Totally Rad Summer

This summer we have some fun plans involving Colorado and Wyoming, plus two new states to us - Montana and South Dakota.

If you have any tips or must-sees in Glacier National Park or Badlands National Park, please share them with me.  Until then, I'll be stalking Glacier's Instagram feed (thanks, KP!) and kidnapping photos like the one above.

I mean, really?  Mother Nature, you outdid yourself.

Happy Weekend!  See you on the other side.

xo,

Jen

Summer and Upcycled Education

I was so impressed about two months ago when one of my favorite blogs, Young House Love, announced they would be cutting back on their weekly blog posts.  As professional bloggers, they used to blog once or twice a day, but with the birth of their second child and other projects in the works, they knew that schedule wasn't doable for a good work/life balance.

Following their lead, I am cutting back, too.  As you may or may not know, I announced some pretty big projects in the podcast with Elise.  My college supported my sabbatical request and thus, this fall I will take off a semester from teaching to write a book on engaging adult learners.  When I leave my college for the summer, I will not return until 2015.  Part of that feels bittersweet, though I am uber-excited about the book and my research.

Adding more kindling to my life's creative fires, Lil O and I are launching a mom-daughter business called Olive and Jen.  We will spend a good part of the summer learning about business, marketing, sourcing supplies, and manufacturing as we hope to offer some neat - mostly hand-crafted - products in the fall.  I keep thinking, I don't want Lil O to wait until she's an adult to learn those business skills, so we are going to explore them now.

You will notice a bit less of me this summer and into the fall on this blog as I get my work/life balance adjusted.  Of course, if you are on Instagram, you can find me there easily.  I generally post photos and captions 4-7 times a week - more than I do on Facebook or any other social media outlet.  I heard someone once call Instagram "micro-blogging."  That I can do.  Micro will work for me!

Before I go, thank you.  Just taking the time to check in on this blog, me, reading this from your inbox or stopping by Upcycled Education means so much to me.  I am grateful for this space and awesome readers like you.

Best,
Jen

Summer Plans, Anyone?

Because you know I need to know.  What are your summer plans?

Come on.  I really want to know.

Me?  I'll be taking some short roadtrips with Lil O, at a Katy Perry concert, driving across the US, frolicking in Colorado, and probably Instagramming the entire experience as nothing in my life is top secret.

Well, I do have a few secret things up my sleeve!

But, I'm not sharing anything else until you tell me your plans first.  Here's a link to share your plans with me.  Go fill it out NOW.  Geez, I'm bossy today, aren't I?

Obsessed with RVs and trailers,

Jen

Summer Goals Update

At the beginning of the summer, I set a few goals for myself.  Let's see how I did.

• Study wildflowers with Lil O - We studied flowers all summer long.  We learned many names, checked out books on wildflowers, sought out wildflower hikes and sketched a few.  I now don't feel like a complete wildflower novice.  
• Build my online special education class that is slated to run in the fall - This course is 90% ready to go.  I still need to create a few more module assessments before it goes live in October.
• Mountain bike and road bike more than I did last summer (and proudly wear my UE jersey) - I think Mr. UpCyclist wore his jersey much more than I did.  I did do a fair share of running and hiking.  But, riding...not as much.
• Have four separate Yes Days - one for Lil O, Mr. UpCyclist, Puppy Jedi and myself - Since the entire summer felt like a Yes Day to me, only Lil O "needed" her Yes Day.  
• Trail run to the neighborhood lake three times (last summer, I just did this once) - Yay, I did it! Check Instagram for proof here, here, and here.  Plus, I'm not bragging, but I actually ran the trail seven times.  Woot!
• Make time for yoga, reading and just being - and not doing - I absolutely made time for yoga, reading and just being.  I think that is one of the reasons why the whole summer felt like a Yes Day. 
• Create string art like this - Totally!  This blog post details the entire string art endeavor.  It really is one of my all-time favorite projects.

This summer, I did more reflecting and creating than I have in the past.  Such fuel for my soul.

xoxo,

Jen

Summer Goals 2013

Photo from here. Pic Monkey by Jen

I am reminded of what a friend told me....

We are human beings, not human doings.

I do, however, have several things I want to do this summer.  I thought if I wrote down my goals, I might actually remember them and accomplish them.  Here's my short list:

• Study wildflowers with Lil O
• Build my online special education class that is slated to run in the fall
• Mountain bike and road bike more than I did last summer (and proudly wear my UE jersey)
• Have four separate Yes Days - one for Lil O, Mr. UpCyclist, Puppy Jedi and myself
• Trail run to the neighborhood lake three times (last summer, I just did this once)
• Make time for yoga, reading and just being - and not doing
• Create string art like this

What's on your summer goal list?

My best,

Jen

Road Trippin'

Photo taken at the Donut Whole, KS

Summer time is road trippin' time for our family.  I swear I love living on wheels.  This summer, I think I will embrace these ideas at CRAFT as they look fun and different - especially the snack organizer idea.

CRAFT also does an entire summer series where they feature a new city a week and tell you about ten free things to do in that city.  Yours truly will be writing a piece for CRAFT in August highlighting our favorite city in Colorado.

What are your summer plans?  Do you have a favorite place to visit over the summer?

Can't wait to hear.....
Jen

Life Updated: Almost Summer Edition

Right after my college's graduation last week, I could almost taste summer.  Speaking of taste, how about those homemade pop tarts from Ted's Bulletin in DC pictured above?  Aren't they fun looking and boy, were they tasty!  Mr. UpCyclist even bought me one that was peanut butter on the inside and bacon crumbles on the outside.  Yum and strange all at the same time.  Now, I have an intense desire to make my own.

Flowers.  Period.  Give. me. more.  This was the best $40 I've spent in a long time.  All of our planters are full and I even have a shepard's hook this year to hold more flowers.  More.  more.  more.  please.

I am obsessed with the recipes on the A Beautiful Mess blog.  I decided to make a kid-friendly version of their cocktail recipe for our "Cocktails and Cupcakes" night with some friends.  Lil O gave it a thumbs up.

Mr. UpCyclist just got back from Finland.  Yes, this would be his second trip there in under a month.  Puppy Jedi is becoming a pro at visiting the airport.  You remember his first trip to the airport here.  This time, an airport employee warned me that dogs weren't allowed unless they were crated.  Two minutes later, there were three police officers coming towards me.  Rats.  Busted, was all I could think.  Instead, however, the officers asked me if they could pet Jedi. Whew.

On a side note, Dr. G had her baby.  Yep, a tiny upcyclist is born!  Congratulations to Dr. G and her family.  #luckyluckykid

Off I go,

Jen

Summer Plans

Mr. UpCyclist has earned his name by being an avid cyclist - both recreational and competitive. Both on road bikes and on mountain ones.  Mr. U is all geared up for the summer and he is elated he will be competing in events from now until September.

Me?  What's on my summer to-do list?

Let's see.....

• Spending time with Lil O and master Jedi
• Cheering on Mr. U at all his races
• Seeing a lovely handful of friends and family
• Hiking, biking, bouldering (which is like rock climbing, but lower to the ground)
• Keeping Jedi from this
• Playing in some rivers
• Dodging the heat when possible
• Rereading Daniel Pink's To Sell is Human book
• Working on some new teaching and stamp shop ideas
• Contemplating my next moves (especially now that I am a doer and not only a dreamer)
• Continuing life coaching with Sue
• Figuring out some artwork for our condo in Colorado (any artists out there?)
• Keeping tabs on the cycling team
• Stopping to smell the roses

What about you, sweet blog reader?  What's on your summer to-do list?

xoxo,

Jen

Summer reading list

Listen, if little O has a summer reading list, maybe we should, too.  Not that I am pushing too many teaching and learning books because I want your mind to relax this summer, but like a gardener, I'm planting seeds....

I made the image above extra large, so you could peruse some of my favorites.

Just sayin',
Jen