Happy Birthday, Momma!

Happy Birthday to my best friend....my Momma. I love you very much and I can always count on you to be there whether it's a bad or good day for me.

The "infamous" Chicken Salad Blurt

I have been meaning to add this recipe to my blog for weeks now but I'm always getting sidetracked! I get online to do it and venture the opposite direction only to sit here and wonder why I got online in the first place!

So, I stopped EVERYTHING to add this to my blog while it was fresh on my mind.

Below you will find the recipe for my infamous chicken salad that I serve for all social Southern gatherings. It's Victoria's favorite dish that I make and she now knows the recipe by heart....yay! for passing something down for generations to come. This recipe comes from my Momma and I am not sure who she borrowed it from but all I do know is that it's quick and easy so it's a keeper in my book!

Chicken Salad Recipe
- 1 can of 12.5 ounces of canned white meat chicken breast (I use Tyson or the Great Value Brand)
- 3 large tablespoons of Mayo (I prefer Dukes but you can use whatever your taste buds favor)
- 3 teaspoons of Dill Pickle relish
-1/4 teaspoon of homemade seasoning (recipe below)

Shred the chicken chunks with your fork if you are opposed to using the fingers God gave you and then mix all the ingredients together. Serve fresh or chill. This goes great on Plane Jane white bread or you can fancy it up and serve it in Puff Pastry cups. Yummy!

Homemade Seasoning - kindly borrowed from Paula Deen
1 cup of Kosher Salt
1/4 cup of Fresh Ground Pepper
1/4 cup of Garlic Powder

Mix all together and keep in an airtight container. Mason Jars work best. This seasoning salt is a staple in my pantry. I use it on EVERYTHING....I mean, everything! You will too once you make it.

Enjoy!!!

The Early Bird Gets the Worm?

I am not sure what has gotten into me lately but I have been getting up early (for me) and I am starting to enjoy the stillness of the quiet house.

A month ago I would have shot down any opportunity to rise early so I could catch a few more Zzzz's but now I am ready to start my morning so I can get a few one hour to my myself before the house awakens.

Mike leaves early for work and Victoria has had band camp for the past week so she is out the door early too....that just leaves me and the little guy here for most of the day and once B is up then it's on like Donkey Kong. I don't stop running around the circles he runs around me.

Luckily, Brody is normally a late sleeper (just like his Momma...used to be) so that means I can enjoy a good cup of coffee and catch up on my DVR, Facebook & Emails or just get little things done around the house that would be virtually impossible while he was awake.

I can honestly say that I am enjoying these "free" hours and look forward to going to bed somewhat early so I can rise early and not be too tired or grumpy. Maybe this is just another part of aging...who knows. I find myself doing a lot of things lately that I once defined an "old" person doing so that is why I chose to use the old wives tale as my header....

"The Early Bird Gets the Worm"

..... and in my case it seems to be a proven fact that you get more done and feel better about things the earlier you rise. Who knew that my grandparents really knew what they were talking about!

Dimples

This morning I turned the television on and was greeted by Joel Osteen speaking about a golf ball and it's dimples. He was explaining that he read an article about the creation on the golf ball and why it was made with dimples. Most people would think a perfectly round ball would travel further than one with dimples but years of scientific research went into making the golf ball and it's proven that it travels twice as far with the dimples than if it were smooth.

He went on to discuss that we as human beings should have the same outlook on ourselves when it comes to God. He made us with "dimples" for a reason....we may question our dimples and get down on ourselves because we do have flaws but we were made that way. We should view our dimples (imperfections) as something good and not bad because those dimples will make us travel further in life because we are always striving to smooth the ball (making ourselves better).

I struggle deeply with my imperfections and my past imperfections; I feel guilty for my past mistakes and those weigh heavily on my heart. I won't go into detail of those because for one it would take forever and two I have an upcoming blog I have in mind to discuss my biggest dimple.

So, with that being said, I need to keep in mind that I was made this way....imperfections and all. I was his masterpiece, he made me with dimples and I am supposed to learn and grow from them. My dimples were not an accident and I need to learn to accept that and think of it in a positive manner and not a manner of beating myself up over them.

I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.  Wonderful are your works: my soul knows it very well."  -  Psalm chapter 139 verse 14

A Beautiful Life in the Making

My Momma sent me this birthday card two years ago and I have kept it posted on my mirror in the closet and read it every couple of days. It seems to really help me get back to "me" and it gives me a sense of comfort.

Enjoy!!

How to Make A BEAUTIFUL LIFE…Reflections for a Daughter on her Birthday

Love yourself.

MAKE PEACE with who you are

And where you are at this moment in time.

Listen to your heart.

If you can’t hear what it’s saying in this noisy world,

MAKE TIME for yourself.

Enjoy your own company.

Let your mind wander among the stars.

Try.

Take chances.

MAKE MISTAKES.

Life can be messy and confusing at times,

But it’s also full of surprises.

The next rock in your path

Might be a stepping-stone.

Be happy.

When you don’t have what you want, want what you have.

MAKE DO.

That’s a well-kept secret of contentment.

There aren’t any shortcuts to tomorrow.

You have to MAKE YOUR OWN WAY.

To know where you’re going is only a part of it.

You need to know where you’ve been too.

And if you ever get lost, don’t worry.

The people who love you will find you.

Count on it.

Life isn’t days and years.

It’s what you do with time and with all the goodness and grace

That’s inside you.

MAKE A BEAUTIFUL LIFE…

The kind of life you deserve.

One Time At Bandcamp....

One time at bandcamp....

Thanks to classic movie "American Pie" that phrase will be stuck in my head until the day I leave this earth. You can't help but say it or think it when you think, hear or say the word "band camp".

This is Victoria's first year of Marching Band and I am secretly a tad bit jealous of her getting to experience such an awesome organization. I will admit I was a totally band geek but it was "cool" to be in the "Concord High School Marching Spiders" band. The CHS band was one of the best around back in the early to late 90's. It was actually "cool" to be in band because we were that good...really we were, it's just not me saying it.

I have so many fond memories of band and I was able to do a load of cool things I would have NEVER have done unless I was a "Marching Spider". I mean, how cool was it that we were invited to march in the St. Patricks Day parade in DUBLIN, IRELAND....wow....what an amazing trip that was!!!

I can only hope that Victoria enjoys band as much as I did. Yes, it was a PITA most of the time because of the hard work and long hot hours of band camp. It was also hard on the body because marching down the steep hill while parading past excited football fans listening to the awesome cadence of our FANTASTIC drumline was hard on the shins....can you say SHIN SPLINTS?!?! Ouch.

Anyway, I guess I will be living vicariously through her this football season. I am sure she will be making memories that last a lifetime like I did....or at least I pray she does....she won't be sorry for participating in a powerful organization like the LCHS band.

Dare I say "Go Marching Trojans!"....the only bad thing about the situation is she's not a marching SPIDER.

Google or Bust

Oh, Google, how I love you so....I think I use Google more than any other application that is available online....even more than my beloved Facebook.

Google is my "Go To" for EVERYTHING; I might I know that I am addicted to it. I mean honestly what can't the site answer?!?!

I thought it could answer everything until I ran across this little blurb above. It hit me right in the gut because it's so true and we rarely stop to think about some things only God can answer; there isn't an "earthly" explanation for it. We can try to use Google for the answer but sometimes there just isn't one or it's not the answer we truly need. It's an answer only "He" can provide.

So, with that weighing heavily on my mind I may stop trying to always find the answer or reason for all of my worries, woes or concerns. I should just leave it up to him anyway; he will shed light on the situation when the time is right. Sometimes I think we don't even need to know the answer immediately; it's his way of letting it "stew" so we can think about things.

"Always believe in God. Because there are some questions that even Google can't answer"

Chugga Chugga Chehaw!

Today I spent my morning hanging out with my favorite 3 year old at our local zoo (yes, Albany has a zoo). It was a spur of the moment decision because after watching the same "Dora" episode for the 6th time I knew we had to get out of the house.

Parks at Chehaw is really a great little zoo to take the family because it's small but big enough to keep your little (or big) ones occupied for several hours. We spent about an hour and a half checking out the snakes, frogs, lizards, pigs, miniture horses, alligators, wolves, flamingos and the big Rhino. We didn't even walk through the entire Zoo because Brody was anxious to ride the train and I could tell his little tank was about empty.

I bought our ticket for the train and he was beside himself with joy. We had to wait a few 10 minutes before we could board the cute little train and he grew more excited as we were able to hear the whistle and bell in the distance. Finally after swatting gnats for longer than I cared to we hopped aboard and went for a ride throughout the park. It was a nice breeze and Brody was smiling ear to ear. My heart pratically melted (not from the heat) when he looked at me, held my hand and said so sweetly "Look Momma, it's not scary".

TALK ABOUT WANTING TO CRY!!!!!!

In that very moment it hit me that my little boy is growing into a big boy. Even though his Birthday was this past Sunday and his party was on Saturday it really didn't hit me that he was "older". It took riding a little train and having some precious one on one time with him for it to really sink in. Good thing it was hotter than hell outside because my tears were masked by sweat rolling down my face and neck.

If I am this emotional over a simple train ride then I am not so sure how well I will hold up for those "big, monumental" birthdays.

My baby is growing up and as much as I want him to be a "big boy" there is a part of me that still needs to be telling him....."Look baby, it's not scary.".

Happy 3rd, Bugaboo!!

Happy 3rd Birthday, Brody....Mommy loves you!

'The Little One That Follows Me'
Author: Unknown

A careful woman, I ought to be;
a little one follows me.

I do not dare to go astray,
for fear they'll go, the self-same way.

I cannot once escape their eyes,

hatever they see me do, they'll try.

Like me, they say, they're going to be,
that little one that follows me.

They think that I am good and fine;
believe in every work of mine.

The bad in me they must not see;
my life to them, must, an example be.

I must remember, as I go,
through summer's sun and winter's snow,
I'm building for the years to be,
for that little one that follows me."

Birthday Bliss

Happy Birthday, Susie....

Thank you for being you! May your day be filled with lots of laughter & love.