Shout out

This post is a shout out to my pal Laura. Laura and I have been friends since my freshman year of college. She was my RA and we lived right across the hall from one another! Seriously, we were attached at the hip... it was ridiculous. Currently, she is in China following the Lord's plan. She is teaching english to kids and young adults for a year. She has been for about four months and those months have not always been the easiest. It's inspiring to know that she is resting in the fact that she is doing the Lords plan and that His mercies are new for her every.single.day. That is one of the many reasons why I appreciate her friendship and am thankful for her. That and she loves to be 12 with me and freak out over tween things, ha!

She has a blog, she doesn't update often but when she does its incredible. So if you want to be inspired by her story in China check it out here

peace.love.china

-Shannon

famous.

Oh my gosh, you guys!!! Remember that time I hung out with THE Michaela from Michaela Noelle Designs and THE Megan from Mackey Madness, oh you don't?! Well, it was this past weekend... Does this make me famous? 

Okay, I'm being serious now... Michaela came in town to visit Meg and on their way to New Orleans they stopped and had a sleepover with me! It was such a jam... so much so that we accidentally stayed up until 2 A.M. talking and being 12 year old girls. It was kind of like we have always been friends or something! We also drove around LSU campus and the Lakes so she could see all the sorority houses and  random expensive lake houses... Also so I could hear her tell us all about the architecture and design of houses... No worries I told her all about the lakes and what it's like to run around them! We are even :) 

see, its true. we ARE bff :) As usual though, they showed up in cutie dresses and I missed the memo. #whatsnew

this is how I felt about them coming and Michaela being a new pal!

still didnt get the dress memo

Since I am a creep, I stalk look at her blog daily and I told her how she always does this one pose looking over her shoulder. So what you see here is her being me (only I dont put my hands on my hip nor do I stand sassy :)) and me being her (Obv she is way better at it and I'm just checkin out my calf muscles)

bff.for.life.

forgive my lazy eye... it sneaks out when i get tired. #heredity

sad to see them go :( come back

Oh, and remember that time Michaela made me put on her romper... THANKFULLY no pictures were taken! 

Michaela: thanks for being a jam :)

peace.love. blog besties

--Shannon

celebration

Friday was my celebration from being done with my first official week of grad school and internship! I hung out with my new precious friend Mary for lunch! Well, it was lunch at 3.00 and we didn't finish until supper time!  It was much needed hang time! Initial hang times with new friends are always my favorite because it helps me with vulnerability, which is something I am awful at! Plus Mary loves the Lord so it's always good to have Christ-centered discussions. AND most importantly I just love getting to know new people! She is also from my hometown so it's a little like home! 

 my date!

Told you she was presh!

our meal

the Yogurtland for snack after, Duh!

They have some funny Hello Kitty theme happening so all the cups are super cute and the spoons are Hello Kitty characters! 

dont judge me for going twice this weekend. #eatingmyfeelings

peace.love. celebration

-shannon

friends!

My very first weekend in BR, My roomies and I went to a mexican pot luck dinner party at our new friends house! Im not sure if I told you about them but Beka was beth's friend from growing up and alice' and I pretty much deemed her our friend too. Through Beka we met her roommates Rebecca and Mary. Beth and I attended high school with Mary so we kind of already knew her. By we, I really mean beth already knew her and I knew who she was. I was not cool at all in high school so it would make sense we weren't friends. With all that said, it was at their house. It was so yummy!

I was thankful for this because It gave us an opportunity to meet girls who genuinely love the Lord. It was also really encouraging especially after all the weird stuff we observed around BR and campus!

After, we went to a movie on a baseball field that a local church did. The Count of Monte Christo wasn't so much a jam but the fellowship was for sure!!

Container from top to bottom:

alice' corn and peppers

Beth's homemade salsa

My mexican rice

Mary made yummy chicken enchiladas

peace.love.amigos

-Shannon

kari jobe.

This morning was epic.... How so? well I will tell you!

My favorite worship leader ever, Kari Jobe, led worship at a church in Baton Rouge that I have been visiting! Seriously, she is legit. If you've never listened to her,believer or not, you should totally check out her stuff! I had seen her twice before and she brings truth ever.single.time. My favorite lyrics from  a song this morning are...  

Love came down and rescued me, Love came down and set me free... I am forever Yours. 

FOREVER YOURS.... How does someone even grasp that?! 

My friends callie and callie (better known as callie squared) had never seen her before and after church they wanted to creep her to talk to her and it was hilarious! Bethany had to go to the bathroom and as we were waiting for her, Kari passed by and stopped to talk to us. We talked for like five minutes and it was a jam! I could seriously probably be real life friends with her, on the real.

 first time I ever saw her.

 this morning, I pretended like we totally had coffee together.. it's okay if you are jealous!

move in day.

On Friday, I moved away for grad school which explains why I have been absent from blogging and will probably continue to be absent from it. I'm a busy girl now and already have crap to read for my first day of class!

My family Jon Jon and I packed up and left friday morning at about 10 a.m. My sister thankfully rode with me! Im pretty sure I would have been a hot mess if she didn't It was the longest I have ever driven and we went a different way than what i was use to and ahhh I was just freaking out!! I was also nervous about if my poor little car would make it... no worries she did! I think she got a little overwhelmed though because as soon as we got out of the car at the apt she started smoking! I guess she doesn't know smoking is bad for you.  ;)

When we arrived, the chaos of moving everything in getting it organized AND fixing my car began! It took until around dinner time to finish so my parents ordered pizza we ate then they left :(  This began my time of crying at least once every day until about monday! Shame I know.Jon Jon left the day after my parents did and he said "see you at the end of September" blaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!! 

Baton Rouge is good, but it's not home. I get stressed out driving because the roads are SO weird here and I'm thankful for roomies that are patient with me! On Sunday Beth and I went to Istrouma Church, It was really good! The only faces we recognized were our future teacher and the guy we pay our rent to #nerdstatus. Needless to say, the first few days here sucked but I'm trying to make the best of it!! 

 this is my new home. #freakoutmoment

little big sister... so thankful for her! 

We figure if we say it's our home enough it will eventually set in!!

another freakout moment... paying our first months rent and getting our keys!! ahhh!!

this really, is just for your enjoyment because beth is out.of.control.

peace.love.moving.

-Shannon

first run!

Today, My roomies and I went running around some lakes for our first major run in training for our half marathon in December! We went bright and early at 6.30 and let me tell you.. .it.was.humid! We originally thought we went 3 miles and were upset because we were suppose to go four. After the run, we mapped it and WHOOP it was four!!

Also, I am well aware that I haven't blogged in a while but I moved so im trying to get use to this big city! No worries though I will tell you about the move eventually.... ha!

peace.love.training

hungryyy

Saturday started out like any other day saturday would:

Wake up

Run

Bike

Shower

be ready for lunch

Well this Saturday I had to make a quick stop by work to get someone to fill out a paper but then I was ready for lunch... like seriously ready. I hadn't eaten and we ran AND biked! Friday Jon and I discussed going to taco bueno because he really wanted tacos! I know this because he said "hey shan tomorrow for lunch lets go eat, I really want some tacos" I'm sure he thought id pick the usual Los Portales (LP) but I switched it up and I wanted a quesadilla from taco bueno so that is what my heart was set on. Back to Saturday... I come back from work ready to go because I am STARVING! He had to get gas first (still hungry) and then he broke the news that we weren't going to taco bueno but LP... I tried to convince otherwise but he wasn't having it. He was like okay well I need to go to wal-mart first... OH MY GAH can we just go eat then go to wal mart, I asked! So we went the whole time in there I was like I AM HUNNGGRRRYYYYY (yes, I realize I'm obnoxious) You seriously would think I haven't eaten in 12 years and I'm not ridiculously small so I really would have survived. We make it to LP, my dad was at a place next store... we chatted... I was still hungry. We finally go inside and they ask how many, I said 2... Jon Jon stepped in and said... no, we need more. Umm.... okay! So we are sitting there waiting... You remember how i was Obnoxious... well Jon was trying to buy time so our friends could get there.. but I messed it up. So we are waiting, I look outside and I see Megan, Melissa, Justin, Candace Savannah, and Andrew all coming up!! AHHH YAYYY!!!! They planned a suprise hang time for me as one of the last big ones before I move!! I was so excited.. but still hungry :) Then they all dogged me for  being lame! We eat then go get some froyo then go back to melissas for hang time and play time with van and andrew! Oh and we watched Cinderella because It's van's fav! Then they gave me and envelope with secret treasures in it so I could get some things I needed for the new apt.. like a comfortor and whatever else! Then we hugged said bye and planned another hang time for thursday... for real the last one ha!

In all this excitement, I was the Lord blessed me. The secret treasures in the envelope was more than half of what I paid for my books, so I got a lot of my book money back. Since I have been scared to death to move, The Lord showed me a couple of things through that:

1. He is for me, NOT against me

2. He is provider

3. I am His child and He was always take care of me even in Baton Rouge

junior planking happened in Splurge.

Play time with them is always a jam! Candace left before pictures happened boooo

gators.. rawr.

On Friday, I went to Natchitoches to an Alligator Farm with Melissa and Megan! Oh my lady ga ga yes that is the same megan from Mackey Madness :) Apparently, In Louisiana it's the place to go! I went once when I was in elementary school but this time I'm pretty sure it was WAY cooler! They have all kinds of different animals you can feed out of your hand like goats, deer, and a donkey! There are signs everywhere by the petting zoo that say "feed animals out of the palm of your hand. Do not stick fingers in animals mouth. We dont bite, but we pinch" I'm not really sure if that were the exact words of the sign but it was something like that. No worries though, I saw it after i stuck my fingers in the big ole' donkey mouth. The sign was correct... he bit pinched. They also have two "islands" on which gators live. As eery music plays, the gators come up to the feeder  who dangles chicken under their noses. It all goes downhill from there!

chomp chomp chomp!

see how huge that thing is!!! You know, gators only have one muscle in their tail? Thats why its so strong! Those mugs can just sink in the water like a rock!!

This is my new pal Ti'yay! Seriously he was so presh! His favorite thing was to race me on the water pumps.. even though there is NO way to tell a winner. We were probably BFF for like 10 minutes. Then we were at the same alligator feeding show and he chumped me out and didn't talk to me. #punk

peace.love.gators

-Shannon

little pea.

 This past weekend I had the privilege of going to the 2nd birthday of one of my ultra pals little girl, Jubilee (I call her precious little pea or some variation of it). They live in Texas, but went to Baton Rouge (my future home) to have a family celebration and I like to think I'm like family since I got invited! Jon Jon, my roomie, and I drove down to spend the day with them! I also got to meet her and her husbands new twins, Hudson and Everett. They are seriously the cutest little things ever! Since I don't get to see their sweet family often, I cherish every minute I have with them! 

While I was there I also got a tour of where campus and my internship were in relation to my apartment. Oh and Yogurtland and Izzo's Illegal Burrito.. You know, the important stuff! No worries, a Starbucks is also on that same street. #aintcomplainin

Most delicious Strawberry cake. Seriously it was four layers of goodness. I could probably eat it everyday, on the real.

Cute little pea and mommy

woo hoo!!!! happy birthday!! 

She was so excited for the birthday Sopapia thing! Mostly she put the cherry in the whipped cream over and over again just to lick it off!

peace.love.birthdays

-Shannon

celebration.

This past weekend, two of my lovely friends Kelli and Troy celebrated their wedding! It was so beautiful. They had the reception and the wedding in the same building, it was small cozy and perfect! I would have more pictures for you but I always feel awkward creepin photos. Their main color was plum and the guys wore bow ties and converse. I'm usually not a wedding cryer... but this one... TOTALLY did!

Kelli was a cheerleader in college and Troy was a hit on the basketball team, basically they are perfect together! Jon Jon and I always joked with them about having a double wedding, but that obv didn't happen! 

peace.love.weddings

-Shannon

road trippin

This past weekend I went down to the Bayou in Thibodaux, La with 2 of my best friends Melissa and Megan. Melissa is from there and she showed us EVERYTHING, including her parking spot at her high school! It was such a blast! Saturday we went to Baton Rouge because her husband had an Adventure Race! We took advantage of the day and went shopping and eating! Of course I convinced them to go to my favorite Izzo's Illegal Burrito and Yogurtland. #theydidnthateit  Melis and Megan also went to Anthropologie for the first time ever! Their faces lit up as soon as we walked in the building! We spent TONS of time with her lovely family and most importantly ate a ridiculous amount of food!

In Thibodaux, is the Laurel Valley Slave quarters amongst tons and tons of sugar cane fields. It's actual slave houses and it was so cool/sad to see. The homes were small and there is tons of land, it reminded me why I have such a heart for modern day slavery/human trafficking. 

church.

 outhouse that has been tipped over. 

house. 

It looks like one house but there are two doors which makes it two houses the size of one house.

Lis INSISTED on us eating sugar cane. 

note: it's not ready until the fall

note: it was gross

on this trip, I learned Lis is a former piano player.

also, she has NO clue i took this. :)

this is the most ultimate jam candle from Anthro.

note: i accept gifts.

peace.love.bayou

-shannon

bridesmaids!!!

So, remember how Friday I wrote the post about Nutella Cupcakes?!?!?!!! Well, they were put to good use!! I had been planning this for about a month or so, but I wanted to finish my summer class before I did it because I knew it would take some time! 

Wanna know what I did with them?! Well, I made them and used them as a tool to ask my bridesmaids to be bridesmaids! It was so much fun! My sister and I made them and delivered them!! I put little flags in them that said Bridesmaid? Flowergirl? Maid of Honor? Matron of Honor? and it was such a hit!! 

No worries, I dont really know how the roles of a matron and maid differ but I knew I wanted them both to be there for EVERYTHING! I also knew one is married and the other isn't so it only made sense!

all the cupcakes!

Matron of honor --sister!

Amanda

Maid of Honor-- Best friend since high school, friends since 6th grade, future grad school roomie!

Bethany

Bridesmaid-- best friend from college, future roomie for grad school!

Alice'

Bridesmaid-- Best friend from college!

Melissa

Bridesmaid-- best friend from college!

Megan

flowergirl-- kick butt two year old!

Savannah

just because he is cute and he loved the cupcakes!

Andrew

peace,love,weddings