Corn Harvest

Corn harvest Twenty-Fourteen has been going on awhile now! But finally one of our own corn fields was dry enough to cut! (My farmer husband works for another farmer so they both have fields). (And not all our corn is ready-just a little was dried down enough for now.) 

We got to go out on the four-wheeler and await our turn for a ride! It was right around our home place and the road across! It started out a chilly morning.

 There is the Farmer in the combine picking corn! (I just learned that its not cutting corn, its picking corn because the corn header doesn't have a sickle on it cutting the corn. Who knew. Haha.) =)

 Riding along. First time to ride this harvest season! This is about the only kind of date we get around here =) But I'll take it!

 Simon thoroughly enjoying time with his farmer Daddy doing what he loves! Farming! He loves all things tractor, combine, truck. You know- big machinery.

Simon loved that tire! Brief moment while we were stopped, he got to hop up there. It was a lot of in and out- trading riders, waiting for more semi-trucks, going back home for nap time, getting lunches and suppers ready... Then the combine broke down for a few hours, so that always makes farmers real happy... =) But its just a part of the process.

 The golden flow of corn is so pretty coming out of the auger! Can't wait to see more pictures that my sis-in-law got! She's way better at picture taking than me!

And when the farmer says to everyone that the elevator is about close so if you wanna come-jump in, you all jump in, no shoes, no clothes. Whatever. We are real classy around here. They were so excited to see how the corn dumps out of the bottom of the hopper.

So there is still some corn harvest left this year and then they will be on to bean harvest and drilling wheat before we know it, busy time in the farm life. But it was fun to have a day seeing my farmer! He's the best!

School Time

We have started school this week! Our family has chosen to do school at home this year! I've got a 4th grader, 2nd grader and a Kindergartener. We are using the Dew Learning curriculum. It is ipad/computer based and keeps track of each lesson and will keep us on schedule! If need be, the 2 younger grades have a play button on each paragraph so they *could* do the subject on their own. So far, though I've mostly been reading and explaining things to them and to Lillie too. 

I still need to order some books that are used in the curriculum but will probably do that from Amazon as we need them. The library has some that we can use so that is nice! Just need to plan ahead of when we need them and hope they are available!

We set up our classroom in the unfinished part of our upstairs. Eventually it will be finished out but for now, it is what it is. Not too pretty, but I put up a few things to make it look a little cutesy.

And of course, Simon has to have some toys to keep him busy and out of the kids' desks. But he will go to each of their desks and try to claim it as his own, so I'm thinking he needs his own...

I found each of the kids' desks at garage sales for $5 each! Then I already had the big teacher desk, just painted it white. 

It was fun getting new supplies! =)We bought the Dew learning during a promotion and got a big Staples gift card so that was fun!

And I found an awesome blogger who is also a homeschool mom, who makes super cute printables! So I put up a few of those! 

We shall see how this school year goes. We will get into the habit and schedule of things more as we go along I am sure. Zethan is still a little flighty and off the wall unless I am actually right next to him instructing him. He can't sit still or keep his hands still for more than a minute =/ Lillie misses her friends from school but we are doing what is best for our family as a whole at this stage! So we will make the best of it and have a good time doing it!

Sweet Baby {ok, ok Big Boy} About to Turn 2 Years Old!!

 Our Simon is turning 2 years old!! We can NOT believe how fast time is flying by. I know, I know, everyone is saying that! But still. Its true! Looking back at these pictures, it is kind of crazy to remember all that we were thinking and feeling and praying about in those days. So many unknowns, so many what-ifs. Putting all our trust and our expectations and desires for a healthy baby, into God's hands. Seeing how much our faith grew and our trust in our God developed is an amazing thing. Going from the initial mind-blowing, gut wrenching shock of our baby quite possibly having a cancerous tumor, to feeling God's peace filling us telling us His way is best.

Our little fella weighing in at 8 lbs 9 oz, my biggest baby (but only by a few ounces)!

Daddy with Simon as he got his first of many sonograms.

Going home after having to spend 2 nights in the hospital while they checked him over!

Look at that tiny little guy! He didn't stay small for long!!

We kinda forget things as life goes on. Simon was born with a quite large bump on his head, but it faded after a couple months.

That fluffy blue striped blankie is still his fave! He's gotta have it to sleep!

Proud big brothers.

Even still, we know just how special Simon is. With sonograms at different intervals, his tumor continued to shrink from starting out at about 3 cm, until at 18 months old, the sonogram technician and the radiologist reading the images, could not find a tumor at all. God healed our boy. He chose to allow us to continue to raise him for the time being and entrust us with him. For that, we are so so grateful. Simon was covered in prayers from all over and we felt those and God heard those and gave us the desire of our hearts. 

We are so happy to be celebrating the 2 year mark of having Simon in our lives!! Happy birthday tomorrow buddy!