Five.Five Years

 5.5 Years

• It was the girls trip with all the dads and uncles. This year, you all met in Boise and went on a three night float trip. You told me all about Uncle Joe falling in the water, the endless mosquitoes, sleeping three high in hammocks, playing Big Booty, and the grand adventure of the wheel falling off the trailer. 
• We made a quick late night rafting trip down the river with our friends. It was fun seeing you jump off the boat with the big kids and swimming around the river like a fish. Of course, eating snacks was s hit on the water. 
• Caleb and Owen came to visit us this month. We had a lot of fun with them, going rafting, playing at the river, sneaking off to Creme Cafe for drinks and games while the big kid walked around town, and playing a lot of board games. 
• Auntie Rachel took Maggie back with them to Utah so you had two whole weeks of hanging out with Sam. It took a day for Sam to adjust to being the oldest, but he really did well playing with you and JoJo. One thing that helps is our neighbor Adella. She is Sam's age but has two younger sisters that are close to your age. So whenever he wants to go over to play, he likes to bring you too so then you can all play togethers. Some of the favorite things were playing cars and setting up a water park with the hose on the trampoline/play set. 
• Grandma was feeling left out on all the playing, so her and Grandpa made a quick trip out here. We took them on a long rafting trip, had a girls morning walking around town and going into the shops, shoot the 22, hiked the water shed trail, swam in the pond, went to the pool, ate ice cream cones, played games, and had Grandma tuck you in at night and tell you family history stories. You really wanted to start your great to be eight trip early and go with them, but you had some swimming to finish up.
• We didn't sit around and do nothing while Maggie was gone. We went camping up the mountains and hiked into the lower gospel lake to go fly fishing. We watched the Minions movie in the drive in. We went to music in the park where you got to run around and play with your friend Beckett, got ice cream from Cash-n-carry, and swam at the pool more than I count. 
• We went up to Spokane for a weekend to drop Sam off at the airport and pick Maggie up. We spent the night at the Potter's and the next day played at a private lake. You really like their son Canyon. At the lake, they had a "lily pad". It is a large foam pad that you and run around on the water, jump off, and get all shaken up. 
• The big thing that happen is that you jumped off the diving board all by yourself with no puddle jumper and was able to swim to the edge!! You have been working hard at swimming across the shallow end and now it has paid off. You are getting the trending water and I completely feel comfortable with you being at the pool with the bigger kids without me. I am so proud of your hard work this summer.