Bye Bye Lilly.

So, I woke up at 6:00 this morning to go and rescue our newest family member from the local shelter. When I arrived at the shelter, Lilly was very excited to see me. I think she knew exactly what was going on. I brought her home and she was a little nervous as expected. By about 11:30, she was going up to the boys and interacting with them with no problems. We walked to Grandma and Grandpa Crawfords so she can meet her Schnauzer cousin Ginger. They had a fabulous time. She went on several walks with the boys and seemed to be enjoying her new family...until around 4:00. Elliott was in the kitchen with me standing at my legs minding his own business. He had one of his plastic balls in his hands. All of the sudden, I looked down and Lilly was nipping at his hands (he screamed) but before I could shew her away, she bit his cheek. It wasn't the type of bite that said "I want to rip your face off kid", nor was it a "Hey kid, I am warning you" kind of bite. It had some growling attached to it. We are really bummed. I am not sure why she did this, but we speculated that it was either one of 3 things.
1). she didn't like the fact that Elliott had a ball in his hand. She did have it in her mouth earlier, but really wasn't interested in it. Maybe she had gained ownership of it and didn't want Elliott to have it.
2). She was jealous that Elliott was by me. Throughout the entire day, she stayed by my side, a loyal friend. Everywhere I went, Lilly was by my side or
3). Her food was in the kitchen and she felt threatened.
We really cannot figure it out. It was totally UNPROVOKED. I can understand if Elliott was taunting her, pulling at her tail or ears. I wouldn't stand for it under those circumstances either, but I can understand.
So, I called the shelter and they told me to call the animal behavior specialist. She talked to me and said that she was going to call the shelter and talk to them about what happened and look at Lilly's notes. See, the Animal behavior specialist tests all of the dogs for food aggression and their tolerance of things. She called me back within a few minutes and said that when she tested Lilly, it was apparent to her that she could possibly be pushed to the point of this type of behavior. She told me that it would be in our best interest to remove the dog from the home. Because our family went to see her multiple times throughout the week, the operator of the shelter saw our interaction with Lilly and didn't see the potential of her biting. So, I guess the "do not place in a home with children" note was void. I mean, I never would have guessed it either. She really was the most MILD dog I have ever met.
I took her back within about an hour of the incident. The boys took it well, Owen cried a little. I cried too. They LOVE their brother and knew that they didn't want this to happen again. It could have been much worse and I thank God that he was protecting our little man.

Music video shoot

So Owen is in a break dancing class at the local recreation center. This time around, he had the opportunity to be in a Music Video. The artist is B. Reith and Owen is now a forever fan. Another local artist, John Reuben, was helping with the video. The boys actually are familiar with John Reuben's music. His music is something the kids like to listen to and I know when they are listening to it, they aren't going to hear lyrics that degrade women or hear every other word be the "f" word. Both of these guys are under the Christian Music Label with their genre being Hip Hop/Rap. I think I have heard this song about a hundred times this week. Here are some snippets of the video shoot. I will post the final video once the dudes in charge have it done. Owen had a great time...it was kind of fun for me too. I got to spend 4 hours with some other mom's from the school who's children were also in the video. Oh, and I had a coffee too.


Owen and B. Reith


Owen and the drummer and bass player. Owen asked for an Autograph. lol


In other news, Elliott has a very snotty nose. This is what I saw today....yum

I helped out at School yesterday, just in Owen's class. They had a Thanksgiving feast. It was A.D.O.R.A.B.L.E! Of course, there were Pilgrims and Indians present and even Turkey Centerpieces.




Traveling through the Hallway, I found a piece of Artwork done by Andrew. It is Downtown Columbus. I am not trying to brag (ok, yes I am) but I think he is a very talented artist.

Meet Lilli...

She will be joining our family on Friday (I hope). She is such a cutie. She is very timid, but I truly believe that it is because she was just dropped off and just isn't adapting to the shelter environment. I mean who would with all of the crazy barking dogs? When we are with her in the "get acquainted room", she warms up to us within a couple of minutes. We went to see her Sunday, Monday and today. My mom and dad use to have a dog named Lucy. She was my favorite dog growing up. Lilli reminds me SOOOO much of her. Lilli is a little bigger, but they both are Terrier Mixes. The shelter said maybe some lab down the line because of her beautiful black coat.
We can't wait.

Totally making these for Thanksgiving

Check out my recipe blog for the details..
www.judysyumyums.blogspot.com

Menu planning.

Ok, we eat. That means, we have to buy food. duh. My boys are only getting bigger and with that comes bigger appetites. Every time I go to the grocery store, I spend money on this necessity of life, food. Every time I go to the grocery store, I feel guilty about spending the money. For the last 6 months or so, I have been creating a meal plan for the week in my head, as I shop, which in turn, makes me spend alot more money. Prior to our other computer crashing, I created an 8 week rotation meal plan. It was great. Along with the plan, I created a list of items that were necessary to prepare these meals. If I stuck to the list, I went out spending what I am supposed to. My computer crashed and the plan went with it.

As I looked through the cupboards last night, I realized I purchase a lot of snack type foods. I am not a snacker, but the rest of my family is. When the boys come home from school, they are STARVING. I have tried to give them something small (like a hot dog) to tie them over, but once dinner comes, they are not hungry. A soft pretzel and glass of milk doesn't do the trick either. Those with kids, please answer this...Do you feel like your kids constantly are hungry? I don't want to deprive them of food, but then again, I don't want them constantly have something in their mouths(and in the process, practicing a little self control).

So, I am creating a meal plan AND am going to start clipping coupons. Gasp. The last time I clipped coupons was about 4 months ago. Elliott grabbed my organizer and dumped them all over the supermarket floor. I didnt laugh or think it was cute AT ALL (kind of like when he barfed all over in Panera Bread today, another story). Yes, that was the last time I clipped coupons. I use to cut coupons when Aaron and I first got married. I would go out with a $200.00 grocery order paying only $45.00 tops. The local Grocery store at the time (Farmer Jack) would double coupons to $1.00, so it was almost a challenge for me to do this every week. Many of my friends are surprised by the fact that I don't clip coupons. I am always trying to find a bargain and it seems like stuff tends to just fall in my lap when it comes to deals. Some of my friends have said "I need to go shopping with you...you always find great stuff". This cracks me up because IF I took them shopping with me, THEY would get the deals and I would be left in the dark. So friends, don't expect me to invite you to come along. I want them all for myself. lol. Totally kidding.

My sister in law purchased this program called Cook'n. She actually has not used it yet, but told me about it and it looks like something I think would benefit our family. I downloaded the program for 15 days, so it will be interesting to see how much money I will save just by being a little organized.

So, I need some ideas. What type of meals do you prepare for your family? How do you grocery shop (weekly, monthly, daily)? Please share your ideas with me. Please, please, please. Also, if you have an online cookbook that you would like to share, I would love to see it.

Pick me! Please pick me!

We are considering getting a dog. Yes, a dog. What are we thinking? Most of you know that I am not a dog lover. I cringe at dogs that lick my face or stick their noses in places they shouldn't. I hate sitting on a couch to only have gobs of hair stuck to me when I get up. I tolerate it, because I don't have to live with it. So friends with dogs, don't worry...I don't think less of you if your dogs do this to me. I like to love on your pets while I am there, I just choose (up until this point) not to live with it. So, getting a dog is a big step for me. There are just somethings one must sacrifice to make the other members in their family happy. This is my mind frame. Just jeep telling myself that. Just keep telling myself that.

We went to the dog shelter last night and looked at some of the ugliest dogs we have ever layed eyes on. Honestly, we aren't looking for the purebred or for the softest dog out there. That is why we went to the dog shelter. I (and Owen) have a tendency to lean toward the misfits. I love picking out the Christmas trees that nobody else would choose. I kind of feel sorry for them, like they have feelings. Maybe it is because I remember the days in Junior High that I stood alone, waiting to get picked. Usually, I was the last one to get chosen. I was lanky, my mouth full of metal, huge glasses, and just plain awkward. I will spare you of the pictures. Owen has inherited the "pick the misfit" syndrome from me. I love the story of Rudolph and the land of the misfits.

I can relate to the Charlie in the box or the train with square wheels. Owen and I share a special bond. We will pick the chewed up pencil before picking the new pencil with the eraser, we will pick the ugly pumpkin over the round full pumpkin and we will most likely pick the mutt over any purebred beauty. Everybody ( or thing) deserves a chance, right? lol

We didn't find a dog. There were several on the website that I wanted to check out. Here are the pictures of the dogs that Owen and I held a special place for...
Caution: Images may hurt the eyes of some.



And this guy kind of melted my heart...Meet Simon.


We continue to look for a dog for our family. We plan to visit the shelter a few more times. We know that a large dog would push this momma over the edge of sanity and I also know that I would prefer a dog that doesn't shed all over the place. I know that this all sounds a little picky, but I know my limits and want to make this an enjoyable experience for everyone. I don't want to find myself frantically vacuuming the furniture before someone comes to visit or always apologizing for the gobs of hair that stick to my friends black outfits. I know I will do this. I hate that I would do this, but I will. I am sure there is a dog out there for the Crawfords...

and I think his name will be Simon.

Awkward Family Thanksgiving letter

A letter to loved ones about Thanksgiving dinner...This is a real letter given to actual family members.

From: Marney

As you all know a fabulous Thanksgiving Dinner does not make itself. I need to ask each of you to help by bringing something to complete the meal. I truly appreciate your offers to assist with the meal preparation.

Now, while I do have quite a sense of humor and joke around all the time, I COULD NOT BE MORE SERIOUS when I am providing you with your Thanksgiving instructions and orders. I am very particular, so please perform your task EXACTLY as I have requested and read your portion very carefully. If I ask you to bring your offering in a container that has a lid, bring your offering in a container WITH A LID, NOT ALUMINUM FOIL! If I ask you to bring a serving spoon for your dish, BRING A SERVING SPOON, NOT A SOUP SPOON! And please do not forget anything.

All food that is to be cooked should already be prepared, bring it hot and ready to serve, warm or room temp. These are your ONLY THREE options. Anything meant to be served cold should, of course, already be cold.


HJB—Dinner wine


The Mike Byron Family
1. Turnips in a casserole with a lid and a serving spoon. Please do not fill the casserole all the way up to the top, it gets too messy. I know this may come as a bit of a surprise to you, but most of us hate turnips so don’t feel like you a have to feed an army.
2. Two half gallons of ice cream, one must be VANILLA, I don’t care what the other one is. No store brands please. I did see an ad this morning for Hagan Daz Peppermint Bark Ice Cream, yum!! (no pressure here, though).
3. Toppings for the ice cream.
4. A case of bottled water, NOT gallons, any brand is ok.


The Bob Byron Family
1. Green beans or asparagus (not both) in a casserole with a lid and a serving spoon. If you are making the green beans, please prepare FOUR pounds, if you are making asparagus please prepare FIVE pounds. It is up to you how you wish to prepare them, no soupy sauces, no cheese (you know how Mike is), a light sprinkling of toasted nuts, or pancetta, or some EVOO would be a nice way to jazz them up.
2. A case of beer of your choice (I have Coors Light and Corona) or a bottle of clos du bois chardonnay (you will have to let me know which you will bring prior to 11/22).


The Lisa Byron Chesterford Family
1. Lisa as a married woman you are now required to contribute at the adult level. You can bring an ho rs d’oeuvre's. A few helpful hints/suggestions. Keep it very light, and non-filling, NO COCKTAIL SAUCE, no beans of any kind. I think your best bet would be a platter of fresh veggies and dip. Not a huge platter mind you (i.e., not the plastic platter from the supermarket).


The Michelle Bobble Family
1. Stuffing in a casserole with a serving spoon. Please make the stuffing sans meat.
2. 2.5-3 qts. of mashed squash in a casserole with a lid and serving spoon
3. Prosciutto pin wheel – please stick to the recipe, no need to bring a plate.
4. A pie knife


The June Davis Family
1. 15 LBS of mashed potatoes in a casserole with a serving spoon. Please do not use the over-size blue serving dish you used last year. Because you are making such a large batch you can do one of two things: put half the mash in a regulation size casserole with lid and put the other half in a plastic container and we can just replenish with that or use two regulation size casserole dishes with lids. Only one serving spoon is needed.
2. A bottle of clos du bois chardonnay


The Amy Misto Family (why do I even bother she will never read this)
1. A pumpkin pie in a pie dish (please use my silver palate recipe) no knife needed.
2. An apple pie in a pie dish, you can use your own recipe, no knife needed.

Looking forward to the 28th!!


Marney

My Recipe Blog...BACK IN SESSION :)

A year or so ago, I started a recipe blog and then I let it fizzle. I have resurrected it from the grave. Please visit! All of the recipes on this blog are tried, true and are my favorites. They are a collection of recipes given to me and some of my own inventions. Have fun and happy cooking!

Cut and paste this link in your browser

www.judysyumyums.blogspot.com

or, just click on the cupcake to the right!

Photo dump, feeling sentimental. Must go scrapbook.

Fall 2005


Stuart our guinea pig R.I.P. skater pig

Our last "sister" picture before the passing of my oldest sister Vivian. Taken on Elliotts shower 2008

Andrew being chased by a bear at Cabelas

ANdrew and Owen

Owen feeling sick after momma told him NOT to swing in circles on the tire swing

My mom and Andrew

My dad always made little comics of my mom when she did funny things. This was her character.

Elliott

Mom and Owen

My dad Harold and this cool resturant sign in his area

Rock band party

Brothers...

Crawford Cousins...

Snowboarding...

Crawford form of discipline...


My dad and his famous magic shows...

Much better!

My bestest yummy drink...I am not sure what you call it, but it is my favorite. usually when company comes over, this is what I will serve to them. So, come on over!


1 Pump Starbucks Caramel syrup (this is my brand of choice peeps)
1 tsp vanilla
1-2 shots espresso (Made in the espresso machine)
Steamed milk
Foam (just a little to hold the Drizzle)
Starbucks caramel drizzle

Plan B Skateboard

Here is Andrew's new board. He only purchaced a deck and had his other trucks and wheels put on from his other board. This is big. Usually Andrew spends his money on silly things like frosties, this time he wanted to go right to the skateshop and spend it there. When he was done with his purchase, he was very, very proud that the money didn't go to something silly. He wants to save money for his new set of Spitfire wheels. What type of things do you do to help your child understand the value of money?

What I drank today...

I went thrifting with a friend today. The place I wanted to get a coffee from didn't serve Coke so I had to settle for this...

I love my friend Kristen and knew that if she didn't have her Coke, we were in for a not so pretty morning.

I am a snob, sue me.

happy birfday roo.

Roo is Elliott's name for his brother. Andrew turned 9 on Saturday. Wow. How time flies. We got out our scrapbook and realized that Andrew and Elliott are carbon copies of one another. Andrew started his day off by going with Grandma and Grandpa Crawford out to breakfast. They also took him to the skate park and were a bit surprised on how well he does. Yes, this momma is just not saying this folks, he knows how to do a drop down from the highest ramp thingy and skate the bowl. eek.

We had a small family party along with Andrew's bestie Evan. It was very nice to actually have a party in which I can actually visit with people rather than run around and keep everybody busy. We planned a scavenger hunt and at the end, was his gift. An electric guitar! He was pretty excited when he found it...see for yourself.


Andrew requested that Aaron get his smoker out and make his famous pulled pork. Of course, there was not alot of pulling teeth for Aaron to do it. We had baked beans, roasted potatoes, green bean casserole, chips and many sweet treats. We had a great time just hanging out and spending time with company.

Today, Andrew is going to his favorite skate shop to buy a pro-board..a Plan B skateboard. I guess having a Plan B skateboard means he is official or something. I guess this is the only time he will have enough money for one, so he wants to get it NOW. I am sure once he gets it, there will be some kind of request to go to the skate park and try it out.

No Blueberries, please no blueberries!

I LOVE this kid!

For those of you who aren't aware, Elliott has problems with most textures of foods. Sometimes it is our family entertainment to watch him try foods. If he is not eating table food on a consistant basis by January, he will have to go through thearpy. I am not sure what the thearpist do differently, but anyhow, he will have to go. The same thing happened with Owen, and one day he just woke up and started to eat. I hope the same will be for Elliott. So, for now, he still eats stage 2 babyfood and drinks whole milk from a bottle and totally hates the feel of the sippy cup by his mouth. Have you ever heard of a baby gagging on a sippy cup?

pizza problems

Owen has been having tummy issues for about 6 months now. We just can't figure out what is going on...until last night, something clicked.
Owen had Pizza last night and woke up at 12:30 with HORRIBLE cramping and diarrhea. We are trying to figure out what the problem is. He had a celiac test done a couple of weeks ago, and it came back negative. Our next step is to eliminate the dairy in his diet. Uhhh, hello? My child is so picky and the majority of his diet is dairy. I honestly am not convinced it is dairy. He can eat an entire bowl of ice cream (um, all dairy) and not have any reaction.
The last time he had a reaction like this, he had pizza. Again, he woke up about 8 hours after consuming the pizza with cramping and diarrhea. It has to be something in the pizza. Has to be.
This has been going on for about 6 months now, but we dismissed it as just random tummy aches. I feel bad now. Poor little guy really has an issue.
My friend Ashley called me this evening to talk about a procedure called bioallergenix. It sounded a little cookey at first, but after doing some research and hearing her stories of people that she knew (including her own daughter) that proved successful, I think we are going to give it a try. Heck, the money we will spend on dairy free foods amounts to more than the testing itself.
Our hunch is that he is reacting to the pepperoni. If you think about it, pepperoni is such an over processed product. He could very well be reacting to the preservatives in the pepperoni. Our test this weekend is to give the kid a piece of cheese pizza, then next week, give him pepperoni again. We will keep you posted!

A.D.D. post

Yeah, this post is going to be All over the place!

I went to Michigan this weekend to see my Dad. They actually have trick or treating on the actual Beggars night unlike our city. The first night I stayed with my sister Nancy. We got there around 8:30 p.m. and we were TIRED. We stayed up for a while then hit the sack. Elliott is the child that doesn't travel well. He had a snotty nose, but he is also getting his last molar in. During the night, he woke up and would not go back to bed. I ended up going for a ride in the van to get the boy to sleep. I have never done this before. Yeah, he fell asleep after about 15 minutes of driving up and down the road. After he fell asleep, there was NO way I was going to transfer him into the house. So, we slept in the van. Every so often I would turn the van on and get it heated up. It actually was the best 2 hours of sleep I got through the whole night. I am not a good traveler either.

So, the boys love going to papa's house! They really love that man. This time, Papa had a skateboard rack to give the boys. It is way better than the one that I showed him. I can give my very talented dad a project and he will make it. The boys love their new rack and have already claimed which shelves are for their skateboards.

On the way up, we stopped at a gas station and found Black Jack taffy. I don't know if you have ever had them, but they are pretty addictive. We use to get them at the penny store when I was little. I haven't seen them around in a few years. Anyway, we bought some for my dad and this my friends is what happens when you give a man Black Jack taffy. More wrappers than actually candies after 3 hours.


Saturday night, the boys went to trunk or treat with my niece and her little one Amelia. What a blast! They slept over their house which was a HUGE help considering I hardly slept the night before. Thank You Trina. You don't know how much this meant to me! Here is a picture of Strawberry shortcake and her adorable Dalmatian.



Trick or treating at Papa's house...


My great niece Amelia the vampire


The boys got a lot of candy. This year, I offered to buy the candy off the boys for 12 bucks. Sold. I guess for them, it is just plain fun to get all of the candy. I am happy to hand over 12 dollars to save their teeth from all of the sugar. I plan to take it to a local dentist that actually buys candy from children. He then sends the candy overseas to our troops so they can get cavities.

This is Iayla, my great niece. Darling little baby!


I told you, this post is just crazy all over the place.