It's almost time....

And so the countdown begins. At this exact time 24 hours from now, Lizzie and I will be on an airplane to London.

The time has gone by so fast...and still it's surreal that we're going to be on our way! My neighbors have been stopping by to wish me Bon Voyage and to offer up help for anything that I may need, which is definitely sweet!

I hung out with my Saturday night girls yesterday and got all emotional in the car because they offered to take Lizzie and I to the airport should we need a ride. :D They are really good friends and I really am going to miss them when I go.

Today, Scout and I had Jamba Juice with Nick and Taylor. I had the BEST orange juice there. It was sweet and succulent. It was a gorgeous day while we were out with them. I started to get a little choked up when I dropped them off... but didn't shed tears.

I'm on my way to dinner with Scout, my parents and my brother. *shrug* After dinner, I'm going to pick Lizzie up and we'll be staying at my place until tomorrow's morning trek to the airport.

xoxo
Emma

I'm SO ready to go

Travel nerd at work:










And for those of you who have seen my desk, you know I'm not always this organized. :)

~Lizzie~

A quick programming note

I'll speak for Lizzie and myself when I say that we're pleased that you could be reading any blog, but you choose to read ours. :D

Thank you for reading! I know for me, all I've ever wanted in life besides a warm bed to read in, a lovely man to cuddle next to, and an awesome kid, is for people to read the stuff I write. I'm lucky enough to have 3 out of the 4 things on my list accomplished.

Please put your seats and tray tables upright and get ready for an amazing ride.

xoxo
Emma

I stand corrected. The Spring Equinox is March 20.

F-it. Who cares.

To wear or What Not to Wear

Is it bad that as I was packing I realized that I have no spring colors? My entire wardrobe for the trip is made up of autumns. Apparently I am Queen of Neutral Colors. All browns, navy, gray, etc. Not a lavender in sight.

Technically it's not spring yet, so what am I worrying about? Why is this even an issue for me? Geez, talk about obsessing on minutiae.

I will ask the Clinton and Stacy Magic 8 Ball:
Question: Is it wrong that I'm bringing so many autumn colors?
Answer: What the hell is wrong with you? Just keep packing!














Thanks, fashion gurus. I needed that.

~Lizzie~

Paris in Springtime

And so it starts...my love affair with Paris will be become a reality.

It's been hard not to keep my mind from venturing away to gorgeous city parks, charming streets lined with cafes and children speaking French in little voices. I've started to lay out plans of my free day sans Lizzie. These plans include: Sainte Chapelle, Musee d'Orsay, Cemetery of Père Lachaise, Musee Rodin and the Centre Pompidou. I plan on starting early morning... say... 7 AM. I love to enjoy cities in the early morning. There's something about watching a city wake up, it's so intimate. Much like watching a lover sleep. It's mysterious, lovely and very telling.

There's a 3 mile walk that will take me around Historic Paris. I've been reading and studying on the things I'll do, and that will knock out a couple things on my list. The walk will take me back around to my hotel. I'll catch the Metro and with luck, I can be at the Cemetary by about 1 PM. I'll be there for a while.

Why the Cemetary? For me it's being close to people I've read about, read works by... listened to. It's an opportunity to honor the people who once lived on this earth, famous or not. And, not surprisingly... it's quiet. In Paris, I'll be lucky to see the final resting place for Chopin, Blazac, Bizet, Proust... and of course Jim Morrison.

Savannah's Bonaventure Cemetary is gorgeous in the morning. There are eerie willows that drape and sway in the morning and line the way towards the river that hugs the East side of the cemetary. If you ever go to Savannah, go there in the morning. It's beautiful. Also... bring some mosquito repellent. There are some crazy ones that fly around!

I hope to have a lot to write about. My best trips are the ones where I'm able to people watch, write and reflect. I've heard that Paris can change a person. Well... I think I heard that on The Hills... but I think, like all travel, it will change me. I hope this experience will help me to be the person I know I was meant to be: a great mom, a good friend and an all together decent human being. The journey has already begun....

xoxo
Emma

BOEUF!

I won't take the happy stance like Lizzie. I think I'm going to lie low and get excited when the public isn't around. This is the time when I get all serious about the trip. This is when I hunker down and immerse myself in my trip. I've been listening to Rick Steves, throwing notes in my little commonplace book, trying out random French in the car... buying scads of items and then packing them safely away.

Foux de Fa Fa. All my French language will come from that song.

As the days have been going by at work, I've been thinking... "This is my last Monday and then I'll be on a plane." Today, my thought was "Geebus... it's going to be midnight in London at this time next week!". Yes... I am having my senioritis moment. My spring break fever.... my... get out of my job and away from the public -fits of excitement.

One of the best things I've heard was Rick Steve interviewing David Sedaris. I was at work shelving and I was laughing my ass off. There's nothing more adoreable than listening to 2 white guys bust out in Japanese. The thing that inspired me the most was the fact that DS lives in Paris and he named some places that he would take his friends when they came to visit him. He talked about how his people watching made him a better writer and more observant to things that others wouldn't normally pay attention to.

I hope I can do that on this trip. I want to, not only experience the cities... but also enjoy that experience through the people and the culture. I can't wait!

xoxo
Emma