Do I look like a driver's ed. instructor?

Tomorrow is Macy's birthday but I wanted to do a Dori post tonight because she has been so funny today. She has been working on her hours for drivers ed (Here in Michigan, she needs 50 total hours with a parent) so she can get a license. I let her drive while we were going to pick up wood pellets at TSC. Her attempt at parking when we first got there was quite amusing. She got out and walked around the truck and said, "at least I'm in the box" I said, "yep, four spaces worth!!" 

We went in, paid for the pellets, then came back to the truck. I drove up to the front so the guys could load the pellets. As we were finishing at the store, two bags broke so I had to go back in for a price adjustment. I handed Dori my keys and told her to move the truck back where it was (the big open box of four spaces in the back of the lot). I went in and realized I had left my purse and the receipt in the truck so I immediately turned and went back out. Dori came running up to me saying, "Mom, I hit the light!!" I said, "What? What light?" Dori says, "The one on the van that was in my way!" I said, "where is the truck?" She says, "It is still hitting the car!! Help me!" I go out and sure enough my passenger door was kissing the tail light of a minivan. The older couple who owned the minivan were both standing there looking at the situation. I waved to signal that I would fix the situation. I quickly got into the truck and backed it away from the van. The couple looked at the damage and said it was very minor and went on there way. 

Dori held it together until we got into the truck, then she bursts into tears and said, "I feel like an idiot!" I said, "Yes, things like this can make you feel that way. But no one was hurt and everything is going to be ok." She said she didn't know how it happened. I said, "Honey, those people were sitting in a PARKED car, how do you think it happened?" (Dori has the wonderful self-image of a teenager and has no concept that she is not all-knowing and perfect. Just one of the many gifts granted to teens! The idea that it could be her fault still hadn't registered!!)

Dori said, "The lady was sitting in the passenger seat, she could have warned me!!" I said, "So it's her fault that you hit her?" Without thinking she said, "Well she could have gotten out and said I was too close." I said, "So as the truck is getting closer to her minivan she should jump out and flag you away?" Dori is silent.... the silence is killing me. "Hmmm.... she could have jumped over the armrest and gotten in the drivers seat, started the van and moved for you." Dori rolls her eyes and said, "Mom, she was OLD... probably post-menopausal." I laughed- loud. Dori was not amused.

Bonus Dori Story- When we got home, we worked on making Christmas cut-out cookies. All 5 kids happily rolled out dough and cut out shapes and then placed the cookies on cookie sheets covered in parchment paper. Pepper was keeping the flour flowing and I was organizing the cookies on the trays and putting them into the oven. Things were going really well until the end. Pepper went to get the boys washed up and I was putting the last of the cookies into the oven. The cookies and the parchment paper slid off the cookie sheet, hit the bottom of the oven and burst into flames! (Parchment paper burns very well!!) I spent the next couple minutes putting out the parchment paper fire and then I started scraping the burnt cookies off the bottom of the oven. Dori walks over, sees the burnt cookies and says, "That's ok Mom, nobody was hurt, its going to be ok.... We'll just leave those cookies out for Santa." 

Thanks for reading... take care.