Summer 2020

Somehow time keeps passing. Marcus has surpassed me in shoe size now, and all the kids have had growth spurts. School has started: Helen has Ms. Sarah for K1, Samantha Mr. Amara for third grade, and Marcus is in seventh grade at BLS. The summer was different than other summers, for sure, but we tried hard to enjoy it.

 

Fun in, around, and near the house:

Old and new family pastimes--another puzzle, and our new wall-hung Scrabble board, at the beginning and end of our first game as a family:

 

Church softball games on Saturdays--Robert's team WON the championship! First time in the thirteen years he's been on the team!

 

Visits with Sarah, Sean, and Evie:

 

My birthday, and then Marcus's:

 

Samantha's baseball team in the Regan Youth League (Helen sometimes took a turn at practice too):

 

Biking outings and errands, on our own or with friends:

 

This is biking plus reading--I handed Helen a random picture book that she'd never seen before, off the top of our library haul, to look at in the bike while riding home from the library one day, and when I stop to unbuckle her in front of our door she's reading "Tap tap tap," sounding it out and blending it perfectly. Aw! Way to be ready for kindergarten!

 

Of course, we biked to the Countdown to Kindergarten tee-shirt (and backpack/school supply) giveaway outside the library one day. I posted a picture of Helen in the bike with her tee-shirt, mostly to thank the Countdown to Kindergarten people, who were really fantastic--they had pom-poms and balloons and they jumped up and down and cheered with a megaphone as we pulled up, and they really tried to make it a special occasion for all the kids--and Butchers and Bicycles saw my picture and reposted it, apparently amused about the statements I make with the blank canvas of their bike:

 

Homemade ice cream cones (to go with homemade ice cream, of course):

 

Circus camp! Samantha's exciting in-person camp of the summer! She saw a bunch of girls she knows from other places there, and when the start of school was pushed back, and the camp added on extra weeks, she was thrilled to get to do another week. At home, she practices with Helen for the family circus class they're planning on starting in the spring:

 

A family rock-climbing outing with YES, behind the Chestnut Hill Mall in Newton:

 

 

 

Artistic creations, by Helen:

 

Artistic creations, by Samantha:

 

Meg's birthday, with pizza and empanadas and strawberry cake--and yarn-winding:

 

Art afternoons at JP KidsArts at the church behind the monument--we did papier-mache pinatas, indigo dye, and a collaborative mural that then was displayed in Fiore's bakery down the block:

 

Girl Scout bridging to Juniors:

 

Bedroom rearrangements, to give Samantha more bookcase space and an actual desk for school:

 

Helen also got a set-up for school, in the dining room area:

 

More of Christina's crocheting--bunny hat with ear holes and a brim, bear underwear, and a finished blanket, about 48 x 60" in size:

 

Some garden time--that zucchini plant (which we got by accident) has decided, quite pleased with itself, to sprawl out of the box onto our front walk. We've picked three zucchini from it so far and there are 4-5 more. The mailman glares at it, but otherwise it's pretty happy where it is. In addition to our own bounty, a friend from the kids' school sent over a huge bag of vegetables from her sister's garden--Chinese garlic chives, beautiful baby Asian eggplants, and all sorts of delight.

 

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Created: 9/21/20. Last Modified: 9/22/20.