future aspirations.

Do you ever wonder what kids are paying attention to, what they remember, or what makes an impression on them?

Tonight Chase and I were discussing how I became a Dieleman after I married Daddy. I told Chase that someday when he marries a girl she will too will have the last name of Dieleman. Chase then stated rather matter of factly that when he is a daddy he would also like to be a pest. I asked him what he meant by that, and he said, "ya know, like when daddy is always a pest and runs after you in the kitchen, and bugs us." He was completely serious so I didn't want to laugh. This is what Chase notices about his Daddy? That he is a pest? Pestering people is what he wants to do when he grows up? Do they offer career counseling in first grade?

I take this as a good thing, I guess. Chase must enjoy it when Dan plays with (pesters) him. He must also find it amusing when Dan "bugs" me in the kitchen while I am trying to cook or clean up. (You husbands out there know what I'm talking about)

It could be worse though, Chase could grow up and constantly be asking people to scratch his back--- just another thing he might learn from his Daddy.

oh, Dan, how we love you :)

My First Trophy

This was the first year of T-Ball for Chase. After four rain outs early in the season, they finished strong with a winning record. Of course, their are no losers in T-Ball, just a bunch of kids that have as many chances as the stars in the sky to get a hit off the tee. While waiting for their turn at bat, anyone on Chase's team could be found staring at the sky, playing in the dirt on the field, running to the port-o-john, or dancing around on base. It was amusing to watch but even more heart warming to see them, after a hit, run (sometimes lollygag) from base to base. Oh, to be a 6 year old again. No scoring, no losers, only winners and everyone gets a trophy at the end of the season.

I am fricking June Cleaver!!

Last night I was vacuuming the stairs with a skirt on, and tonight --8pm--on a Friday night I am cleaning tubs and toilets! What has become of me???? I have reincarnated the spirit of June Cleaver complete with a Wally (Chase) and Beaver (Drew, of course).

I used to be so happenin', I used to go out on Friday nights. I used to hardly ever, almost never vacuum the stairs. Much has changed. Life has changed. I'm not complaining, I feel that I often resemble a mom in the 50s--staying at home with no outside job, cooking, cleaning, laundering, and keeping my kids occupied while the husband is out bringing home the bacon. I do enjoy it, but often feel a little outdated in today's society. Dan warns we that my days of truly being a SAHM are numbered. Once the kids are in school--to work I will go. So for now I better enjoy being June, and maybe whip up some fresh baked cookies or something, wearing a dress and an apron, of course.

Before and After

I love those before and after photos. Haircuts, weight loss, surgery,home improvements, repair jobs, etc.

While Dan is away in Petoskey this week I have been tackling a few home projects of my own. Honestly, we are not pigs, but our basement tends to get a tad out of control from time to time. Here are the before and after photos following three days straight of my kids playing downstairs all day.



Kids have an uncanny ability to seek out and destroy anything neat and orderly. I swear when Drew woke up the next morning and his radar was set to the toy room, he was immediately dumping out the toys looking for some old McDonalds toy that I threw out the day before!!

Why do I bother? I don't know what is more frustrating~~ Biting the bullet and cleaning up the mess hole or watching them systematically recreate the mess hole.

Whatcha gonna do?

Payne Lake 2006

Some photos of the kids enjoying the cottage this summer.

The highlights:

• Chase's 16" Bass
• Mother's Hole-in-One at mini-golf
• Dewey casting himself right off the dock with his fishing pole.
• Michelle skiing and crossing the wake!
• Dan actually getting in the water and not complaining about the mushy bottom.
• the Taco Bell dog (Rigo)
  
• Watching and singing the theme song to "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" on Nick and Nite (You know it Ross!)

What goes around...

Comes around. So remember when I dinged the car at D & W parking lot and quickly fled the scene? Karma has quick turn around.

Saturday, I left the windows open on our van and left it in the driveway. Shortly thereafter, the sprinklers went off---soggy mini-van.
The day before that, Dewey backed his Power Wheels truck into the bumper of the van, leaving a nice, sizeable, gray scuff mark.

I suppose I deserved it.

Summer Is Pretty Much Over.

Every year at this time (after the 4th of July) I feel like summer is almost done. Just kiss it good-bye until next year. I don't know why I feel this way, I always have. I have lost interest in keeping my garden weed free, I don't care if the grass is brown, I stop deadheading my flowers. I figure the doom of fall and winter is just around the corner. It is ridiculous, no?

For Stacey, summer really is over. She had a good run goin' but now she is stuck in a hospital bed looking at summer out the window. Still she is positive, still she is hopeful, STILL she is patient. It is truly inspirational. This is why God chose her to be a mother of triplets. Stacey does not look at the loss of carefree days, she delights in keeping her daughters nestled inside as long as she can. Even if it is from the confines of a hospital room.

The lesson learned here is that I tend to rush my life along, my mind always moving to the next phase, always looking to events yet to come. I need to take stock daily in what is going on right now in my life and in the lives of those around me. Enjoy some aspect of every day. It is only July 6 after all.
Besides, I still need to work on my tan lines so I don't end up looking like the computer programmers out there...sorry Kraig!

Cleansing Ritual

I'm not sure exactly how else to describe it. It seems that every summer I need to have a little talk with myself about the importance of budgeting, saving, and allocating our personal finances. Today is that day for me. Three years ago we had one credit card, and we used it rarely. Today I realized that have collected a bunch of those "store cards" You know, the ones that if you apply for the card you get a cool 10 percent off you purchase. Tempting little buggers that they are I have decided to do away with them. I got out the big scissors (every house has some) and snipped away at the ability to buy it now and pay it later.

Don't get me wrong here. I don't think that credit cards are evil incarnate. Many people use them and have no problems with keeping them paid off. What a credit card allows me to do is to almost always spend so much more than I should, or would, had I used my debit card.

To sum up, credit cards sliced, checking register balanced (sadly, it has been too long), and time to dig up the crusty, dusty budget envelopes from last summer.

Dave Ramsey would be so proud. I am less than thrilled.