Friday, April 2, 2010

A few smiles for Fools Day!




We love April Fools Day around here! When my oldest daughter hit 3rd grade, the pranks started... blue milk, a rubber band around the sink sprayer, plastic wrapped soap, tied together cabinet doors, hidden utensils. After a particularly bad soaking one year, I decided it was WAY PAST time to join in the foolery! The next year, I switched all of Maggie's books and sneakers from her knapsack for oversize board books and a glittery pair of red Dorothy-style heels. The following year was plastic-wrapped desks and chairs when the girls got back from lunch. And fake flower deliveries. Then I started dressing up. One year as a gaudy fairy complete with tiara and wand. I visited each of the girls' classes and crowned their classmates, dubbing each one with some ridiculous title ("Sir Froo-froo," or "Lady Puffle-Snizzle," etc.).

Then there was the giant rabbit. The bunny hopped and danced and raced around each of the girls' schools. It was my first year visiting the highschool. I was nervous... what would the reaction of a couple hundred teens be to a giant rabbit? I shouldn't have worried! Teens are a natural fit for hilarity! Half the kids at the highschool have photos on their cell phones of a 5'1" bunny! Just a couple months ago, Maggie's English class was reading a book about a teen with an... ummmm... rather *interesting* mother. Class discussion centered around, "how would you feel if your mom did these crazy things?" Maggie was able to say that *her mother* had the fictional one beat! Several of her classmates were startled... "that was your MOM in the bunny costume last year???" (By the way, my very serious kiddo also said that she loves her kooky, zany mom and not knowing each April what I will be up to next!)

Well... this year, the giant rabbit was scheduled to sub in one of the schools. But Santa visited! And left all the girls costumes! I also texted the older girls and told them we got a puppy. The biggest joke of all is that the PUPPY is REAL :o) My dad and I have been on the lookout for a lab puppy for a while and he picked her up for me while the girls and I were all at school!

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Nutty families are the best.

Please don't give up on that book!!! Funny about them thinking Primitive is outdated. If you look at Country Sampler these days, that's about all they have it their magazine.

I love your design and will be praying along with you. I believe some publisher will love it too;-)

Have you thought about selling the pattern yourself? I see a lot of bloggers who do that.

Blessings,
Jilly

Katie :o) said...

Hey, Jilly!
Thank you so much for your uplifting words :o) I'm not giving up on the book :o) Right now, I'm working on revising the proposal to submit to another publisher. I've also been thinking about writing magazine articles or self-publishing patterns. Oh! I've been asked to teach a quilter's weekend at an inn in Vermont, too! More about that when the dates are nailed down :o)

As I've wrestled with what direction to go in next, I keep coming back to, "I really believe in this!" I wholeheartedly believe that God has a great sense of humor. Part of the reason I'm so sure of this book is that I never planned on writing one. The pieces just kept dropping into place until there was a book staring at me :o) And what an awesome plan... with four kiddos, one with extensive special needs, the 9-5 route just doesn't work here. Rejection letter... just a roadblock :o)

So glad you love the pattern! And thanks so much for letting me know :o)

erica said...

Wow, I like your April Fool's pranks this year! And the puppy is real!! How will you one-up that next year??
Lots of love to you and the expanding family!
Erica