Thrifty Thursday

Alright. So it's been a month or two... I didn't anticipate only having $1.48 for half of college. That's right. I haven't bought anything. It's a new saving plan I like to call "Food Frugality". I mean, I've been able to survive alright. I've just eaten fiber bars, soup, and cereal everyday for a while. It gets bland after 48 days. But I've managed. Who knew I'd be more broke in college than I was as a 4 year-old! It's kind of adventurous in a way; trying to do everything without spending any money. You know, if I live like this forever and actually get a job, I'll be rich from saving so much! It's a great.
This past week I've been trying to get college boys to hire me as a maid for "white glove" cleaning to earn a little cash. Everyone has to do it and I figure some people don't want to and wouldn't mind paying me to do it for them! It is intense cleaning. I'm pruny from so much pine sol. So, today I had my first job as a maid. I had the experience of......college boys' bathroom.
Ew.
Probably the nastiest thing I've ever seen. Now I know why men need women. There were seriously things growing across the entire floor. How do they live?!?!?! After I left and felt mold growing on my hands and in my nose and I threw out my back from cleaning I realized I should have charged a lot more. Sometimes I am so thankful I am a girl and have a natural tendency for cleanliness.
I digress.
The point is, I haven't really gotten any thrifty things. Because, even though thrifty things are cheap, (that's the point of being thrifty) I still don't have enough money for something! Plus, with finals and school and the flu and a cold, I seem to have had less time to blog. And I'm starting to wonder if school zaps your creativity... It certainly seems to.
I did buy one thrifty thing that I absolutely LOVE. This was about two months ago, but, I finally have time to sit down and show you my awesome find. I've been searching for something like this for ages.
Behold:

Alas, I've used it so much it tore a little and I had to get Hannah to sew it for me. But, I love it. It was 20$ (imagine how long I could survive on that... probably 6 months if I'm careful ;). Pretty good for a leather satchel.
Maybe, when I move to Florida I will have some Thrifty finds for you.
But, that's all for now!

Happy Thrifting!

P.S. SCHOOL IS DONE! I don't have to have a class for four months! Can you believe it?! Woo. Straight A's, Baby. This college thing...not so bad :D

A BYU-Idaho Christmas

Ever heard of Brain Stokes Mitchell? Anyone? Prince of Egypt: voice of Jethro? Well...I didn't know who he was until these past couple weeks. But, in Women's Choir we had the opportunity to put on a Christmas Program with him, the Men's choir, and the BYU-Idaho Orchestra! It was incredible. I love Christmas music and the spirit and love it brings.

This is a song we did with Brian Stokes Mitchell but with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir:

Friendly Beasts



Interesting, huh? That's definitely a unique song. But, we did Sleigh Ride and a bunch of classic too. It was such a fun experience. Poinsettias, lights, bells, Christmas trees, thousands of listeners, and the magic of music about Christ. Plus, we warmed up with some hot chocolate afterwards :) Priceless.

A Day in the Life of a College Student

You know, every day I learn something new here in Rexburg, Idaho. Today for instance, I asked my roommate out on a Breakfast Date (The lack of boys calls for desperate measures). We made waffles and homemade syrup and pulled out all the yummy toppings we have. We decided to top the meal off with some scrambled eggs.

Never put your eggs at the very back of a cold fridge.

After The Potato Harvest

Rexburg, Idaho is probably the most exciting place to live in the world.

Every day something new and thrilling happens.

For example, last week I learned all the Elementary School/Junior High/High School students had the ENTIRE week off for Potato Harvesting.

They get up at 5 in the morning, and harvest potatoes till 11 at night.

Exciting, eh?

Well, it is when you benefit from it.

Free Food.

I've never known something more thrilling.

How Embarrassing...

My first college presentation, and I spell my topic wrong.

Thrifty Thursday

Puritan shirt? $3.00

Pants that USED to be $70.00....$10.00

And awesome shoes. The brand is Mushrooms? What?! $4.00

Hate the hay,

Love D.I.

That's where my outfit it from today. Even though it took 30 minutes to walk there. On the way home
I shouted at a bunch of cars: "HEY YOU! YA, YOU! GOT ANY CHARITY, HUH? CAN'T GIVE A POOR COLLEGE GIRL A RIDE HOME FROM THE STORE? WHO ARE YOU ANYWAY!?" I don't think anyone heard me. I just had to keep saying to myself, "Just over the next rise, Shelby". That inspiring statement was actually written on my shirt. I was in the 10000 FT Hiking Club. And that was our motto. Too bad I never actually went on a hike with them. Maybe it would have prepared me for college.

College life is different...yet, adventurous.  For instance:

I ate a huge box of raspberries from the Horticulture department while walking to my next class. 15 minutes: 200 raspberries. Hopefully, my stomach handles that alright.


I shoved a roommate into my closet. And legitimately tried to keep her there.

I burst into tears during class when my choir teacher from High School texted me.

I keep waving to everyone...but hardly anyone waves back. Maybe it's a Utah thing?

I heard today from a boy in my Book of Mormon class that Idaho has bigger mountains than Utah. EXCUSE ME?! But, WHAT mountains? That little hill you can see when you climb on the roof? Ya, no. No mountains.

I walk into my dorm and my roommate hides her frosting/nutella/ice cream behind her back. I think she's downed a can of each.

I bang my head on my bunk bed/desk contraption every day. Hopefully, I don't loose too many brain cells.

I have too look at my creepy Child Development textbook each day. That alone gives me nightmares.


I jumped onto a desk in my Children's Literature class pretending to be a monkey. There are no Freshman in that class and I'm pretty sure there were arrows pointing at me, blinking lights, and a creepy computer voice monotonously repeating "FRESHMAN. FRESHMAN. FRESHMAN." I realized I was a bit large for desk hopping when three chairs crashed over and one hit me in an incredibly and painfully uncomfortable spot. I don't think people normally act like a monkey in college.


I bought a 5$ movie from Wal-Mart instead of other crucial needed products for survival. I'm not really sure why, because it's only going to give me a good dose of heartache each time I see it.

I danced silently in my kitchen while a boy was giving a flower to Hannah in the living room.

I listen to Billie Holiday and vacuum. Then lay on the couch and stare at the ceiling in between classes.

I save all the envelopes I receive and hang them on a clothes line in my room.

I keep creeping on people when they exchange numbers and try to inconspicuously take a picture. Awesome.


I had a Sunday Breakfast Party.

I held the sun in my hands.


There are probably a plethora more oddities I didn't mention. Living on my own I realize I love cleanliness. I love being independent. I LOVE having my own kitchen and living room and bathroom. So wonderful. I'm thinking of making a peach pie soon.

I sorta like this college thing.

Shank Yoo

I went on my first college date last night.
After shoving my roommates in my closet so they would stop giggling and to prevent them from saying obnoxious things when the boy came to pick me up, trying to hurry out of my apartment complex because fifty girls were staring at me through their windows, and fretting about how college dating is different than high school dating; I ended up at the Chinese Opera Orchestra of Shanghai performance.

Intriguing.

Fascinating.

And very oriental.

A live orchestra to backed up the singers. With instruments such as: the erhu, guzheng, pipa, sanxian, suona, liuqin, sheng, paixiao, yanguin, zhongyuan, jinghu, dizi, zhonghu, konghou, gaohu, and many traditional percussion instruments.


Try to say those instruments ten times fast.

The Maestro Wang Yongji had the greatest Chinese accent. I couldn't even understand his English. He kept saying "Shank Yoo" (Thank You) over and over and over.

I had a great time. Being at that sort of concert was such a cool experience.

So, my first college date:

Shank Yoo,

Shank Yoo.

I'm Glad I Don't Sleep In A Toaster

After a week of living with me; this is my birthday card from my roommate. Obviously, she's gotten to know a new side of me.

I admit, she chose the perfect card.

This is exactly how I felt this morning after my crazy rockin' stranger party. It was crazy rockin'.

I even slaved away and made 300 mini cupcakes

And had a 5$ Wal-Mart Strobe Light. I tell ya, it was rockin'.

Mostly though, I made some friends.

The life of a college student.

I think I'm going to be waking up like Miss Betty-Sue up there as long as school is in session. So...4 more years. I can get inadequate sleep till then. Sure.

Thrifty Thursday

Ta-Duh!!!

My fantastic outfit I wore to school today.

I must admit though, it's not exceptionally thrifty. I got it at a thrift store, but...it was 20$.

I COULDN'T RESIST. I LOVE IT.

Plus, it's my birthday tomorrow and, I say, I get to wear whatever I want this thrifty-thursday-before-my-birthday day. Yup yup.

These shoes are the awesome shoes I'm wearing. Besides the unmatching socks, fat looking ankles, old-manish quality; my shoes only have one downside.

They smell like the zoo.

No joke. Not like poo. Just the zoo. I didn't notice when I bought them, but when I wore them the next day I couldn't figure out why 'zoo' was following me. And when I went running, ZOO. It was everywhere. It wasn't bad. Or good. Just Zoo.

Then I went to stats and some boy I was sitting by said "Why does it smell like the zoo in here?"

Oh no, oh no. It must be me. I ran over to him and put my shoe on his desk and secretly described the odd odor of zoo that had been following me around. Ya, zoo.

I think it's because the shoes are so incredibly leather. And the leather is SOOOOOOO strong, it's smells 'zoo'. Who knows?

I tried taking these suckers to Europe to see if walking long distances would tame the zoo smell.

It sorta did.

Sorta.

But they're the best shoes I've got for college for walking purposes.....

Anywho. I have no car. No money. No boys. No family. Only canned food. No time to blog. Not many friends. Just zoo.

But it's alright. I'm getting along well. I mean, it's mostly my fault for not meeting lots of new people, as I have been extremely studious. And sleepy.

BUT. I have an EXCELLENT idea! I have no friends, right? And it's my birthday tomorrow right?

So....I'm sticking sticky notes. Everywhere. That look like this:

I know: Brilliant.

Perfect way to make friends. I wrote this on........hundreds, of sticky notes. And my plan today is to stick them. Everywhere.

I'm really hoping this works out because I've never had a birthday party with a bunch of people I don't know and no family and no balloons and games and a big cake and an actual house and people who adore me and make me feel like a million bucks.

Perhaps, it will be a fiasco.

But, I won't know unless I try.

Wish me luck.

Know the Code

Posters EVERYWHERE.

Ya, ya. I know BYU-I has a slightly ridiculous Honor Code. No overalls, too. I'm waiting to see that poster when I cross campus. I bet it'd say something to the effect of:

"Overall, it's not professional"

or

"We aren't hicks, overall (Don't make fun of the farmers)"

And have a picture with a lady in overalls and, of course, the little hand in the corner holding the arrow pointing out the inappropriate attire.


These fantastic four posters I came across touring campus today. I'll let you know when I see the overall one.

I'm sure it's here somewhere...

49 cent Mac Meal

Our dorm decided to celebrate being official starving students by having an honorary dinner together on our first night.

Mac and Cheese.

It was 49 cents.

It was Roommate #1's macaroni.

But I ate it anyway.

Then I dropped a noodle on the ground.

Our first college mess.

Roommate #2's meal is less messy.

Maybe that can be for tomorrow night.

Thrifty Thursday

Round two:

One of my favorite places EVAH: Target.
Or Target (pronounced like Ballet).

Cheap. Yet, delicious. Look at these finds.

New College bag?! Woot! $8.00

Mmmm. Yummy blue shirt: $4.00.

Sorry my pictures aren't absolutely fantastic today. They will get better. Part of the problem is I can't take pictures of myself, myself. I had my sister try and do this weeks. She can't take pictures. At all. They were all blurry. Except these two. But hey, I have a photography major in my dorm (Roomate #2) so perhaps they will improve.
So....guess what?! I moved in today. That's why you have this special COLLEGE EDITION Thrifty Thursday.

Yesterday was officially my last day in Utah. No car. No money. So visits will be once in a blue moon. I kept saying things like "This is the last time I will be in the shed...", or "This is the last time I will see the sunset in Utah", "This is the last time I will see the view at the three story park", "Or eat Orange Leaf", "Or have a sleepover with my sisters".

Ya, ya. I know. I'm four hours away. And I'm coming back for Thanksgiving and Christmas. I will definitely do ALL those things again. And soon. But still, weird? Yes.

My parents decided to throw me into the real world, um, alone; and took a trip to Lake Powell a couple days ago so I got to move in with my best friend and her parents. Two peoples' stuff REALLY fills up a car...

Basically, Hannah and I could hardly fit in the car ourselves. I tried to nap, but Hannah's clothes were magnetically drawn to my head. It was a little difficult.

Five hours later, lots of sweat, realizing I shouldn't have worn my PJs on move-in day, and boxes and bags emptied:

My room. My new "home".

And my bestie. :)

I am so glad she is here with me. It's like bringing home along.

My other roomates are great.

Roomate #1: Pokes her head into our room as we are unpacking. Roomate #2 has yet to arrive and Roomate #1 timidly asks "Do you think my roomate would like Hermit Crabs?".

I now have a pet next door.

Roomate #2: Borrows some butter.



Ya..........anticlimactic. Maybe I'll have some more stories on Roomate #2 later.


Even though I've been complaining about the nothingness of Idaho, it really is wonderful. I mean, it's full of nothingness. But it's wonderful. We passed "Bear World" on the way over here. Date, anyone? Or maybe I could go kiss somebody on top of a water tower. Or roll through hay. Nevermind....I'm allergic to hay...


It's an odd thing to say goodbye to your friends and family. I think I went through over fifty goodbyes last week. I would say "It's not REALLY a goodbye! Just a See-You-Later". But, in some cases as I watched people walk away, I was pretty sure it was goodbye. All my excitement for Idaho didn't change the sadness of that.

But, I was welcomed to BYU-I by Henry J. Eyring. Yes, J. He's a son. And I have a picture of Christ right next to me to look at. And I'll never be alone that way. I can do it.

I think I can, I think I can, I think I can!

Well,

I know I can.

Here, here! To college.

P.S. I didn't realize posting about lipstick would get me free lipstick. Mmmm. Sassy Spontanee. Thanks Madie. Delicious. I wore Coral Crush today.

Watch Out, Boys

I am so prepared for college.

Mrs. Gaunither

It's silly, really.

For the first time today, I cried about moving. It wasn't my friends that triggered it. Or even my family.

It was my piano students.

I taught them today and I realize all their books are in new piano bags. Marcus exclaims it's because of Mrs. Gaunither.

"Who's Mrs. Gaunither?" I ask.

"Our new piano teacher."






Oh.






Right.

I knew this had to happen. I knew I was leaving and I couldn't teach them in between semesters. I knew if they wanted to keep learning piano, someone else had to teach them.

But, I wasn't expecting that. They already have a new teacher...

Oh boy, I sorta had to use all my effort to focus on teaching them because I could feel it. The bubbly-stomach thing that tries to come up your throat but you know if it does your eyes will water up. Doesn't make sense how those are all connected.

I've taught them for five years.

And next week, it's our last lesson.

Then they'll be going to Mrs. Gaunither.

Miss Shelby, Mrs. Gaunither? The name just sounds less friendly!

Yes. My imaginary Mrs. Gaunither is balding. And has ruby red creepy long nails. And is somewhat like the Trunchbull.

But...what if she's a better teacher than I am? What if I am seriously lacking in my teaching abilities and my students love her and become musical prodigies? What if they are relieved to have someone more capable, finally?

What if they never say, "Thank you Miss Shelby!"?

Ever, again.

I'm gonna miss hearing that.

A lot.

I'm Almost Idahoan. And Most Definitely Not British.

Europe. Yes, you are about to hear a small story.

My first stop: London, England.

I couldn't wait for London. I mean, Hogwarts is in London; it's BOUND to be magical.

But... London happened to come at me sooner than I expected. After our 5 hour layover in Atlanta, Georgia I steped on the long planeride to England and found my seat.

Of course, I am sitting next to a 19 year old British guy who has just been touring America and is flying home (all the girls on my flight were surprisingly friendly to me those eight hours).

William. His name is William. Could it be more... English? Nope.


Mostly he was as fasincated by my "American-ness" as I was fasicanated by his British accent. So we made good friends.

British Accent 101:

Wat-uh (Water)
Al-oo-min-ee-um (Aluminum)
Lit-uh-er-ly (Literally)
Tom-ah-toe (Tomatoe)
Po-tah-toe (Potato)

Those were the more obvious ones. He begged me the whole time to order my water in a British accent...but I couldn't do it. When I asked him to do an American accent: "OH MY GOSH! THAT IS SO LIKE GREAT!"

Sad, huh?

Also, he pulled out his phone and said,

"Want to see the funniest thing I saw in America?" (British accent)

"Ya! Of course!"

An Idaho license plate:

He shows me a picture of an IDAHO LICENSE PLATE. Huh?!

Look closely. Maybe your eyes can find something hilarious that mine didn't...

"Famous Potatoes it says. Famous Potatoes!" (British Accent)

Then he laughs for about five minutes and holds back tears.

Maybe he didn't know Potatoes could be famous?.......

I said "Haven't you ever heard of Idaho's famous potatoes?!"

"NO!" (British Accent) (continued laughter)



I think I refrained from telling him I was moving to Idaho in a month...

Or maybe I did and he sat and stared at me for a couple minutes wondering who in their right mind would move to Idaho.

He admitted, "Us Brits, We see America as L.A., New York....and everything else." (British Accent)

SAD! Sad, sad, sad.

Western culture is such a part of here.

And I love it! Even if I'm slightly nervous about the crop of men to meet me in Potato Land. What if they are all "Buttcrack Bills"? (That's what I like to call 'em) You know, redneck, cowboy, manuer lovin', bull ridin', grease wipin', hicks?


I'm moving out it less than two weeks.

Please, oh, PLEASE Idaho, be slightly less Agricultural than your liscense plate and my Brit friend William make you out to be.

I'm not riding my horse up there, you know.

Dearest Incoming Roomates,

I am sorry.

I know that blasting 90s music and making up my own exercise routine spontaneously while I'm locked alone in my room isn't the norm. I understand if you video me through the door sometimes and post it on YouTube titled "My Crazy Roomate". I won't be too offended.

But, come one, you've gotta love NSYNC, B-Boys, H-Duffy, M2M, Britney, and MJ. Admit it. It's your childhood.

Also, I discovered today they have great beats for jumping jacks. Well, sorta jumping jacks. More like, wave your arms and dance jumping jacks. Then pretend you know kickboxing jumping jacks. Then lyrical jumping jacks. I'm telling ya, jumping jacks get pretty old.

But still they continue. So I am apologizing in advance. If you here me breathing like crazy and things falling on the ground or me stomping and clapping. I'm just trying out my jumping jack routines. No worries.

Also, I got this laptop for an early birthday present, and I just can't resist hooking in the speakers, listening to groovy tunes, and being by it's side all day long. We've already gotten pretty serious and it's only been two days! Good thing you guys won't have to worry about boyfriends. I'm taken.

I really hope you like my music.

And I REALLY hope I like yours.

Otherwise, we might struggle slightly.

Forgive my singing. I usually do it when I'm alone...but since that's not happening you guys get to suffer. Also, I might wear green face masks a lot. You can borrow some. It'd make me feel better.

One more warning, I talk in my sleep. Yesterday, I'm pretty sure I was yelping.

Don't hate me?

Or better yet,

PLEASE, don't kill me.

I have my good qualities too...?

Promise...

AP P.S.

I passed! ALL my tests!

Stats 3 (that's a miracle)
Lit 4
Pysch 5

That shed some light into my disastrous homecoming. (flooded house, no parents, torn apart room and walls, 36 hour day. Ouch)

BUT I PASSED! So I feel great.

College, Here I come.

A Convincing College Proposal?

"A FUTURE True Aggie: Be Prepared"

What do you think? USU is looking pretty appealing as far as this chapstick they sent me in the mail is concerned ;)

Are you convinced?