It goes like this

A concept that I teach a lot of my clients is what I call "filling your bucket".  Which means doing things that are rejuvenating for you, that fill you with joy, that make you deep down happy- so that they will serve as a sort of emotional reserve to get you through tough times. 

A few things lately that have filled my bucket:

Moving a piano with my dad and siblings. As a family we did a lot of things together growing up-delivering newspapers, helping my mom close down the pizza hut at night, bagging groceries for everyone in front of us in line, plus a million more things. Doing things with my siblings with my dad barking out orders brings me back to a happy place from my childhood. All that was missing today was Eri:(

Then later, Danielle and I played Heart and Soul on the piano. It was so fun and it made us hope that Elly and Katy will be doing the same kind of thing 30 years from now. 

Watching Elly play soccer. She scored 3 goals today! You can see how happy it makes her and that makes me so happy. Sitting on the side of that field, with my nieces and nephews, on a chilly Pennsylvania fall day is pretty close to my idea of heaven.

one of my favorite fall pictures from last year

I had a 'bucket list' lunch with some of my coworkers this past week. I brought subway and we all met for an hour and talked about our life goals. It was me, our medical secretary, our office manager, a nurse practitioner and the psychiatrists kept popping in and out. It makes me happy to work in a place where I feel supported and where I can support others.

Dave and I took the kids to see "Free birds" last night at this weird little cheap theater in the town next to us. Kind of a boring movie (for me) but seeing the kids squabbling over seats and trading candy and laughing through the movie made me deep down happy. 

Working out. I still dread it, I'm not going to lie. But leaving the gym, feeling my muscles burning, knowing that I'm going to be sore the next day- it's rejuvenating and makes me feel like I can do anything in the world.

Tomorrow I am going to make the whole family Sunday dinner and do my visiting teaching and go walking and go to church and I think it will fill my bucket enough to get me through the long week ahead:) 

Anyway, I hope you; dear readers, are doing things that fill your bucket. 

Lori Ann

You worry too much

You guys,

My coworkers know about this blog now. 

Yikes.

I'm probably going to jail.

Maybe I will be fired. 

They will know that I am crazy

They are going to be so jealous of my insanely awesome life:) 

Lori Ann

p.s.- The packages OFFICIALLY went out today. I've got tracking numbers and everything. I bet all of Australia is finding it hard to sleep tonight:!!  (or this morning..or whatever time it is there)

p.p.s.- I told my father that I was going to punch him in the face today. Should I be insulted that he laughed? 

p.p.s.- When I told my mom I had diagnosed myself with anxiety she was like "I don't know, honey. You seem kind of manic to me." That's right. She called me bipolar. Wait until I tell my therapist... :) 

The one who catches all your tears

Random Life Updates

I no longer need to wear makeup. (which I do AT LEAST once a year)- I can just photo shop it on later. I added blush and eyeliner to the above picture. Pretty sweet, eh?

I am now running two different sessions of group therapy at my job every week. One for teens and one for adults. Yikes. Sometimes I just want to go in and sit and see if someone else will run it. That would be nice.

I wished so hard that I could leave from work today and go play soccer with Elly. Because I want it to keep being fall and I want to keep playing with her in the backyard forever. (except when she kicks the ball at my head and laughs)

As I may have mentioned previously on this blog, I like to diagnose myself. Call it a side effect of having diagnosed literally thousands of people at this point. I see so much mental illness in myself. (I also wonder if my self diagnoses are legally binding-since I am authorized by the state of Pennsylvania to diagnose mental illness)

Anyway- I've spun the wheel and decided that I am anxious. So, I decided to get myself on some anxiety meds. I've tried this once before and it was EPIC because I was neutral about everything. 

I was telling my sister Erin on the phone tonight about my meds and she was shrieking "you better get off those meds when I come home for Christmas. I don't want you all neutral and uncaring about everything!"

It was making me laugh. 

So, anyway, if the tone of this blog begins to change- like getting kind of an edgy, angry, apathetic vibe- now you know why.

It's probably uncomfortable for people to read about whatever mental illness I've diagnosed myself with and the meds I'm taking. I'm losing the ability to separate my work and non work self.

I was hiking around Valley Forge the other day with my former intern Laura and her roommate and I was telling them (in way too loud a voice) about the sex homework I give couples who are struggling with their love life. 

On a completely unrelated side note- NEVER google 'sex homework'. 

Anyway, I was thinking about starting to go by 'L'. 

Because I love the name "Elle" and I can justify using it. My name starts with an L. 

Any thoughts?

L. Ann

I keep falling

Lori Ann

You've moved on

I am so excited for the progress I've made in the last year or so. This is the difference between me at my
highest weight to now. I still have about 100 lbs to lose but I feel so much better.

Two of the things that have made me the happiest about losing weight have been:
1. My skin is so much clearer. I think this is related to giving up soda. I kinda love my skin now.
2. Someone told me that I looked just like my mom. I'd rather be compared to my mom than any supermodel on Earth. She is gorgeous.

If I can keep going and make long lasting healthy life choices and really get moving with my exercise, I wonder where I could be in one year from now?

Lori Ann

It feels like home to me

Random Pictures, Videos, and Life Events. 

Happy All Saint's Day, people!!

First the random I love PA video I made tonight because I was bored and couldn't justify stealing anymore Halloween candy from my nieces/nephews. 

And I can't force myself to do anything constructive on Friday night:)

Now on with the randomness..

The Elly Jump!

She poses with me if I practice soccer with her. It's a win-win.

Our pumpkins with a pumpkin!
p.s.- Could my nieces be any more colorful?

At my doctor's office. Where she told me that I AM NO LONGER DIABETIC!
 Thank you 145 lb weight loss:) 

Halloween morning from my parent's back porch. My ipad camera doesn't capture the vivid colors or the spooky, fog shrouded feeling.

A little preview of about 15 years from now. 4 Monrobies in the back of the paddy wagon.

I need ideas on how to get revenge on my coworkers. They George Clooney'd me. 

I will now explain the George Clooney incident, even though you didn't ask and most likely would rather not know.

A month or so ago we had this "think positive' company planning type in service. During the in service, we had to make collages with our table. I happened to be at a table with one of our psychiatrists and our office manager. Upon finding a full page picture of Rand Paul, I made the rash announcement that I thought he (and all libertarians) to be hot.

This did not sit well with them. At some point, Diana (the doc) said "He's no George Clooney- in looks or politics". 

It became clear that our taste in men and politics were just about opposite. 

So, I innocently hung a picture of Rand Paul on her office door. 

I had no idea what I had just started.

Random pictures of George Clooney started appearing in my client files. 

In response, I made her and the office manager (Michele) mugs that said "Limited Government is sexy" and " George Clooney is overrated" (or something like that)

Then they did THIS.

I counted 20 George Clooney pics in all. They had IT change my sign in password to George Clooney. Then 10 people came into my office with George Clooney masks on and DANCED. 

How can I beat that?

I need to get Rand Paul to Penn Foundation. ASAP.

Wish me luck and HAPPY NOVEMBER!!

Lori Ann

I'm laughing on the car ride home with you

The 3 day trick or treat marathon kicked off tonight with my sister taking her kids to the Halloween activity at the nursing home my mom works for. She let me and Jr tag along:) 

Someone told us (Danielle and I) that we looked like my mom and it made me so happy.

Katy as a cat and her stuffed cat (Snarfie) as a witch

James. My sweet baby James. 

So strange and yet so awesome. 

These are the days I've been waiting for. The days when the kids are old enough to not be running wild but young enough to still be caught up in the magic of Halloween.

Kudos to my sister for practically making every single costume by hand. 

And thanks for letting me be part of the Halloween magic.

It means the world to me. 

Lori Ann

(the one that looks just like her mom)