Welcome to The Chocolate Vault

[castlegazer]

It's a shame I don't get the extra pay to go with it!!

Big Time!!!

Goodmorning everyone. How bout my favorite this morning - Chocolate Croissants!

Does anyone have experience driving over 20 hours with wee ones down to WDW? I began contemplating this course of action last night and am starting to think it might be the best way to go. My BIL and DSis do it all the time, but its just them so they can drive it hard and straight through some times. I don't think they will be the best judges on whether or not its good for me with two wee ones in the car. My daughter will be 15 months old and my son will be 4.

 

[castlegazer]

Sorry geffric - we must have posted at the same time. My DH goes out to our Boyscout camp tonight to certify it. I have no idea what is involved with that but he has to do it every year. Good luck with everything.

 

[slo]

Good morning!!

 

[castlegazer]

RRBB - I didn't get a chance to chat back with you. I can't believe Ian doesn't sleep during the day! Catrina does that to me on weekends - she just doesn't want to miss a thing, but she sleeps some pretty healthy time during the day during the week.

I wanted to ask you whether you are still doing your own baby food? How do you do squash and stuff? I was thinking about it and then realized, if I am so lazy that I do pre-mixed formula, there is no way I am going to be hauling out the food processor and making baby food at night, while packing lunches, laying out clothes, and cleaning - all in a span of time from 9pm until 10pm (my only free time at night).

 

[geffric]

Does anyone have experience driving over 20 hours with wee ones down to WDW? I began contemplating this course of action last night and am starting to think it might be the best way to go. My BIL and DSis do it all the time, but its just them so they can drive it hard and straight through some times. I don't think they will be the best judges on whether or not its good for me with two wee ones in the car. My daughter will be 15 months old and my son will be 4.

We drove to WDW with little ones.. We stopped every hour, went to a MCD's playland, let them play for a while, changerd diapers etc. Other times when they needed to get out of the car, we had races at the rest stops. It took us twice as long to drive that way, but the kids were happier. Once they were alseep, we drove and drove. We also had the TV/DVD/VCR in the car and gave them unlimited time to watch whatever they wanted. Once they were out of diapers limited the sancks and juice. We also had a pee pee cup, so if some one need to go, tht we just pulled over and they could us the cup.. It avoided accidents that way..

 

[ibouncetoo]

Morning Chocolate lovers! Only have a minute till it's time to hit the shower. Hope everyone has a great day.

Geffric, get back to work! (hehehehe)

 

[castlegazer]

How many hours is it for you? How many overnights?

 

[ohanafamily]

Hi all,

geffric & castlegazer, thanks for breakfast...

geffric, Lordy Lordy Lordy... Pretty soon we will be calling you Cheeringmom!

castlegazer, I don't think it i difficult to make the food, I will see if RRBB wants to post some recipes... Maybe even add them to the recipe book.....

 

[geffric]

How many hours is it for you? How many overnights?

It is a 22 hour drive, we do 1 overnight. When the kids were little, we had them wear the vacation clothes to bed, then picked them up and loaded them in the car ( if they were in diapers) or made them pee befoe we carried them to the car.. Left about 4 am, and drove as long as they were asleep, once awake it was time for breakfast and a stop..

 

[BlueBayou]

Good morning everyone!

I hope all is well. We are doing battle with our pool filter (it sprung a leak). So we are trying to patch it in the short term before we get a new one ($750-$1,050 to replace)

Just think high pressure water ballon with a couple of pin pricks in it....

Sher

 

[castlegazer]

Hmm. I hadn't considered leaving in the middle of the night, but that would totally work. Coming back may be difficult, but hmm. Thanks - any other tips you think of, just let me know. My son actually, right now, would not mind at all being put into a diaper for the ride, but I don't know about then.

 

[castlegazer]

bluebayou - that totally stinks especially after a vacation - I know we go on a mac and cheese diet for a while after one.

I forgot to tell you all this morning that we watched Be Cool last night and I wanted to warn you all - this movie truly stinks. It is pathetic how bad it is. I loved Get Shorty but this movie is a sell-out from beginning to end. The funny scenes in the promos are NOT funny in the actual film.

Just wanted to warn you all.

 

[ohanafamily]

bluebayou - that totally stinks especially after a vacation - I know we go on a mac and cheese diet for a while after one.

I forgot to tell you all this morning that we watched Be Cool last night and I wanted to warn you all - this movie truly stinks. It is pathetic how bad it is. I loved Get Shorty but this movie is a sell-out from beginning to end. The funny scenes in the promos are NOT funny in the actual film.

Just wanted to warn you all.

Ever See "The Producers"?
"Hitler in Springtime"...
It could be a big hit...

 

[Ian]

I wanted to ask you whether you are still doing your own baby food? How do you do squash and stuff? I was thinking about it and then realized, if I am so lazy that I do pre-mixed formula, there is no way I am going to be hauling out the food processor and making baby food at night, while packing lunches, laying out clothes, and cleaning - all in a span of time from 9pm until 10pm (my only free time at night).

castlegazer these are my favorite recipes that mommy made for me so far:

PEAS

• 1/2 cup frozen peas
• 1 Tbs. water

microwave on high about 2-3 minutes
let cool a few minutes
puree
(since the peas had already been frozen once I only make enough for a couple days and keep in the refrigerator.)


YELLOW SQAUSH

• fresh yellow squash
• water

slice squash and put into microwave safe dish
add a little water
microwave on high about 5-7 minutes, or until done
let cool a couple minutes
puree
spoon into ice tray and freeze


GREEN BEANS

• fresh green beans
• water

cut ends off green beans then cut in half and put into microwave safe dish
add a little water
microwave on high about 5-7 minutes, or until done
let cool a couple minutes
puree
spoon into ice tray and freeze


I haven't had sweet potatoes yet, but I heard mommy and daddy talking that I'll get to try them tonight.
SWEET POTATO

• fresh sweet potato

wash and pierce with fork a few times
place on paper towels (about 3) in microwave
microwave on high about 5 minutes, or until done
let cool a few minutes
cut in half and scoop out flesh
puree
spoon into ice tray and freeze


I'm not sure when I'll get to try zucchini, but I know mommy already made some for me the other night.
ZUCCHINI

• fresh zucchini
• water

slice zucchini and put into microwave safe dish
add a little water
microwave on high about 5-7 minutes, or until done
let cool a couple minutes
puree
spoon into ice tray and freeze

 

[castlegazer]

Thanks Ian! Maybe I'll get all motivated this weekend to do this for your girlfriend.



maybe not.

 

[RRBB]

castlegazer, I've found it to be really easy to make Ian's food. Basically pop it in the microwave for a few minutes, cool a bit, then puree and freeze. I'm using some cube trays I got to freeze milk - but never had enough to do so - to make cubes of food. I like them because they came with lids so no contamination. Once the cubes are good and hard I pop them out and put into marked freezer bags. When it's time to feed Ian I take out a couple cubes, nuke for about 30-45 seconds and viola, instant meal for Ian.

We did decide not to make our own carrots or spinach (or beets, turnips, or collard greens.) I've read information that these vegetables can have a large concentration of nitrates, even if organically grown. So we'll be going the jarred route for these. Otherwise I try to purchase organic veggies for Ian.

 

[RRBB]

RRBB - I didn't get a chance to chat back with you. I can't believe Ian doesn't sleep during the day! Catrina does that to me on weekends - she just doesn't want to miss a thing, but she sleeps some pretty healthy time during the day during the week.

He usually fights sleep during the day, though he's actually down now. Usually when I try to put him down though he'll cry and cry and cry. The other day he went on for over an hour with just a few minutes break here and there. It drives me nuts but at least he'll go to bed at night fairly easily.

 

[s&k'smom]

Castlegazer when are you thinking of going to WDW. I've never driven and my husband doesn't want to as he had the unfortunate experience of driving from Florida with my father once. And yes he still has nightmares from it.

Thank you for those chocolate goodies. They hit the spot.

 

[castlegazer]

We go in April of next year for a cruise. We pack super light for WDW but for cruises we tend to be super heavy packers so I am having nightmares trying to fly with all the paraphenalia we need - because that was when it was just the two of us.

I am nervous driving for a multitude of reasons not the least of which is safety - its soo much safer to fly.

I wil wait and see what happens with SWA for prices during that time. I am panicking because I priced out normal airfare and its astronomical - whatever happened to buying your seats early and getting a better deal? We also might be getting a new airline into our now defunct airport here in Worcester which will fly directly down to Florida. That would be mighty cool. We did Pan Am that way and it was so awesome - except for losing an engine, I mean losing it like falling off the damn plane, and then having an 8 hour emergency landing event in Norfolk Virginia waiting for their only other plane in the damn fleet to come and pick us up. Yeah, that was fun I was furious. So, I will be skeptical until I see what type of planes this new airline is going to use. Pan Am was using the old Eastern planes. Never will I subject my chidren to what Pan Am did to us. But if they use newer airplanes, it would be very very convenient.

 

[slo]

Good evening everyone - I hope everyone had a good day and has a great tomorrow!!!

slo