General Conference

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A Weekend Getaway

When: June 27-28, 2009
Travel: 3 hrs drive
iPod Playlist: 2 songs
We were heading to Chincoteague Island in Virginia Saturday morning for our camping trip with the Mnyandus, our wonderful and close friends from New Jersey. I started to crank up some music when I heard a voice ever so gentle yet loud enough to be heard over the music and from the backseat. "McQueen song please Daddy" was Edric's request. Lately he's been fond of 'Life is A Highway' by Rascal Flatts, from the soundtrack of the Disney movie 'Cars'. Just as the song got done we heard, "Again please". Such was the demand over and over and over again. After about 4 or 5 times when I noticed he wasn't paying attention to the song, I snuck in some slow jams by MJ (you know who, the King of Pop who just passed away 2 days prior). A couple of songs later, we heard "Again please" and this time it was 'I'll Be There'. From then on, it was just those two songs; 'Life is A Highway' and 'I'll Be There' back to back over and over... Never planned it but they turned out to be the anthems of our trip, courtesy of our 2-year old buddy at the back. Come to think of it, they're good titles for traveling. We three simply enjoyed singing along during most parts of both songs. My favorite part though was when Edric, in perfect timing would shout along with MJ's 'oooohhhhh' right after the the adlib; 'just look over your shoulders honey'. 'Twas a blast and at the same time a special moment for us to be singing at the top of our lungs (well, not really!) in unison as a family while we cruised down the road. We did get to listen to a few other songs but for very limited times when he got busy with his toys.



In our age of technological advancements and busy lives, it's quite refreshing to step back sometimes and get closer to mother nature. Indeed we had a swell time camping. It was my first time going fishing after a long while. I think my last fishing was when I was about 10 yrs old back home. I grew up approximately a couple hundred meters away from the beach. Back then, it was just some nylon strings, a hook and some worms we picked up from the beach during low tides. This time I had to figure out how to setup our rod. We didn't catch any fish. Talk about being so rusty since my last fishing. But hey, I can't feel bad 'coz my friend Ellis (Mnyandu) didn't catch one either. His first time too. "We'll get 'em next time!" was our battle cry heading back to our camp.

Edric had so much fun playing with Wandile and Thami throughout the camp while Pam and I as always had pleasant times catching up with Ellis and Loraine. It's great to simply enjoy nature, relax and unwind with friends. Short as they may be at times but well worth it. We thought we'd make this one of our family traditions, to go camping or nature trip at least once a year.

As a side note, I may not understand MJ's life (I didn't really follow him beyond his music) and I may not applaud all the drama and issues surrounding him, nevertheless I do enjoy and appreciate much of his music. And yes, I did the 'moonwalk' too. Who hasn't?

Summer Breeze

Summer officially begins on June 21 this year. Just around the corner it seems, and as I look forward to our plans of more fun under the sun I'd like to start with what we did last summer. You see, you can't get to where you're going unless you look back to where you've been, or so they say. Alright, alright, I admit, it's just my lame excuse for failing to post last year's summer activities and I'm catching up here. I did finish the video last year but screwed up and missed publishing it. We had so much fun that I have to post it somehow. And it was Edric's first time camping & basking on the beach. We do have a few exciting actions lined up for this year and I hope I won't have to wait 'til next year to include them here. As of now, enjoy the video below...

DADDY TOO!!!

One of the many phrases that Edric learned recently is "_______ too!" where blank could be Momma, Daddy or Edric and other times his toys. We've used it quite a few times already. Like when we wanted him to eat something and he was hesitant, Daddy would take it first then we say, 'Momma too!', then 'Edric too!', by then he would take it with better confidence. Sometimes he uses it when he wants to share something to others. Then one night he used it unexpectedly in a way I never thought he would. It actually happend last month.

Presentation below was inspired from tonight when I was reading him a couple of books before putting him to bed; "I'm Glad I'm Me (Poems about you)" by Jack Prelutsky and "Bambi Gets Lost" (a special adaptation of the Disney Classic). Both books were of poem/rhyme format. I was reading them to Edric and next thing I knew, it shifted me to rhyming mode. So here I go again...

There I was, playing with Edric, having fun one night
Spending time with him is always pure delight.
We read, we sang, we laughed, and we did play
When I attempted to leave, he would plead, "Daddy, stay."
Then after awhile, there came a smell
The kind that's from his bottom, you can surely tell.
And so I picked up a fresh diaper and called to my boy,
"C'mon Edric, time for a change, you may put down your toy."
He then came running with sweet innocence, oh so true
He grabbed the diaper from my hand, fitted on me and said, "DADDY TOO!!"

Winter's not quite over yet!

Just as we're getting set for Spring in a couple of weeks, Winter decided to unleash a parting blow with it's Nor'Easter, blanketing the East Coast. It started Sunday night and piling up into Monday around noon time. We had about 6 inches or so while neighboring areas reported a lot more, up to 14 inches. Some strong winds also levelled/scattered the snow. School was off & children got to enjoy playing outside. No complains here, throughout this winter I think it's the only time we've had a whiteout. And we're able to have fun outside w/ Edric & Pam...






Daddy, where are yooouuuu?!

Always keep a little prayer in your pocket . . .

In my youth I've had a few rap-rhyme compositions I've kept for myself. That was when I was into hip hop & rap music (not the explicit/dirty ones though, just the clean ones... I was already an LDS then). So when I met Pam, I was so excited I wanted to compose one for her. But then I realized she was a lot more special than that, so I didn't. Instead, I made her something else with a little extra sprinkle of love from the heart.

Today, I'd like to bring her back in time - almost 16 years ago. March 9, 1993 when she gave me a love note that I've kept in my wallet ever since. It's been folded three-way and unfortunately the 2 sides that has been exposed all this time is now mostly unreadable. No, 2/3 of it has not been 'sealed'. It has faded enough over time so that much of it is hard to read. The part of it that has been folded inward though is still pretty clear. It's actually the bottom part and it reads, "Please never change, if you do, make sure it's for the better." At that time I thought, "Now there's my first commandment from my future wife!"

Anyway, as I went home that night I wrote down my thoughts at the back of her note. I know I have shared this to her the next day we were together, but today I'd like to rededicate this to her. It is a special prayer I made for her that I still keep w/ me in my wallet, even now. These may be simple words, nevertheless, straight from the heart...

"Heavenly Father up above
I come before thee so much grateful for thine love.
At times I wonder how loving thou art
For even with my weaknesses thou art never apart.
I know I have offended thee many a times
And today I pray that thine mercy be mine.
I thank thee Dear Father for blessings thou hast bestowed
Through which thine compassion I behold.
Most especially Father, for blessing me
With the girl I've been waiting for patiently.
Pamela has been one of my greatest blessings from thee
And I pray that thou would bless her everyday for me.
Guide her & protect her wherever she may be
And bless her to know of my love for her with all sincerity.
I pray Father that thou would help me to be
The kind of man she wants of me.
But most of all, that I may always be
Worthy for the love she has for me."
- elmer poquita 09Mar93

A line from a song once said, "Always keep a little prayer in your pocket and you're sure to see the light..." I do have a prayer in my pocket, only this time I'm not just grateful for Pam but also for our son Edric.

Happy Valentines Pangga!

Looking forward while enjoying the past...

As we have crossed into 2009, we look back to beautiful memories from the year past and build on them as we look forward to another year of making more wonderful memories with family and friends and another year of overcoming life's challenges.

ho ho ho!

I've read about Baby Mickey, Baby Donald, Baby Goofy, Baby Pluto & other Baby Disney Characters from Edric's books... now here's Baby Santa - on training with his reindeer (Cousin Jhalen). He also says, ho ho ho (notice, still in lower case).

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

The best of all gifts around any Christmas Tree: the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other. 

by Burton Hillis

He's Flounder, He's a dino,... and He's having fun!

We had two costumes for Edric at hand so we thought it best to utilize them before he outgrows them next year. Flounder (from 'The Little Mermaid') was a gift from his cousin LJ and the dinosaur a gift from Pam's friend.

Oct 24 - Trunk or Treat at Church

Halloween activities at church have always been fun and this year was no exception. Edric went as Flounder. We also enjoyed watching some very nice trunk decorations as we went about trunk or treating. From there, we drove straight to New York to visit & spend the weekend w/ family.

Here, with friends Dawn & Rachelle (w/ her son Blake, the cutest bat in town)

Oct 31 - Trick or Treating

This time Edric was a dinosaur. He wore it at their Daycare Halloween Party earlier in the day and then later in the night with Daddy & Momma bringing him to doorsteps with his basket. In the pictures are; Aaron Michael (Scooby), Annika (Minnie Mouse), her brother Drew (he was a zombie but took off his custome w/ this shot, he was Darth Vader last year when Edric was Yoda), don't mind the headless chaperon (hey, it's Halloween - what'd ya expect!) w/ Edric & Yasmina the pretty pirate daughter of our friends Darren & Angie. At times Edric took his arm off from Daddy's hand to run around the empty neighborhood streets, stumping & roaring like the dino that he was. I think he had more fun this year. Like last year we also ended up at the McVickers where we enjoyed a nice time w/ their family on their driveway and of course Ken's warm & delicious soup. We also brought our bowl of goodies w/ us so trick-or-treaters got two treats from two families.

As for me, late last night when everyone else had gone home after getting their treats, I decided to get up and wandered around the streets to see if I could find my friend Casper... and maybe some left over treats that kids (or other creatures) may have dropped earlier.

Boy, when you're tired... YOU'RE TIRED!!

June 7, 2008: It was his nap time around 2:30PM when Edric was climbing to his bed and halfway just fell asleep. Exhausted after having played with Daddy the whole time since morning - a classic example of; "The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.". You think he's tired, you should see Daddy. Nah, you won't see that picture here though...