April Fools Fun!

I think that at one time or another we have all been the target of an April fool’s joke. Whether your shoe was untied or not, you chose to look when someone told you to. You chose to look even if you were wearing shoes without laces!

My kids were pros at it, adding salt to the sugar bowl for my coffee in the morning, adding lemon juice to a gallon of milk so that when I poured it into cereal it was a big clump. I have to reflect (and laugh now) at one of the worst ones my kids did to me.

The plastic wrap over the toilet! My five teenage sons woke up early and placed it over the toilet bowl. The first clue should have been that the seat was down, and the lid was closed, as that never happens. However, at 5 a.m., who thinks about that?

I woke quickly to run into the bathroom and take care of business. The boys were awake and ready. They lay silently in their beds, waiting for the bathroom light and the sound of the fan. They got up and ran into the kitchen to the bathroom door. Then a blast of laughter came from beyond the bathroom door as I screamed. Yep, they got me. Now, I can laugh about it, but then I could only think of payback.

All day I thought about it. I thought about it while making the little ones lunch and I thought about it while planning dinner.

I was planning on making chocolate-covered frozen bananas for dessert. Still seething in my anger at the boys, I tossed around ideas in my head to get them back.

Then there it was, sitting on the cookie sheet. I  took two of the Popsicle sticks out of the bananas, one that was rolled in nuts and one that was not.

I packed up the babies and ran to the store. Out I came with bottled water, bleach, a green scrubby, and a dry eraser for the bathroom. I quickly went home, put the babies down for a nap, and went to work scrubbing the toilet, including the water tank.

The kids came home with more April fool torment, but I just smiled. We ate dinner and I went into the bathroom. One more cleaning of the toilet and then I shut off the water.

I  filled the toilet with bottled water and two frozen bananas. I walked out of the bathroom and dished out seconds to anyone who wanted them. There sat two of my grown kids, five of my teenagers, and four grandkids. Perfect timing, I thought, trying not to laugh.

I walked back into the bathroom and yelled, “Oh gross!”

Being teenagers, they all got up and ran towards the bathroom. I began my dissertation on how they needed to flush the toilet and close the lid.

Only this time, I took it further. I said then next person who leaves poop in the toilet would have to eat it. I reached down, picked out a chocolate covered banana, and took a bite...

The look on their faces was priceless. Revenge had been mine. I wish I had a hidden camera as their noses wrinkled and their mouths dropped. Even my adult kids said, “Mom, are you nuts?”

To this day, my grandsons who are now 11 and 15 bring it up every year. “Grandma ate what we thought was poop!”

They have told all their cousins to close the lid or grandma will make them eat poop. Now as I reflect back on it I still chuckle about it. That night, no one wanted chocolate-covered bananas for desert.

And to this day, nine times out of 10 times, the lid remains closed and the toilet  flushed.

Another joke that they loved to play was the spilled chocolate milk. Yes, they have played this joke on teachers, babysitters, and family. Now your kids can play it, too.

We mix about ¼ cup of white glue with either brown food coloring or, if you want,unsweetened cocoa. Place it in a cup or a mug, put the cup on a sheet of wax paper and place it on its side so some of the brown liquid runs out.

Add your spoon and you are done. Let it sit about 3 or 4 days, peel it off the wax paper, and then place it on the floor, table, or even better dad’s new computer keyboard. Then yell APRIL FOOLS!

When I did home daycare it was difficult to find after-school snacks that would make everyone happy. By the end of March, there was not much fruit in season and the kids were aching for spring. It was too cold to give them anything sugary as they could not run it off outside, so for April Fools I came up with an idea. I believe part of it came from Family Fun magazine but I have done it for years and really am not sure where it started.

When the kids came home from school I had the table all set with a tablecloth, napkins and silverware. Perfectly laid out were plates of mashed potatoes and meatloaf with gravy and peas. It looked like the family meal. I stated to them that because they were not eating dinner at home that I would now be serving dinner to them and they were all expected to eat.

They looked at me and put down their book bags. They slowly crept over to the table eyeing the plates of food. Finally Elizabeth chimed in but I do not like meatloaf, Josh added I will not eat gravy, Sarah you know I hate peas.

I asked them all to sit down and begin eating. Alan tries to cut his meatloaf with his fork and cannot. I tell him it is a bit over done and try again. He does with his knife and slowly puts it in his mouth. He smiles and picks it up and says, Hey it's a chocolate Rice Crispy treat. Sarah picks up a spoon full of peas and says, “ Taffy!” Elizabeth breaths a sigh of relief and begins to eat her vanilla ice cream with caramel syrup. The kids all laugh and enjoy their snack.

Pictue 1 - Ingredients

• 8 cups Rice Crispy-type cereal
• 1 bag marshmallows
• 1 stick butter
• 1 12-ounce bag chocolate chips or brown food coloring

Melt butter in microwave for about 1 minute or until it is completely melted. Add marshmallows and stir.

Place mixture back in the microwave for another minute and stir again. Add the chocolate chips and place back in microwave for 30 seconds. Keep going at 30-second intervals until the chocolate chips are melted.

Add the crisp rice cereal and stir. Place in a buttered loaf pan and let set.

Picture 2  - Sliced meatloaf

When it has all cooled down, slice it with an electric knife, if you have one. Electric works best, but a good bread knife will work, too

Picture 3 - Taffy

Next, take a green taffy type candy (I used Laffy Taffy but airheads also work) and place it in the microwave for 5 seconds.

Tear off a piece and roll it in your palms to make a pea. Keep doing this until you have enough for a small scoop full. Be very careful about how long you microwave the taffy you only want to soften it not cook it. (It can make a mess).

Place the meatloaf on a plate with a scoop of ice cream and add caramel syrup over the ice cream and part of the meat loaf. Add the peas and serve. Your kids will lick their plate clean.