Amara has anxiously been waiting for word about when her friend Fred was coming to visit. Last week we got an email from our friends letting us know they were definitely coming and they couldn’t wait to get here. They had been melting in Tulsa like everyone else while our area of southern California has been in the mid to low 70s for weeks now. We are having wonderful weather and I have christened this the Summer of the Lilies.

The plan was for them to drive down Sunday afternoon. The kids would have time to play while we had a chance to sit and chat. Then we were all going out to dinner at the same wonderful restaurant we went to the last time. Amara would take her lunch box! She was very excited about their visit and she worked really hard to make sure her room was spotless before they got here. We even cut a lily to put in the little vase on her dresser. It is still there and I love walking by it.

When they arrived, Fred and Amara were like longtime friends reunited. They were off to the backyard to swing and slide and to blow lots of bubbles.

They adjourned to Amara’s room where she taught Fred how to play Sorry! It is one of her favorite games but it is more fun with three or four so they asked if they could go out and play with the chalk on the driveway. Their artwork was wonderful but it was impossible to stay clean for dinner! Amara had chalk embedded in her knees but they had fun and THAT is what summer is all about when you’re a kid.

Then we were off. Dinner was great and so was the conversation. Fred still hates carrots, raisins and cheese; and Amara kept trying to get him to eat carrots, raisins and cheese! Or would he like carrots wrapped in cheese? They were having so much fun teasing one another and entertaining all of us with their shenanigans! Fred’s folks wanted to go do some shopping and suggested we bring Fred home with us for a while. What a brilliant idea! This would give the kids some quality time playing together.

I asked if it would be OK if we let the kids get wet. Sure! Amara always has a suit here so we just had to find Fred something to wear so he wouldn’t have to ride home in wet clothes. We found shorts and a shirt that was huge but worked and the first Water War of 2012 began.

I explained the water rules to Fred and he obeyed them well. Rule number one: the garage and the front porch are Safety Zones and Rule number two: you absolutely may not get Grandma wet if she has a camera in her hand. I must have put those cameras down too often, as I got plenty wet!

They started in the backyard on the swing set and the slide but moved to the front yard as it has easy access to all the water toys waiting in the garage!

They got out more chalk, bowls, buckets, SuperSoakers and squirt guns.

Amara’s parents have the pink Jacuzzis at the moment so they took turns using the only blue one.

They colored the water with shaved chalk.

They dumped bowls of water in the tub and on one another’s heads.

They chased each other with water balloons, the hose and squirt guns.

I am pretty sure I heard Fred call me Grandma once and I lit up inside! Amara squealed and shivered with delight. It was early evening and if they didn’t stay directly in the sun, she got cold. I put a t-shirt over her suit to try to keep her warm. Of course, she immediately went and sat in the Jacuzzi and got it wet! They dunked their heads in the water to see who could stay under longer.

No one won that contest but they sure did giggle!

Of course, the best part was when they poured the water on their own head, at Grandma’s urging of course!

We are so glad they came to visit. I hope that 20 years from now all of us are still good friends and Fred and Amara can think back to when they met at Grandma and Grandpa’s house.