Island of the Ending Summer

Dear Summer,

I am going to miss you dearly. 

Why do you have to leave so soon?

Here are some things I'm going to miss.

1. Living in a swimsuit, being somewhat tan, never getting ready and not caring in the slightest. 

2. Spending all of my nights outside, usually with chocolate all over my face. 

3. Having absolutely nothing to do, so having to resort to doodling. (result=crazy dragon princess genius that likes good music. Thanks urban outfitters!) I love doing nothing. Or more not having to do anything I don't want to. 

4. The big dipper and north star. Luckily, those will not leave me when summer goes, but they will always remind me of this summer.

5. Spending time with friends and eating chicken the size of Africa.

6. Surprise Fries! Mcdonalds runs all hours of the day and night. 

7. Campfires and S'mores. This happens to be the one all over my face in #2 (I know you can't see it, but I promise it's there)

8. My Mother Dearest. I am going to miss our gym routine, and eating lunch together at delicious places everyday. Menu including conversations about everything life has to offer! Thanks for helping me straighten things out Mom :)

Come on school year, throw everything you've got at me!

From the stressed out islander,

Hannah

The Island of a Brilliant Dance

Today was a Dashboard kind of day. Beginning last night I have been constantly humming a Dashboard Confessional song,  one that I rarely listen to but was stuck in my head anyway!

"Even now I can see you smile,

I can hear you hum

I can hear you sing!" 

They are a band that I have been listening to every summer since the seventh grade. So each song brings back a flood of crazy summer memories! Their sound just sounds like it has the essence of summer. 

What a beautiful thing to have in music, the essence of summer. 

I want some!

With the acoustic guitar and talk of sand, sun, and love, it kinda makes me melt. 

So as I was humming my day away, I decided this would be one I would add to the collection of memories. Starting off bright and early in an outfit that I wore yesterday but I loved so much I didn't really want to take it off. Being so busy by running the most random wonderful errands, feeling somewhat productive and a part of something. Then realizing that I am really going to like my new job. Finally calming down with a lonely float in the pool, singing more Dashboard songs at the top of my lungs to the birds! (I hope the neighbors enjoyed too) And going to a movie, bawling along with the entire theater over incredibly amazing stories of love and faith. (sorry, another list!) The only thing that was missing, was a good view of the big dipper and north star.

Thinking back on this summer, I noticed something strange. 

There was a lot of good, and a whole lot of bad.

But it made it one that I will surely never forget!

This has crossed my mind quite a bit lately.

Even though there were some hard times, it helped me to take notice of the truly great moments in life and to really appreciate all of the people and blessings involved.

And from one year into another I think of you when I feel summer! :)

Okay, I have finally jumped on the instagram bandwagon. So I tested it out. 

Cue dramatic posing.

Maybe next post will be all my new photos!

 Wishing she was belle of the boulevard,
Hannah

Island of Plans

 Dear friends, I am going to tell you a story. 

Once upon a time there was a girl. A girl with summer skin, trying to find a place in life where the soul meets body. It was difficult task, but she didn't feel right where she was, it just needed to be done! Sadly though there seemed to be a strange lack of color in the girl's life, no sunlight anywhere to be found. She realized the ice was getting thinner, and she was starting to get a little crazy. So crazy in fact she found comfort in a talking bird! And she was scared, scared to take this journey without really even knowing what she was looking for.

Then one Monday morning as she was watching the portable television, some boys with crooked teeth came. They started talking and, maybe out of pity and fear, said to her, 'someday you will be loved.' She found a new lightness with this news, and so at the beginning of the new year she decided to attempt her important journey to find where soul meets body once again. She put her worries aside and set out, across the bixby canyon bridge, past the marching bands of manhattan, and on tiny vessels over the ocean only to find herself trapped in the passenger seat of a strangers car. As she was contemplating her next move and strange music coming from the speakers (later she found out she was listening to the stable song) she came to understand the driver's name was Sarah. Sarah had a lot to say. She told the girl,

'You are a tourist. You felt that way in your own town and that is why you felt compelled to go on this journey to find your soul. At the moment, your heart is an empty room waiting to be filled with the one that will follow you into the dark. The one that will say you can do better than me, but in all reality will be the only one to posses your heart. It will be hard, and you will pass through many grapevine fires, you might even find that your home is a fire, but doors will be unlocked and open to you so you will be able to find a way. You will first have to go through title and registration, calculate out some long division, but don't let the codes and keys intimidate you! There are different names for the same thing, that means there are many possibilities for you to find a way. So stay young, go dancing! Listen closely, and you will one day be able to hear the sound of settling.'

The girl thought about what Sarah said, and was entirely confused. So she ventured to find a spot underneath the sycamore tree with an unobstructed view of St. Peter's cathedral, a place where she could ponder. And here is where she first felt the true sense of the word transatlanticism. She now understood what Sarah was trying to say! The one she loved was far away, in some unknown land waiting to be found! Maybe even looking for her too. And her journey was to find this person, so the emptiness in her heart could be filled. The place where soul meets body. So off on the road she was once again. As she was traveling, she met a couple brothers on a hotel bus who said, 'we look like giants, but at least we have each other.' Strange she thought. She asked them where they were going and they said, 'to the expo '86, to find where our souls meet our bodies.' She laughed, because she knew they would never find what they were looking for there.

As she climbed into her new twin sized bed that night, and dreamt of the death of an interior decorator, she realized that she had to let go of her fears! Let go of the fear of never finding what she was looking for. Let go of the fear of letting someone in, exposing her heart. Being vulnerable. She could no longer be afraid because the place where she would find her soul and her body, would be in the arms of someone who would take a death cab to a dead end just for her, the cutie.

When there's a burning in your heart

An endless yearning in your heart

Build it bigger than the sun

Let it grow, let it grow

When there's a burning in your heart

Don't be alarmed

18 days :)

Tourist of the Island,

Hannah

Taming lions on the Island of Infinite Confusion

The summer days are getting long. And I have been left alone, stuck in my silent house with only my thoughts to keep me company. When left alone with one's thoughts for too long, they start getting all jumbled together, mixed up, and utterly deranged. This is exactly what's happening to me. I can't tell right from wrong, up from down, 

backwardstwistedinsideoutsidesmashedintoawholelottapleasepassthecrazysauce.

(see what I mean? I'm having a hard time trying to figure all this out) 

And now it seems my heart and mind have been hurled together in one giant crock pot of complete bewilderment. I only have two words for you. No bueno.

Through all this weirdness going on in my head, the most interesting things lately have seemed to bring me an odd sense of comfort. So I have decided to list them as follows:

-The weight of a friends stolen watch heavy on my wrist. This friend trusted me enough to let him wear his (insanely awesome) watch. Comforting? Yeah. I'm not a thief I promise! I really didn't mean to steal it, the watch was returned.
-Familiar music in a stranger's car.
-The smell of fireworks and burned rubber on my driveway.
-Dancing like a certifiably insane person in public, and not caring in the slightest.
-Tears. If tears could fix everything, I'd have the whole world mended ten times over.
-Man Repelling. Yes, you heard me! Definitely my new favorite hobby. Please check it out. Now if there were only any men to repel...I call this little guy 'nappy neon meets the crazy hobo going to a party.'

Okay. First of all, I hate mirror pictures. They're awkward. They just are! But you need to understand, this was me alone at my house, board out of my gourd. And I wanted to show off the beginning stages of my man repelling. Awkward mirror pictures repel pretty much everyone, so I think I'm on the right track.

Complete with velcro!!

And top it of with an arm party, guest staring my snap on boyfriend Franchesco!

Yay for crazy!! Now on with the list.

-The mysterious vibration coming from my pocket, it's like someone is trying to tell me something..but it's a comforting tickle.

-Missing things. Having something to miss in the first place is comforting, because I know what I once had or will hopefully have again was awesome and something worth the emptiness inside. 

-Wearing a snowboarding beanie in the middle of July.

-Going and getting a tattoo of a mustache on my finger!! Do you like it? It's been my dream for the past 3 years.

 

Okay, nobody panic. It's temporary.

-Making lists. One of my all time most favorite things! It helps me organize my blended thoughts into something more sift-able. I highly recommend it. I hope you don't get sick of them, because I can see lots more coming into my blogging future.
-Church and the entire book of Joshua.
-Strumming my guitar.
-My mom calling me Shannah Sheagy and laughing at my lame jokes.
 -And this. Seriously, peed my pants. I was crying. But be prepared it is really weird, I don't know why I found it so funny.

I hope you enjoyed the random mash of thoughts that brought a strange peace about my mind. 

Too bad it didn't tame any of those lions.

Always your lost island hopper,

Hannah

Island of Happy Endings

So remember how I said I was a little excited about a the dress that I got the other day? Well, I said I'd put up a picture, and here it is thanks to my lovely friend Abi :) and I think that one day she will be a professional photographer/model. She even helped me out on sharpening up my photography skills so you should definitely go check it out! (Abi. You are probably the only one reading this blog. So hello. And I just had to say all that stuff for practice, when one day I do actually have more than 7 followers. Not that I don't love all of them.) Anyway! Kinda fun. And in case you were wondering, the bandaid is Dora the Explora. (Sorry, I can't say it any other way.)

I also have to share the awesome moment I had in church today. So I was just chillin' in sacrament meeting, listening to the wonderful speakers of course when I noticed the little boy in front of me. He was staring off into the distance, not moving a muscle (weird for a 4 year old) completely transfixed on something. I figured it was something shiny.

So I followed his unwavering gaze. 

Directly in his line of sight was the most adorable little girl about his age with blond curly locks and a bright yellow skirt, coloring the meeting away. 

(sparkly silver shoes too, that covers the shiny) 

I noticed at the perfect time, because right then she looked over, made eye contact with him and a small smile crossed her sweet little face.

He looked at her like she was the only thing in the world!

The sparks were flyin' let me tell ya.

I feel like I just witnessed the most precious meet cute ever!

(And if you don't know what I'm talking about please watch the Holiday)

I am so glad I got to witness such a tender moment, maybe one day it will happen to me too!

I can only hope and dream. 

Also in my hopes and dreams, these two littles will grow up and get married.

And they lived happily ever after :)

Island of Frolicing Fancies

Reason of happiness #1

For some reason, dancing around a room flailing your arms around like a penguin that's trying to fly is very freeing. This morning I took body jam at the jim (see what I did there) and shook my little booty off. The thing I love about body jam, is that you'll find all walks of life there! Its a basic hip hop work out class, and let me tell you the old ladies rock it harder than I do. It's really cool actually because it doesn't matter if you look like a rag doll being thrown across the room seeing as everyone else does too (except for the sick teacher of course) It's the ultimate acceptance, everyone is in the same boat just looking to party it up and get a good work out in while your at it.
I highly recommend this awkward awesomeness.

Reason of happiness #2

Yesterday I went shopping with the girls! (After an amazing surprise breakfast <---for the most hilarious girl in the world who I love so much, Carissa) and guess what I got.... :) Okay, well I was going to post pictures but I can't find any so I will have to take some of my own and post them later. But for the longest time I have been looking for the perfect maxi dress, and wala!! I have finally found it. I die. So awesome. 

It goes with absolutely everything, and I want to go put it on right now because it feels like I'm wearing sweats all day long, but I look less like homeless person (finally!)

  
Reason of happiness #3

(can you say completely awesome? bananas, I've become slightly obsessed)

Reason of happiness #4

  I get to party with these beautiful people tonight! The Aheeews :S 

You might be asking yourself, I like it. What is it? 

That my friends is a secret, but you should know these people because they are really cool.

Reason of happiness #5

The Daybook. Look it up. You will be overcome with overwhelming happiness.

From your delighted island hopper,

Hannah

Island East of Paradise

 It finally happened! I am home. And it's good to be here :) They say that summer is all about vacationing. On a vacation, taking a vacation while vacationing. Dear lassie, too much for me! Sometimes all that forced 'relaxing' and vacationing turns into a work party and living out of a suitcase isn't so much fun anymore. Not to say I didn't love the adventures to Lake Powell, Park City, Mexico, and Montana because I had unforgettable experiences there that I wouldn't trade for the world! But the glorious summer fever actually hit me, whilst lounging in my new pool that I've finally been home long enough to use. Just me, the water, and the sunshine. Nothing that absolutely had to be done, or someplace I had to be. Ultimate lazy bones! I could do whatever my little heart desired and didn't have to worry about it! 

So ya wanna know what I did?

Ate a fatboy.

On a floaty. 

Now picture a fatboy on a floaty.

Then take that smile and turn it into the realization that this is what summer is all about.

So go, float on you fatties ;)

From your local island hopper,
Hannah