NYC here we come

Tomorrow Levi and I are headed to NYC to watch his dad run the NY marathon on Sunday. Look for an update about the trip including pics soon!

A twist on McFadden Flats

A couple of weeks ago, we had a potluck lunch at work for boss's day. Our receptionist, Carolyn, made the main dish, which was a casserole she calls "McFadden Flats". It is a layered casserole that goes like this:

1 lb. ground beef on the bottom of the pan
one layer sliced bell pepper
one layer sliced onion
one layer sliced potatoes
salt and pepper
1 can tomato soup (+ can water)

Cook on 300/325 for several hours (6ish)

Last night Levi made the casserole with a little twist. Either way it's delicious, but since I'm picky I prefer the Levi way. He made it in the crockpot like this:

1 lb. ground beef on the bottom
sliced potatoes
baby carrots
salt and pepper
Daddy Hinkles meat marinade (the powdered part only)
1 can tomato soup (+ can water)

Cook on high 4 hours or so

Enjoy! This meal makes GREAT leftovers!

Corn Maze Fun

Last weekend Levi and I went to the corn maze in Shawnee with Korey, Crystal, Jeff and Haley. We went through the main maze, which was the Thunder logo cut into the corn field, and then we went through the Haunted Cornstalker Trail. We also got a free hay ride! It was a lot of fun despite the deep mud pits/rivers in the corn maze. Next year I won't be wearing my Ugg loafers! Here are some pics from the night:

 

Volpe Wedding + U2 Concert = Amazing Weekend

Sorry for the lag in posting recently. Last week was especially busy with a work trip to Tulsa and getting ready for our trip to Grapevine for the Volpe wedding. It was great to get away for the weekend and see our good friends get married. Chris was in our wedding, and Diana and I became friends when Levi and Chris lived together during the last 2 years of college. They're a great couple and we're so happy for them. Here are some pictures from the outdoor wedding at Cross Timbers Winery in Grapevine:

After we drove back from TX Sunday morning, we did a quick turn around and had Ann and Trent over for dinner before the U2 concert. I made a spaghetti lasagna, which turned out great and yielded plenty of leftovers for this week. You can find the recipe here: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Baked-Spaghetti/Detail.aspx (Linds you could probably sub olive oil for the eggs for Gray). The U2 concert was by far the best concert I've ever been to. The Black Eyed Peas opened for U2 and the concert was in the OU stadium, so we easily walked from our house. The "mother ship" stage was phenomenal and cost $40 million to build! Here are some pictures and videos from the night:

 

Pumpkin painting mess...I mean fun!

Levi and I had Grayson over today to paint pumpkins. As you might imagine, fingerpainting with a one-year-old little boy can turn out to be quite messy. We even had to throw his clothes and seat cover in the wash! Here are some pictures from the day:

More Big News

Levi took the CPAT (firefighter physical test) for a hiring list yesterday and he passed! Now any one (or several) of the 22 departments that use this list could be calling him for an interview soon. Thanks for the prayers. Now we wait....

The sweetest husband

In case you were wondering who the title refers to, that would be my husband, Levi. I came home to this today after work while Levi was at work:

Part of that note says "I tried to find a flower as beautiful as you, but I guess they just don't make 'em like they used to..."

I'm one lucky girl.

Crockpot Pork Chops

Since my sister Lindsay is the one who requested recipes on this blog, I like to try to incorporate recipes I know her family can eat. These days, that's getting complicated because (as you probably saw in a previous post) Grayson has an egg allergy and her husband, Mike, is allergic to turkey and chicken. Also, in an effort to escape beef and chicken recipes myself, I decided to try pork this week. Levi has always said he doesn't like pork, but I convinced him to try this recipe after telling him the ingredients. Surprisingly he liked it! He said it's the best "pork thing" he's ever had. 

If you like basil, garlic, oregano, etc., you should try this recipe! It was pretty good. http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Slow-Cooker-Pork-Chops-II/Detail.aspx

What is this thing called free time?

Lately I've had quite an abundance of free time. For about the last 15 years of my life I've been in school, which meant when I got home I would either have homework or band practice or private lessons, etc. Now that I have a full-time job that allows me to leave my work at work and I'm out of school so I have no homework, I've found myself wondering what to do in the evenings and on weekends, especially when Levi works, which is often.

Now don't get me wrong, I'm definitely enjoying free time opposed to the alternative. Levi and I have talked a lot lately about how being out of school is a lot less stressful than being in school. While this is great,  I need something to fill a healthy portion of the time without overloading myself. I don't want a commitment; just a hobby or two. You've probably noticed that I've taken up trying new recipes and baking, sometimes multiple times a week. I really enjoy this, but since Levi and I are just two people, I've found myself taking lots of baked goods to work and we're all gaining weight because of it.

When I had my fill of baking last week, I finally decided to go to the library to get a good book. I actually found two. I've really enjoyed reading the last few days, especially when it's in a bubble bath. So, I guess through all my boredom I've found a couple things to do, but sometimes I still find myself staring at the wall wondering what to do. Any fun, cheap ideas?

Grayson's Chocolate Cake

Last week, I made an eggless chocolate cake when I was looking for a way to use up marshmallows (I used them as icing). Then, later in the week, I learned that my nephew Grayson is showing signs of an egg allergy. I thought this would be the perfect cake for him. Unfortunately, I can't find the exact recipe I used, but here's one from allrecipes.com that got 4 stars and is very similar to the one I used, so you know it's got to be good! Enjoy! http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Eggless-Chocolate-Cake-II/Detail.aspx