WASTING TIME

Whilst I SHOULD be working on stuff for workshop, I'm here, doing this. I did break out some solos, but now I need to assign them, and then type of wordsheets, and print them out and just get stuff done. Ugh! I HATE this part of the process. I LOVE workshop, and I LOVE the final product, the getting there is hell at times.

But let me just be perfectly honest here, I happen to have some other cute pics of Maggie, and I just feel like posting them. I think this is my favorite aspect of this blogger thing, the ease of putting up pictures. Speaking of Maggie, she did just eat two hole punched pieces of paper, and then laughed her head off with glee, like she was the most clever child. Oh the things babies will eat, it's disturbing. Grumpy girl, mad at me, even though SHE is the one who only took a 45 minute nap.

These are pics of Maggs and G'ma Peg. I just thought the first one was too cute, and we have so few pics of her with Gramma. Thanks Lana for these pics.

Just a cute little pic of Maggie and Jer at my sisters wedding in San Diego. Ok, cute of Jere, funny of Maggie.

Just a shot of my brothers and Dad, taken last summer in Greer. This was the only picture I had of my Dad. Good news, he's feeling better, so much so that he's going to the D-backs game tonight. My Mom doesn't know yet, and she won't be too pleased, 'cause it'll wear him out considerably, but I take it as a good sign that he even has the desire. Hooray for recovery.

Just a quick shout out to Mel. Thanks for always making comments on my blogs, it makes my day. And because i've been too lazy to comment on yours, LOVE the latest pic of Livy, she just looks so cute.

Well, I'd best get this workshop stuff done. Peace out my peeps!!

Just some Odds and Ends

Well Jere stole my thunder and wrote about our new van, so I guess I'll just post a few pics of Miss Maggie 'cause they're cute and I can. I finally figured out how to upload some pictures, resize them and get them ready to put on here. I feel so cool really, hahaha. Also, I want to update on my Dad a little bit.

I spent all of last week as the "dadsitter", just me and the girls, wiling away the hours and Dads house, making sure he didn't answer the phone or door, and that he was ok. Frankly, we only really saw him on 1 or 2 days, 'cause the rest of the time he spent in bed. He's realllllly struggling with this recovery. He's still in a lot of pain, and it doesn't seem to be getting all that much better. Mom is worried that he may have some kind of infection where one of his staples was removed, it's really been giving him fits. He was "up" enough one day to play be 5 games of Boggle and then go out to his computer, but that nearly did him in and he had to sleep the rest of the day. It's hard to see him suffering so much, and not getting better. I know he's sooo sick of being sick and he's losing his mind being so STUCK in the house. This man is a man on the go, and not being able to do anything or leave for so long is really getting to him. He's s'posed to be leaving on the 9th for 2 weeks in Pennsylvania, right now we're questioning whether or not that will really happen. So anyway, the process is slow, but I do think he IS getting better day by day. Please just remember him in your prayers and thoughts.

Ok, picture time for Maggie, these are just a few of the latest pics of her that cracked me up, or were cute. Hang on, she's busy yelling at me right now. In the last week and a half she has finally figured out how to pull herself up completely and scoot around all the furniture. It's so fun to see her being mobile, especially because it makes her so happy and pleased to do it. She has even stood on her own a couple of times. Of course she didn't know it, and I was right there to save her, but it was fun to see. This whole parenting thing is the coolest, seeing all their latest milestones is just so fun. I can't wait for her to really start talking. Although, she does say yeah, and shake her head yes everytime we ask her a relative question. "Maggie, do you want to eat some lunch?" ::shakes her head yes and says yeah Pretty much she's genius. hahahahah, I KID!!

Ok, so let's get some pics here:

Look what Maggie has learned to do. I remember, this is NOT my favorite phase, since it requires all this cleanup. But, it sure was cute, 'cause she was having a GREAT time. Too bad there is no way to lock my cabinet.

This is a little game she likes to play called "pull off the headband and rip off the bow". The funny thing is, she'll just sit there with her headband covering her eyes like that forever. It cracks me up, but only if we're not trying to go somewhere right then. I mean, a girl has GOT to learn to leave her pretties on for public appearance.

A "charming" self portrait I took of Mags and I. At least you can see I exist, and not just the cute baby. That is Jeres hand in the background, don't know what he was doing.

This was during "dadsitting", Brooklyn and Dane were so cute, just rolling the ball back and forth to eachother, having the time of their lives. Maggie was having her own great time playing with the wooden spoon. I love that at this age they can play with a piece of paper and be completely entertained forever. Ok, the next on is the last pic, I swear.

My recital was last Saturday, and it was right during her naptime. She held it together really well for a long time, but finally got a little fussy. So, my good pal Jenny D took her in the hall and walked her around in her stroller. It worked, she fell fast asleep for the rest of the recital and the refreshments afterward. Seriously, is there ANYTHING cuter than a sleeping baby? I thought not!

Well folks, that's it for now. I'm off to put Maggs down for a nap and begin the hideous process of scrubbing this house, as it's been TOO long since I've bothered to dust. Then maybe later we'll go out for a drive in our awesome mormonmobile and enjoy the day.

Peace to all

The Family Car

Well, it's official. We are now the typical Mormon family. All that's missing now is the trampoline! Yep, we went out yesterday and purchased our first mini-van! It was a smokin' deal too! We got a 2007 Honda Oddesey that only had 83 miles on it! No, seriously, it only had 83 miles on it! It's white and has tan interior and is a dream to drive! We love it!! Here is a link so you can see the pictures of it if you want to, and you know you want to. So, now we're back to being a two car family again! WOOT! I now have complete control of the Sonata and Allyson has the van. We're thinking about personalized plates. For the van I like: VANPATN and for my car I want PMP DADY. Fun right? Allyson has other things in mind. I also fought for MR V and MRS V but was shot down on those too. We'll see - maybe she'll win and we'll get something totally lame for the van - but damn it, I want a personalized plate for ME!! Maybe JTH for "Jere the Hottie." hahahahahahahahahahaha

In other news, our neice Breckyn graduated from Gilbert High School the other night. It was POURING RAIN the whole time and FREEZING COLD. We weren't there of course, but we heard all about it from those who did. That sucks so bad for those poor graduates, the band and parents/family that have to sit out in that yuckiness. Nonetheless she's off to college now and I couldn't be happier. She's been my favorite for as long as I can remember - which is horrible to say, I know, but it's true. Now there's Tatum and Brooklyn who are neck and neck with her. UGH! I wish people would stop having so many great kids so it'd make this whole favorites process easier on me. hahaha

That's pretty much it from me for now. I'm sure Allyson will be on here later with lots to share. Happy Memorial Day everyone! Be safe and happy! Blog with ya soon. . .

Prayer & Personal Revelation

So today I taught the lesson in Elders Quorum about Prayer and Personal Revelation. It was really, really good and you should all check it out (it's lesson 10 in the manual). In any case, toward the end of my lesson one guy told a story about a woman who was running late to get her daughter to the doctor's office and couldn't find her daughter's shoes. After much frustration she knelt down and prayed something to the effect of, "Heavenly Father, I don't have a lot of time here, but I really need some help finding my daughter's shoes. I know this sounds a bit rediculous, but I know you see everything and know right where they are and I'm relying on faith that you'll help me find them." As soon as she got up she got the thought in her head that she knew exactly where they were.

Why do I tell this story? Because earlier this week I lost my wallet. I have no idea where I lost it or really when. After teaching the lesson today and hearing the story of the shoes I decided enough was enough and I was just going to ask God where my wallet was. After all, he does see everything and can totally find it for me. I called Allyson into our bedroom to kneel down with me and pray - because I'm convinced that Heavenly Father loves her more than me so any time I can get her involved in my prayers the better (hahaha).

We get done praying and we go through all my pockets, bags, etc. and Allyson heads outside to start some laundry. As she's walking out she says, "You should probably check the couch cushions." As I'm about to start flipping in walks my beautiful wife with what in her hand? My wallet! It was in the laundry basket and we're pretty sure I had it in my khaki pants pocket when I threw them in there on Monday.

So, long story short - too late - God's cool and is truly mindful of each of us! WOOT!!

Kiddie Kandids Take TWO

Well folks, we made our way back to the naughty kiddie kandids, and I'll let you be the judges. I think the second round went MUCH better. In fact, I actually purchased these pictures. This particular shot the photographer told me she was going to enter it into a contest. How fun for me, and my cute baby. She really is great, but it was like pulling teeth to get good shots and getting her to smile. OY!

Go ahead, tell me how freaking adorable this outfit is. It was the first gift Maggie received, from a total stranger that was in Jeres math class last summer. The crocks kill me!

Ahhh, kids are so fun!! I love this girl so much it's almost ridiculous!!!

Ok, in other news, my Dad is finally out of the hospital and he's doing much better. He's still in a lot of pain, but he's getting around, and definitely on the mend. The best news is, the pathology report came back and while it WAS cancer, and an aggressive form, they caught it before it had spread, and they can't find it anywhere else in the surrounding area. He doesn't have to do chemo or anything. So, we are extremely grateful for the wonderful news, and for all of the prayers and good thoughts sent our way.

My recital was today and it went very well. I'm so proud of all my kids and all their hard work. I actually videoed it this year so I can have some documentation of my kids and their progress. I'm so glad to have it out of the way, it was a stressful morning. Thank goodness for Jere, he really helped me out so much. He made my whole program, and then when they wouldn't copy this morning, he had to run to Kinkos and got them copied, helped me carry everything in, and get set up. He's a lifesaver, and I want him to know I appreciate him and his hard work.

Well, my brother Porter and sis. in law Lana moved away today...it's really one of the saddest days of my life. They've been our next door neighbors for 4 years, and truly our best friends. We hung out all the time, they were ALWAYS at our house. We watched all our shows together, we babysat, we shared meals, etc. If I ever needed anything, I could just run next door and borrow it. I'm having a VERY hard time even dealing with the thought of them not being there. I mean, I'm happy for them to be moving into their own house, and having their own larger space. But seriously, we feel abandoned and sad around here without them. I'm gonna miss Tatum coming over to tell me she's sick of being young, and she's ready to be a grown up, or to just hang out and play with Maggie. I'll miss Dane and all his obnoxious screaming. I will just miss them so much! And the crazy thing is, Jere may be sadder than me. Ummm, have I mentioned I do NOT deal well with change? Yeah, it's true, I don't deal, it sucks!!! So, catch ya later P & L. Boo hoo!

And with that, I must be off. Gotta go get Jere some new jeans, and then go play with all our friends for Ivan's big graduation party. Yea Ivan!!!

Bonnet Returns?

So word on the street is that Spire Music (aka Rob Gardner) will be producing a remount of Blackbeard this September. I've been asked to revise my role of Stede Bonnet, the Gentleman Pirate. I'm in! At first I was a bit hesitant, but after a lot of thought and chatting with my amazing wife we feel this would be another great opportunity for me to get out and perform. I've not done a show since Blackbeard last July so it's been a while. Maggie was born right at the end of the run and I vowed to take a year off from shows to be a dad. I've stuck to my word and in two months it will be a full year of no shows. It's been a wonderful break. I've gotten to really enjoy coming home from work and just being with my family! I LOVE BEING A DAD!!! And, the best part is, I get to do it all over again in October! WOO HOO!!

So, here's an image of me as "Bonnet" to get you all excited to come see the remount. . .

See you in September! Check the website for more details.

Kiddie Kandids

Ok, so last Friday I decided to finally trek my way out to Superstition Springs Mall and to the ever famous Kiddie Kandids for Maggies 9 month pics. Who cares if she'll actually be 10 months in 4 days, whatever. Anyway, I load the girls up, schlep out there, sign in, wait a 1/2 hour and then proceed to get the craptasticist (I just made that awesome word up) photographer girl there ever was. Seriously, she had ideas ZERO for posing Maggie. I will admit that Maggie was not in her smiliest best mood. Instead she was doing this totally retarded half smirky look while shoving her chin into her chest. However, the photographer just was NOT good. So, we BLEW threw a few pics, and then I wanted one with Brooklyn and Maggie, so I changed Maggies outfit and got Brooklyn up there and well, that picture isn't even worth mentioning. After a few minutes of waiting, the manager finally gets to me and shows me my "choices." Are you aware that you ONLY get SIX choices? She could have taken 40 pics, but you get SIX to choose from. Well, I'm here to tell you people that those were six completely worthless pictures. The one you're looking at was the ONLY one that maybe, possibly, could have been worth looking at. To say I was let down and a little bugged would be an understatement. So, the manager could see I wasn't happy, and because she's not blind, she could see the pictures sucked. So, she was like "do not buy any of these, just come back for some re-takes." In the meantime she e-mailed my crappy session so I could look at them. I was just so disappointed with the whole experience. Anyone else have a bad experience with them ever? My sisters pictures there have always been really cute, but they were in Utah, so maybe there is a difference. Anywho, I'm scheduled to go for retakes on Friday, and frankly, I'm pondering on whether I really want to do that or not. I'll let you know what is decided.

In other news...Maggie figured out how to pull herself up today. She can FINALLY get herself into a standing position. Woo hoo! She still crawls like a freak, but at least she's moving and getting around. I'm pretty sure she's gonna be one of those kids that just walks, and never really gets the proper crawl down. However, it sure is cute and fun to see her standing and being so proud of herself. Someday, when I'm cool enough, I'll figure out how to include video on here and you too can experience the Maggie joy. haha

Dad is doing fine, just in loads of pain still. I'm planning on going to see him tonight, when I'm finished with my lessons. Can I just say how excited I am that this is my last week of lessons. WOO HOO! Get through this week and the recital on Saturday and I'm free. Well, free until workshop starts and then the real stress begins. But, that's just for the month of June and then I'll be playing like a school child the month of July. I love summers when i don't have anything to do work wise. Then, I will start teaching again, mid-August until the baby is born in October. Take a month off and then back to teaching. Good times!

Finally, thank you all for your kind comments about my Dad, and for your prayers. We appreciate all we can get!!

Toodles!

MY DAD

I realize that it was JUST Mother's Day and I should be doing some entry on my Mom. Trust me, I could do a whole entry on my Mom, she's amazing in every way and I love her immensely. However, tonight I'm choosing to write about my Dad. You see, I have an amazing Dad. He is brilliant, hard working, funny, fun, loving, righteous and so much more. I always feel these things for him, but it's times like this that you really stop and think about how much you love someone. See, two weeks ago my Dad was diagnosed with renal cancer. It came completely out of the blue, and sort of just makes you go WHOA! So, today my Dad had his left kidney removed, as that was the one with the cancerous growth. Through this all I've felt very calm and at peace. I'm SURE that he will be fine. However, there is always that "chance" that something could go wrong. Anyway, the surgery went very well, and the Doctors are VERY optimistic. They say that it was completely contained, and doesn't appear to be in any lymph nodes. Now we're just waiting to hear the pathology report to know where we go from here. Apparently he's in IMMENSE pain, which I can only imagine, since they've yanked an important body part from him. I feel bad that he's having to suffer, but I'm so grateful for the miracle of modern medicine and the hope it offers us. I just want my Dad to know that I love him so much, and that I'm looking forward to many more years of Boggle, chats, babysitting, laughing and more.

Love you Dad!!

I suck at blogging!

Ok peeps, it's about time we join the blogging revolution. This is my third attempt at an entry with a picture, and I'm REALLLLLLY frustrated. However, I think I've finally sort of figured it out. Many thanks to my kind, smart friend Trixie for offering much help and teaching to me this afternoon. After seeing your cute blogs and pictures of your kids, I knew I had to be part of the fun. Due to my lateness in joining the party, this entry will be just a bunch of pictures. The world MUST see our pride and joy Maggie. So, I chose a few of my favorites from the last 5 months. Bear with me for this one, 'cause from here on out we'll be up to date and only have a picture or two to post with. Anywhozle, the above picture is of Mags in her super cute outfit given to her by our beloved friend Jenny Denton. Don't be jealous that she's so cute, she can't help it. hahahaha

This is just a REALLY happy Maggie moment. We cherish the big smile shots, 'cause she's a bit stingey with them. Also, note the clever bib...she HAD to wear one every moment of every day until she was 6 months old. She had a bit of a barfing problem. Thankfully, we're past that now.

This is my sweet Brooklyn...my sisters daughter. I've been watching her since she was 5 months old, and really, she's pretty much like my own. She is one spunky and hilarious child, you all should meet her.

Happy in her crib. This is her daddies way of babysitting her when he wants to play on the computer. Put her in the crib with a bunch of toys and hope for the best. Luckily this day she was amenable to the option.

Valentines day with my cute husband and the pretty ladies of our life. Ok, so Maggie wasn't exactly into the moment, but it's so cute of Brooklyn I couldn't help it.

Maggs is VERY fond of her bathtime. She splashes like a maniac, and smiles more than any other time.

I can't remember what this was for or where we were going, but all I'm saying is this dress is so freaking cute, and I don't look hideous, so you must go with those moments. Have I mentioned I love this kid? WOW!!

Maggs and her sweet little friend Livy, on their first real meeting/playtime together.

This is Maggie and her boyfriend/betrothed Nixon Wright. Aren't they going to make an adorable couple. hee hee

Hello Bloggers!

We are Jere, Allyson, Maggie & "baby" Van Patten and this is our *new* blog! We hope you enjoy it. This will give us the chance to keep in touch and up to date with all our friends all over the country who also blog. Sometimes Allyson will post, sometimes Jere will post, and maybe even Maggie may post. Come back often to keep on top of all the coming changes. We'll figure it out sooner or later. . .