Blog Challenge- Day 31

31. Why do you blog?

I blog because I love it. I love having something for me to look forward to and do every day, even if it's just a small thing. When I blog, I can just let it all out, it's therapeutic. It makes me think about the good in my day. Often, when my day's going not how I planned, I seem to forget about the good. This blog makes me reflect on the positivity each day brings. It's a way for me to remember the small, happy things in my life, like a journal or diary. There's this one quote about dancing, "Dance to express, not to impress", and that is wholly how I feel about blogging. I blog to express, not to impress. If there comes a time when I have thousands of visitors a day, yay! For now though, I'm happy with the fifty to seventy-five. One day, maybe this blog will turn into my college journey, or my time with my family, or who knows! Until then, I blog to celebrate my friends, my family, music, food, my hopes & dreams, and the greatest moments in my life. :)

xo
Hannah

ps- I'm sad that the Blog Challenge is over! I loved it and hoped you did too! Maybe one day I'll do another Challenge. :)

pps- I'm thinking tomorrow will be the big day of the new blog design launch! I can't wait!

Blog Challenge- Day 30

30. What's in your makeup bag?

Not much, honestly! I usually only put on powder and some eye shadow, liner, and mascara- the blush is for when I'm feeling fancy. ;) I like quick and simple!

xo
Hannah

Blog Challenge- Day 29

29. Where have you traveled?

I am very fortunate to have gone to lots of places in my life already. Each trip was special and very memorable.

Florida (Disney World, Seaworld, Universal)- 2000, 2001, 2007

Swimming with beluga whales, 2007

Chicago- 2002
Washington D.C.- 2009
Virgina- 2008, 2009
Pennsylvania- 1999
New Jersey- 1999
Hawaii- 1999, 2002, 2006, 2009, 2011

Dinner in paradise, 2008

Nebraska- too many times to count

At a wedding, 2010

South Dakota- 2010

Oh my Lord, my hair. 2010

Kansas- 2008, 2010
Wyoming- 2010
Las Vegas- 2010

M&M World

Kentucky- 2011

Not my best picture, but the stunning Cincinnati skyline

Ohio- 2011, 2012 

Me and Miss Martha sneaking around Nationals, 2012

And that's all that I can think of without asking my mom. ;)


xo
Hannah

Blog Challenge- Day 28

28. What are you looking forward to?

Besides the obvious...

CHRISTMAS!
(in case you didn't already know)

I'm really looking forward to going to Europe next summer with my friends! It is going to be SO much fun! I really, really, really hope all my friends who want to come can, it will not be the same without them! We're going to Germany, Czech Republic (yay!), Poland, Hungary, and Austria and we will be seeing some beautiful things. It's truly the trip of a lifetime. I can't wait to embrace it all!

Talk about beautiful. Budapest, Hungary
{via}

xo
Hannah

Blog Challenge- Day 27

27. Post your favorite recipe

Yikes, how on Earth am I supposed to choose a favorite?! I'll just choose one of my many favorites. :)

Holiday Brie en Croute

• Ingredients

  
  

  • 1 egg
  • 1 tbsp. water
  • All-purpose flour
  • 1 puff pastry sheet, thawed
  • 1/2 cup apricot preserves
  • 2/3 cup dried cranberry
  • 1/4 cup toasted sliced almond
  • 1 (13- to 16-ounce) Brie cheese round
  • crackers

  Directions

  1. Heat the oven to 400°F. Beat the egg and water in a small bowl with a fork.
  2. Sprinkle the flour on the work surface.  Unfold the pastry sheet on the work surface. Roll the pastry sheet into a 14-inch square. Spread the preserves on the pastry to within 2 inches of the edge. Sprinkle with the cranberries and almonds. Place the cheese in the center of the pastry. Fold the pastry up over the cheese to cover. Trim the excess pastry and press to seal. Brush the seam with the egg mixture. Place seam-side down onto a baking sheet. Decorate with the pastry scraps, if desired. Brush with the egg mixture.
  3. Bake for 20 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown. Let stand for 45 minutes. Serve with the crackers.
     
     
     

My Grammy makes this just for me every Christmas and I basically eat it all, sharing with only my mom and aunt. It is divine!

xo

Hannah

Blog Challenge- Day 26

26. An old photo of you

Well... I couldn't choose just one!

Don't you just love old pictures?!

xo

Hannah

Blog Challenge- Day 25

25. Your five favorite blogs

{via}

1. nieniedialogues.com
   I just love nie, plain and simple. 
 
2. 71toes.com
   I love her family, I want mine to be just like hers.

3. thesmallthingsblog.com
   I love all her cute hair ideas! 


4. frommygreydesk.com
   Cute home projects, cute clothes, cute blog!

5. amy-newnostalgia.blogspot.com
   Healthy living, good recipes, and spiritual guidance. 

xo
Hannah

Blog Challenge- Day 24

24. Your favorite childhood book

Well, I've always loved reading! I was even skilled enough to read upside down when I was little. ;) 

My favorite childhood book would have to be When I Was Little by Jamie Lee Curtis. I read it every night and loved the illustrations (and still do). As I got into the chapter book stage, my favorites were the Little House on the Prairie series. What made them even more special was my mom gave me her boxed set from when she was little. They were treasured and still are! And now, I still love to read! The summer is simply wonderful when I can free read and enjoy each book without worrying about school books, well, until that time comes around.

xo
Hannah

Blog Challenge- Day 23

23. Your dream job

It was in 7th grade I knew I wanted to have a career in the medical field. First, I wanted to be a neonatologist, then I wanted to be a pediatric oncologist, then a general surgeon, next a neurosurgeon, then a pediatric surgeon, then a pediatric cardiologist, and finally I settled on a pediatric cardiothoracic surgeon. Yep, I changed my mind a lot (and it totally could change again) but I like kids (let me rephrase that, I like helping kids especially when they're sick. oh, and it's sorta kinda nice they're asleep the majority of the time;)), surgery interests me (I don't know how to explain it, but it's complex and artistic, delicate and a total balance of connecting to a patient while not getting too involved) and I LOVE the heart. Love it so much, I have a picture of one hanging on my wall that's labeled. I love to look at it before bed and have it memorized. 

Ain't it a beauty? Well of course it is, it's keeping you alive!

But what really inspired me was Miss Libby Lu.

For about four years now, I've babysat Libby and her brother Chapin. I love her family, they're so kind and the kids are very well-behaved. Chap has always been bit of a homebody and prefers to build airplanes or construct things on his own, with me checking up on him occasionally. Libby however, sticks to me like glue, but I don't mind. :) We make all sorts of things- mini cakes in old cans, homemade ice cream, playdough, homemade finger paint, candy buttons, all sorts of things. We turn up the music and dance around and have a grand time. Last June, she told me she was a little sad because her parents had just told her she was having heart surgery in two weeks. Like any 8-year old would be, she was nervous so we went to the park to forget about it for three hours (man alive I was tired after that!). Lib was diagnosed with truncus arteriosus when she was born. Basically, instead of having a blood vessel come out of each ventricle, there's only one for both ventricles, compromising her heart and lung health. She had surgery after birth and would need it when she was 6- she made it till she was 8. The day of her surgery, I was in Hawaii and had positive thoughts going her way! When we got home, my mom told me though things had taken a turn for the worse. After surgery, Libby was recovering in the cardiac ICU when her heart spontaneously stopped. She was in cardiac arrest and had to be opened up bedside and have her heart manually pumped for 38 minutes. Most doctors would have given up and pronounced her dead, but the her amazing doctors had a miracle in mind. Her parents were told to expect brain damage. She was on ECMO (basically a heart-lung machine) for a few days and was in the cardiac ICU for a week. I'll never forget reading updates from their family's site and having my heart hurt to know Libby was so sick. I prayed and prayed and prayed. But I knew Libby was resilient and had to heal- we still had a list of crafts and projects to do! After going back in, her surgeon did not understand why her heart stopped. To this day, it is still unexplained. And the beauty of this story is Libby is fine. Spunky, smart, pretty dang healthy. When Lib woke up, she was functioning normally, a miracle. Her only post-arrest issue was some pain swallowing because of the breathing tube being put in so rushed and a weakened immune system (she's had to stay in the hospital four times). Miss Lib Lu is a tremendous girl who spreads smiles and hope for other kiddy cardiac patients.

I think during all the time of the unknown with Lib, I realized how much I wanted to help. Give them a second chance at a life they deserve. And the heart is pretty darn spectacular:)

But want to know a secret? My dream of being a pediatric cardiothoracic surgeon scares me a little (especially after reading this article . Four years of high school, four years pre-med, four years med school, six years residency, plus about two years fellowship, by the time I'd be a full-fledged peds CT surgeon, I'd be the tender age of 38. Oh and I want to get married and have kids (four or five of them) and a life. Yeah, I'll fit that in somehow. 

For now though, that's a lot to worry about. I should probably get through high school first... but they always do say begin with the end in mind. Yeah, I have too much time to over think things. 

xo
Hannah

Blog Challenge- Day 22

22. The best thing to happen this year

Easy! My Nissen! :)

xo

Hannah

Blog Challenge- Day 21

21. Your ten favorite foods

In no particular order...

1. Sweet potatoes. Baked, mashed, boiled, fried, anyway. I've loved them since I was a baby. :)
2. Coconut! I really shuld just start a coconut food board on Pinterest because so much of my food is coconut stuff!
3. Chai. The creaminess and the spice are the perfect combination- hot, cold, or blended.
4. Twice baked potatoes. I could eat these everyday! They're my favorite summer side dish!
5. Pineapple. It's best in Hawaii, but when you get it really good here in Colorado, it's hard not to eat it all and make your tongue feel awful.
6. Pesto with angel hair. I love to deviate from the norm of red sauce and pesto is my fave! I love when there's little leftover chunks of pine nuts.
7. Cheesecake. Plain, banana, coconut, turtle, it's all good to me!
8. Chocolate-covered strawberries. Heaven. 
9. Candied nuts. I love how easy these are to make and I eat them all the time during the holidays!
10. Spinach artichoke dip. I don't why, but this always a favorite. Cold or hot, on bread, tortilla chips, or crackers suits me!

xo
Hannah

Blog Challenge- Day 20

20. A difficult time in your life

Life has it's hard times and it's good times but I like to focus more on the good. ;)

But I'd have to say a difficult time in my life was when I had horrible reflux. Whenever I would eat, I would feel sick and usually would throw up (and if I weren't home, I would swallow it- d.i.s.g.u.s.t.i.n.g.) Basically, life sucked. It was frustrating and it always made bad days ten times worse. I hated to eat, sometimes it would be hard to sleep, exercising made it worse, and nothing made it better. I felt defeated. But now I'm fixed. :) All because of some amazing doctors, patient parents, and supportive friends. I'm forever grateful that that difficult time is OVER!

Oh and here's my 3-month post op scar picture. ;) I forgot to post it yesterday!

Who would have guessed I would ever be ok with sharing pictures of my stomach? ;)

xo

Hannah 

Blog Challenge- Day 19

19. What do you collect?

I've never been a big collector. I had a quarter collection when I was little, but my dad liked it more I think. When I would always eat Starbursts in Spanish on Wednesdays (Sierra & Riley- I miss those days!), I would keep all the wrappers, although I'm not sure why. I guess I collect pictures, I have over 12,000 in my iPhoto library, but it's mostly because I love taking them. But that's not a real collection. I suppose the only thing I really collect is my movie ticket stubs. I love looking at them and thinking about when I saw them, who I saw them with, what we did before/after the movie, etc. 

 July 1, 2011- I could not wait for this movie! To this day, I still love it! Maddison, Mackenzie, and I listened to this song SO many times, it was the soundtrack of summer:) 

This picture KILLS me!

 November 4, 2011- Maddison and I took our sisters to see this movie for a sister movie night. :) We went to Red Robin before and took fun photo booth pictures after. I'll never forget little Olivia and Emma's faces looking at us in the theater, asking what a virgin was. Oh those two!

Oh little sisters...

 June 14, 2012 (and May 24, 2012)- I saw this movie twice and love it so much! First, I saw it with Maddison and we sat there in the theater, about to cry because the best people in the movie had the worst thing happened to them. The second time, Mackenzie, Kylee, Jessica, and I went to see it. We went to Red Robin before and lived it up in the theater, loud and crazy as we were the only ones there (besides some weird old man who came in halfway through the movie)! 

The usual

July 31, 2011- This is basically my favorite movie ever. Maybe it's because it's hilarious, or maybe because Emma Stone plays a girl named Hannah who ends up with Ryan Gosling;) oh, and I'm basically a clone of Hannah in the movie. But it's a very good movie, not extremely predictable, so that was nice and different than most romantic comedies! We went to breakfast before at Village Inn and Maddison and I took photobooth pictures afterwards.

Some of my all-time favorite pictures:)

xo
Hannah

Blog Challenge- Day 18

18. The meaning behind your blog name

Simply Me. 

There isn't too much deep meaning behind this. This blog is simply me- who I am, what I do, and what I love. My URL, a paraphrase of Emily Dickinson's quote, "The mere sense of living is joy enough" is a reminder that life itself is joy and all else in it is added happiness to be grateful for. 

Yep, that's it. Plain, simple, me. ;)

xo
Hannah

ps- changes are coming to this blog! Good changes, changes I like, changes I hope you like. :)

Blog Challenge- Day 17

17. What is your most proud moment?

There have been several moments in life where I have been proud. Moments where I beam with pride and can't wait to tell my parents about it or moments I wish would last forever. But my MOST proud moment? In 16 years, I've done a lot, but there are moments more special to me. Sure, it could be my grades, or getting an award, or coming up with super fun activities for when I babysit, or cooking a meal for my family, but it's something I never thought I would do or be proud of.

My most proud moment was...

when I let go of a friendship and learned that if you're the only one fighting for it, then it's not meant to be. 

I know- lame, cheesy, totally something a teenage girl would say. I won't elaborate too much, but let me tell you, this friendship was one so rare, so special, so unique. One I will forever miss and cherish but know that it is over and will never be the same. As hard as this was to accept, through all the tears and terrible nights, and crushed feelings in and out of school, I learned that I should have never thought I was entitled to the friendship, that it could turn on a dime. Writing this floods me with bittersweet memories and I will not lie, makes me miss my friend so much it hurts my heart. I hate how certain things will always remind me of them, however I know that they are not the same person they were. I long to know what happened to our friendship, and ache for the past, but know that God's end to this relationship, His no, is no rejection, 

but a redirection.

xo

Hannah 

Blog Challenge- Day 16

16. What's at the top of your bucket list?

I have a long, long bucket list. There's a lot I want to do! But it also makes me think, why do we contemplate our mortality, all the could'ves, would'ves, should'ves? Life is crazy but oh so beautiful, and it's so hard to pinpoint one thing I want most! But if I were to die tomorrow and had one last wish, it would be:

To get married and have a family of my own.

I can't say why this is so important to me, but it is. I feel that it is a purpose He has paved for me to accomplish. I know that I will love and cherish a husband & children dearly.

BUT, if I had to have a wish that could actually, ya know, happen in a day?

Go to England, have high tea with William, Kate, & the Queen, and then explore the city wearing Hunter Wellies. :)

xo

Hannah

Blog Challenge- Day 15

15. Timeline of your day

9:23am- Wake up at Maddison's house to Emma whispering for us to get up
9:28am- Talk to Maddison about what I dreamed about and  laughed about movie we watched 
9:35am- Ate waffles & syrup for breakfast
10:00am- Get dressed 
10:10am- Leave Maddison's house
10:23am- Get home. Dad comes to hug me as I duck away to show my Mom everything I got from the mall yesterday. My mom tells me to try an omelette my dad made- it had a hot dog in it... disgusting.
10:45am- Go up to my room, turn on Pandora.
10:46am- Pinterest, Facebook, read blogs.
11:03am- Unpack and clean room.
11:07am- This song comes on- cleaning room turns into a dance party.
12:22pm- Write today's post
12:43pm- Finish writing, preview and smile. :)
12:46pm- Publish post, clean up computer desktop 
12:57pm- Add pictures to Facebook
1:09pm- Eat some yogurt, turkey, cheese, and peppers for lunch
1:14pm- Overhear Mom tell Olivia they're leaving for a birthday party in fifteen minutes
1:15om- Change so I can tag along
1:32pm- Leave for Chatfield to bring Liv to her party
1:56pm- Get to campsite, and Miss Martha is nowhere to be found
2:00pm- Martha gets there with her van loaded with things for Mandy's party
2:12pm- Abby shows me Mandy's cake and we continue to help set up for the party
2:30pm- Glamper is popped up 
2:39pm- We leave the site and Mom & I go to the grocery store
2:56pm- When walking into the grocery store, we run into a neighbor and chat for a while
3:08pm- Mom & I rush through the store
3:25pm- I get distracted by the ice cream and get some to beg for
3:36pm- We walk out of the store (ice cream in the bag!) and see it rained
3:40pm- We pull into the driveway as Grammy & PopPop get out of their car
3:42pm- Cut squash with Grammy for dinner
4:00pm- Retreat upstairs to read 
4:23pm- I get distracted by the sounds of a movie and wander downstairs
4:24pm- Plop down on the couch and watch Big Miracle 
5:39pm- Dinner time! Squash, tomatoes, salad, beans, and peppers (meat's been giving me stomachaches)
6:05pm- Tummy time (basically, I lay on my belly like an infant because my stomach's been hurting after I eat lately)
6:06pm- Keep reading while I lay on stomach
7:02pm- ICE CREAM! and Grammy makes me mint tea for my belly
7:30pm- Reading on the patio with Grammy as PopPop looks up facts about New Holland, PA since my dad's going there tomorrow
8:04pm- More reading and tummy time
8:15pm- Go on a bike ride around the neighborhood, bringing back bittersweet memories.
8:45pm- Park bike in garage and surf the Internet.
9:26pm- Put on PJs and apply Lush Cupcake face mask (most amazing stuff ever!)  

9:41pm- Wash off mask, brush teeth, take out contacts, get in bed!

        An early bedtime for early tennis in the morning!

Well, wasn't that an exciting day?! ;)

xo

Hannah

ps- today was National Ice Cream Day! YUM! I celebrated with Blue Bell Strawberries & Homemade Vanilla ice cream- truly divine!

Blog Challenge- Day 14

14. If you won the lottery...

If I won the lottery, I would be a very lucky girl. There isn't one specific thing I would buy, so I chose a pair of shoes, piece of clothing, bag, jewelry, item for the home, electronic, and a random thing I would buy with the money.

Shoes:

I love Hunter boots and would LOVE a pair!

Clothes:

Love this J.Crew look

Bag:

Love this Burberry bag.

Jewelry:

For my wedding

For the Home:

I'd buy this bathroom.

Electronic:

Canon Rebel xsi, with lenses- for Europe 2013.

Random:

Here's my quirky thing- I love fresh flowers, especially peonies. I'd buy them all the time.

And of course, I would donate money to charity, probably to a children's hospital. Oh, and I've save for college and med school, since those aren't too cheap. What would YOU do if you won the lottery?

xo
Hannah

ps- my grandparents actually won the lottery back in 1997!

Blog Challenge- Day 13

13. What is your earliest memory?

This was a tougher one. I have early memories, I just don't remember the earliest. So I chose this one. When I was little, my mom used to always take me to this park by our old house. I loved the thing, I'm sitting on, I'm not quite sure what it's called, but it's the one where you go back and forth like a horse. :) I would rock on it for as long as my little body could, and then go to the swings, my second favorite part of the playground. I remember doing it in the summer, winter, fall, and spring. That was such a great park. :) What's funny to think about now is that in the old house by the park, Riley and Mackenzie lived. I'm sure at one point or another, we were at the park at the same time. If Riley hadn't moved, and I hadn't moved, we all could have been neighbor BFFs. ;) Childhood memories are one of my favorite things, and I miss those sweet & simple days.

xo
Hannah

Blog Challenge- Day 12

12. What's in your fridge?

I labeled all my favorites on each shelf. :)

xo
Hannah