good deal, for slc

If you need a small painting job done, Groupon has a great deal today. $59 gets you a 12x12 room, paint included (77% off!) After spending at least $59 and countless hours to get Ella's room painted this sounds like a great deal.

walking about

Our ward did a "walk about" last night. A walk about, for those of you not in the know, is where three houses in the neighborhood host a little front yard chit chat, complete with treats and drink. They asked us to host the first one and we happily obliged. I love {and hate} an excuse to bake and get my yard/house in order. Thanks to oodles of help from my mom, Kimmy and Kneaders, it was a success. Ella loved the kids+dogs+treats.

ella at 21 months

• She went through a phase where she added "ie" to the end of most words. "No-ie" was particularly cute. One day she said, all in one sentence, that we went to the zoo-ie with Ma Shu-ie and rode the choo-choo-ie.
• She talks like a pirate. "I write me name." "I need me mommy!"
• Her Gummy Birds have been life changing. Hallelujah!
• She loves to dress herself. Most of the time she ends up with her pants inside out and backwards.
• She loves salt. She asks for it by name and would eat it plain if I'd let her. It's funny because if I had to pick salt or sugar, I'd pick sugar 99/100. Must get it from her dad.
• She is definitely related to these kiddos, because she asks for her milk "Nice and warm." In fact, most things are "Not hot. Nice and warm." The bath water, her carseat, the temperature outside, her food..."Not hot. Nice and warm." She also likes things, "Not tight. Nice and loose."
• She loves her Grandmas. Ma Ja, Ma Shu, Ma Ota and Ma Pa, Ma Tweet.
• We had a little struggle with nursery a few weeks back, when I substituted for a bit. What? Mom can come to nursery too?? Never fear, we are back to "No Mom nursh. Mom take you nursh. Mom go class."

ella

keeping up

I should probably just keep this to myself, and let you all think that I am an amazing cook and a real whiz in the kitchen....but I can't help myself. I just got a new cookbook and it looks amazing. I've only gotten through the first 50 pages but already I want to try my hand at these tasty treats. The cookbook is called keeping up cookbook and is written by the author of Favorites, a Collection of Ivory Family Recipes. Favorites is a great cookbook with tried and true recipes, but I think keeping up looks even better.

check it out here