Life Lately // Impromptu Photo Dump

Hi friends!! Just thought I'd hop on and share with y'all some of the fun pictures I've taken recently along with a few other random tidbits of life. Enjoy! 

My sister, Marah, and I have been taking walks almost daily. Between mushrooms and blooming flowers (to see what I'm referring to, scroll down to the next few photos), headphones, water puddles (don't ask >.<), and an old wooden bridge with a scenic view, we're enjoying this time together immensely.

A new book!!!! "Overcomer" is amazing, you guys, and soooooo worth the five+ stars. (Thanks, Lilly, for suggesting I read it! <3)

Special K., almond milk, and fresh (green) bananas. Yummm. 

Photo shoots with my sweet four-month-old sister, Ruby Jane. :)

I get to be a judge in Mrs. Marlow's Circle C writing contest!!!!!!!!!!!!! This has been my dream for the past three+ years, so I'm REALLY excited. :D :D :D

Book signing!!!!!!

Lots of rain . . .

Styling my sister's hair. :D

My sweet friend, Emma, brought me some fantabulous bookmail the other day. *all the heart eyes*

By the river! 

My amazing (somewhat organized) bookshelf!!

Sisters. <3 <3 <3

And . . . another scenic pic. ;)

Did you enjoy this impromptu photo dump? What was your favorite picture? Do you like your bananas ripe or green? Any books on my shelf that you recognize/own/want to read? Let's talk in the comments below! 

And the Winner Is . . .

I'm so excited to be announcing the winner to my fifty+ followers giveaway! I received a lot of entrants (and a total of over sixty entries!). Thanks to all of you for your enthusiastic support. I enjoyed reading every comment and raving over the brilliant ice cream flavors you guys chose. ;D This was super fun, and I hope to do it again sometime soon! (hmm, maybe when we reach one hundred followers?)

Okay, yes, I'm rambling, and I know y'all are eager to find out who won. Keep scrolling!

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The single blessed winner of the giveaway is . . . 

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REBEKAH ASHLEIGH!!!!

Congratulations, Rebekah! Please send your mailing address to my email (found in the comments below) ASAP. I can't wait to ship out your prizes! 

Thanks again to each one of you for helping celebrate this memorial occasion. For following along and making this whole thing possible. <3 Virtual ice cream and cake for everyone!

Blessings,

Ellen S. 

Fifty Followers + Giveaway!!!!!!!!!!!!!

IT'S HERE. The day of celebration, intense excitement, and plenty of confetti. 

And since we're partying online, there are NO social distancing rules or the need for goopy hand sanitizer or face masks. This area is completely safe and virus-free. ;D 

All are welcome to join the fun, so be sure to stick around for a while, leave a few comments, and enter the giveaway!

Oh, and in case you don't know why we're celebrating . . . 

Thanks to you guys, ELLEN'S MUSINGS OFFICIALLY REACHED FIFTY FOLLOWERS ON THURSDAY, JUNE 11TH, 2020.

*squeals* *bounces on toes* Is this amazing or what? Honestly, I feel so tickled. *grins* And, seeing as how the whole thing wouldn't be possible without all your encouragement and support, I think there's only one appropriate way to show my thanks . . . 

IT'S GIVEAWAY TIME.

(full image credit for this amazing graphic belongs to my sweet blogger/email friend, SawyerMarie)

So, what're the prizes, you ask? A . . . 

beautiful, handmade necklace 

AND

 a signed copy of The Whispers God Gives.

I'm so super excited about this and can't wait to see who'll be the single blessed recipient of these awesome goodies!! (and if you've already read The Whispers God Gives, you can always enter to win a copy for a friend. 😉) 

Alrighty, time for the rules! This giveaway runs from Wednesday, June 17, to Wednesday, June 24, and is open to USA residents only. There are four different ways to enter. You can  . . . 

❤Follow my blog (via either email or Blogger)

❤Comment below and tell me what flavor ice cream you like best ('cause, you know, even for those of us who have dairy sensitivities, a celebration is never complete without ice cream) 😉

❤Share this giveaway with a friend or on any social media site

AND/OR 

❤Review The Whispers God Gives on Amazon, your blog/IG/FB, or Goodreads. (for every one you do, you'll receive an extra entry.) 

Welp, that's it! Don't forget to comment and let me know how many entries I should credit you for. 😊 

Have fun and good luck!

Blessings,

Ellen S.

Book Review // A Perfect Gift for Homeschoolers

Hey guys!! I'm back with another fun review, this one for Miss Sarah Holman's amazing book, There Was Always Laughter In Our House. Enjoy!

BACK COVER SUMMARY:

What do you get when you mix two parents who grew up in the city, six kids who have always lived in the country, and add homeschooling? You get a whole lot of laughter!

Homeschool graduate and author Sarah Holman shares stories about her family that range from thought-provoking to side-splitting. She shares both hilarious mistakes and heartbreaking moments in her family. In this collection of stories, she endeavors to capture some of the answers to the questions people have often asked her about growing up in a conservative homeschool family as well as some of the wisdom she has gleaned along the way. Sarah invites you to open up this scrapbook of memories. She hopes that you come away encouraged, inspired…and laughing.

MY REVIEW:

Okay. So, um, WOW. This book was fantastic. I'm still recovering from the whirlwind of fun emotions it put me through.
Over the weekend, I downloaded the Kindle edition of "There Was Always Laughter In Our House" off Amazon and couldn't stop reading. Then, when I reluctantly reached the ending of this beautiful collection of stories, I did something I rarely do for any other book: I invested the money and ordered a paperback copy to keep on my shelf.
I absolutely love Sarah's writing style, her honesty as she deals with the joys and challenges many homeschoolers face, her love for the Lord that shines through every word she writes . . .
Oh, and holding a baby while doing school? #relatable (I DO have eight siblings, after all.)
There were points while reading when I laughed, and other points when tears stung my eyes. Times when I felt like I could SO relate with the author's experiences, and other times not so much.
This book really got me thinking, and made my heart swell with gratitude for the gift of being homeschooled. May I never take that privilege for granted.

Every homeschooler (be it a grad or student) needs to read this book. 5+ stars. :) 

Have you read this book? If so, what're your thoughts? 

If You've Read "The Whispers God Gives" . . .

Hey friends!! (I'm attempting to type this post on my phone with a squirmy four-month-old in one arm, so please excuse any typos you may find while reading . . . 😂)

If you've read and enjoyed my book, The Whispers God Gives, would you please consider leaving an honest review on Amazon? Reviews are a big help to this new author, and I'd appreciate your support so much. I know some of you have previously reviewed The Whispers God Gives on your blog and Goodreads, so THANK YOU. It's a huge blessing to me to see how God is using this devotional book in your lives. ❤

Thanks again, and I can't wait to hear your thoughts! 

Blessings,

Ellen S.

Liebster Award

Okay, now that all the blog tour and Q&A stuff are over, I decided it was time to go scrolling through the 190+ posts in my pesky draft section of the blog and decide what to tackle next. And what do you know? I stumbled upon an ancient post (about a month old) that I completely forgot to publish. >.< Emma tagged me for this award a while back. Thanks, lovely! (Emma has a fabulous blog, so be sure to check her out and give her a follow! :D)

THE RULES:

1). Thank the person who nominated you. 
2). Display your award

3). Answer the questions you were asked
4). Nominate 5 bloggers
5). Ask 6 new questions
6). Let your nominees know they were nominated.

Emma's questions:

What is something your mom does that makes you feel loved? Oh, soooooooo many things!! It's impossible to choose just one. :) She was with me every step of the way on my writing journey for The Whispers God Gives, offering her feedback and encouragement. Even now, she continues to endorse, influence, and remain my #1 fan. :D
In the morning, if I'm awake early enough, Mom will pop in my bedroom on her way downstairs to smile and say she loves me. During the day, she's there to answer my questions, offer her wise counseling, or just listen as I share my heart. And of course we can't forget the a.m.a.z.i.n.g. meals she makes for our large family! 
In the evening, when Mom and I are in our separate bathrooms brushing our teeth and getting ready for bed, we'll knock patterns on the wall to each other (and yes, we like to joke that the walls in this house are paper-thin. XD) 
Sorry not sorry, friends, but my mom is truly the best!! <3

What is your favorite natural phenomenon? Why? Hmmm, probably ice glaciers. Why? Because I had to look the word "phenomenon" up in the dictionary to answer this question, and the example they gave included ice glaciers. *laughs*

What are three of your quirkiest habits? Picking up things with my feet (literally, I can lift just about anything using only my toes . . . don't ask. it comes from years of practice), handling my favorite books with the utmost care (what? you do it too? great! maybe it's not such a quirky habit, then), and . . . hmm . . . not sure I have a third one. *shrugs*

What do you and ducks have in common? Uhhh, a love for fresh bread and cool water? :D

What do people overestimate/underestimate about you? Overestimate? The "nice" side of me. Contrary to what some people may be inclined to think as they read my well-written, organized, always-pointing-back-to-Christ posts and see my behavior outside the home, I'm a wretched sinner too. I mess up more times than I'd like to admit and struggle daily with anxiety, the need to surrender, patience, and self-control.
Underestimate? Just how much I care for any one particular person. I firmly believe that whoever God places in my path has a purpose in my life and I in theirs. I long to show them love and friendship in ways they've never experienced before. If I've met you, I'm not about to forget you. Virtual friends and blog viewers also have a special part of my heart. :)

Do you believe in penguins? (This is a very controversial topic, so please be thoughtful in your answer.) Well, sure, I believe that penguins exist!! I think they're extraordinary creatures, and I'd love to meet one in person someday. :)

This was a lot of fun!! Now, for my six questions . . . 

What's one thing your dad does that makes you feel loved?
Do you consider yourself a morning person?
Would you rather watch movies or TV shows (or neither)?
Can you describe to me one exciting moment of your life when you felt like you were walking on air?
If you had to change your name, what would you change it to, and why?
What's one book on your TBR that you absolutely can't WAIT to read?

I nominate:

Caleigh @ Caleigh's Random Thoughts
Caitlyn @ Flight of the Quill
Annika @ Annika Lorraine
Izzy @ Dappled Sunshine
Brooklyn @ Five Shekels
Rhoda, Lilly, Sarah Grace, & Elate (in the comments!)

. . . as well as anyone else who'd like to do this award, whether on their own blogs or in the comment section below. :D I look forward to reading everyone's answers!!

Blessings,

Ellen S.

Just because . . . here's a picture of one of the gorgeous roses I found while on my walk today. :)

p.s. Have you noticed that Ellen's Musings is officially six people away from fifty followers?? It seems so surreal. You guys are amazing! <3 And if you're stalking me right now and debating about pushing the "follow" button, allow me to give you a little extra incentive: fifty followers = another awesome giveaway. :)