I’m writing this note to you this morning on the last day of the last full workweek of the year, and I’m sipping coffee out of my favorite holiday mug that says: “All Mama Wants is a Silent Night.” It’s a playful reminder of what so many of us crave at the end of a...

A couple of weeks ago, we had our first hard freeze of the season. As I glanced out at the backyard deck that morning, my plants seemed fine. From the kitchen window, they looked just as vibrant and lively as ever. But when I stepped outside and touched them, I realized they were frozen solid....

After a string of above-average daily temperatures, it’s finally starting to feel like fall here in Minnesota. The leaves are quickly changing, the nights are cool enough that I needed to bring in my plants, and there are pumpkins and Halloween decorations in just about every one of my...

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...