Allie's Big OOPS!

Allie has always been our child who likes to push the boundaries. She always wants to be in the middle of everything. She has trouble understanding that sometimes there is a reason Mom and Dad have rules. We are working at teaching her that choices have consequences, but obviously we still have some work to do.
Well, our friends are working on their yard. They are almost ready for grass, but first wanted to get curbing put in for flower beds. It ended up being a big mess because the guys did it when nobody was home, and they didn't do it where the homeowners wanted. After some arguing the cement guy came back, tore it all out, and redid everything. The kids were playing at some different neighbors house, but apparently they all had to go investigate. I walked over to find out the story and check on the kids. Kirsten and I were talking when another friend came by on her bike. We turned to talk to her. I looked back probably only 30 seconds later to see my dear sweet Allie walking along the newly poured cement curbing. It was like slow motion. Unfortunately I had a neighbor girl in my arms. Kirsten quickly turned and grabbed Allie, who suddenly realizing she's in trouble and has something really gross all over her feet, and starts screaming. We quickly change kids and go to find the husbands who are laying sod at a different neighbors house. They couldn't fix it, but decided if it had been about 15 minutes later the rest was already hardened enough she wouldn't have been able to do any damage. They had to call the grumpy cement guy to come back and replace the piece (fortunately she walked in the little piece and not the one that wrapped all around the house).
I was sick about the whole thing. We've tried and tried to get them to let us pay for the replacement cost (probably between $30-40), but they refuse. I'm still trying to figure out how to make them take the money.
Lesson learned: Do not take your eyes of little ones when wet cement is near.
Lesson Allie learned: Cement feels yucky, and the grownups aren't very happy when you walk in it.