End of Sixth Grade!

My Dearest Avery,

Today we got back from a great adventure to Europe! We went to Italy and Greece! So I wanted to try to sneak in a message to you before I do a special post on that trip.

You finished SIXTH grade this spring, which included you trying track and field (4x400, 800, 1600 and long jump were your events) and recovering on your grades in all your classes (a few sick days added up and we worked with you on a way to keep track of your assignments better). 

Outside of school, you tried out for a new team this year, at RSL with coach Flores. There's a lot going on with soccer - they are changing the age ranges for each team so now it's by grade instead of birth year. It's also the first year your age group is eligible for an 11x11 field (you've been playing 11x11 because you've been playing a year up). That means at your club, FC Tucson, you'd be eligible for Girls Academy and probably the "best" team in Tucson - and they wanted you for sure. BUT, it also meant playing under Coach Alejandro, who we intentionally avoided last year and don't really enjoy as a coach (he's got a phenomenal record but it seems he doesn't have a heart for the girls and he's more focused on supporting the great talent in his daughter as a striker - also, unlike other coaches, he just assumed you'd be his mid-fielder on GA this year without ever talking to us or you about it). So, you tried out for RSL and Surf and decided on RSL with Coach Flores. And I must say, it's been wonderful so far. You've attended practices with the next year up, he's really attentive to you as an individual player and he wants you to play for both your team and the next year up next year. That next year up team happens to be playing in Nationals right now in Virginia (DPL) so I'd say they're doing pretty well in their own right. Of course, you also did ODP soccer camp right after school ended and you've been working on balance in horseback riding (riding with no hands). 

We also took a quick trip to Kansas City for your Uncle Adam's wedding and you've been doing Jet conditioning and sessions with Coach Cynthia too.

You like fake nails, jewelry, tracking everything about soccer (it's World Cup season) and you like watching comedies and comedians right now. You're a really great kid with an incredible heart.

Here's you're life in pictures right now...

Easter!

Look at your leg muscles!

Lemonade stand with Evan made you guys $80 richer!

We went to Physics day at the UofA and had a ball - you love science!

Your uncle's wedding! You had a lot of fun with your cousins

Running with me in Kansas City!

Field trip to the zoo with Dad as a parent volunteer

Your team won the President's Cup! You all did really well as a team this year

Happy Birthday to our 12 year old! You had a sleepover with a few friends to celebrate

My Grandma Betty passed away right before Uncle Adam's wedding so we helped lay her to rest when we were up there. This is you guys adding lucky pennies to her grave.

Worn out from all our fun!

Got to ride Dixie again after her being out for a while. You love each other! You let Evan give her the treats after riding this time!

Your roommate at soccer camp (ODP) - your first time at overnight camp!

Avery, you are a smart, funny and wholesome girl. I really enjoy spending time with you and seeing you grow. You're starting to progress through puberty (your chest is starting to come in and I just had to show you how to shave your armpits) - and this makes me sad because you're growing up but I know it's my job to help you learn as you grow so I will keep trying to do that.

All My Love,

Mom

Starting The New Year with a Bang!

My Dearest Avery,

I know it's been a while - I thought about blogging in January and then all of a sudden it was the end of March! You'll find that time flies faster and faster the older you get! 

Let's see, since October you made the ODP white team again - you got loads of playing time and you score - you were a difference maker for your team. You also scored an own goal, which wasn't your best moment but we know it happens. You've also had some ups and downs in school. You had a great science experiment on mold in horse feed but your partner was non-existent. That was a hard lesson and you were definitely principled about it but it won't be the last time a partner lets you down. That experiment got selected for the SARSEF science fair and you won in two categories: you won a UofA award and 3rd place for 6th grade in your category. I'm so proud of you! You had some sick days out that really set you back in school and it was tough for you to recover - also a lesson. We're working on improving all of that.

Over the holiday break we went to Los Alamos for Evan's first hockey tournament - your first chance at being a ferrel sibling at a tournament. It was outdoors and cold but you were a good supporter for Evan. Your soccer team won the Ft Lowell Shootout and you've been mostly playing Center Attacking Mid. Sometimes you play Center Defensive Mid and just today you got your first chance at playing Winger on this team. You're a great ball handler and good facilitator of the ball going to your teammates but you can move it forward and shoot more than you do. You're still jumping with Kim, too, although we did take 3 weeks away from you when your grades fell. 

Finally, we just got back from an incredible trip to Costa Rica. There really aren't words to describe how beautiful it is and how much fun we had. Our excursions included a hanging bridges tour, a Costa Rican cooking class, a chocolate and coffee tour, white water rafting, deep sea fishing and a guided tour through an incredible national park. We saw monkeys, birds, sloths and the Arenal volcano was visible every single day. You got nervous about the "drops" in the rafting tour (they mentioned them prior to us starting) but you wound up loving it and want to go back for more. You even got out of the raft twice to go swimming. You guessed right that mosquitos pollinate the cacao trees on our chocolate tour and you loved trying the coffee. The hanging bridges tour was too scary for you but you loved wearing your teal towel around your waist like a sarong and you got compliments on your style. One afternoon you did sit at the swim up bar with Dad and watch the Arsenal game with your virgin daiquiri, you lucky duck! You like the shampoo plant that you squeeze the flower to get a juice on your hands that smells good. You also loved the cane sugar milk and you changed the code on the safe to where we almost couldn't get any of our electronics or passports out!

You're now saying things like "I got you" and "sup". You've got some boobies coming in and your friends have changed a bit at school - you're hanging out with Riley, Violet and Aubrianna for the most part. You did intramural basketball and you just started intramural track and field - you think you're going to focus on the mile and the 4x400 relay. You're thinking about a field event as your third choice.

Here's your life in pictures right now...

Jumping!

Halloween at school!

Two peas!

You and Eva, your soccer buddy, at ODP tryouts. Eva made the blue team (top team) but didn't get as much playing time as you did on the second team.

Sibling style at hockey

Evan's birthday party at Rock Solid

ODP tryouts

ODP games - Grandma Gail came to watch!

Christmas!

Team meal!

School soccer photo - you were a co-captain!

Science fair medal you got at school

In Houston, lined up for the flight to Costa Rica! Amazingly, everything we did was on time!

Arrived!

First guided tour!

Writing letters to Santa! While I did tell you about Santa so your middle school friends wouldn't make fun of you......you still say you believe in him!

I got a bike to ride with you and Evan! You're too fast for me to run alongside anymore.

We went to see LeAnn Rimes in Tucson for Christmas! It was an early xmas gift from Santa!

Your science fair trophy! You were so excited that you ran up onto that stage!

Out to dinner with Murray and Pati

Science fair things!

Science fair presentation

Evan's hockey tournament in Los Alamos

hotel life

Took you to the Pompeii exhibit at the AZ Science Museum - you were enthralled!

Great pic from ODP

Guest playing for one of your private coach's (Cynthia's) team

We took care of your class guinea pig over Thanksgiving - she passed away the next month! Her name was Sandy (and she was DIRTY)

Went to watch a friend do an Ironman - you loved it!

Looking through a scope at a lizard

Hanging bridges tour

A gift left in our hotel

Cooking lessons

Big girl in the pool!

Life is rough

Rafting!

Sunset dinner in Manuel Antonio

Making your own chocolate

We caught 10 mahi and 2 tuna!

Family photos! (of course)

Manuel Antonio National Park

C-123 in a restaurant in Manuel Antonio

Out hotel in Fortuna

Howler monkey

The pool lights changed colors

Sloths

A sloth at our hotel in Manuel Antonio

Macaws

These white faced monkeys are known as the mafia in Manuel Antonio - they steal stuff from people!

Avery, you are making waves, my dear. Now we're planning for my brother's wedding, your birthday sleepover and summer camps along with our summer cruise in Europe! You remain a sweet heart with some sass on the side. You like to talk tough about sports and about girls doing things boys can do. You get more and more annoyed at your brother but I think that comes with the territory - you still love him.

I'm loving every minute of it with you!

All My Love,

Mom