My 4 Favorite Work Lunches

This month I have been working a lot. In terms of money that's a great thing, but not always in terms of lunch. I work from 11:45 to 7:00 which means that I have to bring a lunch with me. I got bored of bringing little snacks to work instead of a real lunch so this month I have made an effort to bring a variety of lunches. Here are my favorites. 

| Garden Salad |

This is quite literally a garden salad seeing how almost everything comes from either my garden or the farmer's market. I typically put in lettuce, tomato, cucumber, blueberries and pumpkin seeds with a raspberry vinaigrette dressing. I always make sure to remember to bring the dressing in a separate container so the salad doesn't get soggy. 

| Parfait |

Everybody likes parfaits, right? My favorite parfait to bring uses Siggi's vanilla yogurt, blueberries, coconut flakes and Bear Naked granola. I kept the yogurt in it's container, and then bring a larger one to pour it into filled with the toppings. I really Siggi's becuase the live cultures makes so that it doesn't effect my stomach as much. I also have been loving Bear Naked granola; I really want to make my own combination! 

| Peanut Butter & Jelly |

This isn't just any PB&J. I use my mom's homemade cracked wheat bread, her homemade raspberry jelly, and peanut butter (sadly not homemade). The real, hearty bread with the flavorful jelly makes for one the best sandwiches I could make. Using homemade ingredients takes this classic to a new level. 

| Salmon Wrap | 

For my salmon wrap, inspired by this wrap, I use salmon, lettuce, dill, tomatoes, and cream cheese. I love how the salmon tastes with lettuce, definitely not a combination I would have thought of before. I always feel fancy eating this, even though the effort involved in making it is minimal. 

Since some of these lunches are on the less filling side, I always make sure to pack a snack with each lunch. My favorite bars would be Health Warrior Chia bars (see salad) and Nature Valley Crunchy granola bars. The Health Warrior bars are a new discovery. They are a great snack, unlike other bars such as Cliff Bars. They also don't have weird ingredients which is great since I have been trying to watch what I put in my body. I love the chocolate peanut butter flavor. If I don't have a bar, I will typically have fruit such as a peach or blueberries. 

What do you bring to work?

xoxo,

Maddie

Best Coffee Shops in the Fox Valley

By this time, everyone has probably figured out how much I love coffee. Rarely does a day go by that I do not have a cup of coffee. It has become one of my favorite things to go out for a cut of coffee and chat with friends and family. Surprisingly enough, my younger brother is one of the best coffee dates. Due to all of these coffee outings I have been to almost every coffee shop in the Fox Valley of Wisconsin* so I'll share my favorites. 

(Timshel Cafe) 

Timshel Cafe 

I went Timshel for the first time this summer and loved it! It is such a "hip" environment with an amazing setting in downtown Neenah. I love sitting inside, in a windowed area that is perfect for watching the street. The homemade chai here is to die for. You get a choice of sweet or spicy (I picked the spicy), and it was probably one of the best chai's I have ever had. 

Copper Rock Coffee Co.

Copper is one of the classic ones to go to. The coffee is always good, and there are tons of different options for specialty drinks as well as delicious meals. I used to go here twice a month, but after two years it did get a little old so I frequent it less often. That being said, as my time is counting down for being in town, Copper Rock is what is reminding me of home more than anything else.

(Seth's Coffee) 

Seth's Coffee 

Seth's is a little bit out of my way so I do not go there that often, but it is always enjoyable when I do. The coffee is excellent there along with the baked goods. My sister loves to go for the milkshakes because she claims that they are some of the best around. She is always asking to go back for them. 

Acoca Coffee

I would say Acoca has the best coffee. It seems they specialize in coffee to the point where you could ask them for any type of coffee (roast, flavor, location) and they would have it. I might be wrong, but that it is the vibe it gives off. I have never been disappointed here. My mom and I are waiting for nice summer day because all we want is to try out their espresso milkshakes. 

(All Seasons Coffeehouse)

All Seasons Coffeehouse 

This is such a cute little place. The owner is so sweet and always checks up on how you are doing. I have been meaning to go there for lunch because the menu looks so good, and if it is anything like the scones I always have, I know I won't be disappointed. I also really love the specialty coffees since they seem to fit in perfectly with the seasons. 

Brewed Awakenings 

There is such a different vibe here than at many of the other places. A lot of older people seem to come here which makes for a fun change. I have heard some of the craziest stories from eavesdropping on conversions (oops). I have never been disappointed with anything that I have had here. Don't let the idea of the baked goods being vegan scare you, they are some of my favorite around. 

(Tempest Coffee Collective) 

Tempest Coffee Collective 

Tempest is probably one of the most popular places around. The combination of being on the water, the pleasing aesthetics, and fantastic food is killer. I've never missed an opportunity to take a picture there. I have been there for breakfast once and it was so good. Any place that serves waffles is bound to be one of my favorites. 

Have you been to any of these places?

xoxo,

Maddie

*To give a better idea on location, the Fox Valley is in Northeast Wisconsin and consists of Appleton, Neenah, Menasha and Kaukauna. This about a half hour away from Green Bay, and around 2 hours directly north of Milwaukee. 

Thursday Three

The most eventful part of this week was having college orientation. I was able to pick out some pretty cool classes, and the whole event made me feel a little better about going to Madison. The biggest disappointment was not being able to go out for a fancy lunch due to all of the thunderstorms. Here was the rest of the week:

|1|

Like I said, I went to Madison this week. The best part was being able to meet a couple of people, although for the most part, people kept to themselves. You can bet I checked out the dining hall and there was a parfait bar so it looks like I will be okay. 

|2|

I met up with a friends in Madison for poke bowls. We went to this place called Miko Poke and I got the Teriyaki Chicken bowl. I really wanted something with shrimp but I was a little intimidated to make my own bowl. It was a fun change of pace, and I would definitely recommend it!

|3|

College shopping is officially in full swing. Just this week I was able to check off a large portion of my shopping list. My favorite things to get was my laptop, phone and school supplies. It is so weird to think that I leave in three weeks. 

Until next week,

xoxo,

Maddie

College Clothing Wishlist

It seems that with college coming up, I am finding more and more holes in my wardrobe. Some are because my mom and I share various things, and others are due to new types of things to do, such as going out. In addition to those reasons, I also have found that a lot of my shoes are getting really worn out so I should probably invest in a new pair with the amount of walking I will be doing. 

| Black Jeans | Booties | Sperry | Sundress | Tank | Demin Shorts | Sweatshirt | 

Out of all of these, I would want the booties the most. I have been wanting a pair for almost two years now, but I can never seem to find ones that I love. If I do find a pair that I really like, they tend to be really expensive (go figure). I would also really like a pair a of black jeans. I feel like they would be perfect for going out with friends for dinner or to a concert. Finally, I think jean shorts would be great to have for the days when you want to wear a t-shirt, but would want to look a little better than wearing chino shorts. 

What would you like for this school year?

xoxo,

Maddie

Why I am Rushing This Fall

Anytime I say that I will be rushing this fall in order to be in a sorority I always get some sort of rude comment about my decision. For me, sorority rush is the one thing that makes me more excited for school than anything else so these types of remarks sting a little. I have been looking forward to rush for over a year and I knew I would do it no matter where I went to school. Attending UW Madison has made rushing more important to me. There are several reasons for me wanting to rush, aside from just wanting to. These reasons are what makes me know that this process will be the best for me no matter what happens.

*via

My primary reason for rushing is to make me more outgoing. I know this won’t change me forever, but the hope is that I can drop my shyness in order to really be myself. I tend to not talk when I am meeting new people so hopefully this will help me be more open to others throughout this school year. Right away I will need to be able to talk with people I have never meet and I know this will help me with all school relationships.

The clothes. How could one not want to be in a sorority with all of the clothes. I love the idea of being able to walk around in my letters, showing the pride I have in my sorority and the love of the group. I so want to be able to throw on a sweatshirt like this one, or a baseball hat with my letters. I visited Madison on a rainy day, and I couldn’t help but notice all of the girls wearing rain coats with their letters. To me, this seems like such a fun part about being in greek life!

The other reason for going greek would be the sense of family. I have always had a “family” outside my own, primarily through sports. Now that I am out of team sports, I know a sorority would be able to replace that group. I would give me a group of girls that I can rely on and always trust if I am in need.

Due to these reasons, and several others, I cannot express how excited (and nervous) I am for rush. I understand that whatever happens, happens, and that I might not end up in a sorority. That being said I fully believe this process will be a positive experience for me. Whether I join a sorority or not, you can bet about hearing about it.

Wish me luck!

Xoxo,

Maddie

Thursday Three

This week was pretty good. I was able to work a bit, go to Door County and I am ending the week with a trip to Madison for freshman orientation. Here was my week:

|1|

Nothing tops a couple of days in Door County. You've heard me rave about it several times and I've even written a travel guide for it (here). I was able to spend an overnight with my grandparents. I had a ton of fun just being with them, relaxing by the pool, and wandering about. 

|2|

I had my first smoothie bowl this week! I have always seen pictures of them on insta and always wanted to try one. A new place for smoothies opened up a bit away from my house so I went Friday. I had an acai bowl and it was delicious. 

|3|

The highlight of the week was sitting and having lunch by the pool in Door County. I had a salmon wrap which was a perfect lunch for a summer day. The weather was amazing so it was a great way to spend my weekend. 

How was your week?

xoxo,

Maddie

2017-2018 Agendas

Nothing gets me more excited for going back to school than agendas. Throughout high school, I took great care in deciding which version of the Lilly Pulitzer agenda I would get. This was the perfect agenda for high school, but I want more room for college so I decided to change it up. This year I got a Day Designer and I am in love with it! This still hasn't stopped me from looking at other agendas so here are my favorites. 

 | Gold Dot | Blue Paint | Day Designer |  Roses  | 

| Lilly Pulitzer | Geode | Black Floral | Pineapple |

Using an agenda made keeping track of sports and school work so much easier. I know I wouldn't have been able to do as well in high school without it. I fully recommend getting yourself an agenda for the upcoming school year. It doesn't have to be fancy, but just make sure it has enough room for you. 

What agenda is your favorite?

xoxo,

Maddie