Chicken Corn Chowder

Good Tuesday morning!

The Gallery Pics are from Josh's family birthday celebration Sunday. You'll notice his birthday cake is rather plain. That is because Josh wants warm "just out of the oven" pound cake for his birthday cake each year. This pound cake came out of the oven five minutes AFTER everyone arrived for the party.

There is an extreme amount of stress when the birthday person requests a "hot and now" birthday cake. One problem I encounter is the perfect removal of the cake from the pan. The cake has to be completely cool... which defeats the purpose of a warm "just out of the oven" birthday cake. So I have to get over myself, and serve it in the pound cake tube pan. (Yuck!)

Then there is the subject of candles. I IMMEDIATELY put candles in the cake, and they IMMEDIATELY melted. (Duh!) Thus, Josh had to blow out 17 tea candles arranged on two different plates on either side of the warm "just out of the oven" pound cake.

You really have to get over the "presentation is everything" part of the birthday celebration and just go with it. (And we all know I am SO good at that!)

However, the kid was happy, and that's all that matters on the day you turn 17, isn't it?

OCTOBER SPECIAL GUEST - BEVERLY MARTIN - PART THREE - We continue getting to know Beverly a little bit better today! Again, there were a few surprises in Part Three of her interview. I didn't "score" as well on today's answers (which bothered me greatly).

24. What is one surprising thing people do NOT know about you?

I like to knit. (Not only does she like to knit, but she is self-taught and VERY good.)

25. Dog lover or cat lover?

I'm not a big animal person, but I have a cat who has won me over. (And she has an insane dog! It's no wonder she went over to the "cat" side.)

26. If you could remove someone's burden and take it as your own, whose burden would it be?

My nephew's.

27. Where is your "happy place?"

Cheesecake Factory... with my family. I added that because my husband was looking over my shoulder. (This is a very good "happy place." I've never been to the Cheesecake Factory when I wasn't very, very happy. Good answer!)

28. Who are you most like... your mother or your father?

Mostly my Mom, but a little like Dad.

29. What is your favorite holiday, and why?

I don’t have one. (This answer SHOCKED me! I'm having a little talk with her today. You can't go through life and NOT have a favorite holiday. She has to pick one. She just has to. I'll let you know what her NEW answer to this question is tomorrow. Oh, and believe me. There WILL be a new answer!)

30. What is one food you cannot force yourself to eat?

Most seafood.

31. Are you a "glass half-full" person or a "glass half-empty" person?

My glass is 2/3 empty. My husband says my glass is broken. (However, you would never know this about Beverly. She isn't a whiner or complainer... unlike her older sister!)

32. If you were an animal, which animal would you be?

Lioness. (I would never be a lioness. They have to work too hard hunting and providing all the food for the pride, and then the lion gets ALL the glory! Nope. I would be a manatee, swimming all day long in a river in a state park which doesn't allow motor boats... because as we all know, the manatee's only natural enemy is man... in a motor boat! Admit it. Before you started reading A Simple Life, did you know or think about manatees on a daily basis? I think not!)

33. What is your favorite book of the Bible, and why?

Psalms and Proverbs. Praise and wisdom... a great combo.

34. What is your favorite type of music (country, classical, rap)?

Christian Alternative Rock.

35. Are you a morning person or a night owl?

Neither. Mid-day. (Me, too! I'm at my best at 2:00 p.m. It's all downhill from there!)

36. What is your favorite cereal?

Frosted Flakes! They're still Grrrreat!

37. Which person from the Bible do you want to meet first when you get to Heaven (not counting Jesus)?

King David. (I always forget to ask "Why?")

38. Name your three best physical features.

My hair, eyes, legs.

39. What is your current obsession?

Tennis.

Well, another Special Guest has come and gone. Thanks, Bev, for helping me out. I'll be calling you in a few minutes to discuss the "favorite holiday" answer, so get ready.

Josh's Birth Day Story - Part Two - You'll be glad to know, Josh's Birth Day Story is only a Two Parter! However, Part Two is incredibly long, but you know what to do... skip ahead if you must!

Yes. My EX-friend, Shelly, had to pay dearly for keeping me from my hot fudge cake minutes before I found out I could not eat sweets for 25 more weeks. I made her give me a Wipe and Dipe Shower. It was very nice, and she said she would have hosted it for me (punishment or not), but I have my doubts.

My second little complication with Josh's pregnancy came in the form of a migraine. I had never had a migraine before his pregnancy, and I've had three or four a year since he joined the family. Hmmm. I wonder? (I'm not talking the worst migraines in the world either. I have friends who literally have to take two or three days off work because they are so sick. Mine, when I have them, are controlled with Excedrin Migraine and are hormone induced... or living with three men induced... or living with three men and Roxie induced. Whatever the reason, I did want to clarify they are not extremely severe.)

Also, because of the migraines, I visited Cullman's finest (paramedics) fairly often. When you have migraines and you're pregnant, sometimes the cause is high blood pressure. I would run to the Fire Department (one block from our house in Cullman), and they would give me a quick blood pressure check.

Actually, it was one of the highlights of my pregnancy. (I have a special place in my heart for paramedics. Basically, I think they do a difficult job very well and are wonderful additions to any community. The paramedics in my current little town are only 3 minutes and 42 seconds away. Unfortunately, we've had to call them a couple of times, so the time response mentioned above is a fact and not an estimation!)

Other than those two very small "problems," Josh's pregnancy went by pretty quickly. Especially since I was also taking care of an almost three year-old brother who was more than a little active. Austin was very excited waiting for his new baby brother to arrive.

As I said before, I was bound and determined NOT to have another C-Section. On the day Josh decided to make an appearance, I reiterated that fact to the registration nurse, the nurse who put in my IV, the aide who came in to get something she forgot in my bathroom and the doctor who was to deliver Josh a mere 14 hours later. I think I made myself abundantly clear.

When the time was right, I received my epidural. Things were going well. They had estimated Josh's weight to be around 8 pounds (more or less), and told me I shouldn't have any problem delivering him without the C-Section.

A few hours later, I received a "boost" for my epidural. Things were still going well, but slowly.

A few hours after that, I asked for another boost for my epidural. The doctor told me we were so close to delivering, "WE" didn't need the boost. "WE" were mistaken. I like to call Josh my "Little House on the Prairie" baby because by the time he was born, I had all the modern medical conveniences Laura Engalls' Ma had in the middle of said prairie during that time period (Code for NADA). I would have gladly taken a swig of whiskey and bitten on the nearest bullet.

Josh entered the world gnawing on his little fist weighing in at 9 pounds 12 ounces. Yes, he was 8 pounds (MORE or less).

I will say delivering a baby the "regular" way did have pros. But it definitely had cons, too. Before I left the hospital, I told my doctor one thing. "I'm coming back in three years. I've had a C-Section. I've had a regular delivery. You've got three years to come up with an alternative way to have a kid." And then I took my bouncing baby boy home to meet his really bouncing almost three year-old brother!

And then the fun really began!

Chicken Corn Chowder

The recipe today is from my non-whining friend, Joan Patrick... Teenager Mom Extraordinaire! (CLARIFICATION - Joan isn't a teenage Mom. She's a great Mom of teenagers. Just wanted to make sure you knew she wasn't 19!) It sounds great, and it will be going into my crockpot as soon as I finish this post.

You will need the following:

1 whole chicken cooked and pulled
1 can Rotel
3 cans Cream of Chicken soup
1 can chicken broth
1 can creamed white corn
1 8-ounce package of Velveeta
1 package (16 ounces) frozen shoe peg corn (thawed)
1/4 teaspoon pepper

1. Spray crockpot with cooking spray.

2. Add all ingredients and let it cook!

Excuse me? Are those not the MOST simple instructions EVER! A perfect fall meal... practically waiting to prepare itself! Enjoy!

Have a lovely Tuesday. It's the only kind of Tuesday to have. Don't hesitate to "love on" some people who need it. Small acts of kindness (a muffin/pumpkin/mum delivery), kind words ("I think you are a wonderful mother/friend/sister/human being.") or a hug with no words at all can do wonders for a person who is struggling to get through a day. You get to choose... but don't let today slip away without reaching out to at least one person! I've said it once, and I'll say it again... today is the only Tuesday, October 5, 2010 we'll ever have. Let's make it a good one!

Take care, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.

Sincerely,

The Enchanting Belinda