The Life and Times of Jennifer Weems

Some of my best childhood memories are those sitting on the front porch. I remember finishing up a nice big plate of hamburger helper and heading out to play. Mom and Dad would pull out a couple of lawn chairs and chat it up with the neighbors. We lived on a street were everyone knew everyone, and no one really knew where all the kids were.

As a child, it was so much fun running in one house and out another, as long as I was home before the street light came on. My next door neighbor, Lareasa, was my best friend and worst enemy. We would start everyday as best friends and top off a long day of playing with a quick shout...."I'm never playing with you again". She is still my friend today after all this time.

I wonder why we don't have that anymore? Are we too busy as a family to enjoy a nice night out on the front porch? Can we not enjoy a quiet evening talking to our kids and waving to the crazy souls out for exercise? Every time I buy grapes at the store, Abbey wants to sit out on the porch and talk over a bowl of grapes (ice cream was the case on Saturday.) Needless to say I try to always have grapes on hand because I know one day, my kids will retreat to the phone behind bedroom doors.