We're ready.

The tub is filled with my birth kit (red bag), just-in-case prescriptions (methergrine and cytotec), towels/sheets/linens/baby's first clothes (plastic grocery bags), and various birthing goodies, to include my necklace, essential oils, etc (brown cardboard box). 

Once baby is here, this area will be my second changing station (see cloth dipes in basket, changing pad). I found this indispensable when Junie was first born- enables me to change the youngest in our room without having to go into the girls' room and wake them up. Perfect for nighttime/nap time. There is now a second diaper pail here as well. 

And yes, those are disposable diapers you see hiding. My kids so far have been barely 6 lbs at birth, and I'm too cheap to buy a stash of itty-bitty baby cloth- so they wear 'sposies until they reach 8 lbs or so.

Labor swing! 

Trying it out- ignore the half-nekkid toddler behind me.

Safe place in the living room in which to put down a baby. Contrary to popular belief, I don't hold or wear my kids *all* the time. Emphasis on *all.* 

37 weeks.

Too good not to share.

Since I've been so lazy in posting, I'm going to buck the "Wordless Wednesday" trend and actually post something useful. 

Last year, Brett and I had a lot of fun making Christmas gifts from scratch: knitting (well, that was just me!), making ornaments, and brewing up our own versions of Limoncello and Bailey's liquors. This year, money will be significantly tighter- meaning that we will again be looking to make the majority of our gifts.

Bearing in mind that many homemade projects take some time, I was skimming the internet for ideas last week when I stumbled across an awesome idea: homemade vanilla extract! 

Now, those of us who bake know that *real* vanilla extract is expensive but irreplaceable in recipes. I learned, however, that making your own is both inexpensive and easy. Additionally, you can have fun mixing various liquors with many varieties of bean to create different flavors. The result? A Christmas gift perfect for the bakers in your family that beats the store-bought stuff and is relatively cheap to boot. The only drawback is that it requires preplanning- vanilla extract takes a minimum of 8 weeks to develop, with many recipes recommending upwards of 6 months! So if you want to get started, now's the time. 

I found lots of primers online, and a few different suggestions for how to brew the stuff. Essentially, you'll need 3 things:

1. Liquor- vodka is most often used, but bourbon and rum were also suggested. Basically it just needs to be at least 40 proof (80% alcohol) to be effective. I decided to try a dark rum. 
2. Vanilla beans- I found mine on Amazon, but look around to find a good deal. Most of the tutorials I found said you'd need roughly 3-4 beans per cup of liquor, but some people claim they made it successfully with fewer beans and a longer brew time. I filled two quart jars mostly full using 3 cups of liquor and 12 vanilla beans each- for a total of 6 cups of liquor and 24 beans (close to a 1/4 lb). Since vanilla beans are generally sold in 1/4 lb increments, this worked out perfected for me. 
3. Something to brew the extract in. I think mason jars are perfect! You can divide it up into smaller decorative containers and add cutesy decorative stickers when you're ready to give them.

The process:

1. Slit vanilla beans lengthwise. Some recipes recommended scooping the seeds out into the jars as well, but that would require further straining, and I'm lazy.
2. Place vanilla beans in jars or container you're using. 
3. Cover with the appropriate amount of liquor (you may need to cut the beans in half), cover, and put in a cool, dark spot.
4. Wait.

Miscellaneous notes:

- I made a jar for us as well, as we go through a LOT of vanilla around here. I actually read that you can keep the vanilla indefinitely, topping off with alcohol as it gets low and adding additional beans once in a while. 
- After the vanilla is ready, you can remove the beans if you wish and place them in sugar for a few days. Voila- vanilla sugar! 

Helpful links:
Joy the Baker
Beanilla
Naturally Knocked Up
Alexandra Cooks

If you decide to try it, be sure to let me know what combination of beans and liquor you used, and how it turned out.

We've been busy.

What have I been up to lately (aka why is my blog so behind)? 

....prepping veggies for storage (these are roasted poblanos).

....filling the freezer for winter.

....knitting up a storm. Isn't this a cute little wool sleep sack? Perfect for nighttime cloth diapering! Junie is partial to her honeybee hat. Just two of the many projects I've finished lately. 

....hunting eggs- the hens have been sneaky lately. 

....chasing after my kids (shown here with their cousin).

....taking our first long roadtrip to PA.

 ....gestating! (35 weeks here- but I'm technically 36 weeks today.) 

Wordless Wednesday.

Wordless Wednesday.

29 weeks.