The Call Family

Avery started Kindergarten today! I can’t believe that my little girl is old enough to go to kindergarten already.

She got to go school shopping with both of her grandmas and picked out lots of new clothes. She has had her first day of school outfit picked out for weeks. She has been so excited to show off her backpack that lights up when she walks.

Avery is attending school at Eaglecrest Elementary which is about a mile away from our house.

Emily, our day care provider, has been so wonderful and offered to take Avery and her friend Aspen to and from school everyday.

Last week Avery went to school and had her kindergarten assessment. She did really well. Of the 78 letters and sounds they are supposed to know, Avery knows 60. When the assessment was over Avery’s teacher took her picture and put it on her bulletin board outside the classroom. (I wasn’t thinking very well when I took this picture and you cannot see her picture in this one, but oh well.)

Avery has lots of friends in her school class. Three of them are in her primary class and the other one goes to day care with her. She also made a few new friends while she was at school.

Avery, Aspen, and Blake sitting in class.

My beautiful Avery.

Avery’s teacher invited the parents to come to class for the first 45 minutes today. She gathered the students at the rug and the parents sat around the room. She read the book “The Kissing Hand” to the class.

When she was done reading the story we went back to the tables and stamped Avery’s hand on a paper and filled in her name and how she felt about school today. Her teacher also had a kiss stamp and red ink for us to stamp our hands.

Avery’s teacher then told us to give our kiddos a hug and a kiss and go home. That was the hardest part of the whole morning. I cried. Avery held my arm and didn’t want me to go. Her friend Aspen took her hand and told her she would be okay. I am so glad that Avery has such good friends in her class.

Avery also has an amazing teacher. She told the kids how much she loves them and she will take care of them while they are with her.

I am very thankful that Avery has such a great teacher who I know loves her.

Avery had a great time at school today and is excited to go back tomorrow!

On the last day of the reunion we decided to go to the Call Air Museum. It is a museum dedicated to Call Air. Skyler’s family built the first Call Air airplane. They also founded the Maverik gas station. It was really fun to go there and learn about Skyler’s family.

The kids had a blast. Kaden and Avery both love airplanes.

This is the brochure that they gave us while we were there.

Day One

On the first day of our Call Family Reunion Skyler and I went white water rafting on the Snake River with several of Skyler’s relatives.

Skyler and I before riding the river.

We had so much fun! It was one of the most exciting things I have ever done! We even got to swim in the river when the water was calm. The water was so cold!

Day Two

On the second day of the reunion we all went up the canyon to collect sticks and branches to make bow and arrows, sling shots, and whistles.

My handsome husband!

My adorable children!

Kaden had a blast throwing rocks into the water by where we were collecting our things.

Skyler made Avery a bow and arrow.

Avery wanted to be like Merida from “Brave”.

Skyler helped her shoot her arrow.

Day Three

On the third day of our reunion we gathered at a local park to provide some service by doing some trimming of trees.

Later that night we had a wonderful dinner and enjoyed each others company by visiting and doing some karaoke. Skyler, Blaze, and Keone did an amazing job singing together.

Skyler sang a couple of songs on his own. He has an amazing voice.

The final song was sung by Skyler’s grandparents. Followed by a wonderful presentation.

I am so thankful to be a part of this wonderful family. We had so much fun together and I can’t wait until the reunion next year!

We had a wonderful time at Homestead this year visiting with family and playing games. In honor of the Olympics we held our own Olympic games. We all got to make our own family flag and we had a parade of families. Then we got to dress up and participate in many games.

I painted a crown on Avery’s face and she found this adorable wig that she wanted to wear.

We had a watermelon eating contest. Dad and Avery participated in this one. I don’t like watermelon so I didn’t want to do it and Kaden fell asleep.

My dad won the contest!

Next was a water gun contest. You had to use a water gun to shoot golf balls off of tees.

Cute little Avery.

After that was the shot put, The kids got to throw water balloons and the adults used a really heavy ball.

We had an egg relay next. Our family didn’t get to participate with everyone else because Avery was having a hard time and they started the race without us. We still did our own race after everyone was done.

We had a bubble gum blowing contest.

A cartwheel contest. Avery was able to do 55 consecutive cartwheels! Which was more than all of the other kids. Way to go Avery!

I was able to do 5. I am so out of shape!

We had a hurdle jumping contest. The adults jumped over and the kids crawled under.

The next competition was the javelin. You had to throw a swim noodle through the ring and get it all the way through without it touching the ring.

Last was the jump rope contest. Avery wanted to participate even though she has never jump roped before. She did pretty well.

While they were tallying the scores Kaden woke up and crawled under the hurdles.

Uncle Tyler wanted to try going under the hurdles with Kaden. He was a little too big!

Avery played jump rope with Ashley and Sadie. She had a really hard time jumping and would get really discouraged because she couldn’t do it the first time.

Aunt Becca took her aside and talked to her about practicing and just to keep trying until you get it right. She tried it again and was able to do it after a couple of tries.

We had an award ceremony.

Every family received a bronze, silver, and gold medal. It was a lot of fun!

Kaden loved playing with my cousin Matthew’s car stroller. He loved it!

Daddy pushed Kaden in the car.

Later that night we went swimming. On our way we found this frog and Avery insisted on having her picture taken with it.

We had lots of fun playing in the pool.

We had tons of fun at Homestead visiting and playing games with family!

We went to the carnival in American Fork with my family this year. My mom bought tickets for all of us. Avery was much braver this year than last year. She loved going on the roller coaster with dad.

We put Avery and Kaden on the little caterpillar roller coaster together. Avery loved having Kaden there with her. Kaden was not too sure about it.

Kaden got really scared once the ride started going. I love that Avery put her arm around him and gave him a kiss to make him feel better.

Kaden loved the rides with the cars.

Four of the five grandkids. They love spending time together.

All the grandkids with Colie’s cute belly (baby coming in October!).

This was Kaden’s favorite ride! He loves motorcycles. Every time they came around he would look at Skyler and I and say, “Look! I’m on a motorcycle!” It was the cutest thing ever!

Driving another car

Kaden loved going down the slide with dad.

Avery loved going down the slide all by herself.

After the carnival we met Uncle Landon and Blaze to fly Landon’s remote control airplane.

We had a really fun day!

Once a month we have a big family dinner at my Grandpa Hutchings house. For the month of July he decided that it would be fun to go up the canyon for breakfast instead. We had a lot of fun.

Here is my mom with my grandpa. (The picture is a little blurry, sorry)

Avery had fun hiking down the trail with Great Grandpa Hutchings…

and watching the river with her bear.

Kaden and dad enjoyed looking for cars coming down the canyon road…

and throwing rocks into the river.

Avery and Kaden loved spending time with papa throwing rocks into the river.

We had a great time eating breakfast, playing with cousins, and visiting with each other!