just awkward

i love oggling photos of the bloggers i follow and their babies. i love the outfits and the tiny glimpse i get into their lives. so why are there so few photos on this blog, you ask? well, let me tell you.

this is the back of my head and a naked baby

also, it's the best we can do. seriously.

i hate taking self portraits and by hate i mean i am absolutely, without a doubt terrible with my camera lens aimed in the mirror. there have to be some tricks and tips i have yet to discover. a more flattering light, a better angle. someone else actually talking them? 

i mean, come on. the pictures graham and i take always get trashed before they're viewed by anybody else. and not because graham ever looks... er... there's not really a polite word that fits here for a baby... it's because i somehow always looks pasty and dwarfed. that said, i am pale and short, but pasty and dwarfed?! 

what are you secrets people? spill.

elusive

the last time i was in new york, i popped in the nars shop. you know, for this and that and a few other things.

i was attempting to squeeze in one last lipstick try-on, while carrying on a conversation and wrangling a baby, when i noticed one of the nars makeup artists dabbing something shimmery on joanna's cheekbones. in the midst of all the chaos, i finished up my purchase as joanna and i headed to the park for our scheduled playdate with the wee ones.

we were sitting on the benches swapping stories about our motherhood experiences, when i couldn't help but become mesmerized by this fantastic highlight stretching from her temple to just above the apple of her cheek. it's just my luck that i got distracted by a protest or a spill from graham before i remembered to ask what that magic highlighter was.

so distracted in fact, it took me approximately one and one half months to remember that i had to have whatever that magic highlighting stick was. so i went on a journey to department stores near and far. and here's what i've come up with.

nars, the multiple in maldives.

there are two other options i haven't seen in person to test out (luxor and copacabana), so i could be wrong about the shade. but my guess is, as long as you stick to one of these three, those brilliant cheekbones i was swooning over will be yours (barring certain genetic components, you know).

p.s. the other thing i have to pick up on my next trip!

image via polyvore

paper lanterns

eeps, you guys! it's chinese new year! drum roll, please...

it's the year of the dragon! i've been waiting for this since... well, twelve years ago (that's how long it's been since the year of the dragon last graced us). i'm totally pumped, because this is 'my' year. i love following along with the chinese new year bonanza.

i've haven't gotten my act together as far as my new years resolutions go (oy!). it's my rule of thumb that i make the resolutions on january one and fiddle around with them until the chinese tell me it's a new year, because only then do i really have to get my act together.

first up on my list of resolutions-

why, hello, you beautiful computer with the fantastic apple and silver shininess. i think it's time we got to know each other a little better.... oh, blogger. i know her, too. isn't she fantastic?... we should all hang out sometime. today? tomorrow? everyday?... oh, that would be great. i'll see you there!

(humor me people, please. it sounded funnier in my head.)

what sign are you? do you celebrate chinese new year?

p.s. a recap of life in the year of the tiger coming soon!

xanga

dear blogging,

i miss you.

i'm really happy that you've found so much happiness in your newish found fame and riches. however, feeling so exposed while i'm writing makes me pretty anxious. this is not an excuse for having walked away, just an explanation.

i'm sorry i abandoned you. it's been a while and i still love you. can we be friends again? i'll do my best,

love,
emily (blogging since 2001)

i guess i like to laugh

ok, i'm just going to say it.

i do not get the james franco thing.

am i missing something?

you should know, i don't go for the brooding types. but that was obvious.

i mean freaks and geeks you guys? give me seth rogen or jason segel any day. hotties.

image via this tumblr

henley regatta

here's what i do when the husband figure leaves me alone at night and the babe sleeps soundly.

 

i mean, same thing. right?

eat pretzels with chocolate frosting. the shame! we ran out of nutella. what can i say?

watch house hunters on hgtv. there's not a huge difference between the houses that cost 150,000 and the houses that cost 250,000 is what i've learned. and what's the big deal with granite countertops?

 read lady blogs for as many hours as i can stand before my eyes twitch.

imagine what life would be like if i had enough energy to paint my toenails. bliss. alas, that energy does not belong to me.

what do you do in your single time? do tell.

image via little cakes

one third

i have two brothers.

can i say a few things here? ok. thanks.

rob is the oldest.
i'm not sure he understands how cool he is or always has been. he's cool in the way that he's so cool, he's not. you know? when i was growing up, anything that rob did, well that was what i should have been doing. that's probably still true now.

he's the oldest, did i say that? he's really nice. you know like kind nice. like he pretends he's not and then he really is and everyone is thankful to have him around and if he likes you, well then you've got a real friend, you know? you do.

he's got street cred, too. he was in a band. a few. he did some small tours. no big deal and all. the ladies like him, too. it's true. he wouldn't think so, but i know it's true.

oh and now, get this. he saves lives for a living. he's a firefighter. neat, right?

i bet you want to meet him now. i would, too. anyhow, the point is- thanks for being my big brother, and keeping up the keeping up, is all.

matt came after rob.
i dont think matt knows this, but he helped solidify my faith (the kind you have in general and in God). when i was a lowly eleven year old (oh, the pain of being eleven!) he invited me to go with him to church.

he was popular and all- he's a real funny guy, but he wouldn't tell you that, or maybe he would. you know being funny and all. i didn't have many friends and was pretty lonely, not thinking much of myself.

well i'm not sure what happened but we were driving up US 41 and 'screaming infidelities' by dashboard confessional came on. we were rounding out this bend where you know you're about halfway to church and the music was blaring and my hair was blowing in the wind and i had this brother who thought enough of me to bring me to church with him, and right then i knew everything was going to be ok. and i knew that matt was good and that he would be somebody someday with all his goodness.

and you know what? he really is somebody these days.

i've got the best brothers.

images stolen via facebook

kansas

can i have...

these

and these

with a side of that, please?

images via j.crew

a little sunshine

because i don't feel that great today.

 

this always makes me feel better. 

watch it. even if you've seen it before. the whole thing. watch it. please.

this is the part where i apologize.

i have been absent for far too long. i teased you. i was here constantly with a superfluous amount of posts and then i just disappeared. i hate when bloggers do this. it's like the cardinal blogger sin, and i'm guilty of it.

so here's what i've been doing, if it makes up for this mess somehow, anyhow.

1. i've been on a sort of spiritual (whoa) journey with one, miss natalie lovin holbrook. you can find her here. there will be much more on this later.

2. with the husband figure triathalon-ing over labor day and now starting up a new semester of school, i have had the babe a lot. like a lot a lot. it's much harder to get things blogged without my second hand than i previously thought.

3. we are traveling... to LA! can you tell i'm excited? this is an exotic land to which i have never been. it is also babe's first flight (fingers crossed). i've contemplated buying a ton of earplugs to pass around the plane... he's teething something fierce these days.

4. this ones for YOU! i'm starting up a photography course, so i can fill this new and wonderful space with many new and wonderful images taken by yours truly. not for nothin, guys, i hope you like 'em.

5. i'm really, truly sorry.

6. i'll be back and better, soon. really. i will. i'll be unplugged from wednesday to sunday/ monday. after that, i'll be back. we'll do better together, right?

p.s. you can do better by commenting! please let me know your thoughts. even if you just say "hi"! i love it when you say hello. shoot me an e-mail and let me know what you think of it all so far! everyonehasanemily(at)gmail(dot)com

p.p.s. i know. the audacity i have to request something from you! after all this! really, guys, i'm sorry.


image via the husband figure's iphone

are you jucing, larry?

you know it's a problem when you admit that you could be a better mom if you quit.

we're talking chocolate here, people.

 

but, seriously. i'd get more sleep. i'd have energy to workout (no promises). i might even take the stroller off the beaten path (we're currently on the amy's and/or ice cream shop trail).

it's time. you heard it here first. i'm off the stuff.

me and chocolate, we're taking a break.

photo via framed cooks

p.s. bonus points to anyone who can pin the title.

is this my week or what?!

did you know that sofia coopola is my number two girl crush (only taking a backseat to one, miss jenna lyons, obv)?

did you know that miss coopola got married over the weekend?! in this fabulous dress, no less!

 

did you know that sofia coopola directed marie antoinette? did you know that marie antoinette is only my very favorite motion picture?

 

did you know that laduree is the parisian bakery which provided all the goodies and treats for the movie marie antoinette? did you know that they just opened a store in nyc today?!?!??!

 

i didn't. but now i do! thank you, refinery29.

top image via elle
center image via little fashion prayer
bottom image via refinery29

the exact opposite of me

can i just say, katherine heigl makes me feel good.

i know, i know. all the stuff about how she's blunt and smokes like a chimney. whatevs. i'm talking about chick flicks here. i can't see her in a movie and not feel like i've taken a little bit of her luminosity for my own.

 

i watched life as we know it last night. needless to say, i liked it. suprise.

who's your feel good go-to?

photo via imbd

geronimo (or not)!

apologies for the lack of posting yesterday. someone is teething! ouch.

this weekend we had a lot of firsts.

we swung in the swings.

 

we sat up all by ourselves.

and graham decided that he is not yet ready to get excited about slides.

not short slides...

or bumpy slides.

 

i think i'll keep him. 

thanks.

courtship

there are some things about me we should discuss before going any further with this relationship.

no, seriously.

+ i eat so much sugar i put the cookie monster to shame.
- check it, yo.

+ my baby is weirdly tall.

+ for me, painting toenails is equivalent to therapy.
- i've been searching to find this shade in stock somewhere.

+ i have really bad hearing.
- for example, i always think you said something you didn't.

+ i always explain what i think you just said.
-  and then what i thought about said thing (much to the dismay of the husband figure).

+ i am addicted to j. crew. 
- well, actually jenna lyons. do you know who she is? you should. read this article. 
-there's more! here, too! and check out her home, yowza.

+ not surprisingly, i like cats. 

tell me about your ticks and treats in the comments, please. thanks. 

let's do this.

footnote: when i showed my very best friend, who does not regularly look at cat pictures, the above photo, she laughed until she cried and then she cried some more. that is why she is my best friend.

hot tamales are a cinnamon candy

i have kind of big feet.

ok, ok. so they aren't really big. but i'm short and they aren't small. my point? oxfords generally make me look like a clown. but these?!?! in these, i'd look like a million bucks. big feet be damned!

hot tamale, kate spade! how you make my heart swoon.

p.s. picture said feet with this sweater (thanks, joanna!)

and these cords.

perfection? well, close enough.

so here's something funny

the husband figure is from the yoop (more commonly known as the upper peninsula of michigan). and while there are many things i love about visiting, the language takes the cake.

i don't mean the funny accents or any of the 'dontcha know, eh?'. i mean the words. like how yoopers call it a bubbler, when it's actually a drinking fountain (which really doesn't make any sense).

here's it:
it's friday afternoon and there's a miscellaneous group of our family and friends planning to gather that evening. everyone agrees to grill out together at the husband figure's house. someone suggests a visit to the party store (!!!) this obviously makes my heart flutter with delight, 'streamers, balloons, favors and confetti!!! what more could a girl live for?!?!' i say to myself, playing it cool not to let anyone in on my crazed delusions of the ultimate barbeque bash.

i immediately jump at the chance to go only to remember what party store actually means in the yoop. it means liquor store.

now everyone thinks i'm an alcoholic. so there's that.

image via of the sweetest occasion