Recap of 2013

It's hard to believe that it's almost been two years since I've posted anything on Hannah's blog! There are times when I am so disappointment with myself for having not kept up on blogs like I had done all these years. It's my goal to be better at blogging in 2014. 

I'm sitting on the couch, literally minutes away from ringing in the New Year and I'm looking at pictures from the last year. Thinking about the highlights of the year when it came to Hannah.

I think the biggest thing of 2013 was that Hannah turned 13 years old, we have a teenager in our house!! She turned 13 in April and had a big party with family and friends. It was a purple party that included a purple candy bar and all kinds of purple treats!

In May, not only was Hannah recognized for a year of AVID completion, she attained a place on the Vice Principal's Honor Roll for holding a 3.8 GPA!! We were very proud! She not only adapted well to Jr High, but she's succeeding and excelling in all seven of her classes. She continues to do that even now as she just completed the first semester of 8th grade!

The week after school got out, Hannah had an adventure. She ventured for the first time out of the State of California to visit Steven's aunt in Las Vegas, with our sister in law, my mother in law, and our niece.

 

First Day of 8th Grade, August 2013.

 I think if you were to ask Hannah what the best highlight of 2013 was for her, I think she would say The Catching Fire Premiere in Los Angeles!! She has been a HUGE Hunger Games fan since the first time she saw the movie. Her room is filled with posters, memorabilia, and is a huge fan of Josh Hutcherson.

Long story short, I figured out where the L.A. premiere was to be held and in attempts of becoming Mom's of the Year, actually we were hoping for just Mom of the Week, a friend and I surprised our girls with a trip to Los Angeles in hopes of catching some of the hype that surrounds movie premieres. Little did we know how our night would turn out!!! We managed to find the stand by line for the Red Carpet sidelines and scored a spot at the beginning of the arrivals!! Not only did our girls see the celebrities of their most favorite movie, but we got pictures, and they got autographs! Hannah got Josh Hutcherson's autograph and the look on her face when she'd attained it was priceless!! As we excited the Red Carpet sidelines, we were presented with tickets INTO the premiere!! We were going to see the movie that very night! This picture and the expression on her face says it all!! One thing is for certain, I had definitely scored at least the "Mom of the Day" award! LOL.

Hannah's been going to Disneyland since she was 6 weeks old. She's been to Disneyland more times in her life than the neighborhood park around the corner! The last couple of years, she hasn't enjoyed going as much as she once did when she was little, but 2013 was the year it's changed. She's developed a new hobby, new character crushes, and very much enjoys going and asks all the time when our next trip it! I absolutely love it! We've managed to go 2-3 a month, especially the weeks they girls were off from school! I look forward to many more trips in 2014, especially with friends who received passes as Christmas presents!

2013 also brought about top braces and monthly orthodontic appointments, internet hobbies in the form of  instagram, pinterest, and tumbler. She's a self professed "FanGirl" and loves all things Hunger Games/Catching Fire, Harry Potter, and Disney. It's hard to believe that in 2014, our firstborn will turn 14, promote from Jr High, and will be a Freshman in High School!!!!!