can you just melt? golden hour friday faves

some letters for friday
{anyone feeling like grilling?}

write your own faves and link below

dear summer,

thank you for warm nights

and beautiful light

and time to just spend outside with family

enjoying each other's company in the backyard.

dear grace and samuel,

my momma's heart

melts when I see pictures like this.

{and samuel I'm still chuckling over your funny center part}

Love. Love. Love.

dear emma,

i love you like you were my own daughter

i am so grateful for all the time that your mom

lets you come over to my house and visit.

you are a dear

and quite adorable if I say so myself.

dear joy,

That is what this picture 

of Gracie and Samuel 

spinning in the late evening sun

brings to my heart.

dear golden hour + baby emma,

your light is amazing.

absolutely amazing,

thank you for coming around every single day

and emma, sweet emma,

thank you for being my neighbor

and visiting me every single day.

dear elijah,

stop being so cute.

the end.

dear mosquitoes,

{you don't get a picture}

several weeks ago I told you that I don't really like you.

Well, this week I'm telling you I REALLY don't like you.

I'd like to be able to be outside for more than 19.34 seconds before getting bit up.

You may leave.

And leave Elijah alone.

dear outdoors,

we are so thankful for 

green grass

and for space for

all of our backyard toys

where Elijah and Samuel and Caleb and Brennan

 can play.

dear master books,

thank you for making beautiful products 

{like The Complete Zoo Adventure}

that our family loves greatly.

And thank you for your dedication 

and teaching the truth.

dear master books {again},

just a couple more pictures

how could I not share?

dear circle of moms,

thank you for publishing my article

the supermom fallacy

and thank you for the honor of being one of the

top 25 Moms of Teens Blogger.

and thank you all for voting for me.

dear grace,

you are adorable {and old}

holding that sweet emma

that we all love dearly.

dear samuel,

of course I absolutely had to end by sharing one more picture

of you wearing Chloe's cool yellow sunglasses

in the back of the car before we left to go to Grandma's house.

You are way too cool.

and that?

those pics are this weeks 

friday favorite things.

How about you? What are your favorite things?
To join Friday Favorite Things - and I hope you do - it's intentional gratitude
1.Write your own post or link a favorite post from the week
2. Grab the button or link back here {thank you}
3. Add your link below and join the favorite things on Friday fun.
4. Take a minute to visit those around and build community. #fridayfaves

<br /> <br /> <a href="http://rachelmariemartin.blogspot.com/search/label/friday%20favorite%20things"><img vspace="none" hspace="none" alt="friday favorite things | finding joy" src="http://i617.photobucket.com/albums/tt255/ElvishAuthoress/fridayfavoritethings.png" /></a>

wacky world & wonderful globe - review & giveaway

This month, for Moms of Master Books, Our family was blessed to review two items -- the book The Day the World Went Wacky by Janine Suter and a 60 Piece 3D Puzzle Globe.

First -- this excellent book, The Day the World Went Wacky, is a creative telling of the Fall and then redemption found through Jesus. It starts off with a little boy at the dentist wondering why bad things happen. And, let me tell you, I get that question. There have been times in my own life where, I too, have pondered the hard parts of life. In fact, just this morning Caleb, who is reading the book above, asked us why Samuel had to have Celiac. We both told him to remember the book The Day the World Went Wacky and how this world is not perfect, and that there is sin, and because of that there are hard things. Like Celiac Disease.

It goes on to retell the story of the Fall but then leads to Jesus and why we need Jesus in our lives. My kids greatly enjoyed the book and I love how it begins with the simple question of why there is bad in the world and ends with how Jesus saved us. Praise to Him!

Second -- this globe. Which my kids begged and begged and begged to put together. Chloe finally won, after, of course, I was able to snap some obligatory pictures of the box. This is a heavy duty globe. I was concerned because it was a puzzle, but let me tell you it is DURABLE. My boys just might have played catch in the living room in the middle of winter with that globe.

Isn't that puzzle awesome? Love the precision in which it's to be created -- which is a beautiful example of how our world was created by the Lord. Now, it takes a bit of work to put it together, but once it's done -- amazing!

On to the giveaway. There will be two winners -- one winner will get the book The Day the World Went Wacky and the other will receive the Puzzle Globe. I will draw the winner for the book first followed by the globe using Rafflecopter which utilizes random.org. To enter - simply fill out the rafflecopter entry system below. Also, for other chances to win, make sure to attend the Master Book's twitter party on Tuesday, February 21 at 8pm CST. Make sure to follow @MasterBooks4U and @mamahall and use the hashtag #TeachtheTruth . Good luck, friends!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: I received The Day the World Went Wacky and Puzzle Globe from New Leaf Publishing for an honest review. I did not receive any other compensation.

the world of animals

Every month my family is blessed to review a new book via Moms of Master Books. This last month? We received The World of Animals -- a lovely, information filled, and soon to be a very well-used book.

The World of Animals is a huge reference book filled with beautiful pictures and descriptions about animals found in God's wonderful creation. Best part? It is based on the Bible and lines up with Biblical teaching.

Since Samuel loves the movie Finding Nemo {we have a love of the word finding in our home apparently} he spent a great deal of his time looking at the pages covering fish. And oh my, there are so many different species of fish! I am thankful that I live above the sea. I'm just saying -- I read about all those creatures down there to Samuel. I prefer the land. ;)

All of my children love looking through this book and I know that we will be using it for years to come. It's one of those books that you just always keep ready -- because you know it will be read.

Want to win your own copy of The World of Animals? Make sure to join the Teach the Truth Twitter Party on January 17 at 8pm CST. {Never been to a twitter party? They're easy and fun. I'll be there...and I can help.} Make sure to follow @MasterBooks4U and @MamaHall and use the hashtag #teachthetruth. And, as an added bonus, I'll be giving away a copy of The World of Animals {a $24.95 value} on January 19 along with the other Moms of Master Books Reviewers.

disclosure - I was given a copy of The World of Animals to review in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own. No other compensation was given.

A is for Adam... and for Amazing. a review

Last week, when the UPS man (or fedex) actually stopped at my house we were blessed to receive this great book from Master Books:

A is for Adam by Ken and Mally Hamm 

I know it's amazing because the kids have read it so much that now it doesn't look brand new --and that's good -- it's a book that needs to be read. I should have snapped pictures when I took it out of that lovely brown box, but no, oh no, I decided instead (which was the RIGHT choice) to sit down and read the first page with my kiddos. And that first page led me to reading the next page, and the next page, and then before you knew it kids were emerging from all over the house and sitting around me as I read the book to them.

The book can stand up like an easel and on one side is the verse with a great picture and on the back are questions and ideas to reinforce the truth. All of my kids were asking me to read the next question and each are trying to memorize the verses of poetry that tell the Gospel story.

Now, I know you want a copy, right? Perfect Christmas gift. You can get one, and can interact with some more fun bloggers and reviewers for the Moms of Master Books review team by joining a twitter party on December 13 at 3pm est. I know, twitter party, right? But, seriously, they can be super fun and you can learn a great deal, and can leave with a brand new book to bless either you or one of your loved ones. And this book? It's one that will bless your family -- we read it everyday right now.

Want to join?

 Here's the details:

  Master Books twitter party 

use the  #teachthetruth  hashtag

 December 13th at 3pm EST.

 Make sure to be there

 and you could win your own copy of 

{they're giving away five copies}

 A is for Adam 

Also make sure to follow all these great gals (and my friends) on twitter to learn more about Moms of Master Books. Make sure to follow @masterbooks4u and

Eryn @mamahall - Stef @StefLayton - Gretta @TheJohnsFamily

Ashley @apichea - Stephanie @Bowmania - Haelie @Decide2day

Tracy @tzdelar - Stephanie @MomKaboodle - Karen: @faithfamilyfibr

Aurie: @AurieGood - Rachel: @finding_joy - Jules: @mommyramblings

Heather: @Sprittibee - Rebecca: @momsmustardseed

Disclaimer: I received this book as part of the Mom's of Master Books Reviewer Program. All opinions expressed are completely my own.