Goodbye 2012!

What a great year it was. Much time was spent with family, friends, and all those in between. May 2013 bring those great times too! 

Happy New Years Eve! 

xo
Hannah

MIA

So sorry I've been MIA for the past few days. I've been busy with family, reading, and just relaxing! I've got lots to update on and about a million pictures to upload. Hoping you're having a wonderful Sunday!

xo
Hannah

"The Fault in Our Stars"

“Sometimes, you read a book and it fills you with this weird evangelical zeal, and you become convinced that the shattered world will never be put back together unless and until all living humans read the book. And then there are books which you can't tell people about, books so special and rare and yours that advertising your affection feels like a betrayal.” 

-John Green, The Fault in Our Stars

Over the summer, I compiled a list of books that I just had to read. I always look forward to winter break because I know it's a time where I can just read my heart out, and that is exactly what I intend to do.

The first book I read this break was The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. 

Reading a John Green book for the first time is a little bit like reading your own teenage diary. What he says and how he says it is dead on teenager. This isn't your typical teenage love story. It's about teenagers, falling in love, who both have cancer. However, it's charismatic and honest diction does not make it another Lurlene McDaniel novel. There's depth and wisdom that cannot be found in most other young adult novels, and it's not entirely depressing

Hazel Grace, a 16-year old with terminal cancer meets Augustus at her cancer support group. There, she introduces him to her favorite book, An Imperial Affliction by Peter van Houten. Together, they start on the quest to meet their favorite author and find out what happened to the characters to the open-ended novel. Through this journey, they learn about love, friendship, death, and finding happiness, even when their time is short.

"My thoughts are stars I cannot fathom into constellations."

-John Green, The Fault in Our Stars

I would highly recommend this book to anyone, young or old. It's story is beautiful and it make's you think. The thoughts that John Green puts out are compelling and one's I think everyone should know- our days are limited, but despite that, joy can be found, and true and deep friendships can be made, no matter how sad the circumstances.

xo

Hannah

Boxing Day

Let's be honest. December 26 is the worst day of the entire year. It means we have to wait another 364 days until Christmas! 

I personally think the Christmas season should be extended through all of December. Christmas music should stay on the radio longer (oh how I HATE that is off so quickly!), the snow stays forever (and it keeps snowing), the happiness, forever! 

We had a wonderful day yesterday. It was spent well with family, eating, playing games, watching Pitch Perfect, and of course, talking. I just adore Christmas day!

Today, we were pretty lazy. We played the Wii and Blokus for most of the day, and then around 4, we took the yearly day-after-Christmas trek to the mall. My mom hates it. I, however, love it. A few exchanges and purchases with gift cards were made, and we zipped out of there to grab some dinner from Costa Vida. The plan is to watch a movie and make popcorn in Dad's new popcorn maker. 

I'm still so sad Christmas is over. But we're still on break, the stores are having great sales, and the snow is still on the ground. For now, I suppose I will just watch all my recorded Christmas movies and listen to Christmas music on Pandora. :) 

Happy Boxing Day! 

xo
Hannah

From our family to yours...

Wishing you a merry and bright day!

xo
Hannah

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas -- Frank Sinatra

Silent Night

There are not enough words to describe how much I love this time of year. It is my favorite. All year long, it is all I look forward to, and then once it's here, BAM! It flies right by. I have oh so enjoyed the celebration so far, and will soak in the rest of it.

Today, the last presents will be wrapped, a few more cookies will be baked, Christmas movies will be watched, to church we will go, lobster will be for dinner, the Night Before Christmas will be read, and the three of us kids will (hardly) sleep in my room. 

Snow is slowly beginning to fall, and the dreams of a White Christmas may be coming through.  

Merry Christmas Eve. 

The Night Before Christmas -- Amy Grant

One of my childhood favorites

xo

Hannah

Finals... Finished!

It is over. Semester one is done. We made it! 

 Once I got into Spanish (my last class), this is all I could think:

 too bad my class wasn't like this;)

I have never ever ever been so relieved to be done with finals! My grades are in and I finished with a 4.0 (thank you God- my work has finally paid off). Now I can finally enjoy Christmas and this season. 

We then went to the traditional Lil' Ricci's for a pizza lunch. It was delicious! 

Afterwards, we went to my house to do some High School Musical Sing-It, because HSM never gets old.

I finished off the night at a Christmas party with some of my favorite sophomores. We watched a corgi flop (see video below-- it's hilarious!!), talked about serial killers, Spanish teachers, ate lots of dessert, kinda sorta watched Elf, exchanged gifts, tackled Claire (and proceeded to torture her by taping her wrists, feet, legs, and mouth) and taught everyone how to do "Cups". It was a great evening!

And now... commence Christmas celebration! 

xo
Hannah

Finals... Day Three

Day three is usually the breaking point. 

I had AP Euro today. That was a tough one, but all in all, I didn't do horrible and I kept my A (hallelujah!). I was so so so stressed out, but it was only initial fear and I just needed to get it over with. 

Afterwards, we went to Riley's to watch the best movie ever. We sang and danced along, and were pretty fantastic if you ask me!

 I'd say this was our best song!

It's also my favorite... :)

However, our brains are fried. So we resort to this:

 Only one day more! 

Les Mis -- One Day More 

I just had to.

xo
Hannah

The Snow

 The Snow 

O snow, which sinks so light,
Brown earth is hid from sight
O soul, be thou as white as snow,
O snow, which falls so slow,
Dear earth quite warm below;
O heart, so keep thy glow
Beneath the snow.

O snow, in thy soft grave
Sad flow'rs the winter brave;
O heart, so sooth and save, as does the snow.
The snow must melt, must go,
Fast, fast as water flow.
Not thus, my soul, O sow
Thy gifts to fade like snow.

O snow, thou'rt white no more,
Thy sparkling too, is o'er;
O soul, be as before,
Was bright the snow.
Then as the snow all pure,
O heart be, but endure;
Through all the years full sure,
Not as the snow.

(Edward Elgar)

 

We sang this song at our holiday concert last week.

It is by far my favorite.

It's soft.  It's whimsical. It's powerful. It's emotional. It's intense. It's beautiful.

It's the snow.

Happy snow in Colorado.

xo

Hannah

PS: This choir does a lovely job singing it. Enjoy.

Finals... Day Two

All I had was my choir final today. And there's not even a real final, so I just studied for tomorrow's final... AP Euro (in which I am studying my butt off for... I've racked up around 8 hours now.)

Kylee showed me some great videos that really helped figure out the French Revolution. As I was watching them on YouTube, this popped up on my side "Recommended for You" videos was this video. And oh my gosh, I am still in awe of it's utter magnificent-ness. Just watch all 13 minutes of it- it is completely captivating and perfect, I don't even know, it's just the best.

One Man Les Miserables Nick Pitera Medley

Freaking unbelievable huh? I'm still speechless.

xo

Hannah

Finals...Day One

How I feel about finals.

 I have a love/hate relationship with finals. I love them because we don't start school till 8:40, and we're out by 11:45. I hate them because I do. What's not to hate about long tests over too much stuff for any teenager to possibly remember?

Today, I had my physics final. It was questionable. I thought it was mildly easy and mildly hard. However, I do not know how I did, so the challenge of the test is yet to be determined. I thought I liked physics at the beginning of the year. Then I decided I just didn't want to like it. End of story.

So the biggest issue with finals for me is

 procrastination.

Instead of going home to study like a good student would, I go to Starbucks with Maddison, then lunch and shopping with my dad, then to the gas station, and when I finally come home, instead of studying, I read blogs, look through old pictures, sing the entire Mindy Gledhill album, clean the bathroom, basically anything to avoid studying. 

Then around 7:30, I freak out and kick myself for not doing any work. So I do some pinning therapy. And then finally, around 9, I start to truly study. 

It's a great technique. I highly recommend it.

xo

Hannah

PS: I am not ignoring the tragedy in Connecticut. I am still gathering my thoughts on it all, and putting together my words. I apologize if you feel I am being insensitive by complaining about my seemingly stupid trials, I am just processing it all before I can post about it. Much love to CT.
 

The Week Before Finals

The Week Before Finals

An original poem by Hannah

'Twas less than a week before finals,


When all through the school


Not a student was cheerful,


Not even the fools;



At home Hannah studied and did her work,


In hopes of her grades staying high or being perked. 



During this time no one dare enter Hannah's lair,
 

for doing so meant going in with writhing fear. 



With her computer fully charged and Hannah in her sweats,


She sat there for hours, trying not to fret.



When what she really wanted to do was sit with friends and chatter,


She instead tried to do her best at what really mattered.



Away from social media, she tried her best to stay,


But breaks were necessary as not to fray. 



On Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and blogs she would bask,


Causing her to waste lots of time and go extremely off task.



When what to her wandering eyes should appear,


But things that made her life seem rather drear.



So back to her studying Hannah went so quick,


Wishing the material would just already stick.

 

More confusing than the French Revolution was horrible physics,


Which honestly was the worst of all academics.



Watts, Newtons, power, energy, and joules, 


meters, velocity, acceleration, so many stupid rules.



Guillotines, the three estates, peasants, sans coulettes
,

Louis XVI, Robespierre, Marie Antoinette.



“Why must school be such a long death?”


Hannah thought, drowning in her studying, trying to catch her breath.



She organized the thoughts of a semester’s full brain,


by writing everything out and eating a candy cane;



Christmas was not far away at all, 


But the spirit was blocked by the intensity of finals, creating a wall. 





As she looked outside at the twinkling holidays lights,


She thought of how late it was in the night.



Drinking Mio Energy and eating whatever sugar she could find, 


Hannah worked through the study guides with nothing but school on her mind.



A bundle of note cards with rhetoric terms for AP Lang,


sat next to her as she avoided them and loudly sang.



Her eyes- how they struggled to stay open! her brain- how it felt so tired!


Her hand was so shaky, her thoughts uninspired!



Her droll little thoughts came random and slow,


As she stared out the window, wishing for snow.



Eventually her pencil was running quickly out of lead, 


And Hannah could only dream of going to bed. 



Her tired face grew pale and weary,

  
And the quiet house was getting eerie.



She needed more food and to go downstairs,


but feared not to do so, considering Toby lived there. 



A blink of her eyes and a yawn of her mouth, 


It seemed like Hannah's studying was beginning to go south. 




She listened to "Les Mis" and made herself work,


To the point where she thought she would go berserk.



After far too much time, she put away her books,


Giving the material one good last look.



She then sprang from her chair and leaped ahead,


Climbing under her covers and going to bed.



She whispered last words, as she closed her eyes tight,



"Happy Finals to all, and to all a good night!"

xo

Hannah

Dear December

via

 Dear December, 

Where do you go so quickly? It is already the 13th... Christmas is less than 2 weeks away! There is so much to do still. I would appreciate if you would stay for much longer and for you to slow down. I would like to relish the Christmas season and spirit far longer and not worry about school and finals. Thanks and much love.

xo

Hannah

DIY: Chalkboard Tin Cake

It is just my nature to get creative when it comes to birthdays.

I dreamt up Maddison's present when we were working at a NHS event back in October, and was so excited to finally make it! Maddison had said she loved some cookie/candy my mom made during Christmas time. I thought I would give her a tin of it for her birthday, but then thought, why not a chalkboard tin 'cake'?!

Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you, 

the chalkboard tin cake.

 You will need:

3 different sized tins

Chalkboard paint

Chalk

Whatever you want for the inside!

Paint your three tins with the chalkboard paint and let dry. I let mine dry overnight. 

Great quality picture- not.

Decorate with chalk (time to be creative!) The outside of the first one just said "Happy Birthday Maddison!", the middle was stripes, and the bottom was lyrics from some of our favorite songs. Then on the lid of the middle and bottom, I wrote what I would put in a card. 

Fill with goodies. Put on lids, but not to tightly, as they are difficult to get on and off because of the paint.

Because she always asks for gum... and she loves Starbucks, who doesn't?!

She has all sorts of uses for Vaseline! And fuzzy socks and hand sanitizer and body lotion are always useful.

White chocolate-peanut butter candies

Stack, and if you'd like tie together with whatever you please. I used twine, but it fell off before I gave it to her, so it's not entirely necessary.

Beam with pride of your gift!

xo
Hannah

PS- This is perfect for Christmas!

The First One to 17

Well, Maddison's birthday was at the end of November, so I should probably get around to her birthday post!

This year, Maddison's birthday happened to fall on Thanksgiving, so we decided it would be fun to kidnap her the day before for a birthday breakfast!

We got our tired butts up early and we're at her house by 8 to wake her up. We scattered balloons on her floor, and went and laid next to her. That sure woke her up. I'm pretty sure she was shocked because as soon as she sat up, she just sat there for a minute. We ordered her to get dressed as fast as she could and meet us downstairs. We then promptly clothed her in proper birthday accessories, and went to our cars. We then blindfolded her and took her all over. We drove through cul-de-sacs driving in endless circles and had our "H&M" playlist blaring about as loud as the volume would go. Maddison was cRaZy! 

Thank goodness for Kylee

We arrived at the destination and led her around for a while, before going to the Egg & I for breakfast. Afterwards, we walked around the nearby shops and just caught up. :)

Then came her birthday party! We had a delicious dinner at Grand Lux Cafe and walked around the mall for a while, looking at lots of things we couldn't afford. ;)

We then went back to Maddison's to open gifts, put on our PJs, eat some more, and talk and tell stories. 

Veggie trays=the bomb.

Stories were hilarious that evening! They included poisoning and death because of loud breathing, followed by lots of laughter.

So attractive when it's late!

On her chair- don't you dare try to take it

And it wouldn't be a party without some swaddling.

Happy Birthday Maddison!

xo
Hannah

I can't wait to one day

Inspired by Lindsay at Bright Days

go to college. To be independent. To learn more and more.

btw... University of Washington= where I want to go.

to travel. To see the beauty of the world and be enriched in all cultures out there.

 to make a little place home. To be a young woman finding her way while making her life.

to live in the city. Any city really, but for the hustle and bustle of the world, just outside my door.

to make it through my first year of med school and get my white coat. To be proud of my hard work and dedication to education.

 to fall in love. To find the man who means the world to me. Who puts up with my singing, my job, my hatred of fruit pies, my love of Christmas, me being always right, my hopes and dreams. To share a love like Noah and Allie's.

to become a surgeon. To mend the hearts of little children. To give solace to the worried parents. To give better lives to children, who only deserve the best. To give meaning to a job that I truly adore.

to marry the man I love. To have a wedding where we are surrounded by our family and friends. Be the luckiest girl in the world.

To move into a home. With wood floors, off-white cabinets, a big kitchen, lots of room for a family, a large yard, Anthropologie decor, lots of natural light, a place which is welcoming and cozy.

 And then to one day, just one day, have a daughter (or a few) and raise her with such grace and love, as I was raised. To teach her everything I know and give her endless opportunity.  To experience the blessing of motherhood.

xo

Hannah

A Midnight Concert in Bed

Every Friday, when I'm at school, I think I'm just going to go home and tackle as much homework as I can. Then, I get home... and once my shoes are kicked off and I sit down, I realize there's a low probability of any homework happening. 

Friday night, I was exhausted. I came home after a trip to the grocery store for doughnuts (that Brandon and Olivia convinced me they needed) and put on my big, fantastic, comfy tennis sweats. Oh those babies are the best. I lit my Christmas candle, and about fell asleep, but was interrupted by Brandon begging me to take him to meet his friends in Town Center. After that quick trip, I came home and read my blogs, pinned a bit, and watched this week's Grey's. I got dinner from Noodles & Company and packed my babysitting bag. I babysat until 11:30 and changed into my pajamas and brushed my teeth in record time. I was on Facebook right before I was going to fall asleep, but then I saw a post by Mindy Gledhill, one of my absolute favorite singers, saying we could watch her live performance at a shop in Japan on a said link, in thirty minutes. 

I managed to keep my eyes open for half an hour more, and was then entranced by the raw voice of Mindy Gledhill, as she sang some of my favorites. She played six songs, and ended with my favorite- just as I was hoping for. I was over the moon.

Crazy Love--Mindy Gledhill

So basically, I got to go to a Mindy Gledhill concert, in my PJs, in my warm bed. When she was in Japan and I was in Colorado. 

Life is awesome.

Capturing the moment

xo
Hannah

Why I Love My Brits

My favorite family I babysit for is without a doubt the E's. They are fantastic. For several reasons, but one primarily being they are from England. So they all speak in accents, and have their British living habits (such as calling dinner "tea" and calling the TV the "tele"). 

They are truly the best. Let me give you a better idea why.

They make lemon meringue pies for dessert, after tea. So good!

They have so many (good) books.

Shelves for traveling, reference books, classics, cooking, animals, nature, you name it!

They drink Squash, the most delicious drink.

It's like a citrusy water-based beverage that I could drink constantly.

This is the inside of their refrigerator. 

Healthy, yummy food galore!

Oh, and when you ask the kids what they want for a snack they say fruits, yogurt, or veggies. I LOVE THEM.

They also have a mini refrigerator just for drinks. 

I love all the options!

 

They wear house shoes (aka slippers) all the time.

They taught me how to make cinnamon popcorn, the best popcorn.

 

They scrape off my car when they get home, after it snows outside.

They have some pretty cool things around their house. 

I adore this oven mitt.

Their kids get into bed, with no arguments, whatsoever.

They are great little chefs.

We made candy cane sugar cookies last night-- recipe to come.

They leave sweet notes to their parents.

I also adore their children. J is very polite, and smart. We always make something in the kitchen (most recently, applesauce) and when I was tucking him in, I asked what he would like to make next time. He thought about it for awhile, and finally said that he would like it very much if I could show him how to cook a nice lunch for his birthday, in March. He was planning about four months ahead;) And he's reading David Copperfield by Charles Dickens. Gosh I just love that! 

And there's sweet G. She is an angel. It was 9:30pm and I had just come downstairs from tucking them in. I was loading dishes in the dishwasher and thought I heard a noise, but thought I was being paranoid since I have been since I watched "Paranormal Activity 3". I turned around though, and there was G, just standing there! Man alive, the girl scared me to death! As soon as I saw her, she just broke down, and started sobbing. She said she didn't want me to leave (prior to tucking her in, she had told me that 'she just loved when I came to babysit'). Bless her soul! She just wanted to be hugged, and coaxed. We watched the "tele" as she was nestled up as close as can be to me. Afterwards, we went and I read to her, again, as she cuddled closely to me. I love her to pieces. 

They make me feel oh so appreciated, which is something that means so much to me. Last night, they gave me a precious Christmas gift. J painted the trinket box and G wrapped it up, and said she thought I would the store the gift card too. 

 The card was too darn cute.

I am so lucky to babysit for such a great family. They know how to make my day! I love them bunches!

xo

Hannah