Days with the Dorans

 I'm Baaaaacckk... I closed my classroom Friday, Ali had her recital, all Bigs have officially FINISHED baseball and I feel like I can finally EXHALE (and catch up on blogging)! Jeff finished school a week before I did and unlike us Elementary School Teachers, Secondary Teachers tend to close up their classrooms pretty quickly so instead of going to school my final week, the Littles got to stay home with dad. I don't think that it has really sunk in that Z will be going to kindergarten next year.  I took a picture of him with his teacher (the wonderful Miss Beth) but it didn't really feel like goodbye.  Miss Beth gave me an AWESOME journal filled with "Zachisms" that I can't wait to post here.  I also got a disc of pictures of both Zach and Sean and their adventures at school.  I feel so blessed for the wonderful beginning all of our children have gotten from their preschool.  But all good things must come to an end and so Z says fare-thee-well to ...

Like last year, the Littles will be going to school three days a week because my mom will watch them one day, and my dad the other. Today was their first school day- the first day of the last year Z will be in preschool! He has been very excited talking all about Ms. Beth (who also taught Joe and Al) and how happy he is to have her as a teacher. Sean of course, had no idea what was in store for him this morning. He was excited when he got his shoes and coat on (it has been chilly in these parts) and waved to the Bigs and Papa saying, "Goodbye!" and I pretended for a moment that leaving him would be easy. But- I knew it wouldn't be and it wasn't. I am not an emotional mom really. I haven't cried leaving my babies at school ever- probably because I know I'll see them later in the day. Maybe this is because I am a teacher so know what goes on during the day- or maybe it's because I am a teacher with little down time to think of much of anything oth...

Ali Jane was over the moon when she heard that we could go to her teacher's wedding. (And I have to admit that I was excited too.) The wedding was at our church and the only other wedding I had attended there was my own. Ali Jane of course had to wear her 'wedding dress' and though we sat in the back (like my students did 8 years ago...) Ali Jane was so well behaved we could have been right up front! Before the wedding Ali Jane went through the wedding dress styles of all the princesses and clearly the most exciting part of the wedding for her was what Ms. Beth would look like- and she looked beautiful! Al was wanting to see them dance at the wedding (just like the princesses do) and was upset that we wouldn't see the dance. It was wonderful watching her experience her first wedding. (She only attended my brother's reception... didn't want to risk my kids misbehaving at his wedding ceremony...) But watching and listening are two different things. I took...