Gates loves to help in the kitchen. When she was putting everything into her mouth this could be somewhat challenging. Now it's less of a challenge, but with these vegan chocolate chip cookies, you don't have to worry about your little one ingesting raw egg.     Refined-sugar free. Dairy-free. Vegan. Three words that will have a little one turning up their nose before they ever take a taste. But these cookies are sure to be a crowd pleaser. Gates wanted to eat the batter instead of shape and bake a batch of cookies.  

When Gates was born, it became important to me that she believe anything was possible. I wanted her to be able to do whatever she dreamed. At that moment, I realized I needed to follow my dreams so that she would have a role model.     Because actions speak louder than words, my actions needed to support my words. I wanted to tell her I believed in what I was doing, that I had dreamed big and hustled. So, I changed my career path .  

Education has always been important to my family. Sadly, the education system in California (as well as in the United States) has not always been up to the task.   New math. The subsequent "back to basics." Phonics instruction. "Look-say" approach to reading. "Whole language" approach to reading. No Child Left Behind. Growing reliance on standardized testing. Every Student Succeeds Act.   Everything in education is controversial: it's enough to make one go crazy! And now, children's use of technology seems to be on this out and then in, then possibly out rollercoaster.     How do you separate politically driven standards from learning practices that engage your kids?   I can't even begin to imagine how educators manage to keep up with all the changes, but the truly amazing ones continue to engage and to inspire their charges.