I sure love my village.

Last April, we moved in to the BEST. NEIGHBORHOOD. EVER. 

Englewood Street is where it's at.

When we first walked through this house with our realtor, I was in the back yard with the kids, and from the yard behind us became a voice. "Hey!" It was Rachel. Her and I spoke for a brief moment, and I told her "who knows, maybe we'll be neighbors!" I was so excited when we found out that we had gotten the house, because I already knew one of our neighbors! 

The day we closed on our house, some tattooed dude with earrings walked up our drive way. He came to the door and introduced himself. It was our first encounter with our next-door neighbor. He was super friendly and welcoming, and told us that he had a wife and two kids. 

A few days later, on moving day, we met the neighbors a few houses down, on the corner. They were so cool. We met the two other houses between them and us, two houses also with young kids. Then Matt's dad met our next-door neighbors on the other side, and realizes that they have been friends with his siblings for years. And then there was the sweet lady across the street, who gave us a beautiful vintage push mower. 

With all of that to say, we moved in to a gem of a neighborhood. This summer, everyday, we were playing and hanging with the neighbors. I need milk, a garbage bag or some cooking spray? One of them has it. When one of them needs cilantro or greek yogurt? I got it. We do kid swaps. We share meals. We walk our neighbor's dog. We take care of each other when we're sick. We check in on each other. We watch out for one another. ) We share cheese cake or ice cream after a hard day (or just because its 1pm and  both of our houses are filled with sleeping kids.) We encourage each other through hard times, and rejoice with one another when it all works out. There is a book club (I don't even read the books, but I still get to come along!) We do playdates. We chase each other's kids down before they run in to the street (and they don't judge me when they find that Gabriel has wandered in to their back yard... again... without me knowing. 

It takes a village.

we always mix up gabe and jakey. they are like twins. 

Kira and the boys

safe, sunny streets.

what? you don't have henna parties with your neighbors?

gabriel, found in the neighbor's secret garden. again.




Halloween

This morning my friend Rachel was over visiting and we were outside enjoying the weather and watching the kiddos play while chatting with my next-door-neighbor. A group of us woman have built up a sweet little community, my next-door neighbor is one of my closest friends already! Another neighbor drove up and let us know that some women from our hood were getting together for a night out next month.  Rachel said there needed to be a reality show about our neighborhood since we are so tightly knit. We decided we would call it "The Ladies of Englewood." I laughed, imagining the "Desperate House Wives of so-and-so County" music playing, us pictured with our families, swerving our hips all sassy with our arms folded across our chests. Dirty kids running around in the background. Bananas and Cheerios from breakfast on the floor. Gabriel constantly going missing and images of me frantically looking for him. Stupid fights with our husbands over chores. Kids having melt downs. Not-fancy dinners and many nights with out baths or teeth brushing. The Ladies of Englewood. I'd sure watch it. 

I'm so grateful for the women in this neighborhood, and their families (and dogs!) too. 

Get out and meet your neighbors!