on field days

There are two words that, when phrased together, scare the pants off of anyone.

...

field + day = 

Field Day

Cue the horror movie music. Dun dun dun. The dreaded day of field-ing. Or something. The day of being outside in the heat and having to do things that make you even hotter in the already hotter than heck heat. Slash things that make you feel like a failure. Can anyone remember specific details from his or her field days past? I really just remember hating it because a) it wasn't anything dance related and helloooooo, ballet rocks (and is hard. I'd like to see YOU do a triple pirouette into some fouettes! ;)) and b) did I already mention the being hot outside part? and c) I'm just not athletic at all/I don't care. 

Well when the Pilates instructors at my studio decided to have an instructor field day this past weekend I wasn't sure if I should be excited or if I should be pants-off level scared. Would we be doing Teasers off of the slide at the park? Would we have to memorize all facts about Joseph Pilates and recite his life history while running a five minute mile? I had no idea what to expect. 

You know what I should have been expecting?

A field day full of FUN (it's always fun when the alliteration comes out). 

Because that's exactly what it was. Fun! Funsies. No horror movie music played, no one lost his or her pants from of being scared, and no one lost (okay, that's a lie. My team technically lost but shhhh. Losing is all relative, amiright?). 

Spoiler alert slash PSA: no Pilates moves were used or harmed in the making of this field day. 

Let me sum this up the easy way.

Here are Three Ways Why Adult Field Day Rocks Way Harder Than Kid Field Day:

one

Because you're an adult doing fun kid things. That's way more fun than being a kid doing kid things. 

Being grown a** women decked out in all kinds of blue? Way better than dressing up as a kid. 

two

Because you don't have to be sad when the day is over. Guess what? You don't have to do homework at school tomorrow while daydreaming about field day fun day. You're an adult and adulthood = no homework.

Heck! You're an adult so you can just take yourself back to the park for field day fun day, part II. 

Sidebar: adulthood does equal a lot of responsibilities which are worse than homework, but we won't spoil the fun right now. 

three

Because you aren't timed on your mile run. Instead you just have to scream and run as far as you can until you run of out breath. 50 Yard Scream > all other kinds of running. You get bonus points if the other kids/adults in the park start screaming with you. 10 points for Team Gryffindor Blue! 

no shame in my scream game.

Other field day favorites include: A Day at the Beach, Playground Obstacle Course (children included as obstacles) (no children were harmed in the making of this adult field day), and the Three-Legged Race (not to brag or anything, but my third leg friend, Miranda, and I rocked this one. We were more like three-legged sprinters, but like I said...no bragging).  

So really all that matters is my main end of blog post question: 

Why haven't you had an adult field day yet?
and
Why don't you work with us at Pure Body yet?

cinco de friday

A picture is worth a thousand words. 

It is also worth five facts. Five behind the scenes facts. Five behind the scenes facts on a Friday. Fun!

one

This is me and Wi. Her real name is Laura, but even typing that feels wrong. So wrong. We haven't called her that in about 15 years. Ish. There were so many Laura's in our ballet company that we gave them all nicknames based off of their last names. So, blog world, meet Wi. 

two

This is the same park where mine and Fred's engagement pictures were taken. What what. 

three

We got this jumpy picture on the first try. Okay, that's a lie. I really don't remember because it was a million years ago (meaning probs about 5-6 [million] years ago). But for the sake of us my brother, the photographer, looking awesome let's say we got it on the first try. 

four

Ballet lesson of the day: this step is a called a sissonne. Say it with me: Sea-sawn.

five

T-minus nine hours until I am on a plane and headed towards this leaping Wi!!!

!!!!

!!!!

!!!!

Happy Freakin' Weekend!

life is like...

Life is just a bowl full of cherries. 

You've heard that saying before, am I right? The thing is... I don't really like cherries so a bowl full of cherries is not something I wish my life to be like. Because that would be gross.

Now a bowl full of peanut butter, extra chunky please, is something with which I could totally get down.

 Life is just a bowl full of super chunk peanut butter.

Mmmm, that sounds better. 

In case you didn't know, last Friday was the Fourth of July. I know you're thinking that the Fourth of July is not as exciting as the Fifteenth of July and you would be correct in that thinking. But....but, but, but...the Fourth is a close runner-up to the day of my birth. Anyways, this Fourth marked the first Fourth I celebrated as an official beach resident. And it was everything you would expect a beachy Fourth to be. 

There were bathing suits and beach chairs involved. There were many applications of sunscreen and toes in the sand involved. There were red, white, and blue fruit kabobs and sandy sammiches involved. Sand! Stop getting everywhere!

 

 

Holy Freckles and Gross Kissing Pictures Batman.
Thanks to Sister Ann for being our holiday paparazzi. 

But the best thing involved? That would be our view for the fireworks.

Bee. Hay. You. Tea. Full. 

So yeah, life at the beach may be hard, but...

 life here is just a view full of ocean, sand, and blue skies. 

And that's the best. 

five on friday: the dreamy edition

Last week was such a dream, I tell you, an absolute dream (minus the dreary, rainy, and not so beachy weather). I didn't even care about the weather because it was a week full of family and friends. Full! Of fun! With family! And friends! Which means this week has been full of sadness as I'm reminded that my family and friends don't live a hop, jump, and a skip away. More like a hop, jump, skip, leap, and 5-10 hour drive away... But really, does anyone else go into major post-hostess blues when your guests leave? I kind of felt like lying in a dark room and listening to sad music (read: R.E.M.) all morning after Caroline left Monday. And by morning I mean I still feel like doing that here 4 days later.

Sigh.

Having my mom and Robbie here for 3 days immediately followed by a long weekend with my best best best friend eva completely spoiled me.
Side note:
I don't think you understand what I mean when I say best friend. Whenever I told people my best friend (who I had not seen in 8 months) was coming into town they were like Oh, cool. or How fun! No, just no. You didn't hear me correctly. My best friend. The best. The kind of best friend where I just believe there are no words to accurately describe how best best of friend. But whatever, I guess it was cool and fun.

So today we will be talking about
5 Reasons Having Family/Friends In Town Is The Tops.

one.
You get to learn new things. Like this trip I picked up the new skill (or my mom painstakingly taught it to me) of embroidering. In my mind I see it as a way for me to make adorable things like this...

Via

And then turn my guest bedroom into the adorableness of this...

Via
Here's how it really all went down during the week:
Freddie: Isn't that something old people do?
Robbie: Haven't you finished yet?
Man at the post office handing me my embroidery package: Aren't you a little young to be doing this?
My mom: Ooooh, it looks so great!! Keep going!! <---- obviously the best. 

two.
There are musical concerts all the time. Like...all the time. Between my mom bringing and playing her mandolin, to sing alongs with harmony (why does Freddie never join in when I sing Sound of Music?!), to performing rhythm chants, we've got all the fun here and you're obviously missing out on it.

three.
Because finally someone can go shopping with you and convince you actually to make a purchase or actually to buy a new purse that you've been talking about getting for over a month now. Over two months? Over three months? I've lost track. Number three is brought to you by my mother saying You're welcome, Freddie. Now she'll stop talking about needing a new purse. 

four.
Someone actually wants to craft with you. Hobby Lobby, or Hob Lobs as the cool kids say, is heaven on Earth. I fully 100% cross-my-heart believe that. So when Caroline comes into town and wakes up ready to get our craft on I can't say no. The Holy of Holies (Hobby Lobby) will not let me say no.
And then a little while later we have these beautiful, magnificent, wonderful Disney coaster creations.

five. 
You get out of the house and on to enjoying the town more. Hashtag: even in the rain.
As I mentioned above, the weather was less than dreamy. It was windy. And chilly. And rainy. But did that stop us from hitting up the hot spots of Charleston? Negative. Well, okay, maybe half negative.
We said poo-poo to the wind and had drinks on the Rooftop Bar anyways.

MC is rockin' that wind blown look. Model status.

We said poo-poo to the torrential downpour and spent Friday night sitting at the bar of a hip Prohibition bar with soaking wet clothes and hair. Worth it.

We said poo-poo to the cold air and dressed up all fancy like for an evening downtown.

Why are they obnoxiously flashing their rings? Oh, I will tell you. Those just happen to be our matching bff rings that we've had for almost 15 years. The ring I lost in the ocean and happened to find a replica of at an arts festival. The rings that inspired this tattoo. The rings that rule them all, sorry Frodo.

Of course there are many other reasons why family/friend visits are the best. Someone to stalk old Facebook photos with you. Someone to eat copious amounts of delicious food with you. Someone to drink wine with you while Freddie cooks. Yadda yadda yadda, you get the picture.

I said something whined to my mom about wanting her to live closer and she said PSH, you'd get tired of me! Ummm. Let's test out that theory because I think life is just better when family is nearby. For sure. No doubt. Let's get this thing going already.

Happy Friday! Hope you give your family and friends an extra big squeeze this weekend. 

sappy love post: take one

A lot of people are against Valentine's Day. They go on and on about how it is a made up holiday and you should be lovey-dovey-schmoozy-woozy every day of the year, yadda yadda yadda. That's all well and good (have you noticed most of those people AREN'T EVEN that great to one another the other days of the year...) , but when there is themed chocolate involved then I am very much involved in said holiday. Therefore, it is impossible for me to hate Valentine's Day. Be lovey-dovey-schmoozy-woozy to me and let's eat some chocolate. 

And that is exactly how my Valentine's Day went. 

Remember that one time I talked about how great Freddiefriend is and how everyone needed one and you should go out and find one but not mine and then your life will be super duper fantastic? Remember that one time I wrote a fabulous run-on sentence? Okay, you caught me, maybe I've mentioned the FF thing more than once. Does that mean you've all found one by now? One referring to the species of Freddiefriends, of course.

I was wooed with the best kind of woos. Candlelight, chocolate, flowers, Michael Bubs music, 10 oz. slab of burger deliciousness, more chocolate, and cards. Aside from Russell and MC, who have fed (literally) my chocolate obsession every Valentine's Day, no one has ever been the lovey-dovey-schmoozy-woozy that makes other people gag on Valentine's Day to me. Gag, I did not. Tell my Freddiefriend that I loved him and his sweet sweet dancer legs, I most certainly did. 

Be still my heart and stomach, there's a Freddiefriend around.

on not sleeping and that kind of stuff

Here it is! The much anticipated post about my recent trip to the Big Apple. I have put off writing it because I couldn't decide the best way to go about sharing this trip. Longest post ever with every single story and memory? Highlights? Just pictures? What to do??

Okay, it's too hard. I just won't talk about my trip at all. 

Kidding kidding. I know y'all would rather hear about the Big Apple than life back in the Big Peach.

The most important thing I learned from this trip was that New York City is definitely the city that never sleeps. And when you (I) visit New York City, you are (I am) definitely the tourist that never sleeps in the city that never sleeps. But who doesn't love a good ole Zombie tourist walking around?

FRIDAY

Friday began with our arrival in the city around noon. This was after a 14 hour van ride...with 2 hours maximum of sleep. We then had to make a decision, a really hard one. Were we going to nap and go out sightseeing later that night, or were we going to shower and rally up and go out immediately? This is what my body said: No rest for the weary, duh! Sleep when you're dead Emily, duh! This is what my brain said: .... 

That is my brain being too tired to respond which means I went with my body and hit up the city. Hitting up the city on Friday included: Subway rides, Times Square, burgers and shakes at Shake Shack, first Broadway show of the trip, and sleepy time.

But only 5 hours of sleepy time because on SATURDAY

I got up before the sun in order to do something crazy. In fact, it was something absolutely insane but absolutely worth it. John-Luke and I stood outside in the 20 degree weather for 7 hours in order to get cheap tickets to see Book of Mormon! About 6.5 hours into the waiting game, my frozen toes and frostbitten fingers were screaming at me. About 6 seconds into the show, I was laughing so hard that I complete forgot about all of my frozen body parts. The moral of the story: only stand out in below freezing weather for one show--Book or Mormon. Saturday finished with meeting lots of famous people, our second Broadway show of the day (Seminar), a 2.5 mile midnight jaunt around the West Village, and fun times wining and dining until 3 am with MC, Jason, and Jeff.

SUNDAY

By Sunday morning my body was begging for sleep. But that was crazy talk because we had another full day of fun ahead of us. Mother Nature was feeling super grumpy nice that day and decided to make the temperature a toasty 3 degrees! That girl, so generous. Because we were feeling brave and ever so New Yorkish we decided to spend the 3 degree day walking around Central Park for 2 hours! Naturally. This is what that experience was like:

Ann: Oh my gosh!!!! This is the bridge where Giselle stood in Enchanted!
Mom: Ann, there are a lot of bridges. Jeff, which way are we supposed to go?
Jeff: Guys, wrong way. This way is south.
Emily: I can't feel my face.
Ann: Ahhhh! This is where Kate Hudson jogs in Bride Wars!
Emily: It smells like horse poop. Oh look, horses. Can you feel your face?
Mom: Jeff, what kind of dog is that?
Ann: Movies! blah blah blah. Movies!
Jeff: We should go this way...

Post-Central Park Sunday included: a view of the Plaza Hotel, scary Subway rides, amazingly delicious pizza, Mary Caroline hailing a cab with one look, our last show of the trip (Anything Goes, amazing! Tapping!), supper with the lovely and wonderful Emily Lester, and comedy clubs with Jason.

There you have it. A very touristy amazing fantastic New York trip crammed into 3 days. I know earlier I said the most important thing I learned was that you really don't sleep in the city that never sleeps, but sorry guys, I lied. The most important thing I learned was that the fastest way to make awesome/rad new friends is to spend 14 hours in a crammed van with them on the way to NYC...then do it all over again on the way back to Georgia. Get ready for the longest person shout out ever: Hey Paul, Jason, Jeff, John-Luke, Karlee, and Paige, you guys rock. Let's go some place even farther away next time so we have extra time to sing songs and exchange tacky presents. 

twelve rhymes with shelve. and delve.

2012 snuck in on us last night around midnight(ish) and it is already looking like a good year. Hopefully you all did wonderful things today since these things are what you will be doing for the rest of the year. I ate a cheeseburger today so I guess I will be eating cheeseburgers all year. High five. 

Everyone keeps listing all the wonderful things that happened to them in 2011 so I am going to list all the horrible things that happened to me.

Just kidding. 

Nothing horrible ever happens, duh! I could only think of shiny happy moments from this past year so a shiny happy list is what you get. 

In January, we survived an ice storm. It was icy and cold. 

In February, I ran my first 5k. And I'm still alive to tell you about it. That is doubly exciting and impressive--3.1 miles is a lot, okay? Except for all the people that run 3 miles on their off days. I don't like you people. 

In between running and driving on ice, I got to nanny some really awesome kids. I also learned how to juggle watching four kids, helping with homework, making lunches, changing diapers, cleaning messes, and oh yeah, having fun. 

In March, I went on a date with a guy named Freddie and fell for his contagious laugh and dancer legs.  FreddieFriend was like totally the best thing of 2011 in my book. 

July brought along lots of excitement. We survived the Great Thunderstorm (and fireworks show!) of July 4, 2011 with only super wet clothes and quilts and shoes and etc. I also celebrated my birthdaymonth even though I turned a redundant not-so-exciting age. Can I rent a car already?

In August (after a short pausesies), I began my senior year of college. This will be a lot more exciting when I make my best of 2012 list and can say I finished college. what whaaaat.

In September, we celebrated Freddie's birthday and then I got my first speeding ticket.  (and then in October I peed my pants with nervousness about the most ridiculous court experience ever. Why would they call my name FIRST?).

2011 ended with a Christmas trip to Disney. Which happened to be my third trip to Disney in 2011. Life is hard. Joseph, please don't stop working there for at least a few more years.

2012 has a lot of unknowns. What am I doing after graduation? What box Where will I be living? Will my fall semester grades really come out on January 3? Who makes you wait until a whole new year to get your grades?! The good thing is that I am certain it will be great no matter what because my horoscope says so. Oh and because I have a great family, friends, Freddie, and other words that start with "F" in my life!

2012, you mysterious year you, let's see what you've got.

Happy New Year!

she's a dancing machine

I haven't posted in forever. And for those of you that have long been searching for the definition of forever, I have it here: 2 weeks. In these two weeks that I have been absent I have been busy doing a lot of things:

Singing Celine Dion music like my life is musical about how my heart will go on and stuff like that.

Researching gifted education like it is my job. Or just my grade...

Eating Peanut Butter M&Ms like I always do.

Sleeping in like I didn't have a goal to run three times a week.

Rehearsing like I have a dance show coming up or something.

Oh wait! I do have a dance performance coming up! Today! and tomorrow! 

In the midst of all this Celine-ing and education-ing and m&m-ing, I have been a dancing fool. My heavily bruised knees and tulle burned legs will back me up on that. I have also created a habit out of literally passing out in a heavily induced slumber every single night. Anyways, I say all of this so that you will come to my shows! Yes, you! And you. And anyone who reads this. In fact, if you read this blog it is mandatory that you have to come to my dance show. (good thing only my family read it, they won't let me down!) 

There is going to be ballet and some not ballet and some modern and some fun at these shows. So come have some fun with moi. And mes amis. 

See you there! With flowers and other luscious gifts for us dancers, I am sure!

p.s.--the Jackson 5 were obviously singing about us Agnes Scott Dancers in their song. 

p.p.s.-- here is a picture to make you want to come even more...

speed racer and other fast things

Alrighty, here is the deal. I am not a speeder or a racer. But about a month and a half ago I did get my very first speeding ticket. You know how families celebrate their child's first everything? First step, first Christmas, first tooth, first smile, etc. etc.? Ever notice how first speeding ticket didn't make the cut? While I was not speed racing when I got said ticket, I was apparently speeding. (I'm really good at twisting this to make myself sound innocent because I am highly embarrassed that I got a ticket and you should be glad I am sharing this with you and the entire internet.)


Now, I had not planned on sharing this horrible part of my life with y'all, but after going to court yesterday and all the ridiculousness that followed I decided that, by golly, if this experience wasn't a blog post in the making then I don't know what was!

Fun fact #2354 about Emily C. Moore Butts: I am terrified of getting in trouble. Terrified. I get anxious thinking about it. Examples? Throughout school I never ever raised my hand in class for fear of being wrong. In second grade, the teacher accidentally wrote my name on the board then apologized profusely once she realized her mistake. It was too late, I was scarred forever. When I was younger, I was an incredibly picky eater but was always too afraid to order my cheeseburger plain or order the food that way I wanted because I was scared the waiter would be mad at me. Do I sound crazy enough yet?

Side note: having this totally understandable and not at all crazy fear and being Mary Caroline's daughter has not been an easy journey. MC is the one that is like "Hey hey! It's easier to ask forgiveness than permission!" She frequently likes to cheat the system at Disney and break in lines, stay for things we have too many people for, use fast passes that have expired...I could go on about this woman and how I have been traumatized. 

Needless to say, when I got pulled over on a Sunday morning as I was going to church I was ready to pee in my pants because I'm pretty sure those flashing lights mean that you have done something wrong. Did I mention that on this particular Sunday that I got pulled over on the way to church was also Freddie's birthday? Cops these days, have no mercy for birthdays and church goers.

I kind of tried my very best to push this incident far far back into the depths of my brain, but November 3, the ever so glamorous court date, crept up on me anyways. Now I had to be worried and terrified of yet another thing. Court! Bad people! Only bad people have to go to court! Everyone there will know I did something dumb! I don't even know what I am supposed to do! <<Look at all these worries, all of them so justified. Everyone was telling me what to expect and yet somehow everyone's version of what to expect was different.  I just went ahead and accepted that I would probably be carted off to jail immediately because of this horrible crime I had committed. I don't get tickets! I don't get in trouble! Couldn't I just tell the judge that?

Dearest Russell, knowing my irrational fears and being the best dad ever, decided that he was coming up to go with me. I was all like, "Ohhh Daddy-o, that is unnecessary. I am 22 years old. If you just tell me what to do and expect I will probably be fine." In my head I was like, "cry cry cry, whyyyyyyyy can't you just go for me and I can stay at home and hide forever??"

This thought of Russ coming with me and being there for me as I was Shaky McShakerson in my pants and saying what my plea was and everything was a very nice thought. And that is exactly just what it was, a thought. Because lawhammery, heaven forbid that something actually go right with this whole speedingticketiamgoingtocourt thing! After getting to City Hall several minutes late and not being able to find a parking spot anywhere and going in sans Russell so he could go park the car in East Africa and missing the whole explanation of what my plea options were, I scurried to find just one empty seat in the courtroom of 100+ people right before the judge started calling out names. Can you guess what happened next?

Dialouge in my head: I can't believe I'm late. What am I supposed to do now? Ugh ugh ugh. Good thing there are so many people here. I'll watch what other people do when their name is called and I'll know what to do when they call my na...

Judge: Emily Moore. 

Did that really just happen? Was my name seriously called first out of everyone in that room? YES. That was not a funny trick and I was kind of secretly hoping that this was another incident where there happened to be another Emily Moore. No such luck, it was all on me.

The good news of this whole story? I came out alive. I know you were all worried.
The moral of the story? Never get in trouble because then you have to go to court and go to jail and write a blog about it! Okay, okay, enough with the drama. 


I paid my fine as everyone else in my group trudged on to the probation office. Dad and I finished off the exciting morning with a delicious and very nutritious breakfast because nothing is as comforting as b-fast food.  Things I realized during breakfast: Getting called first was ridiculous. I am ridiculous. But only a little because shut up, that really was scary. My dad is the best. Whole wheat toast with butter is good.

Drive safe. Don't speed. Especially on birthdays and Sundays. 

tgiffbiwftgc

Think I just typed in a random assortment of letters creating gibberish to express my gratitude for the weekend? Think again! Thank God It's Finally Friday Because I Was Fixin' To Go Crazy. Catch my drift? Anyone?

And it was only a four day week. What does that say about my tolerance for crazy? ...

Anyways, this week was a doozie if I do say so myself. Monday was like ohhh I might be a tornado or I might just rain and be a lazy not laboring Labor day. Tuesday fired back with its best welcome to your fake Monday day this week, here is a big gift of suck with which you can celebrate. (except for a lovely dinner with MC and FF...)Wednesday tried her best to be nicer, but was quickly overtaken with classeshomeworktestsmoreclassesandnofun. Thursday really really wanted to copy Wednesday, but finally came around and was like hey mans, let me give you some sunshine and a small amount of rest and recovery. All of this was slowly leading up to...FRIDAY! FRIDAY! Gotta get down on Friday!

My Friday began with senior pictures. What Emily?! You're finally graduating high school? Congrats! No no, silly gooses (geese?) Classy and fabulous Agnes Scott gives you the opportunity to get some senior pics taken for the yearbook at your location of choice. [disclosure: anywhere on campus] Lucky for us graduating folk, the campus is b-e-a-utiful so the real problem is choosing just one spot for your pictures. I had the first appointment today so I got up so early to shower and smell nice and look nice and wear real non dance clothes. Let me tell you, I was going all out. I even braved a sundress in this craycray am I fall or am I not?weather. My session literally lasted ten minutes, after which I was cold. And looked like a smiley retard. So, cheers! To smiley silly 5 year old looking pictures! I'm so happy we could share our morning together.

On a somewhat completely different yet similar note, I am still getting the other Emily Moore's first year e-mails. Did you know I could run in the first year class elections? Did you know that I could also just slack off and graduate in 2015 and no one would know because there are too many Emily Moore's in this world? Did you know when I got a package today they had written Emily C. Moore on it? They had to add the C because people take my name! They didn't put the Butts at the end of Moore so it felt a little off. Okay, enough of this. Let's move on to happier places.

To sum everything up, as I sit here waiting on my Freddiefriend to get off work so we can drive to Newnan so we can see a wonderful improv show starring my mother (hey hey run-on's), all I can think is TGIFFBIWFTGC. And I know you're thinking it too.

I should be thinking about this. Hey, homework! Lookin' good. Just not on Friday, Friday!

too cool for school

And for the past year and a half, that is exactly what I have been: too cool for school. 


Except, not so much. I mean I have been out of school so to any ole Sally, Dick or Jane it would appear that I was, in fact, too cool for school. In reality, I just really wanted to take some time off and play with kids. And maybe make a little bit of the monies to be able to actually go to school. Well as Borat would say, GREAT SUCCESS.  I will be moving back to the world of Scotties tomorrow and starting my last year of college (six years after I went to my first college class) on Wednesday.

I got the official "yes m'am you're coming back" word on Friday afternoon which gave me ample time to pack.  (the rest of Friday and alllll dayyyy Saturday.) (Forget everyone else has been packing all summer.) Nothing like last minute planning, huh? It was a nice thought, spending the weekend packing, but nice thoughts are just that; thoughts. They never quite seem to make it into actions. Friday was spent driving around all of metro Atlanta and then some more places. Saturday morning was spent at the tractor pull. (yessir, I did just say tractor pull.) (and it was everything that I hoped and dreamed it would be.)

But, never fear. I finished piling all of my crap wonderful things into the boxes and bags and tins and cans and anything that had room in which to stuff things. I even finished packing at the ever so early hour of 7 pm. What did I do with my extra few hours on my last night in the Nan? Went to the movies. Saw my face on the big screen in the Footloose preview. (!!) And saw one of my favorite books, The Help, come alive onscreen.

Not too shabby of a night, I'd say. Or a weekend. Or a year and a half. (I am sending out some major lovin' to my mom, dad, and sistergurl.) Now, time to hit the books and hit 'em hard. 

(check out some of my fav photos of my past year!)

Who built the Ark?

Do you remember it ever raining on the Fourth of July? Of course you do. Unless you were born today and, in that case, congratulations! You are the first newborn baby ever to read my blog. But if you were not born today and you have lived many, many years and have experienced many, many different weather occurrences then yes, you more than likely remember it raining on the Fourth.

So what. Big deal, right? 

It wasn't a big deal when the thunder forced us out of the pool yesterday. Nor was it a big deal when the rain forced our grill out to be moved to the porch. Nor was it a big deal when the parade still went on with some drizzles coming down (the people handing out water and paper fans were not so popular this year, bless their hearts). None of this seemed to bother any of the good citizens of Newnan, Georgia because as soon as the 6 pm parade ended everyone packed their blanketschairsfoodcameras and headed on over to Drake Stadium for some fireworks fun. With the clouds of darkness looming close behind, everyone was thinking the same things..."Will the fireworks be cancelled? Will they be rescheduled? Is it going to rain?"

Lemme answers those questions for y'all real fast: No. No. YES. (all caps lock is needed to showcase just how much YES is needed to accurately answer that question).

The title of the post should be, "The Show Must Go On," because LAWD KNOWS the Rotary Club must have chanted that all day and all night yesterday. Come hell or high water, that firework show was happening and the people of Newnan were going to enjoy it. When there are clouds as black as my blackest black mascara and thunder and lightning louder/brighter than a fireworks show, you know that a storm is coming. You just know. You don't have to be taught that in school, you don't have to find a meteorologist hanging around and ask him. You just know these things. When you know these things, you decide to forego all the thank you's and the kiddos saying Pledge of Allegiance and playing a recording of hometown boy Alan singing for us and start the fireworks early in order to avoid a wet, chaotic, hysterical (and funny) mess of a Fourth of July. 

Someone in charge did not know these things and so they did thank everyone and their mothers, they did pull kids onstage to introduce themselves one at a time to say the pledge, they did play Alan Jackson's recording, and they did make us countdown not once, but twice to get the fireworks started. Here is a summation of the rest of the night:

1 minute into the show: Thunder is now louder than firework's booms.

2 minutes into the show: Lightning is now brighter than the fireworks in the sky.

2.5 minutes into the show: Lightning strike hits a firework mid air. 

3 minutes into the show: Torrential downpour begins. Drake stadium empties faster than a crack house during a police raid. 

4-15 minutes into the show: Monsoon continues. Fleeing people continue. FIREWORKS CONTINUE. 

Yes, as we are wading through the river formally known as Newnan High School, dodging cars and other people, trying to carry the now 50 lb. sopping wet quilts we had entertainment! The fireworks kept going! Booms all around! Lightning and fireworks lit our way through the river! The show must go on! 

!!!!!

30 minutes and some dry clothes later, we sat around laughing about what a fabulous Fourth weekend we had (no sarcasm here, y'all). I got to spend the weekend celebrating birthdays (Americuh and Uncle John), eating lotsa grilled food, swimming, playing Disney games, and having fun all with my family and my Freddiefriend. (BTW, if you don't have a Freddiefriend you are seriously living a boring, sad life because Freddiefriend not only makes everything more fun and enjoyable, but he also carries things, goes to the grocery store, grills pizza for us, takes napsies, and helps assemble big important things like water filters and grills.) (Do I sound like I'm trying to sell him? Because this is not an infomercialblog and I'm not. I kinda sorta want to keepsies him.) (But seriously, go find yourself one.)

I don't think running in traffic on LaGrange St. would have been nearly as fun if I hadn't had the fireworks in the background to remind me just how special Independence Day really is. Betcha didn't have that much fun on July 4th, 1776 huh, Thomas Jefferson? Also, betcha didn't have that much fun during the flood huh, Noah?

what's wrong with my socks? they match my underwear. a.k.a.--learn something

It's Friday/yepIlearnedsomegoodshtuffthisweek-day. Yay! Here is some of my new knowledge:

• Nap time in the sun is the best. Warms you to the bone.
• As obvious from my previous post, Scoutmob is a beautiful thing. And all you beautiful people should use it.
• March Madness is aptly named. 
• If you want St. Patrick's Day decorations, you need to shop before St. Patrick's Day. 
• St John's mascot looks like an evil Elmo.
• The Avett Brothers should be on repeat on my iPod. All. The. Time. Sing to me, bros. 
• And for some seriousness, I need to stop complaining about the small things, erm, all the time.  
• Baby G drinks more water a day than I do. (Baby G is 1 1/2). Amelia always answers with "Yes, m'am."--high five for manners. Seiler can beat me at almost every card game. Righton can meet and promptly become bff's with just about any kid at the park. Francie prefers playing with Ziploc bags to dolls. Nicholas thinks my lap is the only place to sit and it's cute. Bella loooves pot stickers and Little Miss Kindergartner Carina Li broke up with her bf because he had bad breath. And didn't tell him. For serious. Brush them teethies, guys. We've got some heart breakers out here. Basically, to sum up this point, kids are the greatest. Let's be more like them.

Time for some more learning. Go, go, go. And maybe watch some basketball, you know, if you're into that.

a love letter to scoutmob

Dearest Scoutmob, 


How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love that I wake up every morning to a new steals and deals e-mail. 
How are you so faithful? I cannot tell.
I love thee exclusively, Groupon ain't got no chance.
I love thee wholly, you make me want to dance. 
I love the food that I get in my belly,
No more will I have to eat at cheap delis.
I love thee with a love that seems to grow
More everyday. -- I love thee with all my heart
As it beats and patters. -- and if you love me so,
I will use your deals until the day I depart.


Sum up of this post: My wonderful-movie worthy-best night ever Friday night in ATL is all thanks to Scoutmob. Ruth (my partner in winning) and I took over the city, one Scoutmob at a time. This takeover could potentially become a monthly (weekly? daily?) occurrence. Will keep y'all posted.

Faring to the Fair

Every year, at the beginning of fall, something magical happens. Yes, the leaves start to turn pretty, crispy colors. The weather gets cooler and cooler. Local stores start to put out Christmas...I mean, Halloween decorations. However, these are not the magical things to which I am referring. I am referring to....dun dun dun...the county fair!

11 years ago I decided give all of my time (plus some more) to dancing. 11 years ago was the last time I went to the fair. I know what you're thinking, "Oh no! Poor Emily! Your life must have been so empty without the sparkle and shine of the lights and rides of the fair." No worries, my reunion with the fair was nothing short of memorable--ginormous corn dogs, shaky rides lightly dusted with some good 'ole rust, 5 legged sheep, and all the stuffed animal prizes one can imagine.

yummy, yummy in my tummy

Highlights of the fair:

• Russ Moore spending 3 hours there and only riding the Ferris wheel. Twice. He took on the role of paparazzi and took lots of pictures of the three of us living on the wild side.
• Mom, Ann, and I riding "crazy spin you around/mess up your vision/make you barf" rides.
• Eating my first ever caramel apple...and getting the caramel all over my nose. It's the cute new thing.
•  Riding the Ferris wheel with Ann. Example: "Ahhhhhhhhhhh ahhhhhhhhhhhhh ahhhhhhhh ::grabs side of seat:: ahhhhhhhh" "EMILY, STOP LAUGHING YOU ARE ROCKING IT." "I hate this I hate this I hate this I hate this."
• Avoiding the petting zoo and any areas nearby where the "animal" smell managed to seep.
• Wanting to play a game and win a cheap prize. Ann played Game 1: scooping up rubber duckies. She won a whale. I think, "Psh, stuffed animal? No thanks. I want a cool fuzzy, pimp hat." Ann and I moved on to Game 2: water gun race. Oh, guess who won that round. ANN. What prize does she choose? A STUFFED PENGUIN. Russ and I played Game 3. This story does end well, I promise. I beat Dad because obviously my aim with water guns is impeccable, and I finally got my fuzzy, pimp hat. My "cheap" prize turned out to be not so cheap. Oh goodbye $14.

 

"I've always wanted a baby green whale!"

Lastly, let me mention a new trend I witnessed while at the fair. Most people go to the fair and see lights everywhere. Or children running around. Or people eating funnel cakes and candy apples. In Newnan, you see couples wearing matching camo. Everywhere. Camo camo camo.

 

Next time I go on a date I know what I'm wearing. Yeahhh buddy.

All in all, as you can see, we had a really great time... I think this is the beginning of a new fair era. Get ready.

"Yay, we are having so much fun! Wait, where's Russ?"

On a different note, I am not reading The 19th Wife anymore even though "Yippee! I'm reading..." says so. However, that book is just too good for me to take it down yet. Maybe I'll just read it again and again. Y'all should definitely read it AT LEAST once. Let's make a deal...all of you read it then I will make the picture up to date with what I am really reading.