So exactly 24 hours ago, we had snow on the ground here in Eastern Nebraska! Yep…the day before yesterday it was BEAUTIFUL – near 70 degrees. Yesterday, however, we had a taste of what’s to come. We had pouring rain, thunder and then thunder snow. It went from 45 degrees to 30 in a matter of minutes. By the time it was all said and done, we had more than an inch of wet snow on the ground.

When Taylor got home, she informed me that it was THE BEST day ever! Not only because it was her 17th birthday but she had answered a question or a poll or something that asked her if she could have any one thing for her birthday, what would it be? She answered…to have Jordan (our dog) back in our lives. Well, Jordan LOVED snow. She loved chasing snow – either coming out of a snow blower or thrown snow balls or she could roll her own snow balls with her nose and throw them up in the air only to catch them again. So, Taylor was convinced that it snowed only for her and for her to know that Jordan was with her. 🙂 Love it, Tate!

Today, however, it’s beautiful once again. Not 70 degrees beautiful but over 50 and the sun is shining. No more white stuff to be seen anywhere.

Yesterday was also the beginning of the fall puzzle that must be put together before winter can truly arrive. The puzzle I’m referring to is the arranging of the equipment in the shed. We’ve rented a shed for 20+ years and it has gradually gotten smaller and smaller every year. Why? The equipment keeps getting bigger and bigger. The shed we rent is not one like you’d see in a farmer’s yard. It’s sides are rounded and not very big. Twenty some years ago, it was perfect! I wish I could wiggle my nose and create a much larger one with heat and a cement floor for Mr. Jim to be able to work in. We should have just bit the bullet 20 some years ago and bought our own. Hindsight is always 20/20! So, as I began telling you, we started putting the puzzle together yesterday. Jim wanted to get the two heads (MacDon flex head and the corn head) out of the weather first. Working from the back of the shed, of course, to the front. One piece of the puzzle that we won’t have to find a spot for will be a trailer house. That should help! By the time it’s all together, Jim will have organized and fit and moved and removed each piece of our Zeorian Harvesting & Trucking puzzle until it’s just perfect…with little room to spare! Once this chore is complete, harvest will truly be over for 2011 and Jim will begin his next yearly adventure – hauling propane. I heard him say he’ll start that after November 15th, giving him a little time to kick back before his REAL job begins! During the winter, he’ll work harder than he does in the summer and will put in over 70 hours per week. By the time April rolls around, he’ll be welcoming the upcoming harvest routine once again (and so will we).

We didn’t have a full blown 17th birthday party for Taylor like we sometimes do. She opted to have a smaller, more intimate one and wanted to do the cooking. Really? Who wants to cook on your birthday? Tate!! She’s an awesome cook and didn’t even realize it until this past summer. She was forced to be the harvest cook after Jenna retired and she has stepped up to the plate in all her glory! She really likes to bake. So, for supper, she created bread bowls and we had two kinds of soup – cheesy broccoli and chili. She also made her own cake – a pumpkin roll with cream cheese filling. It was DELICIOUS!

17?….I remember 17 – how can I be the mother of THREE daughters that have reached that age? Callie, you’ve got a few more years to catch up – but please don’t hurry! Happy birthday, Tate! Love you!

Taylor is reading her card out loud to find out what we got her. I ordered a Ukulele but it’s still in transit from Hawaii. That’s what she wanted!

Something must have been REAL funny!

Now THAT’S funny!

She FINALLY got to the end to see what she’s getting.

Trying to look like her card.

This is what Taylor likes to do…rub things on her face.

NICE girls!