The ABC's of Trip Planning, Pt 1- K is for Keeping Things Kooky- Drinks V-Z; pg. 197 + New Link

[irene_dsc]

The shopping spree started off at the local TJ Maxx where I purchased these little beauties:

Very nice!

Fine, I'll just show you. I'm FAR too excited about this Birthday Bag in a Bag in a Bag (you'll understand that in a moment) to make you wait.

Love it.

The next, and last, stop was the Dollar Tree.

Love Dollar Tree, too. Dangerous place, that. But perfect for this sort of thing.

But the piece de resistance: A little booklet of laminated schedules on a ring-clasp so they'll know where to be when. I imagine they'll want to go their own way at times. And at other times, I'LL want them to go their own way. Those obviously aren't done quite yet, as some minor details are still being honed, but imagine, if you will, cute little laminated cards about 3x4, with the color-coded Excel schedule with all of the details they'd need to know for each day including where we're eating, park hours, etc...

Pretty awesomesauce.

There ya have it. Birthday gifts for 2 for the Birthday Bunch. I wonder if the Birthday Bunny should buy the Mama something equally fun and useful. Like an Annual Pass.

You done good. I'm amazed you had time to put all of that together! (Although, I'll admit, you can very quickly buy lots and lots of stuff at a Dollar Tree!)

Zachadoo chose the Behind the Seeds Tour which is only $20 bucks a pop and a super cool tour.

That's the one on my wishlist...but I'm a gardener. I guess Ponzi isn't.

 

[Steppesister]

Ok, fine. Y'all have a party while I work a swing.

 

[pkondz]

Ok, fine. Y'all have a party while I work a swing.

Liesa at work:

 

[Poolrat]

For all to behold:

Brown 1 lb of ground beef and 1 lb of Sweet Italian Sausage together in huge pot.
Add a great big sweet onion chopped up, a diced bell pepper and a package of sliced shrooms, and a bunch of chopped garlic.
Simmer until veggies are soft.

Add 1 can of tomato sauce (20 oz?), a couple T of tomato paste, a can of diced Italian style tomatoes and a jar of any kind of Ragu. (Don't judge, trust me, it saves time and tastes great!). Stir, then simmer for at least an hour on low.

Season with 1 T salt, pepper to taste, a bunch of Italian herbs, 3 T sugar, 1 t red flakes (more or less to taste), a big dash of red wine.

In a separate bowl, mix up a big container of Ricotta cheese, 2 eggs, and a big handful of fresh chopped parsley.

Heat your oven to 350 deg. While it's preheating layer your 'zanya.

In a 9x13 baking dish, put a layer of sauce down. Add a layer of uncooked noodles, then another layer of sauce. Next the ricotta mixture, spreading it out as best you can. It's a little tricky, but you can do it! I have faith in your mad cooking skilz! Now a layer of sliced mozzarella (don't skimp- the lasagna police will absolutely ticket you for skimping!). Start all over with noodles (no need for extra layer of sauce here- the first one on the bottom of the pan is to keep the noodles from sticking on the very bottom.), then sauce, then ricotta, then mozz. I only have room for 2 layers of each, but if you use a real lasagna pan that's deeper, you might be able to fit 3 layers and that would win you serious kitchen points.

Pour a big, bold red (Cabernet or Merlot), bake up some garlic toast and enjoy. You could enjoy a nice salad too, but why take up room in your gut with that when there's Steppe's Lasagna to be eaten?

Now I think I know why my lasagna was ...well not the greatest. Now of course too many tummy troubling things in there for me to eat now but yup mine was missing lots of things.

WAIT A MINUTE!! HOLD THE PHONE! Should I be getting an ADR for that day and kinda, maybe move my Graduation Dinner for this day?!! I'm serious! If there are more folksies to share in the merriment, maybe I can switch things up a bit, and add a 2nd Event!

What's everyone thinking??

Sounds like you already have a plan.

Might I ask where those beauties are from?? What are these luscious pieces of yum-yum?

Quick check of the PP and GF TR, page 21. Pat also posted a pic, my update just after gives the narrative.

Asked and answered.

ssshhhh.... be vewy, vewy quiet. Liesa's sleeping.

OKAY Marvin the martian that is very odd coming from you when it should be coming from Elmer Fudd.

But nausea is a bigger issue. I don't know if it's a mixed up meal time thing? or the smells in the hospital? or...? But at 2:00 every night of the 3, I've gotten a horrible upset stomach. Weird!

Thinking your stomach is just confused.

Marv, Pat, and I have come up with a pretty good idea for that night that I think everyone can get on board with. I"ll share more after I can wrap my head around some of the changes.

WE have ? Okay we have, I have no idea what I have been doing lately so ....

That would be so awesome! I think Pat and Marv have AP discounts as well, and I have a Visa, but it'll be great to share the wealth. I think some of us are going in on a Memory Maker as well.... But need to figure out how that works.

As far as how it works. To the best of my knowledge, whoever I add as a Friend and Family on my account will show up on my photos. But, I don't think you would have access to them as far as adding borders and editing. I know when my husband went in March his pictures showed up in my account fine, but in his account with the photopass watermark over the picture because his pass was older and didn't include MM. Since we are in the same house we just did the editing on my account and didn't even try it on his. My son is going in June and I added him to my account, he doesn't live at home, so I should know more after he gets back how it works in that case.

That is what I thought but glad to know that is what it is....

Hah! Joke's on you! She said yes!
(And she doesn't give out flattery points. Might get some truth points, though.)

Or Bs points. ........

(stupid autocorrect......that was supposed to be Bonus......)

Nice one!!!!

It'd be tougher now that Home Depot doesn't have them anymore.

I'm sure I have one or two of those somewhere. ........

I think I have a couple too.

I thought that was a sack where you keep your music?

That would be what YOU call your "kit" Silly

Good thing you didn't have a thing 3. I could pose 2 options to my 3 DS's, and STILL get 3 different responses.......

Yup True...

 

[Steppesister]

Love Dollar Tree, too. Dangerous place, that. But perfect for this sort of thing.

It kinda is. I'm all into inexpensive.

You done good. I'm amazed you had time to put all of that together! (Although, I'll admit, you can very quickly buy lots and lots of stuff at a Dollar Tree!)

It took about a day of running around and putting it all together. I think they turned out pretty well.

That's the one on my wishlist...but I'm a gardener. I guess Ponzi isn't.

I'm a wannabe gardener. I like the results- hate the work to get there.

 

[Steppesister]

Liesa at work:

Yes, and my waist and legs look *just* like that too.

 

[Steppesister]

Now I think I know why my lasagna was ...well not the greatest. Now of course too many tummy troubling things in there for me to eat now but yup mine was missing lots of things.

If I remember, tomatoes are on your no-go list. IF so, yeah, lasagna probably isn't for you.

Sounds like you already have a plan.

It was your sweeties idea. I'm just going with it, as it sounds pretty good.

Thinking your stomach is just confused.

I think you're right. So I just sort of snack my way through the shifts.

WE have ? Okay we have, I have no idea what I have been doing lately so ....

I assumed you're in cahoots with your counterpart... no? And you're in good company over here... I have zero idea what I'm doing half the time too.

 

[Steppesister]

Succinct and to the point.

....and nicer than I said in my mind.

somehow... I doubt it.
But you never know.

I think you have to be a gardener. Or in my case, a wannabe gardener.

Kay did, in Europe.
"I don't want to go to some Opera house."
Later, after seeing the pictures.
"You didn't tell me it was going to look like that!"

It takes life lessons like that to "grow up". Next time, maybe she won't be so quick to scoff.

It'd be tougher now that Home Depot doesn't have them anymore.

Nah. Make your own. I did out of lime green craft foam.

So he hits the toilet?

Aren't you funny.

Well. .... you're half right

And you too, Smart Alek.

I'm sure I have one or two of those somewhere. ........

I"m all out, so have to do up my own.

Or Bs points. ........

(stupid autocorrect......that was supposed to be Bonus......)

I kept reading that, B's points. As in choice B for the contest or something... I was so confused!!!!

(I get it now, and you're both full of it.)

 

[irene_dsc]

I'm a wannabe gardener. I like the results- hate the work to get there.

I like some of the work better than others. Puttering in the garden is my happy place, and supposedly there's something in dirt that is a natural anti-depressant. I tend to believe it! But, I keep resisting adding more garden beds, since I have a hard enough time keeping up with what I have. Here's what it looks like, part of the way into the Spring Clean-up this past weekend:

 

[Steppesister]

I thought that was a sack where you keep your music?

That would be logical, but not in the long standing (4 generations) of Buren tradition.

Guess that gives a new slant on Andy telling Opie not to get his clothes dirty......

What IS it with a family who can't see work that needs to be done and just walks on by?! Grrr......

It's a tradition

Just wouldn't be a proper jaunt through the airport if my gate wasn't in the next county.

They still HAVE those. ....?

Yepperoo.

Because there's nothing worse than having to keep unorganized crap in a random pile......

Stop talking about my house like that.

Unless you're Mark....and you ran out of peanut butter.

@Captain_Oblivious You're being paged.... Bring PB!

A sheet of sandpaper?

You're really on a roll, aren't you?!

I can see those being quickly discarded into the Waste Please receptacle only a few steps away.....thanks to Walt

Wanna hear something funny? (or not) The little LGMH that I had his name on, zip tied to the bag.... you know, the one that took me and hour to make and get printed? was taken off the bag in less than 5 minutes. I coulda wrung his neck! But I didn't cuz I'm a nice mom. I later explained that it was luggage tag and kinda had to be on there so in case it was lost someone would know who to call.

We HAVE? Oh yes, we have. Three bodies.....one mind!

It was YOUR idea. I liked it so am rolling with it. I think it'll be fun- I'll post about it after tomorrow when the last ADRs are made.

No trains?!? Hmm.....might need to reschedule for a more acceptable time.....

It's a sad day. I REALLY like the trains.

Yes, DisneyDorks can get themselves in trouble very quickly that way......

It was a very expensive hour on the interwebs.

Good thing you didn't have a thing 3. I could pose 2 options to my 3 DS's, and STILL get 3 different responses.......

Yeah, except that that would mean 2 tours for me.

Besides, who would be left to keep you on track?

Apparently NOT Disney.

Or like Mark, you'll be waiting on them to say. ...We don't serve your kind here......

Once again, @Captain_Oblivious you are needed here.

BTW....... to all those celebrating birthdays......just past and in the near future!

Thank you! I will certainly enjoy 29!

 

[Steppesister]

I like some of the work better than others. Puttering in the garden is my happy place, and supposedly there's something in dirt that is a natural anti-depressant. I tend to believe it! But, I keep resisting adding more garden beds, since I have a hard enough time keeping up with what I have. Here's what it looks like, part of the way into the Spring Clean-up this past weekend:

View attachment 163153

Beautiful! I would be mortified to post a picture of mine right now! Maybe in a few weeks when this busy season of Nursing School is over. It'll be a late garden but that's ok.

 

[pkondz]

Yes, and my waist and legs look *just* like that too.

Well of course. It's a picture of you, after all.

....and nicer than I said in my mind.

Someone's naughty...

I think you have to be a gardener. Or in my case, a wannabe gardener.

I have a brown thumb.
Every plant I touch, dies.

It takes life lessons like that to "grow up". Next time, maybe she won't be so quick to scoff.

Nah. Make your own. I did out of lime green craft foam.

That's asking a lot of some folk.

Aren't you funny.

So no, then?
Sorry to hear.
I guess that explains the bathroom, then.

I kept reading that, B's points. As in choice B for the contest or something... I was so confused!!!!

(I get it now, and you're both full of it.)

 

[englishrose47]

Here's another E

 

[Steppesister]

Here's another E

Where'd you find that picture of me, Rosie?! I thought I deleted it after my last time in The Ditch.

 

[Steppesister]

My laptop just went in for a new screen. And the part has to be shipped from the UK. So I'm only going to be able to reply if my DD is home with hers- which is about the same frequency as my bathroom gets cleaned. I can hop on the phone, but it's not as easy to reply from there.

 

[pkondz]

My laptop just went in for a new screen. And the part has to be shipped from the UK. So I'm only going to be able to reply if my DD is home with hers- which is about the same frequency as my bathroom gets cleaned. I can hop on the phone, but it's not as easy to reply from there.

Well that majorly sucks.

 

[MAGICFOR2]

Liesa at work:

 

[MAGICFOR2]

My laptop just went in for a new screen. And the part has to be shipped from the UK. So I'm only going to be able to reply if my DD is home with hers- which is about the same frequency as my bathroom gets cleaned. I can hop on the phone, but it's not as easy to reply from there.

Bummer. Sorry Liesa. Ponz will try to keep the dance party going while you are gone.

 

[pkondz]

Bummer. Sorry Liesa. Ponz will try to keep the dance party going while you are gone.

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

Rolly bags are hands down the way to go. These gems should make traversing the length of any airport a breeze. And you KNOW we'll be doing that at least 6 times. Furthest gate. Every airport. Every time.

Hey, I thought that only happened to us! Especially when we have the kids with us.

Of course it does. And every savvy traveler needs to organize their crap, and these screamed “crap organizer perfection”.

Does it really have to be organized? I just have a "crap bag".

But the piece de resistance: A little booklet of laminated schedules on a ring-clasp so they'll know where to be when. I imagine they'll want to go their own way at times. And at other times, I'LL want them to go their own way. Those obviously aren't done quite yet, as some minor details are still being honed, but imagine, if you will, cute little laminated cards about 3x4, with the color-coded Excel schedule with all of the details they'd need to know for each day including where we're eating, park hours, etc...

It's all wrapped up in a gigantic birthday bag- a ditty bag in a rolly bag in a birthday bag.

No barf bag for the airplane?

Now, it's off to a Japanese Steakhouse to celebrate birthday #1.

The Trains will be under refurb the entire month of October, which meant the Behind the Steam Tour I wanted to take the kids on is kaput. That is disappointing as it was in my price range and sounded like a lot of fun.

NOOOOOOOOOoooooooooo...

Zachadoo chose the Behind the Seeds Tour which is only $20 bucks a pop and a super cool tour. I've done it before and can't wait to have my kids join me for it. What's not to love about feeding a tank full of baby alligators??!

As long as you're not feeding each other to a tank full of baby alligators.

I love that word: "exclusive". Sounds like I'm actually a real contender in this game. I kinda like pretending to be a stuck up rich snob who gets "exclusive" stuff. Probably because I shop at Walmart most of the time, and don't feel rich at all.

It's always fun to play pretend!

This was seriously a MAJOR detour from the BFP. I'm talking gargantuan, in proportions that I was absolutely NOT expecting!

Is that even allowed????