The Wannabe Catholic : 7 Quick Takes: Gardens, Milk, and the Best Chicken Ever

To help me get back into the post-baby blogging routine, I'm going to try something new! I'm linking up with Jenn at Conversion Diary for 7 Quick Takes Friday. And I'm doing it on a Saturday because I am a rebel like that. Basically, it is what it says: I write 7 short blurps about whatever I want. Random=me, so this should be fun. At least, it will be fun for me. It might make you want to run away and gouge your eyeballs out, who knows? Don't say I didn't warn you.

--- 1 ---

Newborn sounds are so wonderful. I forgot almost everything about what newborns are like, and all those adorable grunts, squeaks, sighs, and snorts were some of those things. I think God gave newborns the ability to make those sounds so that the cuteness factor overweighs the neediness factor. So when your newborn has been crying for hours and hours, and you're about to march right in and inform your husband that he needs to start wearing thick iron underwear with a lock and key because you are never, ever going to have another baby...at that moment, your baby decides to make a little squeak, and your heart melts and you forget (for a moment) about those hours of crying. I really do think newborn sounds are part of what has preserved the human race.

--- 2 ---

THIS.

When I first saw this, I was skeptical. I thought my laziness would far outweigh my desire to save every ounce of precious breastmilk that I could. But, without giving too many details that actually will make you want to gouge your eyes out, the leaking I was experiencing began to resemble the breastmilk flood of '93, and ain't nobody got time to do all the laundry after every single feeding. So I got this milk saver thingy, and I put it on the side that Mary is not nursing, and voila! The mess is gone, AND I save between 4-6 ounces every day! Laziness for the win!

--- 3 ---

Book I am currently reading: A Sinner's Guide to NFP by Simcha Fisher. If you are confused as to what NFP is, and are thinking "what the heck does that mean? Never Fish Plankton?" (Hey now, don't judge my acronym. I wrote this at 4am and it was the best thing my sleep deprived brain could come up with) then wander on over to Ye Old Blogge Post that explains NFP.

This, in my opinion, is one of the best books about NFP out there. It is hilarious, real, and doesn't sugar coat it. I actually LOL every 2-3 minutes when I read it. This sentence I think sums up the book: NFP: The worst method out there, except for every other method. People who use NFP to avoid pregnancy hate it...I mean, who wouldn't hate abstaining? Probably the same people who enjoy saying no a delicious chocolate shake. But they also love it at the same time. If NFP had a Facebook page, its relationship status would read "It's Complicated." This book acknowledges the very real struggles of NFP (in a hilarious way), while simultaneously explaining its benefits.

--- 4 ---

You absolutely must try this recipe! My mother in law made it for us last week and it is DELICIOUS. It's a simple roast chicken, and I know what you're thinking: "What's so exciting about roast chicken?" But you guys, the flavor in this chicken was UH MAY ZING. I was almost jealous that Mary would be tasting it later through my milk. Trust me on this one.

--- 5 ---

Visiting with out of town family is one of my favorite things, right up there with whiskers on kittens and warm woolen mittens. Yay for cousin time!

--- 6 ---

Plans for my garden next year: off the charts! The level of failure my garden this year has reached could possibly beat a world record. I planted corn, green beans, carrots, peppers, tomatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, potatoes, watermelon, cantaloupe, and pumpkins. What it has yielded: one tiny zucchini, two cucumbers, and lots of corn. Everything else is dead. So things are gonna be a-changing around these here parts. Stay tuned for the progress! For now, here's pitiful pictures of my mostly dead, weed filled garden: