Summer Wish List + Style Question

I have hit the point where I am not really sure what my style is these days. As much as a I look for clothes online,  I can never seem to find anything I like. There is a growing list of clothes I need, but but a shrinking list of brands I actually like. Please let me know if you know of any websites you like to find cute summer clothes! 

| Wedges | Sunglasses | White Jeans | Tank | Monogram Necklace | Knot Earrings |

     There have been some cute things around. I really want a new pair of white jeans (my old ones just got, well, old looking) and I think that GAP has some great pants. I have a pair in black which fit really well so I might just need a white version. I also would love to find some cute gold jewelry. I have earring that are legit, but I actually want a fake pair that I could wear around all the time. 

     Other items that I am searching for are nude wedges, cute summer shirts (love the basic tanks but would like others too) and a gold necklace. I really just need a lot of random clothes, but for now, this is a decent start. 

What kind of clothes do you like for the summer?

xoxo,

Maddie 

Thursday Three

One full week of summer was over, and it was quite the week. I started a new job as a server in a restaurant. It is really different from lifeguarding, but so far so good. I also was able to catch up with almost all of my friends which I loved. Not surprisingly, most of us fell out of touch during the school year which made meeting up even nicer. Here is what else I did this week:

|1|

I started to cook again this week, and I decided that I don't care if I can't eat it, I still am going to make what I want. The best thing I made this week was Pan Banging Chocolate Chip Cookies. They made crispy cookies, which it seemed almost everyone enjoyed. I also made a coffee based blondie for me which also turned out well. 

|2|

It took only one week for me to get back to Door County for the first time of the summer. It was a great little overnight to see my grandparents and just be back in my favorite place. The weather started to get nice the second day. The sunshine made all of the fields looks so pretty, and just made driving aimlessly around enjoyable. 

|3|

I decided that this summer I would like to garden more often. My family has a large vegetable  garden and several side gardens so there is plenty of work that I can do. I had fun with my parents picking out plants and getting the garden ready for the summer. Out of everything that was planted, I am already looking forward to fresh blueberries and homegrown tomatoes. 

xoxo,

Maddie 

Thursday Three

The first week of summer has been really relaxing so I don't have anything crazy to share. All of these pictures are food (shocker) but that means I have been able to be in the kitchen again which is so nice. The weather has been perfectly warm, adn I have relaxed so all in all, its a good start to break. 

|1|

 I finished my first year at UW Madison as of last Friday. It definitely wasn't the easiest year, but there are all ready things I am looking forward to for next year. Mainly, I can't wait to live in the sorority house and be surrounded by people instead of living alone. 

|2|

My birthday was this weekend and my mom picked me up the best gluten free cake. It was from a bakery that doesn't specialize in gluten free so we were skeptical, but turns out, it is one of the best cakes we have ever had. It is a vanilla cake with chocolate buttercream, and it makes me wonder what their gluten-filled cakes taste like. 

|3|

Being home means I can bake again which is one of my favorite things to do. I make low FODMAP Rhubarb scones and they were amazing. My mom and I loved them; we both couldn't tell they were gluten free. The rhubarb is the first food we were able to get from our garden. Being able to cook with things I helped grow is so fun. 

How was your week?

xoxo,

Maddie 

Madison Coffee Shop Guide

It is only fitting that when ending my freshman year of college, I write a post on all of the coffee shops I went to. I made it my goal for freshman year to try as many different coffee shops as possible. I feel like I would be lying if I didn't say that I probably spent way more money on coffee than on any else. Anytime I felt like I needed to get away, I would take a hike (i.e. a 20+ min walk) for a new environment and a good cup of coffee. Over the year I have tried as many places as possible, not all have been good, but don't worry, I am only sharing my favorite places.

| Fair Trade Coffee House |

What I had: Decaf Turkish Latte

At first sip, the cardamom in the latte came through a little strong, but after a couple more sips this drink settled into a delightful spiced coffee. I have never seen a Turkish Latte (Cardamom added) so this was a fun and unique drink to try. This coffee house also had some really good looking muffins, pastries and other drinks such as a chai charger and a grasshopper mocha. I didn't get the pumpkin muffin that was calling my name, but that is only because it was already 5 at night which really isn't a time for snacks. The best part about this place- a fireplace. There is nothing better than a warm drink while sitting by the fire in the winter.

| Indie Coffee |
What I had: Spiced Chai & Classic Buttermilk Waffle
This place is the cutest, with the sweetest people. It seemed like the owner knew who almost everyone was, and was really helpful in making sure I knew how to find the drink selection. It doesn't have a ton of seating, but there are pretty wooden tables and a cozy vibe. My waffle was perfectly crispy on the outside, while being warm and gooey on the inside. It was the perfect waffle. The chai was spicy, but had a touch of sweetness the made for the perfect pair with the waffle. Indie also has a cute little back patio that is perfect for when the weather is nice and warm.

| Collective Coffee |
What I had: Cortado
Collective is a local chain, which means that they have about 10 locations around the state of Wisconsin. I have had their coffee before, and only once before have I actually been at a coffee shop.  I don't love their plain coffee, for me there is something about the flavor that is off. What I do like is their specialty drinks, especially the monthly special. It is a great way to try out a new drink to stay out of a rut. That being said, for Christmas I got a gift card for here and it might have been my favorite gift. This wasn't my favorite place, but the location on state street and the open, outdoor feeling makes for a fun environment.

| Michelangelo's Coffee House |
What I Had: Appie Pie & Cafe au Lait
Michelangelos has some of the best desserts. I had the Apple Pie since it was Pi Day (3/14) so finding a pie to eat was necessary. That, plus a warm coffee, was the perfect way to spend an afternoon. The pie was amazing. It was warm, with a flakey crust and the sweet whipped cream only made it even better. I have had several coffees from here, and they never disappoint. My only complaint is that I feel like going here is more expensive, especially for any specialty drinks, but it isn't so bad every once in a while.

| Barriques Market |
What I Had: Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookie & Cold Brew
Barriques is my favorite that I found this year. They have several locations around the area, and all of them are great. There is a relaxed vibe and the people are always nice. First of all, lets talk about this cookie, it is amazing. Even though it is gluten free, it might just be better than any other chocolate chip cookie. It really is that good. Also, I love the presentation of their drinks. I appreciate getting a glass when I am staying there, even if I am getting iced coffee. When I got a cafe au last once, I had the same kind of glass. It looked so cool because you could see the layering of the foam and coffee. There is a Barriques really close to where I am living next year, which means that I will be there all of the time.

| Crescendo Espresso Bar |
What I Had: Nitro Cold Brew
I probably won't go back to Crescendo a lot, but that is mainly because it will be really far away next year. That being said, this place does have its merits. The biggest point-it is cheaper than anywhere else, while still having good drinks. It also is just a really cool place. They have performers come sometimes This way my first time trying nitro cold brew, and I really liked it. The coffee was smooth and creamy, with the added fun of a little foam. Definitely worth a try for any iced coffee drinkers.

By the end of the year, I found that if I went out for coffee once a week, that the whole week would be a lot more productive. I know this was really just because I changed studying locations so I didn't get bored, which I could have done by going to a different library, but coffee was the better idea. Every Wednesday, going out for coffee was what I looked forward too so I hope I can continue this next year and try some new places.

What do you look for in a coffee shop?

xoxo,

Maddie 

Thursday Three

This week went from crazy at the beginning to really relaxing by the end. It started with studying for three finals and writing three big essays, and now we are at least at the only studying for two finals stage. This means I have had a lot of extra time (a first) to do whatever I have wanted. I've made sure to see as many people as possible before I leave, but I won't lie, I am excited to go home tomorrow. Here was my week: 

|1|

Last Saturday I ran a 20k. Considering how sore I was, the fact that there was no shade and not a lot of water stations, it went pretty well. I signed up for this last fall, but with all of my stomach issues, I had to work hard to convince my parents and doctor to even let me run. Finishing this meant a lot, because I was able to push through any other problems I was having in order to do something that I love.

|2|

Now that the weather is nice out early in the morning too, I have found that going to the union around 8am and studying is so nice. There is no one there, so it is quiet and you can get a great spot. Monday I spent my whole morning there which was great, other than the massive sunburn I got. I have been doing anything I can to avoid going to the library this semester for finals, and this has made the whole process a lot less difficult to go through. 

|3|

Because of the 20k, I wasn't able to make it to the farmer's market on Saturday. I was a little disappointed about this as you all know how much I love farmers markets. Then I remembered that there is one on Wednesdays, but I normally can't go because of class. Well I made a point of going yesterday and even though it was super small (it was stormy yesterday), the flowers were so pretty and I got a GF pumpkin bar. #worthit 

How was your week?

xoxo,

Maddie

What I Eat in a Day- Low FODMAP

I love reading about what people eat, or reading anything about food. I decided to share what I eat in a day since even though I have tons of restrictions I still mange to eat well. Being on the low FODMAP diet means eating in the dining hall is pretty much impossible. No dairy, gluten, beans, garlic/onion seasoning and specific produce means that there is never anything I can eat. Schools are supposed to help you, but I got no help after contacting the dining services. Thankfully I have been making my own food for most of the year so I was already used to it. I have had to be more creative with my meals, but that part has been fun. 

| Breakfast |

My favorite breakfast has always been a parfait, so I have made a low FODMAP version. These days I have lactose free yogurt, 10 strawberries and a 1/4-1/3 cup of peanut butter granola. I love this breakfast because I can get some fruit which isn't always easy on this diet. All fruit servings are limited and I can only eat one type at a time to limit fructose intake. This breakfast is also great for the protein. It gets me through to lunch or my morning snack. 

| Lunch |
I meal prep a lunch every week to make getting ready in the morning easier. This week was a kale quinoa salad with a lemon olive oil dressing. I added almonds (10) and a clementine to make it more filling, and again, add some fruit. I typically make some kind of kale salad because it keeps me full depending on what I put in it, and it makes for a bigger size lunch.

| Snack(s) |
I typically have a snack in the morning and the afternoon. Since one of the symptoms I had of IBS is losing weight, and I was training for a 20K, I needed to make sure I was getting enough calories to at least keep my weight stable. My favorite snack is rice cakes with nut butter and 1/2 a banana. I also like to have corn chips with a homemade salsa or popcorn. I always have to make sure my backpack is full of snacks because there is almost nothing around campus that I can eat if I get hungry.

| Dinner |
This dinner was gluten free pasta with a homemade tomato sauce and spinach. The tomato sauce I made with tomato paste, water, carrots for sweetness, and Italian seasoning. It was a little runnier than a typical sauce but it was still really good. For this week, I pretty much ate this every day since I made so much sauce. Sometimes for a dessert I will have a small amount of dark chocolate, but normally my eating ends with dinner.

I might have a really restricted diet, but I am pleased that I was able to maintain my level of eating. Being placed on this diet was really intimidating because it seemed like all I was able to eat was plain meat and rice. Although that has been dinner some days, I have found that a little experimenting has allowed me to eat well, ultimately eating my way to being healthy.

What is your favorite snack?

xoxo,

Maddie 

Thursday Three

This week has been so busy. I feel like the week before finals is the worst because you have to start studying and working on essays, but you are still going to class and finishing up normal class work. I have been working on three essays that are due this weekend so life has been crazy. Go figure that none of them are related, and all are research intensive. Other than writing up some essays, here is what else has been going on: 

|1| 

 The chairs at the union were recently put out and the weather has been so nice it could only mean one thing.... outside studying. I love studying outside at the union because there are entertaining people, good smells (ugh pizza) and a lake breeze, what more could you want. The only issue is that if it is really sunny, using a laptop can be hard, but believe me, I am the last person to complain about sunshine.

|2|

The flowers are out everywhere now and it is so pretty. This was taken at the farmers market, but it is only a small part of a massive flower stand. It seemed like every other person was selling flowers. There are also trees blooming and the grass is finally green. Spring is fully here, and it only took until May for it to happen. 

|3| 

Through all of my health issues (read more on it here), I have had such a supportive family which has meant the world to me. My birthday is coming up but I don't know how to make a good gluten free cake, so my aunt sent me some cake mixes that she likes. I am so excited to try them, and even more excited about the fact that I can have a real cake for my birthday!

xoxo,

Maddie