Trying to hold on

The cat bed he created for our McMuffin

Today's Topic:

Things I have learned about Richard Allen Walker in the Year and Two Days we have been married!

1. He hates mustard and pickles and anything the LEAST bit spicy. Never take him to a Mexican restaurant. He will shame you. 

2. He never asks for anything for himself. 

3. He never misses work. Never. 

4. He is obsessed with local politics. Like community agitator level obsessed. 

5. He doesn't hold grudges. Not even for a minute. 

6. He never yells. (except at other drivers)

7. He loves old stone farmhouses and PA history as much as me. 

8. He does not clean. Unless I threaten him. 

9. He wakes up at the drop of a pin. 

10. He has never analyzed his childhood and it KILLS me. 

11. He doesn't like ice and drinks from a frozen mug. 

12. His favorite go to food is corn dogs. 

13. He and I have VERY different senses of humor. 

14. He tells me every single day that I am beautiful and he loves me. 

15. He treats our cats like gold. Seriously, they are so spoiled. 

There are a million and one other things. It really is true that you don't know someone until you marry them. 

Here's to year number 2!

Mrs Walker 

I can't help

I have been married one year and one day. 

And I have completely neglected this blog. 

I'm sorry. 

My goal is to blog more. 

Because there are so many stories that I didn't record this year. 

Like Jack Jack telling me he has to live under my sister's evil dominion. 

Rich buying me orange roses for valentines Day. 

Getting our new kitten Mcmuffin. 

Starting a new job. 

Adjusting to married life. 

Rich's obsession with local politics. 

And his bizarre hatred of mustard. 

And how we always listen to Funky Cold Medina in the car and sing along. 

There is so much I don't want to forget. 

Wish me luck in blogging more. 

Mrs. Walker 

Just let her have it... she's got stuff that belongs to me too :)

 

My niece Katy turned 9 today.

 

She is the sweetest AND craziest girl I know.

 

I cant imagine our family without her.

 

Happy Birthday, Katy-Cat!

 

Love,

 

Aunt Lori

You were there with me

 

"My sisters remind me by their very steadfastness that truth, beauty and goodness exist in the world, and that, no matter what there and always will be people loving people through thick and thin"

 

I've used this quote in the past but nothing expresses so well my thoughts on my sisters. They are the biggest blessing of my entire life.

 

Lori Ann

(younger sister of Danielle Christian and Erin Leigh)

Let's talk about all the good things...

Random Life Updates

(the picture edition!)

 

Sugar December received high quality cat nip from her aunt Erin. Yeah- she's starting 4/20 a little early:)

A picture that captures their relationship perfectly. *sigh* He's so going to get her in the divorce :)

More projects! This table is really old. We have no idea what we are doing but we are excited!

Ignore my strange reflection. Sunsets in the spring are just stunning.

A rare jump shot of the Katy Kat!

Jack Jack's expression when I asked him to give me a look that said "YOLO"

I can't believe how fast they are growing up. I know that's clichéd but its so true.

If I can't have PA in fall, give me PA in spring!

 

Rich and I take the back roads everywhere!

 

A few quotes from the kids I want to remember...

 

"I am the literal definition of Caucasian trash! I am eating ice cream, carrying crap from the dollar store down the road!" (Jack Jack)

 

"I know where babies come from...my mom told me! Have you done that? (I hesitantly answer..."um, yeah") "Good! Now you have to do that all the time until you have a baby! I want a cousin!" (Elly Mae)

(I had no idea that my first and only ever experience of being peer pressured into sex would happen with my 11 year old niece...:) )

 

"Good, so we're settled on names. Hermione Lily Walker if it's a girl and Luke Sky Walker if it's a boy" (Elly, choosing names for my future children)

 

Lori Ann

When nothing but the stars appear

The suspense is over....I give you

The Wedding Day

 Part 2 (of 3)



4:20 PM until 7:30 PM

4:20 PM

I arrive at the barn where we are getting married. I wonder where I should store my purse and chug a 5 hour energy. (Classy til the end)

4:21 PM

My sister Erin appears and informs me that I will NOT be going into the barn until I walk down the aisle. Meanwhile, my mom and brother have wandered off and I am seething with rage as I see Rich taking fun pictures with his groomsmen and family.

4:22-4:25

Erin tightens my corset backed dress, all the while ranting about me about how I don't need to breath. People are pulling into the makeshift lawn/parking area and I am waving at them from behind my mom's car. I get my nieces to take some jump shots with me.

Somewhere around 4:30

Everyone is in the barn and I am standing outside with my nieces and dad. My dad is ranting at me about something...probably saying "Stop worrying about your dress! Are you here to get married or be a princess?"

 

The instrumental version of hallelujiah begins to play. I hop over the door entrance with my dad and then proceed to almost kick up the aisle runner. I feel like my dad's grip tighten like it used to when we wandered too far in the Qmart.

 

My dad walks me down the aisle.

 

Rich looks like a deer in headlights.

 

We have the shortest ceremony on record. All I really remember is being happy to see my sisters waiting for me at the front and trying to keep Rich calm.

 

We didn't do a rehearsal, so he is facing one way and I am kind of facing another.

 

Which makes all of our ceremony pictures look like we are two strangers standing at a bus stop together.

 

We say "I do".

 

I then remember yelling at everyone to hurry outside with us to take some selfies before the sun went down.

 

4:45-5:30

 This whole time is a blur of picture taking (I didn't have an official photographer- just friends who brought their cameras and selfies) and talking to everyone and my feeling like I didn't want anyone to feel left out.



Me and my friend Janelle



My family (and likely a lot of people from the branch) were switching the inside of the barn from a wedding setup to the reception.

 

I remember feeling very manic and running around all over.

 

5:30-7:30

 The reception. It was COLD inside the barn. I should have planned better for that. All I could see as I looked around were things I was worried were not good enough. The forgotten ink guest book thing, the long line for food, the lack of pictures of me and my sisters, the people who looked out of place, the family I hadn't seen in a while who I really should go talk to- I honestly didn't slow down and enjoy my reception. I wish I had.

 

I didn't eat anything or even get a sip of the apple cider I had wanted to have there so desperately.

 

I wanted to make sure everyone was ok.

 

There were a few magical moments.

 

Erin gave an amazing toast for me.

 

My sisters got even by making me dance to Butterfly kisses with my dad.

 

I twirled Rich to our song.

 

I got to introduce Rich to my grandmother (who would die exactly one month later)

 

I got to use the phrase "My husband" for the first time.

 

By 7:30 everyone was freezing and heading out the door. But the after party invites had just gone out...

 

Stayed tuned for 7:30 to 10!

 

Lori Ann

 

 

You can run free

 

I am interrupting the hour by hour rundown of my wedding day to bring you this quick tribute to Katherine Danielle.

 

Our little Katy Cat.

 

She just found out today that my parent's cat Sour Krout had to be put down
(several weeks ago) and she was devastated.

 

She showed up at my parents house crying her eyes out.

 

The love for animals gene is very apparent in a certain line in our family.

 

It goes from my dad to my sister Erin to Katy.

 

So we sent her up to talk to Dad.

 

As I dropped her off to talk to him, he was giving her a big hug and saying "It's ok".

 

I love that they have that connection and my dad always knows the right thing to say.

 

I am lucky to have people in my family who are better than me in so many ways. That make me want to be a better, kinder person.

 

Lori Ann