Independence Day, 2011:

I spent the majority of my day reading my current book, Life by English rocker, Keith Richards, while Eliot spent the majority of his day purchasing a Japenese-made vehicle.

When evening fell the two of us decided to buy some Dutch beer and then head downtown to see the fireworks.

While waiting for the fireworks display we moseyed into an Irish pub and enjoyed a Guinness.
We missed the fireworks.

Happy Birthday, America.

Easter, through the lens.

Birthday!

Today I am wishing my baby brother, Jack, a wonderful 8th birthday!

To one of the most intelligent, hyperactive, and entertaining kids around, Happy Birthday buddy!

Even though you tend to run away from me screaming, I know that you secretly love me too.

Oh yeah, and Happy Superbowl?

2010 Recap

It is better late than never to present a recap of the year that was 2010, right? I've decided that I really liked how my friend Ashley of Have Heart set up her recap post so I thought that I would play copycat.

2010

In January I reigned in the new year with my boyfriend's family in Missouri, began an internship with a local radio station, and took the GRE.

In February I started my blog, bought my ticket to Bonnaroo, and ate at The Yellow Porch on a romantic and classic Valentine's date with Eliot.

In March I attended the local Big Ears festival, celebrated Eliot and I's two year anniversary, watched endless hours of basketball during the NCAA tournament (Go Vols!), and took a spontaneous trip to New Orleans for Spring Break.

In April I began to appreciate the warm weather more than ever before; I was outside constantly. I watched Daniel Tosh perform at a comedy club, and came head to head with my inner struggle as to what to do with my life in regards to the immediate future. 

My life was also being predominantly led by my photojournalism course in which I had two major projects that month: Crunching Numbers and our surprisingly fun class trip to LaFollette, TN.

In May I went to the pool...a lot. I attended my last Volapalooza ever, GRADUATED FROM COLLEGE, purchased my MacBook, and received my Bonnaroo ticket in the mail.

In June I moved back home, attended three weddings (and photographed two), discovered Francesca's Collections, went to Bonnaroo, watched a lot of soccer, and took a spontaneous trip to Washington DC with my dad.

In July I helped my best friend cope through her first break up, was fortunate enough to see Modest Mouse for the second time, and I took some promotional photos for a prominent local radio personality.

In August I traveled to my birth town of Shreveport, Louisiana for a family wedding, went to Florida, celebrated my 100th blog post, saw Arcade Fire and Spoon in Alpharetta, Georgia, attended The Black Keys in Nashville, and was provoked to do a lot of soul searching.

In September I took my little sister to the zoo, was coming to my wit's end with serving tables, celebrated my 22nd birthday, rejoiced in the coming of my favorite season, and moved to Washington DC for an internship.

In October I received a visit a from Eliot in DC, took a trip to the Botanical Gardens, saw Joan Baez and Steve Earle in concert, and spent Halloween with my closest friends in my former college town.

In November I enjoyed DC during the height of fall, a close family friend and her family moved away, and I spent an eventful Thanksgiving with my family; leaving me scatterbrained and not wanting to return to DC for my final weeks of the internship.

In December I moved back home, our family dog of 14 years passed away, I waited until the last minute to do the bulk of my Christmas shopping, and I experienced my very first white Christmas.

[2010 was a fantastic year with rough patches throughout, of course, but fantastic nonetheless. 
I hope that 2011 brings just as much travel, family, and live music, but with the financial and physical stability to round it out.
That is truly my only new year's resolution; to find a job that I enjoy and that brings stability along with a foreseeable knowledge of the future.]

White Christmas.

I am consistently being reminded of the Reason for the Season on this very rare Tennessee White Christmas...well, a white powdered Christmas if anything.

I am so very thankful for the time I have with my family and loved ones that I don't think that I could ever portray it through words, at least with justice; it is simply an inexplicable feeling.

Merry Merry Christmas

Holidays can always be a struggle; having to go back and forth between families, feeling guilty for spending more time with one family than the other, resenting the guilt because I know that neither parent would wish that upon me...All the while trying to squeeze in time for my beloved boyfriend's family and my best friend's family that is basically another extension of my own.

This morning I woke up and militarily began to plan out my day while lacking any traditional Christmas Eve excitement.

I know that things will begin to look up as the day progresses - especially when I am around my younger brother and sister who still feel the Magic.

Wha, wha, wha...I know, I know.Yes, I will take some cheese with my whine, thanks. (Actually I just ate some, but that is not the point.)
Despite the brief venting session prior to, this is actually my FAVORITE time of the year - time crunch be damned.
The part about this holiday that I hold most dear is undoubtedly our annual Texas trip. Twenty plus cousins along with umpteen aunts and uncles and the greatest grandparents in the world is always a very special treat. We leave the day after Christmas.
Thus, I can promise that blogging will not happen here.
But my Nikon will be by my side and, consequently, a picture heavy post will surely follow the trip.

So a MERRY MERRY MERRY CHRISTMAS to you all! I hope that everyone enjoys their holiday break and the special time with whomever they wish to spend it.


These were the days, ha.

Happy Birthday, SARA.

A HAPPY BIRTHDAY 
TO MY WONDERFUL LITTLE SISTER!

9-years-old! WOW.

It seems like only yesterday I was babysitting you on a regular basis, changing your diapers, and begrudgingly sitting through hours and hours of Baby Einstein tapes.
And now you are one year away from double digits and a pop culture queen.

I wish that you remembered a time when I lived with you; because it seems that I am always coming and going, coming and going. Thirteen year age differences do not make it easy, but we make sure to utilize the time that we are given to its fullest, and I am thankful for that.

I love you so much and am forever grateful that you are in my life!

Always be the sweet girl that you are, and you will go far. You have so much going for you!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DYLAN.

Somehow my baby brother is 17 today (mind you, the term "baby" is used loosely here since he has been a foot taller than me for a number of years now). How did this happen?! It cannot be real because I am still 17, at least that is how I inexplicably think of myself.

Look at this boy! He has his own style, his own friends, his own music, his own life.

I only wish that I had a younger photo of him on hand so that you could attain a grasp of how he was arguably the cutest child in the world.

 I'm sorry Dylan, but this will always be how I think of you.

Location: Gatlinburg, TN.
Age: 3 years old.
Time: Day after Halloween.
An abstract conversation between father and son.

Dad: Did you get a lot of candy?
Dylan: Cauuundyy?!
Dad: What did you get?
Dylan: I got a sucker. Big, LITTLE SUCKER.
Dad: Did you have fun?
Dylan: NO.
Dad: Are you ready to go home?
Dylan: NO.
Dad: You don't want to see all your of friends?
Dylan: NO.
Dad: Do you want to go ride in your red jeep?
Dylan: NO.
Dad: Well what do you want?!
Dylan: (whispers) cauuundy.
Dad: What?
Dylan: I VANT CAUNDY!

Love you, bro!

To this day, I still pronounce "candy" as "caundy."

Oh hey, it's Paul Lennon...

One photo to sum up Halloween evening is all that is necessary.

(Sergeant Peppers and Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds.)

Muahaha.

My boyfriend and I have the best Halloween costumes this year (and for next year also because I'm awesome).

But it's a surprise.

Ha!

Beloved Weekend.

Oh, was anyone interested as to how my birthday weekend unfolded?

Refreshing and just what the doctor ordered.

First, Eliot surprised me with some gifts:

The remainder of the weekend was spent as follows:

eating sushi

dancing

drinking wine

reading

cuddling

UT football and tailgating

spontaneous walks (through the recently discovered UT Gardens)

indulging in 3 Spoon's frozen yogurt

Of course, the fact that I was able to lay eyes on a couple of long lost friendly faces is a given.

I often wonder how the 18-year-old Emmy would have felt upon learning that her future, post graduate self would indeed eventually grow to not only love, but to actually miss the silly little town of Knoxville.

For the sake of my sanity, I hope that my next visit will be sooner rather than later- I miss it already!

It's Officially...

MY BIRTHDAY!!

22! YayYeah.

I will be Knoxville Bound until Sunday so that I can visit some friends and the boyfriend over my birthday weekend! I'm so excited!

Hmm, I wonder if Eliot has anything exciting planned...

Father's Day.

He shares my sweet tooth.

Teaches me things.

Comforts me.

Takes care of me.

Reassures me.
__________________

I LOVE YOU DAD!

I cannot physically put it into words as to how much I appreciate you every single day of my life.

Now it is time to blast Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash all day long- in dedication to you!

Mom!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO ALL THE MOMMYS!

Oh, how I wish I didn't have to spend Mother's Day working a 12 hour shift at Mimi's Cafe. However, since I couldn't actually see my mom today anyway due to distance, I guess it didn't hurt to make a cool $200 on the side. It did take away from solid study time though that I could have utilized in great part.

It's been five days, but I feel like I haven't blogged in forever. School + exams + lack of internet + non-functioning computer + work = a lacking blog from Emmy.

But this will change in due time.

Tomorrow night I take my last final exam of my college career!

The last itty bitty bit of educational importance that I just need to get through.

I can do this...

This time tomorrow, over.

...meaning I can Blog more often!

Graduation is in three days, and it is just now beginning to hit home.

Again, Happy Mother's Day!

Mom, I love you and I'll see you on Wednesday!

Happy Easter.

My favorite piece of Easter literature:

God Bless!

"It's love, it's not Santa Claus."

This year's Valentine's weekend consisted of the following:





Although today is actually the big day, Eliot and I went out last night since I have to work at the radio station tomorrow morning. We started out the night with a bottle of wine and 500 Days Of Summer; the only time Eliot will "allow" us to watch a chick flick. Then we drove to Nashville and ate at The Yellow Porch, which was a quaint, eclectic little place. I think the meal I ordered was one of the best meals I have ever eaten. EVER.
Sorry dad.
Then we met up with Amanda and Kholt in Nashville. Amanda is one of my BEST friends at UT that I met in Spain last summer, and she and her boyfriend are from Memphis and often meet in Nashville to see each other. Eliot and I met up with them and had a blast.

Thanks Eliot for the great weekend =)

This coming week, however, will consist of the following:


Yes, Hodges Library- that's it.
Goodbye world, I'll see you Friday.