Playing Catch-Up..... i know, i know... .it's been forever!

*(Christmas Day fun!) Matt went to go check on the house b/c of the rain/snow melting and found water pouring in to the basement b/c the septic tank stuff wasn't all hooked up and settled correctly yet! Didn't last too long.... just in time to go home, shower and make it to christmas lunch.

NICOR IS IN!!!

Electric is all done!

HVAC is all roughed in!

Kyle & Lydia came to visit

They got a ride in the shopping cart that the plumbers left for us!

Trim up and around the garage door really makes it look better!!!

Insulation is IN!

Well, most of it, we are still putting a little bit up around the ceilings.

ALMOST ready for drywall!! =) YEAH!

a little game of catch-up!

Well, I know it's been awhile... sorry about that.
Let me get you caught up on some adventures that have been happening our "not-so-exciting-right-now" lives! haha....

1. Mother's Day Weekend was quite busy!

Saturday night we went over to Mom and Dad Hoekstra's house for a get together for not only Mother's Day, but also to celebrate Mom Hoekstra's birthday! We had a wonderful steak meal and a night of fun.We start 'em early in our family! Aaron downing a cold beer!

Hahah... j/k... the bottle was empty!!

Mom H. opening her gifts!

Then Sunday was the Derks paaaarttttayyy!
A Party for Dale's Birthday & Mother's Day!
Bud, Keith and Cassidy did a little kite flying (I must say, Keith is a true MASTER at flying a kite! He manuvered -sp?- that kite through the power lines and the fence like he was a PRO!) The kids had a fun time playing on grandma's "new" swing set and playing with the play plane that Uncle Bud found.

He's such a kid at heart still! =) LOVE YOU BUD!

Dale's AWESOME present from his siblings!!!! Ooooooo, and edger! EXCITING!
I guess that's what you get when you get to be 31..... haha....

Momma D. opening her cards......
(p.s. momma.... i want the photos off of your camera from Mother's day... ok?)

2. SHIPSHEWANA!
Last week Tuesday, my mom, my sister-in-law Tricia and I went down to Shipshewana, IN. The land of the Amish, and most importantly, THE FLEA MARKET! =)
It was a gorgeous May day. The best day I could ever think of for shopping at Shipshewana. It was only the 2nd week it was open, so it wasn't crowded yet either! How great was that! =) We were even able to park in the front parking lot... something we all agreed we have never done before! I would say that our shopping was successful! From flowers to greeting cards, from spices to dipping mixes, from party supplies to toys, and a giant bag of golf balls! ( I know there was more, but I'm drawing a blank right now!) But what a great day!

3. RAIN, RAIN, and MORE RAIN!
The next couple of days we got a LOT of rain and Matt worked some night shift over in Peotone!
Needless to say, the one night where we had a very big storm, I kinda got a little freaked out when the toilet started gurgling and coming up from the shower drain I saw some light yellow colored water going up and down! Then, also, when I looked out my window, i saw a branch and leaves, REALLY CLOSE to my window... and I thought to myself "those normally aren't that close to the house".... then i went to the kitchen and saw this decent sized branch laying towards the door! Thank goodness it didn't break anything! So, once the rain finally stopped and the toilet gurgling was farther part from each other, I was finally able to fall asleep....... Here is the photo of the branch.... it was practically resting on the powerline that runs across the roof of our house!
5. CHURCH SOFTBALL
We started our church softball league this week. We didnt' win our first game, but we did very well, gave a very good fight. I played right field for the first 3 innings and then again the last inning and then batted the whole game, same with Matt! I will say, I thought I was going to be quite rusty since I haven't played in awhile, but surprisingly, I didn't do so bad! I got on base twice.... i think one was a double and then the a single and had two catches out in right field! =) Hopefully things will progressively get better! As for Matt, he is happy just sitting the bench, or so he says. He's not the most atheletic, and he'll be the first to admit that.... but he's still a good sport about it and i love to see him out there with me! =) LOVE YOU BABE!

6. THIS COMING MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND!
This weekend is Memorial Day weekend! I can not wait til it hits 3:30... b/c I am OUT OF HERE UNTIL WEDNESDAY!!! WHOOOOOHOOOOOOO!!!!!! (ok, sorry, that was my inner self going crazy and getting all excited!). But we actually have plans this weekend! And some BIG ONES! Hahah...... here is the run down - I like lists better than making it all in paragraph form!

Friday - Kyle & Lydia (nephew & niece) are coming over and we are babysitting them while Dale & Esther go out to Princess Cafe for dinner..... we are going to order Aurelios pizza and have fun night with some kids!

Saturday - Grocery shopping? Most likely! And my friend Kristen Kuipers is going to come over on her way to DeMotte. Other than that, I'm hoping to get some cleaning done.... maybe start a little window cleaning! =)

Sunday - Matt's RICHARD PETTY DRIVING EXPERIENCE!!!!! YEAAHHHH!!! I am so excited for him to do that. I am so happy that I got him this for a wedding gift. I know he appreciates it, because I'm pretty sure that he wouldn't spend that kind of money on himself for that! Just don't crash ok baby?

Monday - MEMORIAL DAY!!!! We are going to have a party with some friends! Nicholas & Rachele, Nathan & Leah with their amazingly adorable girls are coming, Scott & Traci and the handsome boys are coming and also Mike Dillman!!! =) We are going to cookout, have some burgers, play a little bean bags and just catch up (we all live so close, but hardly see each other!) I can't wait to see the babies either! Leah & Traci have both recently just had babies in the past couple of months!!!!!

Welp, I think that should catch you up to speed... i'm sure there are some things I missed and I'm sorry. But I probably should get back to actually working here at this place I call "work."

Matt & Cassidy B'day + Easter BASH!

Here are some pictures from yesterday's BASH at my parents house!

Do you think they are going to be able to find the egg?

She's a monkey alright!

Mikayla finding an egg on top of daddy's head!


Cheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeese!

Look Mikayla found a dollar!

Grandma sorting out the eggs with the kids!

The BIG 3-0!

Matt opening presents

Matt and his super sweet cake! =) (It was for both Cassidy & Matt)

Is it here yet???

IS IT HERE YET?

My grandma Stouwie told me today that "I'm ready.... you can get married anytime now!" And of course I had to tell her.... "Grandma, we're ready too, can you be there next weekend!"

We are getting to the point where we are just ready for it to be here! As much as this whole driving back and forth, taking naps before we drive home, and saying good-bye to each other all time is OH SO FUN, we are READY for that to be over!!!! =)

We had our last and final shower this past Saturday! Matt's Hoekstra aunts did a great job putting together a nice shower for us! Great company, great food and we got a lot of great presents! We are so blessed to have 2 wonderful families and also friends that care so much for us and love us even more! So, thank you for that!

The rest of the weekend was pretty busy. Before we had the wonderful pleasure of going back to the same restaurant as the Hoekstra Shower a little later on that night for a 60th anniversary/Retirement Party... I re-organized some of the shower gifts, getting it ready for this week when the moms and i organize and clean matt's kitchen and put all the new stuff into his cabinets!!!!! And while I was doing that... MATT (my WONDERFUL LOVE) put together shelves that I have been bugging him to get us for the basement to put all our extra crap on!!!! I am so thankful for him doing that. Then it was time to go the B'day/Retirement party for Uncle Chuck...... again, great food and wonderful company. It was a fun packed day!

Sunday, was Kyle's 1st B'day Party (my nephew). Here are 2 photos..... (one is the RIDE-ON Fire Truck me, matt, & bud gave him.... and the other is a photo of him not wanting to eat his cake after matt & bud forced his hands into the cake!)
And I can't wait for later this week!!!
Tuesday: I have a 1/2 day of work and I get to have another DRESS FITTING and then when that's done, I will be heading out to Matt's to start getting ready to "tear apart" his kitchen on Wednesday!!! Can you tell I'm really excited about doing this!??!
Wednesday: I have the whole day off to RE-DO Matt's kitchen
Saturday: BACHELORETTE PARTY!!!!!! It is ALLLL a surprise to me and I can't wait for it...


(one sad thing though.... Matt is going to be gone this weekend! =( But he'll be having just as much fun as i will be!!!!! He will be in Houston with his buddies for their annual CUBS weekend!!!! They pick one weekend, a different stadium every year to go see the CUBS play!!!!)
Well, that's all for now... I hope everyone had a great weekend!
We love you all!