June 2019

First and fifth grades ended on some exciting notes for Samantha and Marcus. Samantha got a named writing award for the first grade, and Marcus graduated fifth grade--he'll move over to the upper school across the street, along with all of his friends, in September.

Marcus's end-of-the-year report cards noted his strengths in math and his dedication to mentoring the younger cellists in the orchestra. In the final concert of the year, he handed out programs at the door, played in the all-orchestra opening "JQOP" (to the tune of "YMCA"), accompanied two younger orchestras, played in his own orchestra, played in his chamber quartet, and also served as a stage hand moving chairs and music stands between acts.

Meanwhile, Samantha's teacher was apparently Marie-Kondo-ing her house and decided that this year's first graders made an excellent group to re-gift her tween daughter's old stuffed animals to, so Samantha came home with several Pillow Pets and Build a Bears as prizes. We had Marcus's graduation, the concert, and the Diversity Day show (Samantha sang and danced twice in it) three days in a row, and then the last day of school was the following Wednesday, and summer was off to a start! We celebrated the last few days of school with donuts, tea parties, and pictures.

The girls had fun at the school This is Us community night, complete with face-painting and cook-outs and the police ice cream truck.

Marcus went to DJ's birthday party still in his baseball clothes, and bowled and played cards and had a great time.

Earlier in the month, Robert was on a Bloomberg TV ETF show!

We observed National Pizza Party day with Sarah and Sean and assorted children one Friday night, first making our own English muffin pizzas and then decorating cakes as though they were pizzas, even toasting the marshmallows (and singing Happy Birthday to Glo, who was pretty sure this was her birthday cake, a bit early).

Samantha's teacher emailed a few pictures from earlier in the year as part of her end-of-year/happy summer message.

We saw "Pride and Prejudice" in the arboretum one sweltering June afternoon. Sean got heatstroke, and we could barely see, but we had a great time, and Samantha and Marcus really loved some of the humor of it.

Samantha ran in the youth race on the Common for the BAA 10k (she did not run 10k. More like, um, 300m? Maybe? It was unclear, but she had fun).

We all participated in the police station's fishing derby at Jamaica Pond, along with Ghaz and Alyssa's boys.

We visited our favorite South End lion statue, and a new favorite JP brewery zebra chair.

Robert puts Helen in the kookiest places. A swing is the most normal!

Marcus and Samantha's respective baseball seasons wrapped up. Helen received a lot of lessons in "baseballing" and there was also a lot of baseball spectating (also known as snacking, singing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame," and playing with Pop-Pop). Samantha posed with her two coaches, Coach Mike and Coach Ruben, at their final pizza gathering.

 

Samantha saw the Frida Kahlo exhibit at the MFA and participated in their art-making day.

Samantha also went overnight camping with her Brownie troop and had a piano recital in the same weekend.

We went to the Scooperbowl.

Marcus officially graduated 5th grade (with his class and his dedicated teacher, Ms. Fong).

Helen is getting better on her balance bike, tearing up and down the block with the neighborhood little boys.

Marcus, in a preview of his teen years and a throwback to his toddler days, has rediscovered the joy of napping after late nights playing cards or at sleepovers.

We watched "Groundhog Day," which is one of Robert's favorite movies.

Helen got to go to the Children's Museum while big siblings were still in school, so for once she set the pace and decided which rooms we were going to visit

Samantha made a great deal of art--weighted dolls that catapult themselves down duct-tape ramps, pet rocks,copies of insect illustrations in a book, a monochromatic self portrait, a composition about a mouse and a fox (with themes introducing each animal, then a chase, and then the untimely demise of the mouse in the gullet of the fox), and pride unicorns.

We celebrated Pop-pop and Grandma's 59th anniversary.

Meanwhile, all month we've planted our garden, enjoyed many gorgeous blossoms, and are savoring the sunshine.

Samantha did two days of daycamp at the Adventure Playground, just a couple blocks from our house--they built a zipline and a treehouse and painted things, and were outside all day long and came home absolutely filthy but thrilled.

Meanwhile, Helen played at the Green Street playground with a friend.

 

During Samantha's track practices, I made Helen a crocheted monster out of random scraps of yarn.

We went to a grilled cheese festival/fundraiser in Roslindale, and then back to play at Evie's house.

All of that, and it's not even quite the end of June! Happy summer!

 

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Created: 6/26/19. Last Modified: 6/26/19.