Step 1: Turn on griddle

I sometimes joke that the only difference between public school parents and private school parents is public school parents track the school year by quarters while private school parents track the school year by remaining tuition payments. Tuition sucks, mkay? But, what is it that keeps me writing those checks month after month? It's all about the Montessori, baby.

I profess my love for Montessori education on here all the time, but I can't help myself. I just love, love, LOVE it...because it's awesome. Why is it so awesome? Because it's the exact opposite of helicopter parenting. It's raising children who are strong, independent, confident, fearless, self-sufficient, self-starting, internally driven and motivated. It's about making sure your children are adults when they leave the nest, not overgrown kids. And to see young children doing "grown-up" tasks and taking pride in their ability to do so...it's just a beautiful thing. Kids are capable of SOOOOO much more than adults (especially me) realize.

Case in point: Ian's newest skill from his Montessori education is frying eggs. Before touring his school, I never in a million years would have been able to imagine a five-year-old frying eggs! And, I don't know how to cook eggs, so it was never a skill I was going to teach him. But, here we are. A mom with an extremely confident little boy, and Ian with a desire to share his new skill with his mom.

We got four eggs from a friend of mine who raises her own flock (is that the right term?) of chickens. Oh, I forgot to mention that Ian is now a social activist who is strongly opposed to factory farming and will ONLY eat eggs that come from "happy" chickens who are free to run about in the grass. He will gladly tell you all about it, and I love that he feels a curiosity about where his food is coming from.

Step 1: Turn on griddle.
Step 2: Wash hands.

Step 3: Oil

Spread the oil all around.

Step 4: Crack the egg

Step 4.5: Celebrate your awesome egg-crackin' skills while your little bro, who is mastering cream cheese sandwiches, snaps a pic or two.

Step 5: Regroup when egg gets away from you.

Oops!

Step 6: Crack a new egg

Step 7: Flip egg

Now, the best part of the entire process is the end. At school they teach the kids to set the table with plates, silverware, salt and pepper, and a flower in a vase. Ian was very concerned about the lack of flowers in our house, so he ran out a picked a dandelion and since we didn't have a vase the right size, we used a little Pyrex bowl. Then we sat down together and ate our fresh, happy chicken eggs. It was lovely.

Minneapolis

Cole and I are big fans of the "long weekend getaway." Since we've been married we've gone on several, and every time we are amazed by what we find and how much we always love about our destinations. We have yet to take a "bad" trip. Sometimes the trips are a flight away like Las Vegas, or quite a long drive like Savannah, GA (twice), and sometimes they are close-ish like Milwaukee, WI...which, to date, is still one of my favorite cities we've traveled to.

Our latest trip was all the way to Minneapolis for a three day weekend. We went to visit Cole's friend and former coworker who recently graduated from the University of Minnesota with his master's degree in Engineering. It was a great trip, and I am ready to go back and take the boys with us!

St. Anthony falls on the Mississippi River

This is a naturally occurring waterfall that was "contained" to help run the mills when the city was new.

The dam right before St. Anthony falls.

The Lego store at the Mall of America. Yes, we went there. I was curious!

Outside Barbie's Dreamhouse. It's an exhibit you can walk through for $23.95.
I didn't do it, and now I wish I would have. Oh, well. Next time.

This isn't us, but we rented a bike built for four (and two small children who can ride on a bench on the front.) It was pretty fun until we realized we had missed our turn on were on the wrong trail. We had to get ourselves turned around by literally picking up the bike and walking it in a circle. Well, Cole and his friend turned the bike. I "supervised."

Minnehaha Falls
So, so, so awesome! And right in town, which was really weird.

If you are going to Minneapolis, you HAVE to go to Minnehaha falls and hike the trails.

Ian does this pose all the time, so Cole had to do it, too, in his honor. When Ian saw the picture he said, "Hey! You're doing what I do!"

Snapping turtle just hanging out by the trail.

Okay. So I'm not a food picture takin' kind of gal, but O.M.G. This was AMAZING! We ate at a place called Chino Latino, and if you are in Minneapolis you MUST go there. This is nachos with chorizo and black beans but instead of tortilla chips, it was served with plantain chips. Best. Nachos. Ever!!!!

And then we finished the trip with a stop at The World's Largest Culver's. (It wasn't an intentional destination.) 

Quite a change from Chino Latino, but I love me some Culver's so I was happy...as you can see.

And beside the Culver's parking lot was this weird apple on a tower. So, I took a picture.

Room Mates!

The boys have been asking for MONTHS to move into the same room. I resisted at first. I had to share a room until I was 14, and I hated it. I wanted my own space, and with three sisters, there was none to be found. But, Cole and I realized the sincerity of the boys' wishes, and decided to finally make it happen. The boys left our house on Saturday to stay the night with Nina and Poppy with no inclination of what they would come home to on Sunday, and believe me when I say, it was worth every second of our seven hour, round-trip drive to make the room mate dream become a reality. I guess when your kids are accustomed to the simple life, a new bed seems like a thousand Christmases rolled into one, and for that I will be forever grateful and more determined to keep on keepin' on, just as we always have.

It's soooooo cozy. I just love it!

It's Hot, Don.

Today was WARM. For the first time in a very, very long time. I did not handle the winter well this year. In fact, each year it's getting harder and harder. BUT, hearing the boys squeal as they ran through the sprinkler and gasp each time the cold water hit them was just that much sweeter today because of the memory of the harsh weather which just recently decided to leave us.

There is a very good chance that I love summer even more as an adult than I did as a child. Probably because I now fully grasp how fleeting childhood is. I appreciate the long, hot days more. I feel the excitement of getting in the pool more. I cherish the quiet dinners where I know everyone is exhausted because we made the most of every minute of the day. And I never want it to end.

Easter Eggs

We colored Easter eggs this year and it was a total success. The boys had a blast, it was super messy, and the end result was lovely.

Update!

Well, I had the most sincere intentions of being more devoted to ye olde blog, but...it didn't happen. So a quick update of the Anderson Family Happenings will have to do for now, and when summer rolls around and I'm back to SAHM, maybe the regular updates will come pouring forth. We'll see.

It was a very static-full spring.

Got to see a joey riding along with his mama at the zoo. If I were a marsupial there's a 100% chance that Eli still wouldn't be ready to leave the pouch.

Man, they're growing.

There it is, folks. The biggest mining truck Cat makes.

Ian loves feeding the chickens at school. It is his favorite job.

So much Charlie and Lola. It's about all we read these days. Thankfully, there are about two zillion Charlie and Lola books. (And they're really cute.)

Check out these studs in their Easter duds.

Ho, hum. I'd forgotten how filthy Ian gets everyday of summer until he sweetly reminded me the other day.

And, the little man is writing quite a bit these days. Here, he made himself a stash of poppy seed muffins.