Harvest Days

So harvest started on an August Monday, and we stayed at the farm for the entire week.  This year we had lots of help:  Cousin Sam hadn't left for college in Texas yet, and Cousin Levi didn't start CHS football until the following week, so that meant SIX lunches every day:  Dad, Ben, Jerry, Jeff, Sam, and Levi.

And of course this year, we had to make it fun (and confusing for me and mom, lunch-makers extraordinaire) by creating theme names each day for the lunch coolers.  The first day's theme was Top Gun, so Dad and Ben and Jerry and the gang became Striker, Maverick, Hollywood and the rest.  Seinfeld names were quite a hit, but we stumped the younger crowd with Cheers and M*A*S*H characters.  How can you grow up not knowing who Klinger is?  Or Cliff Clavin?  Unbelievable!  Star Wars helped us go out with a bang.

They were having a pole building put up when we were there--too much machinery was spending the winter months outdoors.  Each night we had to go check out the builders' work.

On Monday, we went to visit G'ma Trudy and Papa LeRoy--we picked cucumbers and filled G'ma's bird-feeders.

G'ma Joan found this backpack for Joshy--$1!  He LOVES his new Buzz Lightyear backpack!

On Tues/Wed/Thurs, Brookie came up to watch the kids when they needed me to drive truck.  I wasn't needed ALL of that time, so we had fun taking the kids into Genesee, to see where "Mommy" went to school.  (And yes, Gracie is wearing MASCARA in this picture!  Darn those teenage cousins!)

The Genesee School looks a lot different than when I was there!  It looks so nice with the new renovations it's had...but I still remember the stairs that used to be at this front entrance!  We lined up on them after recess each day...

The kids LOVED time with Brookie.  She was a pro--she had them making cookies, drinking their milk, down for naps efficiently...  I told her that I noticed she was so comfortable with kids and she replied, "That's my life, Ellie."  :)  Cousins are MUCH easier to watch than sisters, I'd bet...

The kids were very excited to ride in the combine with Daddy.

Ben's driving the big combine...we were finishing up the fall wheat.

 Jerry and Sam

 Levi and Sam...truck driver extraordinaires!

 And the party in the unfinished machinery shed after the fall wheat was finished!

Sweet Millie posing with her cousins.  5 months old...