Meadow Wants Montessori, Mama Wants to Canoe Minneapolis

We have started looking for preschools for Meadow. Scott contacted a nearby Montessori School and they told him they were having an open house. First thing in the morning we biked over there.

We biked through bucolic Clevleand and Victory neigborhoods.

And we kept on heading north to where the city ends. Well, technically this is still the northside.

This place was a lot farther north than I expected.

I also pictured the school to be in a new building, not an old Catholic school.

Meadow was ready to check out Bright Water.

I had no idea what a Montessori School was heading in. After our tour I was persuaded that this was perfect for Meadow.

Apparently Scott was clueless that I was already implementing things at home. After our tour guide explained what it was, he was like oh Meadow does some of that already.

Before we could leave, Meadow played with a little girl that already attended.

Then back home we biked. I really wish the school was much closer. It's definitely bikeable, but not so much in the winter months.

We could buy one of the new homes being built up here...never.

At least it's a beautiful ride with paths that are cleared year round.

Yay for lunches outside again.

Our bill of sale for our canoe arrived in the mail. Scott can explain more on that.

Apparently you need a bill of sale and the registration card if you buy someone elses canoe. Of course we bought our canoe an hour to the west. The former owner was nice enough to send us a hand-written bill of sale in the mail.

The nearest place to register that was still open was in a Sears over in St. Paul and they closed at 4:30. It was 3:00 so we left right away to get there. We made it all the way there and realized we both didn't bring our wallets. Back home we went.

You can't register a canoe without your freaking id.

Meanwhile Meadow napped during the whole thing.

With our canoe, paddles and registration we are ready to test out our canoe.

Our friends Anna and Aaron invited us over to their house for a grill out. I made a peanut, kale and black rice bowl to bring over. We later found out they only invited us because they had a grill they wanted to test out before having a real grill out next weekend.

We were totally ok with being guinea pigs. Meadow and Roman were even happier.

More beer please. Did we mention it was almost 80 degrees today.

We also brought over our leftover lentil sloppy joes. It seemed to work better eating the lentils with the hotdogs.

After a few more rounds of beer we biked home in the dark.

With summer-like temperatures this weekend, we had talked about going camping. I felt better testing out the canoe first before heading to a rapid river.

The St. Croix would have to wait, but the Minneapolis Chain of Lakes are right here.

Getting the canoe was such a great idea. I can't wait to take it camping.

Meadow and Brooke snacked the entire ride. I was too far away from them. Occasionally Meadow would give me a cracker.

This city can be beautiful. We paddled from the western most Cedar Lake beach through the channel, onto Lake of the Isles before getting to Lake Calhoun.

We let Meadow do some fishing on Lake Calhoun.

It was relatively calm on the other lakes, but the waves were rough over on Bde Maka Ska.

Meadow has a lot more room in the canoe than she ever had in the kayaks.

I also have tons of leg room without Meadow on my lap.

Plus we'll never get separated.

Meadow wanted to fish again when we got back to Cedar Lake.

We took a short break at the beach. 

My woman and her canoe.

Meadow even dipped her feet in the frigid water. I think she may warm up to swimming this year.

Scott needed to get a bike ride in today so after we took a short break at home we biked down to Anna and Aaron's again. They just got this rad new bike. I prefer the back cargo bikes, but I'm still jealous.

We ended our night over at Wirth Beach. What else would you do on an 80 degree April Sunday?