Author Archives: Nora

Disney with Kids – Hollywood Studios

13 Thursday Apr 2017

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First, a disclaimer, which will be at the top of each park review.  There are plenty of websites that will give you the top rides or restaurants in each park.  So, I will cover three topics for each park: over-rated attractions, under-rated attractions, and nap strategies.

The 2017 Disney with Kids series:
Disney while Pregnant
The Magic Kingdom
Epcot
Animal Kingdom
Hollywood Studios
Disney with Strollers

Overview of Hollywood Studios

If you’re going to skip a park on a Disney visit with young children, it should be Hollywood Studios.  It’s not that its a bad park.  It’s that so much of it is geared towards elementary and up.  Young kids will have a lot of time on their hands.

For a newer park, it is not as stroller friendly as one would think.  Sunset Boulevard is shockingly narrow, especially with the vendor carts, and has actual curbs (as many Disney “streets” do, unfortunately).  Thankfully, it largely goes to attractions young children won’t visit, including the Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster and Tower of Terror.  There is a shady waiting area near these rides though, so if you make it through the crowd it is a reasonable place to pass some time with the non-riders in your group.  Fantasmic is also at the end of this road; we’ve never been.  One of the large theaters is about halfway down if Live Shows are of interest.

It is also easy to get stuck in the Center Stage area also as it is mostly accessed by stairs.

Over-rated Attractions

Young Star Wars fans may be interested in Jedi Training, which is offered for ages 4-12.  It is cute.  But, you and your child must race to the Indiana Jones Adventure Outpost first thing in the morning to register in person.  This can take a very long time – think an hour plus.  And, you may not be able to get a time slot that doesn’t conflict with your Fast Pass/Meal timeslots for the day.  With many of the attractions in Hollywood Studios being around 30 minutes, and only happening a few times a day, adding a random chunk of time at the last minute can really throw off your plans.  Get your Star Wars fix by going on Star Tours as many times as possible.

Instead, I’d recommend making a bee-line to Toy Story Mania, which will have a very long line later in the day.  Note:  Toy Story Mania has been closed for technical problems for significant chunks of the day each time we’ve been there.  If you have a Fast Pass, they will honor that if the ride reopens, or you can use it on another ride.  But, trying to go first thing in the morning also gets you in before the ride breaks down.

 

 

Under-rated Attractions

Everyone who is tall enough should ride the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror.  I know this is a bigger name attraction with Fast Pass, but a lot of people are scared of the name.  It moves around a lot, but if you can handle the Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster, you can handle the Tower of Terror.  The set design in the lead-up to the ride is fabulous.

Everyone should go on The Great Movie Ride.  You should not need to use a Fast Pass for this one; there are better Fast Pass options for all ages.  Spoiler Alert: With the exception of some fake gunfire and the Alien, this is a pretty tame ride.  Adults will enjoy seeing bits from famous movies and there’s still enough going on the keep the attention of the little ones who don’t really know what they’re looking at.

Nap Strategies

Napping is a bit of an issue.  First, if all the kids in your party still nap, this probably isn’t the park for you.  Get your Frozen fix over at Epcot.

The only show quiet and comfy enough for napping is Voyage of the Little Mermaid.  But, its only 17 minutes long so just as they get settled you’re off again.  There are plenty of smooth paths and shady areas if they will nap in the stroller.

Hollywood Studios is largely geared towards an older audience.  The height restrictions are taller and on most rides.  Small children will be largely limited to Theater shows.  To get those in you will need to check the schedules in advance and plan your day as each show is roughly 30 minutes and may only happen 2-6 times.  The shows are also very loud, which doesn’t work for all kids.  But, they are generally good so if one looks right for your party, definitely put it in your vacation plan.

 

Last Week’s Accomplishments – The Wrong Pasta

11 Tuesday Apr 2017

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This is hardly an accomplishment, though it doesn’t happen every day.

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The sale price was on all Prince pasta.  If we liked Tricolor Penne, I would have tried to see how much I could get off.  As it was, the Elbow Macaroni is two shelves down so the stocker definitely noticed the issue.

In other news:

  • I had three parent-teacher conferences.  All is well.
  • I had a Dr. appointment.  All is well there too.
  • We had the first full day of soccer practices.  The second was cancelled by a torrential rainstorm.  We had our first two soccer games.
  • We had the last 3rd grade math morning of this year.
  • Two boys went to Little League Picture Day.
  • We went to swimming, baseball, adventure, and skating classes.
  • One boy went to see the Boston Symphony Orchestra with school.
  • I filled out three more field trip forms.  It certainly seems like there have been more this year than last.
  • Most of us attended the Preschool Ice Cream Social.  This is a once a year, ice cream for dinner event.  There’s also a very popular clown.
  • I filed the accident paperwork with the insurance company.
  • The adults went to see Logan; definitely not a kids movie.

Grocery Update & What We Ate – Week 14, 2017

10 Monday Apr 2017

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Three trips to the grocery store this week.

On Monday I went to Shaw’s for those few items only they carry.  I also got grapes which were on sale for 99¢, one box of cereal, and one package of hot dogs.

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Then, on Wednesday, I went to Stop and Shop for the items that only they carry.  The grape juice was buy 1, get 1 free.  The pasta, strawberries, and roast were on sale.  This cheese I can only get there.  And, we were out of pepperoni.

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Finally, on Sunday I stopped at Stop & Shop for two gallons of milk to tide us over until Monday when I was planning to go to Wegman’s.  I forgot, until I was there, that it was Easter week.  Since many meats were on sale I stocked up on those also; they will go in the freezer.  Cheese and potatoes were also on sale.  The frittata is for the preschool family breakfast on Wednesday.

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We’re entering spring sports season, also known as the season of quick/split dinners.  Unfortunately, even those dinners that weren’t fast aren’t in here as recipes yet.

Monday:
Sous vide salmon
Brown rice
Broccoli

Tuesday:
Kids: Chicken nuggets
Adults: Homemade pizza

Wednesday:
Kids: Hot dogs
Adults: Homemade pizza

Thursday:
Leg of lamb
Spinach salad
Oatmeal bread

Friday:
Kids: Ice cream social (yes, the annual ice cream for dinner event)
Adults: out (quick dinner and a movie)

Saturday:
Beef stew
Whole wheat rolls

Sunday:
Chicken tacos with avocado salad

Disney with Kids – Animal Kingdom

06 Thursday Apr 2017

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First, a disclaimer, which will be at the top of each park review.  There are plenty of websites that will give you the top rides or restaurants in each park.  So, I will cover three topics for each park: over-rated attractions, under-rated attractions, and nap strategies.

The 2017 Disney with Kids series:
Disney while Pregnant
The Magic Kingdom
Epcot
Animal Kingdom
Hollywood Studios
Disney with StrollersDisney with Strollers

Overview of Animal Kingdom

Animal Kingdom is one of the newer parks.  It is a great change of pace from the Magic Kingdom.  It feels like there is more space (though you find out quickly the main paths are still quite narrow).  It is shady, less hectic, and just generally more relaxing.  Plus, Animal Kingdom closes earlier than the other parks so it forces you to have a big of a slower day.  Consider a day in Animal Kingdom to recharge instead of taking a day off.

Over-rated Attractions

It’s Tough to Be a Bug! is a Fast Past attraction, but its definitely not what I would use my Fast Passes for in Animal Kingdom.  The description on the brochure says “Some creepy crawly moments in the dark.”  They are not kidding!  While the show is ok when the lights are on, the dark and creepy crawlies make this an unfriendly show for adults and kids alike.  Steer clear!

DINOSAUR is a good ride and one I definitely recommend for older elementary on up.  However, its height restriction of 40″ implies younger kids can ride.  They technically can, but this might be the scariest ride in all of Walt Disney World.  If you choose to take a preschooler or early elementary child on this ride be prepared for some seriously scary moments with the dinosaur animatronics.

Finding Nemo – The Musical is well executed.  However, don’t use your Fast Pass here unless you have a Nemo loving child in your group.  And, if your children are not fans of Nemo or unfamiliar with the story this may not be your best choice.  The musical covers the entire plot very quickly which can be confusing to those who haven’t seen the movie.  It also spends a high percentage of its time on the sadder/scarier parts of the story for plot development, which can be hard on a young viewer.

 

Under-rated Attractions

My top recommendation in Animal Kingdom is to use your time to explore the animal trails.  Even if you live near a large, well populated zoo, the Maharajah Jungle Trek in Asia and Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail in Africa are well worth your time.  If you do all of the animal explorations (and you should) there is more in Animal Kingdom than you can do in one day.  It takes about a day and a half to see everything.  Or cull some of my over-rated attractions off your list to fit in the good stuff.

Flame Tree Barbecue is a not-to-be missed stop in Animal Kingdom.  The excellent food provides a welcome respite from the so-so hamburgers and chicken nuggets found at so many of the quick service restaurants throughout the parks.  Also, grab some onion rings or other sides on the menu as they are very good and can count as snacks for those of you on the meal plan – ask the cashier about that option.  There is usually plenty of seating, but it is a big spread out so you may have to head a bit farther in than you realize.

The Kilimanjaro Safaris and Festival of the Lion King are our family’s must see attractions in Animal Kingdom.  If you are not using your Fast Passes for the thrill rides (Expedition Everest and Kali River Rapids can have very long lines without Fast Passes), use them here.  Otherwise, head for Kilimanjaro Safaris first thing in the morning to stay ahead of the line.  You can also check the app for wait times during the day also, but Animal Kingdom is big enough that you will prefer to make an organized loop vs criss-crossing the park to go to and from rides.  A Fast Pass for the Lion King gets you closer to the action, but the theater offers good seats for everyone so just jump in line if you don’t have a fast pass.

 

Nap Strategies

 

Animal Kingdom does not have built in nap options.  But, it is much quieter and shadier than the other parks.  It also generally opens earlier and closes earlier.  Treat Animal Kingdom as a relaxing day.  If you have young children who still nap, you will not be racing for the big name rides.

If you can get there promptly at opening, the timing generally works to hit the Kilimanjaro Safaris and then go directly to the Festival of the Lion King.  From there, explore the animal trails and you take a relaxing loop around the Discovery River.  Head in a clockwise direction and you will end up in DinoLand U.S.A. where you can ride the TriceraTop Spin and then play in The Boneyard until they run out of energy.

If you choose to head counter clockwise, just realize that not all the seats at the Festival of the Lion King have backs so you may end of supporting your sleepy child.  That being said, that show is a good way to end your day also.

Note than Animal Kingdom is a long way from any resorts, even those in the Animal Kingdom area.  This, combined with its relatively short open hours, make it the least favorable park for returning to your hotel for a rest during the day.  However, if your child will sleep in the stroller, the miles of shaded walking trails make it a good place to keep the rest of the party entertained.

 

 

Last Week’s Accomplishments – Darth Vader Arrives

04 Tuesday Apr 2017

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  • Yes, a very big one.  The little guy saw this last fall and has been requesting it for many months.  He is very happy with it.
  • We had the first spring baseball practice (indoors) and the first spring soccer practices (outdoors).
  • We had swimming, adventure, and skating classes.
  • I got my hair cut.
  • The older four boys went to a Bruins game for their birthdays.  The Bruins won, which is always nice.

 

March 2017 Grocery Review

03 Monday Apr 2017

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Definitely a bigger month this time.  I did go to BJs on almost the first and almost the last day of the month, which contributed.  But, generally it looks like either things are getting pricier, or shopping at Wegman’s is more expensive than Stop & Shop.  (The balance has definitely swung that way in the last few months.)  I’ll have to do some more thinking to better analyze that.

  • March TOTAL: $1,186.99
    • Stop & Shop: $119.04
    • Wegman’s: $576.47
    • BJs: $375.94
    • Other: $115.54
      • Local: $23.69
      • Star Market: $62.80
      • Trader Joe’s: $0
      • Target: $29.05
      • Other: $0

A reasonable number of grocery trips this week.  First, I made a small trip to Stop & Shop on Tuesday.  Unfortunately, they were out of Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese, so I got Sharp which is only ok.  The total was so small that I bought the Cadbury Cream egg for 88¢ to tip me over the $25 minimum to use all my other coupons.  I like Cream Eggs once a year so I ate it that afternoon.

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Wednesday was the big one – BJs.  Peanut butter was the driving factor, but I also stocked up on chicken nuggets and a few other items that will facilitate quick meals during the upcoming sports season.

Finally, on Saturday I went to Wegman’s.

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You’ll see a lot of what I bought, at Wegman’s especially, in the dinners this week.

Monday:
Lemon chicken
Pan fried potatoes
Salad

Tuesday:
Kids: Chicken nuggets
Adults: Homemade pizza

Wednesday:
Fish tacos
Guacamole
Pico de gallo

Thursday:
Kids: Hot dogs
Adults: Homemade pizza

Friday:
Kids: Pancakes
Adults: Homemade pizza

Saturday:
Spaghetti & meatballs

Sunday:
Chipotle lime chicken
San Antonio rice

Disney with Kids – Epcot

30 Thursday Mar 2017

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First, a disclaimer, which will be at the top of each park review.  There are plenty of websites that will give you the top rides or restaurants in each park.  So, I will cover three topics for each park: over-rated attractions, under-rated attractions, and nap strategies.

The 2017 Disney with Kids series:
Disney while Pregnant
The Magic Kingdom
Epcot
Animal Kingdom
Hollywood Studios
Disney with Strollers

Overview of Epcot

Epcot is one the original parks and on the monorail, but often associated with adults.  Disney has been adding more kid-oriented rides in an effort to appeal more to families, but I don’t know what effect it is having.  All that being said, it is one of the boys’ favorite parks.  They love the rides and they love the food.  Food is a big part of Epcot and definitely something not to be missed.  Assuming you spend an entire day, you will have plenty of time for both a sit down lunch and a sit down dinner.  It is a good opportunity to use those meal plan credits.

Over-rated Attractions

I’m not sure Journey into Imagination with Figment is over-rated as much as it is terrible.  And, one can waste a Fast Pass on it!  The ride takes you through a number of rooms demonstrating elements of the five senses.  The trouble is, it is dark and you are startled; it’s just not fun for kids or adults.  ImageWorks, where the ride ends up, is fun.  But, if you want to see it just go in directly and skip the ride itself.

Turtle Talk with Crush is a cute show, especially for the preschool set, but don’t use your Fast Pass here.  You will get in and all the kids are invited to the front to watch anyway.

Under-rated Attractions

I’m not sure everyone realizes there are rides on the World Showcase side of Epcot (though Frozen Ever After has probably educated most of those who were unaware).  Gran Fiesta Tour Staring the Three Caballeros in the Mexico pavilion is an underappreciated gem.  It rarely has a line, is a good length, and is fun for the whole family who can appreciate Donald Duck and Co.’s antics from different perspectives.

Living with the Land is a must ride attraction for our entire family.  There’s no need to use a Fast Pass as you can often walk right on, especially in the morning.  It can get more crowded around lunch as it is adjacent to a food court.  The kids appreciate all the different plants, the different styles of growing, and spotting the hidden Mickeys.

My third recommendation is Spaceship Earth.  Who doesn’t want to go in the giant golf ball!  Like the Carousel of Progress, the ride is a bit out dated.  But, the story is good and can be understood by even the smallest children.  And, it moves quickly enough to keep their attention.  Plus, the slow ups, downs, and spins are just fun.  The line can vary throughout the day so use a Fast Pass if you have an extra, or just check with the App or the signs throughout the park to see the current status.  You shouldn’t have to wait long if you’re flexible on when.

Nap Strategies

Epcot has many large, air conditioned buildings that you can stroll through if your child falls asleep in their stroller.  While large, Epcot is less tiring for children.  There is less sensory overload than the Magic Kingdom, almost all the attractions are indoors and therefore air conditioned, and even most of the lines are inside.  It’s a lot of walking for the non-stroller folks and therefore one of the most tiring parks for those who have recently outgrown the stroller.  There are fewer go-to nap attractions here.

My first choice is The American Adventure as it appeals the least to small children, but is reasonably dark with auditorium seating.  The downside is that it is on the far side of the lake and you don’t want to be criss-crossing Epcot if you can avoid it.  However, if you’ve just had lunch in the World Showcase, it is a good choice.

Back in Future World, Ellen’s Energy Adventure offers 45 minutes of seated, air conditioned calm.  The seats do move (in large blocks), and there are animatronic dinosaurs to draw the attention of the young ones, but there’s not a whole lot of over stimulation.

Epcot can be a relaxing day with young children.  Things are generally calmer and more spread out.  So, even if it is the park most likely to be open late, another option would be to forgo the nap and book an early dinner.  None of the restaurants are surprised to find a child asleep at the table.

Last Week’s Accomplishments – Choral Concerts

28 Tuesday Mar 2017

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It was an up and down week.  Unfortunately, I don’t have pictures to share for anything this week so it will just be text.

  • We went to two of the kids’ chorus concerts last week, so that made the title.
  • We had one playdate.
  • The baby and I finished up our doses of antibiotics.  Nobody else got that, but we did have one dose of the stomach bug last week.  Thankfully, nobody else got that either.
  • We had one well child doctor’s appointment.
  • We went to swimming, skating, adventure, and baseball classes.
  • We went to one birthday party.
  • I went to my friend’s house to offer some thoughts as she is looking to sell.
  • The hardwood flooring fellow came to tighten things up; the boards are expected to continue to move as they acclimate over many more months.
  • I got rear-ended.  It was minor, but I took it to the shop to get an estimate.  They’ll do the repair in another month.  (It drives fine.)
  • We got the final two spring soccer schedules.  If soccer was all, we’d do pretty well with having enough adults to cover all the games.  Of course, we have baseball to work in there also and I don’t anticipate having those schedules for another few weeks.

Grocery Update & What We Ate – Week 12, 2017

27 Monday Mar 2017

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Produce is definitely driving my shopping at the moment.

I made a small trip to Stop & Shop on Tuesday.

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Then I made a small trip to Wegman’s on Wednesday.

On Sunday, I went for the big weekly shopping trip.  Note how much of it is still produce!  And, yes, all the blueberries from Wednesday had been eaten by this point.

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Dinners were all pretty straight forward this week.

Monday:
Sous vide salmon
Pan fried potatoes
Salad

Tuesday:
Kids: Take out pizza
Adults: Homemade pizza

Wednesday:
Penne Gorgonzola with chicken
Green beans
Salad

Thursday:
Spaghetti & meatballs

Friday:
Kids: Eggs
Adults: Homemade pizza

Saturday:
Chicken pot pie
Broccoli

Sunday:
Chili
Corn muffins

Do I have to buy the Starbucks Snacks …

24 Friday Mar 2017

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Obviously the answer is no.  You never have to buy anything specific, least alone a snack from a drive through.

I am not a coffee drinker, but I do stop by Starbucks from time to time for a hot chocolate because it’s pretty good.  I’ve also never bought food much at Starbucks, until I was pregnant with my youngest.  Then, inevitably, I was hungry in between the preschool drop off and whatever errand I was running that day.  So, I tried a Cheese & Fruit Bistro Box.  For the uninitiated, this includes apple slices; a mix of dried cranberries and almonds; small chunks of brie, cheddar, and gouda; and some multigrain crackers.  While nothing spectacular, this was all pretty good.  But, one day they were out so I tried the Protein Bistro Box which includes an egg, apple slices, grapes, cheddar cheese, muesli, and honeyed peanut butter.  The egg was a nice addition so that became my go to box.  Though, ideally I’d have the egg, three cheese mix, grapes, and apples.  The other items are not fine, but I ate them because they were there not because they were my favorites (excessive calories are not a problem in our hose).

Then, the baby was born and not faced with 24/7 hunger I stopped buying the Bistro Boxes.  Enter the Sous Vide Egg Bites this past January.  Since we own a precision cooker (item required to sous vide things), I wanted to give them a try.  And, they were pretty good.  Add to that that soccer/baseball season is coming up pretty soon so I’ll be spending many entire Saturdays away from the house.  I thought, maybe I can replicate these snacks, only with the ingredients I want.  They would be reasonably healthy and are designed to grab and go.  They include things that, in many cases, are already at home.  And, it would be a lot cheaper to assemble them myself.

So, I purchased some divided Tupperware containers to keep the wetter things from the dryer things or the colder from the warmer (though I’m trying to keep anything extra warm or extra cold).  And, behold, I have everything I need for homemade Bistro Boxes – apples, grapes, cheese, egg, and crackers.  My plan is to assemble on Friday night so I can grab and go on Saturdays.

Then I came to the heart of the issue, the egg bites.  I found some inspiration from Anova (https://anovaculinary.com/easy-homemade-sous-vide-egg-bites/), bought some 4 oz jelly jars, and adapted the recipe to what I had at home.  These came out lighter than Starbucks’ version – more like the creme in creme brulee.  But, they were tasty, easy enough, and batch cooked so I’ll have them for a while.

Sous Vide Eggs
Adapted from Anova

Ingredients:
12 eggs
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup grated gruyere cheese
½ tsp salt
4 Tbsp diced red pepper (this could be about anything, but you’re looking for 4-6 Tbsp total volume)

Directions:

  1. Set your precision cooker to 172°.
  2. In a blender, combine the eggs, heavy cream, cheese, and salt.
  3. Divide among 12 4-oz jelly jars, filling about half full.
  4. Divide the peppers (filling) among the jars.
  5. Use the rest of the egg mix to top up the jars.
  6. Use the two-part lids and close to finger tightness.
  7. Submerge the jars in the water bath for 1 hour.
  8. When done, if you are not eating immediately, move to a cold water bath to bring to room temperature before stashing in the refrigerator.
  9. They can be eaten straight from the jar.  Or, use a butter knife around the edge to loosen from the jar and invert.  When ready to eat, microwave for 30 seconds.  (Or, I’m sure a few moments under a broiler to brown would be great.  I just haven’t tried that yet.)