Days with the Dorans

When I first started dating Jeff, his nephew was just four years old. He was the most adorable little boy and it is hard for me to believe that he is now 18 years old! I asked Jeff if it was weird to see his nephew so old, and I think when he sat and thought about it (as I always seem to sit and think of such things) he thought... ya! I smile thinking about watching Jeff's brother's kids (Abby is pictured with JD) grow up! I remember sitting with them on Christmases past, putting together arts and things and reading them stories. I remember during one Christmas play telling a young JD how well he did and him replying, "Yes. I know..." Like with any children, it can sometimes be hard to keep a straight face and now I watch him with my children and think he probably is having those same feelings sometimes (he is AMAZING with his young cousins!). J.D.'s party was held in his church's basement which is where their youth group often gathers. To say that it is a coo...

I wasn't quite sure that our family would make it to Thanksgiving dinner this year. Joe was throwing up the night before, so we thought for sure we'd be eating dinner separately. Thankfully, dinner was at my parents' this year which meant we were close so that Jeff could take the (healthy) kids and go and watch football and have dinner and then come back and stay with Joe so that I could go later. Fortunately, Joe woke up feeling fine and after lunch (staying down) and a nap for me, he and I joined the rest of our family (and all of the Drapals ) for dinner. We had hoped to get a picture of all of us, but it was so busy we didn't remember until AFTER dinner (when people were full and heading for the nearest couch!). My dad's cousin's son, Garrett (did you follow that?), joined us for dinner this year since we are closer to his college (Purdue) than his folks. Garrett's mom passed away almost 10 years ago from cancer. She was a beautiful woman, Jane... Ali...

I am a bit behind in my blogging, which is not like me, but when my dad leaves a comment (his first) asking me where the Turkey Trot blog is, I know that I have some typing to do! This was my third Turkey Trot (I took off the year I had Sean because I was still nursing and recovering from that lovely c-section I had...). The Turkey Trot is something I look forward to each year and I love that we have somewhat of a tradition going! Of course I am NOT a runner! My dad is and to be honest with you... I don't get it. I don't find anything fun about running. He is a marathon runner and even did the Boston Marathon a long time ago when he was a mere 50 (is that right dad?). I don't know that my brother is a "runner", but he does run (and does well at it)... so he and my dad ran the 10k. I remember my dad running the race when we were little and my mom taking my brother, dog and me to downtown Detroit to wait for him. Though I have no memory, I clearly recall my ...

Dance Parties are a frequent happening at our house... And I do think they are quite entertaining... but then, I am the mom... Still I have to laugh when "Robin" talks about "shaking his booty" and Sean jumps along to the chaos... er... uh... music! And of course I put it on You Tube. I should mention that only this last "picture" is a video. The above pictures I took from the videos I made... (sorry for the confusion...)

A few days before Thanksgiving, Ali Jane's class performed the " ABCs of Thanksgiving" along with a fun song. As I have mentioned before, one of my occupational hazards is that I can rarely (or should I say NEVER) make it to these fun day-time gatherings. Jeff was able to take a half day last year when Joe did the same thing in his class but this year the way the times worked out, there was no way that he could miss school and so we were stuck. And so I did what I always do when I am stuck... I called my mom! She happened to be watching the Littles that day so my dad came over to watch the Littles so she could go up to the school and watch Al and give me a report back. Of course Ali Jane was nothing but business which didn't surprise me in the least. When I first saw the note that came home with her attached lines a few weeks ago (and that Ali was one of a few students who would have two letters), I wasn't surprised to learn that she had already memorized ...

After a difficult yesterday, I was ready to take on today. I learned that the nursery was available at church and looked so forward to going to the Thanksgiving Eve service. When I got home though, I learned that Al wasn't feeling well and was sleeping (sigh). Al came down in time for dinner and she said she was "actually feeling fine now". My guess was she was probably just wiped out from the late night the previous evening. Things went well though. Sean did something wrong and I said (half in jest) "Time Out!" And to my surprise, he went straight to the Time Out bench! I got him soon after and told him I forgave him and gave him a big hug. It seemed that my night was looking up... That was until Joe got sick again and threw up all over the bathroom floor/ toilet and walls (sorry for the detail there). I was so frustrated that he didn't make it to the toilet that my first reaction wasn't to say, "I am so sorry you're sick Joe, let me help you!...

Patience is sweet... But I thought that I would run out of it yesterday, and I DID run out of it today (that's for another post)... There are times during the year that can be particularly hard in the classroom... I imagine that any teachers who are reading this may be nodding their heads. The kids need a break... we need a break... Their volumes get louder and our tolerance gets smaller. This stretch (getting to Thanksgiving) is the hardest for me and as I type this, I am thankful to say that I made it. Yesterday however was tough. Jeff was at practice at church for the Thanksgiving Eve service (a service I had hoped and planned to attend but more on that in another post). I was solo with my waning patience and four lively children wh, one of which is a two year old that can be Trouble (note the capital T). I know that he is testing the waters, and after yesterday I thought it was time for "Time Outs". To be honest, I don't even remember what he did... but I remember...

Recently I was in my basement and stumbled across some pictures of our old house. I sat down and looked at them and floods of memories came back. I bought the house in 2000 after saving every dollar I could from my teaching job and working weekends at Marshall Field's in their shoe department as a cashier. I bought the house shortly after Jeff had proposed and I remember my friends all being so excited over my engagement! I also remember being perhaps more excited over the house... (I always knew that Jeff and I would end up being married... I never had imagined I would have been able to purchase a home all by myself!). I didn't have much. The house was pretty close to my childhood home and so a truck brought over my bed and childhood bedroom furniture and my parents old couches. I bought a card table to eat at and I remember thinking that it was OK that I would never be able to go out again (I had so much still to buy for the house), because I loved everything about that ...

Our two Humane Society Specials have a pretty nice life. They have never been in a kennel and until a few months ago (when someone chewed on a leg of a chair), they had free reign of our house when we were gone. Now while we are away (only three days for them since my folks watch the Littles at our house), they spend their time in our laundry room. They sleep most of the day away there... or so we thought! When we came home yesterday there were two large holes in the wall. Both dogs looked guilty (I think that that is a gift they have... looking guilty... or sorry...), but only one had white evidence under his nails. And so Cobi is going to try to rival his brother when it comes to spending money. Pele' has cost us a ton of money from hospital, vet, and medications. Here Cobi has decided he too can make a dent in our wallets... (er... uh... walls...) To watch the video below on You Tube, you can click HERE.

I am a pretty lucky gal! I don't think I take much for granted and this month I've been really trying to think about all that there is to be grateful for. My list is never-ending but today I am so thankful to have amazing parents that I not only love, but I like. It can sometimes be easier to love someone than to like them (I don't know if that makes sense... but to me it does). My parents help us out in so many ways and I sincerely believe that had they not been around to help out with the kids, we would not have been able to have so many. My folks get the Bigs on the bus each and every morning and the Littles only go to 'school' three days a week (my folks babysit the other two days). It is still really expensive to us, but if we had to put them in five days a week- plus prime time care for the Bigs in the morning... I can't imagine! And perhaps more importantly I can't imagine getting everyone up- fed- moving to different locations and then me to w...

Just like Joe, Al also played soccer this season. She was slow to warm up, but toward the end of the season she got quite good. Like her brother, she preferred defense! During one game, Al's coach told her to kick the ball out and when she did he praised her for it. So for a while... it seemed if she didn't have a play, she would go ahead and kick it out. I laughed about it (though she didn't think it was very funny). When chatting with Al about soccer, it sounded for a while that she may be following her brother and hanging up her cleats for good (keeping with her tap, tumbling, ballet and softball of course). Thankfully though, with so many people cheering for her at her last few games (people other than her usual fans- mom, dad, nana and papa), she changed her mind and has decided to stick with soccer again next year (at least that is what she says now, much to the delight of her dad!). Al had a great coach too! Unfortunately after signing up, his work changed hi...