4th of July...and my dad...

Well, I promised you a post about my dad...and the 4th of July. So here it is!

For the last 11 years, and possibly before that, our family (including my parents and my sister's family) have spent the 4th of July together. Fireworks aren't really our "thing", so we had to improvise. It started out with watermelon seed spitting...in my mom's garden...just to irritate her. Yeah, it's kind of sad, but that was how we made our "memories"! And the next Spring, we got to "relive" our memories as we all sat and watched Mom pick watermelon plants out of her garden, and also out of her yard. Some of us weren't very good spitters!

That evolved over the years to watergun and water balloon fights, as we added more grandkids and they got older. But maybe I need to explain a couple of things about my dad before I go on. My dad is very competitive. If we ever won a game of checkers against him, it was because we EARNED it! He NEVER let us win ANYTHING!

He also never gives up. Unless he is winning. And he doesn't necessarily play fair, no matter what your age is. Therefore, as this story progresses, you will see that the grandkids have learned a few things about Paw Paw George in their short years!

In 2007, things really got out of hand. The plan was for the kids to play in the water, fish, and ride in the boat.

All was going well, the kids were playing well together, until someone who should remain nameless, (but I don't mind ratting you out UNCLE BRIAN) told Bryce, who was a mere 8 years old at the time, that it would be funny to shoot Paw Paw George with a watergun. Poor Paw Paw George, just fishing by the lake, minding his own business. So, because Bryce thought THAT would be a good idea, war was started.

Since Paw Paw George had not planned on this sort of attack, he had to act fast and improvise and what else would a loving grandfather do, but STEAL the waterguns FROM his grandkids!!! I am not sure how many he collected, but there were a few kids left without a weapon!

So then, THEY had to improvise. The kids found the waterhose and used that for awhile....

Until Paw Paw George got those away from the kids, too!

And then, when the kids regained control of the situation (thanks to a little help from their daddies), Paw Paw George disappeared...as did the water. He had gone into the house, locked all the doors, filled up HIS waterguns (you know, the ones he had previously stolen from the poor grandchildren) and then turned off the water to the house!! Seriously?? How is that fair???

He then came out and attacked the kids. They gave up and that was the end of the watergun wars of 2007.

Then came 2008. These kids have a little of their Paw Paw in them and they started planning their revenge shortly after their defeat! They held meetings, planned strategy, and were totally prepared. They found waterguns that you can screw in 2 liter bottles into! They were the COOLEST guns ever! So, the kids stashed their water bottle supplies all around the house, as well as a vast supply of water balloons. They were ready for ANYTHING Paw Paw George might throw at them. Nobody was turning their water supply off this year!

So, after the food was eaten, the kids gave the signal (and the warning to those of us NOT participating) and once again, it was WAR!! The kids made their attack and Paw Paw George had NO idea! You see, THIS 4th of July, he had planned on taking the kids to the boat parade on the Oklahoma River, to watch the fireworks. He had NO idea what was planned for him! And as much pleading and bribery that went on, those kids would NOT be talked into going to the "other" side to help him. He did end up with one measley watergun, but the kids won this war!

Needless to say, the kids haven't stopped talking about their victory against Paw Paw George. And his response? "Next year, I'm gonna have a watergun that will kill a cat!" So, I am not sure what to expect tomorrow...the kids have been planning, but haven't let us in on anything. Maybe they will all be saved by the rain we are supposed to have tomorrow evening??

Happy 4th of July! Go make some memories!!