Water Wars

Two days ago, the high was maybe 65. Yesterday, however, the high was 80-WHOA! Did someone say, "EIGHTY"?!! Let's break out the swimsuits! Naomi has been begging to play in the sprinkler for weeks. So, today, I finally gave her the go ahead. Plus, we got these super easy-to-use water "guns" for Easter! So, I filled up buckets and she went to town. A lady, a bucket, and a water shooter. All alone=no problems!

Enter Tate. Tate arrived home from school to a fresh blast of ice cold water. Tate's happy-go-lucky enough to think that was AWESOME. He came inside, half laughing, and told me Naomi shot him and he was soaking wet. I said, "HURRY! Go put your swimsuit on!" I filled Tate a bucket, got his water shooter, and told him to swing around the other side of the house for a covert retaliation.

Naomi got blasted. Thus began the first (of hopefully many) water wars of the season. Aha! Time to myself! Darby's napping upstairs, kids are outside playing. WRONG! Commence the tattling.

Naomi: "Tate shot me when I was reloading!!!"

My answer: "Okay, (quickly whipping out our newly purchased sidewalk chalk) THIS is the 'LOADING ZONE.' No one can shoot from the loading zone or into the loading zone."

Then I quickly realized that I needed a "PENALTY BOX" if I was going to initiate a "LOADING ZONE." Right? Because there MUST be a PENALTY for BREAKING THE RULES!

Then I realized they'd pelt each other in the eyes if I didn't make a "SHOT BOX," but that, too, had to come with one rule: "NO SHOOTING IN THE EYES!"

So, now, with rules and boundary lines set, and consequences for breaking those rules or stepping across those boundary lines set, they are happily battling it out, and have even invited friends over, taught THEM they rules/boundaries, and now THEY are happily playing!

After a little while of playing, Naomi came inside shivering-remember, it's only 80, and it's only been that temperature for about 5 hours. She had given her brother and her brother's friend towels. One of the towels was her own. They were warm. She was not. How sweet is she to sacrifice her own comfort for her friends?!

So, go out and have yourself a WATER WAR---and let me know how it goes!!