One Week Fresh and Free

I have officially been finished with my freshman year of college for a week now! I cannot believe it. It has been a slow steady start to summer and I have so enjoyed every second of it.

I miss college in a very weird way. It slowly hits me everyday that I am not going back to Smith South Third, and I will never wake up in room 331. It's weird that I won't shower in the rainbow-tiled bathroom and jam out with Christine, or have conversations while brushing my teeth with Emma and Melissa. I sort of miss the monotony of each day, but also am so happy to be free to do whatever I desire! I am so happy to carry so many wonderful memories of these past nine months with me.

On my final night, I went a little crazy. My dinner consisted of french fries and a sprinkle milkshake. I danced back and forth from one side of the room to the other. My friends and I went absolutely nuts dancing and pushing each other on desk chairs in the hallway. It was the best time ever! When things quieted down, we sat in my room and got extremely sentimental, sharing our favorite bits and pieces of freshman year. It was an emotional 24 hours as I packed up the next day and left the place that had transformed into a new branch of home.

I spent a few hours putting this together and crying and missing my friends and feeling so grateful to have captured some of the best moments of the best year.




So now that I'm free of calculus Webassigns and biology lab write-ups and disabilities papers, what am I doing you may ask.

Well...

I have baked a German chocolate cake from scratch,

Happy birthday to the coolest dad around

hosted a Mother's Day brunch,

If this whole doctor thing doesn't work out, I'll be an excellent hostess/housewife/party planner

taken my cat to the vet,

gone to Sonic,

And visited a gallbladder-less Riley!

caught up on Grey's Anatomy,

Huge fan of this cover. Bawled like a baby due to recent events on the show. #AttachedToAShow This cover beautifully fit the episode. 

checked out several books from the library,

Loving coffee and the morning sunshine

and have started my nannying job.

Life is sweet and simple. The reality of summer is slowly sinking in and I am so enjoying it.

xo
Hannah

REW is 18

Exactly one month ago, I was skiing the slopes of Winter Park with my favorite choir people. I was so sad to leave, but was excited to get home because it was a big day. With everyone on the bus, I pulled out my phone and we made a call, and in our most beautiful voices, sang Happy Birthday to one of V-Sqaud choir's biggest fans, Riley.

Yes, this is the second year in the row that Riley gets a birthday post exactly one month after her birthday, but it's only because I need a month to really think about how I'm going to tell her how fabulous she is in a reasonably lengthed post! ;)

For five years, I have been lucky enough to have Riley as one of my nearest and dearest friends. I don't know how I got to be so lucky! It's really weird for me to think about us not being together next year, she's always been there for me. Luckily, I have it all mapped out and we are only 37 minutes away from each other next year! The great news is that since she's playing D1 soccer and CU is also D1, I'll get to see her play against my college team! Maybe, just for you Riley, I'll wear DU stuff to that game;)

This year for Riley's birthday, I thought I would enlighten all you blog readers on some facts about Riley, because she's a special one.

• Her family song is Lean Like A Cholo
• For a while now, we have been comparing Riley to a little boy. Mainly this is because of her mannerisms, but also because she's really good at just acting like a little boy. It's actually really funny. But that's what we love about her;)
• This year, Riley (and Sierra) have really developed an interest in choir. They now come to every concert and are our biggest fans! Which is real fun because they're basically our only fans! I promised I would make them tshirts and our concert is in 9 days so I better get on that.
• Riley suffers from what we like to call Chronic Bitch Face. I would only ever call it a positive thing because it intimidates several people. (see picture below)

  

  this is actually quite mild

• We have a special Twitter series, #ShitRileySays. Some examples include, but are not limited to:
• "Does Justin Bieber have concerts?"
• (to Mackenzie) "I feel really bad about the fact that I would have bullied you in elementary school"
• "I walked through a pond yesterday. I looked like Jesus, I even had my hair down like him."

Anyways, I just love Riley. She ends up going on quite a few adventures with Mackenzie and I. We've taken her to Sonic a few times and FroYo Rox. She's a watermelon slush and plain hamburger kind of girl, undoubtedly. We love to play tennis with her too. Whenever we do that, we somehow always manage to find parts to a dead bird nearby. The two of us, and Mack, went through a bit of a Coach shoes obsession freshman year. Her fave foods are salmon, watermelon, steak, buttered noodles, Eileen's frosting, and of course, Flaming Hot Cheetos. Riley's a girl that brings so much personality and whenever she's absent, it feels like many more people are. I love to watch her sing and dance in the car (she puts on quite the show) and play soccer because she sure does shine on the field. There's no doubt in my mind she will dominate next year at DU. 

And some pictures that must be shared:)

From freshman...

To seniors...

Her birthday was actually quite the adventure. Lisa invited us over for dinner- her world famous tacos! She fries the shells and man they are divine! We had cake and ice cream as well. Lisa truly outdid herself with the cake she made! It was amazing! The real fun picked up after dinner. Reese, Ri's little sister, had a loose tooth hanging on by the threads. So Dr. Hannah came out and was a dentist. With the help of my lovely assistants, Jessica and Sierra, we yanked that baby out. I tell you, there's never a dull moment with the five of us!

out like that!

the team

but ri didn't like that suddenly her birthday wasn't all about her;) just kidding!

BEST. PICTURE. EVER!

Ugh, I really cannot think about parting ways with Riley in a few months. Even though she'll be close, it still won't be the same. I know that we will forever be best friends though. It's difficult to perfectly capture all the wondrous things about Riley. But above all else, I love Riley because she's not afraid to just be herself- sassy, smart, sporty, loyal, hilarious, and incredible self. I love you so much my Valiant Grape Juice! 

xo

Graceful Coke that Costs A Lotta Ca$h

PS: your welcome for not posting Sugar Lips again

//Go to last year's post for a million more pictures//

Proud of Our Pioneer

On Wednesday, our little Riley committed to playing soccer at the University of Denver this fall!!! I am so happy and excited for Riley- she is sure one heck of a soccer player. Let me take a minute to brag...

Riley tore her ACL in September of 2012. Tearing your ACL is never easy but it is so hard if you're a soccer player, or any sort of competitive athlete. But Ri was such a trooper and made it through. In May 2013, she was at her SECOND practice back and retore her ACL. I remember getting the text and my heart just sank because I knew how hard this was going to be. If I could have given her my ACL I would have. We were all so destroyed, but knew that Riley was so strong. When we were in Europe this summer, Riley was at home having her knee all fixed. The day of her surgery, I wished I could be home with her watching movies and doing anything to make everything a little better. Riley has been such a trooper and will be playing soccer any day now. What was the worst part of this injury was how Riley couldn't play soccer (obvious I know) but because of that she couldn't sign as early as she had planned with a school. But now we are here and I think that Riley should be SO proud of herself because we all are- she is now a Division I college athlete! So through it all has come this great joy.

We all went to the signing ceremony because we all love Riley.

our little ri ri 

it's official!

GO PIONEERS!

Since I might be going to DU next year, I could go to every single one of Riley's home games and we could be Pioneers together. Whatever happens, Riley should know that we, her best friends, are forever her biggest fans!

Congratulations my Valiant Grape Juice!!!

xo
your Graceful Coke that Costs a Lotta Ca$h

Giving Thanks 7/30

November 7// Every single day I am thankful for my friends, but today I am thankful for easily being able to spend time with my friends. Let me elaborate...

if you want a tongue that red, hit up sonic for a watermelon slush

Lately, senior year has been hitting me hard. From senioritis to college stress to coping with the fact that this next year is going to bring so much change, it's just been emotionally draining, some days more than others. Yesterday, I had a choir festival up at CU. I'm applying there (just have to finish my writing supplement!) and as I was watching the students around campus, I just couldn't grasp the fact that that would be me in a year, maybe or maybe not in Boulder. I felt that it was so confining- you live on a campus where you spend the majority of your time, in a dorm room, where you spend even more time, with not too many places to go. Usually you don't bring your car with you so if you want to leave, it's not always so simple. You are independent, totally on your own. If you need more shampoo, you have to go get it, not just ask your mom to grab it the next time she goes to the store. You are on your own for three meals a day (sure, you eat with friends, but it's all up to you!) and there's no one nagging you to go to bed when it's super late. It's change, it's different. The thing is, I'm usually a very independent person. It's one of my best qualities in my opinion. But this is just so different. There's still lots of time though so I'm soaking it all in. Anyways, back to time with my friends

I hadn't seen the lovely face of Riley (in person) in a whole week. I don't even know how that happened, but it did. Snapchatting just isn't the same. This whole year, I feel like I never see Riley because we have no classes together, but we luckily have off periods together! This past week was just a busy one, so Riley invited me on a date to Sonic so we could catch up. We had half-priced slushes and limeaides, I cleaned my car, we watched funny YouTube videos and chatted. It was simple, but exactly what I needed. These small but fun times together are cherished because I know that in the next year, it's very likely that it could be much longer than a week before I see Riley (or any friends for that matter). I don't want to forget how special it is to be able to have to my best friends so close.

xo
Hannah

Dear Riley

Dearest Riley,

I hope you are feeling okay today! I am so sorry I can't be here to bring you some treats after surgery, but I'll bring you home something from Europe, and that's wayy better if you ask me. The ACL is my least favorite body part, and when I'm a doctor one day, I'll figure out a way for people to not tear it, or retear it, because it sucks too much. Hopefully that thing you've been worrying about doesn't happen, but if it does, you'll laugh about it later. Remember, I flashed my mother and grandmother after I had surgery. It doesn't get worse than that. You will be back and on the field in no time, playing like a beast. And guess what? Colleges are still going to want you. So Ri, I wish I could be home with you so we could hang out and watch movies and eat Eileen's frosting, but just have my doll sitting next to you and know I'm with you in spirit. Feel better soon!!!

xoxo
Hannah

PS- to make you laugh. . . Mackenzie's face being eaten by Max

Happy Birthday Riley!

I am a month late for this and boy do I feel guilty. But it's only because I wanted this to be THE BEST BIRTHDAY POST EVER.

Let's see, where to start where to start. There's been this long standing discrepancy about me and Riley's first interactions with each other. When she moved here in 8th grade, all I knew about her was that she had to be at least partially smart because she was in Discovery language arts, and she had moved from California (false). She never once tried to talk to me, so I could only believe these things because it's what I had heard. It was very believable she was from California because she was mega tan and wore these purple shorts that only Californians would wear. She claims I never talked to her in art, but I did. I remember. She never talked to me, and she never made an effort to sit at my table. So blame's on her.

But somehow, we did end up being friends in 8th grade ("Did we just become best friends?" "YUP!" Quick! Name that movie!) I distinctly remember putting her number in my phone, under her nickname, Valiant Grape Juice, as she put mine in her phone under Graceful Coke that Costs a Lotta Ca$h. Obviously only best friend type people would do that. And the rest is history.

Just kidding. Our first time hanging out was going to see Alice in Wonderland. Then she came to my birthday party (and was on my team<3) and we hung out over the summer. The camp out tradition started with her, she would probably like you all to know.

This just seems to describe 8th grade Riley

babies

some things never change

model status

flamingo status

#jumpforyourlife

Then came high school.

It's all a blur. Freshman year, sophomore year, junior year. I'll let the pictures tell the stories.  

Brace yourselves, there's a ton.

Freshies and so fine

Valiant Grape Juice <3

FASHIONISTAS

retainer model status

cancer patient model status

jennifer

riley

QT. on her plate... potatoes and pasta. basically part of the riley diet.

All we did for a while is jump in our pictures

Rodent whisperer

Her and her 20/15 vision... unlike me and my 20/500. Why is she so perfect?

no comment

winter clothes model status. fo real.

#dahling

Selfie queen

Making peace

Sunday night sleepovers <3

 And then you know the nicest thing we did for Ri freshman year? We threw her the best surprise party ever. We planned for over a month and she sure was surprised!

I love this picture

Torturing Mackenzie, the usual

our childhood playground

Tent putter upper- optimistic

Tent putter upper- frazzled

Tent putter upper- lost cause

Doc Riley

Lychee attack

Seal and trainer

Pet hotelin'

#mancrushmonday

bombin'

summer lovin'

Feed the birds....

Dancer extraordinare

Riley threw something at me when I was on the zipline. that's probs why I broke my arm #gottasueher

Brace buddies

She really hates us

HA!

Slowly grwoing up <3 HAHAHA;)

pooped pants status

hair in the mouth status

 Oh Riley. A million pictures and we're still friends. So here's your 17 reasons.

17 Reasons Why I Love Riley

1. We help each other with physics <3

2.  She has the nicest mom who makes the yummiest tacos.

3. She is the best soccer player ever! Varsity forever!

4. She doesn't know all the basic life skills. And I get to teach her, which I actually (SOMETIMES) enjoy.

5. She is basically my most loyal blog reader <3 <3 <3

6. She has an alter ego, Jennifer. And that's pretty awesome. ;)

7. For her 17th birthday, she let us make her up and take her to prom.

8. She is always there to text/call in the shower.

9. She is SO FUNNY. Even when people don't always get it at first.

10. She loves Grey's Anatomy almost as much as me!

11. Not only is she good at soccer, but she's great at tennis too. And all the other sports out there.

12. We usually get the same grades. Cuz we're twins. 

13. Riley helped me laugh about breaking my arm;)

14. Riley recommends some hilarious movies. 

15. Riley is very spontaneous. You never know when she's just going to show up at your house, or on your trampoline.

16. She is super fun to shop with for Secret Santa!

17. AND MOST OF ALL! I love Riley because she is honest, funny, smart, charismatic, valiant, sassy, and the most wonderful friend who's actually from Illinois a girl could ever meet!

 I love you Riley and happy belated birthday!

xo
Hannah

PS- an extra special thank you for your patience! Wasn't it worth it?