Breaking in New Toys

Suzi, Grandpa and I have enjoyed breaking in

some of her Christmas toys this week. She has

enjoyed the big cardboard blocks (made in the

USA by Melissa and Doug Toys).

How on earth am I supposed to teach
her to cook when Grandpa is teaching
her to beat rhythms on her new bowls
with the measuring spoons? Maybe
we're helping to raise a future

percussionist . . . .

Suzi and I took our weekly trip to the library

on Thursday for storyhour. We went early so

that she could try out some new puzzles before

the songs and stories started. Then she did

her art project. Suzi always takes her art project

very seriously. She's learning to name the colors

and trying hard to get the right grip on that crayon.

She's in the scribbling stage, but loves to use all

the colors.

Today we gave her a chalkboard (also a Melissa

and Doug toy made in the USA)for the first
time. She is already teaching her baby.
Boy, do I wish I had a video of the conversation!

Suzi Had a Wonderful Christmas

The postman brought her packages.

She made a stocking during story hour at the library.


She opened gifts.

Santa brought her a big red wagon.

She and her cousin Olivia posed for a picture together.

Then they opened more gifts.

Suzi sampled the M&M's while we made gingerbread men.

She ate some and shared some with her mom and dad.
Hopefully I will be a better blogger in the new year. One thing is for sure . . . Suzi and I will be busy. There will be lots to share.

50 Uses for Vinegar

I cannot claim credit for today's blog. Instead, I must thank my college roommate, Nancy, for sharing it with me. If you read my daughter's blog you know that she enjoys using vinegar to rinse her hair. I have tried some of these uses and have been pleased with the results. I intend to try more of them as the need arises. Vinegar is so much better for the environment and so much less expensive than the products I have used before.

1. Kill grass on walks and driveways...
2. Kill weeds - spray full strength on growth until plants have starved...
3. Increase soil acidity - in hard water, one gallon of tap water for watering rhododendrums, gardenias, or azaleas.
4. Deter ants - spray vinegar around doors, appliances, and along other areas where ants are known...
5. Polish car chrome - apply full strength...
6. Remove skunk odor from a dog - rub fur with full strength vinegar; rinse...
7. Keep cats away -sprinkle vinegar on areas you don't want the cat walking, sleeping, or scratching on...
8. Keep dogs from scratching his ears - use a clean, soft cloth dipped in diluted vinegar...
9. Keep chickens from pecking each other - put a little in their drinking water...
10. Tenderize meat - soak in vinegar over night...
11. Freshen vegetables - soak wilted vegetables in 2 cups of water and a tablespoon of vinegar...
12. Boil better eggs - add 2 tablespoons water before boiling eggs, keeps them from cracking...
13. Soothe a bee or jellyfish sting - dot the irritation with vinegar and relieve itching...
14. Relieve sunburn - lightly rub white vinegar; you may have to reapply.
15. Condition hair - add a tablespoon of vinegar to dissolve sticky residue left by shampoo... fight dandruff, after shampooing, rinse with vinegar and 2 cups of warm water...
16. Relieve dry and itchy skin - add 2 tablespoons to bath water...
17. Soothe a sore throat - put a teaspoon of vinegar in a glass of water. Gargle, then swallow...
18. Treat sinus infections and chest colds - add 1/4 cup or more vinegar to the vaporizer...
19. Feel good - teaspoon of apple cider vinegar in a glass of water, with a bit of honey added for flavor, will take the edge off your appetite and give you an overall healthy feeling...
20. Deodorize the kitchen drain - pour a cup down the drain once a week, let stand 30 minutes and then flush with cold water...
21. Eliminate onion odor - rub on your fingers before and after slicing... 22. Clean and disinfect wood cutting boards - wipe with full strength vinegar...
23. Remove fruit stains from hands - rub with vinegar...
24. Cut grease and odor on dishes - add a tablespoon of vinegar to hot soapy water...
25. Clean a teapot - boil a mixture of water and vinegar in the teapot, wipe away the grime...
26. Freshen a lunchbox - soak a piece of bread in vinegar and let it sit in the lunchbox over night...
27. Clean the refrigerator - wash with a solution of equal parts water and vinegar...
28. Unclog a drain, - pour a handful of baking soda down the drain and add 1/2 cup of vinegar, Rinse with hot water...
29. Clean and deodorize the garbage disposal - make vinegar ice cubes and feed them down the disposal, after grinding, run cold water through...
30. Clean and deodorize jars - rinse mayonnaise, peanut butter, and mustard jars with vinegar when empty...
31. Clean the dishwasher - run a cup of vinegar through the whole cycle once a month to reduce soap build up on the inner mechanisms and on glassware...
32. Clean stainless steel - wipe with a vinegar dampened cloth...
33. Clean china and fine glassware - add a cup of vinegar to a sink of warm water, Gently dip the glass or china in the solution and let dry...
34. Get stains out of pots - fill pot with a solution of 3 tablespoons of vinegar to a pint of water,Boil until stain loosens and can be washed away...
35. Clean the microwave - boil a solution of 1/4 cup of vinegar and 1 cup of water in the microwave, will loosen splattered on food and deodorize...
36. Dissolve rust from bolts and other metals - soak in full strength vinegar...
37.Get rid of cooking smells - let simmer a small pot of vinegar and water solution...
38. Unclog steam iron - pour equal amounts of vinegar and water into the iron's water chamber, turn to steam and leave the iron on for 5 minutes in an upright position, then unplug and allow to cool, any loose particles should come out when you empty the water...
39. Clean a scorched iron plate - heat equal parts vinegar and salt in a small pan...
40. Rub solution on the cooled iron surface to remove dark or burned stains...
41. Get rid of lint in clothes - add 1/2 cup of vinegar to the rinse cycle...
42. Keep colors from running - immerse clothes in full strength vinegar before washing...
43. Freshen up the washing machine - periodically, pour a cup of vinegar in the machine and let in run through a regular cycle (no clothes added) Will dissolve soap residue...
44. Brighten fabric colors - add a 1/2 cup vinegar to the rinse cycle...
45. Take grease off suede - dip a toothbrush in vinegar and gently brush over grease spot...
46. Remove tough stains - gently rub on fruit, jam, mustard, coffee, tea. Then wash as usual...
47. Get smoke smell out of clothes - add a cup of vinegar to a bath tub of hot water - hang clothes above the steam...
48. Remove decals - brush with a couple coats of vinegar, allow to soak, wash off...
49. Clean eyeglasses - wipe each lens with a drop of vinegar...

I must add #50 - from my junior high school English teacher - spray vinegar on windows,wipe them with newspaper and they will sparkle!

Suzi's Eye - eeeees

Suzi has become fascinated with glasses. I used to laugh at my grandmother for having a drawer full of glasses for reading, sewing, etc. Now I'm probably even worse than she was. I have reading glasses here, there and yonder throughout the house. Suzi finds them and brings them to me telling me to put on my "eye - eeeees". One of her cousins gave her some pretend glasses as part of her birthday gift and she loves wearing them.

They make her feel so intelligent!

Nothing Can Go To Waste . . . .Not Even Crabapples!

These are the crabapples on the tree in our backyard. I had been complaining because they are too small to use to make jelly. That was before a friend gave me a bag of crabapples. I certainly couldn't let them go to waste!

Thank goodness for Jenny! She came over Saturday afternoon to help. Jenny decided it made more sense to sit than to stand all afternoon. I usually don't sit, but I must admit it was a good idea. We sat to pick through and remove the blossom ends from the crabapples.

Then we washed, and washed, and washed before boiling the crabapples and squeezing the juice out.

We ended up with 25 half pint jars of tart-sweet jelly.

Where do babies come from? The Cabbage Patch, of course!

Jenny always loved her baby dolls, so it's not surprising that Suzi is following in her mom's footsteps. We took Suzi and her parents to The Cabbage Patch in Cleveland, GA. on Sunday. Cleveland is only about 70 miles from Clemson, making it a nice day trip. Suzi insisted on carrying her baby with her. The baby had to have a visitor's pass. You can see the sticker on her back.

It was such fun watching Suzi try to take in everything she saw.
We could hardly contain her. She wanted to go-go
on her own and explore the whole place.

Each room or area had a theme. Here we are in the school room.
In addition to the bus there was a playground, classroom and cafeteria.

Suzi liked Santa's glasses. She calls everyone's glasses "eyes".


Suzi and her dad checked out some of the
Cabbage Patch Kids in the Christmas area.


She pointed out the noses, eyes, ears and
mouths on the "kids" sitting by the fence.


Then she went shopping! Here she has two Bunny Bees - they're
the ones who sprinkle crystals in the Cabbage Patch to
determine which babies are boys and which are girls.
Bet you didn't know that!

She chose a girl with big green eyes and a tuft of light brown hair.
Once she selected the prefect baby, she was ready to go-go.
She carried it to the check out all by herself.


Grandpa met her there to take care of the paperwork.


She loved her new baby all the way home.


Welcome home Shayla Harmon.

I'm sure there will be more trips to the Cabbage Patch for us. Suzi wasn't at all interested in seeing the action when one of the cabbages had a delivery. I video taped it for her, but she'll want to see it for herself one of these days.

Busy Morning at Grandma and Grandpa's

Right after breakfast Suzi chooses a book.

One of her favorites is Grandpa's Little One by Billy Crystal. The illustrations are gorgeous.
She's getting to be quite the little climber.

Over and up!
She loves to find pictures of butterflies and animals on her Picture Play Quilt.
She loves to help Grandma clean with the Swivel Sweeper.
That's just the morning. We'll do the afternoon later.