Open House Brunch at Head to Toe Learning Center

I should rave about Bella's preschool more on the blog. It's the best preschool experience we've had.  I'm admittedly cheap when it comes to paying for preschool.  I kind of gawked at the $300/month price tag in Manila for Addie. But Head to Toe is the first preschool where I feel like we are getting our money's worth and that's the big difference.  It's the first time I gladly turn over a check and say thank you very much.  This preschool/learning center (and now kindergarten) is absolutely phenomenal.   Top notch teaching and such a well thought-out program.  Arabella loves it and we've seen such wonderful growth and development in her since she's started in this program.  I highly recommend it.

Jane is the owner of the preschool and she was nice enough to ask me (Ladytroupe Sweets) to cater brunch for the back to school open house.  I was a bit nervous hearing the 100 people number she was planning for.  But I decided to accept.  I figured if I never challenged myself how would I know if I was capable of doing it or not.  The fact that it was brunch made me feel better about the whole thing. I love brunch.

I cooked for a week straight and by the end of it I was exhausted.  But I did it!  I was mostly proud of my ability to organize everything and complete it all without a freak-out moment.  Yes!  I am so grateful to Jane and Head To Toe for asking me to do this.

The menu
Assorted scones (vanilla bean, caramel pecan, coffee chocolate chip, lemon blueberry, white chocolate cranberry almond, and sun dried tomato herb and cheese)
Assorted breads (coconut and orange pomegranate)
Assorted quiches
Green salad with honey mustard dressing
Crepes filled with the following
Maple roasted squash with hazelnuts and gorgonzola
Roasted red pepper humus with tomato, cucumber and olive salad
Minted strawberries wit salted dark chocolate ganache
Cinnamon apples with homemade caramel sauce

first day laughter at preschool

Bella's been itching to go to preschool since Addie started Kindergarten last week.  When Monday morning arrived, her attitude was more like "finally, I get to go to school too", instead of nerves.  My second daughter has never been known to be shy or cautious so I didn't spend an ounce wondering if she's have a great first day.  After she downed her morning cup of Indonesian spiced tea (I'm not kidding she likes her tea black and spicy), she hoped in our truck (the "Zalalem bus") and off she went.  Chipper and ready for a new adventure at her first real preschool.

Last year she attended a little parent run co-op preschool with four three other little girls her age.  It was wonderful for her social development as all the little girls became good friends, but she's definitely ready for big kid preschool this year.  She's ready to make new friends, have her own teacher and bring home her own art projects.

I'm really excited because her teacher Ms. Nadine is an American woman whom we know through the embassy community.  Her youngest son goes to school with Addie.  Nadine is the quintessential preschool teacher.  She's always singing or reading the children a story when I see her.  Bella is going to have a fantastic year.

When I picked Arabella up that first day she was beaming and it was clear she'd already made an impression on the teachers and aids at school.  Ms. Nadine said that the best part of her day was hearing Bella's laugh all day.  She said she laughed at everything and Arabella's laugh is the most contagious happy sound.  Nadine said everyone couldn't help but laugh with her.  Bella generally worms her way into your heart the first time you see her smile and hear her great belly laugh as she throws her head back in glee.  Or her gravely chuckle or the silly giggle she has as well.  She inherited her charisma and laughter from her father. Wonderful traits to have. It's fun to see other people enjoy Bella so much too.

I can't believe she is getting so big already.  Every day she runs up to me shouting "I did it all by myself!" Yesterday she said the word "America" and the day before that she put her PJs on all by herself.  Tomorrow it will be her ABCs.