what's with the judgement & ...



We moved to a nice, eastern Wauwatosa neighborhood, from Washington Heights (MKE), in April 2008. The entire neighborhood has singled us out as loud, messy and whatever else. My kids clean up the yard every night, plus they are 6 & 8 so there will be some noise. We live in a duplex on the 2nd & 3rd floors and have a neighbor downstairs that is single with 2 kids the same age. She is a recovering alcoholic and a pathalogical liar, I can't help but think that some of this is her doing. The neighbor behind us has planted flowers on our property next to our garage. My daughter likes to pick flowers, so I told her that she can pick the lilies that grow over there. She saw the new mums planted, thought they were ours and picked them. Then the neighbor yelled at her! BUT IT'S OUR PROPERTY! I was gardening/fall cleaning the other day and put some sunflower branches behind our fence. The neighbor had a fit! There is about 8 feet of unused land between the garages, and a bunch of crap that they throw back there, and I can't throw a few sunflower stalks? Right behind MY fence?!
Needless to say, I hate this neighborhood. People don't think I should yell at my kids. Should I move? Should I stick it out? Should I say something? What to do, what to do?! I feel like knocking on every door and saying my mind!