Spring 2022!

 My Dearest Avery,

How in the world is it possible that you've completed second grade and are moving on to the third grade?! Spring has been a whirlwind for you. After having family in for spring break, you had a great Easter where you got stuff to prepare for our big vacation to Hawaii! You also had your first try-outs for the soccer team (no more co-ed teams for you) and you made the Gold team. By the way, you're so very good at soccer. You're better defensively than you are offensively but you have had days where you've been so "on" that the entire sidelines were talking about you. I can't even begin to tell you how fun it is to watch you play and grow as a player. You also had a birthday which was celebrated pretty low-key with a Parents Say Yes for 24 Hours party because we got you into Space Camp in July as your birthday gift. You finished out the school year with project week as a part of the arts and crafts club (it had a cooler name than that) where you got to do a bunch of arts projects and then go to an art studio in town and do a splatter paint project.

Literally the day after you got out of school we hit the road to go to Roswell for the long weekend and see your cousin Greg graduate. Then we headed straight from there to Denver to do a week there with Grandma Dotty, Pop, Aunt Cara and her family. We got home from that trip and you were home for two days before leaving again to spend almost a week in a cabin with Grandma Gail, Grandpa John and dad's siblings and their families. You're on the road right now, coming home from that.

It's already off to a crazy start for the summer and just more craziness to come! We have so much packed into these eight weeks off but I love all the fun we're having! You are still growing with technology - you've got my old smart watch so you're learning about closing your rings to get good exercise in. You also have a phone (not connected to a phone line but you can connect to the internet) with a time limit on it. You've started creating some videos like the ones you see on YouTube Kids and you take pictures. You can message dad, me and Aunt Cara so it's fun to see how your mind is wrapping around these things. You are so creative and thoughtful. The drives to school allow you the chance to ask a lot of thoughtful questions of dad - you're starting to pick up on things and learn more about the world and how it works which is wonderful but also scary at the same time....only scary because my little girl is growing up!

You're sweet and active with your brother but you also want to do more big kid things than he does so that has created some conflict from time to time. You do still love to create your own fashion rules but I also think you're becoming more aware of norms - not sure how that will influence you or not but I just hope you always stay true to yourself. You are also frequently bumping and bruising yourself around the house and at school. I'm not sure why that is but I think it may be heriditary, haha. 

Here is your life in pictures right now....

It's now tradition to take a selfie on our walks - we typically do a family walk each weekend

Everyone against Avery - I think you stopped 12 goals before one got by you

We also do Mom/Avery walks too!

Now it's tradition to get a pic of Evan before going into school - you join in too!

Your drop off is by car so it's a bit quicker than Evan's drop off

Water table fun in the courtyard!

Fishing with dad on a day off from school - you caught your first fish!

Another day off from school at Top Golf!

Oh yeah, Top Golf and the dentist - all good news though!

There's the fishy! You actually cleaned this one and we ate it! Well done! Caught it with corn from the people sitting next to you because your bait wasn't working!

Cookie cabin after fishing! Yum! This is on Mt Lemmon

Easter fun!

For your birthday we got Mommy and Me Manicures in your new dress from Aunt Cara

Parents say yes - using the gift card from Grandma Dotty and Pop at Defy!

The end of PDP (player development program) soccer - on to the big leagues!

These are the few moving on! Swagger much, Avery?

More Parents Say Yes at Dave & Busters

At Scottsdale Quarter one weekend - got to play in the water

Cheers to dad!

Blanket fort!

Science Center! Our home away from home!

Mall fountain fun!

Project week (that's why you have an apron on)

You're a mess after the splatter paint project!

Your collage from project week!

Ready for Roswell!

Carlsbad Caverns

Greg's graduation - Evan wasn't happy but you did great!

White Sands on the way to Roswell!

MaryJune had a birthday party while we were there!

Alien museum while Evan napped

Colorado! This was at the Denver Botanical Gardens

Pop and SOME of the grandkids! Likely watching Chip and Dale or Incredibles

Denver Natural History Museum

DU campus with dad

Maze in Natural History Museum

Denver zoo

Happy family!

Denver Aquarium

Recreating the poop picture on DU campus

Eating lunch at the zoo

Snakes are good!

The bar at the Denver Yeti store - you have a sprite

Rockies game in your new jersies

We got upgraded for our seats!

We stopped in Santa Fe on the way home and went to Meow Wolf! It was so cool!

Didn't get a good picture but we also stopped to see Jessican and Lucas on the way home!

Denver Children's Museum

Avery, you're one of the sweetest, most thoughtful people I know. You're also trying to figure a lot out right now so it's hard for you to process all that your mind is taking in. I love you to pieces and can't wait for what the rest of the summer has to offer!

All My Love,

Mom