1. "On Waiting"

if you haven't read my introduction to this series please check it out here!

I  like to think of reading Cold Tangerines as a sort of journey, a quest to find a deeper part of myself. That is really why I wanted to read the book- I knew it would challenge me to be more content and take full advantage of the life God has given me.  The first sentence of the book story really stopped me in my tracks. It says, "I have always essentially, been waiting". To some, this sentence may not be profound in any way, but the second I read it I knew this was the perfect place to start my journey. Here's why...

I have a sign in my room that says "Chase your dreams". One night, about two years ago,  I just looked at it and got sort of angry at myself. I had hung it on the wall as a cute little decoration that I found at a thrift store. But I had not been paying attention to the message at all! At the time, I was waking up at 6:45 each morning, scrambling to get out the door, going to school for eight hours, and then coming home and doing homework for three or four more hours. I was mentally, physically, and emotionally exhausted and as I said before, I was angry. Angry that I had no time to spend on the things that make me happy. I was angry that I had so much creativity and passion building up inside of me all day, everyday and I didn't know what to do with it! I had so many things that I wanted to pursue- photography, fashion, interior design, writing, baking, reading, dancing, and on and on! I felt so stuck because I never had time for anything! I had meltdowns every other night it felt like because I was so stressed out and upset. In a time where everyone around me was devoted to something, I felt like I had nothing. 

So as I sat there, on my bed that night, staring at the sign, I decided that something needed to change. I was going into high school soon and I was not going to let one more second of my time be wasted or taken for granted. That was the night I decided to start my blog. 

I knew that a lot of my interests were not things that I could directly do (like interior design) but I could still explore them through my blog! Z E S T. became a way for me to roll up all of the things that I love into a neat little ball and throw it out into the world bits at a time, with every post that I published.

So having said all that, I just want to say thank. you. Shauna. for reminding me once again what I vowed to myself that night- not to take my life for granted. To stop waiting for change to come and make it happen! I will try to remind myself on a daily basis not to waste away the amazing gift that God has given me. Life.

with love,

Madison

pink and navy

Hey lovelies, just a quick update for now! This was my outfit for the day just thought I would share it with you all! It was a little chilly this morning so I went for some riding boots and a cream-colored long sleeve with navy stripes that I paired with a pink scarf for some additional color! Hope you enjoy!

with love,

Madison

a life that sizzles and pops.

taken from here

Back when it was still sunny and I wasn't in school all day, I got together with my friend Riley just to catch up and talk life before we both parted ways to go to different high schools in the fall. She brought a book with her that day, it was called  Cold Tangerines. Riley and I have similar tastes in just about everything and when I saw the title of the book I knew this would be no different. I asked her what it was about and she replied by reading to me one of the fourty-three short stories that make up the book. The one she read to me was called "Puppies". It was about the small group of girls that she had led in a bible-study before she moved and how much they meant to her. The story was so appropriate and touching because Riley and I were about to enter our second year together in a small group led by a high school girl, named Alex, who was soon to move away from us to go to college.

So, there we were sitting in this super chill local juice & tea place, Riley reading aloud to me this book. With every word I fell more and more in love with Cold Tangerines and Shauna's writing. By the end of the story I had decided that I had to get my hands on the book.

I just received the book a few weeks ago as a birthday gift from my mother. My birthday was on a Monday and I was a little bummed that I would have to ride the bus home on my birthday but as I was running out the door I threw the book in my backpack to keep me company on my home. When I got onto the bus that afternoon I opened up the book and read the firs story; easily falling in love with Shauna's words all over again. I have only read a few of the stories so far- I have been trying not to speed through the book, but instead savor it because I know when it is over I will be very sad. So, I thought maybe if I document my thoughts about each story I read here, on the blog, I can look back and enjoy it over and over again, and so can you! So this will be the first post in a large series of my thoughts and reactions to Cold Tangerines. I hope you all will go out and buy it for yourselves so that we can experience it together! If you do decide to decide to try it out please let me know in the comments or by email, I would love to chat! Happy reading!

with love,

Madison

Iris Grace

I was recently introduced to something absolutely amazing, inspiring, and incredibly adorable!

Iris Grace.

She is a little girl from the UK that has autism. Her mom writes a blog and runs a website about her and her incredible paintings. On the website (irisgracepainting.com) They sell Iris's paintings to help pay for her therapy and medical expenses. These are no finger paintings or random splatters on paper; they are truly art! For example...

"Octavia"
http://irisgracepainting.com/paintings/

When my friend Bethany told me about this little girl I immediately whipped out my laptop to check it out- a total sucker for warm fuzzy news stories. I looked through the website and marveled at her artwork- amazed that a little girl could do that! 

Later in the day I thought back to Iris' paintings and I decided to look at the blog posts to learn more about her (and how on earth she makes such beautiful paintings!) As I started reading though each post I felt more and more content. I cant explain why this little girl meant so much to me, I just felt happy that she was so pure and was not burdened by her autism. Before I read about Iris I, just like many others, viewed autism as a disorder. When Bethany told me that Iris had autism I felt sorry for her. As I read about Iris, about her violin, her cat Thula, her morning bike rides, and her love of African nursery rhymes I felt ashamed that I had ever pitied such a beautiful life. I kept reading and reading until I ran out of words. Then I sat back and thought about it for a second and I realized why I felt so content reading about her. God was trying to talk to me. He was speaking through Iris to help me understand that he made each and every one of us different for a reason. (That sounds so cliché but I've learned that things become cliché when they are said a lot- they are said a lot because they are true.) Through Iris's story it became clear to me that Iris's autism was not meant as a challenge from God. It was a gift.

a little bit obsessed: laptop accessories

I am going to be receiving a Macbook light from my school in the fall! Eeeek! so pumped! Lately I've been goin' a little crazy on Etsy looking at cases, skins, sleeves, and stickers. Everything is just so darn cute! Here are a few of my favorite laptop accessories!

1., 2., 3., 4., 5., 6.

with love,

Madison

I'm pretty weird...

Disclaimer: this tag was created by @LifeWithKolbiTV on YouTube.com

1. what's a nickname only your family calls you

Maddie Grace

2. what's a weird habit of yours
I guess it's not really a habit but sometimes when I sleep I wrap my big toes together without noticing it!
3. do you have any weird phobias
I don't anymore but when I was little I was scared to walk near rain-drains because I thought cougars lived in them. (I was a very imaginative child)
4. a song you secretly love to blast and belt out when you're home alone
whatever is stuck in my head (currently "Shake it Off") or I just make everything I say into a song
5. what's one of your biggest pet peeves
people who ask for help without trying very hard themselves
6. whats one of your nervous habits
smiling obnoxiously
7. what side of the bed do you sleep on
well... I have a twin bed so...both I guess?
8. what's the drink you always order at Starbucks
I actually don't go to Starbucks enough to have a favorite drink but I love fruity tea like peach or raspberry!
9. which way do you face in the shower
away from the water
10. what was your first stuffed animal and what was its name
my first stuffed animal was a very generic looking teddy bear except that its "fur" was this rainbow watercolor print. I actually don's know where it is currently to take a picture but I found one on ebay! It's name was (is) "rainbow bear".
11. do you have any weird body skills
Yes! I can pop my shoulder blades out like wings. (haha sorry some people think it's gross)
12. what's your favorite comfort food that is bad but you eat it anyway
oooh! Definitely meatballs in cream of mushroom soup. yum.
13. what's a phrase or exclamation you always say
Ohmygoodness!
14. what do you wear when you go to sleep
t-shirt+pajama+pants (and sometimes a sweatshirt too!) 
 15. what did you used to wear that you thought was cool but now you realize it 
isn't 
In fourth grade I wore dresses over jeans or colored yoga pants with mary janes and socks. Yeah, I was cool

with love,
Madison 

cherry lemonade.

One of my favorite parts of summer is the local jazz festival. I've grown up listening to jazz. I will always love sitting in the living room in the evening listening to the smooth jazz channel on the TV, talking and laughing with my family. Jazz is so calming and relaxing and just a really comfy place for me. I also love this event because the artists never disappoint! My favorite band tonight was The Elders!

But what I love the most is seeing all the different people coming together to chill and enjoy great music.

It's one of the things that makes my heart so happy. People tapping their feet and sipping cherry lemonades and scatting and belly laughing and dancing and clapping they're hands. Purely enjoying life. That's how life should be all the time. Don't you think?

Tonight I would like to propose a toast to a life full of tapping feet and scatting and belly laughing and dancing and clapping hands. So let's all raise our cherry lemonades and just 

purely. enjoy life.

with love,
Madison