Pumpkin Day 2010

Well sorry for the long delay but I have returned. Those who have been reading my blog know I don't usually upload more than a few pictures. Today is going to be a little different, while there are only a few pictures of me (sad I know), this blog is primarily photographs. When we moved from Salt Lake City to Farmington my father found out that our new house had quite a large field next to the house which gave him an idea. So he decided to plant a crop of pumpkins in order to sell them in October, and as laughable as that idea was to me, it worked out pretty well.

These first two shots are just some artistic shots taken by Kim

This picture was taken from the back of the pumpkin patch. Thats our house on the left of the shot. It was nearly impossible to get a picture of the whole patch, but this one was pretty good. My dad planted about 100 plants which produced around 150 pumkins. Who knew he had it in him?

Here is the old man hard at work. Spent about four hours harvesting about half of the field. After the pumpkins were picked he washed and weighed each one. Mom set the prices at three, four, and five dollars depending on the size and quality.

I decided to supervise the operation. He would wheel me out to the field and I would point to the pumpkins to make sure he didn't miss any. Plus it didn't look like dad was working as hard as he could have been, and the wheel-barrow ride was quite enjoyable.

Picture of me with the cash crop. Most of the pumpkins were about the size of a soccer ball and weighed between 10 and 15 pounds. Notice the white bathroom scale in the picture? Thats how dad would measure the weight of the pumpkins, he would stand on the scale with a pumpkin, then subtract his own body weight from the total to get the weight of each one. At first I thought the pumpkins scaled in at 40+ pounds, but then I realized Dad has probably put on a few LB's.

This is the sign Mom made for the corner of our yard. Contrary to what the sign says, we do have more than one for sale.

This is my very own personal pumpkin. Mom carved my name into a pumpkin when it was little and as the pumpkin grew, so did the scar. Even though her grammar is a little off, she is pretty dang awesome.

Lights

Not much to write about today, its late and I think Dad is a little sick. No one makes that many trips to the bathroom unless they are. Well, I gotta go, I'm very busy trying to find all the light switches in the house, they're awesome!

Check back tomorrow, Mom keeps talking about something called "pumpkin day", should be interesting.

Until next time, have a safe journey.

Home

Well it is good to be home. New Mexico was a blast although the ride to and from was less then pleasant. I did book a five star drive for the trip down there. I was promised a smooth ride with plenty of elegant food, top notch entertainment, all in a plush seat with plenty of leg room. I would have been a fool to pass up such an offer, right? Wrong! As I began the trip I realized what was really behind the curtain.

The Plush seat I was promised turned out to be the same drab car seat I have been requisitioned to by my parents, it was just in a more luxurious surrounding. What about the elegant food? Well there was plenty of food, calling it elegant would be like trying to pass off a chicken fried steak T.V. dinner as a Filet Mignon. Just because the food came from a place named Burger King, does not make it elegant, it provides the gift of constipation. To make things worse, apparently "top notch" entertainment is another way to say "previously viewed" entertainment. The only thing that was five star was the service. I had personal drive liaisons seated on my left and on my right. They would feed me whenever I needed, and although it wasn't elegant food, my liaisons did there best to make it readily available. They would prop up my feet and provide me with warm blankets (although a certain blue and white blanket only kept me warm one out of the four times I used it... weird). They had pre selected some of my favorite books to read as well as a few of my favorite toys. They even provided an i-Pad for my own personal use. I really do give them high marks for service. The "smooth ride" was smooth but broke down for an hour on the way home. While I waited for the repairs to be made I had the earnest pleasure of seeking shelter under a melon stand during a downpour. Maybe that was the elegant food I was promised, or at least a remedy to the constipation. The next time I book travel I will be sure to ask for references and book one way, so I can leave my options open for the return trip.

On a side note, I highly recommend heading down to New Mexico for the annual Balloon Fiesta that is held there every year. It is truly something to behold. I attached a few pictures of my visit to the fiesta. Until next time, enjoy the rest of your evening.

New Mexico or Bust!

So I am off to New Mexico to visit my namesake and his family. Who is my namesake? That would be Daniel Reeves, my dads twin brother. I guess I am named after him because we are both so similar. We both have been known to throw a fit a time or too, we usually get our way because it is easier than have to deal with us or talk some logic to us, and we get cranky if we don't get enough sleep.

I am headed down with Gropa, Dad and aunt Heather... in one car. I am going to try and make this a very, very, very long trip for them. Grandma might spoil me the whole way down, so I might be outmatched there, but I should hold my own against the rest. I really hope Dad packed enough food, I am more than a little worried about it.

Its going to be very hard to leave mom though. It will be the first time I have left her home alone for more than a night. She is probably going to move all my toys who knows where so I won't be able to find them, and on top of that I bet she will eat all my snacks to. I am probably going to pick up some padlocks for the cabinets just in case.

Well I am off so until next time, enjoy the chips and salsa.

Back, for a sad occasion.

Due to popular demand I am back. I am a little older, a little bigger, and more than a little wiser.

But I start off today to say that my best friend in the whole world died a week ago today. Sebastian (the "furry four legged baby") was hit by a car while we were outside enjoying the day. Before I really knew him I used to envy him to point of dislike. That ,however,was before I really knew him. He was a kindred spirit to say the least. Not to brag (but I will anyways), but I am the center of attention where ever I am, but if anybody could challenge me for the title it was him. On a few occasions he would outshine even me. No one else that I know brought my mother so much happiness and joy. Before I came along he was the light of her life. Yet he did not mind to step aside for me, even though it meant "less" for him. Deep down he wanted our mother to be happy, and if it meant sharing the spotlight, he gladly obliged. He loved her more than life itself.

Him and I became better friends as I grew older, and over the course of the last year he became the best sidekick I could have ever asked for. We had a mutually beneficial relationship. See, as I grew older, my mother and father begin to feed me what they call real food. While I have a very refined taste for food, C-Bass (My homeboy Sebastian) would eat anything; he was my very own personal garbage disposal. So as my parents fed me a greater variety of food I would simply pass along less-than-desireables to C-Bass, which he gladly accepted. It was a win win situation. He loved me for it, mostly because all my parents would give him was tiny, stale, gritty, earth colored nuggets from a bowl on the floor. It is not very good, trust me, I have tried it.

At times it appeared as though he had a better deal worked out with mom and dad. He was ALWAYS allowed to stay up as late as he wanted, while I got tossed into a very small and confined cage with a mattress. When he did decide that he was ready to call it a night he had his pick of the land. The top of the couch, the floor, his little tent or even mom and dad's bed! Actually I think the queen size pillow top was his to begin with, every time he got in it, mom and dad would have to move to accommodate him. So while bedtime for him meant any time and anywhere, for me it was (and still is) a small and less than soft mattress surrounded by bars before sunset. Hardly seems just. I did get the better deal when it came to travel. C-Bass was very limited to where he could go while I was greeted like a king everywhere I went. He was frequently left behind which wasn't very beneficial for him at times. Mostly when I went to eat with the folks and was forced to eat whatever they gave me, and with no C-Bass there, I had no choice. Where I truly outranked him was at the Gropas ( Gropa is the name my parents gave my grandparents, and they were specifically put on this earth to love and spoil me, thats it, nothing else) house. He rarely went to Gropas, and when he was there, he wasn't even allowed inside. I drove him nuts. Sure, when he asked what it was like in there I would embellish a little, but it was in good fun. Besides whose to say there couldn't be an all-you-can eat buffet of real food lining the walls in Gropas house? It could happen.

Anyone that knew Sebastian, knew how great he was. For those who didn't, take all the best qualities of every dog you know, add a heart big enough to build a mountain, and put it in dog ten sizes too small and you get the worlds best dog; Sebastian, my best friend.

Sebastian

December 08, 2007 - September 20, 2010

The Worlds Best Dog

A new perspective

Welcome.

I have come to appreciate a new friend.  Someone I thought I would never really see eye to eye with.  Its someone who depends on mom and dad for the same thing I depend on them for.   Thats right, its the furry four legged baby, Sebastian.  I now know that he is in fact not a baby but he is actually a canine, or a dog to keep it simple.  Although I still consider him my nemesis, I have much more sympathy for him than I once had.  

While he has much more mobility than I, he too is limited to where he can go based upon where mom and dad take him.  He and I both have no say about where mom and dad take us. (No, I did not want to go to the doctor twice last week.). If  I were him, every time dad opened the front door I would bolt and never look back.  Dad couldn't catch him, I have seen dad run, it would be a blow out.  While he does get to occasionally snack on some tasty morsels handed to him by mom, it is not his regular diet.  I have seen his food, and at first glance I mistook it for a bowl of dirt.  I don't think sebastian likes it either, his food dish is usually more than half way full.  We also share the same 6 inch perspective on the world. Every thing is huge.  Let me explain, imagine sitting in a chair with a handle fixed to the top of the chair when a giant more than four times your size picks up the chair by the handle and begins to swing it high into the air in an attempt to  rock you to sleep.  When was the last time any roller coaster lulled anybody to sleep?  When dad does it to me, I stay motion-less and silent praying that he doesn't let go and send me flying into the ceiling above.  Like wise Sebastian has that same perspective, standing at about 7 inches tall.   Trust us, it makes life a little difficult. 

While it will always be a competition between the dog and I, I do have a new found respect for him and the things he puts up with.

Until next time, enjoy the rest of your evening.

Who new?

Hello

Sorry to say it but today I am having a really bad case of writers block.   Its the strangest thing, but I guess it happens to everyone no and again.

Goodbye

How is everything?

Howdy

I feel like I got a pretty good hang on things around here.  I cry a little and I get mom and dad's undivided attention.  I crack a wee smile and mom glows like she just won the Nobel Peace Prize for her Oscar winning performance in a movie about her struggle to win 15 Grammy's two years in a row. If I do something new like laugh or sigh after a sneeze, dad will drive the wrong way on the interstate just to get home in time to see it.  So as far as I can tell, its pretty much all about me.  So here is my chance to return the favor.  If anybody needs any advice or has a question for me, please feel free to ask.  I will answer all questions from my unique perspective.

Until next time, so long partner

I'm back baby!!!!

Greetings

My long awaited return to the blogging world is finally over.  Thanks for all the letters and gifts from my loyal fans and readers. (You know who you are.)  So without further delay, its time to get rolling.

So a few weeks ago Mom and Dad took me to the doctors.  No its not a typo, its supposed to be plural.  I went to two different doctors in one week.  Lets get one thing straight; I do not like doctors.  First of all I don't even remember being sick, but off to the quack I went anyways.  The first one I went to was with mom and Ree-ree.  As we entered the room I noticed her PhD hanging on the wall; it smelt like a box of Cracker Jacks.  She was mostly sinister and she convinced my dear sweet mother to quit breast feeding entirely without asking me if it would be ok first.  It was not ok with me.  I have never met a hippie doctor before, and this doctor was surely a hippie.  Its true, I saw a picture of her in the dictionary right next to the definition of Wood Stock.   She was very organic too, recommending that my parents start putting me on a diet of soy formula.  (Yes it tastes as gross as it sounds.) Things really got interesting when she asked my mom if she was "into new age healing."  I tried to hold the laughter in, but mom said yes.  Puzzled I looked up at her trying to figure out why she said yes, when clearly "no" was the appropriate response.  It was then that the doc suggested acupuncture, surely mom would draw the line now.  Nope and out came the needles.  Petrified at the sight, I froze, stiff as a bored.  After the doctor began I heard mom say "Wow, look at how relaxed he is." I guess relaxed is one word to describe it, not one that I would have used though.  Towards the end of the acupuncture however,  I was very relaxed.  Overall it was not a pleasant experience.

When we left we headed back home and I was relieved to see dad was there.  He was just as shocked as I was about about doctor earth and the acupuncture.  I knew I liked dad for a reason.  The joy was short lived though because it was then that I over heard mom and dad talking about taking me to my regular doctor just four days later.  

Action needs to be taken.  I need to give my parents up for adoption, enough is enough.  After doing my research though apparently I have to be 18 to due that.  Well on October 19'th I will be 18 weeks, so if anybody needs some new parents, mine will be available.

Back to my doctor nightmare. 

 So five days later we head back to yet another doctor.  My cup runath over.  This doctor seemed to be a bit more legitimate though, there wasn't any incense or pictures of Ghandi on the wall.  So after they did a quick check up on me (a quick poke and a prod)  the Doctor asked if they had any questions for her.  They had a few. Patiently I waited for my turn at the Q and A, but it never came.  I was furious.  I had a ton of questions to ask, like; How do I get my legs to work? or; How Do I get mom and dad to take more naps? Did I get chance to ask any of those? No! Not one! To make things worse she told my parents that I should be taking prevacid, thats right, more medicine.  When she left, her nurse came in with a huge needle, and unlike the acupuncture this one hurt; bad.  On a side note though, I never knew I could scream that loud, it was a new personal best.

Well that about wraps it up, remember to mark October 19'th on the calendar.

Until next time, Salutations.

PS.  On a separate and completely unrelated topic to the above blog, I am eating better, sleeping better, and crying less.  Still can't figure out why.

Testing my lung capacity

 

Well, lets see.... since Mom and Dad don't speak baby,   I screamed all day.....(seriously).  See ya tomorrow.