I'm so North Dakota

My heart is running amok as we near the end of our two weeks in North Dakota. True, this unsung state is chock-full of fantastical sites like the painted rocks at Theodore National Park and the earthlodges near Mandan. But this post is more personal. It's a reaching back into roots and a tongue-in-cheek look at identifying with the place of one's upbringing.

I'm so North Dakota, my family plays whist on a Friday night... with "Report All Poaching" playing cards.

I'm so North Dakota, I attend Larimore Days, my tiny rural hometown's annual celebration. There's a parade, a softball tourney and a couple of street dances. We used to play mud volleyball but liability issues cancelled that; we'd have to duct-tape our feet to save them from sharp rocks in the mud.

I'm so North Dakota, I drink stout under the stairs during a tornado warning... and then drive into town the next day to survey the damage. (No one was hurt!)

I'm so North Dakota, I run through the splash park fully clothed with my brother and sister. We didn't have swimsuits along. And we were dry by the time we went out for dinner. Classy all around.

I'm so North Dakota, my pa is single-handedly building a little retirement cabin on the plains. It's pretty remote and you have to haul water, but he's decided to add a pit toilet now (thank goodness).

I'm so North Dakota, my family visits mammoth outdoors sporting stores together. Ma likes to check out kayak prices, Pa sees if dehydrated hiking food is on sale, BW peruses the boots and I take pictures of funny things like camouflage bikinis.

I'm so North Dakota, I pick fresh raspberries from the family patch. My dad has one of the wickedest raspberry gardens in the region, and my mom makes this unbelievable fresh raspberry coffee cake.

I'm so North Dakota, I eat Thai takeout with my best friend's grandma's chocolate chip cookies. And french fries smothered in cheese and bacon from Larson's Drive-In. And s'mores around a bonfire at my senior class president's house :)

I'm so North Dakota, I take pictures of cows. Moo. And grain elevators.

I'm so North Dakota, I whipped out handmade decorations and nosh for my ma's retirement party. We did a "journey" theme and had international foods, like the Czech chlebicky below.

Xx. Love you guys.