TWELVE!

Fav toy: books don't count as toys, so calico critters. gosh i'm just thinking mom and calico critters are the only toy i really play with anymore.

Fav fruit: Cantaloupe

Fav vegetable: Cucumber

Fav snack: oooooh. umm. oh geez. uhhh. that chocolate macaroon granola bar.

Fav movie: umm. oh gosh. i don't really have a favorite movie. 

TV show: Little House on the Prairie

Fav outfit: either these leggings or some jeans and a big warm shirt or sweater

Fav game: freeze tag

Fav food: oh my gosh that is such a hard one! um. well. i can't really think right now because i'm not hungry. let's say white pasta. what is that called mom? alfredo!

Fav animal: cat

 Fav song: ooooh. either "kiss the sky" by Maren Morris or "desesperado" by Evan Craft

 Fav book: "Salty Kisses" Robin Jones Gunn & "The Giver" (reading in GMC Academy)

Fav season: summer

 Best friend: oh geez. i don't really have a best friend, but i guess Elliette. 

 Fav dessert/treat: chocolate cupcake w/ vanilla frosting

 Fav thing to do outside: swing and listen to music

 Fav drink: shirley temple

 Fav holiday: Christmas

Fav thing: my books

Fav homeschool subject: ooh does reading count?

Fav hobby: umm. my chicks or reading.

Highlight of your year: chickies

Goal for next year: i can't tell you my goal for next year. but let's just say to have all my chickens and quails healthy and alive and full grown.

Most excited about right now: honestly finishing "The Giver". we are so close, Mom. we're in the last chapters and i'm not able to read past 18 til next week.

What do you want to be when you grow up: author and stay at home mom. 

What has God taught you this year: ummm i really don't know that one but you always make me come up with an answer. something i've been really working on is not parenting my siblings and being a lot nicer to Zeke.

Most embarrassing moment: i don't want to talk about that one. *dad leaves* oh just when i was telling you i got my period. and i was in the car and ita kept asking what was in my bag and i said "I can't tell you because I'm too embarrassed, but June can tell you" and then June told her that i'd started my period and she was like "really" and i was like "ya" and she was like "when that happens to June i'm going to take her on a date, but since you didn't tell me right away i'm not going to take you out" and she never did. 

Funniest moment of the year: probably when Eleanor is half asleep and she starts talking and sometimes she gets up and does stuff and Mom it's just so funny! 

fav color: yellow

fav sport: well this is kinda complicated for me, but i like gymnastics better as a sport but i really dislike my class right now because i dislike my teacher and i don't really want to continue ballet for a long time because i feel like its not a good sport for me, but my teacher is awesome. 

How did we celebrate: We didn't do a lot this year because this year you were focused on CHICKENS! You wanted all the $ we'd spend on a party to go toward fixing up the chicken run. Fernando (Ophelia's son) brought over an incubator with fertilized eggs from his flock just for fun and he let you hatch your own chicks, which was crazy and fun! but one egg hatched so much earlier than the others.. you took so much special care of that chick- playing cheeping noises for it on your tablet, sleeping in the laundry room with it- and it survived until the others started joining it! but Ezekiel squeezed that little chick (Rosie) to death- he said he was trying to make it feel all cozy like it was back in its eggshell. you were devastated. you didn't know to take out the little thing on the bottom that rotated, so we had plenty of stress with that too- a little chick would be born and before it was all dried off, the bottom would rotate and its legs would get stuck underneath. next time, we'll know better! you had 9 out of 12 eggs successfully hatch! and then 1 died. and then you bought four from a feed store with Ita, so 12 total! you'll be giving some to the Ferraras as a thanks for letting you use their heat plate, etc. you also got 7 button quail because your dad is a sucker for you. and June's kitten promptly got in and killed 4 of them *sigh* so you have 3 little cuties living in a fish tank right now. not sure where they'll end up long term? We are finally getting the run finished *today* Dad took a Saturday off work to make it happen- hooray! You want to just have a friend playdate once the chickens are all settled in their big coop. we made your fav meal- you requested steak $$ whooo! and June made you a precious little cake from scratch- so cute! Ita took you and June go out breakfast at Kasa and shopping- you couldn't find any clothing you liked, so she ended up getting you melty scented things from Bath&BodyWorks, which I said you couldn't keep because...endocrine disruptors! and that was a whole big deal. and then you got to spend 3 nights at Grandma&Grandpa's house! Overall, I think you felt very celebrated and loved :) 

12! It is feeling so real that you are growing up into a beautiful young lady. You are so independent, full of your own ideas and zest for life, capable, helpful, and your own person nowadays. You bring a lot of joy and life to our house and I am so thankful for your life, as always! What a joy and a gift it is to be your mom. I am forever thankful that the Lord blessed me with you as my daughter. I think we will be the best of friends when you are all grown up and I am so excited. I am cherishing these days having you (all 5) here under my roof and supervision- the days are flying by and I am in no way wishing them away! but I am also looking forward with a sense of wonder and excitement to the days when you are off on your own, raising your babies, and I think it will be such a sweet season then too of having you lean on me when things are hard and getting to support you as you do the hard work of parenting littles. and getting to just move into more of a friendship than a parent/child relationship. gosh, I can't wait to be your friend! past the days of teenage attitudes that need correcting and messy rooms that I am in charge of making sure you keep clean- a different relationship, you know? anyway... those days are still so many years away and I am just enjoying you right now, so let me give you a peek at who you are at twelve :)

You love your own room! You just spent a few nights at your grandma sleepover and I went up and slept in your room (cuz dad snores and it is a whole thing ha) and it was sooo comfortable and cozy up there. It was mom&dad's old mattress from when we first got married before we upgraded to a king size. and you have nice black out curtains! You are finally getting the hang of keeping it clean ;) it has been a long year or so of working on that with you. and we're still working hard with June! Ita would actually come up with a broom and shove all your clutter into a giant pile and tell you she was ready to throw it away if it wasn't all picked up by evening and you'd cry. it was a huge source of strife and conflict for a long time actually... but you are actually learning to keep it clean now! and you'll always say "oh it feels soo good in here!" after we deep clean it, so I think you get the appeal ;) a bit help in the clean room was removing your Barbie house... which is good and also so sad. you and June would fight a lot playing Barbies- you wanted to have a giant, multi-generational family. like you were on the fourth generation and never killed off your older Barbies and so June didn't get the dolls she wanted and you kept saying you needed more house space and furniture for all your families and June was frustrated about you taking all the stuff she wanted too hahaha. so anyway, you would threaten not to play and storm off (as I remember doing to Alex when I was about your age...it is so hard growing out of the pretend play era when it was such a sweet and special time in our lives!). anyway, the Barbies were probably providing equal strife and wonderful play time... June isn't really playing Barbies without you, which breaks my heart. it was such a wonderfully special season. absolutely precious hours and hours and hours spent pretending and playing deeply and creating the sweetest things for your Barbies. I will miss that season so much! and I hope Ellie gets to experience it...but she doesn't have a sister close in age to enjoy that with like you girls did. anyway, you love to hang in your room and turn on the music and read and just rest. I love that you have that space and you've made it your own! you actually asked me to go through your room and get rid of things to help you declutter and keep it clean, but to not tell you what i tossed and its been great- I don't think you've noticed anything i have gotten rid of haha. you continue to collect Calico Critters and have a very impressive collection in your closet. Eleanor loooves sleeping up in your room and you let her play with the Calico Critters. Zak sometimes too. they think your room is the best part of the house! you ask me to come up and tuck you in several nights a week. I try to come up at least 1x/week and spend an extended time just chatting with you and sometimes we read a puberty type book talking about body changes or growing up- you don't like it much haha but i know you also appreciate it and felt super prepared for the changes coming when they came! i will often go up to tuck in and find you sitting on June's bed or her on your bed and you girls will be deep in chat, but stop abruptly when I come in. I know June tells you alll her secrets- all her 8 crushes ;) i love that you two have that special relationship. I know how your relationship looks will continue to change as you grow- from playing pretend, to talking about crushes, to hopefully supporting each other through marriage and motherhood someday. It makes me so happy! I was always so jealous of the girls who had sisters close in age, so I am just so thankful that you two have each other and love each other and honestly ENJOY each other so much! sure, you fight, but you also really want to be together.

here was a pic from the Barbie room...look at all the mess on the floor! 

you took some family pics of your families haha so cute

Starlight isn't your cat anymore. She is mine ;) actually she just doesn't come inside hardly anymore. We've had June's cat Avocado St. James III for maybe 6 months now and he made it so that Starlight hates to come inside. She makes me carry her in when she comes to the door and then she eats and goes right back out. I only really see her when i go on walks outside. now Avo has started to go outside too and I see her and Sparkle playing and chasing each other all over and Starlight just watches. Sparkle is such an odd cat. She loves you so much and if you get her alone up in your bedroom, she is the sweetest and purrs and cuddles, but outside of your room, she is skittish as all get out! her ears are huge and close together and Star's face is so fat compared to Sparkle so that is how we can tell them apart. For a while, we could tell because Star was missing a big chunk of fur on her tail...haha. after we got home from Mexico, it was clear the cats had gotten into some sort of a fight and Star looked ridiculous, but her fur is all grown back now. You continue to enjoy your cats and you sleep with Sparkle most nights, but you love Avo as your own too ;) he is really the favorite cat around here. and he earns it. he follows us around and just wants to be held like a baby and purrs. he is sooo sweet! 

w/ your chick, Rosie! 

you finally got your chickens! it was all you wanted for your bday this year and so I hope you enjoy them! right now, we have 12, but you'll be giving some to the Ferraras after you can tell which ones are hens and roosters- we might have lots of roosters because you incubator hatched them, which has more of a 50/50 chance. you're doing a great job caring for them! but they're still cooped up in this tiny playpen in the laundry room and they're way too big for it and it stinks in my laundry room! I *hope* you and dad finish the coop off tonight and get them out of here this weekend! you've been taking them outside for the day time, so they're used to it. and you just moved your 3 button quails upstairs so they can have a bit of sunlight- poor bubs! we lost all our old chickens to raccoons, so I sure hope you guys did a good job on the coop and your little heart doesn't get broken! i am excited for the eggs, I guess. but still we spent like $200 on the coop so it'll take a while before i feel like they're pulling their weight. 

Homeschooling has been going better this year. i almost- like was calling schools- put you in a private school this past year because I just didn't think i could handle your attitude, specifically around math. but you took the threat seriously and you did change your attitude this year! you've started working more independently and are doing great. you finally mastered multiplication, which i really think is helping in the math department. you are working hard at typing because you'll need that skill real quick here! you love your LA and are hoping to work ahead a full year by the end of 8th grade- GO GIRL! unfortunately, TGTB is coming out with a brand new 7th grade curriculum in July and you're ready for it now, but I really think we should wait because their new stuff is just so much more fun and incorporates their new spelling program, etc. you are not a strong speller so we need their spelling program hahaha. you've rejected both TGTB and Beast Academy math this year and so now we are trying one called Aleks which is AI focused on what you already know and still need to master... we'll see how it goes! i'll have you do that through the end of the summer just to make sure you're caught up. then we are starting Dennison and you're super excited for that after doing the free trial week (it said do not start in 6th grade, so I am trying to make sure you've mastered 6th grade before starting you on the pre-algebra.) I hear great things about it and I am hopeful this new curriculum will change your relationship with math! You're loving GMC again this year and just finished reading "The Giver". it rocked your mind! You started out saying that it was better to be safe than free, but halfway through the book you were starting to question ha. so fun to see you be able to handle these huge concepts and challenge your mind and ideas! you are reading "A Day No Pigs Would Die" now and i know you'll hate it, but it is so good too! you've also been doing lots of geography with grandma- just fun stuff about lots of different countries. We started our new co-op and you enjoy it! Last term, you did "write a book" where you worked on a story, a coding class, and then you always have science. this term, you're in Chicken 4-h, the class I am teaching Kaya American Girl History, and science! 

you are not enjoying the social aspect of co-op though. i am actually in all 3 of your classes this new term, so you pretty much don't have to talk to anyone ha. and then you sit with me at the park instead of going and trying to play. oh well. you opt out of everything though- you played telephone with us, but you said pass on coming up with your own saying to pass around... and you don't want to read aloud in class. you sit with me at lunch. i am not thrilled with it...but i don't know what to do? you're struggling similarly at youth group. you have been attending the Athey youth group for most of this year- started with Elliette and Hannah and made a few new friends- Olivia and Lauren. but then Hannah moved to Idaho and Olivia is real boisterous and is making lots of new friends, so it is just you and Elliette and Lauren. you've made it clear you have no intention of trying to meet any new friends and you are really really unhappy with the "mandatory" games. the group is huge so i can understand why they make the games mandatory, but you hate them so much that you're choosing not to attend until they fix it. i am not thrilled with the Sonrise youth group either... very few girls your own age and it is Sunday night which is just a lot of driving back and forth to the church in one day... but i think we are going to push you to do that! it is time.. I want you invested at our own church and I really want you to make some great friends! friendships are so hard at this age, but sooo important! i am certainly praying about it and will be watching and encouraging! 

ooh and spanish has been a fun part of your schooling this year. you're taking outschool classes and we're paying for a group class, but it is just you ha. you love your teacher and are learning a lot! but we need to get you practicing speaking it out loud more. 

pink spoon is a GMC tradition ;)

theater and drama also fun part of GMC

history by the burn pile ;)

you continue to be the best big sister ever to Eleanor and Zakeus! and you are actually doing a bit better with Zeke recently. you're certainly trying hard to include him more and speak more life over him, and I am so thankful! you make me the cutest little notes with offers for babysitting and classes and clubs for the kids to join. i always get a few trial weeks and then you forget or move onto something else before i ever have to actually enroll and pay ha. this last month, you did "chicken camp!" and walked them through caring for chicks and let them hold them and feed them, etc. and you did an "all things spring" class! the way you love them is just so precious. i am so so thankful that you have each other! you still ask me for another sibling sometimes, but you know it is off the table at this point. 

as far as other friendships go, you still looove Frankie and all the little kiddos at church. who says that friendships have to be with kids your own age anyway? i love that homeschoolers have the flexibility to have strong relationships with older people, younger people, etc. you love it when I go to the "Heart 4 Moms" program at church on Tuesday mornings and you help out in the "gray hair daycare". those old people (Tom, I think?) love you so much! they always compliment me on what a good girl you are and how helpful you are. You know each of those kids names and preferences and their parents... I think you're more well known at church than I am! you're so good at remembering names too. you also volunteer every Sunday in the toddler room! what a blessing you are to the church! you are hopefully going to be helping the Borgen family this summer- she is pregnant and has four littles at home and is just struggling and I know she needs support and you love her 2 middle girls- Rosalina and Valencia- so win win! you also are still so so close with Alinah and Alberta! those friendships are starting to feel a little sticky because you are just growing out of the way they want to play. They're even a year younger than June, so still enjoying pretend play, etc. but you often spend time on the trampoline and swinging and writing crazy stories... you're finding ways to make it work. Alinah spent a few nights here for spring break this past week and i complimented you on how there was no fighting (always fights when Alinah is here ha) and you said you're learning to just give June some alone time with her and that really helps... i am so proud of how you're maturing! so proud, girlie. 

You are super close with your grandmas too! both of them. what a gift!! you 'text" on your tablet with grandma Sandee often and then you get to see her at least once a week usually for GMC. and we obviously live with Ita! you and Ita can fight sometimes though...like you get so offended! you were going to your grandma sleepover for your bday (annual thing) and Ita wanted to take Alinah out shopping for her bday and said June could tag along. you were so mad! why couldn't they wait a week? blah blah. you were putting up a fight and Ita said you were being selfish and you came down so upset that she called you selfish in front of June and Alinah... this was after a separate bday shopping trip for you where you couldn't find any clothing you liked and in her annoyance, ita suggested you buy the first thing you were super into...wax melties from Bath and Body Works which I promptly said no way to because all the chemicals and hormone disruption. you were really upset about that and Ita just said she'd take them instead of giving you another chance at buying a present you could keep haha. you felt so jipped! and Ita was just on high frustration mode because it was the anniversary week of Abuelo's death and she went upstairs and wanted it super clean, etc. so it was a rough week with Ita, but you're back to bffs now. she brings you along when she goes to visit with Ophelia and you get to visit with their chickens and goats ;) you often spent a lot of time in the evenings with Ita- crocheting, painting nails, just talking. it is really precious and I am so thankful you have a grandma who loves you so much and is so invested in your life. 

you have started piano and I think you're enjoying it! we found the cutest place that has ballet and piano all at the same time on Friday mornings- for you, June, Zeke, and Ellie! you are also really enjoying ballet. You said that you're surprised and you didn't think you'd like ballet, but its a lot of fun! I think it is because the teacher is so great. I love watching you learn something totally new! There are lots of other homeschool girls in the class and lots of great families. there is a sweet family waiting room and zak and ellie get to play and zeke has other boy friends there. it is all just such an answer to prayer! I hope we are able to continue next year too. you're not loving gymnastics- mostly because the teacher is hard! she works with the team girls too and treats you guys that way even tho it is rec gymnastics... like making you re-do stuff or do them just you in front of everyone else when you have bad form. no bueno. you keep saying you want to quit and when i say you don't have to sign up for another month, you say one more month...2x so far haha. we will stop during the summer and I'm not sure you'll go back. which is sad! but also, makes room for other sports like swimming or track...and the golfing your dad wants you to do so badly ha. 

in my old leo!

you're so big now- we measured you in your science class at co-op yesterday (we are learning birds and were measuring your "wingspan" and wanted to show that arm length and height should be similar for humans!) and you were 5'4"!! you're probably going to be taller than me next year...how?! when?! you are wearing adult size xs and s clothing! you got to go to the ladies' swap at church this year and took home some clothes from Annette haha! You often steal my socks and you and I can share shoes.. fun! but also I never have any socks in my drawer ;) and my jackets are always missing because you are too lazy to run upstairs and get clothes whenever you're running out the door ha. you are so so beautiful- I can't believe it! you're looking more like a young woman all the time! You have started taking great care of your hair- Ita has such thick hair and I don't so she finally taught you how to care for it ha. and I got you a new hairbrush for your bday that I heard great things about for thick hair and you're loooving it and finally keeping it well brushed which is awesome because you love to wear it down and now it looks nice! your eyelashes are so long and dark you don't even need mascara! Ita gives you lots of hand-me-downs. she is always buying stuff off Temu for super cheap and then it doesn't fit so she leaves it for you haha. super cute dresses and stuff! lucky girl. you dress so cute and your face is just gorgeous. I am in awe! my own daughter. such a beautiful gift from God. I hope you know how much I love you. how much I delight in you! not just in your beauty, but also in your beautiful heart and your fun personality. you are just my best little friend and I am so thankful to have you as my girl. 

this year, you've really been wanting to bake more! you've made some awesome cakes- a chocolate cheesecake and a lemon cake that were both out of this world! I was expecting a simple cake, but you went all out and chose the most complicated ones ha. you did a great job though and tackled some hard things and I think you've gained a lot of cooking and baking confidence! you can really handle yourself in the kitchen and follow a recipe and you're even getting pretty good at cleaning as you go ;) 

also just have to note that you love coffee and you're always sneaking coffee beans ;) you're still too young to have coffee daily, but I know that day is coming soon and I love that we will get to have our morning coffees together soon! 

I pray you know how much we adore you and how we treasure the time that we get to spend with you living here with us under our roof. we know the days are flying by and all too soon, the years will be gone and you'll be flying- finding your own in the big wide world and settling into your own adulthood. i pray that I take as much time as I can to enjoy you in each new season- to read together, play games, talk, tuck you in, go on walks. that is a huge goal of mine this year! I love you so much, Johanna and I hope you know I am always on your side. as you walk toward the teenage years, I want you to feel comfortable asking me your questions- no matter how hard or awkward and I want you to feel so confident in my unshakeable love for you. you can't scare me away with your anger or your tears. You are my girl forever and always and I will always be your #1 cheerleader! te amo <3

home depot kids' workshops!

ah can't forget our Mexico vacation!! we spent a whole month and I don't think you ever wanted to come home except that you missed your friends.. you looove Mexico. you left the braids in for a whole month! and you were so so tan. you had so many mosquito bites that you scratched them and still have funky tan lines- white spots all over where you aren't tan because you had a scab ha. 

so much fun sliding down on tubes!

this was the year of lost teeth! ortho office says you have 3 more to go..!

zoo!

oh and aunt alisa got married!! you loved wearing Grandma Sandee's old dress- it almost fit you, but grandma took you to get it altered just a bit. it twirled beautifully!

Ita always taking just you and June out for fun dates

shenanigans

and this year's daddy daughter dance! You wore one of Ita's hand-me-down dresses- soo fancy! we had some new faces because the Pipers and the Tasas moved away

Dad got to take you guys on a field trip to see live orchestra! I think you all really enjoyed it & donuts

Heart4Moms photoshoot fun ;) 

defy! you and June chose defy as your date w/ Jake&Alisa and for $4 more they upgraded their&your passes into memberships for the month and got 4 guest passes.we took Zeke&Ellie for a morning of fun!

we went to see Winnie the Pooh at Theater in the Grove- lots of plays this year! 

sitting with me at Monkey Park after co-op instead of playing ;)

free pancake day & froyo using up free $10 vouchers we got at the Santa House. I may be cheap, but I am finally starting to take you all out to do fun things! 5 kids alone and we are finally rocking it this year...but i am so thankful to have you along to help!

my girls! love you Josie Jo