Brandon & Jaree

I would love to introduce you to Brandon & Jaree Orr :)

They were married in the Salt Lake City Temple on December 20, 2012

I am so happy for both of them, and excited to have another sister join the family. The past couple weeks have been a lot of fun being all together. For me, this Christmas has been pretty special. It's the first Christmas since Brandon's been back from his mission, and the last one I'll have home since I'll be gone on Christmas the next two years. Lot's of changes for the Orr family, but we couldn't be happier!!

(photo cred: jtaylorphotograhphy.com)

Two Days

It's funny how time can sneak up on you.

I've been looking forward to this week for months, and now it's here! I never thought I would be this excited to get back to Utah. It's not that I'm ready to leave home... but I'm ready to be in Utah. (I know.. kind of an oxymoron.) But at this point in my life, BYU is definitely where I'm supposed to be.

I am really excited to unpack everything in my apartment. I know that seems weird, but I can't wait to decorate everything and turn it into my home for the next year. Then to be reunited with my roommates.. :) It'll be fantastic. I'll have to introduce them to you soon.

This was a good week though. Lots of sleeping in, and finishing up little projects around the house. My good friend, Tyler Bean, came home from his mission this week. He served in Mexico. It was good to see him, and hear him speak today. (His accent is priceless.) I was looking at my brother, Tyler, and Ryan Hawkley all talking together and was thinking how crazy it was that they are all home. I know it's brought a tear to our mother's eyes as they realize their kids are all growing up.

Not a bad group, eh? 

Two more days of craziness. I'm a pro at procrastination, so it shouldn't be a problem ;)

Where did the time go??

My baby sister is starting first grade today. When did that happen?! 

I look at these, and can only think of how young we both look. But... I don't feel like it was that long ago. It seems like just yesterday the nurse was handing her to me. I was the first person to hold her after she was born, and I remember telling her, "I'm your big sister, Shelby. We're going to be best friends someday." What I didn't know.. was that 'someday' started right that second. 

As much as I'll miss everyone in my family when I go back to school... I'll miss Sydney the most. I'll miss watching her gymnastics. I'll miss her scaring me with a Justin Bieber cut-out in the closet. I'll miss watching her grow up.  It's tough. She doesn't always understand why I have to leave. She sometimes asks, "When are you going back on your mission?" Haha..with Brandon serving his mission in Utah, it's confused her a bit. 

I have one more week home, and it will be full of this little girl. :) 

Life goes by fast. Don't waste it worrying about things that... in the long run.. really don't matter. 

Alaska Cruise!

Wow. What a trip.

My pictures say it better than I can.

Here's all 25 of us on the way to the cruise terminal.

Almost to the boat!!

First stop.... FOOD.

Grandparents were on a different cruise to Alaska at the same time as us, so they were able to see Brandon for the first time in Skagway, AK

We took a train ride up into the mountains in Skagway.

Some cool hats our waiter made for us.

MINNIE!

Relaxing!

The fam by Tracy's Arm, AK

Out on the balcony reading a book with hot chocolate! Definitely my favorite part haha

Our awesome waiters, Gyula & Baha. They were the best.

 Pirate Night! With Meg, Trenton, & Baha.

 Trevor & I in Victoria, CA!

Baha! :)

The Boat!

Eskimo kisses! I love my baby sister.

Overall, it was a fantastic trip. Alaska is BEAUTIFUL! Words and pictures are nothing compared to being there. I had so much fun with all of the Orr family. 

Other notable things: 

• It was COLD, which was a nice change compared to the 100+ weather in Oklahoma. 
• Which... by the way.. we were gone the week Oklahoma had it's hottest weather (over 113 degrees!) Great timing on our part.
• We ate a ton. 
• The food was fantastic, and we had a lot of fun with our waiters. 
• Austin had over 50 ice cream cones in one week.
• My cousin had over 70.
• We had a cute, Turkish waiter named Baha. He was great. Let's just say.. he made the trip a little more entertaining for everyone hahaha (or should I say.. BAhaha..!)
• When I get older, I wouldn't mind living in a place with mild summers.
• My hair lightened up some more. I think I'm starting to get used to it.

Hello, Seattle.

Saturday morning... we left for Seattle, Washington!!

 Brother!

Sydney would "hook up' to mom's purse anytime we walked around. She's a mess!

This... is my dad and this picture shows exactly why we call him 'Pops'. His hair is getting grayer, his vision is starting to fail him, and then there's his "turtle tongue". (You'd be better off not asking.) But, no matter how old he gets, and how many gray hairs we give him.. we'll still love him :)

Seattle from my hotel room. 

Ran into one of my friends from BYU! Hannah Hoyt. AKA: The QB.

We spent the first day in Seattle just wandering around. There was a huge parade for some festival they had going on, so most of the downtown area was packed! We saw some pretty sketchy people. Washington is a pretty liberal state, and between paying 5 cents for sacks at stores, 4/20 t-shirts everywhere, and covering Sydney's eyes a few times I realized, again, how much I love Oklahoma. (Even if it is absurdly hot there in the Summer.)

The second day we did some shopping, and walked down to the pier. We also went to the market, which was really cool. Lots of fish, fruit, and flowers. 

 At the pier!

Quickly making friends at a park in Seattle.

So far, so good! And.. the best is yet to come. Getting on the cruise boat in a couple hours, and then next stop... ALASKA!

P.S. Dear Okies: I apologize for leaving you at this dreadful time. I almost couldn't believe my eyes when I saw a temperature of 110 on my 7-day forecast for Oklahoma. But.. gotta say, it's wonderful timing on my part. 

My brother is home :)

My brother is home!!!

So happy the family is all together again. It's a feeling like no other. So blessed to be with them for eternity :) 

---Yes, my hair is brown. Kinda crazy, huh? I've highlighted it since 8th grade, so its always been blonde... but my natural color has darkened quite a bit. So, I decided to go brown :) 

Headed to Seattle now, and then cruising to Alaska with the Orr family this next week! It's going to be AWESOME!! (and cold!)

Texas & the Week Ahead...

Went to Texas for the weekend with Sydney, Mom, and my roommate Jessica! My aunt Jenn had her baby! His name is Brody Scott Krueger and he is adorable.

While in Frisco, I saw my other roommate, Madison! We all went shopping at the outlet mall, and scored some awesome deals. Then, of course, I saw my Texas besties - McKall and Mallory. Hoping to squeeze one last trip in before I go home, but... I think it's time they make a trip up to Oklahoma now :)

I'm not sure if you know this or not, but I have an older brother coming home this week!! Brando will be home Thursday.. yes, Thursday. I am so proud of him. He had to come home for 3 months for knee surgery, and still went back out. That's not an easy thing to do, but he did it. He was an amazing missionary; he shared the gospel with more people than I could have ever imagined. Ah..  I've missed my big bro. 

 April 2010

 Easter 2010

 My 17th Birthday

Sending him back out after surgery, Nov. 2010

So much has changed in the last two years! But, I can't wait to have the family all together again :) He gets home, and then we leave Saturday for Seattle, and hop on a cruise Monday to Alaska! We're going with Orr side of the family for Grandpa's 80th. This week will be super busy.... but very fun.

Monophobia

Megan has been in Texas at EFY.

Austin has a baseball tournament in Texas.

Mom and Dad went to Texas with Austin.

Sydney tagged along.. and is in Texas.

So that leaves KD.

I love this puppy. But I swear she has barked more than usual. It was almost like she was saying,"Hey, why don't I stare at the window and bark (at night) so Shelby thinks there is someone/thing outside!" It took me forever to figure out that her reflection was causing this ;)

Monophobia.

Fear of being alone. 

 I don't exactly have it. I don't mind being home alone. But it felt like an appropriate title considering I'm definitely ready for my family to be home. This house feels empty without them. 

I'll be honest... it was nice at first. But it's time to hear Dad's footsteps in the hallway, help Mom make dinner, watch Sydney perform cart wheels,  listen to Megan sing in the shower, and play catch with Austin.

Tomorrow will be a good day. 

P.S. I'm tired of taking the dog out. She is really slow at doing her business. I vote that I get next week off.

P.S.S. Brandon comes home in 32 days. :)

Daddy

Today is Father's Day, and I am feeling so grateful for mine.

Pops 

He is the man who taught me:

It's good to have wants.

To never make mom mad.

How to fish, mow & shoot a gun. 

Lights.. they don't turn off themselves.

OU football.

How to eat ribs.

To always put my Heavenly Father first in life, with family close behind. 

Money doesn't grow on trees.

How to throw and catch a softball.

To put others before myself.

That I can always be better.

...the list could go on.

He's always believed in me and supported me in every way as I follow my dreams. He treats my mother with love and respect and is a true example of how a husband should be to his wife. He is the best father to his 5 children and never lets a day go by without letting us know that he loves us.
Oh, how I love him.

 I hope and pray that one day... I will marry a man just like my daddy.

OKC Thunder

As many of you know... I'm kiiiind of a big Thunder fan.

Since the Seattle Sonics moved to Oklahoma 3 seasons ago, my family has had season tickets Their first season they were 3-27. I'm not going to lie to you and say that I was crazy in love with them at that point, but I was still a fan and went to as many games as I could. After they received a new coach and started to turn that season around, I realized how much I really was falling in love with this team. The next season we continued to progress leading up to last seasons Western Conference Finals appearance. And now.... the Thunder are the 2012 Western Conference Champions and are headed to the NBA Finals.

Can you believe it?! 

This is the team I've met at the airport multiple times around 12-2am. I read their team blog by Royce Young every day like it's the newspaper. I follow all of their twitter accounts. I watched most of their games this season from my laptop at BYU, and have been lucky enough to go to some of the playoff games since being home. This is the team that has unified the OU/OSU division in Oklahoma. This team exemplifies everything this great state stands for, and has put us on the map for something besides OU football, the OKC Bombing and the "Oklahoma!" play from the 50's. Our players are some of the most hard working, resilient, and humble players in this league. One of my favorite things about this is that they are just such good guys. Every one of them. Sam Presti did a great job of building this team into something our state could be proud of, and I must say he did a fantastic job.

Last night's game is one I will remember for years. Down by 20 points in the 2nd quarter, but our team fought back. The entire arena was on its feet the 2nd half, trying to give this team the lift they needed to make a comeback. They did it. They won the game. I watched as Kevin Durant, hugged his mom and brother on the sidelines. I watched as the team hugged each other. I looked on, with tears in my eyes, as they lifted the trophy up for the world to see.

"It just had everything to do with who we are as men, who we are as a team, the type of spirit that we want to show every time down the court. It was all about that.. and about being a family." - Coach Scott Brooks.

Everyone.... Thunder Up and watch as this team wins the World Championship next week.

Welcome to the Real World, Shelby.

What is Summer Break?? 

I'm just now realizing that Summer will never be the same. 

No more, care-free, work a little, play a lot Summer.

Guess that's what my parents meant when they said I'm an adult :)

So let's see... I got a job at Grace Living Center in Norman as a CNA. It is really a great facility, and after my first full week I am finally getting the system down. I work from 7am-3pm, Mon-Fri, which is exactly what I wanted, and I really do like it. The only thing I would say I don't like... are the other employees!! Some of my co-workers love complaining to me about someone else not doing their job. It gets annoying after awhile... especially when the people I work with are a good 15 years older than me. It's not my job to worry about what the other nurses on my hall are doing, it's my job to take care of the residents.

 So quit complaining, and do your job! Other than the immature adults.. I really enjoy it. The residents are some of the funniest people I've met.

Life is great. It really is. :) 

I had a wonderful 19th birthday a few weeks a go with the family, and I'm really soaking up all the family time. Mother's Day yesterday was fantastic. We went as a family to my Grandma's grave, which was really nice to see, and after church, all of my grandparents came over to the house and we ate, ate, and ate some more. :) When they all left, the kids and I decided to try out our new trampoline.. 

AND.. since it was Mother's Day.. we Skyped BRANDON!! 

ONLY 2 MONTHS & 12 DAYS!

Besides working, I'm hoping to get started on a few projects for my apartment next year; however, time always seems to get away from me. I'm enjoying every second of the Play-off's, watching my Thunder boys play, and I'm getting into my late Grandma and Great-Grandma's genealogy work. I have found so many cool things & I have only scratched the surface! It's a lot of fun.

Although this Summer isn't quite a "break"right now, it's going to be great no matter what. I'm missing my roommates from BYU, but.. it will be August before I know it. So I'm going to stay busy, and not wish this Summer away... There won't be another one like it.