His First Crush

I've always said that if a 2 year old can have a crush, Copper's would be on Tayia. Tayia is a favorite babysitter and friend of the our family and Cooper always gets a little goosey at the mention of her name or the sight of her sweet face.

Yesterday, however, I think she was replaced. I walked into Layla's room to find Cooper holding a Barbie and passionately telling her, "I love you Barbie." This wasn't a little boy holding a toy he was excited about. This was a little man, serious and in love. I wasn't sure whether to laugh or take it away before he started making out with her!

Retained?

Dave and I have always taken the kids to vote with us. Yup, it's not really the easiest route, but we feel like it's of great value. And here's the interesting thing....Layla remembers voting with me at a church when she was 1 1/2 years old (which I had actually forgotten about since we haven't voted there since) AND, this year she asked me if we were voting for Barack Obama and John McCain again. Proof they are never too young and they are always paying attention!

This year, when Layla asked me why we vote, I explained to her that it's a privilege. She was very perplexed when when I explained to her that there was a time when your skin had to be white and you had to be a boy to vote. She processed on that one for quite some time.

I also explained to her that voting is my chance to decide who gets to be boss. She processed on that one for quite awhile as well and then asked me if we were going to have an election in our family. I decided not to pursue that conversation. It's been a tough week and I doubt I would be retained!

If I were a Professional Blogger....

...I would have long since been fired! Wow, what a crazy last two weeks. The Pumpkin Ranch is officially closed for the season and I'm not exactly sure what to do with myself this week. I'm giving myself little pep talks like, "Yes, you can just sit down on the couch and read the paper while Cooper naps. Do it, do it!" It's been a long time since we've had free time! We truly enjoyed our first year in the pumpkin business and were incredibly blessed with a great crop, amazing staff and CUSTOMERS! We are already making our plans for season 2.

What's the Little Man to Do?

I'm not sure what is going to become of Cooper David when he can no longer go out on the 4-wheeler and pick pumpkins with Dave, ride in the tractor out in the field, ride his bike up and down the driveway or work next to Dave for hours on end in the barn. When Dave puts his shoes on, that's Cooper's cue to get his on. Cooper knows that if Dave has his AgriGold shirt on, he can't leave with Daddy. But any other shirt, there is no discussing it or even asking. Cooper puts on his sweatshirt, his work shoes and his baseball hat. He patiently stands and waits by the door as Dave goes back through the house at least 3 times getting things he's forgotten. Cooper loves to work. And, when Dave's not home, he still goes out and finds work. One morning, I found him out on the John Deere tractor with one of the pumpkin wagons hooked to the back. He had driven down to the barn and filled the loader with gourds. He stopped every few minutes and moved the gourds from the loader to the wagon and back to the loader. This particular morning he drove the gourds around for an hour and a half. I guess Layla and I are just not as exciting as driving in circles with gourds.

**Exhale**

That's what I did tonight, as I snuggled into bed with the kids for movie night. Dave's on the road, so I decided it was a perfect night to get in jammies, pop some popcorn with a side of M&M's and just exhale. As we layed in bed, limbs all intertwined, I looked at my kid's sweet silhouettes and thanked God for a quiet moment. My heart swelled as I watched rough and tough Cooper reach over and pat Layla on the shoulder and wrap his little bare feet around hers.

We are heading into our last weekend of the season at The Pumpkin Ranch. We're running regular hours plus a night corn maze Friday and Saturday night. So our last weekend is going to be a fun and busy one. I've also heard talk from the company's president about picking and shipping a semi load of pumpkins to a cannery in Illinois. So, I think we maybe a little farther from being done that I thought! It's been a great season. Although I'm ready to give my kids my full attention again, I am going to miss it.

"Oh Toodles!"

The Pumpkin Ranch has given our family more adventures than I will ever be able to blog about. What crazy, busy, fun it has been! This past weekend was the Madison County Bridge Festival in WInterset, which brought us our busiest days yet. In preparation for this past weekend, we spent last week adding pumpkin launchers and hay rack rides...in addition to the normal weekend prep stuff.

As part of that prep, Dave got a very big truck stuck in mud. I had to get in the tractor to try pulling him out...didn't work (and no, I don't know how to drive a tractor). When a friend, with a larger tractor came, he tried. The kids and I were sitting in my truck, off to the side watching and praying. When the larger tractor still didn't work, I said, "Oh man, what are we going to do?"

Cooper answered by saying, "Call Oh Toodles." The he put his cupped hand up to the side of his mouth and yelled, "Oh Toodles, where are you?"

If you watch Mickey Mouse Club House, you get this. If not, Oh Toodles is who Mickey and the gang call if they need help figuring something out. Oh Toodles brings the gang 4 options of tools and they pick the one that is appropriate to solve their problem.

After our friend's tractor failed and I had to get back in ours, hook both tractors up and try again, I really was wishing I could just call Oh Toodles. Did I mention I don't know how to drive a tractor? But, two tractors was the key to success.

Never Keys

We had a busy day around The Pumpkin Ranch today. Tomorrow is our official open and there was a lot to do! Since we had over a week of rain before Friends and Family Day last weekend, we were barely ready. So this week was another big push to get all of the stuff done we wanted done, not just the stuff we needed to. So, I worked on displays, baked goods and 1000 little things. This meant the kids and I were outside most of the day.

Towards the end of the day, when we were all tired and were pushing hard to get the last of it all done, Dave jumped up in the tractor and....no keys. He jumped into another tractor and...no keys. "Cooper, where are the tractor keys?" Dave yelled and Cooper knew exactly where they were. He dropped one set down into the gear shaft and the other set he burried in rocks.

Cooper saw the frustration in both of us as we worked to get the set out of the gear shaft and he kept daying, "Sowwy Dod. Doddy, Cooper sowwy." You just can't stay mad at that!

Of course, Cooper and I had a long talk about how he is NEVER, NEVER, NEVER to touch any keys.

Tonight, when I tucked him into bed his prayers were this.."Help doddy's twactor, Jay's twactor, Brad's twactor and the nevo, nevo, nevo keys. Aaaamen!"

Not quite sure he got what I was trying to tell him!