Partyin' in the 'hood

Last night we enjoyed our annual pilgrimage to our former neighborhood. Oh, who am I kidding, we've been there about three times in the last week! Our former home is next door to my parent's current home. Their next door neighbors on the other side have been their next door neighbors for 29 years, first in one set of houses, then they bought lots together and built again! Robert Frost may claim that good fences make good neighbors, but I think that good neighbors make good neighbors, and you should keep them whenever possible.

Anyway, these neighbors have a party every year on Oct. 31 and invite the whole neighborhood to attend. They serve chili dogs with all the fixin's, chips, salsa (this is Texas, ya know), and lemonade. Although we don't live there anymore, they are kind and thoughtful enough to let us come anyway. Actually, they are kind and thoughtful enough to buy hundreds of hot dogs so that they can offer them to everyone who trick-or-treats their way through their neighborhood. This is no small feat, as people are literally trucked into this neighborhood each year (or in our case, vanned in). It's a bit of a mad house.

So why do we go? Of course we love to see NiNi, PopPop, and the cousins, but also we love to see our old neighbors and wonderful friends (shout out to Kelly, Robin, and FDR).


Luke chose to attend the Fall AWANAs Festival with his Aunt Lissa and cousins, and he had a great time, too. I think he just didn't want to be seen with his brother Alex and Alex's eye make up (I am wholly responsible for that, and I'm sure I shouldn't admit it, but I think he looks gorgeous, but he will never be allowed to do it again!).

We now have far too much candy for any sort of dental health, but we also have wonderful memories of fun times with family and friends.



I know faithful blog readers will be shocked, yes shocked, to learn that it is Vera in the Spiderman costume. She's sporting her Spidey sandals, too. What a Spiderma'am.


We had very warm weather, so the closest Ella got to her full chicken outfit was putting on the top, indoors where it was cool. She spent her time at the party seated next to her beloved PopPop who is recovering from knee replacement surgery, happily slurping on a succession of lollipops!




Here's the fun party as it's getting started. Because we are still on daylight savings time, we actually started the party in daylight hours. I wasn't sure, but I think I like it!