It's all fun and games..

..until someone loses an eye.

The kids were outside playing. Well, throwing snowballs at the house. Which I asked them not to do. Many times. Finally, after the millionth time, I made them come inside. I felt it was time for a lecture.

Me: "And when I ask you nicely to please not throw snowballs at the house, what should you do?"

The Boy: "Not throw snowballs at the house?"

Me: "Exactly! So you know this. Why? Why were you doing it anyway?"

The Boy: Some shrugging and mumbling.

The Girl: "We had to throw snowballs up at the icicles! We wanted them to come down!"

Me: "So you stood directly under the icicles you wanted to knock down..?"

The Girl: "Yes! And did you know.."

Me: "You stood directly under the sharp, pointy icicles that you wanted to knock down?"

The Girl: "Uh huh! But the.."

Me: "YOU DON'T STAND UNDER THE SHARP, POINTY ICICLES!! YOU DON'T KNOCK THEM DOWN EITHER!"

The Boy wisely stayed quiet this whole time. He's been through this many times. He's finally learned the value of keeping his mouth shut.

The Girl: "Because there was no room on that side of the house and they were melting on the other side.."

At this point, my mother intercedes. Probably because I've turned very red in the face and am sputtering. I wonder if this is what a stroke feels like.

Mom: "Icicles are very dangerous. You should never stand under them. They're like knives! What do you do when you drop a knife?"

Me: "Her? She tries to catch it. I've yelled at her about.."

Mom: "Ok, you don't catch knives either... Just..stay away from anything sharp or pointy."

Me: "You know how she's always poking her eyes. I've watched her. She just..pokes herself in the eye! And is surprised! By her finger poking her eye!"

Mom: "Maybe you should go rest. Kids, leave mommy alone for a while. I think you gave her too much of a hard time today."

And so I'm here. Because I couldn't continue the discussion. My head hurts.