Days with the Dorans

We were so lucky to be able to spend our mid-winter break in Elk Rapids! Danny usually goes but he went and visited Nicole and now that our baby is in Traverse City, we're trying to get up there as much as possible! Joey wasn't able to join us but Ali was able to come for the tail end of the weekend. Most of the week though was me, Jeff, and the Littles. Wendi and Scott came too and I'll write separate posts of some of our other adventures. It was so great to see Zach! I feel like I don't see him enough and he's far enough away that you can't just go for a day or weekend. It's a lot of driving. They had A LOT of snow up north (you can't see it in that picture. Of course Z was in crocs! I've never been up north in the winter but it was gorgeous! I realized that I forgot my shoes!!! EHHH! So I did miles in my docs. Not the best footwear for longer treks but oh well. I love my five mile route there and I was going to do it with or without shoes! Another...

It's that time of year again... HEART ATTACK! Here are what those hearts said. Sean gave me a heart attack too!  Jeff~ 1. I love that we have time for date nights 2. You are the best baby-daddy. 3. You are a great cook. 4. I love that you do little things for me that make a big difference (these hearts) 5. I'm glad we're in this crazy together 6. I love listening to you play and sing 7. You have the greatest laugh 8. I love that your job makes you happy now! 9. Thanks for folding clothes 10. I love that you pump gas (not PASS gas) Joe- 1. I love love love watching you run! 2. I love watching and listening to you play/sing 3. I love how cool you are with your sibs. 4. I love how you are the click-list picker-upper 5. I love how you can make art like it's no big deal 6. I love your smile (it was money well spent). 7. I love when you send me funny insta things 8. I love when you hug me unexpectedly 9. I love that you clean the kitchen (sometimes) 10. I am going to miss you...

I love giving my people a heart attack every year for Valentine's Day so I had to do it again. But FIRST... I had to do a MAJOR clean job. I will not even show you pictures of how bad our kitchen was. Needless to say, I was up late making the magic happen but that is kind of what I do, I guess... One day I may start with a clean kitchen- a girl can dream... It's getting close! A little Covid Funny...  

I was kind of on top of things (for once) getting my heart attack reasons ready early knowing the Bigs are leaving for Disney soon and there's a million things on my mind and plate right now. Despite that, I still ran into a few snags. The Dollar Store didn't have the heart doilies so I found these felt wreaths with hearts that I ripped apart and they worked. Of course I got the kids their treats (chips and candy) too. When I snuck down to put my hearts on the island, I found two hearts that were already there. I knew who made them since that kid is always making his own card games so I am very familiar with his style... ;-) I don't know if anything can beat me telling my kids why I love them so much but... hearing things like this may have done that. Sean wrote: Mom definition: kind, smart, helpful and more. and From Sean Dear Mom, you are so nice and and a great reader. I love you, mom. They all wake up at different times but I still managed to get ...

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...

 It was time to give my people a "Heart Attack" again. Since this is a tradition that I know they know is coming, I didn't hide the planning like I once did. They saw me working on the hearts (not what I wrote on them) but this year just seemed much faster and easier. I got the hearts at the dollar store again with some fun dollar store extras. Dad helped me out by getting the balloons this year. I told him four but he got 8~ which meant I took four to my classroom and later brought them home for Nana and Papa to surprise them when they got home from their trip.  Dad also got some chips for each kid and I picked up some cupcakes to go with it. I also picked up flowers for the Littles' teachers and some treats for the PTC teachers since the Littles have been going there the last couple weeks. On Valentine's Day, I had a busy morning- ran my 5K, spent time with the kids, walked Marty, dropped off the Littles at PTC after the Bigs were on their bus an...

I am a hard one to beat (I know that) but Jeff beat me!! He must have gotten up after I went to bed (I'm always up later). I woke to THE BEST HEART ATTACK EVER!!!! I was in our bathroom laughing out loud~ and sighing (happily)~ and just beaming from ear to ear reading all the reasons he loves me! I mean I knew I had the best husband ever but this put him over the top!!! (Better than roses or jewelry and it cost nothing but time!)  He also wrote me a little message on the mirror (I often write him notes on the mirror so this also made me smile!).  As if that wasn't enough, I got in the car to go to work and the "Love" channel was on my radio. I don't normally listen to this channel (but who doesn't love "All I Need" by Jack Wagner????). I called Jeff to see if he changed my radio station and he did! EVERY DETAIL!!! And I loved and noticed every little thing. I'm the luckiest girl on the planet! That I know!!! And bonus~ later in ...