And I'm just dreaming

 

The unofficial 4th Hinsdale sister- our cousin Lisa



This blog has no true theme. Sometimes it's a recipe book. Sometimes it's an obsessive aunt's video diary. Other times it resembles nothing more than a middle schooler's journal.

But I've decided to not care. More than anything, I want it to be something my nieces and nephews can read when they are older and learn about me, their family, and their lives when they were young.

So, with that said...here is the final Jersey post.

The untold stories of the Jersey Shore.

So, at our sub par Comfort Inn, Uncle Dave ended up sharing a suite (a suite!) with the boys. You'd think it would be a late night party and frat house atmosphere, right?

 Wrong.

I went to check on the boys on Sunday morning and found the boys up, watching cartoons in the one room next to an empty pizza box and tipped over soda bottles. I asked where Uncle David was and they pointed to the door leading into the other room of the suite. "He's in there and he's not to be disturbed".

Oh my gosh. Though he has three sisters, Dave is by far the biggest prima donna of our family for sure:)

When we got the church, my sister's kids were given the opportunity to do a musical number. "I am a child of God". It was the four of them and our 8 year old cousin Emma. It started out rough and got worse from there. Only James sang the first verse. None of them knew the second or third verse. Although James gamely sang the first verse over and over. It was the most amazing musical number in my 33 years as a Mormon. And that's saying something. 

The splat (or slop) pig incident was our biggest vacation meltdown. After 7 hours on the beach and boardwalk I made the wise decision to take Danielle's kids to an arcade. Which turned out to be half casino/half arcade. Elly won a pink squishy ball called a 'splat pig'. Within three minutes, the splat pig had exploded all over the arcade floor. Elly proceeded to have an exorcist like screaming and crying fit that lasted like 20 solid minutes. Until a kind stranger gave her enough tickets to get another one. That splat pig dream lives on.

And lastly, the sunscreen incident. On these trips we go on, it's always clear that Danielle is the mom. It's clear because: She has the mom muscles to carry any of them any length of distance if needed, she isn't having a raging fit meltdown with them after 10 minutes, she isn't saying 'yes' to every donut, pretzel, and candy they reach for, AND..she doesn't let them apply their own sunscreen. Which I did. Which led to James being labeled "the masked avenger" by my dad for the strange pattern of sunburn on his face.

So..the long, probably boring to people who weren't there, stories of the great Shore trip of 2013. May we have many more Shore stories to come!

Lori Ann

I do not want to see a world without him

Ok, I have two reviews for you today, dear readers.

Once again, our Jersey stories will have to take a back seat to whatever is capturing my attention in this moment. (and still my doctor will not give me ADHD meds...)

Anyway, last night I saw the movie version of The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones. The 17% rating on Rotten Tomatoes should have been my warning but I figured it was a just a few bitter reviews who didn't recognize greatness when they saw it.

No, they were right.

It was the WORST of all of the recent teen angsty type series. The main character was like Bella Swan in a black leather outfit. If she broke down crying self indulgently one more time, I was going to smack her in the face. It had the same level of we've left out all of the good stuff you really liked-ness of Harry Potter. And a lot of similar plot elements- a Voldemort, a Dumbeldore, a magical child left in the dark, a Jacob-Edward love triangle..no wait, that's when it veered back into Twilight territory again. 

Anyway, bottom line...the books are mediocre (not that I can stop reading them) but the movie is enragingly tepid. (I did see a preview for Catching Fire which looks amazing and THE BOOK THIEF! I had no idea it was going to be a movie!)

Now, on to my second review..

My newly discovered cousin; Ann, (well she's been there all along, but I did not technically meet her until last week)- is JUST LIKE ME.

You guys, I never knew that there was anyone in my mom's family JUST LIKE ME. Loves Harry Potter, is a writer, wants to live somewhere where it rains a lot. 

Anyway, she recommended to me her favorite book "The Fault in Our Stars".

I downloaded it and started reading at about 7 am this morning.

I closed my iPad at 10 am, tears streaming down my sun burnt cheeks.

I haven't cried like that since the end of Half Blood Prince.

Best book I have read since the Hunger Games.

I highly recommend it. 

Lori Ann 

Did you think it would?

Ok, so we sadly must interrupt this week of blogging about epic Jersey adventures and report the following:

Last week, I fell off the wagon.

I wore these weird shoes to work on Tuesday and they hurt my feet and so I decided to stay off of them for a day so that I didn't do any long lasting damage.

One day turned to about seven.

And I wasn't just missing the exercise. I was eating salt water taffy, drinking root beer, eating cheese fries, slices of pizza, and ginger ale by the gallon.

I was; I realized, just falling back into the old me.

And I'm not going to let that happen. Not ever again.

Today was the first time I have been walking in a week.

And my gosh, I could feel it.

When I was walking several miles every day, I got to a place where; when I walked, I felt like I was on one of those airport moving sidewalks- (the best ones are in SLC)- like my feet could just glide along and I could keep going forever.

Today, I felt like I was dragging two dead tree stumps through the swamp.

I only did 2.2 miles but it felt like 10.

Let this be a lesson you, Lori Hinsdale...and to all of my dear readers...

It's so painful climbing back on the wagon.

No matter what, even if you have to cling on by your fingertips, it's better to hang on.

Lori Ann

p.s.- I'm going to the gym tonight, baby! Wish me luck!!

Burn brighter than the sun

Another classic recap of our latest adventure. 

Danielle's kids are growing up so fast.

 I feel like time is flying and there are still a million more things I want to do and see with them.

I wish I could show them the whole entire world. 

(except Canada-their mother can show them that)

Lori Ann

We've got each other and that's alot

I once wrote a post about how going to Europe made me feel like I was going home, even though it was a place that I had never been. Going to Jersey feels the same in a strange way. 

Except I've been there..oh yes, I know Jersey well.

Here (in 23 torturous pictures) is a look at our beach weekend/family reunion/crazy party/emotional journey of the last few days..

Every great Hinsdale trip starts with my dad cussing everyone out. This time it was for letting the infamous Sour Krout escape the house. 

Elly took literally 184 pictures of herself. Oh Elly..you truly are my mini me

Another Amish market!

We got donuts and bread and pretzels and every other kind of carb known to man

Then we arrived at the Jersey shore. Wildwood to be specific. I've lived there and it hasn't changed much. Stay classy, Wildwood!

Off to the beach!

It was about a mile of HOT sand to get to the ocean. 

My very favorite picture of the whole trip!

A 'real' vacation picture. Uncle Dave was keeping the kids entertained while Danielle and I changed in the car. Nothing like risking a fine for indecency. 

Junior and the kids got lost in the fun house. ha ha. We kept seeing their feet going around in circles.

One day I will get them all synchronized on a 'jump shot'

This one is for you, Eri!

After about 8 hours on the beach and boardwalk

 Our best vacation meltdown!

checking out on our way to church:) Don't my mom and the girls look so pretty?

Danielle and the girls!

We had my grandma's party at the Cape May Zoo. 

My cousin Maddy decorated everything and I am totally going to stalk her pinterest now!

My mom and her sisters

My mom, her sisters, her mom, and one of my uncles. 

Jack Jack kept saying that Aunt Debbie looked like Nana Terry's twin. They are Irish twins- born less than one year apart:) 

We Hinsdales/Monroes keep it classy at family gatherings!

The whole family picture after Sacrament Meeting. It's missing probably about 30 or more people.

So, I know this is a long picture post but I have SO MANY STORIES. You don't even know. Things get crazy when you cross the state line into Jersey.

There is the splat pig incident.

The "he is not to be disturbed" incident.

The musical number from hell.

The "don't let the kids apply their own sunscreen" incident.

And, you guys, I found someone in my mom's family who is just like me! She writes fan fiction and loves Harry Potter and she is learning to use a bow and arrow like Katniss!

I don't know if that means my cousin Ann is mature for 15 or I am immature for 33. Who knows? :)

I'll be blogging about this all week! Be warned!

Lori Ann

All the stories are true

Ok, so I just read this yesterday.

Sure it has the vaguely familiar undertones of several book and movie series: Harry Potter, Twilight, and even a little Star Wars.

But I will admit to already being addicted.

It has everything I love:

Independent and powerful female protagonists

Folklore

Betrayal

Heartbreak

Witty repartee

And cute, slightly emo gay boys.

*sigh*

Emo gay boys.

Anyway..

It's a six part series (5 are already out) and I probably won't be sleeping much until I read EVERY SINGLE ONE.

On an unrelated side note, I have to go to Jersey tomorrow.

Yikes.

Pray for me.

Lori Ann

That he was here with me

My parents defintion of a "classy, timeless" Paris pic

                                               

 My dad's birthday isn't until tomorrow.

But my 4 o'clock cancelled, so let's do this dance!

On to the tribute...

Tomorrow my dad will be 63.

63.

And yet, he is still the same dad I grew up with. He hasn't changed AT ALL.

He is still the strongest, scariest, most intelligent man I have ever met.

And he's still a great Dad.

And so I wanted to say thanks...

Thanks for all the times you: bailed me out, picked me up off the side of the road, fixed my car, moved my furniture, made me tuna casserole, brought me lunch, dropped me off at the airport at midnight, picked me up at the airport at midnight, made me laugh, taught me something, lit candles in Paris for me, bought me sneakers, slipped me money, believed in me, yelled at mean people for me, gave me blessings, taught me to be brave, and brought me delicious cupcakes for no reason at all.

It has always meant the world to me.

Thanks, Dad.

Love,

Oreo