Heartfelt

The last few weeks have been very heavy hearted within my community with feelings of loss, frustrations, anger, sorrow and confusion. All these emotions taken from varying situations from death to unmet expectations. It is in times like these where our faith is tested. Our biggest question to God is "Why?" The question that can never be answered is the one we cling to. 

At our church we have a young adult service once a month called RISE, where our community of young people from high schoolers, college students and young adults up to the age of 30 gather together. We eat treats, drink coffee, worship, play ridiculous games, listen to a teaching and then have a time that we call 'response'. 

Our last RISE happened to fall right after a tragedy in our community. One of my best friends, Wes,  who also happens to be the young adult pastor taught that night. Whether or not intentionally hitting on the subject of grief, he challenged us in the moments of 'response' to wait on God. Asking God to remind us of a time where we were grieving and where He met us and how. I grew up in the church, my dad was a pastor, so I know the drill. I realized in those moments that I doubted God to actually show up . I prayed, waited, got distracted, doubted, re-engaged and prayed again, waited, got distracted and then...before I knew it I was thinking about the Psalms.  

The Psalms in the bible teach us how to pray, but also offer such real tangible accounts of people in pain and happiness. I remember a time where I didn't know how I was going to fix my brokenness and a friend of mine challenged me to read through the Psalms. I was not in the mind set to do anything more than simply read one chapter a day, that was it. Skeptically I began to read through one chapter at a time. It took a good while to get through the whole book but by the end I realized that I was no longer hurting, that I had come through it. What the Psalms did for me was let me process through all my emotions. They validated me in some of my questions to God. Each chapter I read became my prayers, unable to articulate my thoughts or feelings towards God. Each word formed into prayers, secretly restoring my faith and bringing complete healing.

So today I begin to read through those Psalms again, not because I need the same type of restoration but as a simple reminder that although we don't always find the answer to our "Why," He is with us and is for us. We always hear the phrase "what doesn't kill us will only make us stronger," well I believe that though it isn't always easy, it is true.The response time has now become a very special time for me, where I sit in God's presence, uninterrupted able to have an intentional moment where I am reminded of his faithfulness to me and to others.

Be blessed friends.

Psalm 138 

I give you thanks, O LORD! All the kings of the earth will praise you. Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life.

Suck it up or Suck it in

Working out - you either love it or you just don't do it!

Since I was a little girl I have loved playing sports. My mum used to say "Anything with a ball, Gemma wants to play it," and I did. I played football (soccer), basketball, field hockey, ice hockey, you name it, and I most likely played it at a team level or just for fun. If you haven't figured it out by now I was tomboy, which I am weirdly proud of. My body has evidence of my tomboy years with scars from playing football in the streets with all the neighborhood boys. I wasn't scared of them and would do whatever it took to win.

In my adult life I have struggled with being active because I HATE running (although I do attempt a run here and there) and the gym is a nightmare. Finally, about 8 months ago a friend of mine told me about her gym, a small independent MMA gym called the Bear Pit, intimidating name right? They had a Groupon deal for 2 months for $25, and it was 2 months exactly til my wedding so duh! of course I am going to get in the best shape of my life to impress my soon to be hubby. Well I fell in love with the coaches, family feel and kick ass workouts. Here is a snapshot into a one hour class:

 Warm up

5 minute run

Countdowns: 10 jumping jacks, 10 squats, 10 push ups, 10 sit ups...then 9 of each, then 8, etc til you get to 0.

Boxing

15 minutes of 2 minute rounds of different combinations with 30 seconds of squat jumps or toe taps or something that keeps you moving

Abs

6 different abs,  2 minutes per exercise, for example:
2 min Plank

2 min Toe Tap Crunches

2 min Ab Twists

2 min Leg Hold

2 min Fish Tails

2 min Plank Hops

Now for the main event, the real workout portion. Generally strength training, cardio, or circuit training for about 20 minutes then we stretch!!

We leave flowing rivers of sweat, feeling satisfied to have made it through and at the same time more relaxed and ready to take on the world. My husband and I LOVE it! We tell all our friends about it (and now you) and I get really upset when I have to miss a day for whatever reason. My husband thinks I am crazy but it is how I get out all my stress, anxiety etc.

 

All that to be said, being healthy is really important to me. My mum is a dietician and whether I wanted it at the time or not, our family was raised on a well balanced diet with the occasional treats and cheats, along with an emphasis on exercise. My mum and sisters are runners and my dad and I are the team sports players. No I didn't just eat salads. Yes I ate pizza, cookies and all those yummy things but that is where the balance is a factor. Surprisingly our bodies crave those things because we need the sugar or the bad fat but all in moderation. I love that now I am older I don't have to learn how to eat the right way but that it is engrained in me. Thanks mum!!!

If you need to get into a better habit of eating, I use myfitnesspal, you set your weight goal and track your daily food. It is amazing how quickly you change your eating habits once you become aware of calories and the ingredients you are ingesting. It all begins with you food then add in fitness!!

 So here is to living healthier lives.

Summer Camp Out

 Camping means flannels, dirty feet, wilderness rustlings, late nights & early mornings, beanies, smelling like a camp fire, s'mores and so much more greatness. We spent our final weekend of summer camping in Lake Arrowhead with some of our favourite people. We adventured down to Aztec falls, chilled out at Deep Creek, sat around the camp fire til the late hours of the night and stumbled out of our tents in the early morning light to hunt down who was making coffee. This weekend was one of the best summer getaways we have had,
thank you friends!

I was so excited to get to wear one of my favourite

sweatshirts from Cottonon (Hello!! It has a stag on it!!), throwing on the old faithful pair of high waisted shorts & rainbows. My birthday just past in June and a sweet friend of mine gifted me with some rad camping gear, red & blue mugs and retractable skewers. Both were used several times a day from my morning coffee to a little whiskey in the evening and way too many s'mores.

I believe it is important to take time away from the business of life and spend time not only with close friends but also with my better half. Even those little moments laying in the tent where sweet giggles arise and special memories are created, jumping off waterfalls, or sitting in the cool creek sipping a beer and eating bruschetta salad.

Bring on the Hansons' fall adventures!

Forever21: High waisted shorts, Swimsuit / Tillys: Boardshorts 

 Cottonon: Stag sweatshirt / Coleman: Tent

The Scoop

Simple Facts

• I have two gorgeous older sisters, an Aussie brother in law, a very handsome nephew, a beautiful niece, and of course wonderful parents.
•  Jesus is my everything.
• Traveled to 18 different countries.
• Had open heart surgery when I was 3 years old and have a gnarly scar to prove it.
• Pastors kid (enough said about my rebellious side).
• My husband and I were best friends for five years before we dated, then were married within 18 months.
• I cannot do cartwheels.
• Born in Glasgow, lived in London for 10 years, then in Edinburgh for another 7 years before moving to California for the past 8 years.
• Following the last fact my accent sounds Australian (Scottish + English + Irish + American = Australian I guess).
• If I could be outside 100% of the time I would be in heaven. I love nature!
• I play the drums.
• I don't like watermelon (I ate too much when I was a little kid).
• When I am stressed I HAVE to workout, it doesn't matter what form it is whether running, boxing, yoga...anything.
• I have been in love with the best show of all times, FRIENDS for over 15 years.
• I love to be tickled.
• I get called the 'baby whisperer' as I seem to put them all to sleep when having a cuddle.
• I am a self admitting coffee addict.
•  Tattoos, I wish I had a half sleeve.
• I love whiskey, and thank goodness my husband does to.
• My biggest fear are snakes, I will literally feel nauseous at the mention of them.
• I can't wait to be a momma.
• My husband and I's dream is to live in the mountains somewhere with our own farm (that we built), where are kids can grow up without all the technology and we can grow old together.

Photo cred: Natalie Lynn

Breakfast & Birks

My whole life I have been told "breakfast is the most important meal of the day" by my mum who is a very wise dietitian. I have learned that she is absolutely right, if I don't eat a good breakfast I end up snacking all day which means I end up eating way more calories than I should have. I would like to say I am a morning person, I like the slow  routine of waking up, kissing my husband good morning, showering, making us a yummy breakfast that is enjoyed at the table (throw the dishes in the sink to be done later) and then away to work we go. This morning I had steel cut oatmeal with a little honey and of course a big mug of coffee!!

Although it is a ridiculous triple digit day, our offices are ice cold so I am often wearing trousers in the heat and people look at me like it's a joke. Either way I'm getting into the spirit of fall colors so I decided to wear my olive green trousers, my beautifully worn comfy beige birks (I am obsessed) and added accessories.  I love simplicity with a little class so here is what I ended up in today! 

Enjoy your day and stay cool!

Cotton on: Olive trousers / Forever21: Grey racer back / Urban: Sunnies

Flea market: Necklace / Kurt Geiger: Bracelet / Essie: Ballet slippers

Adventure begins

Hello, welcome to my new adventure!

This whole life blogging thing is a new venture for me and I am a little nervous to being so exposed but I like taking risks so here we go. I want to create a place where people can be inspired and gain new prospective on life. I hope you enjoy seeing my adventures in fashion, fitness, family and all things fun.