california adventures: california adventure style

Now that we're all on the same page about Disneyland vs. Disney World, let's talk about California Adventure. 

Otherwise known as My Favorite. 

California Adventure is a weird mix of part Hollywood Studios, part Epcot (why hello, alcohol), and part awesome. That part awesome is divided up into different awesome things, one of which being that there was an entrance to the park straight out of our hotel. Kind of Platform 9-3/4 style. I like to pretend it was a secret entrance. 

^^When exploring new Disney parks always wear the ears. Unless your name is Joseph, MC, or Freds and you're too cool.

^^but no one is too cool for a matching Star Wars day. Except me, MC, and Freddie.

^^fake LA slash a version of LA we actually like.

^^Story time!! When Ann was little she had an imaginary friend named Princess Atta. But it wasn't like any 'ole imaginary friend it was the person Ann was always talking to, always talking about, and always doing what Ann was not allowed to do. Princess Atta was more like a part of the family. The End. 

^^While this is a blurry picture, no one can resist Freddie's windblown hair model status picture. No one, I tell you!

^^My "brave" sister, brother, and father decided to ride the Ferris wheel of death. Freddie, my mother, and I were "not brave" and found margaritas, milkshakes, and Mickey bread. You decide who won this game in life.

^^one of my brother's friends is a manager at Disneyland and got us VIP seats for the Aladdin show. Hair flip. And also, thank you!

The night show at California Adventure is called Colors of the World. It has water that shoots into the sky, images projected onto said shooting water, and music that makes you want to dance and sing (Spoiler alert: I did). 

So yes, the show was awesome. But you know what was even more awesome?  

??

My dear mother ended up standing next to a man who is the father of one of the dancers in The Wiggles.

ARE YOU SCREAMING AS MUCH AS I WAS?!

No? Okay, well The Wiggles is a children's band who sings songs that are so ridiculous you can't help but love them. I saw their ridiculousness and lovability and had Wiggles sheets throughout college. Weird, yes. Also not weird and kinda cool? Maybe. People, I was obviously in the presence of a celebrity. He was the nicest Australian man who told me that I should move to Australia and teach ballet there. Apparently it's in high demand.

Done. 

Now, back to some colorful worlds. 

I'm sure you can guess how the story ends. Our tired feet managed to take us back to the top secret entrance and we crashed hard. 

Disneyland, I'm sorry your castle is small and your technology isn't as advanced at Disney World's, but despite these setbacks (wink) you were super duper fo' shizzle fun. 

california adventures: disneyland

Disney. 

What more can I say? We all know Disney is the best of the best and the most amazing of the most amazing and basically well, period. 'Nuff said and all that. 

Now, that being said, we all also know that I've puhretty much lived at Disney World since my brother started working there 7 years ago. Lived/visited often mean the same thing in that there sentence. I mean, there are two unspoken rules in our family: 1) We visit often enough to where we know we secretly live there, but my brother still just thinks we are visiting. Shhh. Hey, Joseph! and 2) Joseph is never allowed to quit.

Dun dun dun. Cue the dramatic music. 

We've been talking for years about taking advantage of his discount and getting our booties to Disneyland. Insert July of 2014. Our booties were finally are Disneyland. 

Excuse me, our booties were finally sitting at Disneyland. 

Because I really don't want to write a novel and because you really don't want to read a novel, I will keep my thoughts and recaps of Disneyland to myself short. 

one.

The castle is tiny. Tinier than tiny. Minuscule. Like, What the hay, Walt. I have to have Alice's special potion just to fit in this place small. You know when you turn the corner on Main St. at Disney World and the castle is big and in your face and your heart skips a beat and your breath leaves for a quick sec because it's so beautiful? Yeah, moment does not happen at Disneyland. 

See?

Hashtag: spoiled. I know. Good thing it's still beautiful and Disney is still the most magical place in the world.

...but I'll keep making castle jokes for a few more years or so. 

two.

Everything is extremely walkable and extremely wonderful because of that. If you stay on property you do not need trolleys. You do not need shuttles or buses. You do not need your car. You do not need the monorail. All you need are your legs. Hotels to Downtown Disney to the entrances to both parks are all together. And it is glorious.

three. 

Disneyland is/was the guinea pig and Disney World is everything they corrected/made better. The End. Period.

four.

...except Space Mountain, Pirates, and It's A Small World. 

five.

Enough nit-picking. It's amazing. 

Now that we've gotten the business out of the way, let's look at a few days worth of Disneyland pictures, shall we?

Very important to not lose your hair when riding Space Mountain. 

Freddie landed himself in ticket jail on Day 2. Go figure. 

Castle, why you so small?

Stay tuned tomorrow for California Adventure (the park not the trip, ya crazies). 

Read about our other California trip adventures here and here. 

jumping over puddles

Olaf sings a song about summer. I should know. I only hear Frozen songs about 5x per hour. Hashtag: workswithkids. And as much as I want to tell the people who sing Let It Go nonstop to actually let it freaking go, Olaf is on to something. 

I finished up the school year/Spamalot shows and had a week before moving into teaching and choreographing for summer camps. All I wanted to do last week was SING! And DANCE! It's summer! I wanted to jump over puddles and give warm hugs, too! The freckles on my face (we're at about 1 million now). The sunburn on my booty (it's a real thing). It's all so wonderful. I've already consumed copious amounts of froyo and it's only mid-June. Actually, I've consumed copious amounts of froyo toppings. We all know the topping to froyo ratio should always be like 5:3. Done. 

So while I was wanting to sing and dance and give warm hugs all last week I was also gallivanting around Disney. According to my mother's time hop app we've been to Disney the first of June for the past 5 years? 6 years? Apparently it's not summer until a Disney trip happens so I'm glad I could keep up with the tradish. 

Thanks, Olaf, for singing a silly song that I can totes relate to. All the 6 year olds have Let It Go, I've got summer. 

Did I mention I met Josh Gad once? Besties. 

It was obviously not summer when we met. 

Happy unofficial summer Monday!

she was just a spoiled brat

Disney has been done. We (Me, MC, Russ Moore, Lil' Ann, FreddieFriend, Uncle John) got back on Sunday from a fabulous 6 day trip to Orlando for some Disney Christmas fun. Disney at Christmas is B-E-A-UTIFUL. No really, I don't think you understand how beautiful it is. 

Look!

And, see this?!

Over here!

Christmas is for sure my favorite time to be at Disney. Okay, so maybe I say that about every time I go--so what? You only wish you were as awesome as Disney (Six Flags, I'm talking to you).

This trip was my fav for many reasons. Some of which include:

• Getting to spend Christmas-y Disney with Freddie and seeing him take a bajillion pictures. Seriously, paparazzi of Disney was in the house (of mouse) and I loved it.
• Finally getting to see my brother. And my bhabff (best hoe and best friend forever).
• Basking in the Osborne Family Lights. I want to pitch a tent on the street and live there during this time. Fake snow, Christmas music, and 3 million dancing Christmas lights? Who wouldn't want to live there?!
• Learning that grown males need leashes. You know the kids on leashes you always see in crowded places? Hello Russ, Freddie, and John, you now have a new Christmas present--a man leash. We spent more time looking for them or waiting on them than we spent actually being with them. 
• Going to Disney 20+ times and still being able to do and try and eat new things. 

While all these things were fabulous and wonderful, the best part of the trip comes from Russ Moore's birthday party day. After a very stressful and busy afternoon spent park hopping and trying to secretly plan something for Dad's birthday, Mom was able to set up a dinner reservation. Ann, Uncle John, and Dad were determined to ride Tower of Terror 30 minutes before the super secretsies birthday dinner. Worried that they would not make it back in time for our reservation but not wanting to reveal the secret to Russ Moore, Mary Caroline called Russ and said that his elder daughter (oh p.s.--that is me) was starving and wanting to eat right now and in order to try and please everyone the restaurant could only take us right now if they could come and meet us. Disappointed and Tower of Terror-less Russ Moore came moping back to the restaurant, sat down, looked at me and said, "Well I wanted to ride that but the giant black hole at the center of the universe that sucks all the light out of everything (oh p.s.-- that is me again) insisted we eat right away." 

Russ Moore say whaaaaaat?! Did y'all catch that? The part about the black hole at the center of the universe that sucks that light out of everything?

He eventually found out that was a cover and this was his birthday surprise. But that happy ending part of the story doesn't matter. All that does matter is now we know how Russell really feels about his middle child! My poor life! So sad! Being the middle child and getting blamed for everything is so hard! How will I ever survive in this cruel world?!

I know, I'll survive by moving here!

In other news, 3ish days until Christmas! ! ! !!!!!!!

Also, I would like to thank Russ Moore for giving me something about which to blog that makes me look so pathetic and sad and makes people feel sorry for me and want to send me lots of Christmas presents. I love you!

Just kidding about the presents, just read my blog erry'day. Best present ever. 

been there, done that, got the t-shirt

Great success! (said in the Borat voice obviously) The 5K has been run. I am alive and had a great time. Emily Moore had a great time running?! I know weird, right? I'm sure you are thinking, "But you wasted so much time complaining." My response to that would be...erm well, true. Call me crazy. Think of it more like freaking out rather than complaining. Mmkay?

Let's start the story from the beginning: Once upon a time an imprudent girl named Emily signed up for a race.

Fast forward to February 26. Full from a supper of carbs, (everyday should be a race day so we can nom on carbs for dindin) I shot up awake at 4am. I tried to be in bed by 8pm the night before, but the roomies were not having it. Two hours of AFV (punch me in the face) and Kindle reading later, they were still not wanting to sleep. Have no fear, we all managed to doze off and get a few hours of sleep.

Now the story gets really great. Ann, sweet little Ann, has never gotten up before 10 am. While I am slightly teasing, she had a hard time accepting the fact that she had to be up by 5 am. (which technically means we should have started waking her up at 4 because that is how long it takes Ann's brain to process that she needs. to. wake. up.) At 5:09 I caught a glimpse of Ann sitting up in bed, squinty eyed and bushy haired, staring at the wall pondering what the meaning of life could possibly be at that hour. From that moment on, Ann forgot that time does in fact go on. She was stuck in 5 am land. Ann's response to everything that happened for the rest of the day, "because it's 5 am!"
Examples:

Person 1: "Why is the parking so weird?" A: "Because it's 5 AM!"
Person 2: "Why does everyone look so crazy?" A: "Because it's 5 AM!"
Person 3: "Why did my sunglasses just break?" A: "Because it's 5 AM!" ---p.s.-it was 6:30 at this point

Let me preface this part of the story by saying that Disney is superior to all other earthly places. I think I would go into shock if I ever ran a race anywhere else. Would there be a 6 am warm up dance party with a DJ? Would Belle and the Beast be hosting the race? Would the countdown to the race be Be Our Guest instead of 3-2-1? Would all the Disney princesses be lined up cheering me on? Would I get an endless supply of goody bags and food and Powerade? A true Disney win. No other place can compare. Many will try, many will fail. Brittany and I spent the hour before the race dancing the Macarena, doing the Hand Jive, Gettin Low, and Making it Rain. All pre-race necessities, of course.

The magic words, "Be Our Guest" were said and off we went! The first half mile was reminiscent to what running a race in a can of sardines must be like. Brittany and I acted out the game of Frogger by weaving in and out of traffic (a.k.a the walkers, dun dun dun). The course for the 5K was described as taking the runners "through the 11 countries of World Showcase, the Fountain of Nations, Spaceship Earth, and the Leave a Legacy monument." That was code for "through the wonders and mysteries of backstage at Epcot with a quick jog around a little bit of Epcot." It was actually really cool to go backstage and the whole course was lined up with cast members cheering you on and clapping. (Also with security guards to keep you from wandering off backstage...)

Once we ran the 1.5 miles getting to the countries, Brittany decided she felt great and would do a little leap every time we entered a new country. Really cute considering I was going for more of a fall to the floor and curl up in a ball every time. Photographers were sitting throughout the course snapping shots of the weezing runners. That's really cute, not. No one wants to see a picture of me sweating with a painful look of death on my face. To prevent this from happening, Brittany and I smiled and pretended to be easily prancing along without a care in the world. Now, I haven't seen the pictures yet, but I'm willing to bet they are fabulous. (And by fabulous I mean, they would have looked better if Brittany and I had not tried acting blissful and carefree. Cannot wait to see those beauties). 

By the 2.5 mile marker I started to slide behind, meaning I had a really great view of Brittany's back. Far off in the distance... The cheering cast members were starting to get annoying and I couldn't believe it was only 2.5 miles. Whyyyyyyyy? And that is when the Biebs saved me. My go-to pump up slash favorite song ever is shamefully "Baby." Who in their right mind wouldn't like Justin Bieber and Ludacris singing? So, during my impending hour of death, Justin told me to quit playin because we were an item and man oh man, that did it. I was going to finish. this. race. I quickly quit playin and caught up with Brittany before we hit the last 500 yards. We came around a curve and there it was standing in all its glory (with a heavenly light shining down on it): the finish line. I then got the world's third largest adrenaline rush. The clock read 00:34:35(36,37,38). I was not going to let that clock read 35 minutes without being on the other side of the finish line. I feel like I took one big 30 yard leap in 2 seconds and was done.

Whoa. Did I really just do that? Did Brittany and I just finish? YES. yes yes yes. We should have done the Yes dance. Instead we got our medal, got some blue Powerade, got our picture taken, got our food goody bag and met up with our chEARleaders. (Get it? Disney is so cutesies). Joseph even brought us some doughnut holes for our finish. He knows what's up.

All in all, this was an amazing experience. I am so glad I got through my complaining freaking out phase and did it. As good ole Walt said, "If you can dream it, you can do it." Word, Walt.

Here are some pictures!

Shout out to my chEARleaders Mom, Ann, and Joseph! Also to my running buddy, Brittany. I literally could not have done it without you. Seriously, I needed you leaping into every country to get me through this!

Shout out to anyone who actually read all of this! You're the best. 

seven days

You're thinking about it, aren't you? That girl from The Ring. With long black hair hanging over her pale face. Eerily standing in front of you warning you, "Seven days...."

Oh, you weren't thinking about that. Well now you are.

Forget the scary girl, the static on the TV, and the ring itself. My seven days countdown is a little less dreary (what am I saying? it is just as dreary, right?)

A week from now I will be SO happy. Don't get me wrong, I'm very happy today as well. But this time next week my quads will be burning, my calves will be screaming, and my lungs will be collapsing, BUT I will be smiling because this race will be ova'.

Bring it on concrete roads, hot Orlando weather, and weak ballet legs.

Side note: if your TV randomly goes to static in the next seven days (or you see the ring), it is not my fault. 

In 2011 I will...

New Year Resolutions. 

You've all made them at one point or another. So, what are we going to work on in 2011? Some of the usual like I will spend more time with family and friends, I will lose weight, I will spend more time reading, I will exercise everyday. Yeah yeah yeah, those are all well and good, but how much time have you added reading? spending time with fam? losing weight? You know how we played "let's take a good look at what we are thankful for" at Thanksgiving? We are going to do a New Year's version! Get ready. I am about to get down and figure out what I will really be resolving this year.

This year I will not have bangs. The cowlick inspired horn I had when I was a bangs head and three years old was obviously not enough to scare me away from the fringe forever. I experimented with the bangs (and the horn) again this year. Bad decisions all around. 2011 will be a bangs free year. Period.

This year I will smile more. Now, don't let this resolution fool you--it may sound like the usual default resolution, but it is not. I don't mean smile in the "I smile in the cheesy 24/7 no matter what happens" kind of way. Trust me, I've been on stage many times I know how tiring smiling can get. Ahh, the memories of achy, shaky cheeks or Vaseline on my teeth... But I am going to take my normal facial stance of mouth open/blank stare and make it more of an open mouth smile. That'll work, right?

This year I will learn how to prepare fondue. We got a fondue set for Christmas. Poor Russell had no idea what fondue was. After thoroughly explaining it to him he exclaimed, "Oh, so it's a snack?!" I have to make fondue so that I can give my father proper knowledge and culture.

This year I will run a 5k. And I really will, I've already registered and gotten all ready(ish) for my first 5k in February. So, even if I don't feel ready and I end up walking/jogging it, it is going to sneak up on me and I will do it. Santa brought me some nice running shoes :) He is such a helpful, resolution enforcing man.

Speaking of Santa, he also brought me this whole notepad of meal planning each week of the year. YES PLEASE. This year I will eat at home more and cook for my family. (They will eat healthier and looove all my cooking, of course). Minus Ann, she doesn't count for this one. Time to go use that new Williams and Sonoma gift card. And crack open that new cookbook. What goodies will we be eating?!

This year I will go to Disney. Shocking, I know. Disney is the best vacation of all and I'm sure I'll be needing the some of the best vacations this year. Obviously this resolution is code for I WILL VISIT MY LOVELY BROTHER LOTS BECAUSE I MISS HIM DEARLY.

There are lots of more things I hope to accomplish this year. This is the just the beginning of the list to bring me over into the beginning of the new year. The "older" I get (I am so old, chut up) the faster time seems to fly. I know just about everyone says this as they get older, but now I have realized how much truth is in that saying! 2010 was a busy year full of unexpected surprises, some good and some not so good. Was it a bad year? No way! (Especially because I survived, imagine that...) How can a year be bad when it is full of love from family, support from friends, ballet classes (and bruised toenails), pilates classes (iiiit's teaser time), drum lessons (a.k.a- therapy sessions), and babysitting and spending time with lots of precious little kiddies. That's right, the answer is it can't be bad and lawd knows it was far from it.

So, here's to a new year! Full of some new things, some old, some good, some bad, but I can't wait to start my new (bangs free, smiling, fondue eating, 5k running, meal planning, Disney going) year!

**HAPPY 2011**