Month in Review: February, 2017

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It may have just been a case of the winter blues, but I felt like I was in a rut in February. I cut back on my blogging schedule, only posting once a week, and ultimately I felt uninspired. In an attempt to shake off my melancholy, I focused on the things that made me smile. This month those things were maple syrup and hockey.

To kick off the month, Ian and I drove to Madison on a 60˚ springlike day. We spent the afternoon with my family walking around campus, stocking-up on alumni gear on State Street and grabbing dinner a few blocks away from my college apartment. We ended the night by cheering on the Men’s Badger hockey team to victory.

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Before we headed back home, we were able to witness my parents’ new hobby – making maple syrup! Luckily they were already hard at work before we came to visit and we were able to sneak home with a bottle of our own! I have a feeling we are all going to get hooked on homemade maple syrup and it will be hard to go back to store bought!

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After our trip to Madison, everything changed overnight. The hints of green grass we saw over the weekend went into hiding under a thick blanket of snow. I shouldn’t have been surprised, we live in Wisconsin after all! But it was difficult to transition back into winter gear after a glorious weekend basking under the warm sun.

As we enter March I am hopeful that we will be graced with warmer weather, but we have a few fun events planned that will keep our spirits high regardless of how much snow is on the ground.

I hope you all had a wonderful February. I would love to hear the highlight of your month in the comments below!

Easy Homemade Vanilla Extract

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Homemade Vanilla Extract

You wouldn’t think a small change in baking, like using pure vanilla extract, would make a difference – but it does. The simple switch can elevate your baked goods from ordinary to scrumptious. If you are a serious foodie, you may want to take it up an extra level and infuse your own vanilla extract at home!

Homemade Vanilla Extract

All you need to make the extract at home is vanilla beans, your choice of alcohol and a lot of patience! After three months, your extract will be rich in flavor and ready to use. At this point you may want to keep your tincture all to yourself, but if you are feeling generous, this would be a lovely gift to give.

Homemade Vanilla Extract

Homemade Vanilla Extract

Ingredients:

  • 6 vanilla beans
  • 8 oz. Bourbon, tequila, or vodka

Directions:

  • Slice the vanilla beans lengthwise and place in a mason jar
  • Cover with alcohol and seal shut with the lid
  • Place in a cool, dark room and shake occasionally
  • After three months the extract is ready to use

Five Tips for a Better Night’s Sleep

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Five Tips for Better Sleep

Hello, Monday! After a weekend back in Madison catching up with my family, I woke up wishing I could pull the covers over my eyes and catch a few more minutes of sleep. I wish this was a rare occurrence, but I often find myself forcing my eyes open when my alarm sounds. Wanting to have more energy in the morning, I decided to change my nighttime routine to encourage a good night’s rest.

Here are five things you can add to your evening routine to facilitate better sleep:

  1. Turn off all screens: Thirty minutes before you go to bed stay off all of your devices. It’s tempting to scroll through Instagram one last time or watch TV before bed, but it’s beneficial to take some time to calm your mind before sleep.
  2. Drink tea: A warm drink, especially tea, is a nice way to unwind and relax before going to sleep.
  3. Calm Stories: Some nights a silent room is an enabler to my racing mind. In these cases, I like to open my Calm app and turn on a nighttime story. These are soothing audio stories that help calm your mind and allow you to drift to sleep.
  4. Sleep Masks: I was never one to wear a sleep mask, but when we traveled to Scotland I bought a mask for the plane journey. Suddenly, I was wearing my sleep mask all the time. Obviously, it helps keep light from interrupting my sleep – but I also found it was a nice signal to my mind that it was time to unwind and fall asleep.
  5. Pillow Spray:  Is it necessary? No. But sometimes it’s nice to feel spoiled! After spraying your pillows, you will get into bed feeling pampered and ready to drift off to sleep.

What tips do you have to get a better night’s sleep? I would love to hear them in the comments!