Growing up no one could surprise me or pull one over on me. Well, one time by my sweet sister Jo involving peanut butter….
Anyhow – one particular day I was crabby & stressed. I had a custom picture framing shop in my basement and needed to get three large Terry Redlin pictures done by that night. It was one of those days when everything happens and you can’t do what you need to get done. Between the phone calls, UPS, Schwans man, you know what I mean. Tyler was in morning kindergarten and it was time now for me to run out and get him from the bus stop. I made him lunch, turned on Arthur and back down I went.
Finally, I could dig in. The doorbell rings. You’ve GOT to be kidding me! Back up I went- opened the door up with a vengeance and no one was there. What the heck… it was about 12:30 on a TUESDAY??? WHO DING DONG DITCHED ME? I walked back and here’s my adorable little boy with his little ankles crossed swinging them under the bar stool, eating his macaroni & cheese and breaks out giggling. YOU ding dong ditched me???? I was so proud- someone finally got me. Impressive- he was only 5 years old! Needless to say it broke my bad mood and I knew that I had met my match.
The thing about practical jokes is that you need to do less but make them really good.
Years later we spent a week with two other hockey families in Brainerd, MN. There were fourteen of us in an incredible two story A- frame on Long Lake. One of the dads and I cooked for the week and it was filled with fishing contests, bon fires and relentless practical jokes – the cheesy kind. Six adults, 3 boys and 5 older girls than them. The list included fake poop in shoes, rubber spiders, whoopee cushions, the fart machine was a big hit, fishing line on the staircases, the girls painting Nicks toenails while he slept which scarred him for life, sorry Nick… all the girl’s underwear on the big ceiling fan and best of all the girls froze the boys “nutcups” in blocks of ice- classic! Those boys were beyond upset lol. Such good fun had by all!
A few years later we built our Forest Lake house. I have always had one big rule in my house- if you’re going to “throw up” you best make it in the bathroom. My kids were taught this from birth. One busy school morning Tyler was gagging in his bathroom. The girls stopped getting ready to see if he was O.K. and I ran up to assess the situation (and make sure he made it in the bathroom…) I peeked my head in and there it was- that familiar laugh that I am so in love with from Kindergarten. Oh my God Tyler! My mind quickly raced and I realized it was April fool’s day. He had a packet of oatmeal, baking soda and sprite in the toilet- genius. We both just reveled in the fact that we” got” each other.
Having Insomnia my whole life, it was nothing (besides frustrating) to get up at 4:30. I was going through my day ahead and realized that not only did I have a hair appointment but my nails as well- that is a GOOD day! Well, since I was up, I was really going to make it a super beauty day. After my shower I went to put on my deodorant… it was warm and really really creamy- what in the world??? I smelled it (yes, I’m a smeller) and quickly discovered it was cream cheese. Did I even have to ask who did that? I literally had tears running down my face. He was good. I reformed the cream cheese that was left and put it in the drawer for Craig. No, second thought, It needed to go in Ty’s drawer (we all had the same brand) I patiently waited outside Ty’s bathroom door for the shower to go off. He opened up the door and said” did you really think I was going to fall for that?” Are you kidding? How did he know? And how did he know I was standing there?
War on child. Priding ourselves on spacing out our “art” was NOT going to happen this time around. It took me three weeks to come up with something as good. I was folding his favorite boxers and a light came on in my head. I held them up, and asked myself: if I were a guy, what leg would I put in first?… the right leg!. So, off to my sewing machine to sew up the left. Folding them back up and hiding them in his pile felt so good. A few weeks passed… did he know and he was playing mind games with me? Hmmmm.
I was on site at flip #2 with a few crews and Ty called from Breezy Point golf resort- REALLY MOM? I FELL ON MY FACE! Oh the joy & the satisfaction were amazing. Apparently he just never chose that pair, but had packed them for the golf trip with his Dad’s company. Unfortunately he fell on his face two more times… he kept forgetting. I asked for them so I could take out my basting stitch but he had thrown them out- I did feel bad about that, they were his favorite.
It was time to take a break – Ty was so set on loading up his sisters hair dryers with flour. I said NO. They would kill him (especially Chels…)
After we moved into our new house here Ty really wanted to pull off a big practical joke on one of Craig’s managers. Ryan & Ty had gotten to know each other from the annual golf trips. When Ty suggested what he wanted to do it was obvious that this was a two person job. I agreed. This would be the first time we did something like this on the same side. I picked up 600 feet of cheap tin foil and after we were done working (Ty & I work together Sunday nights) we did our thing. We worked quickly and diligently- this was momentous.
We closed Ryan’s blinds, locked his door and saved one last piece of foil to cover Ryan’s picture in the entrance. The next morning Ty & I waited. Ryan called Ty personally and said he knew immediately who did it. That office had a steady stream of people in it taking pictures- it was great! Ryan has an 8X10 of him sitting at his desk before it was dismantled.
A few months later it was April fools, just one more…. Ty & I plastic wrapped Craig’s office this time!
We’re taking a break now, but there are probably a few more tricks up our sleeves….
My Son & I <3
