April Fools!

I'm not sure my 8 year old son will ever speak to me again, but this was my best April Fool's Day yet! We are on Spring Break this week, and so far we have had a great one. We went to Chuck E. Cheese, met a bunch of friends at the park for a picnic, and today we didn't have much planned until church tonight. So, the kids were all VERY upset to hear that the school called this morning and decided that they were going to be in session today to make up for all the snow days we had this winter. We had to hurry because we didn't know about it until this morning. So, the kids jumped out of bed, ran around brushing their teeth, getting dressed, and getting their bookbags together. We all jumped in the car and Drew and Dawsyn were so upset. They just kept saying that they hated school and couldn't believe they had to go. They were also upset because they didn't have time to eat breakfast or pack a lunch, and now they would have homework, etc. etc. etc. This went on for the entire ride to school. As we were pulling up to the school, I said to the kids that we hadn't done the calendar that we do every morning for Dax to help him learn the days of the week and months. So we started singing our days of the week song and as we pulled into the parking lot, I said, "If yesterday was March 31st, then what is today?" Dawsyn said "March 32nd?" and Drew said "NO!" "It's April 1st!" as he slapped his hand to his forehead and threw his head back against the seat. About this time, Dawsyn began to realize that there were no other cars in the parking lot, I pulled up to the front of the school and said, "April Fools!" They were so mad, until their good friends pulled in right behind us with their bookbags and their mom did the same thing (I had called her the night before and arranged it) then we took them out to breakfast together! Drew was still mad when we got to breakfast and said he refused to go in and couldn't believe how disappointed he was in me that I would lie. This only lasted until we disappeared into the restaurant and then he came running in after us (which I knew he would do). Since the kids now knew it was April Fool's Day, I told them that they had it much better than their father, who had to get up at 5:00 this morning and stumble to his dresser, open up the top drawer in the dark, pull out the first pair of underwear his hand touched, only to find out that they didn't come out so easily, nor did the next pair, or the next pair, or any underwear or socks or anything that was in that drawer for that matter. It couldn't be because his wife had secretly gone up before he went to bed and sewed everything together with a thin piece of thread! (Hee Hee Hee!) While all of this was going on, I was still sound asleep, until a wad of clothing hit me. I jumped at first until I realized that Shawn had just thrown the sewn clothes at me. It only took me a second to remember what I had done and I just smiled, rolled over and said "April Fools" and went back to sleep. I know--pure evil--but soooo FUN!
I did also take the kids to the local conservatory to see the butterflies. We played in the park and, of course, Dax was most interested in the trains! Dawsyn made her mom very proud when on the way home, she said, "Mommy--my belly hurts". I didn't react to much and just told her to take some deep breaths and try to relax. Then she said, "No, Mommy, I mean it! I think I am going to throw up!" At this point, Aunt Cassie who was in the car with us, jumps up and starts trying to grab a bag and turn around in the seat to help her, when Dawsyn announces, "April Fools!" It was a very proud Mommy-moment indeed! It was also very appropriate that this is what "got" Aunt Cassie, considering that she used to throw up every time she got in the car when she was little. In fact, Shawn was so stunned by Cassie's talent to puke on demand, he once got her a state map with little gold star stickers marking every spot she had puked at one point or another in her life. I think it was her Christmas present one year.
The kids had calmed down enough to go to Holy Thursday Mass tonight. Drew was one of the people they asked to have their feet washed by the priest. This is a tradition done on Holy Thursday at mass to represent how Jesus washed the feet of his apostles. The Catholic Church has a lot of traditions and rules, particularly around the holidays. For instance, church law says that "alleluia" is not to be said during mass during the Lenten season. Drew, being the good little Catholic that he is, takes this very seriously and came running to me last week saying that Dawsyn was saying a bad word and during Lent!!! (GASP!) The tone of his voice made it apparent how appalled he was by this. I asked him what she was saying and he just said, "The 'A' word!" I repeated, "The 'A' word?" I was confused because I didn't think Dawsyn even knew this word. That's when Drew leaned forward in a very hushed voice and whispered, "You know, Mom--"alleluia!" I tried very had to keep my composure and just said that I bet God would forgive her. Oh why can't it stay this simple? April Fool's jokes and the 'A' word is Alleluia during Lent? I know these really are the best days, but knowing it couldn't make me cherish them any more, and certainly doesn't keep them from going as fast as they are!