It happened suddenly. I’ve been warned that parenthood is like that, but sometimes it still catches me off guard. You see your children every day. Change happens so gradually it’s hard to detect. “It’s been a year since this photo was taken with a ‘South Dakota’...
Here’s a fun fact for you: researchers over the last decade have discovered that “moist” is among the most disliked words in the English language. Over the past year, multiple articles have been written by outlets ranging from The New Yorker to Buzzfeed to The LA...
“Mom, why are there so many bunny things at Easter? Why do we hide eggs? What do eggs have to do with Easter anyway?” These springtime questions seem to be an annual tradition in my household. And this year is no different. The first time the question arose, I delved...
A group text between my husband, Derek, our friend Ben, and me has been ongoing for more than a decade now. Ben, a born-and-raised hotdisher, is one of the most Minot people I know—and I mean that in the best way possible. In our group chat, we typically coordinate...
“I think it’ll be best if I go for a quick walk,” I said in my calmest, creamiest voice. Years ago, I read a magazine article about hiker safety. When it came to animals, there was one overarching tip. If you couldn’t remember what to do, speak in a calm, soothing...
As I pushed the door open, the aroma of fresh coffee enveloped me. The coffee shop had just opened, and only one other customer stood at the counter. Typically, I’m not an early riser, but my body clock was still set to Hotdish Time. Back home, it was nearing...
When it comes to Hotdish Land winters, we don’t choose the wind chill, select the date for a blizzard, or have the luxury of opting out of subzero temps. Maybe you didn’t choose to move here. Maybe in the middle of a Minot winter, it seems like you have no choices;...
The first time the I got the worst advice of my life, I was sitting in a bland meeting room at Whiting Naval Air Station, in Milton, FL. I was fresh out of college, new to town, and had been married a whopping three months. I knew nothing about being a military...
2023 is drawing to a close, here are some of my favorite secrets to check out in the new year.Amy Allender photo If your newsfeed is anything like mine, it’s filling up with lists of 2023’s best/worst moments, and ways to improve your 2024. Maybe those lists have sunk...
In the lives of my children, few joys exceed that of airport moving walkways. I was reminded of this last week when we flew home to North Dakota, after being out of state for a whopping three months. Giddy anticipation, they galloped through crowds—often dragging me...