I live and breathe this Philadelphia Freedom

City Trip: Take 3

(plus my testimony)

 Despite being "grounded" from city trips by my mother, I secretly planned and executed another city trip with the sister missionaries and my new BFF Shauri.

(although she may be ready to kill me since I made her the navigator and then shrieked like a crazy person at her)

 The Milford Trio wanted to spend a few hours in the art museum, so Shauri and I took the Kutztown sisters to the Rocky Statute, Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, and then we got all mixed in with some MLK protests.

 IT WAS EPIC! 

 The Amish donut place was open. 

ON A MONDAY!

 Which never happens.

 I think Sister McCuen was having some kind of spiritual experience eating her donut. 

It was hilarious!

 ' Oh my gosh....This is the BEST donut ever!" 

 Shauri kept me focused and probably saved us all from certain death as I drove like a literal lunatic through the city. 

 The infamous 10 minute art museum trip!

 (for us anyway..the Milford Trio stayed for HOURS)

 THEN.....I missed the exit to take the Kutztown sisters home and ended up having to drive WAY past their house and back again.

 Poor things.

 I got them home 2 hours later than they hoped to be home! 

Protests, Amish Donuts, jump shots, American History, a random side trip to the Poconos and street vendor food. 

Best. Day. Ever. 

Lori Ann

p.s.- In honor of these brave young women, who give 18 months of their life to sharing the gospel, I will be brave enough to share my testimony here. 

I know that God lives. 

I know God loves me. 

He loves all of us.

He wants us to be happy. 

He gave us the Gospel of Jesus Christ to lead us back to Him and to help us to be happy in this life. 

If anyone who reads this blog (hi, mom!) wants to learn more, I would love to introduce you to these amazing missionaries.  

My father's family was converted by two missionaries who knocked on their door one day. 

My mom's family was converted by the good example of a friend. 

Being a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is the best thing that has ever happened to me and I know it is true. And I am lucky enough to have the Gospel in my life because people were brave enough to speak up, to serve, to share the Gospel.

I owe it to them to do the same. 

Cause I'm broken

I have already broken my resolution to blog every day. 

Yes. 

I like to start the year off on the right foot, baby! 

Anyway, back to the topic at hand. 

This month has already been interesting. 

I got to hang out with my extremely cool cousins. 

 I toasted the New Year with some sparkling cider. (because I'm edgy like that)

 And I've spent the rest of the time scrap booking and hanging out with Sugar and Erin. 

I am going to miss Erin. 

She goes home to Utah tomorrow. 

Life is always easier and more fun with Erin here. 

I can't wait for her wedding though. 

She has already told our niece, Elly

"I am going to make Aunt Lori wear the ugliest bridesmaid dress of all time!" 

Yikes.

Lori Ann

p.s.- I am half marathon training again. Get ready for the painful emotional journey I am about to take us all on :) 

Blank Space, baby

So...

Since I already broke my first resolution (no candy for breakfast) let's at least get one accomplished!

Blogging daily! 

This is going to be a painful emotional journey. 

Not so much for me. 

For you people. 

Behind all of the resolutions and crazy diet schemes, my real goal for 2015 is to find joy in my life.

Working in the nursing home through college, I saw too many people who had never really been happy. 

Who kept waiting for the right person to make them happy or the right time. 

But between seeing that and learning all that I have as a therapist I do know one thing. 

I know that I am responsible for my happiness. 

(well me and my daily 1000 mg of xanax!)

And in 2015 I want to have joy. 

So...here's hoping that this will be the BEST. YEAR. EVER.

Lori Ann 

* future bridesmaid*

Bells will ring

 ERIN!!!

You guys. 

2015 is going to be the best year ever. 

I am FINALLY going to cross "be a bridesmaid" off my bucket list. 

In related, though less important new, my sister Erin is getting married!!!!!!!!!

I am so excited to meet my new soon to be brother in law. 

And hopefully (one day..no pressure) get new nieces and nephews to spoil :) 

But I am really just so happy for my amazing sister to have found someone awesome to spend her life with. 

She deserve to be so happy always. 

Congratulations, Eri!!

Lori Ann

(The last Hinsdale Spinster)

Live Your File

So...for all of those of you waiting for the tale of Patrick, you are going to have to hang in there. 

It's time for my New Years Failed Resolutions Post! 

I think I have introduced you all to this phrase before but it's one of my father's favorite things to say and it is the kind of horrible thing that sticks in your mind. 

The phrase is "mental masturbation".

I think we all know what that means. 

Or maybe not. 

Either way, goal setting is kind of like that for me. 

It makes my brain feel good because I'm all "GOALS!" but it's always the follow through that is tough. 

One thing I have learned is that I do not have internal discipline for a lot and so I need to create an external motivator. 

With that said, here are my resolutions for 2015 and how I am going to motivate myself to accomplish them. 

1. Run/Walk at least 3 Half Marathons  

Signing up and paying money seems to be a good external motivator for this one- also the tacky thrill I get from discussing my training and my half marathons is a motivator!

2. Get to my goal weight

 An important wedding is coming up- which I shall not mention because it's not my news to share- but I want to look good for this wedding AND if I get to my goal weight by my birthday, I am going to go back to Europe...nothing motivates like trips to Europe!

3. Cross 12 things off my Bucket List

 I am working on the motivator for this one

4. Attend Sharing Time EVERY WEEK for a year 

I am a notorious sharing time ditcher- my motivator will be giving someone else my keys- like the missionaries- so that I can't leave. And maybe committing to help every week in some way, so I know I have to be there. 

5. Update this blog daily (with one day off a month)

 I barely blogged this year and that makes me sad. This blog is going to be like my journal this year- I am going to motivate myself by putting it on my to do list- that forces me to do things :) 

I think that is it. 

I wish my goals were more thrilling. 

But my real goal is to take time to work on me. 

Not like lounging in front of the TV time but working out, getting a more professional wardrobe, working on my calling at church, building myself up physically, mentally, and spiritually. 

I always tell my clients that we take care of this things we value. 

I need to value myself more and get myself to a place where I am happier, healthier, and in  better position to help others. 

I know that the purpose of my life is to become more like my Heavenly Father and to also serve others.

 I can't serve others effectively if I am falling apart. 

Wish me luck!!

Lori Ann

Using and Boozing

A lot has happened in the last two weeks, people.

A LOT.

A marshmallow creature went down the dark path addiction.

Erin came home for Christmas.

I obtained a hat/mitten combo that looks like a penguin!

I formed new alliances at work.

(But kept the old ones)

I've been crafting too much.

I think I have holiday crafting mania.

It should be a specific diagnosis.

Anyway...here are some pictures to catch you up on the life of Lori Ann....

This is Elly wearing my penguin hat at The Monroe Christmas Concert! They did such a good job! 

I had a Christmas Party for my teen group! (Well, and group discussion and such) 

Then I had an unauthorized Festivus celebration at work! Notice the marble rye sandwiches, the cookie (which is black on the other side) and the eclair with one "bite" taken out of it :) 

Perhaps the most important event of this holiday season (apart from Christmas itself) was the funeral for our beloved marshmallow snowman, Patrick. He fell in with a bad crowd and got hooked on meth. We take comfort in the knowledge that he is at peace finally. Kelly (part of my new alliance) gave a very moving eulogy and I made me friend Shauri come and sing God Be with you til we meet again. 

We gave Patrick a Viking Funeral! (We aren't allowed to have fire at work, so we had to put him in the microwave)- This is him, slowly blowing up- it's the way he would have wanted to go. 

Shauri, holding the storyboard of Patrick's descent into addiction. 

We made gingerbread houses with the nieces and nephews! They are all already so much better at it than me. 

The sisters gave me the awesome gift of a crockpot cake and...

The coolest scrapbook ever! It had pictures of different things that we have done. It was very sweet! 

Then we went and taught Barry- he was right in the middle of the whole Pennsburg shooting incident last week- SWAT was even in his house- he couldn't tell me whether or not the SWAT team was hot though.. He claims he "didn't notice" HA! As if were possible to interact with men in uniform without assessing their hotness. 

He has a calico named Trixie whom I have a love/hate relationships with. I love Trixie and she hates me :) 

No holiday season is complete without a trip to the mall!! 

I am getting ready for the Love Run again! (let's not talk about last year- it had better not rain again, that is all I am saying!) This year I have a race partner- Shauri!! 

The sisters dropped by on Christmas Day to finish their ginger bread houses. 

Sisters Udall and Roesch had just completed 3 and 6 months and I informed them that they HAVE to burn something. 

It made me laugh how much Sister Bischoff loves fire! 

Then I went caroling with them at the nursing home. 

And socially obligated them to do an action shot.

So...it's been a long, crazy couple of weeks.

I plan to write a detailed report on the life of Patrick in my next post.

If I can save just one other marshmallow creature than it will be worth it :)

Lori Ann

p.s.- I will also report on Christmas! I got a lot of things related to twerking, oddly enough. 

Right from the start

ERI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Lori Ann