Someone asked me the other day why we chose Montessori education for our children...here is a good description why:
Montessori Benefits:
- Teaches children to be kind and peaceful
- Children develop strong leadership and independence
- Children develop a strong sense of community and family
- Children don’t get lost in the crowd
- Children learn the process of how something works they do not memorize
- Children develop self-discipline, sense of purpose and motivation
- Promotes mutual respect and a global perspective
- Learn to collaborate and work with others
- Do not compete with others but strive for their own personal best
All of the materials used are organized so that the child will have a positive experience and develop skills or knowledge through the exploration with the materials. The materials dovetail so that a piece will prepare the child for the next experience in the continuum and through the experience the child will also develop confidence in order to move to the next step with joy and excitement.
Overall the preschool program is laying the foundation for the elementary years and the fruits of the effort will be borne at the elementary level and that the child will develop a love of learning and will be prepared for life.
It does feel like a lot of pressure trying to choose the right school/method of education for our precious little ones! We just want the best for them! We are always open to new ideas and will be flexible to make changes if we sense it is not the right environment for our particular children. For now, it is a good fit!
After receiving rave reviews at my Mom's birthday party, I was invited to share this recipe for the best chocolate cake! It is decadent and either heavenly or sinful, depending on your weight loss goals;-) It is so easy and delicious, I don't even use cake mixes anymore! The Rebar restaurant and cookbook are the source of many of my favorite recipes...definitely try the Monk's Curry (I will post it another day)!
Cake
Preheat oven to 350. Grease 3 cake pans (round 8”) or 1 large rectangular (I use olive oil spray)
1 ½ cups light brown sugar
1 ½ cups flour (white works best, but ½ whole grain pastry flour works well too - I will)
½ cup cocoa powder
1 ½ tsp baking soda
¾ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
¾ cup strong coffee
¾ cup milk
1/3 cup + 2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
Combine dry ing and mix until lump-free. Add liquid and mix on med for 2 min. Batter will be pourable.
Bake for aprrox. 15 min or until toothpick comes out clean (careful not to over bake)
Remove layers onto cooling rack.
I like to fill between the layers with strawberry jam and top with ganache or icing (the ganache is much more impressive, but kids seem to like the icing better)
Ganache
½ cup heavy cream
1 tbsp butter
150g chocolate (1 ½ bars approx)
heat in microwave, careful not to boil. Stir until smooth . Pour over cake. Smooth out and let drip over layers. Cool. And if you really want to impress, top with shaved chocolate curls (after completely cool!)--take a chocolate bar and grate. Or paint melted chocolate onto washed and completely dried leaves, cool and remove and place on cooled ganache.
Icing
1/2 cup butter, room temp.
1 1/2 cups icing sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 tsp coconut extract
splash of milk, if needed
mix together until desired consistency.
Here is a recipe inspired by my friend Stephanie! She said she made cookies with chickpeas in them...what a great idea! Chickpeas are high in fiber, are a good source of protein, calcium and iron. What better way to sneak them into finicky preschoolers than in chocolate chip cookies! If you have access to all organic ingredients, even better!
Looking for an easy, tasty summer meal?
When my son was a baby I stopped using industrial cleaners. How could I let this little precious angel be around these toxic chemicals? Especially as he got older and was sitting and then crawling on the floor, hands and toys in his mouth all the time! And let's not even get into about what Victoria as a city dumps out into the ocean-yikes!!
Here is my first recipe...my kids won't eat it, but they go nuts over the refried beans and occasionally the guacamole that I serve alongside it!
My book, titled, As I Grow, I Will Know...A Children's Book of Affirmations Declarations, (illustrated by Lara Treadwell) went off to the publisher last week!! It should be ready for sale by the middle of September!
