For those of you who've never been to North Dakota (and I would guess that's 99% of the population), it really is a beautiful place - especially in the summertime. The trees and grass and shrubs are such a brilliant green that it almost hurts your eyes, the river sparkles as it winds its way through town, and the sunsets are stunning, often lasting until after 10:00 p.m. Sure, there are enough mosquitoes to carry off small children, but dragonflies fill the air to feed on the pests, which (to a 5-year-old at least) looks like a sky filled with fairies.We've often said that if it weren't for the cold and the remoteness of the place, we'd be happy to stay here forever. So if you're looking for a beautiful and peaceful escape, give North Dakota a try! In the summertime at least...
Some of the things we love about our town in the summer:
The weekly Farmer's Market. It's no Pike Place Market, but at the same time it has a fun, small-town community feel. There's live music, fresh bread, and soon there will be lots of fresh produce. It's fun to see people you know selling things, and the kids LOVE that they get free sno-cones from our friends from church. Thanks, Nate and Carly! Here the kids are enjoying their treat while the band plays behind them.
The Spray Parks: Somehow it seems so much easier than the pool - plus they're free. Although Haley and Jake rarely get soaked, they get wet enough to cool off and 
have a great time running around.
The miles of trails along the river: I love these views! Just a few blocks from our house we can access miles and miles of river trails - it's my favorite place to run and ride and walk with the kids.
The storms: we've had several good ones so far this year, including one sighted tornado in town last month. A few weeks ago we got this hail - the kids had a great time playing with it.
The parks: We're very fortunate to have so many great parks in town! This pic is of Haley and Jake at "School-Kids Park" (Kelly Elementary) down the street from us - it's one of their favorite places to play.
