Holiday

If I make a fool of myself, who cares?
I'm not frightened by anyone's perception of me.
~ Angelina Jolie

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April Fool's Day is my second favorite holiday.

One year I used a straw to remove the jelly from a jelly doughnut at our house. I then refilled it with mustard.

Another year, I removed all the labels from the cans in my mom's kitchen cupboards and switched them around. Think you're having corn for dinner? NO! You're having sauerkraut! Want some green beans? TOO BAD! You get peaches!

This morning we were talking about tricks to play. I left a list of chores for Maddie (who had already gone to school). The list included the following:

* vacuum the entire upstairs
* sweep and mop the kitchen floor
* sweep the bedrooms
* vacuum the stairs
* vacuum the basement
* pick up all the dog poop in the back yard
* finish the laundry and fold it all

I also left a list for Elizabeth that said:

* have a snack
* clean your room (it's ALWAYS clean)
* organize some things on the new computer
* dust the living room

I did put a note at the bottom of Maddie's list that said "OVER -->." On the other side it said, "April Fool's!"

Elizabeth didn't want me to write "over" on the sheet. She thought it would be funny if Maddie found out it was a joke after all the chores were done. Chris and I disagreed.

I also told Elizabeth she should get the rubber rat in the rat trap we have in the basement and put it in Maddie's bed. (Why do we have a rubber rat in a rat trip in the basement? In case we need it for days like today.)

Elizabeth said, "It would be funnier if we got a real rat, killed it, and put it in her bed!"

I am afraid I may have created a monster.

I am also afraid to go home tonight.