Bells will ring

 ERIN!!!

You guys. 

2015 is going to be the best year ever. 

I am FINALLY going to cross "be a bridesmaid" off my bucket list. 

In related, though less important new, my sister Erin is getting married!!!!!!!!!

I am so excited to meet my new soon to be brother in law. 

And hopefully (one day..no pressure) get new nieces and nephews to spoil :) 

But I am really just so happy for my amazing sister to have found someone awesome to spend her life with. 

She deserve to be so happy always. 

Congratulations, Eri!!

Lori Ann

(The last Hinsdale Spinster)

Live Your File

So...for all of those of you waiting for the tale of Patrick, you are going to have to hang in there. 

It's time for my New Years Failed Resolutions Post! 

I think I have introduced you all to this phrase before but it's one of my father's favorite things to say and it is the kind of horrible thing that sticks in your mind. 

The phrase is "mental masturbation".

I think we all know what that means. 

Or maybe not. 

Either way, goal setting is kind of like that for me. 

It makes my brain feel good because I'm all "GOALS!" but it's always the follow through that is tough. 

One thing I have learned is that I do not have internal discipline for a lot and so I need to create an external motivator. 

With that said, here are my resolutions for 2015 and how I am going to motivate myself to accomplish them. 

1. Run/Walk at least 3 Half Marathons  

Signing up and paying money seems to be a good external motivator for this one- also the tacky thrill I get from discussing my training and my half marathons is a motivator!

2. Get to my goal weight

 An important wedding is coming up- which I shall not mention because it's not my news to share- but I want to look good for this wedding AND if I get to my goal weight by my birthday, I am going to go back to Europe...nothing motivates like trips to Europe!

3. Cross 12 things off my Bucket List

 I am working on the motivator for this one

4. Attend Sharing Time EVERY WEEK for a year 

I am a notorious sharing time ditcher- my motivator will be giving someone else my keys- like the missionaries- so that I can't leave. And maybe committing to help every week in some way, so I know I have to be there. 

5. Update this blog daily (with one day off a month)

 I barely blogged this year and that makes me sad. This blog is going to be like my journal this year- I am going to motivate myself by putting it on my to do list- that forces me to do things :) 

I think that is it. 

I wish my goals were more thrilling. 

But my real goal is to take time to work on me. 

Not like lounging in front of the TV time but working out, getting a more professional wardrobe, working on my calling at church, building myself up physically, mentally, and spiritually. 

I always tell my clients that we take care of this things we value. 

I need to value myself more and get myself to a place where I am happier, healthier, and in  better position to help others. 

I know that the purpose of my life is to become more like my Heavenly Father and to also serve others.

 I can't serve others effectively if I am falling apart. 

Wish me luck!!

Lori Ann

Using and Boozing

A lot has happened in the last two weeks, people.

A LOT.

A marshmallow creature went down the dark path addiction.

Erin came home for Christmas.

I obtained a hat/mitten combo that looks like a penguin!

I formed new alliances at work.

(But kept the old ones)

I've been crafting too much.

I think I have holiday crafting mania.

It should be a specific diagnosis.

Anyway...here are some pictures to catch you up on the life of Lori Ann....

This is Elly wearing my penguin hat at The Monroe Christmas Concert! They did such a good job! 

I had a Christmas Party for my teen group! (Well, and group discussion and such) 

Then I had an unauthorized Festivus celebration at work! Notice the marble rye sandwiches, the cookie (which is black on the other side) and the eclair with one "bite" taken out of it :) 

Perhaps the most important event of this holiday season (apart from Christmas itself) was the funeral for our beloved marshmallow snowman, Patrick. He fell in with a bad crowd and got hooked on meth. We take comfort in the knowledge that he is at peace finally. Kelly (part of my new alliance) gave a very moving eulogy and I made me friend Shauri come and sing God Be with you til we meet again. 

We gave Patrick a Viking Funeral! (We aren't allowed to have fire at work, so we had to put him in the microwave)- This is him, slowly blowing up- it's the way he would have wanted to go. 

Shauri, holding the storyboard of Patrick's descent into addiction. 

We made gingerbread houses with the nieces and nephews! They are all already so much better at it than me. 

The sisters gave me the awesome gift of a crockpot cake and...

The coolest scrapbook ever! It had pictures of different things that we have done. It was very sweet! 

Then we went and taught Barry- he was right in the middle of the whole Pennsburg shooting incident last week- SWAT was even in his house- he couldn't tell me whether or not the SWAT team was hot though.. He claims he "didn't notice" HA! As if were possible to interact with men in uniform without assessing their hotness. 

He has a calico named Trixie whom I have a love/hate relationships with. I love Trixie and she hates me :) 

No holiday season is complete without a trip to the mall!! 

I am getting ready for the Love Run again! (let's not talk about last year- it had better not rain again, that is all I am saying!) This year I have a race partner- Shauri!! 

The sisters dropped by on Christmas Day to finish their ginger bread houses. 

Sisters Udall and Roesch had just completed 3 and 6 months and I informed them that they HAVE to burn something. 

It made me laugh how much Sister Bischoff loves fire! 

Then I went caroling with them at the nursing home. 

And socially obligated them to do an action shot.

So...it's been a long, crazy couple of weeks.

I plan to write a detailed report on the life of Patrick in my next post.

If I can save just one other marshmallow creature than it will be worth it :)

Lori Ann

p.s.- I will also report on Christmas! I got a lot of things related to twerking, oddly enough. 

Right from the start

ERI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Lori Ann 

Heavenly Peace

So, I've been trying to read my scriptures every day. 

I am doing the random "let me open up and see what God wants me to learn today" method of scripture study :) 

It's been interesting. 

The older I get and the more of life I see, the more valuable I find the words of God contained in the scriptures. 

I've read from every standard work this week, I think. 

I gravitate towards the New Testament and the Book of Mormon but they are all amazing. 

I stumbled on this one this week. 

I know that, in comparison with almost every one else on Earth, I am very lucky and very blessed. 

I try and remember that. 

But there are some days when I feel so lost. 

And overwhelmed. 

The holidays are always a tough time for people with mental health issues. 

I've had people LITERALLY on their knees saying "please help me".

I worry about them. 

I worry that I can't help them enough. 

I know God is watching out for every one of them. 

Just like He watches out for me. 

And when I find scriptures like this, on days when I feel like I just can't keep doing this, it reminds me that I am not doing this alone. 

It's never just me and the other person there in my office. 

I can feel the Spirit there so strongly some times and I always hope my clients can too. 

I just want them to be able to know that God loves them and has not forgotten them and there is no pain that they go through that Jesus did not feel. 

There is no burden they are bearing that He cannot take from their shoulders. 

Lately I've been feeling like I need to slowly head towards Christian counseling.

Maybe even specifically LDS counseling. 

I feel like I am working with one hand tied behind my back because I can only present my clients with half the answers I feel like they need.

Instead of giving them the homework of writing a letter to their childhood self, I want to give them the homework to pray and look for God to inspire them and guide them. 

To ask Him to lift their burdens. 

Anyway, I know this post was kind of long and rambling but I have been thinking about this alot. 

And I am so grateful for the knowledge I have and the blessings I have and the scriptures in my life. 

In closing, my favorite Book of Mormon scripture...

Lori Ann

All I need

T and D back in their dating days 

Ok, 

So....my life takes odd turns at times. 

In the past week or so I have been

A. Trying to figure out how to get a Peruvian back to Peru without a passport. 

(hint: it's not as easy as you might think)

B. Trying to find an emotionally available, single, employed gay man in the Northern New Jersey area. And not having much luck.

C. Been spying on and documenting the misadventures of my mother's favorite ginger cat. 

D. Take half vacation days from work because I just can't. I literally cannot. 

E. Holding random people's craft projects hostage. 

So, that's the magic of the holidays this week, people!

Lori Ann

Christmas Sugar

It's that magical time of year, people. 

The time when I set goals I have no real plans to achieve. 

You guessed it...it time for the Infamous....

Spinster Chronicle's 2014 Holiday To Do List

(I consider not achieving these goals as a good trial run for not achieving my New Years Resolutions!)

Anyway, let's do this dance!

1. See a choir concert.

 Listening to live Christmas music inspires me so much. 

2. Write a Christmas Card to every single one of my 1st cousins.

 Its the #Year of the Cousin, baby!

3. Spend an entire day in my pajamas. 

4. Volunteer 

5. Make Christmas cookies/crafts with my nieces and nephews

6. Go to Washington's Crossing on Christmas Day with the missionaries

7. Throw a legit Festivus party 

\

So, that's pretty much it. 

I am sure there are other things but these are the main things I want to do. 

I am trying to rein in the Christmas craziness this year. 

Trying.  

Lori Ann

p.s.- These are for Aunt Erin who called me JUST to say "There aren't enough pictures of Sugar on your blog" :) 

This much cuteness should be illegal. It probably already is in some states. 

Sugar and I each have a pillow on my bed. I stay away from her pillow. Because I want to live to see another day :) 

Behold, my posterity. 

The Santa Hat Experience 

Sugar feels the same way as I do about my parent's seventies couch 

Fall is both of our favorite season. Mine for the falling leaves. Hers because she can blend into the foliage better and attack unsuspecting hedgehogs :) 

It's amazing that the brain generates enough power to keep those legs moving...

Another Random Picture Post

(because I am trying to avoid doing my work)

(which I will complain about later "I can never get caught up on my work!")

ANYWAY....

I like to take "candid" pictures of the sisters teaching.

I promise- it's more exciting than it looks.

And I am not at all distracting, taking random pictures in the middle of the discussion.

The great candy lights experiment failed.

Sometimes I think my dad is right.

I am lacking both common sense and the brains God gave a guinea pig.

I am in holiday baking mode, people!

Be warned...if you live in the tri-state area, you will be getting something baked from me.

Then I will sit there and socially obligate you to eat it and saw positive things about it AND me.

I get to visit my niece and nephew- Pumpkin and Buster- by facetime.

They are still evil- even over the camera.

20 days until Erin Leigh comes home!!!

It's not Christmas until she is here!!!!!!!!!!!


Lori Ann

If you ever change your mind

A Random Sunday Afternoon Crafting and Other Stuff Picture Update 

 Each year, my crafting abilities grow.

 This was this years M&M turkey.

 Epic.  

 This was a Reeses tree my friend Dawn sent me from Pinterest. 

As you can see, I improved upon it. 

 These were the Pilgrim hat cookies we made.

 My mom put mine in the middle of the tray to kind of hide them.

 I think it was because they were the most special. 

 These were some odd cinnamon rolls that the Internet lied and called "easy to bake". 

The Internet lies to me all the time. 

 I spent 6 hours out with the sister missionaries the other day.

 We were contacting members who hadn't been to church in a while.

Some of the houses we pulled up to were really dark and creepy

 (this one was the worst- the flash was the only light)

 I kept telling them that if I got murdered they had to name their kids after me.

 (but not my name...Harry Potter names)

 Sugar loves being dressed up as Santa's cat!

 She is so precious though, amirite?

 After the 'easy to bake' cinnamon roll disaster, my mom told me that I shouldn't have bread rising in the kitchen- it's too cold.

 Then she moved my dough without telling me. 

THIS is where I found it. 

Today we talked about Daniel and the Lion's Den in Sunday school. 

Somehow, I ended up trying to explain rotary phones and having to remind the kids that Daniel DID NOT, in fact, turn into a three headed magical lion after a night in the Lion's Den. 

He just survived. 

Sometimes I think the Old Testament, even with all it's miracles and drama, is a little bit of a disappointment to them. 

Ok- so that is where my life is. 

I am off to commence my Sunday afternoon baking party!!

Lori Ann

Which is soft but it's clear

Press play before reading!!

 

This beautiful thing is 11 today.

I haven't seen him once.

I've been out most of the day and I gave him his gift yesterday (because I have no self control) but I am still sad.

I wanted to see if he looks any older now that he is 11.

He's 11 now but when I look at him I still see my sweet baby James.

I used to sing it to him.

I knew even then that it was something I did more for myself than for him.

I think he would have preferred me to sing nothing at all!!

But that doesn't stop me from having magical memories of holding the James baby (with his large head that all the ladies always commented on "Look at that baby's head!") and rocking him and singing.

Goodnight you moonlight ladies

Rockabye sweet baby James

Deep greens and blues are the colors I choose

Won't you let me go down in my dreams

And Rockabye sweet baby James 

James Ray...if you read this one day....

I love you. 

I have always loved you 

You made me life magical from the very first day you were born

On a chilly black Friday afternoon in 2003 

You will always be my turkey baby 

And I am always here if you need anything

Aunt Lori

Have you ever been arrested?

Today I am thankful for:

My 12 years of being an aunt- greatest years of my life.
(here is a video from before Thanksgiving 5 years ago!)

My renewed love of missionary work

My ability to speak Spanish and the help I have been able to provide others as a result

(And, more importantly, my ability to eavesdrop on random conversations!)

My family. They have always been and will always be the only people that really know me. They will always be there for me, I know that.

My mother and I back in the day

My job. It drives me so crazy most days but it's nice to do something for a living that makes me feel like I am helping.

My car. It's 13 years old and still hanging in there!!
(knock on wood...no seriously, go knock on wood right now!)

\

My health. I've had my ups and downs and haven't been as focused on my health lately as I'd like but I am still healthier than I have been in years.

This kind of hotness should be illegal. I think it already is in Jersey. 

The Gospel of Jesus Christ. I would be lost without my faith. Without my knowledge of God's love and guidance.

My baby. I know a cat is not a REAL baby but Sugar December Myra Hinsdale is my baby and she makes me so happy.

Here she is...refusing to wear the halo I got her for Halloween

My friends. This year I got real friends. And they freaking rock.

(Plus I kept some great ones I already had!)

My country. Every single day I am proud to be an American.

My hotness. Because it's not easy to look this good.

My history. I've read my mission journal this year, visited Michigan, the place I lived in Jr High, and I've started to reconnect with my cousins. I come from such amazing people and I've seen amazing things and places in my life.

This blog. I can't tell you how cool it is to look back and know what I was doing on the last 5 Thanksgivings. I don't care if blogging is "going out"- I will blog until the end of time. :)

And lastly...I am thankful for the turkey.

Because it could dominate us and rule the world but chooses (for now) not to!

Lori Ann