December 31, 2012

Lessons Learned In 2012

A year can teach you a lot about yourself, whether you realize it or not; good or bad. There's a quote from C.S Lewis that goes along the lines of when you look at each day it feels like nothing has changed, but when you look back, everything has. I couldn't agree more with it, because on the day to day, it felt like I was doing the same things over and over again and I was in the exact same place I always had been. But now that I think back, so much has changed, whether it's some of the places I've been, my outlook on life and perspective I've gained, or just personal growth in general.

I've started learning what it means to be present; to enjoy the moment and be so wrapped up in it, that you're not aware of what else is happening in the world or what problems you're having or wishing you could be anywhere else. It's about learning to be content with what is right in front of you, instead of wishing you could change everything. I've learned to enjoy the presence of family and friends, without worrying all the time about the things that I can't change, what I'm going to wear tomorrow, if I remembered to turn my curling iron off, or other petty things that used to get in my way of just being able to listen to someone while we're having a conversation. It has enabled me to laugh more, to love more, and to learn to love myself more in those small moments of just cutting loose. I've learned to not be quite as uptight about everything, which has been nice.

I've learned that everyone you come in contact with, no matter how big or insignificant their role may be in your life will change you in some small way, and that's a good thing, if you let it be. I used to get so upset when people would come into my life, only to be ripped away or for us to not even have a chance of getting to know one another. Don't get me wrong, I still get disappointed, especially when I've made up these fabulous daydreams in my mind of how I think things ought to go. Now, when those kinds of things have happened this year, I've tried to start focusing on how I felt when I was around them or the kind of friendship I wanted us to have, and to carry a little of that with me for the future if it didn't go anywhere. God sends people into our lives at the perfect moments, there are no mistakes. Maybe it's just to learn something or maybe it's to prepare us for something better that is coming our way later on. I'm not sure exactly why, I just know there's a reason. So, even if I just get a few jokes from that kid in the library or if they become one of my best friends, they've helped me grow in some way or another.

I've learned who my best friends are. I feel like I've said that over the past few years, but the longer out of high school you go, the more you find that out. Some friendships grow tighter and tighter, while others just fizzle out like dust. There have been some disappointments and some heartaches in that department, when you find out people aren't necessarily what you thought they were or just that you were never honest enough with yourself to admit that they never were like that, you just kept holding out, thinking things would change. I know that there will always be at least one or two really good friends I can always count on, and God is always there. And when it comes down to it, that the most important friendship of all.

This year, I've learned to let my past be exactly that...The past. I haven't beaten myself up as much as I would have when I've made a mistake or when I've said something I shouldn't have, I just learned from it and prayed about it. I've learned to let go, which brings me right to my next point.

Instead of trying to tackle everything on my own, I learned to lift it up to God. There were still plenty of moments when I lost my temper or I worried too much or I let anxiety really stress me out, but nowhere near what I used to let it get to. I prayed more and spent more one on one time with God than I ever have before. I started finding out who God truly is, rather than the idea of Him that I've heard bits and pieces of from others or what I had made up in my head over the years. God is a loving God who is always there for us, no matter what we've done or what we're going to do, and He wants us to grow from our mistakes, not live in regret or let it turn to anger and bitterness.

I've learned what it means to truly be joyful, and not make myself miserable. I struggle with this on a daily basis, and let me tell you, some days are better than others. I have certain times where I just feel really down and I don't know how to get out of the funk, but there are other days when I've just been really happy, no matter what has gone on. It's a work in progress, but I'm getting there. I know that it's a process, and it's not just something that you can work at for awhile and be done with it, it's something I'll have to work at the rest of my life, but it'll get easier as time goes on.

I've been trying to learn to not put people in a bubble. You know how when you see a stranger in a bookstore or coffee shop and you create this character of who you think he/she is? Alright, maybe I'm the only one who does that...But, the bottom line is, I've tried not to keep doing that with people I've already gotten to know, whether it's friends or family. They don't have to be a certain way just because I want them to be this or that, just like I don't want them to do that to me. I'm learning that I don't need to point the flaws to others; it's important to help them out, but CHANGING them is God's job, not mine. Instead of being busy thinking they should be a certain way, I've learned to just enjoy who they are now, and focus more on what I need to change.

I've also learned to be more spontaneous. I've started to see that maybe planning every little moment and detail isn't as fun as I always think it's going to be. In fact, I've learned when you just go with the flow, you're a lot more surprised or you're not as disappointed, because events and conversations rarely go as scripted in your mind, trust me. Plus, I like surprises, when they're the good kind, so it's always nice when a random trip or coffee with a friend comes up when you're sitting at home doing nothing with your life.

All of these things have led me to being more outgoing, I feel like. I've been more honest and upfront about who I am and what I want. Sure, I'm still quiet, but it's because I choose to be that or there are those moments when I feel like I don't have anything to say. It kind of earned me the nickname of "beautifully outspoken" awhile back too. I truly feel like I've spoken up when I should have, I've fought for the things that were important, and when I've felt the Lord calling me to say something. I speak up when I need to, not just when I feel like blurting out nonsense, although, I'm great at that too when comfortable enough. I'm learning to accept who I am, which has allowed all of these things to come together. Insecurity and rejection have always been big flaws/problems of mine, but finding out who I am in Christ has made me stronger than ever and made me more comfortable to speak out and to be who I've always been meant to be, even though I'm still finding her.

I could go on for pages, I'm sure, about how much my life has changed (more personally than the things around me) and all of the incredible things that have I've become aware to this year, but the biggest is this...Let God always be in control of what happens. I promise you, you'll be so much better off for it. For so many years, I tried to do things my way or think I knew everything that was going to happen and I always found myself miserable and angry. The more you release to Him, the more at peace you'll be, even if they turn out differently than expected. Life is good and God is good all the time, no matter how we feel about it. I have a LONG way to go, let me be honest about that. But, I feel like I've made progress because I have actually been trying this year. Could there have been moments when I tried harder? Sure. But, I'm on my way and that's a start.

"Tomorrow is the first blank page of a 365 page book. Write a good one."
~Brad Paisley~




A Look Back At 2012

For the past several years, I've been saying that I wanted to make a video of the highlights of the year, but never got around to doing it. This year, I finally made it happen. In fact, I decided to make two. One is for pictures, the other for random videos I took throughout the year, that way you get a little bit of everything in between. Action and posing. Exciting stuff, eh?

You can watch the videos here and here.

The Weekend Review

This was quite a different weekend than most, but it was still good. It was pretty laid back, with not much going on, which was nice. I guess the winter is pretty dead compared to how we usually are going during the summer.

Friday:
I ran a few errands with my mom, and we ended up shopping for something to wear when we go to Vegas for my birthday. I wasn't sure I was up for it, but after we got started, it ended up being pretty fun! We went to The Marketplace for lunch, then looked around at a few boutiques. They're really some of the nicest stores we have around town, and it's a pretty cool area outside.

On the way home, I needed some caffeine to perk me up, and luckily I still had some money on the gift card my friend sent me for Christmas, so I got a caramel macchiato. It was so good! We came home; my mom took a nap, and I finished up season 8 of The Office, which just really makes me sad. Now what am I supposed to do with my nights? I say re-watch them all over again. I feel like I already have the season memorized to the point where I can go back to my favorite episodes, which is exciting. That night, we went out to dinner; tried a new restaurant that opened up, and ended up running into some old family friends from church. It was good seeing them again, then we came home and I turned to NBC.com to catch up on the current season of The Office.


Saturday:
I woke up from a dream of a stalker following me, and he looked like something out of an 80s movie. I later found out that "stalker" dreams mean you have unfulfilled life goals. Well, it doesn't take a genius to figure that one out, and that's exactly what the problem is. It haunts me every day to be honest. I heard my mom taking down some of the Christmas decorations inside the house. I figured I should probably help out, so I got up and threw on my sweatshirt and UGGS to help! My dad brought home sandwiches from a local shop for lunch, which was so good. Then, we got right to work with helping my dad take down all of the lights on the outside. It didn't last long at all, and we were laughing and joking around. I felt more cheerful than when we were putting them up, which is really sad.
When we finished with the lights outside, we came inside; my mom finished some things in the living room and I decided to tackle my room, which was driving me nuts. I actually found it to be fun. I listened to a little Kate Voegle and Tyler Hilton, which were really great at perking things up. It felt so nice to actually have accomplished something and to be able to find everything that I needed, instead of just tripping over it.


I finally started getting ready a little after 4; took a shower, got dressed, put on makeup, etc. and I was ready to go. I went to Sizzler for dinner with my parents, which was good. But, I think my favorite part was the interesting conversations we had. We talked about what we thought the top show/albums were for the year and random stuff like that. My dad also asked me what I wanted for my birthday, even though I've technically already gotten everything I could possibly want. I really couldn't think of anything for quite awhile, then said I'd really like to see a few of the filming locations for The Office, because I've been checking into it, especially with it being the last season. AH! He acted like it could be a possibility, so there's that...

After we ate, we went to my grandparents' house, so my mom could set up a new sound system my uncles and dad got my grandpa for Christmas. We also just hung out with them, which was cool, and I actually talked to them more this time. I was telling them about my schedule for school next semester, and they were saying I should get a job and suggesting things I could do.

All of a sudden, I started freaking myself out about all of these possibilities and how I really need to start stepping it up and getting some things together, whether it's with a job or an internship, because this whole sitting around, watching Netflix all day is getting a little old...So, we'll see. And things just went a little downhill from there; I had a pretty rough night and was ready to go home by that point. A little while later, we left and told my grandparents we would see them on Tuesday for New Year's day.
I was not feeling so great as we left, and it was just one of those 'I need ice cream nights' Luckily, my dad is pretty much always down for that idea. We got a Mcflurry from McDonald's and headed home. I got ready for bed and watched one of my favorite episodes of The Office and squealed like a little fangirl over Jim and Pam. I just love how realistic they are (more on that later).

This was pretty much my feeling....Jim just always has the best expressions. 



Sunday:
This morning was pretty typical! I woke up in plenty of time to get ready for church, then off we went. 

Service was good, but I was about to lose it. I had so many thoughts running through my mind, and I was feeling anxious and antsy. But, it woke me up to some things I need to do differently and some things I need to address in my life again that I've been brushing under the rug and just trying to ignore.
We had lunch at Chili's, which was good and our waiter, Oscar was very peppy and entertaining. From there, we ran to Target and Kohl's, where I got some clothes, Kelly Clarkson greatest hits CD, and the movie, Big Miracle with John Krasinski.
When we got home, I ended up watching the pilot of Grey's Anatomy and my cat must've known that I needed a little extra TLC today, because she immediately jumped up and lay right next to me. This time, I didn't push her away. It was really sweet. My mom made me a peppermint milkshake and the rest of the afternoon was pretty chill, just taking down the ornaments from the Christmas tree, etc.



Tonight, we ran a couple more errands and grabbed dinner at Del Taco and came home to watch The Trouble With The Curve. The problem with me watching movies at home is that sometimes I don't pay as much attention to the story line because I'm busy messing with my phone or whatever. When I finally started paying attention and the movie picked up the pace a bit, it was really good. And I thought Justin Timberlake was fantastic in it! I'll just always love him. That's what happens when he's your first crush ;) LOL.
When the movie ended, we packed up the last of our Christmas stuff (the tree) and officially said goodbye to the season. It went rather quickly, and while I'm still a little bitter that I didn't get to see a lot of the movies I wanted to, it was a really good time.


Tomorrow is the last day of 2012...A little overwhelming when you think of it like that...But, here's to making it count :)

~Shelby

December 30, 2012

Top Ten Moments Of 2012 (Part Two)

Well, I'm back again to give my top five favorite moments of this 2012 year. Alright, so they're not really in any particular order, but here we go anyway.

#5) The adventures I had with the girls from church were incredible and unlike anything else I've ever done. I feel like they did the most in helping bring me out of my shell more and helping me try new things that I might not usually do, especially when it came to being more spontaneous. We did so many things and I don't think I've ever had that much fun in my life, whether it was stargazing out in the middle of nowhere (where it looked like they filmed "The Hills Have Eyes") and some random trucker pulls up pretty close to our car and we all start running, a random trip to Santa Monica to watch the sunset and have a picnic, spending the night in the mountains, or doing church related activities such as Catalyst in Orange County. I had the time of my life with them and am so thankful that they've been there to help me on this journey as I've gotten more serious about my relationship/walk with Christ this year.

#4) I've said it a lot in my highlights, but it truly did make a HUGE impact on how most of this year went for me, and that was how involved with church I got, as well as diving into God's word. It has always been hard for me to get involved at church, and I'm not sure why that is, but as I got older, little by little I started doing things here and there. This year, it was like I always wanted to be there and help out with whatever I could just to be around the people, because I had started making so many connections and friendships around there.


#3) My baptism. I think this one sort of speaks for itself. It was a really significant moment in my life, where I left the past behind me and is a reminder of God's grace and goodness. When I fall, I know that He forgives me and that I've become new because of that moment, so I need to live like it. It was also really special to me that all of my close friends from church were SO excited for me and were so encouraging that they all came there to support me that morning.

#2) This moment was more recent and that was meeting The Jonas Brothers back in November. I've been waiting for I don't know how long for that perfect moment with them and it finally came around. After getting closer to meeting Nick a couple times this year (meeting Joe back in January and seeing Nick at a Dodger game, but having to leave early), I was able to get my picture with him!! I would've loved to have had more time to talk with them, but it was still a really cool, once in a lifetime experience that I'll always remember. It was like I was 15 again, singing along to every word and screaming my head off. Plus, I made a friend and met some other really cool people there as well. One of the best shows I've ever been to!

#1) Visiting Tree Hill, NC (along with South Carolina) was definitely another incredible trip that I will never forget. After One Tree Hill became such a big part of my life this year, this was just the icing on the cake. My parents are such troopers to go with me to all of these places and to try to get into the things I like because they know how much they mean to me, whether it's a concert or something like this. They'll never know how much that means to me, especially as I get older, when it's no longer really "required" that they do any of this. It was such a special time with the family, as well as trying out a few new things back there and just enjoying the beach. I so should've been born in the south, that's all I have to say.

What a wonderful year! Thank you to everyone who has made it so special, whether we talk all the time or you just read my blog. It all means so so much to me that you've taken the time to care :)

I hope you've all had a fabulous 2012! What were some of your favorite moments? Share in the comments below or on Twitter!

~Shelby

Top 10 Moments of 2012 (Part One)

I made a small scrapbook of some of my favorite moments from the year, so I thought I would share them on here. I'll break it down into two sections, so let's get started shall we?

#10) This isn't necessarily a "moment"; it's several moments. I loved being able to meet so many new people this year and in so many unexpected ways. Some were through classes at school that I ended up carpooling with and others were through fan bases on Twitter. It really doesn't matter how we met, just that we did. They have been such a huge blessing to my life, and I realize that God has a plan for everyone that comes into your life no matter how small or significant they turn out to be. You should always enjoy the time that you get to spend with them no matter how long it may be. I was able to learn something from each person and had some really great times, even if we don't always talk.

#9) Being able to meet Carrie Underwood again was really fantastic! It was good just being able to say hi before the show and get another picture with her! And when she came out on stage wearing the t-shirt I'd asked her if she would wear, I was FREAKING OUT! My parents and I looked at each other like we just couldn't believe it...And she sang "Thank God For Hometowns" in it, which was just too perfect for words. 

#8) Getting my permit! I've been talking about making that next step of getting my permit/license for as long as I can remember, so this year, I got just a little bit closer to that goal. I was really impressed that I passed the first time too! WOO HOO! I thought it would also get people off my back a little for pressuring me...GIVE ME TIME....

#7) An Evening with One Tree Hill. My cousin and I spent the day in LA; had lunch at Paty's, hung out by the theater, and ended up running into JOE JONAS! I was totally starstruck and shaking. I sounded a little panicked when I called my mom haha...I had no idea I would be that excited. Then, we went inside the Arclight for a Q&A, season 9 premiere with the cast...and it was just a really magical day.

#6) American Idol season 11 finale! I don't think I ever "geek out" or "fan girl" more than when it is something involving American Idol, and this was no different. I was SO SO excited, because it was definitely one of my favorite seasons. I grew to love all of the contestants and had some pretty great memories with/of each of them. It was an all day thing and it couldn't have been more amazing. There was press set up during the day where past Idols would show up to do interviews and meet up with the fans, and current idols were wandering around as well. Plus, we ended up running into Scotty McCreery while killing time by the ESPN Zone. I am so so so thankful and appreciate every second that we were there. I met some past contestants, but was most excited about a lot of the top 12, including COLTON DIXON and his sister and (then) boyfriend, Noah Munck. I also enjoyed hearing "Home" by Phil Phillips live for the first time ever with the marching band and all. After hearing that, I knew he was going to be the winner. It was just all him! I definitely do not take that for granted at all.

That's all for now. Top five moments coming tomorrow :)

~Shelby

2012: A Year In Review


I honestly can't believe that we're in the last week of 2012, and we're looking into what 2013 holds for us. It's exciting, nostalgic, sentimental and a little scary as we think about the unknown. But, also with that comes a great time of reflection; all of the wonderful times we've had, the things we've learned from, and the times that we were just so wrapped up in a moment that it almost didn't seem possible to be enjoying life so much. Here's a little breakdown of my year:

1. What did you do in 2012 that you'd never done before?

  • Honestly, I had the time of my life. I don't think I've ever felt so free or present in whatever situation I've been in, as much as I have this year, which allowed me to just take chances and let loose a little; I had FUN. I took a lot of mini road trips with friends from church to Santa Monica, the mountains, and to a convention down in Orange County; I was baptized; I got my permit; I voted in the presidential election; I started a worship song for our Young Adults group which was a big step for me; I helped out in my friend's classroom; was an assistant to my friend who is a photographer at weddings and got paid; carpooling with friends I'd made in classes at school and becoming great friends with them. Also, I did laundry; I know that sounds ridiculous, but I'd never done a load of laundry in my life, so that was a big deal.
2. What would you like to have in 2013 that you lacked in 2012?
  • I'd like to get my license, because I can't tell you how many times I've said I was going to do that since I was 16. This year, I got way closer to that, so I'd really like to follow through with it finally. I'd also really like to check into getting a job or an internship at the news station to get experience for what I want to do. Maybe I need to get more specific with my goals, and say I'd like to get involved with the newspaper or Bakersfield magazine in town. 
3. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
  • I had a few: getting my permit, finding out that I'm going to graduate from my junior college in May, my relationship with God is the closest that its ever been, helping out with the announcements at church, volunteering a little more at church, getting accepted into an honor society at school, and letting go of the past, not totally ripping myself to shreds when I made a mistake was nice. And I guess starting to do things a little more independently of my parents. 
4. Biggest failure?
  • I've been trying not to focus on those at all, otherwise I'll beat myself up over it constantly all day every day. If I had to choose something, it would be...Not really being aggressive about furthering my career any or making any connections along the way. I'd also have to say not joining the honor society at school, because I know that looks really good on transcripts. I think also still trying to handle things on my own, rather than giving them to God really messed things up here and there, too. Other than that, I don't believe in regrets. It all happens for a reason. You can always learn something from it. 
5. Best thing someone bought you?
  • My parents buying me the Jonas Brothers VIP package for their concert in LA was hands down the best thing anyone has ever given me (that was of materialistic goods). Another thing was my friend, Viviyan, bought me a Joyce Meyer devotional book that helped me tremendously this year. Each morning, it was like she knew exactly what my situation was and was helping me out with how to handle it. 
6. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
  • An evening with One Tree Hill, Team True Beauty event, meeting the Jonas Brothers, meeting Carrie Underwood and her wearing the shirt I gave her during the concert, getting invited to see Taylor Swift on Ellen, the Catalyst convention, going to South Carolina/seeing family, visiting Wilmington (AKA Tree Hill) and seeing all of the OTH film locations, going to Nashville, the network rehearsal of Partners (Sophia Bush's new show), dodger games, American Idol finale and red carpet, making new friends, Kelly Clarkson concert, seeing Carrie Underwood at Jimmy Kimmel and meeting her afterwards, talking to a lot of my favorite celebrities on Twitter, going to the beach, finally going to Runyon Canyon, the American Idol live concert and meeting them after the show, spending more time with my best friend (Marissa), the women's conference at church, the president coming to town and his motorcade passing us, antiquing, having day trips in Tehachapi, starting a story with my friend Rebecca (as well as collaborating on a little songwriting with her), switching to a different bedroom in my house that is a lot bigger, going stargazing and having adventures with the girls from church, new flooring in our house, the Christmas concert our church held at Rabobank Theater, Taylor Swift's CD "RED" coming out, exploring with friends around the small town where our college is, the Jonas Brothers concert at the Pantages, knowing that I'm going to graduate next year. I'm sure there are plenty others that I'm missing, but I'm pretty sure this wraps up the main things. This year, I wanted to be excited about all of the small things- no matter what it was, knowing that each day was holding something great in it. 
7. What songs will always remind you of 2012?
  • Home, We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together, Everybody Talks, Tonight (We Are Young), Good Girl, One Way Ticket, Why Ya Wanna...I could type out an entire paragraph or two about all of the songs that would remind me of this year. So many for different occasions. 
8. What do you wish you had done more?
  • I wish I would have tried to go out driving more after I got my permit, but I only went out once with my dad. I guess I'm just still waiting as long as I possibly can for it. 
  • I wish I would've read more. I'd buy all these books, start them and not finish.
9. What do you wish you had done less?
  • Once again, spending so much time on social networking sites, when I could have been doing more productive things. I think that will always be a problem with the age we're living in. 
10. How do you plan to spend New Year's Eve?
  • Well, I just found out tonight that we're having some family friends over and we'll probably just watch a movie or hang out, which is my favorite way of doing it :) I'm pretty boring. 
11. Favorite TV program?
  • One Tree Hill and The Office.
12. Greatest musical discovery?
  • Colton Dixon, Gungor, and just several other artists that have been around, but I actually started paying more attention to them this year like Kenny Chesney, Alan Jackson, etc. 
13. What did you want and get?
  • There were a lot of things I "wanted" or was expecting of this year. I pretty much accomplished all of those and gained so much more than I ever could have imagined in the process. Some were just superficial things like meeting Nick Jonas and others were deeper, like letting go of the past, forgiving, etc. And I might not be where I want to quite yet, but I'm getting there. That's all I could ask for.
14. What did you want and what did you not get?
  • Honestly, I guess it was a boyfriend once again...But, it sounds really stupid now thinking about it hahhahahah. That is definitely NOT going on my list of things I want next year.
15. What did you do on your birthday?
  • I always tend to drag my birthday out to a week or really as long as I can make it last. This year, my big birthday present was the Team True Beauty event in LA, so that was AWESOME. I went to lunch with one of my best friends, her mom and my mom because it's a fun tradition we've started, and it was a blast! We talked for a couple hours and ate; I always look forward to that. I went out to dinner with my family on my actual birthday, and the next night, I celebrated with the girls from church: we went to dinner, got some yogurt, and got in the jacuzzi at Hillary's house. One of the best birthday's ever, because I had some really special people to share it with. 
16. What would you describe your personal fashion concept as in 2012?
  • I took a few more risks with fashion than ever before. I wore more layers, boots, and darker colors than I'd usually wear. I guess it'd be a little more along the lines of "hipster". HAHA!
17. What kept you sane?
  • My relationship with God first and foremost. If I didn't find hope and courage through my faith in Jesus Christ, I don't know where I would be. Also, my friends from church inspired me in so many ways whether it was through prayer or just showing me what true friendship means. And a couple of best friends I have that were always there helped me through those tough times.
18. What was the best thing you ate?
  • Hmm...I really liked Kilwin's ice cream and Chops sandwiches in Wilmington, NC. 
19. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2012?
  • I learned to really be content with what I have. Sure, there were things I wanted and I got a lot of them, but it was more about spending time with people or having experiences and meeting people, rather than just wanting, wanting, wanting. I also started grasping the idea behind having peace and patience, whether it was waiting in line for something at the grocery store or something a little bigger and waiting on God's timing to come through.  And true friendships will always be there, no matter what hardships it may endure in the meantime. I'm also a lot more capable than I give myself credit for most of the time, and can be a lot stronger than I thought in certain situations when it is called for. 
20. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
  • Well, if you know me at all, coming up with just one song lyric is pretty impossible, but I'll try. If not, I'll just resort to full songs:
"As bad as it was, as bad as it hurt, I thank God I didn't get what I thought that I deserved, sometimes life leads you down a different road, when you're holding onto someone that you've gotta let go. Someday you'll see the reason why...Sometimes, yeah, sometimes, there's good in goodbye."


"We're happy, free, confused and lonely in the best way! It's miserable and magical, oh yeah, tonight's the night when we forget about the heartbreaks...It's time!"


"You shine like a diamond, glitter like gold..." 

"I feel like a good time coming on..."

"Tonight, we are young, so let's set the world on fire, we can burn brighter than the suuuuuunnn!"
"Always love, hate will get you every time."

"Thank God for hometowns and all the love that makes them go around. Thank God for the county lines that welcome you back in when you were dying to get out. Thank God for church pews and all the faces that won't forget you. So, when you're lost out in this crazy world, you've got somewhere to go and get found. Thank God for hometowns."


"I'm really gonna miss you picking fights and me, falling for it screaming that I'm right! And you...would hide away and find your piece of mind, with some indie record that's much cooler than mine."


There you have it. I know I'm probably forgetting so much, but it's hard to fit everything into just a few short questions. Over the weekend, I'll also be posting some of my favorite pictures of the year, because when all is said and done, they captured the moments the best.

That's all for now,
Shelby






December 28, 2012

I Guess I'm Not Socially Awkward, I'm Just An Introvert...

I woke up around 11 or so, and still felt a little tired, but knew I needed to get up and start my day. Whatever that was going to consist of. So, I pretty much did what I did yesterday, only this time I sat on the couch, instead of the recliner. I watched TV, had coffee, read all of Lauren Conrad's Beauty book, and brainstormed a few things that I want to start working on.


Eventually, after a couple episodes of The Office, I decided to start getting ready. I listened to some music and took my time putting on makeup, especially after some of the tips I'd read from Lauren Conrad's book. It has me wanting to get some things in order and get organized! I felt inspired when I finished, which is what you want after reading a book.


A little while later, I got a text from my friend, Michele, saying she was going to stop by to drop off my Christmas present. I haven't been out much or had much contact with people other than family this past week, so I was just a little nervous. Honestly, sometimes I'm just weird; I feel weird when the most contact I've had all week is conversing on Twitter and Facebook. Anyway, Michele and her mom ended up stopping by. I felt bad because I probably acted really strange when they walked to my door; she's trying to introduce her mom, and my brain stops working and just says something like, "oh ok." I invited them and we talked for a few minutes, swapping gifts, when my parents came out to introduce themselves. Michele and I told our parents about how we wanted to go ice skating in LA, and of course, our Pinterest party idea. They didn't stay long and Michele and I said we'd have to get together soon for coffee or something.
My parents and I went out to dinner! We were going to eat at Jake's Tex Mex, which I love, but they were closed because of the holidays, I think. We ended up at another bbq restaurant in town, which was about to close, and we were the only ones there, which was cool.

We ran to Target afterwards to get a few things, and since I had a gift card from my aunt and uncle, I did a little shopping of my own. They had a lot of great DVD's on sale, so it was hard not wanting to go crazy and buy everything. I ended up with Nylon Magazine, which had Lucy Hale on the cover and  the Lady Antebellum Own The Night concert DVD, which I'm really excited about watching.
We came home, and I sat back on the couch, watching a little TV, reading my magazine and tweeting with my new "Introvert Club" peeps; long story, you might not understand, and that's okay. It was a nice night.


Hot cocoa mix from Michele :)
I'm watching The Office right now, and I'm thinking of calling it a night pretty soon. Last night, I tried to turn in around 3, kept falling asleep off and on, but waking myself up (probably worrying) every time. Finally, I decided to pull out my Bible and have some quiet time with God. It was really nice not having any other distractions coming from the living room or me being wrapped in wanting to do other things. It was just a time of being still and meditating on some things I'm struggling with. I think it gave me a clearer direction of what I need to do.

That's all for now,
Shelby

December 27, 2012

Just Another Day

Well, it was back to the same old routine today. There were no festivities to attend to or anything to get ready for, so once again, I slept in until almost noon. And honestly, I feel no shame about that. I figure I should take advantage of this now before I actually get a job and have REAL responsibilities to tend to. Right now, I'm just a student and this life is working out for me, I guess. Actually, it's not, but I'm not really sure of where else to begin and that opens up a completely different can of worms.

I watched TV all day, stayed in my pj's, drank coffee, ate lunch, watched more TV, had peppermint hot cocoa, and randomly kept checking Twitter, Facebook and Tumblr for interesting posts. I found some here and there. My cat also sat with me a lot, which was nice, because he doesn't always want to do that.



Needed some encouraging words today and found these on Tumblr. God really can use anything to speak to us: 





















After watching The Office, I decided to get ready. My dad came home a little while later and we had dinner at Chipotle, where I ran into a friend that I've known forever, which was cool. We talked for a few minutes, and the line was taking FOREVER. I was just not in the mood to deal with that. I haven't really been out of the house much lately, so I think my social skills are just a little off right now. We got our food, met my dad at the booth and ate. It was gooood! We came home after that, where I resided to my room to watch more of The Office and wondering what I'm going to do the rest of my life when this is all that I do with most of my time. Hmmm...That's a lot to think about. 
I also found out about this special American Idol event that will be taking place in LA, so I signed up for it. Not exactly sure how it will work or if I'll even be able to go, but I thought it was worth checking into. So, fingers crossed for that. 
Anyway, back to watching The Office and figuring out what I'm going to do tomorrow. This might possibly be a long Christmas break and long semester, if I don't have anything exciting lined up (along the lines of a job or internship or really anything that involves getting me out of the house). Lord, please send something my way....

That's all for now,
Shelby