My Florida Packing List

I am so excited to finally be in Florida! I missed the sunshine, warmth, and happiness that comes from it not being winter. I love that I get to go to the same place every time, since I always know exactly what to bring. 

I have packed so many bright, spring colors for this trip! I can't go to Florida without bringing something (or multiple things) from Lilly Pulitzer. I mentioned in my spring break wishlist (here) how I really wanted the striped swimsuit from J. Crew. I ended up getting it a while ago and I have been dying to wear it. I know one of the first things that I'll do is hit the beach!

The main thought process that when into what to bring was just to pick out my favorite spring/summer clothes and make outfits from there. I have been so excited to go to Florida that I decided on what to bring in early March!

I didn't realized until after I had made this image that almost everything I am bringing is blue and white. When looking at my suitcase overall, I think that there are only two things that don't follow this pattern. Oh well, at least I know I will always match!

Where are/were you for Spring Break?

xoxo,

Maddie

What I Learned from Playing Soccer

My last season of playing soccer started last Monday, so in honor of that I have decided to share what I have learned over the past 13 years of playing soccer. There have been so many ups and downs for me with soccer that it has been one of the biggest influences in my life in terms of the person I have become. 

| Hard work |
For as long as I have played soccer, it has never been easy for me to do well. I have always had to fight for my position on a team, and many times it didn't work out how I would have liked it. Having to work like this for soccer and made me realized how important it is. When I tried out for soccer my freshman year, I had a senior pushing me to work hard so I could make varsity, long story short, I put in a ton a work and made the team. This was the defining moment for me in learning that hard work pays off and I will forever be thankful for that lesson.

| Leadership |
This year I was named the captain for my team and it is accumulation of the last for years that taught me what it takes to be a leader. The best thing about high school sports is that once you aren't a freshman, you can help lead the team. For me, since I sat the bench most of the time, I became a leader in how I pumped up people for the game, and I was the person who cheered them up after a bad time. Doing this earned me the title of "bench captain" and more importantly it taught me that anyone can lead, no matter what their position in the situation is. 

| How to deal with Conflict |
I feel like anytime you put 20 girls together, there is bound to be drama. Being a on a team sport showed me how to avoid the drama when possible. Mainly this means picking the right people to hang out with, and when you see trouble coming, leave. My team is known for having issues, but this has let me learn the right times to help fix the problem, and the right time to avoid any involvement. 

| Time Management |
High school sports take up a lot of time, and when added to homework, it means you barely have time to breathe. Soccer made me learn quickly how to budget my time so I could do my homework, play soccer, participate in team events, and still have time to relax. I was able to figure out that if I make a lot of to-do lists, use my agenda, and then willing ask people to help me, that I would balance everything that needed to be done. 

I feel like anyone who has ever played sports can understand that they teach you a lot more about life, than just how to kick a ball. Soccer has helped me develop into the person I am today, and it is a sad thing to think that this is my last season playing. 

How have sports impacted your life?

xoxo,

Maddie

Thursday Three

It was a good but long week. I was able to visit my grandparents who just got back from Africa with my mom. I always have so much fun on our trips. Really what made is week long is that I leave for Florida tomorrow! The weather in Wisconsin is quite unenjoyable so I can't wait for sunshine and wearing shorts. Here was my week:

|1|

 The mall near my grandparents is my favorite one ever. It is all outdoors and has my favorite stores: VV, J. Crew, Nordstroms, Madwell, etc. It is a great change of pace from the stores where I live (they are all trashy) and I love being able to window shop outside. I didn't buy anything, but that is only because I am waiting for the shopping next week!

|2|

What is life without Girl Scout cookies? I am not prepared to know. I love when they come, it is almost like a holiday. My favorite flavors are Caramel DeLites, Thin Mints and Peanut Butter Patties. One crazy reason I am excited for college is so I can actually have Peanut Butter Patties. No one else in my family likes them, so there is no point in buying them.

|3|

A good portion of this week has been dedicated to getting ready to go on spring break. I have been so busy with school and soccer that I have only had about an hour a day to get ready for being away for 10 days. With that being said, I have loved getting to pack and organize my carry on and suitcase. I have a weird love of making packing lists, so you can bet on there being a post of what I am bringing on the blog soon!

How was your week?

xoxo,

Maddie

Winter Favorites

| Nail Polish | Vest | Lotion | Boots | Peanut Butter | Mascara | Coffee | Perfume |

    Finally it's spring! It is weird to think that this was my last winter at home, but at the same time I am excited to experience it somewhere new. This winter I came to really like a lot of things that I used to dislike, or was indifferent about. I also got some new stuff, the bean boots and vest, that I wore almost all of the winter. 

    I really used to dislike peanut butter and coffee, but this winter I fell in love. I had only like "fancy" coffee drinks, but now I drink it in any form. I don't think there has been a morning where I haven't had coffee with my breakfast. I also have found myself spending way too much money going to local coffee shops with my friends! In terms of peanut butter, I was always that kid who's PB&J sandwiches were more jelly than peanut butter. Somehow this winter I started eating peanut butter again, and now I want it all of the time. My favorite way to eat it is with bananas or graham crackers. 

     Overall, I had a great winter and it was so fun to try some new things, like navy nail polish. I am so excited to see what spring brings (I know it will be a lot) and I hope to be able to make the most of it!

How was your winter?

xoxo,

Maddie

What's in my Carry On?

| Book | Backpack | Candy | Cliff Bar | Gum | Water | Earbuds | Swimsuit | Portable Charger | Sweatshirt | hair tie | Lip Balm | 

     I love traveling, especially by airplane. I easily get carsick, so I feel better all-around when I go by plane. The most important way to make sure that your travel is enjoyable is to make sure your carry on has everything necessary. I typically bring almost the same things every time which makes it really easy to pack. 

     For me, the most important things are gum, reading material, and a charger. The gum helps with my ears during takeoff and landing, and I like to use the time on the plane to catch up with whatever I am reading. By bringing a portable charger along, it is great to charge your phone while you fly so that once landed, your phone is ready to go. Clothing wise, if I am going to Florida, I bring a swimsuit so that if my luggage is lost, I can still enjoy the vacation. I also pack a sweatshirt because I tend to find that airplanes are a little chilly. 

    Finally, in terms of food I like to bring gum, a chewy candy, possibly a granola bar, and then I pick up water once I go through security. The gum and candy are both for when my ears feel weird during takeoff and landing. I get the water so that once on the plane, I don't need to ask for anything. Only sometimes do I bring a granola bar. It is typically for the flights that go over a meal time.

     I tried to link exactly what will be coming with me on my flight to Florida. I am so excited to be going that I am counting down the days!

Is there anything you think I missed?

xoxo,

Maddie

Thursday Three

|1|

One of my closest friends won state for basketball. It was so fun to get to watch her play. What was annoying was that players weren't allowed to see fans after the game, so everyone had to drive back to the high school in order to take pictures. Even with that, It was still so cool to be able to see her win.

|2|

I have had this Shep Shirt sitting on my dresser all week, waiting to wear it tomorrow. I really have no idea of why I am so excited to wear it, but my guess is that it's because I have had to wait almost two months to wear it to school. Did you see Tuesday's outfit post involving this shep shirt? If not, check it out!

|3|

Trying a new coffee shop is always one of my favorite things. This place was kind of weird, but awesome at the same time. It was really tiny which allowed for a very intimate feeling. I had a blueberry muffin and a Chocolate Macadamia Nut Mocha. Both were really good so I am glad I got to try a new place.

How was your week?

xoxo,

Maddie

Prep'd For St. Patty's

| Shep Shirt (On Sale!) | Jeans | Sperrys |

I got this Shep Shirt when I was in Milwaukee in January on major sale. The color caught my eye and I just had to have it! Once I got home and was mentally thinking how I could wear it, I realized that the green would be perfect for St. Patty's. I have purposely not worn it to school yet, just so the first time would be this Friday. I really like dressing up for holiday's in terms of wearing the day's color. I haven't really had anything green to wear in the past, so I am super excited to have this Shep Shirt for the occasion. 

How do you celebrate St. Patty's?

xoxo,

Maddie

Pretending It's Spring

All that I have been wanting to do recently is wear my spring clothes. I thought that would be a great idea until I looked out my window and remembered the snow. So instead of a spring outfit, here is an outfit for when you want it to be spring, but you live in Wisconsin. 

| Jeans | Shirt | Jacket | Shoes |

     I am so ready to wear my spring clothes, but I don't think that will be happening anytime soon, so I have been trying to incorporate individual items into my outfits. One of the best ways to do that is to wear white jeans. Yes, I know there is a "rule" about wearing jeans only after Memorial Day, but really who cares? Since they are long pants, it is a perfect way to be warm in spring clothes!

     I really like J Crew's three quarter t-shirts as well for this kind of outfit. You can throw a sweater on if it is a little chilly, but if it is around 40 degrees the length is perfect! 

Check out A Preppy Brunette's outfit!

xoxo,

Maddie

Thursday Three

This has been a pretty typical week, but some fun things have happened. I managed to find a prom dress(!) that I am pretty happy with. I will keep looking though. I also did really well on an Calc test, so if nothing else that I working out for me right now. Here is what else happened this week:

|1|

Having coffee every morning is my favorite way to start the day. I love waking up to a warm drink, but I do have a bit of a sweet tooth. I tried some samples of this coffee syrup brand a while back, and I liked it so much that I got a couple more flavors! Pretty much every day this past week I have been waking up with a new flavor!

|2|

My sister and I don't always do things with each other, but we decided last week to go out for breakfast together. It was really nice to be able to catch up with her as we are both so busy. It sucked that the food I had (cinnamon raisin french toast) wasn't very good, but at least the company was so that's all that matters.

|3|

I feel like I have been studying almost all of the time for my AP tests. Really that isn't true, but a half hour a night is really adding up and making me tired of it. What is nice about it is that I finished reading through three of the books, so I have less and less that I have to be doing. Speaking of this, did you see my study tips here?

How was your week?

xoxo,

Maddie

AP Test Studying Tips

It is two months away from AP testing and I feel that I have taken enough in the past to share my studying tips. My sophomore year I really struggled finding ways to study outside of class, but I feel like I know what I am doing by now. I am taking 5 tests this year, so I have definitely been using these ideas for studying. 

 |1| Actually Study

What a crazy idea, I know. Unless you are the type of person who remembers everything, I would really recommend studying for the test. It is so hard to remember what you learned in the beginning of the year that doing so will refresh your memory. 

|2| Use an AP Study Book

I really like using an AP Study book for review. I have used both of the main brands (Barron and Princeton Review) and I have found that there is not a big difference between the two. They both are really great for content review, with questions after each chapter. 

|3| Flashcards

I love flashcards for studying. They help so much, especially if there is a lot of terms to remember in classes such as AP Psych. I would recommend finding some on Quizlet. That way you don't have to purchase anything, but can use a ton of flashcards. 

|4| Practice Multiple Choice

Multiple choice isn't the hard part of tests for me, but I think that is because I practice it enough to know exactly what I will be seeing. You don't have to go crazy and take the whole test (but you definitely can) but I fully recommend taking practice MC questions so you know what to expect. 

|5| Know Your Timing

This is probably the most important part since you don't want to be half way through the test when time is up. When you practice any multiple choice or essay writing, make sure to time yourself so you know how you're doing. If you find you are too slow, try speeding up a little bit until you can take the test within the correct time frame.

Good Luck on any tests!

xoxo,

Maddie

Current Favorite Outfit

| Shirt (different color) | Vest | Jeans | Shoes | Necklace |

    I haven't been doing any monthly favorites this year so far, mainly because I haven't been getting anything new. What I have been loving recently is pretty much represented in this outfit. Every single day I wear my necklace from Kendra Scott, it kind of has become my signature. I also have found myself wearing my vest almost every week since Christmas. It is warm enough to keep me comfortable during the school day! 

     If I could wear this outfit, or one similar to it every day, I would. This is my  go-to outfit for school, church, and a casual brunch. It is comfortable, cute and easy to put together. 

What is your go-to outfit?

xoxo,

Maddie

Thursday Three

This week didn't really go as planned but it still turned out to be pretty nice. Originally I was supposed to visit a college in Minnesota last weekend, but due to a major snow storm my parents decided not to go. The biggest disappointment in that was I didn't get to miss Physics class on Friday, but if that is the worst thing about the weekend, it was okay. Here was the rest of the week:

|1|

The stars aligned this week for me. Doughnuts are my favorite food, Mardi Gras was Tuesday, and I didn't have school that day because of ACT testing for juniors. What did I decided to do? Only go to every bakery around me, buy a doughnut and test them all to find the best one! I did this with a friend and it was the best way to spend Mardi Gras. 

|2|

The main reason I love summer is because it is berry season, but this winter I have really been loving eating citrus. Clementine's are my favorite citrus to eat. I love to eat them with lunch. This weekend I tried Kumquats, and boy are they weird. They are sweet and sour at the same time to the point that  I don't know if I love or hate them

|3|

March isn't exactly what I think about when I think of a time for a snow storm but oh well. We got six inches on snow on Wednesday. It was crazy, when I went home for lunch I almost got into 2 accidents due to the road conditions. I legitimately considered staying home for the rest of the day to avoid driving. Let's just say I am hoping "In like a lion, out like a lamb" holds true for this March. 

How was your week?

xoxo,

Maddie