Ice on Mille Lacs

We took a trip to Mille Lacs last weekend to hang out with Grandpa and Grandma. We helped get things ready for Christmas next weekend and Jason got to do a little ice fishing. The ice moved up onto the shoreline last Wednesday. It was an amazing site. It moved due to the lake not being frozen in the middle yet and the wind became strong and pushed the ice to the east. It sounded like a freight train at times out there because the ice was still moving. Very cool! Sam seemed to have a blast.

Dad took some time to teach Sam about ice.

Ice on the shoreline with the cabin in the background

The dogs had fun running on the lake

Ruby and Toby

This is looking at the lake from on land

Land view

My New Play Kitchen!

BEFORE

AFTER

I LOVE IT!!
Mom and dad spent lots of time making this for me. The fridge is magnetic. I have my own stove, pots and pans and a microwave!

I can't wait to give all these gifts to my family!

Visit to Grandma's house

Grandma Irma and Samantha

Our busy girl!

Well, let's start with good news. Samantha's eye is MUCH better. No more gross drainage, just a few random tears now and then. Let's all keep our fingers crossed!

Samantha as well as Jason and Krista have been very busy. Jason has been very busy at work. Lots of work trips and late nights. Jason has also wrapped up another hunting season. He claimed two deer-one buck in Wisconsin and one Doe in Minnesota. Krista went out deer hunting for a day and half and saw nothing. It is still hard for her to be away from Samantha.

Sam has brought so much joy to our lives and we are so thankful to have a happy and healthy little girl. She amazes us every day! We can't believe she is putting 3-4 words together and is only 19 months old! She knows about 6-8 shapes and is catching on to what different colors there are.Green seems to be her favorite (mommy may have helped with that!) 

She is definitely a toddler now. Tantrums, picky eater and stubbornness has all come out in the past few months. We wouldn't have it any other way :)



Goofy girl!

Thanksgiving at our house this year. Jason smoked a turkey and is was amazing!

We took a trip to Wisconsin the day after Thanksgiving. Samantha had so much fun playing with her cousins, Grandma Linda, Grandpa Bruce and Grandma Joyce.



Samantha's first time meeting Santa Claus. Hmmmm...not too sure about this guy!



I'm ready to go get a Christmas tree!!!



Trying to find the perfect tree

Time to decorate!

No news is good news!!!!

We decided to make another appointment with Samantha's opthamologist who did her stent surgery because her eye was not looking any better. The doctor agreed that her eye didn't look great, but also did not look like it was infected. She also still has the stent in place which is great. She decided to take a swab of her eye to see if there is some weird infection brewing. She also took a picture of her eye and will put it on a list serv for pediatric opthamologists all over the world. She will share Samantha's case and most likely get 100 opinions which is great because we don't have to travel to get all these opinions. She also will discuss what's going on with a plastics doctor at the U of M who would possibly do another surgery on Sam. The surgery is called a DCR and would essentially chip away part of the nose bone to make room for drainage. We really are against doing another surgery and the doctor is well aware of this. Hopefully by talking to her fellow doctor, she will get some ideas. Sam has a follow up appointment in January and we will leave the stent in at least until then.
She doesn't seem too affected by all this, other than the fact that she doesn't want anyone to touch her face and eyes. We don't blame her!!

Daycare fun!

Samantha and her daycare friends

Lainey(Daycare Stacey's daughter) and Sam

Samantha and Tyler

I love mail!

Samantha got a halloween card in the mail from Grandma Joyce!

Happy Halloween!

I am ready for trick or treating!!! I get to wear the pumpkin costume to daycare for Halloween! Thank you to my Aunt Lisa and Cousins Cynrae and Victoria for letting me borrow the costume! I get to be a butterfly on Halloween night too!

Mommy attempted a Green Bay Packer pumpkin, but it already fell apart! 

Happy Halloween everyone!

New addition to the family!

Amelia Ann Utne was born on October 24th, 2011. Krista got to go down on Wednesday and visit Laurie and new baby in the hospital. She is BEAUTIFUL!!!!

After Surgery

This is what Sam's eye looked like after she woke up from her 3 1/2 hour nap. Looks worse than it was.

Samantha had her eye surgery today.The University of Minnesota is an amazing place and the staff was great! What a difference between the U and Midwest eye. They all took there time with her and were so caring. Everything went well and Sam is home sleeping. She was given a little Versed before surgery and got a little loopy. Here is a video:

Before:

After:

18 month checkup

Samantha had her 18 month wellness check today. She is doing amazing-except for the fact that she REALLY hates doctors now! She weighs 22 pounds: 17th percentile and she is 32 1/4inches: 66th percentile. She had her pre-op exam as well, so she is cleared for stent surgery on Thursday, October 27th.
When Sam eats tomatoes, her face gets all blotchy. Her doctor said no more tomatoes until she is two. She doesn't think it is an allergy and may take her blood if the problem continues.
Her hips also crack a lot when I hold her, but this is apparently just her ligaments and is normal.


Here is a picture of her tomato rash face as well as a good pic of her nasty eye.

Daddy shot a doe!

We went to the cabin last weekend. It was very windy, so Samantha spent most of her time inside.




Daddy shot a doe with his bow!

This is the stand Jason and Krista will gun hunt from. It is called "Tim's stand."

Jason, Krista, Mark, Toby and Ruby went to go check our deer stands and look for grouse and woodcock. Jason shot 3 woodcock and Markshot 1. Krista shot at a couple, but missed.

Papa Mark had time to read Sam some books before she went to bed.

Samantha's favorite part about the cabin is the loft. She loves to run, jump and spin up there!