RANDOMNESS #1 - To start with, just let me say as of the time of this posting, The Chick has been gone for approximately 144 hours...
And 22 minutes.
She is still at a summer camp in North Carolina...
Many, many miles from home.
Just a little reminder of what she looked like this past September...
This past November...
And this past April.
She is having a wonderful time training this week, and is expecting her first campers this coming weekend. She went to this particular camp knowing NO ONE, but is already making some sweet friends.
I don't think I could step out of my comfort zone and commit to stay nine weeks at a place I had never seen before, working with people I had never met.
I've said it once or twice before, but I think the hospital may have made a mistake those 20 years ago.
A good mistake, but a mistake nonetheless.
RANDOMNESS #2 - Are you ready for another ZOO TRIP?
I'm going to assume the answer to that question was a big, fat "YES."
This trip I took Courtney and Judith. Judith hadn't ridden the Carousel yet, so she and Courtney enjoyed that "first" at the Zoo.
Fun fact for you... Last time we checked (this past Christmas season), Judith did not like the "up and down" animals on the carousel at The Galleria, and we didn't risk it on this trip.
Judith has a very long attention span when it comes to looking at animals...
Any animals...
It absolutely doesn't matter which animal because she could look at it all day long.
The Choo-Choo Train is absolutely, positively her MOST favorite thing. Loves it.
When we stopped long enough to eat lunch, I was able to get her to wink for me.
That is why there are crumbs and crumbles on her face, but I was hoping you wouldn't notice because of the wink.
I think it is amazing she can wink with one eye.
I'm already looking into scholarships.
And the number one indicator you had a really good day at The Birmingham Zoo...
Yep.
She was OUT!
RANDOMNESS #3 - Memorial Day - Mike works nonstop the month of May. It is, and has always been, a very busy time at his workplace.
That being said, we have never celebrated or done anything special on Memorial Day.
Never.
Nada.
So when Mike called me about 2:00 Monday afternoon and said, "Let's get some Full Moon barbecue, and call the kids to see if they can come eat with us," I was skeptical.
I plan things weeks...
Nay...
Years in advance, so the very thought that a spur-of-the-moment call the actual day of a dinner would have a positive outcome eluded me.
I could not even imagine.
Thirty minutes later, he called back and said, "Okay. It's a go. Call in the food, and I will pick it up on the way home at 5:30."
Oh... my... goodness!
We ate barbecue, baked beans and mac and cheese. Our dessert was a Full Moon chocolate-dipped chocolate chip cookie each. (And yes, I know there are two "chocolates" very close together in that last sentence.)
Also, because the evening was young AND cool, we put the babies in strollers and walked around the neighborhood.
It was lovely, I tell you.
Simply lovely.
Courtney took this pic, and while it looks like Mike was on his phone and not enjoying the moment, he was actually facetiming with The Chick in North Carolina.
Technically, the whole family took a walk together on Memorial Day!
One Pan Crispy Parmesan Chicken
You will need the following:
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast divided into 4 cutlets
2 medium zucchini, chopped
2 cups broccoli florets
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon olive oil
3/4 cup Panko breadcrumbs
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
Salt and pepper to taste
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and mist a 9" x 13" baking dish with cooking spray.
2. In a shallow dish, mix breadcrumbs with parmesan cheese, garlic powder, parsley, oregano, basil, salt and pepper.
3. Melt butter and brush over each side of chicken cutlet. Then dip into the breadcrumb mixture. Coat both sides of chicken evenly. Place into baking dish. Repeat with remaining pieces of chicken.
4. In a large bowl, toss the chopped vegetables with the olive oil. Then add some salt and pepper, and the remaining breadcrumb mixture. Toss to coat all vegetables evenly. Add them into the pan around the chicken.
5. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes until chicken is cooked throughout and vegetables are tender.
Excellent meal, Guys. Mike wants it again soon.
Pineapple, Banana, Coconut Smoothie
You will need the following:
2 cups fresh pineapple, cut into chunks
1 large banana, cut into chunks
1/2 cup light coconut milk
1/2 cup ice
Combine all ingredients in a blender and mix until smooth. Serve immediately.
Austin gave this smoothie his seal of approval. Pretty healthy.
Okay. That does it for the month of May. I'll be back soon with some Summer stuff and a little true story I've been working on these past few weeks.
Take care.
Sincerely,
The Enchanting Belinda
P.S. I wanted to end with some verses I read earlier this week.
"Make sure no one pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else. Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not put out the Spirit's fire; do not treat prophecies with contempt. Test everything. Hold onto the good. Avoid every kind of evil." 1 Thessalonians 5:15-22
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