Days with the Dorans

 It's hard to believe it's already time for Ali to head to HS- but she's so uber responsible and on top of things it felt oddly natural! It was just my girl and me who went (Jeff stayed home with the boys- I'm late in updating and honestly can't remember the circumstances). After the "welcome" we headed to the orchestra room (which was given by the band director), then to the French room, and finally to the drama/acting room (you could pick 3 places to visit)! She was so excited about the drama stuff. It seems like Al will be very much following in her big brother's footsteps. We checked out marching band (where Al is thinking she'll try out for the pit) and XC (she's thinking about it). After that we left~ when we got home I was thinking that we should have stopped at the soccer table, maybe tennis, maybe some other clubs... Time will tell what this girl has in her future. I am excited to see what she chooses to do! Her future is bri...

UGH! I hate the crack in my phone- I really need to get it fixed!  Sean's EKG came back normal but he still said that his heart sometimes hurt and one night when he became upset (he thought Papa was coming back from FL so he wouldn't have to go to his temporary stop but he had to wait a bit longer), he started clutching his heart. He told me it hurt when he cried, when he bent over to pick up something at Uncle Dan's and when he laughed. I was keeping a journal of all the happenings and after talking to the doctor they had him go and get an echo-cardiogram. It was long and it was hard to keep my eyes open with the whooshing sound and dim lights. The good news is the test came back good. So now we're still at a loss of what exactly is going on with Sean. It could be a pulled muscle or something (I hope). The test set us back $500 but at least we have a bit of peace of mind...

We have had the CRAZIEST winter. Too cold, Too windy. Too snowy. Jeff's school (in particular) was closed so much it felt like there was a stretch where he never worked a full week. The worst was when strong winds knocked out our power. I wasn't so worried about us (we could layer up but I was REALLY worried about our animals. The reptiles need their heat lamps and the birds are in the coldest room of the house. I sent Jeff to the store to get a generator but when he came back the power was on. We agreed to leave it in the car in hopes we could return it. Well the power went out again in the middle of the night and so we got up and unboxed the generator. After we put the oil in and put the parts together we saw a warning not to put it too close to the house CO poisoning and don't put it in snow or rain because it can cause fire!! (There was snow EVERYWHERE!!!) With the threat of CO poisoning and/or fire, we decided dead animals (although awful) were bett...

 We've got this great "Jumping" and "Ninja Course" type place by us so I got the kids winter passes to get them out and moving (and save us some coin). I mentioned when we went to SkyZone that Sean was complaining that his heart hurt. When it happened again at this new place, I knew I needed to get him looked at. He had an EKG which they said looked normal. It's still nerve-wracking that he's complaining about it. When we got the test- the machine didn't appear to be working right so I am cautiously optimistic. We decided that while we wait for results, donuts would be a good way to kill some time.

How lucky Ali is that my mom painted her room from left-over paint from Maddy's room! It looks so pretty now. She also got her a new dresser and new curtains. I got her a new bedspread, pillow and blanket and my brother got her that cute reading chair in the corner. This is Al's sanctuary. So happy she's happy!

When we were visiting Grandma, she gave the kiddos passes to SkyZone which is a place with trampolines and other fun things. I made a video of all our fun HERE . We had so much fun! Since their computers were down and we had the place to ourselves pretty much they let us stay as long as we wanted. Sean got a cramp in his chest but we were all a bit tired and ready to leave after a few hours. We headed back home but first enjoyed a yummy dinner together. I love these people. Great Stay-Cation! I love mid-winter break.

Norbert is getting bigger...

 For Christmas this year for the grandparents, we decided to give "experiences" instead of things (I know... It's also a gift for us that way but giving gifts can feel that way too). For Grandma, we got tickets to "The Sound of Music" at a theater in Midland.  The theater was so nice and it was good to know that for next time there's not a bad seat in the place! The scene changes were fun and I wanted to sing along (but didn't). Sean wasn't thrilled about this show but he perked up (he's hiding behind Grandma in the first picture).  After the show, we went out to dinner and then back to Grandma's. I'm happy to report that they really weren't on their screens the whole time. They actually got out some old games and had fun playing them together. So glad to have kids that get along so well (most of the time).

I wasn't as exhausted as usual this Valentine's Day (when it comes to giving the annual heart attack). It could be that only Sean and I are now giving Valentine's at school so a little less to worry about. Giving my family a heart attack remains one of my favorite things. I'll add what the hearts say at the end of this post. With them getting up at different times, only Joe, Jeff, and I got to see the kitchen this way. In the evening, Jeff and I checked out Black Rock. It was fun to go someplace we have never been. The dip we got was AMAZING!!! The steaks were OK but weren't mind-blowing like we were expecting. It was nice to be together! 21 Valentine Days together! Time flies when you're having fun! ~This Year's Heart Attack~ Joey I love how you took on dancing and KILLED it! I love when we hug for a long time. I love watching you run and am SOOO very proud of you. I love how hard you are working i...

 I miss hearing Joey practice piano. I hear him practicing guitar A LOT and sometimes I get to hear him play the horn. Z on the other hand has a timer so I get to hear that all the time. This is how they play together though... I love my boys!

So this post is pretty much going to be a giant picture drop! Ali and I ended up going to the rest of the shows (thanks to working again) and the whole family joined us (in great seats) for the final night. Everyone LOVED it!!! I'm a bit sad Joey only has 3 HS musicals left! What a great experience! The two White Knights with Mrs. Connell! With Logan Eli- Joey's Trumpet Squad Leader Love this kid! He's super tall so I had Joey stand on a step! With Garrett and Justin Edgy Veggies With Emma A bunch of Joey's friends- from Cast Party Gabe and Joey! Proud Grandparents- Grandma couldn't make it due to health issues. Joey's kind of bouquet!  Part of the set that the kids signed for Joey- love this! This is where Al and I sat- Shows were SOLD OUT! Only seats left in the place!