Laser tag, Deal or No Deal, enough food to feed 100 people for an entire week...must be the Petersen Family Reunion! This past weekend we had a little family reunion. Typically, we either head to Bear Lake or the ranch for our family reunions, but with two very pregnant sisters in law about to pop any second, we thought we'd play it safe and keep it close to home this year. 

All my siblings came to town and we all stayed in my mom's house. Haha, it was a mad house having 11 kids seven years old and under running around everywhere in one house for 4 days! As far as family reunions go, we didn't actually have much going on that often. It was relaxed, but we were all able to enjoy each others' company, while sneaking in a few very fun activities. The girls got our nails done, the guys saw a poorly-made movie, and the Petersens had their first biscuits and gravy breakfast, courtesy of Jake. ;)

 It was fun having everyone together again for something happier than a funeral! My dad's absence was pretty strong this weekend, and I'm just so happy to know that families are forever. 

4th OF JULY WEEKEND

I'm really not sure if a better 4th of July weekend has ever been experienced! It was all of my favorite things all packed into a few days! We started off the weekend by meeting Cami and Kyle up at their family cabin. I was thrilled to take Jake there! I have been up there a number of times with a bunch of friends, and was always eagerly looking forward to the day when I could bring someone I love up there. We shot guns, ate some good food, and thoroughly enjoyed each others' company and the great outdoors. Cami and I were inside just giggling away as the boys were outside cooking the brats for dinner. We kept spying on them, trying to watch how they interacted and how their conversation flowed. For as long as we've been friends, we've been saying that we can't wait to force our significant others to be friends, haha. What a relief that those two actually like each other and get along! Cami and I are so happy about it. :) 

As always, I loved being with those three! Friends don't get any better. I can't say it enough that I've got the best people in my life!

Mid-afternoon on Saturday, Jake and I drove straight from one cabin to the next! We spend the next couple of days at Jake's family Cabin with his family. They're really great at making you feel just like you're family. We spent our days doing puzzles, making bracelets and keychains out of boondoggle, eatings TONS of good food, roasting s'mores and popping popcorn over the fire, and getting a lot of good snuggles in with the nieces and nephews. We also spent a day on the reservoir! The water was freezing, and Jake took it upon himself to make sure everyone became accommodated to the water by dunking them under. What a guy, right?! ;) Haha, but really, we were having a blast, and I was pretty sad to leave when it all came to an end! 

From Jake's cabin, we drove straight to my mom's house, where we had about 20 minutes to freshen up before our pre-4th of July BBQ started! As per Petersen Family Tradition, we ate a delicious spread and followed it up with some croquet. Of course Jake comes in his first year playing and gets first place. insert-eye-roll-here. haha, just kidding. He earned it, even though I was the first one he decided to kill off after he claimed poison status, haha. 

Then we did a few (pretty lame, but still fun) fireworks in the front yard before putting the boys down and eating some mud pie while playing a board game. I love this family of mine, and I love our long-standing traditions! 

4th of July day was THE most perfect summer day!! I feel just completely spoiled that I'm constantly having so much fun because of the things Jake plans! After a yummy crepe breakfast with my family, Jake suggested that I pull out my old rollerblades. I hadn't pulled them out in yeeeears. Like, we're talkin' 10+ years. But we pulled 'em out, washed 'em off (I made Jake triple check to make sure there weren't any spiders in them, haha) and they surprisingly still fit perfectly! And then Jake suggested my worst nightmare---DUN, DUN, DUN---riding down Provo Canyon!! My initial reaction? noooooooooooo pleeeeease nooooo! And if you know me, then you understand why! I am just pretty klutzy and unbalanced by nature! I trip over my own feet every single day, and I just knew that trying to rollerblade down the canyon would end my life. But..ah, my Jake. He's such a happy guy, and he's asked to long board down the canyon multiple times, and I just didn't want to disappoint him! So I reluctantly gave in, and we made our way to Provo Canyon. 

Well, turns out I was a wreck, haha. As I was putting on my blades at the point of the canyon where we were going to start, my legs and hands were shaking so badly. It's dumb and embarrassing that I was so nervous, but that's just how it was, haha. But there's just something about Jake, you know? I get a lot of strength from him. He provided me with a substantial about of strength the few weeks leading up to my dad's passing, and I didn't realize how much that would continue to carry over into other things as well. Like blading the canyon. He was on his long board, I was on my rollerblades, and we really only went like 3 miles up the canyon, but he held my hand the whole way down. And during the parts of the canyon when I would start to get especially nervous, he'd sing me a country song to help distract me. I'm telling you guys, IT DOESN'T GET BETTER THAN JAKE! If you can't tell by now, I survived the canyon. Didn't even fall once, thanks to that hunky man. Owe him my life. And also probably a million dollars. Also still glad it's over though, and next time Jakes wants to long board the canyon, I'm riding my bike. :) haha.

After sweating our guts out in the 100 degree canyon, we headed to Rock Canyon Park where Jake's friends were having a big slip n' slide party! That was so much fun. The slip n' slide was huge! We got to go down a few times, I got to meet more of Jake's friends, and we were able to cool off a bit. 

Riding the canyon, slip n' sliding... what would we do next to make it the ultimate summer day? Get SNOW CONES!! I think I might've died and gone to heaven eating those snow cones. So good. Plus, they had cute little American flags in them, and I just really liked that for some reason. 

Next we went to get cleaned up, watched the Sandlot, and then went to a party in Orem where we met up with Jake's parents, got free food truck food, and got to watch the best firework show in the county! The 4th of July has always been my favorite holiday, but it just seems to get better and better every year! I love summer! I love America! I love Jake! 

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hope you all (mom and Julie, most likely) had a wonderful 4th of July! :)

BASEBALL GAMES + BACHELORETTE PARTY + LEHI ROUNDUP

I've been telling Jake that he needs to find some sort of baseball league that he can play in for life. Going to his games is one of my favorite things to do every week! He plays on a team with a bunch of guys that he works with, and I get such a kick out of watching them. Plus, it's just one of those situations where you feel like nothing could go wrong. There I am at the fields, typically as the sun goes down after a hot summer day, watching my favorite human beam because he's doing something that he absolutely loves, which also happens to be my favorite sport, AND I get to sit by his parents; two incredible, loving, hilarious people who have me belly-laughing every single time. For me, it's one of the dreamiest scenarios! I love these summer nights.

On Wednesday night, I got to go to Paisley's bachelorette party. I flippin' love bachelorette parties, haha! It's something about how happy the bride-to-be always is, and something about being with your best girl friends, eating good food, and having fuuuuun conversations. ;) 

We went to dinner at Tepanyaki, and then went back to Caitie's for treats and presents. Paisley got lots of nice lingerie, lots of tips from the married ladies, and we all left full and happy, haha.

Maybe this is too personal for the blogosphere, but getting to spend so much time with the Hasler's sometimes leaves me feeling pretty overwhelmed. You know, in the "my cup runneth over" kind of way. I just can't believe I'm dating this guy who's family I already love so much, and who make me feel so loved, and who are so good to be around! If I'm bein' honest, I've cried the happy kind of tears about it. (more than once, haha.) 

It's little moments where I feel it most. Like when I'm eating ice cream sandwiches with little Jakey (Jake's nephew) after cleaning up trash in the yard, and making him giggle by putting hair-ties in his hair while we watch Jake play catch with another nephew. Or when I'm sitting squished between a bunch of Hasler's at the rodeo. Or when we're sitting on the back patio on a warm Sunday night, eating the best grilled chicken known to man, talking about growing gardens and raising chickens. No matter how you look at it, I feel immeasurably blessed, and I feel joy. I like the word joy, because I feel like it somehow encompasses the hard things, like the ache in my heart left from my dad's passing, but at the same time includes a very true and real happiness. 

But seriously. 

My cup runneth over.

DAD'S FUNERAL

My dad's funeral was hard, and I don't really wanna talk a lot about it. But I do just wanna say how overwhelmed I was, in the best way, by the many friends I had come support me at the funeral, even if they didn't know my dad well or at all. My family and I have felt so much love and support coming from every direction, and we are so grateful. 

TWO DAYS LATER

Having Jake around has truly been a relief for everyone in the family. He's close to us, but removed just enough to lift our spirits and get us all smiling through the hard times. It was good to be outside and play with these kiddos. I think the feeling of sadness around the house has been so strong, and even though they don't understand what's going on exactly, the weight of the feeling definitely weighs down on them. But better days are ahead of us all, and we know it. Our Heavenly Father is taking care of us. 

THE DAY MY DAD PASSED AWAY

May 29th, 2017: My heart is extremely heavy. My dad passed away this morning at exactly 11:00 a.m. There is so much that happened that is too personal and sacred to share here, but it was an experience that forever changed my life. After hospice care took his body away, I went into his closet and put on one of his suit jackets; it smelled just like him. Wearing that jacket, I laid down on the floor of his closet, turned the Angel Lullaby song on on repeat, and cried myself to sleep. I can't imagine what life without my dad there will be like. At the same time though, I know he's not really gone and will be with me now more than ever. 

The weight of this trial feels so heavy. I can't seem to shake it. The kids can all sense the sadness in the house. Every time Ryeson sees me, he comes up to me, gives me a hug and says, "He was the best grandpa." And he just continues to hug me and follow me around. My heart is so sad, it aches more than I thought possible. But this 4 year old helps me understand Heaven a little better, and for that I am extremely grateful. 

I love you always, always, always papa.