Around Here....

We are making the most of our last few weeks of summer.  Yesterday we finally got the whole crew out for an afternoon tubing and waterskiing on Burntside Lake.      This is something we had done almost weekly in years past, but as our kids are getting bigger and busier it has been more of a challenge to find the time.  But yesterday we made it a priority.   We pulled the kids behind the boat in tubes and three of us all got up on waterskis.   It was a perfect way to spend an afternoon together.

Around Here...

The garden is producing and I am doing my best to keep up.   We got our first red tomato and we're still getting a lot of cucumbers.   So far I have put up dilly beans, pickled beets, sweet pickles and two batches of dill pickles using recipes from my dog eared, vinegar stained, go-to book for canning:  Putting Food By.

Around Here...

Around Here...

I have been sporting my running shoes.   I have been helping out with the cross country team and also challenging myself to some longer runs in preparation for a local half-marathon this September.   I really enjoy this challenge and also the opportunity to work with and help out with a great group of hard working teenagers on the cross country team.  And, it feels good to keep strong.

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This act of sharing photographs and ramblings of our daily life is a practice in gratitude that brings me joy.

I encourage you to reflect on the good in your life.

What are you grateful for today?

Chances are you may be familiar with author Brené Brown. 

Dr. Brené Brown is a research professor at the University of Houston.   She has spent the past two decades studying courage, vulnerability, shame, and empathy and is the author of five #1 New York Times bestsellers:

The Gifts of Imperfection,

Daring Greatly,

Rising Strong,

Braving the Wilderness,

and her latest book, Dare to Lead.   

Brené's TED talk - The Power of Vulnerability - is one of the top five most viewed TED talks in the world with over 35 million views. She is also the first researcher to have a filmed talk on Netflix. The Call to Courage special debuted on the streaming service on April 19, 2019.

I have read every one of  these books and I have also participated and completed her Daring Educator program.   As an educator I want to take a minute you give a little shout out share that the program is now being offered for free.

Dare to Lead #daringclassrooms, a free companion program to Dare to Lead, developed specifically for K-12 (primary and secondary school) educators who are committed to courage-building in and outside the classroom.

Explore the Dare to Lead #daringclassrooms hub at brenebrown.com/daringclassrooms/

In this curriculum, individuals learn how to:

• Stay brave and constructive in tough conversations

• Give and receive meaningful feedback

• Foster deep engagement

• Build trust in teams

• Take more smart risks

• Extend generous assumptions to others

• Share bold ideas with confidence

• Reset after setbacks or failures

• Deal with conflict rather than avoiding it

• Facilitate accountability rather than turning to blame

• Lead through uncertainty

• Put values into practice

• Inspire and develop courage in others 

....yes.

It's August....and that means it's zucchini season!
If you are grating zucchini like I am this time of year be sure to check out this link to the 2018 issue of Minnesota Parent Magazine where I shared my mom's recipe for zucchini chocolate cake for the "In the Kitchen" recipe feature.

Click on the image above to be directed to the recipe. 

Read the full issue by clicking --> HERE.

If you try out the recipe, let me know what you think!

Happy Friday Friends!

Here's my "Friday Fave,"a series highlighting fun and interesting things (products, experiences and/or ideas) that I would recommend to others.

Because we are peak of the summer season, I thought it would be relevant to share some more recommendations for tried and true summer fun gear and accessories that make experiences outdoors a little more comfortable.

This week I am highlighting;

 Keen Footwear

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In our house our doorway hallway is lined with all different sizes and styles of  Keen Footwear.   We have Newports, Rose Sandals, and Bali's.  

My husband has Keen Steel Toe Workboots  and I wear women's Keen dress shoes as a teacher at my school

If you are looking for a great brand of shoes that are multi-functional, sturdy and comfortable I am sure you could find a pair of shoes or sandals from Keen Footwear that would work for you!

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I am part of Amazon’s affiliate program in order to offset some of the costs that are associated with running a blog. If  you make a purchase after clicking on one of the affiliate links of my tried and true, honest recommendations, I get a very small commission at no extra cost to you. I appreciate your support in this area!

Around Here....

I have been working to keep up with the garden.   When we came home from our camping trip last weekend we had a garden that needed some attention.   I spent a rainy Monday morning making dilly beans and sweet pickles.  I also made some calzones adding some flavor with some of the fresh herbs.

Around Here...

I have been getting outdoors everyday with by boys.  Whether it is a bike ride, run or a hike we make it a habit to get outside, to explore and to get exercise.  We have lots to explore close to home.  Sometimes it is a challenge to get everyone out, but once we do we all feel better afterwards.

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This act of sharing photographs and ramblings of our daily life is a practice in gratitude that brings me joy.

I encourage you to reflect on the good in your life.

What are you grateful for today?

The August issueof Minnesota Parent Magazine is available throughout Minnesota and online now.

My ramblings in my School Days Column this month, I share some back-to-school recommendations to help kids thrive with  adequate sleep.
Pick up a print copy, or read the full issue by clicking -->HERE.

Find the online link to my column---> HERE.

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If you like what you see, social media 'shares' are appreciated!

As, always - thanks for reading!

Around Here....

We spent a weekend car camping at a family reunion gathering in the Duluth area.    It was fun to get together with cousins and family members we do not get to see that often.   We also had our first dip of the year in the big lake (Lake Superior), which was a very refreshing way to beat the heat.

.....and after a couple days away we came home to this:
.....plenty of garden goodness to keep me busy tomorrow morning!

 .......

This act of sharing photographs and ramblings of our daily life is a practice in gratitude that brings me joy.

I encourage you to reflect on the good in your life.

What are you grateful for today?

The boys and I puppy sitting at my parents island home.   This morning I ventured out with the boys and went up the lake fishing.   I was using my dad's fishing boat so there was some newness to the experience in regards to a different boat and trolling motor.   Fishing with three boys is a challenge in itself, but we did it!  And we caught a bunch of fish!!!!

I am grateful that I grew up with parents who got me out on the lakes and taught me the skills  to learn the sport of fishing.  It is a fun challenge to share these experiences with my own kids - and certainly rewarding when we reel some in!

It is late July in our Northwoods garden.   

I have to be honest with you - this beautiful garden space and all that accompanies it can be a little overwhelming sometimes.

Today I have been in a little bit of a funk - and I am trying to shift my perspective with my go--to gratitude practice.    

After spending a good part of my morning canning, what yielded just two jars of pickled beets, I went out to the garden again to take some snapshots - to remind myself that this big garden is a good thing.

I have come to realize that this garden could act as a metaphor for my family life:

Both are full of weeds, and take a significant amount of energy to maintain and to sustain-

-and-

Both are rich, beautiful, healthy, abundant and fruitful.

Sometimes in this busy life of mine I just have to slow down and remind myself what I need to focus on. 

I choose joy.

Happy Friday Friends!

Here's my "Friday Fave,"a series highlighting fun and interesting things (products, experiences and/or ideas) that I would recommend to others.

Because we are peak of the summer season, I thought it would be relevant to share recommendations for tried and true summer camping gear and accessories that make experiences outdoors a little more comfortable.

This week I am highlighting Eureka! Camping Gear products.

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On our most recent camping trip I tested out the Eureka! Ignite Plus 2 Burner Camp Stove and the Eureka! Camp Café.Our previous camp stove had been a wedding gift, so an upgrade, especially to one of this quality, was a welcome addition to our camp.   Here are the features:

• 2-turn simmer control gives precise flame adjustment and enhances the cooking performance
• 10,000 BTU burners go from a light simmer to full output
• Push button ignition allows a fast and easy start
• Stainless-steel drip tray offers rust-free performance and easy clean up
• Adjustable, nonslip rubber feet ensure that your stove is always level and stays in place
• Rugged, thick-gauge steel construction delivers many years of use
• Dependable latches keep the lid secure during transport

I was impressed by the solid construction, the dependability of the push button ignition and the control of the flame.  It is a GREAT stove to use when cooking for a large family.

Another Eureka! product I am absolutely loving is the Eureka! Camp Café.

Up until our recent camping trip I had been using a percolator-style coffee maker.   If you put a strong value in a good pot of coffee at your campsite, I would highly recommend upgrading to the Eureka! Camp Café.    Its price, ($99), may be a little intimidating, but the product can serve more than just a coffee pot.   The set up comes with a boiling pot kettle (that can be used to cook other foods), a straining lid, a coffee carafe and filter holder (it is a pour-over brewer).   It's something I know will get years of use.  I have even used the set up at home.   

Here are some of the features:

• It nests together for easy transport and storage, the Eureka! Camp Cafe brews quality coffee for the whole crew quickly and cleans up in a snap.
• 2. 5-liter (80-ounce) boiling kettle with patented FluxRing technology is able to boil water twice as fast as a standard kettle.
• Make quality coffee for the whole crew with the pour-over filter holder and 12-cup (60-ounce) coffee carafe.
• The filter holder and carafe nest inside the boiling kettle for easy transport and storage.
• The boiling pot and carafe are made of hard-anodized aluminum, while the lid and filter holder feature food-grade, BPA-free polypropylene construction. Measures 8 by 8 by 8 inches packed and weighs 2. 5 pounds.
• Easily drain foods like pasta and rice with the convenient and integrated lid strainer.

I don't know about you, but a good cup of coffee makes me a happier camper.

Happy Camping!

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I am part of Amazon’s affiliate program in order to offset some of the costs that are associated with running a blog. If  you make a purchase after clicking on one of the affiliate links of my tried and true, honest recommendations, I get a very small commission at no extra cost to you. I appreciate your support in this area!