Graduation Dresses

I can't believe I graduation in a month! This year has gone so quickly that its hard to imagine it's almost over. I have had my dress for graduation since last summer and its been hanging in my closet with a sign around it telling me not to wear it. I know most people don't have their dress yet so I found some of my favorites.

| Seersucker | White Shift | Pink Shift | Pink Fit and Flare | White Lace | Floral  | Tie Sleeve  |Multi Color |

I know some schools make it mandatory that girls wear white dresses, but mine doesn't since our robes are navy blue. My dress is really similar to one of the above, and I can't wait to show it to you all! Of these dresses, I really like the pink Lilly Pulitzer dress as well as the white lace dress. I have always loved seeing pictures of what others wear for graduation so I would love to hear what you are wearing!

xoxo,

Maddie

Thursday Three

This week can be summed up in two words: College Decision. This week has been dedicated to visiting my two remaining choices with the knowledge that I have to pick one. It's hard since the school I want to go to, I can't afford, so both of these weren't part of my plan. Either way, next Tuesday you'll see where I picked! Here was my week:

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The first part of my week was spent at Miami University (OH). I went to an admitted student day and hung out around campus to get a feel for it. I spent part of one day hanging out at coffee shop studying, and the other was spent in the student center doing the same thing.

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Yesterday was spent at University of Wisconsin, Madison. I've spent time at Madison before, but this whole trip was about feeling what it would be like as a student. I spent the day with my cousin, studying and doing what she would in a day. 

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This spring weather has been making me want iced coffee all of the time. There was one day this week I got some three times (oops). I love that the local coffee shops are getting ready for outdoor seating. This one is right on the river. It was so nice to sit outside and people/dog watch.

What did you do this week?

xoxo,

Maddie

Lush Cup O' Coffee Face Mask: The Review

*via

What is it? 

I have always bought my sister things from Lush, but rarely have I gotten anything for myself. Last time I was there, I decided to pick up the Cop O' Coffee Face Mask. I had never used any sort of face mask before, but this smelled so good that I had to try it. 

How was it?

    First of all, when it says coffee, it means coffee. Opening the container smells just like a fresh cup of coffee. Throughout the paste there are coffee grounds. These grounds make it so there is some exfoliation when you rub it off. Right away, it is safe to say that if you don't like coffee, then this isn't the mask for you.

     I was sure if anything would happen once the mask was on. What did occur, what that I felt it harden on my face which was a surprising good feeling. There was definitely some tingling happening, but it wasn't anything uncomfortable. Taking off the mask proved to be harder than I thought, mainly because the coffee grounds were sticking to my face. This did result in some exfoliated skin. (not a bad thing)

     The end result was surprisingly nice. I was skeptical that anything would happen. I don't think that my skin was more awake, but it wasn't tired to begin with since I had been awake for three hours. What did happen was my skin tightened up and it was smoother. I also feel like the smaller acne on my face diminished, but that could just be wishful thinking. 

    Overall, I would recommend this face mask. It worked a lot better than I was expecting it to. I also really liked the coffee smell that surrounded me when I wore it. It seemed to do the job and the addition of the coffee grounds made it extra special. 

Have you ever used a face mask? Which one?

xoxo,

Maddie

This review was written on my own accord and is in no way sponsored by Lush. 

Reading Recently

Due to spring break and a lull in my homework amounts, I have been able to read a couple of really good books recently. There is nothing I love more than reading on the beach, so I think I read about nine books over spring break. There was also some flight issues that made it so I had a lot more time to read than originally planned. 

     My favorite book was A Gentleman in Moscow. It is a historical fiction novel based in the USSR with the main character being a former person. It is all about the life at the hotel he lives in and how his life changes over the years. This was just a poor summary for a really great book. On a really different note, I like Lunch in Paris a lot as well. I would love to be able to move to Paris and figure out the lifestyle as I go along, but I doubt that will happen. This book had a some yummy looking recipes that I think would be so fun to make!
    I had to read 1984 for school and I wasn't sure if I would like it at first but I ended up really enjoying it. I loved how thought provoking it is, but it did get a little old after writing four essays on it. Jane Eyre was also great. It took quite a while to read, but it was worth it. The older style writing can get kind of long, but the story line was so good that I could not put it down at times. 

What are you reading right now?

xoxo,

Maddie

Thursday Three

This week flew by, even though it was pretty relaxing. I loved having a longer weekend due to Easter. For once, I was actually able to have a day that didn't involve me doing school work. I got to go out for coffee three times which always makes for a good week. Here's the rest of it:

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I love chocolate and candy, so you can bet that Easter is a good day for me. My favorite candy we got is chocolate covered espresso beans. They taste so good that it is hard for me to eat only a couple!

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This past weekend was really nice outside so I finally got to get back on the tennis courts. My brother and I just wanted to hit some balls around. I was surprisingly good for not having picked up a racket since October, and this didn't make my brother too happy. 

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My mom and I had heard about a little macaron place about 30 minutes away, so we deiced that this weekend would be a great time to check it out! Every flavor was so good, but of course my favorites were espresso and coconut!

How was your week?

xoxo,

Maddie

Sandal Season

|Jack Rogers | Espadrille| White Straps | Gladiator Sandal | Birkenstock | Tassels | Lace Up |

Spring time means sandals, and I love sandals. On my last post, I shared an outfit with my favorite wedges. I mentioned how I loved being able to wear them now that it is warm. This holds true for sandals as well. I got the Jack Roger Lauren sandals over spring break and I have been dying to wear them. I had been wanting them for over a year, so now that I have them, warm weather couldn't come fast enough. I also have been loving espadrilles. My mom just got a pair and I might need to add some to my wish list. 

What sandals have you been loving?

xoxo,

Maddie

Springing into Style

| Top (similar) | Jeans | Wedges |

     I feel like spring is the perfect brunch season. It is so easy to get casually dressed, but still look classy and cute. It is finally warm enough to wear cute sandals, but you don't have to be worried about it getting too hot to wear pants or a longer top. Getting to wear wedges is so fun for me, especially since I don't have to chance to wear them very often.
    This top is probably one of my favorites. I got it from J. Crew a year ago, and it is great to see that they have come out with similar tops again this spring. I have one of the linked above. It is such a light fabric that it can be worn spring through fall, but the colors make it perfect for spring and early summer. This is my go to top for when I need to look a little nicer than normally. I would recommend that everyone have something similar in their wardrobe!

What do you like to wear for spring?

xoxo,

Maddie

Thursday Three

Now that I am back at school for my final quarter, I am realizing how close I am to graduation. I have prom coming up, I am a quarter of the ways through soccer, and I need to decide where I am going to college. Oh, and I have finally found out what senioritis feels like. With that, here was my week:

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This week I finally finished everything that I needed to do for prom! I got my shoes last weekend, and on Wednesday, I had the fitting for my dress. Prom is around 3 weeks away so I am getting pretty excited to go. I don't really like dancing, but I do enjoy taking pictures with friends, dressing up and then the party afterwards is supposedly really cool.

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Last weekend my soccer team went to Wisconsin Dells for a tournament. The games kind of sucked since we barely had enough players, but I really liked trying a new mac and cheese place. I had a chicken, bacon, ranch mac and cheese that was surprisingly good. The worst part though was the two hour bus rides, especially since I dislike long car rides. 

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The spring flowers have started blooming and it is so pretty. I was taking a walk and all of the sudden I realized that there were actual flowers again. It's really a sight for sore eyes after a long winter. It has made the fact that it is cold this week really hard. All I want to do is wear spring clothes. 

How was your week?

xoxo,

Maddie

10 Spring Dresses under $50

With Easter coming up this weekend, I can think of no better time to break out the spring dresses. Easter has always marked the beginning of spring, but it is rarely actually warm enough to wear a spring dress. This year might be the year to change that, so fingers crossed. 

| One Shoulder Chambray | Floral Swing | Cold-Shoulder Floral | Embroidered Poplin Shift | 

| White lace | Pink Ruffle | Floral Smock | Sunflowers | Red Check  | Blue and White |

I am so excited to be able to wear spring dresses again! I really love the blue and white one-shoulder dress, as well as the blue and white floral swing dress. It finally is starting to feel like spring and it puts me in such a great mood!

Which one is  your favorite?

xoxo,

Maddie

Spring Break Recap

In case you missed it, I went Longboat Key, Fl for spring break. I was visiting my grandparents so it was nice being able to spend time with them. Last summer I made a guide to Longboat (I go there every summer) so you can see that here. This trip I tried a couple new places to eat and was able to spend a bunch of time at the beach! 

Longboat is where I first learned about Lilly Pulitzer, so I always love being able to go to the store and try on a bunch of things. This year I picked up this skort. I am in love with it and can't wait to wear it once it is warmer. 

My family doesn't typically go to the farmer's market when we are in Florida since the one where I live is better, but I really enjoyed spending my Saturday morning wandering about. It is the perfect spot for people watching!

( Croissants at C'est La Vie)

I found a new coffee spot (Pastry) and a french cafe (C'est La Vie) this trip! Both places have such great food. At the french cafe I so wanted to test out my french since the owners were from France, but I couldn't get myself to do so. This summer I am going to make sure that I do!

The beach is my second home in Florida. I spent at least 3 hours each day there and I wish I could have been there more. Reading by the water is one of my all time favorite things to do. Watching the sunset on my last night was the perfect way to end my trip. 

I ate so much sea food over that week. I got to try crab claws (10/10) and a lobster roll. Pretty much everywhere I went I was eating fish or crab. No lie, one of the reasons I like seafood so much is that I can eat way more without feeling sick. 

My grandparents house has the best view. Right over the mangroves is Sarasota Bay and it is so pretty. It is so fun to watch the canals because over the course of the week, I saw 6 dolphins and 4 manatees! (my favorite animal) I could probably sit on their back deck forever.

Until this summer, see you Florida.

xoxo,

Maddie

Thursday Three

In case you couldn't tell by my Instagram, I spent most of last week in Florida. Once I got home on Sunday, it was full steam ahead into the soccer season. I always forget how time consuming a school sport is, so I have been trying to balance everything I want to get done. Here was my week:

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 One of my favorite things about spring break was being able to try new food places. Since my family travels to the same spot every year, we typically only go to the same spots for food. This spring break I found a homemade ice cream place, and I would be lying if I said I didn't go more than a couple times. 

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I feel like I have been bombarded with homework this week. Each day I have had at least two hours worth of work. That alone isn't too much, but once combined with 2+ hours of soccer, it can become very overwhelming. 

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The highlight of this week would be the many hours I was able to spend at the beach. There are few places that I can totally relax, and the beach is one. Even though the water is significantly cooler than in the summer, it is still a great place to nap or catch up on any reading I might want to do. 

How was your week?

xoxo,

Maddie

Current Favorite Quotes

These recent days have been very stressful and nerve racking for me, but when I come across times like these I love to look up various quotes. Sometimes this helps me feel better, other times it just lets me get a laugh from some of the crazier ones. I rounded up a couple of my favorite ones that I have found recently. You can tell through these that my biggest worries are over my future, regarding college and everything beyond that. I know many others are going through the same thing so maybe some of these will give you hope or inspiration as they did with me. 

What quotes do you like?

xoxo,
Maddie

Best Spring Nail Polish

Nail polish is the perfect, easy way to incorporate spring into your day even if the weather isn't right or if you haven't had time to break out your spring clothes. I have been seeing a bunch of really great nail polish colors for this spring so I picked just a few of them to share. 

| Barbie Zoya | White On Sally Hansen | b'aha moment Essie | kook-a-mango A Sally Hansen | Saltwater Happy Essie | Enchanting Revlon | Going Guru Essie | Buttercup Revlon| 

My favorites have to b'aha moment by Essie (the pink one) as well as Buttercup by Relvon which is yellow. I am always a fan of pastels for spring. I just don't feel that anything can be cuter than pastels in spring. I have white nail polish on here because that is a trend I want to try, but I am not sure if I like it. I own white nail polish, but every time I reach for it, I end up picking something else. 

What is your preferred nail color?

xoxo,

Maddie