i'm no model

my lovely friend adrienne began a jewelry line called Phylum Kingdom recently and somehow decided that my goofy face was worthy of modeling her beautiful creations. we spent last saturday together with a couple of photographers, both in the Bean Museum (taxidermy galore; it was fabulous) and a BYU photography studio. i think it turned out pretty cool, for adrienne's purposes, at least. it took me a while, however, to figure out that just staring at the camera expressionless makes me look tired and zombie-ish. you gotta lift those eyebrows and give the camera a "coy" half-smile, as adrienne coached.

here are some of the decent ones. check out the rest here http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6346656 at adrienne's etsy shop, and don't hesitate to make a few purchases at the same time!





i have a newly found respect for models in general and for all those nerds on America's Next Top Model. it's hard work. plus, you always gotta worry that they're shooting you on your good side. am i right?

The Curious Case of Emily's Top Button

This is actually not curious as at all. I know exactly why the top button on my jeans needs to suddenly be popped open after a meal, or just when sitting down at all. I know why, after about 4 years of avoiding meat as a devout vegetarian, I am now craving McDonald's double cheeseburgers and a little turkey on Thanksgiving. And Logan definitely knows why he now instinctively sloooowly backs away when I say, "Don't come over here." It's cuz I'm pregnant guys. I couldn't decide whether or not I wanted to wait another month and pair this blog with a cute little ultrasound picture or just do it now before people start whispering, "Emily needs to work out," behind my back. I don't have any profile belly pics to show or one of those SUPER cool animated babies off to the side to show how how many days are left. maybe that will come later...maybe. but for now, I'll just keep it simple. I start my second trimester next week. And you all will be the first ones to find out if the little one is feminine or toting some excess baggage in there. Isn't this going to be just s'much fun!? (man, i gotta get out of Utah.)

*Dan, the capitals were just for you. It was really hard for me, so don't expect it to stick.

India Fest

yeah, i know this is a little late. but i have some pictures, so i thought i'd just do a quick post about lame fest, er, i mean, india fest. logan had been begging me forever to go to this hari krishna temple in spanish fork for a little indian par-tay. this year, i finally obliged. however, i give this so-called "fest" a D+ as far as fun goes. and we both realized this. it wasn't just me being close-minded. i think logan described it best when he said, "it's just a bunch of bad music and smelly llamas." yes. thank you. i dont recommend india fest to anyone who considers participating in the future.

but here are some pictures anyway.

they told us we could either remove our shoes inside the temple, or wear these stylish, plastic shoe covers. i opted for fashion.


my new friend.
logan made a friend, too! and gave him a nice neck rub.
okay, lady. take our picture quick while we have on our fake smiles. let's get the heck outta here!
no offense all you india fest lovers! i found it totally not worth it.

the biggest (blog) loser

yeah i know, okay? you don't need to tell me. i suck at blogging. but i'm sure the reason that most of you keep saying "update your stupid blog already!" is that my blog heretofore has been so ridiculously awesome that you just need more. you are obviously all checking up on my blog every hour to see if i've made an appearance. am i right? well, now the only ridiculous thing around here is the fact that i haven't updated in, ooooh, maybe like 3 and a half months? embarassing. but, then, it's MY blog. so i will update whenever i want. maybe the post after this one will be in like 2 years! how bout that?! so just lay off the pressure, guys!...........

um, i really promise to be better.

the only thing i felt like mentioning on this momentous occasion (that being emily sessions updating her blog, if you forgot) is my total and utter confusion of my being compared to Nicky Hilton! for years now, friends, and random strangers even, have felt compelled to tell me how much a resemble this totally lame psuedo-celebrity/the only reason people know who she is is the fact that she's Paris Hilton's sister and that doesn't make it much better. and, for the record, i don't even find her very attractive. and, therefore, i don't take it as a compliment.

there's a picture. let's set the record straight. you all, my close friends and family, will be honest with me, right?

sorry. not the best post ever...just something on my mind.

never mind. i'm not going....

okay, fine. so maybe i'm not going to tokyo. or even korea, for that matter. you all knew it would happen. you knew i'd eat my words not long after i uttered them . "woo hoo!! i'm goin to japan, SUCKAAAAS!", is pretty much how it came out, as i recall. well, sheepishly, i now must retract my snobbish comments and say, "alas, no. i will not be enjoying a lavish, jealousy-inducing, vay-cay to japan. for i do not have the fundage." that's right. i'm kinda poor, and kinda sad. and seriously?? so very lonely! it's been 2 months now without my man and i'm over it. not even Gigi's company does it for me anymore, no matter how much i like her.... logan?! if you're out there, i need you back!

at least logan is having a ball on his little all-expense-paid Asian adventure. that is, aside from the actual working at LG part which is, well, just work, and who likes work, really? logan has been able to travel around a large part of south korea and has even visited the nearest city in japan for the weekend...y'know, just for kicks. no biggie. whatever, babe. i have to sit here night after night watching So You Think You Can Dance (no complaints here, actually. a fabulous show) and the Bachelorette (i close the blinds and keep the volume low for this one. a guilty pleasure, indeed), eating the same spaghetti and store-bought sauce every night while you're off perusing korean markets and sampling authentic, non-Happy Sumo sushi in japan!!! i gotta say, Logan got the better deal here

here are a few pics of Logan, the jet-setter:

logan showing his LG spirit. gimme an L! gimme a G!! gimme a.....well....that's it. a bit edward scissorhands-esque, don't you think? very aesthetically pleasing.

not sure where or what this is, but it's a beautiful view and i'm jealous. with my luck, it's probably what he sees when he opens his dorm room blinds, eh? oh and why is it that anytime i'm not around, logan suddenly feels the urge to experiment in the facial hair department?

well, this looks fun! he just better be planning on picking up a little something pretty for me.

another lovely day next to the...green....pyramid? well, it's a nice picture anyhow...

wait, wait.....suddenly, i'm not feeling so jealous anymore.


oh, yes. that's exactly what i've been craving lately. a whole fish on my plate. head, bones, scales, the lot. lemme at it! (gag. reflex. kept. under. control.)

happy birfday, yo!

it's my dad's birthday today! yesssss! i have the best dad ever, just so you know. first of all, he's hilarious!.... well, he tells the same jokes over and over again, but we always laugh. ("well, dad, i gotta go jump in the shower." dad's response? "don't fall down!" ha!) he's also very caring and concerned about all of his kids. i don't know anyone who gets as many daily calls from their dad as i do. (oh, and it's double that when mom's out of town.) for a former marine and owner of enough guns and ammo to fully supply his own army, dad is also surprisingly sensitive. he loves babies and animals and i'm pretty sure he blubbered the most on my wedding day. cute. he's pretty much a REALLY cool guy and i love him!

here's dad pretending to be "on a plan".

aaaaand, five seconds later, off the plan.


trying to cuddle with some ducklings:



we're friends!!



you're the best, dad!!

mess you up!

okay, seriously, don't mess with my future brother-in-law, ok? just read the title. he's dangerous. how dangerous, you ask? well, more dangerous than the bubonic plague, if you're looking for clarification. travis is a "cage-fighter". i'm sure there's a more sophisticated and correct way of explaining his SKILLZ, but just look at the pictures from his fight the other night! this guy never knew what hit him.


here's travis sizing up his unworthy opponent with fire in his eyes.


catapulting this dude with minimal effort- impressed yet?


this move says one thing- PAIN.


whoa whoa! a sweet round house kick to finish him off.


"and by unanimous decision, travis mcroberts is the winner!" the other guy is saying "uh-guuuuh"

in conclusion, as eloquently as possible, i say: he shall teareth you limbeth from limbeth.

book of mormizzle, bizzle!

(what? we could use a little street cred. )

AHN-YAN!

logan got an internship with LG in korea for this summer! nice! well, logan is pretty stoked. i'm partially excited, only because i'm selfish and i'm not looking forward to being all by my lonesome for 2 and a half months. (at least i have gigi for some company) i guess it's time to actually take up all those hobbies i tell people i do, but i never actually do and i end up watching shows like survivor and american idol instead... ANYway, i do have a reason to be excited, however, because we are TOTALLY going to japan for a week at the end of this internship! i cannot wait. i hope it's as awesome as i i'm imagining it will be. i'm sure it will be, as long as laura comes with us. she's fun to hang out with and will know of cool places to go, i'm sure.

TOKYO here we come!!! (and korea for logan...that's pretty cool, too. :)


look excited, babe! you're about to work with a bunch of people who call you not just Logan but "MR. Logan". it's just what you've always wanted!

young love...

for those who didn't know, logan and i met when we were about 8 years old. for me, it was pretty much love at first sight! i don't know if the same goes for logan. i was at a bit of an awkward stage at that point. you know, the freckles, big teeth, "prince valiant" hair cut (as my sisters liked to call it). oh, i had it all! anyway, i was digging through some old photos at logan's parents house and came across this little jewel.


this is the hansen family at the sessions' home for dinner in fredericksburg a few days before we moved to italy for 3 years. from my description earlier, you can tell that i'm the one on the left. logan is the little one on the right. you can't tell from this picture, but we are totally playing footsies underneath the table.

this is a little piece of history, guys! i knew what i wanted from quite an early age...i make things happen, pretty much.

(ps: sorry, mom. you've updated the glasses since then, but now everyone knows what they used to look like. whoops.)

YUM-O!!

okay, so i just need to blog something, anything! it's been way too long, i know. (well, i know cuz shannon told me) i just have no life, people. i work, come home, take out gigi, make some dinner.... i barely even get to hang out with logan very much because he has homework and work and whatever else. usually he locks himself in the bedroom and i always try to run in during the commercials of some reality show i'm watching and do crazy and awesome dances to get his attention. his response? "this is why i go to the library to study." sad. (i know he secretly loves my scary dancing) this is life though. for the next year probably.

ANYway, i think rachael ray is as nerdy and annoying as the next person. but i gotta say, she is my GIRL when it comes to vegetarian recipes. i have her 30 minute veggie meals cookbook and i have to say every last recipe i have made from it has been to die for. so here's the most recent one i made and loved:

penne primavera

vegetables:
2 c. broccoli florets, separated into bite-size pieces
1/2 c. shredded carrot
1 small zucchini or yellow squash, cut into thin matchsticks
1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced into thin matchsticks
1 cup water

sauce:
1 T. butter
1 T. EVOO (extra virgin olive oil for the layperson)
2 medium shallots, minced
2 T. all-purpose flour
1 c. low-sodium veg. or chicken broth
1/2 c. half and half or light cream
a handful parmigiano reggiano or romano cheese
salt and pepper to taste
2 T. fresh thyme (naaaah)
1/2 pound penne

place vegetables in a deep skillet with 1 c. water. bring to a simmer, cover, reduce heat to low, and steam the veggies for 3 minutes. drain and return to pan; cover and set aside.

in a small skillet or sauce pan melt butter into oil over medium heat. add shallots and saute, 2 minutes. sprinkle with flour and cook 1 minute more. whisk in broth and bring to a simmer to thicken. whisk in half and half or cream and bring sauce back to a bubble. reduce heat to low and let sauce simmer uncovered, 4 or 5 minutes. stir in cheese, salt and pepper, and thyme. place veggies back on stock top and add pasta and sauce to pan. serve immediately.

thanks, rachael! it was just delish!

a shout out

i'd like to give a quick shout out to my girl Gigi! for those of you who would like a dog, but your spouse repeatedly tells you "no", this is how you go about it. secretly go and adopt a cute one that is already housebroken, bring her home, and tell your spouse "no refunds. sorry."

well, that's what i did, and logan was mad. i don't know that i would actually recommend deliberately going behind your spouse's back and purchasing a dog. but now that we've had Gigi for a while, i can safely say that he loves having her around and holds no grudges (that i am aware of).

Gigi is a mini australian shepherd and the nicest little dog ever! she is pretty shy though, especially when a camera is involved for some reason. we usually have to hold her in place for her to take a picture for us without running away. sorry...these are the best i could do.

logan's favorite new hobby--going outside in the icy cold dead of night to let Gigi trot around all of Provo until she locates the perfect patch of snow. no really, he just loves it! notice Gigi shielding her fragile eyes from the camera's evil light (as she sees it...).

"i'd like to just chew on my bone and lay on my dirty blanket in peace, thank you. get that camera out of my face."


ooooh, gigi....

my cool family

here are some pics (yes. PICS!) from this past weekend. it was a sad time since the gathering was for my grandpa hansen's funeral. the whole weekend was lovely though. we always have the best time when we all get together, if you couldn't tell.

any time the rest of us are trying so hard to look cool, carrie whips out the best pose of all (in this case, an awesome ho-down dance move in full force) and steals all the glory. nice.


the paparazzi were swarming. i was like, "fine, just get your picture and be on your way." this guy wouldn't let up, though. annoying.


bringin sexy back. duh.
if you know the hansen's, you would know we just can't end a photo session without a few "crazy pics". this one is crazy indeed.

i'm a little slow...

okay, so fine. i made this grand entrance into bloggingdom and i've had one post in about a month. the problem is this. i'm slow with computer stuff. i can't figure out how to post pictures or how to add my friends' blogs as links. how!? how do you do it? carrie says if she can do it, then i can. i don't think so, carrie. help me out here, guys.

(insert picture of me here with an unhappy/quite distraught facial expression....if i only knew how.)