My youngest son, Silas is quite a ham.Amy Allender photo “Where going, Mama?” My youngest son, Silas asks this question almost relentlessly. As soon as I glance at my shoes, or the coats rustle on the rack, I hear rapid two-year-old steps headed my way. “Where going,...
Recently we entertained the idea of relocating to another part of the Midwest—turns out I don’t think I’m quite ready.Amy Allender photo Last weekend my family spent a few days in the suburbs north of Detroit, MI. The reason feels like a dirty secret, but I’ll say it...
While walking out of the library, I shrugged my shoulder to my ear, pinning my phone in place. This freed up my hands to rifle through my bag for car keys. I turned to push the door open with my back and suddenly said, “Hang on a second, Mom.”I don’t remember what we...
Sometimes the best way to show the fine people of Hot Dish Land how much you love them, is simply to eat the lefse and chat about the wind.Amy Allender photo Many of you may be familiar with the “Five Love Languages,” but over the years I’ve discovered that Hot...
“It’s 33, do you think I’ll be too hot if I wear my ski jacket?” This is the question I asked my husband over the weekend when we decided to go tubing. The weather was too nice to pass up." “Nah. I think you’ll be okay. You can always take it off if it’s too much,” he...
Tears of self-pity leaked slowly from my eyes, down my cheek, and onto my pillow. Just a few days after Christmas, I found myself curled up in a tight ball on my bed in the middle of the afternoon—trying to hide from “one of those days.” Little things, like a morning...
A few weeks ago, everything seemed to be going wrong. My family had gone on a trip where some hard decisions had to be made. Stress levels were high, and during the trip, everyone had gotten sick. My husband, Derek, had a fever, our boys were coughing, noses were...
When you find out you’re moving to Minot, the first thing you wonder about is the cold. When you move to Minot the first thing you’ll think about is the cold. When you tell someone you live in Minot, the first thing they ask about is the cold.Yes, there’s more to...
I’ve never been robbed. Not really. There have been two instances in which something of mine was stolen. They are as follows: Once, at a pumpkin patch in Delaware, I painted a small pumpkin that came complimentary with each corn maze admission. I brushed on...
“Wow, look at all those shades of brown.” The comment was delivered with faux awe from my passenger seat. Her sarcasm was friendly, not fiery. We both laughed. “Now, now—don’t be judgmental. Look,” I said while pointing out the windshield. “Right there. Val’s Cyclery...