I wasn’t planning on writing anything else about our move because, honestly, who wants to read that – but the whole thing was such a wild ride that Kyle basically insisted I record it here for posterity. So, here we go:
Squeegee | NNoTW July 22, 2021
We are moving; and between packing up and saying goodbye to our current house, renovating and unpacking our new house, working at my job, and doing the bare minimum at parenting, I have reached my complete maximum mental bandwidth. Read on.
Little house on the prairie | NNoTW July 14, 2021
After ten years in the country, Kyle and I have sold our house and are moving into town. While we made the decision for a whole bunch of reasons – the biggest being that we were spending most of our time driving to and from Grand Forks – now that our departure is imminent, we’re all a little glum. I know I personally am glum because it feels like we’re abandoning a long-time friend, and also because moving suuuucks.
Road trip | NNoTW July 8, 2021
Kyle and I just got back from taking our kids on our just-about-annual road trip from Thompson, North Dakota to Ann Arbor, Michigan. We got there by driving through Minneapolis, Minnesota; Madison (I love Madison), Wisconsin; Chicago, Illinois; Gary, Indiana; and then over into Michigan. The total distance is somewhere around a billion miles, which translates to roughly fifteen hours of drive time each way. Each year, I am lulled away from the beautiful, shiny airport and into my poor, overloaded Honda Pilot with personal promises of a stop in Madison (I love Madison) and also by reminding myself, “Once we’re in Minneapolis, we’re basically there” – which is as factually and geographically correct as saying, “Once we’re in New York, we’re basically in Paris.”
The politics of cake | NNoTW July 1, 2021
Our friends hosted a family birthday party for their ten-year-old last weekend. The jury is still out between my sons as to the second-best part of the soiree (right now it’s a tie between the slip-and-slide covered in dish soap and “playing” in general), but they both have agreed that the number-one spot goes to the cake.
We are here to tell you your opinion | NNoTW June 24, 2021
When we were first married, Kyle and I went to the movie theater so often that we took it upon ourselves to create a movie review website, called We Are Here To Tell You Your Opinion. This website was not borne out of altruism or a desire for fame; rather, we are both oldest children, and it is our God-given right to tell people what to do. It’s important to understand that absolutely no one in the history of cinema had or has ever asked, “Hey, I wonder what Amanda and Kyle thought of The Grey?”
Buy me some peanuts and Whiskey Jacks | NNoTW June 17, 2021
Our nine-year-old played two sets of double-headers last Friday and Saturday. On Sunday, we naturally decided to detox after hours upon hours of baseball by taking our two sons and a friend to a Wheat City Whiskey Jacks baseball game. The Whiskey Jacks played the Badlands Big Sticks at Kraft Field, which is apparently known to our family as “that place with the concession stand” because the boys ate their way through the entire experience.
Fort Abercrombie | NNoTW June 10, 2021
My ideal vacation consists of strategic lounging. I lounge on beaches; by pools; in restaurants; on patios. In the early morning I lounge with books; midday I lounge with pina coladas; and in the late afternoon I lounge with my eyes closed.
On the other hand, the only time anyone lounges on a Kyle-planned trip is when…[Read on]
There is no E in Amanda | NNoTW June 3, 2021
This week’s story is about my feelings on gasoline, and this week’s news has penguins, ‘Prizm’ers, and parties. Read on.
Country Quiet | NNoTW May 27, 2021
This week’s story is about the sound of silence, and this week’s news has hikers, bikers, and birthdays (oh my!). Read on.
Good Ranch | NNoTW May 20, 2021
This week’s story is about ranch dressing, and this week’s news is about pen pals, teen suicide prevention, and a food pantry vegetable garden. Read on.
Soccer | NNoTW May 13, 2021
This week’s story is about soccer, and this week’s news is about a new museum in Antler, recovery after a cow attack, and Tigirlily. Read on.
Look, a goose | NNoTW May 6, 2021
This week’s story is about the animal kingdom, and this week’s news has kid-friendly outfits and pie. Read on.
Good Sport
This is the origin story of the Central/Red River hockey rivalry, as told by a family of Central grads (so 100% irrefutably accurate).
It originally appeared in the February 2021 issue of The Red Cent and is reprinted with permission. Read on.
Garage Sale | NNoTW April 29, 2021
This week’s story is about garage sales, and this week’s news has an art festival, discount insulin, and a population boom. Read on.
Fairy Princess | NNoTW April 22, 2021
This week’s story is about my journey to become a fairy princess, and this week’s news is about bracelets, books, and Boy Scouts. Read on.
The write stuff | NNoTW April 15, 2021
This week’s story is about writing, and this week’s news is about a big deal of a small town, a leftover lunch program, and a glamorous prom. Read on.
No bother | NNoTW April 8, 2021
This week’s story is about staying out of trouble, and this week’s news is about healthy families, a new kidney, and a garden of healing. Read on.
Box Set | NNoTW April 1, 2021
This week’s story is a tale of two infomercials, and this week’s news has friendly fire departments, a Fueled Force, and a four-time award-winning artist. Read on.
Hockey Tournaments | NNoTW March 25, 2021
This week’s story is about Hockey Moms, and this week’s news has free food, free braces, and and a shipping-container-turned-cabin built with free materials. Read on.
