Yes, indeed, it seems July is already starting out in a positive way.

Yesterday we found out pretty early in the morning that hubby was awarded the Microsoft MVP (Most Valuable Professional) award in the area of Windows Security. This is a big deal - it is a peer-nominated award so it isn't something he could have applied for and it is awarded annually. I'm very proud of him. We celebrated by going to our favorite restaurant on the way down to my Uncle's house.

We had a fantastic time visiting my Uncle, both my cousins and their families. We rarely see our family (weddings, funerals) so this was long overdue. The kids swam in the pool for literally hours and hours. Noah learned to swim with his life jacket (previous attempts had him flopping like a wet fish hysterically on his back) so by the end of the day we didn't even have to go in with him. He did a very hilarious version of the cannonball which includes standing at the edge of the pool counting to 3 and then quickly sitting down on the edge and slowly plopping in the water. He was quite proud!

All in all, it was a fabulous day. Until we got home. We had noticed that our next door neighbor was preparing for a birthday party for his 1 year old before we left. He had rented a huge jumpy thing and they were busy decorating. We were already prepared for the fact that it was very likely that we were the ONLY neighbors in the whole neighborhood that were not invited. Thank goodness we had plans - how awkward would that have been for his next door neighbors (us) - with six kids - to be out playing all forlorn while the rest of the neighborhood had a blast in his yard? SO that sort of sucked. But by the time we came home, the kids were all long since in bed and it was just the adult neighbors drinking and partying. Yes, we felt left out although I wouldn't have gone even had I been invited but hubby would have. I have nothing in common with those people in any way and am too selfish to "fake it" just in the name of neighborly brownie points. So we discussed it what it is exactly we want from our neighborhood and came to the conclusion that we really aren't interested in invitations for wine tasting (with a hint of snuff in the gums), comparing Harleys or Hummers and ignoring our kids. We're ok with the sort of "hey, how's it going" fly-by-night neighborly relationship. And in return, we are going to make a more concerted effort to see our actual real bona fide friends more often and invite them out here as often as they'll come (which may very well be not that often given our location smack in the middle of BFE). This has actually been a big issue for me. I feel pretty lonely and transplanted. We moved here the same week that both of my best friends left the area for Texas and I've just never been the same, I never quite rebounded and found a way to be happy out here. But living here is very important to my kids. THEY are very happy. And this house makes my hubby very happy. So I'm glad to have finally - after almost a year - made progress myself in becoming slightly more happy.

And the the fireworks started. At 9:30 pm, a few of the neighborhood "men" got together next door and started lighting off the huge, noisy, *illegal* fireworks. I was frustrated. They are loud enough when you go watch them elsewhere but when they are literally in your own backyard and all your kids just went to bed, they are outrageously loud. But we buckled down and prepared for a few minutes of noisy illegal activity. That few minutes turned into hours. They were STILL going strong at 11pm and finally finished sometime after that. It was ridiculous. Who has that kind of money to spend on something that could be stopped by the cops at any time? And what is the point, seriously?!? I just don't get why men get into this kind of thing. And why would you do this over the water on a (very small) lake with 20 other houses who probably would rather you didn't but of whom you never even warned them let alone asked if it was cool with them?!? I can't believe we moved to this expensive house in this expensive subdivision and still can't get away from the "lighting off illegal fireworks all night long" thing. I guess boys will be boys, whether they are homeless or have Hummers. Please, God, my prayer for tonight is that they used up ALL their fireworks last night. And that none of their illegal schrapnel landed on MY hard becuase, if it did, the fall out wno't be pretty or nice.

So this is an open invitation to anyone and everyone to come on out and hang out at our place! :-) It's a long drive, I know, but the kids can swim, fish, kayak or jump on the trampoline, we can grill up some dinner, serve up some drinks and make fun of the neighbors :-) C'mon, you know you wanna!