DIY Crafts, Sewing & Home Improvement Tutorials by Ashley Johnston

Did you see my post yesterday?!?!

You know, the “Don’t-Touch-Anything” Jacket that Oliver was modeling for us at the store?

Yeah, I wasn’t at all serious!!!

So in case you didn’t scroll down to the very bottom, to see the very end—HAPPY APRIL FOOLS’ DAY!!!!! (Haha!)

I do an April Fools’ Day post every year (here’s all the crazy april fools’ posts from past years), and without fail, some people see the project, think I’m absolutely NUTS, and quickly click away! Was that you??? I know some of you have learned to expect it, so I hope I gave you a good laugh! But for those who I tricked, you’re my favorite!!!! Hahaha! (And I just love you!)

As for the jacket, I know, I know…..if you’re a mom and know the struggle of shopping with kids, you may have thought I was totally serious! But yeah, a straight jacket probably isn’t the best idea! Haha! ;)

After maybe 5 minutes of taking pictures, Oliver was so OVER IT! So there’s no way he’d actually wear this for a whole shopping trip!

But don’t worry, he was rewarded for sacrificing his arms for the sake of a funny blog post…..and cheered right up! ;)

And like I explained at the bottom of my post yesterday, I actually do let Oliver and Max touch things from the shelf, when appropriate. (However, there are certain areas of the store he has to hold onto the cart with 2 hands or put “hands in pockets” so that he’s not tempted to knock glass jars off shelves! Ack!) But if there’s time, I’ll take a stroll down the toy aisle to let them twist, turn, and push buttons. (But I have to tell them MANY times, “we’re not buying anything, only looking!” So I only do this occasionally.)

I’m kind of a NERD when it comes to April Fools’ Day pranks! I just love it!!! And my kids have become the same way and love to come up with little pranks to pull on each other (and Steve and I) but I have to remind them that it can’t harm or embarrass someone. It’s only intended to produce laughs or smiles. Oh, and eye-rolls are acceptable too! Haha!

(Here are a bunch of funny pranks that I pulled on my family one year on THIS APRIL FOOLS’ DAY POST.)

But this year, I didn’t pull quite as many pranks, but my kids were pulling little tricks on each other all day. There was toilet paper wrapped around beds, garbage bags stuffed in backpacks, silly notes stuffed in backpacks, hiding each others’ books, etc. I was even in my office at one point, getting a few things done on my computer while Steve was directing the kiddos with their after-dinner chores and I could hear some commotion outside my office door. I totally knew they were up to something, so I stayed in there a little longer, until I knew they were done. When I opened the door, I saw this….SARAN WRAP covering my doorway! Ha! Little knuckle heads!!!

(The rest of these pictures are from my phone…sorry for the quality!)

After their dinner chores were done, I brought out the box of donuts and chocolate milk that I had told them about earlier! They were very excited for a treat and gathered around the table. But when they opened the box, they found a pile of——-VEGGIES!!!!

Hahaha….their faces were priceless! (Ellie knew I was up to something….but Chloe and Oliver were completely shocked!)

And the chocolate milk??? Yeah, that was actually regular milk that I mixed cocoa powder into. Oliver thought it was NASTY! Haha!

But don’t worry, I poured the real chocolate milk into a pitcher and saved it in the fridge and hid the donuts in the pantry. They happily ate/drank the real thing afterward. Max was especially happy that I saved the real donuts. I can’t remember a time that he’s ever had one…but holy smokes, he reaaaaaaaally liked them! Sugar really is a drug….and is so quick to transform this kid!