Doesn't everyone celebrate this way

Well our anniversary is in just a few days, and we have started the beginning of our celebrating with an annual event-switching of the drain field.

When we built the house 11 years ago the drain field was finished around this time. The guy who installed it installed a split trench system - meaning there are two fields that have to be rotated from year to year. He gave Dan the tool and told him to make sure he remembers to switch it every year. Eleven years ago when I mentioned that we should switch it on our anniversary, Dan was mad.


But we have never forgotten, and switching the field is an annual reminder that not everything about marriage smells like roses - sometimes things stink a bit!!! ( you see what I did here don't you - smell-drain field.)

Pics from CA

Nate spent the last 4 days in Los Angeles. He went to see a friend from school; while he was there he hooked up with my cousin Mark. Nate and Mark had a blast. One of the things they did was eat at a Polish restaurant. This restaurant, Polka, has been featured in Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives. Nate was all excited-his thinking was if it was on a TV show the food has to be GREAT.

He ordered spinach soup, perogi, goulash and golumpki. Nate was expecting out of this world Polish food, what he got was Polish food that tasted like Busia's. Being the math major that he is he put two and two together. If this food is SOOO good and it tastes like Busia's food than Busia's food must be AWESOME. Maybe we should have Guy Fieri come to Busia's house for a meal.



He was taken aback with all the Chatski in the place. He said it reminded him of Uncle Stan's basement. The picture above is the counter where the cash register is. Nate says it takes up half the restaurant and is full of Polish Stuff - including a picture of Mark shaking hands with Pope John Paul II.

From our conversation this morning he had 4 days of extreme fun.

Here comes the Bride

Over the Memorial Day holiday our oldest godchild got married. Maureen is 6 months older than Matt and a teacher. The wedding was awesome. We saw Maureen, along with the rest of her family, the other day, and she gave me this picture. It's only a copy that's why it's a bit grainy.

Maureen and her husband, Brian, left yesterday for a two week honeymoon in Europe.

Poor Butch

Butch has had a rough summer. First off he had some cancerous growths removed a few weeks ago. Hopefully the doctor got them all.


Then last night while we were gone he got sprayed by a skunk. I guess it was just a matter of time before that happened. Luckily the internet has all the answers and we mixed a conconction of hydrogyne peroxide, baking soda and dish soap. I think it worked.

Nate's look-a-like

Last week I posted a video of Hanson where one of the guys looked and danced like Matt. I guess fair is fair. Here is Nate's look-a-like. For those of you who don't know this is Steve O from the the show Jack A** and other dumb guy shows.

A bit late

You may remember a few month ago I ran a half marathon. I was just looking back at my postings when I realized that I didn't post a picture of me crossing the finish line. I was so disappointed with my time I didn't order the "official" picture.

Well, time heals all wounds and I finally ordered the pic a few weeks ago. So here it is.

Yes I did run a 13.2 miles, yes I did finish, and yes I am thinking about running another.

Update

Here's an update from the past week.

Dan has been working on scheduling - both for the middle school and the high school. (No high school principal, assistant principal, or counselor). We're saving for our next trip, so the extra money is definatly going to come in handy.

We got out carpets and furniture cleaned this week. The guys who clean our stuff have been doing it for well over 15 years. It's always a warm feeling when workers come to the house and remember not only us but the dogs.

Nate finished up his laureate on Friday. He seemed to really enjoy working with math modeling formulas. Don't ask me what he did-I really didn't understand it. He leaves for California today. He is spending a couple days with a friend from school. He is also planning on meeting up with Mark Ozog - who is very well connected from what I hear. I'm sure he will have a blast.

Matt has been working almost every day at Pepsi. Yesterday he has to be in Coldwater at 5:00 am-which means he had to be up at 3:30. Today he has to be at the Kroger in Hillsdale at 9:00-which means he has to leave at 8:50. He definitely likes today's hours better than yesterday's.


A few weeks ago Dan and I got new bikes. Tomorrow we are going to a local rails to trails bike trail for a 20 mile ride. We have been riding 10 to 15 miles locally, so 20 miles should be no big deal. These are the best bikes we have ever had. They are called Townie. A bit unconventional in design, but super comfortable.

Matt's double

I saw this video when I was working out this morning. The guy with the aviator glasses and leather jacket looks JUST LIKE MATT. Can't wait to show him.

Oh No, not again

Some of you may remember the Friday before Matt's graduation and the incident he had with the floor of his apartment. For those of you who don't know - lets just say Matt and Nate were roughhousing and the floor caused one of his front teeth to become dislodged from his mouth.


Well - it happened again. Last Saturday the boys were at a tent party (coincidentally with the same people as earlier). Matt was walking in front of the group-turned to tell them something-and-when he turned back around walked right into a pole. And yes, he knocked out the other front tooth.

This time (because the boys are now experienced in finding a dentist on Saturday) they came home only after Matt got is tooth fixed.

For those of you keeping score-this is now the THIRD time Matt has cracked his front teeth. His dentist called on Monday telling Matt he should have crowns put on. Thank God we have good dental insurance.

Smarter not Harder

We have a problem when it comes to home improvement. We get about 90% done and then stop. We decided that we are getting this deck 100% done. Today, with the boys help, we moved bushes and put together hanging baskets.


The bushes that the boys moved were originally against the house; we moved them in April when we started this whole deck project. When we first moved them it took Dan and I a week to get 5 bushes moved. Matt and Nate dug the holes, moved the bushes, and filled the holes in 3 hours - it sucks getting old. At least Dan and I are smart enough to realize when we can make things easier for us (notice Dan supervising while the boys do the grunt work).

As you can see from the pictures we put up privacy lattice the other day. It's not that we don't like out neighbors, but now that we have a hot tub we sometimes want some privacy-if you get my drift :).

Tomorrow we move dirt and rocks!

4th of July weekend

We were very busy over the 4th weekend. We spent the 3rd at Allen and Sarah's house. As always everyone had a great time. It's nice seeing relatives. Nate played in his first poker game. In talking to him afterwards he now thinks he is an adult because he played with the old people. No he did not win. Even though he is smart he had a hard time keeping track of the crazy games that they play.

Matt was the best big cousin. Neil and Ben really took a shine to Matt - he was helping them fish and they were actually catching fish. Watching Matt made me realize that one day he will make a great dad. He is so patient with little ones. (This is not in the near future-he doesn't even have a girlfriend)

Brian, Heather and the little boys spent the 4th at our house. We swam and played and watched movies and ate treats. Just like the girls before them, it's about time the boys realize what a resort Aunt Donna and Uncle Dan's house is.

Dan is still doing things at school, and decided not to go into work on the 5th. It was nice just relaxing after such an action packed weekend.

Happy 23rd Birthday Matt

My Little Boy
I remember when you were my little boy,
An extension of my very being.
My every waking moment belonged to you.
One evening when I called you to supper,
You came to the table all grown up.
Where did all the in between go?
Too soon I was to let you go.
Now, I shall always call you "my son"
But in my heart...
you'll always be my little boy.


I can't believe that I have a 23 year old son. I remember the day he was born like it was yesterday. It actually hit me when I was thinking back on things this morning-Matt is older now than I was when I had him. Where did the time go? Yesterday I was holding a baby; today I'm looking at a man and I couldn't be more proud.