Kids and Harvest

It's good to have another harvest behind us! I have to say, each year the combine cab seems to be a little tighter fit. Five kids and two adults is quite a squeeze. Things usually start out well, but as the ride goes on, kids start fighting about someone touching someone or someone looking at someone or someone taking someones food or drink... but hey they're only young once so we better enjoy it while it lasts, right! :)

This was Allison's first harvest, as you can see she loved to ride along. She can pull levers and push buttons with the best of them.

Combining beans on a nice afternoon.

I'll admit, I don't find pictures of equipment very exciting but my boys sure enjoy them. Especially in the photo books I make every year for our family. 

My attempt at getting the girls picture together in the combine wheel.

We'll just play "so big" instead of smile at mom.

Anton will ride any chance he gets, it's fun to see him taking interest in what Mark does.

Elijah also loves riding along, and goes with Mark as often as he can.

Two brothers hanging out in the back of the truck. 

September Highlights

September was a busy month harvesting and other full times. Many school and church activities started and there is always lots to do around the house and yard. These are a few pictures with the exception of some harvest ones that I will post about soon.  

This is Allison at 8 months pulling off all the books on the bookshelf. 

It amazes me how different each child is and how they all liked a different toy or kind of play at this age. However, EVERY one of them loved making this huge mess!!!  

Amelia finally gets her own ride!!! 

Two hours after she got her new 4-wheeler she broke her arm. :(  Not riding, falling off a roof, long story, but she's alright and only had to be in a cast for 3 1/2 weeks. The nurses where showing her the nice pink and purple cast colors but she choose blaze orange. You really couldn't miss her. :)

We bumped Elijah to a differnent bike and now Anton gets the TTR, as you can see by his smile he is loving it!

Yes, they do make training wheels for dirtbikes. :)

Farm kids in the back of the truck. They were supposed to be staying clean for family pictures. 

Our 2012 apple harvest, impressive huh. The warm March and late frost froze almost all my apple blossoms off. I didn't have any Red Delicious apples at all. 

Crawling on gravel makes you tough.

Amelia and her real baby doll. 

Mark started riding again after ACL surgery. He's done so well and had a smooth recovery.

I have a new niece, Kaelyn Rose. I'm so excited Allison will have a girl cousin her age to play with on my side!

August Update - Part 2

Now that's it's October I  think post State Fair and Back to School pictures, someday I'll get caught up on my blog. ;) 

Here is Allison at 7 months, learning to pull herself up on things.

Allison likes to hang out under the table, she's pretty good at finding anything dropped during mealtime. Gross, I know. 

We made it to the State Fair for a couple hours. We hit the favorites, like the Little Hands on the Farm. Here Anton is filling up his tractor with Soy Bio-diesel.

Elijah doing a great job hauling his crop in. 

Another favorite is the Animal Learning Center. This little chick just hatched. 

We stopped to see friends at the Farm Bureau tent, and did a tough man contest. They made Ethan try the kids one first, when he got that the first time they moved him up to the big guy one. 

Anton and Elijah sporting some very festive John Deere hats.

I tried to make it without looking at equipment, but we had to pass it on the way to look through campers. Here Mark and Ethan are checking out a skidloader with a side door. I didn't get any pictures of the campers, but it was so fun to look through them with the kids. Each one they went through they would discuss who would sleep were and how we could all fit. It was very sweet. 

We had a busy wedding weekend. Friday night was Mark's cousin's wedding. Amelia was a gift attendant.

All the pretty gift attendants.

Next was my cousins wedding. Ethan and Amelia were guest book attendants. As you can tell Ethan was super pumped about this job. :) 

First Day of School - Ethan 4th grade, Amelia 1st grade.