Birthday Post!

Hello!

Today I wanted to take some time out of my day to write a birthday post.  My birthday is on Tuesday, but we're going to celebrate tonight because this week is finals week and I need to study!  But, aside from it being my birthday, I wanted to write this post as a personal thank you for everyone that's helped me every step of the way into adulthood.  19 isn't the most exciting birthday, but it is a celebration of my last teenage year!  Its so hard to believe that I am really that old.  I know its not "old" but its still not an age I feel like I am!

Anyway, I wanted to make this post about my year of being 18, and talk about how crazy it was, how many lessons I've learned, and how I couldn't have made it through such chaos without the important people in my life.  Some are an inspiration, I aspire to be just like these people when I grow to be their age.  Some have given me advice, guidance, and unconditional love that I feel like I don't even deserve!  Along the way, I also learned how I don't want to be when I grow up.  I've unfortunately came across people in my life that were trusted, I was really close with.  I've learned that I don't want to be that way, I want to have different values in life.

Being 18 was way different from 17, 16, 15, etc.  I know everyone jokes that on your birthday you never "feel" the age, but this year I felt 18.  

Thank you for reading, please visit again!

See ya real soon!

Maddie :)

MOANA

Last week Disney released their newest animated film Moana...  And naturally of course I went and saw it the opening night like the dorky Madison I am.  May I say WOW Moana was amazing!!!  I purchased the Moana CD the day after and have been humming the songs since!  I am so obsessed with the songs, visuals, and message this movie has created for its fans.  Moana is a strong and persevering main character that does what she wants, but her intention is for the good of others!

And, I have to add in how much I admire her close relationship with her grandmother.  That hit a soft spot for me because I have such a close bond with my grandmom.  Moana's attitude towards life and her quirky little friends kept me smiling throughout the entire movie!  The pig Pua and the chicken Heihei were adorable and hilarious, comparable to Olaf!  However I do wish there was more Pua, he was so cute.  

Maui was a fantastic addition as well, I couldn't believe how well Dwayne Johnson can sing!  It just goes to show how talented of a person he really is.

Now I am on the hunt for everything Moana!  I've found a functional backpack that will absolutely be a birthday present I'm asking for!  Its the Moana Lesportsac backpack!

Overall, I must say Moana has definitely made me change up who my favorite princesses are.  She definitely comes close to topping the list, her music and message are memorable and inspiring!

I hope this encourages you to go see Moana, its amazing!

Thank you for reading!!! See ya real soon!

Maddie :)

Christmas Spirit

I can't resist any longer... Christmas mode has officially sunk in.

A week before Thanksgiving, and I'm already singing songs in my head from the moment I wake up to accidentally writing lyrics down when I take notes in class.  I am officially allowing myself to go crazy over Christmas now!

So much to do! I have so many gift ideas, and now that I'm working I can save my money and feel like I'm actually gift giving. 🙂

I have so many ideas for family members, and my boyfriend. I already purchased one gift, and am currently in progress with compiling more ideas.  

I have a few ideas for myself as well.  I wanted to share some of these ideas, but please understand I am not expecting any of this on Christmas morning, I just have some ideas because my parents asked me what I wanted.

1. LL Bean Duck Boots: probably my top gift I'm asking for this year.  With all of the walking I do now on campus, I'm going to need a cute pair of boots that are comfortable and keep my feet warm and dry during the chilly months.

2. Food Gift Cards: College has gotten the best of my appetite... Chipotle, Chick-fil-a, Dunkin Donuts, you name it, I probably have gotten a snack or meal there at some point this semester.

3. The Disney Castle: The ultimate kid's gift, the most amazing gift I would've ever laid my eyes on if this came out when I was younger.  It still is though, and as a college student, I'm all about it.  This beaut will be my winter break project!

So yeah, that's about it.  This year I'm more concerned with gift giving for  family and my boyfriend, I've been trying to come up with ideas since September.  I can't wait to give some gifts!

I hope you enjoyed my rambling, and Christmas carols that are continuously playing in my head.  Merry Christmas!

See ya real soon!

Maddie :)

Holy Life.

I wanted to keep this as a personal space to reflect on my life, kind of like a yearbook I can keep to myself.  I really let this yearbook get away from me!

To catch myself up, since Nashville, I've gone to prom and Disney World with my love, graduated high school, began college (big girl!), started a small business, gotten a job and have enjoyed every second of it.  This summer was rough, I needed school to start so I could move on with my life to being an official college student.  & honestly, I love college.  I enjoy the learning process, the activities available, and the activities I plan to start!

As a freshman, the typical plan goes as follows: adjust to being away from home, get really close with your dorm mate, get used to piles of homework, party, and volunteer for small projects in clubs/sororities/frats/etc.  I'll be honest, I didn't do any of that.  I decided to stay home and commute to my local university, which was a fantastic decision regarding how that reflects on my grades.  New friends that I've made are from about 2 1/2 hours away so they live on campus, and the campus life is getting the best of their grades.  I can get away from the chaos of living around kids, and can focus quietly and drink my mommom's iced tea as I work on an online exam.  Exams and homework are way way way (way) harder than high school, I could get away with minimal to no studying for high school tests and quizzes and pass with flying colors.  Now I have to dedicate hours to studying for exams that are sometimes three to four days away.  But this adjustment wasn't a huge shock to me, as moving up in my education always gets more challenging.  I've enjoyed the challenge, and so far have adjusted really well, I'm very happy with my grades at the moment.

Aside from the grades, I began working at my university last week!  Again, all good news.  I enjoy it, the time goes fast, every one is super friendly, and I'm getting paid to do something!  It feels so liberating.  & what I plan to do is to allocate those funds in four different piles: long term savings (portfolio), Christmas money for my boyfriend and family, weekly spending on food, gas, etc., and spending for my new business.  Two months ago I was approached to dress up as (basically my idol) Belle from Beauty and the Beast, at a little girl's birthday party.  I bought the dress, did my hair, acted her out, and loved every moment of it.  So I decided to expand this to a part time thing, I could dress up as a princess for birthday parties and learn how to run a business in the process.  This weekend I have another Belle party, and in two weeks I have my first Rapunzel party.

All awesome things going on, and I could mention even more things but I'll cut it short for now.  When my other crazy ideas and projects develop, I will continue to write it all down in my personal yearbook!  For now, back to homework and election watching, I'm very interested to see how this all unfolds!

Maddie :)

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Gone Country!

Hey ya'll!  I have returned once again, and this time I visited Nashville!

This has been a crazy month for traveling, I feel like I spent more time away from home rather than at home!  This trip was for the DECA International Career Development Conference!  I was able to compete at the national level in my paper category!!

This being my last DECA trip ever was a little sad, a huge part of my high school career came to a close on the last day which was very hard to think about.  However, I couldn't be more appreciative of how it ended.  I was able to do my very last presentation in Nashville, TN!  

My past four years of experience in DECA helped contribute to making me the person I am today.  Without DECA, I wouldn't have made new friends, learned how to speak in a public setting, learn how to be an effective leader, learn to think quickly on my feet, and enjoyed my four years of high school.  

Sorry for all of the rambling, but I had to dedicate a farewell post to my favorite part of high school.  Its so sad to see it come to an end, but I can't imagine what doors it has opened for the future and where it'll lead me!

These are just some pictures I wanted to share as well, because this blog is also a scrapbook of the sorts for me, and I want to remember this trip and think about DECA every time I put on a blazer or someone asks why I chose the career path I desire.

Thank you to every single person that has supported me on this journey.  My parents, my boyfriend Louie, my best friends Kara and Fatima, and my advisor and teacher, Mrs. La.

Alright, that's all now!!! Moving on, 

DISNEY WORLD TIME

I am SO SO SO excited to make my way to Disney World with my favorite person on the planet!!! I cannot wait to take in the sights, smells and sounds of Walt Disney World with Louie, I can't get my mind off of this trip!!! In 15 days we'll be in our favorite place in the entire universe!!! I already wanna start planning our next trip too!!!

Thank you so much, and have a wonderful day!  See ya real soon!

Maddie :)

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Senior Trip!

I'm back!!!! I'm so sorry for the hiatus!  However, it was for a good reason.  I just got home from my senior class trip at Walt Disney World!

I have SO many pictures, and I'm still in Disney mode so I wanted to share this awesome experience and unforgettable trip!  I'll be back in a month! (heart eyes omg)  I wanted to post all of these pictures and talk a little bit about all the fun stuff we did!

We had a 5 day trip, 3 days Disney and 2 days Universal (thumbs down).  But regardless, I really enjoyed the Universal rides! I'm just more of a Disney girl at heart :)  Anyway!  First day was Magic Kingdom where we took tons of pictures with characters :)

First day we went on tons of rides, and ate at the Crystal Palace.  It was awesome!

Next day was Universal, where we spent a ton of time in the Harry Potter parts!

Later that day we had a dinner/dance at Fantasia Gardens in Disney (heart eyes!!!!)

Next was Animal Kingdom with my BFF POCA! Pocahontas is my favorite princess!!!

Later that day we met Mulan in Epcot who I've never met before!

Last day started at my favorite place in all of Disney, Ohana at the Polynesian.  We had a delicious breakfast and met the best characters!

Later that day I stumbled upon the greatest cup of all time, my new baby aka my BB8 cup :0 :)))))))

So this trip was super awesome!!! I really wanted to share, very random, but still so happy!

Nashville is in two weeks, THEN IM BACK IN MY FAVORITE PLACE WITH MY LOVE!

Thank you so much, and have a wonderful day! See ya real soon!

Maddie :)

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Procrastination, Pocahontas, and Coloring

Oh spring!  It has been so long since I've seen warm sunshine, and I'm so happy it's starting to come out!  Hello everyone!  I hope this month has been going well, because it's completely flown for me!  I've been a busy bee!

Beyond the busyness, I've been so excited for spring!  I love warm weather and all that comes with it!  Its the start of the warmer time and that much closer to SUMMER!

Some weeks I struggle with what to publish to the world on this blog, so this week I figured I would ditch the wants and objects and looking ahead to exciting things, and just plain chat.  I'm actually very interested in some serious feedback.  Perhaps what you're looking for when reading this blog, what posts you've found useful and enjoyable, and which ones are blah (which this one may be and it is understandable).  This Monday has been extremely good to me, I've enjoyed all of it. My Monday evening has been stress-fee, and now I have the chance to do something on a school night that I typically only dream of!

I'm watching Pocahontas!!!!!

Sometimes you need a night to maybe ditch some of the work and tasks that make you busy, and opportunities like tonight is a perfect example.  I really enjoy and feel great about life when I get the chance to sit down and watch a Disney movie.  Disney anything makes me feel warm and happy inside, the music has been on in my car frequently as well!  Another way that I've found I've been relaxing is through the coloring trend.  I prefer the Disney coloring books because they're simpler, so I can finish them quick and look at the pretty colors.

Sometimes I feel guilty about not doing something productive, like I'm procrastinating.  However, sometimes its necessary because all humans need it!  I am the master procrastinator, and the other day in my Public Speaking class we watched a TED talk about procrastination, watch it here.

For any of you that may be procrastinating right now as you read this post, that video is made for us!

Thank you for reading, sometimes I need to just chat and blabber!

Thank you so much, and have a wonderful day! See ya real soon!

Maddie :)

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Spring Things!

Long time no see!  I've missed checking up on this all week!  Softball began last Friday, and it's kept me busy ever since.  It's my last year so I'm a little sad, but it's wearing me out like crazy.  I really feel like an old woman, I'm exhausted after practice every day.  Aside from softball, I have many activities planned this spring!

It all begins with senior trip (heart eyes!!!) I have to do some shopping and packing because it's less than a month away!  Senior trip, DECA Nationals in Nashville, prom, and Disney World prom weekend, and tons of concerts!  All of these events call for some new staple pieces that I can use throughout the spring and summer.

These pieces are what I really would like to use all this spring and summer.  A nice Lilly dress for my graduation party, senior dinner on trip, and other fun occasions!  The Jack Rogers for any and every possible outfit (obsessed).  The Lilly tumbler for every day use, I've been drinking tons of water lately.  The Vineyards hat and Vera backpack for Disney World!!! Also the bathing suit because I love this style, its perfect for playing in the ocean and wiffleball!  Lastly, this hopefully will be the central piece of my Easter outfit, the J Crew navy flower necklace (heart eyes x100).

Alright, so a brief explanation of these seals the deal for me!  

Thank you so much, and have a wonderful day! See ya real soon!

Maddie :)

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Hey Y'all! Its DECA States Time!

I have returned!!!!! 

I'm sorry I was away last week at my favorite part of high school ever, DECA!  

First off, I'd like to start by saying my experience in DECA has been amazing and by far the best part of high school, it has boosted my confidence and exposed me to something I love, making it my future career!  Before I ramble about my activities, I would like to tell you a little bit about what DECA is and then I'll tell you why I'm so excited!!

Okay, so DECA stands for Distributive Education Clubs of America and its been around for decades. However, DECA is actually a club in high school that competes against other schools in a business-situation competition.  In order to participate in a DECA competition, you can do a combination of things, but for majority of the competitors you take a business cluster exam and you act out a role-play in a sector of business.  The other popular activity is to write an 11 or a 30 page paper about your sector of business that you chose, do an activity involving it, and present it to a judge.

Specifically, for the past few years I've been participating in two events, one being Marketing Communications Team Decision Making.  This event involves taking a marketing cluster exam and prepping and acting out a role-play with a partner.  The other event I've been participating in is the Entrepreneurship Promotion Project, which is a written 30 page paper and a presentation of the paper and activity that I did for it.

This year has been so awesome though because I won at the state competition in both events!!! Which means I'm going to nationals for DECA in Nashville to compete!!!!!  However, my dilemma is that you aren't allowed to compete in both events at the national level, so I had to chose one.

I went with my gut and decided to pursue my paper presentation.  I poured my heart and soul into this paper and I couldn't abandon it.  I placed higher for the paper event rather than the role-play event anyway, so I feel as though I maybe would have a greater chance at scoring pretty well.

But yes, that was where I was last week.  I can't believe its my last states competition, but I'm also so excited for the ICDC competition in Nashville!

my lovely business casual attire 

awards ceremony! 

opening ceremony! 

chapter officers :)

Alright, so now I am done rambling because I'm so excited!!!

Thank you so much, and have a wonderful day! See ya real soon!

Maddie :)

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Organization!

Hello everyone!  I hope you all are having a wonderful Friday!

Today I had to express my gratitude for this wonderful little (actually size large) agenda for keeping my life so organized!  I'm going to show you how I keep this little planner tidy and useful!

Alrighty! So throughout my career as a student, we've been issued agendas each school year to use at our own discretion.  Over the years I can basically say I've gotten the agenda method down to a science!!

First off, my agenda is a Lilly Pulitzer in size large.  Next year I'm gonna be a big college girl (!) so I'm gonna go for the jumbo size!!!  Now, I will begin to explain the process!

My agenda is comprised of 16 months, going from fall of 2015 to December 2016.  Each month begins with a calendar just like this:

Now, on this calendar I first like to write down every birthday for the month so I remember to get gifts/say happy birthday!  I keep these in my phone so I check my phone's calendar each month to copy them down.  Then, I am involved in a  few clubs in my school and I know when the meetings are, so I copy them down, as well as sports and last minute meetings.  I also to highlight when I have a trip, so I can plan accordingly.  All of my events have a designated color, which is fun to look at, but is also extremely useful when glancing at it and planning for things.  

Onto the weeks now!!!

Okay, so after the month page is each week broken down into sections.  In these sections I'll again write down birthdays, trips, meetings, etc.  However, along with that I write down my homework and extra activities.  My color coordination in my days are separate from the calendar one, and comes in super handy when I'm at my locker and grabbing books at the end of the day.  

That's about it!!! (kind of) Short, sweet and to the point!!!

Thank you so much for reading!!!

Thank you so much, and have a wonderful day! See ya real soon!

 Maddie :)

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