Independence Day

I remember when I was younger, every holiday was such a big deal, because it meant good food and the family would all be together. That was all that ever mattered to me. I loved having everyone near. But, as the story usually goes, everyone gets older and nothing ever stays the same, no matter how hard we try to hold onto it. They start getting married, start their own lives, move away. And, of course, the inevitable of the older ones passing away. All you have are the memories of childhood : teasing each other, being mad that the other one got something better than you did, your grandparents' stories about your parents growing up, playing with sparklers, opening presents, and basically just sitting with eyes full of wonder and amazement, whatever the occasion was. 

This Independence Day was a bit different than most, although we've had a nice mix over the years. We used to have the family over to our house every year to BBQ, hang out and shoot fireworks off at our house (usually the biggest bundle or the one next to it). One year, we went out to the local baseball game to watch fireworks. Another year, we spent the holiday with Carrie Underwood as she rocked the Stadium of Fire, complete with a fireworks show in Utah. The year before last, we went to a Dodger game, while Billy Ray Cyrus sang "The National Anthem," and there were fireworks at the end (and Charlie Sheen was there). Last year, one of our local colleges hosted a fireworks show, so we went out to eat with our family friends, and I called my best friend at the last minute to hang out with us. It was a blast.

This time around, it was just my parents and I, but still just as fun. 

I slept in until 9:30 or so, got ready, ate breakfast, then off we went. My mom wanted to stop at Stein Mart in Valencia, which was cool. We weren't there for very long, and I got a cool journal out of it. Where's bad?

We ended up just going to LA for the day, not really entirely sure of what the rest of the day would hold or what our plans were. It made it kind of fun, because as a planner, I like to have everything planned out (obviously). But, life isn't always that simple, or shouldn't be. Being spontaneous, and not really knowing where the day is going is kind of fun too. Especially when you don't really need to have everything figured out. So, we ended up going to a museum mom and I had tried to go to last time, but...Long story short, we didn't. It was the Annenberg Space for Photography, which had an incredible exhibit featuring country music. We parked and walked across to the museum, and tried to use the elevator and ended up taking a little detour to a random room that was all white and had a really long hallway. Eventually we ended up where we needed to go. WOO! 

The coolest part about the museum is that it was FREE! WHAT?? There was actually a lot more to see than I had originally thought. There were so many old photographs of the greats like, Patsy Cline, Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, and even our own local guy, Buck Owens. There were also more recent pictures of Kacey Musgraves, Keith Urban, Brad Paisley and a few others. There was even a 45 minute documentary about photography and getting that perfect shot. The journalist in me was fascinated by the storytelling aspect of it all. Photographers talked about their subjects ranging from Lyle Lovett to Taylor Swift, and described how they wanted the picture to perfectly capture the artist and their personality. I'd say they did a pretty fantastic job. It had me thinking about how I want to be able to tell a musician's story through my own words, but to make sure that it sounds like them and something that will share who they are with the world in the most accurate way I know how. Pictures are all about getting that perfect moment...And telling the story of how that happened. I walked out of there feeling incredibly inspired. 

When we finished at the museum, we were all starting to get hungry. We drove around awhile, trying to find a new place to try that we'd never been to. We ended up in Marina Del Ray for a bit, but didn't see much around to eat, so we kept going. I'm not even totally sure where we were exactly, but we saw a shopping center from the freeway that had a Tony Roma's, so we decided to go there. I had the shrimp scampi pasta, which was pretty tasty. I just haven't been eating that much, so it felt like it didn't go anywhere. Plus, there was bread and salad on top of that. While we waited, mom even started giving us the U.S citizen test...We were doing great...But, then we found out there were about 50 questions or so, and decided that we probably knew most of them anyway! HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA. We were SO full after we left. 

When we finished eating, we headed into Long Beach, which is gorgeous by the way; drove by the Queen Mary and some of the cargo ships that were around, then tried to find a spot to watch the fireworks, because we were afraid it would start getting busier. We found a cheap parking lot not too far away from where we were going, then tried to figure out where we were going. LOL. We walked around for a bit, and I just love the area. There were people walking around, shops, restaurants, and the summer sun was shining. We found a restroom in the convention center/aquarium, then we were pretty much asked to leave by security, so that was exciting (JK).

We found a cute little park near the marina/docking area for the boats, and figured it would be close enough to see the fireworks from the Queen Mary. There were adorable little bridges that looked like something out of Enchanted by a lake that would be in a Nicholas Sparks novel. Needless to say, I was getting a lot of ideas and daydreams out of that. What can I say? I'm a hopeless romantic, and to me, setting is everything. 

This is what I call "The Land of Wishful Thinking." It's in between reality and daydreams.

Also, the Taylor Swift "artsy shot"

"I can't decide if it's a choice/
Getting swept away/
I hear the sound of my own voice/
Asking you to stay/
And all we are is skin and bone/
Trained to get along/
Forever going with the flow/
But, you're friction." ~T.Swift

We found the perfect rock, which is much like I imagined Rory Gilmore's "study tree" to feel like. And we pretty much stayed there for three hours. It was very picturesque, so I was brainstorming ideas for a story I'm writing, and jotting down notes like the nerd that I am, and just chatting with my parents. There was also a couple not too far away from us that were very, uh, "entertained" with one another...We'll just put it that way. I took in the scenery, as well as way too many selfies...and snap chatting my best friend, because why not??

There were a lot of couples around us, and I just started thinking...Is Independence Day like the new Valentine's Day? It looked like there were a lot of people on dates, being all lovey dovey. Guess it's just that summer romance going on. Where's a Shane West or Ryan Gosling when you need him? ;) Haha totally kidding...Kind of. 

When the sun went down and the lights turned on, it was like something out of a movie. Spotlight on the water as children played and couples held each other close. And then there's me, just watching from afar, like the narrator. Because I'm in the time of transition - not a kid anymore, but not quite at that place where I want to settle down. It's kind of nice, actually. Last summer, I probably would have started feeling sorry for myself, that everybody had somebody but me (cue the Hunter Hayes song). This time, I'm actually kind of glad for it. I'm loving the single life. It's way less stress from the sounds of it. 

At nine o'clock, the fireworks finally started. They were a bit lower than we were anticipating, and through the trees, it was a little harder to see, but it was still a lot of fun..Even if they didn't last very long. I loved watching all of the kids running around and playing with their families; it reminded me of youth and innocence. It was also something different, and we don't go to Long Beach very often, so it was a nice change in scenery. 

As soon as the fireworks ended, we made a beeline for the parking lot, because we thought we might hit more traffic. And we did hit a little, but it wasn't too bad. The drive home was amazing, because we could see fireworks from every direction and was perfect as we listened to some of the catchiest summer country tunes. 

Yesterday was just really good for me. I needed to get away. After being so paranoid and losing some sleep the last few days, it was good to get away from it all for a bit. I felt a little more at peace when I came home. And even though I still didn't get to sleep until close to 3, I felt much better about everything. 

That's all for now,
Shelby :)

I'll make it like your birthday every day.

Birthdays are kind of a magical thing. There are presents, usually something sparkly in the room, cards are involved, and it usually gives you a reason to have a party. It’s also the time that you find out who really cares about you. I mean, it’s one day…You probably don’t ask for much the rest of the year, and it’s one time that you just kind of want a little bit of that attention. 

Yesterday was my mom's 50th birthday, and she had her first big party. In all the years that I've been around, we've never done a party for her. Usually we go out of town, go to a concert or it's just a small get together at our house or out to dinner. This time, our family friends wanted to throw a party for her, since she had never done one. I love the process of planning a party. As a daydream, sometimes I think it would be fun to be a party planner or event coordinator of sorts (at least it seems to be in all of those Lifetime or Hallmark movies). I like the little details of putting all of your favorite things together; the flowers, the food, the centerpieces. It's all just really exciting. I had a lot of fun really getting in touch with my artsy side. Over the past couple of months, we've been tossing around ideas, looking on Pinterest for inspiration, going to Hobby Lobby to pick up a few things, and finding some stuff from my mom's childhood in our garage. 

My mom went for the "vintage" feel. So, we had some old pieces that belonged to my grandmas, some new stuff that we bought, and other odds and ends that our family friends loaned to us. 

Waiting to get the day started :)

Friday, we finally started pulling everything together. We picked up the tables, chairs and tablecloths, the flowers, and gathered all of our things to bring to our family friends' house. We didn't realize we had SO much stuff, until we started piling it into our small truck with a giant box full of plates, napkins, my mom's old toys, mason jars, etc. We set up the tables, draped the tablecloths over them and worked on the centerpieces. We set up the candy table and filled the jars with m&m's, Good and Plenty, and several other kinds of my mom's favorites. That was my favorite part. It just looked so pretty! The flowers took the longest to put together, since there's a system to arranging them in the vases, and we aren't exactly florists. Mandy and I ran to the store to get a couple more bunches of baby's breath, since we thought it might break up some of the color, which gave us a chance to talk, too. My mom worked on them the most and I think they came out beautiful in the end. Very summery, bright and cheerful. They also looked amazing in the mason jars...Very southern, if you ask me. We ended up not having enough flowers for the head table, so we all ran to Vons to pick more up, but once we got there, we didn't see anything that was going to work like we hoped it would, but they had an arrangement of Hydrangea's that worked perfectly and was in a turquoise basket, so we got those instead. The florist at the counter was extremely helpful, telling us about some of the flowers and how long she had worked there. I've become very fascinated with all of the flowers and the process of arranging. Like anything else, it's like a puzzle and figuring out what the best combinations are. It's a lot like love, and now I see why so many people get flowers when they're in a relationship. The party setting came together so nicely; charming and pretty. After we were finished getting everything together, we met my dad at Chili's for dinner. Great conversation and good food = perfect Friday night. I also don't get out much, so it was nice to actually have something to do. It was so fun hanging out with Paul, Tammy and Mandy all night too; felt like old times of hanging out with their family. 

Saturday, I was able to sleep in until 11. I couldn't believe I slept that late, but it was SO nice. I've been so paranoid at night, so I'll stay up way later, until I just lose to my eyelids getting heavier. I took my time getting ready and watched The Notebook, since it was on TV and looked on Tumblr, because that's just how exciting I am. Then, we got ready and my mom and I picked up sandwiches for lunch, then brought it home. We ate with my dad, then my dad and I had to run a few errands, and came home so my mom could open her present from me. As soon as that was done, we hurried to get ready - I slipped into a dress, touched up my makeup and hair, then we were good to go. We still had a few errands to run; picked up the cakes, along with the tea from Chic-Fil-A, then off to our friends' house we went. 

Party outfit. 

We finished setting a few things up, but luckily there wasn't much to do. The guys went to pick up the food (and apparently they didn't have our order, but everything worked out in the end), and pretty soon everyone started arriving. It was SO fun to have most of our family and so many good friends there. We laughed, talked, ate dinner, played Bingo (I was the first winner--WOO!), I showed a video I had made for my mom and we ate cake. My mom also opened her presents. I was glad I was able to talk to a couple of our other good friends (and pastor's wife), Lydia, and Lori, about some of the struggles I've been dealing with at school. It's just so tough to work through the different world views and how to approach it. It's good to know that I wasn't alone in that feeling either. We also talked about country music, and how a lot of it is crap these days. I LOVE these big get togethers; having great discussions and just being able to catch up on life. Makes it feel like a real Full House moment, you know?

Around 10 or so, we started packing up the car and tearing down the tables and chairs and saying goodbye to everyone. Our car was PACKED. I had to carry the cake on my lap, while holding the balloon, that was in my face, back. It was such a wonderful evening with our loved ones, and it's good to know that even after all of these years, no matter what life has brought us or how often we're actually able to hang out, that it hasn't changed our relationships with them. It's also great to know, even when you find out that you aren't invited to other get togethers...Though, I should be used to that by now. Oh, well...

So glad that my mom had a wonderful birthday and was celebrated the way she deserves to be every day. 

That's all for now,
Shelby 

Ed Sheeran and Overthinking

It’s a summer evening, and I should be out on the town, I guess, because the night is young. I mean, I’m 22 and that’s the “year of fun,” so I hear. But, I’m not. I’m just chilling on my bed, listening to Ed Sheeran, reading old Taylor Swift blogs and doing a lot of thinking about life, as I so often do during the summer. I’m thinking that a lot of the dreams I have feel so far away, but oh, so close at the same time. That’s a very sweet thing to feel that they are finally within reach. But, how to go about it is another question entirely. There have been a million things in my life that I’ve never dreamed of happening, but they’ve happened. And there have been some things that I’ve strategized, planned and prayed for, and they’ve come at the right moment when God knew I needed it or they just haven’t happened at all. And it would hurt so bad at the time, and I’d wonder why. Why in the world do all of these other people get it, but I don’t? How come they get a boyfriend and I don’t? Why do they get to move to Nashville and I don’t? But, then I’d understand years later why it didn’t happen the way I SO hoped that it would. Now, I trust His timing completely, even though I’d be lying if I said I didn’t get impatient or question my life from time to time. On a lot of these summer evenings, I dream about Nashville. I don’t think “if” is even a question anymore, it’s “when” I’m going to move there. But, now I have so many other concerns that I didn’t have before. I want to work in the industry back there…But, how? I haven’t made any official connections back there, and I didn’t go to school there. How do you work your way in when you’re an outsider? Not everyone has that opportunity. Does that just mean that it won’t happen? Or maybe an unexpected door will open, and I have no reason to stress. But, it’s hard not to. 

I just keep thinking about how excited I am to be graduating VERY soon. But, then I keep hearing about all of my friends’ real life concerns now, and that doesn’t sound so fun. They tell me to live at home and save money for as long as I can and to take advantage of it, because once you’re out, there’s no turning back. I’ve finally accepted that I’m okay with where everything is at, but the thought of going to school again for another year just makes me want to cry. I’m not ready for that again. It’s also hard to enjoy the last moments (or year) of school, when you’re trying to plan for the future as well. It’s like you have to think about school, as you’re still registering for classes and all that other nonsense, but then you also need to start preparing for life outside of it with jobs and networking. Sometimes I wonder if I have what it takes to be an adult. BLAH.

And then I’ve been thinking about relationships a lot more. But, this time about how grateful I am that I’m not IN one and that I don’t want one anytime soon. I’m not saying that I don’t want one someday, because I absolutely do. It’s just that I keep seeing so many people get engaged or married, and I just don’t know if they’re ready. It’s not my place to judge, and I think some people DO know that they’re ready and that they can handle it, but a majority of them just give “young love” a bad name. Most of the time, they just don’t work out and it breaks my heart that they didn't fight for it, or they just weren't a good fit from the beginning and forced it, because they felt desperate. You barely know who you are in your early 20’s. But, I digress. The thing is, I don’t like feeling like I have to answer to people. I don’t like having to make sure that I’ve replied back to someone’s message in a timely manner before they start getting all insecure and questioning whether I still like them or not. I don’t really even like making plans when I don’t have to…Sometimes I really have to psych myself up to go out with friends. And then there’s the whole “people talk” thing. They speculate about your relationship, they suddenly want to ask a million questions and tell you how you should be doing things. And I just wonder, after all of that, is it really worth it? Sometimes I also wonder if it’s that I just get too close to people too fast and I have to get away before anything happens, before I start to NEED them. Because I know too well what it feels like to be rejected and to be the one who was left out. I’d rather be the runaway who doesn’t have to deal with the repercussions. Leaves town and doesn’t look back. 

In other news, I was listening to Ed Sheeran’s album, and because I was like, “okay, how good is it really and why does everyone keep talking about it?” And then I listened to it, and it actually lives up to the hype. He’s so original and different, and has this brilliant way of arranging lyrics and music in general. So many great love songs, which I’m a sucker for and make me stop to think about that “future someone.” It just makes me picture being in a coffeehouse and just having a meet cute with someone new, which blossoms into something very special and wonderful. I’m ALWAYS curious and trying to figure out how I’m going to meet my future love. Apparently, that isn’t something that everyone thinks about. Hmm…I think it’s obvious that I have too much time on my hands. 

Right now, I’m curled up on my bed, with only dim light on, with a blanket over my legs, because it’s chilly. Smokey is chilling next to me; making herself very cozy. And I’m trying to figure out what I should do next? It feels like a music listening kind of night (although, when is it not one of those nights?) Daydreams are still swirling in my mind and I’m just really excited about life right now. It’s a good place to be and it’s a good day to be me. 

That’s all,

xoxo

S

It's crying time again...

It's crying time again... by shelbyn92 featuring a cotton cardigan

Cotton cardigan
vestiairecollective.com

Shirts top
etsy.com

Distressed jean shorts
etsy.com

Wet Seal fold over combat boots
wetseal.com

Deena Ozzy brown shoulder bag
urbanoutfitters.com

ASOS crown hat
asos.com

What time is it? Summertime!

I have officially been on "summer vacation" for the past two weeks, and I have to say it's kind of glorious. I mean, I might not be jetting off to a remote location or sailing the Caribbean seas, but I also don't have any deadlines and I have no one to answer to about anything, other than fun plans. And that's all I could really ask for at this point.

I've been enjoying the break so much, though there have been a few moments when I've been bored out of my mind. However, I've enjoyed sleeping in, hanging out with friends, cleaning my room and watching movies I've never seen before, and getting my own life back on track. During the quarter, I tend to neglect the things that are important to me, and it will be nice to be able to do some of those things again.

There isn't much to report on, but here are a few pictures of my summer so far.

And, of course, I love the idea that summer has been known to throw a few surprises at me sometimes. Even though I like to plan and have all of my ducks in a row, the best things in life tend to come when you weren't expecting them at all. So, you should always be ready.

That's all for now,
Shelby :)

Life in the fast lane

Just throwing it out there, but life has been exhausting lately. The first couple weeks and last couple weeks are a bit lighter and laid back. But, there are a few weeks in between that are just killer and you have to keep working through it.

But, there have still been fun moments : seeing "Blended", starting a few new books, church, group chats on Facebook, listening to music, procrastinating on homework to enjoy myself a little more, etc.

Saturday

Sunday 

Monday=gotta go for comfort. 

I've been writing papers, contacting sources, trying to book interviews for the summer/fall and trying to finish out the last newspaper with a bang, you know? This past week were the last official days of classes, and we did it right. Monday night we had our usual production at the paper, and it was possibly the funnest time we've ever had. Maybe it's because we knew it was our last one, so we were just living it up. But we were laughing, looking at old newspapers from the 90s (so entertaining, let me tell you - Especially the "Friends" recaps or review of "I Know What You Did Last Summer"), chatting about the quarter and taking a moment to look at all we've accomplished over the past 10 weeks. I survived my first quarter as Features Editor! What a ride, let me tell ya…But, I couldn't be happier that I've done it, and for all of the help along the way.

Next quarter, positions are switching around. So, these were the last few moments that we were going to be this particular team. It's weird, but it's exciting. We've all grown so much stronger as individuals, as well as a team and as friends. We continue to get better as a paper, as journalists, and as people in general. I know I've grown into my leadership role much quicker than I ever thought I could, and I thank God for the courage He has given me.

My team.  I heart them. 

I've also been reminiscing on my trips to Nashville and missing it something else, as it was CMA Fest week.  And I'm not there, for the first time in seven years. It's the weirdest thing in the world watching everyone talk about Carrie Underwood's fan club party, the opry, the softball game and other random events that kept taking place. WAHHHH! It was much harder than I thought it would be, but I'm praying that one of these days (very soon) I will be living back there and living the dream. Until then, I get to cherish the moments of the people and experiences that will get me there.

My first trip to the Grand Ole Opry :) This makes my heart so happy.

Wednesday, our last issue of the paper came out, and we had a party in class to celebrate everyone! We all brought a TON of food and hung out. VERY different from a normal class period, where all of us are usually running around like chickens with our heads cut off. It also gave me a chance to talk to some staff writers that I don't always get to. 

Thursday night, we celebrated at the Firehouse sports bar, for our awards banquet. It was fun getting dressed up and actually having somewhere to go. I even tried to play pool, which was THE biggest joke ever. I couldn't even hit the ball. Talk about pathetic, but at least I tried. It was fun to actually bond with the other staff writers and photographers, because we've never had an event like this. It's certainly something we hope to keep going for the future. I also got the "Almost Famous Award" for exemplary work as an entertainment insider. I felt pretty honored…Wonder if I can use this for my resume? lol.

I just have a few more days of school, which is wonderful, but at the same time I feel like I'm already on vacation mode. UGH! It's going to be tough, but I can do. What other option do I have??

This weekend was pretty great, as well. Saturday was pretty laid back. Had lunch with my parents, came home for awhile, then went to the newspaper office to hang out with a couple friends to work on projects that are due this week. I came home, then went out to run errands, had dinner with my parents and drove around town. It's kind of our family's thing to drive around and just listen to music. It might not sound that exciting to others, but I absolutely love it. It gives me a chance to get out and see a little more than just my corner of the world. It makes me appreciate this town so much more, to see the hard work that has gone into it. 

Jake's Taco Salad

Perfect time to watch the sun set!

As for today (Sunday),  I went to church and had brunch with family at Buck Owen's Crystal Palace. It feels like the closest thing to Nashville right now, and I will take it. The food is incredible, and their brunch is one of the best. People from all over the world to visit the famous restaurant, as well as to see the Buckaroos play live on a Saturday night. 

I enjoyed getting to spend time with good friends over breakfast/lunch, as well as enjoying the country atmosphere the Palace provides. 

My food…SO FULL!

Oh, hey, we saw Garth Brooks! 

King George!

"Buck 'Em"..Say what?! LOL.

Buck! :)

The rest of my afternoon will now be spent finishing homework and preparing for the last week of school! WHOA! :D

That's all for now,

Shelby