Nearing the end...

As of now 5 and some odd quarters of wheat still to be cut. We will finish Friday or so, assuming no storms hit us. This is a late harvest, a long harvest, but a harvest non-the-less. So gratitude is necessary. I wonder sometimes how many farmers are caught up in praying for rain, praying for sun, praying for grace but forget to stop and say thank you. They are caught up easily in work, farmers. As they must be.

The girls and I are doing really good. Rie is a ball of fire, she's often found pitching a nightly tantrum in her car seat. Last night she did not want to leave the field, especially because Josie was riding in the pickup with Daddy. Marie was mad. I am second choice, it's okay, I'm alright with that.

Josie is going along like crazy, today at the pool she swam a good 10 feet face down underwater. She asked me if I saw her being a mermaid. Indeed I did.

Her gymnastics recital will be the beginning of August, the other moms and I watch them practice and there's a group wonder of if they'll be ready, if they'll know their routine. It would probably help if the girls would stop chatting long enough to do a front roll.

I am 36 weeks today, 4 more to go. We are starting to get really excited to meet this small person. I have decided that I would like very much to never be pregnant during wheat harvest again. I mean, it's not that I want to complain, but heaving my 9 month pregnant self up a 6 foot ladder into the combine is probably not the most graceful thing I've ever done. I like this being big in summer better than winter though, there are less clothes involved :)

Tonight, Reuben sandwiches with a side of strawberries, chex mix and some spice cake bars. Recipe listed for those delicious things below!

Spice Cake Bars (actually, any cake mix bars, these are fun to play with)

• 1 package spice cake mix (any flavor works, we like white with 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips, or chocolate with 1 1/2 cups white chips)
  
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 container frosting of your choice, or cool whip, or 1/2 cup chips melted with 1 T butter for glaze

Combine first 5 ingredients in large mixing bowl. Beat 2 minuets. Stir in chips if you're adding any (nuts are also good). Spread into greased 9x13 pan. Bake at 375 for 20 min (or until it springs back a bit when you touch the top). Cool and frost or glaze. I cut these up and bag them separately. They're not fluffy but come out as a nice heavy, dense cake that won't get crumbly.

They freeze well but frosting melts in the field so I keep it in my beer iced water cooler until the guys are ready to eat.