Friday Favorite Five

My current favorite music (Brahms is the best - especially his piano quintet) sets the tone for my Friday Favorite Five!

1)  Aaron recently discovered an article that cites scientific research supporting what our family has repeatedly found to be true:  reading aloud with your children is good for the brain as well as good for the heart.

2)  For summertime, I found that Neutrogena's pink grapefruit facial wash and moisturizer makes me happy!  I know this product is targeted for teenagers, but it's perfect for this mama (and it smells great).

3)  From A Life Overseas blog, this article about needing each other:  "I learn who I am by spending time with people. I need people to know who I am; I need people around me so that I can grow; I need people so that I can identify my strengths and weaknesses.  To be able to answer, ‘who am I?’ I need to rub shoulders with people from different cultures, backgrounds and with different interests. Here is one guarantee in life: No matter how weird people are, you will always grow in who you are, and who you are supposed to be, when you spend time with new people."

4)  When Aaron and I snuck away for a few days last week, I wanted to pack some treats, things I wouldn't normally buy to make our retreat a little bit more special.  I love these Kind minis for their taste, their ingredients, and their calorie content.  Just right :-)

5)  Growing healthy marriages has really been on my heart for the last year or two, partially because I know that our marriage takes a TON of hard work, and every bit is worth it, and partially because I've watched so many marriages around me either dissolve or just settle into a miserable stalemate.  I'm always looking for tools to keep in our "marriage toolbox" in active pursuit of keeping our marriage strong, and I recently stumbled across Fierce Marriage.  With a blog full of articles, a podcast with meaningful discussions, and a focus on God's Word, I'm grateful for this new weapon in our fight for a strong marriage.