{Giving Thanks} Reunited

Tonight was a wonderful night. For the first time in FIVE months, I got to be with my four best friends, all at the same time. It's crazy that all five of us have not been able to get together for so long, but we are all busy people and it's difficult! But we got to tonight and it was such a gift.

I'm so thankful for these girls. They have been there for me from the start. We are all on our own paths now, but it's such a special thing that we can come back together and nothing has changed. I sometimes wish for the days when we were always together in high school and life was simple, but it's also so exciting to watch everyone grow and find themselves. Our friendship is an awfully funny thing- we are all so very different, but at the same time so similar. Our differences are what make it such a fun adventure! I love our honesty with each other, our laughing, our stories, and the love that runs deep. I guess in a way, I took for granted having these girls by my side all the time. I never realized how truly precious and rare it is to have the same best friends all four years of high school. I can't imagine it any other way and honestly feel sorry for anyone who wasn't so fortunate. The stability and reliance of these girls is what kept me going. When I'm with them, I'm Hannah. I'm happy as can be. I wish I could describe it better, but to sum it up, I love love love these girls. They are my best friends 5eva <3

Can we just take a second and acknowledge this fantastic lighting?

Some things never change. Double chins and deuces

Yep that's us

TRUE COLORS

love them so much

What one earth would I do without them

This is typical

Agape 5eva

xo
Hannah

{Giving Thanks} Happiness in Each Crevice

Life is a puzzle. There's pieces that we put together to make up the most beautiful masterpiece, but sometimes there's little cracks and crevices. But even those hidden spaces, happiness thrives. Happiness is what we have to choose. It's what we rely on, especially in times when things are a little foggy. 

It's the cold nights where I'm huddled on my bed with spiced tea.

It's listening to the soundtrack to The Cider House Rules while admiring the fall colors.

It's my wild red hair blowing through the wind.

It's perfectly placed pillows and a made bed in the morning.

It's my 9am coffee, with just a little cream.

It's the glimmer of hope each day brings.

It's my Hunter wellies, lined up, side by side.

It's my thought out magnet board.

It's the Christmas music that pulses through my veins, making me sad, happy, excited, and sentimental all at once.

It's pictures of the past, each with long wonderful stories attached.

It's ABBA, my most favorite dancing and singing music.

It's the satisfaction that accompanies crossing something off of my to do list.

It's the straight lines and perfectly formed letters when using a favorite pen.

It's hearing my friend's voice through the phone. 

It's blasting Taylor Swift in the shower.

It's finding something on clearance at J.Crew.

It's watching the geese slide around on the ice on Kitt Pond.

It's Christmas lights flickering on trees at 29th Street.

It's texts from childhood friends, reminiscing about old memories.

It's the promise that no matter how imperfect life is, it will all work out, with joy.

//These are just a few of the little things that I am so thankful for! I hope you remember to find happiness in the hidden places of life.

xo
Hannah

{Giving Thanks} Songs

My friend Jessica, who blogs over at Polygamy Joe, has done a few posts where she posts her songs of the week. I really liked the idea and thought I would do something like it over here! I'm sort of tying it into a thankful post, as I am very very thankful for music. I think my appreciation has only grown upon coming to college because I am constantly listening to music, whether I am sitting studying or walking to class or singing in the shower. I even get to take a music class next semester-- I'm ecstatic! My taste in music ranges from white girl pop to soft mellow indie to show tunes to old soul crooners to Christmas music. I base my music on my state of mind for sure. I think music is an incredible way to express yourself, whether you are singing to it, listening to it, or dancing to it. I'm a choir singer, shower soloist, and Spotify addict.

So here's my current life soundtrack, in no particular order. You can also find my favorite songs of 2014 here.

1. My Dear - Hunter Thompson
I didn't realize that this was a worship song until recently but nonetheless it's still amazing. Makes me so happy :)

2. Life in Technicolor ii - Coldplay
This is one of those songs that I know will follow me for the rest of my life. Coldplay does no wrong.

3. Kiss Me Slowly - Parachute
You can find me singing this loudly with my headphones in in Mackenzie's dorm quite frequently (okay just last Friday). Maddison! If you are reading this, I remember sophomore year when you told me how much you loved this song so I just thought I would say YES this is the BEST song ever!

4. When We Were Young - Lucy Schwartz
This song used to be the opening song for the TV show, Parenthood, a favorite of mine. It just makes me all sentimental and think back to the simple days of childhood.

5. I Want What You Have - Willamette Stone
I watched some of "If I Stay" (the version I was watching online didn't have the whole movie I guess since it just ended in the middle of a scene??) but I really liked this catchy song.

6. Blank Space - Taylor Swift
Yes, I'm one of those girls that loves T Swift. Yes I guess she's dramatic and a little crazy but the girl has sold millions of albums so obviously she's doing something right. Plus there's a Taylor Swift song for every situation. Her new album is pretty good (Speak Now will always be my favorite). Some other favorites are Clean, This Love, Style, Bad Blood, and I Know Places.

7. 'Til the Season Comes Round Again - Amy Grant
I grew up listening to Amy Grant during the holiday season. Sure we would listen to all the classics too, but whenever I hear Amy Grant, I think back to being bundled up in the car and listening to this. Or I think back to walking in from the bus, and the house would be warm from the fireplace and all the Christmas lights would be on as the sun would be setting (I didn't get off the bus until almost 4:20) and my mom would have warm cookies waiting for us. It sounds too dreamy to be true but my mom made the holidays so special and that's what is already making this holiday season hard.

8. Promise - Ben Howard
 Not much to say on this one. I just really loved Ben Howard.

9. Bravado - Lorde
This was in an episode of Grey's so yep, it doesn't get much better. Any music in Grey's is the best. Especially when it's Lorde.

10. Home - Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros
Is an explanation even necessary? I CANNOT WAIT TO GO HOME!!! THREE MORE DAYS!!!

xo
Hannah

Taking Stock//November

These posts are fun little ways I like to keep track of my current season of life. I meant to start doing them monthly, but forgot about it in September and October. Better now than never, right?

Taken over a year ago in Berlin but I look the exact same and I love this picture for 500 reasons

Making: Christmas decorations because why not
Drinking : orange spice tea. A favorite nighttime drink.
Reading:"The Americanization of Narcissism" by Elizabeth Lunbeck
Wanting: my fleece lined leggings that are at home:/
Looking: at the snow covered Flatirons. Swoooon
Playing: my favorite dancing/singing old school music
Wasting: food at the C4C haha whoops
Wishing: Riley luck on her business final. You've got this Ri!
Enjoying: the snow!!!
Waiting: to play Christmas music in the shower until after Thanksgiving
Liking: this journal. I am becoming an excellent journal keeper so I need more (hint hint Mom)
Wondering: what life would be like if I had gone out of state for school
Loving: this song and this song and this song
Hoping: that my bio lab final won't kill me
Marvelling: that there's only 4 weeks left in the semester!! TIME FLIES!
Needing: more wool socks for this bitter cold weather
Following: this blog & this blog. Two all time favorites. Can I just live in NYC?
Smelling: my frosted cranberry wallflower. The perfect fwinter (fall-winter) scent!
Wearing:my robe quite frequently. Since my room's an igloo, it's like a long fluffy jacket hahaha
Watching: Desperate Housewives on Netflix. Such a classic crazy show
Noticing: how Mackenzie and I don't even speak full sentences to each other any more. I can mumble a few things and she knows everything I'm about to say.
Thinking: about all the studying I have to do this weekend, blech.
Feeling: a whole lot of everything. College just takes your emotions and amplifies them 100000 times
Bookmarking: this. Amen to best friends.
Opening: letters from friends! It's the best.
Giggling: at old videos from senior year

xo
Hannah

{Giving Thanks} Memories

Dear current high school seniors,

This is one of those things you're going to be hearing a lot of this year. No, I'm not going to ask where you're going to school or what you're majoring in- trust me, I know that's the absolute worst thing to be asked right now. I'm not going to ask you anything. I'm going to tell you something and boy, I sure do hope you listen.

Life is busy right now. You are filling out college applications, trying to figure out a senior project, looking at scholarship opportunities, all while trying to manage school work. Everyone seems so concerned with this great unknown, the daunting future, that it's difficult to stay in the now. Oh but you must.

Drink it all in. Soak up every moment. Say yes. These days are some of the most wonderful days of your life.

I hope you are lucky enough to have found the best friends in the whole world. The people who you know way too much about, but still love. Those amazing people who you have no clue what you would do without. They are the best people ever and you know that you will always be best friends. But those best friends of yours will soon be miles and miles away and you will very much wish you had the luxury of seeing them everyday. Yes, you will make many, many new friends wherever the future may bring you, but there is a special bond you will always have with those friends from high school. They were there for you during some of the most awkward times. They're the ones with you as you prepare for this big change. They are your family. They are the usual, the familiar, the comfortable. And that, that is something that you will learn never to take for granted.

While life may seem so complex right now, you will only remember how simple it really was.

Dance the night away at every school dance. Root on the football team at every game. Attend all theater performances. Partake in spirit weeks. Thank your teachers. Go on long drives, listening to good music. Hang out with your friends every weekend. Laugh until you cry. Cry until you laugh. Make the most of the time that moves far too swiftly... before you know it, you'll be holding your diploma.

Hang out with your family. No matter how annoying they are, you will really miss them. You will miss having dinner with them every night and watching your younger siblings grow up. The best news is they will be there for you when you need them, and home is always waiting. For now though, take advantage of the sweet time you have together.

Cherish your grades being composed of a lot of boosters. In college, the majority of your grade is exams. There are no worksheets or homework assignments or participation points to fluff up that grade.

When second semester comes and the senioritis hits hard, that's ok. But still try. Finish strong. Know it's not the end. But it's happening. Instead of mindlessly walking from class to class, really look around you. The halls around you have housed you for the past four years. They're where you grew. Notice all the little things, the things you never noticed before. Leave your mark. 

Cast away any anxiety that the future may bring. Right now, live in each day. Along the way, you will fall into the most wonderful place, exactly where you belong.

What is about to come is amazing. You will have so many new opportunities, new adventures, and incredible memories. But never forget your roots. They have influenced where you are today. There will be days where you miss what was. You will miss listening to Paisley's lectures, and constructing ecocolumns in APES, and running cross country. But you will love your new friends, independence, and discovering your passions. You will love awakening parts of you that you did not know exist. It is thrilling and scary and the best thing ever. And it will come when it's time.

You know you're going to miss all of this, but you don't know yet just how much. So find peace, find joy, and love where you are. You'll never be there again.

-Hannah

//

Today, I am incredibly thankful for memories, specifically those of high school. I was so lucky to have the most amazing tight knit group of friends in high school.  Because of those amazing friends, I came out of high school with some of the most fantastic memories. Every day, I find myself recalling a specific event, smiling and wishing I was there to share a moment like it again. I think that memories, good and bad, are one of the most precious gifts of life. Time spent together is certainly invaluable.



My favorite way to reminisce of those good ol' high school days.

xo
Hannah

{Giving Thanks} Friendship All Over

I am thankful for friendship in many places. College has really shown me the beauty of friendship in many places. I have friends at home, still in high school working their way to rich futures; friends all over the country and state, from Denver to Fort Collins to Illinois to Idaho; and I have friends right here in Boulder, who are new but it feels like we have been friends for ages.

This past week, I have gotten to be with friends from all over.

On Wednesday, the high school choir came up and Mackenzie and I got to see Evan. Evan has always been a great friend to us, which is why we loovvveee him as Riley's boyfriend!

On Thursday night, I was in my room, snapchatting Sierra. She had just gotten a card I sent and I was going to call her to catch up. Before I could pick up the phone to call her, it was already ringing, as she was calling me! She was headed home for the weekend and was wondering if she could pay a visit to good ol' CU! Of course I said yes! So on Friday night, Sierra came here to Boulder and we were able to catch up and show her a bit of our stomping ground. It started to rain so we didn't get to stay out too late, so we resorted back to my dorm and watched Pitch Perfect while catching up on life. It was so, so wonderful to see her!

Saturday, I made caramel apples with some of the girls from floor. We did a lot of white girl dancing and had a ton of laughs- they are the best floor mates a girl could ask for. I feel so lucky to have made such wonderful friends here!

And of course, I am always thankful for the five minute away friendship of Mack. What would I do without her?

New favorite picture.

I know that wherever I go, friendship will be there. It is a cornerstone for us as humans, and a wonderful one at that.

xo
Hannah

500 Shades of Thankful

This past Saturday morning, I had a red cup Starbucks date with Mackenzie. While we were sitting there having a lovely conversation, I realized we have these pillars to our friendship. A major one is our exaggerations of emotion/feeling. If Mackenzie asks me how I'm feeling, I would never just say stressed- I am 500 shades of stressed. I am 500 shades of freaking out. I am 500 shades of pissed off. I am 500 shades of crazy happy!

For whatever reason, we just really love "shades of" and usually the number 500. So this year, I decided to carry on the blog tradition in which I reflect on the things I am thankful for, big and small. But this year, it only felt right to call the series "500 Shades of Thankful". In actuality it will be like 20 Shades of Thankful because I'll probably only get around to it that many times, but that doesn't have as nice of a ring to it as 500 Shades of Thankful.



So here's what I'm thankful for today...

The most delicious dark chocolate and binge watching Grey's Anatomy. Man oh man I forgot how much I love Grey's! Seriously my most favorite show ever. This BuzzFeed article further exemplifies my love.

Getting to see the choir today as they came to perform at CU Madrigal Fest. This post goes in depth my true gratitude for choir.

Selfies with the choir because I am your average basic white girl

And with that, seeing Riley's boyfriend. We all love Evan! You got a good one, Ri.

My writing professor is undoubtedly my favorite. At the very end of class on Tuesday, someone jokingly asked if we could have pizza if the library seminar we were scheduled to go to was cancelled. Just read the very last line of the email... she is the best.

So yep, this month will be full of thankful but I don't think it ever hurt anyone to reflect on all that they are grateful in life. Our time here is brief, but full to the brim of things to be so insanely thankful for.

xo
Hannah

Halloween

Halloween at college is something else. Especially when you go to a school widely known for it's partying. This whole week was just a ton an anticipation leading to the weekend. I began celebrating on Wednesday (wild, I know) and have truly enjoyed observing how insane these kids go.

Wednesday night was the night of the Young Life Halloween Party. It was at the Young Life House, which is on a beautiful piece of land. There was dancing, food, a bonfire, and pumpkin smashing. My costumes this year were extremely basic, but that's what happens when you go to college. I will certainly be more prepared next year and have a whole slew of costumes ready to go. I was Waldo, simple and easy. It was a ton of fun, especially getting down on the dance floor. Dances are one of the things I miss most about high school so I was so happy to be back in my element.

Mack the lumberjack, Steph the Greek goddess, and Waldo

10/10 would recommend axing pumpkins

 Thursday night was crazy on campus. That's when most people kicked off Halloweekend. Thirsty Thursday brings out crazy so the excitement of Halloween made things even more crazy. At about 10:30, Mackenzie, Mary, John, and I went on a driving adventure. Getting the keys to John's car was quite the ordeal and we were very close to not being able to drive anywhere but things took a change for the better and we were soon driving through the country. I always forget how there's a lot of farm land in Boulder. We settled on going to get some late night breakfast. We listened to music, which was so amazing because singing in the car is on my top five things I miss about home. Plus, Mary and John share the same taste in music as me and Mack so we were all very happy. The first IHOP we went to was closed, despite it saying on Google it was open 24/7. We decided to go to Village Inn. Surprise, that was also closed. Luckily, we found another IHOP close by that was for sure open 24/7. We got food and then drove back to Boulder, listening to Christmas music. By the time we got back, it was about 2am. Let's all just take a second to acknowledge how late I was out on a school night! I didn't end up falling asleep up 3, and had to be up at 7 because I had an 8am. That's college for ya!

This was a very popular tweet Friday morning. I could not agree more after Thursday's crazy night. Also I bet no one knows what movie this is from. MERMAIDS, one the best movies of all time.

Friday was a crazy, crazy day. I had three classes and saw all sorts of costumes. Two of my professors dismissed us from class 20 minutes early so that was quite the plus. After a much needed nap, Mackenzie came over (holler for having my roommate go home this weekend!) and we got ready. For our first festivity, I was a lumberjack and Mackenzie was a robber. We went trick or treating around my residence hall with EB, Steph, and Melissa. Afterwards, Mackenzie and I met up with John, Mary, and Mary's sister. It was then Mack decided to change costumes and be Deb from Napoleon Dynamite. We went a party on the Hill and it was so much fun! The Hill is quite the place to be on Halloween, or any weekend honestly. It gets very busy and crazy and you see people from all walks of life. We left the party pretty late and came back to my room to hang out. Mackenzie and I ate candy and then finally crashed. It was a great first college Halloween!

Shannon wins most creative costume! She's a pot brownie hahaha! CU Boulder for ya

I sure do love Shannon and Melissa

Crazy crazy

They're my favorites!

This describes our friendship perfectly.

John as Snape, Mack as Deb, and Mary as Michelle Duggar (HAHA!)

I'm sure that Halloweekend will continue on Saturday, but I will be hanging out with girls from my floor making caramel apples and watching Christmas movies. We've had our fair share of partying;)

xo
Hannah

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

via

Happy November 1st!!! Today, the Christmas season officially begins! Well we all know that I have been celebrating Christmas 2014 since December 26, 2013. Finally, the rest of the world has caught up. Some people will lament about this day and argue that celebrating Christmas should begin after Thanksgiving but I say it is never early to celebrate the most wonderful time of the year.

This season has been a little strange. It's my most favorite season of the year, but I realized part of what makes it my favorite season is all the traditions at home. It's sort of sad that I can't be home and really soak it in, but I know that will make my time at home even more special. 

To everything there is a season. To Hannah, the season is Christmas. I am so happy that Mackenzie shares a love for the same season because it increases my excitement. More times than we would like to admit, Mackenz and I have these crazy hilarious times where we just act ridiculous, constantly building off of each other. We find ourselves very, very funny. Christmas really brings out the dangerous level of insanity in us. Luckily, I know we are not alone in this. I was reading Kelle Hampton's blog and she was telling a story that was very Hannah and Mackenzie. There really is something in the gene pool of some people that ignites a crazy adoration for the holiday season.

Thanksgiving of course, is still a love of mine. I  very much look forward to it and see it as a branch of Christmas, and it is just as worthy of celebration. Just tie it into Christmas;)

WHITE GIRL LOL

Hahaha peppermint mochas crack me up!

Oh my goodness this is the best time of the year I just always want to cry tears of happiness

 Plans for today involve Starbucks red cups, listening to Christmas music full blast, and a trip to Target to pick up some Christmas decorations. Tis the freaking season.

xo
Hannah