Days with the Dorans

In our stockings, my dad gave Jeff and me tickets to the Wisconsin game! I was eager to take them mostly because there were only two which meant that he was taking the kids!!  It's fun to get out once and a while with just the two of us and I wish we could do it more.  We got to Ann Arbor near Crisler and walked to Main Street to have drinks and a bite to eat at Ann Arbor Brew Co. It was so yummy and bonus... Got a lot of steps on my fit bit that day!  Over 20,000!!  Shannon and Jeremy came too which was fun but they were a bit late too (later than us) so we had to do a few selfies (with the court in the background of course). Jeff plays along well for the woman he loves! Though not a Wolverine (I couldn't ever do a Big10 school with my dad a Wolverine and mom a Buckeye) we loved cheering on the Maize and Blue and it was such a fun game!  Wisconsin was highly favored but neither team was really shooting well so the game went into O.T.  ...

So the day after Ali's Showcase, we headed to Auntie Jodi & Uncle Randy's so the rest of the Doran clan could meet their new cousin!!!  Of course Jack Paul isn't a cousin by blood but we've learned that our friendship bond is just as tight as blood!  Jodi is GLOWING in motherhood and Randy is just an amazing dad (though I didn't snap any pictures of him this time). I was a bit surprised with how much the kids wanted to hold the baby... I knew Ali would want to hold him a lot but the boys were just as eager to hold him.  In fact, Joey was the first to hold him and did a great job.  He just kept staring at him and it was the sweetest thing.  Joey feels a bond to JP because they were the same size when they were born (Though Joe was an inch longer. He did have 3 more weeks in the oven cooking than JP did). The Goose loved it too! He suddenly seemed a whole lot older to me~ I wouldn't have pegged him as the kind of kid who would be eager to hold a ...

Jeff and I had a date night (kind-of) when we went and saw Ali Jane perform in her studio's "Showcase" performance.  It's a chance where all of the soloists and competition teams get to perform before the dance season takes off. We dropped Al off for stretch, ran and got a drink and dinner and were back in time for the show.  We sat near where the girls were too so she got to see us and was all smiles! Watching her dance was amazing!  She really has come so far since she started in kindergarten!  There was no photography allowed at the show, but an amazing professional photographer took some pictures and allowed us to download them for free (and because the quality was amazing, I was able to zoom in even closer)!  They were AMAZING!! So fun to watch our little girl leave it all out on the stage!   Proud parents for sure! Beautiful job, Ali Jane!!!!! We love you!

So for my birthday I think I mentioned (but am not sure) that Jeff got me a Roomba.  I wasn't sure what a Roomba was and thought it was kind of a lame gift at first... Boy was I wrong!!!  This thing seriously is the best invention ever. I don't think my house has ever been cleaner.  Everyday for about a month now, he vacuums (usually when I'm sleeping) and goes right back to his little charging station when he's done.  It's nice because the kids (and Ok... us too) have to keep big things off the floor. I of course made a review of it that you can and should watch by clicking HERE. Why??  Because it's a great little thing AND you're helping me make money.  That's something I don't think I have mentioned in this blog but I'm actually making money on YouTube now which is pretty cool!!

So sadly all of my fishies died a little after Christmas from the dreaded ICK!  I treated the tank and then my dad came over and helped me clean it further. I was so anxious to get new guys but knew it was important to wait.  I really do love the fish and spend a lot of time watching them. I went to Tropical Fish and told the guy there that I was starting again and he hooked me up with a dozen schoolers (three of four different kinds) and told me to come back in a week and have the water tested. Well... the water was tested and looks great!  I added three black angels two cory cats and one sucker.  I was going to get some loaches but they were hiding.  Maybe next time as one of my cats swam into the coral and I haven't seen him come out just yet.  I do know when I watch my fish now I'm also looking closely at their fins.  No way ICK is going to wipe out any more of my babies!!

Randy's mom made the DELICIOUS cake!!  So I admit... it seems a little strange to be writing about Jodi's Shower when I now know exactly who was hiding in her belly!  Still I'm going to do my best just to write about the day.  This was only a week ago but my, a lot has happened in that week!!  The shower was actually at Jodi & Randy's house which is brilliant when you think about it!  No need to load up all those presents and wow!!!  Did she get a lot of presents!?!?!  We got her a mirror for her car seat and both of her bigger toddler sized car seats (Since we know you use those forever!!  Seany is still in his!). I think that Ali was at Auntie Steph's shower (I should look back) but this is the first shower that she remembers being at. She was actually nervous but I explained to her that we just eat, watch Auntie Jodi open presents and play some games.  Seeing that she was with Jodi and I when we registered, you think s...

It seems I'm getting worse at remembering to take pictures at events.  I don't know if this is a good or bad thing... Good because I'm living more in the moment~ Bad because without documentation I'm likely to forget moments... I took a whopping two pictures at Christmas in Commerce and didn't take too much more in Saginaw. For the second year in a row now (thank you blog), we have celebrated Christmas in January with the Dorans.  Last year it was the weather that kept us apart so long and this year the Gillespies had to stay near home so Grandma joined them.  We had wanted to get out there but with playing church services, birthdays and parties it would have been hard for us to leave the state. We actually tried earlier in January to get together with Saginaw but the roads were bad up north so we had to push it back a weekend.  We finally got together and all the Doran cousins were able to make it!  This is a big deal since they're getting so old ...

So this is going to be a little different... My first post of the year basically because I'm just so excited and have to write it all down (or you know me... I'll forget some of the unbelievable details). I'm going to back-track and write some earlier posts later, but I just have to get this one out.  And it's not just for me, but it's for this new little guy who I think will have his own share of posts on this blog... Dear Jack Paul, Today is your BIRTHday but I want to back up a little... I know, I know... You haven't even been out of your mommy's tummy for 24 hours and here I'm wanting to back up even more.  You see, the story of YOU happened a long time ago and lucky ME, I have been able to watch it all unfold before my very eyes! I'm going to try to do the "Cliff-Notes" version here because this is a blog and you can go back to read about some of these events in more detail and see pictures (as you can see I...