Mothers Day Post # 5 (one day late)

(My mom with all 8 of her siblings. She is the one in the back right, behind the two boys- wasn't she so pretty?)

Dun, dun, dun...the last of the mothers day posts! 

I couldn't write it yesterday because I was spending the day with my mother.

Dang life gets in the way of my blogging all to often.

This final post is for the most influential woman in my life. 

Terry Ann (Wilson) Hinsdale

My favorite memory of my mom changes with every year.

 I have so many. 

My newest favorite memory of my mom is of her telling me that I am the frosting in her life. 

I don't know why but it makes me so happy to hear that. 

When I was on my mission and I was stuck out in the predominantly Hispanic suburbs of Chicago with some crazy companion I would sing the song "lead kindly light" in my head and think of being home with my mom.

 Her baking bread and drinking diet coke.

Telling me to never trust a man.

Playing Elvis or Duane Eddy on the stereo.

Yelling at my dad to stop feeding the cats so much.

Bringing me room temperature ginger ale when I told her that I was feeling sick.

 Telling me that if whatever life plan I had at the moment didn't work out that she would love to have me come home. 

My Dad was the soul of our house and my childhood.

 He played music so loud the floors shook, taught me to value an education, to appreciate good steak and dry humor.

He shaped how I see the world.

My mom was the heart of our house and my childhood.

 She baked and she worried about us and she taught me how to survive.

 I have never once doubted her love for me

 She makes me feel special when all the world is telling me that I'm not.

Whatever confidence, charisma, and determination I have, I got from her.

 She shaped how I feel about the world. 

Thanks, Mom.

 For everything.

 You are the frosting in my life. 

Love,

your baby,

Lori Ann

p.s.- It took Erin less than 12 hours to win Sugar's allegiance. 12 hours, people. 

Mother's Day Post # 4- The Moses

The last Mother's Day post before I write the one to my actual mother. 

It's fitting that it should be for Danielle.
(aka the Eagle) 

I always tell her that I relentlessly seek her approval.

She tells me that I blame her for everything. 

So, yeah- there are some 'mother-daughter' elements to our relationship.

Anyway, I could write on and on about what an amazing mother Danielle is. 

She really is.

 She sacrifices, she worries, she encourages, she stays up late at night cleaning up the vomit of sick kids.

Her kids are kinda amazing and I think that's why they are hers.

Because she is kinda amazing as a mom.

And the one thing that I love the best about Danielle as a mom is that she gives me the chance to feel like a mom every once in a while.

She lets me take her kids to the park and rile them up.

 She lets me bake with them, no matter how much clean up it involves for her.

She saves the pictures they draw at school for me.

She tells me when the funny and sweet things they say about me. 

If it's the closest to being a mother that I get, it's more than enough.

My favorite Danielle memory is this one night, when we lived in this creepy, run down house in Michigan and our parents were gone for the night, we got really scared.

 Because; as I mentioned in my previous post, we watched WAY too much Unsolved Mysteries.

Anyway, I remember us feeling like there was someone or something in our bedroom and I remember Danielle having me and Eri stand behind her and she ran in and got our stuff.

 Then we said a prayer and went to someone in the ward's house for the rest of the night.

 Best. Older. Sister. Ever.

Happy Mother's Day, Danielle!!

Lori Ann

Mothers Day Post # 3- The Irish Twin

My sister Erin.

(aka the Bumble bee)

I've written many blog tributes to her.

 I've talked about her being my Irish twin, making me laugh, being a good listener. 

There's probably not a lot of things that I haven't already said. 

So, rather than a long tribute I will instead just share (one of) my favorite memories.

When I was about 8
 (making Erin 9 and Danielle 10) 

my mom used to send us to the store; at night, to get her sherbet.

 It was always sherbet.

And always at night.

 Not sure what the obsession was. 

But anyway, it was probably close to 3/4 mile to the store and it was through some woods, down a hill, behind the post office, a dimly lit bank parking lot and through the store's creepy, usually empty parking lot.

It was the 80's then, so maybe my mom felt like we would be safe.

But we didn't feel that way.

 Not  after hours of watching Unsolved Mysteries.
 (Which, now that I think about it, my mother made us watch...Note to self: Address this in therapy)

Each and every time we had to go
(and it was at least weekly)

 we thought that for sure, this time,

we were going to die. 

So, the three of us had a plan.
(Well, they had a plan and they outvoted me)

 In case of kidnapping and/or attempted murder.

 They run for help and leave me, since I was the slowest.

They'd be back with help within the next hour or two:)

So, I quickly began to associate sherbet with death.
(Note to self: Address this in therapy)

And every time we ran to the store, I was slower than them.

 I always fell behind.

Where the kidnappers could get me

But' despite being easily scared herself, every time Erin would stop for me.

She'd say "Come on, Lor" and wait for me to catch up.

Even if it was in the middle of the scary dark parking lot. 

She waited for me.

She didn't forget me.

And now, 20 some years later, it's still the same.

Thanks, Eri.
 (and yes, I will read this to you, holding your hand) :)

Lor

(aka The rabbit)

Mother's Day Post # 2- The Bean

I am blogging in the middle of the night, people.

I clearly need to cut back on the caffeine.

Anyway, on to my second Mother's Day post.

This one is about the one, the only...

 Elizabeth Mae Monroe

Known to friends and associates as

: Elly, Elly bean, The Bean, Lizard, and the redheaded menace. 

Elly is the only one of my sister's kids with any street cred. 

And if Katy is all of our good qualities wrapped into one person,

Elly is all of our  fun eccentricities. 

She's bossy like her mom, confrontational like her aunt Erin, weirdly into martial arts like Uncle David, and obsessed with decorating like me. 

Elly is all Monroe in her competitive spirit.

She has to be first in everything.

 Even if it's a game of who gets their pajamas on first-

Elly will trip you and knock you back down the stairs in order to get her Disney princess nightgown on fastest. 

Elly loves to both send and receive mail, she loves to plot world domination, and more than anything, she loves things that sparkle. 

My favorite Elly memory of all time is all the times I've woken up in Jack and Danielle's living room to see Elly staring down at me.

 And then asking me if we can make scones.

At 4 am. 

I almost think it's good that I don't have any kids because; for me, it doesn't get any better than Elly.

And how much would that mess a kid up to have their mom prefer their cousin?
(although, let me pledge to you now that should I have kids, I plan to mess them up way more than that. This will be one of their many issues)

I love you, Elly!

Love,

 Aunt Lori

Mothers Day Post # 1- The Kat Rat

People, it's less than  a week to Mother's Day.

 Also known as "D-Day" in the Hinsdale house.

As in the most important and terrifying day of all the year. 

Instead of treating you all to another week of posts just about my mom, I have decided to highlight the 5 most important women in my life.

 Anyone who reads this blog even casually should already know who I am talking about

My nieces, my sisters, and my mom.

To be honest, just about all of them hate these tribute blog things.

 They're not much for emotional declarations and such.

 But I want this blog to be; not just a record of my inane ramblings about Glee and Rock band, but also a format for me to leave nothing unsaid.

As a therapist I have really come to understand the power of speaking things out loud.

 And of supportive relationships.

 So few people have someone that loves them just as they are.

 I am blessed to have these women in my life.

That being said..let's begin with the craziest and the newest fabulous woman in my life...

the
infamous

 Katherine Danielle Monroe

Katy is important to me in a lot of ways.

 Not just because of who she is.

 She's fabulous and insane, all at the same time.

 But she's also important to me because, through her, I understand myself and my family in ways I never have before.

Seeing her being the youngest has given me some perspective on my own childhood.

 I've grumbled my whole life about being the youngest, being left out, targeted by my sisters, and accused of being spoiled.

Katy's plight as the youngest Monroe baby has given me a little glimpse into that time of childhood that I don't really remember.

She is frequently left out.

We even have a code for it- EBK- it means "everyone but Katy".

 Used in a sentence it might sound like this

 "I will take the kids to the park- well, EBK, of course".

She is targeted by her siblings, but mainly in response to her own craziness.

They would all pamper her unreservedly if she would just settle down a little.

 She inspires a lot of revenge plots..maybe I've even dreamed of getting even with her a time or two myself.

And, holy Hannah, she is spoiled.

 As in ROTTEN to the core.

It's like she's reliving my childhood.

 Except without the perms, weekly spankings and classic rock.

And I kind of get what my family means about me, seeing her.

The good and the bad. 

But she's not just like me- Katy is; more than any of Danielle's other kids, a perfect hodgepodge of everyone in our family.

She's loves animals, just like my dad and Erin.

She's feisty and a little nuts, just like my mom.

She's kind, just like David.

She's intelligent and determined, just like Danielle.

She's everything that's good about all of us.

Something about Katy reminds me of my childhood- catching fireflies in jars in our backyard, plotting to get pillow cases full of candy on Halloween, and watching the Muppet's under blankets on the living room floor on Saturday nights.

Something about her is as magic as those times were.

My favorite Katy memory of all time is this:

Thanks for being one of the four best things to ever happen to me!!

Love,

Aunt Lori

Feliz Cinco de Mayo!!

 It's time for Random Friday Night Life Updates.

 As usual, in the form of pictures and exciting captions!!

 This is my newest office poster.

 I got it out of the Ulta dumpster with my parents!!
 (I was heckled into getting into the dumpster...heckled by my own parents, people)

 I've been playing a whole heck of a lot of Rockband with my friends.

 Our favorite song is "Word Up".

Don't act like you don't know it!!

It's my BFF Jennie's boyfriend's birthday this weekend.

 In lieu of a gift or money or even homemade cupcakes I made him some coupons.

I think he's probably going to cry a little when he gets this gift!

 During play therapy today my clients drew this picture of all of our names:) So cute!!

 The aforementioned BFF Jennie.

I will have to do a whole post on her- everything from her car's awesome cup holders to her weird cat voice.

Jennie had to get chocolate wine for her boyfriend's party (who knew there was such a thing) so I; feeling totally rebellious, accompanied her into the liquor store.

 Good heavens- it was like another planet in there. 

And I swear I could hear my father's voice.

 It kept making me jump. 

And lastly, your daily Sugar.

 She is sleeping on my legs right now.

I love the Sugar Cookie!!

1 week until Erin gets here!! YAY!!!

Lori Ann

She talks to angels

To my dear niece

Katherine Danielle

 on the first day of your (likely to be) 4th tempestuous year of life.

I have been your aunt for 4 years now.

Well, 4 years and about 8 1/2 hours.

And when I am old and gray, it shall be your childhood that I remember most.

 I was lucky enough to be there for most of it. 

I remember everything.

 From the day your mom hid you as a newborn on top of the armor so that you could sleep peacefully in a house full of wild little ones.

 All the way through today, when you wouldn't go to the park with me because you wanted to spend time with your "mum-ba".

And every adventurous day in between.

If Jack is the passion, James the humor, Elly the magic

 then you are the love, Katy.

You love your family so much.

 You remember everyone.

You take care of everyone. 

You are beautiful inside and out. 

You are the precious moments girl, the animal lover, the mama's little helper, and the beautiful blue eyed baby we never knew we needed so much.

You are our only Spring baby and while it may (ok, it definitely does) sound cheesy,

I've always felt that Spring was the perfect season for you to be born.

You are the bearer of warmth and sunshine in our family.

And yes, while we might fight about everything from Porto pots to cookie baking, there hasn't been a day that has gone by in the last 4 years and now almost 9 hours that I haven't thanked God for you.

For our Katherine Danielle Monroe. 

I love you so much and I look forward to another year of bubble baths, experimental baking, screaming for no apparent reason, secret club sleepovers, rapid outfit changing, silly dancing, and pure Katy craziness.

Love always.

Aunt Lori