Gotcha!

on April 2, 2013
in All Posts

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Did I get you?  It’s getting harder and harder to trick my readers, but I know I got at least a few of you! I guess I’m getting a reputation as a prankster.  My favorite HTP April Fools posts include…

 

Wealthy Tipping Point – I won the lottery (and changed my blog name, of course).

And the Clone Your Dog Giveaway – I cloned Maggie and offered you a chance to clone your pup, too.

april fools

And now, of course, the post in which I actually had a miniature horse in my horse.  So many of you wanted to know if she was Photoshopped in – nope!  She was really and truly in the house.  What can I say?  I’m dedicated to Aprils Fools!

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Here’s Emma’s real story:  Her name is actually Brandy, and she’s owned by a really lovely lady named Kay.  Brandy, Kay, and Kay’s husband live in the neighborhood next to mine, and yes – it really is legal for Brandy to live in their backyard (and come into their house, too).  Brandy is about two years old, and she really is a literacy horse for elementary school children (check out Horse Tales Literacy).

 

I asked Kay how in the world she ended up owning a miniature pony in the middle of suburbia Charlotte, and the answer was really inspiring – Kay’s beloved niece died from cancer in her early twenties, and after she passed, Kay said, “You know what? Life is too short not to do what I’ve always wanted to do, and I’ve always wanted to own a horse.”  So she bought one.  And she does a ton of volunteering work with Brandy in her niece’s honor.

 

When Brandy came over, I locked the dogs upstairs (James was going postal when he saw her enter the backyard), and Pippa screeched upon the sight of her and ran into the laundry room.  Also, Brandy made my eyes itch like crazy!  Achoo!  I don’t think we could really own a horse. Winking smile

 

In other April Fools news…

 

For the first time EVER in my adult life, I was actually pranked on April Fools (I’m just as pranky in real life as I am on the blog… I once convinced my ex-boyfriend that I had bought him a penguin… so I am usually on high alert and unprankable).  Anyway, I got an email from MomHTP at 9:15 PM stating that her and her boyfriend of three years decided to tie the knot and were going to City Hall tomorrow.  I called her frantically, wailing, “Wait, wait!  Can you wait for me to drive there?!  I want to see this!”  And she died laughing…. April Fools!

 

Did you get pranked? 

{ 48 comments }

 

  • Karen @ Runner Girl Eats April 2, 2013, 8:08 am

    I fall for everything so I’m constantly going “no way?!” On April 1st. I’m sooooo gullible. Also I really want a miniature pony now.

  • Angela @ Eat Spin Run Repeat April 2, 2013, 8:27 am

    Haha you’re one of my fave pranksters Caitlin! Thankfully I wasn’t the victim of any pranks yesterday but I like hearing about them!

  • Amanda April 2, 2013, 8:33 am

    Well, I admit that you did have me going for a moment on the pony thing! What with all the animals in the house and your ambition 😉 But then I realized it was a prank as I kept reading details later in the post. No one pranked me – but I think it would be very fun! I thought about sending a photo of my positive pregnancy test (from our first baby) to the partner (because I didn’t think to save the real one!), but he would be excited and I didn’t think that would be very funny when I thought about it.

    • katie April 2, 2013, 12:09 pm

      yeah, you don’t want to be too mean when you’re pranking loved ones! wouldn’t want to trick them into getting excited about something and then dashing their dreams…

      • christina April 3, 2013, 11:58 am

        Oh man, that would be horrible! I trust the people in my life not to trick me.

  • Katie @ Talk Less, Say More April 2, 2013, 8:40 am

    What a great April Fools joke – and since you could get the horse in there, even more believable! What a sweet story behind her though. 🙂

    I’m not much of a prankster and I’m not sure I was around anyone yesterday who was either or even realized it was April 1st…haha!

  • Anna @ Sincerely, Anna April 2, 2013, 8:51 am

    Hahaha, you totally got me! With the pictures in all. I realised only this morning that it was a prank haha. I actually told my best friend about it. I said: so there is this blogger and they just bought a pony which is now sleeping in a bath tub. And then I kept wondering how the hell your horse can get into the tub?! You are awesome! 😀

    • Caitlin April 2, 2013, 8:58 am

      Hahah awesome.

  • K April 2, 2013, 9:27 am

    You had me! I’ve been trying to convince my husband for ages to get a miniature horse, so I read your post showed him and exclaimed how unfair it was and if you can make it work why can’t I! I didn’t clue on until the comments hours later! However in my defense it was already April 2 here.

    I did think it was slightly mean that you were making her get in the bath tub! Haha.

    Oh and there still no movement on the miniature horse issue… Probably just as well, neither of my dogs would deal well with it!

  • Allison April 2, 2013, 9:51 am

    Your mom got you good! That horse is so cute…I was really hoping your post yesterday wasn’t a joke, haha. But such a sweet story about the real owner 🙂

  • Sara April 2, 2013, 10:22 am

    Love the Horse Tales Literacy! Agriculture in the Classroom (a non-profit that is aligned with where I work) had this campaign a couple years ago where they said “Chickens don’t ride school buses. Cows don’t go to school. Horses don’t have library cards (or something about them reading…)” Guess these horses do read! Neat!

  • dotsie April 2, 2013, 10:22 am

    Bhahhahaha, way to go, MomHTP!! 😀

  • carol April 2, 2013, 10:45 am

    I truly believed you …… your love of animals had me convinced ! I even showed the post to my Grandson and he was so delighted for Henry that he had his own horse ! He has begged his Mom ever since to get a horse too ! I may keep the prank under wraps and just let him think that you’re the super coolest Mom of all ! Great post !!!!!

  • KAS April 2, 2013, 11:01 am

    How’d the letter to your husband go over?

  • Tammy Root April 2, 2013, 11:07 am

    You didn’t tell us how Kristien’s prank went –did he fall for it??

    • Caitlin April 2, 2013, 11:24 am

      for about 20 seconds!

      • Heather April 2, 2013, 11:35 am

        Not going to lie–that seemed SO CRUEL! I would be so bummed if I got a letter about my dream job in the mail and then it wasn’t even remotely true!

        • Caitlin April 2, 2013, 12:11 pm

          The husband laughed. Don’t worry.

          • Shannon April 2, 2013, 3:02 pm

            Good thing he has a great sense of humor! I gotta admit I’d be pretty hurt/upset by such a prank. But I am not thrilled with my current (underpaying) job so it probably makes a difference that he already has a job he loves and can support his family with. Sounds like you guys are a great pair!

          • Caitlin April 2, 2013, 4:57 pm

            wah – hope you find a rockin’ job soon!!!

  • Catherine April 2, 2013, 11:30 am

    I can never successfully fool people! If I try to lie, I bust out laughing. And I’m not a
    creative prankster either. My husband is the prankster! Oh, the stories. But this year he called me all ecstatic and said he got a ridiculously awesome promotion/raise at work. Instead of being happy for him, I was like “Haha very funny. Not falling for it.” Turns out he forgot it was April Fools (for once), and he wasn’t kidding. Then he was so worried that his boss was pranking him haha! It was all real and I figured so, but it was fun to watch him sweat a bit 😉

  • Rebecca April 2, 2013, 11:30 am

    One of my friends got a forwarded text message to call a number that told you you were in trouble for not showing up to court and all of your options. At the very end of the message, it says April Fool’s and to pass it on to your most gullible friends.

    My family doesn’t do pranks, but last night at work was interesting–some of my coworkers tried to scare each other. One person popped up out of a garbage barrel and scared our manager. And then later they told me to grab a garbage barrel and I literally kicked it slightly before grabbing it to make sure no one was in it!

  • Sarah @ Yogi in Action April 2, 2013, 11:30 am

    haha I love how much your family participates in pranks. I saw on facebook the prank you were pulling on your husband. Did he fall for it?

  • Amanda, RD- The Nutritionist Reviews April 2, 2013, 11:35 am

    That is so freaking awesome! I was analyzing those pics to see if they were real or not. You did a great job.

  • Alex @ Raw Recovery April 2, 2013, 11:40 am

    I love your April Fool’s posts!! My jaw hit the floor after the first picture and then once I saw the backyard and bathtub I looked at the date and got it 🙂 I didn’t get pranked yesterday and I can’t remember a time in recent memory when I did. I love Brandy’s story though and that is so wonderful how Kay is giving back through the literacy program. I’m sorry to hear about her niece though.

  • Kelsey April 2, 2013, 11:48 am

    I was undecided 🙂 Monster really wants his own pony so I figured maybe! 🙂

  • Stellina @ My Yogurt Addiction.com April 2, 2013, 11:48 am

    OMG YOU TOTALLY GOT ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I didn’t put it past you, considering your love for animals! Lol, that was a good one!

  • Sarah (The Simple Dietitian) April 2, 2013, 11:54 am

    Haha!! Hilarious!!! 😀

    I’m so gullible, and April Fool’s is the one day when everyone loves to take advantage of this. I literally fall for everything! 😀

  • Debbi April 2, 2013, 1:22 pm

    Ok, I’ve been following you for over a year or so……I totally believed that you had that pony in the house. While I thought it was a bit crazy, I went for it. BUT, I also wasfooled by the lottery thing last year. You are good. Sheesh…I am so easily fooled! Way to go!

  • Janie April 2, 2013, 1:48 pm

    You actually totally had me. I actually wouldn’t be that surprised if you did adopt a miniature pony into your family. Loved the effort you put into this! haha

  • Michelle @ A Healthy Mrs April 2, 2013, 1:58 pm

    I wasn’t fooled, but I loved all the pics of Brandy — she looks like such a sweetie!

  • Carina April 2, 2013, 2:41 pm

    You should recap all your past hoaxes next year. I remember that I started reading a few months before you did the “I ate a big mac and am not a vegetarian anymore” April fool’s joke. I just had to go back and look at it, and you admitted it was a joke in the same post — whew, or I might have stopped reading, since the veg runner is my fave aspect of your blog!

  • Ellen @ Wannabe Health Nut April 2, 2013, 3:02 pm

    Holy cow I’m gullible!! I was thinking: 1.” Wow, Caitlin is so nice to adopt that animal in need.” and 2. “That woman is totally crazy!!!” lol 🙂

  • Ashley April 2, 2013, 3:21 pm

    You are seriously good at april fools jokes. They are always so weird that I think, It cant be true but it’s to strange to make up!

  • Julie April 2, 2013, 4:17 pm

    Way to go, Mom HTP! Love it! 😛

  • Amry April 2, 2013, 5:52 pm

    I totally fell for it and I’m bummed that it’s not real! Brandy is beautiful and I thought “Emma” was a great addtion to the HTP home! After I read the post, I put a pony on my list of future and/or fantasy pets. Current on the list: a Saint Bernard and a pig (they’ll be best friends), a white pomeranian, the Pillsbury doughboy (clearly impossible!), a mini sirloin cow (from the Jack n’ Box commercials) and Carol, from Where the Wild Things Are.

  • Kim April 2, 2013, 5:57 pm

    You didn’t get me this year. I was anticipating a prank post so I read with skepticism. You really tricked me last year with the post on Maggie, though.

  • Miranda @ Miranda Runs April 2, 2013, 7:49 pm

    Hahaha! Well, at least you’re dedicated 😉

  • Kari April 2, 2013, 8:01 pm

    You got me!

  • Diego April 3, 2013, 4:44 am

    What a cute horse! I want one!! Only problem is, as you were saying your eyes were a bit itchy, I am bound to be allergic as my allergies play up quite often.

  • Joanna April 3, 2013, 6:56 am

    So off topic, but I noticed your beautiful floors in this post! What do you use to vacuum and/or mop them with? We just bought a house with hardwoods, and I already feel like we need something better to use. Yours look so great!

    • Caitlin April 3, 2013, 11:13 am

      A Shark! You have to get one!

  • Holly April 3, 2013, 8:19 am

    Omg. It didn’t even cross my mind that this was a prank. I just thought it was soooo strange, but to each his/her own. Haha! Every other prank post I read, I knew it was a prank, but for some reason….just didn’t even occur to me. haha!

  • Leigh Anne April 3, 2013, 9:17 am

    Too Funny!! I totally saw her (Ms. Kay) walking Brandy at McAlpine Greenway a few weeks ago…I thought I was losing my mind, I guess not! Hope you are doing well! 🙂 Leigh Anne

  • Carol April 3, 2013, 11:04 am

    hahahahahaah you definitely had me going, I was like “OMG A HORSE?” LOL Good one! 🙂

  • Jacquelyn @justjacq April 3, 2013, 2:11 pm

    my cousins have 2 miniature horses and 2 full sized horses and a great dane. The mini’s are smaller than the great dane! it’s really funny when they take them on walks down the street. One time they had the minis in a parade I was watching and some guy stood there and argued with my poor cousin that her horse is a dog. she didn’t know how to stand up for herself and stood there flabbergasted. I finally said well you’ll know the difference when it poops.

  • Luna665 April 4, 2013, 6:21 am

    haaaa you totally got me!!!I was actually telling about you and the new addition to my husband last night… LOL

  • Marie April 5, 2013, 8:26 am

    Ha! I thought you used the horse app on iphone– you can literally place horses into your photos!:o)

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