Things going on...

 We have a new addition to our family.... Freddy the fish. He is leftover from Laynie's Birthday party and he is still alive!!!

 Me, Trevor, Laynie, Drake, and Woody (the toy) went on a little adventure ("benture" in Drake's words) to Cress Creek. Our neighbor gave us the idea, and it was just a little hike that is pretty close to home. It was short and sweet, but it was fun.

We found out last week that Laynie needs another surgery in the next few months :(

She needs to get her nasal stents taken out and her choanal atresia dilated larger and more stents put back in. It should be a fairly easy surgery, but we weren't expecting it so it makes it a lot harder. I am not very happy about it! Surgery #13 here we come!!!

Riot Zone, Family, and FUN...

 My dad, step mom, and brother Matt came for the weekend. We had a great visit! My brother is heading off to college so they came for a visit before he left. We spent the weekend eating out, visiting, and going to the Riot Zone. It was so much fun!

Thanks for visiting us!!! We miss you already:)

Water FUN

We have been busy lately. We have been having a great summer and I am so sad that it is coming to an end. It is crazy that it is back-to-school time and that my little guy is starting pre-school this year!

My uncle Don and his wife LeAnn took us boating last week and we had a great time. Boating is one of my favorite things to do in the world and I haven't really been since I've had kids. We rented jet skiis at the cabin, but other than that I haven't done anything! I was very rusty, but still managed to get up and go for a great ski:)

Here is Trevor. He is just an animal. He can go for like 30 minutes straight and he looks good doing it! My arms were so sore after about 10 minutes!!!

Here is the lovely photo of me skiing!!! At least I'm smiling:)

Jordan and his girlfriend came with us too. Here is Jordan catching air on the wakeboard. We all laughed at his face in this picture. He hasn't been very much and he did awesome!!!

Me and the hubs:) Sure love it when we get time together!!!

Me, Trevor, Jordan, and Darcy

We have really enjoyed swimming at the Petersen pool. Here is Grandma Maureen with her youngest grandchild.

My favorite little man.... SCUBA DRAKE

Laynie's Birthday PARTY...

 We had a Hawaiian/Summer/Beach theme for Laynie's 2nd birthday party. We had a great turn out and Laynie had a great time! She was spoiled with so many wonderful gifts and lots of attention!!!

My mom made the adorable cake. She always does such a great job! We served pulled pork sandwiches, corn on the cob, fruit skewers, and chips. I thought everything turned out so cute:)

We had a little pool for the kids with toy fishing poles and water guns. Laynie LOVED the pool. She loves her new car that my mom and step-dad gave her, and she also really loves her new chair and electronic tablet that she got from grandma and grandpa Petersen. She really got so many great gifts that she has been playing with non-stop since her birthday. Thanks everyone!!!

We gave the kids their own gold fish to take home with them. They all thought it was pretty cool to have their own fish!!!

Trevor and his brothers wanted to play in the pool just like the kids!!! Trevor is always the one throwing someone in the water, and this time he was the one thrown in the water! I think I enjoy my kid's parties more than they do. It was such a fun night to celebrate Laynie's 2nd year. It is really something to party about! Hope you had a great Birthday Laynie! And I hope this next year is even better! Love you baby xoxo!!!

The Cabin Reunion

 We had our Petersen Family Reunion last week up at the Brown Family Cabin in Island Park. Trevor's grandpa built the cabin and it is right on the lake. It fits everyone very comfortably and we had a wonderful time!!! We played on the jet skiis, ate so much delicious food, chased Laynie everywhere around the cabin, played games, went to the Playmill in West Yellowstone, got a few leaches off the kids, watched movies, had a really long night party with Laynie (6 hrs), rode our bikes, played with cousins, and enjoyed visiting everyone!!! Relaxing was not in that list, because little Laynie wore us to pieces, but we sure had a wonderful time!

The kids all loved the jet ski. They got pulled on the tube for hours!!!

Me and my boy:)

Laynie has a new love of corn on the cob. She just licks it and thinks she is so cool! Love these kids!

Ahhhhh.... looks relaxing? I was actually freaking out because I was scared of the leaches and seaweed. I was taking this picture for part of a photography challenge blog I am a part of!!!

Laynie and her grandpa on the beach

Cute girl playing in the tube

Family picture time..... I don't have one of the entire group yet, because I didn't take it with my camera. I will post that one later!

All the Petersen grandkids

Grandkids and Grandma and Grandpa Petersen

Just us 4

Laynie loved playing the piano with her cousin

Drake played so hard with his cousins. I felt like I didn't see him for 5 days. He had a BLAST!

He had such a great time playing down by the beach

Drake has a big crush on Jordan's girlfriend Dracy. It is pretty cute:)

 Trevor and Jordan

We had a great time and can't wait for next year!!! Thank you Petersen Family for a great time:)

Happy Birthday Laynie

Happy 2nd Birthday Laynie!!!

Dear Laynie,

Happy 2nd Birthday! I am so glad that this 2nd year has been so much better than your first. I am not saying you have had an easy year, because your life is far from easy. I think it was full of a lot more happiness though!!! You are the sweetest girl in the world. You give me the biggest hugs and slobbery kisses. You are always happy and smiling. I think this is what I love the most about you. You teach me that even though life can be hard, there is so much to be grateful for and happy about! You remind me to count my blessings and stop complaining some days! You never complain!!! I still can never thank you enough for teaching me all the life lessons you have taught me. I have such different views and perspectives on certain things than I did 2 years ago. I know that being your mom is something I was made for. You stretch me to my limits almost every day, but the joy of caring for you is sooooooo wonderful. I feel a little proud of myself when I get you to sleep at night and think we all made it through another day. The love you have for your brother is so sweet. You adore him and try to keep up with him as much as possible. You don't really love the dogs very much. They like to lick the snot off your face and sometimes it makes you mad:) You also love your daddy. You excitedly sign "daddy" when he comes home and you get so happy! He adores you and would do anything in the world for you!

I have big goals for you this 2nd year. The biggest goal is to learn how to walk independently. I also hope you can get completely off of oxygen, learn many, many, many more signs and start communicating more with them, get your cochlear implant, and start eating some foods by mouth. I believe in you and know you can accomplish all of these goals if we work hard together!!!

I can't believe you are 2! I love you so much and I am so happy you belong to me! Being your mom brings me so much happiness! Love you Laynie Bug. Happy Birthday!!!!

Cutest girl ever

My favorite girl in the whole wide world!!!!!