Get off that ladder and get back in the Cabinet NOW!

Okay awhile back my husband mentioned he was going to throw an old rickety wooden ladder away after purchasing a swank new metal one. -I said the heck you are! I am going to decorate with it. At which point laughter and "what are you talking about" remarks from my dear Husband ensued .

All I pretty much had to do was tell him "it's free decor" and I got my ladder!-evil grin!

But over the course of remodeling, the place I had in mind (to hang it on the wall flush against the ceiling with herbs dangling from it) was replaced...will be replaced with a wood stove.

And I don't know about you but a wooden ladder with dry herbs above a wood stove sounds like a fire hazard to me?

So my next idea, well why don't you see for yourself:

On the bottom rung I put magazines (because the ladder is right next to the toilet and everyone knows a toilet and reading go hand and hand)

Next rung toilet paper-again, toilet=need for toilet paper

Then I put towels and wash cloths on the upper rungs and in the bottom picture you can see I put some candles on the back rungs so if someone wanted to they could light them...


but I pray not on the ladder!

Sorry I did my pictures in sepia because the paint on my walls is just plain ugly and I did not want you to see it. -I will be painting over it the next few months.

So what do you think?
Latte

You want to put concrete where?....

I love rustic...absolutely love it! If you have read older posts you know I am a big square and I like things that are beautiful and well basic. So when my husband told me he was thinking of going into the concrete counter top business I jumped at the chance for a rustic counter top!

This is my main (main meaning the main one we use day in and day out) bathroom counter before:
Um...that is a hair tie in the sink, and do you see those black marks on the sink that is were I dropped something and it chipped the sink. I did that when we first got the house almost 10 years ago and not one time since!

Go figure!

Here is another:
you can see the chips better in this one and a the outlet without a cover...we are getting to that.

So drum roll on my new counter top!..............ththththththththtthththtthhttththththt



Don'tcha just love it! I asked for black, but it seems that charcoal was as close to back as they could get...dreamy huh! Did I mention it only cost him about $20 (counter top only) to make?

Here it is at other angles:
If you notice the crease in the counter in the picture above it's because my husband made this one upside down...and the tape (while flat when he laid it) wrinkled from the weight of the concrete. That is also why you see such color variations, that would not happen if you do it right side up-but I love it this way! I actually love it both ways!

So what do you think? You won't hurt my feelings none! My husband earned real brownie points in my eye! Now he HAS to do the whole house (all counter tops!)

Recipe Iced Latte

My favorite Iced Latte:

two shots of espresso (need espresso or cappuccino maker! or REALLY strong coffee )
2oz-3oz hazelnut creamer (I use Nestle cafe-mate liquid creamer)
1/4 to 1/2 cup milk
ice

YUM! To find more great recipes check out The Grocery Cart Challenge

Menu Plan Day

Organic Gal!

My version of the grocery cart challenge!
Trying to live organically and naturally on $70.00 a week!

Well I was suppose to do this on Thursday...but I got lazy! NOT GOOD! We ended up eating out, which I don't know how to avoid on days we go to Springfield because it's 40 miles from the house and we already made breakfast and lunch to take, dinner would not last 10 hours! Oh well ya's do what ya's can do huh?

Please keep in mind I get all my recipes from America's Test Kitchen cookbooks so the ones below with links while they are close to my recipes that are not ATK!

Okay my meals for the week:

Breakfasts:
Smoothies
Strawberry muffins
Organic Cereal
Organic Poptarts
Eggs and bacon
Oatmeal


Dinners:
*Tuscan Bread Soup x's 2 but makes one meal
-Salad
*Potato & Onion Pizza x's 2 but makes one meal
-Salad
*Grilled Chicken x's 2 makes 2 meals
-creamy mashed potatoes x's 2
-green bean parmesan x's 2
*Pulled Pork x's 2 makes 2 meals
-honey glazed carrots
-mac-n-cheese
*Nachoes

Snacks:
lattes
organic popcorn
homemade pita chips
yogurt
cottage cheese
smoothies
strawberry muffins

Homemade ingredients needed for:
BBQ Sauce
Bread sliced sandwich bread
Caesar dressing

Come back tomorrow to see what I purchased and how much it cost me! Don't forget I will be adding my eating out from Friday!

Don't forget to check out the Grocery Cart Challenge for other great tips and recipes

New Years and Homeschoolingish News

Don't you just love a NEW YEAR. It's hope of a new start, to reflect on the wonderful and crazy past and to move away from bad habits. My New Years Resolutions are my favorite time of the year. Three years ago I always loved to sit down and make my list and I ALWAYS stuck to it-I miss the old me(sigh). But then I had my second child...and all was lost. I have spent the past 3 years trying to gain my life back by get closer to the Lord and in doing so I am starting to see the light of day. It's amazing what hormones and lack of Faith can do to you! I don't mean lack of Faith in the Lord I mean lack of Faith in myself. Bad thoughts bring bad habits that bring bad thoughts...on and on! NO MORE! I love when I tell myself to be happy...I generally am! This past year has brought me to such a closer walk with the Lord, and a new joy with my family. So here are my New Years Resolutions:

#1-To always try and walk joyfully closer to the Lord, Jesus Christ! and in doing that I must:
#2-Love and OBEY my husband in all things-no more back talk...it's just so hard!
#3-Cherish my children-no more "in a minute" while I do something so worthless
#4-Serve others-I like the appeal of saying we are doing missionaryish work...why not in my own back yard?
#5-Prepare my home for easy maintenance!
#6-To be frugal in my meal planning and Have dinner ready EVERY NIGHT!
#7-Eat much smaller servings (don't fret over NOT having an occasional latte-instead have a small coffee cup size instead of a QUART size...I know sad huh?)
#8-Work out everyday by playing with my children and 20min on tread mill. My prayer is that by doing #7 and #8 I will lose the 30 pounds I put on 3 years ago my goal is to be 30lbs lighter by April 26th 2009!
#9-Get school done 4 hours a day 4 days a week-God must be in all the lessons-even Math
#10-Not spend so much time on this computer (no more than 1 hour a day of personal time)


In really interestingly other news I wanted to share with you a video going around in homeschool circles. It's just a bit of information that I think everyone should look at, even if you don't plan on Homeschooling. This is a big reason why we homeschool.

Love Always,
Latte