Riding Papa's Tractor

Right after I was born my parents built a house down a dirt road behind my dad's parents' house.  Growing up, my dad always had a big garden.  We always had tomatoes, potatoes, squash, corn, butter beans, cucumbers, peas, watermelon, and all kinds of other things that I'm sure I'm forgetting.  We even had peach trees and a grape vine.  I always got so tired of shelling butter beans and peas but I definitely ate more than my share!  I can remember my dad plowing up the row of potatoes and my sister and I going behind the tractor digging up the potatoes.  Just when you thought you had gotten them all you would dig and find another one! 

My grandpa always had a big garden too and his field was beside the dirt road on the way to our house.  Behind my grandparents' house was my grandpa's shed where he kept all of his tools and his tractor.  My parents bought more land when I was in high school and built another house several miles away from my grandparents' house.  Daddy still has a garden every year but its not quite a big as it was when I was little. 

When my grandpa died my dad asked for his tractor so that he could restore it.  It seemed like the tractor project went on forever but my dad is extremely particular.  There was a lot of taking apart, cleaning, repairing, painting, and putting back together going on.  The red paint had to be the RIGHT shade of red and lots of other details that no else will probably notice except for my dad.  He finally got it just the way he wanted it a couple of years ago and riding the tractor is my nephew Owen's favorite thing to do at Papa's house.  He talks about it constantly!  If you can't get him to put his clothes on, all you have to say is "If you want to ride the tractor, you have to put your clothes and shoes on."  After that, you've never seen a 2 (almost 3) year old get dressed so fast!  When we were home for Mother's Day Kellan couldn't quite sit up by himself enough for daddy to take him.  But just a few short weeks later, Kellan is sitting up completely on his own and he was ready for his first tractor ride this weekend!

Mom?  Are you sure I should be doing this?!

Alright Papa, teach me how to drive this thing!

I'll just take the wheel from here!

My mom follows me with that camera everywhere I go!

Owen enjoying the parade...

Kellan, Papa, and Owen

Kellan, Michael, Owen, and Papa

Michael grabbed Kellan so that Owen could ride the tractor back in

Kellan wasn't afraid one bit and he seemed like he was taking it all in.  I hope when he gets bigger he will love riding the tractor as much as Owen does!  In a few more weeks it will be time for Baby Eden to take her first tractor ride!