Halloween Happenings

As a professional educator, but more importantly, a mom, I know how precious and fleeting childhood is. It is my goal to create as many positive memories for you and your child as I can! In that spirit, I planned a couple of special surprises for your classes this week, and I know where you can get a FREE spooky treat, too!

Classes this week were invited to wear their costumes. Next week I will showcase more of the great ensembles but here is a sneak peek:

In today's class, students will also be receiving a free gift - a pumpkin maraca! The better to dance with on Halloween!

And now for details on a FREE Spooky Treat: Today only (Halloween) head on over to Frost It Cafe in Frisco while your child is in costume and receive a free mini cupcake! Frost It Cafe is one of our local favorites and they even have a line of gluten-free goodies, too.

Kindermusik Playdate ~ November 3, 2012

Gertie Ball Winner!

Congratulations to the winner of our Gertie ball contest: Heather Guinn,  mom of Emma! We can't wait to share our next contest with you. Stay tuned...it's a good one!

Pease Porridge

What do peas have to do with our Milk & Cookies class? Let me tell you! Next week we will be learning the "Pease and Porridge" song that has been sung for many generations, and is thought to be adapted from John Newbery's Mother Goose's Melody.

Since peas are so nutritious and delicious, I would like to share a recipe for "Pease and Porridge with you; this hearty meal will serve 8-12 people so it's perfect for sharing! As adapted from the New York Times:

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound whole dried peas (split dried green peas may be substituted)
• 1/3 pound slab bacon, cut in 1/2-inch cubes
• 2 medium-size carrots, scraped and diced
• 2 medium-size onions, peeled and chopped
• 2 small white turnips, peeled and diced
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage, mint or summer savory, or 1 teaspoon dried sage
• 1 tablespoon butter or oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup light cream or half-and-half, optional
• Minced fresh mint or savory for garnish

PREPARATION

1.

Place peas in a bowl and cover with water to a depth of 2 inches above the peas. Set aside to steep six hours or overnight. Drain peas and place in a soup kettle.

2.

Add bacon, carrots, onions and turnips and stir to mix well. Cover with water to a depth of 1 inch above the mixture. Add sage.

3.

Place over medium-low heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat until soup is barely simmering, cover and simmer 2 to 3 hours or until peas lose their shape and start to become creamy. Add a little boiling water from time to time if necessary. You should have a thick soup, but not what we think of today as porridge.

4.

When soup is done, remove bacon chunks. Saute bacon in butter until brown on all sides.

5.

Add salt and pepper. Soup may be put through a sieve and cream may be added if desired to make it a bit richer.

6.

Serve garnished with the fried bacon chunks, sippets (triangles of thin crustless bread lightly fried in butter or bacon fat) and a little minced mint.

Image Courtesy: www.voluptuousvegetarian.blogspot.com

Happy Birthday, Mrs. Sheri!

Last week was Mrs. Sheri's birthday and her sweet family had not one, but two awesome surprises for her! Mrs. Sheri's children baked a cake for her and to complete the treat they built a custom cake topper.

Mrs. Sheri with her kids

Happy birthday Mrs. Sheri! So glad you're part of the Love & Grow family!

Gertie Ball Giveaway

****************************CONTEST CLOSED************************************


We are thrilled to announce the launch of our new website! To celebrate, we are giving away a Gertie Ball! A class favorite, Gertie Balls are colorful, tactile and perfect for kids of any age!

Gertie: squishy but strong!

Entering the contest is simple: "Like" us on Facebook for one entry. For a second entry,  leave a comment on this post telling us why you love Gertie! If you're already our friend on Facebook you can leave a comment on our update about this fun contest. But hurry, this contest ends October 26, 2012.

Thank you again for sharing in our excitement over our new site! Can't wait to see you in class and on the web!

Community Highlight: Plano Symphony

As educators, we understand that learning should extend past the classroom and your Kindermusik class. Families play a vital roll in a child's development, and from time to time we'd like to highlight a local event that can enrich your child's education while promoting family togetherness.

Our local Plano Symphony will be showcasing Disney In Concert: Magic From the Movies, on October 20, 2012. This is a wonderful musical event the entire family can enjoy together! From the Plano Symphony website: 

The 2012 – 2013 Season brings the smash hit, "DISNEY IN CONCERT - Magical Music from the Movies" to the Eisemann Center featuring four soloists, Disney produced visuals, including rare original storyboard artwork and videos, narratives and some of the best known film music of our time...

This enchanting, multimedia evening includes beloved music from Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, Pirates of the Caribbean, Mary Poppins and more. 

This is a limited engagement event, stopping by for only one night. You can buy your tickets here.

This is not a paid endorsement. Kindermusik by Love & Grow Music Studio is in no way affiliated with the Plano Symphony or Disney, and this post is purely opinion. 

Kindermusik Day

“Is today Kindermusik Day?”  Have you heard these words ring through your home?  What’s so great about Kindermusik Day?  Is it your child anticipating the singing and dancing in class with his friends?  Or is it that you enjoy seeing your mom-friends and engaging in adult conversations?

Kindermusik brings a joy to your daily routine and a fun experience for your children to look forward to.  But, that’s just the start of what Kindermusik provides.  Together, we are laying a strong educational foundation for your child through:

            -building relationships

-developing listening skills

-participating in group routines

-experiencing collaborative play

            -nourishing self-expression through movement with music

-increasing coordination and basic timing skills

-and much more.

Together we are learning about your children and starting off on a great and wonderful journey.  What do you love about Kindermusik? Kindermusik is just one of many successful steps to keeping children in love with learning about the world around them.

We thank you for allowing us to be a part of your weekly schedule of activities to enhance your child’s development and enrich their childhood.

Meet Our Teachers

Cara Phillips

Cara grew up in a musical family, as the daughter of two music educators.  She plays Piano and French Horn, playing both in college on a grant.  For several years she was a French Horn player for the Rockwall Community Band and a brass quintet called Rockwall Brass.

After earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from Missouri State University, Cara taught High School Chemistry for five years. She continued her education to add a Masters in Counseling, focusing on children and adolescents.

Cara has two young children and found Kindermusik as a parent, when she took her children to classes. As a Kindermusik mom she loved the bonding time she had with her kids during class and the developmental benefits they were receiving.  Cara loves to share her passion for music with families in her own Kindermusik classroom.

Sheri Dacon

Sheri Dacon is a licensed Kindermusik educator with over 20 years of music teaching experience.  Before teaching Kindermusik, Sheri was an elementary music teacher for 9 years, most recently with Garland I.S.D.  She has served at her church for many years as children's choir director, and as a vocalist and pianist.  She is active as a piano accompanist for local student choral groups and soloists.  Sheri earned her Bachelor of Music degree from Hardin-Simmons University with a double major in vocal performance and music education.  She is also a trained Orff-Schulwerk specialist and has led early childhood music workshops for schools and church groups.  

Sheri is married and is a mother of four young children, all of whom have been Kindermusik students.  She believes that music is a gift for every child, and her desire as a Kindermusik educator is to inspire families to create homes where music is made and enjoyed.

Jennifer Nation

Miss Jennifer grew up traveling all over the world with her dad as an Air Force Pilot. Her traveling gave her a deep love for other cultures and ways of life. She took piano lessons and voice lessons from age 5. She taught children’s choir in her church and also has taught piano lessons over the years.

Miss Jennifer currently helps lead worship at her church. She recently left her job as a nanny to pursue a career in Kindermusik. She is looking forward to combining her love for kids and her passion for music.

Newly married, Miss Jennifer moved to the Dallas area a little over a year ago.  She is so excited to be here to share her love of music with others! She invites you to come join her at Kindermusik for a wonderful time of making new friends, learning new skills, and delighting in the joy of music.

About Us

In a Kindermusik class, educators lead a group of parents and their children through joyful activities, using music and movement. Parents learn more about their child's unique developmental process, and the shared learning experience creates a unique bond as the child associates learning with fun, musical play. The learning process continues at home, guided by specially designed books, CDs, and games.

Kindermusik's philosophy is founded upon rigorous research and our fundamental beliefs that every parent is the child's most important teacher; every child is musical; the home is the most important learning environment; music nurtures a child's cognitive, emotional, social, language, and physical development; and every child should experience the joy, fun, and learning which music brings to life.