Days with the Dorans

We have again put the bigs in swim lessons. They're doing much better than last summer and although they aren't jumping into a pool like they do the lake, they are getting more brave. Living on a lake all summer, I know how important it is that they learn how to swim. We've chosen at this time however, NOT to put Zach in swim lessons. Of course they do offer classes for children Zach's age, even Sean's age actually, but we've chosen to wait until they're a little older. I did ask Zach if he wanted to come with us this morning to watch his sibs swim. He was in a great mood and although I could have let him stay home with his dad and Sean, I chose to bring him anyway... and my camera. I don't know when Zach will get potty trained, but I don't see it happening any time soon. He has NO interest and I've accepted the fact that come this spring, I'll probably still have two sizes of diapers in our house. Although I know this to be t...

My Grandpa Jonasen was a sensitive soul- almost too sensitive. An amazing musician, I remember him telling me that he was invited to play at a local bar and after much thought he decided that he couldn't. He would feel so badly if someone came to listen to his music, left after having too much to drink and got hurt... (Who thinks like that?) He was also a man who loved deeply. He and my Nan had such an amazing marriage I remember he could look at her and just well up. I could go on and on and on. He would often say, "Well, I'm not going to bawl about it!" with a wink because we all knew that man carried his heart on his sleeve and would let the water fall even for things as simple as hearing a beautiful chord in a familiar hymn ... He and I were very close, (and pen-pals for decades) which of course is why we named our first living son after him. Unfortunately, his namesake seems to have inherited the same tender heart as his Great-Grandpa... Yesterday Jonasen sa...

We try our best to make a trip to visit Jeff's mom in Saginaw as much as we can. With kids getting sick left and right lately, this has been tough. I was thrilled that we made a trip last weekend and that our Doran kids got to see the other Doran kids! (Jeff's brother's) I had my 'blog book' with me to show Grandma Doran and my niece, Mary, saw it and of course I told her that she should start blogging! This last week (probably thanks to the blog book I've showed friends) I have had four friends start their own blogs and I hope to see more! I joke and say that I need it to remember these moments (that I write about) in case my memory goes like my Nan's... but the truth is some of the funny stories I've looked back on I have forgotten- but the writings and the pictures jog my memory wonderfully- and to have videos of Zach's first steps and such- well, that makes it all so worth it and then some! So I have blogs, blogs and more blogs- blogs f...

Last fourth of July, my Nan (Great-Nan now because my kids made her 'great') fell and broke her hip. She was super active and so the fall really slowed her down. She spent a long time in the hospital and then to a rehabilitation place to learn to walk again. Well... her original surgery did not go well and she has been in almost constant pain. A second opinion concluded that she needed surgery AGAIN! So we find ourselves back where we were last summer- only this time my brother and I are not off for summer (we're both teachers) and so my mom has been quite literally it seems- living at the rehab place with my Nan. Thankfully, this last week we had off for mid-winter break so were able to make some visits. At 91 years young, my Nan has always been in great physical health, but has started to get forgetful. Being in an unfamiliar place has been really hard on her (and in turn on my mom) which is one of the reasons I've been blogging so much. (Something for them t...

At four months, Sean Asher is a fabulous baby! He is a constant smiler, rarely fusses and loves to talk! At his appointment today he was in the 50 th percentiles for both weight and height which is shocking because our boys have always been so small on the charts- (and Ali Jane never even being on them!) He loves to pull hair and put things in his mouth- including his thumb! Uh oh! Ali Jane was a thumb sucker... so much easier to take away a nuk than a thumb... oh well- for now we're working on getting some sleep at night!!

Those of you who have read Fish Tales Parts I and II (see label below if you haven't) know that eventually there would be another chapter to the story. Here it is... Yesterday while the middles were at school, Papa came and got Joe so they could have a fun day- lunch and then- A NEW FISH! I am not going to write about how lunch went- that's another blog in itself- so stay tuned... When they returned from their adventure, I noticed that the all-too-familiar brown bag with fish was missing from their hands. My dad said that again the man at the fish store said that Joe's tank's water was bad. (Papa had brought in a sample.) This time the man said to treat the water and bring a sample back pronto- which is what my dad did- and this time he returned with a new blue fish! A Beta, just like Ali Jane's- and the best part is Joe's new fish is BLUE! (Just like he wanted!) He of course went through names for his fish and he settled on Rocky. Papa and I thought that app...

(Look closely- Joe is smiling in the chair under the light) I am off work all week. In my district we have a mid-winter break, which is (in my opinion) a God-send! By February the kids are already getting antsy - and whether it is because of the weather or... whatever the reason- it's a nice break to have. It's also a great time to catch up on doctor and dentist appointments and so that is what we've been doing all week. And yes, Joe and Al have been documenting it all in their writer's notebooks. We go to the same dentist that I went to when I was young. One of the things I like about going to the dentist is seeing the old pictures of both my brother and me and some of our neighborhood friends on our first trip to the dentist. Now the bigs have their pictures up too and because when I got married my last name still began with a 'D' the pictures of the Doran kids, and the Drapal kids are all side-by-side! The bigs were actually quite excited to go to the ...