A Little Me: A to Z

Here's a little more about me!

A. Age: 25

B. Bed size: twin

C. Chore you hate: washing the dishes

D. Dogs: Pepper and Shelby

E. Essential start to your day: coffee

F. Favorite color: purple

G. Gold or silver: silver

H. Height: 5'5"

I. Instruments you play: violin, piano, mandolin, pennywhistle, guitar

J. Job title: strings teacher

K. Kids: none

L. Live: Greenville, SC

M. Mom's name: Teresa

N. Nicknames: Em, Emma, Emmaline, Emmy

O. Overnight hospital stays: the ICU for a few days when I was an infant

P: Pet peeve: when people I don't know invade my personal space

Q: Quote from a movie: "You have bewitched me body and soul." ~Pride and Prejudice

R. Righty or Lefty: lefty

S. Siblings: younger sister, Elizabeth

T. Time you wake up: around seven

U. Underwear: um, I wear it

V. Vegetables you dislike: cabbage, collard greens, cooked carrots

W. What makes you run late: oversleeping

X. X-rays you've had: teeth, spine

Y. Yummy food you make: blueberry pie, poppyseed chicken, coffee cake

Z. Zoo animal favorite: penguins

A Little About Me

Since I have some new readers I thought I would share a bit about me. I found these questions on the back of a bookmark in a book I borrowed from my mom.

Author you love? Jane Austen

Best friend? Daniel

Can't live without? Chocolate

Dream destination? Santorini, Greece

Embarrassing moment? Forgetting to tune the orchestra

Favorite food? Chocolate

Greatest achievement? Masters degree

Hometown? Greenville, South Carolina

Innermost fear? Disappointing others, failure

Just finished reading? The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

Kindle? Yes

Love to read? Yes, very much

Makes you laugh? My friends

Number one movie? Pride and Prejudice

One wish? A cure for cancer

Pizza topping? Pepperoni

Quote that describes you? It is your duty and also your entitlement as a human being to find something beautiful within life, no matter how slight.

Reading now? The Postmistress

Siblings? Elizabeth

Texted last? Daniel

Understands you the best? Daniel, Elizabeth

Vanilla or chocolate? Chocolate

Worst habit? Procrastinating

X-rays you've had? Teeth, Spine

Your favorite song? On A Night Like This, Dave Barnes

Zodiac sign? Capricorn

:)

Greenville Is Awesome

After graduation my mom and I headed to downtown Greenville for Artisphere, an annual art and music festival. It was so fun to walk down Main Street, gazing at different booths and enjoying the beautiful weather.

Afterwards, we headed up to Coffee Underground for some iced coffees.

I know in this picture it looks like I chopped off my hair, but it's just behind my shoulders. Part of me wants to cut it, but part of me loves my long hair.

What do you think?

I'm Back!

I'll just go ahead and apologize now for my extremely prolonged absence.

I've missed you guys!

The last month and a half has consisted of pull-out-your-hair-and-cry-all-the-time craziness, including written comprehensive exams in music history and music theory, lessons, homework, teaching, my graduate recital, an oral exam in violin history, a jury, projects, and finals.

And graduation. Thank goodness.

Whew. And then it was all over.

Our masters' robes had this weird extra material hanging from the arms, which we decided to turn into puppets. We even considered shaking the president's hand like this. The thought sent the three of us into inappropriate, unstoppable giggles during the extremely long ceremony.

I'm showing off my hood in this picture. Pink is the academic regalia color for music. How awesome is that?

Dexter Edgar Converse, who founded Converse College (and whose parents obviously had great fun in naming their child), loved strawberries and cream. Therefore, generations of Converse students have reaped the benefits of his favorite food. Thanks Dexter Edgar.

Hangin' out in the hood.

(Haha, get it? ...Don't ever ask me to tell a joke.)

{Dress: Target} {Shoes: Target} {Watch: Fossil} {Pearls: From my Mama - the real deal, ya'll}

{Nail polish: OPI Lucky Lavender}

Here I'm modeling my manicure from my day at the spa! And I'm still sportin' my hood. I definitely wore it all day. To Chilis. And Verizon. And all the way home.

You may call me Master Emily.

;)

What did I miss while I was gone?

Adventures in the South: Part Four

After all of our traveling, Daniel and I spent a few days at home in Greenville, and he got to meet my parents and sister. We took him out for some good ol' southern barbeque.

I also took him up to Caesar's Head, which has some spectacular views of upstate South Carolina.

We hiked down to this viewpoint and watched the sunset.

We then walked back through huge rocks to a higher viewpoint.

A gorgeous sunset over the mountains...

The next day, it was time for Daniel to go, and I really miss having him here in the south with me!



Chicago, Chicago!

During my trip to Milwaukee, Daniel and I drove down to Chicago to spend a day exploring with my aunt and cousin.

We met them in Millennium Park and went ice skating!

(I am not the best ice skater by any means. Daniel had to drag me away from the wall. I consider it a successful outing if I don't do a face plant.)

Daniel's "Man Pose" on ice...

...and by The Bean.

We all tried the Man Pose...and I ended up giggling.



I think this picture from Giordano's needs little explanation other than yummy.

This picture from the Hershey's store needs no explanation at all.

We waited until after dark to visit the observatory of the John Hancock building, and the views were gorgeous!

I'm pretty sure I have a sixth sense when it comes to finding H&M stores, and I just have to go in when I find one because we don't have one in Greenville. So there it was - on the Magnificent Mile - calling my name. Cue my "I'm-really-sorry-you-have-to-go-shopping-but-we're-going-in face" to Daniel, and a happy hour was spent buying a cozy sweater and pretty dress while the boys tried on goofy hats.

And apparently Daniel has a modeling career in his future. Pretty good, no? ;)

We later went on a carriage ride!

Ahh, the perfect ending to a very lovely day!

:)

You'll Lose the Blues in Chicago

Daniel and I are heading to Chicago this morning!!!

(Chicago Skyline)

This is my first trip to Chicago, and I am super excited!

We, of course, have plans to visit the Bean, among other things...

(The Bean)



...including pizza at Giordano's.

Yum.

(Giordano's)

We're meeting up with my aunt and a friend from Greenville, who are going to show us around the town.

I'll be sure to have pictures when I get back home!

Merry Christmas!

I hope everyone is having a wonderful day full of family, good food, and festivities!

"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."

Isaiah 9:6

My mom only makes her delicious coffee cake on Christmas, so it's always a special treat!

(Shelby's thoughts: I hate my life. Get it off.)

I hope everyone has a blessed, beautiful holiday!

Love,



p.s. IT'S SNOWING!

I'm now old enough to rent a car. Yay.

Woop woop - I'm 25!

(That sounds so old!)

And yep, I was born on Christmas Eve. It's a cool story, but in reality, it kind of stinks.

Here's how it went down:

My mom went into labor sometime in the afternoon on Christmas Eve, but she insisted on my dad wrapping all the Christmas presents before they left.

Dad: Teresa, no one is going to be here to open them tomorrow.

Mom: Just wrap them!!!

Dad: Uh, ok.

(Dad - I don't speak from experience, but I think it's probably a bad idea to argue with someone labor. Just sayin'.)

They arrived at the hospital, and I was born at 11:35 p.m. I'm pretty sure I would have been born on Christmas - but my mom had a c-section - and I have a feeling the doctors were just thinking "let's get this kid out and go home for Christmas." So Christmas Eve it was. The next morning, I was brought to my mom in a stocking. Yes, I fit into a stocking. As far as I know, there is no photographic evidence of this adorable event. But here are some pictures of me throughout the years...

(I love this one of my dad and me and his Model A!)

(I was a ham!)

By the way...the birthday-at-Christmas-time is a family curse. Here's a list of family events at this time of year:

December 22: Mom's birthday

December 24: My birthday

December 25: Christmas

December 29: My sister's birthday

January 1: New Years

Whew. Good times.

Alright. Now what you've all been waiting for...the winner of my $25 shop credit giveaway is:

Gina from Hiya Luv!

Yay! Congrats!

A very Merry Christmas Eve to everyone!