Another year, another block party.As usual, Susie did a fantastic job of organizing!

There was a big change this year, though. I noticed that the kids did not participate as enthusiastically as before. It’s not that they didn’t enjoy it, it’s just that they are getting noticeably older.

The party started for us when we brought out our Giant Jenga and game of bags to share.While the party was setting up, we played with them a bit. We also enjoyed the street blockade, using the opportunity to bike in a car free environment. Not too old for cotton candy! But old enough to enjoy the lobster tail and crab legs that Summer House was serving up. Young enough so the cookies Summer House handed out were bigger than our heads.Some of the kids were not too old to enjoy the bouncy house. But they all skipped the magician, the face painting, and the crafts table this year.

My father was here this year helping out and he didn’t think he was too old to try hula hooping.

Actually, he might have been doing a Frankenstein impersonation?

Grandpa’s youthful spirit is one of the reasons all the kids loved spending time with him. But no matter what age the kids are, Grandpa meets them at their level. We all came together to enjoy the ice cream truck. Do you ever get to old for ice cream? They were also old enough to stay up late and wait for the glow in the dark toys. And young enough to enjoy them.The block party also signifies the end of summer. Which, like the block party duality, filled me with both excitement and dread.

I’ll miss the warm weather and lack of schedule but I’m also looking forward to some time to myself during the day.