Tonight, I am putting Valentine's Day candy on my children's pillows including my adult children who own their own houses. Bethany is getting a treat mailed to her. This mask is going into Brandon's fridge. He hates clowns, and I've used them a lot with him. He chuckles about it. SHMILY= See How Much I Love You. We've been playing that family-building game since they were little, but it became more interesting when they grew to be teenagers. (I put a big, ugly rubber rat in Brandon's fridge last week with SHMILY on it and a note to keep it going. He told me he likes the rat too much and is going to keep it in his fridge.) We have a lot of fun because everyone is a good sport.
Shared with a friend who said the mask would scare her: "I think we are all shockproof after the years of playing with each other. Brandon will love it. You have to really know your target. 
Joshua would like this mask too. Joshua would keep it and wear it at his friends' houses to make them laugh. SHMILY used to be sweet and fuzzy until they became pre-teens and teenagers. Then it became more fun and a little crazy."
Late winter can be depressing. Playing around with like this is an easy way to "check on" people and lift their spirits. It also lets people know you are thinking about them and helps strengthen bonds. This stuff may seem silly to some, but it serves good purposes in a fun way.
Another SHMILY story I shared with a friend: There was one time I scared Amanda for a few seconds. It didn't last long, but it got her. She likes snakes and had a corn snake in her house for a while...until it escaped and was never seen again.
I hid a rubber snake in her bed AFTER she hid one in MY BED. Her bedroom is very dark due to the paint and curtains. When she hit the snake with her bare arm she grabbed it to see what it was and felt it was a snake. She jumped clean out of her bed as she slung the snake across the room. Then she turned on the light to find it. She told me she had a bad moment until she saw it and realized it was rubber. Then she threatened to put me in a nursing home when I got old. 
She still talks and laughs about it...and threatens me some more. 
