Feeding the Soil

  • Shop
  • About Us
    • About Us
    • Our Home
  • Our Projects
  • Family Gap Year
  • Montessori
  • Contact
  • Shop
  • About Us
    • About Us
    • Our Home
  • Our Projects
  • Family Gap Year
  • Montessori
  • Contact
  • Travel-n-Trips

    Family Gap Year Post #34: Our Trip in Review

    September 18, 2023 / 5 Comments

    Family Gap Year: “Our Problems Just Followed Us Around the Globe”

    I recently read someone’s reflection of their family gap year. The basic gist was (and I’m paraphrasing here): We romanticized what it was going to be like to live in another country and culture. But our problems just followed us around the globe.

    I feel like that’s the start of my reflection. I didn’t necessarily romanticize what it was going to be like to live in other countries and cultures. However, part of me romanticized what our family life could be like while living in said cultures and countries.

    The Backstory

    We lived the first 10 years of my … Read More

    Read More
    Sara Cotner
  • Travel-n-Trips

    Family Gap Year Post #33: Settling into the Wellington Area (May)

    June 5, 2023 / No Comments

    Description

    For the final international stop during our Family Gap Year, we settled into a small town right outside of Wellington called Petone.

    Petone is a seaside town, and we lived in a tiny bungalow one block from the ocean. We sent our boys to a forest school every day from 9:30am-2:30pm.

    Highs

    My absolute favorite thing about living in this area was my daily walks along the ocean, collecting sea glass. I also loved that the walkability extended to the grocery store, library, and awesome restaurants (just like our last long-term stay in New Zealand).

    I also loved visiting New Zealand’s largest Montessori school. I just can’t get … Read More

    Read More
    Sara Cotner
  • Travel-n-Trips

    Family Gap Year Post #32: Road Trip Around the North Island of Aotearoa New Zealand (April 2023)

    May 30, 2023 / No Comments

    Description

    I honestly can’t remember what was going through my mind when I planned only a one-week road trip around the North Island of Aotearoa New Zealand nearly a year ago (to take place in April 2023).

    On the one hand, I’m patting myself on the back for only planning a week of “fast travel” at this point in our trip. It’s tiring to travel constantly and to feel untethered from a home base.

    On the other hand, it was so hard to soak in the beauty and magic of the North Island in only a week.

    Highs

    Luckily, my internet-friend-turned-real-life-friend basically planned the itinerary for me, and we loved … Read More

    Read More
    Sara Cotner
123

Hello & Welcome

Make yourself at home! I’m Sara Cotner, a reader, blogger, author, mother of two, founder of Montessori For All, and sea foam green pottery collector living with a home base in Austin, TX, with Matt Bradford, going on adventures any chance we get. 

Categories

  • Being the Change
  • Books
  • Crafting
  • Dwelling in Possibility
  • Finances-n-Such
  • Functional Fashion
  • Good Times
  • Health-n-Wellness
  • House-n-Home
  • In the Kitchen
  • Menopause
  • Montessori
  • Organization
  • Planting-n-Harvesting
  • Podcast
  • Purposeful Parenthood
  • Reflection-n-Rejuvenation
  • Social Justice
  • Travel-n-Trips
  • Uncategorized

Instagram

Instagram has returned invalid data.

Follow

Recent Posts

  • New Year’s Reflection Process
  • Using a Dating App to Make Friends
  • Christmas Countdown
  • DIY Turkey Trot Hat
  • Using Systems to Reduce Holiday Stress

Archives

Top Posts

  • Shower Board as a DIY White Board
    Shower Board as a DIY White Board
  • Kahlil Gibran: On Children
    Kahlil Gibran: On Children
  • Brene Brown's Engaged Feedback Checklist
    Brene Brown's Engaged Feedback Checklist
  • Montessori: The Crisis of Self-Affirmation (aka the Terrible Two's)
    Montessori: The Crisis of Self-Affirmation (aka the Terrible Two's)
  • How to Plan a Women's Retreat
    How to Plan a Women's Retreat

Instagram

Instagram has returned invalid data.

Follow Me

© 2025 Sara Cotner of Feeding the Soil