Ewww! It wasn't supposed to be used like that!!!

That was my reaction last night when I found out. *shudder* Let's start at the beginning so that you'll understand.

When Emma was little she'd come running into our room after bedtime and announce that she was gonna puke! Most of the time it was just a ploy to get out of bed and gain some sympathy from mom and dad and so we came up with an excellent solution. We started saving the old sour cream containers from Costco so that on a "pukey night" we'd give her one of those and she'd be content to go back to sleep. Why sour cream containers? Because A) I don't care if they get puked in - they aren't part of my regular dish usage and B) they're small enough for the kids to cradle them next to their arms as they sleep. A pseudo security blanket, if you will. We've actually patted ourselves on the back on several occasions that the puke bucket was close by. Not that our kids have major stomach issues, but they do have allergies and the coughing that results causes them to gag and, WHAM!, here comes dinner for a visit!
The buckets are out mostly year round due to a combination of winter colds and the annual summer allergy season.

Okay, now that we've established what they are and why they're needed, here's the story of the misuse of puke buckets from last night...

We'd finished family scripture reading and prayers and the kids had supposedly brushed their teeth and used the restroom. I say supposedly because I swear that my eyes and ears deceive me every night. I see them enter the bathroom, I hear the tinkle and the eventual flushing of the porcelain pot too. But it never fails - someone every night comes out within 10-15 minutes claiming that they have to 'go' again and that they really didn't go before. (This, by the way, is why we hold off on popping popcorn or sneaking treats until about 45 minutes after the monkeys are in bed. Just sayin'.) So, last night it's Abbey's turn to come out of bed claiming that her bladder was ready to burst and had to go REALLY BAD. While she was busy, Emma came out of their bedroom and said the following...
Emma: "Mom! Did you know Abbey has a puke bucket in our room???"
Me: "Yes, Emma, I gave it to her. Is there a problem?"
Emma: "YES!!! She's been peeing in it! She says she's done it twice already! AND she's got another one in her bed."
Me: "Did she pee in that one too?"
Emma: "Nope. She was using that one as a puke bucket." (She then rolls her eyes at my stupidity)

*Sigh*

Me: (trying not to gag so that I don't need said bucket) "Bring it out here NOW."

Abbey then flushed and came out of the restroom looking completely wide eyed and innocent. I asked her if what her sister claimed was true and she just continued to look at me like a deer caught in some hunter's headlights. I explained that puke buckets had only ONE purpose and it was to catch puke.

She's grounded from puke buckets for awhile.