A "Big Big Big Green Combine"

When we were in Idaho, the wheat fields were golden and that can only mean one thing--grain harvest. We are lucky to have a brother-in-law who is working for a farmer this year and he was driving a grain combine while we were there. So, one lucky little boy (and his lucky daddy) got to go out for a while on a Saturday afternoon and ride in the 'big, big, big green combine'. And let me just say that it really was BIG--I had forgotten how massive these machines were.
Words can not even begin to describe how amazing this experience was for Tyler. It was as if all of the toys he plays with had come to life, on a much bigger scale. His eyes were the size of silver dollars and he was absolutely fascinated by every aspect of the process. He can now tell you that the combine cuts wheat and then it dumps it into the grain cart, which is pulled by a tractor, and then they put it in a big truck after that. This kid's got it down. And if you've ever thought that a combine and a tractor were the same thing, you would certainly stand corrected by this little boy. He honestly talks about this adventure of riding in the combine with Todd all the time still. And it's not just a combine, or even a green combine, it's the 'big, big, big green combine'. Once or twice when he was telling people about the experience, he would get a little tongue tied and call it the green, green, green, green combine...but you get the picture.
And I have to say that I'm pretty sure it was almost as fun for Garrett to be out in the big green combine that day too. I think there is something about being able to take your son out to see something bigger than life, that up to this point was only talked about and played with on a much smaller scale, that is quite fulfilling. I think he was quite pleased that he could help bring it all to life for Tyler. And we can't thank Todd enough for taking the boys out on this Saturday: 8/4/07.

Well, these are the last of the photos of our trip (now that we've been home an entire month--yikes!). And I would have to say that this day was probably the tip of the iceburg for the ten days that Tyler spent in "Little Boy Heaven" (aka--a visit to Idaho). I had every intention of posting these a long time ago and yesterday it dawned on me that I hadn't. And I wanted to write about it since I may actually get around to scrapbooking this experience some day! :) In fact, what made me think of it was the fact that for one, Tyler has been playing with his tractors so much more since we got home and he is much more interactive with them now. It's funny! He plays just like they are the real thing and I love seeing his imagination run wild and how much more real they are to him now. And the second reason is that he wants nothing more than to have someone play tractors with him, so of course I am often the lucky one since I am often the only one. And yesterday, while we were having a rousing run with the tractors, my belly got used as a field for the combine. He made quite a game out of it. He'd drive the combine onto my belly and sit it there and wait for Baby Brother to move and then, once Baby would move, it would cause the combine to drive down the other side. Fun, huh?! I guess he was having a little bonding moment with his baby brother. And when he hadn't moved for a while, Tyler would say, "come on, baby brother! Move!". (I'm sure that's not the last time we'll hear that phrase...) He gets excited talking about being able to play tractors with his baby brother. I just hope he's not disappointed when this baby doesn't come out with a tractor in each hand ready to play...