Training for a 5K

Did you know Disney World has endurance events? You can run a marathon through the parks. They charge you an arm and a leg (or was it your first born?) to have the privilege of running for 26 miles. There are many different events throughout the year. All of them sound exhausting! They have one in Animal Kingdom in June every year that sounds kind of fun. It is a 5K race with a scavenger hunt at the end. Sound fun right? So Z, 13 years old, and Boyfriend have decided to start training to do the Expedition Everest Challenge in June of 2011. Z is a total couch potato. He doesn't go outside and play. Never really has. It is all part of the Autism. He is, on the other hand, really really good at video games. LOL But Z did really good. They jogged, walked, and exercised their way through a mile at the track. He didn't complain once! I was so proud. I am really hoping that he sticks with this and runs the 5K. Two reasons. 1) I think it is good exercise for him. 2) I will get an extra trip to Disney!!! Oh, and just because we started doing this...it is going to rain for the rest of the week! Though it will still be 70 degrees so I will take it. Good thing we own a treadmill. He can still run while it is raining.

My Grandfather Doesn't Exist

I have recently started working on a family tree. It has been fun, interesting and frustrating all at the same time. Luckily for me, an uncle on my father's side has been working on their side of my family for a few years. Even more luck for me, Sister had a copy of all his work and sent me a copy too! I have traced on branch of our family all the way back to 1485. I just keep following the bloodlines. I think one day I would like to add on all the miscellaneous cousins and their lines too. Just to see how many I can get. There is a website called Geni that will let you build your family tree for free. I am going to find a way to make this a part of our homeschool. I think Z could really benefit from the researching and knowing where his ancestors came from. I have learned that my grandfather apparently never existed! I have a copy of his birth certificate and a copy of their marriage license. They were my grandmothers hard copies. But when searching online I cannot find him anywhere. I can't find his birth, their marriage record, his death, social security, nothing. I have only initials for his parents so that isn't helping any either. I keep hoping that someone else will come across his name in their family and I will find more information that way. How do find someone when the government says they didn't exist?

A Stroller for every occasion!

So when we found out I was pregnant last year, it was a shock to say the least. Boyfriend really really wanted to buy things. But I am a high risk for miscarriage so I made him put it off. He, being the good first time dad that he is, does all the research about everything baby related. I have a 13 year old and somewhere around a hundred nieces and nephews. I have been there, done that. So anyway, he starts researching and reading all about everything. He got really interested in strollers. We are Disney fanatics. I love Disney World and someday I might vacation somewhere else. I have been thinking, maybe Disney Land? LOL So when looking at strollers I told him to keep in mind our vacations. It needs to be easy to lift and load onto a bus packed like a sardine. (ever ridden a bus on Disney property? LOL) So he finds the Peg Perego Pliko P3. This baby is SWEET! We went to look at it. It turns out only one place in town sells it. A baby boutique. $$$$$-yeah. Here is a link to Albee Baby to see one: http://www.albeebaby.com/peg-perego-2010-pliko-p3-stroller-in-sophia.html I told him for that kind of money she had better use it until she didn't need one anymore. So after looking at this stroller and freaking out over the price, we headed to Disney World. Yep, I did it pregnant. Still had a ton of fun and now I get to say I need to go back to do what I missed! (justify vacations too, not just junk food. hehe) I am not what you would call a shy person. I strike up conversations with random strangers. So Disney World is the PERFECT place to scope out strollers. Every time I saw one that we both liked, I would walk up to the person and start asking questions about their stroller. I did explain I was pregnant and not just crazy. Lots of strollers got good reviews. But those with the Peg Perego LOVED their stroller. They gush. I kid you not. I now gush about my stroller too! It weighs a whole 16 pounds. In the land of strollers, that is light. It is a full size stroller but folds up like an umbrella stroller so it is very compact. I can push this thing with one hand the control is that good. The snack tray comes off for when your child gets too big for it. The seat reclines and the canopy on top is HUGE, a big plus here in Florida. As with everything, there are some down sides. The basket on the bottom is not very large and can only be accessed from the sides. But, there are loops on the handles to "hang" your diaper bag. We bought some carbiner clips to put on our diaper bag. Works great! And since that is what it is meant for, the stroller doesn't tip over when we put it on. The cup holder is pretty useless. It is so small that only a soda/water bottle (or baby bottle) will fit in it. Other than those two things, this stroller is fantastic. I am glad that he chose it and wouldn't have any other stroller. Had we known she was girl we probably would have chosen a more girly color. Ours is grey. But I am going to glam it up before our next Disney trip. Now, how should I decorate it?

You can make chocolate syrup!?!?

I have been on quest to eliminate HFCS from our diet. Then I started the quest to just be able to pronounce all the ingredients in the food I eat. I cheat sometimes, that whole moderation thing. I have some Girl Scout cookies we have been eating. I call it supporting the Girl Scouts. Justification. LOL Anyway, I was playing around looking for a recipe for something or other when I came across a recipe for chocolate syrup. The reviews say it tastes like Hershey's. Did you know Hershey's has HFCS in it? WHY!!!! Why is that stuff in EVERYTHING? It would be OK if it was only in some stuff but it seems to be in just about everything these days. That is not moderation to me. So my goal is to make some chocolate syrup sometime this week. I have changed the recipe a little based on the reviews and what people agreed worked and didn't work.
Chocolate Syrup
1 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 cup cocoa powder
dash of salt
1 tsp vanilla extract

1. In a small bowl combine sugar and cocoa powder.
2. combine water, sugar/cocoa powder mix, and salt in pan over low heat. Whisk constantly until syrup starts to thicken and begins to simmer.
3. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla.
Use warm or store in covered in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Half of the sugar can be substituted with sugar substitute without affecting the flavor too much.