{Toxic} Relationships

                     Today I’m sharing on the topic of “toxic” relationships!

We ALL have them in our lives --> they are the people/relationships in your life that you may or may not constantly be around. They can be family members, co-workers, acquaintances or even someone you’d call a close friend! Whoever they are, their words or actions either hurt you, bring your spirits down or just provide an awful dose of downright rudeness when it’s totally unnecessary.

Whether their comments are small or large, they can hurt and COMPLETELY derail you from the joyful life you were put on this earth to live. My husband and I have experienced this first hand and have over the last couple of years really focused on finding those positive people and relationships to surround ourselves with and ignoring the “noise” and negativity of the toxic ones. 

A little over two years ago we took a HUGE leap of faith and moved across the Pacific to Maui, leaving ALL family, friends, acquaintances, EVERYONE! We knew TWO people here in Maui, they were the sweet couple who moved over here with us. Those were the only two people we knew. Dave & I both grew up in a towns where you’d run into someone you knew every single time you left your house, so this “knowing not-a-single-person” thing, made for an interesting twist in our lives. When we moved, HUGE transformations happened in both of our lives and our marriage. We lost a combined weight of 100lbs, we COMPLETELY changed our eating habits, our views on health, our thoughts on family, our relationships with ourselves and each other and the Lord. We realized that even though we lived a pretty fab life in Oregon, we were not living the life intended for us… The move to Maui was exactly what we needed to CHANGE out of the toxic habits we held! The Lord has done a work and there are no words to describe how amazing I feel and how thankful I am for that work. 

After about 6 months here, after we had our “transformation” ;) Or whatever you want to call it… We started looking into the relationships we had back in Oregon and ones we were making here and realized how many toxic relationships we had in our lives. Not always was it a toxic person, but it was the way we carried a relationship with them or how we handled ourselves around them, it wasn’t healthy. We weren’t friends to them and they weren’t friends to us. It was just toxic, stagnant, no give. When we saw how much changing our mindset had transformed our whole lives it was crucial to look back and see what exactly the root of our issues were and how we could fix them. Most of the relationships have been healed due to us changing and the other person never even knowing there was an issue... Other relationships have had to be mutual, where both parties had to take a step back to get to the point where they feel comfortable and confident to step back in. Then sadly, there are relationships that just didn’t work out. You do what you can, but obviously not EVERYONE can or wants to be your friend and vice versa! 

It’s important when you’re {cleaning up} your relationships that you realize, it doesn’t have to get nasty. You don’t have to say everything bad they did or rub their mistakes in their faces. Handling it with love and respect is the best way to go. It’s inevitable that people will come and go in your life… THAT’S LIFE! Sometimes there will be a relationship that will be OH SO hard for you to give up, but they don’t respect you or support you or give you the love YOU deserve. {Those are the toughies} But I can’t stress the amazing feeling it is to get rid of the negative and surround yourself with positive, uplifting and respectful people. People who cheer you on, even when you’ve set a CRAZY goal. People who are there when you fall, even if you’ve fallen 100 times over the same issue. People who laugh with you and don’t talk behind your back. People who will tell you the TRUTH with love and help better you. Be open to criticism, but don’t let people walk all over you. Be open to change and positivity. Your life, goals, dreams, mindset, relationships, health and wellness depend on YOU to be open to having healthy relationships and positive fellowship. 

I REALLY wanted to share this because it’s been a HUGE help in my life, to know my true friends and be okay letting some go. I have rock solid relationships with people who LOVE me. I have best friends who I’d do anything for and they would do anything for me. I have friends who are closer to me even living 2000 miles away from them than people who live down the street. Living a balanced, healthy life is my goal and making sure my friendships and relationships are balanced and healthy aligns with that goal and makes for a pretty happy ME :)

XO Hannah

30 weeks and counting!

I can’t tell you how FAST 30 weeks goes by, but the time sure does fly! I’m entering my 31^st week of pregnancy, getting everything prepared for baby Moses’ arrival and ENJOYING the last few weeks as a family of two with my husband.

 A couple of weeks ago I was able to take a MUCH needed and super relaxing trip to the mainland, Oregon to be exact! It’s where I was born and raised until two years ago when my husband and I packed up and flew across the Pacific to reside in Maui. It was so great to see my family & friends. Having almost two weeks of total relaxation, fun get togethers and enjoying Oregon with the people I love. I definitely ate my way around Oregon, lol! Gaining some poundage in that two weeks {I’ll discuss later}, but it was 100% worth it! I love living in Hawaii, but I will ALWAYS be an Oregon girl at heart and I enjoyed myself THOROUGHLY! Here are a few of my Oregon pics :) ENJOY!

Grandma-Me-Mom on the 4th of July-- My FAVORITE ladies in the WHOLE world!!!!\

My fam! Dad, Mom & my amazing brothers!

I visited my in-laws for a BBQ and fun in the Oregon sun! Not pictured {my 6 brother/sister in laws and 8 nieces/nephews}

My grandpa-- One of my VERY favorite people in this world <3

Lunch with Jaime (Who got married the weekend after this was taken) and our moms. I've known her my WHOLE life. Our moms even grew up together. Such great family friends!

Visited with my BEAUTIFUL friend Meg & her little cutie- Emma. LOVE, LOVE these girls!!!

Girls night with my mom, my BFF Tara (who is pregnant with a little girl!! YAYAY :) and her mom-in-law Candice (my momma's BFF).

Crashed a Johnson family get together, this is my BFF (Ruth's) family and these are her two strapping brothers!! Love them!

 Coming back home to my hubby was also amazing—I am so blessed with a rock solid marriage and a sexy, fun and kind husband. We’ve been together for almost a decade and been married for 7 of those years and my Oregon trip was the longest we’ve been apart. Embracing him when I got off that plane almost brought tears to my eyes. I am in love and there are no words to describe the passion and love I have for my husband. He also had a big surprise for me when I got home. He had completed SO many things off my Honey Do list that I’ve been compiling throughout this pregnancy. He’s continued to spruce up our home and make everything PERFECT for our family. It’s definitely helped me out, because my anxiety has been at an all-time high during this pregnancy, he knows this and has done everything without me asking—He just does it and blesses me beyond what I would’ve asked for. 

FLASHBACK-- 7 years ago on our wedding day! LOVE THAT MAN!!!!!!

 

 As for my health... I’ve been rocking this bump like a pro! Of course back pain is starting to creep in due to all the pressure and weight coming out of the front of my body. Heartburn has been so crazy, I’m poppin’ antacids like nobody’s business. I’ve been trying other things as well and all jokes aside have been really changing my diet to see what helps—Honestly, it doesn’t matter what I eat… Baby is pushing up, my smooth muscle is weak and that combo creates a burn that is excruciating, but will end once baby is born. Sleep is some nights, amazing and others nights I roll from side to side 300 times… It can be annoying for my bedmate, but hey—I’m the one getting kicked ALL night from our future NFL kicker! So, he doesn’t complain. Like I mentioned earlier, I gained a bit “more than normal” when I took my vacation to Oregon and I KNEW I would. Heck, my family took me to EVERY one of my favorite restaurants... Hello!? Yes please, pass the bread basket. LOL All of that to say to you now, I’m back on track! Dave and I have been eating super well since my return, we’ve been doing a two-mile walk almost every night that gets us both sweating. I also get in the pool everyday no matter what and do laps, get my heart rate up and stretch. Having a pool has been Ahhhh-Mazing! I love it! 

This is ME, 7/26/13 entering my 31st week!

 Anywho, that’s where life’s at for us! We have it pretty good, I think!\

XO Hannah

Terrific Tuesday!

It's a Terrific Tuesday Blog Post!

Woke up around 4:40 this morning to baby kicking away. He's a morning person, just like his momma! So I popped out of bed, poured a cup of coffee and moved to the recliner with my lab top.

A few seconds later it was a party-- Both pups jumped up and curled in right between my legs!

My party of ONE, turned into a party of three with no room for movement. I take advantage, they are so cute ;)

Once the sun started to rise, I ran outside to catch a pic of the beautiful sunrise. I love sunrises, they are refreshing, they represent a new start and a beginning. New day's bring new opportunities and blessings!

Also, my morning was made special by a fabulous package from my beautiful friend Lisa at {Making messes, making memories}. 

She send me a BUMP shirt and a cute card. She's always been SUCH a thoughtful person, always sending cards, sweet texts and love to me. We've known each other for a whopping 19 years! Blessed to have her as one of my best friends! <3

I LOVE the shirt, Lisa!

I'm officially 21 weeks tomorrow! {The countdown begins}. I'm feeling great, getting bigger and focusing on exercise/eating clean to stay active and health these last 4-ish months.

Well, It's only 7:20am so it's off to start my day! 

First, a couple hours at the Physical Therapy office. Then, ALL the company leads fell into my Body FX back office yesterday, so MANY E-mails will be sent out as well as tons of phone calls to make. Having a home biz is one of the funnest things. It teaches you so much, you can help others, you can make money, work in your yoga pants, meet new people, feel accomplished, find motivation all while in the comfort of your own home! Feeling super blessed with my jobs, YAY!

Have a fab day!

XO,

Hannah

It's a BOY!

It's a Boy!!!

Not only are we having a baby boy, but he is HEALTHY!!! 

My alarm clock went off at 3:30 am on Wednesday, I got out of bed, made some coffee, got dressed and started my long day of traveling...  Not many people have to catch a flight to have their ultrasound done, but yet, another JOY of living in Maui... The best doctors are an island away! 

A few weeks ago we found out I'd have to head over to Oahu to see a specialist and have an extensive ultrasound done to confirm baby's skeletal structure was normal. My hubby was born with Craniocynastosis- a condition where the baby's fontanelle's (soft spots) close too early, causing a plethera of issues to a newborn, including a smaller chance of survival {Something NO pregnant woman wants to hear}. Miraculously, Dave was healed from this genetic disorder, but we didn't know that there was a huge chance of it being passed down to our little one. So, my doctor here on Maui sent us over to see a specialist at Kapiolani Fetal and Maternal Medicine Institute in Honolulu to have this ultrasound to make sure everything was doing what it was suppose to. There have been a lot of medical advances in the past 27 years {Since the hubby was born} Therefore, if they see any abnormalities they could do some pre-birth treatments to help baby's bones :)

When we heard I'd have to travel over to Oahu to have this done and Dave couldn't go with me, my friend, Megan, didn't hesitate to buy a plane ticket, put her kiddo's in daycare, get up at the crack of dawn and come with me. TRUE friendship right there. Not many people would sacrifice their time, and money just to make sure you felt comfortable and had a partner just in case something was wrong! I felt overwhelmingly blessed by her presence! 

So, we turned it into a "girl's day" and made the best! One quick plane ride there, about 30 minutes in the air, a taxi ride to the hospital, and it began. They took us back right away, yay for no wait, and the US began. It took over an hour. The Ultrasound Tech counted every bone fragment {Since not every bone is fused yet}, measured all sorts of things, measured blood flow, monitored the heart, took tons of pics, etc. Once she left, the specialist came in and did another ultrasound, talked about different things he saw, chatted with me and confirmed that everything looked normal. He was so reassuring and happy, which made me happy! After this, we headed back to chat with another specialist who was just as kind. She looked over some things and also gave baby the clear. Overall, GREAT news! Baby was healthy- I was not longer classified as a "high risk" pregnancy, we can deliver in Maui and all of that news made my MONTH! :) Oh, also, during this US, Megan was by my side the whole time-- Every step of the way. She even got to see what the baby was. I didn't want to know what it was until I was with my hubby so she kept it a secret ALL day and when I got home that evening, Dave and I opened the little picture album they gave us to see a PENIS! YAY :) We were both sure it was a girl, so we were totally caught off guard, but so stinking excited! 

After all of the doctors appts were done, Megan and I walked to downtown Honolulu and spent a few hours at Ala Moana shopping center <--- OMG an actual mall, with a Nordstrom! {Something you don't find on Maui}. We ate at the Macaroni Grill {Super YUM!}, window shopped at the high end stores and then headed back to the airport for the flight home. 

It was a FABULOUS day with my friend!

When I met this girl 2 years ago, I had no idea the impact she'd make on my life. So blessed by her friendship! She can turn a day full of stress in to a fun girls day on the town!

Anywho, just thought I'd share a little of my week! Now it's the weekend and I'm spending it with my hubby-- YAY!

XO,

Hannah

19 Weeks Along!

The last few months have been insane! The wife of a nursing student, pregnant for the first time, taking classes myself, homework, studying, sleeping and managing everything… Whew! It’s been tiring.

The day after tomorrow this semester will be O.V.E.R! Yay! {Can you tell, I’m ready?} It will be so nice to just focus on my pregnancy, preparing for Baby S, spending time with my hubby, NOT thinking about projects/homework/studying. There are SO many other things that I’ll inevitably get wrapped up in—That’s just me!

What have I done these last three months??

I became a founding coach of an amazing online fitness/health company called Body FX, I’m uber excited to jump in and get started. It’s still in the pre-launch phase {Thank goodness} because I’ve just been so busy to add another thing to my plate. BUT this opportunity is amazing. It lines up with my passions and goals: Helping others get fit/healthy, making money from home, and enjoying amazing “clean” products.

I got another step closer to my bachelor’s degree in Business! So proud of myself. This semester was difficult for me, but I stayed focused and kept on keeping on. My last final is on Friday and then I will not have to think about school until August. A three month, MUCH needed break!

I’ve been making a baby! Baby S is 19 weeks {the size of a mango} <- How fitting is that, being that I live in Hawaii! 

The past 19 weeks have definitely had their ups and downs, WAY more ups than downs. This pregnancy is so easy compared to some other ladies horror stories. 

The first trimester I was SO exhausted, my morning coffee was what got me through {I’m aware some of you may disagree with caffeine and pregnancy, BUT this is my pregnancy and I am deciding what I am/am not going to consume}. Though I am proud to say, I did not have one ounce of morning sickness which makes me so happy. I did eat WAY more than I should have, but hey, can’t go back… The second trimester has been a breeze. Gaining weight isn’t my favorite part but I’m really just accepting it and getting totally excited for the “post baby shred”, my boobs are absolutely huge {Perk for the hubby} I went from a full A cup to a “I’m too big for a C cup, but not quite a D” and they are suppose to get bigger?? I have no clue how that is going to work out. We shall wait and see! ;) I’m eating every 2-3 hours, totally trying to snack on healthies, but OMG—I just crave junk! LOL! Self control, Hannah, Self-control!

I find out 5/15 if it’s a boy or girl, but right now I’m just enjoying the occasional flutter/popcorn popping feeling in my tummy and trying to create a happy environment for Baby S to grow in <3

My birthday was a few weeks ago and my BFF, Ruth, from Oregon {who now lives in Arkansas} flew here to TOTALLY surprise me! It was the week of a lifetime. I could write a whole blog post about it’s epic-ness, but honestly, it was just one of those “you had to have been Ruth or Hannah to enjoy it” type of trips! Words to describe the feeling the trip gave me: Happy-Crazy-Emotional-Blessed-Thankful-Honored-Funny-Memorable.

That’s about it! Sorry for the HUGE delay between posts—This momma has been BUSY!

XOXO

Hannah

Happy New Year 2013

The first day of the New Year is a groggy one for most! Most people around the world stay up WAY too late ringing in the New Year, maybe have a little too much to drink and usually wake up so exhausted their day just drags on. Not for me. Although I was sleepy from the 3am bed time! 

I welcomed 2013 with a great group of people! We played a fun game of laser tag, (sounds "teenagerish" but was REALLY fun!) watched the ball drop and enjoyed laughs and conversation. These amazing people I spent NYE with, I've known forever! Dave and I have been back in Oregon for three weeks, visiting our hometown and catching up with people we grew up with. One great thing about growing up in a small town (there are many) is meeting up around the holidays, catching up, and starting right where we left off when we saw each other last year. I love it! 

Such a GREAT group of people!

This evening Dave and I FINALLY got to meet up with our amazing friends Austin and Meghann and meet their adorable daughter, Emma, who is 5 months old.

Emma Grace

She is PRECIOUS. Lots of smiles, which of course, brought smiles to my face. Emma's mommy has been one of my best friends for 10 years and I was so blessed to be able to meet her beautiful daughter and catch up with their sweet little family.

We leave back to Hawaii on Friday the 4th, so our trip is coming to an end. Sad thought, but back to life, back to reality! I'm so blessed and this trip has been wonderful. Just the break we needed to refresh ourselves this holiday season.

xoxo -H

Loving the Sunshine with A Good Friend

I received a phone call the other day from a friend whom I've known and who has been a great friend of mine for 18 years. He recently graduated Nursing school and wanted to take a quick trip to Hawaii before he starts his new job. Basically, I received a phone call and 30 hours later was picking him up at the airport. {Great to have friends who live in Maui}

It's ALWAYS fun to have visitors! Our schedule is all messed up, we fall a little behind on our to-do list and spend more money than budgeted, but LOVE every minute of showing our guests this BEAUTIFUL island!

Dave, Matthew & I 



We hit up the beach, trailed through the jungle, tasted tropical fruits & enjoyed everything in the Aloha spirit :)

AMAZING! Sad that he leaves tomorrow, but it's back to the grind for us!

Aloha

xoxo -Hannah

Sunday Afternoons & Bye to Family

Hi you!!

SUNDAY was amazing {as usual}. We had a great beach day, full of laughs, volleyball, BBQ'ing, waves and FUN! Seriously, you should have TOTALLY been there ;)

The view from my chair!

So, of course the sun was bright, but beautiful clouds were surrounding us making the sunset AMAZING (pics below). This is at Po'olenalena beach in South Maui. Unfortunately, Sunday was also the last night my brother and his GF were on the island with us. It was bittersweet. We LOVE being on this island, just the two of us. But there is NOTHING as amazing as family! My family is my center. They are what I always think about, who I love above anything and their company is the BEST! Luckily I have my BEST friend here with me, can't beat those sunset kisses!

Sunset Smooooooches <3

BREATH deep this week, people! It's going to be a Beautiful one!

xoxo

-Hannah

Roadtrippin' with my mom :)

Amazing week and a half! My mom and 13 year old brother were visiting us here in Maui. My mom stayed for a week and my brother will continue his trip here for a MONTH! Lucky teen ;) My mom and I talked, hiked, shopped, ate, enjoying each others company the WHOLE time. When you live 2,560 miles across the Pacific ocean from your momma, vacations are definitely necessary! Luckily we’ve set up our trips for the whole year, so we always have something to look forward to.

This trip to Maui, my mom wanted to explore more of the outdoors, so we did. We visited beaches, we went on lots of hikes and roadtrips... Here are a few pics of our trip to Hana.
(in the new formatting of this blog, you will need to click on the blank picture to see the beautiful image.)



Banyon Tree in the middle of our hike on the Pipiwai trail.



Seven Sacred Pools
Beautiful Waterfall!



A famous “roadtrip” visited by thousands of Maui tourists each day. It’s breathtaking views of waterfalls, cliffs, tropical plants and trees and of course the BEAUTIFUL Pacific. The views, food and beaches we visited while she was here were wonderful, but the BEST part of the whole trip is when we are just sitting and talking. There is nothing better than having a good conversation with my mom that goes on for hours! It doesn’t matter where we are, we can ALWAYS chat. I absolutely love that about our relationship. She’s not only my mom, but my best friend. She is so wise, encouraging and caring. I have always adored my mom, but it’s not until I have become an adult and a wife that I see the amazing woman she really is. I am VERY blessed to have such a wonderful role model and mentor in my life. Thanks MOM!