Watch Me!

That title is retarded and lame... I know. :D I have found a new favorite hobby! I love the interchangable watch bands! I have always wanted to learn how to make them, but figured I wasn't "crafty" enough to do them. They looked hard. But I got brave and got a bead kit for my Mom for Christmas. I made one for her that day with the jewlry tools I got from her and my Dad. I LOVED IT! They are seriously, easier then they look! Here are some pictures of the ones that I have made for myself:

All Silver Beads

Lakers Band (Go Lakers!)

Christmas #1

Christmas #2

Brown

Black and Yellow

Valentine's Day

Black and Silver

Angels (Go Angels!)

Halloween

They really are so much easier then they look! You just throw the beads on there. The hardest part about them is making sure that the strands are level and the same length, but other then that they are super fun and so easy!

Elder Teddy Parker

So I've heard of the people who buy Build-A-Bears and make them their missionaries. Lindsey and I decided to do that with Parker, and take him places that Parker would normally go and then take pictures and send them to Parker and put them in his scrapbook. So meet...

Elder Teddy Parker

Lindsey and I had so much fun making him. And yes... we were the only big girls in the store besides the people that worked there. The faces that some people were giving us were hilarious! We made bears to be us too... a Lindsey and Shelby Teddy. Kinda lame haha but it was fun and we're excited to do this for Parker.

Elder Teddy Parker with hair... it was just funny at the moment. What a horrid wig!

Yes I am a lameo... but I miss my brother haha. That's what only child syndrome does to you. Well me at least.

Sorry I haven't posted since before Christmas. Christmas was fun! It was different without Parker there, especially while watching "The Grinch" but it was fun. New Years was a blast as well. Lindsey and Deb and Claude couldn't come down because Lindsey had to work New Years Eve and morning, but Holly and her friend, Emily, came over and we ate and played games. It was fun! Then after Linds got off work that afternoon, we went to her house and to The Bead Fairy and bought beads to make those bead watch bands. (I have no pictures yet so please forgive me... I will post as soon as I get them up.) Then we just played all night. I slept over and then went back home on Sunday.

Lately, I have been feeling really lonely. I have no brother to tease me to my wits end, I have no boyfriend to tease me to my wits end either hehe :P (I love both of their teasing... hence the reason I miss it so much. Poppa Shawn? I need you to take over more bahaha!) My sister is far away... okay not really too far away but far enough away that I can't just drive over there and hang out with her and the nephews all the time. Lindsey is far away... Nash is off doing her soccer stuff most of the time so I hardly see her :( So yes, I have been super super lonely. I was listening to Backstreet Boys "Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely" today on my way to work and almost started crying because now I really know the meaning of being lonely.

Sorry this is such a long post. I needed to catch up! Forgive me for not being good about updating Cody's blog as well (if you follow it at all)... I haven't heard from him in weeks so I really have nothing to post.

Until next time... :*

Sad day... :'(

..... Only because I missed the chance to have an email conversation with Cody this morning. Dang work! Why do I have to be there at 7:30? haha!
I didn't email Cody last night because I wasn't feeling the best, so I went to bed early and decided that I was going to just email him in the morning. Well I emailed him around 7 am... which I forgot is when he's usually on in Uruguay (which is 5 hours ahead of us by the way). The only reason I know that is because his Dad told me that he gets to work early so that he can be on by 7 am to be able to have these conversations with Cody for a few minutes. Anyways, I got home after work, ate, checked my email and all it said was, "Hey! Are you still on?"

:( :( :( :(

I cried! Seriously! I'm such a baby. Oh well... I'll try again another Monday.

More to come about my New Years tomorrow!

Happy Birthday, Elder Pike!

Today is Cody's 20th birthday! AHH! I can't believe it! I can't believe that it's his birthday already. Honestly it seemed just like yesterday that he left for Uruguay (it hasn't always felt that way, believe me.)
Today has kinda been a rough one on me. I wish that I could have been able to call him this morning on his cell phone to wish him happy birthday. I wish that I could have had the chance to give him his present in person. I wish that I could have been able to say, "I have a date planned (even though it wouldn't necessarily have to be on the same day as his birthday) so let's go!" I wish that I could have been able to give him a huge birthday hug and kiss. All in due time though, one more birthday of him being gone and then I can do all of that.
I love you, Cody! I hope you and your companion had a great day and I hope that he did something nice for you :D I miss you, but I wouldn't change you being where you are and doing what you're doing for anything in the world right now. Come home to me soon, sweets.




Happy 20th!

Tabernacle Fire

I realize that most everyone and their dog in Provo are probably blogging about this same subject, but I have to share as well.
This morning as I was getting up to get ready for work, I turned on the radio as usual and was listening to the news and traffic news that they have inbetween songs. They were talking about a road closure here in Provo on University Avenue and Center Street... unusual. They didn't say why right away and didn't think anything of it until about 2 minutes later.

This beautiful building...

...looked like this at 2:00 this morning...




This building was constructed in 1883 and took approximately 15 years to build, being completed in 1898. The craftsmanship of the pioneers was amazing, and the windows... beautiful.

This is what the windows looked like.

Here they are now. Gone.

Some of the beautiful hand carved craftsmanship and organ pipes.

What a beautiful anterior. The balcony, as you may or may not tell, goes all the way around the top and there's seating completely underneath on the floor. This was all destroyed in the fire.

I was reading a story on the news internet site of a lady who was driving by with her 8 year old daughter. This lady thought that she saw a man standing through one of the 2nd story windows, then decided that her eyes were playing tricks on her until her daughter said, "Look Mommy, there's Jesus in the window." I also saw this picture on the news website in the album on the fire, I don't know if it's altered or not, but it's a cool picture anyways...



This may be a blessing in disguise, and we don't even know it yet. Only the Lord knows. What a sad day though. I am just hoping that it's not a complete loss and that they can still have the "shell" of the tabernacle and be able to restore the inside. The church won't be able to come and evaluate the damage until the smoke and flames are all gone. That may be at least another day or 2. Hopefully there is a light at the end of this tunnel.

Elder Stringfellow

My brother is now officially a missionary of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. He reported to the Provo MTC today at 1:30 pm. This week has been rough for me. My brother and I are really close and so to have him gone will be tough. But, I know that he is doing what he's supposed to be right now in his life and that he will come back a better man then he left.

I thought this was going to be a little easier for me, just because I've done it before with Cody. But I was wrong. Plus, Cody was a different situation, if you know what I mean. Who knew having a boyfriend and a brother out on their mission at the same time would be so difficult? Good thing Cody's home in a year... that'll make it easier.

My mom's friend, Elizabeth, gave us a quote block that says this:

Missionary: (noun)
One who leaves their family for a short time so that others may be with their families for eternity.

I love that! It really put the time factor in perspective for me, for both Cody and Parker. 2 years is seriously nothing compared to the length of eternity. This is only a short time that both are gone from my life, and I will have more time with them then not.

I love my brother. I am grateful to have him in my life. And I'm grateful to have him be a messanger and representative of the Lord. He will be a great missionary. The people of Brisbane Australia will be lucky to have him.

Happy Kangaroo, Elder Stringfellow!

I caught this picture at the perfect time! He was tripping over his suitcase and I snapped the camera right when he made this face. :D

Happy Birthday, Daddy!

Today is my Dad's 50th birthday! I love my Dad very much! He always takes such good care of us and he's always willing to help us out with no complaints. He doesn't ask for much, and when we ask what he wants for his birthday or for Christmas, he always says he doesn't want anything because he has what he needs already. He always knows how to make me laugh and smile when I'm not being myself. He's always willing to play board games and video games with us when we ask.

This is just a classic Dad picture/face. BAHAHAHAHA!

I love my Dad very very much! I am so grateful that he is in my life and that I am able to call him my Daddy :D Thanks for everything, Dad! I love you so much!