{Title goes here}

this is it.

the moment you've all been waiting for.

not you? well. me.

and it has come down to this my friends.

the final competitors in...(dramatic music playyys) thank you.

the quest to be emily's solo dress!

to vote-please continue on faithful readers...

competitor number one: back and pink and leopard printish. lots of sparkly's. The favorite so far of emily, though not so sure about the leopard, liked very much by mom, indifferent by dad. $1,100

Competitor number two: all kinds of sparkly and pretty and pink. Liked very much by emily and mom. not so much liked by dad and the favorite of the dance teacher. $1,236.20 asking

Competitor number three: especially pink with puffball skirt and crushed satin. Liked a very lot by emily indifferent by mom and not so much liked by dad asking $1,150

Competitor number 4: No picture as of right now so we will go into lots of detail. A lot older than the other 3 but still pretty. top is sparkly pink bodice with Celtic knots around neck. sleeves are white with black ribbon crisscrossed around and flowers on each of the crisscrosses. waist is higher and skirt is longer. 4 purple panels with Celtic knots and black satin gathered in between. Described by mom as "just a dress" but only $500 asking and good for a not so much champion like me.

And now. while you're deciding, I'm going to practice my reel. so I can get my solo dress. I feel the pink sparkly thousand dollar vibes. mmhhmm. oh. wait. that was my phone...

your blog is so boring...I know?

believe me. i've heard that more than once in the past little while. but don't you fret. summer is coming and i will have 3 whole months to tell you all about absolutely everything about everything, so start getting excited. In other news.
well.
is there other news?
No! Of course not! it's the last week of school and there's finals and staying up til all hours of the night studying and last minute trying to bump your grades up and really wishing you had a starbucks or rockstar or caffeine mints or whatever it is you kids use to stay awake these days!
so. we will settle for old news.
or old statistics.
18 the number of pages on my study guide I am trying to finish right now
54 total number of study guide pages I have to complete for my final
1 days til lake powell
25 number of pictures my friend has drawn for me this year during class
86ish days of summer
2 number of summer jobs I have
0 number of times i will think about school during summer
20 number of sewing projects I want to complete this summer
1/2 number of sewing projects I will actually complete
1 lost puppy that wandered into our back yard yesterday that my mommy wouldn't let us keep even though we asked nicely
5 number of hours of sleep I will get tonight
10 number of classes I will have next year
1000 things I will blog about this summer
30 number of seconds before my mom wakes up and kicks me off the computer

sorry Kendall, i'll write you a big long story next time.
i think i'll go finish my study guide.

yours truly,
em

and now i have several important letters to attend to

The diary of a feis-er.

Once there was a girl who was best friends with Audrey Hepburn and bought all of her clothes from Anthropologie- oh wait, wrong story.

Last weekend I had a feis -or an Irish dance competition. It was in a High school gym, which was kind of a let down to tell people after the last one, because I got to say "oh, it's in the grand ballroom at the Hyatt Hotel. Nothing special." Anyways, the following is a record of our adventures that day.

6:05 Wake up and hit the alarm, then remember it's a feis day and jump out of bed singing.

7:00 Shower, Have wig straight, shoes ready, and attempt to put on makeup.

7:30 Completely slaughter makeup and make mom redo the whole thing.

7:45 grab dress that mom spent all week fixing (which is how I know she loves me a whole lot) and my half asleep brother and go!

8:05 Arrive 5 minutes late and look out for teacher to avoid reprimanding. Buy new shoes to replace the ones with the soles half off, listen to mom tell me that is the ONLY thing she is buying today(Then asks what She can get me for lunch) and Pin on #333- which of course must be lucky.

8:45 And the dancing starts!- late too of course-Listen to an Irish lady sing the National anthem which is kinda weird and then line up for my teams dances.

8:50 Ask girls from different schools if they want to be best friends and then smile turn away awkwardly when they stare at me.

9:30 Finish my 2,3,4 and 8 hand dances and say I'm not going to check results then give in and go look

9:35 get 2 2nds and a 3rd! and laugh because our school has 14 firsts and our rival has 1.

11ish after waiting for an eternity, wake up and go see if its time to check in for solos. It's not so I watch the champions with my mom and listen to a lecture on which dresses are the best and how she is going to make mine the prettiest.

11:30 try to check in at least 6 more times before finally going on stage.

11:35 do the most amazing slip jig then do the most amazing slip. ( slip- slip jig- I thought it was funny) but get back on time and finish the dance.

11:50 Dance single jig and then run like a madwoman to check results, and guess what? I got 2nd! Pretty good eh?

1:30 Wait for another eternity til after lunch when its finally it's time to start novice solos (Novice comes after you move out of beginner, I felt really important about being in Novice until I learned that it means beginner. I just can't win.)

1:40 Dance my favorite dance, reel, and completely blank on the last step. Try not to cry and then talk to mom and cry anyway. I've really got to stop doing that.

2:00 Decide not to care so much about the rest of my dances and just have fun. and as a result only place twice, in reel and light jig, but do victory dances with my friends when they win and get more stares from girls from other girls. I want to say well you have a weird wig then realize I kind of do to and just smile.

4:40 LAST. DANCE. By this time the heat is close to 80 and everyone is pretty much burned out. I feel like Roly from 101 dalmatians. "I'm hungry, and I'm tired, and my feet hurt." Watch as John waves and then falls asleep in front of the stage.

5:00 wait for at least 10 minutes for the last results to be up and entertain myself by spinning in circles and skipping up and down the hall-very mature- then find out waiting was pointless because I didn't place. very nice.

You know, I didn't really place that great, but I had the funnest time just dancing, and I'm really glad I get to go to these things. I'm glad I have a family that will sit and watch me in disgusting heat for 10 1/2 hours and buy me $160 shoes and drive me across town 3 times a week for classes and everything else. I am the luckiest girl in the whole entire world hands down.

Goodbye Matthew's house

P.s. All of us wore brand new shoes that day. Nice.

MISSING

Last seen in China (Made in the glamorous USA?) this tracksuit was meant to arrive December 24th, but never showed up. If you know of it's whereabouts please don't hesitate to contact your local police force immediately. Thank you.

Ok but seriously, I really want my tracksuit. I'm not exactly sure how it ended up in China- observe the logo:

THERE! do you see it? Made in the glamorous USA! But every day when I track my package:

Foreign acceptance...(sigh) ok

Foreign acceptance...fine

Foreign acceptance...STOP! I GET IT!

I feel like the UPS trucks are mocking me everytime I see them. A couple of days ago one stopped right in front of my house, but of course the man had a package for the people across the street. Actually I think I might have scared him a little bit because I stared at him first really excitedly, then kind of heartbroken, and then sort of like I might hurt him til he drove away. Hopefully it will come soon.

Merry Christmas and happy new year to everyone! I hope yours was as good as mine-and now-let the countdown to summer begin!

L'univers bonpoint

If I could magically take myself to france. get a thousand dollars. and shrink myself to a little girls size ten. I totally would. Just so I could wear this stuff. Maybe it's french class or maybe the fact that I always seem to want exactly what I can't have but I can just sit and stare at this stuff forever. I love the colors. I love that every outfit has TIGHTS. everything just looks so warm and yummy (yummy...? can I use this to describe clothes??) but too bad for me that's one to many if's. see you in dreamland clothes. MWAH! x

em

photos: www.bonpoint.com

I am feeling the blogging vibes again.

ok.

so.

as you can see i am back to blogging.

and i promise to keep it that way.

cross my heart, hope to die, stick a needle in my eye.

so now that thats overwith i have to tell you about my most favorite thing in the entire world!

do you want to hear?

yes?

good.

so the other day i was surfing the internet, because i am a fifteen year old girl and thats just what we do, and i came across this site called 'polyvore' what it is is basically random compilations of clothes and accessories and where to find them.

now.

i know this may not seem exciting to you, but i was bouncing off the walls. Picture the yankees winning the world series or you finding your most favorite thing in the world that has been lost forever or walking into a room entirely made out of chocolate. do you see my joy now?

anyway i thought i'd share with you a couple of my favorite sets, because they are just too pretty for everyone not to see them:

so.

all in all a pretty good day.

lots and lots of love from E.

cavities...

Once upon a time there was a girl who was attacked by the evil cavity monster not once,

not twice,

but 7 times.

and she did not live happily ever after because she had to get them filled the next week.



the end.

St Patricks day and change

I meant to get to this post alot sooner, its nearly been two months!! but here it is at last:

St. Patricks day was my very last performance with The Claddagh school, and even though it was a very happy day for me, getting to dance (with a dress and wig, woohoo!) and everything it was with sadness that I turned in my dress the next week. I'd been waiting for a long time to get to that spot and just as soon as I got there I had to move, (doesn't it seem like it always happens that way??). here's what happened: My teacher passed her TCRG teaching exam and decided to start her own school, and so I decided to switch and go to her school. I miss alot of my friends at Claddagh but I think it was definetly the right choice to switch. Now I am very happily dancing at Webber Academy of Irish Dance, despite the fact that I now have a six month competition ban, agg. Now I will never make it into novice!! I am learning so much and practicing super hard (nod nod, wink wink) and I CANNOT WAIT to compete again in october. Oh yeah. Instead of thinking of it as a set-back I am thinking of it as just moving forward, hopefully in the long run this will help me achieve the overall goal of improving my dancing.

Anyway, here are a few of the videos from our lover-ly st. patricks day parade & performance( it took me FOREVER to figure out how to upload these!!):

Probably my favorite hardshoe dance-- St. Patricks Day!

and probably my very favorite of all-- the four hand, I got so nervouse and excited I forgot to go offstage!

And this is going to be my new school dress. It's $200 ($400 less than it would have been) But oh baby is it worth it! I think its sooo pretty, i just like to look it. Hopefully by the time October rolls around I will have some really good dancing skills to go with a really good dress!

lots and lots of love from emily.

Miley

SOUTH JORDAN, Utah (ABC 4 News) - Miley Cyrus made a surprise appearance at a South Jordan screening of Hannah Montana: The Movie on Friday.The previews before the movie had already begun when the projector suddenly stopped and an announcer came out with a microphone explaining they were having technical difficulties.The Disney TV and pop star then walked out in front of hundreds of fans at The District Theater and spoke to hundreds of shocked kids and adults.Cyrus' father Billy Ray also appeared to promote Friday's nationwide opening of the movie based on the popular Disney Channel show.Miley and Billy Ray then posed for some pictures with some of the kids.The pair was expected to make similar appearances at other locations across the country.

and emily was not there.

Dear Miley,

A few weeks ago you came to the theater by my house for the opening night of Hannah Montana the movie. I heard it was great, that you took pictures and signed autographs, but I wouldn't know because I missed out. I'm dying to meet you and I'm sure you're dying to meet me, so I've got a solution: you come and stay with me. Oh sure you got to go to Tennessee, but what about Utah? Besides the district you haven't seen all that much, I bet you would love it. I promise I'll make sure my siblings are nice, they only hit sometimes and John doesn't throw baseballs at you too hard & all my friends say they aren't that crazy about Hannah Montana but I know their just teasing. And who wants to be a popstar when you can Irish dance? you can come to class with me, and I bet you'll be open champion in no time, maybe Amy will even let you go to the Oireachtas! we'll swap, you teach me to sing and I'll teach you to dance. Deal? Plus, the only paparazzi at our house is my mom at John's baseball games, which is a plus i think. I know you're used to being on the set all the time, but it wouldn't be so bad to go to girls camp or dance class for a change would it? and savior of the world auditions are in the fall which is sort of like the same thing. Plus, if you bring Mandy we can all make awesome Miley&+Mandy episodes together, Miley&+Mandy&+Emily, it works! And in July, we can go see the the Jonas brothers at stadium of fire. Remember last year when I waved to you? I knew you would. I can't wait for you to come, we're going to have the best time.

Lots and lots of love from your best friend,

Emily.

I love my brother

Today I was cleaning my room when there was this tiny little knock on the door, and John came in.

"Hey Emily, you play baseball with me?"

"Mmm, when I finish cleaning my room Johnny, 'Kay?"

"Can I help you?"

Now, John absolutely LOVES cleaning my room with me, but the problem is, he usually ends up getting out more stuff than he puts away, which puts me in even more of a mess than I was to begin with so I wasn't quite sure if I wanted to say yes, but he looked so cute that I finally gave in.
As im cleaning up I found a little piece of old scrapbook paper underneath my dresser so I asked John if he would please throw it away for me. At which point he jumps off of my now completely unmade bed and says,"sure!" He goes to throw it away, and then he turns to me with this completely horrified look and says,
"Emily, don't throw this away, this is so pretty." Then he gives it to me and pats my hand and says
"you keep this". It kept happening, every time I tried to throw something away, "Emily, you cannot throw this away, it is so pretty!" It didn't matter what it was, a piece of string, a wrapper, everything was "so pretty".It was so cute, (and a little frustrating) but it made me think: how many things do we go through life taking for granted, and throwing away. A hug, a sunny day, or a friend, even homework, or a dance practice, and never realizing that they are "so pretty". The only difference is, we don't have someone telling us not to throw it away. So thats my goal of the week, not to throw away all the pretty things. Thank you Johnny, you're my favorite.
lots and lots of love from E.

Dream room

Lots and lots of love from E.

This is how much Mic loves me.

This sign was on Mic's door today

"Keep out Emily"

lots and lots of love from E.

I have a phone!...sort of

This is the phone. (Eleanor) but everyone except me refuses to call it that, so the phone (has to be said with an extremely respectful and adoring tone) works just fine. It's half mine kind of. Actually, it is a phone that I may use at my mom's discretion, but that half a phone is pretty much a dream come true.

oh happy day.

Lots and lots of love from emily

Oh my goodness...am I a winner? I think I am. Yesss

I realize this post is probably a couple of weeks late, but hey, at least its getting up at all! So anyhoo, here is the fantastic tale of E.'s adventure to her very first feis!!!

(giggles of excitement)

Sooo on Friday, dad and I flew out to Colorado, I felt a little sick but I figured it was probably just the nerves and didn't think it was anything to worry about. Right? Wrong. That night I got a fever and an icky cough. The worst part is that when I tried to practice my dances everything went black and I felt like my feet weren't on the ground. Dad wouldn't let me practice any more after that, I was not a happy camper. so after a lot of sleep and a lot of medicine, the next day I felt lots better... except for the fact that I had completely lost my voice, which turned out not to be so helpful when I tried to ask for help. Oopsies. Anyway, after we got all ready we headed out to the feis. I was so excited! After a few hours it was finally my turn to dance, but when I went to check in, guess what? I was the only one signed up for that competition! That was fine, except the same thing happened for all the rest of my dances too. I have tried to explain to my mom that starting Irish dance when your 14 is like starting when your 60 in Irish dance years, she didn't believe me but if this isn't a perfect explanation of that, then I don't know what is. No other under 13 beginner one's? I rest my case. The good news is I got an automatic 1st place in every one of my dances. At first I felt kind of guilty, like I didn't deserve to move up because there was no competition, but on further explanation from my dance friend Taylor I learned that sometimes when that happens if the judge doesn't think you should move up then he just won't place you, so I guess I did pretty well! (Or maybe it was a pity first because I'm so old...) either way I am perfectly ecstatic. I like to think that I looked pretty intimidating and important walking out of there with three 1st place medals and a 1st place trophy. oh yeah.

So overall I'm just really glad I got to go. It was so much fun, (even if I couldn't talk), and I'm lucky I have great parents who take me to classes and competitions in Colorado. Plus how many people can say they placed first in all their dances at their first feis??You just gotta do what you love right?

so because my dad was determined we were going to follow the "no photography" rule (that everyone else seemed to be breaking) this is our one and only picture from winterfeis. But isn't it cool? i like it. I hope this feis is the first of many many fun feising adventures (which we will discuss with mom later...)

lots and lots of love from E.

Support The Feis Fanatic!

Well its official...

I'm going to my first feis!!

I am so excited I can hardly stand it. I have been practicing super hard (sort of) and I absolutely cannot wait until next weekend. My dad is taking me and the competition is called Colorado Winterfeis, the best news is that if I place 1st 2nd or 3rd in any of my dances I get to move up to the Advanced beginner class and learn the advanced beginner dances! Yay!

The only bad news?...

Lucky E. she gets to pay for the ENTIRE feis by herself. That means registration, hotel, food, car, gas, the whole enchilada.Oh baby. Lets just say I've got a busy week ahead of me. Anyway- to the point- To help raise money for the "Feis Fund", I made these cute little embroideries of Peter Rabbit characters:

Here is Jemima Puddle duck, not the best picture I realize but it really is adorable.

and then here is Peter Rabbit! P.s. I promise the fabric really isn't yellow-not a good camera. This one is a little bigger and just as sweet.

I've never really sold anything like this before, so I don't really know what kind of price range to sell it at, but if anyone is interested just name your price and I'm sure i would be happy to accept. I was also thinking for another few dollars I could personalise them with a name or phrase etc. ( the word "Jemima" can be unpicked). And if you guys like what you see, I have patterns for a cute ice cream cone,and a little elephant.(requests anyone?)

Wish me luck!!

lots and lots of love from E.

P.S. Feis- Noun, an irish dancing competition at a local level. Pronounced "fesh"

I-Rish you a merry Christmas and a happy new year!!

Christmas was absolutely fantastic. I didn't get everything on my lovely Christmas list, but then you cant really expect everything from a $1000 plus wish list can you? But anyway it was what my brothers and sister and I deemed "The best Christmas ever!" So you can't really go wrong, can you?

Here is a little of what I did get-

My main present was my absolutely beautiful, perfect,amazing,wonderful,best-ever, tiny laptop. I gotta admit that when I ran out on Christmas morning I was a little disappointed because its so small it looked like one of the little kids laptops you know, like barbie, that helps you learn your letters and numbers, but obviously it wasn't and I was completely blissed out after that. Next to that I had some books, Jackets, a wii fit for our whole family which we all LOVE, and an awesome printer/scanner/copier/imnotreallysurewhatelseitdoes, but anyway I love it too. One of the best things was my Grandmas present. This year she decided to give everyone in our family a treasure, something special that has a neat story with it.

(don't tell anyone else-mine was the best)

The day after the war ended in 1945 My Grandmas family could buy gas and tires for their car because it wasn't rationed anymore so they all went to Canada for a family vacation. While they were there she bought this beautiful green tea set, and it was the first thing in her trousseau. Don't you just love stories? especially special things with stories to them?

Oh- and I almost forgot- The icing on the cake is that it snowed all day and was the most perfect white christmas. (all of our England family were jealous.)

New years was really good too. We spent it in Las Vegas with my aunt Betsey and her family and I had loads of fun running around the church's "brand new year" party, dancing, and getting thrown to the top of a velcro wall which was...interesting.

I hope all of you had as good of holidays as I did, and that you have a brilliant 2009!

Merry Christmas!

lots and lots of love from E.

Wig-tastic

Monday I am pretty sure I was the Happiest girl in the whole entire world.

want to know why?

My Wig came!

isn't it beautiful?

Now I am totally set to start competing.

lots and lots of love from E.

Festival of trees!

On Saturday I got to dance at my very first real performance at the festival of trees. It was so much fun to dance for everybody, and it makes me even more excited to start competing, (fingers crossed for January!) Everything went great, and I feel so lucky that I get to dance and that I have such a great mom who supports me in dancing- not to mention that she drives me to all my performances, AND she fixed my dress! Thank you mom!

(note-im the one 3rd from the right, unfortunately I look a tiny bit bald in front in this video because my wig hasnt gotten here yet, but thanks so so SO much to Caitlin who curled my hair for me!)

lots and lots of love from E.