There are places I remember

Danielle and the kids looking at the distant Statue of Liberty

I don't think there is any experience in life that can prepare you for ten hours in New York City with four children.

War, maybe.

There is so much I want to say. So many stories to tell. 

The hot chocolate debacle.

 Jerome and the dodge ball discussion.

 Ellie's proclivity for pole dancing.

 Katy's shocking Staten Island Ferry announcement. 

Picnicking like true New Yorkers. 

Finding Alexander Hamilton by accident.

The Time Square Elmo shakedown.

Three words: Cosmic Microwave Background. 

James's first big step toward his future as a pirate. 

And so many more.

 I pledge to tell each and every story, not just for my beloved readers, but for the kids. So they'll always remember the craziness that was their first trip to NYC. 

The subway--- Monroe style. 

Lori Ann

No place that I'd rather be

Elly's New York City To Do List

The last item on the list says 

"Go inside something, Look at what's in the buildings"

We may or may not be going for a day trip to NYC on Friday.

It's ok to be jealous:)

Lori Ann

Though I've tried

The German pancake I made for lunch!!

Things that are making me happy during this chilly, bright, first week of January:

1 James " Snorky" Monroe telling me that gypsy themed tulle skirts are translucent and never opaque. 

2. You tubing " Mormon mission calls" and sorting by upload date and finding that 90% of them are teenage girls!!!

Girl power!! 

3. Revenge is back on.

 Hallelujah. 

4. Every time I watch "house hunters" it features cute gay boys and they make me so happy.

 I want them to find a cute home. 

That is all. 

Lori Ann

Customers appreciate a bon-viveur

I bet you thought that I was going to break my new years resolution to blog every day... but people, come on.

 It's only the 5th.

 I try to keep a year long resolution for at least a week:)

Anyway, here are my Random Saturday Updates!

1. I have spent most of the day crafting.

It's been as intensely awesome as almost any life experience can be.

 Giving birth to a child, skydiving, a leisurely Saturday spent crafting.. all things you have to experience to appreciate the rush.

Actually the crafting started Friday night with Elly's tulle skirt/headdress

2. I did go to see Les Mis tonight.

What I failed to realize is that it would be ALL singing.

 I thought it would be like Glee..mostly dialogue, with a few spontaneous outbursts of song.

 It was good though.

I am man enough to admit that I cried a few times.

 I; of course, related to the character of Eponine.

 My parents are kind of nuts and Danielle stole the man of my dreams :)

3. Today has been really rejuvenating for me.

 I took a weirdly long nap, spent less than quality time with the Sugar shaker, went to the movies, and crafted.

 All stuff that makes me feel better about myself and about life.

Behold..the Sugar cookie!

4. Brace yourselves. I may be featuring my finished craft projects on this blog tomorrow.

Then they will probably get repinned all over Pinterest and I am going to be famous, baby. 

Don't hate the player, hate the game. 

I am not exactly sure what that means but it sounds legit.

 And when you become Pinterest famous, your street cred goes way up.

 So, yeah.

Lori Ann

Heaven bent

I love quotes like this. 

I have the desire to do so much.

 The older I get the more I realize how fleeting time really is. 

Your life goes by so quickly. 

I think of all of the things I haven't seen or done and I feel so inspired and have such a sense of urgency to

get up

 get out

 and do something!

Then I find myself drinking diet coke and fighting with my cat at  9 am on a Thursday morning. 

 Hmmm...

I wonder how often Jefferson found himself in the same position? :)

Anyway, 

Speaking of inspiring quotes, I still haven't figured out what to hang on my office wall. 

I am cutting letters out of vinyl tonight for my office wall and I have no idea what quote to use. 

Some I have considered..

"Begin anywhere"

"It's not what we look at..it's what we see"

"Life is a tough crowd" 

(my favorite Taylor Swift lyric ever!)

and assorted others.

Give me ideas PLEASE!!

Lori Ann

This one is too long but I love it!

What do you mean, he don't eat no meat?

I only managed 9 months of vegetarianism.

Not because the desire for meat became overwhelming but because I moved back in with my parents.

You can't live with my dad and be a vegetarian.

It would be like trying to live with an apostle and be an inactive.

Anyway...

Here are the

Top 5 Things that I got out of my 9 months of Vegetarianism!

5. Veggie products are REALLY good.

My favorite is the veggie chicken patty.

If you've been afraid to try a boca burger or vegan cake..go for it!

4. It's weird how hard it is to live in this world without meat.

You realize how much you ate before, how it's in so many dishes, and how it can be tricky finding ways around eating it.

3. Going vegetarian WILL break fast food addiction.

 Meat is the center of almost every fast food meal.

 The only one with a veggie burger is BK and it is so-so.

When you come back to meat you realize how crappy most fast food burgers and chicken patties are.

 Also, for some reason, without eating the burgers, the fries and everything lose their taste too.

2. Going vegetarian will not make you a healthy eater if you weren't one before.

I completely thought that I would lose millions of pounds and be running a marathon, drinking my protein slash veggie shake that I had strapped to my arm as crossed the 26th mile.

 Instead I was eating a lot of grilled cheese and gummi bears, laying on my couch, watching Revenge on Hulu.

1. Vegetarians seem a lot less smug and irritating if you join them.

 They become super supportive and encouraging.

 I made some great veggie friends, learned some awesome new recipes, and challenged myself in a way that I have never have before.

I am still contemplating a vegetarian lifestyle. I think I could do it.

 I'll get back to you on what I decide.

Right after I eat this steak my dad made me :)

Lori Ann

p.s.- Even though it was technically only 9 months, I am still considering my bucket list goal of going vegetarian for 1 year accomplished! I learned what i was meant to learn, I think. Go me! That is 1 goal I got done in 2012!!

It's now or never

It's New Years Day. 

Y'all know what that means. 

It's time for the Spinster Chronicles New Year Resolutions!

They are sure to last a  few weeks or maybe just a day or two all year!

My only real resolutions for this year are to take better care of my health and to blog every day. 

I love looking back on the crazy days of my life.

 I guess that's because I am a narcissist.

Also, blogging inspires me to have more adventures and live life a little more out of my comfort zone. 

So, let's do this thing.

Blog every single day of 2013. 

I am going to start 2013 off with 13 things that I would LIKE to accomplish but won't call resolutions because that is a sure fire way to ensure that they won't get done.

13. Get close to my goal weight.

 Or at least thin enough to hand out a lot of smug, heavy handed weight loss and life advice to everyone else.
(which is what I've always wanted to do anyway)

12. Participate in a protest- I want to be more than just an American in name.

I want to live my life by American ideals.

11. Have amazing birthdays for all of the kids.

 Whether they be big or small..just days that they will cherish 

10. Support my sisters more.

 Whether it's just listening, sending care packages, or whatever..

I want to help them achieve whatever goals they have for themselves this 2013.

9. Get my student loans consolidated and down to an under 300 dollar a month payment.

Dang grad school..why did you have to be so expensive??

 And why didn't ignoring my student loans make them go away?

8. Learn to walk in heels. NOT stilettos..I will never have the feet for stilettos.

 But I need to stop wearing squishy, little girl flats every day of my life.

7. Enjoy more of PA.

I love it here..I love it, I love it, I love it.

 I think any faithful reader of the SC's knows of my obsession with PA.

 But this year I want to get out and see more of this state that I love.

 Philadelphia, Lancaster, back to where I was born,

 Doylestown, just...everywhere.
(except Pittsburgh... in fact, anything west of Harrisburg can break off and join Ohio)

6. Accomplish at least 5 things on my Bucket List.

 Like sleeping under the stars on Halloween.

 Or dancing all night.

 Or eating alone in a fancy restaurant.

Something.

 This year I got 0 goals accomplished. 

5. Finish Moby Dick.

And other books on my 100 greatest books of all time list.

I've finally broken my 20 year addiction to romance novels
 (thanks to gay romance novels and Jack growing his hair like Fabio..long story)

 and it's the perfect time to enrich my mind and life with good literature. 

4. Get more in touch with my ancestry.

 My family knows a lot actually.

We even have a Hinsdale genealogy book.
(More perks of Mormonism)

 Anyway, I need to learn this information for myself.

3. Give up TV (again) with the following exceptions: 2 weekly shows on Hulu (New Girl and Revenge) and Jeopardy. 

2. Have a real life adventure.

 Something that takes me out of the routine of my life and is thrilling and unplanned and awesome. 

1. Serve more.

I haven't done enough service over the last decade and I can feel it's loss.

 Service builds me up so much.

I need to do something daily to maintain positive mental health. 

Wow..this is a super self indulgent list.

 And I don't even have pictures to liven it up.

 Oh well. 

Ok, we've got 364 days to see how this all ends up. Wish me luck!!

Lori Ann