The Hood

We were recently throwing around the idea of moving. Packing up and looking for greener (and bigger pastures). We've since decided that the timing just isn't right at the moment and although I have tons of decorating ideas for a new house, I can't say that I'm totally devastated.

I work with homeless people, not just homeless people but homeless families. Parents...raising kids...in shelters...no home. That makes it pretty difficult to feel anything less than thankful for a roof and four walls to call your own. Even if that roof and four walls may not be your dream home. Yes, I have a (long) list of upgrades I'd love to do to this place but the one thing I wouldn't touch is the neighborhood. Let's be clear, we do not live in a gated community full of fabulous amenities like a community park or pool. There is nothing exclusive or elite about our neighborhood. you don't have to be any sort of person to live here, which makes it so much more amazing that we've found the sort of community that we have. For the most part we live in what you might call a working class neighborhood. The house are at least 20 years old but people have done their best to keep up with them. They are just houses, nothing fancy or over the top. But you can tell that families have invested in them and take pride in them (of course every neighborhood has a few of "those" houses) but in general people seem to mow their lawns and update the paint every now and then. But it's clearly not the homes that make this area special, it's the people we live around.

Somehow we've managed to transport ourselves 40 years into the past, into a neighborhood where everyone still knows each other, where you still get cookies when you move in, and block parties take place. For the most part everyone around us has children, it's not uncommon in the evenings or weekends to see 7 or 8 kids playing together in the cul-de-sac or to find someone's bike abandoned in your front yard when you come home (don't worry they just got side tracked on some other adventure, they'll come get it when it's time to go home). Big and Little are the youngest of the crew and have become somewhat of the neighborhood mascots. The older kids have all taken them under their wings and make an effort to include them in their games, even though as you can imagine, they can cause quite the slow down. This is the type of neighborhood that both Brad and I were lucky enough to have been a part of as kids and I am incredibly thankful that we've somehow stumbled upon it to give to our kids.

A perfect example of what I'm talking about is a recent impromptu talent show that all the neighborhood kids decided to put on one Friday. It featured some singing, dancing, and 5th grade band ensembles all preformed mid cul-de-sac. Greatness.

We still hope to move someday, but in the mean time we plan to take full advantage of all out little hood has to offer.

The Gang

This probably makes me a horrible mom but I think this picture is pretty funny. Little looks like he could be in one of those "for just pennies a day you could feed this child" commercials. I have no idea what he was eating off the ground or where his shoes are. I do know why he is wearing that outfit though...Brad. 

The highlight of the talent show and yes, that is recycling bins they are using as stools. Resourceful.

Mad man.