Happy Birthday, Nash!

Nash turned 12 today! I can't believe how fast she's grown up! I remember going to see her in the hospital the day she was born! I love ya girl! Happy 12th Birthday!

Precious :D

Have you seen this? I didn't until Lindsey showed me on Saturday... I keep thinking about it and have to share. Make sure my music's off so you can hear it. Oh... and I noticed that it doesn't show it all the way on here so if you right click and then push show all it should show you the whole thing (for all of them)... if not you can always watch it on youtube but it's sooo adorable!



How cute is that!? What good parents to teach their child what to do in an emergency like that. And how calm she was! I only hope that when I get married and have children that I can teach my kids how to be like what if an emergency ever came up. Precious huh?

Here's another one... this one is adorable too! I love this commercial!



"HAVE YOU EVER CATCH A MINCED FISH!?" I just love how she says that too! Oh! And people wonder why I love kids soo much! :D

Haha Lindsey... haha! This video reminds me of your wisdom teeth story!



Haha kids are the greatest! There wouldn't be nearly as many laughs and smiles if there were no kids... at least that's what I think. :D

Party at the Cranney's!

So Saturday, because I had work off, my family and Lindsey's family planned a PARTAY at their house! It was fun! Parker and I went and sat with Lindsey at her work until she got off at 5 (we watched yummy Jacob Black and his shirtless werewolf indian friends... MMMMMMM!) and then we went back to her house while the parentals were still at Tai Pan and Quilted Bear and whereever else they went. We played Mario Kart Wii and waited for food to come because we were starving! Then we ate the Red Velvet cake that Deborah made for her birthday and the homemade vanilla ice cream that my mommy made for Deb's birthday :) SOOO good! While we ate cake and ice cream we watched the recording they had of "Dancing with the Stars" (yes... we're addicts hehe)! Then... we played Apples to Apples! One of my favorite games ever!!!.... with Curses shortly behind hehe thanks to my favorite Pike family :)Anyways... I swear that we played for like 4 hours... we ended at like 12:45 in the AM! haha it was great!
Here are some pics... I even got picture of my mommy and she hates pictures! haha! :D





My dad thuggin' it! haha remember, it was almost 1:00 AM so he was pretty tired!


Parker and Deb were picking each other's cards... they claimed it wasn't on purpose hehe. Yeah yeah yeah... they were helping each other out! ;)


Mom and Dad were a team together haha (Mom's not a huge game player but she wanted to help Daddy)


My Uncle Claude :) He's awesome! One of my favorite uncle's!


Parker and my Aunt Deb again... Deb looks like she's trying not to look at the camera but I caught her looking! haha!


One of my favorite pics of me and Lindsey :) Love ya girl!

It was a great weekend! I wish I had every weekend off so that I could PARTAY more like that :)

Exceptional

So you all know that I've been having a hard time lately and it's been kinda pulling me down. I was listening to my Jojo cd yesterday after I got off work and this song came on and I listened to it about 30 times because I needed to hear it. I love this song! It helped me realize that even though I don't think very highly of myself sometimes, it doesn't mean that other people do and it doesn't mean I'm not loved. Here is the music with the lyrics underneath. Sorry the video is just a picture. I couldn't find a music video or just a mp3 of it... so you get to see the pretty picture of her haha and read the lyrics with it.



You're beautiful but you don't know
Can't see what's there inside your soul
Always feeling like you're not good enough
You wish you could be someone else
Sometimes you just can't see yourself
But I can see just who you are, who you are

You're exceptional the way you are
Don't need to change for nobody
You're incredible, anyone can see that
When will you believe that?
You are nothing but exceptional
(Yeah)

You never think you measure up
Never smart or cool, or pretty enough
Always feeling different from all the rest, oh
You feel so out of place, you think you don't fit in
I think you're perfect in the skin you're in
You're just perfect just how you are, just how you are, yeah

[chorus]
You're exceptional the way you are
Don't need to change for nobody
You're incredible, anyone can see that
When will you believe that?
You are nothing but exceptional

If you could see the one I see when I see you
You'd know how lucky you are to be you
I see through into you
And you are

You're exceptional the way you are
Don't need to change for nobody
You're incredible, anyone can see that
When will you believe that? (You are)
You're exceptional the way you are
Don't need to change for nobody
You're incredible, anyone can see that
When will you believe that?
You are nothing but exceptional

I'm about 100 times happier today then yesterday or the day before. So please, if you're feelin low and not like yourself, just read these lyrics or listen to the song because it's true. Everyone is spectacular... no matter what you all think!
I love you all! Remember that! :D

Wow.

Ok. Seriously. Let's see how much worse this week can get for me.
I came home from hanging out with Holly (which was NOT the bad part of this week... and there's more fun to come but anyways...) and my dad was on the phone with someone. Turns out it was my aunt Kathy.
My Grandma Stringfellow isn't doing so great. It all started two years ago, when she fell and broke her hip. Then it's all kinda started going down hill from there. After she broke her hip and had been home for a little while, she started having mini-strokes (keep in mind the woman is almost 90 years old. Kinda has it coming to her. Oh and she's not my great-grandma. Some of you may be thinking that. She's my dad's mom...) Anyways, they thought they had that under control. A few months ago she found out that she has Diverticulitis, which is inflammation of your colon. Not fun. So they put her on a high fiber diet to helpfully help with that. She's been so bloated from it that she's got bloating pains and so now she's not eating well. She's on blood thinners and aspirin for her strokes, she's on high cholesterol meds,a butt load of other medications for tons of other things and she's on a high fiber diet, which apparently is not helping. She's on Lortab for her hip, her back... she's got Osteoporosis too and she's lost several inches of her height over the course of my entire life, her vertebrae used to snap and so she's so hunched over that her ribs are rubbing up against her hip bones and causing her that pain. She says that she can't go on without Lortab, which may be true but it's not good for her Diverticulitis, if anything it irritates her more. Kathy took her to the doctor today for an MRI and the doctor found some stuff that he didn't like. They are going to take fluids from her stomach next Wednesday to test her for cancer. He's pretty sure she's got it. He doesn't know what kind and if he does he didn't say... but he's pretty sure. That's why they're testing.
Anyways, my aunt was telling my dad that all of this is reminding her of stuff that Melba, her mom, went through before she died. She thinks my Grandma is giving up. Ugh.
Now, I realize that my Grandma is almost 90. I realize that all of this is a long time coming. But, if it's true, that she is giving up, I can't go through that. I remember what it was like when my Grandpa Stringfellow died the summer before my 8th grade year. I don't want to loose another grandparent. I love my grandparents, on both sides. I know that families are always together forever and I know that I will see them again, but it's hard. Anyways, more info to come when we find out what's going on.

On a more happy note, I did hang out with Holly tonight! We watched Vampire Diaries hehehehe! MMMMM Stefan! :D And then Shawn and I started watching the first part of Supernatural hehe and he thinks he may have found a new show to watch! haha! Poppa Shawn hehehe!

And Saturday, I get to hang out with Lindsey and Deborah and Claude and my mom and dad and Parker! YAY!

And... I'm off until Monday! How I scored Friday, Saturday, and Sunday off... I don't know but I'm NOT giving it up! :D

Ok... I feel a little bit happier after those last few notes.

Going Private (And not because you requested it...)

Ugh. I hate to do this. But because of recent events I need to go private. If you would like to continue reading about what's going on please leave me your email address and I will send you an invite. If you don't want to leave your email address on here as a comment, which is totally understandable, then you can leave me a message on my Facebook or you can email me (shelbystring@gmail.com).

I'm not doing this because a certain person wants me to, I'm doing it because I don't want them looking at my blog and knowing what's going on in my life. They don't deserve it anymore.

Really? I mean... Really?

Ok. So... I saw a little boy about the same age as Everett at work. And I started crying. :( :( :( :(



Ugh. I. Ruined. Everything. And what's worse. She blocked me from seeing her blog. So now I have no idea what's going on in my nephew's life. And I won't ever get to meet my new nephew when he comes.

This is when I'm glad I have Lindsey and Holly in my life.



I consider them both my sisters. But it hurts that my real sister doesn't want me as her sister. Really?

I need a vaca. I need to get away to help take my mind off of everything that's going on right now. Anybody wanna come?

Feeling Sad. ):

First off, I'm feeling sad because I have a rib out of joint in my upper back. It's killing me. I can't put it back in myself and it's hard to find someone to teach to do it for me. Ugh. I'm in a ton of pain right now ): Anyways, there's reason number one.
Number two is that I tried to be frugal today and MAKE a levi skirt out of old pants that had holes in them so that I didn't have to buy a $30 one from Downeast Basics, even though those are stinkin' cute! Anyways, guess what I'll be doing? I'll be buying a $30 skirt from Downeast just because the one I tried to make looked ridiculously RITARDED and stupid. So now I'm feeling sad because it didn't work out that I was trying to save money. ): Oh well.

Glitter Toes

I love glitter! Especially when it's on my toes!



Don't mind my ugly feet... just admire the cute yellow glitter.

I never do glitter toes when it's winter, you never see my feet. But when it comes to spring and summer... oh boy! Here come the ugly feet with the cute glitter nails! hehe! Makes me smile.

Mom's Birthday!

Today was my Mom's 49th birthday! I love that woman so so much! I wouldn't trade her for any other mom in the whole wide world!

After I got off work, Dad and Parker and I took her out to dinner, her pick. We went to the Saigon Vietnamese and Chinese Cuisine Restaurant here in Provo... MMMM! So yummy! If you've never been you really should go! Anyways, then we went back home and watched "Curious Case of Benjamin Button" while eating Burnt Almond Fudge ice cream (MMMMMMM!) and sharing some cupcakes from the Sweet Tooth Fairy that her friend brought for her! It was a blast! Yesterday I learned how to make her favorite cake, Red Velvet with Cream Cheese Frosting, and we ate that for dessert last night. I told her I was going to make that cake her for birthday every year from here on out. :D

Anyways, I love my Mom soo much! She's sacrificed and done so much for me that I owe her so much. She's put up with a butt load of my crap the past few years and I really love and appreciate her for that. I only wish that when I become a mother, that I can be at least half the mother that she is. I love her so much!

This is the present that I made for her...


I love you, Mom!

He's Been Gone For a Month

I know you may be sick of hearing about this... but I have to say it. haha! Cody has been gone for a month today. I was thinking about it all day, at work and even more when I got home. I really really miss him. I'm glad that he is out serving the Lord and helping his testimony grow and pulling himself up spiritually, he really needs it. I just miss him. It made me think about Parker and when he leaves on his mission. He's gonna be leaving at the end of this year. I can't imagine what it's gonna be like to have both of the guys in my life gone at the same time! UGH! Guess Holls and Linds and I are gonna have to stick together! haha anyways... hopefully the email I get tomorrow will help suppress my missing him a little bit.

Letter!

I got a letter from Cody today! He said that his testimony is growing so much there and that he's feeling the spirit sooo much lately, even more then he's ever felt in his life. He's expressed gratitude for his parents, for raising him in the gospel because he loves the gospel so much! He's realized how important and special the gospel is in his life and he's grateful for the opportunity he has to share it with others.

I miss him. I've been thinking about him a lot lately haha I had something happen the other day at work that bugged! It was one of those things that I always texted him about to vent. I pulled out my phone to text him and realized I couldn't because he couldn't get it haha (Yes I still have his number in my phone. I couldn't bring myself to erase it haha...) but I am glad that he's made this life changing decision to go out and share his joy and love for the gospel with others who need and want to hear it. What a blessing it will be for him later in his life.

Only 23 months left to go! Haha I'm one month closer to seeing him again! :D

Parker Got A Ballroom Scholarship!

So we found out on Saturday that Parker got a Ballroom scholarship! It's only $500 for two semesters but that is better then nothing! :D I'm just glad that he got recognition for all of his hard work and practicing. He never gets any and it's so cool that he did get recognition from one of the best colleges dance programs in the nation! He's planning on going on his mission before he starts school so after he graduates it'll be another two years before we watch him dance again! But I'm sooo proud of him and I'm so glad that he got this! Love ya, Parker!

I Have To Vent!

Ok my goodness. I have so many things I need to vent about. Sorry you have to read this but no one is home and so I have no one else to tell this too haha... Ok, here it goes.

1: I can't stand lazy people. Especially when I'm at work and they come through my line. I hate when people are like, "Hahaha oh sorry I'm just to lazy to put all my stuff up on the belt hahahahaha I just think it'll be easier for you to scan" and then they laugh like flirting girls who are around boys they like. (You know the laugh...) Well I have news for you lazies, it creates more work for me when you don't put it up on the belt! Especially when your cart is chuck full of crap! Enough said about that subject.

2: Roundabouts. Who's stupid idea were they?! I almost ALWAYS get hit when I'm in a roundabout because stupid people don't have the decency to stop and look to see I'm coming, or if they do stop they hurry and pull out in front of me so that I end up slamming on my breaks so I don't hit them. And get this, policemen always pull out in front of me when I'm right there too! I can't tell you how many times I've almost been hit by policemen! (I almost got hit tonight on my way home from work, that's why I'm stressing about this one so much right now haha.)

3: I hate when people are rude to the cashiers at Sam's. They have no idea how hard it is to do twenty things at once, talk to a million members at once when they all want your attention, do every other departments job in the store, sell upgrades that no one wants to pay $60 extra dollars for, try to get people to sign up for credit cards, all while trying to get 20 mile long lines down in a super fast and orderly manner. Until you've been standing there for 8 hours dealing with onre members who want you to bow down and scrape the poop off their boots, you have no right to be mean and onre to us cashiers. We do all that we can for you. No one is perfect. CHILL!

4: Not being informed about important things that I'm involved in, especially when I've already got plans that will get screwed up. I'm just a little irritated about this one.

Alright. I think I'm done. Watch, five minutes after posting this I'll find something else I'm irritated about. Oh wait! I just thought of one!

5: People who are late for work and get away with it. I hate when people don't show up on time. They don't realize how inconsiderate it is to whoever is there waiting for that person to relieve them for break or to go home. And they don't get in trouble for it... ever! Now if I walked into work even one minute late I would probably get a coaching and almost be fired just because that would be my luck. Oh... and I also hate when my supervisors let those people who walk in late go on break first before me. Let me tell you. I get there ten minutes before my shift starts. I'm always clocked in and ready to go by five to the start of my shift. And I always get my break like an hour and a half late. Wanna know what company policy is? Whoever gets there first gets there break first. Oh wait, not at Provo Sam's Club.

Ok. I think I'm done. Thanks for listening. Well reading actually! :D

Inspiration

While I was reading this month's Ensign, I found some quotes that I really enjoyed that helped lift me.

The first is by President James E. Faust, one of my favorite apostles. He said, "If you have done your best, which you usually do, your humble offering, whatever it may be, will be acceptable and pleasing to the Lord." This quote made me think. Lately I've been feeling a little inadequate and this let me know that whatever I'm doing, whether it be working, getting ready for school, preparing a Relief Society lesson, visiting teaching, or whatever else, I'm doing the best I can and that's all the Lord can ask of me. He knows what I'm doing in my life and He knows that I'm trying to accomplish a ton of things right now and that I'm trying to get myself to a specific spiritual and temporal state and thats all He expects of me, that I'm doing the best that I can. So, if you're feeling the same way I have been lately, remember this... Just do your best! And the Lord will be pleased with and will bless you.

The next quote is from President Boyd K. Packer. It says, "If you are helpless, He is not. If you are lost, He is not. If you don't know what to do next, He knows. It would take a miracle, you say? Well, if it takes a miracle, why not?" I really enjoyed this quote as well. As you may know, I've been relying on the Lord a lot, and this is just another quote/story that gives me proof that the Lord is always with me and that if I ever need Him, He is "holding my hand." I love that feeling. I love the fact that I have someone who does understand me when I feel like no one else does. I love the fact that I've got a big brother that loves me and cares for me, even when I feel like no one else does. I love the spirit that comes with this knowledge. I am grateful for this knowledge that I will never take it for granted, ever.

Sorry if this post seems a little repetitive or jumbled. I'm tired but had to get this down or else I was going to forget all the things that I was feeling and wanted to say at this moment.

Back to School?

Haha. Yes it's true. I'm going back to school. This is why. I've decided that I want to get my Dental Hygiene. So... as much as I hate school this will definately be worth it. I have to take my ACT because I had lame counselors in high school that never kept on top of me so I never took it haha but I'm signing up for that in June so now it's study time! Then hopefully I will be able to enroll for fall semester at Utah Valley University for my pre-recs that I need to have before I go to Utah College of Dental Hygiene. I am so excited for this! I really really am! Although it might mean staying at Sam's Club :( it will SOOOOOOO be worth it! Anyways, more to come when I figure more out. Love your amiga bonita!

New Hair :D and Church Thoughts

So... I got my hair done! I absolutely love it! It didn't exactly turn out like the picture BUT I like it almost a lot better then the picture. Alright enough of the chit chat! Here's the pics!



FRONT VIEW


BACK-ISH VIEW (Parker took the picture and said it eccentuates the panel better... HAHA!Oh brother!)


DON'T MIND MY FACE IN THIS ONE... I WASN'T SURE WHAT MY FACE SHOULD LOOK LIKE SO I JUST MADE A WEIRD WAITING FACE!

Now... I'm still trying to get used to the blonde in my bang. I wanted a panel in my bang, but the girl who did it must have thought that I wanted it on my bang haha which is totally fine! I just don't know how well I'll adjust to it. So if I end up not adjusting I'm gonna get a 3N (which is what my dark color is) and my madre bonita :D will put a little bit on the top so that the panel is inbetween dark. Does that make sense haha!? Anyways... I love the cut! I love the style! I love the panels and I absolutely love the dark brown! Tell me what you think!

Church was great today. There were a lot of testimonies that I really needed to hear and helped strengthen mine. With my situation that I've been going through this past week, I really needed to hear the trials testimonies, which were a good majority of them. This kid that gave his testimony shared a scripture with us. D&C 122:9 went along great with his testimony and also goes along with the home teaching message in this month's Ensign (if you haven't read it I suggest you do... it's an awesome article!) and it says, "Therefore, hold on thy way, and the priesthood shall remain with thee, for their bounds are set, they cannot pass. Thy days are known, and thy years shall not be numbered less; therefore, fear not what man can do, for God shall be with you forever and ever."
I really love that scripture and I definately needed to hear it. That scripture also led me to another scripture in that chapter. In D&C 122:4 it says, "And although their influence shall cast thee into trouble, and into bars and walls, thou shalt be had in honor; and but for a small moment and thy voice shall be more terrible in the midst of thine enemies than a fierce lion, because of thy righteousness; and thy God shall stand by thee forever and ever."
That scripture tells me that even though people are going to taunt us and tempt us, we need to stand strong and stand up for ourselves. Our voices are going to be louder then a lions roar, but because of our righteousness and standing up for what we believe God will be with us always and will never leave our side. I have another thought on this.
Another kid was bearing his testimony and told a story about how when he was back home a few weeks ago, he had bought a new car. He was standing outside looking at it with his dad and his three year old nephew. They noticed when they opened the trunk that there was a pulley that you could pull to open the trunk from the inside. This kid wanted to try it out and see if it worked. So he climbed into the trunk and his nephew says, "Can I come in too?" This kid asked if he was going to be ok because it was going to be dark (and he knew his nephew hates the dark). His nephew crawled into it with him and looked at him and said, "I'll be ok if you'll hold my hand." He paralleled that to how the Lord is always offering his hand to us if we need it. And that if it's offered that we should take it, because no matter what we're going through or how hard it is, the Lord is always there holding our hand. I loved that! That story will always stay with me. I'll always remember that.

Haircut Tomorrow!

After I get off work tomorrow, we are heading up to the Cranney's house in Herriman to hang out for the day! Mom decided that she wanted their hair dresser, Tammy, do her hair before they go on the cruise in April. I wanted my hair done too, so we both are getting our hair cut and colored! YAY! I decided this is how I'm going to cut my hair...



I'm so excited! I'll put pictures up after I get it done!

Letter from Cody... Again! YAY!

I got a letter from Cody today which really made my day :) He told me in his email on Thursday that he had started a letter for me and that I would be getting one soon. I kept watching for is yesterday but I didn't get it so I figured I'd get one today... I came home from work and guess what was waiting for me?!
He's doing really well! They've been keeping them busy with classes and physical activity time... His spanish is pretty much fluent and I know he's being blessed for everything that he's learning and his efforts. I'm grateful for this decision he's made in his life, I know I've said that before but it's so true. I know he's being blesssed for it now and he will be blessed for it in his future. :)

I'm buying a laptop tomorrow haha that should be fun! Erika's gonna help hook me up with a router and everything so my next post may be on my new laptop! Who knows hehe!

Truly Fearless

I've had a rough weekend.
I went through something this weekend that was truly fearless for me. It was one of the hardest things that I've ever had to go through, but I did it. How do I know it was fearless? Because it hurt. It burned me deep down inside. It still burns. And it's one of those things that probably will burn and hurt me for the rest of my life. But you know... I'm kind of ok with it. I don't know how much better this situation will be, and I think if I just remove myself from it completely that it will be the best thing for me.

There's a line in one of my favorite songs that reminds me of this... it's from "Need You Now" by Lady Antebellum. The line is this, "I'd rather hurt then feel nothing at all." During the weekend when I heard that song, I thought that I would rather be numb and feel nothing at all then hurt. But for this situation, I'd really would rather hurt then be numb and have no feelings for it.

Hopefully this next week goes good. I don't know if I could deal with another bad week.