Object Lessons RULE!

Carson is off track this week so it's been pretty nice because I don't have to wake up until my eyes pop open. Okay, that is my dream, not reality. My kids always wake me up before my eyes have a chance to 'pop'. But sometimes other things occur that wake me up....for instance....

On Monday morning I was awakened by a loud "THUD" sound. I thought for sure something happened with the kids, like maybe Carson threw Parker off his bed, or maybe Carson was trying to get a glass of milk and dropped the entire gallon onto the floor, or perhaps the dresser fell onto Parker as he was trying to climb it...etc.

I jumped out of bed and ran to the kids room. To my surprise, and I'm not making this up, each child was sitting on his bed and Carson was teaching Parker the words and actions to "book of mormon stories". Precious!

I put in my contacts, took my anti-nausea medicine, and made toast. Then I walked to the living room and opened the blinds. To my surprise, my neighbors across the street were hovered around a boy, who looked to be Carson's age. That's when I noticed the bent-up bike next to him. Oh yeah, there was also a car parked in front of my house with a smashed up windshield.

Scary as I must have looked, I ran over to the neighbor's house to see what happened at the same time 2 fire trucks show up with their sirens blaring! The little boy was riding his bike out of his cul de sac, didn't look both ways before pulling onto my street, and was hit by a car heading down the road. The boy didn't have a helmet on either! He ended up being fine: stitches on his head and he had a concussion.

I figured this was a great lesson to teach my boys. I went back into my house, hauled my boys to the window and said "THIS is why we always wear our helmet and why we always look both ways before crossing the road...any questions?" My boys couldn't believe what had happened and they kept referring to it for the rest of the day. So, while I feel terrible for this little boy and the woman who hit him, I'm grateful for the object lesson it provided for my children that day!



On a lighter note: Parker is 95% potty trained! He goes to the bathroom on the toilet all day, but I've been nervous about nighttime so I was still putting him in a diaper. The last 2 nights his diaper has stayed dry and he wakes up and runs to the bathroom! So, tonight we are letting him sleep in his undies so wish me luck! Sadly, I'll probably get out the extra sheets before I go to bed just in case...

I did have an embarassing "Mom" moment at Walmart today. Carson had to go to the bathroom so I'm waiting outside the mens bathroom for him. He's taking FOREVER and that's when it occurs to me he must be going "number 2". I hate that so bad!!! Well, before I know what happened, Parker ran into the mens room, takes off his shoes, pants, and underwear and screams "I have to go potty!" Well, what am I supposed to do? He's in the mens bathroom for crying out loud!! I walk in, grab him and his clothes, march around to the women's bathroom (flashing everyone close by) and hoist him up to the toilet. SHEESH! It was mass mortification for me! After my trauma was over Carson was STILL sitting on the toilet in the mens room swinging his legs!! Only 2 more weeks of off-track.................