Driving to school this morning HBear said “Mommy do you know what my favorite part about Christmas is?”
“No Sweetie, what’s your favorite part?”
“Getting presents.”
And I think to myself… I am doing something very wrong here. LOL
NO, I am not. She’s 4!!!! Of course she likes the presents.
“Well Sweetie I like presents too but I also like giving presents.” I explained that not all kids are as lucky as she is to get so many presents. We have gone over this before but it is worth talking about over and over again I think. I explained Christmas is about magic, family, singing, baking and spending time with the people we love. The SPIRIT of Christmas is the MOST important part.
“Yeah Mommy like when we made the Gingerbread house. Grandpa, Papa, Daddy and me. Remember when we made the house Mommy? Last week?” We built it with family!”
“Exactly HBear!”
“Yeah and Grandma she held it all together for us. Grandmas are just like that hey Mommy? They hold the pieces together?”
“They sure do HBear.” LOL See even at a young age she realizes 3 men can’t even build a simple gingerbread house without a woman holding the pieces together! LOL
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| Grandpa, HBear and Papa |
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| They did a great job! She had so much fun! |
Today after I went grocery shopping with SBean and she had a FREAK out because it was 12:02 and she wanted lunch NOW!!! I worked on HBear’s waterbottles for her party. It is a gymnastics party so I think water will be better than juice. Dad got a doxen bottles for 98 cents the other day!!!! We got 2 flats! Good shopping Dad!
So to make them personal I have been working on labels. I got the original idea from somewhere… I can’t remember where and I changed up some colors and stuff to make it more HBear.
I printed them out on normal paper and used my paper cutter to cut them into strips.
Then I used packing tape and I cut off a long strip of tape. I carefully place my cut labels onto the tape and wrap it around the bottle using the ends of the tape to seal it up. J
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| This one is kinda wrinkly… I got better after about 6 lol |
For dinner tonight we are having rice, garlic sautéed peppers and Pan Seared Pork Chops with Maple Sauce and Caramelized Onions. It was a super yum dinner. Plus after taking HBear for a haircut and grocery shopping, it was 4:30 by the time I started dinner. Not much prep is needed and it was ready by 5:15!
Pan Seared Pork Chops with Maple Sauce and Caramelized Onions
Adapted from For the Love of Cooking
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 sweet yellow onion, sliced
4 pork chops, 1/2 inch thick
1/2 tablespoon butter
1 sweet yellow onion, sliced
4 pork chops, 1/2 inch thick
1/2 tablespoon butter
½ yellow onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon thyme, chopped
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup of maple syrup
1/4 cup of water
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tablespoon flour
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup of maple syrup
1/4 cup of water
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tablespoon flour
Place a tablespoon of olive oil into a large oven proof pan over medium heat. Add the sliced onions and cook, stirring often, for 20-30 minutes, or until caramelized and golden brown. If the skillet becomes dry, add a tablespoon of water or two. Season with salt, to taste. Put onions in a bowl and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 400.
Add a tablespoon of oil to an oven proof pan and place on stove over medium heat. Season chops with salt and pepper and add them to the HOT pan.
Cook for 3-4 minutes or until golden brown then flip; cook for 1-2 minutes then remove from the pan to a plate. Cover with a tin foil tent.
Add the butter and a teaspoon of oil to the pan and add the yellow onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5-6 minutes or until tender and golden brown; add the chili powder; cook stirring constantly for 1 minutes. Add the vinegar, maple syrup, water, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, salt and pepper to taste.
Stir well then add the pork chops back into the pan, uncovered and place into the oven.
Bake for 5-7 minutes or until the pork is cooked through (155).
Remove from the oven.
Tent the meat with your foil and let it rest for 5 minutes.
Heat the sauce over medium high heat then whisk in the flour until well combined and thick.
Drizzle the sauce over the pork chops and serve with the caramelized onions on the side.
I have a confession. Sometimes, when I am alone, I mean not with the girls… I stop at McDonalds. I just want a cheeseburger sometimes lol. I don’t stop with HBear because I don’t want HER to have that garbage food. *Hypocrite!*
Today on my way to pick up HBear I stopped and got a cheeseburger. Funniest thing because here I am blaring On My Own from Les Mis waiting in the drive through and I pull up to the front window and hear “Hey Beautiful!”… It was one of the Mom’s from HBear’s class handing me the bag LOL Busted! HAHA
She now knows my dirty little secret so I decided to liberate myself…
It is very rare that I am alone but when I am,
I am a closet McDonalds cheeseburger lover.
J
