oh my gosh…

by Nebraska Wheatie

Where has the time gone?

I can’t believe the last time I really wrote anything about what the heck was going on was in October. So much has happened since then.

Some not so big things…and some quite large.

And I struggle with the whole catch-up scenario. But, I must. I need to finish out 2019 so I can pull the entire year together and get printed.

So…let’s just get started. See where it goes and how it goes.

We got through the fall harvest. Jim and The Beast went one way and I went another. A local farmer/friend of ours hired me (again) to run their combine. So we were still in the world of harvest, just not together. Jim finished mid-November and I was only a few days behind him.

Nora was supposed to spend the day with me in the field. But we didn’t work, so she spent the day making me look beautiful instead.
…and we went to the park to play.
Colten and Taylor’s “diaper keg”. What a great evening!!
When the sun went down, it got pretty chilly so we kept the fire good and hot!
Putting the Cottage on Wheels in its winter home.
Jim and The Beast in action. Thanks for the pictures, Joe!
One of the final sunsets from the cab of the combine (for me).
After the corn was finished, it was time to clean everything up and put away for another year.
Backing the corn head into its winter home.

We had been invited by MacDon to attend their 70th anniversary dealer and staff meeting in Phoenix. We both wanted to go but knew there was no way if we were still in full harvest mode. The meeting was a week off and we were both done. So, we decided to rent a car and drive to Phoenix.

We saw beautiful sights and had a wonderful time. It was an awesome way to end the 2019 harvest season!

Making our way into The Arches National Park – Moab, UT.
After this picture was taken, we got back in our car and headed for Monument Valley. I got online and rented a cabin for the night. It was pitch dark when we arrived. The next morning, I opened the blinds to this AMAZING sight! 👇
The view from inside our cabin.
“Our” cabin.
Jim was thoroughly soaking up the beauty of the morning.
From Monument Valley, we made our way to The Grand Canyon. 👇
The Desert View Watchtower is a 70-foot-high stone building located on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon.
The view from the top of the tower.
I told him to smile….
Arrived in Phoenix after dark.
The first day of the MacDon event included a tour of a gold mine.
Of course he went around to the back of the buildings. What took him back there in the first place? Was it the propane tank or the dirt bike? 🤷‍♀️
Making our way to the Dolly Steamboat for a lunch cruise.
Sharing our table with friends – Jim and DeAnn Deibert.
The MacDon equipment show.
That’s a whole slug of Jims (and one that probably wishes he was).
The evening meal took us to the Corona Ranch and included Mexican food and a rodeo.
Waiting for the rodeo to start with Mark and Candi Rathe.
Gene Fraser of MacDon.
The second day began with a tour of T & K Red River Dairy in Stanfield, AZ.
The day ended with our final meal together at Chase Field.
And, of course, it included the infamous MacDon bagpipe players.
Checked out of the hotel the next morning and began our trip back home again.
Just one of many sights on Highway 66.

Taylor was due November 30 but knew she wasn’t going to be allowed to wait that long to deliver. Her doctor told her he felt she needed to be induced (due to her pregnancy being labeled high risk because of her blood pressure) on November 25th. We got back home from our Arizona adventure on the 23rd.

Layne Parker was born at 9:31 on November 27th. She weighed 6 lbs 15 oz and was 19.5″ long. When Colten let me know the baby had been born, he didn’t tell me if it was a girl or a boy. He said to find out, we had to go to the hospital to see them (this was after a very long labor and c-section). I told him Taylor needed to rest. So, we went up that evening. This was not a very nice thing to have done to an excited Grandma!

When we entered the room, we were greeted with a baby and a bow…it’s a girl!

Taken on Thanksgiving (in the hospital).
Our little Gloworm. They’ve come a LONG ways since my babies were under lights for jaundice.
Nora turned five on December 5 – her “golden” birthday.
I got to go have lunch with her at school on her birthday.
We inked her up for a Christmas ornament and for a page in her baby book. She was NOT happy with us!
Nora’s 5th birthday party.
Round two of many more elementary Christmas concerts.
I helped at Eli’s kindergarten Christmas party. So much fun! ❤
And later that day, we watched Nora’s preschool Christmas concert.
One day while Taylor came over to hang out, I talked her into helping me wrap presents.
Jamie’s 34th birthday.
Still Jamie’s birthday but we made Christmas cookies to be decorated the next day at Gramma’s house.
The traditional cookie decorating on the afternoon of Christmas Eve at Gramma’s house.
It was so nice outside on Christmas, we walked to the park to get out of the house and enjoy the sunshine.
Christmas with the Rathe’s.
Baby Wayne (as the kids call her because they can’t say their “L’s” very well) – one month old.

And, finally, this concludes the last few months of 2019. Thank you for following our journey. 2019 was one very long year filled with challenges, adventures and lots of love! See ya in 2020!!!

14 comments on “oh my gosh…”

  1. Judeen Rikli says:
    February 5, 2020 at 4:02 pm

    So fun reading this & seeing your pics—-you are talented!!

  2. Margaret Smith says:
    February 5, 2020 at 4:08 pm

    Thanks for posting so many pictures along with your story of the past few months! Lots of smiles and good times. Congrats on your new granddaughter…a real cutie just like her cousins. Look forward to your 2020 adventures. Take care, Margaret
    P.S. Tell Nora I loved her Christmas dress…I wore one just like it for Christmas including the black leggings…but she looked much more adorable! 🙂

    • Nebraska Wheatie says:
      February 10, 2020 at 3:48 pm

      Good to hear from you, Margaret! I’m glad you enjoyed looking at all those pictures! You see, I have to post them here because I print each year and this is the one way I can keep my pictures readily accessible. I just let them pile up on me! Thanks for your note.

  3. Robert Paul Wink says:
    February 5, 2020 at 4:14 pm

    Thanks for sharing your adventures. Brings me back to the mid 90’s when I went on the harvest 4 years with Peters Harvesting. I really enjoy hearing all the stories and enjoy all the pics. You all don’t live far from me in Nebraska. Makes it fun to hear you talk about things back home too. Thanks again and best of luck in 2020.

    • Nebraska Wheatie says:
      February 10, 2020 at 3:47 pm

      I know Roger Peters. Those harvest days are some of the best memories only a few can say they’ve had the pleasure of experiencing. I’m glad you enjoy reading my stories, Robert! And…thanks for leaving your note.

  4. Karl Jacobson says:
    February 5, 2020 at 7:00 pm

    Really enjoyed the photos!! Congrats on the new granddaughter….

    • Nebraska Wheatie says:
      February 10, 2020 at 3:46 pm

      Thank you, Karl! I appreciate that you took the time to leave a comment. I’m loving all my grandkids!!!

  5. Gene cochrane says:
    February 5, 2020 at 9:13 pm

    Limber of the typing fingers for many 2020 entries…. North Carolina

    • Nebraska Wheatie says:
      February 10, 2020 at 3:45 pm

      I know I need to be better about posting. It seems like these winter months are just so boring!

  6. mom says:
    February 7, 2020 at 12:05 pm

    Hi Tracy and the Z-crew family. The pictures of your holiday with Jim,and the parties with the family, up dating us all are very very nice. The pictures of Baby Layne and Eli, Nora and Ben
    sooooooooo cute!!!! Baby Layne looks soooo much like her mommy, had to get the baby book
    out and compare. So happy you wrote the update. mom, Gma,and Gt/Gma 🙂

  7. Alan VanNahmen says:
    March 4, 2020 at 7:30 am

    Looks like you had a wonderful 2019. Thanks for sharing your adventures and the many great pictures. God’s blessings to you and your family. Best wishes for more great 2020 visions.

Comments are closed.