REPORTER. We have a separate blog which you can find here but we do not have a Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or any other social profile ***yet***. The only official TRDR site is right here. ^_^
• only we can answer our emails, of course! if you have any suspicions, please email us here or at our form, which you can access by clicking here!

Thanks :)

contact us :)

Check out our new page (on the left-hand side), called Contact Us. There we have all of our contact information for easy access and an email form! We are currently working out some kinks, so bear with us. ;) Thank you ~ TRDR team

end of summer post

hello, everyone! TRDR team here.

we understand that some of you have already started school (us as well!). are you excited? are you sad? we personally miss summer :) we have so much free time that we can keep TRDR updated! now that school has started, you may see us posting less frequently. but we promise promise promise that we will try! you'll at least see one post a week from us.

we want to hear all about your summer & school days! what'd you do over the summer? are your teachers nice? what classes are you taking? you can also contact us at evyandgracie@gmail.com

until next time Rainy Day Readers :)

stay in school ^.^

pitango gelato

I'm a big fan of frozen dairy treats, and gelato is number two on my list (the first is ice cream). Wherever I travel, I always keep an eye out for a local gelato or ice cream place to try. I was in Washington, D.C. lately and had to try their famous Pitango Gelato place out.

They serve coffee & tea, gelato, sherbet, and frozen yogurt. They are by far my favorite gelato place that I have ever visited, and I've visited a few to be fair. They have many different flavors and you can half-and-half any flavors you want. I tried vanilla chocolate chip (which was extraordinary), and a mixture of the lemon and raspberry sorbet (which was also extraordinary). The texture is not too heavy or light, and it's got the richest flavors. *Psst, the hazelnuts are imported directly from Italy!* Pitango's got a lot of interesting history (their founder was a software engineer who decided to change his ways to make gelato) and it's got amazing customer service. They're also NOW HIRING, if you live in the area!!

I give it 10 of 10 stars. To others, it may seem a bit pricy but the gelato is worth it. The flavors are rich and absolutely phenomenal and I can't wait to go back again. :) I recommend it to anyone -- groups of friends, family members, or just you by yourself.

:) (from yelp.com)

Location: 413 7th St NW     Washington, D.C. 20004     Neighborhood: Penn Quarter

Contact: (202) 885-9607     http://www.pitangogelato.com

Nearest Transit Station: Archives Metro Station (green, yellow)     Gallery Place Chinatown Metro Station (green, red, yellow)        Judiciary Square Metro Station (red)

Hours: Mon - Thu  7 am - 11 pm

Fri  7 am - 12 am

Sat  11 am - 12 am

Sun  11 am - 11 pm

Price Range (on yelp.com's scale): $$

Accepts Credit Cards: yes

Parking: street

Outdoor seating: no

WiFi: free

Wheelchair Accessible: yes

General Rating on yelp.com: 4 1/2 stars (by yelp.com's scale) out of 5

little korea?!

little korea is a fusion restaurant with korean food along with some vietnamese food (Pho). little korea is a local restaurant in New Orleans, Louisiana (3301 S Claiborne Ave, ZIP 70125)

they have a wide selection of wonderful korean food including kimchi, spring rolls, fried dumpling, spicy chicken wing, pork cheese katsu, LA Galbi, jaeyook bok eum, and for the kids they offer kid-sized meals that are completed with rice, miso soup, and mac. salad. :)

The service is OK, but it does take a while for your food to come out...although once you get it, you will realize that that wait was worth it. little korea is very kid friendly, and even plays korean pop music (Kpop!) while you eat.

My rating? 8 out of 10 stars.

I deducted points due to the fact that they might want to mop more, and two dirty tables were just sitting there. The waitress was nice, but almost refused to give my younger brother a spoon.
Overall, I DO recommend Little Korea for a simple lunch with a few friends.



(from yelp.com)

Hours: Mon - Sat  11 am - 8 pm

Good for Groups: yes

Accepts Credit Cards: some

Attire: casual

Price Range (on yelp.com's scale): $$

Good for Kids: yes

Delivery: no

Takeout: yes (but it does take a while)

Waiter Service: yes

Outdoor Seating: no

Alcohol: no

Noise Level: average

Has TV: no (yes but they don't use it)