Fall Weather

This fall weather has been great for playing!

Some of it was good for playing inside because it was cold. One day Ella and I went to an indoor play area just to get out of the house. Sometimes we go a little crazy if we stay in the house too long! Since Ella was under two, she got in for free. My entrance fee was a dollar, and it was worth every penny to get out of the house! They had lots of fun new toys to play with.

Some days were cold, but lots of days were good for playing outside. Ella loves to get out and about. She'll grab her shoes and then walk to the door to let us know that she is ready to go! (Even when it is cold and she has short pants on)
Sometimes we just play in our yard. (Front and back are fun!) Ella likes to play with rocks, bricks, mulch and dirt the most.
Sometimes we head to the park. Especially when Daddy can come too. Ella is learning to play on the equipment now.

Apple Tasting

I decided to put together a fancy date for Daniel and I one weekend. (This is a shock for anyone who knows us, I know.) I decided that it would be a great time to do a fancy apple tasting.

"Why an apple tasting?" you ask. We aren't allowed to go to some tastings (beer, wine, other things not Word of Wisdom approved). Some tastings can be expensive (fancy cheese, fancy food, fancy desserts). Finally, the real reason, because apples were on sale.

We tried 12 kinds of apples. Two varieties per plate. I tried to keep it as anonymous as possible by cutting up the apples, putting them on a plate with their identifying sticker on the bottom. Daniel kept them anonymous by mixing up the plates and having us sample them out of order. (Numbers 1 and 2 were not on the same plate) It was a very official anonymizing system.

We even downloaded fancy score cards so we could keep track of our opinions.

Winners: Jazz, Pink Lady and Empire. (Just in case you were wondering.)

Activity tower

When your baby does this: then you need to do read this post, stat! If you don't have this problem, just enjoy all the cute pictures.

I'm no fancy mom/craft/anything fancy blogger, so my pictures aren't the best, but if I were to pretend to be a fancy blogger this is how my post would go: (The reader is required to use their imagination for the high quality pictures with a clean house in the background).

Hey all! I'm back again with another post from my happy, pristine homestead! I NEVER have an issue with getting dinner done on time since having a baby(wait... I think it might be more like the opposite of that going on around here.) Anyway, if you do have the afternoon fussies problem, I have (with the help of a couple of other blogs: prestonandkate, inthehollowheart, and Jules on ikeahacker) come up with a solution for a toddler wanting to be held from 4-6pm keeping you from getting anywhere near a kitchen.

Stuff you'll need: Shopping List
(1)1x2x96 (or so) board
(1)1x3x96 board
(1) dowel (atleast 18" something like a 3/8 to 5/8in) optional
(1) Ikea BEKVA„M step stool
(1) Box 2" wood screws

Steps:
One: If you can, draft a good handyman. Today I've got my Handsome Helpful Husband! (HHH, for short :P )

Two: Get your shopping list together and head out to your favorite hardware store. Bonus tip: bring your toddler a carrier so they don't escape and try to climb up one of those moving stair cases!

Three: But your sweet Toddler in bed! Bonus: Have your HHH play cute bedtime games with said Toddler!

Four: Have your HHH (or substitute) ready to do some cutting! (Mine also had to take apart the Ikea step stool that is the base of this project)
Strait Cut list: (If you trust the boys at your local hardware/box store they might do these cuts for you. If you are too lazy to find a meticulous HHH to do it for you)

• You'll need four tall pieces (To figure out how tall subtract the height of your stool from the close to the height of your counter top) we used 1x2 furring strips for this part 
• (optional, sort of) You need to cut your dowel down to size.
• From 1x3 board you'll need a piece to go on the front of your tower. (MY HHH assured me that this is important for stability or something) it should be the length of your step stool

Five: Now THIS little tool is going to become your best friend. You are going to make some 45 degree cuts to top off your tower in a cute frame. two should be the width and one should be the length of the tower. We did ours in 1x3

Six: Assembly. You can start this earlier as you cut, if you want to. That might be good, because you might need to go back to the hardware store for a whole box of 2" wood screws at 8:45 at night. You never know. 

• Screw the legs (the long 1x2's) into the removed top step of the stool
• Screw the dowel into the top of the legs on the side with the step
• Optional: Go back to the hardware store for more screws
• Screw the strait piece on the front of the legs
• Screw down the 45 degree angles to make a frame!  
• Reassamble Stool

Seven: In the morning:

Get your cute morning toddler to model your creation and vow to never ever get down.

In the afternoon: Enjoy having your hands free to make dinner, or your favorite delicious Mommy snack because you deserve it!

Warnings: 

Your baby may quickly learn how to move their tower around the kitchen! They also may run to it every morning before you can even give them breakfast.

Ella the Smarty Pants

Ella has started learning to use her toys! It makes me so amazed how fast she is learning and understanding things.

She puts blocks in the holes of her sorting toy. She puts blocks on her stacking train and even has it make noises! She plays with her doll and her animals. She loves any game that means putting one little thing in a bigger thing. (My impromptu toy.)

When we go out, she loves to figure out new things as well. (Sometimes it takes more time than others.)