I'm am slowly going crazy

Quotes from today:

"There have been so many broken promises today"- little Jack to his mom, after we didn't get to bake as planned

As Junior(Dave) and I leave the Deathly Hallows:

Dave: "so, who was that weird looking guy at the end, who took Dumbledore's wand?"

pause...

Me "that was Voldemort"

Dave: "Oh, he's still alive? I thought he was killed in the second movie"

pause....

Me: "Ummm...no, he's still alive"

Elly, flying her stuffed bat "Buddy" around the room:

"Aunt Lori, Buddy doesn't ever have to pee OR poop"

Me:  "and why is that Elly?"

Elly: "Because Heavenly Father made him that way"

(let me clarify that I did not inquire as to the elimination needs of Buddy the bat, but Elly likes to keep me informed about things of this nature. I cannot imagine why.)

"I see fear. This is to be expected".

(Danielle, when talking to Jack about her plans to cook everything for Thanksgiving dinner!)

Today was also a banner day for me in my Walmart shopping career.

 I was at Walmart at 8am, buying 5 umbrellas (on a clear and sunny day), 2 pez dispensers, coke, and a pregnancy test.

 With my nieces and nephews accompanying me.
 (You haven't truly lived until you've brought the 8 and under set through the prophylactic aisle!) 

I left my usb cord at home, so you'll all have to wait for pictures.

Try not to let the disappointment ruin your holiday!

Lori Ann

You make me feel like I'm living a teenage dream

Today is the day.

The greatest book ever written comes to film.

T-minus 1 hour and 11 minutes until I am watching the Deathly Hallows.

I am SO tired though and I have SO much to do tomorrow. 

Why do I keep thinking that I am 19 and can still go to midnight premieres?

On a side note, I heard from my parents.

 It sounds like they are having the time of their life in Paris.

 It's so surreal to think that they are really there. 

1 hour and 7 minutes.

I better get to the theater before all the good seats are gone!

Lori Ann

Random thought: the Tuesday Evening Edition!

Me, at the top of the Eiffel Tower, circa 2007

Ok,

Here are my random thoughts..two days early!!

1. My parents leave for Paris tomorrow!

 Remember a few months ago, when I wrote about getting them a trip to London and Paris for their anniversary?
(35 years as of December 27th).

Well, after months of paying, the trip is finally here!!

 Good luck and have fun, mom and dad!!
(and remember..what happens in Europe, stays in Europe!)

2. Sunday was National Diabetes Day.

 I was going to blog about it, but I talked myself out of it.

 I just decided to celebrate instead.

 A shout out to my fellow diabetics! 

3. Tonight was our "client appreciation dinner".

It was INSANELY awesome.

 Some of our families came and we talked about ways to get rich.

 One of my clients stated that we should "build ourselves a mansion and make everyone live in a trailer park and give them a bike".

 I can't help but support dreams of world domination!

4. Less than one week until I get to see my muffin babies.

 I can hardly wait. 

5. I am most excited for getting new pajamas with Danielle and staying up late, watching movies and psycho analyzing the details of our childhood!

6. I am super excited to bake with the kids, Christmas shop, and be caught up in the holiday magic.

The only missing thing will be Erin.

 She is spending a fabulous Thanksgiving with her associates, Pumpkin and Buster. 

Well, I think that's it. 

Au revoir!

Lori Ann

Remember this Moment

I graduated high school some mid June day, in 1998.

Now, some mid November day, 12 years later, I have achieved my highest educational aspirations.

Today, I received my Clinical Social Work License.

It took me four years of undergrad, two years of grad school, two years of internship, and two years of clinical practice and supervision.

 Plus one killer state exam.

But, I am here, at last.

I am now making 5,000 dollars more per year than the highest I ever aspired to make. 

I am the only bi-lingual therapist in at least three counties.

I am now technically part of management. 

For the longest time, I feel like I have been trudging forward, with my head down, just trying to reach some distant goal.

For the first time in over a decade I feel like the future is a blank page.

Wish me luck. 

Lori Ann, LCSW 

Just Dance

Ok,

So, I was preparing footage of my expedition to the haunted shed, when I came across THIS.

Ten times better than my footage of the completely UNHAUNTED shed!

 (Although, the basement of my office has a boarded up fireplace and little kid school chairs..my next investigation will be there!)

I love my Jamesaroni!!

Love Always

Aunt Lori

It's too late to apologize

"For (the overly apologetic), they desire peace at any price.

They would rather admit wrong if the arguments and conflicts will cease.

 Emotional calmness is more important than being right.

While this may appear to be an admirable trait, it often simmers as inner resentment.

Such internalized resentment often creates emotional distance between two individuals.

On the surface things seem to be relatively calm, but underneath and emotional explosion is in the making.

Failure to process the resentment can lead to the destruction of a relationship."

Peace at any price is not the road to authentic relationships.

It might be the road to survival.

 It might be the road to "get through the day."

It might be the only thing I could think of in the past, but I want something different now.

I am capable of something different now.

I totally stole this from someone else's blog, but I feel like it was written for me.

My goal for 2011 is to be the confident and unafraid of conflict Lori!!

Lori Ann

No regrets, Just love

Today has been extremely unproductive.

It's one of the perks of spinsterhood.

No cute Halloween pictures to put up on my facebook, but I can sleep until noon on Saturday!

Anyway, I know the topic of music comes up alot on this blog.
Wait..does it?

I don't know.

I am just thinking of music today because I 've been watching these videos:

***PLEASE WATCH AT LEAST A LITTLE OF EACH ONE..THEY ARE AWESOME!***

I watched this one because I am obsessed with Glee.

It reminded me of this all male acapella group I loved from a show called "The Sing Off" last year, so I started watching this video:

I love this particular medley, because the first song "Behind blue eyes" reminds me of my dad, so I watched this video:

Just hearing this song takes me back to my childhood.

 The beginning of it fills me with a weird sense of peace.

Anyway, I have got to be going.

 It's Harry Potter night.

It's ok to be jealous.

 Yes, my life is THAT glamorous

Lori Ann

p.s. Tomorrow, join me in my quest to figure out if the shed behind my office is haunted! Investigative Journalism at its best!

The best part of me was always you

I talked to the muffin babies yesterday.

Jack-Jack said:  "I really, really do love you, Aunt Lori"

James yelled: "When are you going to bring the Wii to our house??"

and the Elly Belly said what she always says:"You better check yourself, before you wreck yourself"

Katy was unavailable for comment, as she was busy running around wearing only a Pacman costume.

It's so hard for me to talk to them.

It's easier for me to pretend that I don't have nieces and nephews.

Because I miss them so much sometimes I can hardly breathe.

Lori Ann

Counting 1 2 3

Ok,

There are 3 things that are very important for me to share with all of you

. Here they are, in no particular order...

1. Yesterday, one of my clients told me that his foster father had cooked him

 "the Jesus of all pork chops".

 Most creative and disturbing blasphemy I've ever heard.
(Not that I support it, but my initial reaction was laughter!)

2. I have been invited to the MANAGEMENT RETREAT!

 You know what this means, people.

 I am now "The man".

 And, on a side note, yeah..I'm going need those TPS reports ASAP.

and lastly.

3. My father called me at 7 am to "get out the vote" or "rock the vote" or something.

 I guess reminding me to vote.

And vote I did, suckers!

Happy Election Day!!

Lori Ann
***oh man, I love election night coverage! One commentator was talking about how remaining democratic senators are looking at the fate of those democrats who "walked the plank" and voted for health care reform. How can I make the phrase "walk the plank" more a part of my every day conversations??***