"I'll Be Home For Christmas"

They say absence makes the heart grow fonder, and I agree. I hear all these stories of college students coming home from school to be with their family for the holidays, or celebrities flying back home from the city of angels, because they've been gone for months. I think being away from the familiar people and places you love, would make you appreciate them that much more when you're back around them. I wish I had that in a way. I want to go out and explore, and come back to realize just how much it means to me.
Either way, Christmas is such a special and wonderful time, and I'm really excited for it. JUST 2 MORE DAYS! :D

Some Festive Things To Share This Week

Christmas card from Scotty McCreery and his family...NBD

Our festive cookies we made the other day

Our Christmas card board...lots of them this year! :)

Things I Did While I Was Sick

Last night, I got really sick. I thought it was just me feeling lazy or weak, but it turned out to be like a 24 hour flu bug. I've been up off and on all night, so the past couple days seem to have run together a little. I'm feeling a lot better now, but I'm really tired. I think I'm going to be calling it an early night. Here's what I did in that time!

1. Watched older episodes of Keeping Up With The Kardashians. I didn't realize how much they used to fight, or how violent they could be against one another. That made things very entertaining.

 2. Slept

 3. Ate Oyster crackers and soup (with Seven Up, Hot Tea, and water)

4. IPhone

I got on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, text my friends, etc. This thing can always keep you company!

5. I started answering questions from this book of 4,000 questions for getting to know anyone and everyone. It helped pass the time!

                                                                                                                    

I really hope I feel better tomorrow to go look at Holiday lights with my friends. Plus, Christmas Eve is Saturday. I can't believe it's already here. It doesn't feel like it at all. I feel like I haven't really enjoyed the season much. I've been too wrapped up in whatever to really stop and savor the moment. Now, I have to squeeze in all the movies and music in the next few days! 

That's all for now,

Shelby

Secret Santa

Ever since our Freshmen year of high school, my friends and I have done Secret Santa at Christmastime. It's always a lot of fun, and now that we're in college, we've turned it into a dinner type thing, rather than just doing it on our lunch break.
This year, we went to Chili's, then back to my best friend Liz's house where we all played games (The Game of Things and Telephone Pictuonary), opened our presents and were able to catch up. It has been so long since I've seen them! Nights like that you just can't put into words, and it's great.
I got a Justin Bieber watch that is pretty spiffy I must say! Maybe I'll be able to wear it to a concert someday! ;)

 

Telephone pictionary...SO MUCH FUN! I haven't laughed that hard in awhile.

Ugly Sweater Christmas Party

My young adult group at church tonight had an ugly sweater Christmas party. We listened to music, talked and hung out, ate a lot of food, and had a white elephant gift exchange. It was really interesting to see some of the things people brought for gifts! LOL. I actually ended up with a really nice gift. It's a quilt looking thing you hang on the wall and put pictures of your family in it. Can I just say how much I love my friends and how glad I am to feel like I'm part of a group after trying to find it for so long? I finally feel like I belong, and I've finally been allowing God to really work in my life the way He's been wanting to.
It was a great way to kick off the Christmas week! :)

A collage of the party my friend, Febe made

I'm Dreaming Of A White Christmas

Dear Santa,
I live in California (Hollywood)...but it's not like in the movies where Christmas is always snowy white. On my list, is just one wish, that it would snow tonight. (Hilary Duff's "When The Snow Comes Down In Tinseltown).

Just one year, I'd like to have that simple, traditional Christmas. Of course, I've only ever known the Christmases out here, but from what I've seen they're very different. I picture a log cabin, with snow covering the ground, fireplace lit as everyone is gathered around sharing stories of Christmases past or around the piano singing carols, the table is all set for dinner, and everyone is getting along swimmingly. Like I said, it's very different. You see the way it's supposed to be like in the movies all the time, but honestly, what is Christmas supposed to be like?

Jesus is the reason for the season, the rest is up to each family. I don't think there's any right or wrong way to spend the day, everyone makes of it what they will. As much as I'd like things to be a certain way, I realize that it's more of who I'm with. As long as I have the ones I love most around me, where's the bad? The other stuff is just that...stuff. Maybe I've never had a white Christmas or we haven't done the "traditional" things I've always pictured Christmas to be. Maybe it's been the "same old Christmas" every year, but you know what? That's alright with me. :)

That's all for now,
Shelby

Christmas Concert

The past three Christmases, I've been in the choir for the concert at church, and now it has become so much a part of my life I look forward to doing it every year. I love that I have been able to meet so many new people, and it has helped me get more involved at church, which has brought me closer to God again. The first year I did it was in 2009, and now when I look back to the person I was back then, she sort of seems like a stranger in a way. Others might not notice the changes, and I know I still have a long way to go...but I'm getting closer every year to where I want to be.

This weekend was so much fun! It is what so many volunteers, Lydia, the band, the choir, and others have been working towards for the past several months to a year (for planning). You don't realize how much it takes to put on a show of this caliber until you're part of it. I've been learning so much just by being around the music, the media, and that entire department...but more importantly I've gotten to know more about people I've known forever. The concert is such a fun way to get people in the community and all four of our services to come together in the same place, and hear about Christ. It reminded me that God's love is not CONDITIONAL, it's UNCONDITIONAL. He loves me on my good and bad days. He doesn't give up on me, when other people might want to.  This season is all about HIM, not me and what I want. The more I'm reminded of that, the happier I am. No matter what happens, God's in control and that gives me peace :) And there's nothing like singing on stage with a lot of wonderful people around you! I'm really sad that it's already over...what to do now? Haha.

I love these guys so much, and I'm thankful that I have so many positive influences in my life. I know that when I'm having a hard time or just need someone to talk to, I can turn to one of them and they'd be there in a heartbeat. God is really changing my heart, my attitude, and my life. I'm glad I'm able to go out of this year on a positive note. 

Saturday:

Sunday:

"Long live the walls we crashed through, how the kingdom lights shined just for me and you. I was screaming long live all the magic we made, and bring on all the pretenders...one day, we will be remembered." ~Taylor Swift~

'Twas The Weekend Before Christmas

I think this weekend really kicked off the busyness of the last week before Christmas. I had a lot of fun with friends and family, but most importantly it just made me take a step back and realize how blessed I really am.

Friday Night:

Jewelery that was my grandma's

My pj's

Hanging out with the girls for Febe's birthday

Apples to Apples

Looking through bridal magazines!

I went to my friend Febe's house for her birthday! We had so much fun just hanging out, talking, watching movies, eating, playing games, etc. One of her friends is engaged, so she was talking about her wedding plans with us, and Hillary was helping her plan it all out. That had all of us girls going into daydream, lovey dovey mode thinking about our own future weddings. I think if you can find the one person that makes all of that craziness worth it, then I'm all for it...until then, it'll just remain a nice idea. It was so cute seeing how excited she was for this, though, because it should be nothing but a wonderful time!

Saturday:
My mom and I had breakfast at Denny's, then I had to go to Rabobank Theater for sound check/reheasal for the Christmas concert. It gave Viviyan and I a chance to talk and hang out, and to talk with other people from church. I also love seeing how everything comes together with the band, set up, and the anticipation of performing. My aunt picked gave me a ride home, and I was able to get ready there, which was nice. Then, it was showtime. I went to dinner with my parents and family friends after the show, which was a lot of fun!

Sunday:
We didn't have to get to the theater until 8, but a friend from church picked me up so we could get Starbucks beforehand. Viviyan and I went in our sweats, and just changed a little while before the concert. It was fun exploring the arena, talking to people, and just feeling the excitement in the room as everyone got ready for the last show. What a blast it was; there's something about performing that I will never be able to completely put into words like I wish I could. Last night, I went to dinner with my parents and we looked at Christmas lights. People just don't decorate like they used to though. :/

I'm gonna make a separate blog for the Christmas concert, because there's so much that I have to say! :)

That's all for now,
Shelby