Spud Harvest

This is one of my favorite times of year. I love harvest. I love the smell, the dirt...all of it. And my kids are right there with me. We were pretty busy this time heading back and forth to Grandpa Kim's farm and "dad's farm". Eli worked for my cousin so we were all over the place. Tyler loved the treats and pop. Allie loved Daddy's big truck and Zach just loved everything. That kid would drive a digger today if we let him. The days are long but I love them. And I realized I get a lot more done around the house when Eli doesn't get home until midnight. My dad swears up and down that this is his last year and I actually believe him. Everyone kept asking me if I was sad riding around with him on the last day. It was just another harvest to me. It's all I've known my entire life. I think it will hit me more next year when I have no tractor to ride in but.....there is always the water truck Kimmer! I know as good as the next person how hard it is to keep a farmer away from the farm.

"I ride a horsey!"

Now before I start this post I just want to make it clear that we do not own a horse. We are never around horses. We don't know anything about them, except that they eat apples and sugar cubes and your hand if you don't pay attention. The closest I've come to horses was about 20 years ago (or more...) when my uncles horse stayed in our windbreak for the summer and I would fill a big bucket with water for it everyday and we would try to jump on its back to ride around. As far as I know, Eli has never even been on a horse. We have boys that play sports, catch bugs and get dirty but not around horses. And up until 3 weeks ago we had a little girl that loved babies, pink and pigtails. Then she woke up and I heard these words "I ride a horsey!" Ok, I thought...whatever. Then she said it again, and again, and again. For about 5 days I listened to this phrase over and over until it got to the point that I loaded the kids in the car, drove to my uncles where luckily a horse was standing by the fence. We got out, fed it some grass, pet its neck and got back in the car and came home. I was hoping it would calm her need for a horse...I was wrong. Suddenly she needed a horse, to watch a horse movie and still "ride a horsey!" Where did this come from????? My sister had a sick obsession with horses. She would only wear a dress if she could wear boots. She would only play with her cabbage patch dolls if they were dressed like cowgirls. She grew up and bought a horse. Is this where I'm headed? It is so far out of my league. Nevertheless it is so cute, and funny that she came up with her own little quirky thing that she LOVES. So for her birthday I got ahold of my sister's friend that has a pony and the rest is history.

Even though it was for her, the boys were digging the pony too...and the goats and the dead dog by the trailer that got shot in the face the day before for eating all the chickens. That is life on the farm and they thought it was so cool.
Oh boy! The horsey!

Don't let little Scooby fool you. She may be small but she is no lightweight. Just ask Eli's toes how they are still feeling after being trampled.

Our natural born little cowgirl. I thought she might panic when we tried to put her on the pony, but I was wrong. She practically dove to get on, and grabbed right onto the horn of the saddle like she had been doing it all her life. She sat up straight and took off. So cute. Guess what though...this morning I woke up and heard the words "I ride a horsey!"