Next week is Teacher Appreciation Week. Since our children just love their teachers, we decided to look for ways to honor them. A little Web surfing turned up a cute, relatively easy and inexpensive idea that I’d like to share with you as an idea for a teacher’s gift.

Teacher’s Gift

There really isn’t anything better than telling a teacher why they’re important to your child, so we love the idea of personalizing a notebook. Encourage your child to write a note on the first page of the notebook, letting their teacher know why they’re special. Here’s a link to a few ideas about how to make a cool notebook that your child’s teacher is sure to love – almost as much as the letter they’ll receive!).

http://littlebirdiesecrets.blogspot.com/2008/08/fabulous-notebook-makeovers-and.html

Apple for the Teacher

When I hear “teacher’s gift,” visions of apples automatically flash through my mind. That’s why I’m also sharing a simple, recipe that includes Granny Smith apples. I haven’t yet taste-tested this recipe, so I’ll be eager to hear your comments. As a complement to the main dish, here’s a link to parmesan potatoes.

Tender Pork Chops with Caramelized Apples and Onions

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 3 hours

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 2 Whole Yellow Onions
• 3 Whole Granny Smith Apples
• 1/3 cup Brown Sugar
• 4 Whole Bone-in Pork Loin Chops
• Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Lightly grease a 9×13 baking dish. Place the onion slices in an even layer over the bottom of the dish. Top the onion slices with the apples. Sprinkle the brown sugar evenly over the apples and onions. Season the pork chops generously on both sides with salt and pepper. Arrange the pork chops in a single layer on top of the apples and onions. Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake in the preheated oven for three hours. Do not open the oven and lift the foil – the pork chops, apples and onions need to be tightly covered the whole time to work their magic (and not dry out). Serve with parmesan mashed potatoes and top with apples and onions.

Our son has been begging us for a Black Lab puppy for five years. For five years, we’ve listened to, “I’ll take care of him myself. I promise, you won’t have to do a thing!” and “If you let me get a dog, I’ll get up every morning at 6:00 to walk her.”

Now that he has turned nine, John and I decided he’s ready for the responsibility of a pet. (Plus, who couldn’t reward determination like that? Persistence pays!)

So on Saturday, April 3, our family went to pick up our 8-week-old female pup. Meet Bailey, who was named after the creek that runs through our backyard. She’s cute. She’s cuddly. She’s everything our son wanted in a puppy. She is not, however, potty trained!

I’ve tried a few tricks: taking her out first thing in the morning and first thing in the afternoon to her designated spot; mopping up the “accidents” with vinegar and baking soda; and placing newspapers in front of the kennel door. No luck.

Do you have potty training tips that have worked for your dog or others you know?

Stay tuned for more Puppy Tales adventures. I have a feeling that someday soon one of my posted recipes will have been taste-tested by Bailey.