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Quick Music Monday: Quinn Today

Monday, September 21, 2015

Hallooo! I'm just going to post a super-quick, but super-cute little Music Monday tonight... I intended to write a memory one like I've been doing, but I've been super tired all day, and I probably need to go to bed. So instead of a flashback, here is my favorite two-year-old singing "our song", the one I sing to him as often as I can, and that he now requests when he's sad or sleepy. In this video, I keep nudging him to keep singing, because he's distracted and a bit tired as we go to pick up Lucy from preschool. My voice is a bit tired and raspy, but it'll do. the point is Quinn's little voice, his little quirky ways he sings the words, and just... I mean.... Seriously. He melts me so entirely. I love that I nabbed this video. (And added below, Karla Bonhoff singing "The Water is Wide", a song I've loved since I heard James Taylor's version back in 1991.)




 

Five For Friday: Arrrr, Matey!

Friday, September 18, 2015

This set of five photos is brought to you by:
1. Lucy deciding she wanted to watch a pirate Mickey Mouse Clubhouse while wearing her pirate Mickey ears.

2. Lucy then deciding "we could make a boat! With seats! for a pirate!" 

3. And me looking at the clock and seeing we still had a hour before naps, and deciding this could be easy and fun, AND CUTE. 

4. And hey, I could take some photos and I'd have my "Five For Friday" in the bag!

5. And then Quinn getting on board (pun) with the idea.

6. And also, coincidentally, tomorrow is National Talk Like a Pirate Day. I swear Lucy must've been tapping into the Collective Unconscious on that one. 

So ARRRR, Matey! Shiver me timbers and yo ho ho-- Happy weekend!

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(Bonus: HERE are some pirate terms and phrases for you to try out tomorrow.... In case you needed some help. )

Music Monday: Eva Cassidy and Our First Dance

Monday, September 14, 2015


Our reception opened with a small-time bluegrass trio playing the background music as people strolled into a bare-bones open lawn decorated with homemade paper lanterns and a few decorated tables, some terra cotta pots of herbs and some silver dishware and candlesticks to dress the event up. (My only two decor regrets, honestly: I wish I'd rented darkwood chairs. And I wish I'd splurged on floor-length white tablecloths. Ah well. What's done is done. It was still so lovely.) We did a meet and greet for the first part of the reception while the bluegrass trio played. And then, as it got dark, I serenaded my new husband (that's for another Monday) and then a DJ helped usher in the dancing part of the night. Our song: "Fields of Gold", originally by Sting, but sung by the superlative, impeccable voice of Eva Cassidy. It is the most achingly sweet, heartfelt song, and it was a perfect dance, being held by my groom as Eva sang to us in the darkening September night. 

Our 11th anniversary is this Thursday... And you could've never convinced then-Emily of this truth: that young newlyweds who love so deeply truly have no idea what love REALLY is... And that love eleven years later looks 100% different than she thought it would. And 100% better. 

I love you, Joe. Thank you for our first dance. Let's do it again sometime. 



(September 17, 2004)

Music Monday: When You Feel Sad.... Or Under a Curse...

Monday, September 7, 2015


 

After living two years alone in a tiny shoebox apartment above the seediest of only two bars in Provo, Utah, a time I cherished deeply for being a time of incubation and growth and self-development, it became apparent that the need for such a place had run its course and it was time for me to reenter the world and reestablish skills in living with other people. 

Enter Melody. A sprite-like, spunky artist, she was a friend I'd met in our ward, BYU 212, and had clicked with quickly through our shared love of anything aesthetic and funky, and the new, insane film "Moulin Rouge", which we both saw in the theater obsessively the spring it was released. After a summer of hanging out and further bonding, when Melody found herself in need of a new roommate, she came to me with the offer. I confess it was an agonizing decision-- to choose to leave my haven, my self-imposed cocoon with the asparagus green and October sky blue walls, the rickety old staircase leading to the front door... the rooftops at my disposal.... But the lure of constant company, of spending time with a roommate who adored hostessing guests and was a magnet for other cool artist-types--not to mention the strong realization that my time for being alone really had run its course--I finally knew I needed to tell her YES. 

So after Christmas break, in the winter of 2002, I painted my new bedroom lavender and moved my stuff in. It took no time at all for Melody to make me play her the banjo, and for us to spend evenings huddled around her computer practicing putting our heads on cover models' bodies via Photoshop... For us to lounge on her bed swapping journals and talking about everything under the sun.... We were instantly completely ourselves with each other, and we laughed and listed to each other's favorite music on LOUD. And I introduced her to the musical Godspell. Specifically, I played for her the frantically silly song, "All For the Best", a duet from the play that uses a vaudevillian and whimsical tone to teach its scriptural message. I'm not sure how it went from just listening to us making up our own silly dance to it... But we went there. And we did it laughing the whole time. We perfected a little goofy dance routine to this song from Godspell, and then, as if that wasn't memorably absurd enough, Melody insisted we perform it for any guest who ever came over. Ever. We danced that dance ALL THE TIME. I still cringe/laugh to think of it. 

But that was Melody. That was my time with her, in our Shaklee Mansion. I have a dozen other similar stories with that girl.... But when it comes to music... to songs that never leave me, my time with Melody is wrapped up in memories of that song. The Godspell duet, "All For the Best". Because for that season, she helped me feel unabashed, hilarious, and free, and I thrived in my re-entry into social life and re-learning to live with other people again.

(Oh Melody.... I just love you. Always.)

Five For Friday: Farewell to Swimming Pools

Friday, September 4, 2015

 Five For Friday: 
We were invited by our friends Julia and Paul to a pool party a few weeks ago, and I was able to grab some colorful and splashy photos while I was there. Since this is Labor Day weekend, officially the "end of summer" in my book, I thought these photos would help it go out with a bang. Happy long weekend to all of you! 

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Morning No.1: 9.1.25

Tuesday, September 1, 2015


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