Let's Keep It Real...
by ParBella on 05/23/10
So, anyone that knows me knows that I pile way too much on my plate. People ask me all the time, "do you sleep?" In short, the answer is "no". HOWEVER, the way I do it all, is that some things fall by the wayside. For example, my purse. Right now, it's contents are the following: a tube of lipstick, 3 crayons, one of which is broken; my wallet, $127 of pennies (turning my bag into a personal assault weapon if I needed to bang a potential purse snatcher over the head), about 25 receipts, a lollipop from the bank that is now stuck to my purse lining, 2 hot wheels, and a Dora sticker. Yet, I long to be one of those mothers that has the perfect bag - you know THAT mom - the one that when your child goes down a wet slide at the playground, they magically produce a change of clothing in their purse. And they carry things like Zantac, Kleenexes, and needle and thread for 'just in case'.
I always meet these moms at the playground and marvel at their forethought for the outing. They have bandages and NEOSPORIN, a placemat in case little Johnny wants a snack (and they always have a sippy cup and appropriate snack). Of course they have tons of wipes and hand sanitizer. My kids look at their juiceboxes with envy and say, "Can we go home, now --we are really thirsty".
After one of these trips to the park, (a mother had to loan me a diaper!!) I walked in totally exhausted, but I smelled the most incredible aroma of slow baked Italian pork chops that I had put together that morning. I didn't feel like such a complete wreck. I now make these regularly for my family when I feel overwhelmed, over worked and underpaid!! So I pass along this recipe to other moms like me that sometimes feel like they have too much going on, or aren't the most organized, etc. You can atleast have a super meal to balance things out!! Enjoy!! (And does it really matter if you send your daughter dressed to the church preschool for Cowgirl Day a day early??) Yep - happened to me a few months ago. Hey, I am just keeping it real!
Crock Pot Italian Pork Chops
Ingredients:
6-8 Bone in Chops, fat trimmed
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp Italian seasonings
1 tbsp poultry seasoning
2 Cans chicken broth
1/4 c olive oil
salt and pepper
Directions:
Trim fat off chops. Puncture each chop with a fork a few times and salt and pepper each chop. Drop in crock pot and add remaining ingredients. Cook on low for 6 hours or high for 4 hours. I prefer the slower cook time as they get then become fork chops - so tender you can cut them with a fork! After cooking, be sure to use the thin gravy over rice, pasta or mash potatoes. Serve with steamed green beans or salad and some rolls and you will have a very quick but delicious dinner!!! You can also use chicken in place of pork!
A Day of Great Debuts...
by ParBella on 03/30/10
As I sit down to write the first blog of ParBella Pages, the debut has been overshadowed by a much more important milestone! Isabella, my 5 year old (and the Bella of ParBella) has lost her first tooth! It was ridiculously loose; so much so that it would actually turn sideways, and after a year of wishing, hoping and even pulling on her teeth, a tiny fine little pearl of a tooth gave way. Isabella has wanted to loose her teeth after her older cousin Parker (the Par of ParBella) began losing her teeth. Isabella's excitement was palpable and I cried. I am not sure if this is a typical mother's reaction, but I just remembered how exciting it was to see that little tooth break through the gum when she was 4 months old! My husband and I poked at her little gum and delighted when we "felt something"... was that a tooth, we thought??? Well, how time flies. After we composed a letter asking the Tooth Fairy to delay her visit because Daddy was out of town, we put the tooth to rest for one night in a little ceramic tooth container. As she smiled a contented, toothless smile, I saw the "debut" of a jagged, larger permanent tooth! As silly as it sounds, that new permanent tooth signified that larger, better things are coming! It reminds me that sometimes we have to let go of the old (of course cherish them always) and embrace the new with the hope and joy that life brings. And outside my window, my spring bulbs are poking through, another debut. Life is good. Happy Spring!!!
