my buddies Neil + Cyndi

I hope your 4th of July was as sweet as mine!

(double decker cupcakes and colorful rice krispie treats)

By far, the biggest disappointment of the day was not hearing Neil Diamond's, America, during the fireworks show we watched from my parents' front porch ... got a dream they've come to share, they're coming to America... today! Today! TODAY! Every time I think of fireworks I think of that song. I hate that it seems to have slipped from the 4th of July rotation. Boy oh boy do I love Neil. Must go put on the Essential Neil Diamond now. Is this silly? It makes me think of being little and hearing Neil albums play as my sister and I ran around doing cartwheels and riding big wheels. I guess that's what I love most about music - the power of it to take you back to a far away time. First tape I ever got was Cyndi Lauper's She's So Unusual. (1984 - how's that for a flashback?) Hearing any track from that album makes me think of a carefree summer with my pink radio, my newly permed hair and sleep-over's with my best friend. (remember those days, M?) Ahhh, yes, back when summer was still special. When the 4th of July kicked off weeks of adolescent fun.

But, we still had a great night - outside with our boys, a big bowl of popcorn and a fireworks display. Moments like that make the trials and tribulations of parenting minuscule. Squeals from my oldest son and the gaze of astonishment on the baby's face makes it all worth it. And on a holiday designed to celebrate one country, my husband and I couldn't help but want to celebrate humanity instead.