Days with the Dorans

 So it was that time of year again (eye appointment) so Al and I were off to get our eyes checked (since we're the only two with yucky eyes... so far!).  With all the activities Ali is in (where she doesn't want to -or can't- really wear glasses) she was thinking of trying contacts! We went for our 9am appointments, got right in and Ali had "contact education" where we had the nicest lady who taught her how to put in and take out contacts and~ let me tell you... she had the patience of a saint!  I don't remember what it was like when I first put in my contacts~ but watching Ali do her contacts was hard for me and I was ready to just put them in myself for her! That being said she did it (three times actually~ in and out to be sure and we left a little after noon!!) and then we were off to lunch and a movie with Jen & Marin.  Ali Jane kept them in for that entire time and then had to take them out (per doctors orders) and then put them back in fo...

So I realize it was not nice and I was not thinking when I gave my boys hard-to-write letters~ Meaning J, Z and S.  None of them were keen on drawing much when they were little (they were all about gross motor-skills... BOYS!) and I (and my educational background) was not about to put a pencil in this kiddo's hand unless he wanted to. Well... he wants to! Sean has been watching the Bigs do their homework (sigh... that's for a future blog) so he will often get out some paper and one marker (only one- he's a monotone kid) and announce he's "Doing my homework!" It's been fun watching his growing interest in writing (he's always been a lover of books! Coloring... not so much).  I'm really proud that he's able to make that S and N! I'm also a fan of his chicken nugget people.  I know soon he'll probably really pick up his pencil like his older brothers did (they are wonderful artists) and this sort of writing will be a di...

 Ali was really excited to play indoor soccer this weekend.  It was so different than outdoor soccer and there certainly was a learning curve, but she did well.  She scored a lot of goals (percentage wise) but the team as a whole didn't do great. They had a lot of newer younger girls and they just didn't play a lot together as a team (where the other teams they played against were travel teams). They didn't practice but played just about every weekend which was fun for Ali.  The Littles usually went to the side and played soccer in a netted area while Jeff, my folks and I watched... Joey, did not join them.  In fact he WATCHED the game.  I'm not sure who he is watching (he won't tell me) but I know it isn't his sister...  He will be embarrassed I wrote that but he doesn't read this blog but in book form anyway and I won't be printing this for another year! (Hi Joe!!) Ali is going to play again in the spring along with Joe and Z.  Jeff ...

I realize that I don't often write about the way I spend most of my days (which is with other people's children).  It is about this time of year (February/ March) where I begin to doubt myself and think that I don't have the energies to do this job for one more minute- but then we throw something fun and non-test related into the mix and I find my peace again. We did our Variety Show again and, a creature of habit, with my class I did the dance that we start out every day with. You can see it by clicking HERE .  We also had a fun staff act that you can see HERE .  We called it "Decades of Awesomeness."  A friend pointed out that we've been at LLE for three decades.  That seems nuts- but yes.  I've been teaching in the 90s, 2000s, and now 2010s!  Time flies when you're having fun (when it doesn't... you pray... and drink...). Good thing the Insect Museum is this week!  Fun times in first grade!!  I think I can.... I think I can... I...