April Fools Phase One

The story you are about to read is true. 

The names have been changed to protect the innocent.  

(and the guilty).  

Parental discretion is advised 

(you may wish to re-use some of these ideas!!)

I put forth HOURS of research for my latest project until I had just the perfect mix of tools ready.  My project was payback.  You may recall the challenge. Reread if you need a refresher!  As I promised, this year I was going to get those boys of mine.

PHASE ONE

Friday Morning started as any other morning in our quiet little house.  Just a bit earlier and more rushed.  We are a household full of people who usually require a good chunk of time to 'wake up'.  (I think I've told you that before!)  I had set the angel baby down to her breakfast of Reese Puff's Cereal.  Not a cereal I often buy but certainly necessary to ensure the boys would EAT CEREAL.

I hauled the boys out of bed with the big lecture about getting too comfortable with Spring break and how there were only a few more days left before we are back to regular early mornings.  They slowly shuffled their way to the table and started eating.  It took a good 5 minutes before Macboy jr. (the oldest) says

"Hey! Where's the glue?"

I had frozen their bowls the night before and in the morning, just sprinkled a little bit more cereal on top.  I added a little dribble of milk to the surface to hide the frost.  Quickly I attracted his attention to his brother who hadn't heard us yet and was still sleepily trying to dig piece by piece in his bowl.  Finally catches up to the conversation and says
"I was wondering why I couldn't get much!"
I let them take their bowls to the kitchen. Macboy jr. feels he's already been burned and goes for the Fruit Loops.  Safe move.  I almost think I've been foiled until Art (the youngest, so named because he loves arts & crafts) goes for more Reese Puffs.  They get their bowls, Macboy gets the milk ready, Art gets a big bowl of Mini Wheats.
"Well, That was Just Rude."  Says Art.
Score #2 for this mama.

Perfect set up, angel baby thinks they are crazy since there was nothing wrong with her breakfast!  Priceless.

An hour or so goes by, and I can hear Macboy and Grandma in the kitchen.  He's got that look like something's up.  Shortly after, I hear the conversation between brothers. "Art, Mom bought some cookies. There are Oreo's in the cookie jar.  You should go get us some."  Art replies "No, I don't want any right now."

I call Macboy to the other room.  "Did you get into the cookies?"
"Yes," he says.
"Did you get a surprise?" I ask.

"yeah, something was wrong with it, I wasn't sure what. It tasted kind of minty."

"Like Toothpaste?"

"Aw, MOM!!"

I put about 10 cookies from the package in the cookie jar.  Three of those cookies were tampered.  Only one was discovered.  One had the filling replaced with entirely with toothpaste.

Now it's time to get dressed for the day.  I send the boys in to their rooms and wait... 1, 2, 3, 4, OH there it is!!!
"Oh, Man, MOM!  How am I supposed to know whose dresser this is!!!"  Art ultimately decides that he's going to wear Macboy's shirts since that's what I put in his drawer.  Macboy, upon discovering that I had switched their shirt drawers, foiled my plan. I now know that he doesn't put his laundry away properly.  When he found Art's shirts in his drawer, he pulled an extra shirt of his own from his pants drawer.  Good plan, well played!
Now dressed for the day, I step in to argue that they didn't change their underwear.  I supply the full argument about WHY they should change them and that I KNOW they didn't.
I'm a mom.  I KNOW when they are lying to me.

Full of grumbles they reluctantly go to change.
Macboy is quick.  To his drawer, only to find that MOM got him again.  But, he's a stubborn boy. If I hadn't followed him, he would have gotten away with it.  I catch him silently trying to undo the pins so he can deny that any joke was played.   After being caught, I remind him that I got his brother too and we both sneak off to Arts Room to wait for his discovery.

"AW...MOM!!!!"

It took 26 safety pins in total.  And a good 15 minutes to get each boys drawer done.

I pinned each boys underwear together, end to end, and returned them to the drawers.  So when they pulled it out, it ALL came out.

PERFECT!!

Macboy Jr. and Art have had enough of me.  They decided that they were safer outside.  Until they tried to put their boots on and they didn't fit. I also stuffed the toes of their boots with paper towel.  Again, Macboy snuck through and took this out and hid it.  Jokes on you mom, there was nothing wrong with my boots!

Eventually, I concede that enough is enough.  I step outside and sit down on the stairs.  I call the boys over and explain:
"Somewhere it is said that April Fools Jokes need to be confined to the mornings.  So, if you boys are willing to admit that I CAN AND DID FOOL YOU, I will tell you the last of the secrets that you haven't found."
I even made them say it twice!

"Yes, mom, that was awesome.  You definitely got us fooled."

I slowly take apart the other two unfound Oreo cookies. One had salt inside and the other one had pepper.  And in the spirit of April Fools, Art ATE the cookie filled with Pepper, ON PURPOSE. Just to gross me out! 

I also told them that I have now rinsed their toothbrushes many times, but as the salt water I soaked them in had completely dried, there might be some salt flavor remaining. If it tastes funny, just rinse it out more.

The best part of this entire process, was that PHASE ONE was only the ground work for PHASE TWO. If I hadn't played this part well, they would not have bought the big one.

Read about the grand finale of April Fools!