I subscribed to a magazine called Seventeen when I was a teenager. The glossy covers were a staple in my adolescent bedroom, along with tubes of blue mascara and Aqua Net hairspray. I spent hours lying on my waterbed, flipping through pages and taking random quizzes about everything from skin care to dating. Fast forward to 2023, where my seventeen year old daughter is living … Continue reading Seventeen: A Snapshot
This winter break our family embarked upon an eight day, 800-mile road trip from Portland, Oregon to San Francisco, California. We only booked lodging for the first and final few nights, giving ourselves plenty of flexibility along the way. Armed with Spotify and Google Maps, we hopped in a rented Ford Explorer and hit the open road. The four of us are rarely under the … Continue reading Enjoy the Journey
Several years ago my grandma asked me to write her obituary. Well, sort of. She actually mentioned this request to my mom, who was her primary caregiver. It wasn’t something I wanted to think about, but of course the answer was yes. I’d write it someday waaaaaaay in the future when the time came. In preparation, the three of us sat around the kitchen table … Continue reading Saying Goodbye
In the past year we have embraced long weekend getaways and mini-vacations. It is exhausting to fly in and out of Alaska for these quick trips, but I have yet to regret a single excursion. I guess we are still playing catchup from all the travel we missed during Covid? I especially love when our long weekends overlap with family visits. This year I got … Continue reading Girly Getaways
It’s official! We have a college student in the house. Or, more precisely, out of the house. Last month we moved Sam into his dorm room, and he has successfully completed his first two weeks at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Goodbyes are never fun, and Sam endured a lot of them before he left: his dogs, his soccer buddies, his girlfriend, his sister. We cooked … Continue reading He’s Launched!
Detasseling corn is a rite of passage in Nebraska. Every July, groggy teens climb aboard dusty school buses at dawn, bouncing along gravel roads to cornfield after cornfield. Kids fan out across the field, one person per row, tasked with pulling the tassel from the tippy top of each stalk of corn in their assigned row. After row. After row. Detasseling was my first job. … Continue reading From Detasseling to Dipnetting
Nearly ten years ago I posted Swan Song, with photos of Trumpeter swans on Potter Marsh in the fall. Today I captured the spring version of their annual migration, and the marsh is currently overflowing with cuteness. We’ve been watching a nesting pair of swans for the past few weeks, anxiously awaiting the arrival of their cygnets. We certainly did not expect them to have … Continue reading Swan Song 2.0
Sam has officially graduated from high school, and I could not be prouder. Or more relieved. Don’t get me wrong, there was never a doubt in my mind that he’d strut across that stage with an honor cord around his neck, as he’s one of the brightest students I know. But I also really know him. I know he loathes and ignores early morning alarm … Continue reading Sayonara to Sam’s Senior Year
Today she drove away. Not for good, thankfully. She was off to soccer practice, followed by an 8-hour shift at work. She’s a busy kid, between sports, babysitting, her job at Subway, and hanging out at the horse barn. Throw in a knee surgery and weekly physical therapy appointments, and let’s just say this girl’s shiny new driver’s license brings as much freedom for her … Continue reading Sweet Sixteen
Our family has many special memories in Hawaii, so we were thrilled when my sister announced she was getting married on Maui. Even better: the wedding would take place in February, which guaranteed a respite from another dark, frigid Alaskan winter. We would wake up in snowy Anchorage, and a mere six hours later land on the shores of a tropical paradise. Getting there wasn’t … Continue reading Just Mauied
Profoundly Ordinary 