Adventures of a Modern Farm Family: Meaures Thieves and Shop Time

Joel LOVES tape measures. When he was younger he would carry one around all the time and sleep with one. Joel calls tape measures “measures” and he now has the whole family calling them measures. Grandpa Craig usually has one hanging from his pants pockets and Joel is quick to spot it and take it. It isn’t unusual for us to have a collection of confiscated measures on top of our refrigerator.

The approach

The get away vehicle

Reading the labels....I don't know why he is only in undies and no shoes

A couple weeks ago we were taking one of our walks. Ok, I walk, Joel and Vincent are in the Gator and Cecilia is in the stroller. We usually go around the silos and past the (farm) shop or vice versa. That night as we went to walk by the shop the boys pulled into the shop up to the room with the tools. They jumped out ran to the cart that holds measures and other smaller tools, Vincent read the labels on the drawers. I heard him say "Tape Measures, starts with a T and its two words." They found the drawer and Joel and Vincent loaded up their arms with measures and started filling the back of their Gator. They ended up with 15-20 measures! They were so proud of themselves. Cecilia wanted in on the action and got in the Gator with the measures after a little bit she and Joel switched spots because she tries to jump out when it is moving.

The goods!

Joel dropping off his share of the measures

Cecilia wanted in on the action

Cecilia likes measures too!

I couldn’t decide if I should laugh or be worried. It was a perfectly executed robbery and they used teamwork to do it. I am pretty sure they were planning it on the ride down to the shop, because I heard Vincent and Joel talking, but I had no idea what it was about! They were caught red handed by Uncle Bob, Daddy and Grandma Diane as they were driving out of the shop. The kids didn’t seem to care and took a victory lap around the outside of the shop.

Cecilia analyzing the loot

Don't worry Mom, we aren't doing anything

The kids love going down to the shop to see what is going on. I try to restrict their time down there to just what I call “after hours”, which to me is after 6pm. Usually things slow down by then and there is less traffic, less equipment moving, and salesmen/bankers/etc are no longer visiting. Besides stealing measures the kids love climbing on tractors, checking out everything that is going on and putting their two cents in on what is going on.