Finding Beauty...

...in unexpected places.

I'm not big on diamonds, but I told Russ that if he could get a ring designed that looked something like this, I'd surely not complain. (He thought it would be leathal.)

Isn't it amazing what you see when you take the time to look closely?

Every cluster of leaves held a drop of water that looked like a diamond.

I took so many pictures. I couldn't help myself.

Where did I discover this incredible beauty?

On a nature hike in the mountains?

In a beautiful garden?

Or in the parking lot of a commercial truck driving school? Ding-ding-ding! We have a winner. Russ had work to do for a client (a truck driving school) hours from home. We decided to turn his work weekend into a family road trip adventure. If nothing else, the kids would get to stay in a hotel (a rare treat) and swim in the pool a couple times.

I was entertaining the boys in the parking lot while Russ worked on the computers. Doesn't this look like the perfect foot race set-up? Luke thought it sounded like a great idea.
But where was Levi?

And Leif? Mud puddles are much more thrilling.
Walking under the big truck trailers...even more exciting. (The trucks were parked. I promise. We were the only ones inside a locked, fenced area.)
Eventually we did get to spend some time walking through the historic Gold Rush town of Jacksonville.
All-in-all, we just spent time being a family. And that feels good. Ya know?