Uh, Teague...I found your other sock. In my pantry. On top of the soda. Suspiciously enough, it looks planted there.

Paper Halloween Cup Lights

Nicole and I found this cute project on the Good Housekeeping website. It was really easy and these cups look so much cuter even in person than on the computer. Plus, they're cheap and who doesn't love that? Nicole and I made this for about $10. The things you'll need to get started are: 3 oz. paper bath cups, an exacto knife, glue (we just used hot glue since it dries so fast), Halloween scrapbook paper, and a 20-25 count strand of led lights.

We cut apart one of the paper cups to make a template for the shape of the scrapbook paper we needed to cut out. Then we cut out the template in the various scrapbook papers we were going to use.

When that was done, we hot glued the templates right over the top of our cups. Our cups had a pattern to it, but after the project is done, you can't even see the pattern under the scrapbook paper. Also, be careful when you line the paper up or you'll get a bulge in the top of the cup.

Then we took an exacto knife and cut a small x in the top of the cup so we could push through the lights. Be careful when you push the lights through, as I tore a few of my cups and had to re-make them. I found 20 count led lights at Wal-Mart that were battery powered for $4.98. I love that they're battery powered because then you can put them pretty much anywhere!

Needless to say, Nicole and I loved this project so much, we're planning on making some Christmas ones. And, since they make scrapbook paper for any occasion, I might make cups for every holiday. That will ensure I'll get lots of use out of my battery powered led lights. They also said to use led lights instead of regular Christmas lights because of the heat involved, but just be warned, the led lights aren't that bright.

New Floor!

So I've decided I need to start blogging more. It's a good way to stay in touch with family and let everyone know what you're doing. I haven't really liked blogging all that much simply because I don't really know how to use the program very well. I think that with a little practice, however, I will be able to figure it out.

The thing that has been taking up the bulk of our time lately is the new carpet. We weren't going to get new carpet until tax return time, however, a store was offering 12 months no interest financing and free installation for carpet. We decided we couldn't turn it down and that we could still pay it off with tax return money without losing anything. So we did it.

It was a rough 4 days having our house torn apart. We could eat in the living room and cook, but no one really wanted to spend any time in these big empty rooms. 4 people and 2 dogs lived in our master bedroom for 5 days. We tried to stay out of the house as much as possible.

The carpet installers did a great job. I LOVE it!!! I have to admit the carpet is a little darker than I thought it would be, but I did that on purpose to hide stains. The painting I wanted to do is finally done and now with the new carpet it feels like a whole new house. We also put laminate in the entrance we use the most since it was so disgustingly dirty you don't even want to know. Now I'm wishing we could do the bedrooms too. Gotta pay this off first though. :) I can finally put up my fall stuff now! Yay!

General Conference

I love reading the Ensign. There are few things I look forward to more. My favorite is the conference talks. I like General Conference weekend, but the time I most grow is when I am able to read and study the talks. I learn so much more that I didn't hear when I was listening to it. Over the many General Conference's (and I'm sure many of you can relate), I have noticed that I take the most from President Deiter F. Uchtdorf's talks. I'm sure everyone has a favorite they like to listen to. I feel like he talks to my soul the most, that he relates to me the most. I was reading the conference talk from April titled "Waiting on the Road to Damascus" and I found a new favorite quote:

"The truth is, those who diligently seek to learn of Christ eventually will come to know Him. They will personally receive a divine portrait of the Master, although it most often comes in the form of a puzzle-one piece at a time. Each individual piece may not be easily recognizable by itself; it may not be clear how it relates to the whole. Each piece helps us to see the big picture a little more clearly. Eventually, after enough pieces have been put together, we recognize the grand beauty of it all. Then, looking back on our experience, we see that the Savior has indeed come to be with us-not all at once but quietly, gently, almost unnoticed."

Tired little Monkey

This has never happened to me before. I guess there's a first for everything and there must have been too much Easter candy or something! :)