Water Battle 2015

Tim looks pretty agile for a 40-year-old, don't you think?!

I'm not exactly sure of the circumstances surrounding this event, but my memory is quite clear on the actual event itself. It was always a hot summer day when it happened and the first time was sometime in the nineties. I had probably ushered the kids outside because they had turned into a/c couch-potatoes and were driving me a little crazy. I am not totally sure of that either, but it's more than likely true. To cool off from the summer heat, I probably suggested the kid-os pull out the water hose and go to it. Now, the next few things are fuzzy in my mind and I am just speculating as to the order of things, but a huge water battle ensued that made such an impression upon all involved, that they repeated it every year afterwards and are still talking about it to this very day.

Because this most likely occurred on the weekend, my hubby was totally involved in the entire incident and, truth be known, probably started the whole doggone thing. But for reasons not completely clear, he ended up right in the middle, and every battle since then has revolved around him and his evil (I say that loosely) battle plan. He reached way back into his childhood and drew upon his own sneaky youth to stir up something that will forever and a day be revered as a sacred time in our family's history. What started out as an innocent enough thing, whether it was for play or garden-watering, or just plain cooling off (who really knows?), the events took a turn and what commenced was an epic water battle that somehow, and with no effort on my own part, became a yearly event that not only is now remembered by my own kids but several of the kids who lived in our neighborhood I'm sure. Did I partake? No, sir, not me, I absolutely do not do water battles. Why you ask? Because No. 1, I don't like being wet unless I'm in the shower or a swimming pool, and No. 2, I don't like being hit in the face with water. I'm no fool; I avoid fighting of any kind and at all costs, even if it's considered all in good fun. But my husband? Oh, he has absolutely no problem with getting wet or getting back, if you know what I mean. If you hit him with water, he's gonna hit you harder with water.

Evil, it is. Just plain evil. 

So from that first water battle came many more. Every summer, it was a highlight for the kids to have "Water Battle ____ (you fill in the year). Yes, every single summer till all the kids were out of the house, the family water battle was on. All the hoses were pulled out along with the water guns, and anything and everything that held water could be called into active duty. For the sake of defense, trash can lids were used as sturdy shields or whatever else could be found to protect your head from a huge gush of cold water. As the battles evolved over time, it was not uncommon for neighborhood kids to stand on the sidelines all forlorn that they were merely onlookers. So what did my hubby do? He invited them to join in on the fun! The more the merrier when it came to water battles! Sometimes we had six or seven kids in our yard shooting water guns, armed with hoses, running for cover under a trash can lid, and having the time of their summer! Good memories. Really good memories.

So on our recent trip to Tampa to celebrate Tim's 40th birthday, it was a warm sunny day and no surprise when the kids asked to get out the slip-n-slide. After all, even winter days in Tampa sometimes prove warm enough to have some water fun. The men (for the most part) were watching football. I timidly ventured out to the backyard where I issued the warning that NO ONE better get Nana wet or they would be gravely sorry. It started innocently enough with Emma, Ben, and Little P on the slip-n-slide. But very shortly, it was way beyond the abilities of my two daughters to sit out while the little ones had all the fun. With all the running and screaming, Poppy came out to see what was up and before I could get out of the way, he was fully engulfed and had begun what we now lovingly call Water Battle 2015. By the time I had stepped back inside to ensure I remained dry and uninjured, Tim forsook the football game and joined the fun. Angela had also slipped into the watery warzone and battle strategies were formed, mostly on how to defeat Poppy because he's the one you have to conquer. I might add here that Adam (my son-in-law) and Joel (Abbie's boyfriend) solidly remained couch potatoes in front of some silly NFL game. All I can say is LOOOOO-SERS! My mind went back to the days of our summer water battles when the kids were young, and I ran for the camera so that I could keep this memory alive for many more years to come.

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Slip-n-slide shenanigans

Ganging up on Poppy

Uh-oh, it's never good when a chase starts

Angela the brave