The Latest and Greatest

Just a quick little update on life's latest happenings felt necessary :)

Lol awk I didn't get the "dress nice" memo

Tuesday night, I went swing dancing with EB, Emma, Courtney, and Melissa! It was flock night (a night where people from my hall do special events)  and we had a great time meeting more people from our hall and then dancing the night away. Dancing is for sure what we do best.

Wednesday it snowed and it broke my heart into a million little pieces. It was white out kind of snow and that snow turned into ice which is never fun. Luckily it melted super fast so I didn't suffer too much;)

No pictures from the party:/ but a beautiful view of the Flatirons!

Thursday, we threw a little surprise party for Melissa since her birthday was over the break. We ate cookies and brownies and played Cards Against Humanity and had a wonderful little celebration :) She was SO surprised, it was awesome.

Oh and never look up how many calories are in the food at Cheesecake Factory. The health cleanse began promptly on Saturday morning;)

Friday, Mackenzie and I had date night. We really wanted to go to Pasta Jay's, but the wait was 35-40 minutes and we were hangry and waiting wasn't gonna happen. So we aimlessly wandered down Pearl Street until we ended up at The Cheesecake Factory. Yeah, Friday night date night was a little more expensive than usual but we never spend money during the week and one filling meal is a treat since we are pretty much over C4C food. Fun story of the night: there was zero cars coming so we were going to run across the intersection, a big deal for us no-breaking-the-rules girls. I was looking down the street once more to make sure we were good and had just started to say Mack "this is how we are going to die" when I look over and see her on her hands and knees on the street. Insert wild laughter as I help her back on to the sidewalk. The curb was much steeper than expected so she fell and ripped a hole in her jeans and started bleeding like a maniac. No need to worry though, we got the blood out of her pants once we got back to my room. It was just too funny seeing her lying in the street I wish I would have snapped a pic. Aren't I a great friend?

Saturday night was girls night, my most favorite night of the week! We ordered Domino's and Boulder Baked and had all sorts of girl talk, crazy dancing, and watched The Other Woman. Guys, I love my friends so much it's actually crazy. We all just click and it's crazy how fast our friendship has grown. Love love love.

Last week was a crazy, chaotic, super fun second week back. I know this semester is going to fly by, which just freaks me out. I swear, the years keep going by faster and faster as you get older! In so many ways, college has taught me the importance of cherishing the moment.

xo
Hannah

Taking Stock//January

Selfie of the month

Making: chocolate chip cookies because us South Third girls need our sweets.
Drinking: coffee. Lots and lots of coffee.
Reading: "Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness" by Susannah Cahalan
Wanting: for the snow to go away. College has made me sorta despise the snow.
Looking: for houses next year. Yay but not yay. Growing up is weird.
Playing: Trivia Crack. I know it's so last month, but my dad always plays with me and I love to kick his butt.
Missing: home. Always.
Wishing: for a non-snowy spring. One can hope, pray, dream, and wish!
Enjoying: bathroom conversations. One of my favorite parts of dorm life!
Waiting: for Hawaii this summer! Cannot wait!
Liking: this music video! SO FUN!
Hoping: to be moved off the waitlist for the bio class I want.
Marvelling: over my positivity lately. Not that I'm particularly negative, just more rational
Needing: to finalize my housing plans for next year.
Smelling: my orange ginger body mist. I love all smells citrus!
Wearing: this simple yet elegant necklace. I haven't taken it off since Mack gave it to me! Thanks BFF
Watching: Parenthood. So sad there's only a few episodes left!
Noticing: how on top of things I have been this semester. Let's hope it sticks;)
Thinking: about going on a run. BUUUTTTT the icy sidewalks are making me gravitate towards no;)
Feeling: slightly overwhelmed by the future but in a good sort of way.
Bookmarking: this most beautiful birthday letter by a favorite blogger. Goosebumps.
Opening: cards from fun little friends :)
 
xo
Hannah

Songs of the Semester

Music is our universal language. While we might all have a different taste in music, we can all find a song that we can tap our foot to and dance around to. Music is such an integral part of my life and I feel like I blab about it all the time and get all emotional but yo, music is all about the feels.

Example: Last night, I was reminiscing watching my Europe video and the fourth song, "Now is the Start" came on. First and for most, that is my favorite song in the whole world and always will be. It has so many dang meanings to me. I think about Europe, I think about off periods my junior year, I think of drives to Sonic, I think about the future, I think about it all! I do this thing quite frequently now that I like to call "deep listening". I text Mack and tell her to deep listen to a certain song quite regularly and we then text about all the emotions. For me, this song holds so much value and I don't think it's something I'll ever properly be able to convey with words here on the blog, but I bet you all have that one song that makes you feel this way too.

While I was on break I thought about writing a post about all the songs that sort of composed my first semester. Because honestly, in college, I'm always listening to music. Walking to class, while doing homework, in the shower, hanging out with friends, just about every second of my day, I've got some melody playing. And the best part about music and emotions is how there is a song for every emotion! Music is magical in the way that it helps to convey the mood so appropriately. I digress. Anywho, here's a just few songs that I listened to lots first semester that got me through the big transition.

Ribs- Lorde

Thick as Thieves- Katie Herzig

Kiss Me Slowly- Parachute

Heart's On Fire- Passenger

My Dear- Bethel Music & Hunter G K Thompson

Blank Space- Taylor Swift

The list could go on and on, but these were just a few that popped in my head right away. So now we have a new semester and while I still listen to these songs, here's the latest batch of music! This playlist eventually will cover a whole year's choices in music, which I love because I know will eventually listen to "old" songs and will be flooded with memories of what my life was like at that time.


So there you have it, just a sample of my favorite music! I feel that music is very telling of a person (in a good way!) so if you really want to know me better, listen along;)

xo
Hannah

Footnote: Mackenzie just wrote a very similar post over here. I saw it last night while I was drafting up this post and couldn't help but laugh. #telepathy

2015 & Round Two

A beautiful morning back in Boulder // via

I'm baaccckkkk! At school and blogging. Wow what a wonderful break it was. I sure did soak up every relaxing moment there was. And I am so terribly sad it's over.

College has really made me realize how much I love home and my family and all that is familiar. I do love it here in Boulder. I love my friends, classes are interesting, and it's a great city. I wish I was the kind of kid that wanted to go back to school. But home is heaven for me. I knew it would be more difficult coming back this time around because we had such a long break but that still didn't make it easy. The first 24-48 hours are rough. It's hard enough to get back into the swing of school and that routine, but then I miss tidbits of home. It's just part of growing up and moving on and what not but it still sucks.

I have gone to all of my new classes for this semester and it's going to be a great, but very busy semester. I'm taking calculus this semester and though I'm trying to be positive about it, I'm not too thrilled to be taking it. Even though I took a year and a half of it in high school, it's a five credit course that has a horrible reputation (for good reason) around campus. Bio seems like it will be more interesting because we do some animal physiology, which turns out to be body systems- my favorite! In lab we will dissect a fetal pig and a sheep eyeball so I'm pretty thrilled about that. Especially because I have dissected both of those before so I guess you could say I'm an expert;) But we also have to do ecology and all that makes me think of is APES. Ick.  Music in American Culture seems like it's going to be fun- the professor is really upbeat and completely passionate about what he does. Then there's Disabilities in Contemporary Societies. It's to fulfill a core requirement but I think it will be interesting and I'll gain some perspective. I blocked my schedule this semester so I go for a few hours straight every day and get done earlier than last semester! It's so wonderful. Plus I'm always happy to be back with my girls. How did I get so lucky to have the best floor ever?

The start of 2015 had a slow and steady start. I rang in the new year with some sparkling cider and a big cyst on my ovary (tmi? maybe, oh well, it's really no secret anymore. just keeping it real over here) 10/10 would not recommend the cyst but it happens and it sucks but I got to be at home, resting with my dog, watching Netflix.  I started rewatching Grey's Anatomy and OH MY GOODNESS I forgot how much I love the show. I know, I know, it's such a dramatic non-realistic show but good golly it's good. If you haven't watched it than you can't judge! Watching it for the millionth time just makes me feel like I'm family with all the characters;)

Since I spent a good chunk of my time just laying around, my mind would wander, leading me to scroll through my Bloglovin feed and read all my favorite blogs. I realized something while reading most everyone's new year posts: the world really seems to love the new year. To many, it's a new slate, a fresh start, a time to be born again. Everyone wants to transform themselves and be all these things. January 1, I'm going to be the person I dream to be!

I really started to think about life and the new year and resolutions. Well what about the person you are now? I think the new year is a great time to reflect. But I think that there is something about simply being happy with who you are. Where you are is where you're supposed to be. I don't feel like one should have to completely alter to achieve a certain goal.

I'm not against resolutions. I for one want to run more this year and start to go to yoga. But I don't think resolutions are the time to determine how you will become your "perfect" self. To me, the new year is about self-reflection. It's about seeing who you are, why you are that person, how you go to be that person, and finding the beauty and value in it all. Life is a journey and each year is a stepping stone.

So here we go, full speed ahead. I'm looking forward to another full, wonderful year. New adventures, new friends, and new experiences!

xo
Hannah

2 0 1 4

Looking back on a beautiful year

2014. What. A. Year.

Without a doubt, 2014 was the biggest, craziest, changing year of my life yet. I can't believe it's over. In elementary school when we logged on to the computers, we would chose our high school graduation year account. 2014. It always seemed so far off. But now it's coming to an end and I can hardly believe it.

It was a year of forging close bonds with friends, old and new, a year of hellos and see ya laters, a year of new places and finding home, a year of capability, a year where there was a lot of unknown, but also a lot of clarity. It's a year I'll never forget. Here's a little month-by-month reflection, with pictures, Vimeos, and my favorite post from each month:

NYE 2013

The day was spent downtown with Jessica and Mackenzie, then the evening followed by attending my third grade teacher's wedding, seeing Riley and Sierra, and babysitting some cute babies with Mack. We ate Chinese food with baby spoons and quietly toasted to the new year with water in champagne glasses :)

January
Ice skating and APES adventures
{Our Generation}

Stephanie

 February
Sadies with some great friends, a day of love and kindness and a beautiful sunrise on Mackenzie's birthday
{Style Files: Snow}

March
Becoming a legal adult and being thrown a killer surprise party and deciding to go to CU
{Applied, Accepted, Confirmed}

April
Winter Park Ski Trip, prom, and Senior Boards
{Choir Trip 2014}

May
Finishing high school and G R A D U A T I O N !
{The Race}

One last choir concert

June
Adventures with Tater and CU orientation
{The Wild Spirit of June}

July
San Diego, welcoming Bella into the family, hikes with friends, and a super Sonic boom;)
{Sunrise}

August
Some see ya laters and the big move to Boulder to start college!
{The Bubble}

September
Seeing Riley at the CU v. DU game,  Livi's first homecoming, and some crazy Friday nights
{Home}

October
Katie Herzig concert, seeing Jessica after 2 months, sister time, and Halloween
{Thick as Thieves}

November
Caramel apples, visits from Sierra and then Riley to BoCo, 5ever being reunited for the first time since June, and beautiful snowy mornings from my bedroom window
{Giving Thanks//Memories}

December
Decking the halls, cookie birthday parties, and our annual Christmas party
{The Best Week Ever}

It was a great year with great people. I can't wait to see all the joy that comes in 2015!
Happy New Year!

xo
Hannah