Hannah's New Year Update

Get excited folks! So many wonderful things ahead of us! Kimmy and I are currently in the process of revamping the blog a little bit, and even posting in it! (What?!) Yes, it's true. There will be BLOG!

For starters, let me begin with an About Me update: MY LIFE BE CRAY! I can honestly say that I am stretched farther than the $10 jeggings that I bought at Target on a skinny day and decided to wash in hot water. Let's just say, there's a lot going on around here. It's all great, though, because I have this Jesus guy to help me along.

Here are a few reasons why this year will be incredible:

• I have a career goal! Finally I am working my way towards a career that I am passionate about... Child Life. I am hoping to begin a blog now so I can document some of the experiences I have to come!
• I got my tattoo! This year stated out with a great reminder of the faith and hope I have in Jesus Christ. I am so excited to have my anchor tattoo to remind me of the wonderful promises the Lord has made and to use it as a witnessing tool.
• Kimmy and I have a blog plan! Writing is soooo therapeutic for me. It keeps me sane to scribble down some of my thoughts for the electronic abyss. Plus I get to spend more time talking with my dear friend, Kimmy.
• I am returning to Mexicali as a leader with our youth group! I cannot wait to see our old friends from the church we visit down there, and make new ones too. Sharing the gospel along the way will be fantastic, and as an added bonus our high school kids are fantastic!
• I started using goTandem! I get texts, emails, and a phone call with pieces of scripture everyday. I had absolutely no idea how reading the bible can affect my mood until I actually did it. Try it. I love it.
• I am going to run my half marathon...finally! I will say I am already behind in my training and it is absolutely frigid outside, so I've only been making it to the track a few times a week, but no matter what it takes, I will run myself 13.1 miles this year whether I like it or not.

 Obviously, there will be struggles this year, but, as you can see, this Jesus-loving optimist is ready to take every obstacle on(God willing, of course)! Yeah 2013!!

Hugs, kisses, and New Years wishes!!
Hannah

Nanny Life: Top 25 Reasons Why I Have the Best Job

1. Tiny fingers and toes

2. Sticky smiles

3. Sidewalk chalk

4. Backyard adventures

5. Snack time

6. Puzzles

7. Little laughs

8. Pre-kindergarten crushes

9. Play-doh

10. Disney-Pixar movies

11. Forts

12. Coloring pages and stickers

13. Walks in the neighborhood

14. Comfy clothes all day

15. Nap time

16. Innocence

17. Sesame Street and other kid shows

18. Wonderful chats with wonderful mothers

19. Sprinklers

20. Creative imaginations

21. Picture books

22. Hands on Museum

23. Pots and pans musical parades

24. Playing a small part in while children learn and grow

25. Learning huge lessons from little people

 

xoxo, Hannah

Party in the USA (olympic highlights)

From the well knowns to underdogs the Olympians have once again captivated the hearts of millions around the world.  These Olympians are genetically gifted in every sense of the word. Who doesn't want to watch someone who not only looks amazing but has amazing talent?

   Throughout the Olympics we saw world records broken, our favorites fall, became fans of young men and woman who are still in high school, learned about new sports, cried when we saw a medal around the neck of favorite Olympian,remembered what it felt like to be American, and got a glimpse of world peace.
Here are few of my favorite Team USA  highlights from the Olympics.

 

*The fierce 5 winning the gold, brought back so many memories of when the magnificent 7 won the gold back in '96. Seeing these young talented teens achieve such a high honor was a magical experience.(not to mention Gabby Douglas winning the all around, and Aly & McKayla picking up an extra few medals)The name fierce doesn't do justice this remarkable group of talent. How can you not love sweet little gymnistas ? (i made up the gymnista because I don't like word gymnast)

*Missy Franklin may be my favorite olympian this year. This sweet 17 year old girl won 4 gold and 1 bronze medal at the London games. The High school senior turned down endorsement deals so she could swim at the collegite level! What a gem! I loved watching her on the podium for 100 backstroke crying while national anthem played.

 * I am always in awe of swimmers who swim the 400IM , its not an easy race and to be able to swim it fast and gracefully is definitely something to brag about.Watching Ry Guy win this race against Phelps was the Olympics at it finest, such intense competition. Plus seeing Ryan in a speedo is always a highlight anyway.

*

 *I am not a huge Tennis Fan, but I am when I watch Serena & Venus Williams. At this years Olympics games Serena became the second woman to win all four major tennis titles and win Olympic gold in both singles and doubles (with sister Venus)!

The U.S. Women's Water Polo Team is very near and dear to my heart. Betsey Armstrong the goalie for the U.S. team was someone I idolized as a kid. Betsey was a good friend of my neighbor and I thought she was just the bees knee. I would follow her and my neighbor everyhwere  and go to as many of their high school water polo games as I could. I remember watching them,thinking someday I am gonna be as good as them.I remember thinking they were so cool. Betsey is such a sweet girl, and watching her win Olympic gold, felt just the same as watching her beat our rival team in highschool. I am still in awe of Betsey and her cool factor. It is amazing to see her achieving dream.

* I am not a Phelps phan, but I still consider him a remarkable athlete becoming worlds most decorated athlete with 22 olympic medals was a great historical moment witness.

*Aries Merrit and Jason Richardson going 1-2 for the 110 m hurdles and beating a new Olympic record was extremely exciting to watch. Their victory lap around the track wearing american flags was quite the Olympic experience.

* I don't think the energy could be matched at the Women's soccer Olympic final. The crowd was out of control with excitement. Everyone cheering wondering if the USA was going to have their 3rd consecutive win of Olympic gold. The USA beat Japan 2-1. Major creds go out the USA goalie Hope Solo who made an awesome dive to keep the Japanese from tying up the game.

*Last but certainly not least of my favorite Olympic moments, was watching Misty May & Kerri Walsh win Olympic gold together one last time(Misty is retiring) in beach volley ball. I just love these two. They kick butt on the beach. I was so happy to hear they were coming to the Olympic games once again. What was even more exciting is that they played against fellow USA team members for the gold. They have such a tight bond and love for each other and the sport. You can't not love the two of them.

There are many more Olympic moments I could put into this post but these are the top ones for me. I am really going to miss the Olympics. I love being American, and I couldn't think of a better group of athletes to represent us.

USA USA USA

-Kimmy

Happy birthday J.K. Rowling & Harry!

Dear, the boy who lived
Thank you for teaching me how to be strong in a time of darkness. Thank you (along with Hermione and Ron) for proving that good friends can get you through anything. And thank you for being a friend to generations of children for so many years. I loved growing up with you.
Happy birthday friend!

Dear J.K. Rowling,
Words cannot describe how thankful I am to you. You inspired me to be strong and fight for what's right. You taught me more life lessons than I can put into a simple letter. Thank you for creating books that changed my life!Thank you for bringing magic to so many people around the world.and most of all thank you for creating world that will continue to captivate children for years to come.
Happy Birthday Jo!
Love,
A muggle who thanks you more than you will ever know.
-Kimmy
P.s. still waiting on that hogwarts letter!

Your official London Olympics correspondent.

The Royals, The former athletes and the torch.

 {From: Friday July 27th}
  To say that I am excited for the Olympics would be a huge understatement. I have been obsessed with the Olympics for as long as I can remember. As a 6 year old I was convinced I Would be going to Olympics when I was 16 for ice skating (and if not for ice skating swimming when i was 18).My ice skating career didn't last long but my Olympic obsession never has left me. I get more emotionally involved with the Olympics than probably the average person should.I know the athletes names,standings and competitors from other countries.I live and breathe the Olympics, I often get so immersed in the Olympic magic that I feel like I am right there with athletes.Sometimes, I even cry when I see someone win medal.
    I am not sure why I love the Olympics so much. Maybes it is because its one of the few things the world can agree on, maybe it's because it's inspirational to watch someone achieve their dream right before your eyes or maybe it's because the Olympians are not only extremely talented and genetically gifted. (hello Ryan Lochte)
    This year however i am even more excited than usual.Not only is it Olympic season, but the olympics take place in LONDON. You know who lives in London? Harry Potter, The Queen,Prince Harry, Prince Wills & KATE MIDDLETON. I still can't decide what I am more excited for, the Olympic games or the outfits Kate Middy will be sporting. I cannot think of a better place for the Olympics to take place. Two of my favorite things colliding the Olympics & the royal family. This is not only going to be a good few weeks for show casing athletic talent but also for fashion.

I will keep you posted on all things Kate & All things Olympics during the next few weeks!

-Kimmy

The Top Ten Questions I've Asked Since College Graduation in 2011

1) Now what?
2) Wasn't I supposed to find out who I was while in college?
3) Why doesn't it get easier after I have a B.S.?
4) Do I really have to go to grad school?
5) What do I actually want to do with my life?
6) Where is that hot doctor that is my perfect match and future husband? Or would I even be ready for him if he showed up today?
7) How long could I live at my parents place without them noticing there's an extra person lurking in their basement?
8) Is there anyway to skip to age 25 where I have this all figured out?
9) What if I don't have it all figured out at age 25?!
10) Why am I wasting my time asking about all these questions when I could be finding all the answers?

Happy Hunger Games!

Good Morning World!

Last night at midnight marked the official release of the Hunger Games movie! Naturally, NNG purchased our tickets on the first day they became available and were fully prepared for our wonderful night, or so I thought. Here is the synopsis for the events of yesterday from my (Hannah's) point of view:

I woke up and went for a run with a dear friend. While running I was reminded of Katniss hunting in the early mornings with Gale, thus extreme excitement for the movie ensued. Throughout my errands and work yesterday, I was simply elated! Finally, the movie would be here! Somewhere after the dinner hour, my excitement became overwhelming and turned into crazy anxiety. I realized I had broken through the threshold of normal when I headed to our pre-Hunger Games meeting spot around 9pm and could not hold back the tears! Katniss' story came flooding into my thoughts, turning me into a basket case! I knew the movie would be fantastic, but I also knew how emotional the plot is. The entire evening from that point I was re-living my time reading the series. I could hardly speak. Literally, I was NUTS! My three besties (obviously my Nearly Normal counterpart was among these) who attended the movie with me couldn't help but laugh at my emotional wreck of a composure. Once the movie began, I settled into a silent sob that didn't end until I was in bed for the night. Without giving any details away, THE MOVIE WAS FANTASTIC! Of course the book came first, so I am naturally more attached, however the movie can definitely stand alone. I really enjoyed how well it was casted, and the way they made it understandable for those people who hadn't read the books. I was also impressed with the set of District 12; it was devastating. I missed Katniss' thoughts and so many of the other details in the books that were bound to get lost when taken on screen. Overall, though, the movie captivated the aspects of the book that truly moved me as a reader. I loved it... clearly! After a few hours of sleep, my roller coaster of emotions has come to a halt. I would like to take this moment to apologize to the people I interacted with in the last 13 hours. Last night, I was possibly a bit farther away from normal than usual!!

Happy Hunger Games!
xoxo, Hannah