Thursday, October 22, 2009

block party


In our neighorhood, it is definitely Fall and definitely October, when it's time for our annual block party. It's a lot of fun, and even though I am generally good with remembering names and faces, this is one event that I have difficulty, because I don't really get to talk long. I am too busy chasing after a toddler! Everyone gathers around the house of the people hosting the party and sets up camp by bringing lawn chairs, bikes, strollers, you name it!


Depending on your address, you bring an appetizer, side dish or dessert, and then everyone has the option to throw in money for either a hotdog (for the kids) or pulled pork sandwiches (for the adults). I just went for the side dishes (Anna too), Erik got a little bit of everything, and Kieran? Ummm...that would be no to the hotdog (He's never had one in his life! He's never even tried it, amongst many other foods, but says that he will spit it out.), but yes to the nutritionally sound Tootsie Roll pop.


Even though we were busy chasing after Anna, the nice part was that Kieran was on auto pilot. He was in absolute heaven playing with the big boys. 

Here's Kieran playing with his idol, and our next door neighbor. Notice that he has his helmet on again (remember when he recently raked the leaves?). You'd think that he had an "issue" because you'll see him playing with it on all the time! Haha! I think it was actually easier for him because he was riding his bike in between. I didn't really have a problem with it, made my life easier, so I didn't have to put it on and take it off a bizillion times!

Playing catch with just Kieran went to monkey in the middle (though our neighbor was really nice and made sure that he took turns throwing the ball to Kieran and this other neighborhood boy)... 

which then morphed into an entire group of kids (I'm pretty sure Kieran was the youngest), playing touch football. Yes, that's Anna, trying to get into the action. I thought it was a great sign that she's going to play sports! Yay!
As soon as the words "doughnut eating contest" were said, it took Kieran a fraction of a second to bolt from the flag football game and yell, "DOUGH-NUTS!" Off he went, as quick as lightning. What I wouldn't give if he bolted for green beans!

Waiting for the contest to begin.

"Kieran, honey," I tell him. "You can't use your hands!" He didn't know this at first, and after that tried so desperately to catch the doughnut with just his mouth.

But, frustration, or temptation, or satiation, or all of the above, finally set in. After all, dinner had only been a tootsie roll pop, it was time for the second course!

I'm not sure what he was thinking here, other than my best guess would be, "How the heck to you get this doughnut off this string? I want my doughnut!"

He finally figured it out and just took the doughnut off the string. During this whole event, Anna was screaming and upset because she wanted to participate too. Erik had gone back to the house for a bathroom break, so all of the pictures of Kieran during the contest were taken with Anna in a football hold on my left, camera on the right. This girl will do ANYTHING for food! Her left hand is holding on to the string, her right hand ready to go in for the kill for what little left there is of Kieran's doughnut.

Unfortunately, it was a "no go". Kieran ate all the doughnut. If you look carefully, you can see that Anna is trying to score the doughnuts that have fallen onto the grass.

She would've eaten it too, but she got lucky that there was a half of an unmarred doughnut in the box, that she gladly polished off!



We had a nice time as a family, with our neighbors, and all the neighborhood kids. You don't hear of block parties too much these days. It's nice that there is still some tradition left in today's world. And, it gives Anna something to dream about...that she'll be able to eat a whole doughnut in the contest next year :).

2 comments :

  1. That is SO fun your neighborhood has a block party! And, love the donut eating competition. hilarious!
    P.S. I gave you a blog-thingy on my blog yesterday. Go check it out!

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  2. So, I have a problem...I cried on this entry too. I think it's because I clicked play on your playlist and it set the mood for me. "With My Own Two Hands" playing with Kieran reaching for the doughnut was too much for me....I either miss you guys too much or I am having a pregnancy mood swing. I think it's both. I LOVE YOU!

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It's a beautiful noise-And it's a sound that I love- And it makes me feel good-Like a hand in a glove -Yes it does, yes it does-What a beautiful noise

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