the small things

I woke this past Saturday morning in my own bed, not needing to jump up and rush to—anything. Donny headed off to golf, a well-deserved break after solo parenting for the week while I was on Madeline Island. So I got up, meditated, made a pot of decaf, and began unloading the dishwasher, waiting for…

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summer

Well, it’s the last day of school. Summer vacation is upon us. I’m grateful for the longer days and the sunshine and I look forward to less-rushed mornings at home. But, boy am I going to be busy this summer. I shifted into “GO!” mode last week, as I prepped for the River Teeth conference, which…

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feeling good & the right frame

This week I have been ticking things off my to-do list, which always feels good. I’ve gotten a few huge projects out of the way, and everything feels manageable for the first time in a long time. Remind me of this in May and June when I once again will be overloaded as I prep…

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readings & workshops

I’ve gotten caught up in a flurry of activity over the last week and a half. I signed with an agent for the autism and running memoir on which I’ve been collaborating the last few months. I’m very excited, but my week was swept up in talking about and tweaking the proposal, and I had…

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in appreciation of our teachers: an interview with beth kephart

I have been reading Beth Kephart’s work since before I could call myself a writer and really believe it. And when I say I was reading Beth’s work, I mean I was studying it. Because each of her books and essays seems effortless, as if she reached up and pulled the words from the sky.…

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upcoming online class – and a podcast!

Now that the kids are in school and my schedule has opened up a bit, I’m turning my attention to writing and teaching. Registration is now open for my fall online Motherhood & Words class. Here are the details: Motherhood & Words Online Thursday, September 26 – Monday, December 9 (10 1/2 weeks) Whether you…

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spring flurry

I’ve been MIA here for the last couple of weeks, and I’m sorry about that. Stella, Zoë, and I were all sick—laid out!—a couple of weeks ago, and then I was traveling. Then last week I was trying to catch up from the sickness and travel. Two weekends ago I was in Denver to lead…

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a gift

I’m Western Wisconsin for my annual Motherhood & Words retreat at Faith’s Lodge. This is generally a hectic time of year for me and this year is no exception. In the days leading up to the retreat, I was on deadline with a big federal grant at work, prepping for the retreat in the evening,…

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writer's workshops

I’m really excited about Patricia Zaballos’ book Workshops Work!: A Parents Guide to Facilitating Writing Workshops for Kids, which is just out. Patricia is an expert homeschooling writer mama, and I’m so glad to know her. She loves words and inspires others to find the joy in words. (She writes the blog Wonderfarm, and if…

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madeline island school of the arts

Last weekend, the girls, D and I drove 4 hours from Minneapolis to Bayfield, Wisconsin, where we stopped in at the adorable Apostle Island Booksellers as we waited for the ferry to Madeline Island, the largest of the Apostle Islands in Lake Superior. We had been invited to the island by the staff of the Madeline…

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