Hi friends! I feel like every blog I write lately is a little dull and a little short, and I'm sorry. I went from having nothing going on to being quite busy & I'm struggling a bit to adjust. I still have tons to say, just not a good time to sit down and write it all out. I have caught up with three more friends I haven't blogged about yet, so I can knock the number on my list down by 5, but other than that I've got nothing significant to cross off. However, we did go out to eat with some folks from church tonight! A step in the friendship direction! And, we both had a good time! Its a little scary how excited I was when we left about actually hanging out with people, and people that I think I really like! I say that not because I question whether I like them or not, but because there were a bunch of us and I didn't get to talk to anybody a whole lot. I really, really hope we do this more often.
On another note, our church service was incredible tonight. We kicked off a new series called Body for God, and I already love it. I don't want to say too much because I'm now going to beg you to come tomorrow (9:21 am or 11:00am--we'll be there both times) and I'd hate to give it all away beforehand! You won't be disappointed, that I can promise, because not only is the message great, the worship is/was awesome too! God's presence was all over that church tonight, and I can assure you He'll be back tomorrow, so please come! If you need directions, you know how to find me:)
Lastly, I'm extending an open invitation for you to come visit me the 3rd weekend in February (18-20). My sweet hubby will be gone on a band trip and I really don't want to stay by myself. Of course I can find somewhere to stay, but if I can con a long lost friend into visiting, that would be even better than ideal! If you're game we could even check out that Jazzercise class (see 25 by 25 list) while you're here! So, whoever you are, let me know and come see me!
Its finally bedtime in our house though, so I'll be talking to you later.
XOXO,
Hannah
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Job Shmob
Hi friends! I'm getting progressively worse about posting, so here is my legitimate effort to update you on life and possibly make you laugh at least a little. I had every intention of posting an Athens blog before I discussed my current lack of employment, but this is a new thing in my life right now, so Athens will have to wait.
I must start with the cold, hard facts that I have never looked for a job on my own before. When I was in high school I worked for my aunt & at the dance studio, then in college I found my job through Federal Work Study, which means they gave me a job because I'm poor. I had a little help landing my first teaching job, and a lot of help finding all jobs I have held thus far in Thomasville. So, Tuesday morning, I put my big girl panties on and went to find a job. I hit up the Publix first and I had to call my mom from the car before going in. Why? I wasn't sure if I was supposed to ask "Are you hiring?" or "Can I get an application?" first. I know this sounds completely ridiculous. I'm 23 years, 8 months, and 2 days old (at that point, now you can add 2 more days to that) after all, and I should know how to properly seek employment by myself. After deciding that it was best to ask if they were hiring first, I got out of the car and went in. Luck would have it that someone else was applying for a job at the moment (they have only one computer for applying) and about 2 minutes after I entered the store someone called for a manager over the intercom because the darn thing broke. I don't know the details on this "malfunction," but I didn't get to apply. So I headed next door to Sally Beauty Supply. Let me add here that it was pouring rain and I looked a hot mess, so I didn't really expect to be hired for a job at a place with beauty in the name...I was told they hired someone last week. PERFECT! I hit up just about every other place I could think of in Thomasville, and then began the waiting game.
This morning, I got a call! Now, I signed a paper agreeing that I wouldn't blog about specifics or post them on facebook, so that's really all I can tell you. That and the fact that this job only lasts until Monday afternoon. But, its a start! And I must note here that I am quite proud of my little 2.5 day job. I have never obtained employment all by myself before, and I feel accomplished...at least until Tuesday. In the meantime, I'll continue praying for something permanent (and I wish you would, too!), but I'll remain thankful for what I've got. It's more money than I thought I'd be bringing in this week!
XOXO,
Hannah
I must start with the cold, hard facts that I have never looked for a job on my own before. When I was in high school I worked for my aunt & at the dance studio, then in college I found my job through Federal Work Study, which means they gave me a job because I'm poor. I had a little help landing my first teaching job, and a lot of help finding all jobs I have held thus far in Thomasville. So, Tuesday morning, I put my big girl panties on and went to find a job. I hit up the Publix first and I had to call my mom from the car before going in. Why? I wasn't sure if I was supposed to ask "Are you hiring?" or "Can I get an application?" first. I know this sounds completely ridiculous. I'm 23 years, 8 months, and 2 days old (at that point, now you can add 2 more days to that) after all, and I should know how to properly seek employment by myself. After deciding that it was best to ask if they were hiring first, I got out of the car and went in. Luck would have it that someone else was applying for a job at the moment (they have only one computer for applying) and about 2 minutes after I entered the store someone called for a manager over the intercom because the darn thing broke. I don't know the details on this "malfunction," but I didn't get to apply. So I headed next door to Sally Beauty Supply. Let me add here that it was pouring rain and I looked a hot mess, so I didn't really expect to be hired for a job at a place with beauty in the name...I was told they hired someone last week. PERFECT! I hit up just about every other place I could think of in Thomasville, and then began the waiting game.
This morning, I got a call! Now, I signed a paper agreeing that I wouldn't blog about specifics or post them on facebook, so that's really all I can tell you. That and the fact that this job only lasts until Monday afternoon. But, its a start! And I must note here that I am quite proud of my little 2.5 day job. I have never obtained employment all by myself before, and I feel accomplished...at least until Tuesday. In the meantime, I'll continue praying for something permanent (and I wish you would, too!), but I'll remain thankful for what I've got. It's more money than I thought I'd be bringing in this week!
XOXO,
Hannah
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
I promise I'll make a decent post...eventually...
Hey friends! I still need to give you more details on my Athens trip & seeing friends, but at the moment I'm filling out so many job applications that I can't see straight, and I'm a little stressed about dance. I know that sounds ridiculous, but here's a cry for help. I need recital music. And I can't seem to think of anything. I've sat on iTunes for seriously hours at a time and googled all I can think to google, but I keep coming up empty handed. So I'm begging for your help. Even better part? I really need to start my routines today. So, to give you maximum time to think, here's what we're working with. The theme is Country Mouse/City Mouse. Now, I need songs with city names in them & songs about the country, but not actual country songs. Does that make sense? I have a ballet class & tap class ages 4-7, and I have a 7-8 year old jazz/hip hop class. So...suggestions? I'm literally making myself sick about it, I seriously have to get started ASAP. Any help would be supreme! And don't feel like today is the deadline...I doubt I'll come up with all of the music before classtime. Thank you!
XOXO,
Hannah
XOXO,
Hannah
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Home Again, Home Again!
Hello friends! Another short blog, but I just have to share/brag a little bit. Despite the fact that I less than eagerly ended up driving and had to cancel plans three times, I had a really great weekend in Athens. I got to see some awesome friends (more to come on that one), and spend a lot of time with some really great kids. My hubby is blessed with some incredible children to teach. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to talk with these young people (given that they're all 15+ they're not really "kids" are they?) and even learned a little bit from them in the process. We only took 7 up to Athens with us, and I've got to say that was the perfect size for actually getting to know them. I think this is extremely important in being an effective teacher (not the going on trips part, but the getting to know the students part), because they eventually realize you know what you're talking about. I can definitely see why my husband loves his job and likes to go almost everyday. The boys I drove even thanked me (GASP!) when we got back to the school, which made it all worth the while and stress of driving. Hopefully they learned how much a simple thank you means--definitely a lot for a girl like me. All in all, I left this weekend with a little more hope left for the future of humanity and that's enough for me. I will say, though, if I get to pick the gender of my future children, I'm kind of hoping for boys.
XOXO,
Hannah
XOXO,
Hannah
Friday, January 21, 2011
The 2nd Love of my Life
Hello from the Holiday Inn! Lucky for me, the kids opted out of watching an afternoon concert so I get some time to spend writing about my life (I'm narcissistic, so I like talking about me) and reading. Which brings me to my splendid topic of the day, the second love of my life (husband aside): Reading!
"Anyone who says they have only one life to live, must not know how to read a book."-Unknown
I could not agree more with this quote, and must add that getting to become someone else, at least in my head, is one of my favorite parts about reading. Just this week I have been: a profiler with the BAU (think Criminal Minds), a girl in the witness protection program who falls in love with a high-profile professional football player (GASP!), a little girl with an abusive step father, and a journalist who studies human cadavers. VERY COOL. Given my current state of unemployment and overall lack of things to do, reading has been a perfect escape. It was, in fact, a very easy escape at the high school band concert I attended last night. Now, its not that I don't appreciate music (I do! Its a high school band program that keeps me fed and clothed!), but I don't understand it or appreciate it like my husband does. So, I used the best gift ever (my Kindle) and escaped to the world of a 10 year old girl who was abused and killed by her stepdad. That sounds like an awful escape, doesn't it? Turns out you can't be picky when you're reading free books though:). And what can I say? I love a good crime drama.
Given that a lot of my friends (and possible blog readers?) are fans of books and reading as well, I thought I'd share mine from this week. First though, here's my ploy to get YOU to purchase a Kindle. I can promise if you're a reader its the best investment you'll make. Only $139 and there are so many FREE books! At the Lipsey house, our motto is "we take free things," so this is a very important aspect. It also helps that you can download books instantly so you don't have to wait around to go to B&N or Borders and get a new one. Its so small that it fits in my purse, so I literally take it everywhere I go!
"Anyone who says they have only one life to live, must not know how to read a book."-Unknown
I could not agree more with this quote, and must add that getting to become someone else, at least in my head, is one of my favorite parts about reading. Just this week I have been: a profiler with the BAU (think Criminal Minds), a girl in the witness protection program who falls in love with a high-profile professional football player (GASP!), a little girl with an abusive step father, and a journalist who studies human cadavers. VERY COOL. Given my current state of unemployment and overall lack of things to do, reading has been a perfect escape. It was, in fact, a very easy escape at the high school band concert I attended last night. Now, its not that I don't appreciate music (I do! Its a high school band program that keeps me fed and clothed!), but I don't understand it or appreciate it like my husband does. So, I used the best gift ever (my Kindle) and escaped to the world of a 10 year old girl who was abused and killed by her stepdad. That sounds like an awful escape, doesn't it? Turns out you can't be picky when you're reading free books though:). And what can I say? I love a good crime drama.
Given that a lot of my friends (and possible blog readers?) are fans of books and reading as well, I thought I'd share mine from this week. First though, here's my ploy to get YOU to purchase a Kindle. I can promise if you're a reader its the best investment you'll make. Only $139 and there are so many FREE books! At the Lipsey house, our motto is "we take free things," so this is a very important aspect. It also helps that you can download books instantly so you don't have to wait around to go to B&N or Borders and get a new one. Its so small that it fits in my purse, so I literally take it everywhere I go!
And now for my weekly reading material:
This book was divine! Its a sequel to the novel Crush (which was free) and I was sucked in from day one! I can't really tell you much without telling all, but if you like FBI/crime novels and shows like Criminal Minds, you will love it. Though the first book was free, this one was $12.99. Worth it though!
This book was a little dark but incredibly interesting. At least if you're interested in what happens to bodies donated to scientific research like I am. Mary Roach's dry humor is laced through all of the facts about said cadavers, which makes it easier to read. I found myself laughing out loud and even reading aloud to Tyler. After reading, I feel the need to share that I do intend to donate my body to science--as long as nobody sends it to The University of Tennessee. $12.99
FREE BOOK! I got it because it was free and read it all in 2 nights (hubby goes to sleep before me, so that's how I occupy my time when I'm not tired). This is about a a girl who was formerly kidnapped and is now in the witness protection program (which makes me think of that Mary Kate & Ashley movie, not sure what it was called). She unexpectedly falls in love with a professional football player and obviously lots of drama unfolds. I couldn't put it down!
FREE! This one is dark (I'm 49% through it) but I have high hopes. It takes place in Georgia and I really appreciate all of the city references that I can actually place. My biggest problem is that the author writes everything in an overly southern dialect that gets annoying to read. Plus, poor Lori Jean (the main character) just has a lot of tragedy in her life. I want to find her and give her a hug! I'm interested to see where it goes and I'll let you know when I finish!
Well, that's about all I've got...it got a little lengthy, but I appreciate book recommendations so I thought you might too. Dinner with two of my favorite people in Athens tonight--one of which I haven't seen in 6+ months, so I can add her to my list! I'll let yall know how it goes!
XOXO,
Hannah
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Back to Dear Old Athens Town!
Hi friends! Quick post from your not-so-regular blogger...sorry for the lack of things to say, I've been distracted. But I am in Athens for the weekend and so happy about it! We're here with kids for a band festival, but I'm mainly here to eat (yes!) and reunite with friends I've not seen in too long. So excited! I apologize for how short this blog is, but I promise more for tomorrow--what else am I going to do while the kids are at rehearsal and I'm procrastinating my studying?? Time for dinner and band concert #1 of 4 (eeek!)
XOXO,
Hannah
XOXO,
Hannah
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Here's to Lifelong Friendship!
Hello again, friends! I promised to talk about our Sunday in Chatsworth & I will. The highlight of my Sunday was catching up with not one, but TWO friends I haven't seen in 6+months. If you've read my 25 Before 25 blog, you know that leads me closer to completing my list! One of my goals to be completed in the next year and 5 months is to catch up with at least 10 friends I haven't seen in 6 months or more. So on Sunday, I caught up with 2 of my lifelong friends, Tabitha & Lindsey.
That last time I saw them was at Tabitha's wedding last September, but I didn't get to spend time with either of them, given the overall stressful nature of a wedding day (and the fact that I had to leave ASAP to get back to Tville before it was too late). Yesterday though, we talked about a lot of things and a lot of people and spent the majority of lunch cracked up. Which, in my humble opinion, is exactly how friendships should be. Too many people are too hard to be friends with and it ends up not being worth it. That's not to say that I've not had my share of drama with each and both of them, we did grow up together after all, but now that we are grown, being friends is easy and most of the time its hilarious. We've all three had a lot going on (job related, husband related, kids related, etc), so we chatted about that a little, but mostly we laughed. I loved that. I realized when I left how much I'd missed that, and how much I miss my friends!! It reaffirmed that this catching up deal on my list is indeed a good idea. So, I must leave with you with a few favorite memories from my time with two of my favorite girls (some from Saturday, others not)
XOXO,
Hannah
- 42nd St. our tap trio when we were tiiiiiiiny and the reason Tab is in the middle of every picture we take
- "I'd rather bleed out or perform open heart surgery on myself!"
- Lindsey doing the macarena on the roof of the elementary school (seriously ingrained in my memory forever)
- Being Tab's "twin" and dressing alike until we were at least 13 and way too old to be doing so
- Playing Mary Kate & Ashley even though my jerk friends staked their claim on MK&A and little miss pushover (that's me) was stuck playing a made-up older sibling/triplet!
- Our parents (my dad, specifically) getting us mixed up and inevitably trying to take the wrong kid home from the studio at least once a week.
XOXO,
Hannah
Monday, January 17, 2011
Family Dynamics
Happy MLK day, friends & Happy Birthday, Mom! After a late night driving home to Tville, we are soooo glad to be home. We had a great weekend in Chatsworth, but I quickly realized that a lot had changed and that Thomasville has officially become my home. And boy is it good to be back.
Family dynamics at my house have most definitely changed. Not in a bad way, don't worry, but things are different. Mainly, my mom has a boyfriend for the first time in maybe 10 years and my brother has a girlfriend (probably not the first time ever, but definitely the first one we've ever got to meet). Trevor's girlfriend also has a precious little girl and we haven't had kids around since we were kids ourselves! Big changes for sure! I started the weekend at the first 5 year old's basketball game I have ever been to, and if you've never been yourself you are missing out. We laughed the whole time! Granted I could not have done much better at 23 than they were doing at 5, they were still fun to watch. I definitely found a kid like our own future son too--everybody else was playing basketball and he was bumping into them while walking like a zombie...I can only imagine that we will have a son like that one day! (Could it be because my hubby acts like that now??)
After the game we didn't do much until we went to dinner for Mom's big 5-0! We headed out to Fuji (a hibachi, cook-in-front-of-you restaurant) where we had excellent, expensive food and yummy cookie cake thanks to Kendra (Trev's girlfriend). I wish we could've gone somewhere that was a little better for conversation, but we all had a good time anyway, especially Mom, which was the primary goal. Without further rambling, how about some pictures??
Family dynamics at my house have most definitely changed. Not in a bad way, don't worry, but things are different. Mainly, my mom has a boyfriend for the first time in maybe 10 years and my brother has a girlfriend (probably not the first time ever, but definitely the first one we've ever got to meet). Trevor's girlfriend also has a precious little girl and we haven't had kids around since we were kids ourselves! Big changes for sure! I started the weekend at the first 5 year old's basketball game I have ever been to, and if you've never been yourself you are missing out. We laughed the whole time! Granted I could not have done much better at 23 than they were doing at 5, they were still fun to watch. I definitely found a kid like our own future son too--everybody else was playing basketball and he was bumping into them while walking like a zombie...I can only imagine that we will have a son like that one day! (Could it be because my hubby acts like that now??)
After the game we didn't do much until we went to dinner for Mom's big 5-0! We headed out to Fuji (a hibachi, cook-in-front-of-you restaurant) where we had excellent, expensive food and yummy cookie cake thanks to Kendra (Trev's girlfriend). I wish we could've gone somewhere that was a little better for conversation, but we all had a good time anyway, especially Mom, which was the primary goal. Without further rambling, how about some pictures??
A Happy Mom with her sweet cookie cake--it was delicious! All 6 pieces I had. No, I'm not kidding. We quit dieting, remember?
Mom & Kayleigh, Kendra's daughter. She is hilarious and obviously, Mom loves her.
Mom & her new beau, Mike
The well-fed Lipsey family. Side note: I hate my hair. Any remedies you have to help it grow are appreciated.
Trevor & Kendra...he hates pictures. Always has, always will. This one is pretty good though, I think!
I had to add this, because its hilarious to me. This is sweet Kayleigh paying Trevor back for beating up on me when we were kids. No, she didn't say that, but I think it works well. In this picture she is shoving a dirty sock in his mouth or nose. PERFECT!!
So that's pretty much it for our Saturday in North GA. I'll post more on Sunday later, but I have to make sure I don't completely run out of things to say...hasn't happened yet, but we don't want that! In short, I love my family & the additions that are finally coming in! And, to be honest, I also like that we can say "ok, love you, bye!" and head back to our cozy(ish) little home just the 2 of us. Love you family & Happy Birthday Mom!
XOXO,
Hannah
Friday, January 14, 2011
Home Again, Home Again
Hi friends! Short post today because I've got a test to finish, bags to pack and dishes to wash in a span of about 45 minutes. Possible? Hopefully. My apologies for a lack of blog yesterday, it was Grey's night and I talked Tyler into Mexican food (my favorite!), so I was a bit distracted. Don't expect much from me this weekend either, because we're headed back to my hometown for my mom's 50th birthday!! Her actual birthday is Monday, but seeing as we live 5 hours away, we're spending the whole weekend with her. And don't worry, she's totally ok with the fact that I'm publicizing how old she will be. She's quite proud of her 50 years!! That being said, isn't it crazy how our perception of age changes as we age? Back in the day I never could've imagined my mom being 50. That just seemed so old. Lucky for her I'm aging too, so 50 doesn't sound as scary as it once did. I am about to hit my mid-twenties after all. Well, I suppose that's it. Yall have a good weekend, and Happy Birthday, Mom! Here's to 50 more years!
XOXO,
Hannah
XOXO,
Hannah
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
List Fail #1
Well, I have very little to say today, but I'll do my best to make it interesting. I woke up this morning with every hope of doing thing #1 on my 25 before 25 list, giving blood. There was a blood drive from 10-4 at my college and I was super pumped, or at least as pumped as possible when you're going to be prodded with needles, to save some lives! And then I got icky sick. To my stomach. I'll spare you the details, but I spent a significant period of time in the ole bathroom. I finally coaxed myself out and felt much better, even taught a couple dance classes in the afternoon, but I was afraid to weaken my already weak body even more by draining some blood out of it. That being said, I'm seeking another blood drive within the next year and 5 months. Preferably sooner, rather than later, of course. After the bathroom incidents, I might've mentioned it on facebook where someone commented that there might be a bun in the oven. If you know me, you know I have meltdowns pretty regularly, and this most definitely caused one. Don't get me wrong, I love children. Preferably one at a time and not in large groups, but I love children. And one day (years from now) I would like to have a couple. Preferably two at a time so I only have to go through labor and delivery once. Yes, I've thought about it in that much detail. Anyway, I had a looooooong talk with Jesus (I'm pretty sure He was completely cracked up at the situation) and I promptly received a monthly gift to restore my sanity. No babies! And I'm going to smack the person who suggested such the next time I see her:) Kidding, of course.
Speaking of babies, I got to teach some of my all-time favorite babies at dance today. By babies, I mean they range in age from 4-8, but they're my babies anyway. When they're good, we play a game called freeze dance at the end of class. It's pretty much just like freeze tag, but with music. I played the Macarena (because its awesome, obviously) and they immediately made me aware of the generation gap that now exists. Why? They said: "Miss Hannah, its the Snuggie song!" I almost cried! The Macarena, dance craze of the 90s, has become the Snuggie song!! Oh how the world is changing!
That's all I've got for now, but I want to leave you with the lyrics of my all-time favorite version of the Macarena. We did it for an Accelerated Reader pep rally in 4th or 5th grade, and it was pretty spectacular then...I'm currently wondering if Accelerated Reader even still exists. Without further rambling:
Go to the library, get a good book
Then take a test on the one that you took
When you get points then you will be hooked
ACCELERATED READER!!
Thank you Northwest Elementary for that:)
XOXO,
Hannah
Speaking of babies, I got to teach some of my all-time favorite babies at dance today. By babies, I mean they range in age from 4-8, but they're my babies anyway. When they're good, we play a game called freeze dance at the end of class. It's pretty much just like freeze tag, but with music. I played the Macarena (because its awesome, obviously) and they immediately made me aware of the generation gap that now exists. Why? They said: "Miss Hannah, its the Snuggie song!" I almost cried! The Macarena, dance craze of the 90s, has become the Snuggie song!! Oh how the world is changing!
That's all I've got for now, but I want to leave you with the lyrics of my all-time favorite version of the Macarena. We did it for an Accelerated Reader pep rally in 4th or 5th grade, and it was pretty spectacular then...I'm currently wondering if Accelerated Reader even still exists. Without further rambling:
Go to the library, get a good book
Then take a test on the one that you took
When you get points then you will be hooked
ACCELERATED READER!!
Thank you Northwest Elementary for that:)
XOXO,
Hannah
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
25 Before 25-The List
Inspired by my dear friend Leah who is doing one new thing everyday for a year (see her blog here), I have decided to start a list of things I want to do before I'm 25. Its as well thought out as possible given all that has been going on in my life the past few days, so don't take it too seriously. As these are my own ramblings, they are subject to change, but here is the list as of now. In no particular order, I give you:
Hannah's 25 Things To Do Before Turning 25
XOXO,
Hannah
Hannah's 25 Things To Do Before Turning 25
- Give blood--I'm pretty sure mine's decent, so its selfish not to. Who doesn't want to save lives before 25!?
- Learn to knit or crochet--I know so little about either that I'm not sure which would suit me best. If you have suggestions, please share!
- Learn to ride a bicycle.--You think this is a joke? I tried to add a picture as proof that its not, but blogger wouldn't let me. Check my former profile pictures if you don't believe me. It's pitiful.
- Run a 5-K--also a New Year's Resolution/Goal, so hopefully this will legitimately get done.
- Start some kind of nursing program--can't be too specific with this one, I learned that lesson today. See previous blog if you don't know what I'm talking about!
- Hike the Little Grand Canyon--Tyler's suggestion and I don't see why not...just hoping there are no snakes.
- Send in a Post Secret card--the only question is if I'll be able to keep it to just one!?
- Read Gone with the Wind--Why? Because I've always wanted to and never taken the time.
- Get bangs--Hubby is trying to talk me out of these and they may never happen, because we both know I never like any hair cut I ever get.
- Reunite with at least ten friends I haven't seen in 6 months or more--I miss my peeps.
- Take a Jazzercise class--Take it with me!! They're in Tallahassee at 8am on Saturday & I would love to have company
- Take an anniversary trip with my sweet husband--because we deserve it and your marriage only turns one once!
- Put wedding pictures up in our house--they're super good and the house needs some life for sure!
- Volunteer at an organization in Thomasville--I've got several in mind, but I'm not sure what their volunteer schedules are like, so more information on this as I get it.
- Take a trip to Babyland General--A group of girls (including me, obviously) planned to do this years ago and I think its time!
- Read the entire Bible--Distractions have prevented this long enough
- Visit the World of Coke--its a shame to live in GA and never visit!
- Make a return trip to Washington, DC--its my favorite place in the world, after all.
- Create an article of clothing--no specifics on whether said article is attractive or functional, but I'll hope for both
- Get a scholarship--any kind will be great!
- Move--this house is creepy and I hate the critters in the attic scaring me all the time
- Send out Christmas cards--we're adults now, its time!
- Dance at UGA's Homecoming game--I want to every year and I'm tired of high school football holding me back, its happening!
- Get a job--any kind of job, anywhere. Suggestions? I'm open.
- Increase awareness of dating violence--you can view my story here. If you read, I'm already doing #25! I plan to do more of course, as my story has already been shared on the blog where you'll read it.
XOXO,
Hannah
The Rant of All Rants!
Except not really because I've had time to calm down & talk to hubby (always an extra bonus when he's at work). I don't really know where to start and I'm still very angry, so bear with me.
Remember about 2-3 posts ago when I said I would be signing my name Hannah Lipsey, LPN in just over a year? Well ignore it. Its not happening. I was SO excited to find out I got into my class this morning that I got up early, got my stuff together and looked legit before showing up. If you knew me in college part 1 (Tiffany!) you know that I typically did not look legit and put together when going to class. I digress...I got there, along with about 60 other people. We file into the room across the hall because the actual classroom cannot accommodate all of us and begin to be introduced into the class. The teacher first asks for a show of hands for how many people are applying to the program in April...all 60ish hands go up. She reminds us that only 25 can get in and then drops this bomb:
Students are admitted into the LPN program not based on GPA, but on how long they've been attending this school in hopes of getting into the program.
Let me break that down for you. My 4.0 GPA and previous Bachelor's degree from UGA are completely useless in getting into the LPN program. Of course folks are asking questions at this point, but its pretty clear. The person behind me who has been enrolled here since 2008 and has a 2.1 GPA (yes, this is an actual scenario) will get accepted into the program before me. How would you feel if that person was the one who passed meds to your relative in the hospital/nursing home? Scary.
So I politely (ish) gathered my books and marched my sweaty, red-faced, cussing in my head self to the admissions office to make sure I understood this process clearly. Fortunately, they were actually both nice and helpful (for the first time, might I add) and I have now changed my major to Registered Nursing because admission to that program actually makes sense! WOW! Ironically, I need less classes to get into that major, so I am only in class from 5-8:30 on Mondays and Tuesdays now. 2 classes this quarter also means no paying out of pocket! And I'll be off this summer! Who says I'm not a positive Patel?
I also have to add that the Lord has been speaking to me today. He seems to be stuck on replay, but I keep hearing "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11 NIV He sure enough works in mysterious ways, but who am I not to trust Him? He keeps promising to take care of me, and He has so far. Thank you, Lord, for all the things You see and I miss.
XOXO,
Hannah
Remember about 2-3 posts ago when I said I would be signing my name Hannah Lipsey, LPN in just over a year? Well ignore it. Its not happening. I was SO excited to find out I got into my class this morning that I got up early, got my stuff together and looked legit before showing up. If you knew me in college part 1 (Tiffany!) you know that I typically did not look legit and put together when going to class. I digress...I got there, along with about 60 other people. We file into the room across the hall because the actual classroom cannot accommodate all of us and begin to be introduced into the class. The teacher first asks for a show of hands for how many people are applying to the program in April...all 60ish hands go up. She reminds us that only 25 can get in and then drops this bomb:
Students are admitted into the LPN program not based on GPA, but on how long they've been attending this school in hopes of getting into the program.
Let me break that down for you. My 4.0 GPA and previous Bachelor's degree from UGA are completely useless in getting into the LPN program. Of course folks are asking questions at this point, but its pretty clear. The person behind me who has been enrolled here since 2008 and has a 2.1 GPA (yes, this is an actual scenario) will get accepted into the program before me. How would you feel if that person was the one who passed meds to your relative in the hospital/nursing home? Scary.
So I politely (ish) gathered my books and marched my sweaty, red-faced, cussing in my head self to the admissions office to make sure I understood this process clearly. Fortunately, they were actually both nice and helpful (for the first time, might I add) and I have now changed my major to Registered Nursing because admission to that program actually makes sense! WOW! Ironically, I need less classes to get into that major, so I am only in class from 5-8:30 on Mondays and Tuesdays now. 2 classes this quarter also means no paying out of pocket! And I'll be off this summer! Who says I'm not a positive Patel?
I also have to add that the Lord has been speaking to me today. He seems to be stuck on replay, but I keep hearing "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11 NIV He sure enough works in mysterious ways, but who am I not to trust Him? He keeps promising to take care of me, and He has so far. Thank you, Lord, for all the things You see and I miss.
XOXO,
Hannah
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Oh the weather outside is...anything BUT frightful.
Well, I very rarely feel homesick, but now is one of those time. Chatsworth is supposed to get 6 inches of beautiful, white snow!! I'm sure the shelves are cleared of milk and bread (I still don't know why) and everyone is tucked in at home nice and snug. Though I'm wearing my Snuggie and could easily be called snug as well, we are getting nothing in the way of weather here. We're expecting rain tomorrow, really cold, but not cold enough to freeze and let me keep my sweet hubs at home. I'd pitch a major fit, but I'm seriously doubting it would do any good. Despite my bratty little "life's not fair" mood, I'll share my favorite snow pictures from Athens 2 years ago when we got snow and Chatsworth didn't!
Snowed in at my then-boyfriend's apartment? I guess that's ok! Look at our lovely winter wonderland!
Tyler's first big snow--he was so pumped! I had the flu, and being responsible as ever, played outside anyway.
It appears my hair was also a legitimate, unnatural shade of orange. I clearly had no friends and a slightly fashion-challenged/maybe color-blind boyfriend because that let that ugly nonsense slide! GROSS, people! If you see me looking like a giant creamsicle, clearly the polite thing to do is mention a color change.
So here I sit. Watching hubby play his new Modern Warfare Black Ops game (super interesting) and begging the Lord for just a teensy bit of freezing rain--enough to keep him here playing said game tomorrow! Not too much to ask, right?
In other non-snow-related news, we had an incredible church service today! Coincidentally it was related to how you have to try to make friends. Of course that wasn't the entire message (you can listen to it here), but your girl surely felt convicted about that part since I am sitting around waiting on the to-be friends to come knocking down my door. Granted its kind of worked thus far, I have at least started making dinner plans via facebook (nearly impossible with my horrific school schedule + busy weekends), but we're working on it! People want to hang out with me! YES!
We also had a spectacular dinner at Olive Garden (much thanks to Christmas gift cards) and drank water to make us feel like we've not completely ruined our "diet" and overall wellness.
Anatomy & Physiology 2 starts tomorrow and, because I'm a giant nerd, I'm stoked! I loved A&P 1 and I'm completely fascinated by the way my body works. A&P 1 was just over cells, tissues, bones, muscles and nerves (not the most interesting and mainly just memorization) but in A&P 2 we get to approach my favorite body-related topic: reproduction! I cannot get over the fact that I have the ability to grow a baby inside of my body. Not to mention a baby that is 1/2 me and 1/2 Tyler. Though I don't want to do so anytime soon, I am both excited and fascinated by the process. One day you'll have to read about that and I'm sure, raging hormones and all, it will be interesting for you too! I'll leave you with the thought I'm left with after every venture in anatomy: how can anyone believe there is no God when looking at the intricacies of the human body?
XOXO,
Hannah
Saturday, January 8, 2011
No Big, Just a Day on a Bus & A Tiny Reunion
In the name of love, I spent my Saturday on a bus to and from Warner Robins for All State Auditions. Please do not ask me what All State Auditions are, because all I know is that they're band-related and you get to go if you're really good at playing whatever you play. We took 23 kids on the bus with us + a couple more who met us there and I spent some quality time sitting beside my hubby, reading on my Kindle. Let me just emphasize again how much I love my Kindle (and my hubby!). Because I left at 9:00 in the morning and have just arrived home at 10:00 pm, I am exhausted and you only get a short blog today. At least those are my intentions, sometimes I get excited and just can't stop...without further ramblings, here are the highlights of the day:
1. Lots of readin' time! I didn't finish my book (probably because it's not that good, it was free after all), but I did read a significant portion & I learned how to make it read to me, meaning I didn't get sick on the bus! It also kept me quiet, so I was less annoying to the poor man who married me.
2. Lots of rantin' with a kid who needed to rant! You can't rant about your family to folks who know your family, so I was a listening ear...should I change my future career again and be a therapist? Maybe after a year of nursing when I'm tired of that. Either way, it was good for said kid and I got to do a little rantin' of my own...I know you're all surprised.
3. Ran into one of my favorite (shh, dont mention to him he's a favorite) old students. Given that I don't run into very many familiar faces, it was really nice to see this kid...even if he couldn't figure out why I was there or that I'm not "Ms. Henderson" anymore.
4. I got to see one of my all-time favorite people...JULIE J!
That's Julie & I, dressed like fools, bringing some hype to the pep rally at the school where I used to teach and where she still teaches. Now, for a short ode to Jules. I think everybody needs a friend like mine! She took me under her wing and quickly became my only friend in my new town (when I lived in Douglas, of course)--no questions asked. I most certainly needed (and still need, in fact) her and she came along at the perfect time, forcing me to smile/laugh when I was a bitter Betty and didn't want to. You need a friend like this because you can cuss, gossip, spit, yell, scream, kick, cry and quote scripture all at the same time with no judgement. Yes, I'm serious. And yes, you need to do all of those things simultaneously sometimes. Especially on days when you're unnecessarily fired from the job you despise and were going to quit anyway. I never claimed to have stopped being a bitter Betty. Now Jules, given that we're not mushy people who like to talk about things such as feelings, we don't have to discuss this blog and all of my sweet sincerity. Just know that I love you, I miss you like crazy, and I'll never find a better workout buddy (sorry Tyler and Dazzlers who accompanied me to Zumba). Can't wait for all of our catching up in 2 weeks! I'll leave you all thinking about how sweet I am. Awwww.
XOXO,
Hannah
1. Lots of readin' time! I didn't finish my book (probably because it's not that good, it was free after all), but I did read a significant portion & I learned how to make it read to me, meaning I didn't get sick on the bus! It also kept me quiet, so I was less annoying to the poor man who married me.
2. Lots of rantin' with a kid who needed to rant! You can't rant about your family to folks who know your family, so I was a listening ear...should I change my future career again and be a therapist? Maybe after a year of nursing when I'm tired of that. Either way, it was good for said kid and I got to do a little rantin' of my own...I know you're all surprised.
3. Ran into one of my favorite (shh, dont mention to him he's a favorite) old students. Given that I don't run into very many familiar faces, it was really nice to see this kid...even if he couldn't figure out why I was there or that I'm not "Ms. Henderson" anymore.
4. I got to see one of my all-time favorite people...JULIE J!
XOXO,
Hannah
Friday, January 7, 2011
Happy Friday!
Happy Friday, friends!! Friday is really no different than any other day for an unemployed broad like myself, but it does mean a weekend of time with my hubby! That's great since I spend ~80% of my time alone at present. Not cool. Though I just said Friday is no different than any other day, I need to contradict myself. Friday marks 5 days-a full school week-of dieting! Would you like to know what we're doing in celebration of that?! QUITTING! That's right. We have agreed to stop the nonsense, and "fall off the wagon" as Tyler calls it. Am I ashamed? A little. I haven't told my mom yet, I'm sure she'll read it here, but life is too short to be miserable. And I was miserable. Mainly because of the consistent headaches and bathroom trips.
What brought on the change? Tyler consumed 800 calories yesterday. That's it. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends that daily caloric intake for men never get lower than 1800. Though I haven't tracked my calories, I know I've been eating less than he, and the daily intake for women isn't recommended to go lower than 1200. No wonder we've been feeling weak! We're literallystarving ourselves. How? Because we hate what we're "allowed" to eat on the diet. So sometimes I just skip it. I know thats terrible, but at least I'm not eating stuff I'm not allowed to eat, right? Wrong. No more! Tonight we're having spaghetti, it's not diet approved, but it's also not a greasy cheeseburger, and that's good enough for me! I'll try to refrain from DQ for awhile, but the only promise I make is not to go everyday.
In other news, I'll leave you with a quote from my 29th First Day of School yesterday. The teacher passed out the syllabus and reviewed a "research paper" assignment we'll be working on. It only has to be 5 pages over an ethical issue in medicine (paper topic suggestions are appreciated!) and it must be typed. Simple, right? After she says it has to be typed some precious individual says, "I'm just bein honest here, but what if you can't type?" Can you see why technical school sometimes seems like an alternate reality?
XOXO,
Hannah
What brought on the change? Tyler consumed 800 calories yesterday. That's it. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends that daily caloric intake for men never get lower than 1800. Though I haven't tracked my calories, I know I've been eating less than he, and the daily intake for women isn't recommended to go lower than 1200. No wonder we've been feeling weak! We're literally
In other news, I'll leave you with a quote from my 29th First Day of School yesterday. The teacher passed out the syllabus and reviewed a "research paper" assignment we'll be working on. It only has to be 5 pages over an ethical issue in medicine (paper topic suggestions are appreciated!) and it must be typed. Simple, right? After she says it has to be typed some precious individual says, "I'm just bein honest here, but what if you can't type?" Can you see why technical school sometimes seems like an alternate reality?
XOXO,
Hannah
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Three Cheers for Post Secondary Education.
Hello friends! I should be at 10am Zumba right now, but thanks to a "glitch in the system" with my Kindle, I've been on the phone with Kindle support instead. At least I have a scapegoat for my laziness. Because I promised a rant about school, I would really hate to let you down. I'm not quite sure where to begin, but we'll muddle through this together and see how it goes.
In high school, I had 2 future dreams/goals: To go to UGA and to be a nurse. What I failed to research and figure out was that UGA had no nursing program and these 2 things could not coexist. So I went with what I thought mattered most: UGA. I went in as a biology major with hopes of doing nursing school after graduation and we can all share a good, hearty laugh at that. While I work hard, I am not a math/science student and biology was quickly replaced with Psychology. When I hated Psychology 1101, I changed to Sociology. Then to Nutrition/Dietetics (need I remind you of my love affair with food or can you already assume that didn't work out?), Health Promotion and Behavior (looking back toward nursing post-grad) and Women's Studies. Then I met a boy(not the hubby). It wasn't in boy's plan to have a girlfriend/potential wife who was a feminist, so he steered me (forcefully, I might add) toward Family and Consumer Science Education. I never wanted to be a teacher. I didn't even play teacher when I was a kid. Once I gained some sense and gave him the boot, it was too late. Thus, I became the worst home economics teacher in the history of the US of A. Not true. I've actually been complimented on my teaching abilities, once told "this is what you were born to do!" but what good is being good when you're miserable? I taught for a year, then married the most incredible man I've ever met.
He encouraged me to go back to school and be happy. I feel like I fail to mention how much I do love him, but given that it is impossible to put into words I really can't. I love him and I thank God every single day that this magnificent man was blessed with the extreme patience to love me back! Back to the story: I started at Southwest GA Technical College in October 2010 and to say I had to jump through hoops would be an understatement. They didn't believe that I have a bachelor's degree, despite their receipt of my transcripts, so I had to sign a form admitting it...I will never truly understand that. I then had to bring in my 2010 tax forms, Tyler's 2010 tax forms, and my mom's. Somehow I ended up with 3 quarters of HOPE scholarship for my pre-requisite classes. I was going to be an X-Ray Tech. God had other plans, and I feel he audibly spoke to me three times and said "be a nurse." So I called the school and found an LPN program starting in April and decided, for once in my life, to have a little faith and follow Him. More hurdles. It took a solid week to "process my major change" i.e. change it in the computer and thus I ended up on the wait-list for a required pre-requisite to be finished by April. Yesterday, I headed to the school to find out I'm #13. That sounds like terrible odds to me! After letting me sweat, the nice lady at the info desk informed me that they were going to make another class! Why didn't they do that in the first place so I didn't have to panic?!?! So, assuming I can keep my grades up and get myself into the program in April, I'll be signing things Hannah Lipsey, LPN by 25th birthday! I will then work while getting my RN, which will take another year, but at least I can work simultaneously. I hate being a housewife! And this will (hopefully) end my housewife career sooner rather than later.
So that's my school story. I'm sure they will do more to infuriate me and this won't be the last you'll hear about school tribulations, but I really hope it is! I haven't cut the bangs yet, and I'm still working on the 25 Before 25 list, but I'll post those as soon as they actually happen. No real diet news except I'm as hungry as ever and still craving Dr. P! Thanks for following me, I love your support!
XOXO,
Hannah
In high school, I had 2 future dreams/goals: To go to UGA and to be a nurse. What I failed to research and figure out was that UGA had no nursing program and these 2 things could not coexist. So I went with what I thought mattered most: UGA. I went in as a biology major with hopes of doing nursing school after graduation and we can all share a good, hearty laugh at that. While I work hard, I am not a math/science student and biology was quickly replaced with Psychology. When I hated Psychology 1101, I changed to Sociology. Then to Nutrition/Dietetics (need I remind you of my love affair with food or can you already assume that didn't work out?), Health Promotion and Behavior (looking back toward nursing post-grad) and Women's Studies. Then I met a boy(not the hubby). It wasn't in boy's plan to have a girlfriend/potential wife who was a feminist, so he steered me (forcefully, I might add) toward Family and Consumer Science Education. I never wanted to be a teacher. I didn't even play teacher when I was a kid. Once I gained some sense and gave him the boot, it was too late. Thus, I became the worst home economics teacher in the history of the US of A. Not true. I've actually been complimented on my teaching abilities, once told "this is what you were born to do!" but what good is being good when you're miserable? I taught for a year, then married the most incredible man I've ever met.
He encouraged me to go back to school and be happy. I feel like I fail to mention how much I do love him, but given that it is impossible to put into words I really can't. I love him and I thank God every single day that this magnificent man was blessed with the extreme patience to love me back! Back to the story: I started at Southwest GA Technical College in October 2010 and to say I had to jump through hoops would be an understatement. They didn't believe that I have a bachelor's degree, despite their receipt of my transcripts, so I had to sign a form admitting it...I will never truly understand that. I then had to bring in my 2010 tax forms, Tyler's 2010 tax forms, and my mom's. Somehow I ended up with 3 quarters of HOPE scholarship for my pre-requisite classes. I was going to be an X-Ray Tech. God had other plans, and I feel he audibly spoke to me three times and said "be a nurse." So I called the school and found an LPN program starting in April and decided, for once in my life, to have a little faith and follow Him. More hurdles. It took a solid week to "process my major change" i.e. change it in the computer and thus I ended up on the wait-list for a required pre-requisite to be finished by April. Yesterday, I headed to the school to find out I'm #13. That sounds like terrible odds to me! After letting me sweat, the nice lady at the info desk informed me that they were going to make another class! Why didn't they do that in the first place so I didn't have to panic?!?! So, assuming I can keep my grades up and get myself into the program in April, I'll be signing things Hannah Lipsey, LPN by 25th birthday! I will then work while getting my RN, which will take another year, but at least I can work simultaneously. I hate being a housewife! And this will (hopefully) end my housewife career sooner rather than later.
So that's my school story. I'm sure they will do more to infuriate me and this won't be the last you'll hear about school tribulations, but I really hope it is! I haven't cut the bangs yet, and I'm still working on the 25 Before 25 list, but I'll post those as soon as they actually happen. No real diet news except I'm as hungry as ever and still craving Dr. P! Thanks for following me, I love your support!
XOXO,
Hannah
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
She Bangs?
Since folks are actually reading my blog (thanks again for the confidence boost and making me feel funny), I have one, quick question for you: To Bang or Not To Bang?
I really want bangs. I don't know why, but it could be directly related to my large fivehead and hopes to at least cover it up a bit. I've had bangs before, but I didn't fully commit and ended up looking 7 at my 21st birthday party:
Now I am prepared to be more committed to the bangs and go for a thicker bang, much like Zooey Deschanel in the 500 Days of Summer (great movie if you haven't seen it!)
So, what are your thoughts? Bangs or no bangs? Comment me, facebook me, something so I can have an opinion other than my own!
XOXO,
Hannah
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Zumba: The best and worst
Hello avid (or not, but humor me) readers! I am just back from my very first Zumba class and what a treat it was! If you know me, and you probably do if you've found this blog, you know that I LOVE lists. I like writing them, crossing things off of them, adding things just so I can cross them off because I've already done them...I love lists. So, I'm going to give you not one but TWO lists about my Zumba experience #1: The best and worst.
The top 5 things I hated most about my first Zumba class
5. How out of shape I am. I could keep up, but your girl was sweatin' something fierce!!
4. The men. I realize I shouldn't hate on men who are trying to shake their groove thang and shed some pounds in the process, but its a little weird to shake my groove thang the way I need to when they're looking around. When did I get this modest?!
3. The huge crowd. I realize I can't complain about the "new years rush" at the gym seeing as I'm a part of it, but sheesh! There were a ton of people in the class and it was very difficult to do everything without getting elbowed. This may be due in part to #2...
2. The crazy uncoordinated lady to my right. Again, we are all entitled to a great workout, however I should not have to play dodge ball (or elbow, wrist, hip, knee, etc) while working out! You may be uncoordinated, but please, for the love, be aware of your body. If the person next to you is more aware of your body then you are, maybe you should use work out videos until you get the hang of it. Please?
1. The bra-less lady doing her own thing in front of me. Oh yes, I saw you. And good for you girl, you do it! But its always good to remember you're in public...and the instructor has been trained to teach you, so she knows what she's doing! We don't even need to discuss the undergarments.
The Top 5 Things I loved most about my first Zumba class
5. My instructor's sweet Zumba wardrobe. Yes, I'm serious. Those pants were awesome & I think they made it look like she was doing more with her hips than she actually was. Plus she said they were comfortable. I need some.
4. My sweet work out buddies. 2 of my darling Dazzlers were at Zumba and those girls are super fun to dance with, especially when I'm learning the routines with them instead of teaching them!
3. Movin' my hips like yea. Zumba is all about the hip movement and I have to say I kind of love that. Especially the standing crunches that are too easily mistaken for pelvic thrusts...I feel a little weird doing them, but I can't say I don't love it!
2. The fact that it gets my heart rate up, but doesn't kill me. I've been to too many group work out classes that leave me unable to move afterward. I must mention again that I'm out of shape, but I still shouldn't feel semi-paralyzed upon leaving. This class accelerated my heart rate for the full hour, made me sweat, and I left feeling great!
1. Ya girl's still got it. I may jiggle a little bit more when I do it, but I'm still tons more coordinated than at least 1/2 of the people in my class, and that's enough for me. I picked up on things quickly and was able to let the dancer in me come out, so I left happy...always positive!
So that's what I've got on Zumba. If you're thinking about it...DO IT! Its totally worth the hour and teensy bit of embarassment you'll put into it. In fact, it has me feelin' so good I can't even complain about school today. I will tomorrow when I wake up grouchy & hungry:)
XOXO,
Hannah
The top 5 things I hated most about my first Zumba class
5. How out of shape I am. I could keep up, but your girl was sweatin' something fierce!!
4. The men. I realize I shouldn't hate on men who are trying to shake their groove thang and shed some pounds in the process, but its a little weird to shake my groove thang the way I need to when they're looking around. When did I get this modest?!
3. The huge crowd. I realize I can't complain about the "new years rush" at the gym seeing as I'm a part of it, but sheesh! There were a ton of people in the class and it was very difficult to do everything without getting elbowed. This may be due in part to #2...
2. The crazy uncoordinated lady to my right. Again, we are all entitled to a great workout, however I should not have to play dodge ball (or elbow, wrist, hip, knee, etc) while working out! You may be uncoordinated, but please, for the love, be aware of your body. If the person next to you is more aware of your body then you are, maybe you should use work out videos until you get the hang of it. Please?
1. The bra-less lady doing her own thing in front of me. Oh yes, I saw you. And good for you girl, you do it! But its always good to remember you're in public...and the instructor has been trained to teach you, so she knows what she's doing! We don't even need to discuss the undergarments.
The Top 5 Things I loved most about my first Zumba class
5. My instructor's sweet Zumba wardrobe. Yes, I'm serious. Those pants were awesome & I think they made it look like she was doing more with her hips than she actually was. Plus she said they were comfortable. I need some.
4. My sweet work out buddies. 2 of my darling Dazzlers were at Zumba and those girls are super fun to dance with, especially when I'm learning the routines with them instead of teaching them!
3. Movin' my hips like yea. Zumba is all about the hip movement and I have to say I kind of love that. Especially the standing crunches that are too easily mistaken for pelvic thrusts...I feel a little weird doing them, but I can't say I don't love it!
2. The fact that it gets my heart rate up, but doesn't kill me. I've been to too many group work out classes that leave me unable to move afterward. I must mention again that I'm out of shape, but I still shouldn't feel semi-paralyzed upon leaving. This class accelerated my heart rate for the full hour, made me sweat, and I left feeling great!
1. Ya girl's still got it. I may jiggle a little bit more when I do it, but I'm still tons more coordinated than at least 1/2 of the people in my class, and that's enough for me. I picked up on things quickly and was able to let the dancer in me come out, so I left happy...always positive!
So that's what I've got on Zumba. If you're thinking about it...DO IT! Its totally worth the hour and teensy bit of embarassment you'll put into it. In fact, it has me feelin' so good I can't even complain about school today. I will tomorrow when I wake up grouchy & hungry:)
XOXO,
Hannah
Food. Don't mention it.
Seeing today is my last official day of Christmas break, you may actually get 2 posts because I've got a lot going on. For one I'm about to go up to the school (pray there's no need for confrontation) to see if I've gotten into my classes, what I need to pay, etc. Its hard for me not to rant about school already, but since I'm sure I'll have fresh news later I won't start yet. Instead I'll rant about the diet.
My head hurts. (caffeine)
My stomach hurts. (fiber)
I've been to the bathroom a trillion times due to excessive fiber intake and water.
I'm really in need of a Dr. Pepper and a blizzard. Heck I'd even take a fruit lovers blizzard right now and in my humble opinion anything with fruit in it shouldn't count as dessert!
I think now is a good time to point out that I'm more concerned about getting healthy than I am weight loss. Luckily for me, the two should come hand-in-hand. There's something you have to know to be able to fully understand why I need a diet: this girl LOVES eating. I typically have 2-3 Dr. Peppers everyday and ice cream at least once. Fast food is obviously sprinkled throughout the day too. As a result, I'm terribly sluggish and lazy. I'm hoping that working out & eating better will lead me to feel better and be more productive. Of course the little devil on my shoulder says "You're unemployed, you don't need to be productive!" and I'm somewhat inclined to agree with him. More importantly, my beloved wants to lose weight and be healthier. I know it will be easier for him if I do it too, thus here I am. I may not be committed to this diet, but I'm committed to my husband. So I'll sulk and whine on this blog that he'll read, but I will try not to whine too much to him.
On a happier note, thank you so much for your positive comments on here and on facebook! I had a little boost in what felt like self confidence before I went to bed last night because of you! Hopefully I can keep you entertained even though I'll no longer have hilarious stories from my kindergarteners...keep an open mind though, some of the folks I'm in classes with provide for some funny quotes as well. Time to go fight the man/woman at the college!
XOXO,
Hannah
My head hurts. (caffeine)
My stomach hurts. (fiber)
I've been to the bathroom a trillion times due to excessive fiber intake and water.
I'm really in need of a Dr. Pepper and a blizzard. Heck I'd even take a fruit lovers blizzard right now and in my humble opinion anything with fruit in it shouldn't count as dessert!
I think now is a good time to point out that I'm more concerned about getting healthy than I am weight loss. Luckily for me, the two should come hand-in-hand. There's something you have to know to be able to fully understand why I need a diet: this girl LOVES eating. I typically have 2-3 Dr. Peppers everyday and ice cream at least once. Fast food is obviously sprinkled throughout the day too. As a result, I'm terribly sluggish and lazy. I'm hoping that working out & eating better will lead me to feel better and be more productive. Of course the little devil on my shoulder says "You're unemployed, you don't need to be productive!" and I'm somewhat inclined to agree with him. More importantly, my beloved wants to lose weight and be healthier. I know it will be easier for him if I do it too, thus here I am. I may not be committed to this diet, but I'm committed to my husband. So I'll sulk and whine on this blog that he'll read, but I will try not to whine too much to him.
On a happier note, thank you so much for your positive comments on here and on facebook! I had a little boost in what felt like self confidence before I went to bed last night because of you! Hopefully I can keep you entertained even though I'll no longer have hilarious stories from my kindergarteners...keep an open mind though, some of the folks I'm in classes with provide for some funny quotes as well. Time to go fight the man/woman at the college!
XOXO,
Hannah
Monday, January 3, 2011
Hungry, Hungry HIPPO!
Well day one of the diet and, as the title suggests, I'm hungry. I had cereal for breakfast and a sandwich for lunch, neither of which sounds bad, but the thought of ALL the things I can't have is making me crazy. Here's hoping I'll stop obsessing about food (fat chance-no pun intended) and just get the job done. After a day of gorging myself full of deliciously unhealthy goods, I talked myself into weighing last night. 140 pounds. Most definitely the biggest I've ever been and that sets my goal at 125 pounds, which coincidentally leaves me thinking I should attempt 120 instead of 125, but we'll see.
On a happier note, we did darken the doorway of the gym today & I managed a whopping 20 minutes on the elliptical, then 12 minutes on the treadmill! I've definitely got a long way to go on my workout, but I'm impressed I even drug myself over there after a full day at home. I have to put in a plug for my dear hubby here because he did an awesome job on the treadmill, running much faster and much longer than I. I'm proud! I also think I'm going to try out a Zumba class tomorrow--here's hoping I don't either oversleep or talk myself out of going because I'm scared.
For a complete subject change, after reading the Stuff Christians Like blog from a while back, I'm considering making a 25 before 25 list...25 things I want to do before I turn 25. Jon, the blog's writer, created a list of 40 things to do before 40. Some of the things on his list are a little intense for me, so I decided I might need to start such a list NOW. So, if I ever post a link to this blog publicly, I'd like your input on things I can do before 25. The one rule? DO NOT include "have a baby" on your suggestions for this list. If that happens by the time I'm 25 I can assure you it will be an "uh-oh miracle" so it won't need to be on the list.
I believe that's it for tonight, time to cook a teensy bit of food for a diet-tastic dinner!
XOXO,
Hannah
On a happier note, we did darken the doorway of the gym today & I managed a whopping 20 minutes on the elliptical, then 12 minutes on the treadmill! I've definitely got a long way to go on my workout, but I'm impressed I even drug myself over there after a full day at home. I have to put in a plug for my dear hubby here because he did an awesome job on the treadmill, running much faster and much longer than I. I'm proud! I also think I'm going to try out a Zumba class tomorrow--here's hoping I don't either oversleep or talk myself out of going because I'm scared.
For a complete subject change, after reading the Stuff Christians Like blog from a while back, I'm considering making a 25 before 25 list...25 things I want to do before I turn 25. Jon, the blog's writer, created a list of 40 things to do before 40. Some of the things on his list are a little intense for me, so I decided I might need to start such a list NOW. So, if I ever post a link to this blog publicly, I'd like your input on things I can do before 25. The one rule? DO NOT include "have a baby" on your suggestions for this list. If that happens by the time I'm 25 I can assure you it will be an "uh-oh miracle" so it won't need to be on the list.
I believe that's it for tonight, time to cook a teensy bit of food for a diet-tastic dinner!
XOXO,
Hannah
Sunday, January 2, 2011
New Year's Resolutions...to do or not to do?
Hi friends,
Let me start off by saying I LOVE MY CHURCH. It is by far the most welcoming and loving environment I have found in my 6 months living here in Thomasville and there is no place I'd rather spend my Sunday mornings. Today's message was as fantastic as most and you can hear it here. The message was titled "How to Make the Most of 2011" and primarily focused on setting goals for the new year. Our pastor, Randy, encouraged us to set four (just four!) personal development goals for the new year.
Specific, Motivational, Attainable, Relevant and Trackable.
I won't go into all that he said because if you really want to listen you'll click the link above, but I tried to consider these things when looking at my own New Year's Resolutions. As a lover of lists I have found it quite difficult to limit myself to only 4 goals, but I suppose I can keep jotting down things as I go whether I will accomplish them or not. Without further chatter, here are my goals/resolutions for 2011...at least for now:
#1: Intellectual: This one is to at least start nursing school. This is another post for another day, definitely, but I am currently working on becoming an LPN or an RN (depending on how easy my school with the most hateful staff ever is to work with). That being said, I think it will be fairly easy to meet my intellectual goal.
#2: Physical: In my last post I mentioned starting to diet, but I never set real parameters on that one. As Randy mentioned this morning the goal should be specific and saying "I'm going to lose weight" isn't very. So, I'm going to lose 15 pounds in 2011. Though I am only supposed to set one goal under each heading I want to add just one more because weight loss isn't only based on diet. My other physical goal is to run a 5K by our first anniversary (June 12, 2011). FYI the thought alone makes me feel winded.
#3: Spiritual: Spiritual matters always seem so much tougher to me, do they to you? We've stepped out and challenged our faith more in 2010 than ever before, and its SO easy to get complacent and think we've done enough. However, my spiritual goal this year remains the same as it has for way too many years now--read my Bible everyday. Its always shocking to me how much I will avoid reading my Bible when I love to read almost anything else...I read an entire book New Year's Eve and at least 1 1/2 since then, but I can't seem to enjoy or muddle through my Bible for even a chapter a day. In being specific, my goal is to read at least 2 chapters of the Bible everyday...that's not much, I've just got to find the discipline to make myself do it. Feel free to keep me accountable and ask me what I'm reading!
#4: Social: Fun fact #1 of this blog: The Lipsey family is not very social. We are quite content sitting around just the 2 of us. As we're both supremely awkward, social situations are not always favorites and this goal will likely be my hardest to accomplish. My social goal is to make one lasting friendship with someone who lives within 45 minutes of me. Aside from my sweet hubby and our family that lives here, I am pretty much alone. I've met people, don't get me wrong, but I've had no lunch dates or girls nights since May... I need friends! I know I need friends because my darling doesn't always want to hear celebrity gossip or how bad the static in my hair sucks. I need girlfriends and I will have at least one by this time next year, darn it!
So that's that! Hannah's goals/resolutions for 2011. Its hard for me to not go on and add more (believe me, there are A LOT of things I need and want to do) but I'm sticking with what Randy said and using those 4. Pray for me, especially with that #4, because as easy as goals are to set, they are NEVER as easy to keep.
XOXO,
Hannah
Let me start off by saying I LOVE MY CHURCH. It is by far the most welcoming and loving environment I have found in my 6 months living here in Thomasville and there is no place I'd rather spend my Sunday mornings. Today's message was as fantastic as most and you can hear it here. The message was titled "How to Make the Most of 2011" and primarily focused on setting goals for the new year. Our pastor, Randy, encouraged us to set four (just four!) personal development goals for the new year.
- Intellectual: What do I want to learn?
- Physical: What will improve my health?
- Spiritual: What will deepen my relationship with God?
- Social: What will be my ministry to others?
Specific, Motivational, Attainable, Relevant and Trackable.
I won't go into all that he said because if you really want to listen you'll click the link above, but I tried to consider these things when looking at my own New Year's Resolutions. As a lover of lists I have found it quite difficult to limit myself to only 4 goals, but I suppose I can keep jotting down things as I go whether I will accomplish them or not. Without further chatter, here are my goals/resolutions for 2011...at least for now:
#1: Intellectual: This one is to at least start nursing school. This is another post for another day, definitely, but I am currently working on becoming an LPN or an RN (depending on how easy my school with the most hateful staff ever is to work with). That being said, I think it will be fairly easy to meet my intellectual goal.
#2: Physical: In my last post I mentioned starting to diet, but I never set real parameters on that one. As Randy mentioned this morning the goal should be specific and saying "I'm going to lose weight" isn't very. So, I'm going to lose 15 pounds in 2011. Though I am only supposed to set one goal under each heading I want to add just one more because weight loss isn't only based on diet. My other physical goal is to run a 5K by our first anniversary (June 12, 2011). FYI the thought alone makes me feel winded.
#3: Spiritual: Spiritual matters always seem so much tougher to me, do they to you? We've stepped out and challenged our faith more in 2010 than ever before, and its SO easy to get complacent and think we've done enough. However, my spiritual goal this year remains the same as it has for way too many years now--read my Bible everyday. Its always shocking to me how much I will avoid reading my Bible when I love to read almost anything else...I read an entire book New Year's Eve and at least 1 1/2 since then, but I can't seem to enjoy or muddle through my Bible for even a chapter a day. In being specific, my goal is to read at least 2 chapters of the Bible everyday...that's not much, I've just got to find the discipline to make myself do it. Feel free to keep me accountable and ask me what I'm reading!
#4: Social: Fun fact #1 of this blog: The Lipsey family is not very social. We are quite content sitting around just the 2 of us. As we're both supremely awkward, social situations are not always favorites and this goal will likely be my hardest to accomplish. My social goal is to make one lasting friendship with someone who lives within 45 minutes of me. Aside from my sweet hubby and our family that lives here, I am pretty much alone. I've met people, don't get me wrong, but I've had no lunch dates or girls nights since May... I need friends! I know I need friends because my darling doesn't always want to hear celebrity gossip or how bad the static in my hair sucks. I need girlfriends and I will have at least one by this time next year, darn it!
So that's that! Hannah's goals/resolutions for 2011. Its hard for me to not go on and add more (believe me, there are A LOT of things I need and want to do) but I'm sticking with what Randy said and using those 4. Pray for me, especially with that #4, because as easy as goals are to set, they are NEVER as easy to keep.
XOXO,
Hannah
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Welcome 2011, I'm hungry already.
Since we've reached 2011 and I find myself at least semi-unemployed, I decided blogging might be a good use of my time. Mainly because my life seems to have a lot of changes in store this new year and why not share them with the general population? By general population I realize I am mainly including my family & ten friends who may see this, but I did title the blog Life Exaggerated, so its ok to pretend I am reaching the masses.
Perhaps the biggest change that I'm enduring this year is beginning my first diet ever. Unfortunately the rockin' metabolism I had for the majority of my 23 years seems to have disappeared and my mii on Wii fit is looking more and more like a circle everyday. And by everyday I mean the rare days when I'm not too lazy to stand up and get on it. Plus my mom is currently skinnier than me and I really hate that...sorry, Deb. I say all of that to say that my sweet hubby & I have decided to try our hand at the Thrive Diet and pray that we see the same results that so many lucky folks we know have seen. Today we began our commitment to weight-loss and sexy bods and trekked over to Publix to gather our week one supplies.
The grocery store trip was unbelievably grim and its possible that we're looking forward to this even less than we imagined. Let me set the scene for you: we're walking through Publix gathering our meager meal supplies for the week with long faces. All the while its pouring down rain outside and I can promise you they played nothing but sad, country songs while we were shopping. All the while I'm pointing out the healthy snacks that I could eat and attempting to push this diet off as a "last resort" just in case we can't handle it on our own. Hubby knows me well, thus he keeps me stuck to our bare-minimum diet. Here are the things we get to eat (or attempt to eat) this first week:
XOXO,
Hannah
Perhaps the biggest change that I'm enduring this year is beginning my first diet ever. Unfortunately the rockin' metabolism I had for the majority of my 23 years seems to have disappeared and my mii on Wii fit is looking more and more like a circle everyday. And by everyday I mean the rare days when I'm not too lazy to stand up and get on it. Plus my mom is currently skinnier than me and I really hate that...sorry, Deb. I say all of that to say that my sweet hubby & I have decided to try our hand at the Thrive Diet and pray that we see the same results that so many lucky folks we know have seen. Today we began our commitment to weight-loss and sexy bods and trekked over to Publix to gather our week one supplies.
The grocery store trip was unbelievably grim and its possible that we're looking forward to this even less than we imagined. Let me set the scene for you: we're walking through Publix gathering our meager meal supplies for the week with long faces. All the while its pouring down rain outside and I can promise you they played nothing but sad, country songs while we were shopping. All the while I'm pointing out the healthy snacks that I could eat and attempting to push this diet off as a "last resort" just in case we can't handle it on our own. Hubby knows me well, thus he keeps me stuck to our bare-minimum diet. Here are the things we get to eat (or attempt to eat) this first week:
- Double Fiber Wheat Bread (and you know what fiber makes you do...I can only imagine that DOUBLE fiber is much worse)
- Green beans
- Sugar-free jello
- Sugar-free jelly
- Peanut butter
- Dill pickles
- Special K Protein Plus cereal
- Skim milk
- Eggs, that we can only eat 1/2 of because we must disgard the yolks(the BEST part!)
- Almonds
- Lettuce
- Spritzer salad dressing (one calorie per squirt!)
- Chicken breast-only to grill, of course
- Splenda (for coffee--I REFUSE to give up caffeine in the morning, but I will neglect my beloved Dr. Pepper, I guess.)
XOXO,
Hannah
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