Coffee can turned plant pot

This is my first time showing a craft idea.  We ( I should say dh) drinks a lot of coffee in this house.  That being said I have tons of plastic coffee cans just hanging around.  This morning I took a coffee can primed it first.  Then painted it with a cream colored textured type paint.  Once the can dried you could still see some of the name of the coffee shining through.   I decided to take scrap book paper and decoupage it on the areas that the writing was still shining through.  Tried to match the paper up with the colors in my dining room.  That wasn't easy because I do not have a lot of scrap book paper around.  I had no modge podge glue hanging around so I used a recipe that I found online through  pinterest.  It seems to work.:)  I think its still missing something but not sure what. :) 

New Recipe

Tried a new recipe today.  Sticky Buns.  The Home EC class I teach is going over yeast breads.  I had to test drive a recipe to see if it will work.  This recipe is taken from the Five minute a day Artisan bread book.  I found the recipe online ( I do not have the book yet).   Because I only have classes Tuesday, Thursday and Friday I had  to come up with a recipe that could sit in the fridge and prepare in a couple of days.  This recipe met that criteria.  I made the dough today and it can last in the fridge for up to two weeks.  I made some sticky rolls today with the  dough but I did let it rise awhile before going in the fridge.  According to what  I read the dough will have more flavor after sitting in the fridge for awhile.  I do have to come up with other ways to use up the rest of the dough.  Maybe some Challah bread.  The picture above is the sticky buns out of the oven.  The picture below is the sticky buns after being inverted onto a plate.

The plan is to make the dough on Tuesday with the class.  Let it sit in the Refrigerator from Tuesday until Thursday.  ( Unless we miss school because of a supposed snow storm heading our way.)  Friday will be pizza day.:)  If the snow storm does happen then we will do this on Thursday and make the buns on Friday.  The Pizza will have to be the following week.  I love Home EC because I get to do new things that I did not feel like I could do.:)  Sad part was it took teaching a class to help. 

Sharon :)

Menu January 16-22

I am finding that it is easier to do a weekly menu than a monthly menu.  I can stick to and not stray away from it.  Goal is not to add to the pantry this week but shop from my pantry.  We shall see how that goes.:)  May just have to get a few items like eggs and milk.  So here is this weeks menu.

Sunday- Roast beef, mashed potatoes and carrots (maybe homemade bread or rolls)
Monday-Leftover roast beef in a veggie stew kind of thing.
Tuesday-BBQ Chicken legs with Cheddar and Broccoli rice and a veggie
Wednesday-Corn Chowder in Slow cooker (http://realmomkitchen.com/5095/corn-chowder-in-the-slow-cooker/) trying a new recipe.  This is a wonderful site.
Thursday- Leftovers (may change and be the spur of the moment).:)
Friday-Chicken divan
Saturday-Pizza

Wednesday I set aside to make goodies for the kids lunches throughout the week.  Love to bake up something for them and pop it in the freezer.  So all I have to do when I make their lunches is take their treat out of the freezer and pop them into their lunches.  By the time lunch time rolls around it is defrosted.  Now if I can find cheap and easy lunches for them that would be awesome.:) Have a great week ya'll.:) I am participating in the Menu Plan Monday over at orgjunkie.

Sharon :)

Menu for the week of January 9-16

Sunday- Steak, rice and veggie
Monday - Rice Casserole from rice on Sunday
Tuesday- Taco Salad
Wednesday-Chicken and Dumplings with homemade rolls(if power stays on)
Thursday-Spaghetti and garlic bread
Friday- Haddock Casserole
Saturday- Homemade pizza

Going to try and post a weekly menu here so I can stick to it.  Have fun.:)

New Years Resolution ( 2010 and for 2011)

As I ponder what my life was like in 2010 I think about how I could have done things differently.  I have wasted so much of my life already that even this past year I see times that was wasted.  I can't seem to get out of my rut.  My problem I read too many blogs where ladies seem to have everything just right and their lives are in control. I compare my life to theirs and get depressed.:(   That is probably why God says not to compare yourself amongst yourselves. (paraphrase)  Everyone has their talents and areas they are strong in. 

This list was my resolution plans for the year of 2010:

1. Get organized and stay organized. - This one I have tried and still working on. :)
2. Keep up with my Morning and Evening routines- I am getting better at keeping the routines but as the first goal I am still working on it.
3. Learn how to garden in Maine (so much different then TX was.)- Did not get a chance to do a garden this year.  We moved and Mike will be helping me this year to work on getting my plots  ready.
4. Possibly go for my CNA licenses.- This one will not happen.  Decided that I do not want to be a CNA
5. Work on Learning new sewing techniques- I think I will always be working on this one.:)

Now for the goals of 2011:  I can't really say.  I haven't thought about it much because I can't seem to keep up with my goals but here are a few:
1.Accomplish more sewing techniques ( this time work on zippers and buttons). I can do better in this area and this will be the goal.  Pick one project a month (maybe more I do not want to over load myself and give up on it)
2. Learn more cooking techniques. - This one I want to learn some new bread recipes and learn to make and decorate some cakes. ( Hope to accomplish this- may not happen but I will be trying)
3.  Build some furniture ( this will take Mike showing me how to use his power tools. LOL) - this will be a new one for us but something I think we can do.  
4.  Learn to take care of chickens and have our own eggs.  ( Springtime)
5.  Learn to can what we grow this year.

I will not stress over this list but will do the best that I can to accomplish my goals from the past year and the New Year. Have fun ya'll and happy New Year.:)

Sharon :)

The Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY
Outside my window... Darkness it is time for bed.:)

I am thinking...Life can be very interesting. 

I am thankful for...My wonderful man.  He has done so much for us.  So thankful that I married him.:) I thank the Lord for him.:)

From the kitchen...Omelets and fried potatoes for the kids.  Baked potatoes for me.:)

I am wearing...Coral colored sweats with matching jacket and a purple t-shirt under jacket.  ( doesn't match but hey it was time to relax after a busy day.:))

I am creating...at the moment nothing.:( But I am wanting to get back into some sewing.:)

I am going...bed soon.:)

I am reading...too many things and nothing finished yet.

I am hoping...things at dh job gets better.:) And that he can find a job back here in the States so he can come home sooner.:) All in the Lord's hands.

I am hearing...Tia hopping through the house instead of using the crutches and voices on the tv.

Around the house...too many things need to be accomplished.

One of my favorite things...cuddle up with a good book.

A few plans for the rest of the week.. doctors appointment for Tia tomorrow, Wednesday school meeting at the lighthouse and  church, Thursday soccer game away and Friday maybe the fair.


Here is picture for thought I am sharing...

My sweetie.:) Cleo.  She sleeps at the end of the bed each night and can be quite annoying. LOL

http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com -This is a great website to go to if you love to keep journals.  I haven't done this in a long time and my blog was due for a post.:)

Sharon:)

7 More days left

Yep seven more days until Mike is home for two weeks.  I am so excited about it.  We are hoping that it will be a time of relaxing and fun.  We have a trip planned to New York for the weekend and then over to PA for three days to visit Wolf Lodge.  Wolf Lodge is an indoor water park.  We took the kiddos to one in Dallas when we lived in TX.  It was a blast.  So we are super excited.  We get to celebrate our 16th wedding anniversary while he is home to.:)  Yeah!!! He has been gone for our 10th ( was gone to Iraq while in the military), and then gone on our 15th ( again to Iraq working with KBR).  We have had a wonderful marriage.  We have had our ups and downs but hands down I have the best man ever. Yep I am bias.  I love my man and always will.  He has been an awesome husband.  Always there when I am struggling with many issues.:) He is a wonderful daddy.  I couldn't have asked for a better man.:)  I thank the Lord that he has blessed me with an awesome man!!:)

The kiddos started school on the 30th.  Some are having a hard time adjusting because of the age/grade transition. I am sure it will get better once they get settled into a routine.  I am working on getting back into a routine here at home.  Back to the normal 5:30 wake up time.  Through the summer I was quite lazy and slept in. :)

I can't believe how fast summer went.  We had maybe our last cookout on Monday.  The weather was great.  I hope I can fit in one more cookout while Mike is home.  We didn't get pictures.  Oh well.:)  The deck  is almost done. :)  Hopefully tomorrow it will be finished.  It is awesome.  Well enough catch up.  Off to bed  soon. Have a great week.:)
Sharon :)