I love a good read or recipe or video! Here are links to some of the best things I’ve found on the web recently:

Give the Gift of Boredom @ 3 Things for Mom—I wish I’d read this at the beginning of the summer!

Give the gift of boredom. It’s in those seemingly “empty” spaces of time that creativity and imagination have room to grow and flourish.

Let Them See You Write @ the Allume blog—just wonderful, and I love the story about her grandfather.

He was just a small town man. But his words meant something to someone. And sometimes words are all we have.

How Do We Help Miley? @ Annie Blogs—our first instinct may be to shield our children, but really we need to pray for and speak love over this broken girl.

But in my heart, I don’t feel outrage. I’m very sad for her. When that performance was over, and she left the stage, the internet blew up with hatred and disgust [and I am not saying the internet shouldn’t feel that way]. Miley still washed her face last night and climbed into bed at some point and in that most honest moment right before she fell asleep, I wonder if she was sad. Or embarrassed. Or if she is so deep in the rabbit hole of this whole thing that she felt nothing.

Fiction Readers are Better People @ Rachelle Gardner—it’s only in the last few years that I’ve read non-fiction; fiction lovers will enjoy this!

I’m finally realizing that fiction has trained me to be curious about many kinds of people who are different from me, and to want to understand them.

Back-to-School Promises for Parents @ Susie Davis—there’s a lot of truth in this post for worried moms.

Don’t be alarmed at your child’s sin. I think that’s one of the most damaging things we can do as parents ~ act surprised and shocked at a child’s depravity. That just creates shame. Instead step in. Like God did in the garden. This is how we embrace biblical parenting. By looking at how God treats us. He wasn’t shocked or embarrassed. He was honest. Strong words. Enormous mercy. And creative provision.

Best Breakfast Potatoes Ever @ The Pioneer Woman Cooks
I made these Saturday night and couldn’t stop eating them out of the pan while I finished cooking everything else. They make a huge batch—even for our family—so we’re still enjoying the leftovers.

I’m a Words With Friends addict. I use the free edition, so I see an advertisement of some sort after each play. Usually I swat them away ASAP, but I’m hooked on this commercial from Nike and have watched it a ridiculous number of times. I even click replay and watch it twice in a row.

What can I say? It makes me strangely happy.

It’s abbreviated on WWF, but here’s the full version for your viewing pleasure:

Paging Dr Drain. Dr Drain. Dr Drain is calling for rain!

I really want to buy one of these Dr. Drain tees. Maybe my 11-year-old son would wear it. I recognize I might have a problem.

Can a butterfly sing?