Whipped Strawberry Cokes

The other night after dinner, I was doing dishes and the following happened:

Me: Boys, go upstairs and clean up the Legos you threw everywhere.

Boys: Laughter, merriment, sounds like Legos are indeed being picked up.

A short time later…

5 Year Old: Mama!  I need to go to the bathroom to for a tissue

Me: Um, okay, thanks for the news flash.

2 Year Old: I need tissue, too!

Several minutes later, I realize they are still in the bathroom doing goodness knows what…

Me: Guys!  Get outta the bathroom and clean up those Legos before bath!

2 year old runs out.

5 Year Old: I’m still wiping!

Enter husband from the garage.

Me: Would you please get the boys to pick up so I can finish the dishes?  They’re probably unrolling all of the toilet paper or something.

Husband goes upstairs.  Seconds later I hear…

Husband: What?  Do you or don’t you?

2 Year Old: No. Yes. No.

5 Year Old: I have a Lego up *my* nose!

Me: WHAT?!?

So I hauled the 5 year old to the bathroom, where he was apparently attempting to wipe a Lego out of his nose with a tissue.  As I pull a Lego out of his nose with my eyebrow tweezers, in walks the 2 year old.

2 Year Old: Lego in nose!!

Me: Seriously?

So, after the first Lego extraction, I grabbed the little guy and found a lovely surprise, he had not one, but TWO Legos shoved up his nose!  Yep. One for each nostril!

I got the first Lego out easily, but the second was waaaay in there.  He apparently took the “How far can we shove a Lego up our noses” challenge very seriously.

After several unsuccessful attempts, I started to worry that I was going to push the Lego further up this nose, I passed him off to my husband.

 10 minutes later, the Lego was still lodged in the 2 year old’s nostril and he was getting pretty upset about us digging in his nose.

With bedtime having come and gone, we decided to take the little guy to the ER.

So off we went and after and hour and a half in the ER and lots of amused ER staff, all noses were Lego-free again.

After everyone was finally asleep (2 hours past bedtime), my husband & I needed to de-stress a bit.  And what better way that with Whipped Strawberry Cokes?

Now, looking at the similar recipes below, you might think that marinated strawberries and strawberry infused vodka are the same thing, but the marinated berries are only in the vodka for a short amount of time, so the vodka is less infused with the strawberry flavor (but still delicious).

The infused vodka marinates longer, rendering the berries virtually inedible.  I tried them.  It wasn’t good.  But the vodka is fabulous!  Also try blackberry infused Vodka…especially if your children decide to shove Legos up their noses.

Whipped Marinated Strawberries

Place whole or sliced strawberries in a jar.  Cover with whipped vodka.  Seal the container and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.

Dry off the strawberries dipped in chocolate or whipped cream!

Reserve the Vodka for Whipped Strawberry Cokes (below)

Strawberry Infused Whipped Vodka

Place sliced fresh or frozen (usweetened) strawberries in a jar.  Cover with Whipped Vodka.  Seal and refrigerate for 2-3 days.  Strain out the berries and discard (they are virtually inedible at this point, trust me).  Enjoy the Vodka with Whipped Strawberry Cokes (below)

Whipped Strawberry Coke

Fill glasses with ice.  Add an ounce or so of Strawberry Infused Whipped Vodka (above).  Top with Coke.  Lightly stir and enjoy!