Over the weekend, my husband, the girls and I took my in-laws to the Cardinal game.  My in-laws consisted of my sister-in-law, my niece, my brother-in law and my mother-in-law.  Now, don't get me wrong, I get along well with my husband's family.  But I did have one issue.

We stopped in Litchfield to eat before the game (that's about half way between Springfield and St. Louis).  Of course, the girls all wanted to ride together.  Because my in-laws brought the minivan, it only made sense for the kids to ride in that, rather than my Grand Prix.  So after dinner, we buckled all three girls into the back seat of the minivan, car seats and booster seats squeezed together so no one was going anywhere. 

My brother-in-law, who is rather large, climbed into the front seat and my mother-in-law climbed into the middle seat.  My sister-in-law was driving.

As I was kissing the girls goodbye and telling them to be good, my mother-in-law was lighting up a cigarette.  Now, I am an ex-smoker, who still may partake after an occasional beer or cosmo, so I understand the urge to smoke after a meal.  But she was smoking in the van, with my kids in the back seat.  As the door slid shut, I turned to mu husband and said, "Is your mom going to smoke in the van with my kids in there?" 

"Yeah, you know mom.  She did it last year when we went to the Cardinal game."  (I did not make that trip, I was working.)

"Aren't you going to say anything to her?"

"No."

"Can I?"

"No.  They will be fine."

"Those are my kids, in a closed minivan, with your mom smoking!"

According to the girls, who may be only 3 and 4 but know what smoking is and do not like it, she had more than one in the 45 minute drive between Litchfield and St. Louis. 

Once again, I am an ex-smoker.  Even when I was smoking a whole pack a day, I could get by for 45 minutes, especially if I was in a closed car with kids!!

So, the next time this happens, do I have any right to say something to her myself?  Or do I just hope it only happens once in a blue moon?  I don't want to cause any problems here, but my children's health is as stake.