Days with the Dorans

  Not gonna lie, there is much I will not miss about 2020! But... Sean DID learn to tie his shoes and we have THIS video to prove it! Yes- we know he's a late bloomer. We blame velcro! Way to go, Seany!

I can't believe our baby girl is 16 already! Unfortunately due to Covid, she has to wait an additional 3 months before she can get that license.  (sigh) I'm really proud of her though and she took it in stride. We made it a great family day! The six of us went out to eat at Buck Shots in an igloo which was different and fun. Covid does make the world so strange but yay for still making the best of it! Sto lat, Ali! HERE is a video of where we ate and Ali's birthday singing!

  I love Christmas mornings! Santa came!! HERE is a video of the kids opening their gifts from him!

What a perfect way to kick off my 45th trip around the sun! A 5 mile run with my dad, a HILARIOUS gift from my brother, Jeff making my favorite soup (dill pickle) and birthday donuts (I don't eat them together), original art from Al that made me cry (my birds on a wire~ she added Jeff and I and our two that flew away too soon), church in our family room with my parents, (my family can sing!), traditional fun with the Fab Four, many calls, texts, & messages of birthday love from friends, family, and even students and... and... and... The cool thing about holiday birthdays is old friends who don't get reminded on social media remember it's your birthday and it's such fun catching up! I feel so blessed! Here's to a great year and a brighter 2021!  

Not a lot is going on in December 2020 but we found a light show at Pine Knob! It was fun and I have THIS gem of a video that cracks me up! Zach getting a sneak peek on what it's like to be on drugs! Watch out for elves!!  

It was a Christmas Miracle! It looked a little different but we were able to do our annual trip to Santa's Cabin and for a little while everything was right in the world! Thank you, Nana and Papa!

I love when the kids deck the halls! Time to get out the matching jammies and deck those halls! I love this tradition!! I think it's the only time of year that Jeff joins me with a glass of wine! AND... a bonus for your listening pleasure~ HERE is a video Joey had to make for school for your listening pleasure!

Look what I did?! So we had an outlet that didn't seem to work and then another outlet and I knew that something was wrong. I called my old elementary school/neighborhood friend, Doug Glowinski who is an electrician and asked if he could help me! He said he would... except he had Covid! BUT... he walked me through it and what do you know... I DID IT!!! My electrician Grandpa Drapal was probably smiling down at me. No more yucky orange extension cords in our family room!!! So proud of me!   

I give Tina credit! She was bound and determined to make a way for the kids to continue to do a musical! It wasn't live, instead it was taped and then shown "live." I am really proud of Zach for doing it. It was kind of hard to watch and follow but I did manage to find him in parts. He played Weaselton and was the comic relief and then I think a troll guy (I don't know their official name). To be honest it was hard to watch at times because of the audio and such but I managed to get THESE clips of the Goose. Ali also joined the team in the Frozen stuff... She did the choreography for some of the dancers (not the "regular" kids- the legit dancers). To teach the kids she zoomed with them and then also made this video (slow and regular speed) to help them. I just wanted to put it here to remember this time. HERE is the video.