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Monday, April 27, 2009

pics

ben & chelsea with her birthday cake

chubby me and my best friend Libby












Friday, April 24, 2009

My Ben Is Coming HOME TONIGHT!!!!

ben & doug
miguel, doug, ben in december

ben & ken

he will actually not be here until about 1am but.....Kendyl is soooooooooooooooooooooooooopumped!!!! she loves her brubbies and has so missed them both. Doug will be home late on the 30th or maybe May 1st. i have no idea where to put everybody, but Kristins room is available until May 22nd or around there. ..so they have one month before they need to find an apartment together and GET OUT LOL
i miss that smile! and those Ben hugs! i'm gonna bake that boy a cake. his favorite cake! CHEESECAKE!

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Lessons I've Learned Lately, By Ali- installment 3

you can find installments #1 & 2 here & here.









1. orange juice on snow doesn't taste nearly as good as it did when i was 4.









2. the term "speed pass" is really just a play on words. You aren't allowed to fly through it going 61mph.









3. never apply No More Tangles to a dog's fur. it just isn't meant for that. Don't give them leftover sloppy joes either. I mean that.









4. never apply orange oil to a linoleum floor for ANY reason. This is very important.







5. baseball gloves and athletic support devices aren't meant to go through the dryer.







6. nail polish remover isn't a fix-all.







7. GPS is, by no means, fool proof.







8. not every swamp is noted by GPS







9. debt collecters will just keep calling even if you tell them you're the babysitter.







10. never buy a pickup truck on Craig's List





11. oil based paint isn't for kids.





12. decopage doesn't mean water proof.





13. a dead squirell, burning in a fire pit, does NOT smell like chicken!





14. don't assume your kids know the difference between perishable and non-perishable.





15. Grandparents do not like to be called "those old people" under any circumstances.





16. above-the-range microwaves don't run any quieter if you hit them really hard a few times. Infact, they stop working altogether.






17. eye glasses don't belong on the back bumper of an Expedition.





18. when a kid says "i think i'm gonna throw up" answering "hang on a minute while i pull over" doesn't really help. same with "i think i'm gonna pee my pants."



19. temporary tattoos are not as temporary as they seem.



20. there is absolutely NO GLORY in being the designated driver. the commercials LIE. (I had to pay for my ice water and i got blamed for everything!)



21. life was way more fun when I was the drunk.



22. picturing everyone in their underwear doesn't really make public speaking any easier.

just some recent pictures for now...


wearing ORANGE for Stellan today!

planting our new dogwood tree. Shawn was intrigued and helped dig the hole


Ken sorta helped lol. she mostly danced and sang. you know... morale booster.



so proud! (like my bare, grub infested lawn??? nice huh?)





modeling her Easter dress. bought it used for 2$ LOL. she also wore it for her school pics on Friday.




matching noses.






Friday, April 17, 2009

Please help Kristin out!

Hello, everyone!

Kristin here...I'm the oldest Crawford kid. I'm a sophomore in college, and I'm participating again this year in Relay for Life at my university. The Relay starts tomorrow at noon, at the same time that outside fund-raising ends. So far, I have raised $50.00 of my $100.00 goal...I'm halfway there! I'm hoping you will help me by making a donation in support of my efforts. Money goes to the American Cancer Society, to support cancer research and education. Below is a link to my personal Relay For Life web page, where you can make a quick online contribution. I would really appreciate it, and so would the American Cancer Society! Even just a dollar or two would help so much! Also, if you could please forward this link to anyone who you think might be interested in helping me to reach my fund raising goal, I'd be very grateful.


To learn more about what Relay for Life is and does, go here: http://www.cancer.org/docroot/PAR/Content/PAR_1_Relay_For_Life.asp


Thank you so much for your time! :)

Kristin

baby Kendyl

almost 18 months, playing on Kristin's bed (her favorite place at that age!)



see above! :)



almost 18 months, eating cookies



almost 15 months, playing in the driveway



almost 15 months, eating veggies! This is Kristin's FAVORITE photo of Kendyl!!



first Halloween-9 mos.



19 mos

6 mos. old



7 mos. look how beautiful "Eeshy"(her doll) looked back then! she was already so attached to her. she looks sooooooo bad now.




Sometimes curious people -who don't have any children through adoption- will ask me if our love for Kendyl is deeper because she's "ours". She's the only one of the 5 who is a fruit of our union so to speak. Is it neat & cool to see ourselves in her face or see the unique blend of the 2 of us she is? Absolutely. Seeing Yogi's nose and short limbs on the ultrasounds was funny. Her ears stick out just like his too and she has that chubby bottom lip and his big eyes. She has my curvy pinky toe, blonde hair, goofy looking belly button and dimples. She's sensitive, sarcastic and quick witted like me, mellow, loyal and kind like him, and shares his strong self esteem. Was it a wonderful, fun surprise after 10 years of marriage? Without a doubt. I had completely let go of the dream of being able to share a full term pregnancy or birth experience with him, yet it finally happened, out of the blue. Blessed beyond belief, we are.
BUT all the other kids' entrances into our lives were really amazing too. Watching him fall totally head-over-heels for Kristin when they met (she was 14 mos. old) was such a gift. He rented an apartment above the house we were renting and he was the best uncle a kid could ask for. She was such a clever, verbal, funny baby... so easy to love. Once Doug was born 6 mos. later, Yogi would come downstairs and rock him to sleep & put him in his crib at night so I could get some extra rest. A year later, when my marriage ended, he was the best friend in the world. 2 years after that WE were married, and after several miscarriages, 2 ectopic pregnancies, 3 surgeries & a world of YUCK we adopted Jackson and that was the coolest, hardest thing we've ever done. We will never forget that experience and what it, and Jackson, has brought to our lives. So rewarding.
The minute Yogi saw Shawn & I come off that airplane when he was 12 days old, that was it: he was his son. Adopting domestically was a really amazing experience. Exciting, trying, lots of anticipation & so many 'what ifs'. .. yet, so joyful and such a gift. When I stay up too late, I always find Daddy & Shawny curled up together in our bed when I finally go upstairs. They are truly father & son in every sense of the word. We wouldn't trade any of our kids for anything in the world and cannot imagine any of the 5 not being with us.
If you're thinking about adopting, and you wonder if you will love an adopted child as much as you would/do love a/your home made child, don't let that rent space in your head anymore. It all modge podges together after a while and you forget who's adopted and who isn't!



Wednesday, April 15, 2009

post about HIV/HAART


At Jackson's December exam & blood work appointment in Boston, it was discovered that his viral load had skyrocketed & his t cell count had dropped, seemingly overnight(is that one word?). His adherence is great and he is feeling well, so we assumed the "blip" was due to the fact that they had used a different test than they usually do and merely took note. Well, on March 30th he went back, and his numbers are in. They're worse. They also did some pheno type testing, to see which drug, if any, he's possibly building a resistance to after 5.5 years on the very same regimen. that test result isn't back yet, but we all assume it's the Viracept/nelfinivir(a protease inhibitor). so he will stop taking that drug-which soon will no longer be manufactured due to it's high incidence of resistance anyway-and will be starting a new drug for the first time since beginning HAART(Highly Active Anti Retro Viral Therapy) in December of 03. I am a bit apprehensive about all this since any change in his daily routine throws him for a loop emotionally and everything gives him hives LOL. I am so glad he lives where he lives, is seen where he is seen and gets such great care. Dr. P, who writes for the New England Journal Of Medicine, knows so much, is always learning more, has so much confidence in what he does, which makes us feel confident.. and Boston University Medical is amazing. They sure treat the whole child there. physical, emotional... all of it. And he needs all of it lol.
He weighs 99 lbs and is now 5'2. WOW. He was 39 inches tall and weighed 39 lbs. when we met in September 03. Holy cow!

i better get back outside and enjoy this beautiful day. the 3 kids are all in the sandbox(i have lexi today, her mom is so sick!!) just wanted to update for the peeps who understand all the crazy jargon & like to hear about the weird crap that goes on here.

happy spring!


ali is a sap

these are the kind of things that make me cry. i don't cry often, but this got to me. check it out!

http://www.popeater.com/television/article/susan-boyles-britains-got-talent/426649?icid=mainhtmlws-maindl7link4http%3A%2F%2Fwww.popeater.com%2Ftelevision%2Farticle%2Fsusan-boyles-britains-got-talent%2F426649

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

confessions of a lousy photographer

best friends. both so tired from a long day.


i love the fact that the marshmallow is completely charred! he loves it! he ate 15.



i'm practicing with the flash. i stink. the fire was huge, but none of the flash settings would capture it.




i sent this pic to shawns first mummy for easter. its actually her birthday today! we love her so much.


Friday, April 10, 2009

Guest Blogger: the lovely Kristin

Hello, friends!

I'm the oldest of the Crawford kids, and I'm home for the weekend. :)
Mom and I are both writers and grammar fanatics. We were just discussing errors that we frequently see people make while writing. I see so many spelling and grammar errors on Facebook, and even in my peers' essays that I help to edit...in college! It's terrible! Everyone has that one grammar rule that he or she can't remember, or that list of words that he or she struggles with (for instance, I can't ever remember how to spell 'jeopardize'), but we live in America in 2009, and we're fortunate to have such resources as spell check, dictionary.com, and several trusted websites and real, tangible books that offer help with punctuation rules of the English language. So today, I'm here to give the blogging community a quick lesson on some common errors I see way too often. I might cover something that has always bested you, or at the very least, you can share the info with your kids!

1) it's vs. its:
For "it" + "is" to be a contraction, an apostrophe is necessary, so we have "it's." This means that the "its" showing possessive is robbed of its apostrophe.

2) then vs. than
"Then" shows time. For example, "We adopted one child, and then we adopted another," or "Life was quieter back then." "Than" makes a comparison. For example, "My parents are crazier than I am."

3) a lot
"A lot" is two words. End of story.

4) definitely
It's spelled "d-e-f-i-n-i-t-e-l-y." De + finite + ly. There is not an "a" in it at all, ever.

5) everyday vs. every day.
"Everyday" is an adjective. Example: "Messes are an everyday thing!" Or, "She wore her everyday sneakers as she cooked dinner for nine people." In "every day," "every" describes "day." Example: "Shawn has at least 10 tantrums every day."

6) affect vs. effect.
"Affect" is a verb. "Effect" is a noun. It's that easy!

7) ; vs. : (the semi-colon vs. the colon)
The semi-colon links together two sentences that are loosely related, and oftentimes replaces the use of "because" or "and." Example: "My parents have five children; they love chaos." The colon is used more often, and joins two sentences that are more directly related. Usually, the first sentence is seen as the 'cause' of the second, or prepares the reader for the second sentence. Example: "Example: blah, blah, blah." In that sentence, the word "example" lets the reader know what is coming.

8) loose vs. lose
"Loose" is an adjective. It is the opposite of "tight." "Lose" is a verb. It's the present form of "lost."

9) Tomorrow
It's spelled "t-o-m-o-r-r-o-w." There is not an "a" in it anywhere, and it does have two "r"s!

10) two vs. to. vs. too
"Two" = 2. "To" is used to express motion, direction, or purpose. Example: "I went to my house and was greeted by the smell of diapers," or "I went home in order to escape the quiet at college." "Too" means "also," or indicates excessiveness. Example: "If I saw Jackson eat deoderant, I would puke, too," or "There are never too many people at the Crawford residence."

11) there vs. they're vs. their
"There" is a place, or it can come before the main verb in a sentence. Example: "Please don't stick your peanut butter toast there," or "There are children of many ages in my family." ("Are" is a version of the verb "to be," and it follows "there" in that sentence.) "They're" is a contraction: "they" + "are." "Their" is possessive. Example: "All of these children are theirs, not mine!"

12) your vs. you're
"Your" is possessive. "You're" is a contraction: "you" + "are."

Thanks for reading! I hope I helped somebody! And thanks for visiting Mom's blog!

Love, Kristin

Thursday, April 9, 2009

what ali has been up to

i ended up filing 20 of these little pails lol. Target has them for 1$ each.
these are the new flower molds i bought this year. i LOVE how they come out. these were my first attemps, the later ones look even better

this tray is HUGE. all this went to the assisted living facility my Mother volunteers at






all this did too