While My Guitar Gently Weeps on Ukulele!

How can you beat The Beatles when coupled with the sounds of the islands...Presenting Jake Shimabukuro performing "While my Guitar Gently Weeps"

From my trip to Samoa

Hey there, thought I would post this short clip of the Aana School District song they sang for me while I was visiting in the summer of 2006. They were practicing for an event in Apia that was going to be held the next week.

Romantic Anniversary Date

It was a special night after all, it was our 8 year anniversary, so we decided to take a night to celebrate! My wife was beautiful as always, and I opened the door to the restaurant. She entered followed closely by our 3 yr olds, while the 14 mo old smiled at the image of Chuck E Cheese on the window. Nothing like a romantic night out with your wife...at Chuck E Cheese....with your todlers. It was my fault, I was supposed to try to get a baby sitter on Monday. But in my defense, I had been up since 9pm on Sunday when Beth and I discussed that at noon on Monday. Actually it was quite a fun evening for us, especially since we have not really spent much time together as a family lately, either Beth or I are gone almost 24/7. When we are together we are either in logistical planning mode, sleeping or otherwise engaged in some level of preparation or maintainance (I know we are the only family that endures such a lifestyle!). It sometimes amazes me how much we have to do to take care of our family. It is so hard to make sure we're not letting life control us, instead of us contoling life. I think often on this subject as I have found it one of the hardest things to ensure. There are alot of thoughts on this topic out there, including inspired teachings of old and modern day prophets. Goals, planning, progression, but balancing that and ensuring those goals etc meet and are in line with spiritual and familiar goals and expectations. In alot of ways, I have thought of my current situation and the direction my family is headed as "spiritual free falling" if you will. I am scared to death of making the wrong decisions with and for my family, but I feel (although maybe not to the degree I Should be) inspired that the current decisions we are making are right for our family. The "free falling" comes in when I consider I may need to leave my current employment to go to grad school, having another child (although that was is kinda already decided for us ;-) ). Anywho, alot on my mind these days.



Pictures of our fun romantic anniversary!

On another note, when you don't have any extra diapers, you can always try other, nonconventional means to dry your child's wet bum! (PS I freak out when Beth lets them get in there (Which is rarely and always under close supervision)!)

At least in their sleep they love each other ;-) Tyler fell asleep and the next thing I knew Cera had cuddled up to him and this was the result. Not only very cute, but a rarity that they BOTH are asleep at the same time.

What can I say...he's a cute kid, but then again, look at his parents, what else would one expect?!

The Last Lecture

I came across this video while looking up courage on wikipedia. Randy Pausch's "Last Lecture" I found it to be VERY inspiring, and recommend to anyone interested to check it out! He is battling Pancreatic cancer. If you want to watch it, make some time, it is 76 minutes long, but I felt it was well worth it!

Check http://download.srv.cs.cmu.edu/~pausch/ for more information.

Grand Parade and Grandpa Dale

Well, this weekend our family lost a great grandpa, and the world lost a great man. My wife's dad's dad passed away Saturday evening. He had a very aggressive form of cancer and we were all caught by surprise by the swift progression of the disease. He was one of those individuals that many would categorize as a cuddly bear. He was large in stature and personality, but meek and mild in mannerism. He will be greatly missed and forever remembered.
In other news, this weekend I was able to go see my Uncle perform with his Genesis cover band Grand Parade ( http://www.grandparadeprog.com/). They performed at Otto's in Dekalb. I am always impressed with his guitar skills and the band sounded great! (Jeff, if you're reading this, don't get a big head just cuz it was great, k?! ;-) ). It was nice to spend some time with Steve and his wife and my father. We also got to see some family that we haven't seen in a while!
I am so ready for this semester to be over! Between the shooting, work, school, illnesses and everything else occurring this semester I have just felt swamped the whole semester. This summer should be nice with me not working much OT anymore, no school, and Beth not working either. Our poor kids probably have felt neglected and have watched WAY TOO MUCH TV the last month or so. Hopefully we can get out and take them to the Zoo, go swimming, and maybe go to Branson Mo. I recently found out a mission buddy is in Branson doing a Polynesian show. (http://www.theduttons.com/islandfire/) I would love to be able to go see him and the show, and Branson is a really fun place from what I remember when we went when I was a kid. Anywho, thanks for the comments on the last post, feel free to add thoughts whenever you feel a need or desire.

Musings

OK, I don't know if I'm in a really negative mood right now, or there is something in the air, or if I've just been to busy and uptight lately to enjoy life...but is it just me...or do people need to get over themselves, get over others, or something. We've all probably heard the phrase or theory "You tend to see in others that which is inside yourself." Which scares me...cuz all I see around me are people negative about EVERYTHING in life. Their job, their money issues, the economy, the war, the country, their families, their boss, their coworkers, the parking meter guy, the teachers, the students, media, reporters the next door neighbor, the stupid drivers, race inequality, civil rights, gays rights, the oil company CEO's, the car makers, the landlord, the housing market analysts, Realtors, fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, kids, kids friends, kids friends parents, aches, pains, life, death, wives, husbands, shall I go on!? And it seems the worlds answer is...we need to talk about it more. I am so sick and tired about hearing about it...meaning I don't to talk about it (meaning all these stupid "issues") anymore....nor do I want to hear other people in any capacity "gripe" (to sensor myself) and moan about things. I think we need less talking and more action. You don't like your job: change it or learn to like it. you don't like your family: go live as a hermit in the mountains; don't like your family: get rid of the one you have and go make a new one. Any of those options not viable, stop whining, shut up and find the good in what you have (which is why you've stuck with it this long I would guess), and work on changing what you can or are willing to change, and learn to accept what you can't or are unwilling to change. Well....I must say amen to myself. As I must be one of the ones whining....(please see above text as reference). It just seems we all, including myself, get so caught up in life that we forget life even exists. We're so worried about the mortgage, rent or trying to get a mortgage, that we forget why we even have a house, apartment or shack. Well...I hope I can live by my ideals, or at least try to, or learn to try to. I also hope you all have gained SOMETHING from my "musings". Please feel free to comment, add an amen, or tell me where and how I see things wrong. Also, I will still be posting about my wonderful family...updating everyone about them with pictures and cute anecdotal stories, but I also am going to incorporate more of myself forthwith. I have some poems I wrote while on my mission...I think I may post some. Maybe in telling those 2 or 3 people out there who look at my blog every other month or so a little more about myself...I learn and see more of myself as well. Oh...and by the I'll start sharing more of myself right now...I'm a procrastinator. I am doing this instead of any number of things I should be doing instead like: prepare a Sunday school lesson, finish...well...lets be honest...start a paper that was due 2 days ago (oops), do something at work instead of writing a blog entry (I don't put too much weight because I don't come here to work!), union stuff, resume writing, etc. (As you can see I am a list maker). My point...I don't care...I am a procrastinator and proud of it. I can learn to deal with that to a degree, so long as my procrastination doesn't lead my family or close friends to feel I have let them down because of not accomplishing something I should have. Well...that is today's lesson in "Samisms" or "The World of Sam" or "Sam as Sam Sees it" or "As the Sam Turns"...ok....enough of that...feel free to stop by anytime...the light is always on! (BTW...for those of you who know where I live...I mean the Blog....not my house...I will turn off the light there.)