GEBV Syndrome

Don't worry.  I'm not sick.  But, I have done a self-diagnosis and have come to the conclusion that I have GEBV Syndrome, aka "Good Ear Bad Voice Syndrome."

Now, please.  I am not asking for people to tell me, "but Shellie, you have such a good voice"  and so on.  (This is directed to my sweet, sweet mommy).


This is real, y'all.


I will be the first to tell you that I am not completely tone deaf.  I love and have always loved music, I took piano lessons for almost 4 years, played alto sax (holla) for 7 years, and can currently play 5 chords on the guitar.  I know...it's a pretty significant resume.  Try to contain yourself.  With all that, I have a decent "ear."  This means I can hear things, right and wrong.  I can pick up bad harmonies, a missed chord, a missed note or two, an off rhythm.  And I can do this pretty easily.  While watching Idol, I sometimes say EXACTLY what the judges say...BEFORE they say it.  Again, try to contain yourself.  I'm actually waiting for them to offer me a guest judge spot...right after Iron Chef calls me to do the same. 


*Anywho*


I sing all the time.  Ask my husband; ask my family.  When I was little, I used to stand in our den at home and sing my own medley of "Delta Dawn," "Yellow Rose of Texas" and "If You're Gonna Play in Texas."  It was precious, I'm sure.   


There is just something in my brain.  Some wire or synapse or something else that doesn't fire correctly.  When I try to sing with Trent?  Something goes wrong.  I'll try to sing harmony and will end up singing the melody.  I'll sing the melody, Trent will take the harmony and I will end up following him up there in harmony land.  I don't understand it.  


It's just all wrong and really not a pretty situation.


So, with my self-diagnosis, I am content with having "GEBV Syndrome."  I am content with my ability to hear bad stuff and not sing pretty stuff.  However, don't think that I won't be belting out some SA-WEET Disney tunes to my future nuggets... "I wanna be where the people are.  I wanna see, wanna see 'em 
dancing'..."

Can you relate?   

Arkansas & Virginia...

While making our way back to the Nashville from the Amarillo, TX, we got to stop halfway in the Van Buren, AR. (Praise the Lord...that stretch of I-40 from Amarillo to Nashville is a beast, for lack of a better word, and we were oh so thankful to be able to spend a few days there).


Heritage UMC had Trent in to do special music and to lead worship in their Sunday AM services.  I love this church.  The people are awesome and the morning light with the stained glass is beautiful.  Plus, it brought me back to my Methodist roots:  "Praise God from whom all blessings flow.  Praise Him all creatures here below..."

That night, there was a full concert in the youth area.  This youth area is awesome.  There is pool, ping-pong, basketball, shuffleboard, and snacks.  I mean, what more do you need?

And...we're on our way home.  BTW, if you are ever in Van Buren, AR please stop at Sweet Bay Coffee Company.  Trust me.

Insert a week (or so) in Nashville...

And we're off to Williamsburg, VA!

Boiled eggs.  A convenient, healthy snack...that stinks up the car.

YAY for Subways that give more than TWO FRIGGIN' napkins.  Can I get an AMEN?  I mean, come on.  If you're going to put THAT MUCH dressing on the sandwich give us some paper to wipe it off our face/hands/clothes.

And YAY for random coffee shop finds with STRONG punch-you-in-your-face-coffee.  The mugs in the middle picture reminded me of this clip from "So I Married an Axe Murderer."  Classic.

Friday night show at Williamsburg Christian Church.

Sound Check:

Show:

We had a day to go see Colonial Williamsburg.  It was rainy and cold, but I tried to get a few pics...

This was for our dear friends Will and Jessica Alley.  (Will married us).  They are expecting a little boy named Henry SOON and are from Virgina.  So, I though this was just too sweet.

I'm not sure what this building is, and had it not been cold and rainy, I would've figured it out.  But, I'm pretty sure it's important.  At least it looks important...

Colonial goodness:

At a restaurant and at a gift shop.  Either way, I Love Lamp:

Sunday worship at Relevant Church.  I did not take these pictures (Brad O'Hara did); I wish I had a camera like that...one day, one day:

We met some amazing people while in Virginia.  And this is a product of some of those people, Anson Joseph O'Hara.  And sweet Anson's first concert was a Trent Monk concert.  Love that.  Doesn't my man look like a natural?  

This is what we ran into heading back to Nashville.  I was nervous; I don't do bad weather well, much less bad weather in a car.  But, it wasn't a major deal and all was well and we made it home.

We often go into new areas without knowing what to expect.  Will these people be sweet?  Will they be loving and friendly?  Will they get the music and the heart behind it?  Sometimes we are let down, for whatever reason.  But our time in these two cities left us feeling blessed, appreciated, and understood...and for that, we are thankful. 

Cosby Corner

Yes.  I decided to blog about the The Cosby Show.  Is that crazy?  Don't answer that.

My all time favorite episode came on the other day and I got all warm and fuzzy.  It's the one where Cliff and Clair decide to teach Theo a financial lesson about The Real World.  You remember... Harley Weewax?  Here's a clip to jog your memory.


My parents were crazy strict about what we were allowed to watch growing up.  (At the time, it sucked.  But now I'm thankful).  No Simpsons, no Married with Children, no Wonder Years (that ended up changing), no MTV, no Dirty Dancing (I saw this at a slumber party without my mom knowing and was so riddled with guilt I confessed as soon as she picked me up), and Rosanne was quickly taken off the approved list as soon as this happened.  But, The Cosby Show, we were always allowed to watch.  Even now, I can hear that music and be taken back to when TV was less reality (which I love now) and more family friendly.  Good stuff. 


I've created a list of what I remember/love about it.  In no particular order:


1.  The aforementioned episode.  It really is a classic.  You can watch on hulu plus. 


2.  The artwork in the house.  It's just beautiful and I love it!  There's an episode where Vanessa gets in a fight because some girls called her a "rich girl" because she told them her parents spent $11,000 on the painting above the fireplace.

3.  Rudy calling Kenny, "Bud."  Just look how ADORABLE they are: 

4.  Cliff Huxtable and his sweaters.  I mean seriously.  And this is just a taste:

5.  The button worn on Cliff's sweaters.  There it is...on a shirt:

6.  Denise making Theo the "Gordon Gartrell" shirt:

7.  Since I brought up fireplaces...there's one in the kitchen and master bedroom.  Here's the kitchen one.  If it were me, I'd have a set of Christmas stockings at every place of fire.  But, that's just me.    

8.  Since I brought up the kitchen, I like the swinging door.  It can really make a statement when you enter or exit.


9.  When the family sings lip-syncs for the grandparents.  Oh. My. Word. Precious.  And that's just one...but it's by favorite because Rudy is just too much.  


10.  I was never a fan of Elvin, but quite enjoyed when Olivia joined the cast.

11.  When they have a funeral for the goldfish.  


12.  How every season they have a different theme song and intro.  I think this is my favorite.  It's just so sassy and fun.


13.  Dr. Huxtable reminds me of my father.  If you know my father, you understand this very factual statement. 


14.  If more people parented like Cliff and Clair, the world would be a better place.


15.  Denise's wardrobe choices...while appropriate for the time, I still question her.  I feel like she needed to remember the ever important tip "always remove one accessory before leaving the house."  I forget who said that, but I'm pretty sure they are very stylish.

Bad example.  I'd actually wear that.  How bout this:

Wait.  That's cute too.  And I think I own that hat.  Okay...here:

And here.  I mean no disrespect, but hmmmm:

16.  They all hang their coats up AS SOON as they come in the door.  Who does that?  Mine stays on the chair AT LEAST a day or two.

17.  Cliff and his track days...Combustable Huxtable!  Love.


18.  Vanessa gets caught sneaking to a Wretched concert.  I adore how the parents handle it.  


19.  Cockroach:

20.  Sondra always bothered me too.  So, with her and Elvin, Winnie and Nelson (their twins) had no chance...sorry kids.  I'm sure you were adorable.

21.  Poor Dr. Huxtable and his bad eating habits.  He loves the salt and the hoagies.  Who can blame him?  Not me, not me.

22.  Their tiny back yard.


23.  When they go to Jazz Clubs.


24.  Sammy Davis Jr. guest stars and he's just so tiny and cute.

25.  Did I mention that the theme song changed every year?


26.  Theo hiding his newly pierced ear.  Classic Huxtable parenting moment.


27.  Cliff and Clair being lovey-dovey.  

28.  Vanessa and her clarinet playing.


29.  I like cousin Pam.  And her sassy friend Charmaine.

30.  Speaking of them, when they go to spy on Rudy and her friends at a club.  With Lance (Charmaine's boyfriend).


31.  Cliff tap-dancing 


32.  They record with Mr. Stevie Wonder.  "Jammin on the one."  Probably my second favorite.


33.  I would like to point out the Bill Cosby is on Jimmy Fallon as I type tonight and that was not planned.  I'm sure that means something very special.  It has to...


34.  I'd also like to point out that I saw Bill Cosby at the Ferrell Center when I was like 10.


35.  Jello.  (More Cosby and less Huxtable).  And that face:

What are your favorite Cosby moments?  

Key/Whatever Holder

What do you do with a piece of old wood?  Puts some hooks on it and hang your keys and what-have-yous...

Here's what you need:
Piece of wood
T-shirt stencil 
Acrylic paint (these were the two I had on hand)
Sponge paint brush
Hooks (el cheapo at the Walmart)

I'm betting you can go to a local hardware store and get some scraps of wood for next to nothing.  Luckily, my parents gave me this old piece of wood that already had some fabulous worn paint.  To get that look, just paint (spray paint, acrylic, house paint, whatever you have on hand), let dry then sand.  If you like a cleaner, less aged look, keep natural or keep fully painted.  

Place the stencil on the wood, sticky side down, duh.  (You can hardly see it in the pic, but it's the plastic, shiny thing). I chose to center it, but with these packaged stencils (which if I remember correctly, are less than $5), you can cut and create your own design.  Another idea...get letter stencils to spell a word or your last name.

These are the two colors I have in my craft stockpile and I like the look of them mixed together.  (Side note: I have an obsession a love of all things turquoise).  Also, I guessed at how much I needed...a little goes a long way.  You can be really creative here with color!

Begin sponging the paint on the stencil.  ***Don't put too much paint on the sponge as it will bleed under***

All done.  Let paint dry before taking off stencil.

Ta-da!  Now, see the corner designs?  I traced those and hand painted with a tiny paint brush.  This is *optional* 

I LOVE sand paper...partly because I love weathered and old looking stuff and partly because it can camouflage mistakes.  So, once the paint was all dry I sanded the whole thing before my husband screwed in the hooks.  The package I bought had 4 (see first picture).  But, when Trent was screwing them in, one bent and couldn't be used AND I like 3 better anyway.

Happy crafting!

2011...let's reminisce.

So, one of my favorite blogs Rage Against The Minivan, posted a recap to her 2011 that she got from another blog.  I liked LOVED the idea so I thought I'd do the same.  Trent and I actually went through the questions together and it was a great time.  It's so neat to talk about the past year and look back on the good and the bad.  I recommend this to everyone...kids, even.  



1. What did you do in 2011 that you’d never done before?
talked LIVE on the radio, snowmobiled, sang on a record, watched Trent sing on a record, go to North Carolina, ride on a Harley in Tennessee, do the "tourist" thing in Nashville... what a year!


2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I don't remember mine from then...is that bad? I'm pretty sure one might have been to not bite my nails.  Well, I'm here to say that my nails are longer.  Score.


3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Lots of my friends jumped on board the nugget train.  


4. Did anyone close to you die?
No, praise the Lord.  But, our immediate family was affected by a terrible accident that resulted in death.  It was an extremely sad time, but we were able to be there for them.


5. What countries did you visit?
That's funny...maybe one day.  But, like I mentioned before, North Carolina was a first and it didn't disappoint.  Yes, I know that's not a country.


6. What would you like to have in 2012 that you lacked in 2011?
More money.  Not an obscene amount.  I just want a pair of silver sparkly Toms.


7. What dates from 2011 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
March 6: our 1st anniversary.  There's something awesome about the first year!  
May 10: launching the Kickstarter campaign.  This, to date, has been the most draining experience for us.  We look back on it with humble gratefulness.


8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Moving to a new city, getting a new Trent Monk record out, making new friends.


9. What was your biggest failure?
Stuffed cornbread, oatmeal cookies, and banana bread.  (Trent's the cook).


10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
None.  Knock on wood!


11. What was the best thing you bought?
Wasn't a big buying year...BUT I love my leg warmers, gray boots, and Jeremiah 29:11 sign.  I think that's all I bought, too.


12. Where did most of your money go?
Road expenses: GAS.


13. What did you get really excited about?
a new record, seeing family, and going to the mountains for Christmas.


14. What song will always remind you of 2011?
Trent's "Dreamer" because he finished writing it in Nashville and recorded it shortly after we moved.  From now on, every time I hear that song, I will think of our 2011.


15. Compared to this time last year, are you:
– happier or sadder? Definitely happier.
– thinner or fatter? I am the same.  Hallelujah and Amen.
– richer or poorer? Let's just say I am richer for having lived a fabulous 2011.  


16. What do you wish you’d done more of?
It was an extremely prayerful year for us, as it should be.  BUT, I wish I'd done more scripture reading and quiet time.


17. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Okay, I'll say it... I wish I'd done less complaining.


18. How did you spend Christmas?
In Red River, NM with the Monks!  It. Was. Amazing.


19. What was your favorite TV program?
2011 was the year we got into Parenthood.  Such a brilliant show.  AND Dexter.  Also brilliant.  


20. What were your favorite books of the year?

I read a lot in 2011, which I'm proud of.  But, Redeeming Love is one of the most beautifully written books EVER.


21. What was your favorite music from this year?
NEEDTOBREATHE and The Civil Wars.  Honorable mention goes to Ben Rector.


22. What were your favorite films of the year?
The Help.


23. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 31.  Not sure what we did, but I'm sure I had a glass of wine.


24. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Hmmm....I can honestly say I had a great 2011 and wouldn't change a thing.


25. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2011?
Trying to be trendy in Nashville and realizing that I'm just not that trendy...and not hipster, either.


26. What kept you sane?
prayer, my man, wine.  


27. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2011.
If you honestly and earnestly try to find the GOOD in every situation, you will.  And that will ultimately and absolutely result in JOY.




How was your 2011?  And cheers to 2012!

Homemade Deodorant

Yes, you read that correctly.  Hello, my name is Shellie and I make my own deodorant.  I'll give you some time to laugh...


Now I never thought I'd go this far, but when I was researching homemade soaps and what not, I found out you can pretty much make homemade ANYTHING for way less money and way more natural.  I might even start making toothpaste and makeup.  Stay tuned...


The reason I started this (back in July 2011) was because the aluminum in antiperspirant FREAKS. ME. OUT.  I'll let you do your own research on that. There are several deodorants on the market without the stuff, but this is so much cheaper and you probably have the ingredients in your cabinet already.  And, my first batch lasted from July-December.  Do the math.


WARNING:  this will not keep you from sweating.  It will keep you from stinking.  (Btw, we're supposed to sweat.  Embrace it). 


You'll need:
5 Tbs. coconut oil (this will be your most $$ purchase, but the one I bought was only $5 at the Wal-Mart)
1/4 c. corn starch
1/4 c. baking soda

Add the coconut oil into a bowl.  (Note: you can start the whole mixing process in the container in which you intend to keep the deo).

Add the corn starch and baking soda.  See how easy this is?  

Now, start stirring.  It's that simple.  Kind of looks like cookie dough.  I wouldn't eat it, though.  

Ta-da!!!!!  I put mine in a baby food jar.  But, you can use whatever. 

Application: dip your fingers in it and rub it on your pits.  (For me, one nickel size amount is enough for both pits).

Some things to know:

- This can melt.  I wish I could give you a temperature, but I don't know that 

- If it does melt, put it in the fridge for a bit and it will harden up

- You can add some essential oil to make it smell nice

- If your mixture is too oily, add a bit more corn starch

- If it's too "gritty" add some more coconut oil 

- There will be an "adjustment" period.  (Meaning: you may be really sweaty at the beginning, but your body will adjust)

- Please know that I do keep stronger stuff on hand for those certain occasions where I don't want to have sweat stains 

Hope you try it and hope you like it!