Days with the Dorans

  I am not a huge fan of fairs and either is my family. Joey did go up one day to walk around with friends without me and I did go up with Ali and her friend Ellie but the Littles really had no desire which saved me some money. On Friday night, I took the girls and I hung out with JoJo while they walked around. They found out the parts for the Mary Poppin's musical at school and I think they spent more time on their phones "chatting" with people about that than they did on the rides but they seemed to have fun. The next night we left the kids at home and walked over to the beer tent (it still seems weird to me to see drinking and gambling at a church but oh well). When Jeff and I walked up there the Gearys, Cosmans and Jodie were already at a table~ we Dorans seem to be fashionably late often although we lack in the fashion department. I kept on my glasses and hat since I wasn't feeling uber social (and the St. Pat's fair seems to have lots of pe...

 Jeff and I were surprised (somewhat happily) that the Bigs opted to stay home from the fair. I feel like they were just exhausted (so were Jeff and I) and wanted to stay home after a busy day of running. The Littles were full of energy so we went and bought our limited amount of tickets and when they were done, they were done. I was SHOCKED when the first ride they went on was the swings. Fair rides make me nervous and it sure made Seany nervous too. He looked PETRIFIED up there but he survived it with a smile, but a "No thanks!!!" about going again.  They hit some more tame rides and were having a good time. Z didn't want to go on anything too crazy but he did want to go on a spinny ride that he, Al and I went on last year but Seany wanted NOTHING to do with. I took one for the team and went with him while Jeff headed to the merry-go-round with Sean. The best part was when it was over, it was over. We had a great time, went home and lived happily ever after! An...

 Our lives are so crazy busy (which is one reason I'm writing about things that happened a month ago).  I've mentioned before that Jeff and I aren't "fair" people, but I have to say that this year was SO. MUCH. BETTER. I'm pretty sure it's because our kiddos are getting older! We had two (or was it three?) soccer games the day of the fair but since it's around the corner from our house, we really HAD to go.  It cost us $70 for tickets that we bought.  We decided next year, we'd go ahead and fork out a little extra money and let the kids get bracelets...  We liked the time limit before, but after this year, I think it's time. We really didn't see Joe at all.  He saw his friends and took off with them.  We'd see him occasionally to get more tickets but for the most part we'd spy him from far away and like good parents, we kept our distance!  All the other kids ran into friends, too... even Seany which was fun! Sean love...

 Jeff and I aren't really 'fair' people... but there isn't an easy way to avoid them when you have to drive roads where tents, light up rides and music are screaming... "COME KIDS!"  We managed two fairs in one day last Sunday (or I should say I did... Jeff only came to the second fair).  The first "End of Summer" fair was at my Nan's. It was actually pretty neat.  They had food but we didn't get home from church until after noon so I opted to feed the kiddos and then walk over to my Nan's.  The first thing we did was check out the ponies.  Both middles took a turn riding them but Joe and Sean both showed no interest.  Joe seemed eager to leave right away to get to the 'other' fair and Seany just wanted to go in the bounce house. It actually worked great because as everyone was heading to an "Exotic Zoo" show, the bounce house cleared out so that the Doran kids pretty much had the entire place to themselves!  ...

We have lived in our current home for five years now and somehow we have managed to avoid a fair that goes on each year at a Catholic church literally within walking distance of our house. Jeff and I aren't fair folk- I can't stand spinning rides, the food always makes me sick, and those who know me well know that I can't stand spending money especially on rides that last two seconds and go around in circles... But - I do spend money on my kids, and so Jeff and I grinned and loaded up the kids and were off to the fair. We went in the evening after soccer (rather than during the day when it would have been harder to get them to leave), said we'd spend forty bucks and get the heck out of there. Last year we managed to avoid the fair by driving in the opposite direction of it and acting surprised when the Bigs complained that they were the ONLY kids in their WHOLE SCHOOL that didn't go to the fair. I have to admit that it was fun to see them so excited. There wer...