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puzzle pieces

Sunday, November 28, 2010

Someone is watching you.....

{"Setting an example is not the main means of 
influencing another, it is the only means."}
~Albert Einstein




It turns out I am a terrible driver.
Oh- I was told so in a very respectable way.
But I am now completely aware of all the mistakes I have and am making while I behind the wheel.

Did you know I tail gate?
And...I definitely do not stop at a Stop sign for the mandatory 3 seconds.
Don't even ask about shoulder checking.
Or drinking coffee behind the wheel.

Turns out that when your teenager takes a Drivers Education class.....they become super smart.

And you  realize how much you aren't doing correctly.
And...how much you are being watched.

{"If you must hold yourself up to your children as an object lesson, hold yourself up as a warning and not as an example."
~George Bernard Shaw}

~~~~

Turns out it doesn't just happen with us humans.

My "old" dog is being followed by the "new dog".

Everything the "old" dog does...the new one copies.
Looking that way.
Then this way.
Look left.
Then forward again.

(Seems as though my dog would have no problem with shoulder checking;)
~~~~~~~~

{"A leader leads by example, whether he intends to or not."}

I am wishing I would have been a bit more careful in all I have done up to this point while raising kids.

Although....
by the sounds of things,
 there does come a point when your teenager seems to know more than you do.
~~~~~

{Be a positive example at all times, and when necessary- use words.}
~~~~
Thinking I may need to sign myself in to that Drivers Education class today....

40 comments:

Widge said...

hehe. I can just imagine this same thing happening when it's my boys turn to drive. your dogs are so so so so cute. Gorgeous. What breed is that?
And those quotes, as usual, brilliant. Really enjoying your blog Dawn :)

Michelle said...

Oh dear...My son still has a couple of years to go before driver's ed classes kick in. I need to check my own example when I take off in the morning!

Love those dog pictures and I am putting one of the quotes on my fridge.

Bleeding Healer said...

Well if you know you are not so good in driving, how about try to try your hand in improving,we all would cheer for sure.
Your dogs they are just adorable...and that was so funny.You must have enjoyed watching them. I loved the quotes and the winter look of your blog.It's beautiful.You truly epitomize your name.
Take care.
BH

Out on the prairie said...

What a laugh at the dogs. I went shopping all day with my daughter an a much larger city. I had a few people getting a bit tiffed for not driving like a maniac. In my town a traffic jam is 8 cars and it is too small to road rage much.I got a few good laughs and threw them kisses.

Bev said...

Bella and Duke they are soooo sweet! Can hardly wait to meet Duke....hopefully you get my messages.....but I sure don't like the look of that snow!!

Farm Girl said...

Great post and I am not a great driver either. My fifth child has just got his drivers license and for the fifth time I have learned how many rules I break.:)I love the pictures of your dogs. The puppy is adorable and the older dog majestic. I love all of the snow.

Anonymous said...

Those two dogs are simply adorable.. I mean how cute are those pictures, right?
I have a daughter in Drivers Ed now and she makes no bones about correcting me either..So I just say, "Yes Brittany, you are so right. Now sut your eyes while I drive"..Ha!!

Send me some snow..plzzzzzzzzzz

floweringmama said...

Oh, I know exactly what you mean! I remember my oldest "thinking" he knew more than me. Luckily I get to do it all over again with my two younger ones!

Rosaria Williams said...

Ah, through the eyes of teens! Glad to know your teen knows the stated rules. These dogs are precious, acting as though they have known each other for a while.

Hi Kooky said...

Oh boy - thanks for the reminder!

TexWisGirl said...

Well, hopefully that will mean your teenager will be a very safe driver - at least for a little while!!! You'll need to up your patience meds for a bit. :)

I LOVE LOVE LOVE those pups!!! Adorable!!! Such little fur beasts for your cold weather! I'm glad the big one has patience with the little one - not unlike a mom with her kids. SUCH a beautiful face your "old" dog has! :)

sassyshoediary said...

So cute about the copy cat dog!

Man, I do those same things when I drive. I really need to be more careful. It's easy to forget.

Fit With Flash said...

that's hilarious. love the photos of the dogs! too funny : ) hope you had a good t-day!

Jimmy said...

It is so funny how little we seem to know when we have teenagers and you know we were the same way as teens, now the older I get the smarter I realize my parents are.

You are so right in the comparison with the dogs, we are always being watched and copied so to say and leading by example is the only way to do it :^)

Aimee said...

Ha ha...isn't it amazing how much our kids absorb without us even knowing it?
Your dogs are too cute! :)

Deb said...

funny post...but so true...your dogs are adorable...don't you wish you were still as smart as a teenager...LOL

Rick said...

Ha ha !! Make sure to tell your daughter to hurry and get a job - while she still knows it all ;-) in a loving way, of course !

Yep - been there, done that, taught my 4 kids to drive - and they all made it. When they'd harp on me, I would just tell them that I made a mistake once, but I was wrong ! I said it in jest, but nowadays I just say it ;-)

LOVE those photos of your new dog (did I miss the post with his/her name ?). Amazing how much he/she looks like our Sasha did at that age. And just hilarious how he/she copies from 'the leader'.

Unknown said...

Great captures and captions Dawn.
Have a great week.
Costas

Allison said...

I am laughing out loud this morning! My daughter will be taking drivers ed soon enough, and believe you me...she seems to be entering that super smart age with breakneck speed! :D

She's really good at pointing out these exact type of things to me! BUT... let me just say for the record that her fashion choices are slowly changing, and I've noticed (secretly) that she's starting to dress just like her old mom. Heehee

Lynette Jacobs said...

I tell you...it does not matter whether you serve as a good example or a dire warning...your children will always end up knowing more than you do. I got the T-shirt.

Jayne said...

LOL Dawn! I got some of that too this summer with my nephew taking a class. "Uh, Aunt Jayne, did you know it's against the law to drive with flip flops on?" HUH? "How about NO shoes?" I joked while driving with one hand and sipping my coffee with the other. Snort, snort.

Val said...

Very true. Also, we should like twins in the driving department. ; )

Leah J. Utas said...

Three seconds? Hmm.

Nancy said...

I can relate to your two pups -- Buck learned 99% of what he knows from Sioux, his older sister. Fortunately, she sets a very good example.

Good luck with the new driver in the family -- I managed to get my two boys through it all with only a few minor dings. :)

Elizabeth Grimes said...

I love it! The truth in your words and past quotes. Your new puppy is about the cutest thing I've ever seen! Thanks for sharing. What sweet pictures. :)

Hope said...

heehee! love it! those darn teenagers any way! lol! don't be too hard on yourself. good to know the children are learning properly. What a great student your teenager is!

love the pictures and captions! priceless. What beautiful dogs!

take care and enjoy the weather!

Alisa Noble said...

Haha! Great post and so many truths here!
Have a beautiful day!

Discovery Street said...

are those your dogs? i'm in love!!

Tiffany Kadani said...

This post is HILARIOUS! Those dog photos are so funny! And 3 seconds at a stop sign? Yikes! I need to do that.

~*~ saskia ~*~ said...

The first picture is a great one. You are covered by tons of snow already. We have only 3 cm. Now I want more!
Have a wonderful week, sweet Dawn xxxx

this free bird said...

This post is completely cracking me up!! It IS true about Driver's Ed classes...the teenager takes over the rules. sigh

Now let me say this: a couple years ago I had to re-do the written and road tests in Cali to transfer my license here. Uh, Dawn -I was reduced to my 16 yr old self when the guy failed me for driving around a cone in the bicycle lane where there wasn't a bicycle in site for approximately 50 square miles. AND my only other option was to stop dead in my tracks with 15 cars behind me who would have all, in turn, driven around me in that EXACT SAME BICYCLE LANE.

it took weeks to recover.

i think i'm getting hives just thinking about it!!

this free bird said...

and that would be "in sight"

oh monday after a 4 day weekend - dammit

angela walker jewelry said...

Hi Dawn! I LOVE your pups! They are just too darn cute. Your post are always the best!
Hugs to you,
Ang

Patrice said...

The dogs are so cute!Great pix.

beth said...

LOL....i remember both of my kids pointing out to me, all the things i do wrong, according to them, while driving....

i just laughed and told them that the rules were different when i learned to drive that many years ago and how much tougher things are for them....hee hee

Hilary said...

Too funny. Those doggie images are hilarious. Is it my imagination or does the shadows in the snow at the bottom right corner of the last photo also look like a reclining dog?

darlin said...

The puppy is adorable and so cute, I love how he's trying to do everything the older dog is! As for wishing you'd had been a better example, I feel that sometimes the children learn through us what not to do but naturally they always become smarter than us, well until they become parents themselves or get out in the world and have to pay their own way!

Pat Tillett said...

What cute pooches!
I've been through that with 5 new drivers!
Talk about being under scrutiny....

Carole Barkett said...

I love the way you can tie thoughts together with your photos and these are great thoughts -just went through this with my kids.
My excuse is, if you come to a full stop at the intersection in the winter, your tires spin when you start again and make ice for the next guy. :O)

Jordanna said...

Haha! I love the photos of your dogs!! Your little one is adorable! They both have the perfect amount of fur for your fun snow :). And I know your example has been more than enough for your kids. They love you more than you know :)