"There is a bit of insanity in dancing that does everybody a great deal of good." ~Edwin Denby

Last week I had not one but two Valentine's Day dances to attend, one was for ASB at Big Bend, (Thursday night), and Saturday was the Singles Ward "Grow Old With You" themed dance that I mentioned in my last post, and here are some of my favorite shots from both nights!

This is me Channeling Lady Ga Ga. . . .these are also Angie's favorite pair of glasses I own (Can you hear the sarcasm?)

Maybe you should take a second for your eyes to recover!

Me, Rhoan Ashby, and Kayla Chamberlain. . . . big things poppin'

Brandon Platt is an L 7 Weenie!

Brady Coulston was my gay Best Friend for the evening, (Just jokes. . . his wife was out of town!)

Brady says "Peace!"



Wait a minute ladies, i thought we where doing the Charlies Angel's thing?



Me and Rhenny Poo doing what we do best and taking pictures of ourselves!





We had about 50 students (including ASB People) show up to the dance which is actually a good turn out and much better then we expected! Fun People and Fun Times. . . .good thing I had those glasses huh? because they where a hit!!!!



I was telling Sis. Payne yesterday that the reason I love themed parties and dances is because for some reason when people are in costume they loose all inhibition, they suddenly are not as concerned about what people think and especially in the case of our dances they get their groove on a lot more. Now even though the senior citizen theme doesn't exactly correlate with Valentine's Day so much, it was an idea I'd been tossing around for a while and figured it's probably now or never, and I've been hearing that people enjoyed themselves and I certainly had a good time getting dressed up for it, and really isn't that all that matters?



This is me Channeling Granny Smith/Yente the matchmaker





Mitch and Dana had just come from supporting the Big Bend Basketball teams, so forgive them for not dressing up!





You know Whitney Smith is gonna be a Hot Gramma. . . ."Welcome to the Cougar Den!"

Casey wins the prize for best outfit, and best Old man Face!

Alyssa and Amanda Bennett! Alyssa gets made props from me for her sick blazer and Amanda gets a Holla for looking like my Grandma Schaat!

Ellrey is someone I can always "Depends" on!

Takin' pictures really takes a lot out of her!

Ah Riley and Ellisha! how perfect do these two look?

Grumpy Old Men!


Grumpier Old Men!

Lindsey Gilbert actually raided her G-Ma's closet! I myself raided my own!

"According to them Flat bellied experts I shoulda taken a dirt nap. . . . like 40 yrs. ago!"

This is Me and Nette in a few yrs.

"Excuse Me Sonny!"

OK I lied Brandon gets the prize for best Old man face!

"join us Next week when Our guest will Albert Einstein. . . what's that?. . . well I've just been informed Albert Einstein's been dead for 40 yrs.. . . oh well we'll try to get him anyway!"



This is a horrible shot, you can blame Zach!:) But I wanted a group shot of the people that dressed up! Oh well!

I hope you all got as much enjoyment out of these moments as I had creating theme. . .

Ok that's it Peace Out!!!!

". . . my gift is my song and this one's for you"- Elton John

OK just so that Tameka and Piper and whoever else who might have been too afraid to comment on my anti -love song post, don't think I'm a total Valentine's day Scrooge I have come up with this little list to counter balance the other, I hope that post didn't give you all the wrong impression, It was meant to be funny and sarcastic, but maybe not my finest attempt! Anyway, I have no intention of sitting home Saturday, I have a singles ward dance to DJ, and I don't even think they make bon bons anymore so those fake plans aren't even really possible!

All of you who have Romantic shenanigans planned with that special someone tomorrow, you may want to light some candles, turn the lights down low, and set the mood with these greatest love songs according to Emily!

If you are a soft rock fan may I suggest. . . .

1. The Best of Times- Styx

Simply put. . . ."The Best of times, are when I'm alone with you!"

isn't that tender?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHmilMMZd8A

2. Into the Mystic- Van Morrison

"I Wanna Rock Your Gypsy Soul!" I don't know what that means but it sounds romantic. . . .right?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6FPsRk-HHE

PS, not the best cover, but Van was no where to be found on YouTube, I suggest you find a way to hear the original!

3. I'll stand By You- The Pretenders

"nothing You Confess, could make me love you less!"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABGPMw_ir08


4. Trouble- Ray Lamontagne

". . . Well I've been, saved by a woman!"

I ask you. . . what girl wouldn't want this song sung to her?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIf7rHyP9M4


5. Arms of a Woman- Amos Lee

"thousand miles from the place I was born, when she wakes me, she takes me back home!"

I don't understand why this guy isn't more famous, Amos Lee sings to my heart!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5hPVqPMywc



Or Perhaps you can only Celebrate your love with one genre and one genre only and that's R&B

well have I got a list for you. . . .watch out folks it's "Baby Makin'" Music Time!


1.Song For You- Donnie Hathaway


". . . But we're alone now, and I'm singing this song to you!"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBlPkamL6Cc

This was the best cover I could find! But trust me the original is a gem!

2. A House is Not a Home- Luther Vandross

"I'm not meant to live alone, turn this house into a home. When I climb the stairs and turn the key Oh, please be there, sayin' that you're still in love with me!"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nOA9Fw8AZI


3. Untitled (How Does it Feel)- D' Angelo

I can only really make out three or four words in this song, but who cares. . . .D'Angelo's voice is sooooo fly! This song is probably my most favorite!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ULZuCK_fgo


4. I'll Make Love to You- Boyz II Men


Boyz II Men always keep it classy!



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqU2WXKcUb0



5. Whenever, Wherever, Whatever- Maxwell

"And if there's a thing that you need, I'd give you breath that I breathe!"

What can I say I'm a sucker for Falsetto!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RW_L69tyj0M




So Happy Valentine's day to one and all!

and of course. . . Peace Out!!!!

"I know I'm an acquired taste: I'm anchovies. And not everyone wants those. . .If I was potato chips, I could go more places." -Tori Amos

Everyday for the past 2 weeks I've recieved a notice from facebook saying someone has mentioned me in their note on their profile, and I think cool someone mentioned something about me, and everytime I get nothing. . . . no mention at all, why would Facebook tease me so! Why not just tell me someone posted a note and wants me to do it too! Instead of getting my hopes up!









So to make up for it, I'm doing my own top 25 most important things to know about me and posting it as a note on facebook, but I'm not tagging anyone, so they don't get torchured like I did!






25.Pink is not my favorite color although my cell phone, camera and ipod cover would suggest other wise!

24. I quote something I saw on Saturday Night Live almost everyday, and almost always no one knows what I'm talking about and it makes me sad!

23. I want a Gospel Choir to sing "Oh Happy Day" at my funeral

22. My foot measures to be a size 8, but because my feet are so wide I've been wearing a size ten for about 10 years now! I like my shoes and my trailors the same way. . . .double wide! (have I told this story already?)

21. I love leftovers! I think they taste better! Cold Italian, Mexican, and Chinese food is the best!!!

20. Forget Air Guitar, I love to create my own "Air Band"! My personal favorite is the drums, Angie's favorite is the Keytar, here's video of me and the ladies getting our air band on, on a road trip to Utah we took last year!

19. The only time in my life I didn't wanna be famous was when I was in 4th grade and I thought I wanted to be a teacher. . . boy what a silly girl I was! :)

18. I'm not allergic to anything, but a few times when I was 14 something made my lips swell and for a while my Mom thought I was allergic to packaged salad! It's still remains a mystery what caused me to look like I had bad collagen injections!

17. This is the face I make in almost every picture, I don't like the way my top lip disappears when I smile normally, and I feel this face personifies me best.

16. For the last 2 or 3 yrs. I've become accostomed to only chewing half a stick of gum at a time to make the package last longer, but I usually just end up with a ton of halvsies at the bottom of my purse!






15. I love doing my hair and putting on make-up, it's my favorite part of my daily routine!









14. I'm addicted to fruity drinks! I love makin' em, and I love drinkin' em!

13. Once a 300 lb drunk man sat on my lap at a bar and all Angie and Michelle (or was it Nette) did was laugh at me, and I still find it very upsetting that they didn't come to my rescue! :)

12. I hope belts, scarves, and leggings never go out of style!

11. I've never really had a thing for bad boys! I've always loved the nice guy!

10. I love toys! Gwenny gave me these hulk smash gloves for Christmas, and I have absolutley no use for them, but I love them, and usually when people give me useless toys that I'm way too old for I get all giddy inside!

9. I have a hard time looking people in the eye. . . .it's almost too personal for me!

8. If I could wear fake eyelashes, a wig, and something sparkly every day. . . . I totally would!

7. Say what you will about old country singers, but I have a huge place in my heart for the Oak Ridge Boys! With hits like "Ya'll Come Back Saloon", "Tryin' to Love two Woman", "It's Gonna Take a lot of Rivers", and probably the most famous "Elvira" You can't deny the awesomeness of this old country boy band!

6. Anything dipped in ranch dressing is a delight. . . . oh except for marchino cherries!

5. On more then one occasion people have said I remind them of Mimi from Drew Carey or Rosie O'donnell and I'm like . . . .why? Because we are all fat and obnoxious, or is it because I'm a troll collecting lesbian. . . . maybe someday I'll know?

4. I often get asked if I have my tongue pierced because of the split down the middle of it!

3. I don't know how to pop my knuckles, or crack my back, and I also cannot whistle to save my life!


2. If I could die and come back as any animal it would be a persian cat, because they're chubby and fluffy and get pampered all day, that's the life!


1. Along the same lines as the air band, my second favorite thing to do when listening to music is interprite the lyrics of a song via hand motions, so when I run out of dance moves, I usually resort to things like this.

and that's enough about me. . . sorry if there are any repeats. . . .this game is hard!

Until next time. . .

Peace Out!

"The beautiful are never desolate; But Someone always loves them-God or Man, If Man abandons, God Himself takes them."- Phillip James Bailey

My Mommala and I hit up the Miss Moses Lake Pageant for some good old fashioned Mother/ Daughter bonding time this weekend. Pageants of all kinds have been something my Mom and I have always enjoyed watching and discussing. My Mother not only ran for Miss Moses Lake herself when she was a senior in High School (1971), but has helped out on occasion not only with Miss Moses Lake, but the Miss Moses lake Round-up Rodeo Queen competition as well. I like to think she has a pretty good eye for what it takes to be a winner. In fact that's what I love about doing this stuff with her because we like to sit back and critique like we're the ones judging. Sometimes she'll look at me and give me that "Yikes" face and I'll be like I know I know, or other times she'll whisper under her breath, "Well she just took that" and I'll be like I Know I Know! I love it! Pageant time with Mom is my favorite time!

Beauty Pageants have lost their savor with the American Public over the years, I remember when they used to air Miss America on NBC and CBS, but just recently they made it into a reality show on CMT to try to boost ratings, but before that I don't think you could even find it on regular cable.

So back in the day when Beauty Pageants where still fairly hip my Mother gave a go at our local pageant. Here are some of the photos from that. . . . . .

My Mother be-dazzled her own frock! Set each rhinestone herself. . . by hand! Oh and another little beauty secret. . . she washed her hair with beer to make it extra shiny, I'd say it worked!

In preparation for the event my Mother got up at the crack of dawn every morning and ran with my Dad's wrestling team, ate a steady diet of plain Yogurt and Bananas. But the night of the show, back when they use to read the girls measurements when they walked out on stage in their swimsuits, my Mother measured to be an exact 36' 24' 36'. . . . how about that huh? Coming from someone who hasn't had a 24' waist since she was 4, I thought that was pretty impressive!

For my Mother's Talent she did a dramatic reading, she claims it didn't go over well! I'm sure it wasn't that bad, but you know what else do you do if you aren't musical inclined or a dancer?

Eventually my Mother was asked to step in as 2nd runner up when one girl could not fulfill her duties, but I know my Mother really did learn a lot from her experience, because she's been giving me lectures on Posture and how to carry myself for a while now!

This is us at Shari's after the pageant, all in all it was a super fun night and I'm glad Mommala and I got a chance to share some moments! I Love you Mom!

Side note: I would just like to say Congrat's to Kendall Earl and Breanne Haddican I thought you two where fantastic and it was a toss up in my head between you two (Breanne won the Outstanding Pre-Teen title and Kendall was 1st runner up) But I was a little saddened by the fact that they had two titles (Miss Columbia Basin and Miss Moses Lake) and not a one went to Courtney Earl! She was the best, My Mother and I both thought she had it in the bag, oh well 1 st runner up's better then nothing, but she's the real winner if you ask me!

Peace Out!

"Only time can heal your broken heart, just as only time can heal his broken arms and legs." –Miss Piggy

Ah Love songs. . . . .there's just something about them that makes the world all right! Whether your in love or, want to be in love , or you're trying to hide the fact that you want to be in love, a good love song really penetrates the soul!

Valentine's day is the day to solute all those songs that make you feel all googly eyed and weak in the knees!



Well today's blog will do no such thing!. . . . . here's a list of songs I will be listening to this Saturday, as I sit in my pj's with bon bons in one hand and a box of Kleenex in the other, staring out the window wishing for a delivery from a secret admirer. . . .




You ever come across a song and think that song was totally written for me, this first little diddy is a primo example of that!

Somebody To Love, Queen




Freddy Mercury knew a thing or two about loneliness!


This next little lady is also one that has loved and lost and is someone I believe is a master at turning pain into a techno dance hit! This is just one of many!

Song For the Lonely, Cher







Love Hurts, Nazareth



This song makes me wanna eat some cookie dough. . . .you know what I'm talking about?



It's really the gospel choir that puts this one over the edge for me!


I Wanna Know What Love Is, Foreigner








Nothing much I can say about this other then it is sheer sad song perfection, executed by two of the greatest artists of our time!




You Don't Bring Me Flowers, Barbara Streisand and Neil Diamond








I know what you are thinking. . . .cue the Debbie Downer music why don't ya! But here's the deal kiddo's. . . as a singleton it is my duty to put a frown on my face and say Ew. . . yuck, I hate love! I'm sure I'll like it when I've got it. . . but until then it's Negative Nancy folks!


You know what makes me feel loads better though. . . .this minus the zombie dance






Peace Out!!!!

". . . .I said Hey, What's going on!" -4 Non Blondes

I need to get something off my chest and then no more Idol chat for a few days!

Did anyone else think the girl that won all those singing contests and got her trip to Puerto Rico paid for by them, was actually good, because I did and I was in almost as much shock as she was that she didn't get through, and they made it sound like she was just ghastly, Paula even said she was borderline shrill! I mean granted she was pretty loud, and maybe things sound a bit different in person, but the song was in tune and I thought she had a fairly nice tone, maybe a little breathy. But what really annoys me is that stupid Bikini girl made it through and she wasn't any better then this girl!

So what bugs me, is time and time again they let girls through that are not up to caliber, but because they are cute (and skinny) that puts them over the edge and they get a ticket to Hollywood! Simon's the biggest culprit of that, does anybody remember the Hawaii auditions when this girl butchered a Martina McBride song , and because he was obviously only paying attention to one thing, he let her through!

Anyway whatever, I really think if this girl looked like that Bikini girl, she would have been given a 2nd chance! That was annoying!

On a happier note. . . . . This guy was my favorite audition of all time!




Get ready to laugh your face off if you haven't already!

This guy is my American idol! Hands down! I don't think he's gonna make it very far, although I'll keep my fingers crossed, but I think it's amazing that he was able to pull his whole act off, at the end you can tell he thinks so too!

I can't wait to see what Hollywood week has in store!

Until next time. . . . peace out!

"Show me a hero and I will write you a tragedy."- F. Scott Fitzgerald

I was thinking last night as I was watching Idol, what my reaction would be if I was to meet Paula, Simon, Randy, and now Cara. Sometimes people get on there and kind of embarrass themselves, and I'd like to think I'm secure enough with myself to just be myself, but then I remembered that one day when I met one of my heroes and things did not go as planned.

When I was in 5th grade I wanted to be one of 2 things a Rodeo Queen or a Country Singer! And If I could emulate any one's life at that time, it would have been Reba McIntyre's! I seriously loved her! I had almost all of her Cd's, I watched everything she was on. Including that "Buffalo Girl's" mini series that was on TV as well as Tremors, and North all because she was in them. I even read her book! My Sister's husband at the time Ken worked for KWIQ the local country station here in town, Reba's tour was coming around a month before I turned 11 and my sister and her husband hooked me up with not only floor seats to the show, but backstage passes as well for my Birthday! How awesome right? Needless to say I was a little excited!

So, the night of the concert my Sister gave me a little pep talk about how I needed to make sure when I met Reba that I didn't talk her ear off because she was a busy lady, just get up there and make it quick, and so mentally I was like OK I'm just gonna be cool, no problem, but I was determined to say something that would make her remember me and think "I like this girl she should be famous!"

The concert was friggin' awesome like I had expected, and I'm pretty sure I irritated the pants off of the couple in front of me because I was singing at the top of my longs all through the show, but I didn't care I was watching my idol perform and wishing I could get up there and perform with her.

Then the time came for the meet and greet backstage we where all herded into this room and we were asked to form a line and one by one each fan gave Reba what they wanted autographed and then poised for a picture (her Husband was the one taking them) I felt my stomach twist and turn as I got closer and closer it didn't take very much time before it was my turn, as I approached Reba with my picture and poster for her to sign my sisters words echoed in my head, "don't talk her ear off" but then my inner self responded back with "do something to dazzle her this is your chance to make an impression!"

This was our conversation. . .


Reba- Hello, what's your name?

Me- (said in a shy voice)Emily

Reba- That's a nice name

Me- Thanks

(Poise for the picture)

Reba- Have a good night!

Me- Thank You


That was it! I just froze up, and couldn't think of anything cool to say. There wasn't even any, "Hey Reba You're my Hero", "Hey Reba I wanna be just like you", "Hey Reba nice hair". . . .nothing! Completely unmemorable! But at least I didn't "talk her ear off" like what was expected of me!


Here's the photo from that fateful night. . . . yes that's me. . . .and yes I am 11 (it's hard for some to believe)

Believe it or not that was my favorite shirt at the time, I got it at Kmart, it was one of those two for one deals where the vest part was actually just half a vest attached to the front of the shirt. You know me I've always been classy!

What this leads me to believe is that I may not be very good in front of famous people, I haven't met anyone famous since then, and meaning as my skills weren't so hot, it might be something I need to work on!

Does anyone have any helpful suggestions?

Peace!