Future Mrs. Dalaney Mecham

Hi, my name is Hannah, and I'm ENGAGED.
I have a FIANCE.
And a WEDDING DATE.
Weird, huh?

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Health Care

''There's something about August going into September where everybody in Washington gets all wee-weed up,'' Obama told an audience at the Democratic National Committee headquarters. ''I don't know what it is. But that's what happens.'' -- NY Times, August 21, 2009

I'm selling these shirts. Represent.
$8 plus shipping.
Email me at hannahshirley88@gmail.com if you're interested.

Road trip summer.

Here are some pictures from our Vegas trip. We had so much fun!

This week we are headed to Cali!

This weekend was Dalaney's family reunion.

We camped in the mountains, ate delicious dutch oven masterpieces, and scanned the lake shores for gold using the metal detector.

A few weeks ago, I excitedly bought a new pair of sunglasses from Forever 21.

I couldn't wait for Dalaney to meet them. When he first saw me, he even acknowledged them. But not because he realized they were new and thrilling.

Dalaney: "Hey, you finally got your sunglasses out of my car."

Me: "Um, no, honey. I didn't leave these sunglasses in your car. I JUST bought them!!! Aren't they cute?"

For days he argued with me.
I quickly dismissed his claim and attributed it to typical male fashion ignorance. Because not every pair of brown sunglasses are the same...

When I next stepped into his car wearing the sunglasses, I gasped.
I had two pairs of the same exact sunglasses.
The thing is, I have no recollection of buying the first pair. How is that even possible?
At least now I know, I must genuinely love these sunglasses.

My current addiction= pupusas.
Native to El Salvador, they are made with masa hyrnia (similar to corn flour) and contain savory fillings such as cheese, beans, and meat.
Dalaney and I love Provo's El MexSal, a hybrid of delicious Mexican and Salvadorian food.
We visit so often that we even have our own designated seat near the wall.
My mouth is drooling just thinking about them.

I'm dying to cook a batch at home.

Splendid Saturday

Home from a quick Vegas getaway (coming soon),
Dalaney and I shared a whimsical Saturday afternoon together.

Although most individuals associate Saturdays with rainbows and fairies, this is not the case for us. This summer, we've subjected ourselves to an LSAT (Law School Admissions Test) prep course. Every Saturday at 8am.
After being mentally drained, I tend to leave the class kicking, screaming, and crying. Literally.

Despite our heinous morning, we managed to find the perfect adventures.
This included:

A stake activity at Trafalga Fun Center.
Think: unlimited batting cages, pizza, go-karts, arcade games, and Dippin' dots. My dream home features state of the art batting cages. They are too much fun!

My new favorite activity, an antique store in Spanish Fork.

Hawaiian-style snow cones. Yummm.

Test driving Segways. Which, by the way, are terrifying.

Har Krishna's Llama Fest. This probably requires some explaining, but to be honest, I don't really know where I'd begin.
I can't wait for this weekend!

She's baccccck.

Oops! I apologize for dropping off the face of the planet.
Do I regret my pathetic behavior? Of course.
Do I promise to reform? Of course.
See yah around!

(Dalaney and I in Gulf Shores, AL. And no, we didn't plan on matching that day.)

Indian gurus.

Dalaney and I have been consuming lots of Indian food around Provo. So far, we've eaten at Indian Palace and The Bombay House. With equivalent quality and a cheaper bill, the Indian Palace is our overall preferance. Our next stops are an Indian buffet at Tandori Grill and the weekly vegetarian meal served at the Hare Krishna temple.

But today for Sunday lunch, I made homemade Indian chicken curry. For a curry first-timer, I think that it tasted pretty great. I am excited about a second attempt with pineapple and potatoes.

Now that I'm on a cooking high, I have registered with allrecipes.com. The site is so innovative because you can create an online cookbook with tantilizing recipes posted by cooking peers. The best part is that you can scan the reviews from people who have actually made the recipe. From their experimenting, you can learn tricks to make the meal even better!

Rental Scooters

I've had sooooo much fun driving my Honda Metro around town,
that I've decided to spread the love! Check out my new blog + business venture
here.

Rent your scooter today!!!! Call Hannah at (601) 297-5758
p.s. I had my first unknown customer today :)

I have a king-size mattress strewn across my floor where I rest. So, it is the perfect location to host sleepovers! During our last week together, these girls and I danced and laughed the night away. We are each going our separate ways of full-time missions, marriage, and school. I cannot wait until we are reunited again. I miss ya'll already!

During my senior Primary and Young Woman's days, I was a full-scale classroom terrorizer.
I've scared away my fair share of church teachers.

Once, my Miamaid teacher became so frustrated with my tendency to disrupt that she gave me the following week's lesson and demanded that I teach. After diligently preparing the lesson, I became so confused when my fellow peers continued to talk during the lesson. What was more interesting?

Nonetheless, I learned a vital lesson that day. KARMA. And...I imagine that this lesson will replay itself on a larger scale when I am someday a mom.

I fear the day that I'll be given a taste of my own medicine.
So, thank you to all those who've endured my adolesence antics.
Especially you dearest mommy.

Hey, remember those times that I brought home those precious kittens? Or flew to NYC? Or spilled that 2-gallon laundry detergent and accidentally left it? Oh, good times!
Happy Mother's Day!

Aloha Spirit

Two summers ago, I lived in paradise aka Laie, Hawaii.
I legitimized living in Hawaii by enrolling as a visiting student at the BYU-Hawaii campus. I took intermediate swimming, lifeguarding, and statistics (ew. I wanted it out of the way).

I miss riding my purple cruiser bike three blocks to a.) banana pancakes at Hukilau b.) the beach c.) the gorgeous Polynesian styled temple

I was completely dependent on Oahu's bus system for transportation. I have fond memories of waiting at the bus stop. One of my favorite beaches was Waimea where we jumped off this iconic cliff and ate delicious acai bowls.

On the weekends, we would catch the bus to Honolulu and endure the 2-hour bumpy bus ride. It was all worth it though when we arrived at Wakiki, rented longboards, rode the Pacific waves, and ate dinner at The Cheesecake Factory.

One of my favorite Hawaiian memories is our weekend trip to Maui.
Almost every square inch of our friend's living room was covered with the eight girls.
We even rented a mini-van and drove all across the island.


While going to BYU-H, I joined the Diver's Club, and I completed my scuba diving certification. The certification lasts a lifetime! When I have my own family, they will each certify and we will travel across the world touring exotic barrier reefs.

When my time was dwindling in Hawaii, my family flew out including my grandparents and Becca. We had a blast together.

My main regret is that I did not take more pictures, but I cannot wait to go back to Hawaii someday.

As I sit in my summer classes, I daydream back to my time residing on a tropical island. My cousins, Lauren and Lindsey, are traveling to Hawaii next week for the first time, and I hope that they fall in love with Oahu the same way that I did. Have fun, ya'll!

Why I Heart BYU....

No where else will gorgeous library strangers offer me life-sustaining cheese sticks and crackers. Oh, the bond of excruciating academic pursuits.

I love those moments of clarity, bliss, and contentedness.

Favorites

Favorite Accessory:

Favorite Fruit:


Favorite Book:

Favorite American City:

Favorite Snack:

Favorite Band:

Favorite Cereal:

Favorite Fear:
Favorite Tattoo:

Idiosyncrasies

Although I am stubborn, Dalaney has convinced me that the the following items are vital for survival.

Since August 2006, I have relied on Word Perfect and Notepad. When you are unable to double-space and customize margins for your academic papers, it can get tedious. Finally, my computer has met Microsoft Word. Yay!

For two months, I went without a shower curtain in my bathroom. Since I'm a bathing whore, I didn't think I needed a shower curtain. Turns out, showers can be enticing and time effective.

Before this semester, I was opposed to obtaining a campus parking decal. Despite the fact that they are free. I was attached to "visitors" parking. Now that I drive to school, my decal has made all the difference.

My next feat is to purchase a new battery for my Dell laptop. That way, I can attend class and use my computer free of plugins and wires.

Slowly, but surely, I am learning.
I'll never know why I feel the need to make things more difficult than they should be.

Since I was a little girl, I have loved these flowers.

My mom used to give me oral flower quizzes,

and I have fond memories of our garden nursery visits.

I wish that I could place fresh flowers in every room of my house.

I'm a firm believer that flowers possess a healing power.
Hey, whatever happened to Grandma's hydrangea bushes?

Hi there! Meet my new form of transportation...


Two weeks ago, Dalaney and I were scanning the KSL Classifieds when we stumbled upon this 2004 Honda Metropolitan scooter. The next morning, we borrowed his brother's SUV and journeyed to Layton.

Her tank only holds 1.3 gallons...but she averages 100+ mpg! I love my scooter so much that it makes me perform interpretive dances.

My testosterone-filled boyfriend performs the labor involved (including welding the exhaust!). He's the best.


The previous owner was involved in a dangerous scooter wreck. So, I ordered a replacement back fender, a new battery, mirrors, and a kickstand. I can't wait for the parts to arrive!

My organizational salvation:

.
I used to misplace my keys or my debit card or my cell phone or my student ID
...on a daily basis.

So, this is probably the best thing that has ever happened to me.
They're on sale now. Check it out at Vera Bradley.

I can't wait to ride around in Parker's Jeep Wranger

with the top down and the wind blowing through my hair...

Or stay up late talking to my best friend...

Or eat lunch at El Rancho/Newks with Mike....


Or play Wii Rock Band with my adorable brother Cade....

I had a dream/I have a dream

It is vital that I someday travel here:Santorini: a picturesque cluster of Greek islands

I'm sure you've seen the timeless, iconic images before.

On calendars, advertisements, or desktop wallpapers.
They're beautiful.


When I went to Greece, I expected to see white stucco houses...everywhere. Well, they're not. Athens looked similar to Mexico City. Some historians even speculate that Santorini is the setting for the legendary city of Atlantis.
Sunsets, volcanoes, cliffs, blue dome roofs, and red beaches. Ahhh.