We celebrated Mom's birthday on the 3rd of July. I didn't have any brilliant ideas about what to get her, so we decided to abide by Abby's motto, "the best gift is made with your hands". We took this photo and made a little calendar for her refrigerator. It's actually pretty amazing we got a decent shot considering the persistent mosquitoes, cranky baby, and hyper five-year-old we confronted. Here are a few of our out takes:

The photos (excepting the last) were taking in one of our blooming canola fields. The last one is in a tall field of winter wheat. Some of it swallows Sarah right up.

We let Mom decide how to spend her day and she chose to visit the Ryan Dam on the Mighty Missouri. It is spectacular this year with the the river running high and strong.

There is an island right below the dam that affords spectacular views and a cooling mist that felt incredible on this hot day.

The park on the island was cool and shaded, so we plopped down on the grass and enjoyed some lazy time together talking and doing . . . acrobatics . . .?

Not bad for a couple of old men in their late thirties.

It was a great day. Happy Birthday Mom!