Some old-fashioned things like fresh air and sunshine are hard to beat.
Laura Ingalls Wilder
I did it! I made it through Spring Break! It was touch and go there for a while đ.
We also made it through Easter! I totally shit the bed this year regarding Easter. We didnât do any crafts. We didnât bake anything. We didnât read stories or decorate. Perhaps itâs the weather or the fact that I think Easter is the stupidest holiday ever. I mean really? A bunny?
As you all know we have had some sort of flu bug in our house since the second week of February! I didnât feel particularly festive. Even the last 2 days of school before spring break, HBear was home sick đł. Over the spring break I have found out that she got into a disagreement with her Besties.
I remember grade 4 being a tough year. I hated my teacher Mrs. St. Jean. I can say that now because she was ancient then so Iâm sure she wonât be reading this đ. She smelled like coffee and stale cigarettes. She was incredibly short and yelled at us all the time.
HBear has had a rough go of it this year. Grade 4 has been her most challenging year yet. For the first few months of school I watched her come home every day in tears. Her teacher has a style of teaching that doesn’t agree with HBear… or any of the other kids in her class apparently đ.
It got so bad that I went in for a meeting with her teacher⌠And her principal⌠And the vice principal⌠And then Ninja and I went back for a meeting with her teacher. Her love of reading became nonexistent. Her positive and sunny disposition clouded over and she was became very negative.
I put her into yoga to mentally relax and they had a special workshop, yoga and painting! I thought that would be an amazing way to get her feelings out! When she came home I was devastated to see her canvas covered in black paint. You could tell underneath was a beautiful coloured picture of the mountains and nature but she had poured black paint on top. When we talked to her about it she said, “it doesnât even matter anymore. Nothing matters anymore.”
I was devastated! I cried for 2 days straight. I was so upset that I didnât even talk about it here! I wasnât ready yet. I emailed her yoga teacher and she planned the next few yoga sessions on anxiety/stress relief and positive thinking.
After a few days I could tell HBear was miserable so I brought up the painting again. She felt horrible that she had ruined her painting. So⌠While she was at school I bought white acrylic paint and painted over the black with as many layers as it took.
When she came home I showed it to her. I said she could have a brand new start and she could paint whatever she wanted to paint. She was concerned because some of the black still came through and there were ridges and textures to the canvas, it was no longer smooth.
I explained to her that there is always an opportunity to rectify a wrong. Make good. However, once you have ruined something or damaged something it would never be the same. She had the opportunity for a fresh start but the imperfections would never go away. They would remain to remind her that a negative outlook leaves scars.
She completely understood đ.
Over the past 7 months the initial problem with her teacher has seemed to have subsided, either that or the kids are just so used to her that they donât pay it any attention anymore. Her love of reading has come back and she no longer dreads going to school. However, grade 4 is tough. Girls can be tough. She is the youngest of all her friends and although she is incredibly intelligent she lacks social maturity. She has a ton of friends in all of her social groups so even when a few of them are on the outs she gets by but honestly I am dreading middle school and high school!
No one ever told me being a Mom would bring me to the highest of highs and the absolute lowest of lows. Watching your child struggle, hurt, have insecurities, fight with friends, and generally be in any discomfort at all LOL rips my heart apart.
Parenting is not for the faint of heart đ.
You can hear all about our parenting struggles đ on our latest episode of HWYWHoney Episode 59: Who Even Cares About the Easter Bunny Anyways?
Since I didnât plan a big Easter dinner this year, I made a pork tenderloin with mushroom marsala sauce for Good Friday! It was so damn delicious that there were no leftovers! It was also one of the easiest meals Iâve prepared in a long time! Roast potatoes and roast veggies with roasted pork tenderloin? Hell yeah!
Dijon Apple Sage Pork Tenderloin with Mushroom Marsala Sauce
Servings: 5
NUTRITION: 255 calories/serving
Marsala Sauce
2 tablespoons butter
3/4 cup mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup shallots, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, pressed
1 1/2 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup marsala wine
2 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 teaspoons Apple Sage Stuffing Seasoning
1/4 cup cream
Brush Dijon mustard over entire pork tenderloin.
Remove pork from oven, cover with foil and set aside in a warm place while you make the sauce.
Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a sauce pot over high heat. Cook mushrooms until browned, then remove.
Reduce heat to medium high, melt another tablespoon of butter. Add shallots and garlic, cook for 2 minutes or until onion is softened.
Add marsala, cook until mostly evaporated (about 1 minute).
Add cream and mix, then return the mushrooms to the pot. Simmer for 1 – 2 minutes until the sauce thickens into a thin gravy consistency (it will thicken more as you serve).
NUTRITION: 255 calories/serving
2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons Epicure Apple Sage Stuffing Seasoning
2 cloves garlic, pressed
1 lb pork tenderloin
1 lb pork tenderloin
Marsala Sauce
2 tablespoons butter
3/4 cup mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup shallots, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, pressed
1 1/2 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup marsala wine
2 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 teaspoons Apple Sage Stuffing Seasoning
1/4 cup cream
Preheat oven to 375.
Brush Dijon mustard over entire pork tenderloin.
Mix together Epicure Seasoning, garlic and season with salt and pepper. Press spices all over the pork.
Place in the oven for 45 minutes or until internal cook temperature is 155 degrees.
Remove pork from oven, cover with foil and set aside in a warm place while you make the sauce.
Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a sauce pot over high heat. Cook mushrooms until browned, then remove.
Reduce heat to medium high, melt another tablespoon of butter. Add shallots and garlic, cook for 2 minutes or until onion is softened.
Add flour and mix.
Add marsala, cook until mostly evaporated (about 1 minute).
Add Epicure Seasoning and chicken broth, whisk until dissolved. Bring to simmer and cook until the liquid reduces by half – 3 to 5 minutes.
Add cream and mix, then return the mushrooms to the pot. Simmer for 1 – 2 minutes until the sauce thickens into a thin gravy consistency (it will thicken more as you serve).
This
was
SO
Good!
Spring break is officially over! Besides our little Vancouver getaway it was a pretty low key 2 weeks. MBesty got a new puppy! We got to meet little Bruiser and he is just the cutest!
We went to Match for a celebration dinner! Our family business officially started the season AND Ninja became full partner PLUS we added another service! It was a crazy yummy dinner đť!
The Girls enjoyed the sunshine whenever it was out. Digging in the dirt was a favourite pastime of theirs đ.
On Good Friday it was gloriously sunny! We hiked the KVR halfway to Kaleden, enjoyed our 1st Tickleberry’s of the season, and then hiked up Peach Bluff collecting Geocaches as we went âď¸đ!
We did so many steps, I finally got a new FitBit badge!
On Saturday we went to 1 of our favourite restaurants for Easter brunch, The Nest and Nectar. It was delicious like always đ.
After brunch SBean and I made a garden stepping stone. We will paint it next weekend đ.
It was a late night and an even Earlier Easter morning đ! The Girl’s hunted, ate and then started their new Lego sets. Before going to Grandma and Grandpa’s for Easter dinner, we played, relaxed and even put on glitter tattoos.
Very fancy đ.
I got my annual haircut đ. I find it SO hard to make an appointment and give up 3 hours of my time doing my… hair! It was worth it though! I love it! Ash blond on top and blue/black underneath!
To end the break Sparky Blue got branded!
Another Spring Break/Easter is in the books! We are in the final stretch before summer! Bring on the sun âď¸!
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