7 Quick Takes Friday

It's been a super long time since I've done a quick takes, and I needed something to blog about today so.... here it goes.

1.

The only retreat I've ever been on was a silent all women's retreat.  It was a beautiful experience, and I loved the silence and the freedom to be alone and not have to talk to anyone.  This weekend I'm going on a different kind of retreat - co-ed and not silent. I'm not quite sure what to expect, but I've heard from my friends who have gone before that it's an awesome experience, so I'm excited!

2. 

And don't worry!  I have prepared for my absence by scheduling a post for tomorrow.  Did you really think I would let you suffer through a day without my beautiful writing?  It's all taken care of!

3.

I was looking through my Pinterest board for dinner ideas and came across this invaluable recipe.  I simply must share it with you... I don't know how I ever managed without it!  So HERE YOU GO.  Oh, and make sure you read the comments.  There are many helpful and insightful ideas that you simply can't miss.

4.

Last night was my turn to make dinner and, as things had gotten moved around, I found myself with porkchops and no recipe assigned to them.  I didn't feel like digging through the porkchop recipes or doing something boring like barbecue sauce or breading and baking them.  So, I threw some spices into a bowl (salt, pepper, rosemary and orange peel - no specific measurements), dipped the porkchops in the spices, put them in a baking dish, poured pineapple juice and pineapple chunks over them and baked them in the oven.  It actually turned out pretty good!  Next time I'd go a little lighter on the pepper (my family isn't a spicy pepper family), but otherwise it was a hit!  Goes well with Hawaiian rolls.

5.

Have you ever wondered with a conversation with a child might sound like if you were having them with another adult?  This dad wondered that question and ended up starting the Convos with my 2 Year Old series on YouTube.  Now you know.

6.

So after hearing a few suspicious noises while sitting in our family room, we figured out that there is a nest of birds living in our chimney.  Probably living on top of the flu door or whatever that thing is that goes across to keep the draft out.  Hopefully they'll be able to fly out of there once they are old enough to fly and won't end up getting stuck and dying in there.

7.

I don't even know what is up with the weather.  Last week was in the upper 90s and low 100s... and of course our air conditioning was still broken.  It finally, on the third try, got fixed this past Monday and since then it's been in the 70s and we haven't needed it.  Today a few of us are even in sweaters and socks walking around the house.  I give up already.