The Shelbsters

Annual Greenbluff Visit

2011-10-25T17:11:00.000-07:00

What would October be without the annual pumpkin patch trip? Anyone from Spokane that does not make it up to Greenbluff in October is completely out of the loop. It's like saying you don't like Gonzaga basketball. I look forward to pumpkin doughnuts all year! This year it was fun to see Dylan enjoying the festivities more. She loved all the pumpkins (which she was scared of last year), apple trees, and doughnuts. Greenbluff is the perfect way to kick off the fall season.

Family Pic

Apple Pickin'

All smiles

Too cute!

Fun ride!

Shelby Family

So many pumpkins!

Look, I've grown!

2011

2010

Mommy and Dylan

Trying out the donuts...

and loves them!

Wicked Awesome Fort!

2011-10-09T23:12:00.000-07:00

Back in August we had a spontaneous fort building night. We found the largest blankets we had and covered our entire family room. Dylan had a blast! She couldn't experience this alone, so she brought all her stuffed animals to share in the fort festivity. This night reminded me of all the massive forts my family made when I was young. I loved it growing up! What kid doesn't love a good fort?? Here are the pics.

Love this kid!

iPhone Photos

2011-09-26T14:39:00.000-07:00

Helping Mommy water the garden.

Making her daily phone calls.

Learning to long board.

First real ponytail.

Big helper in the kitchen by putting mommy's cup in the sink and spilling milk all over her face.

Light bathroom reading.

Helping Daddy with important work!

Summer days in the yard.

First day of Nursery and 18 month birthday!

Here are a couple video's of Dylan praying.

Dylan's (or mommy's) prayer fail.

Dylan's Prayer

Partay!!!

2011-05-09T10:49:00.000-07:00

Well, Dylan had a birthday back in March and I now feel like I'm entering a new world of toddlerville. Where did this past year go? I know 1 year olds have no idea what a birthday is, but of course I had to go all out and have a party! We had a Paul Frank theme and invited all the cousins over. Even Annabelle was able to come all the way from California to celebrate. The party was a blast, especially bubble time! I only had a handful of pictures on my camera because my mom has a way better camera, so she has most of the pictures from the day. Here is what I was able to take myself.

Right before party.

Paul Frank cake from the local grocery store.

Happy girl on a happy day.

Older cousins Joey and Jane.

All cousins together. From left, Tysen, Joey with Annabelle, Kalle with Dylan, Kali with Evie, Jane with Ruby, Porter. As you can see, everyone is so excited to take a picture.

Had no problem eating her cake!

Also, my friend Ashley sent Dylan that Paul Frank shirt to us back when she was born with a note saying she'll grow into it before you know it. I have to say, SO true! Thanks Ash!

Hide and Seek?

2011-02-23T11:54:00.000-08:00

Peek

Boo!

*do you like matt's panda from when he was a kid?

First Zags Game

2011-01-19T15:33:00.000-08:00

Family Zag Pic

This year we have been lucky enough to go to a few Gonzaga basketball games. For those of you who live outside of Spokompton, or don't know much about Spokane in general, the Zags are the hot ticket in town. Spokane loves their Gonzaga Bulldogs, so much that you can't buy a ticket. Every seat in the house, minus the student section, is a season ticket holder. There is also a huge waiting list to become a season ticket holder, and just to be on the list you have to pay something ridiculous, like 5 grand a year (I don't think it's 5 grand, but it's something like that. whatever it is, it's insane). If you're not a season ticket holder, the best way to go to a game is to find friends who are. That is how we've been lucky enough to go. Anyway, we brought Dylan with us the other night and she was loving it! At first she was probably thinking, what the heck is going on. I don't think she's ever been anywhere so loud. It didn't take her too long to warm up to things. She even started dancing to the all the Hip-Hop they were playing (see video below). The best part is I think the game taught her how to clap. I've clapped for her before, but I don't think she realized the purpose of clapping until experiencing the game and being part of the crowd. Also, a couple days later, the Zags game was on TV and the second I turned it on, she stopped what she was doing, stared at the TV and started clapping. It was SO cute! Gotta start em young, right?? :)

Dad and Dylan

Here is the video of her dancing...

The Holidays

2011-01-10T20:40:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone! I'm Dylan. Mommy hasn't posted much in the past few months so I thought I would help out a bit. This last holiday season was a first for me. First Halloween, first Thanksgiving, and first Christmas. I went through many new and crazy experiences. Most of which were pretty cool. Yet, I must admit that there were a few experiences that weren't so cool. I thought I'd warn some of you about these not so cool experiences so you don't go through what I went through next year.

First... Halloween. Mom, Dad and I went up to the Pumpkin Patch at Greenbluff this year. For the most part it was great! Then mom showed me this....

What is this thing?? It's pretty much bigger than I am. Then mom made me put my hand on it. Bad idea Mom!! It was cold, and bumpy, and...cold. Hopefully I won't have to see one of those any time soon.

Next was Thanksgiving. I really liked this holiday. Dad and Mom let me try a whole bunch of new foods! But right before dinner I had a bit of a scare. Uncle Kreg brought in a big animal looking thing on a tray and started cutting into it. Out of nowhere he stopped his cutting and told Dad to bring me over to the "turkey" as they called it, and told him to lay me next to it like this....

Were they going to cut into me?!?! I then overheard them say something about me and this so called turkey both being 14 pounds whatever that means. Lukily, they didn't cut into me. Would have really put a damper on things.

Christmas was the last of my "first" holidays. I have to admit, this was my favorite. My cousin Annabelle from California came up to visit. (she has a long way to go still... can't even sit yet!) Everything about Christmas was amazing!! But if anyone in your family tells you we're going to the mall to see the old guy "Santa," you run!! As fast as you can! Don't look back! I wish someone would have warned me. As you can see, nobody did...

Almost called child services after this one. Can you believe they left me there alone?!?

Anywho... I hope this helps and I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season!

-dylan

joey's story

2010-09-27T16:09:00.000-07:00

This is a video about my nephew Joey. Love this kid!

baby baldness

2010-09-09T21:50:00.000-07:00

with the amount of hair dylan was born with, i thought for sure she wasn't going to lose much. well, i thought wrong. she was doing so well for the first couple of months. i even thought her hair was growing. then right around 3 months, her little hair was showing up everywhere. her crib, the changing table, the baby gym. just wasn't stayin put! though she's still as adorable as ever, i look forward to her hair returning one day. :)

1 day old

1 week old

1 month

1 1/2 months

2 months

3 months

3 1/2 months

4 months

5 months

present day (5 1/2 months)

Baby's First Bike Ride

2010-08-13T13:36:00.001-07:00

As if we didn't have enough toys already, Matt and I recently purchased some Mountain Bikes. Luckily, for our Birthdays this year, Matt's parents chipped in (Thanks again!). Along with the bikes we felt that we definitely needed a trailer for Dylan. We have had a blast as a family going on bike rides. Dylan has been such a good sport and seems up for any adventure we take her on. I know a lot of people who feel that having kids means the good life is over...no more adventure...a hindrance, or whatever. I couldn't disagree more. Kids themselves are an adventure, and if you find ways to involve them, you'll have a blast doing so. Anywho...
Here are the fotos...

Dylan psyched about the upcoming ride!

(her shirt says, "Let's Ride")

Dad strapping her in, making sure everything is safe.

Ready to go!

Dad with Dylan on the Centennial Trail

Mom taking a breather

What a workout!! Time for a nap.

Dylan's Blessing

2010-05-14T09:41:00.001-07:00

This past Sunday was Dylan's baby blessing. We were so lucky to have so many friends and family there. Mommy worked hard to have everything ready and taken care of so Dylan would be sleeping during the blessing. Dylan had eaten, pooped, spit up and was all sleepy by time we put her in the car seat. On the way to church she fell asleep, just like I planned. Dylan usually sleeps for a good hour to an hour & half so I felt like all my work was going to pay off. But right as the 1st counselor was announcing that there was going to be a baby blessing, Dylan woke up and her big wide eyes were staring at Daddy. I started to feel a little nervous, hoping she wouldn't cry during the blessing. Matt brought her up to the 12 man circle, (could it be any bigger?? seriously!) gave a beautiful blessing and Dylan was content the entire time. The cutest part was when Matt held her up at the end and Dylan, still wide eyed, stared over the congregation. It was adorable! After the blessing, Matt handed her to me and Dylan passed out in my arms moments later. So as you can see (or read), Dylan just wanted to be awake for her blessing. :o)

We were lucky to have one of Matt's good friends from college come up from Utah who is a great photographer. He took many adorable pictures of Dylan and the family including the one above. You can see more at his blog: http://www.afrenza.blogspot.com
Thanks again Adam!!

Baby Prodigy

2010-05-05T20:36:00.000-07:00

Dylan's eyes following mommy.

Okay, so maybe not quite a prodigy yet, but I think she's pretty smart. You have to admit though, she is very alert.

Pregnancy...the new trend.

2010-05-05T20:14:00.000-07:00

From Right to Left:
Courtney Lynn Shelby, 9 months (Dylan)
Heather Lynn Lucas, 6 months (Annabelle)
Meredith Lynn Hawkins, 5 months (Evelyn)
Whitney Lynn Holley, 1 month (Baby unknown. Could it be another girl??)

I never would have thought we'd all be prego at the same time. What a crazy 2010 it will be!

(my mom stole this pic and posted it on Facebook already, so you might have already seen it)

Dylan Anna Shelby

2010-03-25T12:58:00.000-07:00

Our little girl has arrived!! Dylan Anna was born on March 18th at 8:57pm. She was 6lbs, 6oz and 21 inches long. She has completely turned our world upside down and we couldn't be happier. I feel so blessed to have this opportunity to be a Mom and Dylan is so lucky to have such an amazing daddy. She is already daddy's little girl and Matt can't get enough of her. Dylan is a tiny little thing wearing the New Born size (too small for 0-3months). Though her clothes fit her length wise, the width is still a bit big. All her headbands and hats are way too big on her and her socks don't even stick to her calves. It's amazingly cute. Dark little hair fills her entire body still including a thick little patch right above her tiny butt crack. lol! :-) (don't tell her I told you that) It's hilarious! Matt was able to take the week off of work so we've just been relaxing and soaking it all in. I swear I can already see her getting bigger each day. :( I guess she could use a little meat on her... Anywho, here are some photos from her first week with us. (today is her one week birthday, so feel free to give her a call)

We would also like to thank all our friends and family that have been so supportive to us this past week. Dylan is so lucky to have all of you!

Court's Tumblr

2010-03-10T15:50:00.000-08:00

I started a new blog on Tumblr. It's a little different than our Blogger. The Blogger is going to be more about the Shelby family and the Tumblr is more for me....not that I need a new addiction or anything, and I know you guys aren't really obsessed with my life (though i understand if you are... it's a curse). Tumblr is more "micro" bloggin where I'll post random pics, thoughts, videos, etc... Nothing too long. Kind of like the Twitter of Facebook. If you want to check it out here is the link:

www.shelbster.tumblr.com

Notice the shelbster is singular and without the "the." I'm not exactly sure what direction I'm going to go with tumblr, so for now I'm going to say it's completely random.

kpeacebye!!

34 down... 6 to go...

2010-02-10T21:13:00.000-08:00

Sorry for the lack of posts, but I really haven't been taking many pictures lately. I don't have any cute kids to brag about yet other than the angelic looking baby in my tummy... which you can't see yet (she's pretty much perfect looking, I can already tell from the ultrasound). Instead you get a very round 27 year old lady. Not much of a photo op if you ask me. But i'll give you a pic anyway. Matt told me to stand up straight with good posture, so that's what you get. :)

Look how awesome my older sister is. She saw my post on facebook about showing concern for pregnant ladies by bringing them a cake or doughnuts and look what she brought over! Big box of doughnuts. She's the best! Thanks Whit!

Other updates:
No name yet.
Feeling pretty good, except my insides feel smooshed.
Matt's been great!
2 out of my 3 sister's are pregnant also. (one girl, and one unknown)
Sleeping is... fun.... yeah, it sucks.
Nursery has crib, changing table/dresser, paint.
Nursery needs blinds, wall decor, rocker, and baby.
Our brilliant baby used morse code to say Go Zags! the other night. (lots of kicking)

Happy Anniversary To Us!

2009-12-29T12:46:00.000-08:00

I can't believe it's been 3 years already! Time really does fly. I have to say, getting married to Matt in the Temple is the best decision I've ever made. Right person...right place! I can barely remember a time before I was married. We have so much fun together...whether we're at home watching tv or performing in a circus (hasn't happened yet, but I'm sure we'd have fun). So here's to us and many more years to come.... and I mean many....eternity is quite a while. sheez. Happy 3 years!!

You would think after 3 years we would have a normal picture to post. I'm starting to think we aren't capable of normal pics. So here ya go. :)

LOL! Ha.... I think I'm so funny. Love you tea cup! (don't anyone try to steal our term of endearment. strictly ours.)

You've Got Mail!

2009-12-19T21:06:00.000-08:00

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

To all our friends and family, we love you so much!

Have a wonderful Christmas!

Matt, Courtney, & Baby Shelby

(By the way, this is our Christmas Card this year... not that we've ever sent out a Christmas card... but I think this is a good step. One day...)

What's cookin'...good lookin'?

2009-11-12T20:11:00.000-08:00

We actually had to dress up for Halloween this year. A friend of ours had their wedding reception Halloween night, and costumes were "preferred." Matt came up with the grand idea to incorporate my wee belly and decided that he would be a baker and I would be an oven (I've got a bun in the oven...you would have got it eventually). When he first shared his idea with me, I don't think he actually thought I'd be gun ho about it. Oh but I was!! I found a cardboard box for my oven and had my bro-in-law get in touch with his buddy at Great Harvest for Matt's apron and hat. I'm not even going to be modest with this... they were pretty much the greatest costumes of all time.

Something's cookin'!

At the reception.

Busting a move!

Here is the rest of my family. Ben and Mere are nerds, Mom's a Bee, Dad...i dunno.

Apparently, baby Shelby wanted to dress up too. If you understand ultrasound pics, you'll be able to see it, but she's a skeleton. Creepy, huh?

It's a Girl!

2009-11-02T20:03:00.000-08:00

I realized that I never updated my blog to let you know we're having a girl! My bad. I did update my Facebook the day we found out, and since most of you are on Facebook, I figure I'm not in that much trouble. We we're a little surprised, but not too much. I had a feeling it was a girl. Now the hard part comes....coming up with a name. Ugh. We had our boy name all picked out, but for some reason we are struggling with girl names. Anywho... just thought I'd give you a quick update in case any of you didn't know already.

1 Week to Go

2009-10-14T19:45:00.000-07:00

Here is your last chance to get your guesses in. In one week from today we find out if we’re having a little dude or dudette, prince or princess, Mr. or Mrs., male or female, Adam or Eve, he or she… well, you get the picture. So far, I’m pretty undecided. Sometimes I think I know, but then I change my mind. I have a few clues for you to ponder before you make your decision.

1) The first time we heard the heart beat, it was really high (160 bpm), which means it’s a girl (old wives tale). But apparently the first time every baby’s heart beat is really high. So the second time, a month later, it was lower, 140 bpm which means it’s a boy. Who knows??

2) My Sister Whitney was telling me this morning a story about Jane (her daughter, my niece) who is 3yrs old. She was asking Jane about another friend of ours that’s pregnant, and asking if that friend should name the baby Sarah or Emily (those weren’t really the names, I don’t remember the real ones). So Jane sat there and thought for a sec, then blurted out, “Courtney’s baby is named Ariel!” HA! Whitney just started laughing cuz she wasn’t even asking about me. Then Whitney asked Jane, “What if Courtney has a boy, should she name him Prince Eric?” Jane immediately said to her, “Courtney’s baby is not a boy baby, it’s a girl baby!”

3) I had a dream…. It went like this: I was with my family at some house, not sure whose. My cousins and Aunt and Uncle were there (that means you Shannon). All of the sudden someone handed me a baby and said here’s your baby back. I took the baby but was thinking, what?? I don’t even remember going into labor. But I didn’t want people to think I was this horrible mother so I took the baby like there was nothing wrong. Then I was looking at the baby and it was wearing green. Ugh. So I’m thinking, does that mean it’s a boy or a girl. I didn’t want to ask anyone. Again, I didn’t want them to think I was loony, so I decided to change the baby’s diaper. I changed the diaper and bam, it was a boy! Those things are hard to miss. :) But it was so weird. The whole time I couldn’t believe the baby was mine. Then I looked over at Matt and asked him, “Did we name him (a name we’re thinking of. Top secret.)?” And Matt just looked at me and shrugged like I dunno. So crazy. Also, and this is kind of beside the point, I didn’t have anything prepared. No diaper bag, no nursery, and no underclothes that would help with…um… feeding. :) I had to borrow stuff from my cousin Shannon who just had a baby boy.

4) After talking with a few people who have had both boys and girls, they said that their girl pregnancy was a lot easier than their boy pregnancy. That hasn’t been the case with everyone. But some people. So far, my pregnancy has been great. I mean, not that I don’t feel anything, or don’t notice anything, but I haven’t been sick, I haven’t gained much weight yet…it’s just been easier than I thought it would be. So far. :) Not that it’s easy, sometimes it’s a pain, but I’m doing well.

There you have it. I hope you are now able to make an informative decision. I’ll leave you with a couple pics of the progressing belly.

12-13 weeks @ Gap dressing room buying jeans.

15 weeks

17 weeks

Lastly, the doctor called me today and said the Down Syndrome test came back negative (meaning doesn’t have down syndrome). So Matt says, “Look at that. Kid isn’t even born yet and already passing tests. Must take after me.”

Fall Show Predictions

2009-09-29T18:01:00.000-07:00

I thought I'd share with everyone my most recent psychic reading. Enjoy.

Castle: Though Castle and Beckett both know they have strong feelings for each other, Beckett’s professionalism and Castle’s arrogance will keep them apart for another season. Let’s be honest, if it were not for these qualities of theirs, the show would totally lack the comic relief that makes it so popular.

Top Chef-Las Vegas: One of the “Brothers” will win it. They seem crazy talented. I am rooting for Jen though. She seems to always be at the top and has a quiet cockiness about her, which I kinda like.

Grey’s Anatomy: I don’t watch this show (saw the first two seasons) but I’m going to predict (this is kind of out there) that everyone sleeps with everyone. Yeah, I know, bold statement. Half way through the season, a new male character will be introduced and his secret is that he’s a VAMPIRE! Shhhh! Don’t tell. This is such a new idea that NOBODY will be expecting it!! He’ll obviously only work the night shifts.

The Office: Michael will struggle with the idea that Jim is Co-Manager of the Scranton branch. This will cause him to form alliances with Dwight, Creed, Kevin and Meredith. Their alliance will be called SSS. Scott’s Secret Society. Their mission will be to drive Jim and Pam apart by convincing Pam that Creed is a multi-million dollar music producer and needs Pam’s artistic eye in his upcoming project.

FlashForward: I am most intrigued by this show out of all the new fall shows. By far it looks like the most mysterious show. But then one night I figured it all out. So you know the one dude that was walking around the baseball field while everyone else in the world was passed out….. Voldemort. Nailed it! Not so mysterious anymore.

Project Runway: The battle for Bryant Park (is that what it’s called?) will be between Christopher and Logan. Christopher’s collection will be far superior to Logan’s, yet Christopher’s model will confess passionate love for Logan and Sabotage his chances at the win. Oh the drama!

The Mentalist: Patrick Jane will solve every case in the entire world! Did you know he secretly speaks 8 languages? He also enjoys playing Scrabble. I’ve actually never seen him play, but it seems like a game he’d like.

Lie to Me: Lightman will meet his match when a key suspect has his face completely burned off (yuck). This suspect is also deaf and communicates with sign language. Let’s see you work your magic now, Lightman!

So You Think You Can Dance: America’s favorite dancer will be banned from the competition before the finale for using performance enhancing drugs. Shame on you, Felix! Oh, he may or may not be named Felix. I’m going to say the chances are 60-40….so pretty good.

Glee: Half way through the season the show’s ratings will decline a bit. They will seek out a big celebrity for a guest appearance to boost ratings and Barack Obama will agree to a two show deal. Cuz we all know that’s what he really is…a celebrity. OH BOOM! ROASTED! Bring it on Dems. Bring it on.

NEW MOON!!!

2009-09-14T12:02:00.000-07:00

This is the best trailer so far!! I got it from MTV. Enjoy!

Movie Trailers - Movies Blog

12 Weeks & Counting...

2009-09-09T15:44:00.000-07:00

Well, the cats out of the bag. My Eggo's Prego. I'm past that 3 month mark and can finally let the world know (which is probably a really good thing, cuz I don't think my mom is very good at keeping secrets). I'm due March 23rd, 2010... so if you want a future child of yours to have a really good point guard as a teammate, I'd get started on... well... you know... baby making. ;) Our first ultrasound was today and for the first time things started to sink in a bit. The little kiddo was moving and stretching all over the place. Very active little sucker. I haven't been sick at all (don't hate me for that) and haven't felt much difference besides always being hungry (don't hate me for that either) and taking more potty breaks. Matt obviously thinks it's going to be a boy cuz that's what all husbands think, but I think it's going to be a girl. Not because I want a girl... just a gut feeling. But who knows? We'll be stoked with either way!
Here are some fotos from today:

You know it's a Shelby when he/she is mooning people before birth.

2009-07-23T15:44:00.001-07:00

Test post from my new phone...
Oh, and hello world.

The Screen Saver Battle

2009-06-17T15:13:00.000-07:00

Working with family can be risky. We all know that family members can push your buttons probably more than anyone else. Yet that's why we love them so much. You can let your guard down and be completely yourself. Sometimes this means expressing our true feelings even if our family member doesn't want to hear it. So how can you stay sane and stable while working with four members of your family?? Office Pranks! Mwaahaaahaaa....(evil laugh attempt). One day, when my brother Tyler was taking a bathroom brake, I made my move. I put a Hannah Montana picture on his screen saver and convinced everyone in sales that he had a total crush on Miley Cyrus. I think they still believe me.

This is him looking frantically for a Kobe replacement pic.

Well, today he got his revenge. Apparently I am now in love with a gay man.

Dear Adam,

I am sorry to say that I am already taken. I don't think it would have worked out anyway, for I am unable to....er....i dunno... fulfill your needs?? :-I Don't worry, I'm sure there is someone out there who will appreciate your black nail polish (by the way, is that a new trend, because I don't think it has been done before?), tight like a tiger jeans, and theatrical antics. There is nothing to worry about. Your fan base is huge, so keep on screamin' man! Keep on screamin'!

Courtney

edit: I realize that those aren't really screen savers, but desktop backgrounds. Whatev. I think desktop background sounds lame so I'm sticking with screen saver. kpeacebye.

New Moon Teaser Trailer

2009-06-03T15:10:00.000-07:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJ9afRgToxE

ummm.... Team Jacob, anyone?!?

(sorry I am linking. I tried to have the actual video on the blog, but it isn't working. ugh!)

Summer Summer Summertime...

2009-05-29T23:36:00.000-07:00

It's not officially summer until...

Family BBQ's

(our two nieces, Jane and Kalle)you mow your lawn

and most of all... THE LAKE!!!! Woo Hoo!

I would like to thank Mother Nature for allowing warmer weather in Spokane sooner than it came last year. Muchas Gracias!!

Gift Ideas?

2009-05-04T16:51:00.000-07:00

This is an email Matt sent to my bro-in-law Joshua for birthday gift ideas. It's sort of comical...so i'm posting it.

Well, here are my thoughts

Concert Tickets
A sweet t-shirt
A volleyball (I got one as a birthday gift one year and you would be surprised at all the amazing things a volleyball can be used for when put in the right hands.)
A Decorative Lamp
A furry steering wheel cover
The Club (steering wheel lock)
A Beebe gun
A wrist rocket
A baseball mitt
Sensual Candles (for the ladies)
Nice flatware
Not really that nice dinnerware
An RC car
Type “Random” into Ebay and pick out something from the results you get there.
A semi-difficult puzzle because if it is too difficult, and you can’t finish a puzzle, you feel pretty stupid, not that that has ever happened to me.
An Adam Morrison Jersey because you can probably get a good deal on one.
A concert poster because it is probably cheaper than tickets and after he stares at it long enough, he will feel as if he was actually there.

Maybe something will spark an idea so use what you want.

Matt

Dear Mr. Copper, SIR!

2009-04-14T15:19:00.000-07:00

Dear Copper,
Why do you keep trying to catch me ridin' dirty? I am a safe and responsible driver! Guess who has never been in an accident?? That would be me. Yes, I have received a ticket before but that's back when I was 16… ten years ago… it's not even on my record anymore. And the one I got a couple years ago driving home to Spokompton from Utah… yeah, I don't count that one either. It was somewhere in Montana and everyone knows it's okay to speed there… except for the stinkin' copper that gave me that ticket. So WHY copper?? Why? You don't think I have better things to spend my money on in this economy? You do realize that area is a total speed trap. At the top of that hill the speed limit changes to 70--exactly the speed I was going! I just wasn't at the top yet….but I was almost there. Ugh! And another thing, I'm all about breaking stereotypes, but you are the stereotypical Copper. Mr. Jellyroll, just because you got picked on a lot in high school does not mean you need to take it out on a upright citizen of this amazing free nation! I even studied history in college!! I don't know what that means either. And do you really need to keep your helmet and dark shades on? When is Spokane ever sunny? Seriously… Do the tax payers of this country a favor and go after the reckless drivers.
And one more thing… TOOTHPASTE!!!
Use it.

This is a foto of the stinkin copper. Well... not really, but they could be twins!

ps I apologize to any GOOD coppers, or people with family members who are cops.

Buh Bye Snow!

2009-04-07T14:11:00.001-07:00

This past weekend, Matt and I went snowboarding for the last time this season. Our beloved Schweitzer Ski Resort is now closed. :( Spokane, and surrounding areas, got dumped on this year. Perfect for snowboarding! Though we were unable go as much as we wanted, we were still able to enjoy a few trips to the mountain. Matt's snowboarding skills need no improvement...he's pretty much a stud. I on the other hand needed to improve (my skills were pretty pathetic), which I did... a lot. Goodbye snow... bring on the sunshine!

Peak-a-boo!

Doesn't this look like Narnia?
Top of Schweitzer

Taking a break... he's rarely on his butt.

In the lodge...

WE HAVE A BLOG??

2009-04-01T20:22:00.000-07:00

Today I was browsin' around online and came across THIS site. As I scrolled through the page I thought, "these people's posts are random.... and they haven't posted in forever. What losers." Then I started to look at the photos a little closer and that's when I realized... hey, that's us! We have a blog?? With quite a few posts too! I don't remember being apart of this madness.
I guess that means I have to think of something to write about. Hmm....

Why has it been so long (you might ask)? I've come up with two possible reasons:

1) We have a life. Therefore we are too busy to post.
OR..
2) We don't have a life. Therefore there is nothing to post about.

What do you think??

Well, you might change your opinion after watching this.

I'm going to go with...

C) I'm a loser.

kpeacebye!

ps I think the sound is off. I don't know how to fix it... wish i was more of a nerd.

The Never Ending Project...Completed!

2009-01-14T16:41:00.000-08:00

The title says it all. This project, of painting our dining room table, took 3 months. That might not seem too long, but we expected to get it done in a weekend...2 max. I guess we didn't realize how long it takes to sand everything down, put a couple of coats of paint and finish on, and reupholster chairs (very misleading project). We are very pleased with the finished product!

Here are the fotos...

This is the only before pic I could find. It's from x-mas of 2007. I guess I didn't think to take my before picture.

Matt sanding everything down in the garage. A bit dusty...

Table in dinning area half painted. It was too cold to paint in the garage.

The Master Painter at work.

The new upholstery on our first completed chair. You'll never guess where I got this Pottery Barn looking fabric.... Starts with a Wal and ends with a Mart.

Completed!

I think the hard work paid off for sure! Yes I'm bragging. That is one good looking table.

Stay tuned for Matt's recently completed project... the entertainment area. Can somebody say Plasma! :) It's a goodie.

The Shelby's Untold Stories of 2008

2009-01-04T21:36:00.000-08:00

Matt wins an iPod for being the smartest kid in class. Not kidding. He took a job training class in Seattle for two weeks (I was lonely) and they had a test every day. His average score was like 99%. So... need insurance? Apparently this guy is really good at what he does. :)

The Lyn-Tron Charity Golf Classic

You can read a little about it here.

Utah Valley UNIVERSITY Alumni Game

I had so much fun seeing all my old teammates and coaches. It was also great seeing all the school's changes now that UVSC is a University (UVU).

The Spokane Falls were raging this year!

During the summer, Riverfront Park has amazing snow cones. The huckleberry flavor is money!

We drove to Seattle for the BYU/University of Washington Football game. Cougs blocked the Huskies PAT with no time left to win by one point. It was a nail biter. This was also the loudest stadium I've ever been in. Thanks to our Wii friends for the tickets. :)

Wakeboarding ALL summer! Killer air Matt!

Elder Wickman from the seventy came for stake conference and stopped by to give my dad a blessing. It was pretty amazing. Tears were flowing a bit, if you couldn't tell by the picture.

Elder Shelby returns from Honduras. We are all so proud of him!

Jason Mraz Concert! We highly recommend this concert if he ever comes to your town. He is insane live! Here is the song you all know...

Thanks for stopping by our blog all year. I'll try to post more often in 2009!

Chicken fried? No, Turkey fried!

2008-12-11T16:46:00.000-08:00

This year Matt and I spent Thanksgiving at my old stomping grounds, the Lynn home. Yet, we wanted to bring a little Shelby flare to the festivities. So we decided to deep fry a turkey, a Shelby tradition. Matt's older brother Kreg went to Texas on his mission, and apparently this is big down there. He's the one that started this little tradition and we're all grateful for it. If you've never had a deep fried turkey your missing out! So yummy! We thought we would show you the most important steps in this amazing process. Here they are. Enjoy!

Set up your burner.

Get supplies out and ready

Try to look as manly as possible.

Drop in your bird.

Make sure you have a vicious guard dog to protect your bird. Thanks, Tommy.

As you wait, make one of the boys snap a picture of you so your friends know you were really there.

Find a trustworthy, buff, pan holder. You don't want someone that will drop it!

Have your excited little bro in the background to make him feel involved. Oh, and don't tell him your family found him under a rock when he was baby and decided to keep him. Might hurt his feelings.

Continue to look as manly as possible, even though you're wearing oven mitts.

Get one last picture of yourself with the bird before you start cutting, only to remember you don't know how to cut, so your father-in-law takes over because everyone is ready to eat.

The Night of Twilight

2008-11-25T11:42:00.000-08:00

The movie Twilight opened last weekend so my sisters, mom, and I decided to throw a Twilight Party, then go to the Midnight release! Makes us seem a bit obsessed... but we had a great time! I was amazed by the turnout of the party (about 20-25) but then again it was a Twilight party, and who wouldn't want to come to that! We had some yummy food and a fun battle of Twilight Jeopardy. This is where I realized I know a lot more about the book than I should. Here are some pictures from the night.

House/Living Room decorated for the festivities

Again...

Entertainment "Twilight" Issues

Twilight Jeopardy

People eating yummy grub

Sharing Twilight thoughts...

Playing Jeopardy

Don't we just look like Twilight fans?

At the Midnight release. The line wrapped around the building. Crazy.

Overall, I thought the movie was entertaining. Was it as good as the book? Not even close! It's hard taking a 500 + page book and making it a 2 hour movie on a limited budget. Yet, as a fan, I was pleased and am planning on seeing it again. Thanks to everyone that came to the party! We'll do it again when "New Moon," comes out. :)

Mini Makeover Part 1

2008-10-29T20:57:00.000-07:00

After we moved into our house we tackled a few mini projects. Here is our first project... painting the master bedroom. It's always a bit scary when picking out paint because you know it always looks completely different on the wall than the little square sample. Luckily, ours turned out great! Well...in our opinion. Don't tell us if you hate it. :)

Before

(dark green...blah)

Primed

After
("Feather Gray" from Benjamin Moore Paints)

Stay tuned for more updates!

Update/Lady Vols/Man to Man “D”

2008-10-09T13:05:00.000-07:00

I know it’s been a while since our last post, but I have a really good excuse. We are officially in debt and moved into our house!! Yea! This also means we haven’t switched our internet over. So there’s our excuse. We will have it set up next week some time, and by then hopefully the house will be a bit more organized so I can get a couple pictures up. Don’t hold me to that though, the place is a mess!

Until then, while I’m at work, I have a question…

At work, I do the CAD (Computer Aided Design) work, so I’m considered a “CAD Draftsman.” I even have that under my name in my email signature. Yet, some people have mentioned that I should change it to CAD DraftsWOMAN. Do you think I should change it?? I mean, I’m all about equal rights or whatever (I even did reports on Title IX in school), but sometimes I wonder if women change names or titles of things just to make a statement. Like in Legally Blonde when that girl wants to change “Semester” to “Ovester.” Ha! Or why do sports teams need to specify that it’s a Woman’s team, like the Tennessee Lady Vols. It’s not like they say the Tennessee Man Vols. Some things I would just not change. For example, I wouldn’t say, “Hey Coach, what defense are we in?? Woman to woman?” What?!? So I’m undecided on this issue. Am I a CAD Draftsman or a CAD Draftswoman?

THE HAPPIEST PLACE ON EARTH!!!!

2008-09-15T22:38:00.001-07:00

Yes, I'm talking about Disneyland, and yes, it's still the happiest place ever! I have been there quite a few times, growing up in California and all, but Matt has only gone one previous time when he was young and can't even remember it. We went on a perfect day (cloudy, during the school year, on a week day) that wasn't too crowded which allowed us to go on all the best rides a few times.

After a long debate, and some hard thinking, we came up with our list of best rides:

1) Screaming California (California Adventure)

2) Indiana Jones (Disneyland)

3) Hollywood Hotel Tower (C.A.)

4) Soaring Over California (C.A.)

5) Space Mountain (D)

Actually, if you scrambled all these, the list would still probably work for us.

Here are some pics from the day.

Our Niece Kalle (like Halle Berry, but Kalle) loves Belle and the "doggy" show, so we snapped pics of the REAL Belle and Q. Devil (not going to try to spell that one).

This is the scary Hollywood Hotel Tower. Super scary, but super fun!! See the open windows...?

That's where the elevator would open right before it dropped. AHH!!

Waiting in the massive (or non existent) line of the Indiana Jones ride.

In front of California Adventure...

(click on for larger view)

And last but not least, words of advise from Indiana himself!

Property Virgins

2008-09-02T11:47:00.000-07:00

So... we bought a house.
Who does that?
Do we think we're adults or something?
Anyway, we have room for those that need a place to stay,
passing through on your way to...umm...Canada?

This is us trying to figure out what we just did.

Olympic Yearbook Awards

2008-08-26T20:43:00.000-07:00

The Kanye West Award: Usain Bolt

He's good, and he knows it.

Cutie Ba-tootie Award: Shawn Johnson

Can you find a cuter person in the Olympics?? I think not. Did anyone else think she was the best female gymnast? I mean Lukin is good, there's no doubt about that. But I felt Shawn was by far the best in everything. I love how happy and excited she looked when she found out she won the gold on beam. Glad she finally won that gold! Totally deserved it.

USA MVP: Jason Lezak

I know Phelps is insane and a freak of nature cuz he's crazy good, but honestly... if it weren't for this guy's amazing last 50-meter swim in the Men's 4 x 100 Relay, we would be talking about how Phelps almost became the greatest olympian ever.

In need of Anger Management: Angel Valodia Matos, Cuban Taekwondo Fighter

The fighter kicked the referee square in the face in protest at being disqualified during his bronze-medal match. Lay off the roids dude!

Hot Bods Award: Misty May-Treanor & Kerri Walsh

Sure there are numerous athletes that could easily be selected for this catagory. I mean, they're all athletes, and all ripped. Yet these ladies wore white bathing suits, while playing volleyball, in the rain! So hands down, they get this award.

Can you guess???

Yes, Most Likely to Have Fake ID's: Chinese Gymnastics

This has been a little overdone in the media so i'm going to let it go. Stinkin' 13 year olds!

Best Injury: That weight lifting dude that dislocated his elbow. Eww!!

No picture on this one. I don't want your upchuck reflex to ruin your keyboard. You can thank us later.

The Class Act Award: USA Men's Basketball

I've been really impressed with the way the Men's team has acted this Olympics. They played like the greatest team in the world...which they are, and truly seem humbled and honored to be representing their country. I'm not even a big Kobe fan, but I respect the way he has handled himself on the court and in interviews. Plus, I love how Lebron and Kobe were at the swimming meet cheering on the men's relay team and Phelps. Ha! That was great.

Heartbreak Award: Lolo Jones

I'm about to cry thinking about it. It honestly pains me to try and come up with something to write. Read about it here.

MR. OLYMPIAN: Mr. Michael Phelps

If you're not sure why he wins this one, then we can no longer be friends.

Dark or Light??

2008-07-23T13:36:00.001-07:00

As you can see above, I've posted two pictures of Bamboo flooring. One is dark, and one is light. I really like both! A lot! We are house hunting right now, and most likely will put in hardwood flooring. I want to get some opinions. Let me know what looks better to you.

(FYI, it will be flooring in the living room/kitchen. We like white cabinets with dark countertops and a light color for the walls with white trim. I thought more info may help in your decision making. ;o) )

OME!

2008-07-17T20:10:00.000-07:00

A true fan will understand the title of this post. Dec. 12!!! Mark your calenders!

Does Kenny Chesney look like George Costanza?

2008-06-24T19:27:00.000-07:00

Fellow friends and neighbors...
A while back Matt tried to convince me that Kenny Chesney looks like Jason Alexander from Seinfeld. My first reaction was to ask if he was on crack. But then he showed me these two pictures (as seen above) and I couldn't help but agree with him a tad. I would have never made the connection if it weren't for him. Usually I see Kenny in his Cowboy hat, cutoff t-shirt, and tight, tight like a tiger (<-Say with a Goldmember accent), jeans. How does he get in those? Anyway, I want to get your opinion. So my question of the week (should I start having this on a consistent basis??...I'll think about it.) is does Kenny Chesney look like George Costanza??

Feed The Obsession!

2008-06-04T19:19:00.000-07:00

(This is a email I sent out to our ward book club. I thought it was pretty good, so I'm going to post it here. Enjoy!)

My name is Courtney Shelby, and I am a Twilight addict. Yes, I am willing to admit my crazy obsession. Yet, you know what I say… give into it! If you periodically throughout the day wonder about our beloved Bedward (or maybe you’re more of a Jalice or Rosamette fan) then I have the perfect Twilight fix for you. I’ve put together my Top 5 Twilight Saga websites.

1) Stephenie Meyer’s Personal Website:
The best way to get accurate information is to go straight to the source. Stephenie is so open with her fan base I feel as if she is one of my good buddies. There’s a plethora of info on her site. She answers frequently asked questions, gives info on upcoming projects, has playlists for each book, etc… I would also suggest youtubing her (make sure you get the spelling right in her name) and listening to some interviews. She’s actually really funny.

2)The Twilight Lexicon
This site has been here from the beginning, before the Twilight craze began. It is the only fan site that is Stephenie Meyer endorsed. Don’t let the cheesy graphics fool you. I initially was turned off by the graphics on my first trip over to the lexicon, but later realized through other message boards and twilight articles that this is the mother site of Twilight sites. From the home page click on the News Blog link and that page will give you all sorts of Twilight goodness! One of my favorite areas on the site is Personal Correspondence. This is found on the News Blog, on the far right, under The Lexicon (or you can just click on the link). Here, Stephenie answers many of the frequently asked questions about Twiight.

3)Twilight Series Theories!
I love this site! This is where you can find the podcast. This site is great because like the Lexicon it gives you all the news updates on everything Twilight. But what I really like about it is all their discussions are about theories you may have about the books. Especially theories you may have about what is going to happen in the fourth book. Plus, I think this site is well organized and easy to find what you’re looking for. You can also find the podcast on iTunes. Just search for Twilight Series Theories and is should pop up. Two sisters from Texas do the podcast and they’re really funny. Plus they are older and have kids, which is nice, so it’s not all about how Edward is SOOO hot!!

4)Twilight Moms aka TM’s

I’m just going to let you click on this site and read their description of the site because it is hilarious and my description wouldn’t do it justice. Enjoy!

5) The Twilight Guy!
This site isn’t necessarily informative, it’s more for a good laugh. I love all the photo shop this kid does with his face. So funny!

Recommendation

2008-05-21T15:05:00.001-07:00

Who: Jason Mraz

Album: We Sing, We Dance, We Steal Things.

Vibe: Jazz club in Hawaii with a visiting gospel choir.

Favorite Tracks: I'm Yours, Coyotes, Make it Mine, Live High, The Dynamo of Volition... They're all great!

Courtney's Thoughts: I bought this album the day it came out about a week ago and haven't stopped listening to it since. Every song is just so delightfully summery (if that's a word). I love Jason's smooth vocals along with his crafty, uplifting lyrics. If you're a music lover, this album is a definite for your collection!

**Warning: Track 7, Details In the Fabric, the beginning plays a recorded voice mail that is a bit fuzzy sounding, but I think the guy talking drops the F bomb a couple times. :( I turn down the volume until the message is over because the song is actually really good.

Predictions...

2008-05-13T10:04:00.000-07:00

In case everyone is wondering about the future, we have some pretty awesome predictions.

1) Who will win American Idol? Archadorable!
aka David Archuleta. Somebody has taken all the adorableness in the world and put it in his face. How could you not win with that kind of advantage?

2) Who will win the NBA Finals? New Orleans Hornets
Why? CP3. That's all I have to say.
Though, Matt believes the Clippers will take it. Any team with Dan Dickau is never out of it! Ever.
**Edit: There goes that prediction. :( At least our Oscar De La Hoya prediction is still alive!

3) The next fad?? Shoes without socks.

4) Oscar De La Hoya will make millions with an energy drink called Puncho Drunko. This drink will come in multiple flavors of yumminess.

5) The next President of the United States...??? Dan Dickau

6) Break out Actor of the year: Tom Cruise
We're not exactly sure what movie he's going to be in, but we feel it will be the role that finally puts him at the top. It will be like Maverick all over again. (Paul Walker is in a close second)

7) Book of the year: Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer
This is no joke. (Aug. 2 is so far away!!)

8) Comeback of the year: New Kids On The Block
I'm sure you all agree with us on this one. Not much of a prediction.

9) The winner of this seasons So You Think You Can Dance will either be a. A Mormon b. A rumored Mormon or 3. A relative of the Schwimmers.

Welcome!

2008-05-03T12:13:00.000-07:00

So we decided to join the crowd and start an amazing blog! Yes, we know how excited you must be to hear this wonderful news. We figured with my creativity, combined with Matt's wit and charm, we could manage a pretty wicked blog. So, first things first, we need a title to our blog. As you can see right now it's TBD (To be determined). We've had some trouble coming up with the perfect name so we need your help. The name with the most votes will win the grand prize of becoming our official blog title. If you have your own ideas for a name, we'd love to hear them. Let's see how creative you can be. Get the word out! Tell your friends, family, neighbors, and animals. The poll is over yonder there on your right.