Block party!

So, last weekend was our annual block party. Alla told me when 4:00 rolled around and it was finally time, that she had been looking forward to it all week. Well put, my love.

It started a little gloomy but really all the kids did not notice because we block off the street for the rest of the day and they just get to run amuck. This year they busied themselves creating a block-long maze that they then ran and rode bikes through.

Fisher didn't want to be left out of the chalk fun.

We have friends on the block behind us, too, so we go around and invite them, too. This is little Grace, who lives behind us and is three months younger than Fisher. Fisher looks a little perturbed here, I think because I told him to stop beeping her nose already. I'm such a a kill-joy.

I'm sure many a kid will say that the best part was the fireworks. Ron was Head Fireworks Man, lighting up all those day-after-the-fourth-half-off fireworks. He could barely keep up with all the kids. We even got some snakes, and the kids sat patiently waiting to see what would happen.

Now if this isn't ever a genuine expression of WOW, then I don't know what is.Sittin' around on fold-up chairs in the street with friends and food. Nothin' finer.

On our block, this is how we roll: live music.

Another neighbor brought out some more leftover fireworks, and this is Alla hanging onto Daddy for dear life, in case one of those crazy fireworks goes awry.

The grown-ups' favorite part is that the kids are safe in the street, we collectively let them all stay up late (9:45! Holy jeez!), well, except for Fisher who went to bed at 7, so we can all just sit and eat and chat. Bonfires not optional.

I can hardly wait til next year. We should really consider some sort of winter extravaganza!