All We Have Is This Moment...Tomorrow's Unspoken, Yesterday is History!

Last Monday, one of my best friends and I went to Disneyland with my mom and another family friend, Tammy for Marissa's birthday. It really was a magical day and just what I needed for a short break.

We went down on Sunday night, so we wouldn't have to wake up incredibly early the next morning to drive to Anaheim. We had a lot of deep conversation in the car ride down there, and many laughs, then checked into our hotel. After we got settled in, we headed over to Downtown Disney, which we really enjoyed exploring for a little while.

We went to the World of Disney store, walked around, following all of the bright signs that were all lit up and the twinkly lights in the trees...Looking at everything with wonder and enchantment. It's always fun to pretend that you're a kid again, and everything is simple, when the reality is adulthood is creeping up on us more and more. Frankly, we find it a little unsettling. There was a certain festiveness in the air, and getting to share everything with my best friend was really wonderful. Because of schedules, we haven't been able to hang out as much as during the summer, so it was great to just hang out at the Happiest Place on Earth.
ALSO, SIDENOTE: I was looking through my instagram feed just before we got to Downtown Disney and saw that one of my friends from high school met Gerard Butler in our hometown! HOW RANDOM...and I'm so jealous. She was his barista at Starbucks, and he took a picture with all of the girls that were working. SO COOL!

After awhile, it was starting to get late and we were getting sleepy, so we took the tram back to the parking lot and went back to the room to get ready for bed. I was getting a little loopy and laughing about the most nonsensical things, which is always entertaining. Finally, I crashed...And the next thing I know, it's six-something in the morning. My mom, Marissa and Tammy were already up and getting ready for the day, while I was still in bed. It doesn't take me long to get ready, so I had a few extra minutes to sleep in, which I will always take when I can.

Our Buzz and Woody hats, because it's totally us!! :)

We had breakfast at the hotel, then decided to make our way over to the parking lot to take the tram over to...Wait for it...DISNEYLAND!!!! Marissa and I were so excited that our dream of being able to go to the park again (other than Grad Night) was finally coming true. We made it to the entrance and had to wait for another family friend, then went inside. We were geeking out over everything...The decorations, the giant Mickey pumpkin in the center of Main Street square, a couple of the characters that were out, the castle...AH! It was our first time going for Halloween, and it was almost like visiting the park for the very first time again.

Our relationship in a nutshell! 

After taking our picture in front of the giant pumpkin, Marissa and I split up from the rest of the group to do our own thing! We wandered through Adventureland, hitting Indiana Jones first, then Pirates of the Caribbean and Haunted Mansion. We rode Space Mountain, did a lot of shopping, had clam chowder in bread bowls for lunch, then continued shopping and hit a few more rides, like, the tea cups, Matterhorn, and wandered around the park a little more. There's seriously so much to see, we didn't want to miss any of it. Although, several attractions were closed because they're starting to decorate for Christmas. And if you looked close enough, you could see several decorations starting to be put up in New Orleans Square and several other scattered places. We were starting to crash later in the afternoon, so we decided to stop and grab a warm beverage in New Orleans Square, then sat in front of the Haunted Mansion, while the ghouls sang festive songs on the balcony! I'd never seen them do that before, so we found that really exciting.

Drinking our hot beverages; feeling festive for the occasion! 

A bit later, we ended up going over to California Adventures to meet up with my mom and other friends, which was especially exciting since Marissa hadn't seen all of the changes! She was really amazed by everything they had done with Buena Vista street. We said goodbye to one of our family friends, then made our way over to Toy Story Mania, and oh my gosh...Best. Ride. Ever! We had gone on it before, but I don't remember it being quite that fun. You wear 3D glasses and take the little cart around to different shooting galleries in the building to earn points. I lost miserably...but, it

Us with Snow White...She's my favorite!! :)

was all in good fun! After that, I went with Tammy to ride Tower of Terror, while Marissa and my mom rode Screamin'. Tower of Terror really does describe it all in the title. It's one of my absolute favorite rides, but the anxiety still builds every time just before I step onto the elevator. You fly up to the very top, only to drop about 13 stories, shoot back up to the top and then it's all over. It took me a bit to catch my breath again, when we met up with my mom and Marissa at Carsland. We were able to ride the Cars racers ride as "single riders". We all got separated, but it meant practically no wait, so we were all for it.


Shortly after the ride, we all decided to look at a few of the shops as the lights were starting to turn on everywhere you looked. We walked around, noticing the little details on the shops and attractions, then Marissa and I decided to have a "Red's Apple Freeze," because they are delicious. We took last minute pictures, went to a couple stores on the way out, then decided it was time to head home, because we still had quite a drive.

On the tram back to the parking lot! 

I started not feeling so great on the car ride home (because it seems like I'm ALWAYS sick), but we had a blast talking and sharing stories from the day, among other things. We stopped at Chipotle when we were almost home, and I was so hungry by that point. We took it to go, then headed home, and I was so glad to be home after an amazing day. Tammy and Marissa left, and Mom and I greeted my dad; telling him stories about our day and all of the excitement in between.

Couldn't leave the park without one of these!

I went to bed that day, feeling so blessed and a little more relaxed about school than I had the week before. I think I was just stressing myself out for no reason at all, like I often do, so it was good to take a trip to daydream and be a kid again with my best friend. I am so thankful to have her in my life through all of the ups and downs that life brings, and I'm glad she had such a wonderful birthday.

Song of the Day:
This Moment-Katy Perry

That's all for now,
Shelby :)

{Keep chugging along, Keep singing your song}

"Put the plow in the ground till the daylights gone
When you look back over your shoulder
At everything you've done
Put the good times in your pocket
Let the bad ones make you strong
Keep chuggin' along"
 

***

I have been counting down the weeks and days of the quarter since the very first day of classes! And never have I ever been more excited to be done than I am right now. This week was CRAZY! I have had quite a lot of homework, and (like a bad girl) I waited until the last minute. So, here it is Thursday night as I'm trying to finish it all. Technically, it wouldn't be that bad, and I would actually be ahead of the game if it wasn't for an incredibly busy weekend coming up:

• Vince Gill concert
• Hillary's engagement shower
• Church
• Heading to Anaheim Sunday night
• Monday...DISNEYLAND!

I honestly haven't even had much time to think about it, because I've been so stressed out. Now, that the load is lessening, I can start getting pumped and being happy again. You do not want to be around me during the school week. (Just ask my mom).

This week was such a blur! I did homework, watched TV, caught up with friends, tweeted, wished for some exciting news on Friday (one step closer with my journalism dreams), freaked out several times-wondering if I'm where I'm supposed to be or whether I could be doing more and whether I'm going to fall flat on my face, started planning for next quarter, wrote for fun a little more (something I've missed A LOT), listened to Katy Perry's new CD (GET IT, if you haven't already...It's so fantastic. I also had a mini dance party), daydreamed, found out the results on my midterms (GULP) and watched a foreign film. 

Also, for my interpersonal communications class, we had to talk to someone we didn't know from our class; get to know them and study their body language, then talk about those things with them. That was, uh, interesting and a little weird...But, a good weird. It made me realize how I need to be when it comes to interviewing and made me more aware of how I act in new situations. Then again, it's always weird when you know you're being watched..I tend to freak out more. Definitely an experience! 

I also keep realizing how grateful I am for right now. I just keep taking deep breaths and remember to be thankful for the people that are in my life at this moment, not the ones that aren't. Right now, I'm learning. I don't know everything, and I'm not going to even try to pretend anymore that I do. I think that takes some of the pressure off. And I'm trying to remember to not procrastinate. It seriously does nothing but freak me out, and that's just good for NO ONE. Also, I need to get rid of distractions... :0

Oh, you know...Just talking to my Twitter besties! ;)

This was such a nice surprise! 

See why I need to move to Nashville SOON?!

Just four more weeks, and I am trying to keep the faith alive to keep pushing on. I'm so excited about this 4 day weekend I have this week for a mini vacation to get finish this quarter off with a bang. I'm so glad I get to spend the next few days with some pretty awesome people that mean a lot to me, too. Should be a freakin' blast! 

Well, I am so tired and I hope this isn't too frazzled or a bunch of rambles....

Song of the Day:

Chuggin' Along--Luke Bryan

That's all for now,

Shelby :)

{There's always gonna be another mountain, I'm always gonna wanna make it move...}

I guess there are always going to be people and roadblocks standing in the way between you and your dreams. It's not your job to fix them or to even make them see things the way you or to even remove them from your life completely. Those things are going to help you, whether it's gaining perspective, learning to speak up or figuring out what YOU can do to make the situation better. It's your job to figure out how you can still get to the finish line despite those who might not see your vision and the plans that you might have. It's in your heart for a reason. So, trust your instinct and pray with everything in you that it works out. If not, just keep trying to find a way until you find something that works out.

With the classes I've been taking involving communications (which is all of them), I've been learning a lot about people and the way they work. But, more importantly, I've been learning about how I need to take action and how I can respond to those things. I have been given a voice to speak up about the things that are important to me, whether it's in class or whether it's working on stories for the newspaper. I want to tell the truth and I want to focus on things that are important to me, where I know other people can relate, whether it's with music, TV, or the bigger things in life, like, not giving up when you feel like you have every reason to just throw in the towel or when you're lonely, because friends always seem to forget about you.

I just want to say you are NOT alone and that's one thing that I want to help people with. I've had moments of loneliness, but you can't let those things hold you down for long. Give yourself a few minutes to acknowledge it, listen to Katy Perry's "Roar", and get back on your feet as soon as possible, because there is too much to be done! A lot of little moments from feeling overwhelmed with what classes to take, changes at the paper, and so much homework has made me that more focused on what I want to say and what I want my place to be. Challenges can only make you stronger, right?

Alright, I'll get off my pedestal now and let you all carry on with your day.

That is all,
Shelby :)

Song of the day lyrics: 
The Climb-Miley Cyrus 

{You wanna give up cause it's dark, we're really not that far apart}

I think it's healthy to freak out and to have a slight mental breakdown from time. It's okay to not know exactly where you're going to end up, even if you have your dreams and plans It's okay to not know what step to take next. I think days of feeling lost can actually be that push you need to ultimately snap you back into the game and getting back to your passion.

Yesterday, I had a meeting with my adviser, after a bit of a frustrating afternoon. I was already feeling..Not overwhelmed, but already feeling a ton of things piling up that I wanted to say something about. I was feeling like I had no idea what classes I even needed to take or if I'm on the right track, but really I think it was just me starting to second guess myself for the sake of it. I came out of my appointment, walking on campus in a fog, not really seeing much of anything. It was like an out of body experience.

But, then a recent Taylor Swift quote popped into my head,

 "I've questioned everything about myself, every step of the way. 

You have to have the same amount of fear and self-doubt as you do hope and blind optimism."

 //

it reminded me that you have to have those moments of doubt, because without it, I don't think you can appreciate the success when it comes, because it just naturally happened. If you get everything you wished for, do you cherish it as much or do you take it for granted? I think we all end up doing the latter.

Well, life doesn't work that way. You have to start at the bottom, if you want to get to the top. That's something that our culture or maybe just our generation has a hard time wrapping their minds around, but it's the truth. Life isn't fair. Sometimes, you're going to work your butt off and some people are only going to do the bare minimum and know the right person who will open the door to everything for them. But, hang in there.

I just have to believe that God always gets us to where we need to be as long as we're doing our part, working hard and trusting His bigger plan. Everything happens for a reason and you will ALWAYS end up where you're supposed to be.

That's all for now,
Shelby :)


Song of the day (also quoted title):
Compass-Lady Antebellum

"If I could change the world..."

Eric Clapton "Change The World" ReImagining Grammy series

So, the Grammy organization is doing this new "ReImagine" web series on YouTube. It's where artists reinvent or cover versions of other songs, with hopes that it will connect the Grammy past with the present. Well, Chris Young is the first country artist to try it out and completely blew his rendition of Eric Clapton's "Change The World" out of the water. 

I've never really been a huge fan of the song, but the way Chris changes up the progression of the song just a bit, really made me hear it for the beautiful love song that it was intended to be. His voice reaches new heights as he goes into his falsetto in the chorus. It kind of makes you want to melt into a pile of mush, ladies! If you haven't watched this video, you should get on that, uh, RIGHT NOW!

If I remember correctly, he also has some sort of technical training with classical music, too, and that shows with some of the well thought out notes and chords. It will never stop driving me crazy over the fact that he never gets nominated! He has one of the best voices out there (definitely my favorite male vocalist) and is consistent with hits. Maybe A.M will finally get him the recognition he truly deserves! 

Like this video, watch the heck out of it and share it with your friends :)

That's all lovelies,

Shelby 

Taking life one day at a time...

Life has been keeping me extremely busy lately. There's school, trips, keeping up with my favorite shows, friends and working as a staff writer for Pop Wrapped and the schoool newspaper. There have been many moments of doubt, lack of confidence in myself and I've been extremely frustrated with still getting into a groove. Plus, let's not forget claiming a minor and figuring out which department is the right one to talk to, depending on the situation. I've been driving myself crazy, but I'm trying to give up having that control, because God already has everything planned out. I just need to do what I need to right now and let the rest of the story write itself, rather than trying to get so far ahead that I just get paralyzed with fear.

The Beach//

A couple weekends ago, my parents and I went to the beach with my aunt, uncle, cousin and some family friends. It was an absolute blast! I've been feeling so overwhelmed and my mind has been so focused on the media, writing and so many ideas swirling around in my mind. Needless to say, it was good to unplug for a little bit. I forgot all about everything else, at least for awhile.

We sat around the campfire at my aunt and uncle's campsite, we had lunch with our family friends, we visited a pumpkin patch at the Avila Barn and picked up some treats, and just visited with one another, which was my favorite part. I did not want to come home at all, especially because the weather was so perfect. As soon as we came home, I was REALLY sick all night and a little under the weather the next morning. I think stress and exhaustion caught up with me, but you just keep going.

High School Homecoming Game//

Friday Night Lights...

Last Friday night, I went to my old high school's homecoming. That always brings such a broad range of emotions for me; happy that I'm seeing what's outside of those four walls, sad that I'm suddenly an adult and things are changing, and just recalling who I was from 14-18 years old. I felt incredibly sentimental watching all of the younger kids, most that I had no idea who they were, as they wonder who they want to be; meeting up with friends and trying to make the most of the next four years. I met up with my best friend, Marissa, and we ended up hanging out with a couple other friends. 

We also had a really nice chat with our former Bible teacher, which I found really insightful. We talked about how strange it feels to be back, but it still feels like no time has passed. And we talked about how different your life usually turns out to be than when you're in high school daydreaming for the future. I told everyone how I thought I'd be in Nashville, singing at The Grand Ole Opry by now, but that definitely hasn't happened yet. My former teacher asked us what we were all up to, and then it came to me. But, he started to guess before I told him, "You're gonna be a singer.." I was like, "No, I'm a journalism major..The second best thing. That way, I still get to talk to all the stars and don't have to deal with the crazies." He agreed and thought that fit, then he joked about how I'm always posting about who I've met, "Oh, here's me and Dolly Parton," and he posed cheesily like pretending to be me. I laughed and told him I wish I had met Dolly, but he usually asks me who I've seen or met since the last time we talked! HA! 

It was just really good knowing that I'm not alone, and being 21/22 years old is totally fine to not be exactly where you're supposed to be just yet. We're all going to get there in time. I definitely appreciate high school so much more now, and I'm hoping that knowing what I know now...I can take the time to appreciate college while it's happening, instead of waiting until after I graduate to look back at how good I had it. All in all, I had a really good time and I'm so glad I continue to go every year...I think it always reminds me of where I come from! :)

  
Tehachapi//

Last Saturday, my parents and I went with my aunt up to Tehachapi (a small town about 45 minutes from where we live) for the apple festival event that was going on. Last year, my parents and I had just missed the apple season, so we thought we'd try it this year...And we just barely made it in time to get apples this time around.

We walked along the main street, which was charming and quaint, and the air was cooler. It's a magical little town, especially during the colder months, so I always enjoy exploring the shops and being curious about the people around. Then, after checking out the booths on the main street and some of the exciting things they had set up, we tried to find an apple shed that was actually open and eventually found a cute little one on the outskirts of town. We found the right apples to make an apple pie and took some pictures of the gorgeous trees turning from green to those rich orange(y) colors that I love so much!
We stopped at McDonald's for McFlurry's, then made the journey home!
My dad and I went to the movies later on that night to see Gravity, because I was writing a review of it for my school's newspaper! It's a really great movie...A bit intense and my heart was pounding a good portion of the time, but I think everything about it was just brilliant.

Other random things that have happened the past couple weeks:

The Cory tribute on Glee, where we all bawled our eyes out... :*(

Got my "Pioneer" necklace (designed by The Band Perry) in the mail!!!

Hanging out at school...

THE DODGERS ARE IN THE PLAYOFFS!!!! AHHHH!

Sandra Bullock is just one of THE coolest people! I LOVE HER!

Upcoming

• Midterms (TOMORROW...AHHH!)
• Working as a staff writer on The Runner (my school's newspaper)
• Working as a staff writer on Pop Wrapped
• Plenty of homework...
• Meet with counselor/sign up for winter classes
• Claim minor...Oh, and I have to make sure I do this BEFORE I sign up for classes
• Friend's engagement party
• Vince Gill concert
• Disneyland with one of my best friends to celebrate her 21st birthday that was earlier in the month.

That's all coming up this month, so like I said...I'm keeping busy...All while trying to keep in that creative zone; working on editing videos, keeping up with the blog, and whatever story ideas come up. Not going to lie, it's a little tough, and sometimes I just feel like I have no idea what I'm doing or whether I'm on the right track, but I don't have anywhere that I HAVE to be just yet, so things are good, life is good. I'm enjoying the ride.

That's all for now,
Shelby

"I've apparently become the victim of growing up, which apparently happens to all of us at one point or another. It's been going on for quite some time now, without me knowing it. I've found that growing up can mean a lot of things. For me, it doesn't mean I should become somebody completely new and stop loving the things I used to love. It means I've just added more things to my list."

 *Taylor Swift*

21...Young and free!