Last week, my family and I visited the Minnesota State Fair (the “Great Minnesota Get-Together”), an annual tradition for our family filled with all the sensory delights you could imagine—mouth-watering food, endless activities, and a vibrant atmosphere. 

The State Fair is...

I’m just back from our week-long trip to Berlin, and while the jet lag is still hanging on a bit (it’s amazing how much you can get done at 3:00 a.m. because your body thinks it’s 10:00 a.m.), the memories we made are more than worth it!

There’s something truly magical...

Greetings from Berlin! 

I wrote this note to you this morning as the city was still quiet, and my husband and daughters were fast asleep after a long and unexpectedly eventful journey. I had the lovely chance to enjoy some coffee and muesli as I thought about you! (I had intended to write...

Growing up, I always worked hard in the summers. As a first-generation college student who paid my way through college and graduate school, I had to have multiple jobs every summer (and throughout the school year). 

One of my (many) summer jobs was a lifeguard. I worked at public pools all...

I hope you're all enjoying the summer as much as we are in my family! 

I’m at the Professional Development Consortium (PDC) conference in San Diego, but I wanted to pop into your inbox and share a personal story from our family’s Fourth of July celebrations last week that offered...

I’m on my phone … a lot. I’ll admit it. I try not to use it when I should otherwise be present with others, but even then, I’m guilty of a quick under-the-table email glance. I’m working on it, really I am.

Even yesterday, this came up in our family. Our daughter...

The winter solstice is this week on Thursday, December 21. It’s the longest day of the year. And the darkest day of the year.

The church I used to play the organ at always held an annual “Blue Christmas” service on the equinox. At first, when I heard about it, I didn’t get...

Welcome to December! It’s that complicated time of year where many of us try to celebrate holidays and fill our homes with peace, love, and joy while feeling the opposite at work!

We get to experience the competing emotions of joy and stress. As courtrooms and boardrooms grow quiet and...

Buckle up, it’s here - the holiday season! For our Canadian friends, Thanksgiving is already in the rearview mirror, and for those of us in the United States, it’s just three weeks away. That’s not to mention the long list of winter holidays between now and January.

So brace...

Tomorrow is Halloween! 

(If you haven’t picked up candy for your trick-or-treaters, this is your reminder to do that tonight after work!)

It may feel like a strange juxtaposition, but thinking about Halloween also made me think of psychological safety, something I’ve been...

Happy Tuesday!  This is coming to you Tuesday morning (rather than the usual Monday morning jumpstart to your week) since yesterday was Labor Day, and I hoped you were offline enjoying time with family and friends during the long weekend.

My family hit the Minnesota State Fair as we do each...

This past weekend, I took a quick trip down to my hometown of Franklin Grove, Illinois (population: 950). The kids were occupied at various camps and activities, and my husband (Ryan) and I were able to get away just the two of us which was particularly nice because Saturday was our 23rd wedding...