Five.Five Years Old

 5.5 Years Old

• We are loving the warmer, dry weather. We had Millie skip school and met up with Sonora and Jessie at the Gilbert house. The Gilbert house is always way more fun with friends. We were even able to eat our lunch outside. Your favorite today was this little house in the back that had an outdoor kitchen where you all made mud and rock food for me and Janecce to try.
• It is Cherie Leder's birthday and to celebrate, we went to a farm house market. You are a good little buddy for shopping. There was a sweet man who shared a sand dollar with you. We ate the best burgers and shared a dirty cowboy root beer. 
• We  snuck off to the beach on Saturday to watch Sam compete in swimming. I was really hoping for great weather to spend some time on the beach. But the weather was cold, windy, and slightly rainy. We beach part wasn't that fun. We tried a new place for fish and chips, and they weren't that good. Beside watching Sam, it wasn't our favorite beach trip.
• Jessie's family came to church with us today. The exciting news is that they want to move to Sublimity!! It would be so fun to have them here with us. They came to church to see how it felt. We had a linger longer and the theme was pudding cups. The primary choose and all you kids got to help serve the ward members. The Price kids LOVED the pudding and definitely are excited to come here. I really hope it works out for them. 
• I am definitely feeling the pressure to savor this last month with you before the big kids come home from school. I am trying to do a bit more adventures with you on non-preschool days. This week, we went to the trails by the river in Stayton. I have always wanted to explore them. A lot of people were there walking their dogs. Also trying to slow down and play at the park more. I am trying to push you more on the swings and play with you. I have loved this time with you. I will miss it a lot but I also know that you are so ready to move onto school this Friday. 
• Mark and Kami came out to visit over Mother's Day weekend and they brought Max!!! You were so excited to have a baby in the house. It was a bit of a fight over who got to hold him. I love hearing you use your baby voice to get him to smile. You have such a sweet, nurturing heart. We took them to Silver Falls and had a relaxing Mother's Day at home, complete with a cake from Oven Lovin'. You went with us on Monday before their flight to the peony farm. It was so beautiful, though a little rainy. 
• For preschool, we got to go to a wilderness preserve in Salem. All the wild flowers were in bloom. My favorite were the purple lupines. The ranger station had these explorer backpacks that you and Eloise wore and used their magnifying glass to help find all the different items on your scavenger hunt.
• We were able to sneak up to OMSI on a Saturday that Dad was working. They had a Lego Jurassic World Exhibit. It was incredible to so all the giant dinos made out of lego. Of course the glass elevator was a repeat and that back room with all the hands on activities is always a favorite. 

Five.Four Years

 5.4 Years

Dear JoJo,

My favorite memory of you this year is when we get to watercolor paint together. I love having all this special time with just you while the kids are at school. 

I am so proud of you for all the hard work that you have put into your reading lessons. THere were some days that it has been tiring to do, but you have pushed through it. When the lessons got hard, you never gave up. You would just repeat the lesson until you got good at it.

A favorite part of your personality is how much you love other people. You make dad and I feel so special with all your cuddles. Grandma loves how you run up to her each time with a hug. Even the older sisters at church (like Romana) appreciate it when you say hi and wave to them. 

Your greatest gift is being so positive. You are so positive when doing your chores. You are so positive when plans have to change. You are so positive when playing with your friends. You bring so much light and peace because you can stay happy and cheerful during the day.

If you could see yourself through my eyes, you would know how much you are adored. Being the youngest in the family, all your siblings love you so much and adore you. They go out of their way to share love with you. Both your grandparents just adore you. And Dad and I absolutely love and adore you.

Without you our family would be very quiet, too quiet. You are good at connecting with people. It is easy to fall into our to-do list or audio books. But you love getting people to be more involved with playing a board game or helping with their tasks. 

I like you because you are my buddy. I don’t have that much more time with you, but you have been with me on all my errands and meetings. You make doing the mommy stuff more fun because I have you with me, choosing fun and  loud music to go with it. I hope you stay my buddy always. 

I love you because you are my daughter and the sunshine in our life. I love you more than words can describe. You are the perfect finish to our family. We all needed you for a reason. 

I love you so much,

Mom

Five.Three Years

 5.3 Years Old

• This year was a bit different. We got to be in Utah for actual Christmas. This was our first time making the longer drive to Utah. You all watched a lot of movies and ate plenty of snacks. We stopped first in Brigham City and slept at Grandma's. It was nice to have a slow morning and breakfast with them. We then buzzed on south to visit our friends, the Barbers. We got to see the house they are building, eat yummy sandwiches at the gas station (where each of you were bold enough to ask for free popcorn), and end up at the trampoline park in Provo. They have two boys around your age. You still are not the best with playing with boys so you kept running back to us between playing.  Afterwards, we headed out to the Cowles. We introduced them to Happy Birthday Jesus and spent hours in their hot tub. The next day, we got ready for church and met up with Stinky Face's family for church. The weather was awesome in Springville. After church, we walked to a park and played fetch with Boba. McKay was home for the weekend, and all the older boys were so nice playing legos with you all. The next morning, Josh took our family skiing at Sun Dance. The snow was horrible, but that didn't stop us. He wears is bright BYU jacket, so it is easy for all of us to follow him. He is so good about making it fun for you kids. After skiing, we said goodbye to Utah County and headed back north to Grandma's house.
• Grandma was so excited to have you kids to be there on Christmas. She pulled out all her sugar cookies for you kids to decorate. Christmas Eve, we watched a movie, had steak and chocolate milk for dinner, and reenacted the Nativity (you were an angel). We hunted for the star, where you found kitty pjs. It was hard to fall asleep, but you all slept in the same room together and eventually fell asleep. Sam was the first up in the morning. He turned on the TV and we watched a christmas movie downstairs while we waited for everyone to get up. You all ran upstairs to find your stockings. This year, Santa gave you a a vespa for your doll and a bunny with a hutch for the dolls. You loved the bunny. Of course the candy in your stocking did not last long. You and Millie gave each other the ear muffs that you really wanted from Target. Mark and Kami were there and they loved seeing all your reactions. The big hit of a present was that Dad and I gave you a pink scooter. You were so excited to try it out in Grandma's kitchen. It looks like it will take you a bit to get use to, but it should be good. More cousins came over for dinner that night. It was a full house. We finished the week with a family party at the church and swapping gifts. 
• We made it home before New Years. We hosted a big Price Family New Years party with Hawaiian food, Just Dance on the Switch, and games. We popped out confetti at 9pm. 
• We had almost a week at home before you all went back to school. We sent to Silver Creek Falls, played with the new toys, hang out with cousins a lot, and watched a lot of movies. It was so nice to relax.
• Winter was been foggy and a bit wet, and a lot cloudy. We had a free Saturday, so we took Maddy and Hadley to the pool for fun. It was our first time. You loved the slide. We ended with getting ice cream cones from A&W. I love these slower Saturdays. 
• We were able to make it to the Gilbert House with Grandma. Your favorite room this time with the Vet room. Grandma was such a good patient with all her different pets. You took good care of them, though you loved working that front desk. We also got away to OMSI. They were having their bug art exhibit. It was really beautiful. It has been so fun sharing my childhood memories and favorite places with you all. The science room was a hug hit. 

Five.Two Years

 5.2 Years

• Thanksgiving was a hit. In preschool, you had a little feast. You brought in apple sauce cups to share with your friends. During the break, we got to go to Gervais Elementary and play dodgeball with a huge group of friends. Surpise! The Strassers were there. Their cousins know Dusty and were invited. You liked seeing Vella. We ate dinner at Auntie Annie's house. When we walked into her house, she had bowls of peanut butter m&m. They did not last long. You loved this idea that you could eat candy without asking mom. The next day, we braved the cold and cut down a Christmas tree. I told you kids to get your coats on, but none of you listened. So when we arrived at the tree farm and it is 35 degrees outside, I turned around to find you and Millie in just a long sleeve shirt. Thankfully, you had leave a small jacket in the van and Millie used the gloves that I brought for myself. It worked out. We found a tree quickly and headed back to the barn to stand by the fire and watch creepy old animated Christmas movies. The Strassers were able to stop by that night to see our house and play. 
• Random-we went to take Mowgli for a walk and it was so cold that all the spider webs were frozen. It was cool to see all the designs in the bushes and on the mailboxes and fire hydrant. 
• We have been trying to get together with Grandma each week. On weeks that she goes to her doc appointment in Stayton, she stops by here for lunch. We met her at the Gilbert house the other day and played in all the rooms with her. We have stopped by her house for lunch and walked around the park. You love those days and are sad the weeks we have to miss it. 
• Christmas festivities are under way. Fun things that we did this month was visit the Keizer lights, decorated gingerbread houses, visited with Santa at the Ward Christmas brunch, and had Red Ribbon dinner where you got the reusable water balloons to play with in the bath tub.
• You were able to preform in the Nutcracker for dance. This has been something that you have wanted to do for a while. Your class was assigned a doll dancer and an angel. The costume was so beautiful. For the doll dance, they actually forgot to send your class out during the party scene so they had you come on afterwards to do the dance. The angels were so cute. You even had a halo on. Grandma and Papa along with Auntie Annie, joe and Elaine came and watched you the first night. The Leder girls came the next day to watch you.