And so this is Christmas

I haven't gotten  very much accomplished on my Christmas "to do" list.

Work and life have just taken over, I guess.

But that changes as of tomorrow. 

Tomorrow I am throwing myself full tilt into the Christmas season and having a magical week before Christmas. 

Feliz Navidad, people!!

Lori Ann

Truly Random

I don't dedicate enough blog posts to my various injuries.

I am slightly prone to cuts, burns, etc. My dad would say it's because I don't pay attention to what I am doing. 

This is my latest injury. Pretty sweet, eh?

Anyway, back to reporting on the Christmas magic tomorrow!!

Lori Ann

Beautiful and Strange

I just got back from my weekend at home. Here's what went down...

1. I heard the two most epic talks in LDS church history. For reals.

2. And by "epic" I mean the following things were mentioned: infant sacrifice, the zombying effects of Ritalin, what kind of snow tires to get if you move to Vermont, the importance of trading your pain pill buzz for some excellent Motrin, and how pride is easily swapped for charity.

3. My baby James got baptized! It only took 2 dunkings:) It was not your run of the mill baptism, which was perfect, because James isn't your run of the mill kid. I can't believe he's 8!

4. I attempted my long dreamed of armoir tent at my sisters house. It was unsuccessful. But me, Junior, and 3 of the 4 Monrobie babies still watched Return of the Jedi on blu-ray:)

5. I watched the new fear factor at my parents. My dad always tells me that 'this crap is rotting your brain'. As if watching people eat live scorpions could be anything less than educational:)

It just got real in here. Oh Snap.

Lori Ann

But right from the start

My less blogged about niece and nephew (Erin's babies): Pumpkin and Buster

It's my sister Erin's birthday today!!!

You faithful readers of my blog know what that means..it's blog tribute time!!

Erin is a rescuer.

If she were a Harry Potter character, she would be a Healer.

She saves left behind animals and befriends left behind people.

She brings the fun to our family. When she is home, everything is better.

She is so funny. No one makes me laugh like my sisters.

She is strong and smart and beautiful. And I don't know how I got so lucky as to have her for my sister.

Happy Birthday, Eri.

I hope you have an amazing year.

Lor

I don't care about the presents underneath the Christmas Tree

In the interest of full disclosure, and because I know y'all find the minutiae of my daily life unbearably interesting, I present to you...

My annual (well, two years in a row now, anyway)

Christmas To Do List!!

Let's do this thing!

1. See a choir concert

2. Bake cookies for someone

3. Have a fancy dinner, just me!

4. Do something crazy and Christmassy with the kids

5. Watch "A Christmas Story" with my family

6. Drink hot chocolate and watch Love Actually

7. Make a homemade snow globe

8. Complete at least one act of selfless service and do not tell anyone

9. Go the Office Party

10. Possibly host a Festivus Party..if people can make it.

11. Send out Christmas Cards! (I'm going to do it this year, I swear!)

Wish me luck, gente!!

Lori Ann

It was his true medium; a master.

I came home from work yesterday to see my apartment looking like this.

It brought tears to my eyes.

I knew my dad was dropping off the couch I bought and a tree (which was already an over 100 mile round trip for him), but he put the lights on the tree and my windows and the star on the top, which I can never reach.

It was pure Christmas magic walking through that door.

My sister and brother in law lent him their SUV so he could haul all of it up without me having to rent a trunk or anything.

And then; when I got sick last night, my sister Erin stayed up late talking to me, making sure that I was ok.

My family is amazing.

I don't say thank you enough to them.

Thank You.

Thank You.

Thank You.

the family baby,

Lori Ann Peanut Butter- Jelly

Let's talk about you and me

Ok,

So, I know that you are all burning up with curiousity to hear more about my job. It's kind of glamorous, yo.

I listen to people. That's my job.

I love it. I really do. But some days, 6-8 hours of LISTENING can make you feel a little crazy. But, luckily for me, my day is usually broken up with one or two diagnostic assessments.

It's where I assess people and diagnose them. Yep. I've given out every diagnosis from PTSD to kleptomania.

Anyway, the reason I just took five minutes of your life to get to mentioning these assessments is because they have been making me laugh so hard lately. Or actually one section has been making me laugh- the cultural questions.

In the South, our assessments didn't ask any cultural questions. That's not how we roll in the South.

Yankees do things a little bit different.

Here the assessments ask people to identify how they define their gender (male, female, transgender, other), how they define their race/ethnicity, how they define their sexuality (heterosexual, gay/lesbian, bi, other), and how they define their religious view (Christian, Jewish, etc, etc-its got like 12 things listed)

In all the assessments I have done (probably 50+) NO ONE can answer these questions like an adult. Everyone reverts to their 13 year old self. At least for the sexuality question. I have gotten the following responses when I asked "How do you define your sexuality?"

Normal

What do you think?

Strictly dickly

I'm going to give you one guess.

The one where I like boys

and a lot of people just laugh.

Anyway, it's sad the things that keep me entertained at work.

Lori Ann