Snow to 80 in 8 days–A spoonful of Holiday Cheer (2/5 update Ch 36 - Final Thoughts)

[All7OfUs]

sorry i take it back.

I'm just messing with ya! I admit, I was really hot that day.

 

[marvali]

I tried to grab the bottoms of the pant legs with my toes, and pull them back down, but was doing that like every 15 minutes. It JUST ISN'T WORTH IT!!

Yeah, that never works for me either!

Actually if you're brain dead in the morning due to making war with your PJ's all night, you might be better off in the gagging department. Then you don't have to think about all that minty foam trying to annihilate you.

Nice imagery!

Do my eyes deceive me or are there 2 updates here Marv?? Hold on, let me double check...yes! You posted 2!! I missed it due to a puking DD9, and I'm soooo not good vomit!

Excuses, excuses...... You and Liesa trying to turn my TR into a pukefest???

What a great picture of you all! I love your DS Drew's expression, it is soooo mischevious. I suppose the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, eh Marv?

Hey, don't be talking about DW like that!!!.....

The dialogue between you and your DS had me laughing hysterically! It is sooooo like a kid to give those answers. I didn't understand the change in his status at first (ie, who he belonged to), I thought I must have missed a line or something? Then I got it and laughed! It's like when I say to DH "Do you know what YOUR DD's did today??" Suddenly they're his...

Yeah, our kids change custody on a regular basis!!!

As for your sleeping attire, I'm going to have to ask you to refrain from divulging those kinds of details! TMI is exactly correct, we don't need to know that Marv, really.

Sorry! I know it is going to be hard for you to sleep tonight just dreaming about it.......

I get carded too! It's the ONE thing that makes me not feel my age! Oh wait, you probably meant you got carded when you were like 21 though, right?

You get carded too? They checking to see if you get that Senior Citizen discount yet?


Sorry, I tried to stop myself but it just came on out!!!

 

[marvali]

Are you watching the 85 high speed chase? It's interrupting my Soap!

Missed it until the 6:00 news came on! Crazy! But no more than three bank robberies in one day!!!

TMI!!!!!!!!!

You guys keep saying that! Are you all trying to hurt my feelings??? And I wish you all would quit calling me TIM, or at least learn to spell it!!!

oohhhh great, this is going to be like a certain TR of a writer who likes to take her top off for others upon greeting them. i can see the first WDW update farther away than that.

i think it took her about 4 months to get there.

I promise it won't take that long! That wouldn't leave enough time to get my PTR done for the June trip!!!

Hey! I resemble that remark! And this... from someone who MIGHT get a guest appearance in the next chapter!!!

sorry i take it back.

Hey Dan, my Chiropractor just called. He said you can pick your spine back up first thing tomorrow!

I'm just messing with ya! I admit, I was really hot that day.

Just THAT day, Ms. Pink Toes???

 

[3prettyprincesses]

Excuses, excuses...... You and Liesa trying to turn my TR into a pukefest???

Hey, don't be talking about DW like that!!!.....

Yeah, our kids change custody on a regular basis!!!

Sorry! I know it is going to be hard for you to sleep tonight just dreaming about it.......

You get carded too? They checking to see if you get that Senior Citizen discount yet?

Sorry about the puke comment, it really is disgusting right? I don't handle it well at all, makes me want to retch! DH on the other hand has an iron stomach, nothing phases him!

Um, Marv, I was talking about you. I don't know why you're throwing your sweet DW under the bus.

That's a good way to put it, 'changing custody'! Happens frequently over here too. Like the time when DD7 was 3 and tried to flush an entire roll of toilet paper down the toilet. Do you have any idea how disgusting it is to pull a sopping wet roll of toilet paper out of a toilet? Nasty! So ya, that day she was definitely DH's daughter!

Oh don't worry about my sleep tonight, I'm planning to have my brain bleached so that I can effectively erase your night time attire from it.

I'm a looooong way from 51 Marv, no worries about me getting a senior citizen discount yet! You on the other hand, well here's a quick list of places you can go for discounts for someone of your age bracket:

http://www.seniorjournal.com/Discounts.htm

Your welcome.

 

[Poolrat]

I don't know if I said it before but before the update the receipes cracked me up !!

It is the very reason I don't wear pajamas even in the winter. Anything long on my legs works its way up or gets twisted and bothers me where I can't sleep! Have to make sure the sheets are all straight too!

I would tuck the pant legs into my socks to keep them down. I stopped doing that and yup bunchie shorts.

I saw that before but thought you just had a typo. No, we were in the central part of the state, not too far from Poolrat Pat!

Hey my local feed shop has real shovels. Metal shovel reinforced stip along the bottom for ice. I can pick one up for you if you want a "real" shovel.

We are suppposed to be getting more snow next week.

Thanks! They get that from me. Nobody ever believed I was as old as I was when I was growing up either. I laughed when I was 31 and got carded going into a bar and asked if they were kidding??? The boys hate it but I just tell them that one day they will appreciate that trait!!!
Nah, I just sleep in shorts all year round. Don't like anything on my legs (well of the clothes variety anyway........). Just add another blanket if I get cold, but not usually a problem.

Remember I got carded at EPCOT just last year. Made my day.

My Dh does not look his age either so the kids will be carded until they are 40.

Hey Dan, my Chiropractor just called. He said you can pick your spine back up first thing tomorrow!

No you Di' ent.

 

[marvali]

Sorry about the puke comment, it really is disgusting right? I don't handle it well at all, makes me want to retch! DH on the other hand has an iron stomach, nothing phases him!

Sounds like my house! Made it really fun when the kids were small and got sick. DW would always be right on the verge of joining them!!!

Um, Marv, I was talking about you. I don't know why you're throwing your sweet DW under the bus.

After 27 years I can honestly say I have NEVER thought about throwing her under a bus!!! A tractor trailer, diesel train, steamroller maybe, but NEVER a bus!!!

Oh don't worry about my sleep tonight, I'm planning to have my brain bleached so that I can effectively erase your night time attire from it.

I figured you for one with a dirty mind, but I didn't think it would take bleach!!!!!

I'm a looooong way from 51 Marv, no worries about me getting a senior citizen discount yet! You on the other hand, well here's a quick list of places you can go for discounts for someone of your age bracket:

http://www.seniorjournal.com/Discounts.htm

Your welcome.

Hey my local feed shop has real shovels. Metal shovel reinforced stip along the bottom for ice. I can pick one up for you if you want a "real" shovel.

We are suppposed to be getting more snow next week.

Might need to come get one. The way the weather sounded tonight was eerily like the talk a few days before this last really heavy storm! Many more snow make up days and DW and DS13 will be staying home while the rest of us go to Disney in June!!!

Remember I got carded at EPCOT just last year. Made my day.

My Dh does not look his age either so the kids will be carded until they are 40.

It's great for us, but the kids aren't wise enough yet to appreciate it!

No you Di' ent.

Oh yes I Di' id!!!

 

[that's nice]

And I wish you all would quit calling me TIM, or at least learn to spell it!!!

LOL Tim ain't a bad name.

 

[onescgirl]

Missed it until the 6:00 news came on! Crazy! But no more than three bank robberies in one day!!!

It was pretty cool seeing the chase live. There were people watching from on top of bridges. Felt like I was watching OJ again.

 

[3prettyprincesses]

Sounds like my house! Made it really fun when the kids were small and got sick. DW would always be right on the verge of joining them!!!

After 27 years I can honestly say I have NEVER thought about throwing her under a bus!!! A tractor trailer, diesel train, steamroller maybe, but NEVER a bus!!!

I figured you for one with a dirty mind, but I didn't think it would take bleach!!!!!

Ugh, once one kid gets it, then it just goes through the house. Every 2 days, someone new is sick! Everyone needs to finish getting it, we're leaving for Disney in about a week!

Well, that's not very flattering to your DW! I hope she doesn't read the disboards...

My mind is completely pure, the only cause for bleaching was your revealing pajamas! Or lack thereof I suppose. Remember Marv, this is me .

I figured you'd like that link for senior discounts. Did you scroll through them, there's some great finds on there including airfare, cell phones for seniors with special needs, help with digital equipment installation and um, well, adult diapers.

 

[jenb1023]

Hi Marv! Just posting to point out that even though I leave for WDW in three hours I am reading all of the banter on your TR to stay caught up!

Try not to chat it up too much while I am gone!

 

[englishrose47]

Hi Marv! Just posting to point out that even though I leave for WDW in three hours I am reading all of the banter on your TR to stay caught up!

Try not to chat it up too much while I am gone!

Have a great vacation !!If Marv posts an update you will have 10 pages of chatter plus a few hundred recipes to catch up on!!!!!

I am up at this ungodly hour on a saturday due to 2 incompetant workers who neither answered the securiy check at 5 am or the phone for the next 30 minutes !! I had to drive over to see what was going on !!!This is NOT a happy camper !!

 

[3prettyprincesses]

Hi Marv! Just posting to point out that even though I leave for WDW in three hours I am reading all of the banter on your TR to stay caught up!

Try not to chat it up too much while I am gone!

Have a fabulous trip!

 

[MEK]

Great family picture! I really hope everything works out during your drive in the snow. Not only do you have to worry about yourself driving, but you need to worry about the boys too. A little stressful, I would imagine!

 

[marvali]

LOL Tim ain't a bad name.

All I can say is That's Nice!

It was pretty cool seeing the chase live. There were people watching from on top of bridges. Felt like I was watching OJ again.

I bet it was interesting. Not sure on a level with OJ though!

Ugh, once one kid gets it, then it just goes through the house. Every 2 days, someone new is sick! Everyone needs to finish getting it, we're leaving for Disney in about a week!

Hope it all clears out before you have to leave!

Well, that's not very flattering to your DW! I hope she doesn't read the disboards...

I think I'm safe......

My mind is completely pure, the only cause for bleaching was your revealing pajamas! Or lack thereof I suppose. Remember Marv, this is me .

Uh Huh.......

I figured you'd like that link for senior discounts. Did you scroll through them, there's some great finds on there including airfare, cell phones for seniors with special needs, help with digital equipment installation and um, well, adult diapers.

I think you meant earlier!!!

Hi Marv! Just posting to point out that even though I leave for WDW in three hours I am reading all of the banter on your TR to stay caught up!

Try not to chat it up too much while I am gone!

Saw you made it safe and sound on FB and already hit the pool! Hope you are having a great time!

Have a great vacation !!If Marv posts an update you will have 10 pages of chatter plus a few hundred recipes to catch up on!!!!!

I am up at this ungodly hour on a saturday due to 2 incompetant workers who neither answered the securiy check at 5 am or the phone for the next 30 minutes !! I had to drive over to see what was going on !!!This is NOT a happy camper !!

Funny Rosie!!! BTW, what WAS going on??? Inquiring minds you know......

Great family picture! I really hope everything works out during your drive in the snow. Not only do you have to worry about yourself driving, but you need to worry about the boys too. A little stressful, I would imagine!

Thanks! Yes, having them drive separately also has its drawbacks!!!

 

[Goldeelox9]

Great Trip Report!!! I love Disney at Christmas!

 

[Emilyswish]

I love that family pic of you all. Very nice. I hope you made it through that snow without too much trouble! Especially with 2 cars!

 

[englishrose47]

All I can say is That's Nice!
I bet it was interesting. Not sure on a level with OJ though!
Hope it all clears out before you have to leave!
I think I'm safe......
Uh Huh.......
I think you meant earlier!!!
Saw you made it safe and sound on FB and already hit the pool! Hope you are having a great time!
Funny Rosie!!! BTW, what WAS going on??? Inquiring minds you know......
Thanks! Yes, having them drive separately also has its drawbacks!!!

Each House has a security check every hour that you have to punch in a code to stop the BEEPING !!If it is not done the Alarm people notify a Manager , well the first manager couldn't get an answere sooo he called Carol ,who also tried and then sweet soul that she is she called me as I lived closer I tried calling too and no answer until I was almost there Then there story was the phone didn't ring but once before and no one was there and that the other girl punched in the wrong code I guess they think I am gullible , but as they were awake when I arrived there is nothing I can do !!!Maybe however they will stay awake next time !!

 

[marvali]

When I travel to somewhere new, I always pull out the maps (or nowadays, check online) and try to plot the shortest/fastest route. When DW and I were dating, and I had to go visit her from my Parent's house on occasions like Christmas, I selected what appeared to be the most direct route. I have travelled it for many years and have it memorized. When we made the quick trip to see my Dad from their house at Thanksgiving, I changed the route slightly at my DFIL's suggestion to a larger highway that is 4 lanes most of the trip. I had planned to travel this route again since I figured the roads would be clearer of any potential dangers that might await us.

We got DS21 a GPS for Christmas. He has never been as diligent about finding the best routes between places when he drives, and any slight variations to the few he has memorized can cause significant travel issues for him. Let's be honest; he either gets lost or takes some roundabout route that adds many miles and much time. A GPS just seemed like the perfect gift and he had gotten familiar with it on the drive to the In-Laws and even though it took us the usual route, he was already learning to use it and trust it.

I told him that we would follow him and the GPS to my Dad's and see what roads it took to get us there. Now I know some of you would never believe this, but I am not the type person to turn that much control over to someone unless I just absolutely don't know where I'm going...... Shortly after we left the In-laws the GPS had DS preparing to make a right turn. Now, I quickly calculated what the GPS was trying to do, and since we were looking to get something to drink to go with our sandwiches, I passed Matt and indicated to follow me instead. I figured the GPS was getting him more quickly to the bypass instead of heading through downtown, and we would end up in the same place eventually, but I wanted to make sure we passed plenty of places to get those drinks on the business route.

After getting our drinks I turned control back over to Matt and the GPS. Thinking it would take us on the route I already planned to take, especially being on that side of town, the GPS redirected him back in the direction we came from. OMG, the GPS was going to take him on the Interstate. Now I have actually driven that way before, but I knew that even though he would be able to drive faster and would avoid some towns, the Interstate route would involve two different Interstates that would make a "V" while my normal route would basically go straight and cross both of them. Having a strong math background I quickly decided that travelling the hypotenuse, especially since it was a main road that was mostly 4 lanes and traffic would probably be light anyway, was the best choice. So I got DW to text the boys to go ahead and travel the path the GPS gave them, and we would go our way and just see how it worked out. Knowing where we had to go, I figured at some point our paths would join again anyway.

Even though the boys eventually got back on the same road with us, and were a little ways ahead, I'm glad I opted for the originally planned route. Since the roads remained fairly clear, it was a very scenic drive. We went through some long wooded stretches of road where everything was covered in snow. And then we went through some small "towns" where you saw a church on a hill near the road all covered in snow, with Christmas decorations being the only "color" added to the scene! It was so peaceful and serene, like something you would see on the front of a Hallmark Card. Too bad I wasn't able to take any pictures while I was driving. It was a beautiful Winter Wonderland!

The further we went towards the coast and my Dad's house, the less snow we began to see! Not long after DS21 got ahead of us on the same highway, the snow was almost nonexistent. They were about 15 minutes ahead of us, but I don't know if that was more because the GPS gave them a better route, or I was just taking my time enjoying the scenery instead of being focused on making the fastest time (not that I would speed or anything....). Sometimes it is way better to enjoy the moment than worry about a few extra minutes or some tight schedule; a theme that would serve us well when we finally arrived at WDW!

Matt needed to get gas and the next large town provided a good opportunity. My goal had been to make it to the next town after that, where we have gotten gas on numerous occasions when travelling to my Dad's, but Matt was getting very low on fuel. Not being overly familiar with the direction he had gone to get gas, we suddenly found we were now ahead of them. Since we had left the snow behind, and had passed a Mall that was now between them and us, we turned around and met them there! After all, we had DS13 on the way to Disney with only one pair of shoes, and this seemed like an opportune time to see if we could find him another pair. This wasn't a really large Mall, and the choices were limited, but we finally found a pair of tennis shoes that would work, although we ended up paying more than I had hoped. Now the second "left behind" issue arose. Matt informed us that he had not packed very many pairs of socks, and would need more before we got back home. Luckily the place we got Drew's shoes did at least have a sale on their socks......

We decided that we better get something to eat before the final part of our journey, since choices would become few soon. We ordered our food, but what the boys ordered meant they would have to cook some more, so DW and I headed on to the next town where we were going to get gas and told the boys to catch up to us when they got their food. Well, this didn't exactly work because the GPS sent them on a slightly different route again. I'm still not sure where they went because they may have driven it, but they couldn't explain it.... With our stop for gas, by the time they got back on the same road with us they were once again about ten minutes ahead of us. They thought it was funny that Dad had been driving these roads for years, and knew the best directions, but they kept beating me at my game. Of course I had one final advantage that they didn't. I knew the GPS would take them on the main highway through town to my Dad's house. I know the back way shortcut that avoids the town and traffic lights, and brings you out on the other side of town very near my Dad's house!!! Well, even though they had the GPS, they missed a final turn or something and had to circle the block so as I pulled in my Dad's driveway they had to pull in right behind me........not that it was any type of competition or anything! The good news was that even though we had all the stops along the way, with our earlier start we got to my Dad's about an hour earlier than originally planned.

Continued in Next Post…..

 

[marvali]

After saying our greetings to Dad, unloading what we needed for our short stay and the remaining Christmas presents, and suitably decorating my Dad's house in a layer of glitter, we began to settle in and think about everything that had to get done in the next 24 hours. Knowing that we had to go shopping the next day for some items to prepare for the family get-together the next night, and that the stove at Dad's house had a recent history of producing, uh, inconsistent results, DW decided it might be good if she went ahead and baked her cake layers for her coconut cake. If they didn't turn out right, we at least would have time to buy some more cake mix the next day and give it another try. I called my sister (who wasn't going to get to come until New Years) and asked her about her recent experiences with the stove. I knew she had used it cooking various items at Thanksgiving when we all got together. She said the stove ran very hot, probably at least 50 degrees hotter than the setting. At least we had something to go on for a starting point.

The first obstacle was finding everything we needed in the kitchen. Dad knew where some things were, and from years of experience I pretty much did too, but the kitchen was always Mom's domain, and she always sent everyone out of her way when the time came to get serious about cooking and preparing meals. After we finally located the cake pans, and the wire racks to use for cooling the cake layers if we could master the great stove setting mystery and got a result that could be cooled, DW started on her Sour Cream Coconut Cake. An interesting side note is that her cake layers and my 7-layer bars normally use the same temperature setting (350 degF) and cook time (30 minutes). Since my sister had given us a guesstimate of 50 degF, we started off with the idea to set the stove on 300 degF and set the timer for 25 minutes and see how things looked at that point. When the timer went off, we checked to see the result and it appeared the cake was done exactly as desired. After passing the toothpick test, we decided the issues with the stove were resolved and we now knew the magic formula!

Since I had located the pans I needed to make my 7-layer bars while we were looking for the cake pans, and we were now uber-confident in our baking skills on this finicky of stoves, I figured it was the perfect time to go ahead and make my creation. After all, they would need the same exact temperature that had just been used to perfection for the cake. Since I had premeasured everything at home and put it in separate baggies, I melted the butter and put together the first pan for baking while the butter melted for the second pan. I pulled the second pan with melted butter out of the oven and popped in the first pan ready for baking. Henry Ford would have been proud of this very efficient assembly line I had going!!!

No changes to the temperature and timer set for 25 minutes I quickly put together the rest of the second pan of goodies and let it sit on the counter awaiting its turn in the oven while I relaxed with the rest of the family, knowing the timer on the stove would alert my attention back to the task at hand!

Dad was really enjoying having family to share time with and with all the conversation the time passed quickly and the timer alerted me to the fact 25 minutes had already passed. I returned to the kitchen expecting the 7-layer bars to be perfectly prepared after the results with the cake layers but instead the middle didn’t look quite as done as I like, so I put them back in the oven and after an additional 5 minutes everything looked done. (Okay, how many of you were thinking disaster was going to strike and Marv was going to mess this all up???) I put the second batch in the oven, this time setting the timer closer to 30 minutes. When the second batch were finished and both were suitably cooled, I got them all cut up into squares.

My Dad loves these things and he of course had to sample them right away, not that I didn’t think that was also a good idea. I noticed when I sliced them that the edges were a little over done, but I guess that was the price I had to pay to get the middle done properly. When I took them out of the pans and placed them in containers I made sure I put the overdone ones from the edge on the bottom. I told everyone to make sure they got the good ones on top and leave the others for when my sister and her family arrived, ‘cause I’m just nice like that!!!

As everyone was getting ready for bed I decided I had a few spare minutes, and since I hadn’t had a chance to check in on my DISfriends, I thought this would be the opportune time......

Up Next – So Much For Socks and Shoes Being All We Forgot!!!!

 

[marvali]

Great Trip Report!!! I love Disney at Christmas!

Goldeelox9! Thanks and great to have you on board! Nice wedding pictures! What a special way to start your lives together than to do it at Disney!!!

I love that family pic of you all. Very nice. I hope you made it through that snow without too much trouble! Especially with 2 cars!

Thanks, and I'm guessing if you made it to this post, you already saw the updates, so you know how it turned out.

Each House has a security check every hour that you have to punch in a code to stop the BEEPING !!If it is not done the Alarm people notify a Manager , well the first manager couldn't get an answere sooo he called Carol ,who also tried and then sweet soul that she is she called me as I lived closer I tried calling too and no answer until I was almost there Then there story was the phone didn't ring but once before and no one was there and that the other girl punched in the wrong code I guess they think I am gullible , but as they were awake when I arrived there is nothing I can do !!!Maybe however they will stay awake next time !!

As I tell my boys, I might have been born at night, but it wasn't LAST night!!!