The Ball of Christmas.

All of you who have been reading along for awhile now know about my sisters.  They are idiots, but I love them. 

Here they are, minus Rachael.  This picture was taken around 2 am during Black Friday shopping at Target.  That’s Elise there on the left and Lyndsey on the right.   After we’d been waiting in line for an hour.

For what you ask?  The {new} Ball of Christmas.

Before I show you the new Ball of Christmas though, I need to tell you about the old Ball of Christmas.

Once upon a time… Ok, two years ago…

There was a fairy princess named Elise who had never been Black Friday shopping before in her whole life.  Well, Elise’s older {wiser, more fun & more beautiful} sister Michelle tried to convince her to get up at dark thirty to join us on a Black Friday shopping adventure like no other.  She would witness vomiting in the line at Kohls, cart ramming and other fun things without purchasing a single thing because alas, Elise was a poor college student and had zero shopping dollars to spend.

At 4:30 am the three sisters would find themselves at JC Penney where the two older sisters would walk right by the lady handing out a free gift for they knew it was a hunk of junk.  {Seriously JC Penney, why don’t you just give people a dollar or two off coupon rather than that stuff?}  Not Elise though.  Black Friday was NEW!  It was SHINY!  They were giving out FREE things!  FREE! 

And so came to be the possession of the magic Ball of Christmas.  A Mickey Mouse snow globe with 2009 emblazoned across the front.  A crappy little trinket by the standards of many, sure.  But anytime there were arguments or we needed coffee or a bathroom or new music, Elise would shake it and hold up the Ball of Christmas and we were to ooooh and aaaahh as much as was warranted for the situation at hand and all would be well. 

No matter where we were… in the car, in the store, waiting in line.  It was magical.  It gave us license to behave like the idiots we really are in public.

The Ball of Christmas sat silent last year.   Not only because Elise and I were having a 6 month argument, but because I was out of Black Friday commission thanks to a little bout in the hospital.  I may have shed a tear or two in that hospital room last year when they were showing the shopping madness on the news.

This year though, we checked and double checked.  There were Facebook and cell phone conversations.  Yes, indeed Elise had the Ball of Christmas and it would be accompanying us on our journey.  It was sitting safely on a shelf in her room at my dad’s house awaiting the magic of Black Friday shopping.

I wasn’t there when the following transpired, so the following is all heresay.  I tend to believe at least the gist of the conversation at least.

Lyndsey:  Elise, do you have the ball of Christmas?

Elise:  Yes.  It’s upstairs in my room.

Lyndsey:  Go get it.

Elise:  No, I’m waiting for Michelle to get here.

Lyndsey:  Ugh, just GO GET IT!  We’re not waiting for her.

Lyndsey:  HA!  BALL OF CHRISTMAS.  **shake shake shake**

Lyndsey:  WHY would they give out glass things to the public???  I thought it was plastic.  That’s stupid!

All that glittery, glittery water. 

Elise cried actual tears.

Just like that, Lyndsey ruined Thanksgiving.

And then, like a beacon in the night… 2 am brings a new and improved ball of Christmas.  This one is an actual ball and um, Lyndsey can’t break it when she drops it.

Now, I am sure you’re asking yourself WHY am I reading this craziness?  Michelle and her family are nuts.

And you would be right.

2nd to Last Day of NaBloPoMo & Other Random Stuff.

Whew.

I don’t think I can take it anymore. 

I’m thanking my lucky stars that there is only ONE day left, then I can cross it off my list.  NaBloPoMo really gives you a run for your money.  It’s hard to post every single day for a month and not feel like you’ve run out of things to say.   And that is saying a lot, because I can talk.

I will be ecstatic to go back to my regular blog schedule and take a little vacation.  A vacation that will have me working anyway, so I suppose it’s not really a vacation now is it? 

What am I doing?  This.  Crafting my little fingers to the bone.

So, my local peeps, come out and see me.  Be sure to say hello.

Don’t forget I have a $100 SpaFinder gift card giveaway going on from Dove. 

And a Bounce Dryer Bar and $50 Visa gift card giveaway too!

Thanksgiving.

 

How was your Thanksgiving weekend?

Finnisms.

Finn:  Hey Mama, you wanna know what kind of snake this is, my stuffed animal?

Me:  What kind?

Finn:  I think it’s a Bone Constrictor.

Me:  A Boa?

Finn:  Yep, I think it’s a Bone Constrictor and it’ll wrap you up and take you for a spin.

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Finn:  We’re singing a song called Jesus never had a crib.

{Away in the manger, no crib for a bed.}

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Finn:  Whoa.  Whoa.  That’s a little too much clubby water.

{Dave was pouring orange juice and club soda.}

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{Dave added River Monsters to our Netflix queue.}

Finn:  Um, we could probably take a test to see if we like it.  I hope that fish doesn’t eat that people.

Dave:  Yeah, we should probably watch something else.

Finn:  Probably you could watch it on your own.

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Finn:  Mom, where is my Spiderman mask?

Me: Don’t you worry about it.  It’s in my possession.

**** 2 minutes later ****

Finn: *exaggerated whisper* Dad.  Dad.  Can we just look in Mama’s pojession?

Dave:  *laughing*  Buddy, that means Mama has it.

Finn:  Dad.  Is a pojession a body part?

Go Bucks.

Dear Lord,  Please let the Buckeyes not suck today.  Amen.

Gone Fishing.

Or shopping, as the case may be.  Happy Black Friday!

Were you out shopping the deals at midnight?  Will you shop today?

Score anything good?

Think all of the idiots out shopping are nuts?

Spill it.  How do you feel about Black Friday?

Thankful.

For the good stuff and the tough stuff.

For the tiny people in our house and a man whom I love more than anything.

For new opportunities and old friends.

For health.

For family, even the four legged members.

For Black Friday shopping with my sisters and the laughter that accompanies it.

For you guys.

Talking Turkey.

This is one turkey that doesn’t want to get cooked for Thanksgiving.  He’s disguised as our favorite superhero and hoping to avoid being stuffed.  {It is amazing the shit you do as a parent, like spending an hour making a tiny Spiderman costume for a paper turkey just to see the happy look on Finn’s face when he shows all of his school friends.}

Tomorrow the feast is upon us!  I’m responsible for the table setting, the gravy making, a pie “baking” {also known as picking it up from the store} and I am trying my hand at a corn pudding for the first time ever.

What are you bringing to Thanksgiving dinner?

 

Farewell Old Stinky.

You can catch up on the tale of Old Stinky, but long story short Dave is obsessed with his hunk of junk 17 year old car that he drives back and forth to work every single day.  Finn has dubbed it “Daddy’s Work Car,” but her true name is Old Stinky.

Finn and Dave gave her one last hug and took one last ride, patted her rust spots and bid her adieu. 

 

Where was I?  Sitting in my new car with the butt warmers on, wondering what’s wrong with those two.

Dove Nutrium Moisture Body Wash Review + Giveaway

I believe in pedicures.  And massages.  And haircuts with the awesome scalp massage, you know the ones that almost put you to sleep they’re so good?  These things make me happy.  They make me feel pampered and cared for.  They do for my physical well-being what friendships and reading and a full night’s sleep do for my mental well-being. The older I get, the more I realize how important these things are. 

It is vital to take time for yourself.  Not just for the big pampering events like pedicures and massages, but a small moment each day.  Even five minutes can make a world of difference.  It preserves my sanity.  Maybe your five minutes is in the wee hours of the morning before the rest of the house is awake?  Or while the kids take a nap?  Or in your office, sipping coffee with the door closed before a big meeting? 

My daily quiet time is in the shower.  I close the door, turn on the shower, and decompress.  Those uninterrupted five minutes are sometimes the best of my day… and then my four year old, Finn, usually bursts in and asks if I am done yet. 

We are loyal Dove customers, so when Dove offered to have me try the Dove Nutrium Body Wash, I jumped at the chance.  Usually we buy the giant pack of Dove Beauty Bars at Costco.  Truthfully, I wanted to see if the body wash was good enough to make me abandon my beloved bar. 

It is silky with a nice lather that rinses clean.  It feels great on your skin and it has the same neutral, fresh smell that the bars do.  That is important for us because Dave takes issue with smelling like a girl.  My skin smells great and feels super soft after using it.

The verdict?  We’ll keep using it, but Dave wants the bar as well.  His only issue was that he uses the bar to wash his face and he found that the body wash didn’t suit his face washing.  {And yes, no matter how hard I try or how many fancy face washes I buy, he still uses soap!}

Dove wants to give a $100 SpaFinder gift card to one lucky So Wonderful, So Marvelous reader so you can enjoy some pampering!  Just leave a comment telling me how you nourish yourself each day.

The Rules:

The contest runs from 11/21 – 12/21/2011.

No duplicate comments.
You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:
a) Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post.
b) Tweet about this promotion and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post.
c) Blog about this promotion and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post.
d) For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.
This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older
Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail.
You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.
The Official Rules are available here.

More chances to win!

Dear Santa,

I want silly putty, a Cars 2 movie, a Cars car that is supposed to go in the garage, Santa.  A camera and a phone, so I can play apps.  Diesel the train, a metal Percy, Emily and Harry, a wood Thomas, a wood James, and that’s it.

Next Christmas, I’m gonna have a laptop.

Oh yeah, I want a fish bath toy Santa & introducing Spiderman toy.  You know what I really need?  A new pair of socks.  And last but not least, Spiderman underwear.

Finn

Sick Days.

Moms don’t really get sick days.  We have to suck it up, unless we do things like almost bleed out on the bathroom floor and our husbands have to call the ambulance to come take us to the ER.  Then we get a pass.  Um.  Not that that has ever happened to me or anything.

When I was little sick days were awesome.

I would go down to Mrs McCormick the school nurse, tell her I wasn’t feeling well, and have her call my Meme.  She and Meme knew each other from way back in the day.  Meme would arrive in her ridiculously large Pacer and take me home to a day of resting on the couch. 

And watching tv. 

And being waited on.

And eating mac n cheese.  Meme always made me mac n cheese when I was sick and to this day, I think it’s a Pavlovian response, but I always crave mac n cheese, the nasty boxed kind, when I’m feeling under the weather.

Sick days are not nearly as fun any more.  Now, Dave takes care of me and doesn’t make the mac n cheese in the right order so it’s consistency is off and there are Finnegans shouting, Tates that need nursing, dogs that need let out, and phones that are ringing.

Bronchitis can suck it.

How is your weekend so far?

Link Love

Brooklyn Limestone is fabulous, to say the least.  Check out this incredible DIY pillow made from a t-shirt.  It kinda makes me want to learn to actually sew.

Two ingredient pumpkin cookies?  Sign me up!

If you follow So Wonderful, So Marvelous on Facebook, you’ll have already seen this one.  A great repost from Lora at Fever that touched me so much, I’m posting again here.  A great reminder that sometimes things shouldn’t be taken at face value.

I may just to do these adorable mustache nails!

Me too.

Very Cosmopolitan.

The last time my sister Elise was home from college, she came over to hang out.  She started flipping through a Cosmo magazine that I hadn’t read yet. 

I can’t even remember why I had picked it up in the first place since I am very clearly too old to be reading Cosmo.  At 35, I very much do not need to know 30 Things To Do With a Naked Man.  Not one of those 30 said, “tell him to put his clothes back on until you have sleeping children.”

And did you know you can get an iphone app for positions from Cosmo?  Seriously, if you’re consulting your iphone when you’re doing the dirty, you’ve got bigger issues than a lack of what to do next.  “Hang on just a moment.  No.  No.  Hmm… Maybe that one.  No.  Ah, yes, that is the one!  Just angle yourself over this way.  Wait, let me check again to see if that’s right.”

When I mentioned that I hadn’t read it yet, Elise asked why there were pages marked.

“Dave read it.”

“Why would Dave read Cosmo?”

“He was bookmarking things he wanted me to read.”

“Oh my God, EW!”

Yeah.  That wasn’t awkward at all.

Any cringe worthy moments in your house lately?

Last Year.

Dave and I are currently undergoing the crazy ass planning that is Thanksgiving.  He made a comment that after last year, he is going to have a relaxing day.

I was wracking my brain, trying to think of what he was talking about.  Was there a fight?  Something ridiculous?  Moodiness?  Truth be told, all of our holidays tend to run together.

For the life of me, I couldn’t remember.

And then he reminded me that last year I was in the hospital, there was that whole hoping my wife doesn’t die thing going on for him, and I don’t think I ever told you guys this, but Dave got food poisoning.  Chicken salad that they had in the fridge at the hospital for spouses who were staying over when the cafeteria was closed.

Mmmmm.  Can’t even mention chicken salad around the Davester, it freaks him out a year later.

I don’t even really remember those days.  I remember taking Meme to the store on Tuesday.  I remember that we were going to tell our families that we were pregnant with Tate even though I was only 8 weeks at the time.

I didn’t get to decorate the tables.  I didn’t get to do Black Friday.  We didn’t get to share our news because we weren’t sure what would happen with the pregnancy.  Hell, all I got of Thanksgiving dinner was a stupid takeaway container from my mom’s house.

Thanksgiving 2010 = The Suck.

This year though? 

Tate arrived safely.  My aunt is coming from California.  My sister is coming home from college.  The tables are going to be gorgeous.  I’m planning our Black Friday strategy and believe me, there will be sisters and coffee and laughter involved. 

And last year?  It’s made me more thankful for what this year will bring.

What are your Thanksgiving plans?

5 Things I Love Right Now

The last one was so much fun that I am going to make this a monthly post.

1.  Lemonade with a splash of grenadine.  Delish. 

2.  Vanilla Beans from Costco.  They have these huge, yummy vanilla beans once a year.  Last year I missed them.  The year before, they sold out in just a short time.  This year I bought 2 packages.  I’m considering going back to buy a couple more.  I used them to make bourbon vanilla extract and I can’t wait for it to be done!

 

3.  Suave Dry Shampoo.  I have tried a ton of dry shampoos from using baby powder to pricey versions from Sephora.  Here is what I love about Suave… it smells good {like pineapple}, it doesn’t leave a messy white residue, it comes in a spray that doesn’t clog up, and the best thing?  The price!  It is only $3 for a bottle and I can buy it at the grocery. 

4.  Skype.  I always forget about Skype, but this week we got to talk to Elise who is away at school right now.  It’s so nice to see her {and her roommate Molly!} face while we’re talking.  You can’t beat FREE video chatting.

5.  Storage Wars.  This is my new Netflix obsession.  I don’t know if it’s the bidding, the smart wife Brandi, the asshole Dave, Barry the whackadoodle, or the lure of $90,000 worth of newspapers that keeps me glued, but glued I am.

 

I hope you’ll leave your current love list in the comments so I can find new loves!

What is on your LOVE list right now?

Disclosure Blurb: I wasn’t compensated or asked to talk about any of these products, they’re just fabulous goodies that I love.

Weekend.

 

 

 

Just Married.

They did it!  Here are a few pics of Amy + Tobias’ {and Oliver’s!} special day.

   

 

 

 

Inchworm.

She started off on the playmat.  She has somehow figured out how to tuck her legs under her and push forward on her belly.  Like an inchworm.

We are so screwed.

11.11.11

When you were little did you ever make wishes on weird dates or times?  I did that as much as I twirled my apple stem saying the alphabet… you’d skip through the letters you weren’t hoping for and pull extra hard on the initials of the boy you liked hoping it would come off and you would marry him.

I would lie to you and say this only happened when I was a kid, but I still twirl those apple stems hoping for a D or a P.  And I still make wishes on special days.

Today, my friend Amy is getting married.  My wish?  It’s that they remain as happy as they are now for the next fifty years.   

Spill it.  What is your wish today?

ZZ

When I was seven or eight, my sister and I used to watch this video and dance around like maniacs.  I would have given anything for a pair of ruffled bobby socks and a pair of high heels. 

An Update.

I want to thank you so much for your kind comments and emails and Facebook messages for my friend Jackie.  I wanted to give you a little update and ask that you please continue sending good thoughts her way as she works her way through recovery.

She is home from the hospital and making progress.  She is still battling a ferocious headache.  Physical therapy will start soon for the weakness she’s still having on her right side.  She is going to speech therapy for the next six weeks so she can relearn to swallow.  They are having her do annoying things like bite her tongue and try to swallow.  Go ahead… I’ll wait while you try it.  Now do that 25 times in a row.

Getting dressed.  Taking a shower.  Walking.  Relearning to swallow.  Everything takes concentration and work, she is exhausted at the end of every day.  She’s on blood thinners right now for the stroke.  They are hoping that the tear and blockage will repair itself and that she will make a full recovery.

It is just going to take time.  And lots of work. 

But she can do it.  I know she can.

They still aren’t sure what caused it.  It could have been something she was born with, it could be stress related, it could be something as simple as when she was cleaning cobwebs off the ceiling {they just moved into a new house} that keeping her head back looking at the ceiling could have jarred something.

Insane, right?

And because Jack is a big fan of So Wonderful, So Marvelous, she wanted me to leave you with a recipe as a thank you for all the prayers and well wishes and concern. 

Jackie’s Super Stroke Recovery Shake

• 1 Ensure or Boost Chocolate flavor
• 1 pudding
• 1 banana
• ice

Put it all in the blender, then go to speech therapy to re-learn how to swallow it. 

At least she still has her sense of humor.

Bounce Dryer Bar Review + Giveaway.

Juggling a new baby is hard. When she’s awake during the day, she is pretty much in my arms. I am feeding her, or rocking her to sleep, or changing her, or bathing her, or dressing her, or soothing her… well, you get the idea. So the moment those eyelids droop, I am already planning in my head what I am going to get done in the time she is asleep.

I can empty the dishwasher. Throw a load of laundry in. Brush Dexter, the hairiest cat in the universe. No, no, no… I need to throw the laundry in first, then the dishes, then brush the cat, then a quick vacuum of the living room floor. Ooooh maybe I’ll get a shower in today!

By the time I’ve done the careful dance of gently setting her into her co-sleeper, I’ve gotten it all mapped out, and I’m on a mission.

If it is a day that I’ve really got it together, I can actually sit down and relax when I’m done.

I like those days.

I like them a lot.

So much so, that I am all about anything that can help me get my mad-dash cleaning done faster.

When BlogHer and Bounce asked me to try the Bounce Dryer Bar, I agreed immediately for a couple reasons. One, we are regular users of Bounce and love the products. Two, it is ridiculously easy. I just stick it and forget it? Sign me up.

After using the product for a week, I have to say, I’m impressed. That’s right, eleven loads of laundry later, and I am loving the Bounce Dryer Bar. I like that I’m not throwing away a sheet for each load of laundry. I like that it is incredibly easy and lasts about three months. I like that it is unscented and our clothes still come out soft. Bounce also helps control static and repel pet hair.

Oh, and one more thing, you aren’t supposed to use fabric softener on baby Tate’s clothes. What do I do now? The bar is stuck inside my dryer! Easy! You can pop the dryer bar out for any load that you don’t want fabric softener and pop it right back in.

How awesome is that?

Want to know what else is awesome? BlogHer and Bounce are giving away a $50 Visa gift card and a Bounce Dryer Bar to one So Wonderful, So Marvelous reader! Tell me, what would you do with just a few extra moments in your day?

Rules:

No duplicate comments.

You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:

a) Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post

b) Tweet about this promotion and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post

c) Blog about this promotion and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post

d) For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.

This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older.

Contest ends Tuesday, 12/6 at 5:00 P.M. PST.  Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail.

For more opportunities to win, visit the Bounce round-up page on BlogHer.com to read other bloggers' reviews! For more information about Bounce, visit their Facebook page.

Finnisms.

Finn:  OK, you need to pick one.  The adventures of Orange Juice.  The adventures of Blocks.  Oooor the adventures of Chairs.  Which one?

Me:  The adventures of Orange Juice.

Finn:  Ok, for that one I need my Iron Man costume.

Me:  No.

Finn: Well YOU choose-ed the wrong one.  There are germs in this story!  There are itsy bitsy germs and I can NOT shoot webs at them.  I have to be Iron Man.

Me:  Well, you’re already dressed as Spiderman.

Finn:  Well, HOW ABOUT NOW!??!  {He’s flailing around attempting to unzip his Spiderman costume.}

Me:  Still Spiderman.

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Finn:  I’ll be Silver Surfer for Halloween when I’m all grown-ed up.

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{After an hour and a half of sitting down to dinner… our ongoing battle continues.}

Finn:  I am not going to eat the gravy peas.  {Peas that have touched gravy.}

Me:  You’re going to eat all your peas.  {For the record, he likes peas.  He also likes procrastinating.}

Dave:  You only have one bite of peas left Finn, quit eating them one by one.  Gravy adds flavor.

Finn:  I’m done!  Now I have gravy hands!

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Finn:  Hey Dad, are there any Wild Kratts apps on your phone?

Dave:  No buddy.  I haven’t seen any Wild Kratt apps.

Me:  How do you know what an app is?!?

Finn:  I dunno.  I heard Daddy say it.

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Finn:  Mom, I have got to take care of you since you had surgery.

Me:  Oh yeah?

Finn:  I’ve got to take care of the poodle.  Feed him poodle food.  Tater.  I have to throw her diapers away.  Put her socks away.  Help you around the house.  I have a lot to do!

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Finn:  Mom, I made JAIL HANDS!  

{Um… handcuffs?  And HOW does he know these things?}

Thanks for the brilliant suggestion Megan, I hope you liked this edition of Finnisms!

Android Apps I Love

1.  Pandora: I’ve written before about my mad love for Pandora Internet Radio, but my love runs so deep, I’ve got to put it as my number one favorite app.  Seriously, how cool is it that we had a Monster Mash channel playing while we passed out candy?

2.  Our Groceries:  I love that I can make the list on my phone and through their sharing feature, it shows up on Dave’s phone as well.  So if we need a few items on his way home, it saves me a trip to the store with two munchkins.  Dave and his OCD tendencies loves that everything can be organized by store layout. 

3.  Words With Friends: This game is full of Scrabblicious amusement.  I love that I can have 20 games going at the same time, that there is no rush in playing, and that although I keep getting my ass beat, I’m still having fun!  If you want to play me, leave your user id in the comments!

4. Advanced Task Killer: I press a button and it kills all unnecessary apps, freeing up space and not using the battery!

5. Netflix:  This is a great time filler when I’m waiting somewhere.  I can pop an episode of Spiderman on for Finn or an episode of Pulling for me.  It does work infinitely better when you’re in a wifi spot… ahem at least until 4G comes to our area!

Thank you for subscribing to So Wonderful, So Marvelous!

DIY Bourbon Vanilla Extract

I bought these magnificent vanilla beans at Costco.  After talking to my friend Stephanie, I decided to take a few of them and make vanilla my own vanilla extract.  We had both read a post back in September from Bake at 350 on how to make your own vanilla extract with vodka.  I wanted to change it up a bit and do mine with bourbon.  Luckily Dave is a bourbon fan, so I raided his stash and asked his advice for a good one and went to work.

It couldn’t be easier!

Take three vanilla beans, cut down the length of the vanilla bean {but not completely through} and put in a clean jar or bottle.  Cover with bourbon and tuck away in a dark place for 2-3 months.

The vanilla pods will release their seeds and the bourbon will get darker and absorb the scent and flavor.  Give it a shake every once in awhile.  Use just as you would vanilla extract.

 

DIY Bourbon Vanilla Extract

I bought these magnificent vanilla beans at Costco.  After talking to my friend Stephanie, I decided to take a few of them and make vanilla my own vanilla extract.  We had both read a post back in September from Bake at 350 on how to make your own vanilla extract with vodka.  I wanted to change it up a bit and do mine with bourbon.  Luckily Dave is a bourbon fan, so I raided his stash and asked his advice for a good one and went to work.

It couldn’t be easier!

Take three vanilla beans, cut down the length of the vanilla bean {but not completely through} and put in a clean jar or bottle.  Cover with bourbon and tuck away in a dark place for 2-3 months.

The vanilla pods will release their seeds and the bourbon will get darker and absorb the scent and flavor.  Give it a shake every once in awhile.  Use just as you would vanilla extract.  This also makes a really incredible DIY Christmas gift for foodie friends.