Hottness: Crock Pot Chicken Sandwiches

After the whole crockpot sapplesops jazz, I realized I was falling in love with my crockpot again.  Recently, my sister, Amanda got engaged and married and they had like fifty crockpots on their registry.  I kept thinking...what the H are the York's gonna do with fifty crockpots...the past few days I've been wishing I had fifty crockpots.  Could you imagine the smells that would be simmering through our little home?  MOUTH IS WATERING!

Fall is putting me in the early mood for Thanksgiving...and while my house was smelling like cinnamon apples I started drooling for stuffing.  I'm crazy about stuffing.  It's probably my favorite part of Thanksgiving meal.  My Grandma made the best stuffing, and now my mom has carried on that tradition.  I tried to makes Grandma's stuffing last year...better luck THIS year. Haha!

SO with crockpot and stuffing on the brain I decided I'm going to make my own crockpot invention.  There isn't too much you can screw up in a crock.  Just read over this recipe and TRY and tell me that doesn't make you hungry!?

What you need:

• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (if you're being lazy, which I often times am, you can totally use the canned chicken breast that looks kinda like tuna.  Just keep in mind that's already cooked so you could just simmer that stuff on low with the other ingredients for a couple hours instead of all day)
• 2 cans of cream of chicken soup
• 1 box of stove top stuffing (yes I DID!)

What to do:

• Dump it!  Put all the ingredients into the crock. 
• Stir it up.
• Put the crock on low and let it do its magic for about 6 hours.  I feel like my crockpot gets a little excited about cooking stuff and it tends to finish up its job early...unlike my oven which takes twice as long to bake something...argh. 

I thought this little ditty was delish.  In hindsight the leftovers were a little more dry than I would have liked.  I probably could have added a little chicken broth or something during the simmer stage to moisten everything up a bit. 

OH! And let me just blow your mind with THIS one...since the leftovers were a little dry I mixed the leftover chicken deliciousness in with some homemade mac & cheese!  YES I DID!  

Seriously, these simple crockpot recipes are kind of dummy proof...which is why I can't believe I'd abandoned my crock for so long!  BABY, I'm BACK! 

And speaking of baby...still cooking her in my human crock.  Any day would be nice for her to make her grand appearance.  Dropped the soap in the shower this morning.  I jinxed myself.  I said to myself "WOW. This is great. You're getting good at this, you didn't even drop the soap!" [Soap flies out of hand...] It was just a soap nub...I left it.  It hurts so much to bend over these days I'm starting to leave trails around the house of things that aren't worth the cramp to bend over and pick up.  

The Wolf Gift

I haven't read any of Anne Rice's books until this one.  Initially I gave this read four stars because I did like the book, but then when I categorized my star ratings values as the following I decided I give this book 3 stars:

• 5 Stars - I loved it!
• 4 Stars - Really liked it!
• 3 Stars - Liked it.
• 2 Stars - Didn't like it.
• 1 Star - Not a Fan...or NAF as my friend Laura would say.

So good book because:

1. It's really beautiful.  Anne Rice paints really pretty pictures in my head of these beautiful homes and pretty people.  The house that Reuben acquires in the house sounds like a dream home.  The ancient werewolves in my head look really sophisticated and smart.  I would definitely say this is a great fall read.  The setting takes place in a woodsy area...and we're talking werewolfy in the fall...bring it spookmasters!
2. The werewolf concept is modern.  I like how she goes with the werewolf existence here.  The weres can gain control over their shifting (this sort of goes along with the whole SHIFTER concept on True Blood...which I also like).  I just like how it's not this vicious cycle that happens every full moon.  I suppose that's kind of how the whole Twilight Vampire thing goes too though.  It's like the Cullens can control their bloody urges by feeding on bears or the True Blood vampires drink the synthetic blood.  I like the modern take on these mythical creatures more so than the Brad Pitt Interview with the Vampire dude who thirsts only on human blood and has to kill people everyday.
3. Reuben really embraces his "Wolf Gift".  I liked that Reuben quickly comes to grips with his reality that he has been forever changed and makes it his life mission to understand and conquer this gift for the better.  When he first is turned and escapes the hospital he begins getting these urges to rescue and help people.  He wants to use his Man Wolfness (the Man Wolf thing is kinda weird...I feel like he could have come up with a better super hero name than "MAN WOLF"....it's too obvious...kinda like "KICK ASS"...a little on the dumb side.)

So so book because:

1. There is lots of relationship cheating going on in this book and its like it isn't a big deal...First Reuben bangs that Mardent girl. He didn't even know her.  He justified it because Celeste (his GIRLFRIEND) and cheated on him before!  Then when he turns Man Wolf he starts banging this other girl Laura...when he is a wolf and she's a human. Yipes. I just can't understand how that's gonna work...Anne Rice describes kissing lips and I keep imagining when I get "Dog Kisses" from Hurley our Dog.  Like is Reuben just licking his chops all over her face? That's weird. THEN Reuben gets a little jealous when he finds out that Celeste is dating his best friend, Mort...I mean...you're with Laura?  Just am never a fan of the movie or book that has relationship cheating going on.
2. Good Character description and development...bad use of the potential.  This book wasn't that long and I actually think the storyline could have been a little deeper with all the character development that happened here.  Reuben's brother is a priest. They seem to have this great relationship and there is this inner struggle with his brother and Reuben because Reuben's werewolf existence is known to be evil...Reuben's Mother is a Dr. and seems super smart and quietly in tune with these physical changes that are happening to Reuben.  And that never goes anywhere. She pursues help for a little bit and then just stops. Laura, the wolf loving lover, has a story and we never learn it.  Reuben pours his heart out to her and they run away together...but he never learns about her backstory!  
3. Dullsville Ending.  I liked this book.  Everytime I started reading I fell asleep in the book because I didn't want to put it down. Anne Rice's descriptions just make you want to keep reading.  But the last twenty pages of the book didn't resolve much for me and just kinda drug out to this slow finish.  It ended with a history lesson on how weres came to be, and then the book was done.  

I DO wonder if there will be a sequel to the book.  With all the character development  that happened that just didn't really go anywhere, and then the ending that just was more of an informative educational session...it just leads me to believe there is more the story that Anne Rice wanted to break into two books.  As I said, this was my first Anne Rice read and I've always heard GREAT things about her books.  So if I thought this book was good I imagine her other books are beautiful and AWESOME! So I'll definitely read some of her other books.  And I would even recommend this one!  Just try and tell yourself there's gonna be a number two and maybe that'll make the missing pieces more justifiable!

DIY Wedding Crafts

Since it's our AnniBEARsary (because we love each other...and we love bears) I thought today was an appropriate day to post awesome DIY Wedding Craft Ideas.   It has been two years to the day that Tommy and I said we would forever.  Tommy's great.  I love him.  He's the smartest, sweetest, funniest, kindest guy I know.  

I totally appreciate that crafting isn't a dude's cup of tea and Tommy is such a great sport with my crafting and thriftiness.  Even though he hates Michael's & JoAnn Fabrics, I love a man who says "Can you make me a..." or "I need you to design my visual aide for my nursing class..."  Yes...yes...maybe it's his sweet endearing way of getting me to do some of his homework, but if the man continues to complete his random acts of kindness like organizing and cleaning my craft room...I'll craft his homework ANYDAY!  These pics are the Before & Afters Tommy took the day he proposed!  Isn't it cute that organizing my craft room was on the priority list of a great engagement for Lisa!?

 

And then it got awesomer when he crafted a proposal card for me!

So...back to wedding crafting.  Getting engaged was a crafters dream come true.  Our engagement was only 6 months.  Good thing.  Who knows what kind of insane, over the top craft projects I would have gotten myself into if I had more time.  

Wedding Signs are terribly cute and SUPER easy.  This cost me no money to even make.  We had plenty of wood scraps laying around in our basement.  I'm not even super awesome at painting or anything, but I just painted words and hearts on the sign and then outlined it with a black sharpie marker.  

We did a cupcake tower instead of a cake.  We had a pretty low maintenance wedding and didn't have a cake cutter and didn't want either of our moms cutting cake for the masses, so we opted cupcakes! Ordered from our fave local bakery and crafted cuteness onto them.  I had a circular paper punch that I cut out different colors of patterned paper.  I printed pictures of the dogs or the letter "B" onto these super easy Avery round stickers, then stuck these tiny craft sticks (like flat toothpicks) in between the circle paper and the sticker then POW...stuck it in the cupcake! 

The wedding invites and programs were a little more complicated than paint & outline or punch, print, stick...so in the meantime, check out this post for DIY Wedding invites and I'll post another soon with a DIY for these programs.  

And our most recent Bowlin Alley craft project is making a baby.  I WON'T be posting a DIY of how to MAKE a baby...but maybe a few baby craft ideas here and there.  And perhaps Baby Bowlin will be an Annibearsary gift and make her grand appearance today.  Tommy says no...keep my legs squeezed till at least Friday AFTER his next test.  Got it.  Baby on Friday.

Fall Fever: Crockpot Apple Sauce

Fall is definitely one of my favorite times of the year.  I love the smells of fall and winter - apples, pumpkins, cinnamon spice, sugar cookie.  I also love weather where it is appropriate for shorts and long sleeves!  (Unfortunately Fall 2012 will not be seeing THIS preggy butt in shorts.)


Everywhere you go, you are bombarded with the scrumptious smells of the season.  You walk into any shopping store or even grocery store and somehow those smarty pants marketing people attack your sniffer with scents that make me NEEEEED to buy appley pumpkiny spicey goodness.

Well you marketing smarty pantses, way to earn your paycheck because I totally walked in to Giant Eagle and HAD TO HAVE a bag of Macintosh Apples.  The Mac apples normally aren't my fave just to bite into and nosh on for a snack, but I love them for applesauce and pies.  They're awesome because they're crunchy, a little sweet and also a little sour.  It's like a crispy cross between a red delish and a granny smith. Mmmm...

Now you guys know that I'm FAR from legit when it comes to cheffing or any form of culinary training.  I tend to make up my own rules in the kitchen and often times find myself taking the lazy lady's way out...but I KNOW applesauce is easy and the fact that it can be made in a crockpot makes it totally up my Bowlin Alley.

So check out how freaking easy this is:

What You Need

• 8 Medium Apples (I used 20 small Macintosh, just fill your crock)
• 1 tsp of lemon juice
• 1 tsp of ground cinnamon (you can add a little more if you want...just don't go overboard)
• 5 tsps of brown sugar (not packed)

What To Do

• Peel and dice the apples.  You know what? You can leave the skins on if you're feeling lazy. It doesn't change the taste, but it just has those papery skinny chunks if you leave them on. Not the end of the world if you're cutting a corner.
• Toss everything in the crock - chopped apples, lemon juice, cinnamon, brown sugar.
• Set the crock to low and let it just smell up your house for the next 6 hours! 

Talk about killing two birds with one stone!  Totally smelled up the house with this recipe.  And it was a great smelled up the house!!  

Yeah I'm a cheater when it comes to "canning"...I didn't really can this stuff.  When you can stuff you disinfect and seal the container air tight...my "method" shown to the left is called Looks-Better-In-A-Ball-Jar-Than-In-A-Tupperware.  

It's not officially canned.  But doesn't this totally make you wanna get your Fall on????  Don't worry. It totally got my leaves falling, because I've got more fall goodness to come!!!

Since I've been on a roll my past few posts reminiscing about funny things of childhood -- Sister Amanda used to call applesauce, SappleSops.  So go grab yourself some Sapples and get your Sops on!

The Diary of a Pregnant Lady...

Now that I've reached the 36 week mark, there's no doubt about it. Yes, it's officially OBVIOUS...I'm knocked up, Folks! Consider yourselves privileged because my blog readers get to see the preggy pic (yes...singular).  I'm not posting weekly belly updates on facebook.  I just can't do it...

I've been keeping a running list (you KNOW I love lists) of my belly laughs to make light of my discomfort while trying to convince myself I don't feel miserable and exhausted all the time.  So I thought I'd share my list of belly laughs with you.  

Belly Laughs

1. Preggy Classes? No Thanks.  Each time I go to the doctor, they ask if I've registered for any prenatal classes yet.  Not interested.  Isn't that what a doctor is for?  And I'd like to also think that being married to a soon-to-be nurse also comes with perks of getting to skip out on these "extra curriculars." Joan, the nurse, kept suggesting that if nothing else it would be a great way for me to get to know some other Preggies who are in my same phase of life...um...NOTHING sounds more miserable to me than spending my evening off with a bunch of hormonal strangers!  Pass.  If Snooky can have a baby,  I can have one.  
2. I'm so HOT! And no...I'm not talking the "You're SMOKING H-O-T-T" hot...I'm talking about the sweaty swamp ass hot.  YOU try growing a person and keeping your cool!  I'm sweating ALL the time...if I ever PLAN on doing this a second time around, remind me to get my baby growing on over the cooler months of the year.  Because preggy shorts DON'T work.
3. Don't drop the soap!  Taking a shower with an enormous bump in your middle is a little more challenging than just standing under the water and lather, rinse, repeating...I never realized how frequently I drop that slickery soap bar until it's near impossible to bend over to pick it back up.  TOTALLY need to invest in this soap-on-a-rope stuff.
4. What's the point of an appointment? Now that I'm in the homestretch these doctor's appointments are MUCH more frequent.  I can finally say I like my doctors.  I don't get high blood pressure going to the office anymore, BUT I'll tell ya what DOES make my heart rate go up...is stinkin' appointment times.  Each time I leave the office I spend five minutes with Carol going over their appointment calendar so we can figure out when I can get squeezed in for my next visit.  You'd think since they take this calendar so seriously that they would run according to schedule. Nah.  When they say 10:30 they mean, come in at 10:15, sit there for 15 minutes, go pee in a cup, sit there for 15 more minutes, get called back to get weighed, then escorted into your exam room...wait for 15 more minutes for the doctor to come into your room, talk to you for five minutes and then say "ok! see you next time!" Gee. Thanks Doc.
5. Speaking of Peeing in a Cup...This isn't something that I've had TONS of practice doing prior to this phase of my life...but I never recall peeing in a cup being SO difficult.  If only a lady had some sort of a manly nozzle for the cup peeing thing, it would make this feat SO much easier.  It didn't take me more than a few tries, after my middle expanded, to start grabbing a latex glove on my way to the whizzer so I can avoid getting covered in my own wee when I go.  You know how tricky it is to hit that cup, while holding up your belly so you can kinda see and catch what's going on down there!?!?
6. Since we're talking about taking a whiz...Did you realize you use core muscles to do things like sit on the john, or WIPE!? Yeah. True Story.  When your core muscles are all stretched out and pretty dysfunctional you learn quickly how frequently you use those little guys...cuz they hurt doing the simplest things! Sitting up, rolling over, sitting on the toilet! Laugh it up...but I KNOW my fellow preggies feel me on this one!
7. Tummy Time...I miss you! I'm a tummy sleeper.  Yes. Yes.  I know, you're supposed to sleep flat on your back for your spine, but you can't even do that during pregnancy.  You're permitted side sleeping.  I wake up each time I move (cuz it hurts) and then when I gaze over at Tommy sawing logs while sleeping on his stomach I just get so envious of the things I miss most.
8. Cravings are a hoax...I think these cravings everyone talks about are a hoax.  I haven't had one yet.  TOMMY has had more cravings than I have.  The whole pickles and ice cream thing? Yeah, not real.  If it is real, I feel ripped off!  I haven't had any urges that required sending my man out on these crazy midnight snack runs.  Tommy, however, has enjoyed saying things like "Does the babet need some double fudge brownie Ben & Jerry's?!?" WELL IF YOU PUT IT THAT WAY...Bring it on!!  I think Tommy has been a little disappointed in my lack of "excusable cravings" so he has been doing his fair share of trying to tempt me so we BOTH get to splurge.
9. I'm a Puffalump Chump.  Anyone remember Puffalumps? Anyways, with preggyness usually comes swelling in places that it shouldn't (aside from your belly, your chest, your hips and your bum...).  My fingers and toes are trying to get in on this swelling action.  I don't mind it THAT much except for the fact that I can't wear my wedding rings and my fave shoes!  Funny side note -- our regional director came to the hotel a couple weeks ago and made a comment to my boss about me having a lot to prepare for getting ready to become a single mother. PAHAHA!  Oh geez.  At least if I could wear my rings I could show off more easily OUR child's legitimacy.  I just hope my feet shrink back to cute and small.  My shoe collection has been expanding since my feet stopped growing in 9th grade.  I would hate to have to start over. 
10. Baby Bjorns vs. Strollers.  EVERYONE raves about the Baby Bjorns.  I do think these inventions are genius (Go Swedes!) and strollers also seem to be a parenting necessity. Now that we're expecting a baby of our own I notice things.  1. Babies and kids are EVERYWHERE. And they stare at pregnant people and point.  2. Some babies and kids seem miserable to be around in public places (Please God. Bless me with a behaved child.).  3. People take strollers in the weirdest most inconvenient places!  THIS is the thing that seems crazy to me.  The stroller is a handy gadget that can serve multi purposes since it wheels your baby around AND totes your stuff...but it seems CRAZY to me when we got out to a restaurant and people bring their stroller into dinner!  Let me just paint a picture of how this works for you...pack up stroller, put it in the car. Pack up kid. Put her in the car.  Pack up husband and get in the car with him.  Get to restaurant, unpack and assemble the stroller.  Unpack kid and move into stroller.  Unpack husband and walk to the restaurant...(what is this FIVE FEET AWAY!? Was wheeling her really necessary??) Get in restaurant, bumble and crash around with stroller, wait to be seated, get seated and HOG UP an aisle way with a stinkin stroller.  People, just leave the stroller in the car!!!  So, I think for these short little trips where you have a small walk from car to destination carrying the baby or the Bjorn seems much more reasonable.  People RAVE about the Bjorn.  People have been asking if we're pumped about Bjorning our baby...Tommy is SO pumped about it.  I've been Bjorning her for the past 9 months so I think I'll let him take the papoose for her first drive :) Sidenote -- My cousin's cousin named one of their baby's Bjorn. I love Swedes.  

Preggy Poll:

Any of my fellow preggies use the Baby Center app or email newsletter to track your weekly progress?  I've been getting a kick out of it because it gives you the play by play each week of what you're feeling, things to do and how big the baby is.  While I do like this...there have been weeks when Baby Center throws some crazy curve balls at us and says "This week you're the size of a Crenshaw Melon" or "Swiss Chard" or "Rutabaga"  What the CRAP is a Crenshaw Melon!?  I get it.  You're trying to keep veggies and fruits on the brain because that's what the baby needs...but can't you just make more sense in my brain...tell me things like "This week, you're a basketball." Maybe those things won't make my mouth water, but neither does a jicama or a poppy seed?!

Ok. So I've stalled LONG enough...you've read my entire post of my Belly Laughs.  You shall be rewarded with the ever-so-requested "Belly Pic" people seem so nuts about.  So THANK YOU for reading my blog.  In return, here is your pic!...36 weeks with TBD to go...

   

And just for a crazy visual...look at my puffy toes and my crazy cankles!! 

So much for my dainty little feet, eh?!

If You Love Lists...

As long as I can remember, I've kept lists of things I wanted to do or accomplish in life.  I used to keep them taped to the back of my bedroom door growing up (the list MAY still be there? It was on a neon green piece of paper.  My parents used to cross things off the list for me...like:

• Own a Teapot that Whistles
• Teach a Kayaking Class
• Graduate from College
• Sing a song in French

When I went away to college my best friend, Krista, was the QUEEN of three things:

1. Lists (She has VOLUMES of books just full of lists??? Who DOES that?? Hehe!)
2. Journaling 
3. Pink Stuff 

I was inspired by Krista to do two of three -- write lists IN a journal!  My list-ness has since expanded to task journals, evernotes, and grocery list apps on my smart phone (SIDENOTE: Krista ALSO is really good at adding a "ness" to the end of nouns to make them verbs.  Her biggest blooper of this habit was when she tried to turn peeing into a 'ness word' and said something about getting her pee-ness on...WHOOPS!).

I thoroughly enjoy lists, but am not quite as psycho about lists as my sister, Amanda, who can't feel like something is completed unless she's crossed it off a list.  She keeps her little list pad by her bed and makes lists like this:

Don't Forget

• Take a Shower
• Put on undies & socks
• Wear deodorant
• Brush hair
• ...and so on...

Dude...I have to say two things...(in list form)

1. Your day sounds like it starts uncomfortably since you don't dry off before putting on your socks & undies...
2. If you can't get dressed in the morning without a list...um -- you's gots probs!!!

I actually haven't lived with Amanda for a few years now, so she may have grown out of this phase...but my gut tells me her obsessive disorder still exists to some degree.

ANYWAYS, most recently I've become pretty obsessed with blogging. My blogging obsession has taken my stalking skills to a whole new level.  Facebook stalking aside, I stalk people and am totally intrigued by the lives of individuals I don't even know, such as:

• Jenna Weber who blogs on Eat, Live, Run - she inspired me to start red lipsticking and cook!
• Mandy who blogs about sewing, crafting and styling on Sugar Bee Crafts. 
• Trevor who is Mandy's husband.  His blog is the dude's version of living with a crafter. Hilar!
• Kate Conner who is a really cute girl who has this really cute green dress and she blogs about some really inspirational and thought provoking things...AND she made a LIFE LIST.

So as you have probably guessed, this post is going to be of my Lifetime List which was inspired by two things:

1. Krista - who has instilled in me two things that have become part of my daily routine:
1. List Making
2. Journalling (How do you like THAT!? A list WITHIN a list. POW!)
2. Kate Conner - who put her life list on her blog that I stalk.

So here she is, in ALL her glory...

Oh the places I will go:

1. Machu Picchu
2. The Grand Canyon
3. Helena, Montana (to visit the coolest Aunt & Uncle & cousins EVA!)
4. Ashville, New York (been here quite a few times, but I'll intend to visit quite a few more to see my OTHER coolest Aunt & Uncle & cousins...Since I only have two sets of coolest Aunts, Uncs & Cousins and we don't want anyone feeling less awesome or left out)
5. Barcelona, Spain
6. Mount Rushmore
7. Redwood Forest
8. Yellowstone National Park
9. Sweden
10. Cape Cod
11. Mt. Kilimanjaro 
12. Portland, Maine
13. San Francisco - The Golden Gate Bridge
14. The Great Sphinx - Egypt
15. Anchorage, Alaska
16. San Antonio, Texas 
17. Tampa, Florida (to visit Great Uncle Bryne, Aunt Audrey & Uncle Arnold)

Oh the Things I will do:

1. Cut Boy Hair (more specifically, Tommy's)
2. Learn to speak Spanish (maybe sending my kid to a bi-lingual school will school me too!)
3. Sponsor a child (maybe adopt a child?)
4. Have a child who is enjoyable to take in public places - restaurants, shopping, etc...
5. Get Handier
6. Successfully accomplish good furniture makeovers
7. Sew stuff more
1. Learn to follow a pattern
2. Make a Quilt
8. Plant & Harvest a SUCCESSFUL Garden (they all R.I.P. in Garden heaven never having harvested a plentiful bounty)
1. Can things from my garden
9. Live by water (I think preference is Lake, but I could settle for river and definitely an ocean!)
10. Be featured for SOMETHING in Better Homes & Gardens. 
11. Read 1,000 books
12. Have 1,000 blog followers
13. Run 1,000 miles in a year
14. Have an etsy store
15. Eat at a Gordon Ramsay Restaurant
1. Shake hands with Gordon someday
16. Learn to make sushi
17. Receive a hug from Paul Meany (ideally document this also with a photo)
18. Take a photography class
19. Get a masters degree
20. Attend a conference about blogging (do these exist?!)

I definitely intend to update these lists when tasks have been completed or when I need to add more things to my intended accomplishments, so check back often.  In closing, I think it's only appropriate to leave you with a list of my top three takeaways from this post:

1. Get inspired!  Find something that makes you want to accomplish stuff...a book, a blog, a friend...
2. Go make your own lists!  It feels really great to jot stuff down, and it makes me more motivated to accomplish something when it's put in writing.
3. Don't forget to dry off after getting out of the shower.  Starting your day in wet socks and undies seems gross!

Pittsburgh Places: Ribfest

What is a Ribfest, you ask?  Well, according to wikipedia a Ribfest (short for rib festival) is a rib cook off food festival where professional, traveling food teams compete to make the best ribs...I just like to call a Ribfest - HEAVEN!

Can I first just say that Pittsburgh's Ribfest is awesome for being held at Heinz Field?  This was Tommy's first time setting foot in the stadium.  He did admit it was indeed awesome, but we hadn't eaten anything yet and the air was smelling of savory, sweet BBQ so I think this poor, loyal Brown's fan might have said ANYTHING was awesome at this point.  But I'm going to go with he just thinks it's awesome :)

Our only other Ribfest experience had been multiple times in Columbus, Ohio where we used to live.  Pittsburgh doesn't do anything wrong, but one thing Columbus does EXTRA right is the Ribfest.  They add jazz to the mix which makes for a great day.  Can I just add a sidenote reminiscent story?  My old boss in Columbus was a crazy woman (God love her.  She has forever instilled a psycho work ethic in me and I thank her for that.  Hopefully someday I'll be a big deal because of it.)  So let me rephrase, she was always one step ahead of everyone...including herself sometimes.  Occasionally, she would just speak before processing her words...and I will NEVER forget the time she was telling me about Columbus's famous "Rabs & Jizz Fest." BAHAHAH!! And her trademark move when this would happen would always be to repeat what she just said (but correctly) and pretend like she didn't screw up her words.  Of course I was snickering and she knew I caught it, but still tried to pretend we're both ONLY thinking about Ribs...& Jazz. NOPE!

Long story short, Pittsburgh's Ribfest is great...but will never compare to Columbus's Rabs & Jizz Fest.  YIPES!

SO, seeing that this preggy only has a limited amount of time on her feet each day before her heart starts pounding and she gets short of breath we had to think fast!  Normally our strategy is look for the longest line (crazy, right?).  Longest line means most popular food!  This time we compromised for the mediocre lines and were STILL left more than satisfied.  Ribfests never disappoint.  Tommy wanted to give some love to the line-less "King of BBQ"...no time for bad BBQ. Sorry King.  

First stop, Bad Wolf Barbecue.  Started out with some ribs and coleslaw.  We were totally in the mood for some of the Corn on the Cob we were smelling...but remember the limited time thing?  AND no wasting stomach room on CORN! Sorry vegetables.  Today is MEAT DAY (Jennie, am I making you gag?)!  

Second Stop Old Carolina BBQ, then Carolina Rib King and lastly Big Boned BBQ Co.  The winning BBQers, in my opinion, was Big Boned's Pulled Pork Sandwich.  It was huge AND delicious!!  Slathered in delicious sauce and smoked to perfection.  SO GOOD!  And they were also the winners of Columbus's Rabs & Jizz Fest 2011.  

It was about that time that our bellies were full, my heart was pounding and my feet were swollen (yes...my stomach is swollen too...but for another reason other than BBQ.).  So we waddled (well, I guess I waddled...Tommy walked with me slowly) back to the car and headed home.    

The Big Belly is full of BBQ and totally in the way.  Please excuse.  

A great time was had by all and Ribfest was a success!  Ribfest 2013...BRING IT ON!!  I'll be ready for triple the ribs next year!