Guess What...

...juuuuust became part of my gadget collection today?


Yes! My very own iPhone.
*grin*

I'm not a super-techno person.
I don't need my music every minute of the day.
I don't text fast at all. (in fact, I'm a horrible texter...)
I'm not always on the internet.

But I think everybody needs and iPhone. Me included!! =)

What do you use?

Much Love! Hannah
♥

Bloom Magazine

Hey, everybody!! Last year, I volunteered for a small online girl's magazine - Bloom. It was super fun, and I learned a lot about working with other artists and writers and of course the lovely publisher, Kyann!! I normally don't post stuff like this, but Bloom needs your help.

This year I can't return to the staff, as I'm heading off to college in less than six weeks. (eeeeek!!) Anyway, some of the other staff is also unable to return, and Kyann really needs a good, reliable group of girls to serve as her staff. In order to bring the magazine together, she needs some super talented photographers, graphic designers, and writers - and this means you!!

Here's a short paragraph she wrote to recruit staff and encourage girls - go ahead and read it!! You just might be able to help. It's a super opportunity to use your talents to bless other people. =)

---

Do you love writing, photography, or graphic design? Then this opportunity is for you! Bloom! Magazine is looking for new staff members! We need staff writers, photographers, and graphic designers for the 2011-2012 staff. There are also a few other positions available, including a webmaster position which will include website design and upkeep.

If you or anyone you know is interested in applying for the staff or would like more information, please click here. We are accepting applications from July 14, 2011-July 26, 2011 so get your application in soon!

And if you haven't subscribed to Bloom! Magazine, definitely go check it out! :)

---

So why don't you go check it out!!

Anddddd... what's a post on a photography blog without a picture?

Much love,
Hannah
♥
Blog | Flickr | Etsy | 52 | Contact

4th of July | Personal

"Only in America, where we dream in red, white and blue
Only in America, where we dream as big as we want to
We all get a chance, everybody gets to dance
Only in America."
Brooks & Dunn, Only in America

Sooooo... I AM posting these super-duper late. But better late than never and all that!


Three years ago, my family had our church over for a barbeque on the Fourth of July. Last year we had most of our church again - plus bunches of extras. This year was just as much fabulous fun - and an even bigger party!


Our place has turned into "the" place for some people to be on the Fourth. It's nearly becoming a country tradition! I don't see why not - my fam really knows how to have FUN!!


Having my aunt and uncle here was also a blast. And they were a huge help, too!! =) Imagine getting a seven-acre property ready for a hundred people...

Cutting grass, putting up decorations, buying stuff, getting drinks, cleaning the house, sweeping porches, firing up grills, setting up a volleyball net, getting ready for four or five organized games (complete with prizes!)... you get the idea.


Everyone brings their favorite side dish (or dessert - that's pretty good) to share, and we just have a total b.l.a.s.t!!!


Red toes, of course, are a must. And denim jeans. With a white t-shirt. That's definitely my style!


And cute kids? I'll take a few!


My little nine-year-old sister was sooooooo proud of this creation - a "flag cake." "Pllllease take a picture of it and put it on your blog, Hannah!"

Now how could I refuse a request like that?


She IS my only nine-year-old sister, after all.





Our first guests arrived a few hours before dinner - some of them to help us finish setting up and getting ready. Now that's what I call friendship!!


This year, one of our church's elders delivered a great message on the blessing and heritage of America. It was really awesome!


Then it was time for games. Races. And such.


We even get the "big guys" involved. Believe me... competition gets pretty stiff!! There's a pair of brothers and their brother in law that get super excited over stuff like this! It's really pretty funny... they act like three little kids trying to beat each other at whatever it is.


I really need to improve my horseshoe techniques.

The best I can do is take pictures of them, haha!!


A few hours of volleyball to burn off those yummy desserts!! We definitely set the net up in the wrong field, though - a creek runs through it - and you would *never* believe how attractive creeks are to volleyballs.

We thought we should TRY to aim for the creek... then maybe the balls would quit landing in it.

No good. Oh well.

The boys just got kind of tired of running across the road to fetch the balls that flowed under the street!!


My little buddy, Bethany.


Wheelbarrow races... dizzy races... three-legged races... and more - definitely a good way to wear the kids out!!


And since it *is* a day for eating junk food... candy for prizes is a must!


Most of the people were racing - only a handful were watching and cheering their teams on. Or taking pictures. Like yours truly.


Friends!


And sisters.

Hey, I had to sneak a "Hannah-Sarah" picture in here somewhere, right? It's tradition.


My goofy little sister...


And my ridiculously awesome friends!!

Oh, yeah - there are two of my sisters in there. The girls who are simply gorgeous (like me!). Yep, those would be my sisters. Hahahaha, just kidding!!

Kinda.


THEN, it was time for the bonfire... and... you guessed it.

Fireworks!


I hope I'm not the only one who's singing Katy Perry's "Firework" at this point...

"You just gotta ignite, the light, and let it shine
Just own the night like the 4th of July
'Cause baby you're a firework
Come on, show 'em what you're worth
Make 'em go "Oh, oh, oh"
As you shoot across the sky-y-y..."

Okay, that's enough.


It gets dark SO late around here. I don't know how many of you live as far North as I do, but if you do... you'll know what I'm talking about. I think we had to wait until about 10:00 to even start the fireworks!!

It's really nice in the summer... stays light until after 9:00... but in the winter? Total opposite. I'm talking like pitch black at 5:30. Yes, it's pretty nasty.

Especially for a summer loving beach girl like me!


While we waited for the guys to get settled, we talked and laughed and played a few more games...


And introduced our little buddies to sparklers!


I love those things. They're super cool!!


I didn't learn until TOO LATE that the best trick for fireworks is NOT a fast shutter speed.

DUH, Hannah. Serious? How could I forget? So those are my failed attempts. We didn't have a superly long show (especially since my "pyro-maniac" Dad was out of town) so I didn't get much of a chance to practice.

Next time?


So how did ya'll celebrate?

Much love!
Hannah
<3

Pinterest Loves | Personal

Everybody's probably already heard of Pinterest, right? The time-stealing online inspiration board. It's a treasure chest of esthetic lovelieness... art, graphic design, photography inspiration, crafts, brilliant words, interior design, and yummy food. I have to seriously limit my time on there. For "artsyish" people like me, it's one of the best places on the computer.

But it's just kind of incredible.

So I'm going to share some of my latest finds on Pinterest with ya'll!! I won't bog you down with everysinglethingI'veeverpinned... I think I limited myself to ten.

Or eleven.


Dreamy bedroom, huh? Books, windows, white, and a wood floor. How much better does it get?

Ohhhh... mmm. I can just *feel* some of the calories in the stuff you find on here. A recipe for homemade devil's food cake, pictures of dulce le leche ice cream, organic fruit smoothies.



And the design you find on here. *whistle* It's enough to make me want to be a commercial art major in college!


What if these were real?

Hearts cut out of maps = yes, please.


This totally made me laugh!!

The caption somebody had on Pinterest was - "What we'd do for the perfect picture." Soooooo true, hahaha!! =)


Strawberry Starbucks ice cream heart. See what I mean about those calories?


Isn't this just about the most awesome thing ever? I really wish I knew what book it was from. Or who wrote it. I suppose I could google it... but for now I'm just going to read it over and over again.

And wish I was there.

ps - thanks, anonymous, for the author's name!! (for those of you who are curious... it's Charles Baudelaire.)


Beauty. Simply.


This. Is. Precious. I love babies.



Sailing... that's what I want to do one day!! Oh, yeah. =)

---

Soooo... do you have Pinterest? Check me out and leave me a link to yours... I just might end up repinning half of your stuff, haha!!

| My Pinterest |

Much love!
Hannah
♥

Spontaneous | Personal

"Remember what he used to say: 'It's a dangerous business, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don't keep your feet, there's no knowing where you might be swept off to.'"
J. R. R. Tolkien

I love adventures. Especially spontaneous ones. I'm definitely a "schedule person" - I'm organized and all that. But once in a while, it's nice to be able to conveniently forget all the things that you "should" be doing, and just have fun with the people you like best.


And thankfully for me, most of my family is that way, too.

It opens up a lot of opportunity for fun, if you know what I mean.


And since my aunt and uncle are here, we've been having plenty of adventures of our own! Last week, we went down to the *big city* and spent some time just wandering around the beautiful riverfront park. It was fun not have any schedule except trying to get home before dark to do chores!


We've got a beautiful park right on the river - right in between the two waterfalls and dam. They really do a fantastic job down there - we spent all afternoon wandering around and doing... well... stuff!!


Like throwing pennies into the pool...


And taking pictures of our own reflections.


And walking the bridge over the waterfalls! That was cool... though my little sis didn't think so at first!


There was SO much water going over those falls. It's so awesome, the way God has it all set up.

We were saying that IF it were totally safe, wouldn't it just be fabulous to go over those falls in a kayak?! That would be amazing!!! They should have waterfall simulators at waterparks. Completely safe, of course - but every bit of an adventure.


My goofy awesome family! =) Well, part of it, anyway.


We applied our "homeschooling" techniques - learning everything you can about a place/person/event in the shortest amount of time possible.


Just one self-portrait?


Lovely city-ish details.


Up here in Washington, we've got some gorgeous lavender - especially over on the coast. Ahhh... I love those lavender farms!


We had to throw in a *little* junk food... what's a day at the park without it?!


Okay, two self-portraits.


You know those sky-ride, gondola thingys? Yeah, well, they have one that goes right over the bottom of the dam. And stops.

Yikes.

Eeeeek!!

All that.

It's misty and cold and wet - but it's grand!!


The carousel... yeah, that's more my type!!


I don't know about you, but for me, carousels bring back such great childhood memories.

The one on Newport Beach at the carnival. Or the one at the Florida State Fair back in 2003. They used to seem so huge to me - those giant horses that you could barely clamber onto!! Especially the one I remember best - across the bay in Seaport Village. When we lived in Cali, we would sometimes go over there on the weekends and ride the carousel and get those huge rainbow colored lollipops.

Those were the days, huh?!


Carousel bokeh!


This one is super beautiful - an antique from the early 1900s!!

I think.

But whenever it's from, it's really cute. =)


And after we were all tuckered out, we had to stop by one of our favorite burger and milkshake joint for a chocolate chocolate chip milkshake.

Uh-huh.

We *do* sometimes eat milkshakes for dinner. =)


It's really adorable... check out the cute deco!!


See what I mean?


Ahhhh. Just fabulous.

Much love,
Hannah
♥