Simply Shelby

In a world full of black & white I've learned to be a different color. Some days I am grey, some days I am yellow, some days blue, so on. Finding that "happy medium" isn't as easy as it looks. This was a record week in my life. I am learning to adjust to CONTACTS! After stabbing myself in the eye for a great amount of time I can see without my glasses! This should help improve my sight which is needed. I also am now EMPLOYED! I will be working at McAllisters Deli. It's the most darling little sandwich shop. It's a friendly, clean enviroment which will be nice. I am looking forward to this new chapter in my life. Today was CHRISTMAS! It's a day that millions of bright-eyed children look forward to the entire year. To some it's a reminder to remember Christ. To some it's a day to be with family. To some it's a day to receive and give gifts. To some it's nothing more than another day. To me Christmas is much more than the wrapping paper t...

Hey you(: It's been almost a year since I addressed you for the first time. I hope you're doing well, and I hope you're happy. It's funny to think that maybe I've met you, or maybe you're out there waiting to be found. I'm learning to not look for you, but to be the best person I can be so that one day when we meet or meet again, I will be ready. I want the kind of relationship that is anything imperfectly perfect. I listen to amazing songs about love and I think of the day that every single one will be about you. They'll be all about us. I'm still young, and I'm still growing. I want you to know that whoever you are, wherever you are, I think about you often. On all those bay days that nothing seems to be going right it's comforting to know that one day I'll have you to hold and to hug forever. "You're my air when I feel I can't breathe, catching me when I'm trippin ' over my feet. We'll get through this togethe...

I, as a 17 year old teenager, desire to feel beautiful. I wondered about this today as I attended church and as I drove home. What is beauty? When was the last time I felt beautiful? What defines what makes a girl beautiful? One definition I found online of the word beautiful was: Having qualities that delight the senses, especially the sense of sight. I wanted to investigate. I asked about 10 of my closest girl friends, "When was the last time you felt beautiful?" I received answers such as these: "Friday" "Graduation" "Prom" "I can't remember, maybe prom." "I'm not sure." "When I was with____(her last boyfriend)." "Today! _____(name) makes me feel beautiful all the time." "To be honest I don't think about when I look beautiful. When someone tells me it surprises me." "Forever ago" Then I went on to ask those same girls, "What defines what makes a girl beautiful?"...

A-Apples have been my favorite this week! B-Birthdays. Happy Birthday Dad C- Caris &Cal. What's not to love? D-Dylan who is currently complaining about homework. E-Elephants(no comment) F-FRIENDS I happen to have the greatest. G-God H-Home is where the heart is. I-Ice Cream-Chocolate Chunk with mint tonight. J-Journalism is my favoriteeeeee class. K-Kindness L-Logan, oh how I miss you! M-My Mother who is beautiful & gorgeous. N- November reminds me to be thankful. O-Oceans=love P-Piano. Q-Quarterbacks, I love football season! R-Rainy days S-Summer days, lazy nights T-Time. U-Utah-my home away from home V-Vacations. W-Water. Oh how I love my baths. X- umm ... Y-Yellow is such a happy color. Z-Zebra print anything. Remember to always be THANKFUL!

Alright, It's about time I let the whole world know about my foot saga. Telling someone you have a wart on the bottom of your foot isn't one of the most attractive things I'd like to tell anyone about. The story begins at the beginning of summer around June, I suppose. I started having pain on my left foot on the part right below the toes(I can't think of the proper name). It looked like maybe a sliver of some sort had infested my foot. I tried to get it out with a needle which didn't work and resorted to almost passing out with my grandma laughing at me all along the way. I let it be and when school started again I started telling people about the pain. Someone told me it could possibly be a planters wart. I googled it and found out that is what it was. GREAAAAATTT . I treated it with medicine, no luck. I then froze it off, no luck. I gave up. I had mom call the doctor. So Friday my lovely mother took me to the doctor. After crying, a shot in my foot, and the docto...

Okay, I know you enjoyed my title. I stole it from Grease and switched the words. Woohoooo ! Anyways, back to my Thursday. I won't tell you about school, though it was quite exciting day. We made edible protozoans in Zoology. I also got a bag of very yummy candy which I had consumed within the remainder of the day. This reminds me I should probably brush my teeth 10 times tonight. When I got home I took my normal nap, woke up and the family was home. We had fish for dinner and then the fun began. I offered to make cupcakes for a Halloween party I'll be attending tomorrow night. I wanted them to be AMAZING. I had it all planned out. Then I go to get the paper liners for the cupcake batter to be put in and found 95% of them flattened. These were the good ones: And then these were the bad ones: So I baked them, and hated the ugly ones. I turned to mini cupcakes so now tomorrow night at the party I will have about 6 good large ones, and about 30 small ones. Lovely. So much for want...

Today, I found out a young girl of just 17 and her mother were killed in a car accident on the way back from a wedding. This girl I've known since I was kid. We weren't very close, and sadly I can't remember the last time I talked to her. I do know that she was one of the most kind people I have ever met in my life. I know her mother was always so nice and heartfelt when I saw her. I can't believe such a tragic thing could happen to people so good. I know this will be a hard thing for my whole class and school to deal with. It surely puts life into perspective when things such as this happen. I know we will be sad and hurt for a while but it's time to live. I don't mean like you do every day. I mean really live. Take moments to count your blessings and take the time to thank God for your being here on this earth. Pray often, laugh long, and learn from your mistakes. This is for you Ashley. Thank you for being a girl many of us strive to be like. You were someone...

Oh goodness how time flyyyyyys by. Today started my last homecoming week and I am quite sad. As my friends and I prepared for the dress days this past weekend I couldn't help but think what a crazy ride these last 3 years have been. I have changed so much and I have learned so much about myself. I put on my toga this morning and I couldn't help but smile. My last week of dressing up crazy. My last week of counting endless napkins for the napkin contest. My last week of Nerd Day and the infamous theme day. My last week as a senior during homecoming. Oh how I'll miss the crying girls who are beyond stressed (but beyond thankful I am not one of them this year). I'll miss the laughter of seeing everyone all dressed. I am sitting here preparing for Nerd Day. It's kind of like preparing for my last days as a kid..

Today as I was referred to as a teacher by an underclassmen I realized how fast my life is flying by. It's like one day I was learning to tie my shoes and then all the sudden I'm almost a legal adult. I admit, I have not been the happiest camper lately, and honestly I have no good reason why. I found myself getting lost in the negative when I should have just looked around and seen the beauty in the world around me. I know I was put on this earth for a purpose. God knows what he's doing. I may not know how to solve a pre -calculus problem, I may not be good at any sport, I may not have the greatest eyes or the best body, but I am content with the way I am. I have a true heart and a sincere love for all the people I meet. I can make you laugh, even if I'm not feeling great. I can sing the "If you chance to meet a frown, do not let it stay. Quickly turn it upside down and smile that frown away. No one likes a frowny face, change it for a smile. Make the world a bet...

There will be times in your life where you feel beaten, hurt, confused, broken. You will have said things you wish you wouldn't have said, you'll have done things you wish you hadn't done, you have wished you could turn back time and somehow make things better. You will meet people in your life that these instances occur with, and you'll feel more lost than anything else in the world. I tend to beat myself up over things that "could have been," "might have been" and things that "should have been." I ask myself why, and I never get a right answer. The truth is if you start asking yourself why, you'll make yourself crazy. I've been there, I am there, and I think you might be somewhere in there too. I don't know where I'll be next week. I don't know the type of people that I'll have met and what we've done, but I will remember the person. Each person has the mere ability to impact my life(or even yours). I am blesse...

Have you ever heard of postsecrets ? It's this blog where people mail their secrets on the back of a postcard to the people that run the blog. Some are very amazing, some are a little "not needed." Overall, the whole idea is brilliant. Our yearbook is being based around this concept & I love it. This was one of my favorites. What's your secret? I try to remember feelings I get sometimes. It makes life seem so much more realistic, so much more meaningful. I think the world is such a beautiful place full of ugly things. Why corrupt the minds of the youth who will one day be our leaders? Life is so full of madness I'm not sure anyone feels safe anymore. They can spend hours worrying about things that are going to happen anyway. The world would be so much happier if people would learn to count the blessings they have. Wouldn't they feel less scared? Less worried? I'm no master of politics, I'm no master of life. I'm a simple girl who just wants t...

When given the question "What inspires me," my mind started racing because in this mess of the world I find inspiration in the most simple things. It's the simplicity of holding a brand new baby girl. It's the feeling I feel when I'm wearing a adorable outfit or a new pair of shoes. It's dancing in the rain just to make life seem just a little bit better, for even a moment. It's the one song that comes on the radio or from your iPod that makes you just want to dance. It's the song that captures the deepest feelings in your heart. I can't imagine a day without laughter and I surely cannot think of anything more inspiring that a warm smile from someone you love. It's the way my heart races every day on the way to the mailbox to see if there is a letter in there for me. I just love each moment I am blessed with. MY first day of being a senior was one I would like to forget. It was foggy at the senior breakfast which made my hair a big fluffy MESS...

I think back to a time when I was living on 20 dollars a week. It was before I started driving and I thought I had the world wrapped around my finger, heck, I was like 15. Then I started driving which meant FREEDOM..kinda. My fun was based on a 11 O'Clock cerfew , and I was NEVER late. I still had hard days but I was young and had no since of reality.. I find a small job to get me through the summer by cleaning and organizing the house of a lovely woman who happened to have a lot of stuff. My money has now turned into actual money that has to be kept in the bank. I spend the remainder of the summer filling out job applications. Over the years I've developed a dream to attend BYU my Junior year of college. One day I wake up and it's like BAM right in my face. I have grown up over the course of a summer. My dreams of attending BYU are EXPENSIVE and unless I want to be paying off college loans the rest of my life I need to find steady money and quick. Of course my parents ...

Summer is coming to an end more quickly than I'd like it to. As I look back I realize this summer, along with most of my summers, I have grown in more ways than one. Here are just a few: 1. At the bottom of the mountain the journey to the top does not look like a challenge. During the journey to the top you find muscles that you never knew you had. At the top the journey was worth all the work it took to get to the top. The view is worth every step and the sense of accomplishment is pretty great, too. 2. Family is forever. Such a lovely time I had spending almost a month with some amazing family. I spent some quality time with my grandparents, cousins, aunts, and uncles. 3. Friends are a blessing. I love my church friends and my school friends all the same. Each brings such a joy to my life and I know I can always count on them for laughter and comfort. 4. Going to lunch with a friend makes my day. It is so nice to go to lunch with a friend and just TALK! I am a girl and boy do I...

Oh how I loveeeee my Utah summer trips. They are filled with adventure, laughter, family, tears, hurt, comfort, and most of all it's full of LIFE. It's my home away from home. I love the quiet days with sunny afternoons. I love the ability to read a good book outside without getting sticky from the humidity. I love my cousins sense of hope. We are three girls who are struggling in our own ways and when we're together it's like a puzzle who has reached it's potential. I love my Rachel's STRENGTH, I love my Carly's HOPE. I love my grandparents and their simple life. I love this place, but I do miss home. Florida has half of my heart, and it most likely always will. My mother needs me, and quite frankly I need her. This is my time to take time for ME, and to understand myself in ways I can't back home. (:

Ahhhhhh and do I have the PREFECT story for you. This post is not about me, my hilarious mishaps, my thoughts about life, but yet it still is a story. Most people know I love them but if you don't I most likely do. That's just how I am. There are a few people I would like to know that they have impacted my life. Somehow all my words aren't coming out like I wished they would. These are not all the people that have impacted my life, just the few I wanted to talk about today (: 1. Rachel Mower- my cousin. Rachel Mower, my beautiful cousin of the age 18. She's sweet, loving, kindhearted, but mostly STRONG. My Rachel has Crohns Disease. This is a disease she has to fight with every single day. Life gets hard for her a lot. When you're sick a lot it's hard to stay positive. Rachel lives each day with her whole heart, and fights this disease with all she has. I love her. 2. Carly Parr- my cousin Carly Parr is my other beautiful cousin of 17. She is hi...

It's 11:40 at night, and I can't seem to fall asleep. I hate the nights where you just lay in bed and your mind just won't quit. Sleep is a natural occurrence for me and without it I can tend to be a tad bit emotional. I was laying down thinking of what it'll be like to be a mother. I know this sounds insane to you, but to me it's normal. I have been blessed with amazing women in my life. From my strong-willed mother, my two fantastic grandmothers, numerous church leaders, and my beautiful cousins, I consider myself lucky. Some don't appreciate the blessing it is to be a woman. I know the cramps are icky and the cleaning is awful, but we are blessed. Each woman in my life has taught me that being a woman is more than just the typical. It's EVERYTHING else! It's the way a grandmothers eyes light up when they see a grandchild who has strayed away walk through the doors of church on a Sunday morning. It's the way a mother knows when something is wron...

I am not your typical teenager. On the weekends, I do not party, I do not drink, and I do not do things that I would regret in the morning. Okay, I know I'm being stereotypical, and I'm sorry if I've offended anyone who does those kinds of things and enjoys it. Nights like the night I've had tonight, make me feel so glad to be ALIVE . My friends and I, spent the evening eating dinner thanks to the Mathis Parents, sticky-noting a dear friends car while he was at work, getting ice cream, listening to music with the windows down, and being well, teenagers. The humidity of Florida, and the spontaneous rain made this evening full of wet flip-flops, and messy hair. I could have been doing things my parents would have not approved of, and so could my friends, but we enjoy the fact that we can be young, while still making our parents proud. I love my friends, and I love the weekend nights I get to spend with them. They make me feel ALIVE and for that, I am SO grateful.

It has been forever since my mind has stopped moving 10 million miles a hour. I have not even had the time to think about blogging! The end of the school year always seems to be like this, and boy do I hate it. Prom was absolutely amazing. I had the greatest time, and with all the planning, it looked amazing too. I have never been more excited to get something over with! Now that it is over, I have had my Student Government Cabinet interview for next year. You are now looking at the new Secretary of Operations. I love starting a new project, and I think this will be my favorite yet. I love all my SGA family, they are the greatest people I know. 10 school days yet and Shelby will be a SENIOR!! Can you imagine my excitement?! I am almost done with High School, and it has FLOWN by. I will not miss it one bit. I can say that now, but I probably won't mean it next year. (: I am off to church! Love you all.

What keeps us all ticking? Okay, not like ticking as in a clock, ticking as in what keeps us going. So everyone has those days where we wake up to the sound of that dreadful alarm clock and we think to ourselves, "Today is going to be a bad day." Yet, despite the fact that we know the day is going to be bad we buck up, get dressed, and get on with life. I have to wonder why we always continue to keep going, even though the going looks rough. Some I believe, look to love as a reason to be strong. I am one of those people. Even though I'm only 17 and SO not looking for a husband yet, I look for the idea of love to keep me strong in those times of weakness. We all have met those mean and hurtful boys/girls who seem to break our hearts, but we still love the idea of love. Next, I believe people look to the future as a sign to be strong. If you give up now, how are you going to have a prosperous future? Hmm..let's think about this for a second.. YOU'RE NOT! Everyone ...

Some days are easier than others. This is how it has always been since the day I was born, and this is how it will be until the day I take my last breath. I will spend countless hours lost in a world where people love to hate more than they love to love. I don't understand how things change so quickly, nor will I ever. There is a hope burning deep inside my heart, a hope that keeps me hanging on to the things that I have faith in. My love for our Savior seems to consume me like a burning building. All it takes is one flame, and my heart loves him more and more. What a honorable man Jesus Christ was. He was a man of selfless charity, a faith in all people, and had a love for those who even turned their heads away from him. He is a person we all should strive to be like. A person who is meek, humble, giving, hopeful, selfless, and kind. I could go on all day talking about this great man who is the key to so many different faiths. Striving to live our lives in a way that Christ would ...

What is a leader? Is it just the ability to lead, or is there more? I have asked myself this question a lot lately, and then I have asked myself if I have been the leader I should, and could be? Does one single person have the ability to change the world? I think YES! I attended FASC this past weekend(google it if you don't know what that it is). In a nutshell, it was a leadership conference I went to with 20 other students from my High School. This trip taught me a lot about being a leader, and that I can change the world. Growing as a SGA was my favorite part about the entire weekend. We had a few challenging times, but like great people we over came the trials. We have started a bond that is going to be so helpful for the rest of the year, and hopefully for next year. A person who strives to be the best person that they can is a winner in my eyes. I love all my SGA friends. They make me want to be a better person, and I love them all. (:

So, Have you ever met someone who just gives new meaning to a word? I have. My friend Jenna has shown me, and many other people the true meaning of being a friend. As you can tell in the picture, we are in the hospital. Jenna's best friend Tanya had a ruptured appendix and bowel. She's been having complications, making her be in the hospital for a lot longer than expected. Tanya and Jenna were supposed to go to their senior prom together last night. Because Tanya is still in the hospital, that night couldn't be possible. Jenna, planned a night Tanya, nor myself, will ever forget. She asked a few friends from church to help her surprise Tanya with a Hospital Prom. At 8 O' Clock, we met in the lobby and went up to Tanya's room, and surprised her with a prom. A lovely mother made Tanya a hospital gown prom dress, and she looked amazing, even though the dress was not the original one she had picked out for prom. Walking into the room, and seeing Tanya's face light...

I come writing this post, with nothing on my agenda. I have nothing, or no topic which I want to write about today. Normally I could talk about life, or love, or what it means to be happy, but tonight, I write, whatever comes to my head. As a kid growing up I longed for a life where everything was simple, and nothing was complicated. As I grow older, I am realizing that words like "simple" just don't exist. Each day, every single person on the earth is faced with something that could cause them to shake every belief, every hope, and every dream they had. I don't know every single person on this earth, nor will I ever. I always try to look for the best in people, even if it's the hardest thing I' ve ever done. I trust people, too easily sometimes. I want to treat people the way I want to be treated in return. Some may call me a dreamer, and I know I think way to much, but how can any person sit and watch the sun go down, and not be a dreamer? The other day, I ...

17 years ago, I was born. April 4, 1993. It was a rainy day, so i'm told, and I was 6 pounds something ounces. I was born to a mother, a father, and a older brother. I grew up fast, but I physically stopped growing height-wise in the 8th grade. Ever since i've been 5'2, shoe size of 7, ring size of 7, and a weight of my own knowing. In 17 years I've been blessed with a younger brother. In 17 years I have had numerous colds, have been numerously cold, and have sweated in the heat of Florida during the summer. In 17 years I have learned many lessons. I love lost friends, I have gained friends. In 17 years I have learned what it really means to be a friend, and what it means to have a friend. In 17 years I have loved many people whom I have met, and I have been hurt by those that mean the most to me. In 17 years I have attended school, started college, and spend many hours studying things that I cannot remember today. In 17 more years I'll be 34. In 17 more years I...

I know what you are thinking. Shelby is going nuts putting Jesus and Emerson in the same blog post. I may be crazy, but I have two quotes from two fantastic people who both have made my life a bit more thoughtful. First one is Joshua 1:9 found in the Old Testament of the Holy Bible. Jesus was speaking to Joshua and he said, " Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee wheresoever thou goest ." In Joshua 1, Christ is constantly reminding Joshua to "Be strong and of a good courage." Just a simple lesson Jesus was teaching Joshua, and was teaching all of us. This past month I have been faced with challenges that have brought me to some times of hardship, and grief. Trials only make you stronger, this is just not something you think about during the hard times. Some very amazing people quoted Joshua 1:9 to me this morning, and it was a brief reminder of no matter how tough trials in our lives are, Jesus ...

Shelby is no rocket scientist. I am your average 16 (almost 17) year old girl, who is average in her knowledge. I never would have imagined that it would have taken so much trouble to print out the NCAA Tourney Bracket. I don't understand why they made it so difficult to find online, first off. I Googled it, with no luck. Then, with a dumb grin on my face I was like, "AH! ESPN will have it, for sure." I go to ESPN .com, and find the bracket quite easily. I was thinking to myself, "Look Shelby, this isn't that hard." So then I go to print it out. File, Print, YES! Ten pages later, I realized that it had not printed in cute little bracket form, but a bunch of odd scores on the right hand side of the TEN pages. Great. I look back on the ESPN page, and very minuscule in the corner it said, "Printable version : PDF , and some other wacky format that I cannot remember." Clicked on it. One page later, there was my tidy little bracket. Who would've t...

It is Sunday night, and I am looking at this upcoming week with eyes full of excitement, and wonder. I wonder what is in store for this simple girl, in this crazy world. Today in church I learned about being a peacemaker in the home. This is one of my many flaws, arguing with my younger brother. As he is reaching his teenage years, I am scared to death because he is finally starting to hold his own. He can fight, and so can I. Being your typical " Forsyth " we are both so stubborn. I love him to death, and I am working this week on being a peacemaker. Here are some things I have learned this past week. 1. Having a heart-to-heart conversation with Cal, my older brother, was much easier than I thought it could be. Okay, we were texting , But HEY it's a start. I feel like the older we both get, the more we are starting to need eachother . I enjoyed actually taking to him, and it made me wish we talked more., because it was so easy. 2. I CAN live without Diet Coke. I have bee...

Today, has been mighty exciting, if I say so myself. I thought today was going to be a easygoing day off from school, but oh how I was fooled. My lovely officers and myself had a meeting at Haley's house to finalize decorations for prom. I thought this would be simple, and lasting no time at all. Boy was poor ole Shelby wrong. The meeting started at 12:30, and I did not leave until 4:50. The adventure in this was the putting together of a cardboard city skyline, that was donated for us to use for prom. Our theme deals with the city, and we were thankful for this contribution. It had been used at a party about 3 years ago, and when we started putting together this massive 12' work of art, it took a LOT of time. The pieces were not matching up, and we were beyond frustrated. This task we assumed would take 30 minutes, took us a hour and a half. Oh the joys. Then we had to organize it, that way the day before prom when we are setting up, it will take us no time at all. I am thankf...

I am so blessed. It was such a beautiful Florida Monday, and it is the first Monday I have not hated in a very very long time. I have to say that nothing went wrong today, in fact, everything was simply..normal. I love good days, I think you'd be crazy if you didn't. The weather is amazing. It is chilly in the mornings, and perfect in the afternoons. There is nothing as great as the Florida Sunshine, which I might take advantage of tomorrow by spending some time basking in the rays. I received a letter today from an amazing boy I know named Logan. He is serving a church mission for two years, which means two years of heartfelt letters. His sense of humor shines through each letter, and I can't help but laugh at the things he says. It brings me closer to my new friend, and for this I am thankful. No matter where you are, no matter where you live, there is always someone who is struggling. Take a minute, and pray for these people. Everyone has moments where they need that pr...

Dear Readers, We are all human beings, put on this Earth for a PURPOSE. The most amazing thing about life, is our ability to be who we want to be. You have the ability to say what you want to say, do what you want to do, and live how you want to live. When you are a child, your parents are there to lead you into making right choices in your life. They teach you how to walk, how to tie your shoe, how to hold a spoon (and put food in your mouth), how to love people, how to show compassion towards the fellow man, how to be respectful, manners, they teach you the main things you need to succeed in life. Sometimes in this crazy world, and you all know I think this world is crazy, I believe that we as people, forget how amazingly blessed we are. You may not like the way our country is being run, you may not like the basic rules at school, you may not like seeing stray animals, you may not enjoy the people who turn to hate to make themselves feel better. Here is the funny thing, YOU have the ...

I'm normally not a angry person, nor do I get mad easily. In the midst of all this, I do seem to get disappointed quite often. For all of you people who might be reading this, I'm almost positive that you will relate to the things I'm about to say. People are CRUEL. People these days do not seem to care about anything but themselves. If you've had a bad week, it's almost guaranteed no one will care. I'm sorry for those people who put depressing things as their Facebook statuses, people may pretend to care, but I don't think they do. Okay, so I know this might come across as harsh, and I promise that I am fine, it just blows my mind how silly some people can be. I love my life 80% percent of the time. I'm not perfect, not always happy, not always the best friend or sister I could be, but that's okay because being perfect was not my purpose in life. My purpose in life this week was to remember who is always there. Someone who WILL always be here, for...

This is my beautiful cousin Lindsay. I "took" this picture from one of my aunts friends albums on Facebook . This picture reminds me, and should remind us all, how to be fearless. At a young age, we learn to fear things. Fear is a learned trait, not something we are born with. Each day, we all face something that causes us to want to run. We fear life, and we fear whatever is going on. We may fear a upcoming test, a important decision, losing something, or anything for that matter. Fear can control your life, but only if you let it. Fear can be healthy sometimes, but only in some aspects. I think sometimes fear is the thing that makes us crazy. Do we choose to fear life, or to take it as it comes?

In three days, you can cram for a exam. In three days, you can drive halfway across the United States. In three days, you can get a decent summer tan. In three days, you can have a fight with a friend, and makeup. In three days, you have almost gotten through half of a week. In three days, you can teach your dog a new trick. In three days, you can change a life. In three days, someone can change yours. In two years, you can receive a college diploma. In two years, you can train for, and run a marathon. In two years, you can reach a goal. In two years, you can serve a full time mission. In two years, I'll have graduated from High School. In two years, I'll be finishing up my AA at the community college. In two years, I'll start applying for a University. In two years, I might have a better idea on what I want to do in life. In two years, I'll be making my own money. In two years, my weight will have changed. In two years, life will be different. This week has been crazy...

There is beauty in an endless road, hope in a lifeless flower, and desire in the heart of the beholder. Some say life's a journey, but is it really? Life is a challenge. There are obstacles, mind games, life lines, and even the backup that will be there no matter what. No one can predict tomorrows moments of pure happiness, or someones selfless charity. People may judge your future on how you've behaved in the past, but is that really fair? Everyone has their moments of weakness, moments where the sky seems to be falling down upon them. Do we predict the fall, or see the lesson that will be learned? Everyone, everything, makes mistakes, and those are the start of the challenge of life. Then there are the obstacles that will try to prevent you from the lesson, and mind games are to follow. You will battle between heart and mind to try and distinguish how you want to proceed. After you have made your choice, there comes the life line. It's the voice in your head that tells yo...

I haven't been living very long, but I have lived long enough to know that everything in the end will be alright. I have a strong enough faith to know this. I feel like sometimes Satan is working his way slowly into my life, and I will NOT stand it. There comes a point in everyones life where they reach a place where they have to decide who and what they are going to be. You have agency, therefore you can choose which road you want to go down. Both of the roads have their ups, and their downs. Both may change you for the better, or worse. You may not know which road is right, but I think deep down, you always know. No one is the same. We each have our own individuality which makes no two peoples roads the same. The road that is best for me, may not be the road that is best for you. If you make a mistake, there are ways to get yourself back on that right path. Everything that is meant to be will all work out. If you open your heart to God and let him have full control, everything w...

So Oscar Meyer turned my smile upside-down when I finally discovered how to spell BOLOGNA. Excuse me all you crazy people who decided to make BOLOGNA sound like a country, and not a odd piece of meat. I dislike this creepy meat, if you could even call it that. I randomly decided that today was going to be a good day, and GUESS WHAT!? It was(I know, I fooled you :o)! Mondays normally put me in a terrible mood, but today was different when I discovered that it was actually Tuesday. No I did not change the days of the week, I simply realized that I have no school on Friday thanks to those dear men who fought the battle of Olustee . So instead of celebrating our Presidents by not attending school on Monday, we in good ole Lake City celebrate a battle between people in Blue and Grey outfits. YAY ! It's One Tree Hill time, so enjoy the rest of your Monday, and my Tuesday (:

Well a lot has happened (kind of) since my last post. But that is not what today's post is about! I realized on this lovely Sunday some odd things that just so happen to be my favorite. So here we go. 1. I loved Church this Sunday. The funny thing is, I should always love church on Sundays. Anyone can tell you, no matter what religion, there are just some Sundays that are much more amazing than others. Today, was one of those days. The main meeting was beautiful, and all of my classes seemed to have more meaning to me. I played piano today, and I did well. I get really nervous most of the times I have to play. My legs will be shaking, and my hands will cramp up really bad, but I somehow always manage to make it through. I love going to church, because there I am surrounded by people that I know for a FACT will ALWAYS love me, no matter what. 2. The CrockPot is a fantastic thing. I love coming home on Sundays to that sweet aroma of a nice roast that is almost cooked to perfection. ...

Michael Buble is my all-time feel good music. Whenever life throws me down, this joyful voice lifts the most inner parts of my soul. In simpler terms, I love his music. My favorite of the week is "Haven't met you yet." Mom got me addicted to this song, and I knew it was all over with once I purchased it off iTunes . I now am constantly listening to anything by Michael Buble . Today was a grand day. I love days that just seem to always make me smile. I can't say anything bad happened today, what a blessing! I hope everyone had a great day also. As someone once told me, no matter what, at the end of the day, it's always a good day. You are alive, hopefully healthy, and you are blessed to know the most amazing people ever. Sounds perfect right? Well, it is (:

So I blame me having not much to share with you today on the joyful phrase called WRITERS BLOCK. I am now posting blog number 16, and today just wasn't eventful enough to inspire me. I'm currently fighting a massive cold that is taking a lot out of me. I might have taken to much cold medicine on accident this morning. I believe this for quite a few reasons. 1. I needed gas. So i get moms debit card, drive to the gas station, and realize that I did not grab her debit card, I grabbed her Blockbuster card. Oh heavens. 2. I was quite loopy all day, and tended to talk, A LOT. I am sorry all my dear friends. I shall try to be better tomorrow. 3. I came home from school, and slept FOR THREE HOURS. That is so not common for me to sleep that long. Lets all pray I can sleep tonight. So there are some things you can sit back and giggle about. It's OK, I do not mind being laughed at today.

Today I had a few minutes in one of my classes to just take a break. I decided to be different and actually write down my blog post for today. So here I am, in the middle of Psychology, writing down my thoughts. Have you ever wondered how your life would be if you lived somewhere else? What about if you WERE someone else? My name could be something other than Shelby. My phone number, my address, my parents, my siblings, my friends, would all be so..different. Would life still be simple, or is life never really simple in the first place? So many questions, not many answers. You start off each day with the sound of an alarm. You drive the same way to the same places, once you get there you walk the same way to your destination. You see the same people, the same seats, the same lights, the same dry-erase board. Then, one day you get to that same ordinary place and realize that something is different, something has changed. Does this change scare, or excite you? Everyone has to deal with c...

Dear My "Prince Charming," I know I'm young, currently the sweet age of 16, but I have words for you. I don't know when you'll be entering my life, or if you already have. I don't know your name, your favorite color, your shoe size, or even what kind of hair you have. I do know, that when I find you, you will be everything I need, and everything I don't need. You'll win my heart, but it's not going to be a easy task. I've lived long enough to know that wearing my heart on my sleeve gets me nowhere, therefore, I will not be a easy girl to win over. I would love to hope that you will always love me forever, because forever is a long time, and I'm not the easiest person to be with. I would hope that as the years go on, and our children grow up, that we will still find things we love about each other. After all, that is the key to staying in love. Finding something you love about them each day, that is. I know times won't always be perfec...

Facing up to things in life are sometimes the hardest. Facing up to being rude, to being sad, to being angry, gets harder each time. The older I get, the worse I get at facing up. I run way far away from everything and anything, and that, is a major flaw of mine. Today I stayed home from school, and took a day for myself. This day consisted of sleeping in, cleaning, and laughing my butt of while watching Friends. I went to church tonight, pretty much in my pajamas, and no makeup. We played human Battleship, and I loved every minute of it. On the way home Dylan and I laughed at the fact that manure and perfume do not mix well together(some people had fertilized their fields and it smelled way bad so we tried to cover up the smell with perfume). I feel bad for myself sometimes, but then I am reminded that things could be much worse. My aunt had a link to a blog on her blog, and I opened it, read it, and now I read it everyday. This strong and courageous woman named Stephanie and her husb...

Before all those wonderful things, life was simpler . It was crazy still, but still simpler . Everyday before I could drive myself, mom would drive me home. When we got home I would go to the couch in the front room and sleep until dinner was ready. Those were the start of my napping habit, that I never want to break. Today, when mom and Dylan got home, Dylan crawled up on that same couch, and slept until dinner. It reminded me of when I used to do the same thing. It's crazy to me how much different life is now. From 13 to almost 17 years napping is my best friend, and I love it. (:

I've been trying lately to think of important things I want to blog about. If you know me, you know my mind is never on one subject for long. This causes me to have things I want to blog about, and then forget them. Here are the few things I have remembered. The world is full of magic, you just have to believe in it. Make a wish and place it deep within your heart. Believe in it, hope for it, want it, and maybe one day you'll receive the thing you've been wishing for. Hearts break, hearts heal, and hearts love all around the world. One love, one hope, one faith, one joy, keeps us believing. Torn and shattered, broken and lost, the damage that has been done is now scarred on the most inner place in your heart. Forgiveness in others and in yourself is so hard to do, but even still, easy to believe in. You may reach that day where you start to question your faith and your desire to love. NEVER lose the desire to love, even when it seems impossible . Let your character, spirit...

Goodbye Freezing Cold, Hello Humidity and Rain. Today, the second flood occurred. Florida weather is crazy, and always seems to take my hair by surprise. It rained today, no, it POURED. I did not know that it was supposed to rain today, so I wore a adorable white dress with some cute flats. Our school has hardly any windows(I blame all my issues on this) so needless to say, I had no idea it was raining. Then our principal comes on the intercom and tells us that the weather was bad, and to be careful. I didn't believe him until I walked outside on my way to college. I stepped outside under the shelter, and was soaked within 5 seconds. The rain was not coming down, it was going sideways. Katherine, Haley, and I decided to say "no" to college, and walked back inside. Fate was on our side because when we walked back in, the principal came back on the intercom and said for everyone to stay inside. YAY! So I stayed at the school until about 3:20. I normally get out at one. I di...

I could watch the movie P.S. I love you one billion times and still find something different that I loved about it. To me, it's the most depressing love story ever, but somehow always the love story that I'm in need of. For some, life comes easy. For others(like myself), life always tends to throw me that nasty curve ball that I can never hit. I decided yesterday to just take some time for myself, and to forget the world for awhile. I put up the cell phone, and forced myself not to get on Facebook (as much). During this short few hours, I realized many things about myself, and about my life. So here they are for you! 1. Sometimes everyone needs a break. I hardly ever allow time for myself, because I always feel selfish when I do. Yesterday I realized that it IS okay for me to just have some "Shelby" time every once and a while. 2. Marshmallow Fluff has never tasted as good as it did yesterday. Yes, some of you might find this stuff icky, but I sure do love it in sm...

Today was quite a stunning day in Florida with its calm winds and sunny skys . The air was crisp for the most part, so I would call today a good day in weather terms. I spent most of my day with the mother. She woke me up bright and early due to her jamming out in the kitchen, so i wasn't the happiest person. We went into town, got a few things, hit taco bell, and then headed home. I watched Message In A Bottle while mom baked, and after the movie was over I wished that i hadn't watched it.

Some days I wish I could fly into space, and see the world in a whole new perspective. I wish I could see the Atlantic in all its glory, see all the places I would never get to see in one day, in one small moment. How simple would life be when you could simply look, and know without a doubt that the thing you think you want, is the thing you've needed all along? It would be way to easy. I feel that the laughter and joy I find when I surround myself with good people, is worth all the money in the world. Seeing someones face light up with a smile, reassures me of all the greatness that can be found in life. Divine is the one who lets the heart speak louder than the mind, right? I think so. It's hard to choose between the hope in your heart, and the deductive reasoning of your mind. I guess it depends on the situation, and the thing or person you're dealing with. You are only as happy as you allow yourself to be, and you're only as hopeful, as grateful, as believing, as lo...

What a day. It was very eventful, but mostly stressful. I am so thankful mom comes home tomorrow, because I don't know if I'd last another day. It like one of those days where life is going good, you're all in a great mood, then one bad thing happens. Then another bad thing happens, then another. Needless to say I'm not in the best mood, but am determined to make the rest of my night better. I'm not going to get into all the details, for I don't want to be Downer Shelby. ON THE BRIGHT SIDE! Tomorrow is Friday! I feel like starting Monday, I live for Friday. I have to take each day, one minute at a time or else I lose myself in the chaos. I am off to de-stress myself by doing some Yoga, and then off to my daily bath. (:

Today was a sadly simple day, but wonderful none the less. It seems like now that I'm blogging everyday I find things throughout the day that I want to talk about. Today's topic shall be a few of my favorite things that I noticed I loved about life today. 1. Speaking Shelby-Spanish. Which consists of: lets talk-o about life-o. Great, I know (: 2. Saying that i was going to come home today and do WiiFit , but ended up making brownies that are cooking at this very moment. 3. My little Finn, whom I call Finnegan . He is our family dog, and I only tend to like him on certain days, like today. I went outside and found him jumping up and down. Who could resist his cuteness? Not me. (see picture-this was about a year ago) 4. My "grandma" shoes. Most of you probably know them as Keds , but mine are from Target, therefore they are called my "grandma" shoes. 5. Laughing with my very favorite people at school. Honestly, I think I would be failing without them. As you...

If any of you really know me, you know that I'm a freak when it comes to time. I consider myself late if I'm not at least five minutes early. Well lately I think time has been trying to make me even more crazy than I already am. Today it was my day to drive to college (I car pull with one of my friends) and we both know that I'm a very careful driver and am against going over 5 miles the speed limit. We leave the school late, but luckily we made it in time. After college I went back to school to kill time before I had to pick up Dylan. I wasn't paying attention to the clock, and was almost late again. Lucky for me Dylan's bus was late today, making me not late either. YAY ! Next I'm at home getting ready for the Junior Class Parent meeting that I am in charge of, and I started falling behind on all the things I needed to get done for my meeting. I leave the house really late this time, and because I don't speed, I was late to my own meeting. Once again ...

Last night a very dear friend of mine gave me some advice on how she is always happy, and her words made sense. She said "I never want to be unhappy , so it's like I just make sure I don't ever let myself actually get upset by things that are trivial. If there is a good reason to ever get mad or sad then sure I will, but it is short lived and a rare thing." So all day I have been pondering happiness and it's true meaning. There is no one definition for happiness because different things make different people happy. So how do you remember to be happy, even in times of hardship and trial? There are many answers, but for me, happiness is in the small things: Bubble baths, a good book, clear night with a amazing view of the stars, laughter, friends, family, the list goes on and on. Sometimes people(myself included), tend to forget the good things about life when bad things come around. We are human, and this is normal. I think the true challenge is in being the source...

So usually my Sundays consist of the same things: church, lunch, nap, dinner, and homework. Today was not the same, and it has made me crazy. So to start off my lovely Sunday, we only had church for a hour. Some of you may know why, but for others here is the explaination. While our beautiful building is being built, we go to church in 3 metal buildings. Only one of these has decent insulation. Since Florida has decided to become Antartica, it was quite cold, causing us to only have one hour of church and not three. Lunch was wonderful, and was quite normal considering the rest of my day. After lunch I walk back into the kitchen and find my mother humming a lady gaga song. I never understood her amazingness fully until today. So then comes naptime. Oh how I LOVE naptime on Sundays. So I go lay down and start watching tv, and I couldn't sleep. GREAT. Then finally after about 2 hours I fall asleep, and wake up ten minutes later. Just dandy. I was not a happy person to say the least. ...

Hello Everyone! I thought that this year I would try something new and keep up a blog. This will consist of many things from all my adventures as Junior Class President, exciting things that happen during each day, family times, my general thoughts, and simply everything about ME! So to start off this blogging fun, I will tell you a few things that I learned so far this year: 1. Patience is quite difficult, even more so with my closest friends and family. This is something I need to work on more diligently, and hopefully my success will be easy-coming and simple(even though we all know this will not be). 2. Hide-and-Go Seek still is fun, even for teenagers. I don't care who you are, if you can't enjoy this childish game you are CRAZY! 3. Faith keeps us all alive. Having faith in anything from God to love, makes each day worth living. What is there to hope for when you don't have faith in things? 4. Algebra is not meant for me. I try and I try to understand, but it gets me e...