November 19, 2011

Last Friday Night

Last Friday night was nothing like the Katy Perry song, and I'm thankful for that. It was much more low key; I went with my new friends and other friend, Viviyan out to dinner at Olive Garden. We talked for a a few hours and laughed a lot, went to Tutti Frutti for yogurt, and took pictures outside after they had closed (even though it was COLD and rainy) LOL. It was one of the funnest nights, and I will never forget it! Here are some pictures from our fabulous night!



We haven't known each other very long, but I already know that I can count on them and I can trust them! They challenge me in my walk with God, they inspire me to want to grow closer to Him, and to just be a better person in general. God placed them in my life for a reason; He knew I needed them, even if I didn't necessarily realize it. That young adult church service I went to awhile back was a defining moment in many ways, and it led me to where I am now. Everything happens for a reason...even the smallest decisions you think won't have an impact, seriously DO. Let me just say, that was one of the best I've ever made. :D When other people were walking out of my life, these girls came into it. I couldn't be more thankful!

That's all for now,
~Shelby~
xoxox

Day 1-I'm Thankful For...

The things I don't have. Which may sound weird, but let me explain. I'm thankful for the people who aren't in my life anymore or yet, the experiences I've yet to have, and material things that aren't in my possession yet, as much as I may want them.

I'm impatient; I hate waiting... I want things right now, and that isn't the way life always goes. But, I don't have these things for a reason, and God has a plan with all of it. So, I know that by waiting for all these things with the right heart... When I finally do receive those things that I desire most, it will be that much sweeter.

Until then, I will appreciate the people that are in my life right now, things I have experienced, and things I do have. :)

-Shelby
Xoxo

November 18, 2011

This Picture Kind of Makes Me Sad

http://hellogiggles.com/category/social-studies
This picture makes me sad for a couple of reasons. 1) When we're little, everyone around us is telling us we can be anything we want to be and to shoot for the moon; so we grow up to believe that. Then, as we get older, those same people are the ones trying to reel us back in from the crazy dreams we have, because they aren't "realistic". What is that exactly? 2) I know what I want, but all of a sudden, I have no idea how to get there. Or I do and I'm just really scared. I'm scared that I could be really good, or I'm afraid of failing. Either way, I'm limiting myself...staying comfortable, and not wanting to break out of the same four walls that I've known my entire life. I'm scared of the unknown, the unfamiliar, and falling flat on my face.

I'm a dreamer by nature; I don't give up if I really want something. I'm persistent, and I usually get what I want. But then there's that dream I've had since I was five years old. Honestly, I thought by now it would have happened. Because back then, everything seemed so simple. You had a dream, you make it happen...BOOM, you're in! And then I graduated high school; it has almost been two years since I've been out, and I feel no closer to reaching that goal than I was before. And everyday that passes, I see people my age making their dreams come true...DOING something about what they want, and making it happen. What's making me so afraid to just take an internship or to apply for a job, etc?

This picture makes me sad for the dreams I have that are just floating up in the air right now. The ones that I've put on hold or I'm too afraid to jump into. I just have to trust God; that's a really scary thing to give Him complete control, but ultimately I know I will be better for it.

That's all,
xoxo Shelby

My Life in Photos This Week-Week of November 13

Edit of an old picture of me when I was little


Lauren Alaina's mom!!

Beautiful

Two for one holiday drinks at Starbucks

The trees in the small town that I go to for school
Tweet from LeAnn Rimes :)

I saw a tweet from Lucy Hale, clicked the in reply to, and my tweet showed up in the middle. Probably means nothing, but I thought it was cool if she did happen to see that ;) LOL. I'm such a nerd.
The trees around town today


Making pumpkin cookies

This week went by really fast, and it wasn't too stressful either. Here's to a great week of Thanksgiving. Starting tomorrow, I want to list one thing I'm thankful for everyday! Although, we can do that every day of the year..we don't need to wait for the holiday to say it.

Thanksgiving Tradition: Turkey Dinner


Music I listened to on the way over there






We had to make a turkey...

We played Old Turkey (also known as Old Maid)


This was my favorite card ;)

Hot Potato
Every year, the week before Thanksgiving, my aunt and uncle's church has a Thanksgiving dinner. It's always a fun time to hang out with my family and meet some others from their church. We had dinner, and played some games. I even won a Starbucks card from Hot Potato, although I still think my Aunt won ;) lol. Good times for sure!

November 16, 2011

"She'd Be Really Pretty If She Were Thinner!"


Pretty harsh right? Yet, day after day, girls all over the world hear things like this. I personally hate this phrase. The media pushes it, people I know have used it, and I find it offensive. Tell me, though, what does a person's weight have to do with their beauty or who they are as a person? Because I've known gorgeous people that can be rude and hateful, and I've known people that might not be considered quite as "stunning" to have incredibly big hearts, and vice versa...so looks aren't everything, are they? They don't define us, or say who we are.

I used to be heavier when I was a kid, and I was teased by friends and even some family members would make comments about it. People I thought were supposed to love me no matter what criticized me for the way I looked. It didn't really bother me that much at the time; sure it hurt, but I was happy and carefree, and didn't let it get to me. I didn't realize the effect that those comments would have on the rest of my life from that point on. As I entered my teen years, those comments stuck with me, and I started listening to them. I've never had an eating disorder or anything serious like that, but it has been a matter of training that voice inside my head to tell me the truth, rather than the lies of what the world wants me to hear or what satan wants me to hear. Because I'm stronger than that!

As I got older, when people would give me any kind of criticism or make a sarcastic joke about my appearance, I'd take it as a slam that I'm not good enough, or pretty enough, or that people were trying to change me. I'm very sensitive, I feel everything that goes on around me, and I take a lot of things to heart. It started affecting a lot of areas in my life, because rather than letting go and letting God do His thing, I'd hold onto it. I've had a fear of failure and feeling like I always needed to meet people's needs; to be perfect for them. The comments that people made would haunt me, and I'd hear them over and over again, clear as day.  I'd hold onto mistakes of the past, and beat myself up over it, even for the smallest of things.

This past year, I've started dealing with it. I've been more open about how I felt back then, how it has affected me, and I've even talked to and forgiven the people that have made those comments. I still have those days where I feel insecure or wonder what other people think of me, and I think we all do. We're human, and I forget that at times. However, God has been giving me this new found confidence in myself that I've never felt before. I'm strong in who I am, not because of who I am, but because of who HE is. I want to be healthy (being more active and eating healthier), but I'm okay with not being a size two.

People have no idea the impact their "harmless" words or their "I didn't mean anything by it," comments have on others. I do it at times too, without thinking, but when I look back on how I felt, I'd never want someone else to feel the same way that I did. Words are such a powerful thing; I should know that, I want to be a writer. I want to make an impact on people with my words, and I know how much they affect me when I hear a song with great lyrics or a quote that really strikes me. They can build someone up so high, and they can tear people down to their lowest of lows. It's all a matter of how we use them. The media sure knows how to distort words, images, and what people should be and look like.

I'm really interested in body image, and empowering girls to feel great about themselves, no matter what their insecurities are or what their size is. There is no definition of beauty, just the lies we've heard on TV. I stopped believing that crap a long time ago! Someday, I'd like to help other girls with the same thing, and to help them see themselves the way God does. I want to encourage girls that they can do anything they set their minds to, believe in themselves, know what true beauty is, and to believe in the beauty of dreams.

Thanksgiving Is Just A Week Away

I can't believe the holiday season is already upon us! I saw a friend had tweeted about Thanksgiving being just a week away, and my response was, "No, are you sure?" in my head. My mom confirmed the fact that indeed, Thanksgiving will be next week. I'm so excited. It's a little tradition I have that to prepare myself for whatever holiday it is, and to get in the festive mood, I watch holiday episodes of my favorite shows. I thought I'd share some of them with you :)

All of the Friends Thanksgiving episodes! How hilarious is that gang?! Especially around the holidays!



Gilmore Girls is an incredibly witty and festive episode, also one of my favorites period! :)

I just saw One Tree Hill's Thanksgiving episode for the first time the other day, and LOVED it!


I love seeing families and friends interact with each other around the holidays; it gives me the warm and fuzzy feelings, because it's the greatest time of year! There's something so unexplainable about it!

  There's something about the holidays not going perfectly, or going the way you pictured them in your mind that really make me feel all warm and fuzzy. You plan for the dinner table to look like it's out of a Macy's catalogue, the family to sit around after dinner discussing the world events or how your lives are going, for the turkey to be perfect and the stuffing to taste good, and for the weather to be chilly and the leaves to fall just so. But, the holidays never turn out quite like that do they? And I've learned that sometimes that's for the best.
    I see my favorite shows like Gilmore Girls, One Tree Hill, Friends, or some other show from the 90s when it comes to watching the Thanksgiving and Christmas episodes. Not everything goes perfectly for them either. The turkey is burned, siblings are bickering, someone forgot to bring a certain dish, or past problems come up shaking everyone's world upside down. I always think that it's only my family where things don't go as I'd hoped they would, or we're the only ones who make snide remarks at times, but it's everyone. Everyone's families are the same in one way or another. Nothing is perfect, and holidays turn out differently for everyone-that's the fun of it. Families fight, but at the end of the day, we know who has our back. And families can even be friends, because for some people that's all they have, or that's all they've ever really known.
    You know, it used to really upset me when everyone would come over to our house in a crabby mood or griping about this or that, or if I just wasn't in the holiday spirit...blah blah blah. Now, I embrace it, and part of me even looks forward to it, because it is what it is and sometimes you can't change that. I'm not saying bad moods are the way to go, but that we shouldn't have some unrealistic view of how things should work out. You can't script what your family is going to say, how the food will turn out, or who wins the football game that day. You can, however, change your attitude towards how it all goes down. So what if the smoke alarm goes off, if family members make annoying digs at you that really get under your skin, or if the pumpkin pie tastes a little too pumpkin-y? I'm done with trying to write the story of how I wish things would be, and would just start taking them for what they are...life has been a lot more fun, lately, when I've tried it that way. Sometimes the best moments in our lives are the ones that are unscripted.

Hope you all have a wonderful Holiday season and remember why we celebrate them :)

That's all for now,
Shelby

November 15, 2011

Quotes

I saw this on a blog today, and I really thought they were beautiful! :) I feel like I'm in this time of transition. New things, opportunities, and people are coming into my life, while others are ending, and that's ok. It's not that those people or moments are being replaced, it just means that I'm on a different path than I was before. It's a really exciting time!

"Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end."

"This is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But, it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning!"

Interview: Stephanie Salazar

So, I've decided that I want to start doing "interview" type things with family and friends, not only to share how cool they are with the rest of the world, or at least Facebook, but so I can also get a better understanding of who they are as well.
Meet Stephanie Salazar! I met Stephanie through the Carrie Underwood fan club about a year or so ago. She has become a really good friend, even though we still haven't met in person. It's almost like we were sisters separated at birth HA! We're into most of the same things like Carrie Underwood, Nick Jonas, our beliefs, and even our future careers in Journalism. We have some crazy conversations, daydream about our lives when we're famous, and set a bunch of goals for things we'd like to do when we finally meet. But, we also talk about things that are deeper as well. We've recently become pen pals, and send letters back and forth to inform each other on our lives and we like to inform each other on our states. It has been a fun journey getting to know her, and I can't wait until we'll actually be able to meet so we can do all the things we've been planning on! She's really awesome and a blast to talk to! :)


Your life in a nutshell so far (birthplace/date,school,etc.)
My life in nutshell is pretty stressful! However, all the stress in the world can't over power how blessed I am to have an amazing people life supporting me as I get through school! I was born September 1, 1991 in Santa Fe, NM. I'm currently at NMSU in Las Cruces NM studying journalism.

Describe yourself in 3 words.
Determined. Hopeful. Exciting.

If you could be any fictional character (TV show, book or movie), who would it be and why?
I like Meredith Grey from Grey's Anatomy. I have so many shows I love to death, and the characters are inspiring. However, I relate to Meredith the most because of her drive to succeed. I love how she balances both life, and her career without giving up either one. She is also super strong, and continues on her path of life and not letting the bad stuff bring her down.
However, for a book character I have to go with Samantha Kingston from "Before I fall" I LOVE her. She changed her life for the better for her, and not by anyone else beliefs. One of my favorite books ever.

Favorite artist/band at the moment?
Favorite artist right now is Luke Bryan! I'm in LOVE with his CD. I'm also very into Justin Bieber right now...haha. And of course Carrie Underwood. She never gets old.

Who is the one person you've always admired?
A person I have always admired is my dad. He always put his family before him always. He has worked so hard to give my sister and I everything that we have ever wanted. He has taught me so much, and I love him to death. :)

What's a motto or Bible verse you've always lived by?
...Wow. There are a lot. I LOVE Philippians 4:13. As far as a motto totally cliche but I like "Play On" simple. To the point. And so true.

Proudest accomplishment in your life so far? Something that's on your bucket list?
Proudest accomplishment so far is probably just making it to college. I'm the first one in my family to do so, and I know how proud my family is of me, and that makes me proud.
I have a jillion things on my bucketlist. One is, to attend every NFL stadium for a game. Even if it's not a Denver game.

If you had a chance to go back to your mistake and correct it, would you?
If I had a chance to go back and fix a misstake, i don't think I would. You learn from all the mistakes you make. So it's obvious it was made for a reason right?

Best concert you've EVER been to? One person (or group) you'd love to see live still?
Hmm. I have been able to see a lot of concerts, but most memorable was The Play On Tour with Carrie Underwood in Colorado Springs. A huge reason was because I met her. And it was the first time I have ever been in the first 5 rows. It was amazing. Someone I still want to see in concert would have to be Shania!

What would your dream job be if you could work anywhere and do anything?
If I could do anything, my dream job would totally be an owner or manager of a football team. Being able to go to live football games every Sunday sounds like heaven!

What you tell your 13 year old self, knowing what you do now?
Stop caring what other people think of you. Non of it maters at all. You might think it does. But it doesn't. Trust in God more. People will always come and go in your life but your one constant relationship is always with God. Don't forget that. Don't be so caught up in having a boy friend. There is plenty of time for that. Just go with the flow more, and enjoy life. You should probably pay more attention in math. That stuff really comes in handy in the future. Also, now would be a good time for you to learn how NOT to procrastinate. And last, don't worry so much. What's meant to be will always find a way.

Saw that Joe Don Rooney (Rascal Flatts) is following me!!! Ah!

November 14, 2011

I Think The Things That Scare Us Most In Life Are Also The Things We Want Most

I know in my case it is! I have all these dreams and plans in mind...things that I've wanted my entire life. But, as I get older, the more I think about it...They also really terrify me. I want to be a journalist or a singer or a writer or an actor. But, when the opportunities come to help me get closer to those dreams, I freak out and try to come up with excuses as to why I can't or why I shouldn't take them. It's like I want to sabotage myself from doing something I love, because I don't know if I can handle it.

God is in control, and when they're meant to happen, they will. I just have to be patient, take opportunities when they come, and see where the road leads me.

November 13, 2011

"You think you know me; word on the street is that you do. You are my history, what others tell you won't be true-If you want my autobiography, baby, just ask ME!"

Don't you hate it when people you barely know or possibly have never even met think they know your story and what you're all about. They judge you before they've ever actually really talked to you? Yeah, me too! And believe me, I'm guilty of it too at times. We tend to judge others or think we know exactly what they're going to be like before we've ever even talked to them. Sometimes we're right, but most of the time we're completely off from our original thoughts. I know I have been! And every time I remind myself that you can't judge a book by its cover...because people have a way of surprising us!

What A Week This Has Been

It's amazing how so much can change in a week, and in this case it was all for the better. Here's my week!

Monday:
I gave a speech on American Idol for my speech class! I ended up getting a 98% and the teacher was really impressed! I was floating the rest of the day based on that! Later that night, I went to a Bible study at church. Who knew that would impact the rest of my week so much and in so many ways? I met four amazing girls that night, and it felt like I had known them forever. Even though I wasn't feeling very well that night, my spirit was lifted in a way that it hasn't been in awhile. God is doing some incredible work, and I'm finally stepping back to let Him. I don't want to be so in control all the time.

Letter from my pen pal in Michigan

A backstreet boy is now following me on Twitter...random! Lol

Making banana nut bread.



Tuesday:

I went to dinner with my aunt at Outback for her birthday! That was a lot of fun; lots of laughs :)
She brought me the entire series of REBA...Yee haw!!!


Wednesday:
CMA Awards were on, and that's a big deal in our household! We made sure we were home for the red carpet and all.
Good luck for Taylor!!! I didn't take my time, so it came out a little lopsided hahah

Dinner! So good!! :)

Thursday:
I went to lunch with my best friend! We were able to catch up and hang out for awhile, then she helped me for a few hours with math. Thanks to her, I was able to get a lot of my homework done that I hadn't been understanding really! I had to miss choir practice for the Christmas concert, which I was really sad about...but right now, Math has to be a top priority!

My new Taylor ornament!! #2 in the series :)

Friday:
It was Veteran's Day, so that meant no class. A HUGE thank you to all the Veteran's out there and all that they do for our country. Words will never be able to express just what they do for us, and the reason we have the freedom we do. They are risking their lives, so we can live ours in peace everyday. My mom and I went to lunch with my aunt. And we went to a craft fair where they have a bunch of goodies and knick knacks, some that people have made, and others that are just good deals. Later that night, I went out with some new friends, and one of my friends that I've known for quite some time!  It was a G.N.O (Girl's Night Out) and it was a blast! We had dinner at Olive Garden, grabbed some frozen yogurt, talked for hours, and laughed a lot. Then, we proceeded to take pictures in front of Tutti Frutti haha. I'll try to post some of those pictures later! It was one of the BEST nights I've had in a long time. God is doing some incredible things! I just can't say it enough lately.

It was a rainy Friday!




Me and Viviyan
Saturday:
Yesterday was a typical Saturday. I was able to relax at home a little while, had lunch with my parents, and ran to a few different stores. I had some hot cocoa and watched Monte Carlo last night with my mom, and almost fell asleep, because I finally let myself relax! It was a good day, and I'm loving this weather. It's rainy and cold :)
Ulta is a little overwhelming with all the beauty supplies everywhere!


Hot Cocoa...

I get bored in the drive thru and draw smiley faces on my hand LOL.

Sunday:
Today, I went to church. It was a really great service about forgiveness. No matter how many times I hear it, I realize just how much I needed to be reminded of it. We let labels of what other people have told us all of our lives define who we are. We let past mistakes run our lives now, and we need to let it go. The main point I got from it is that "You are not what you have done. You are who God says you are!" I beat myself up a lot over past mistakes that I've already dealt with. I let it haunt me, and God doesn't hold those over me, so why should I let it affect my present and future? What's done is done.
We're going up to my grandpa's house for dinner, which should be fun...then, it's back to a fun filled, busy week! :)

Be Fearless!
xoxo Shelby