since there are seven of us my parents shopped at Costco and smart n final. I don’t think you need a big family though to go to these attractions but I digress. Everyday for over a year, I’d open the pantry to see this MASSIVE box of foil from Smart & Final where Lori took a permanent marker to write over the label. The statement read “Lori is Smart & that is Final” which was hilarious the first few times, it was just like her to remind us of how awesome she was. But after 365 days of reading it every time I opened that pantry I started to resent how many times I instinctively read “Lori is smart and that is Final” it’s like I started reading it and interpreting it like a bold face caps lock and exclamation mark comment that you can’t erase from your brain. In any case, now, whenever I see a Smart & Final store anywhere and everywhere I instinctively read “LORI IS SMART AND THAT IS FINAL!

One Christmas Lori convinced Kristi and I that the upcoming new year would be the time we would get "super fit." (Mind you we were stuffing our faces with tamales at the time.) My Mom suggested we run the "Trail Less Traveled" half marathon with her, and my Nino Meño so kindly offered to sponsor us for the run. Kristi and I knew we weren't ready for the run since we broke our resolutions early on and opt'ed for the quarter marathon. Lori wanted to stick to her guns and was going on the half. Come race day in April, we weren't ready for the race and Lori gave in for the quarter marathon too. Kristi ended up ditching us, and Lori and I trailed far behind. We finished close to last, but that "run" in the woods with my Lori is a time I'll never forget. 

One Halloween my family decided we were going to spend with our family in Folsom. I remember I was so bummed I couldn't go trick-or-treating with my friends but was going to go with my cousins instead. We spent all night going around the neighborhood and we get back to the house and are enjoying all of candy we collected that evening when Lori walks in the room with a disappointed look on her face. She was saying that our piles were so weak and that she needed to take us to the "rich neighborhood" Lori drove us so far out of town into a fancy neighborhood. Nobody was even trick-or-treating anymore but she promised us that if we rang a couple of doorbells that it would be worth our while. We didn't have a choice since we drove all the way out there so we rang a couple a doorbells and left some full size candy bars and the biggest grins on our faces. Lori was definitely right, and it was definitely worth our while. She always had her own way of doing things and always convinced others to follow in her footsteps, but she always guaranteed that it would be worth your while. Love and miss you Lori <3 

When Lori was learning to do hair she practiced on many of us. She wanted to practice Men and boys cuts. My husband was not willing. My son was about 13 at the time and wanted whatever the newest trend was, I think it was long at the time, but he wanted texture or something. Lori came to my house and started cutting, needless to say he ended up with really short bangs, it was terrible. She tried to act like it was fine. I tried to convince PJ it looked great. She was just talking about this a couple of weeks ago, cracking up. 

Our 1st concert together when we were 17 at the sleep train. It took us literally all day to choose our outfits and do our hair. Of course we have to match! We thought we were so cool taking pictures with our disposable camera's. We danced....more like "jumped" the night away with blink 182 and no doubt. This was our first of many concerts together. What I would give for another night like this with her. Miss you Sister!    ❤

Our 1st concert together when we were 17 at the sleep train. It took us literally all day to choose our outfits and do our hair. Of course we have to match! We thought we were so cool taking pictures with our disposable camera's. We danced....more like "jumped" the night away with blink 182 and no doubt. This was our first of many concerts together. What I would give for another night like this with her. Miss you Sister!    ❤

this was one of my favorite easters ever, i came to the house and a box of chocolates was waiting for me by the name of Lori Rico. i still remember like it was yesterday

A few years back when I was dating Lucy and new to the family, we came to the Rico house for a family get together.  It was near dinner time and everyone was starting to get hungry and the Ricos started to get tense. Lori walked in with that purposeful walk and Lucha was expecting her to have the dinner meat.  Lori got an earful and just as quickly as she entered she walked back out, but not before she texted me to follow her out, as I'm sure she noticed I was in my quiet corner.  We jumped in her car but instead of going straight to the grocery store she took us to one of her watering holes and bought me a beer and told me a tale.  The meat was eventually purchased and the memory was forever engraved!  Lori, I am proud and honored to be your brother in law, you are a sister who will always have my love!  The next person looking out of place and I am aware will be treated to a beer and a tale!

While working at Cal Fit one evening, in its prime hours after school, Lori and I were walking the floor and came to the top of the stairs looking down at the row of ab crunch machines. Lori says, "hey, that's my little brother; let's go scare him!" We go down the stairs and strategize how to approach him. Lori just jumps in front of him and says "What are you doing?" very loudly. The boy looks up and looks shocked and terrified all at the same time. Lori grabs my arm and says, "that's not my brother!" as we scurried off in our blue employee shirts. That boy never looked at us the same after that day. 

Lori was my older cousin turned big sister. I'm the oldest of my siblings, so Lori was the one to teach me big sister things. When I was in high school she took me makeup shopping and taught me how to apply makeup without looking like a cake faced teenager. She would always come to town to help me get ready for formals, proms, and graduations. My junior year or high school, we decided to dye my hair right before formal and then she would style my hair and do my make up. Well we ended up with extra dye and decided to tint my naturally light eye brows to the same jet black color that was in my hair. The dye ended up staining my skin and I looked a little scary. We couldn't get it off and Lori just laughed in that mischievous little laugh she had, while I panicked. I would walk around with those harsh eyebrows everyday if it meant having my Lori back. ❤️