Long hours + dirt + grain = harvest!

So I wasn't planning on driving truck until the first of Sept. when we started spud harvest, but they needed some extra help, so i've been driving truck for a few weeks now. I really don't mind the work- its good pay, Sheila keeps Blake for us (what a saint!), I get to see Doug in the field, and the worst part is that sometimes it gets boring.... I have been entertaining myself by singing along with the radio (notice the updated playlist of my recent favorites) and I just finished reading Twilight. We enjoy the company of the stars as we do laundry and dishes and it seems like we just crash every night, but knowing its only a few months provides light at the end of the tunnel!

We have also enjoyed visits from some of my cousins, Melissa and Jared and their two boys, Eric and Danny from Texas. Their kids are so smart and adorable. And another visit from my amazing cousin Lisa, her hilarious husband Wayne, and their super cool kids, Emily, Johnny, Carrie, and Benny, who live in Missouri. Blake loved playing with the boys (see the pics below)!

Doug's little brother, Curtis turned 16 a couple weeks ago and he had to spend the whole day in the tractor working. I threw him a surprise party and invited all his friends, mostly girls- what a ladies man, and he seemed to enjoy it. I hope he enjoyed his Sweet 16!

The only bad news to share is that I have had a tooth hurting and got in to the dentist today to find that I have to have a root canal next week. :( Whatever they did today was just a preview of what's going down next week, and I walked out of the office in tears today from the pain!

Besides the discouraging root canal, we are doing fine. We are looking forward to our friends Sherise and Nate getting married tomorrow and then Doug starting school on Monday.

Here are just a few pics of Blake riding in the tractor and combine with Doug and Shane, and having a fun with his cousins -enjoy!

Blake, Danny and Eric ganging up on my dad in a major pillow fight!

Blake applying what he learned in summer swimming lessons.

Any uncle that takes Blake for a ride in the BIG combine is an instant hero!

Shane letting Blake drive the combine. Thanks uncle Shane, you're great!

On the mend...

We went back to Dr. Matsuuras office yesterday and the intern that was working there removed two more pieces of metal. The assistant that has worked there for 16 years said she has never seen so many "foreign objects" in a single eye before. Doug went back to work today and the dialation is almost gone. Now he just has to worrry about antibiotic/steriod drops for the next few days. His eye is looking so much better and the swelling has gone down as well. He should be ready to work a busy 75 hour week starting Monday! We are grateful that everything has turned out okay and we will consider this the first of many "Harvest Blessings."