SELLERSBURG, Ind. (WDRB) -- The Mattingly family in Sellersburg is making a splash with a unique tradition to mark the end of the school year.
They throw water balloons at children getting off the school bus at their home, a tradition with a long history.
"Well, 15 years ago, I had two little kids here I was babysitting that couldn't wait for my kids to get off the school bus," Lori Mattingly said. "They wanted to hide in the bushes, and I thought, 'What if they had water balloons to throw at them?'"
So, 20 minutes before the bus arrived, Mattingly said she started filling up water balloons — and a tradition was born.
"That's the only reason why I'd have kids, so you could be a kid too," she said.
Now, the family pelts the kids with water balloons every year. This year, they had about 500-600 balloons.
"It started with 20 balloons, and then some years, we've had, like, 4,000," Mattingly said. "I started at about 8 o'clock this morning, and I didn't stop until about 2 o'clock this afternoon. My fingers are a little sore."
Now, everyone wants to join in.
"Well, first it was just our family, and then I asked the neighbors next door, and the next, they were here," Mattingly said. "We just love our neighborhood and love inviting our family and friends over."
The family said they've been doing this for 15 years, and it's been getting bigger every year.
They hope future generations will take up the charge.
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