Long time no post...

Wow, It has been over a month since my last post. Well... Juddson and I moved to Tyler, Texas a few weeks ago. The house is finally under control, but we still have a garage full of school stuff!!! This week I am applying to the Tyler and Whitehouse ISD for a teaching job for next year... we will see. Anywho, I will post pictures of the new house soon!

XO -SC

Love this story. it made me laugh out loud.

Dating in Provo:

My dear roommate has more than once had to politely reject the advances of our duplex neighbor. When we all returned home from Christmas vacation, we noticed that exactly half of the duplex's sidewalk was shoveled. And I do mean exactly half. To the inch. The half that the guys live in.

Guess which neighbor boy stayed in Provo through Christmas?

Sew News!

Mom and I spent all day Tuesday together dreaming up things to sew! It was so fun! We went and walked around Old Downtown Carrollton Square. There are a ton a cutsie things in all of the windows. I had been to the square several times, but never had the time to walk into all of the shops. We went in to an old vintage clothing store and tried on hats and coats, and we looked at all of the fun fashions from that last 50-60 years... After visiting a quilt shop with TONS of beautiful fabrics...we decided to sew. Well.... I dreamed up fun and trendy things for my mother to sew.
If you haven't heard yet, my mother is the greatest seamstress in the world. She used to sew for the general public... but then people got weird and you could no longer invite perfect strangers into your home. She spent most of her days helping newly engaged bridezillas create their dream wedding dress, and ladies who had an idea or pattern, but couldn't sew. I remember her making bridesmaid dresses, (which she later used the left over fabric to make drapes for the living room) personalized baby carriers, play yards, cool collars, fancy silk vests for a fashion designer and so many other cool and random things. When I look back, yeah it was kind of weird that we had people in and out of our home all the time, but to my brothers and me, it was normal. It was moms job. We were perfectly comfortable with it! Weird huh? Mom used to make me some pretty crazy things, but I loved them! She has always had an eye for design, and could make something up for you if you showed her a picture, or could draw a picture of what you wanted. I thought it was facinating how brides would come over wanting a specific dress, but there was no simple pattern for it. BUT mom could create it...just how you imagined!

I remember one time when I was younger, there was this dress at Dillards that I wanted, but mom said it was too expensive and that she could make it way cheaper. She examined the dress, (I am pretty sure she took a mental photograph of every detail) and we left. I was bummed that I didn't go home with the dress. The very next day when I cam home form school I had two dresses that looked exactly like the one in the store. All she did was change the fabric. I remember her telling me that no on else would have the exact same dress as me! I felt so lucky! The only time I would be annoyed about having a mother that was a seamstress was when I would want something in a store and my mother would inspect the item top to bottom. If it didn't pass her inspection, it didn't make it to my closet!

I used to tell my mom to get a little shop somewhere and make fun things to sell... WELL now, 15 years later here we are... Cheri's Creative Corner is back in town! Mom still doesn't have a store front...but she has something way better... THE INTERNET! Stay tuned to see what cute things she is just whipping up right now!

Happy New Year!

2009 was quite a challenge...and I am thankful I made it through! Here are a few things that went down in 2009:
*Went snowmobiling in Jackson, Wyoming with Judd and Ryan.
*Judd and I had our First Anniversary, March 15, 2009!
*Finished my first year of teaching at Winborn Elementary.
*Moved from Katy, to Fort Worth to live with Judd (finally)
*I am learning slowing how to be a successful stay at home wife.
*My brother Bill married his beautiful wife Amber in July
*My younger brother Michael married his best friend Jenni in August

I am excited for a New Year, a new beginning! I am excited for what 2010 has to bring! I have decided that this year is the "Year of the O"...Opportunity, Optimistic, Open-minded, Organized... and On-time. I hope everyone has a blessed new year! I know that this year will be an exciting year for Judd and I, with new experiences and life changes! Keep checking in to see where this new decade takes us!

xo-shells

And to All a Good Night

What a crazy week it has been! I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas! Judd and I were able to have Christmas at our place for the first time since we met. My Dad came over Christmas Eve afternoon! Daddy and I made Rice Krispy Treats like we always did. It was fun. Later that evening my I took out a bad that my mom made. It was filled with all sorts of things. When she gave it to me she said "Ask your dad. he'll know what to do." So I did exactly that. It ended up being a "Teach the Children" bag. If you don't know what that is, it's a bag filled with all of the symbols of Christmas and a poem explaining what each symbol stands for. Teach the Children... the true meaning of Christmas. It is a simple reminder to enjoy spending time with family and friends, and that Jesus truly is the reason for the season!

xo -Shell

Oh yeah... we had snow too!

The Great State of UTAHHHH!

mmmm I left for the great state of Utah last Thursday morning. I landed, got in my rental car and headed down I-15. I rolled down the windows and breathed in that mountain air. What a recharge that was! I needed just a moment and I was all pumped for the up coming week!

Once I made it to Provo, I went to Jenni and Michael's apt. {SUPER cute!} They are amazing! They live quite a hectic little life style, but some how they seem to make it through with few to no complaints! Man I could learn a thing or two from them. :) I learned that Jenni and I have tons in common! She is such an awesome person, and I am an in awe of all of the things I can learn from her! I love being around her happy self! And that silly Michael is so wise beyond his years! I love him soooo much! He is all grown up, it's hard to believe that he is all grown up and so smart! I can't wait to see what life brings him and Jenni! They are amazing examples in my life and very special to me! I just know that any blessing sent their way is well deserved!

Thursday was fun. I followed Michael all over campus while he printed a paper and turned it in. It was super fun getting to chit chat with him. I sure do learn more and more about him every time we get to chat like that!

Friday was fun! I picked Nathaniel and Benjamin up at school and brought them home. It was supposed to be a surprise, but of course now days you can't surprisingly pick up children from school! They are getting soooooo big!! It makes me just a bit sad when I see just how big they get with each visit! We went over to Robert and Tamara's new house and I visited with Tamara while the kiddos opened their late birthday presents from me. {bad aunt shellie}
Friday night we had a fun game night with Jenni and Michael's dear friends, Stephanie, Jarom, Lauren, and her bf Josh. We played Loaded Questions. If you have never played, it's a great way to get to know people and a great way to "re-get-to-know" your siblings! I dont think I have ever seen Michael laugh as hard as I did that night!! {he's a lil weird btw} Lauren and Josh brought yummy hot chocolate and a Cocoa-motion Machine... I need one!! That crew is just to much fun! I love how peeps in Provo know how to have a great time... the "real way."
Saturday we went to Gateway Mall in Salt Lake City. It was a teeny bit chilly, but we still managed to have a great time. We found Michael some handsome sweaters and a some "Jenni Approved" jeans. Then on our way back to Provo we stopped off in Draper and had us some yummy Frogurt! If you are from Carrollton and love the yougurtland and all those yummy places, you would love Frogurt even more! They had yummier flavors and more fixin's. (I am actually thankful there isn't a Frogurt here. I would be super duper fat! That night Mikey scored some tickets to New Moon. It was really good! I can't wait til Eclipse! it's gonna be great!!I loved that when I was getting ready I saw Jenni was wearing this cute black dress... I didnt think anything of it until she completed her Sunday best with a cute gray cardigan. Well... all I brought was a (lil too short) gray dress with black boots. And well Michael came out of the closet wearing his handsome gray suit! We all coordinated for church that morning. HILARIOUS! this was unintended, but none of us cared enough to change! We had to take a pic! We went to Jenni's friend's baby blessing and then came home for some yummy supper!

Sundays are for spending time with family, so we went over to Robert and Tamara's house to visit for a bit! Look how stinkin' big LuCille is getting! She is two and super cute! She had just gotten up from a nap and it took a bit before she would warm up to me, but after that we were buds! We read a few books and put together an Advent Calendar for Christmas! Man that little family is soo cute! Little missy was too shy to smile I think! But thats ok... she is like her Aunt Shellie and likes to stick her tongue out! It was fun visiting the little Woodmansee Family! I hope they get all settled in their new house soon!

The last night with Michael and Jenni was the perfect way to end my stay with them. I got some sweet tickets for us! Row 10 Center Stage! David sang some songs from his self titled album and then changed super fast and sang his little heart out to the audience during his "last set" Make fun of me if you will, but you will never understand the awesomeness of the Archuleta until you hear him live. He is just so real. He is a "take me as I am" kind of guy! He has nothing to hide. He poured out emotion with each song. And shared his pure feelings of Christmas between each set! I love that he is not afraid to take every moment to share his testimony of the Gospel and that Jesus is the real reason we celebrate Christmas! Oh and check this next picture out!! David had a very special guest!! HIS MOM!! She sang Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas with David! How cute is that?!? I think that is very special. Her dream in life was to sing in front of a large audience, and well how cool is it that her own son helped make that dream come true!! So cute!!! I got the chance of bumping into dear friends and meeting new ones! The night was simply divine!
Ok well that is all for now! When I get more pictures, I will have to finish my story of Utah! There is lots to share, so stay tuned! I will finish tomorrow. As for now, Judd and I are going to put up the Christmas tree!!!

One of my goals

...is to get better at baking. A few weeks ago when Megan and I were looking for cans of pumpkin for out pumpkin cakes...we had to search several stores before finding any. SO, when I found some, I bought three extra cans of it, JUST in case I had the craving for some pumpkin goodies. Last week a lady from Relief Society brought me some yummy pumpkin bread and I ran out and was craving more.... Soooo this morning I saw an easy recipe for pumpkin muffins and I decided to give them a try. I know how to make pumpkin pie...how hard would muffins be right? Well, I followed the recipe STEP BY STEP and they didn't turn out! What on earth could I be doing wrong? The picture looked so yummy, and mine tasted like gooey pumpkin mess... URGH!

If any of you have any good pumpkin muffin recipes lemme know pleaseeee!!