Vanilla

I'm finally making a big bottle of homemade vanilla extract! I've wanted to try this for several years and I'm finally doing it. Last night I added 10 vanilla beans (split lengthwise) to a 1-liter bottle of vodka, and it's in the pantry to stay in the dark for a few weeks (I'll shake it once a week). I just bought generic brand Vodka and I purchase my vanilla beans on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Premium-Bourbon-Madagascar-Vanilla-Beans-beans/dp/B000ET4SM8/ref=sr_1_cc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1305461677&sr=1-1-catcorr

This is by far the cheapest way I have found to buy them! $9.29 for 16 beans + free shipping, or $8 for 2 small, dry beans at Target? That's about how much they cost at the grocery store, at least in my experience. The vanilla beans from this merchant are also very soft, moist and pungent - very nice quality. So, with the cost of 10 beans, plus the bottle of vodka, we'll get a whole liter of vanilla extract for about $13.25. A 1-oz bottle of McCormick pure vanilla is about $8, so that's a clear cost-savings! Supposedly you can also reuse the vanilla beans if it's within a year. I'll update the blog in a few weeks when it's "matured"!

50mm fun

February randomness

Something to tide this blog over until I get it together to write a "real" blog post:

Jackson just turned two months old. He is growing like a weed (at the top of the charts for height and weight), and loves snuggling, nursing, smiling, staring at ceiling fans, sleeping (sometimes), and his family. We love him, too! He just laughed for the first time the other day. Sweetness!

Charlotte is becoming such a big girl. Her vocabulary is finally really expanding, and it's fun to hear all of her cute phrases. She adores animals (especially dogs!), is fascinated by trains (definitely her daddy's daughter!) and loves listening to people sing songs. She's also rather a whirlwind of emotions right now. Part of it is just that she's a toddler (and a human being who feels emotion), but I really suspect some of it is just from having to adjust to such a new family routine. I'm sure things will get easier for her soon, but it's hard seeing her get so weepy and emotional about everything all the time. Prayers appreciated both for her, and for us as we try to help her.

I recently bought a new 50mm lens - love, love, love it! I need a lot of practice since it's quite different from what I'm used to, but I'm so pleased with the results so far. It takes such great portraits, and I have two super cute subjects to practice on! Will post some pictures soon.

I am working on venturing back into the world of cooking, but WOW, getting a meal together takes so much longer with two little kids to look after! This has called for some extra creativity as far as meal planning is concerned. I'm open to suggestions/tips for order in the kitchen with little kids! ;)

Another post to come... Eventually. :)

Berry pie

Made a super yummy blackberry/raspberry pie the other day!  Berry pies are my favorite to bake because of how easy they are - no slicing, coring or peeling required.  :)   I have, however, decided that's its just not worth making a pie unless the crust is also homemade.  There is just something about the taste of premade crust that offends my tastebuds...  still a tasty pie though, especially topped with vanilla ice cream!   I'll post the recipe once I've perfected it a little more.

Why I haven't posted in a while...

This cutie is keeping me busy. :) Jackson will be four weeks old in two days. I am tired, but in love!

Make way for baby!

Today I am 37 weeks pregnant - which means I am still 3 weeks away from my due date, but I'm officially 9 months along and "allowed" to go into labor whenever this little babe decides to make his appearance. Which I'm really hoping won't be AFTER his due date... I'm feeling much more impatient this time than I was with Charlotte, and that might have something to do with how sleepless my nights have been with preggo back/hip pain for the past few weeks. I remember the 9th month being difficult last time, but not quite this bad... Hopefully he'll follow his big sister's example and come punctually. :)

Over the past few weeks we've been busy getting things ready for his arrival. Charlotte moved to her new room and toddler bed (which she loves), John installed the infant car seat last week, all the little boy clothes are washed and folded, the home birth supplies are gathered and standing by in our room, and we just got the bassinet ready. Basically all that's left to do is just general house-tidying and organizing (or nesting?).

In all honesty, even with the above things being accomplished, I feel completely unprepared to take care of another baby - if I just did this two years ago, why do I feel like I've forgotten everything about infant care and nursing? And how exactly do you care for a crazy 2-year-old AND a newborn at the same time, all while running on just a couple hours of sleep each night? I know what I need to do now is trust God and remind myself that he will give me enough strength for each day. Prayers for peace (and that Charlotte and I would quickly heal from some bad colds we just caught) are much appreciated.

We're so excited to meet you, baby Jackson! <3

Jam Thumbprints

First time making jam thumbprint cookies! These are super easy to make. I love that shortbread is only 4 ingredients...and that it's safe to eat "raw." ;) Used Wegmans brand organic strawberry spread for the middle, although raspberry preserves would have been my first choice.

1 cup butter

2/3 cup sugar

1/2 tsp. almond extract (I added 1/2 tsp. vanilla in addition, but you don't have to)

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup strawberry or raspberry preserves

Cream butter, sugar and extract. Slowly add flour and blend until dough forms. Form into 1" balls and place on greased cookie sheet, pressing middle down with thumb. Spoon jam/preserves into the middles of the cookies. Bake for 14-18 mins. at 350 degrees. Cool for 1 minute on cookie sheets, then transfer to wire rack.