Farm Country ポニーに乗ったよ。

先週末、恵伝と真椰の病気が治ったのでthanksgiving pointにあるfarm countryに行ってきました。そんなに大きくないねんけど、色々動物が見れるし、ポニーに乗れるし、入場料$3.50やし、２歳までタダやし。恵伝は前に１回行ったことあったんやけど、真椰は今回初めてでした。もう入って牧場内に足を踏み入れた瞬間に恵伝はダッシュ。
We went to Farm Country (Thanksgiving point) last weekend. It was nice to get out since both Caden and Maya were sick for almost 2 weeks. As soon as Caden saw the pony ride, he ran.
乗った時にはもう大満足の笑顔。
You can see how happy he was.
真椰は全く笑わず、何が起こっているのか把握出来てなかったような。2回目に乗った時はずっと馬に話しかけてました。
Maya had no idea what was going on. She enjoyed it more the second time around, though.
その後、最近ちょっと歩けるようになった真椰は調子にのって段差のあるとこを1人で降りた為転けてしまいました。鼻が血だらけになってかわいそうやった。
After the pony rides, Maya thought she could walk on her own so she did. But she tripped and hit her nose on a wooden wall.
恵伝は動物達に話しかけたりして楽しんでました。これは恵伝がにわとりに挨拶してるところ。別にやらせたわけでもないねんけど、私が『恵伝、こんにちはってゆった？』って聞いたらえらい頭下げて『こんにちは、チキン。』やって。
Caden had a blast talking to all the animals there. This is the picture of him saying hello...well, Japanese style.

Several weeks ago, facutly members of the Waterford School's music department put a small Jazz band together and performed for students and parents. It was a blast...here's the proof.

お弁当

最近、恵伝は食べることより遊ぶことのほうがいいらしく全然自分で食べようとしないし、前みたいにおかわりもしなくなった。だから、ちょっと工夫してお弁当を作るようになった。日本にいるお母さん達にはちょっと恥ずかしくて見せられへんくらいヘボイけど。昨日はパンダのおにぎり。本間はkungfu pandaのはずが、子供らが腹へったと泣き始めたので普通パンダに。でもすごいよろこんで、全部食べてくれた。写真では見えへんかもしれんけど、初めて鶏肉と豆腐のチキンナゲットを作ってみた。中がふわふわで、油もん嫌いな恵伝も私達の分も食べた。クックパッドで見つけたレシピで作ってんけど、もし作ってみたかったら教えて。レシピメールしたるわあ。むっちゃ簡単やから。

ブログ頑張るわ。

ずーっとめんどくさくてやってなかったブログ。ちょっと頑張ってみることにしました。２月３日一応恵方巻き食べました。豆まきは真椰がびびったので中止。せっかく頑張ってつくった巻きなのに、恵伝は食べ始めてすぐ寝てしまい結局２口ぐらいしか食べなかった。その時間．．．6時。ちょっと寝るの早すぎ．．．!!ってあせったけど、朝７時半まで寝てました。私もやってみたい．．．１３時間半の睡眠。

What gives me gas?

It doesn't take much to give me gas. I get gas from the simplest things, even ones that should help relieve gas. I get gas from pasta, cheese, Tums, beef, pork, chicken, eggs, rice, milk, Extra gum, hamburgers, lettuce, pot stickers, wheat bread, ultra violet rays, yakisoba, peanut butter, chocolate ice cream, Bucky Covington, carrots, potatoes, radishes, Lucky Charms, Evian, 18th century Impressionist art, the Book of Leviticus, anything above a high C, riboflavin, brocolli, asparagus, bananas, tomatos, potato chips, spinach, lemonaide, french toast, hot dogs, hot chocolate, Hot Pockets, Moscow ID, french fries, G.O.R.P., cherry cobbler, Skittles, raisen bran, oatmeal, curry, elk, grape juice, Kenny G, Disneyland, early morning Priesthood meetings, Zuppas, Pez, green beans, brown beans, black beans, jelly beans, strawberries, Tylenol, snicker doodles, tuna, breadsticks, meat balls, and apples.

Happy New Year

Though I should make a New Year's resolution to be better at updating my family's blog, I'm not going to. I realize that this isn't going to come as a blow to most people, but to those of you (like me) who thrive on the new updates of friends and family via one or more products offered by Google, I apologize.

All in all, we had a pretty good year. Sure, we had ups and downs along with the rest of the world, but it turned out to be just fine (as it always does and always will).

Maya came to us in January and has brought so much happiness with her goofy little personality. She and Caden absolutely complete my wife and I. It's amazing I made it this far in my life without those people. Maya's coming, however, wasn't at all easy. A week after she was born, Ai had sudden and unexpected complications that almost took her from me. In fact, doctors were preparing me for the worst. But, I put my hands on her head in a special way and we both knew that she would be fine.

I have always wanted to be a Seminary teacher, but I found out this year that it wasn't to be. This gave me a new resolve to focus on another love: music. I have really worked hard to be a better musician and have found such satisfaction in doing so. I have been able to work with people in the music world that have changed my life. One of them shared this poem with me:

"I sit here as a man humbled
by the gift in my hand.
Burdened by the weight of my humanity,
Amazed by the power of God.
Who am I,
That the God of this world offer me this gift?
Who am I,
That I have been chosen,
to touch the heart with sound?
Really.
It's not because of who I am,
But because of who he is.
He chose what was least in this world,
So that his glory might be seen.
I am by all accounts one who is
Least in this world.
I have failed more times
Than I have succeeded.
Even with the best of intentions,
I get it wrong.
Yet I know,
That when I close my eyes and blow,
He moves through me."
- Maketta Nicole Wilcoxson

I try to practice, teach, and play with that philosophy and it makes a differece. It's amazing what happens when priorities and motives are in the right place.

The kids are well, Ai never ceases to show me what true love really means, and I'm just trying to keep up with them.

Happy New Year! Things were great in '08, and they're gonna be fine in '09!

Remembering JS-Matt

I want to thank everyone who was able to make it to my recital. It turned out to be a really good show and I had a blast putting it on. Fortunately, some good performing opportunities have come up because of it, so I'll try to keep you posted on when and where I'm playing.

If you haven't heard, the company that I have been teaching trumpet lessons at for the past four years is officially out of business. It came out of nowhere and now there are nearly 70 music teachers looking for new places to teach from. I'm working on getting a place in the northern end of Utah County in an attempt to keep all my students.

The hardest part about this situation is that there seems to be some foul play on the part of The Music School's investors and parent company, Sentry Financial. For those of you who live in Utah, you'll being seeing some things about them on the news over the next few days. An investigation is now underway about the legality of closing the school with such short notice without reimbursing students for lessons they won't be getting and withholding payment from all employees for the entire month of September. I hope some of my close friends don't get buried in this whole mess.

With this forced career change looming, the downtrodden world economy, natural disasters increasing in quantity and apparent intensity, I can't help but think of the words of the Savior to His apostles regarding the days before His Second Coming. It's nice to know that the answer to ALL of life's problems and trials is simply to obey the commandments.