Fall!!!

I should have posted this sooner, because this last week it's been more like winter!
I've decided I really like fall. I love the crispness in the air - but not the chill we've had this last week! I wanted to have a cute fall tablecloth, but I didn't want to spend more than $5.00 on one. Cheap, I know. I went to Wal-Mart. They had plastic Halloween ones, no thank-you. They had those plastic vinyl ones, no thank-you. They had some cloth ones for $9 or $13, no thank-you. Then I thought I could make one easy enough. I could buy some material, sew the edges, and have a cute, easy, simple table cloth. It cost me $3.75 for the fabric, a little bit of time, but I ended up with exactly what I had in mind! I love it! I already had the leaves, so I thought they went perfectly with the tablecloth.
The other thing I like about fall is pumpkin! I love pumpkin cookies, pumpkin pancakes, pumpkin muffins, dinner in a pumpkin, but not pumpkin pie. I've loved making all of these things. Yummy! Now I want to make pumpkin bread. If any of you have good recipes that you love for above listed pumpkin cravings, please send them to me. I'm always looking for good new recipes! Here's my fun halloween decorations! Not very many, but enough for our place to be festive!

Freedom Academy Halloween

The school I'm teaching at right now is called Freedom Academy. I'll tell you more about it in a different post. We are having a school carnival tomorrow - I'm excited about that! They asked the teachers to make a decorated box that we could sell at the carnival. A student can buy a box, and the following week the teacher will bring lunch for that student and each lunch with that student. It sounds like fun! Here is the box I made for it. I love how it turned out!
This is my favorite part - there are cobwebs going into the box. You can't even see the box. Stick your hand in there, and you don't know what you'll get!!!

Great Present!

In Relief Society about a month ago we made these little journals. You can do it with all recycled paper, which is what a I used to make this one. You can use one sided printed paper, fold it in half, and that's the paper you put in the book. Then you take a cereal box (or any other box) and cut it to be the size you want and the print you want. Then line up the paper, (fold on the outside) with the 2 boxes (these are the covers) and drill holes down the spine of the book. Once you got that, take embroidery thread (I use crocheen (spelling?) because that's what I have around) and thread up and down the holes you've made. You can add beads or any other details you want. It's easier to do when someone shows you. They are super quick, cheap, and easy. If you want to do it sometime, and need help, I can show you.A couple weeks after we made them, I thought it would be great to make a coloring/activity book for my nephew for his birthday. I went to the Crayola website, where you can print off tons of different coloring pages and activity pages. I did them double sided and tried to find things my nephew would like. Following the pattern of the journal, I made my own cover. I used cardstock I had for the cover, then made the front with lettering I have. Awesome! The best part - it probably cost less than $1.00 to make! It cost more to send it than to make it! Hee hee. A couple weeks after that my niece was over for conference. The girls were all doing crafty stuff, and she wanted to be a part of it. So, I got some white cardstock, cut it down to the size I wanted, and she put pictures on them. Once she was done, we made it into a little book like the other ones. I should have gotten a picture of it. She loved it! It was super easy to do, and it helped her feel special and important. She loved having her own book.
This little journal making idea has come in so handy! Love it!!!

So many posts! Where to begin? I'm way behind! Sorry!
This last weekend was fall break, and it was great! Loved it! Matthew's sister, Karissa, plays soccer for Idaho State University. She had a game last Thursday and Saturday, so we spent those three days up in Pocatello. She won both games, and scored a goal in one of the games. It was so fun to see them win! What great games to be there for! Her in-laws own and manage The Black Swan up there. You can check out their website and other sweet rooms at http://www.blackswaninn.com/. Matthew and I spent Thursday night in the Egyptian room. Here's some pics from that. We got a sweet discount, otherwise, there would be no way for us to be able to afford to stay there. Thanks David's family!!! We loved our room! The shower had 2 shower heads, and was also a sauna - loved it! It was very relaxing, very much needed, and very cool!
Karissa's mother-in-law did all the painting and decorating in all the rooms. They look so cool!!! I am so impressed and amazed.
Karissa's husband and father-in-law built these statues, as well as others in The Black Swan. Incredible! These alone, were so big!!! That's amazing!We watched the proposal on this sweet screen. Not the biggest fan of the movie.
They had a massage table in the room. Who knew Matthew was such a good masseur? I definitely was and am spoiled!
The jetted tub was so cool - the water, as you can see, came shooting out of the the snakes mouths - so fun!!!
Kitchen area
On Friday, we played an exciting round of Yahtzee, then Matthew worked the rest of the day. He is such a hard worker! What a stud! While he was working I went up to Rexburg to spend some time with Natty. It was fun to see her again. I only wish I could have been there longer. It's just never long enough!!! We chilled, relaxed, and talked. We made chili together - a first for both of us, yummy! My grandparents live up there as well. While I was there, they said they had some extra pumpkins if we wanted them. So we visited my grandparents and got some awesome pumpkins! I was wanting some pumpkins, but didn't want to buy any, so this was exactly what I wanted. They look great in our apartment!
Look at her cute halloween decoration she made!!!
Stay tuned for more posts! Gotta go play - I mean work - but I'll post more this afternoon - hopefully!

Fun Filled Weekend

Matthew went on a business trip in California from Thursday morning to Sunday morning. He went to promote Healthy Shores (a company they have done a website and internet marketing for). They met with some celebrities to try to promote one of their products and get pictures with them. I didn't want to spend the weekend home - especially with Jonathan living with us. So I decided to go up to Rexburg and visit Natalie and other relatives there. I left Friday after school and got up to Rexburg around 9:00. What a great weekend! I loved it so much!! Natty and I had such a great time. I took up a couple of burp clothes. She crocheted one and I crocheted the other. We spent many hours just talking and catching up. I ran from Natty's house to my grandparent's house and visited them for a little bit. Natty and I then got some cheese curds, then some chocolates from my Aunt Florence (She owns a chocolate shop called Florence's chocolates - they are heavenly!!! They are so rich and so delicious - melt in your mouth goodness!) We went to a craft store then visited my aunt and uncle. My cousin and his wife just had a baby girl, so we visited their family and gave them one of our burp cloths. We finished the night off with some yummy ice cream and a movie. Sunday we went to church then visited my other cousin and wife who also just had a baby. They were born a week apart and are both girls. We took them our other burp cloth. We came home and played the game Life, then I headed home. It was so much fun!! I was so glad I went. It was a very good decision! Way better than doing who knows what at home. I wanted to get a picture of Natalie and I togehter with our completed burp cloths, but I didn't think of it until it was too late. So I just have pictures of them separate.
Here is the one I didHere's Natalie with the one she did
Here's a closeup of hers
Thanks for a great weekend Natty!!!
It was so good to see Matthew when I got home. It seemed like forever! I hate being away from him. I always miss him tons! Good thing he doesn't have to travel for work. I don't think I could handle that.

What the Squirrel?????

I've decided I officially don't like squirrels. A couple of days ago I went to leave for work. I pulled out of the driveway and knew immediately something was wrong with my car. I took Matthew's car to work instead. After school, Matthew and I looked at my car. My serpentine belt had come off. As I was looking in the hood I saw something furry. I don't remember furry things being in the hoods of cars. I looked closer and discovered an animal!!!! I got so disgusted!!! That was so gross! Matthew and Jonathan pried the little bugger out of my car. So here is the culprit of so much trouble - the dumb thing! I wanted to beat him! He was dead - good thing! We think he crawled into my hood, then when I started the car it zapped him and caused my belt to come off. URG!!!! Matthew said I have had the worst luck with my car the last few months. You better believe that! New timing belt, new water pump, new battery, new clutch, fixed tire, fixed belt. I love my car, but I hate my car too! More like I hate car problems! I'm so sick of them!!! The next day my brother Mike was nice enough to come put the belt back on my car. 2 hours later, some grunting, scrapes, bruises, and frustration we were able to put the belt back on. What a lifesavor!! He definitely saved us money. It was so nice of him to do that for me! Thanks Mike!!! I made him dinner in return, but I think I got the better end of that deal.

Yummy Delicious!!!

Last night I made my great grandmother's delicious peach pie. It's melt in your mouth goodness! I made homemade vanilla ice cream to go with it. Wow! It can't get better than that! It was so good! We still have more - come visit us and you can enjoy this delicious goodness with us!