We’ve lived here for 7 weeks now. SEVEN. Not very long in the grand scheme of things. But I’m in love with my neighborhood. A large part of this is due to the fabulous neighbors. I could tell you all sorts of nice things. But I’m going to give you proof in pictures as well- I’m giving like that.

Exhibit A: The place is crawling with kids. Not the kind of kids that only play with the one kid that is exactly their age who is the ‘coolest’ either. What this is a picture of is most the neighborhood and candy machines and Popsicle machines they spent most the afternoon making. The kids are patronizing their ’stores’.

These kids also play outside constantly. There is always someone for my kids to play with outside and ride bikes with.

I know you’ve seen this picture before- but they’re all friends. These aren’t even all of them (crazy!)

This neighborhood also likes to do stuff together. Since we’ve been here there have been at least three impromptu BBQ’s (”in an hour bring some meat and something to share”) two impromptu ice cream and gab sessions, and a lot of ‘porch sitting’. There are teenagers in our neighborhood too- and usually teenagers are annoying and drive too fast- but these ones are really good. They play with the little kids a lot more then is normal and invent games for them. For one of the boys 15th birthday he wanted to take the kids in the neighborhood to do something that they’d done for a church youth group activity, a giant slip and slide. We actually missed that time- but went when they did it again a week or so later.

This is the slip and slide at the park. The neighbors put a couple tarps together and brought a hose- voilla- hours of fun!

The hike back up the hill was a beast!

But it’s not just the kids- the grown-ups are fun too! About a week after we moved in a dad in the neighborhood started an impromptu baseball game- set up in such a way that everyone got to hit (regardless of how long it took) and everyone got to run the bases.

Also? Porch sitting, which is a common past time here. The moms will sit (and sometimes the dads) and chat while the kids play.  (See Leslie?  I can’t tell what you’re wearing).

Last weekend we went camping as a cul-de-sac. So fun. I’ll be blogging about that shortly in it’s own post- but here is a glimpse:
Corbin with a chocolate and gummy bear sandwich (pretty sure his mom didn’t know he was eating that).

Cori digging in the sand- one handed while eating a cookie.

Honestly we couldn’t have asked for better- we’re feeling seriously blessed that we bought this house and got this great neighborhood!  We never want to move again- and if all goes well we won’t have to. (Knock on wood)

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It’s some sort of record for me. I’m not pregnant (as an email I received asked) I’m just having a summer. My kids went to school for three whole weeks- before they had three weeks off. I’m not convinced that those three weeks did any good and that the teachers won’t be starting over from square one the Tuesday after Labor day. We’ve been trying to cram in as much ’summer’ as we can in these last three weeks of summertime. We’ve also been cramming in potty training because Cori refuses to wear diapers (but doesn’t quite get the concept of using the potty BEFORE she’s wet or poopy) so I’ve been doing lots of cleaning of couches and carpet and laundry. We’ve managed to go camping again and this week seems like a ‘prep’ week to prepare for the next campout we’re leaving for on Monday morning in the early AM. We’ve also had kids learning how to ride bikes and trips to a water park and lots of ‘porch sitting’ with the neighbors.

I’ve got so much to share- just not enough time in the day to share it! So post overload starts now!

Bear Lake trip #1
Bear Lake trip #2
Water park night
projects I’ve been working on and the garden
Annika bike riding
Happy Birthday Becca
My new ‘job’
Reasons I love my new neighborhood
Tour of my house (eek!)

My favorite new blog Cake Wrecks

Random pictures of Annika earlier this week

What’s better then one pair of cowgirl boots?

Two pairs

Then you can be a cowgirl horse (you know- a horse that’s a cowgirl?)

Cute isn’t she?

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So we’re on year round school- which means that we start mid July. Woo! Of course then we go for three weeks and are out for three weeks, so really it’s like three weeks of camp in the middle of the summer right? Regardless my girls were excited.

The Kindergartener and the FOURTH grader. (When did she get so big?)

Well- maybe a little nervous!

There’s a smile!

Here are the kids from our circle ready to go. Even though we’re so close to the school they still like to walk together.

Ashley and her teacher

Megan and her teacher (who goes to church with us)

Megan working on her first project in class.

The silly thing is that kindergarteners go to school for a shortened time the first day and their parents stay with them. Then for the next 4 days they do testing- so they go to school then don’t go back for a week! Frustrating for the parents of excited kindergarteners.

I’ve also found that as onery as Megan was the month or two before school started she’s about 10 times that now. Ugg. Five is a hard year!

When does school start in your neck of the woods?
How is kindergarten testing done?
Why are five year olds so grumpy?

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