Hi! I’m Emily, and I haven’t written this many words about myself in a very long time, so bear with me! To start with the basics, I grew up in Boise, Idaho, and then moved to a place called Camano Island, Washington when I was 13. I loved Idaho, but Camano Island is really a magical place. I mean it’s an actual island in Washington! How could it not be?!
I grew up spending a lot of time outdoors. Both of my parents loved to be outside, whether it was a short walk or a weeklong camping trip, so many of my fondest memories include spending time outdoors. It’s something I love to do with my children now.
I have two little girls, Lucy (age 4) and Norah (age 1). They are the lights of my life. They keep me laughing all day and remind me that there is so much magic in everyday life.
My husband, Ben, and I have been married for 5 years and we live in Saint Anthony where he’s finishing up school at BYU Idaho. He’s studying Welding Management and will graduate in April. He’s lucky enough to have a job offer when he’s done. We will live in Ohio for two years, Texas for one year, and then we will hopefully come back to the West coast. We have moved 11 times in the 5 years we’ve been married. ELEVEN!!! And no, I’m not good at moving or packing, despite the ridiculous amount of times we’ve moved! Much of the moving was due to Ben doing summer sales and internships between semesters, which has allowed us to stay mostly out of debt while he’s in school! Being married to Ben is a lot of fun. We both have very easy-going personalities and enjoy the little things in life. We had our first daughter right before our one year anniversary, and becoming parents has been the greatest joy of our lives.
I graduated from BYU Idaho in 2017 with a degree in English. I’ve had a few jobs managing social media. It’s really fun, but my ultimate dream is to write children’s books. I love coming up with silly stories for Lucy, and I need to get my butt in gear and start writing them down! Reading and writing have always been passions of mine. I used to journal like crazy. And then in my junior year of high school, I learned to play guitar and I’d write some really angsty songs about all of the “drama” in my life. Music is also a great love of mine. I love it when I hear a new song and it brings tears to my eyes or makes my stomach hurt because I just feel it so much! I try to get my guitar out every once in a while and sing to the girls, and when I do I always regret not doing it more. I feel like it’s one of those things I did so much before I had kids, and it just seems harder to do now.
Some of my passions include true crime (especially podcasts), good food (especially pizza), and Netflix (especially The Office, New Girl, and Gilmore Girls). I love to get out of the house, whether it’s a quick trip to the store or finding a nearby hike. I also really love thrifting and finding good deals at the grocery store. My husband jokes that I know the price of everything I’ve ever bought. Truthfully, I only remember the good deals!
I love animals and dream of the day when I can have a big property with an eclectic mix of farm animals. My daughter, Lucy, has also become obsessed and together we’ve convinced my husband to buy us a bunny as soon as we’re not in a rental. He didn’t grow up with pets, so this is like a really big deal. We’ve also convinced him to get us a dog but that’s still several years off.
Family is very important to me. Not just my immediate family, but grandparents, cousins, aunts, and uncles. We love getting together with extended family and even when we’re not together, I have several group chats where I stay in touch with the people I love. My other dream is to live close to them someday.
I really love to laugh and make people laugh. My husband and I always say I bring the dad jokes to the relationship. I love a good pun, and I’m so happy that my daughter is starting to inherit my sense of humor.
I’ve been lucky to make some amazing mom friends here, and that’s been a real life-changer for me. When I first became a mom, I didn’t put myself out there much, so I didn’t have many friends. In the last few years, I’ve met some incredible women who encourage, uplift, and help me. It’s so nice to have other women to understand what you’re going through. They keep me laughing and I am so thankful for that support.
I don’t know what more I could tell you about myself. I’m very easy going, a bit of a dreamer, and sometimes feel like I’m caught between being a kid and becoming a grown-up. I love to find the good things in life, and I try not to dwell on the bad. Above all, I am a mother, and that’s what brings me the most joy in life.
