Spud Harvest

While we were having such a "great time" at home, Doug and Austin were in Dayton working potato harvest on the Beutler Farms.  The Farms are owned by Dougs' cousin Wesley Beutler, and is run by he and his son Andrew.  Austin has been working for them since June, and Doug went up for the spud harvest at the first of October.  He was gone for 3 weeks and sent me some pictures so that I could share them.  He loved working with his Dad and Austin.  Grandma fed them well and made them lunches everyday!  We really appreciate all they did for the boys while they worked!  And we appreciate the opportunity to work!   Here are some pictures from Doug. 

The trucks and the potato digger getting ready to get digging.

The view from Doug's truck as he gets loaded. 
The digger brings 12 rows together and loads them at the same time so
it only takes about the length of a football field to load the trucks to capacity.

The view as Austin loads his truck.

The rear view of Austin loading.

Austin in on his way to the scale and the pit where he will unload
 the potatoes into the cellars.

Austin unloading his truck onto a conveyor belt.

As usual with farming, there are a lot of breakdowns.  This in their mechanic
Virgil Archibald and Uncle Mike fixing the crossover.  (The crossover digs four rows at
a time and crosses the potatoes over then dumps them in between the next two rows so the
digger can pick them up easier)

When they were down for repairs Doug and Austin would haul hay or do the field
work.  This is Austin loading a hay truck for delivery.  They really enjoyed working together,
and worked well together.

This is Doug running the track tractor and pulling the disk ripper. The
new tractors are GPS driven so they basically drive themselves.  He just had
to turn it around when the computer beeped at him at the end of the row.  I called him
once during the process and he said he was dozing.  The disk/ripper is a combination of a disk and
a ripper that turns the ground after harvest.  He is driving a tractor that is on tracks instead of tires.

What a great opportunity it was for Doug and Austin to work together with Grandpa Beutler doing something they all love.  This is a great picture of three generations of truckers doing what they love, and driving the trucks that they love.  Grandpa and Austin are driving Peterbuilts, and Doug is driving a Kenworth.  Grandpa took time off his regular job at Oakdale Eggs to drive for spud harvest.  They worked long hours, sometimes until one in the morning to get the potatoes in before the frost.  We all learned a lot about potatoes, the types and their sensitivities.  Doug really enjoyed working with his family again and being back on the farm.  Working with his Dad and his son really added to the experience.  We are grateful for the experience, and for the work/money that it brought to us. 

Therapy

 

It has been a hard couple of weeks, I'm not going to lie.  With Doug in gone and all that has happened I felt the need to get out of the house, and out of the area for a day, so on the Saturday of General Conference I loaded up the kids and we took a day long drive to see the leaves through Cedar Canyon on SR 14.  It felt good to heal our hearts and spend some time together as just us, with no friends.  We were all tired, sad, discouraged, stressed, and whatever else you can think of. 

We started about 9 am from Hurricane and made an always needed stop in Cedar City at the IFA there.  It is one of our favorite stores, and were able to get a few things on clearance that we had looked at during the summer.  Shopping is very therapeutic and paying $3 for something normally $20 is even more therapeutic.  We also grabbed some treats for our trip and headed back onto the road.  SR 14 has been closed for about a year due to a mountain slide and recently reopened to through traffic.  The "fall flowers" through the canyon were about a week away from their peak but we were still amazed at all the beautiful colors.  This is my favorite time of year, it includes the cooler weather, the color changes, wearing sweat shirts, jeans and boots again, and the feeling of peace I feel when I take it all in. 

Mady drove from Hurricane to Cedar City.  She is getting better, but I still am nervous.
She did great on the freeway though.

Cody is feeding Mady crackers and cheese.  We discovered Laughing Cow cheese
that is less fat and calories, and they like it!!  How nice of Cody!!

After our stop at IFA, we headed into the canyon.  It was so beautiful!!  We took our time
and enjoyed all the colors.  The trees were in various stages of peaking, with a lot of
yellow and a little red. 

Mady is in charge of the camera. 

A picture of the leaves through my sunglasses.  My glasses made
the colors pop out!

Another very pretty setting.  Mady and Cody took the pictures while I drove. 


 

Having fun with the camera sure made some nice pictures!  

 

Mady picked a flower and it was very pretty, but didn't last long without water.

We had a passer-by snap a picture of us at the peak of the drive.  Cami was
grumpy and wouldn't get out of the car.  It was so nice to get away!!

We stopped at Mount Carmel Junction and had lunch at the Thunderbird restaurant before heading home through Kanab.  The kids were getting a bit rambunctious by then and were a little loud in the restaurant, but it was good to laugh and joke around together.  We listened to General Conference the whole day, and when we got home Cody went with my dad to the Priesthood session.  Sunday morning we gathered at Grandma and Grandpa Winn's for the morning session of conference and had lunch with them.  The kids didn't even complain when they had to watch the entire session that morning.  Little did they realize that they listened to every session of conference.  It ended up being a nice weekend and a very good release for us. 
 

Goodbye to Gracie

 

Gracie last year as a puppy.

 

We are not having great luck with our animals and I want to scream "ARE YOU KIDDING ME???".  We have been grieving over losing our neighbors horse Mack, who had to be put down because it hurt its leg and the infection got into the tendon and became untreatable.  My kids cried over him for days and Cody was very sad because he was learning to ride on Mack.  The horse was 24 and it wasn't ours, but we all grew to love the old man and was so sorry to see him have to die the way he did.    Then the experience just a few weeks ago with our cat Maverik, which we are still sad about, and now I'm so sorry to report that we have lost our dog Gracie.  Friday morning after taking the kids to school I let her out to run and play and use the bathroom.  I wait to let her out until after the kids go to school because she likes to chase the kids and run after the bus.  I was sitting on the back deck watching her so she didn't run out of the yard and was reading a book.  She could be sneaky so I had to keep an eye on her.  I could see her in the back of our lot by our chickens so I laid my head back and closed my eyes as I soaked in the morning sun.  Every time I checked I could see her so I wasn't worried.  But then I looked up and she was gone. I hadn't heard her come past me to get out the front, so I called for her, and she didn't come.  I walk back to the chickens and she wasn't there.  I walked around the yard and into the front yard and couldn't find her.  I ended up driving around the neighborhood then walking through fields and backyards looking for her and I couldn't find her.  While I was walking I passed the animal control officer who had her lights on.  My thought was "I hope she didn't pick Gracie up, she didn't have her tag on."  I take her tag off when I put her bark collar on because it makes the bark collar shock her without her barking and it confuses her.  I searched for about an hour but needed to get to St. George and back before the kids got out of school at 1:15 so I came home and decided to call the pound and let them know that she is missing.  When I called with Gracie's description the lady got really quiet and asked me to describe her and her collar.  I did, and she told me that she had just picked up a black lab that had been hit and killed by a car just down from my house.  I couldn't believe it!  She had only been gone for just a few minutes, but she can run really fast so in a way it didn't surprise me. She had obviously gone down to the Stirlands to "herd" their cattle around, something she loves to do, and probably heard me calling her and started to run as fast as she could to get home, and got hit. I was so sad!!  I wondered how I was going to break this to my kids. . .again!!  I had to identify her, so instead of going to St. George, I went out to the pound.  Her bark collar had been broken with the impact but her body was intact except for the blood coming out her mouth.  I knew Cody would be devastated, so I gathered all of my courage and tears and brought her body home.  The animal officer was very nice and wrapped her up in a blanket so I didn't have to handle her.  She felt like I was holding a small child in my arms as I lifted her from the car and put her in a cool place until Cody came home.  More tears, sobbing and sadness for me as I anticipated telling the kids.  I knew Cody would be angry, and I was right.  I waited until he got home from school to tell him and he started yelling and throwing things.  I was grateful that I had brought her body home because as I watched him dig her grave I could see the therapy he was feeling as he swung the pick ax and shovel. I wish that I would have had the courage to bring home Maveriks' body so and given Cody and the kids that closure.  Cody dug a deep grave then went and got Gracies body.  We were all sobbing as he carefully laid her in her final resting place, not taking the blanket off.  Slowly he covered her with earth and we all hugged.  Cami and Dalyon weren't home yet so I had to tell them later, which meant more tears with each one.  I wish I could understand what we are to learn from losing all of our animals so close to each other.  Although they are just animals, they are members of our family and a great source of comfort for all of us.  Their unconditional love heals us in our trials and comforts us in our sorrows.  I'm so sorry to lose another friend. 

Gracie last summer at Mt. Timpanogas.  She had gotten so big and was learning to obey,  to come, sit, stay, etc.  We will really miss her.  Gracie died  October 5, 2012

Cody's Eagle Project

Cody never ceases to amaze me.   He is moving through his life so quickly and I feel like he is missing out on being a kid.  Case in point, he is only 13 years old and already ready to become an Eagle Scout.  He became a Life Scout only nine months after turning 12, and has had a goal to get his Eagle Scout award by the time he turns 14.  When he makes up his mind to do something he always achieves it whatever the cost.  He has been self motivated his whole life and I have to constantly remind myself that that he isn't an adult yet, and that he is only 13.  I remember when he was in the first grade in Mrs. Clydes class (six years old) we had parent teacher conferences after school one day.  When the time came for he and I to go, I had to go out to the shop where he was helping his dad disassemble an old Ford Bronco.  Cody had just dropped the oil pan and was draining the oil when it was time for us to go.  He refused to clean the oil off himself and I had to pick him up and put him in the car on a plastic bag and wipe what oil I could off him before we went to his conference.  When we got there, Mrs. Clyde got a good laugh and asked him what he had been doing.  He explained everything about the engine he was working on and what they were going to part out and what parts they were going to keep as well as answering Mrs. Clydes questions about how the engine works.  I am always amazed at what Cody can do and what he comes up with.  Getting his Eagle Scout award before he turns 14 is just another example of him wanting to grow up fast. 

He chose to make benches for the Hurricane Community Gardens for his Eagle project.  He made four benches.  The Gardens supplied him with all of the materials, so the project was just about cutting wood, and assembling the benches.  We took  a lot of pictures so I'll let them tell the story. 

Cody cutting the wood for the benches.

The boys are sinking the screws into the 2X4's to make the bench tops.

 

Cutting the 4X4's for the legs.

 

Doug, Carsen Bjelland and James Hebdon are assembling the tops.

 

Tops are assembled, legs are built and attached and now they are screwing on the platforms that you will sit on.  

A donut break, and the end of the evening.  Cody still needed to sand and stain the benches, which he did after school a few days later.  Those who helped: (L to R) Josh Hall, Wes Green, James Hebdon, Cody, Jacob Hebdon, Carson Bjelland.  

  Cody delivered the benches to the Gardens and Aaron Diamond oked them the night of September 29th.  He and I got his project paperwork done that day with signatures.  He now just needs to finish the Eagle Scout application and get it turned in.  He has about six weeks until he turns 14 so he is excited.  It is nice to have the project over.  Way to go Cody!!!

 

Goodbye to Maverick

I think yesterday was one of the hardest days I have experienced in my life.  I remember lots of hard days and nights, like the one when Mady was a baby and she came down with RSV and I kneeled by her crib counting every breath throughout the night to make sure she didn't stop breathing, or the night a few weeks after I had Cody when Doug was gone moving houses and everyone had the croup, including me, and I sat on the floor in front of the couch, a child in each arm and one at my feet taking every once of strength I had to get us through the night, I have never been so exhausted.  There are a few others, and I think Monday, September 24, 2012 can rank right up there with days like those.  Somehow it seems silly to admit that I my cat died on that day,  after such a dramatic introduction, but it wasn't just that he died, but the way he died and his life story that has made it so hard. 

Let me start at the beginning.  Maverick is our cat that came to us through the Hurricane City Animal Shelter.  We had gone through several kittens and grown cats that kept getting poisoned by our neighbor and dieing. we had made arrangements with a lady that rescues and fixes cats to have one of the kittens fixed when it also died because of poisoning. I had decided not to get any more cats because of this and was surprised when I came home from work one day and Doug decided to adopt an old black Tom cat called Maverick from this lady.  She had rescued him from a very abusive situation where his owner beat him.  He had two broken teeth and was severely overweight, as well as severely skiddish.  She had tried to take him in herself but couldn't get him to come out of her basement or get along with her other cat, so wondered if we would be interested in taking him.  He was already fixed and she felt like he would be a good cat for us and would stay close to home (I guess when the animals are fixed they roam less).  Doug adopted him and put him in the garage.  He was so scared of us and his surroundings at first.  We couldn't get him to come out of the box he was in and often had to search the garage to find him because he would tuck himself in corners.  It took about a month and he started to warm up to us, but I wouldn't let him in the house so he stayed on the back porch or in the garage but would let us pet him.  Because of his broken teeth he drooled alot and he loved to have his head petted and rubbed.  I think his teeth were uncomfortable to him, although that went away as we were able to get him healthier.

Two years ago he got really sick and I rushed him to Dr. Barton's office in St. George.  (It was a Saturday and he is our neighbor).  They told me I would have to put him down because he had a bladder stone blocking his urethra and he was very sick.  I asked if he could attempt to clear it and they put a catheter in and cleared the stone, but told us he wouldn't be able to go to the bathroom on his own because of the swelling.  We brought him home anyway and decided that if he didn't get better that Doug would put him down.  I used my essential oils and some energy work on him and he was able to get better and be a normal cat again, although he had to be on a special food to keep him from forming bladder stones.  We decided to bring him into the house to live because of all of his illnesses, and because I could watch him better.  Throughout the next year he would have similar symptoms and I would apply my oils and do energy work on him and he would get better again.  In November of 2011 he got in a fight with another cat and came home with an abscess on his foot, which took a trip to Dr. Whitwers office to heal, then last Christmas Day he had another large stone block him again and he was very sick.  Dr. Whitwer was able to clear it and six other stones from his bladder and he was good again.  It never occurred to me to put him down. 

All during this time I had been fighting to pass kidney stones.  They are very painful and sometimes I would kneel  in front of the couch and sway back an forth to get through the pain.  Inevitably Maverick would climb up on my back and lay on the side that was hurting.  I let him because it helped relieved the pain.  It was as if he knew what was happening in my body and he wanted to help me heal.  He was a great comfort to me as I went through the ordeal.  I know he knew what it felt like to have a stone anyway.  I was grateful for his companionship in the middle of the night and the love I felt from him.  He became a source of strength to me.

Last Sunday night he went outside and I saw him in our big cottonwood tree chasing birds.  He was really far up and I worried that he would have trouble getting down, but knew cats always landed on their feet.  I just happened to be up around 11pm when I heard him meowing outside.  I called to him but he never came in.  As I was settling down in bed I heard him meow again so I ventured outside to find him.  He was sitting at the base of the stairs to the deck, sitting up and watching the yard.  I called to him again but he only looked at me so I walked over and picked him up.  I noticed one of his back legs didn't hold him so I brought him into the house and put him on the ground and he flopped over onto his side.  His left back leg and his tail wouldn't move and he used his front paws to pull himself to the door of my room.  My heart broke into a thousand pieces when I realized that his legs were paralyzed.  I searched him to see if he had been ran over and found a small wound with blood around it on his back, and one on his tail.  His eyes were dull from the pain.  I tried to make him comfortable on the floor near my bed so I could watch him and dozed  through the night, waking up to check on him every so often.  During the night he army crawled his way into the hall where he spent the rest of the night.  It broke my heart to see him unable to move his legs!!!  And I knew this was the beginning of the end for our special cat. 

The next day I was scheduled to work so I called Dr. Whitwers office as soon as he opened and took Maverick there while I went to work. I was at work all day and didn't hear from them.  Cody got home from school and called the vets office to see how Maverick was doing, then called his dad to see what he should do and they decided to put Maverick down.  Cody called me at work to tell me that he had taken care of everything and that he had them put him down, and that I was supposed to pick up his body after work.  I fell apart and had to leave my patient until I could calm down.  My poor kitty was gone already?  I had a hard time finishing the rest of my patients because I couldn't see through my tears.  I was able to get off work a few minutes early and made it to the vets office to find out that they couldn't put him down without my signature so he was still alive. I'm not sure if that was better or not.  I was able to spend some time saying goodbye to him.  He looked good, except he couldn't get up.   When I opened the cage he tried to come to me, and even drank some water which he hadn't done all day.  He purred as I petted his head and nudged my hand to pet some more when I stopped.  He was on a pain med so I knew he was feeling better.   They had taken x-rays of him and discovered he had been shot six times over the years.  (six pellets were in his body)  That was four more that what we saw last Christmas  when we were treating his bladder.  There was a pellet in his chest, one is his back leg, two in his side, one in his tail that was a fresh wound and had embedded in the joints of the tail, rendering it broken (they would have to amputate part of his tail if he lived) and the one in his spine that paralyzed his left leg.  The inflammation from that one probably paralyzed the right leg.  I was sick!!!  One of my neighbors had shot my cat six times!! 
Dr. Whitwer gave me some options, I could do a very expensive surgery to remove the pellets, but he couldn't guarantee that Mav could walk again,  he could give him a steroid shot next to the pellet and see if he got some sensory back in the legs, but that the pellet sat on the nerve that goes to the bladder so he wouldn't be able to relieve himself without my help, or finally, to put him down.  I had known from the moment I found him paralyzed that the only thing we could do was to put him down, that is what my brain was saying, and my heart was breaking.  I pretty much fell apart in front of Dr. Whitwer, and he was very compassionate.  His assistants were very kind also as I made the decision that I thought was already made.  It was so hard to see my dear kitty, who had had such a difficult life anyway, end his life in such a way.  And I hated to have to be the one to decide that and walk away.  He was still nudging my hand with his head as I told Dr. Whitwer to go ahead.  I couldn't watch and walked into the hallway where the nurse handed me my own box of tissue as I really fell apart.  It took 30 seconds for the drugs to work and he was gone.  Tearfully I paid the bill, gathered up Mavericks bed and left.  I arranged to have Dr. Whitwer take care of his body because I just couldn't bring myself to bring my cat home dead to my kids. They said their goodbyes that morning when he was alive, and took lots of pictures with him.  I have been attached to every animal I have ever owned before, and lost them also, (except the pigs and chickens), but I have never had to make a decision to put one down, I think that had been the hardest part.  I know it was best, Mav wouldn't have been happy if he was paralyzed and always in pain.  It was just really hard for me.  We will all miss him.  

Cami taking pictures with Maverick before going to school that morning.

 



He army crawled off of the blanket I had him on.  You can see his left leg is back in a awkward position. I wish I could have protected him a little better, and that my neighbor could have been more tolerant of a curious cat.  I'm so sorry Maverick!  

Peach Days

The weekend before Labor day is the annual Peach Days festival here in Hurricane.  It is a very looked forward to event for our whole valley, even those not living in Hurricane.  It is also a time for those who have moved away to return for class and family reunions.  Our girls usually clog on one of the many stages and there are tons of food booths, entertainment, fair-like displays (like extraordinary fruits and vegetables, pictures, paintings, etc) and of course, PEACHES.  This year was no exception to the wonderfulness of the weekend, except my girls didn't clog with the group.  Mady was too busy with volleyball practices to come and practice clogging, and I couldn't get a ride to practice for Cami.  It was OK though, I don't think any of us missed it for just one year. 

On Friday night I received a nice surprise, our son Austin came home and, while I was on the computer blogging, came into my room and said his usual "How are ya?".  I jumped out of my chair, barely rescuing my laptop so it didn't fall onto the floor, and gave him a big hug.  He had come down to surprise me for Peach Days, and to bring Mady her little Bronco II that she and Austin had purchased up in Logan.  Our cousins Brody and Tanner drove it down, and Austin drove his little pickup. It was a great surprise!  He hadn't been home more that a few minutes before all of his friends showed up.  (He always moves in crowds, I swear).  I was glad to have Brody and Tanner spend the weekend with us and Mady had a great time with them too.  (They are about the same age as Mady and Cody). 

Saturday morning we met everyone and went to the parade in Hurricane.  May parents came over from Leeds and my niece Kora was in the parade as the American Stampede Queen.  She looked beautiful.  Austin and Brody and Tanner came during the parade and we had a great time.

Cody, Mom, Dad and Dalyon  waiting for the parade to start.  Lively crew. 

Now the fun begins.  Austin, Brody and Tanner finally show up and Austin steals Mady's seat.  He is explaining something significant I'm sure.  The is always lots of candy, Frisbee's and an occasional t-shirt thrown out at the parade. 

We had a very enjoyable day on Saturday.  Mom and Dad hung around with us, we went home after the parade so my dad could lay down for a bit, then went back to the celebration for a Navajo Taco (another tradition) and to enjoy the entertainment.  Mom and I visited all of the exhibits and the kids found friends to run around with.  Dalyon especially liked the hatchet throwing contest in the Pioneer corner.  My friend Maria took Cami and Dalyon with her kids and Cody went with his friend Carsen and their "heirom"  (he has mostly girlfriends) and Mady hung out with Chelsea Cahoon.  We all had a very enjoyable time, and came home in the early afternoon to relax and watch a movie.  It was a really nice day to spend with my Mom and Dad, something that hasn't happened very often.

Later that night we all loaded up and went to the Peach Days Rodeo, a very small "hometown" rodeo that usually takes forever, but is fun to watch.  This year the FFA was in charge again so Mady was helping with some of it, and Austin was there too, somewhere. (I didn't see him but he said he was there.)  Cody decided to try his hand at riding a steer.  We borrowed the safety gear from Zac Wright, a friend of Austins, and he earned his money for the entry fee.  He is a lot bigger than any of the kids his age, and the steers were very small so it wasn't a very good first time ride, but now he can say that he did it. 

Cody is standing in the chute getting ready to ride.  He said he was trying to tell them that the steer was too small for him, but they needed to keep moving so they said just ride this one.

Here he goes!  He weighs about half of what the steer does and the poor thing could barely carry him out of the chute.  Its legs could only walk, let alone buck so Cody rode him a few feet and slowly fell off.  It was kind of like slow motion from our point of view. 

Cody gathers himself up off the ground and the steer runs away.  I'm not sure how many seconds he rode, but he didn't make the buzzer.  I was nervous for nothing. 

We enjoyed Peach Days again this year and was glad for the time with our family.  We are looking forward to next year!! 

All in theName of Education.

Wednesday, August 15, 2012.  brought a monumental moment for me.  This is the day that I had five kids enrolled in five different schools.  This is kind of like an eclipse because it is the only year it will happen for a long time, if it ever happens again at all.   Austin is enrolled at Dixie College (for next semester, but I count it because I'm doing a lot of "setting up" for him), Mady started high school as a sophomore in a brand newly built Hurricane High, Cody started middle school in the 8th grade, Dalyon started Intermediate School in the 6th grade, and Cami moved up into the fourth grade at Three Falls Elementary.  I figured I have 26 teachers to visit with and keep track of this year.  Each school starts at a different time and ends staggered as well.  Our days will begin with prayers and scriptures at 7am.  Then Dalyon meets his bus at 7:18 (school starts for him at 7:40 am), then Mady and Cody leave on their bus at 7:45am.  They ride the same bus that delivers them to the different schools.  They both start at 8:10, then I take Cami to school at the elementary school at 8:45, school starts at 9.  The kids will stagger home the same way beginning at 2pm.  I "enjoyed" four different Back To School Nights this year, visiting with every teacher and feeling a bit overwhelmed by it all.  The kids were excited to head back to school and have had a great couple of weeks. 

Dalyon in his first hour class, Mrs. Esplins for Reading.  He is excited to be in the 6th grade, but has had a tough time getting used to the moving from class to class and organizing himself with the 7 different teachers.  6th grade is usually a difficult grade to get used to.   He also is not a fan of getting up early in the morning to make the bus by 7:18.  He is very much a night person and I'm sure will get better at it as we go. 

Mady and Cody:

Eating quickly because they took too much time getting ready.  They even
match, not admittedly though (or planned). 

Mady is telling me not to embarrass her in front of the bus stop kids. 
"No more pictures Mom!!" 

They are too big for pictures they say, so I snuck a few as they are getting ready to load the bus.  They will love me later!   This is going to be a busy year for Mady.  She is a member of the Hurricane FFA and is on the Sophomore Volleyball team.  She loves it all and is having a lot of fun!  Cody decided to take a break from football this year and is thinking about trying bull-riding instead.  (Yes, BULL RIDING).  I hope he will play football again next year when he is a freshman. He surprised me and is in two music classes this year.  He is playing his violin in the orchestra, as well as taking a full year of guitar.  It will be good for him.

Cami is ready for the fourth grade.  She is in Mr. Porters class and is really excited.  We have been working all summer on some things to help her learn.  Mrs. Sage Webb, a third grade teacher at Three Falls Elementary,  has been working with her twice a week all summer because Cami tested moderate to severe for dyslexia, which explained completely why she was struggling so much in the previous years.  All of a sudden the world has opened up to her and she is progressing again with the tools Mrs. Webb has given her.  She is really excited to start school and the first spelling test she got 19 out of 20!  We are so proud of her!!  It is going to be a great year!! 

I had hoped that with the kids going back to school I would have more time to do a few things I haven't been able to get to with them home, like blogging or quilting, or maybe just catching up on the housework.  However, I have not been able to get to those things because of my added work schedule.  I have been filling in for our other hygienist, Nicole, at work while she took some time off.  Working four days a week has been great for my pocketbook, and I'm looking forward to going back to two days soon.  I'm grateful for the extra money, because the kids all have needed a little something extra this year and I'm feeling blessed to have the work and the money to pay for all of the added fee's their activities require.  Heavenly Father is sure mindful of our situations and I'm so grateful!! 

I had Austin send me some pictures of what he is learning working on the farm.  He has decided to work through harvest to earn money for his mission as well as get the experience only harvest brings.  He has been driving semi-trucks hauling hay on a 48 ft. trailer, driving grain trucks, doing diesel mechanics, driving tractors plowing fields, baling hay, driving and fixing swathers, fixing and digging out pivot sprinkler systems, learning about the new farming technology and GPS fertilizing systems, and a TON of other stuff.  I think he is getting a better education that he would in the classroom, that is for certain! I'm thankful for Wes and Andrew Beutler (Dougs' cousins) who are keeping Austin busy and teaching him so many things. 

They bale one ton bales that require a backhoe to lift onto the truck.  Austin uses the backhoe to
position the bales so the drivers can load their own trucks.  Recently he started doing it all, positioning
the bales, loading the trucks, and delivering the loads. 

This is a grain truck they use to deliver the harvested grain to the Grain Growers
to sale to the market.  Austin drives this and also runs the tractor that pulls the
grain wagon from the field to the trucks.

This is a truck he has loaded with hay and ready to be delivered. 

This is a daily occurrence.  The pivot gets stuck and can't continue to move so it floods the field.  They have to fill sandbags and place them in the rut to bring the wheel up out of the mud enough to get it to move.  It is quite a task, and Austin says they are having to do it on one pivot nearly every day.  He has been working long hours, especially during the harvest times, sometimes 17 hour days, and he loves every minute of it.  We are glad because he is getting good experience and making some money for his mission.