Goodbye, 2015

This year was full of ups and downs, surprises and life changes. We adjusted to life on a tiny island, we traveled to Alaska for a surprise wedding (our own), we climbed mountains and kayaked lakes, we adopted a new fur baby, and we lived our lives the best we could. Now, as it all grows to a close, we look back fondly and begin to look ahead to 2016.  So, without further adieu, here are the highlights from 2015.

In January, we struggled to stay warm as the temperatures plummeted into the -20's and remained there for quite some time.  Luckily, new snowshoes brought about a new winter hobby that kept us busy and adventurous.

February remained bitterly cold and Lake Michigan became a solid sheet of ice.  We walked our way towards to the surrounding islands on the lake, which gave us some seriously spectacular views.  The sun seemed to shine every day.

March was the month of blue ice.  Lake Michigan began to form ice caves, which shone a bright blue.  We explored these little caverns and traversed the uneven ground of the frozen lake.  It was a very cool thing to witness.

April was the month of the surprise wedding.  Cody and I spent spring break in Alaska, which we had been missing dearly.  The weeks that followed were spent eating good food with friends, climbing mountains, hiking, and finally...getting married in our XtraTuff boots in the shadow of Mendenhall Glacier.

We finally warmed up in May! This was our first month of marriage, and it brought about a whole new type of adventure.  Our favorite hiking trails were suddenly no longer buried in snow.  Many weekends were spent either cooking out or hiking with our friends.

June was the month that we packed our bags and said goodbye to the island.  We had intentions of moving back to Alaska, but instead we spent the summer hanging out with our families in southern Michigan and Illinois.

 July and August were a whirlwind of visiting family and friends. We loved the summer weather that the Midwest gave to us and we hiked all over the place.  Much of our time was spent on Lake Michigan.  We kayaked, fished, and swam non-stop.

September brought about changes.  Beaver Island School had contacted me and told me that they were in a bind after losing two of the three elementary teachers on the island.  I agreed to come back to the school, so we repacked our bags and moved back to the island.  We also adopted a new puppy from the Little Traverse Bay Humane Society!

 In October we moved into a new house and began to truly settle into life on the island.  It was an adjustment to move back, but it's been an overall successful experience.

November was the month of feeling thankful.  Family visited the island, the dogs were content, my students wrote me sweet notes, and all was right with the world.

Finally, December showed up.  It's been an oddly warm month and we only just started getting snow and winter weather within the last week.  Christmas Break came at a perfect time and I am feeling rejuvenated and ready to start back to work. All is well in our little corner of the world.

Your turn...What were a few of your yearly highlights?
Currently listening to...24 Frames - Jason Isbell

Where The Adventures Never Stop

It's been a wee bit quiet around these parts lately.  If you can believe it…we are moving, again! I know, I know, it's all we ever do!

Friday afternoon, after I got home from work, I received a call from Beaver Island (the school I taught at last year) and they wanted me to come back to teach 1st-3rd grade.  Earlier in the week they had a teacher resign.  With my resignation earlier this summer and the recent resignation of another teacher they were left with only one elementary teacher.  I spent the weekend thinking it over and weighing my options, but eventually I accepted.  I haven't found an actual teaching job in southern Michigan yet, and while I like my office job it just isn't the same as being in the classroom. Cody and I both had to let our jobs know today that we wouldn't be back.  He got offered a job at the school too.  See,  it's just too good of an offer to pass up.

So, we are trucking up to the island for inservice training for a couple of days this week. I expect we will be back late on Thursday and will spend the next couple of days packing our stuff back up.  There are a few things that I am pretty excited about when I think about moving back to the island.  First, I love my teaching job there.  My days are NEVER boring when teaching 3+ grade levels.  Second, I miss the safety and small-town-feel that the island is always oozing.  I like leaving my keys in my car.  I like waving to every person I pass on the road.  It's just a unique place.  I know it's not for everyone, but it works for us and we are going back.

Your turn…Have you ever retuned to an old job? Why?
Currently listening to…New Virginia Creeper-Old Crow Medicine Show

I'm Back!

Wow! It has been three months since my last blog post.  I've been blogging for (almost) five years and I don't believe that I've ever taken such a hiatus.  Honestly, there were many reasons for the break.  For starters, Cody and I got married in April and then I was in Alaska for a week-long trip.  It was a very hectic couple of weeks leading up to the wedding and the trip.

The island finally beginning to look a little summer-y. 

After I got back, a series and of events led us down the path of deciding to stay in the Midwest again this year.  We were initially so excited to be moving back to Alaska and we both had jobs (Cody had already started his). It just seemed right to stay here though, in the end, and spend time with our families and friends.

Taking the ferry away from the island.  New adventures ahead!

School ended (woooo) for the summer and Cody and I are now just enjoying kicking around at my dad's lake house in southern Michigan.  The weather has been stellar, which makes looking for new jobs a wee bit difficult.  What can I say, I'm a beach bum at heart.  Time will tell how things play out over the next year, but it is safe to say that we will be hanging around SW Michigan for awhile.

Reunited and ready to lounge for the summer.

I'm hoping to rededicate myself to the blog heavily and do some fun posts over the next couple of weeks.  Stay tuned for some new topics!

Your turn…Have you ever changed your moving plans last minute?
Currently listening to…Kick Drum Heart - The Avett Brothers

Why We Decided to Get Married

Almost three years ago, Cody drove me out to Pine Hills in Southern Illinois and purposed to me.  I accepted almost before he got the words out of his mouth.  Pine Hills was the perfect place and I was there with the perfect person.  

View from the top of a bluff in Pine Hills.

Fast forward, after such a long engagement we were getting a bit antsy about finally tying the knot.  We had tried to plan a wedding a few different times, each attempt was more unsuccessful than the last.  Time, money, location, lack of vacation days saved up at work.  Take your pick and we've probably dealt with it. 

Hiking trail near the top of the bluff.

Two weeks before I flew up to see Cody I was chatting with my grandmother.  We started talking about the wedding, or lack thereof, and she suggested we just go the courthouse route.  Save the money and put it towards a big reception that we could plan at a much more leisurely pace.  That night, when I talked to Cody on the phone, I put the suggestion to him.  He took to the idea wonderfully.  

Revisiting the spot where we got engaged!

The planning started ASAP.  I didn't have anything.  No marriage license. No dress, No shoes. No minister.  No witnesses.  It all came together in the end.  The license, minister, and witnesses all fell into place.  Our minister was a good friend of ours and two of our BFF's agreed to be the witnesses/paparazzi. The dress ended up being a $40 cutes-y number (that I fell in love with) from Urban Outfitters.  I wore my Xtratuff rainboots as footwear.  It was perfect. 

Your turn...How much planning went into your wedding?

Currently listening to...Dearly Departed- Shakey Graves feat. Esme Patterson

Surprise!

So, I have been on a little blogging hiatus the last week or so.  Partly because I was in Alaska visiting Cody and partly because...

We got married!! Cody and I finally (after almost three years of being engaged) tied the knot in a small, intimate ceremony in Alaska.  I plan to do a full write-up about it this week.  I am also planning a few great posts about my trip.  Stay tuned for the scoop! :)

Birthdays

This is a big week in my household.  All three of its occupants celebrate their birthdays.  Specks is the first to get to celebrate.  His birthday was Sunday (3/15) and he turned six! We celebrated by going for a very long, fun walk and then climbing a 700ft sand dune.  Specks is all about the adventure.  He also ate way too many treats and napped with me on the couch.  Perfection :)

Today, we celebrate another exciting birthday.  Cody officially enters his mid-twenties today...such a youngster! I wish more than anything that he was here to celebrate with me.  We will be spending lots of time on FaceTime today.  I will most likely sing to him, which he will pretend to hate.  He will spend the day working and staying busy.  Luckily, he is in Juneau with all of our friends so they will treat him to a fun birthday celebration this evening. More than anything, I hope this year brings him love and happiness.  I hope he gets to go back to college this year.  I hope he climbs a few mountains this year.  And I hope he enjoys every minute of time with Specks and I this year.

Finally, we will wrap-up the birthday extravaganza on Wednesday with my birthday. This year will be odd for me.  I've never spent a birthday alone, much less hundreds of miles from family or Cody.  I may venture out for dinner with a few of my local friends.  It should be a very low key affair. I'll go home to Specks and get in some cuddle-time.  Not altogether a bad thing.  I'm happy to be a year older and I am happy to have a new year to work on goals and aspirations that I have for myself.

All in all, it should be a pretty nice week.

Your turn...How do you celebrate the birthdays of your furry friends?

Currently listening to...Thinking Out Loud- Ed Sheeran 

He's Off!

I put Cody on an airplane on Thursday morning. That airplane would lead him to a car and then a train...eventually it will lead him straight to Juneau.  It's crazy how fast all of our life changes are happening. Cody will be back living in Juneau by this time next week.

The next few months will be lonely for me.  I'm allowing myself the weekend to wallow about a bit.  I plan to throw myself into things starting on Monday.  Spending time with friends, cooking, playing guitar, writing, exercising.  All of these things will keep me sane, hopefully.

Your turn...How do you stay sane during stressful times?

Currently listening to...Blueside- Rooney

Specks Update

Some of you may know that our doggy, Specks, has been suffering from an unknown illness. He started getting sick in August and has been battling it ever since.  His symptoms were chronic ear infections and itchy skin.  It took us months and a ton of trial and error.  Finally, we did a huge blood panel test on him and it came back with some surprising results.

Specks is allergic to human dander, maple trees, oak trees, various types of grasses and weeds, dust, beef, venison, lamb, rice, oats, barley, corn, and soybeans.  Seriously.  Somehow all of these crazy allergies just showed up in the last six months.  He is now on a special diet and will be getting a monthly shot.  I'm going to learn to give him the shots at home to make things easier on him.

I feel bad that he suddenly has this crummy health problem.  Thankfully, it is totally treatable and as long as we are careful about what he gets into he won't have any real issues.  I'm so glad that we've finally gotten to the bottom of the health scare.  Specks is such a huge, lovable part of our family.  He really is like a child to Cody and I.  We are so happy to have a treatable solution to his health issues.  Specks is very loved :)

Your turn…Do you have a pet?  Tell me about him/her!

Currently listening to…Lights- Ellie Goulding

Why I Miss Living in Alaska

It's been five months since Cody, Specks, and I left Alaska.  Not a day goes by that we don't miss it.  We've spent the last five months having fun and keeping ourselves busy.  We've truly thrown ourselves back into Midwestern life.  But, something has been missing.  Life just isn't the same here.  I've narrowed it down to a few key points.  I know what we miss and why we miss it.  Alaska just gets in your soul.

1.) The lifestyle.  I miss having thousands of miles of hiking trails at my fingertips.  Cody, Specks, and I hiked at least 2 times per week.  Plus, there was a breathtaking glacier in the middle of town that I walked to at least once a month. Every weekend was new adventure when we lived in Alaska.  We rarely ever spent a weekend inside, even in crummy weather.  We hiked, fished, camped, and climbed mountains.  Exercise in the form of outdoor activities drove our lifestyle.  Dull moments were few and far between. We were healthy, happy, and whole living this lifestyle.

2.) The community and culture.  Alaska has an incredibly rich culture.  I miss living somewhere so identifiable by this.  There are no Tlingit dance groups or storytellers in the Midwest.  There aren't monthly artist walks through downtown Beaver Island. Canoes don't carry tribes from all over the state to a yearly Celebration.  Poetry slams, theatre performances, and symphonies are all missing from our life.  Juneau was a tiny city with a HUGE cultural impact.  Not many towns of 30,000 people can boast such a rich repertoire of events. It's just not the same living without these cultural elements.

3.) Winter.  Winter in the Midwest isn't like winter in Alaska.  Sure, there are places to ski (kind of) and hike in the winter here.  It's not the same though.  Alaska lives in near-constant darkness in the winter, which I never minded.  If anything, it made me more ambitious because I had a much shorter amount of time to accomplish tasks like shoveling or exercising.  We were constantly taking trips to the ski resort( five minutes from our house) or hiking out to NFS cabins to spend snowy weekends. I also really like cozy, dark evenings snuggling at home with my family.

4.) The weather.  Now, the Midwest tends to have far better summers than SE Alaska.  Midwestern summers are long, hot, and gorgeous.  SE Alaska has the better weather overall though.  Juneau is in a rainforest and the weather is incredibly temperate.  We typically didn't see winter temps below 30°F and we didn't see summer temps higher than 60°F.  There were exceptions to this obviously, but the average is between 30°-60°F for the whole year.  Midwestern weather on the other hand is a fickle thing.  Take last week for example, we had five days of temperatures in the -15°F range.  The summers might get above 100°F for weeks at a time.  It's a big change and I've found that I prefer my temperate climate.  I like that in Juneau I could wear the same outfits all year and I could hike all winter with only a fleece and a raincoat.  It made life easy.


5.) The mentality.  There is just something about the people in Alaska.  Juneau is a blue city in the midst of a red state.  But, the state as a whole is very libertarian.  People tend to be very "stay out of my business."  I like this.  I knew people, people were incredibly friendly, but people generally stay out of each others business.  Everyone takes care of each other without needing to discuss it.  It's a beautiful thing.

Your turn…What are your favorite things about where you live?

Currently listening to…The Lumineers- Dead Sea

Moving Home

When I last wrote in this blog I was announcing our big move back to this Midwest.  We did move back.  Our minds were filled with the thought that we needed to be close to our families in order to settle down.  After six months back in the Midwest we realized our mistake.  There were just too many things about our life in Alaska that we missed.  Alaska had become our home.

So now we are moving home. Back to Juneau. Back to Alaska.

Cody has already accepted a job and will be heading up in March, a few months earlier than me.  Specks (the dog) and I will be heading up at the end of the school year.  I already have a few leads from my friends and old bosses in the area so I'm not incredibly concerned with finding work.  Plus, my paychecks from my current teaching gig will tide me over until September.

With that said, I am planning to start blogging from this blog again.  I have missed this blog immensely. I still get emails, comments, and quite a following for this blog.  It became apparent to me that I should just revamp this blog, instead of trying to create a new one.  I will be changing the title to The Middle(tons) of Nowhere, which is a play on our last name.  I'll also be changing a few other things like the layout.  This feels like a new beginning for my family.  Stay tuned as I get back into regular blogging mode.  I can't wait to share this journey with you :)

Your turn…Have you ever moved back to a place that you loved?

Currently listening to…Follow the Rain- Tallest Man on Earth

We're Moving To…Michigan!

The cat is out of the bag!! It's official folks. Our ferry tickets are purchased, our trip planning has begun, and the wait is finally over.  Now to pack up our house...

Honestly, I received some seriously incredible job offers from schools here in Alaska, but I just couldn't bring myself to take any of them.  I love Alaska and everything about it.  However, Alaska was always MY adventure.  When I first met Cody he was in the process of moving to Florida.  He changed his plans and decided to stay local to be with me, fast forward eight months and I had accepted a job in Alaska.  While he has loved Alaska, it has put many aspects of his life on hold. He had to give up music (he was a touring musician when we met) and college.  Both of these he will be immersing himself in as soon as we get to Michigan.  So, we will be moving so that he can get back on track and we can be closer to our family. I think it is going to be the best thing for both of us.

We will be living in the Saugatuck-area of Michigan.  It is truly one of my most favorite places in the world.  It is an artists haven on the western shore of the state.  As a child, I vacationed in this area every summer. Then, last year my dad retired to the area to live year-round.  We are planning on staying with him until we find a place that suits our needs (i.e. pet friendly and enough room for Cody's drum kit). I couldn't be more excited at the prospect of living in my childhood vacation haven!

It's been an incredible journey and I couldn't ask for anything more from Alaska.  Stay tuned to the blog for updates! Cody and I will be taking 15 days to camp our way through Canada in July and we will have a few more adventures in the mean time.  I plan to document every aspect of our journey :)

Questions:
Have you ever visited western Michigan?
What is your favorite road trip to take? 

The Great Alaskan Teaching Debate

For those of you that don't know, I am looking into pursuing alternative employment for next year.  My position is grant funded and the likelihood of losing our funding is pretty high.  As much as I would love to stay in Alaska, some questions and tough decisions have come up in regards to what I should do next year.  Basically, we've got three options to choose from.

Option 1: Move back to the midwest.  I have my teaching credentials in a couple of midwestern states.  Fortunately, I have my credential in Michigan.  Western Michigan, as well as the upper peninsula,  is my ideal location in that area of the world.  I've been applying and interviewing for various teaching positions throughout the western portion of the state.  No offers yet, but I've made it past the first round for a couple of them.

Option 2: Stay in Juneau and pursue alternative teaching options.  This is also a viable option.  I could wait to see what opens up with the school district here.  I could also look into additional Head Start classrooms, work with the department of education, or some clerical-type position.  I worry that none of these non-teaching options will pay enough to keep us in our current quality of life though.

Option 3: Pursue a teaching job elsewhere in Alaska.  This is a huge option and a very real possibility.  There are many great school districts in Alaska and I would be lucky to teach at any number of them.  Cody and I originally planned on living more rural (read about it here) and this may be the opportunity that we are looking for ideally.  I actually have two job offers on the table from Bush districts and I am highly considering this possibility.

These are all very real possibilities for us next year.  While we wait and see how our lives will play out, we are actively applying and interviewing with multiple districts and hoping to land the right position.   Stay tuned for an update…I assume that we will be deciding sometime in the next two weeks :)

The End of School

Well, it's the end of another school year.  For those of us that teach, we are busy packing up classrooms, grading last minute reports, and scrambling to store all of our "school" things in our homes.    My classroom officially closed last Thursday but I ended up spending most of the day on Friday organizing and cleaning.  I'm proud to say that it is completely finished and I am now on autopilot for the summer.

Last day of school with some amazing ladies. 

I am still unsure of what next year will bring for me.  My school is competing against eight other schools for the grant money that would keep my classroom funded for next year.  I am hopeful…but not naive about the situation.  I know that things may not work out but I've got my fingers crossed.  I can teach in Alaska, Colorado, Illinois, and Michigan (legally-haha) so I am not without options if this job doesn't continue on for next year.

Until I find out the verdict for next year I plan on relaxing and enjoying life.  My in-laws will be in Alaska to visit Cody and I in less that a week.  That'll keep us plenty busy for about seven days and then three weeks after that my mom and her boyfriend will be in town to visit.  A month after that? My little brother will be swinging through the area.  It's going to be a busy summer but I am ready for it :)

Questions:
Are you taking any cool vacations this summer? 
Do you work during the summer?  Why or why not?

Twenty-Four

I celebrated my twenty-fourth birthday this week.  The day of my birth happened to fall over Spring Break so I got to hang out, relax, and generally just do whatever my heart desired.  Coincidentally, Cody and Specks also celebrated their birthdays this week.  It has been quite the exciting break.

As with every birthday though, I start to question things.  I don't know why birthdays do this to me! A billion questions ran through my head though on that day.  Should we stay in Juneau? Should we move on to another adventure? Should we finally start planning our wedding? Should I find part-time work over the summer? Do we have enough money saved for Cody to go back to school?

Geesh! My head was hurting.  Sometimes I get a little overzealous when thinking about the future.  This time I just tried to breathe and remind myself that sometimes I don't need to make those decisions.  Sometimes I just need to throw my ideas to the wind and hope that the right idea will make its way back to me.  Today's post is just a reminder that we all need to take a step back and breathe sometimes.  Now, everybody do it with me….

Questions
How do you relax?
What big decision are you struggling with right now?