I keep your photograph

I have lived in 8 different states. They have all been beautiful in their own way. 

In Colorado I felt the stars were the biggest and brightest I'd ever seen. 

In Utah I was awed daily by the wall of majestic mountains all around me.

North Carolina had rolling fields of tobacco and remnants of its old Southern charm. 

Idaho, Illinois, New Jersey, and Michigan all had their own specific features that I loved.

But none of them; in my opinion, compare to Pennsylvania.

There are very few things I feel strongly about. I don't hold on to friendships, jobs, homes, things, or old places. Everything I cherish can fit into one bin.

Moving so much in my life has made everything very transitory for me. 

Except Pennsylvania. 

In every state I ever lived in, I would dream of PA.

Of it's rolling hills, endless trees, and incredible history.

The Constitution was written here.

Gettysburg happened here.

Early pilgrims; notably the Quakers and Amish, settled here.

You can feel the history in every square mile of this state.

From the winding, narrow roads built for carriages rather than cars, to the stone cobbled roads of Philadelphia, to the strong heritage of Pennsylvania dutch found in the complicated town and river names. 

You can see how the settlers tried to recreate their homes and towns in the this new world. 

The history is beautiful.

And; my gosh, the land is so beautiful. 

I love nothing so much as being in the passenger seat of a car, just staring at the farms and fields and rivers and lakes.

This past week Danielle, her kids and I were up in a town called "Bird in Hand". There was so many Amish there. And just like everything about Pennsylvania, I love little Amish towns.

There is something so compelling about the way they live their life. 

And while I am no fan of manual labor, explaining their life to the kids made me realize that; if conversion weren't required, I think I could live a plain life as they do.

At the risk of unfairly romanticizing their lives, I think I could live on a small farm in a beautiful corner of PA and give up all the distractions which take me so far away from God. 

Anyway, I took all of these words and all of these pictures to basically say what you all have heard me say a million times before. I love my Pennsylvania so much.

Lori Ann

p.s.- On an unrelated side note, my niece Elly is becoming quite the photographer. Enjoy this moving self portrait she took during unsupervised iPad time:) 

Let us live to make men free

I know you were all looking forward to my post on beautiful Pennsylvania. Don't worry. That post is coming.   (Along with my pictures of the Amish, homemade soft pretzels, and my thoughts on living a 'plain' life)

But you all know that no Monrobie adventure is complete without a video. I really love this one. I hope you will too. 

Lori Ann

Never looking back again

The Battle of Gettysburg.

A somewhat appropriate title for our whirlwind 36 hour mini vacation and American history expedition. 

Here are the top 3 takeaways from our latest Live Your Life adventure!

3. We would never have made it as soldiers at Gettysburg.

 (except maybe Danielle...that girl does not stop!)

Danielle and the Monrobies going to check out the Union camps

The "high water mark"- we watched the Pickets Charge  walk from here

The kids with a civil war surgeon reenactor

It was rainy. Then scorchingly sunny and hot. It was HUMID. The children were hot, tired, and at times very crabby. (maybe I was too) There were several plaques that said things like "The 5th Vermont Battalion marched 32 miles overnight and then had to immediately cover the battle from the top of Little Round Top."  Yeah, I started melting down emotionally when I had to wait 10 minutes for the shuttle. 

2. Even when hot, tired and crabby, those Monroe kids take some cute pictures! 

They are so cute, right? SOOOO cute. 

Their very first time jumping on hotel beds

Elly and Katy (super excited to be in traditional civil war dresses)

1. It's really cool to not just observe and remember our amazing American history but to be part of it as well.

Elly with the Union soldiers, waiting for Picket's charge 

A plaque to the women of PA

Pickets Charge (see the confederate flags?)

Not an unusual sight yesterday in Gettysburg

The PA memorial. It was beautiful and sad. 

Even though I know they don't appreciate it right now, I hope that this trip will be part of who my sister's kids become. I hope they will be proud and grateful Americans. 

Yesterdays trip; while exhausting and insane, was a moment for me to recognize and remember how very lucky I am to be an American. 

 Happy Fourth of July.

Lori Ann

p.s.- Tomorrow's topic will be Amish country and how stunningly, breathtakingly beautiful Pennsylvania is.

No telling where it will take ya

You guys,

We've been to Philly.

 We've conquered NYC

And now, the next city to feel our wrath  (I love that phrase, I can't explain why)

Gettysburg!

(just like NYC, only rural. And smaller. And the site of a major civil war battle. And no hot dog vendors.)

Everything about this trip is already awesome. Between staying in a shady hotel in Amish country, to the kids extreme fascination with the idea that there might be ghosts, to the Miley Cyrus heavy playlist I created for our roadtrip.

This is going to be the most epic trip yet, I can feel it!

Lori Ann

I've got homies

My weekend so far. The picture version.

 This was me on Friday. In the middle of my 7 appointments in a row. Look at my eyes. Completely glazed over. 

 Then Elly challenged me to some soccer in the backyard. The picture after this is Elly crying and asking me for my autograph. (or perhaps its of Elly blocking me from scoring....again)

 The Monroes' are having weird and fancy dinners at their house like every night. I don't know what to make of it but it feels a little like betrayal. I felt the same way when they bought a house and got retirement plan and all that. I don't understand that kind of fancy living:) 

 I took Jack "I've read more books than you", James "Kayne speaks to my soul", Elly " The Olympic soccer scouts are calling me already" and Katy " I feed my stuffed animals human food" Monroe out on the town for a little while this morning. We started at Payless. Then made the next logical stop... 

 The fireworks tent!

Then for a secret club meeting at McDonald's. 

Since that time I have been watching shows about people murdering other people and getting into minor squabbles with the cats. 

La la la. 

Lori Ann

p.s.- I did see "the heat" with Melissa McCarthy and Sandra Bullock last night. (in a pouring down thunderstorm). I give it a 6/10. Funny but worth waiting to rent. 

I don't care what my dad says..I think Chief Justice Roberts is hot!

You guys,

Thanks to the Supreme Court's rulings today it won't be long until us eternally single people get the legal recognition we deserve.

Today began the slippery slope towards full, country wide marriage "equality" (I put equality in quotation marks because gays and straights never address the inequality they are subjecting us singles to).

First, all marriages; regardless of gender of couples will be recognized.

Then, all marriages, regardless of number of participants will be recognized.

AND FINALLY...after all the "we're special because we have a sexual relationship" people have been recognized by the Courts, the rest of us will finally get what we deserve.

Marriages (or civil unions..whatever) will no longer be the sole province of those who are sleeping together.

How could anyone call that fair?

I may never find a husband (or wife) to get into a sexual relationship with.

Should I be denied the tax benefits of filing jointly with someone?

Should I be denied the ability to be on someone's insurance if I lose my job?

Should I be denied the social acceptance I crave?

Etc, etc, etc.

Whether it's a friend, a relative, or whatever, I look forward to becoming legally joined with someone (without the discriminatory requirement of a sexual relationship) and reaping the financial and social benefits that this country has to offer.

Well done, SCOTUS. Well done.

Lori Ann

Oh my me my

I was home sick from work today.

This is the result.

You're Welcome.

Lori Ann