Thursday Three

This week was a pretty typical week in all ways except the weather. For some reason it was only 60 degrees for most of the week. This meant I didn't work a lot which was disappointing. This extra time did allow me to bake more which was the best part! Here was my week:  

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I have a new love of caprese salads this summer. The mix of tomato, mozzarella, basil and a vinaigrette makes for the perfect summer lunch. I have been having one almost three times a week and it hasn't gotten old yet!

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I finally had a true cappuccino this week. My mom will  make them on the weekends, but our espresso isn't as strong so it's not the same. I wasn't sure if I would like it, but I really did. The strong taste of espresso was so good, but the milk got rid of the aftertaste. I already am looking forward to another!

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This summer I made it a goal that I would cook more. This week has been great for that! I made dinner one night, cookies, and bars. I have had some extra time so almost every day I have made something different. 

How was your week?

xoxo,

Maddie

Red, White and Stripes

    The question of what to wear comes up every year around the Fourth of July. Everyone has a different sort of celebration, and each one requires a different type of outfit. Are you sitting by the beach? Having a cookout? Going out to dinner with your family? Looking patriotic is the goal, but looking good at the same time can be difficult. 

     What I love about this outfit is that all of the three colors (red, white and blue) are present but without being obnoxious. The classic stripes allow this combination to be worn almost anywhere and still look nice. It can also be worn in the opposite colors, by wearing a red striped shirt and navy chino shorts as well. 

| Shorts | Shirt | Shoes | Earrings | 

Check out my other Fourth of July outfit ideas. Each is linked in the name. 

Fourth of July Outfit pt. 1

Fourth of July Outfit pt. 2

Fourth of July Outfit pt. 3

What are you wearing for the Fourth?

xoxo,

Maddie

Fourth of July Fashion

The Fourth of July is in 10 days so there is no better time to make sure you have the perfect outfit. My closet is filled with everything red, white and blue and since I will be on the beach, I already know what I will be wearing. That being said, I love finding cute clothes to wear for any event so I have found some adorable red, white and blue pieces for the fourth.  

| Striped Shirt | Flutter Blouse | Espadrilles | Polo Dress | Jack Rogers | Running Shorts | | Hat | Sunnies | Bag | 

Hope you have a fashionable Fourth of July!

xoxo,

Maddie

Thursday Three

I was finally able to start working again this week, and it was nice to know I am making some money. Of course, my first day was the busiest one yet this year at the beach. I have also been able to read some great books this week, so keep an eye out for a post on that. Here was my week:

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The Farmer's Market started last weekend so obviously it was the best part of the week. I want to try a different food each time I go, so this week I had an amazing raspberry hand pie. All week I have been only eating the fruit we bought: strawberries, blueberries and peaches. 

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I made cold brew this week since the weather has finally warmed up enough. I love cold brew because it is such an easy to way make a coffee shop drink without spending anything. It is so easy to make and tastes really good. Make sure to check back later on for the recipe! 

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My mom and I went for an overnight to Door County in the middle of the week and it was the perfect trip. All of the tourists were gone so it was really nice. The best part was finally trying Analog Coffee. They make affogato like drinks, except you pick out the ice cream you want and then espresso is added. I already want to go back. 

I hope you had a great week!

xoxo,

Maddie

Favorite Summer Activities

Ask almost anyone, and they will say that their favorite season is summer. I don't know if I would say that, but it is undeniable that there are some great things that you can only do in summer. I love summer for the variety of activities and adventures that always happen. Each of the following parts of summer are what make it one of the best times of the year. 

Summer means cold treats such as ice cream and snow cones. There is a shack near me that sells the best snow cones and you know it is finally summer once you have one. 

Each summer my family goes to Florida for vacation. It is really the only time of the year I go to a beach since the ones in Wisconsin are rock beaches. I love relaxing at the beach while reading a book or playing in the waves. 

Although I have bonfires from the spring through fall, the summer ones are always the best. The addition of s'mores makes for the perfect way to end any summer day. There is nothing quite like being surrounded by family and friends around a fire. 

Farmer's Markets are my favorite thing about summer, no question. I love the people watching, summer fruits, and good street food. I make sure to never miss a Saturday market, and try to make the Wednesday one as often as I can. 

Swimming in Green Bay is always an adventure. I love jumping off the boat or running in from the shore. It is so cold, but once you acclimate to the temperature, it is always a blast. 

The other best part of summer is the trips to Door County. I love Door County in all seasons, and while fall is the best time up there, it is always fun to go when the tourists are there. More stores are open and the weather is finally warm enough to swim or hike. 

What do you like to do in the summer?

xoxo,

Maddie

Lilly Loving

| Shirt | Skort (similar) | Shoes | Necklace | 

     This newest addition to my Lilly collection was added when I went to Florida over spring break. Although, it just became warm enough for me to wear it. I wore it for my graduation party last weekend; it was perfect for the 85 degree day. I haven't owned a skort since I was in elementary school and I forgot how nice it is to look like you are wearing a skirt, but not having the issues of bending over. The coloring of the skort is so pretty, like anything from Lilly Pulitzer, and this makes it so easily to match with other color shirts. You can bet I will be wearing this skort on the 21st (National Wear Your Lilly Day)!

    Side note, can we talk about these Jack Rogers. They have become my go to shoe of the summer. I had no issues breaking these in, and they have been so comfortable the whole time. My other jacks are a little loose due to stretching but these have stayed perfect! If you're ever looking for Jack Rogers, I would recommend these to anyone. 

Hope your day is a bright as this skort!

xoxo,

Maddie

Thursday Three

This week was pretty laid back. I got to see a lot of my family for mine and my cousins grad parties. I also finally got recertificated for life guarding which means I can work again. I am not sure how I feel about that, not working has been pretty nice. Here was my week: 

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Last weekend I had my graduation party and it was so much fun! I loved seeing all of my friends and family together. It was a brunch theme so there was a lot of food from a local bakery. I have been eating leftover muffins and croissants all week, but that is nothing to complain about!

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This summer I decided that I would run a half marathon and a triathlon. This week has been the first where I am training for both which has resulted in sore legs every day. This training might not have been my best idea, but I am still so excited to participate in the races. 

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I went to Yoga in the the Park this week with my mom (a crazy yogi) and it was super cute. There must have been over 100 people there and I was so cool to see a bunch of people that I knew. The best part was being able to hear the sounds of the wind and fountain as the class went on. 

How was your week?

xoxo,

Maddie

Best of 2 Years!

Yesterday marked the 2 year anniversary of my blog! I definitely didn't think that I would be sticking with blogging this long, but it has become one of my favorite things to do. I am so proud of what I have done with the blog; it is one of the things I am the most proud of! I have decided to share my favorite and/or most popular posts that I have created over years. 

How to Get Preppy Stickers for FREE!

Bean There Done That

Guide to Longboat Key, Florida  

Snow Day

Fourth of July Pt. 3

Mulit-Berry Smoothie 

Spring Denim 

Senior Prom

Each of the captions for these pictures are a link to the post! I have loved creating Classy and Clever and I hope to continue for many more years! If there is ever a post you would like to see, make sure to let me know!

Thank you for 2 years!

xoxo,

Maddie

Hummingbird Cake

I love to read Southern Living and whenever they talk about a classic southern cake, it's a Hummingbird  Cake. Living in Wisconsin has not resulted in exposure to this cake before, so I knew I had to make it once I saw the ingredients. A cake this popular had to be worth making. 

Recipe: Hummingbird Cake from Southern Living 

Ingredients

1 cup  chopped pecans

Vegetable cooking spray

Parchment paper

3 cups all-purpose soft-wheat flour (such as White Lily)

1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups chopped bananas (about 4 medium bananas)
1 (8-oz.) can crushed pineapple in juice
Cream Cheese Frosting

Instructions 

- Preheat oven to 350°. Bake pecans in a single layer in a shallow pan 6 to 8 minutes or until toasted and fragrant, stirring halfway through.

- Coat 3 (9-inch) round cake pans with cooking spray. Line bottom of each pan with parchment paper; coat paper with cooking spray.

- Whisk together flour and next 5 ingredients in a large bowl. Add eggs, oil, and vanilla, and stir just until dry ingredients are moistened. Fold in bananas, pineapple, and pecans. (Batter will be very thick, more like banana bread batter than cake batter.) Spoon batter into prepared pans.

- Bake at 350° for 28 to 30 minutes. Cool in pans on a wire rack 10 minutes. Remove from pans to wire rack, and cool completely (about 30 minutes). Peel off and discard parchment paper.

- Place 1 cake layer on a cake stand or serving plate. Top with one-fourth of frosting. Repeat procedure once. Top with remaining cake layer. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. Garnish, if desired.

I love this cake because it is so moist with such a unique flavor combination. It also helps that there is cream cheese frosting, I won't ever turn anything down with cream cheese frosting. I would recommend this cake to anyone who is looking for a fun new dessert to try!

I hope you enjoy!

xoxo,

Maddie

Thursday Three

This was a pretty good week to start out summer. I worked a little bit setting up the beach where I (might) work this summer. Who knew you could get a callous from pulling weeds? It was still nice to spend a lot of the week outside and starting my summer tan. Here was my week:

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Last Thursday I graduated. I will be honest, I was more excited to wear my dress than actually graduate. I bought last July and have been waiting to wear it ever since. Graduation was fun, and the bonfire afterwards with my friends was the best part. 

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My mom finished teaching early this week and to celebrate we made the cutest picnic. I picked up a wrap and salad from a local coffee shop. This made it a lot easier to plan the food. We went to a local park and lounged around in the sun for almost two hours. 

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You know it is summer when you find a bird's nest. I found one in a hanging plant in my front yard. The eggs look so cute surrounded by the flowers. I just hope that they stay safe and don't get blown away somehow. 

How was your week?

xoxo,

Maddie

Summer Bucket List

Typically I make these bucket lists in mind to make the most out of my limited free time in the summer. For the past two years I have been a lifeguard, but due to issues with finding a time for recertification I can't work for at least June. This is leaving me with so much more time than I thought I would have and a lot less money than I would like. This bucket list is more focused on being productive so that I don't waste my summer being bored. 

I hope that I can make the most of having so much more free time. I isn't something that I am used to, but it could make for a good summer. More than anything else, I want to be able to use this time to be with my family and friends before I go off to college. 

  What do you do in my summer?

xoxo,

Maddie

6 Spring Favorites

Now that school is officially over for me, it is summer no matter what the weather does. With that being said I think it's an appropriate time for sharing what I have loved this spring. It's been kind of a crazy spring, especially in terms of the weather, so sadly there aren't too many clothes that I loved.

| Lauren Sandal | Eyeliner | Gingham Button Down | Perfume |

     Like I said, there aren't too many clothing type of favorites this time. I have been loving gingham everything this spring. Nothing says spring quite like gingham. My new Jacks are always on my feet. It was so nice that they didn't need any time to break in! I have all three Clinique perfumes, and it seems like each one fits a different season. Spring definitely works the best with Happy Heart since it has a floral scent. 

     Recently I have discovered kiwis. I don't know why I have never tried them before, but I was missing out. They are so fun to eat, and of course the fact that they taste good helps. In case you haven't been able to tell, I have also been loving smoothies. My favorite recipe is here. Smoothies are so easy to make and very customizable that I won't get tired of them quickly. Finally, I have been starting to get into yoga. I used to do it when I was really little, like 8, but then I stopped liking it. I recently tried it again and now I love to add it into my workout routine. 

What did you like this spring?

until next time,

Maddie

Thursday Three

My last week of high school. It was weird and sad, but I am excited to move on and graduate. I had a great weekend and a pretty good time at school so this was one of my better weeks! Here's what it entailed. 

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If you saw my last post (here) you'd know that I was in Door County over the weekend. It is always my favorite place to be so it was a great start to my summer. I loved hiking, eating, and just relaxing. 

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This was a bitter sweet week since night I graduate. My favorite part was by far yearbook signing. I love seeing what people write and then saving the book for my future. It will be weird not being in high school.

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Far the past couple of days I have been on a dairy-free diet. I never do diets, but every time I had dairy, I would feel awful. So far I've been feeling a lot better. The hardest part if finding things to eat, but I tried a salad with berries and pecans, It was sooo good. 

Until next week!

xoxo,

Maddie