Summer 2013 - Kelly

It's been a long, long time since my last blog post (over two months, in fact!) and a lot has been going on!  Here are a few random thoughts and updates from the summer:

Living with Nate- As I mentioned on here earlier this summer Nate and I moved in together at the beginning of May and honestly it was the best decision ever.  Not only is he a fabulous cook and roommate but day to day life is just so much more fun now that we share almost all of it.  Sure we've had a few things to work out but it has been absolutely fantastic.  We love our apartment, we love our neighborhood, and we love living together.  If you haven't been up to visit us you should definitely do it soon!

Mona (& Lucy)- I also mentioned earlier this summer that we added a second dog, Mona, to our home shortly after moving in.  We've been dealing with some pretty intense health issues with Mona pretty much since we adopted her but the end is finally in sight.  Mona & Lucy love each other and it's really fun having two little beasts running around our apartment.  Mona might be the sweetest dog I've ever met when she's just around Nate & me- we're still working on the rest of the world seeing that but we're confident it will happen soon.  :)  We're excited to start obedience training this fall when her health issues are under control!

Yoga teacher training- In just a few weeks I'm starting a 10 month yoga teacher training at an awesome little yoga studio in our neighborhood.  It's a pretty huge commitment (5 hours of classes a week from mid-September through the end of June) but I am so excited about it.  I'm pretty sure I'll want to teach part-time when all of this is done and I'm pretty pumped for the whole process.

New blog!- I also started a new health and life blog I'm pretty excited about.  I'm still working on finding my cadence for posts and get in the groove of giving it adequate time and attention but you should definitely check it out!  http://dailynourishment.tumblr.com  

 I feel like there is SO much more to share but that's a good start.  I hope everyone has been enjoying their summer as much as we have- I'm sad to see it go so soon but always get excited for fall awesomeness. :)

Take Note! - Brady

Today, August 18th, 2013, is the first day I ever thought, regarding my dissertation, "This is impossible."

From what I hear there are many, many more days like this in my future.

Now if you don't mind I'm going to throw in the towel for the evening and cook out on my balcony with Kevin and my sisters.

I was in HAWAII - Brady

Yesterday (yesterday!) I was in Hawaii. I've dreamed about visiting Hawaii more than I've dreamed about going just about anywhere. And it was even better than I hoped it'd be. I said to Kevin multiple times during our week there, "This really is paradise."

Because I could write a book about my trip, I'm limiting myself to a top ten list of Hawaii memories. Here we go, with photos.

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Favorite Memory #1: Our first night in Honolulu. Discovering the fabulousness that is Waikiki Beach and drinking my first Mai Tai.

Favorite memory #2: Getting my first Hawaiian lei. Kevin bought one for me that first night. They're heavier, prettier, and smell stronger (in a good way) than I expected. I also learned that many, including the lei pictured above, are made out of plumeria, which was one of my favorite Bath and Body Works scents as a teenager. :)  Never actually knew what "plumeria" was before.

Favorite Memory #3: Exploring the Diamond Head area of Honolulu. We did a post-conference hike and a pre-conference visit to the farmer's market at the mountain's base. Such a beautiful area, and the market was fascinating - lots of fruits and other foods we don't have in Chicago.

Favorite Memory #4: Visiting Pearl Harbor and finding the memorial stone for the submarine Kevin's grandfather served on. The story goes that he was released for leave when his first child (Jane, Kevin's aunt) was born, and while he was away the sub sank. It's so strange to think that if things had been just a little bit different - if Jane had been born a few weeks earlier or later - Kevin's grandpa likely would've died, Kevin's dad would never have been born, and Kevin never would've existed.

Favorite Memory #5: My first sip of iced coconut water. We were driving along the beautiful North Shore of Oahu for an hour or two (in a convertible - amazing), and the sun was getting to both of us. We stopped at a stand that pulled fresh coconuts off ice, hacked off the tops, and stuck a straw in. It was one of the most delicious, refreshing things I've ever tasted.

Favorite Memory #6: Hawaiian music and hula. I guess I always thought of both of these art forms as kind of cheesy, but when I heard the music and saw the dancing in person, I was surprised how beautiful they both were. I've been listening to Hawaiian style music non-stop since I got home. And by the way, the hula dancer in this picture is a former Miss Hawaii! Her name's Skyler, and she introduced herself to us afterward. I kind of wanted to be her best friend.

Favorite Memory #7: Once we got to Kauai (after a close call with a very delayed flight and a lot of confusion about what room we were supposed to sleep in), we got settled in a beautiful apartment overlooking a small cove. I loved going to sleep every night to the sound of the waves, and I REALLY loved watching all the sea turtles that gathered on the rocks below us!

Favorite Memory #8: The Na Pali Coast. Oh my goodness, never have I seen a place quite so beautiful. We hiked, snorkeled, and explored sea caves here, and also took a sunset catamaran cruise to see the mountains from the water. My new life dream is to come back and do a multiple day camping trip on the beaches here.

Favorite Memory #9: Exploring little towns in Kauai. We stayed in Koloa, which was adorable, but my favorite by far was Hanalei. You drive up and see these gorgeous, green mountains and a perfect waterfall right in the middle. It supposedly inspired the land of "Hanalee" mentioned in the song "Puff the Magic Dragon."  This is where I'd like to stay the next time I visit Hawaii. 

Favorite Memory #10: Having this guy along for the trip. He took time off work to come with me, entertained me on the long flights, let me practice my talk on him, and was rarin' to go for fun once my sessions let out for the day. He also is the one and only reason we didn't miss an entire day of vacation in Kauai - his quick thinking and polite demeanor got us on a flight that left at 5:30 p.m. rather than one that left (delayed) at 10:30 at night. So grateful for my job, so grateful for my family, so grateful for the opportunities I have to travel. 

So Long To My Champagne Bubble Bath - Brady

Three years ago I applied for a three-year fellowship for Northwestern students interested in research in education. It was an easy application. As I remember, I wrote a couple of pages about my interests, sent it in, and thought "that's that." Three of the five women in my entering grad school cohort also applied.

We all got the fellowship. It turns out it fits really nicely with our grad program's goals and philosophy, so we were basically shoe-ins. (Ridiculously, I almost turned down the fellowship because it required me to take a couple of extra classes. I remember writing to an older student to ask her advice and she told me flat out I'd be "crazy" not to accept it.)

Anyway, the three of us now refer to this fellowship as our "champagne bubble bath." It's been an absolutely incredible opportunity. It fully funded us for three years, meaning it took care of our grad school tuition, health insurance, and living stipend. This means, quite simply, we didn't have to scramble to find TA jobs or research assistantships every quarter. (In fact, when I did TA, I was paid extra money on top of my living stipend. I actually made more as a grad student than I did as a high school teacher.) On top of that, we received $1400 every year for research expenses (this is how I funded my dissertation study) and $3000 a year for travel to professional conferences. We were also invited to attend tons of private workshops and meetings with "famous" professors and really interesting, exceptional, smart, and creative people.

Very, very sadly, tomorrow I leave for my very last fellowship activity. I'm presenting a paper at the American Psychological Association annual meeting in Honolulu. Two weeks after I return, the fellowship expires. I'm back to regular grad student life. They're pulling the plug on my champagne bubble bath.

Below is one picture from each of the conferences I attended (except there was one Washington D.C. conference where I didn't take pictures for some reason). Looking back, I learned an enormous amount from each experience. I presented papers and posters, attended tons of talks, and met amazing people who will remain important professional contacts throughout my career.

Seattle

New Orleans

Vancouver

Alberta, Canada

San Francisco

The Twin Cities

Luckily, Northwestern is giving me what's called a "dissertation year fellowship" that starts up as soon as my current fellowship ends. So I'll still have tuition, health insurance, and a living stipend taken care of, but my conference travel will slow way down and my research budget will shrink to, oh, about $0.

As I creep day by day, step by step, analysis by analysis, dissertation paragraph by dissertation paragraph toward the end of graduate school, I feel so grateful for all of the opportunities I've been granted. Northwestern accepted me. My advisor has worked hard to keep me on track, and this fellowship has set me on just about the best professional footing I can imagine. All I can do now is try my best to write a really excellent dissertation and find a really amazing job so I can somehow figure out a way pay it all back.

A Classic Indiana Fourth of July - Brady

Last year Kevin and my sisters and I all stayed in Chicago for Fourth of July. It fell mid-week and it just didn't make sense to travel to Indiana for one day (sooooo much traffic going in and out of Chicago). 

So this year we embraced the chance to do a good old-fashioned Fourth in Indiana. We spent the holiday in La Porte with my family and then scooted over to Lake Wawasee for the rest of the weekend. I'm posting a bunch of pictures below of our fabulous, classic Hoosier celebration. 

The Grand Marshall of the La Porte parade, my mom's friend Fern. 

Grandma's little Fourth of July message on her kitchen chalkboard.

Grandpa and Grandma's 45-star flag.

Molly sleeping away the day on Grandma & Grandpa's kitchen floor. 

Grandma & Grandpa's house, Friday morning. Love this place. 

Watching fireworks in LP.

Coffee on Grandma & Grandpa's porch. They hosted us Thursday night and it was like the best bed & breakfast I've ever visited. :)

Kevin, Cindy, and me at The Back Porch on Lake Wawasee.

Wood Boat Pilsner at The Back Porch. Yum!

Lake Wawasee coffee, Sunday morning.

A happy, confused Molly on a raft, with her rubber ducky.

The Oakwood Gazebo, where Kevin and I got married, at night. 

Wine at Wawasee.

One year later.... -Amy

As the end of my school year quickly approaches, I've found myself heavily reflecting on all of the things that I've learned over the course of this year.  I spent the last school year out of the classroom, as an administrator, with the title "Director of Academics."  I'm not going to lie, when I received the offer that title was extremely intimidating and made me wonder a little bit if my bosses were headed straight to the funny farm.  However, they somehow saw something in me that I did not know I was capable of, and that I did not know I was ready for.  It's taken me awhile to get comfortable with my job title.  Let's face it, it still sounds really serious to me.  But, over the course of the year I've been continually pushed out of my comfort zone and forced to take on a leadership role that was definitely not always comfortable for me.  During all of this, I've learned a lot of things about leadership, the education field, and life.  

One lesson I've taken away from this year is when opportunity arises, seize it.  You may be nervous, you may think someone's crazy, you may think that there is no way you are meant to do what they are saying.  I had all of these thoughts when offered my position.  After all, I had three years of teaching experience (two within my school), no masters or administrative license (what? How is this possible?!), and a big, fat chance of falling flat on my face.  I will never understand what I did to convince my bosses that I was worthy of this position and that I would be successful, but they somehow knew me better than I knew myself at that moment.  They knew I would rise to the occasion and work really, really hard.  Well, I can say that I've definitely done my very best, learned a ton, and worked very hard.  

I've learned that the more uncomfortable you are, the more you are probably growing as a human being.  I like to call my moments of stress, anxiety, and being overwhelmed at work my "growing pains."  I have started to seek out opportunities that are specifically challenging for me because I LOVE the after affect.  I love feeling accomplished, like I've grown, and like I am a better person for it.

Overall, this year has had some major successes.  We have a really great staff moving into next year, our math scores REALLY improved, and we implemented a lot of culture pieces within the school that have made it a a really fun and rigorous place.  Our scholars work hard and play hard.  It's awesome.  Some of my personal highlights are below:

• Implementing a K-5 community circle (community building time)
• Coaching instructors and building relationships with them
• Receiving our most current Math data- we rocked it
• Getting hit in the face with 3 pies by 6th graders
• Travelling to New York twice to observe schools and attending amazing trainings
• Meeting (and receiving personal coaching from) Doug Lemov (author of Teach Like a Champion)
• Heading to Portland for another conference
• Leading PD that drives our instructors to be motivated by data
• Learning how to have tough conversations in a positive way
• Working with the most amazing, driven people in the world
• Becoming great friends with Stephanie Bartell (my boss, and overall awesome human)
• Receiving countless hugs from kids
• Being asked to be someone's mom (heartbreaking...)
• Being nicknamed "Mrs. Awesome" by an entire kindergarten class
• Watching kids know their academic goals and be incredibly motivated to meet them 

Our kids are doing amazing things.  Our instructors are doing amazing things.  We are working really hard to make a really big difference of the lives of kids who really need it.  I could not be more fulfilled in this position, and I'm so happy that my bosses were right.  I couldn't feel more happy about where I am.

One more thing.  I have to say that no matter what I do on a daily basis at this point, there is NO ONE I admire more than a hard working, relentless teacher.  It is REALLY hard to be a REALLY good teacher and I am a lucky lady to be in the presence of so many of those.

Some of our AWESOME kids.  The reason for everything.

Dogs & Life Dreams - Brady

For most of my adult life, I've wanted a dog. I've loved animals, especially big dogs, since I was a kid and just knew I'd get one someday. It took me longer to work up the courage to commit to a pet than I expected, but now that we've got Molly I couldn't be happier.

I keep having moments with Molly where I think, "Life dream fulfilled." Moments where I'm doing something with my dog I always wanted to and now I can't believe I'm lucky enough to have this sweet girl to swim with or to ride in the back of my Prius. Below are some pictures I've captured over the last two months that fall into the "life dream fulfilled" category.

(Try not to judge me too hard for all the pictures I take of my dog, okay?)

Road trips:

Naps on our couch bed (Molly's a great cuddler): 

Hiking:

City adventures (in this case, Molly and I stopped on a walk at a coffee shop that has walk-up window - she waited very patiently for her dog treat, and I waited very patiently for my drink):

Boats and swimming, in Chicago and at Lake Wawasee (look at that scraggly mutt in the last photo!):

I thought getting a dog would stress me out or make me feel trapped, and it definitely does complicate life a little bit, but all in all she is such a positive, wonderful addition to our lives. I find that we look at all of our old favorite places in new ways. We're more likely to seek out parks and beaches and outdoor patios where we can take her rather than dark bars or the same old indoor restaurants we always visit. She's changed our lives, for sure, in a really great way.