Some days I wish I could bottle the joy and excitement that the kids show so readily and often. On Tuesday, when Lex got in the car she heard Julia and I talking about April 1st. Lexi immediately perked up and said "That means it's April Fools. How are we going to trick Daddy?" After Lexi asked that, she told the story of April Fools 2008, while Joe was at work, we moved his closet. I was moving his clothes and I was looking for a way to get the girls to help me without making it a chore. So, I told them we could play a trick on him and move his stuff. Of course, they were both all for that and it was a real hit!

So they began planning. Talking about what to do "should we move different clothes", "pretend to not feed him and so on." Finally they came up with pretending they weren't dressed and ready for school. They huddled together to write it down, in case they would forget the idea in the morning. They plotted about where to hide the note so "Daddy wouldn't find it." Things like, "the garbage - what if we throw it out by mistake" Or Julia said "My dresser drawer. No it's too messy, I might not find it." Then the laundry, "Dad won't find it there, he NEVER does laundry." As you can imagine it was all pretty funny and even I was getting excited.

So this morning as soon as they awoke the conspiracy began. Alexa called out, "No one come in our room!" then the door slammed and there was A LOTof giggling, running around "Where's the note?", and planning "I'm not wearing tights because Dad will see those under my bathrobe."

When I left for work I went downstairs and told Joe that I just could not get the kids to put on their clothes and I did not have time to stay and get them to do it. He said he would take care of it and get them ready.

And so the dance began. He would say "Go get dressed" and they would say "We don't feel like it." When I was heading out the door the girls were finding it hard not to giggle each time he asked. It really made for a festive morning mood.

The girls pushed it all the way until they were leaving. Joe finally said they had to go. The girls dropped their robes and between giggles yelled April Fools.

Everyone looks at them and says they look like me. That is great to hear, but what makes me happiest is they both have Joe's great sense of humor and interest in enjoying life.