A Fun Start

Each school day morning Robby and I have hosted a visitor. Rowan, the little girl from down the street, has been dropped each morning when her Dad left for work. The two friends would sit on the couch and watch cartoons until it was time for me to walk her to the bus stop.

Typically lethargic and quasi-grumpy in the mornings, she was animated and chipper when she arrived at my door yesterday. I didn't need to look at the calendar because she has been counting down for the past six weeks. Yesterday was the last day of school! Since it was a special day, I agreed to pick her up at the bus stop after school. She was having a half-day and if I hadn't agreed, she would have spent the remainder of the afternoon sitting in a karate school program that she dislikes. Wanting her to be happy and completely revel in the freedom of summer vacation, Robby and I decided to help her celebrate by going to Chuck E. Cheese!

Before going to pick her up for our arcade and carbohydrate adventure, I decided to prepare for another surprise. Hot temperatures always translate into one preferred activity for the twosome. Unbeknownst to them, I filled (and hid) all of the water guns. 100 water balloons were filled and parceled into buckets around the yard. I was fully armed to ambush the friends after Chuck E. Cheese.

Robby and Rowan had a blast playing the games and gulping down pizza. I did my best to avoid playing the games, but the compulsion got the best of me. I'm taking some solace in the fact that I was able to limit my personal losses to $40 this time opposed to the obscene amount I wasted trying to win tickets last time. After 3 hours they had spent all of the tokens that they were allocated and after much debate had settled on the small plastic trinkets they would purchase with their tickets (talk about high finance). We piled into the car and I drove the happy, but tired, friends back to my house. They were both satisfied with a fun day, but I knew that the celebration was far from over.

As soon as they stepped out of the car and closed the door, I grabbed a soaker gun and began the assault. It didn't take long for their energy to regenerate. The battle was on!

We played outside for nearly an hour, running through the yard armed with our Super Soakers. Peels of laughter and shouts of water taunts probably echoed through the neighborhood as we played. I just love to hear them laugh and giggle!

When we were all thoroughly drenched, Scott surprised us by delivering dinner. We called a truce in order to enjoy our treat. After we were done eating, Robby suggested we go and play in the sprinkler. The fact that it was raining was not a deterrent. Because it was a special day and they were already wet, I agreed and set up the Buzz Lightyear sprinkler for the two friends.

By the time Rowan's parents picked her up she had changed into dry clothes (I provided some insider information about my plan and we made arrangements for another change of clothes) and enthralled watching Ghostbusters 2. I have to admit that I found watching their reactions far more entertaining than the movie! Both friends were gleefully exhausted by the time she went home. I can't think of a better way to begin summer vacation!