Days with the Dorans

Today my dad called up and asked if the Bigs wanted to go tubing... and yes they did! I took so many fun pictures that I didn't know how to choose which to use here. Think of this as a glorified photo album... I had to take one of Sean... he's too little for the big tube right now... maybe next year... (ya right!) The Bigs were clear that they wanted Daddy on the tube with them which was good because that meant I got to be the spotter and take the pics! After one go around the lake, Zach said he thought he'd like to sit in the boat. I think the wind-blown look suits him! My those curls grow fast- and the wind is a natural straightener I'd say... Back to some serious tubing with just the Bigs ! And yes, that is the signal for 'go around again' and we did! A lot! Ali Jane had her mouth going the whole time. I wish I could have had a microphone on her to hear what she was saying. When I asked Jeff about it later he filled me in. "I've been...

It has been almost a decade since the picture above was snapped! That is me and my best friend since college, Jodi, the night she met her (in less than two weeks) husband, Randy. She and Jeff's friend picked us up from the airport after our honeymoon and we went to a party where she met Randy and it all began! I couldn't be more happy for my friend. She is an absolutely amazing woman and I can't wait to see what this next chapter in her life holds. And so it was time to celebrate!! The pictures on this blog are all taken with Jodi's camera because when I got mine out to document the day, I realized I left my memory card in the computer! ( doh !) It was a rainy day which had me so upset because I was worried that our plans for the day would be foiled! We started out in a Zumba class at Jodi's health club with Jodi's great friend Elke! It was such fun and though we weren't really breathing heavy, we CERTAINLY were sweating our butts off! It was ...

I'm white, he's red, and that first picture is BEAUTIFUL! Jeff and I love to play games. It started back when we met in college. I'd say we fell in love on the tennis courts and we nearly broke up over the card game, Phase Ten. There were seriously some months where we had to retire the game! We're both quite competitive . Ok ... I'll admit it, I'm worse... We've been playing some backgammon with the Bigs (one of our old favorites) and it's been great! It's also helping them add quickly! (They're competitive too...) Tonight after they went to bed, we played some games with just us "grown-ups". O.k. I'll admit it... overall Jeff was having a better night than I was. The way he was rolling the die, I was thinking we should high-tail it to Vegas! But then I had a beautiful game! Totally trapped him and cleaned up shop! Though he said we should call it when there was NO chance of him coming back- I insisted we play it out, just becau...

Yesterday we took a trip to visit Jeff's mom! It feels like forever since we've seen her. (Almost two months) The kids were SO excited to see Grandma! As soon as we got there, we sat down to a wonderful meal. Jeff's mom is the most amazing cook! When Papa heard we were going up north he asked Ali Jane to bring him back one of Grandma's famous cookies. (On the way home A.J. started crying because she forgot...) We all enjoy her food so much and even Sean got his first taste of some of Grandma's cooking! Like his sibs, he loves his Grandma and spent most of the day in her arms. She soothed him to sleep and I think he could have stayed there forever... Jeff's niece, Abby, was also there and everyone went out back to play some ball and work off a bit of their meal. The Bigs have gotten very good at hitting the ball. (I think they hit better when being pitched to, than from a T.) Jeff however, made me laugh. He did not let up on the Bigs in any way and ...

It was as if one morning Zach woke up and decided it was time. Looking back, I have to chuckle because the other Bigs were just the same way and I wonder why we call it 'potty training' when really once they make up their minds... they'll do it! Zach has been wearing underwear for four days now and has been going when he needs to, without us suggesting it. While at times he's been busy and has had a few wet 'accidents,' he's always made it to the potty when his folks would like him too- as in for those all-important 'big' jobs! It's kind of funny because he'll go by himself and he insists on flushing twice! Though this isn't the most eco -friendly thing, it is better than diapers so we allow it! The first flush is so he can watch his 'snake' go down the potty. The second is so that the toilet paper can join the 'snake'. It's something we chuckle at and something that I had to put down here because as time goes on,...

He didn't forget... but he was so busy that it was actually seven days after he learned how to ride his bike that he reminded me that we needed to go and get his DS . (I had told him five days.) As much as it killed me, (I am not one to be a fan of screens for kids... My kids don't watch any TV until they are two and even then it is quite monitored...) I bought him a DS which (I learned) is a hand-held video game. The game he got was a pirate game and to my surprise, this DS thing was/is quite neat. He had to read to learn his 'mission' and answer questions. Thankfully he didn't put up too much of a fuss when I told him that there would be limits and when I told him on the first day that he needed to put it away, he did so without argument. Of course he's a little sneaky... he had to show Papa his DS ... and then Dodge and Davis... All which meant he got a little more time playing. But today when I asked him what his favorite part of the day was, he told me i...

Last year we had a great play date (the first of a growing tradition I imagine) with our friends, the Logans . (-And the Grandparents!) Jen has triplets (Who will be two on Sean's birthday- or should I say he will be one on their second birthday?) and an (almost) four year old. So between us that makes 8 kiddos and a lot of fun! And as Ali Jane noticed the number of children was not the only thing we had in common. They had "one girl with lots of boys" just like our family... I watched the triplets a little differently this year thinking that Sean will be just like them next summer. And I watched Jen's cautious almost-four year old and remembered a timid Joe from last year and smiled at where he is at this summer. (We can barely keep him out of the water!) Unfortunately, I didn't get as much time as I would have liked to hang out with everyone. We went on a boat ride and Sean was so out-of-sorts... He cried and it seemed impossible to soothe him. He was ...

The Bigs had been asking their Nana and Papa if they could go on an adventure with them and so last Thursday, they got their wish. While I wasn't there (my wonderful mom took some pics), I was filled in on the details by all of them. They enjoyed lunch by the lake and swimming and biking and then went to their favorite restaurant... McDonald's! (I think my mom was a little bummed that my dad didn't suggest somewhere else for them to eat dinner...) It rained like cats and dogs when theygot to the restaurant. They ate apples, chicken nuggets, french fries and even some ice-cream! Papa carried Ali Jane through the rain, while Joey and Nana just ran like the wind! After dinner they went and saw the movie, Despicable Me , at a local theatre. My mom said it was such fun watching the Bigs watch the movie and the whole audience clapped when the show was over. When I asked Joe about the movie, he said, "It was great!" All that excitement tired the Bigs right out (and ...