Friday Five Faves

It's been some weeks since I posted a Friday's Five Fave post. It's the middle of August and summer is winding to a heated and dry end. Here are five things that have blessed me in the previous weeks:

1. This summer my husband and I decided to purchase an annual pass to a local national park. We weren't really interested in the tourist aspects of the park, but instead liked the fact that with the pass we could visit anytime we wanted. Lately we've made Sunday evenings our family time when we go to the park and relax. Sometimes my husband spends the time capturing the rustic beauty of the natural surroundings with our camera while our daughter plays in the sand or tosses rocks into the river. Other times we explore the trails or just enjoy watching the sun set over the mountains. I love this time together as a family and look forward to each week.

2. Last week I posted a review of So Long Insecurity: You've Been A Bad Friend to Us by Beth Moore. This book was so much more than I initially expected it to be. It was one of the best books I read this summer and has really changed how I view myself and those around me. This book is on my top five list of books I regularly recommend to other readers and one I'd recommend to every woman I know. If you haven't read my review go do so right now!


3. I didn't take ballet as a child, but I appear to have a daughter who will. Right now everything is "princess" this or "ballerina" that. However I am especially thankful for the invention of little girl leotards, tutus, and ballet slippers as they seem to be the motivator behind my daughter's potty-training. Because of these items my daughter decided all of a sudden one day she was done with diapers. My baby girl is growing up, she's a little girl now and there's no going back! But I don't mind, so bring on the ballet!


4. It's summer, which means lots of fresh fruit and vegetables. For the last couple of summers I have gone berry picking and made my own jam. This year I took a pass as I still had several jars from last year. Instead I froze some fruit and made a few pies. The latest was an absolutely delicious golden peach pie. I've also been growing fresh herbs this summer. Our favorite has been the ever-abundant basil plant. A simple tomato, basil, mozzarella appetizer is excellent when served alongside grilled chicken or steak. I shall be sorry when this aspect of summer comes to an end.

5. This week I've had Come To Jesus, a song by Chris Rice running through my head. There were several variations of the song on YouTube, but I liked this one best:

Have a wonderful week's end.