The (hopefully) giant colossal North Dakota thread!

[thunderkitty]

I want everyone from North Dakota (who visits this site) to post here. Frankly I am sick and tired of there being 10 million bazillion threads asking if there are any other members from our state. Everyone from North Dakota is here by ordered by...well....ME...to post there name, location (city), and ages/gender of their children. If you want to give a little brief description of yourself or whatnot (like say.. what makes you crunchy) thats awesome too! Lets keep this baby rolling if we can to keep it at the top so people don't add new ones and let us lose track of each other again! We need as many North Dakotan, knefla soup eatin', sometimes transplanted newly Dakotans as we can get! Bring It On!! : I want this to be a place where new comers can go, look up (like a phone book kinda) anyone in the area with likeminded interests and add themselves (by my decree of course!) Thanks all you other fine ladies!

[thunderkitty]

Okay I will go first! I am a 21 yo. single mom in Bismarck to a 3 yo. DD and she is my solo currently. I am a full time student taking the summer off as this is being written. We EBF (extended breastfeed), co-sleep, may home-school when I am done with my own education, obviously didn't circ. but, also wouldn't with a son if I had one, we were veg. for over 2 years recently broke this but, may go back to it, & no longer vax but, did briefly after her birth before finding the glorious source of all things usefully pertaining to children... Mothering Magazine! Okay ladies your turns! ::yes I am left handed!)These are the things I will be doing while I wait for others to join me in my venture for a truly giant colossal guide of "kewl" north dakota mommas!Or should I say "mothering converts!"

[thriftyqueen]

I am a SAHM (mostly) mom in Minot. I have a 5 year old DS. I try to keep a chemical free home using mostly homemade cleaners, soaps, etc. I am in the beginning stages of natural living so it is one step at a time. We eat hormone free/vax free beef, chicken, eggs. Grow some organic produce and try to eat as organic as possible.

I am excited to see other posts!

[JaneSmith1010]

My name is Jen. I am married and have one ds who is 6 1/2 mo. I have a B.S. from Texas A&M in psych and am going to pursue my masters in midwifery soon. We will be in Minot for about 4 years at the AFB. I, and it looks like ds, have celiac disease. We eat organic produce, locally grown when possible and GF foods of course. I breastfeed and am currently a SAHM.
: : :

[morgansmum]

Edited by morgansmum - 2/15/11 at 4:00pm

[JaneSmith1010]

Originally Posted by morgansmum

I am living in Bismarck, ND. I have 2 DD's 2.5 years and 6 months. We breastfeed, cosleep, no CIO, don't vax, eat organic produce, dairy and meat (when available - I find we are quite limited here), all natural soaps, toothpaste, personal hygiene products, Natural and Eco friendly detergents and cleaners. We practice unconditional parenting which is trying at times but its a work in progess, learning all the time. Wooden Toys as much as possible, trying to limit the amount of plastics in the playroom. We Cloth diapered DD #1 for 18 months and DD#2 for 3 months but now use Seventh Generation diapers due to daycare. I am Lee-Ann 29 (soon to be 30 work full-time and DH was a SAHD with DD#1 and is now a PT SAHD with both. We have been blessed with finding an AP, non vaxing, no CIO, cosleeping, organic eating Daycare in Bismarck (what a blessing!)

I think its great to get all all the ND moms together here, I love reading of other like minded locals!

Forgot to add we love babywearing too

I should have included all that stuff too. We do much the same that you just listed. I am so happy that you found such a wonderful daycare. What kind of work do you do if I may ask?

[morgansmum]

I should have included all that stuff too. We do much the same that you just listed. I am so happy that you found such a wonderful daycare. What kind of work do you do if I may ask?

Sure you can - I am a Financial Director for an agency in town that serves people with Developemental Disabilites. I used to Direct the actual services we provided to adults and children with Developemental Disabliites but since having my second child and Dh going back to work a 9-5p works better.

Where will you be pursuing your degree in Midwifery?

[thunderkitty]

mogansmum my brother is mentally and physically handicapped, which agency are you with? We are currently using support systems...

[morgansmum]

mogansmum my brother is mentally and physically handicapped, which agency are you with? We are currently using support systems...

Hi kara - I emailed you as to not give to much specific info on an open message board

[JaneSmith1010]

Originally Posted by morgansmum

Sure you can - I am a Financial Director for an agency in town that serves people with Developemental Disabilites. I used to Direct the actual services we provided to adults and children with Developemental Disabliites but since having my second child and Dh going back to work a 9-5p works better.

Where will you be pursuing your degree in Midwifery?

I think I've settled on Midwives College of Utah. They have a good rep with some students I know, are degree granting and MEAC accredited. No fin aid though. I can do the distance ed and apprentice/precept in the local area (not in ND obviously, I'll have to relocate for that).:

[jljeppson]

Jen,
I love that school! I know we've talked about it before but I had to say it again. I'm in Fargo/Moorhead (actually Moorhead, but not all that many like minded MN moms live in the area so since I'm on the border I'm jumping in here). I'm a SAHM of 5 w/4 boys 9,7,5,3 and a 19mth old girl. I'm a trained doula and student midwife, though I've been on a very extended maternity leave and am just now getting back into things. 4 of my kiddos were home babies and 2 of those water babies. We love organic foods/items and are moving over to as much of it as we can afford. I'm very proactive when it comes to moms and babies rights, and am a member of NDBirthAction. Hopefully, we'll be drafting a bill soon that will protect our moms and midwives in ND.
Jen

[jillc512]

OK, me next - I'm in Fargo, 28, married to DH for 6 years, have two kiddos (3.5 and 1.5).

What makes us crunchy? We are EBF (just the little one), have been converted to CD by my crunchy playgroup, don't circ, don't vax, and want to homeschool (ok, just I want to HS, but DH will come around ). Oh, and I just mowed the lawn with our push mower and we only have one car (DH bikes to work most days, unless it's below zero).

Looking forward to the Fargo Marathon tomorrow!

[thunderkitty]

Originally Posted by jillc512

Looking forward to the Fargo Marathon tomorrow!

You go jillc, work out for me too will ya?! Just kidding...

[JaneSmith1010]

Originally Posted by jljeppson

Jen,
I love that school! I know we've talked about it before but I had to say it again. I'm in Fargo/Moorhead (actually Moorhead, but not all that many like minded MN moms live in the area so since I'm on the border I'm jumping in here). I'm a SAHM of 5 w/4 boys 9,7,5,3 and a 19mth old girl. I'm a trained doula and student midwife, though I've been on a very extended maternity leave and am just now getting back into things. 4 of my kiddos were home babies and 2 of those water babies. We love organic foods/items and are moving over to as much of it as we can afford. I'm very proactive when it comes to moms and babies rights, and am a member of NDBirthAction. Hopefully, we'll be drafting a bill soon that will protect our moms and midwives in ND.
Jen

Jen,
Yeah, I checked out the school after you mentioned it. I just don't know what to do about the hands on stuff!!! I've been waiting to see or hear back about the NDBirthAction too. I am just not sure how to move ahead with things. We need parent resources and education on birthing options. I have had to search high and low for that stuff! When I am a childbirth educator perhaps I can help out in that department. Anyway, it was good to hear from you!

[jillc512]

Originally Posted by thunderkitty

You go jillc, work out for me too will ya?! Just kidding...

Thunderkitty, I WISH I could run a marathon -- I'm only watching this year. We may, however, bike to a few spots to watch. That's something, right?

Oh, and DS is running in the kids' 1K. He probably could run the marathon!

[JaneSmith1010]

So, what kind of recreational activities can I expect to find when we get to ND? I would like to grow some food, what will I have to do for that? Greenhouse? Inside growing with a lamp? Does anyone know how Minot communities recieve "unorthodox" individuals with free-thinking ways?

[xanandali]

jillc512-

have been converted to CD by my crunchy playgroup

I might add that I hope I at least planted the seed for CDing prior to your crazy playgroup

I'm in West Fargo, 28, and have two kiddos 3 yrs and 4.5 mo. I'm not quite crunchy to say the least- more of a wannabe. I vax and had ds circ'd so totally NON-crunchy in that respect. But I also CD (well, part-time right now until I catch up with laundry!), BF, babywear, & co-sleep. We plan on homeschooling as well.

I might add that jillc512 was my WONDERFUL doula for my dd which resulted in a successful vbac. I did deliver in the hospital since my midwife was concerned about the VBAC risk at home, but left a few hours later and was definately looked at like I was some crazy lady for not staying. Oh, and yes, since I was at the hospital I did go for the drugs - again, not too crunchy for some stuff!!

[pookel]

Location: Bismarck
Family: Self-employed husband, 2yo son, baby due end of July
Job: News editor at the Tribune (yes, this means you can find out exactly who I am if you're internet-savvy, but please don't stalk me )
Crunchy factor: CD (part-time), cosleep (when Corbin is agreeable, which is ... sometimes), GD, plan to homeschool, will breastfeed new baby (had supply issues with Corbin)
Mainstream factor: Not really into natural foods/health - we vax, don't eat organics, etc. Will be a repeat c-sec mom (but not really by choice). My son has a fair share of blinky plastic toys : although he also loves his wooden trains and blocks and huge book collection.

I don't really know where to put myself in the "babywearing" category, because while I think it's cool, it did NOT work out with Corbin. We'll see how things go with the next baby. I still have a large sling collection sitting in a closet.

I know some "crunchy" moms in North Dakota IRL, but I don't think any of them are here on MDC. If Candace from Grand Forks is around, you know who I am, so PM me.

I would love to get together with some other moms in the area for a playgroup or something. Anyone in the Bismarck area (especially with toddlers) up for a meetup? There's an awesome park down on S. 3rd that we take Corbin down to sometimes. I work nights and we're sleeping in the mornings, but early evening Thursday or Friday, or a Saturday afternoon, would work really well for us.

[pookel]

Originally Posted by jhow32000

I would like to grow some food, what will I have to do for that? Greenhouse? Inside growing with a lamp?

You can grow food outside here! It's only cold in the winter!

The growing season is short and it tends to be hot and dry (watering is imperative), but certain types of food grow very well. Are you moving here soon? If it's past the end of June or so, it'll probably be too late to plant here for this year. I just put my seeds out last week; May is the normal planting season here.

Stuff that grows well in my garden: Potatoes, onions, corn, lettuce, peppers, radishes, turnips, carrots, rhubarb (like a weed!), asparagus. I have never gotten broccoli to survive. Apple trees do well around here, too; my in-laws pick tons of them every year. There should also be plenty of farmers' markets around in the summer and early fall.

[ranchchic]

I'm next I guess!
My location is in between Minot and Bismarck. I have a 2 yo ds and a 3 mo dd. I am just starting to get crunchy. We cd, bf, grow an organic garden, milk a cow, raise hormone free antibiotic free chicken, beef, pork and eggs. I do however have a gazillion plastic toys. We vaxed our first child up until 6 months and then did our research. Our second child has not been vaxed. It's VERY hard to be crunchy in a small town. I get many crazy looks that my children wear cloth. I'm not looking forward to the day when the town hears that our kids aren't vaxed. We will probably be driven out of the town!