Caleb's Ride

Caleb loves tractors--farm tractors, construction tractors, tractor fruit snacks, anything tractor! One tractor that he's loved learning about recently is the combine. Here is snippet of what I hear all day long:

"Hahmine pick porm! Big red hahmine! Pick beans! Pick wheat! Porm no green...BROWN! Feed animals! Big red hahmine park in barm! Cayden ride Ronron's hahmine. Grandpa turn key. Grandpa wheel. "click click" ride in hahmine. Cayden pick porm! Sssshhhhhoooooooooot out back. Wagon! Deen wagon!"

Translation:
Combine picks corn! Big red combine! Pick beans! Pick wheat! Corn not green...brown! Feed animals! Big red combine park in barn! Caleb ride Ronnie's combine. Grandpa turn key. Grandpa wheel. Grandma ride in combine. Caleb pick corn! Shoot out back! Wagon, green wagon!

You might guess that when Grandpa made it possible for Caleb to get to ride in Ronnie's big red combine that he was nothing less than thrilled. By the way, the above conversation was an example from before he actually rode in the combine. He was just thinking about it and making things up. Now, he recounts the actual details of the event! He was scared at first (those combines are much smaller in all the books we have!) but he has literally not stopped talking about it since he got to ride. It's the first thing on his mind as soon as he wakes up from naps or bed. This boy has combines on the brain!

Now for the pictures:

Just after climbing into the combine, Grandpa got some soy beans out of the hopper (or the shoot, as Caleb calls it.)

Caleb, Daddy & Grandpa getting ready to go out to the field

Watching intently as Grandpa drives this big red combine

Uncle Ronnie (RonRon!) gives Caleb some corn that was stuck in the combine. Caleb has not let go of it since. He even takes it to bed with him.

Best Buds--Caleb likes to do everything Grandpa does!

After he got over the initial fear of this dog, he was so interested in her. Here he is feeding Lady a treat after she sat at his command.

Sitting in the Skid Steer with Grandma. He is asking her to put the shovel up.
"Driving" the 4-wheelerNow for a real ride! We took it out in the field and around the farm to see the cows. I don't know who enjoyed it more--Caleb or Daddy!

We had so much fun at the farm! We praise the Lord for my Aunt Carol & Uncle Ronnie who let us come take over their farm that morning. It was such a gorgeous day and we will forever treasure the memories we made. One thing is for certain--we'll have to go back. Caleb won't stop talking about it :)