Cranberry Apple Pork Loin Roast

I was searching on the web one night looking for ideas to prepare a pork loin I had gotten on sale at the food store.  I came across this recipie and decided to give it a try.  It was an easy one to make in the slow cooker while I was at work and came out so delicious! 

Cranberry Apple Pork Loin Roast

Ingredients:

• 1 (3 to 4 lb) boneless pork loin roast
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 can whole cranberry sauce
• 1/4 c brown sugar
• 1/2 c apple juice
• 2 apples, cored, peeled and coarsely chopped
• salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

1. Place roast in slow cooker; rub all over with the minced garlic.
2. Add remaining ingredients and cook on low for 7 to 9 hours. Pork should be about 160° when fully cooked.
3. Serve with rice.

Way to Go Sheryl!

Yesterday CNN posted an interesting article about Sheryl Sandberg – the COO of Facebook. (check out the article HERE) It talked about how for the past couple of years Sheryl has left work at 5:30 to have dinner with her kids.  Sounds like a silly topic to write an article about, right??  Wrong.  Many working moms (including myself) find that there still exists a stigma if you leave the office before 5:30.  I’ve heard people joke “working a half day today, huh?” as I walk out of the office.  What business is it of theirs!   What isn’t apparent to others is that although I leave at 5:00 (most days) my work doesn’t stop.  I work through my lunch, work from the train and plug back in after my son goes to sleep to get my work done.  :::sigh::: Why do I feel the need to justify my hours?

The article talks about how “long hours and constant availability are taken as proxies for commitment and competence”.  Like the author, I find it to be quite the opposite.  Flexible working can promote productivity & commitment.  I find that I’m more productive during the day since I know I have to get out at a certain time.  What about the people who are doing personal errands during the day or playing on facebook?  Just because they stay until 7pm to make up the time they goofed off during the day doesn’t make them a better employee.

 I do find in my profession that most people come in late & work late, it’s just the nature of our business.  If you’re not in the office at 7 pm then you’re viewed to not be working hard enough.  Before I was married, working until 7 or 8 pm was my norm.  But everything changed when I had a family and I’m very lucky my job accommodated the change.  Overall, my philosophy for both myself and the people who work for me is that as long as you can get your work done I don’t’ care if you do it from outer space.

It’s sad that we as society have to write an article congratulating ourselves on spending time with our family.  It should be a given.  I applaud Sheryl for being open about her priorities and urging others to follow her lead, however I can’t help but wonder that if this was a man would we even be talking about it?

Fantastic Four?

As I sit here on the eve of my son’s 4^th birthday I can’t help but think of this moment 4 years earlier:  laying in my hospital bed apprehensive for what the next day would bring, scared of the induction, but most of all anxious to finally meet the little man that had been kicking my belly for so long.

Can it really be 4 years already?  People always tell you how fast kids grow up, but I’m really feeling it this year.  I only have one more year before he starts kindergarten and I am already dreading it. 

So much has happened in the last 4 years – good and bad.  As much as I don’t want him to grow up fast, I would be lying if I said I wasn’t happy to leave 3 safely behind us.  It’s been an extremely challenging year and Anthony has tested my patience in ways I wasn’t expecting.  I’ve heard 4’s referred to as the “fantastic fours” so please, please let that be true. 

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Anthony, you are growing into such a funny, warm, smart and caring boy.  I don’t like that you worry, since that’s supposed to be my job (yes, you’ve told me that you worry about everything). Your job is to be carefree and enjoy the simple things in life.  You amaze me every day at just how bright you are and I am so proud of everything you’ve accomplished.  My wish for you this year is for you to be proud of yourself and come out of your shell a little bit more.  You are such a sweet boy (when you’re not driving me crazy, ha!) and you can accomplish anything when you put your mind to it.  You are my heart and soul.  I love you.

A Quarter Closer

Usually I dread the end of the quarter.  It’s a crazy time at work (more so than usual) and is filled with deadlines, meetings and a sprinkle of panic.

But as March passes me by I’m proud that I’ve kept up with Project 365.  I feel that my photography is growing and I’m not as stumped for pictures each day as I thought I might.  I decided that for just the month of April I’ve added another layer to the mix and am participating in April’s picture of the day.  So much fun so far!

A Break from it All

It’s started to become an annual tradition to visit my mom in Florida the first week in March.  Since my hubby doesn’t get very much vacation time, just A and I fly down and it’s our little vacation together.  A mommy and son bonding week.  While it now feels like it was 6 months ago rather than 3 weeks ago, we had a great time soaking in the sun. 
 
Last year A was so afraid of the water, both the ocean and the pool.  Only on our last day did he finally warm up to the pool.  Boy, what a difference a year makes.  This year we got to the beach and he ran right into the surf without hesitation.  There was my big guy, jumping in the waves and asking me to take him out deep in the ocean so he can “see the waves close up”.  I was taken aback.  Who was this kid and what had he done with my son?!  Over the course of the week I watched as A fell in love with the ocean.  It was so captivating. 

We took a couple day trips to Busch Gardens and to LegoLand where we rode rides and played until the parks closed.  The rest of the week was spent swimming, playing in the sand, splashing, and looking for shells.  The only way it could have been better would have been if my husband had been there to share in those moments.  But otherwise it was pretty darn perfect.

My Smart Cookie

Every mother brags about how smart their kids are. Why should I be any different, right?!  A will be turning 4 in less than a month and words cannot describe how proud I am of him.  If it wasn’t for those pesky school age requirements he probably could have started kindergarten a year ahead of time.  He knows his alphabet, can count to 30, is starting to add small numbers (must be the accountant in him), is starting to spell and most recently wrote his name all by himself.  I am both amazed and impressed by him more and more every day. 

One day at preschool a few weeks ago his class was being rowdy.  Before his teacher could get out the words to settle down the class, my son stands up in the middle of the classroom and blurts out “Stai zitto“ (which means be quiet in Italian).  His teacher stood there dumfounded looking at him while A asked why she didn’t understand him (she actually did which is why she was looking at him that way).  It turns out that he has picked up on the few Italian words that are said around the house.  I am going to be putting on some learn Italian CDs for him to see if I can put a lot more words into his vocabulary while he’s young.

When I was a kid I was reading by 1st grade so I wouldn’t be surprised if he does the same.  He may have gotten daddy’s looks but it seems that he got Mommy’s brain :-)

February...check!

Another month of project 365 is done.  Given how crazy busy I’ve been I am very proud of myself for not missing a day or even faking a day by using one from another day (I did think about it though).

Only 10 more months to go!

p.s. I know I haven’t posed much this past month.  It’s been a pretty insane month at work.  I promise I’ll be back soon.