Make Your Own Vanilla Syrup and Give Starbucks the Shaft!

Lately in our house 5 pm - 11 pm has become the crying-child-don't-get-anything-done-bedtime-hour. It seems that Eleanor has decided that she will only be soothed if you hold her and bounce on the giant exercise ball for all 6 of those hours. Now I love holding and snuggling my daughter, but after about an hour on that stupid ball your mind starts to wander.

Photo courtesy of Sandra Vander Schaaf Photography. Copyright 2007

Please don't have your family picture taken at Walmart ever again. Please. For the love of all that's pure and holy, please hire someone who knows what they are doing. Like Sandra. She's nice. She takes good pictures. And she doesn't wear a stupid blue vest and a name tag. 'Nuf said.

I have tried reading while bouncing but that seems to be a one way ticket to a migraine. Of course you can watch TV, but we don't have cable, or more importantly, the Food Network. Drinking coffee while bouncing results in 3rd degree burns, and typing emails is next to impossible. All my ball time has done wonders for my spinal alignment but it has seriously cut into my computer time.

Today I decided to forgo the ball and to stand and do the baby sway while I read some blogs. I like to check out this food blog that I found. They have this great post about making your own vanilla syrup. Now if you make your own vanilla syrup then you can make your own amazingly yummy lattes at home and then you can boycott the Evil Empire. I haven't made the syrup yet but I was just happy to find someone else who hates Starbucks as much as I do. Of course, because I wasn't bouncing, Eleanor got seriously ticked and woke up. Oh well, I hope that the vanilla syrup is worth it.
To check out more people who hate Starbucks, click here. Fight the power.