Who comes up with these "pranks" anyway?

My family is full of pranksters so it was no big surprise when my younger two began playing pranks on those around them.  I am even guilty of getting away with a prank or two every once in a while.  I came across a picture the other day that brought back a few memories of the pranks they have played on Mom.  They got me good on more than a few occasions and below are just a few of those times that led me to ponder, who comes up with these pranks anyway?

My sweet and "innocent" looking 

daughters'.  Brooklynn is on the top and 

Kelsey is on the bottom.

One afternoon I was washing the dishes while Brooklynn and Kelsey were out front playing with their friend across the street.  Kelsey, my little actress, ran into the kitchen all frantic and said, “Mom, your favorite bras are in the garbage can out front!”  It took me a few seconds to process what she had just said then I exclaimed, “What?!  Well did you get them out?”  “No, I can’t reach them,” was her reply.  With that she followed me as I made my way through the garage to the garbage cans to retrieve my bras.

As we approach the cans she points to the one they are inside of.  I whipped open the lid really fast while Brooklynn and her friend all of a sudden pop out of the garbage can like a pair of Jack-in-the-Boxes.  I screamed louder than I think I have ever screamed before.  My heart was pounding and I didn’t know if I wanted to cry or laugh so I joined in on the laughter because that was the best one yet!  I was really mad thinking Kelsey had put my bras there but that is a story for another day.  Below is a picture of the only evidence that remains, besides our memories of that prank.  

They tagged the inside of the garbage can.

One afternoon Brooklynn, her best friend, whom I call OD (Other Daughter), and I were the only ones at home when after about 30 minutes of silence I went to investigate the situation.  Why?  Because in my experience, not only with my children, when the kiddos get real quiet they are usually up to no good.  I searched the house for them but they were nowhere to be found and all of the doors were still locked so they didn’t leave the house either.  I was calling out their names but no response.  At this point I figured they must be hiding in a closet somewhere so off I went to search all of the closets and both bathtubs but still no girls.

This was shortly after my then fiancé now husband, Kenny, had moved into our house so the garage was packed with boxes and extra furniture so I had gone out there a few times during my search calling their names but I didn’t see or hear anything.  About 10 minutes after my closet searching was over I decided to go back into the garage to look around some more.  I have to admit I was beginning to worry about them at this point.  This time I actually walked into the garage and began hearing little noises yet I couldn’t figure out where exactly they were coming from.  Then it happened, the girls erupted into laughter giving up their hiding spot.

I walked towards the now hysterical laughter to find that they somehow crawled between the love seat stacked on top of the sofa.  There they were all cozy with snacks and everything in their secret little fort.  (Keep in mind that they are not little kids but actual freshmen in high school.)  In between their giggles now they said in unison, “We just wanted to see how long it would take you to come find us,” in sweet, innocent, little voices.  I was definitely not amused at this point and out of the blue OD added, “You did a good job Mom, it didn’t take that long at all.” 

All I could do was roll my eyes, thankful they were okay, and began laughing along with them at their crazy little prank they just pulled.  For a few weeks that secret little fort was where they went to hang out and listen to One Direction giving my ears a much needed break.  When I told Brooklynn about this blog post yesterday she started laughing and said, “We were really, really bummed when you took the sofas away!” 

Not the exact sofas but thought you needed a visual.

The last prank, well in all reality flop, occurred during a garage sale we were having to get rid of the “extras” we now owned once our houses combined into one.  Kenny and I were busy setting things up and Brooklynn was MIA (Missing in Action).  I began to look for her but was distracted by a customer and after that I gave up on trying to find her as Kenny and the garage sale needed me.

 

A short while later I was standing next to the dryer we were selling when I heard noises coming from inside of it, then the door opened and out popped Miss Brooklynn’s head.  I jumped a little bit as it had kind of startled me.  Then told her to freeze so I could get my cell phone to take the picture below.  With this prank turning into a flop she tried to play it off and said, “What?  I just wanted to see if I could fit in there.”  Kenny and I cracked up when those words came out of her mouth.  “Brooklynn, if you just wanted to see if you could fit in there you wouldn’t have stayed in there for 20 minutes,” I said laughing even harder.  “Can’t blame a kid for trying,” she said as she winked at me.  Oh that kid is a character!

Brooklynn in the dryer.

I recalled these memories because of that single picture of Brooklynn in the dryer.  I guess it really is true…a picture is worth a thousand words because that is where the word count is at now.  On that note, for those of you who saw the picture of “Tortilla Mask” and questioned why I wasn’t fazed by waking up to that sight, you now know why!  For those of you who haven’t seen it here it is:

Brooklynn wearing her "Tortilla Mask."

© 2014 Lysa Wilds