A new post!

I am sitting myself down to write a blog post. Yes. No more excuses today. Of course things are busy, but things are always busy. So, I am making the time.

Now, what to write about? There has been so much going on in the world, scary, horrible, frustrating things that I should probably be writing about -- no, I KNOW I should be writing about, because discussion is good. And talking about things is the first step to changing them. But to be honest with you I can hardly get through a day without crying about my own stuff right now (which I realize are mostly silly, trivial and definitely hormonal problems). So I have been sort of hiding out in my own little shell with blinders on trying to ignore the news as best I can for the next little while. Because I am so tired of crying you guys.

No one likes a complainer and positivity is key, right? So let's visit some of the good and wonderful.

I have been making time for friends. Breakfast with a girlfriend whom I haven't been able to connect with in far too long and an adults only over night trip to celebrate another friend's birthday have been oh so good for the soul lately. And Josh, in his infinite wisdom, has even set up a dinner at our house Sunday night and invited a couple we're acquainted with and their two little boys. It's a sort of first date, potential friends in the making, we hope you like us because we like you kind of deal. Because it's hard to make new friends as an adult, isn't it? "And we need more friends that live close by!" says Josh. And you know what, it's true. So Josh just went for it. We're going to be vulnerable and make them a lasagna and just put ourselves out there and see what happens. Anybody else out there wanna be friends in real life? Let's do this!

Our house has been getting some much needed TLC. We've been finding ourselves with a bit more free time on our hands now that summer is winding down and most of the weddings and grad parties have been attended. We've got the nursery about as finished as it's going to be before the baby comes. The shelves and walls are still mostly empty since we're waiting to find out if our little "E" is a he or a she, but the furniture is in place, the walls have been painted, the new light is installed. This weekend we tackle the baby's bathroom.  New sconces have been ordered and Josh is going to finish up the painting. I promise a full tour of both rooms once baby is here and we really finish the place. I seriously can't wait.

Josh has also been tiling, grouting, fixing leaks and being a general handy-man extraordinaire the last few weeks. We took our first steps towards updating our enormously tall two-story rear stairwell with the purchase of this AMAZING ladder (seriously though, I never thought I'd get so excited over owning a ladder) and this beauty of a light fixture. ...two points here while I'm thinking about it...when I link to something online please don't ever think I actually paid the list price you see for anything for our house. I'm lucky enough to have a job where I can get house stuff at wholesale prices straight from the manufacturers themselves. (I just don't want anyone out there mistakenly thinking I'm miss richy rich over here ;) Also, my mom is crazy. Wonderful, but crazy. And she kicked in a good portion of the money for that light fixture as an early christmas present. Because she starts christmas shopping in August, y'all. And whenever a gift giving occasion rolls around and she asks me what I want, I always inevitably answer a new light fixture for somewhere in the house. So she told me to go ahead and get it ordered. And now it's here and I loooooove it. And Josh used the new ladder to install the new fixture and now I'm dying to start the painting. Unfortunately, painting from a ladder two stories up whilst 33 weeks pregnant does not seem like the wisest decision. So, that's going to have to wait just a little while longer.

Our loooong search for a new dining room table has finally come to a happy end. The dining table we've had forever was an undeniable POS. I bought it online from Pottery Barn on final clearance for like $400 years ago. When it showed up the finish was already flaking off in some areas before I'd even gotten it assembled. Of course they wouldn't take it back or replace it because it was final clearance, so we've been stuck with it ever since. In addition to the already spotty finish the boys have added their own little touches to it over time in the form of permanent marker and glitter glue. So, yeah, we needed something new. Problem was everything I was drawn to had a super smooth polished finish to it.

Super smooth polished finish + young children = disaster waiting to happen 

I needed something that could get a little beat up. A table that wouldn't show every single scratch or mark. I mean, I don't plan on letting them anywhere near a new table with glitter glue ever again, but they are going to be using it for homework and eating and whatnot and it's bound to take a few hits. Then I discovered Ariele Alasko. If you haven't heard of her she's this amazing wood worker and furniture builder who makes all these great custom pieces from reclaimed wood (technically plaster lath) that are just drop dead gorgeous. I'm serious, she is an incredible artist. Her stuff is amazing, and wouldn't you know she does dining room tables. Well, technically, she did dining room tables. She doesn't anymore, and she's not currently taking commissions nor am I a bajillionaire who could afford to commission a custom Ariele Alasko dining table. (I wish.) But, it did get me thinking. Maybe I could find someone who IS taking custom commissions and also works with reclaimed wood. I mean, it's already a bit beat up, so the boys can't really hurt it, and that's part of the beauty and charm of these pieces anyway, right? So to Etsy I went and that's where I found Sarah at New Antiquity.

After a few good conversations about color and design she understood what I was looking for and drew up a custom dining table for me that was just about the prettiest thing I ever did see. She has been a dream to work with and even sent me progress shots of the table during the construction process to make sure things were looking correct and so I'd know we were on track.

Anyway, here it is.

I mean.

AND tomorrow's Friday? Things are certainly looking up around here. See, there's plenty of good and wonderful when you just take the time to look for it. I think I should just end this post on that note, right?

Proud new owner of her dream dining table out!

Happy weekend, friends

Life Lately...

You know how some bloggers post Instagram round ups with little updates on their lives and families? Well this is like that, but with words. I may have crappy iphone images of some of these events I could include as well but you've probably already seen them on instagram anyway, so, I'll spare you.

• I am still, STILL waiting on my bench cushion to be recovered before I show you pictures from our finished mudroom. The fabric I ordered finally, FINALLY shows up and what do you know - my upholsterer is in Boston on vacation this week. Next week, even if I have to cover it myself (which I do not recommend) but some way, some how I swear this project will be complete.

• I'm 11 weeks pregnant now! I've had a consistent underlying baseline of constant nausea throughout this pregnancy so far that doesn't seem to be going anywhere anytime soon. It's mostly manageable, and I'm just thankful it's not worse so I am not going to complain. But it has turned tooth brushing into a daily EVENT, let me tell you. I have to psyche myself up and then do it as fast as humanly possible to make it through without gagging.

          And you're welcome for that little visual into my life. Anytime.

• Josh and I saw the Grand Budapest Hotel last weekend and it was great of course. It only served to strengthen the confidence I've always had in our choice of name for our first born child all those years ago. I especially loved how Ralph Fiennes' character called everyone (including the men) darling throughout the whole thing. So, so good.

• Speaking of dates with Josh we've had a few other fun ones where I've gotten to hang with his new co-workers a bit and start to get to know them. They're fantastic by the way. The first was a few weeks ago when we got to attend a Cavs game (my first ever)  with the whole Think Media crew. Their company does all the video for the Cavs and they'd created a special video that was projected onto the court during a half time ceremony when they retired Zydrunas Ilgauskas's jersey and team number. It was very cool. And now I can say I've been to the games of all three of Cleveland's pro teams for the first time in my life. I'm like a real life bonafide northeast Ohioan now! The other date night was just this past weekend when my mom kept the boys for a sleepover at her house and we met two of the guys Josh works with and their lovely wives up in Cleveland to see Marc Maron perform stand up. It was a really fun night and the latest I've stayed out in AWHILE.

• And speaking of sleepovers, we had our baby niece for an overnight a few weeks ago and I'm officially in love with that little lady. That is all.

• We bought Lincoln a leash and a harness and a line to be tied out in the backyard and so he goes outside with us now. He loves this development and is pretty much a dog in every possible way outside of looks. Especially when he steals all the pizza and eats it like it's going out of style.

• My baby (not the in utero one) is turning three on Saturday! And we're having his party at our house. Right after the annual Easter egg hunt that morning in Akron that we have to attend because Wes will not let us get out of it this year even though WE'RE HOSTING A PARTY AT OUR HOUSE MERE HOURS LATER. Then Easter is the next day, of course. It's going to be a very busy weekend.  I need a nap just thinking about it.
  

So what's new with you guys? Any crazy/busy weekends on the horizon for anyone else?

.

Some Books I Read and Other Stuff

I haven't been feeling very inspired in the blogging department lately. It may have to do with the fact that I started using my nights after the boys are finally asleep to get back into an exercise routine, or the fact that the boys haven't been sleeping well at all lately. Can you sleep train 5 and 2 year olds? I'm serious, I need a new solution because right now I spend at least an hour after they're in bed running back and forth between their rooms as they cry for me and complain that they're too scared to sleep alone. I don't know where this came from, and I sort of think that they're just semi-competing for my attention at this point because when one starts up it seems to just be a cue for the other to join in. It's frustrating and very tiring and I usually end up falling asleep in one of their beds and then waking up way too late and having to drag myself back downstairs for an ab workout. It's stupid. And stupidly tiring. So if anyone has any brilliant ideas, hit me up in the comments section! I even tried letting them sleep in the same bed together the other night. They fell asleep ok, but then Wes knocked Oren out of the bed in the middle of the night and they both woke up crying. The rest of the night was a disaster. We obviously have no idea what we're doing here.

My lack of blogging might also have to do with the fact that I've been spending every free minute devouring new books. I've been using my Audible app to listen to books while I drive or do inventory at work and it's seriously the best thing ever. Since my last post about finishing Game of Thrones I've already finished three new books. They could not be three more different books either. So without further ado, here's my little review...

I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai: You'd have to be living under a rock to not know about this amazing girl and her recent thrust into the spotlight after being shot in the head by the Taliban for campaigning for education rights for girls in the Swat Valley. The book is so very good, and her courage and selflessness makes me shake my head at myself and all the stupid and ridiculous things I worry and stress over. Things that are so trite and insignificant that it's embarassing. For her to be so young and yet so brave and so, so wise - it's really inspirational. And makes you want to work much harder to do more good in this world. The book was great, and it was a really interesting look into her family life and life as a Pakistani woman in a culture so different from our own. Hero status for this girl.

The Shell Seekers by Rosamunde Pilcher: This was an easy, fluff read and just what the doctor ordered after the epicness of GoT. To start and finish a book in the same day? It felt real good. This book was nothing to write home about, just a simple little british tale about love and family. Nothing too shocking or scandalous going on here. I think it's actually kind of an old lady book, maybe? Actually, I know it is because when I googled images for the book cover I saw that it had been made into a Hallmark movie starring Angela Lansbury....so, yeahhh.

Divergent by Veronica Roth:  Oh, young adult post apocalyptic trilogies, why can't I quit you? I don't know, I guess they're just my guilty pleasure. But I don't think all books have to be beautifully written or incredibly brilliant to be pleasurable reading. I mean, not everyone can be Proust or Kerouac, am I right? There's a time and place for everything, and I, for one, do not discriminate. So of course I was going to read Divergent, and of course I thoroughly enjoyed it. I mean, it's definitely an easy read and "young adult" in every sense of the word. They even do that thing where the bad guys just flat out tell you what they're up to and explain their evil plans aloud assuming the heroes will be dead before they can stop them. You're brain does not have to work hard here - at.all. But the love story! Oh, it's soooo, soooo, soooo very good. I mean the sexual tension... the innuendo... whew! I had to fan myself off a few times. It's totally worth it. And of course I just started Insurgent. It will be finished by the time the weekend's up as I am totally and completely hooked. So thanks to my friends for the recommendation. You all know me too well ;)

Have a very happy weekend, everyone! Oh, and seriously, sleeping tips and book recommendations are always welcome here.

A Nonsense Post and Happy Birthday to Josh!

 

How would everyone feel about a babbling, disjointed blog post for your Wednesday morning? And one with NO pictures whatsoever? I'll take your silence as willing consent. Great!

 

There are some really important things going on in my life right now. Major, life-changing stuff here (please read that with a hearty dose of sarcasm). But first and foremost I should mention that today is Josh's birthday! It would not serve to put that information at the end so let's just get that right out there. I love you, I love you, I love you! I'm sorry you have to work today, because working on your birthday is a total bummer but at least we're going out for Mexican tonight, so you have that to look forward to. That and presents. Presents make everything better.

 

****

 

And now, on to more pressing matters.

 

I finished Game of Thrones, you guys. All of it. All five of them long ass, brilliant books. I've been reading those and nothing else since summer. SUMMER! I'm just starting to come to terms with it. And now I don't know what to do with myself.  On the one hand I feel like a newly freed Meereenese slave, shackles broken - the literary world mine for the taking! Unchained from the bondage of these books and free to read whatever I choose. Praise the mother! On the other hand I feel a black pit of emptiness and despair opening in my soul. What once was filled by all my Westerosi friends is now a lonely, gaping hole as dark at Drogon's eyes and as wide as the Dothraki sea...

 

I'm going to miss those books more than I can say, and if George R.R. Martin dies before he finishes this series I'm gonna f*** some shit up.

 

****

 

In other news, I started P90X again last night. Jumped right back in to it with Ab Ripper and Cardio X. Which, I realized this morning was a very bad idea. Nay, a TERRIBLE idea.  Today my legs are like noodles and the pain in my mid section is laughable. But really though, please don't make me laugh because that just makes it worse, ok? Thanks. But no pain no gain! Or whatever it is they say that makes you believe washboard abs are worth all this trouble. As of today, I remain unconvinced.

 

Aaaand that's it. That's all I've got on the exciting news front, other than I painted the risers on my front staircase white and I'm waffling with the idea of painting the spindles as well. You and I both know I'm gonna do it, but it's just going to be so much work that I'm trying to talk myself out of it. I know! Earth shaking stuff over here, just calm down everyone!

 

Anyway, that's all I've got. Over and out and all that jazz and if you have any good book recommendations I am now officially open to suggestions! I've been pinning like crazy in anticipation of this moment and now I'm stuck deciding what to read first. I think I'm might have to kick it off with Malala's book, but what would you recommend?

 

 

 

 

My Favorite Things This Month

 

 

1. Surprise packages in the mail from a friend in Iceland who we will finally get to meet in only a short 45ish days from now!

 

 2. Children in tiny swimshorts and sprinklers

 3. Sleepy babies in oversized t-shirts

4. Date nights with this guy

5. Seeing this and laughing so hard I was crying

6. Green goddess tacos at Barrio

7. The first lightening bugs of the summer

 

but most of all...

 

8. KEYS TO OUR NEW HOUSE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Can you hear the angels singing?

This is me, blogging.

So, Josh has been in Dallas on a work trip for what feels like forever. He just got home in the early morning hours last night and I am so happy to have him back. I mean, it appears he's back, even though I left for work before he was even out of bed and we've hardly spoken a word to each other yet. But still, he's home!

When he left for this trip he took the camera and our laptop with him. Which basically equaled no blogging for this lady for the past week. Not that there would have been time for that frivilousness anyway. This single parenting thing is no joke. And I even had extra help during the day from Josh's sister, Lisa, while I was at work. Seriously, to all you single parents out there, I tip my hat to you. You people are warriors.

I hate to say it, but I don't have much to report. I spent the week working, cooking, cleaning, bathing small children and basically just trying to power through. Not much else got accomplished. We were supposed to have our house up for sale by this week, but with Josh being gone, it didn't happen. Hopefully this coming week we can get it together and do this thing.

Soooooo, yeah. This was basically a post about nothing. Maybe this week I'll be able to post about...something?  Until then, I leave you with this picture I snapped on my phone this moring.

 

 

All my boys are back under one roof again and all is right with the world once more.

 

 

 

Arrested Development

 

we're famous!

 

 

ps. it's almost here. new season 2013!

(!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

Life Lately, In Groups of Three

 

Life's been a bit slow moving lately. Summer's left us and everyone's headed back to school and life's usual responsibilites. I haven't had much to write about, or maybe I just haven't felt much like writing.  Rather, I've been filling my nights with home cooked meals, Adventure Time marathons under blankets on the couch and alphabet writing practice with a certain W-E-S-T-O-N. So, here's a little catch up post about life lately until something more exciting comes along and shakes things up a bit.

Things I've Done Recently:

Made an entire batch of chocolate chip cookie dough. Baked about a dozen cookies then proceeded to eat the all of the remaining frozen cookie dough over the course of the following week.

Learned how to type those emoticons and symbol thingys into texts and emails. Thank you Josh and sorry to everyone else for all the texts consisting of only mini soccer balls, ice cream cones and christmas trees. (P.S. It's officially the christmas quarter!)

Designed stuff. Mostly pool houses (don't ask me) and my own living room.


Things I've Read* Recently:

Middlesex - Interesting, different, engaging but lo-oong. 3 out of 5 stars

The Book Thief - A tear jerker but an easy read. Glad I finally got around to it. 3 out of 5 stars. Had I read this when I was younger I would have probably given it 5 out of 5.

The Night Circus - Haven't finished it yet but so far I'm totally in to it.  Preemptive 5 out of 5 stars but let me know if I'm wrong on this.

*Audiobooks count too, right?


People I've Missed Recently:

My brother Ben (stupid Nashville)

My bestie Adam (stupid Columbus)

My grandma Lil. Her birthday was on the 6th and I had to look it up because I couldn't remember. She would have been 88. I should tell you about her someday because she was one amazing lady.


Things I've Thought Recently:

How is it possible that Bone Thugs-n-Harmony are still together and touring? More importantly, will Krayzie Bone and Wish Bone be there, and are they still singing Crossroads???

Whatever happened to that girl from the Child of Rage video they made you watch in 9th grade health class? And why was that required viewing anyway? Health class was supposed to teach you about nutrition, the birds and the bees and STDs but apparently also about psychotic children who want to murder their whole family?

Why does the baby never have pants on?



Aaaaand that about sums it up. If you're still with me after all that blahblahblah-ness you are a gentleman and a friend, and I thank you for your devotion, sir.

I'll do better next time, promise.

A Quick Little Hello

 

wow. once i downloaded this from my little iphone screen on to my computer i discovered just how flattering this photo of myself really is. yeesh. (still better than my new driver's license photo though. somehow it managed to be even worse than the last picture which was taken just 6 days prior to giving birth to wes in all my bloated, puffy, pregnant faced glory. i didn't even know that was possible - positively horrifying. )

 

 

hi.....so, it appears I've gone a whole week here with out posting (if you're still even checking this thing, that is). My bad. I will say in my defense, I have been without a computer since it needed to be sent away for repairs and it just came back last night and it's a little difficult to blog without a computer, ya know? Also, I've been a tad pre-occupied since Abby started school and got new job and my brother moved away. I've been having enough sympathy anxiety for the both of them combined. Also, in the exciting arena of dental news (!!!) both Oren and I are cutting teeth at the same time, awwwww. Him: molars, me: wisdom. So no sleep for either of us and an October surgery scheduled for me. I'll let you guess which one of us has been crying more in the last week. (here's a hint - it's a tie). I think I'm the oldest person in the history of the world to just now be having my wisdom teeth removed. I so thought I had dodged this bullet years ago, but apparently not.

 

Ok, enough with all of that, my quota has been reached on complaining. Starting tomorrow I can hopefully get back to business as usual over here. Meaning, tomorrow, expect mass amounts of pictures of my kids and ice cream. More specifically, my kids eating ice cream. You know how I do.

 





My Three Favorite Things Today

1.) You've all probably seen this proposal already but I can't resist posting it here. I am in love with this video. I just keep watching it and crying, watching it and crying. Then I make other people watch it (like you!) and get confused when they do not turned into a sniveling, wet, puddle of emotions like me. What can I say? The internet makes me cry on the reg (ex; this, this and let's not forget this). It's all just so sweet and adorable. I can only imagine how much time and coordination and effort this took by this couple's family and friends. Amazing.

 


2.) The Honest Toddler twitter feed. It's perfect. The humor, the candor, the hatred of pinterest. If you are the parent of a small child (or even know a small child) it's worth a look, trust me. It speaks to my soul. And it has a blog now too. Check that out here.

Honest Toddler‏@HonestToddler

Can't remember the last time my mom showered. I feel good about that.

Honest Toddler‏@HonestToddler

It's not that I mind her being clean, I just don't like barriers between us. Doors, curtains, the phone, stranger babies, etc.

Honest Toddler‏@HonestToddler

Want to thank the especially loud bird outside for helping me up. You are not a demon (lol daddy) and I would love to hold you tight.

3.) And MOST importantly I am seeing my lover  favorite musician Talib Kweli tonight at the Grog Shop in Cleveland. Which, if you're not familiar with it, is a teeny, tiny, itsy-bitsy club which is crazy for him to be performing at and awesome and is going to make for an incredible show. I even took tomorrow off work, so I don't have to be stressed about getting home late or lack of sleep. I am so old, but also SO pumped.

Three cheers for Wednesday!

xoxo

I've Been Waiting All Year For You

hello, little beauties. 

you smell so unbelievably good.

thanks for making my day, today.

...hope you all have some lilies of the valley in your life today, too.

and happy may to you!

It's Friday!

and most importantly, it's march! that february was the pits. THE PITS i tell you. and to think they even threw in an extra day this year?! well, that was just plain mean.

very uncool leap year, very uncool. 

we have nothing planned for this weekend. this is to ensure no one will get sick. because every time we do plan something...you know how it ends.

last weekend between weston's thursday night puking and my saturday night puking we had a saturday morning rendezvous with the brand new aquarium in cleveland. magically, it fell right in that little slot between sicknesses and we just managed to squeak it in. we took lots of pictures and i promise to tell you all about it's amazing-ness just as soon as i manage to get around to downloading the camera.

whenever that might be.

anyway, hope you all have a fun and healthy weekend!






 here are some baby toes to send you off...

because i'm thoughtful like that.

Emily's Top 10 Christmas Movies

Did you see it this morning? Smattered across the rooftops and sprinkled upon the windshields? Pretty little flakes of pure, white, happiness scattered across the lawns as far as the eye could see. I had to rub my sleepy eyes to be sure what I was seeing wasn't a wintertime mirage concocted by the sugarplum fairies of my imagination. But nope, it was true! It wasn't much, but there it was. The very first snowfall of the season!

In case you haven't gathered by now, I'm a lover of this season. A lover of wintertime and hot chocolate, of mittens and snow boots, turkey and mistletoe and all things christmas. But most of all, my favorite of all the season's traditions - christmas movies. All my life I've been a lover of christmas movies, the earliest of memories and some of my happiest. Those of huddling around the tv, brother and sister by my side. Cold nights and mugs of warm drinks, footed pajamas and claymation magic.

I'm kind-of an expert on the subject.

So, I thought I'd put together a little list. A list of my all time favorites. The same movies I drag out year after year as soon as the first nip is felt in the air. They may not be the most popular, and some may disagree with what I have chosen. (What, no Frosty the Snowman? No National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation? And really, really, Emily... NO CHRISTMAS STORY?!?!) But most of these found their way into my heart during my childhood and I love them each for sentimental reasons. Are they all the greatest works of cinema out there? No, surely not. And if I could, in some alternate universe, view them for the first time as an adult, I'm sure I would be left scratching my head as to what the big deal really is. But, these movies are special to me because they all bring back a little hint of the happiness from my youth, of the christmas spirit only a child can posess. They are my favorites because they are mine.

10. Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer. Claymation at it's best. A classic for the ages. Abominable snowmen, misfit toys, elf dentistry...come on, that one was too easy.

9. Elf. I not usually a fan of most new(er) christmas movies, but this? This is a modern day classic. I'm not always the biggest fan of Will Ferrell, but he gets it right in this one. It makes me smile from start to finish, and smiling's my favorite.

8. Love Actually. The only other newish christmas movie in the bunch, but I just can't help it. Combine a good love story(s), Liam Neeson and a Mariah Carey christmas song on the soundtrack and I'm done for.

7. Home Alone. Maybe not the first movie that comes to mind when you think Christmas, but definitely makes the cut in my book. I love me some Culkins. Kevin here's brother is in my favorite movie of all time. Resistance is futile.

6. How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Even though the version that came out in 2000 was the first movie Josh ever took me too (he had me at christmas movies) I still prefer the original animated one to Jim Carrey's version anyday.

Also, when Wes was a baby he use to make a face I like to call the Who from Whoville face.
example:

coincidentally, the grinch is Weston's favorite christmas movie.







5. It's a Wonderful Life. So, this really is a great, classic christmas movie that I think everyone can agree on. However, the reason it's made my top 10 is based 100% on my brother's ability to quote this movie, in character, from start to finish. Ben's rendition of George Bailey makes me laugh so hard no sound comes out and I can't see through the tears in my eyes. How many 24 year olds do you know now-a-days that do a spot on Jimmy Stewart impression? My brother kills me every year with this. Hot dog!

4. Miracle on 34th Street. No, no, not the original for pete's sake. The one made in 1994 when I was 11 years old (duh). This movie is the reason I dream of attending the Macy's thanksgiving day parade one day. 

It combines both of my favorite holidays into one and is usually the first christmas movie I watch every year, since it starts out on thanksgiving. That makes it a little more acceptable to begin watching in early September, right? 

3. All I Want for Christmas.  The story about two kids trying to get their divorced parents back together for Christmas. It's like a holiday version of the parent trap. It came out in 1991, I was eight years old and it was the year after my own parents divorced. It's always stuck with me, aaaand it features an adorable Ethan Embry and Thora Birch.

(as an aside, but I really feel very strongly about this so I must proceed...both the old and new(er) verisons of the Parent Trap were greattttt movies. I'm dead serious. Lindsey Lohan was so sweet and perfect in the 1998 version, you would not believe. Where on earth did that go so terribly wrong? She could have been amazing. super sad face)

2. A Charlie Brown Christmas. Ok, so this was soooo hard. It was a toss up for the number one position and I really agonized over this one (busy day/tough life). And in the end, I put it at number two. But, I cannot tell you how many times I watched this movie and how hard I love it. From Sally's christmas list to Lucy's theraputic advice, Schroeder's mad piano skills and Frieda's naturally curly hair. I love every single thing about it. And Wes already quotes it too, "I never eat December snowflakes, I always wait until January." But my favorite is, "Of all the Charlie Browns in the world, you're the Charlie Browniest." Oh, Linus. No truer words were ever spoken.

aaaaaaaannnnnnnddddd..... Drum Roll Please.........

1. A Muppet Family Christmas! This came out when I was four and I have watched it every year since. This IS christmas to me. Fraggles, the whole sesame street gang, and all the muppets! There is nothing better. Muppets + Christmas = Emily.

and that is all.

now go, watch, and be merry!

(and please be careful of the icy patch)

Duggars Expecting 20th Child!

JOREN?

Steve Jobs

Today, while searching my email for something entirely different, I randomly found this chat log between Josh and I from a few months back. I thought it to be quite the coincidence considering the passing of Steve Jobs on Wednesday. RIP Steve.

Joshua Booth to me
show details Jun 23

me: Hey, Tracy is bringing Maggie to work with her tomorrow
 
Joshua: Okay.
me: I am going to bring her home at lunch and introduce her to Wes and show her around
 
Joshua: Okay. Cool. I just downloaded the new Final Cut.
me: How'd you do that?
 
Joshua: uh.... you don't want to know.
me: ???
 
Joshua: Didn't buy it though.
me: uh oh
Joshua: Don't tell.
 
me: Who would I tell?
Joshua: Steve Jobs.
 
me: Right. I feel a little bad keeping something like this from Steve though. We're pretty tight.

One of These Things is Not Like the Others

tickets on our fridge right now

Hi, My Name is Emily and I'm an Instagram Addict

I just got the instagram app for my new iphone and I may never take a regular picture again --- just warning you now. Here are some of my favorites so far!

As Abby would say, "It makes your life look way cooler than it actually is." Truth. 

America, You're Gross.

Alright, look, I will be the first to admit that I have an inappropriately addictive relationship with sweets. Pastries, ice cream, chocolate, you name it - I love it. BUT, and this is a big but (no pun intended, haha), I go for quality when I'm indulging. Homemade, real ingredients, real food and worth every delicious calorie. This past weekend Josh and I spent the day at a waterpark and I could not believe the disgusting junk food they were selling...to people in bathing suits none the less! Seriously, I wouldn't eat this stuff on my best day let alone one where my stomach is hanging out for the world to see. It's not even appetizing, not to mention ridiculously overpriced and frankly a little disturbing. Who's buying this crap? UN-BE-LIEVE-ABLE.

Whyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy?