Mt. Michael Fall Festival

Daddy's high school alma matter always has a great fundraiser celebration in the fall. This year Ernie got to enjoy the midway with the Swersczek kids (their daddy, Rob, graduated with Jeremy back in '97). Grandma Bonnie, Grandpa Denie, and Aunt Tricia made sure we all had a great time!

There's about to be a fourth Swerczek little one in December. Robbie is obviously rooting for a brother. He was very attentive to Ernie, saying "Anything you want to do, I will go with you!" What a sweetheart.

Carsten Farm Days

This year was the celebration of the Massey-Harris tractor. Once again, one and a half hours of a tractor parade was not enough, since we kept saying "We might see more tractors" afterwards. But Ernie had a great time. And cousin Kitt came too! And they two played tractors together while watching the parade. Ernie was in tractor heaven.

Nebraska State Fair

Although we might have never made it past the gate and the farm equiptment, we were also there to see BILLY STEERS (that's right folks, THE Billy Steers, author and illustrator of the Tractor Mac series of books). Ernie still talks about meeting Billy Steers, and when we get to the end of any Tractor Mac book he points to his picture and says "Dere's Billy Steers! Billy Steers is a gooooood man." (Ernie doesn't know it, but three more Tractor Mac books are waiting to greet him the day he becomes a big brother).

This guy looks like Sam the Ram, from the Tractor Mac books!

First coaster ride with Aunt Laura.

A real Tractor Mac!

Billy Steers signed our books and drew a picture of Sam the Ram for Ernie.