october

Normally, the beginning of October brings a sense of relief for me, but not so much this year.  Years previous, Mike has finished celery harvest around mid-October, so when the month starts it feels like we're so close to being done.  However, at this point the projected end date is October 27.  The 27th!!!  The END of the month!  So, even though the four weeks that are left are a small amount compared to what's already been completed, it feels like a long ways away.  Overall, on my end of things, this has been one of the most manageable harvest seasons for me.  As the kids are getting older, it's getting a little easier.  We still miss Mike during the week, but the number of days that I'm DESPERATE for him to get home from work are less and less.  :)

Two weekends ago Mike and I had a chance to go to a quincenera for the granddaughter of a couple that works for him (and I know them from way back when I worked there).  We went with another couple from work that we've known a long time, and had a nice evening.  One thing's for sure, if my parent's had thrown me a party like that when I turned 15, Mike and I would have had to elope - there wouldn't have been any money for a wedding!  I've been to several different events, but this was my first quincenera.  There were a lot of guests, plenty of good food, and loud music.  :)  A live band was coming in just as we had to leave and they sounded really good.  The girl's dress was beautiful and elaborate.  It was interesting to see some of the traditions like her entourage (I don't know the actual term) of young men that sit at the head table with her, and do some special dances with her.  Also, her being presented with some special gifts by her parents and other family members.

Last week was my first volleyball game with the church team I am playing on.  It was fun to play again!  I was worried that I was going to be super rusty, but it wasn't too bad.  :)  I'm no teenager anymore, but it was a good time and I wasn't terrible.  Ha!

Last Thursday morning I was able to be a driver for a field trip for Levi's class.  Jackson spent the morning with Uncle Harold, and I think they both enjoyed that.  We went to The Critter Barn, and it was really neat!  I got to learn all about cows and other farm animals.  ;)  Levi got to hold a chicken and a new baby chick, feed hay to goats and cows, and milk a goat.  Thankfully we had really nice weather.  The heat wave was just over, and it was a perfectly nice day.  In the afternoon I did my last batch of salsa for the season - feels great to be done with that!  In total this year I canned 17 pint jars and 17 quart jars.  Yikes!  We go through the stuff like crazy - and the boys don't even eat it yet.  :)  What am I going to do when they decide they like it, too??

This past Saturday Mike and I went to his cousin's wedding (after a busy day of Mike combining soybeans and having to load three trucks at work).  We've come to really enjoy these cousin weddings - it's a nice kid free time with other family members.  It's been dawning on me, though, that we're just about done with cousin weddings, and we'll soon be started on niece/nephew weddings (and with the quantity and age range of nieces and nephews we have, it's going to last a long time).  I think those will be just as fun - I'm fine with being the crazy aunt!  :)  Anyways, the wedding was very nice.  The ceremony was at a small church in Spring Lake, and the reception was on a farm in Nunica.  It had such a great, old barn!  It was really neat the way they had it set up inside.  I've also decided that the next time we have to get dressed up for something, I need to get new black heels.  I have a pair of heels I keep stashed away for special occasions, but I can hardly walk in them anymore (whether I'm on the flat surface of a church sanctuary or the uneven floorboards of an old barn).  It's time for something with a lower, sturdier heel.  Yep, I'm old.  Let's hope I can still be fashionable.

Sunday morning we slept in and it was wonderful!  We haven't done that in AGES.  It was great to not have to rush off first thing in the morning.  We still had plenty of time to make it to Sunday School and then the late service at church.  During this time of year Mike somehow makes it through the week okay on little sleep, but then on Sundays he crashes.  Even after sleeping in (and we really didn't go to bed all that late the night before), he slept all afternoon and then had no problem going to bed at night.  Will be nice when we can get back to a more normal schedule.  :)

Jackson is still not getting on board with grocery shopping.  I REALLY hope at some point here he realizes it's a lot more pleasant if he just goes with the flow.  My visions of going around town with one child and enjoying our errand running and shopping are not becoming a reality just yet.  We've got a few years to go before Jackson goes to school - it has to improve at some point.  Please!

Jackson is still obsessed with Wuvi, Daddy, Papa, cows, and rides on tractors and forklifts.  He still takes a "fi" (pacifier) at bedtime, and I haven't decided when we're going to work on that.  I'm thankful he's not used to having it all the time, but taking it away at bedtime is not going to be fun.  He's been more focused in some of his play, and that's fun to watch.  He enjoys driving toy tractors and forklifts around, and will really concentrate on it.  His favorite stuffed toy for bedtime is a mushroom that I had as a child (weird, I know), which he calls Mimi.  He tells me when he does a stinky - still a ways from potty training, but there's a light at the end of the diaper tunnel!  Jackson is in a very picky stage right now, and I keep trying to remind myself that it's only temporary.  It seems like there's hardly anything that I can get him to eat right now!  Hard to believe he's getting enough calories consumed in a day.

I still marvel at how focused Levi is on farming.  He can ride in the combine for hours without getting bored, and in his playtime at home he plays with his farm equipment and really plans out what he's doing.  I guess yesterday during quiet time he was combining corn and soybeans, and he told me when I called him down that he had just combined one round of his bean field.  He's very intent on getting some new farm equipment toys for Christmas.  Not only does he play with the farm toys he has, he likes to plan out and build new things with Duplos and Legos.

Caleb and Logan were excited to work on their birthday and Christmas lists for Grandpa and Grandma.  It's a little hard to get them to focus and to understand the amount they can/cannot get.  :)  I also worry about them changing their minds before the time comes, but oh well!