Lucky to have neighbors!

We are so lucky to live on our little dead-end street. Between the kids and families in the condo and across the street, we truly have a village to help us all raise our kids. Often, I come home afterwork and the kids are out and begin to congregate in one of the yards, at the park  or in the driveway.

The day of the manhunt in Boston for the Marathon Bombers, everyone was stir crazy from being cooped up. Around 4:45p, I get a text "Want to come over. We'll order pizza, make margaritas and the kids can at least thump on each other instead of us." Done. Out the door and across the street we went for some sanity on an insane day.

If it's a Friday, and the weather is nice, then it's usually drinks & dinner across the street at our neighbor's great deck and yard. The kids run around and tire each other out while the parents get some catch up time. We bring our meat to throw on the grill and then everyone pitches in a little something else.

Some nights, to keep the kids rolling on somewhat of a schedule, things end up like this!

Glowsticks in the bathtub!

This past Sunday, after Dave & I completed the Tough Mudder, we were exhausted. 

Tough Mudders! 

We had pre-planned with our neighbors to do dinner at their place as we knew we wouldn't be very capable parents after 12 miles and 20 military style obstacles (oh - and a 90 minute drive home after!) We brought a bunch of food over and they had some ready to go too. We ate well, the kids played in the kiddie pool and we got ready to dive into another week!  

Thank god for our neighbors!

Mother's Day

Mother's Day is always one of my favorite days. Not because of the celebration of me (though that is fun) as a mom, but rather the great time we get to have together as a family & with friends. 

We started the tradition of running the local Mother's Day 5k in town each year. We try to get as many people we know doing it. Dave will push the double stroller with Sophia & her buddy Frances: 

 and I get to run on my own. This year, I received a beautiful bouquet of flowers from my two little munchkins and a card from Sophia she made in school.

But before the adults race, the kids run a 1k race. Here are some shots:

Zac, Sophia, Frances & Ronan - the neighborhood posse

Read to Race

Crossing the finish with Dad! 

 And then, after the race, snuggle time with my kiddos. Hooray for being a mom.

The rest of the afternoon was filled with a brunch back at our place (including homemade donuts!) and then a nice massage on my own at the spa. Ahh....what a day!

Pajama Party

Sophia was invited to her first pajama party this weekend - by our downstairs neighbor Eleanor. At 5:00p, we headed down, Sophia in PJs, to meet up with Eleanor and Zac, from across the street.
Story time, popcorn and some mac 'n' cheese after a dance party were everything she needed to make the night complete!

The kids played, the adults got to talk - and we have some great photos to boot!

Storytime (Sophia was more interested in popcorn)

Dinner

The Three Amigos