YES! I Love Vinegar!

Vinegar, one of my best friends, has just climbed the ladder and is in position number ONE! I know the smell is slightly offensive, but for cleaning power alone it is Numbero Uno! Cole has always been so good with gum. Out of the wrapper, immediately in the mouth - chew, chew, chew and to the garbage. No fingers pulling it out of the mouth, no bubble blowing, no sticking in little brothers hair. But, .... all good tales must come to an end ...

Cole, "I think I'll take this gum out of my mouth while I'm in the truck. I'll be nice and put it on the car seat and not the new truck itself. Oh, but wait, not only will I put it on the car seat, I will sit on it! Oh, but I can't do this while we're home, no, no, no, no, NO...I will do it while we are in Heber City and going to dinner. Darn it, there is ice water and an industrious Grandmother to chip away at the stray gum, while Mom takes care of a hungry Baby J! Drat, that wasn't fun enough. When we get home I will chew gum while jumping on the bed. That's a great combination, right! Opps, the gum just bounced right out of my mouth. Now, where is it? I can't find it! I will look now. OOOOH, I've been missing this Spiderman, now where is his car. I really must play with Spiderman now, I'll look for the gum later. I forget about the gum, but that's okay. Mom will find it right? Yup, Mom found it. She doesn't look too happy. I guess it is kind of a mess. It's in the sheets. There, there, there, here, over there, and here. Oh, and there's some more over there, .....and there and I just put my hand in some more. What? It's on the mattress protector, too? I don't know how it got there. Mom, are you sure these are the only sheets you own for my bed. You have some extras for your bed right? Oh, they are a different size? Oh well, I can sleep in my sleeping bag....."

Gum + hot vinegar = the best solution I've ever seen! I thought the sheets were done for. It was smashed in and spread in strings from one end of his sheet to the other. A little search on the Internet and I found a solution better than ice! You microwave your vinegar, use a little scrub brush and VOILA! It melts and disintegrates! Right before your eyes! Yes, vinegar has saved the day. Oh, and it works best on sugar-free gum. Gum ball gum took more work. Had to heat up my friend a bit more for the sugary stuff. No more gum for Cole, ... EVER! I really mean it, kind of.

Personal Guarantee: You'll laugh and cry

You can't help but smile, funny, funny lady:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY

A name you'll want to remember - Susan Boyle.

Very interesting father and son:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gHvATmUsSg

I was laughing so hard, it was silent.

By the way, my personal guarantee doesn't cover anything, but if you didn't laugh, smile, and tear up just a little bit-you might be dead-check for pulse. Okay, now admit it, you downloaded the video didn't you!!!

Dictionary Additions - according to Cole

Bedtime Stupid: the state of stupidity that requires you to go to bed so you'll stop. Know causes: sleepiness, drowsiness, mind altering drugs, Benedryl, or just plain stupidity.

Jayden was so tired he would not go to bed last night. Cole would say, "Jayden is being bedtime stupid."

We've also been able to use this phrase today. Oh, so many uses!

Whatever....

I'm really not sure what to say. I can't really think of anything we've done in the past couple months. It seems like we're in a rut. Just doing the same stuff over and over. We did clean the garage out. Is that note worthy? It was the house garage, not the RV.....bummer. I finally bought a new vacuum cleaner! Thanks Janna for the recommend. I also bought a crockpot. Whoppee.....I was a little excited. I somehow misplaced two crockpots in the last move. I don't know how you lose those things; they're so big, but I did. Um, Christmas was fun... The boys look so cute in their Ute jerseys. Are you bored yet, I am. Cole had six shiny stainless steel caps put into his mouth. I'm so pleased that I've spent enough on his mouth that I could have bought a car:( (and I have to postpone having my eyes fixed).

Just a closing note. Cole was sent to the principal's office. He has been struggling with controlling his body. They turned his kindergarten over to the student teacher and he had a hay-day with that. Poor girl! So, a few weeks later I come home to find a certificate saying he earned a trip to the principal's office. Now I was confused the paper looked really kind of cute, but said it was for having power to control his body. Since this had been a problem a couple of weeks previously, I couldn't tell if he had been in trouble or not. The teacher had signed it and put a smiley face. Still, I couldn't tell if this was to reassure me that the problem was being handled or if he had done something good. I had to ask him to clear up my confusion. Apparently, a trip to the principal's office ends with a treat and a toy. It's a good thing? When I was in school the principals were mean and grumpy; you definitely didn't want to go down there. He's so proud of himself (and I am, too)!

Lake Powell

Somehow, I had this as a draft and never published it, so here it finally is.
We spent a few days at Lake Powell. I hadn't been in years. What a beautiful place. Trent's Uncle Steve went with us and showed us some canyons we hadn't ever seen.

Cole loved the indian ruins. He had to sit in this one with Jayden.

Jayden was so good on the boat. I'm glad he doesn't mind the lifejacket.

We had a great time exploring. I hadn't ever been up a lot of the canyons. We enjoyed seeing the fish and even caught a couple. I actually ate fish. I know, you can't believe it, but I loved the large-mouth bass we cooked. I've even crave it occasionally.

Jayden will be blessed

This is not the best way to do this, but it is super short notice and hopefully you will all see this. Jayden is being blessed this Sunday at 11:00 am at 10000 South 3100 East. 90th South turns into 9800 South as you approach Little Cottonwood Canyon. At 3100 East there is a church. Turn and go South from there and you will run into our church. We'd love to have everyone there. Please leave a comment if you can be there. We will have some refreshments at the house after-10562 Wasatch Blvd (the last real road that runs north and south along the mountain.

What did my yard produce?

A whole lot of scrub oak!!!! ( and trash trees and wild rose!) But.....I did have a lovely colorful driveway garden! I'm glad I planted my rose bushes last year. It seems they and a lovely little group of columbine are the only flowers on my entire acre of property! (if you don't count a rather healthy supply of vinca major ground cover that has little purple flowers and keeps Cole occupied trying to create large bouquets of little flowers on none-existant stems, but I digress) What was with the previous owners???? Supposedly there have been three wedding receptions held here in the past!?!?!?! What??? I guess if you like an abundance of scrub oak and weeds this would be the perfect setting. Anyway, I would like to share the one floral highlight of my year-a complete bouquet!