Patten Update

Greetings. We apologize for the recent lack of Patten pictures. Hopefully this post will make up for our shortcomings.

In the months of November, December, and January we: celebrated Thanksgiving with Dave's family, endured finals, moved back to Grandma's basement (which was bitter sweet because we love Grandma but miss our ward / neighbors tremendously), celebrated Christmas, enjoyed 3 weeks together without school, and started yet another semester. We've included a few highlights below (but, let's be honest, we forgot to bring the camera to many of the above listed events - so the following pictures are highlights of the events to which we brought the camera).

Oh yeah, Mustard is swimming along just fine. He / she (unsure at this point) has a strong heartbeat and is doing great.

Patten in his Peruvian Llama sweater. Unfortunately he inherited his father's ginormous head and therefore can't wear the hood correctly. But, trust us, the sweater is the right size.

Patten in his striped sweater from Aunt Missy. Dashing.

Patten conquering the bin-thingy. Patten loves doing this. Wicker baskets, dishpans, boxes, this thingy, it doesn't matter - he just loves getting in / on them.

Patten and Dave perfecting the "swing Patten game" originated by Kristin. Patten begins this game in a sitting position looking into your eyes. Then he slowly lets himself fall backwards (he loves the anticipation), until he swings as shown above.

Patten in momma's shoes. One day Patten decided to wear Kristin's shoes and walk around the apartment. What a funny guy.

Patten and Dave by our first real Christmas tree. Our first years of marriage we used a little fake Christmas tree. But this year we ventured to Rite-Aid and bought all the fixins for roughly $50. That included the tree, stand, ornaments, and lights (all though we accidentally bought green ones - who does that?!?). This picture is in our new apartment, grandma's basement.

Patten and Kristin by the Christmas tree on Christmas morning. You can barely tell, but our Christmas decor was Patten-proof. The ornaments are only on the top half of the tree and most of the presents are on the mantle. At the beginning of the season we had ornaments on the bottom half of the tree and Patten loved to bring them to us, one by one, until he had removed every ornament in reach. After a few rounds of this game we decided the ornaments better just stay on the top half of the tree.

Despite his disinterested face, Patten loves his Grandma Bonnie. He sits still for her almost better than anyone else. In this picture she and Brent visited us in our old apartment and she read Patten one of his books using her well rehearsed and very entertaining make-believe voices.

What do you say about this picture??? Patten loves to give kisses, especially to his mom.

Always Room For Two

Patten joined our little family in October of 2007. When Kristin and I found out she was pregnant with Patten we immediately wanted to call him something but we also didn't want to give him his official name until he was born. So we called him Pinto. I think it had something to do with him being the size of a pinto bean. Some family members still call him pinto. When they call him Pinto in public we get some weird looks. That's okay. We like weird looks... I think. Or at least we must, because -----

Welcome Mustard! (You know, like a Mustard seed :) ). That's right, Kristin and I are expecting number two. Much of the world already knows this, because Kristin had some complications at the beginning of this pregnancy, but for those of you who don't consider yourselves informed. Mustard should join us mid to late July. We can't wait to have another little rascal running around the house (okay, in all honesty, we CAN wait - but we're still excited).

A Must Read

Need I say more?

Okay, if you insist.

Go Utes.

A Great Man

I really need to study this morning. But, I can't seem to get my mind off the passing of Elder Wirthlin. So, I'm hoping this post will help me unload my feelings and that I will then find the will power to focus on finals (oh joy).

Elder Wirthlin was my good friend's granddad. And, perhaps not surprisingly because I've noticed this trait runs through all of the great people I know, Elder Wirthlin considered his familial responsibilities (in this case as granddad) paramount. So much so that through my interactions with him I didn't think of him as an Apostle or a great church leader (although he was both of those), but rather as a superb granddad.

I remember mowing his lawn, drinking his ice water, hearing him set-a-part my good friend for his mission, delivering him prescriptions, and many other interactions. Through them all he exuded kindness, love, generosity, and genuine concern. He was a great man. A great granddad. An apostle of the Lord. He will be missed.

But, thankfully for him, Sunday has come.

Top Ten Utah Moments

Well, it's here. Rivalry week. Most people know I (Dave) am a Utah fan. Some would describe me as a "big" Utah fan, others don't know the extent of my fandom. Suffice it to say, I like the Utes.

In commemoration of the big game I thought I'd list my top ten Utah moments / Utah related memories - some are for the sports folks out there, others are more general in nature.

(10) Pulling in front of Kristin's house for the first time only to be greeted by a giant lit U in the upper window. Love at first sight (that refers to Kristin, of course).

(9) As a 12 year old, sitting in the BYU season ticket holder section while Yergensen nailed a 55 yard field goal to beat the Zoobs.

(8) Eating Christmas (or was it Christmas Eve) dinner, again as a young tike, with Phil Dixon (Ute basketball player) at Grandma and Grandpa's house. Having Phil Dixon, at the same dinner, give me two tickets to the Utah Wyoming basketball game. Also, and this may be my own addition (just ask Kristin about my bad memory), having Phil Dixon point / wave / come up / something to my dad and I at the game.

(7) Getting kicked out of Rice Eccles stadium while watching a closed-to-the-public spring practice in preparation for the magical 2004 season. In 2004 I worked night shifts (5 - 9) on campus. I often took a break from school by spending my afternoons watching the Utes practice. On one particular day the Utes practiced in Rice Eccles. I made my way up into the stands and watched about 30 minutes of practice. I found it odd that I was the only spectator in the stadium. I soon knew why. To my surprise, don't ask me how I didn't see him coming, a large man barked at me from the portal "get outta here before I call the cops, this practice is closed." I left.

(6) Fracturing my ankle on the morning of the Utah BYU game in 2004. Greg Condie, Nate McConkie and I ventured down to the ESPN Game Day set to watch Game Day that morning. Before the darn thing even started ESPN threw out Home Depot shirts to the fans. I jumped up to grab one, fell awkwardly, and fractured my ankle. Despite the intense pain, I couldn't miss Game Day. So, I had Greg and Nate drop me off at Scott Jacobsen's where he and I watched the show. I then went to the Instacare, got a brace, learned it was fractured, etc. That night I attended the game on crutches.

(5) Singing the Utah fight song with Dan Hinckley and Byron Burkhart in front of our Fluid Hydraulics class in return for my teacher moving our homework assignment due date from Friday to Monday (the new date allowed us to see the Utes' Thursday night game).

(4) Hearing Grandma say "Fred and I are going to the ball-game on Saturday." There's something special about Grandma, Grandpa, and the "ball-game."

(3) Standing under the basket as a ballboy when the Utes' Byron Wilson threw in a halfcourt shot to beat UTEP. Seeing myself on the news that night as the ballboy standing under the basket in which the game winning shot was made.

(2) Walking through Times Square on New Years Day 2005. The Utes thrashed Pittsburgh later that night, and my brother, Dave Hansen, and I watched the thrashing from the Vincents home in Delaware. But we had spent New Years Eve in NYC and accordingly found ourselves in Times Square on New Years morning. Some guy, from across the street, noticed my Utah gear and yelled out "Go Utes." I whipped around and yelled the same back to him. It was great to feel the Utah fever in the heart of New York City.

(1) Maintaing my position as the only one (out of 14 who have attended some form of college) of Grandpa Fred's grandchildren to remain true to his school (Lindsey Homer, I hope you'll join me).

At Long Last

Thanks to a timely Christmas present (yeah - 2 months early - so what?!?) from Kristin, our family once again has the ability to put pictures on our blog. We are way behind. So, instead of giving long descriptions - we'll just give each picture a title.

Smiling Patten in a red striped shirt


Sand-focused Patten

Patten and the red plunger

Momma and Patten (in his yellow pajamas)

Good friend Melaine, future girlfriend Hannah (pink hat), and Patten

Aunt Kimberlee and Patten

Argyle Patten playing the piano

Patten and future girlfriend Aggie (don't worry Hannah, he's not cheating on you)

Patten and dad with Patten's birthday cake

No explanation needed
Patten wearing momma's ankle socks while getting ready for Halloween

Dalmatian Patten and Professional DodgeBall Playing mom


Dalmatian Patten

You Better Believe It

I don't particularly like baseball. I don't know how any individual can follow the regular season - all 160-some-odd games.

BUT - when it comes to the World Series - I am a true fan. My friend said it well the other day, "I hate baseball, but I could watch the World Series - all day - everyday."

And, when you add the Phillies to the equation, my interest level goes through the roof. In fact even Kristin, who I would wager had earnestly watched perhaps 1 combined hour of baseball in her life, LOVED the world series.

We fell in love with Brad Lidge (whom we referred to as the ugly man - sorry Brad, but you have lots of funny markings on your face), and Ryan Howard, and that Blanton pitcher, and the manager, and everyone else.

And as proof that parents' habits influence their children.... Last night we went for a walk, we grabbed Patten's Phillies blanket (which some good friends of ours from Delaware gave him last year) to keep him warm. Patten has a lot of blankets and is not partial to one or the other. But he smiled as wide as ever when we placed the Phillies blanket on his little legs. He loved it, wouldn't let it go. Way to go son.

Go Phillies!