As they walked, and walked, and walked...

Here are the most important updates of the day- today, July 7, 2014!

(only 3 months until my birthday..it's probably best to start your shopping now and avoid the rush!)

My mother and Katy have struck up some kind of evil alliance.

They currently have a scam going where they are charging my dad for the cheese snacks he bought with his own money.

I don't think profit is their motive, as much as power.

Don't be fooled by the sweet and innocent picture they present- these two women scare me more than anyone on Earth! :)

My mother made Elly a firework dress for the Fourth of July. Somewhat appropriate as Elly is colorful, loud, and very, very sparkly.

This one matches Katy's Paul Newman blue eyes. I've never seen anyone with brighter blue eyes than her.

Today's walk was BRUTAL.

I started out in a mentally good place, thinking "I'm going to try for 10!" and enjoying the music (the same mix usually drives me nuts) but after about 5 miles I just didn't want to keep going.

I felt listless, tired, weighted down...you know, all the signs of dehydration. I am getting one of those camel things (water backpacks) I swear.

I will not let lack of preparedness stop me from reaching my goals EVER AGAIN!!

Lori Ann

When it's cold outside

My six mile walk with Elizabeth Mae Monroe:

A Picture Post

Our somewhat successful panoramic picture at the church- we walked there and back. 

Elly was such a trooper. She would just ask to stop every once in a while in the shade. I felt like a horrible aunt, dragging her down the side of the road in the hot sun. She was the one, in the end, who kept us going. 

After we couldn't break into the church to get more water (we still had some, don't worry) or use the bathroom (we came up with an 'alternative' which shall not be mentioned) Elly decided to climb some trees! I wish I had the action shot of her jumping from this branch!

She must have rolled down that hill ten times. I may have joined her for the last one. And immediately regretted it:) 

We always stop by 'the old cemetary' when we get a chance. Most of the gravestones are either too worn to read or in German. We found one for a little 7 year old named Emma who died in 1863. Elly speculated that she felt Emma may have been shot. But it was sad:/

Elly added flowers to her hair all along the way. I think she had about 6 of different colors by the time we got home.

Right before my unwise decision to roll down the hill :)

Elly is a strong woman already at the age of 8.

When we were at the church, I was saying to her

 "You know 3 miles is a big accomplishment, you don't have to do 6. Let's call your mom and she will come and get us"

To which she replied:

"We're not calling her. We are walking home!"
(then she gave me the same crazy determined look that I've seen on my sister's (her mom's) face a million times)

Then, about a mile from home, she says to me "What are the signs of dehydration?"

At which point, I immediately call my mom, saying to Elly

"I'm going to get Nana Terry to come pick us up!"

To which she replied:

"No, hang up! We are almost there. We can make it!"

(I did make her take a break and drink ALOT of water)

But we got there.

And she was so proud of herself.

We talked about everything on that walk.

Chickens. Gymnastics. Missionary work. Living your dreams.Travelling the world. Being healthy. How men who play the guitar are hot but usually not the right choice. Owning a mini van. Blue skittles versus orange skittles.

All the important stuff.

Thanks for being the amazing woman that you are, Elizabeth Mae.

I'll never forget our crazy 6 mile walk.

Aunt Lori

p.s.- I've got 237 miles left to reach my 300 mile goal by August 24th. I am thinking about trying to knock out 37 miles this week! Let's do this dance!!

She was an American girl

Kids make every holiday feel magical.  

Some memorable quotes from this 4th of July day of celebration.

"You're not allowed to nap!" (Said to me, by Elly Mae, followed by her quickly pouncing on me as I lay in bed)

"I notice that the cheese dip is right there in front of you." "yes, and so are the ribs" (A conversation between my dad and brother in law in which Jack revealed his strategy for choosing a seat at the table for our barbecue)

"I tried to warn you about the sparklers, but you didn't listen to me. Now you've hurt my sister! And I'm not coming back here until you apologize to my sister!" (yelled at me by the Katy cat after Elly burned her foot on a sparkler as she was waving one around, assuring Katy they are not dangerous)

"Where did you get a roman candle?!" (My dad to me, assuming that I have some kind of shady fireworks hookup. I do. It's called the walmart fireworks aisle)

" No one said "thank you mom for spending way too much money on the ice cream truck that was hustling me on the fourth of July" (Danielle discussing the large amount of money she spent on overpriced ice cream from the shady ice cream truck)

"Every time I call you and Danielle you are both crabbypants" "but you called me when the power was out and I was hot!" (Me and Erin discussing whether or not a lack of electricity justifies one being a 'crabbypants" or not)

"I want to give another cat a flea bath!" (Elly, after participating in the infamous monthly Sugar flea bath. We asked her mom about giving their cat a flea bath, to which she replied (quite haughtily) "Willow has never had a single flea")

I know these quotes are likely only funny to me. But they are little moments I don't want to forget as the years go by.

Lori Ann

p.s.- I am feeling an intense lack of motivation again about my training. I only have 50 days until the next half marathon and I still have 245 miles to go. I've got to get out there. Cross your fingers for me. I AM GOING TO DO THIS. (the all caps are for you, Grida!)

Home

The Stars and Stripes, baby

It's the

Fourth of July

There is so much I could say. 

But the only thing I really need to say is that I want to live my life in a better, more selfless way. 

Because I'm so blessed to be an American and I want to live a life that is worthy of the sacrifice of those who died for my freedom.

I am so thankful for:

Those early Americans who left their homelands and families to come here so I could worship God according to the dictates of my conscience. 

Those inspired men and revolutionaries who risked their lives and freedom to sign that heaven inspired Declaration of Independence that long ago day in 1776.

The nameless generations of American people who buried their young solider sons. 

Those early immigrants who came on ships, not knowing what they would find. 

Who buried babies when they couldn't survive in this new, harsh land.

 Those early Americans who lost or left behind their fathers and mothers. Who gave up everything they knew for their ideals.

The revoluationaries who threw tea into the ocean on a cold December night in a defense of liberty and the right to be represented by those that govern.

Those brave, tireless men rode their horses through the night to change the tide of war.

Those lesser known women, who supported the most important revolution every to occur by baking, sacrificing, raising kids on their own, housing soliders, and, at the risk of treason, sewing flags for a newly formed country by candlelight.

Those fought for the independence of the enslaved and the preservation of our union.

Those who marched all night over 30 miles and then fought at the top of a hill and changed the course of history.

Those who defended the world against tyranny at great personal cost. 

Those who swam ashore the beaches of France, to save people they had never met. 

Those whofought against the spread of communism in a harsh landscape in Asia.
(and be welcomed home by an ungrateful country with little fanfare)

Those who answered the call of duty after the scariest day our country has ever known in September of 2001.

Those who never got to see their kids grow up.

Those who served and sacrificed without a second thought.

And especially those gave that last full measure of devotion to a dream.

I am so grateful to every one of those Americans. 

And I am lucky to be able to call myself an American every single day.

May this next year be a year of sacrifice, service, and dedication.

Which are, in my mind, the traits of a true American.

Lori Ann

A very lucky American girl

PA fields on my drive home last night. No filter. It's so beautiful here.

What can make me feel this way




The Sugar Cookie
(aka Sugar December Hinsdale)


Weird Thoughts on the Last Day of Work Before a 3 day Weekend!

I almost enjoy the last day of work more than I enjoy the 3 day weekend. The same way I enjoy the Christmas season more than Christmas. The anticipation of something is often better than the reality :)

Elly gave Sugar her middle name. She said "I have a month as a middle name (Mae) and Sugar should too!"

It was the kind of hot yesterday that makes me hate summer people. The ones that whine EVERY DAY in winter and talk about how they JUST CAN'T WAIT for summer. I feel like saying "Is this what you wanted, you idiots??"

I've been going to bed early. Like weird early. Last night I had fallen asleep by 8 pm. I didn't really wake up until 7 am. (except for one hour awake around 2 pm, watching house hunters and eating an english muffin with my Sugar)

I think it's the meds. I can tell they are doing something to my brain. We'll see if it's something good they are doing or something bad.

I got a 2% raise at work. I told my boss that money changes people and I probably was going to be pretty difficult to live with :)

Speaking of money, I switched from the full coverage, high cost insurance to the high deductible plan at work. Which means that I CANNOT GET SICK EVER AGAIN. Cross your fingers for luck!

James Ray Monroe has recently told me (a number of times) that he was "born with a shotgun in my hands". I remind him that I was there the day he was born and that there was no alleged shotgun present. Then I try to give him kisses and he runs.

One of my favorite coworkers is leaving today. She is the sweetest girl and I will miss her so much. I told her recently that I planned for one of her (cute!) sons to marry one of my nieces. We are working on the wedding plans as we speak!

My sister keeps telling me I don't get to plan her daughter's weddings. Whatever. I completely plan to drive a wedge between the girls and Danielle by the time they get married. She'll have to watch the wedding from a distance, with slow tears of regret running down her cheeks. (I haven't envisioned this in detail or anything)

My mom has been driving around with a blood covered manniquin in the back of her car. I think it just got us banned from a Dunkin Donuts. We aren't serial killers, I promise.

She scares me sometimes. Ok..all of the time.
I guess I should focus on work. Which is why I came to the office 3 hours early.

See you on the Fourth of July!!

BEST DAY EVER!!

Lori Ann

p.s.- If I ever do have a human baby, I am going to carry on the middle name tradition of months. Her name will either be Jane March or Lily October..what do you vote for?



Little ditty about...



My crazy brother in law with 3 of the 4 Monrobies

So, this isn't necessarily my story to tell but it was making me laugh so much that I wanted to record it for my posterity.

 (which won't be much since I had Sugar fixed)

Yesterday I ran by Jack and Danielle's to ask them a quick question and I see the two of them sitting at the kitchen table.

Danielle is holding up a drawing with 9 stick figures drawn on it and Jack is staring intently at it as Danielle is saying "And now, number 4..."

I don't like to ask a lot of questions about their marriage. It's usually better that way, trust me:)

 But I couldn't stop myself from questioning what was happening.

Danielle explained that Jack didn't really know all of the names of my mom's 8 siblings, their birth order, or too much about them.

 Apparently he thought our Aunt Cheryl and our Aunt Sharon were the same person.

 He didn't know who our cousin Maddy was.

Not that I blame him.

 We have about 40 cousins on my mom's side.

 I haven't even met all of them.

 (It's one of my bucket list goals to meet them all- I am just missing one- my cousin Holly)

I wish you could have been there though, people.

 The stick figures.

 Jack going "wait..who is this Ronald?" (my mom's 7th sibling) and Danielle saying " We haven't gotten to Ronald yet".

I guess you had to kind of be there.

 But it's something I didn't want to forget.

Lori Ann

Just for the record, my mom's siblings are as follows:

Terry (my mom)

Debbie

Cheryl

Walter

Michael

Dwayne

(the only one who has passed away)

Ronald

Sharon

Jennifer

There are 17 years between my mom (the oldest) and Jennifer (the youngest). I've spent the most time with my Aunt Cheryl and Uncle Walter though I don't see any of them all of that often.

And because I know you are finding this endlessly fascinating, here is the line up for my dad!

Ray

(passed away at age 4 in 1949)

Don

David (my dad)

Robin

I haven't seen my dad's siblings in years and years.

 My aunt Robin lives a few towns over but I haven't talked to her in years.

 Sometimes I think it's odd that she is to me what I am to Elly and Katy. They say I even look like her.

Anyway...that is today's oddessy in my family history!! Thanks for hanging in there!

I've seen rain

I DID NOT want to go walking this morning. Like the DID NOT that starts the minute you wake up and your brain starts giving you all the reasons why you shouldn't it.

It's hot.

I'm so tired.

One day doesn't matter.

You can do it tonight.

I just want to lay in bed and read.

I think I had all of those thought before 5:15 am.

I did it, though. I got 3 miles in this morning and I'm hoping to pick up a couple more tonight after the news. (my day is not complete without the news!)

But I wanted to use this post today to remind myself why it's important to just keep going.

Before I lost 171 lbs I couldn't do the following:

Walk even a quarter mile

Get through a trip to walmart without having to sit down

Sleep laying down flat

Get up from the ground easily

Fit in a standard seat belt

Fit on a plane seat

Sit in a booth

Stand for longer than maybe 10 minutes

Go on any amusement park rides

Tie my shoes standing up

And a million and one other things.

Last week at the carnival Elly was begging me to go on the Ferris Wheel with her and James. The whole time in line I was holding my breath and preparing what I would say to them when I didn't fit into the seat and they were embarrassed by their overweight aunt.

But, you guys, I fit into the seat no problem. And throwing our hands up and screaming as the Ferris Wheel spun around and around is and always will be one of my favorite memories ever.

And I can't go back to who I was before.

Which is why I HAVE TO get up and walk.

 And run.

 And get to the gym.

And stop hording Swedish fish in my office.

Wish me luck.

Lori Ann