Appreciating the Beauty

This past weekend my family & I went to a wedding up in the mountains northeast of Phoenix, Arizona. It was such a blessing to be a part of a good friend's special day and to get out of the oppressive heat for at least one day! The wedding was sweet & beautiful (and I was the photographer!!), the weather amazing and the setting was absolutely gorgeous.

The best part for me was getting to spend some time with my husband and son away from all of the trappings of everyday life. Getting to go somewhere new...getting to spend time with friends (friends we know enough to call family)...and enjoying the beauty that is the state of Arizona.

Sometimes living here in the Phoenix Metro area we forget how amazingly beautiful the state of Arizona is. It offers so much contrasting scenery from the green trees and grass up north, the red rocks of Sedona, the wondrous Grand Canyon to the cactus and desert. I truly am blessed to live in such a place of beauty! On our way back from the wedding I had my husband stop the car so that I could capture it to share.

The first two photos were along the Salt River northeast of Phoenix. We were surprised with how green everything still was, especially since it has been so very, very hot this summer! The last photo is more near Saguaro Lake, also northeast of Phoenix. Isn't it just breathtaking?!?