From: Renee Greene – July 5, 2013 – 12:51 PM
To: Shelley Manning
Subject: Re: Fireworks?
Oh, it was far worse than you could, or I could have, imagined. By the end of the day, every child there – including Ethan – was soaking wet from head to toe.
He grabbed two "super soaker" squirt guns and started attacking right away. At one point, a kid ran up to him and said, "Mister, I want to be on your team." Ethan responded, "Kid, I don't need anyone on my team," before squirting him with both guns.
From: Shelley Manning – July 5, 2013 – 12:53 PM
To: Renee Greene
Subject: Re: Fireworks?
Hilarious. That sounds like a scene out of a movie.
From: Renee Greene – July 5, 2013 – 12:57 PM
To: Shelley Manning
Subject: Re: Fireworks?
There was another "movie moment" where Ethan is running down the street with a super soaker in each arm. There's a five second delay and then you see every kid in the neighborhood chasing after him. I wish I had been recording it, because it was almost too outlandish to be believed. However, it's ALL true.
From: Shelley Manning – July 5, 2013 – 1:02 PM
To: Renee Greene
Subject: Re: Fireworks?
Why would anyone be mad about that? I would think the parents would be thrilled someone else was keeping their brats occupied.
From: Renee Greene – July 5, 2013 – 1:07 PM
To: Shelley Manning
Subject: Re: Fireworks?
I think that was initially the case. I managed to broker a truce and all was well. But then Neil's wife brought out the hose and helped the kids spray Ethan. Then she proclaimed they were all done.
Ethan took that as an act of war and said he wouldn't stop until she was soaked. At some point things turned ugly and hoses and big buckets of water came out.
I finally grabbed the hose from his hand and said "enough!" He was like a crazy man. I grabbed his face and forced him to look in my eyes repeating "Enough! Enough!" until he calmed down. Neil's wife was livid!
From: Shelley Manning – July 5, 2013 – 1:10 PM
To: Renee Greene
Subject: Re: Fireworks?
Why should she be angry? She got it all started again. Serves her right.
From: Renee Greene – July 5, 2013 – 1:12 PM
To: Shelley Manning
Subject: Re: Fireworks?
That's what Ethan said. But I tried explaining that she was our host and we needed to be gracious.
From: Shelley Manning – July 5, 2013 – 1:15 PM
To: Renee Greene
Subject: Re: Fireworks?
Screw gracious. If a bunch of bratty kids dumped water on me - and ruined my hair <gasp!> – I would be pissed, too.
From: Renee Greene – July 5, 2013 – 1:18 PM
To: Shelley Manning
Subject: Re: Fireworks?
I think Ethan's hair was okay but his ego was a bit bruised. So anyway, I assume we won't be invited back next year.
From: Shelley Manning – July 5, 2013 – 1:22 PM
To: Renee Greene
Subject: Re: Fireworks?
I would think not. Wish I had been there to see it. Well, Sweetie, your quick "checking in" email has turned into – as usual – quite the long conversation. Gotta run. Mwah! Mwah!
From: Ashley Gordon – July 12, 2013 – 10:02 AM
To: Renee Greene, Shelley Manning
Subject: Barf!
ARG! I'm so frustrated. Siobhan has been barfing all day. I've already bathed her twice and changed her clothes 4 times and it's only 10 am.
From: Shelley Manning – July 12, 2013 – 10:10 AM
To: Ashley Gordon, Renee Greene
Subject: Re: Barf!
It will get easier. Before you know it, she'll be barfing in the toilet like a big girl.
From: Renee Greene – July 12, 2013 – 10:25 AM
To: Shelley Manning, Ashley Gordon
Subject: Re: Barf!
Not necessarily. Funny story. When I was about 7 years old, my parents put new carpeting in our den and bought new beige fabric couches with light blue and pink pillows. (How 80's!)
I was home sick from school and resting on the couch watching "My Little Pony" videos when I felt like I was going to hurl. You guys KNOW how I cannot stand to do it, so I was panicked. I called up to my mom, "I'm going to throw up." She yelled "Run to the bathroom! Run to the bathroom!" I did run to the bathroom, and while I ran there, I threw up all over the new couches and carpet. Oops!
From: Shelley Manning – July 12, 2013 – 10:29 AM
To: Ashley Gordon, Renee Greene
Subject: Re: Barf!
Are those the same beige couches you had in our apartment in college?
From: Renee Greene – July 12, 2013 – 10:30 AM
To: Shelley Manning, Ashley Gordon
Subject: Re: Barf!
They are indeed the same.
From: Shelley Manning – July 12, 2013 – 10:31 AM
To: Ashley Gordon, Renee Greene
Subject: Re: Barf!
Then I've thrown up on those couches, too.
From: Renee Greene – July 12, 2013 – 10:31 AM
To: Shelley Manning,
