2013: The Highlights

Here's my obligatory New Year's post for 2013. I may have stopped blogging for a bit but life still goes on. I'm excited to ring in the New Year and at the same time sad to see 2013 go. It was a good one. Like one of the best years of my life. I don't know how much merit that has considering there have only been 23 years of my life...but that's kinda saying that 22 other years didn't measure up, which is something, right? (I'm writing this late at night...so the run-on sentences and ramblings are about to come out full force.)

>>  In February we purchased a home.

>> Then we got married in March and I finally moved in to that home. 

>> Three days later we added a family member.. Charlie. 


>> I graduated from college in May (and got my diploma via USPS.. I'm too cool to walk across a stage.)


>> Planted a garden. (This really is a big deal.)


>> Overhauled our living room. New walls and new floors. This is the before.


>> Played for Michael Bublé on the opening concert of our local arena. (Yep, that's Michael and that's me talking to him. My 5 minutes of fame. It was glorious and embarrassing all at once.)

>> I also took a job in Omaha teaching preschoolers violin. (No picture for that, really, but it's the main reason posts have been so infrequent! My apologies.)

So you see what I mean? 2014 has some big shoes to fill.
I hope you all have had as great of a 2013 as I!
From me to you, Happy New Year! 

hannah

uhh.. do you still blog?


That's a good question! It's been, what, a month since I last shared anything? 

So many exciting things are happening in these parts, friends. I left the studio I formerly taught at and have been privately teaching from my home. I am teaching more now than I was at the studio, which is crazy to me and awesome! {Don't underestimate the power of word-of-mouth.} Working from home is something that I will never take for granted...ever. Come take violin lessons with me! :)

Other opportunities have popped up! 

Not only am I teaching at home in Lincoln but I'm teaching in Omaha as well. I was thrilled when the Omaha Conservatory contacted me to be a part of their new after-school program for "at risk" schools. This program is allowing kids to have violin lessons for FREE. No price. All paid for. All inclusive. Yes! The possibilities with this program are endless and I can't wait to see where it goes.



All in all, 
Life is so much better when you're busy doing what you love. 

Hannah

float on | niobrara

i got to fulfill one of my 23 before 24 goals! hurray! 
jake, a few friends, and i were able to head down the niobrara river in the middle of july.
it was a long drive to get to valentine, nebraska. fortunately, we had enough episodes of the vampire diaries to get us there. coming back we weren't so lucky. 
it was definitely an experience. a six hour long experience!
by the end we were already planning our trip for next year.

// our neighbors for the weekend.


// the niobrara
// the men pulling us back on to the river after a lunch break

// just floating along.

// soaking up sun

// the sky started changing by the end of our trip. we barely missed the storm.

//the end of our trip we were met with knee-high mud!

we enjoyed every bit of the niobrara. 
what experience have you had that needs to be experienced more than once?
because for me, this was one of them. 

hannah

A slideshow from our wedding day.

Jake made this little slideshow for our wedding. Some might call it destiny or fate, but it still amazes me to see God's hand in our lives leading us to each other in His perfect timing.


It seems that Jake chose to put more embarrassing photos of me than himself in this slideshow... I might need to create my own as a rebuttal. ;)

life lately:: in July.

I realized I've yet to post anything for July! So here are all our July happenings.


^^Friends came over for the Fourth of July to celebrate in our homely backyard. It may not look very homely in these pictures but we worked our butts off to get it to look somewhat presentable. I'm talking weeds like you've NEVER seen before.


^^We tore out the carpet on the main floor of our house right after July 4th. Though all we're left with right now is subfloor, it's a lot better than stinky carpet. We're also in the midst of painting. I CHOSE WHITE PAINT. I feel like whenever I share that bit of information people are always judgey. I see it in their eyes. They're thinking,  "White? Really? Could you be any more boring?" I would just like to say that white is a great color for our living space. If you don't believe me... check out my pinterest board where you will find mostly white rooms. There.


 

^^I helped out with VBS at our church. It was a very special week spent with some great little preschoolers. All of our kids were so fun in one way or another. It's amazing how at such a young age they each have developed their own individual personalities. It was a good week for me as I taught a bible lesson for the first time.. to a whole class! This might not seem like a big deal to anyone but for me it was. Teaching a large group about something so important... I was just really worried that I would mess it up in some way. Thankful that God listened to all of my worried prayers and carried me through those two lessons I had to teach.

 

^^We went to an event at our local zoo call Blues and Brews at the Zoo. It was a lot of fun being able to walk around the zoo with no little kids running around. Although, we may have made up for it by acting like kids ourselves... :)

Now that you're all caught up, I'll try and keep this place up to date!

23 things before 24




I've been meaning to post this for a while now. Making goals are good so here are mine for the next year before I turn 24.
  1. visit a national park that I have never been to
  2. learn to hand letter/do calligraphy
  3. be active in a church ministry
  4. see my homegirl in NYC
  5. float down a river
  6. grow vegetables in my own garden
  7. find another source of income... just for fun
  8. decorate the bedroom/house
  9. teach more
  10. grow spiritually
  11. organize my liiffeeeee
  12. enjoy the great outdoors more.
  13. play in a band.
  14. attend a violin workshop/conference
  15. expand my social circle: real life and virtually
  16. make up a recipe ... a good recipe
  17. go outside of the U.S.
  18. learn some web design
  19. take more pictures with the SLR
  20. cleanse my closet
  21. be more physically active
  22. read at least 20 books.
  23. try new things
I figured this would be a good place to put this list since then all you people stopping by can hold me accountable. right? DO IT!  You might notice these aren't all goals. Some of them are just things that I want to do! Do you have any goals you've set for yourself or any particular things you hope to do this coming year? 

hannah

quick note: my list isn't in any particular order. i just wrote down things as they came to my mind. 

little moments


i love my family and these little moments we share // i am blessed.

hannah

we bought a pool!

charlie pool charlie pool charlie pool charlie pool

charlie gets hot so easily now that it's warming up outside, it's a bulldog thing. so jake and i thought she could use a little pool to lounge in. turns out she is pretty sporty! the best part is watching her ears as she dives in... she looks like she could fly away. 

yes, we spoil her.
hannah

sweet potato muffins? say no more.

muffins closeup

I've been dying to get my hands on Gwyneth Paltrow's new cookbook It's All Good. The book features many gluten-free and vegan recipes that actually sound appetizing. Still haven't ordered it but I found this recipe from the book and made these bad boys. Now I'm really dying to purchase it! Try this one out and tell me what you think. I'll bet you go buy the book before I get the chance to!

Recipe after the jump.

backyard camping.

camping charlie breakfast

this weekend we gave a go at camping.. in our backyard. backyard camping has to be one of the better versions of camping. better because when a thunderstorm hits at 3 am and your tent starts taking on water, you can head inside your dry house for cover. also, you and friends can gather in your kitchen the next morning to drink coffee and eat crepes. yep. it's good stuff.

hannah

spring, is that you?

charlie face path blooms charlie pose

the weather here in the midwest has been crazy. it snowed last week. apparently it's the first time  it has snowed in may in 60 years or something crazy like that.  then the weather was beautiful. i think spring has finally come... and i welcome her with open arms. 

last weekend i finally graduated from college.
this weekend i will celebrate my 23rd birthday. 
this weather couldn't have come at a more perfect time.

hannah

wedding photos

we got our wedding photos last week and it's been so fun looking through them. everyone tells you that your wedding day goes by so fast... and they're right. it really is just a blur. it's great having awesome photos to help you relive that day. here are a few favorites that The Mullers took for us.

prep walkk walk walk first sight hug party bridesmaids groomsmen married

at the end of the day we were married! 
and very much glad that the wedding was over.

p.s. - we love married life.
p.p. s. - can you spot my fabulous maid of honor in our first look photos? :)
i plan on getting her back at her wedding.

hannah