7 Hot Quick Takes

---1---

Do you know that it takes far more time choose which knitting projects to take on vacation than to pack your clothes?  You have to carefully weigh your possible moods, yarn stash, and patterns to decide what to take.  And then you have to choose several for every eventuality.

And then there is the possibility that you might not knit at all...

---2---

I cant't wait to see my sweet girl home from almost a month in Spain and Italy! She has had the trip of a lifetime, justing traveling around with one of her best friends from high school.

---3---

Even though I just did the Total Consecration to Jesus Through Mary on the feast of the Annunciation, I'm starting it again. This time I am using the book 33 Days to Morning Glory by Fr. Michael Gaitley. I'm looking forward to it as it's simpler and should help a simple, uncomplicated soul like me understand it better. I'll let you know how it goes! If you have done it, please share your experiences!

---4---

Yesterday was Pete's 19th birthday, and the only thing he asked for was BBQ for dinner! What do you do when a kid doesn't "want" anything? So, Hubs found a BBQ place on the Internet that was supposed to be really good. We drove quite a long ways to get there, passing another place that smelled great, and when we arrived, it was just a shack on the corner of country intersection! We debated for a moment, but then decided to be adventurous, and ordered a huge family meal. They stay open until they sell out every day, and they closed up shop right after us!

The only place to "dine" was back at the house or the "picnic table" made of flats and 8 tree stumps! We went for the tree stumps, and proceeded to gorge ourselves on the best ribs, beef, and pork ever. The cole slaw was good, and the beans were pretty amazing. They weren't your typical baked beans, but they were spicy and different. They didn't provide anything except napkins and plastic forks, so we used paper bags for placemats and ate with our fingers, passing around the containers of slaw and beans. It was a ridiculous orgy of eating! We had a great time!

---5---

I read Valerie Bertinelli's memoir, Losing It this week. I don't know why I bother with celebrity memoirs! I feel as if I sort of grew up with her, so that's why I was interested, but they (the celebs) never fail to disappoint. It's just so tawdry to read about how they sleep with everyone with no concern for anything but how they feel in the moment. I would hate to think of any of my children in that line of work and surrounded by that hedonistic lifestyle! I can't help but think of Brad Pitt and his poor mom.

---6---

On the flip side, there has been a lot in the Catholic blogosphere lately about sex within marriage which is encouraging. I'm very excited about the new 1flesh.org website which is full of great information that doesn't preach the religious angle. Check that out if you haven't already!

---7---

I'll be packing my baby off to summer camp Monday morning. I'm not going with her this year, which makes me kind of sad. Not because I think she needs me (one of our good friends will be there with her daughter), but because it is surprisingly fun and relaxing to work and sweat in the heat all day every day! I'm sure I'll have plenty of fun at home. There is always plenty of work and sweating to be had there!

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Join the fun at Jen's for more 7 Quick Takes!

Cute pic of the kids after our chocolate factory tour. Fun AND delicious! You can see me in the window sporting the dress that I made and was stitching in the car. That was in Saturday's post. No link because blogging on the iPad is ridiculously painful. I'm surprised this one has any formatting at all! (does that count as an 8th take?)