The Art of Teaching

Today was the last day of school at Alvin. THE last day of school at Alvin for Lynn. For ever. Tomorrow her "endless summer" begins (i.e. retirement!). Well, sort of. She'll continue practicing teaching at home as she helps Tracy with the homeschooling part of SLO Classical Academy next year for the four Bigs.

To celebrate, Lynn joined a group of teachers and friends at Wine and Design in Orcutt. And guess what they painted? Alvin Tigers! Lynn painted the tiger at left.

Alvin also presented Lynn with another piece of art... Two hearts, the left filled with fingerprints of all her students, and the right filled with fingerprints of all the teachers. How cool.

Box Houses

I need say no more...

U-Pick Blueberries

U-Pick Blueberries
3607 Dominion Road
Santa Maria, CA

The blueberry plants were the perfect size for AJ and Matteo! And no thorns. $15/quart. The pales you see are a quart. The big decision while we picked was what to make with them. The winner was blueberry milkshakes! All the photos are here: http://JF2.com/140607/

The School Nook

Tracy: "I love finds like this. When we took down the wall we found this awesome area under a set of stairs! Now the school room will have a hideout/reading nook! Awesomeness!"

A One School-Room House

As opposed to a 1-room school house, of course. Lynn's retiring from teaching this year. But not really. And Tracy's picking up a new avocation - teaching. You see, this Fall the kids (all but the twins) will be going to a hybrid program at SLO Classical Academy (where Jamie taught a couple years). They will attend classes two days a week and work at home two days a week with Fridays reserved for field trips and enrichment activities. Tracy and Lynn will be doing the at-home part...

There's the new backyard deck behind the new wall.

We found a little hidden space that will be turned
into a "behind the looking glass" area for the kids.

Matteo, or Matisse

Our kindergartner won first prize in a regional school art contest, and received another ribbon for best of theme. Way to go, Matteo!

Our Patriarch this Memorial Day Weekend

Robob was a proud member of the 511th Parachute Infantry Regiment in World War II.