The Neighbors

Everyone who knows me has heard me talk and complain this summer about our dear next door neighbors moving away to California in August.  🙁 This crew lived next to us for the past 3 years and became such close friends.  My kids affectionately called them “The Neighbors” which is why I picked the title of this post.  At least 4 times a day I would hear “are the neighbors available?” — which of course drove me crazy at the time but now I miss it!  Rachel and I shared many walks around the neighborhood, drinks on our front porches or inside during the winters, and time together at various school events, book club, etc.  And the kids … these 4 played together for hours at a time (or during the summer, days and weeks at at time) making up games, art contests, imaginary worlds, playing Star Wars, princesses, sports, lemonade stands, and if they couldn’t think of anything else, there was always swinging in the back yard.

They’ve only been gone a couple of weeks and we already miss them terribly.  But I’m so thankful for the time we got to spend with them.  It was a special time for all of us to have close friends just a few steps away and who shared our day-to-day routines with us.  So before they left, of course I had to take their family pictures!

In addition to photographing their family, I took the 4 kids out one evening and had some fun with them too.  These four are about the most photographed kids around, and (usually) always game for me to practice on them (as long as I let them do fun things like run and play).  This July evening I let them run and be goofy and and I just love the pictures.  I’m definitely planning to get some canvases made for my kids’ rooms to remember their best neighbor friends.

We can’t wait to come visit you in California soon!  ♥