Two Walking Tours

This week my dad asked me to take some pictures around the neighborhood so he could get an idea of what it's like.  Yesterday the kids and I set off for a walk to the park and I had my phone in hand to snap some pictures along the way.  I told my mom that we live in the ghetto.  And that's an exaggeration (but not by that much).  Our little town is one freeway exit from the Bronx.  It's a working class neighborhood and the majority of the people are either the 1st or 2nd generation born in the United States.  We love it.  At church on Sunday Claire went to her little class (she is the only kid her age...ahhhh.  In our last congregation there were so many that they had to have two classes) with Sandra, her teacher.  Sandra is an older African-American from South Carolina who prayed thanking Jesus for putting his love in their hearts to start off class.  And with that I knew that even being the only person in class Claire was going to be just fine.  When I went to go pick her up at the end of church she and Sandra were brushing the tails and manes on the My Little Ponies and Sandra turned to me and said, "We have somethin' in common.  Both of us loves brushing hair."

Looking out the back window of the house

another back window shot.  Our house is just like the one on the far left.

Looking out the front door and down the street.  I met the neighbors yesterday.  Frank and Carlata.  Not. A. Joke.  

The bottom of our street looking up

Looking up our street (we live at the top of the hill).  I don't know what happened to this picture.  It was just starting to rain and the color turned all funny.  There was a woman working above the grassy wall to the left.  She stopped me and in broken English told me I had a beautiful family.

The busy street on the way to the park.

Other one of the same street

At the park.  Don't ask about the pass.  We've had some backsliding

While we were on our walk Claire held the camera when I wasn't taking pictures.  When I opened the camera later that night I found a whole different walking tour of the trip to the park.

Yes I was wearing sweats in public.  I know, I know.  The number 1 sign that you've give up on life is wearing sweats in public.  Sadly, that is true.