Tag Archives: friends

road trippin with the girls

by Nebraska Wheatie

Taylor sent a text to the entire family several weeks ago, “Going to Lusk the first weekend in May to Collette’s graduation. Who’s in?”

No one had to ask me more than once! I was definitely in!

The Graham family has been more family than friends for a very long time. It goes way back to the first year we landed in Jordan, Montana in 1981. My grandparents and parents cut for Nicole’s dad, Charlie. Nicole was five years old. She now has a family of her own. When we used to go to Jordan, the girls hung out at their house all the time…practically living there, I would say. So, they’ve been pretty darn special to us for quite some time. And not just Nicole but the whole darn Murnion clan!

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the final month of 2017

by Nebraska Wheatie

To be honest with you, I’d much rather be in sunny Anaheim, California today. It’s Commodity Classic week and seeing a lot of my social media “tribe” in one location and not being there makes me feel like I wasn’t invited to the party. 🙂 But, you know, if you don’t farm, you’re not involved with an organization, not part of Ag media or selling anything a farmer would want, why would you be there? For the best reason, I guess…to see friends…to reconnect. So, I’m hoping everyone has a great time in sunny California while I’m left here to deal with foggy, cold Nebraska. (Sense my sarcasm?)

So, December rolled around. And so did some of the coldest temps we’ve seen in quite a long time. We had -20 on New Year’s Eve. And Jim agreed to go out. I’m certain it was only because we had already made plans with friends. And these friends only live about three miles from us but we don’t do anything together but once a year – on New Year’s Eve.

So, let’s start at the beginning and work our way through the month.

We celebrated Miss Nora’s third birthday with a Barbie cake, lots and lots of pink and one pretty excited little girl!

This was taken on her actual birthday.

On Nora’s birthday, we kidnapped Eli and took him to the Nebraska Power Farming Show – the 2nd largest indoor Ag show in the US. We had great fun climbing in and on and around and through every piece of equipment possible. Eli truly was in heaven.

Beginning the day of fun!

About ten days later, we escaped for a few days and hung out with awesome friends (Bruce & Leigh Krumbach) in Kansas City. Our excuse was to do a little “antiquing”. We had so much fun! We got to hang out with friends, eat out and stay in a hotel. Something the kids always loved doing.

We really didn’t plan dressing alike that morning!

If you haven’t visited Union Station in December, you really should. It was absolutely beautiful!

Do you know how hard it was not to start laughing? I was trying so very hard to keep a solemn look!

This is what it’s all about…lifelong friendships!

And now we’re getting closer to Christmas. I had the little kids come over on Jamie’s birthday (the 23rd) so she and Curt could go out and celebrate. They spent the night…under the Christmas tree. The next day, the bigger kids (Brooklyn and Jillian) came over to help us decorate Christmas cookies.

We turned a large box into a “house”. They claimed they were going to take their naps inside… yeah right. 

Making Christmas gifts for Mom, the Aunties and Grandma Sandy.

The gang was all together for the annual cookie decoration day (Christmas Eve).

 And then it was Christmas.

Our house is so small when everyone shows up. BUT…it’s full and it’s loud and it’s chaotic and I absolutely love having everyone home!

One of my lucky “finds” in Kansas City. Eli was going through quite the cowboy stage at this time.  

The house got a little bit fuller in the evening when Mark, Candi, Brooklyn and Jillian came over for supper and more presents to unwrap. We all decided, again, to bypass getting gifts for everyone and instead spending the money on a family vacation. We’ll be spending a week together the middle of March in Florida. Can’t wait to wake up to the kids every day for a week. Something we used to do every day and didn’t even think about years ago. Now, it’s a treat!

Oldest and youngest. 

The gang!

Jamie sent me this picture of Eli one day after Christmas. What a kid!

And that’s it for 2017. Another year come and gone and now we’re well into 2018. Jamie just made a comment today, “You’ll be leaving for the summer before we know it”. Yep, it seems once February is over, spring comes pretty quickly. I know we’re all ready for the warmer weather and getting outside again. The day I’ll have to tell everyone goodbye, though, comes all too quickly now.

 

 

 

let’s play catchup

by Nebraska Wheatie

I’ve been pretty absent since the end of January. Guess I had things to do…

Like remove wallpaper from my kitchen walls and renew my kitchen chairs.

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a memory from a previous life

by Nebraska Wheatie

Why is it that when you have good intentions of doing something on this computer one thing leads to another and it tends to take way more time than you really wanted it to? I think that’s one of the biggest roadblocks I have when I think, “gee, I should write a blog”. And then, I can find all kinds of other things to do than to actually do what I intended to do. UGH!!! And, as usual, I sat down in front of this computer about an hour ago with intentions to write. And so it goes…

I have a feeling this could be a post where my mind just goes all over the place – so beware!!

There’s been quite a bit of time since my last posting. And it feels like the winter months just zoomed by. Maybe it’s just my aging brain and time is something that changes as the body ages. Maybe. But, if you ask Jim if something seems like it zoomed by, he’ll tell me, “No! It feels like that many years ago”. I sort of envy that. I sort of wish the last 30 years – let alone the last 60 days – seems like a long time ago. In my brain, it was just yesterday.

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few called him bubba

by Nebraska Wheatie

The last picture I took of Wes

(My final blog for 2016 – although it is 2017 – and it’s the very hardest to write. I’ve been mulling this one in my head for a long time. I’ve thought of all the things I’ve wanted to say for over a year and yet the words don’t come easy. I pray that God gives me the story and the words and the healing my heart is needing by writing this letter.)

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taylor gets a new last name

by Nebraska Wheatie

Introducing Mr. & Mrs. Colten Josoff

So, it’s the last day of 2016. And…I’ve procrastinated in getting my posts written until now. So, be prepared. Today will be a writing marathon for me just so my thoughts and pictures can be included in our 2016 book. Just remember…I forewarned you.

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another faith building year

by Nebraska Wheatie

There’s one key element involved in this harvesting game which none of us have control over and that is the weather! This particular piece of the puzzle will either make you or break you.

IMG_5001Right about now, I’m feeling like my invitation was lost in the mail. I know it’ll show up soon…I just have to be patient!

Taylor and I left home early on Tuesday morning. The van was packed to the hilt as we headed south – south to Texas. For the past couple of weeks, I’ve been seeing the loaded combines on Facebook. I’ve felt that feeling before. It was when the girls were little and I had to stay behind. I’ve been feeling a bit left behind.  So, I was thankful to have the Case IH ProHarvest Kickoff as a reason to head for the Longhorn State.

IMG_0524Dan Renaud of Case IH has done this event for the past 18 years. Dan informed the crowd today that after this meeting, he would no longer be employed with Case IH. After working for Case for 35 years, his job was being cut. We’ll miss you, Dan! And thanks for the many years of supporting the US Custom Harvesters!

IMG_0525Day one of two.

The states of Texas and Oklahoma have been battling weather for quite some time. Rain, rain and more rain (and a few tornadoes and hail)! Some places have seen up to 30″ of the wet stuff. If you remember why we haven’t been back to Texas since 2012, it’s because of the drought…and late season freezes. Circumstances have kept us from returning to the great State of Texas this year (mostly because we didn’t have a “for sure” job to head to) but maybe it’s for the best.  This crazy weather has most of the “wheaties” who are in Texas struggling to keep their employees busy and has provided plenty of time to socialize.  And socializing is something you can only do if it’s raining. Those are my most favorite days on harvest – as long as you’re parked in a campground with other harvesters.IMG_5002

The annual kickoff breakfasts began on Tuesday with the MacDon gathering. I’ve never been to these gatherings before. I’m sure if there is wheat to be cut, the socializing is kept to a minimum. Today, however, everyone had plenty of time to enjoy each other’s company. It was almost like a mini convention.  I set up a “booth” with USCHI products to promote the organization a bit more and to sell a t-shirt or two.

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It was after the meeting that I started feeling like the party planner had forgotten to send my invitation. Seeing the loaded combines parading down main street of Frederick, OK made me realize that it was, in fact, harvest time.  The “boys of summer” were making their way back to the small towns for the wheat harvest. The golden wheat fields are just waiting for the combines to do what they’re meant to do.  When? When will this party get started? The harvesters are hoping soon…very soon. BUT, the weather needs to straighten out first. Today I learned that within the past seven days, the tornado sirens have gone off five times. It seems this part of the country can’t get a break from the rain. The lakes and reservoirs are maxed out and overflowing. The Red River is about as wide as it can possibly be. I heard a DJ on the radio talk about all this water. He mentioned that the flooding is bad but it will go away and the lakes will remain full of water. The ranchers and farmers who own cattle are in heaven.

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Taylor and I will start making our way back north tomorrow.  There was no rain here today but the forecast for the next two days shows 60% and 70% chance of rain. If things don’t straighten out soon, I have a feeling it could be a train wreck! If it’s not the wheat going down, it’ll be sprout damage (or both) and can you imagine the mud holes these combines are gonna find? Even though we SHOULD be out here with the rest of the harvesters, I have a feeling that we may have done the right thing this year by staying away from the Longhorn State. I will pray for my fellow “wheaties”. I have a feeling this is shaping up to be one of those faith building years.  One of these years, though, we’re going to have a typical harvest journey again (I hope)!

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the goodbye will be hard

by Nebraska Wheatie

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It’s too quiet in here!

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came as strangers – left as family

by Nebraska Wheatie

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The days have been long.

Since my last post, we’ve moved to Limon, Colorado – higher elevation, cool nights and no biting flies (oh…and a view of Pikes Peak from the field). Since six days have already come and gone, I’ll take this one day at a time and get caught up.

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campfires, s’mores and more

by Nebraska Wheatie

Our weekend wasn’t spent on the road or in a wheat field. Instead, it was spent doing things most people who don’t leave home or their family probably do and take for granted. This doesn’t mean, though, that thoughts of being on the road or in a wheat field weren’t on my mind. The images of loaded combines which I see via Facebook make me wish Frank and I were part of that journey. But we’re not and I need to just remain faithful that that’s not where we’re supposed to be right now. Instead…this is where we are meant to be.

On Thursday evening, I received a text from Dan (Misener Family Harvesters), “So are you busy tomorrow”?  “Just workin…you headed this way”?, was my reply. The Misener’s had been in South Dakota for a funeral. As you may or may not know, the farmers we “wheaties” cut for generally become more than just a customer. And, this is proof of that statement. The Misener’s have cut for Dave and his dad for quite some time. Unfortunately, Dave’s dad passed away which meant a road trip. OF COURSE they would go to South Dakota from Oklahoma for a funeral. That’s what we “wheaties” do. In December 1996, we gathered the kids and headed to a funeral in Jordan, Montana. It was the coldest funeral we’ve ever attended.  There was no way we were going to miss it and I’m certain that’s exactly how the Misener’s felt. The way I see it, we’ve got family scattered from Texas to Montana!

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