Missing a little piece of Tennessee.

This post was going to be about how I had what I'm calling a pasta fest from the two main dishes I made for dinner last week. And how I was going to correlate it somehow with the Chili-Cook Off in Gatlinburg that my sisters, John, and Isaac and I went to in October of 2009. 

I was going to say that having the "pasta fest" reminded me of this very "chili fest" we went to three years ago.

I was going to insert pictures from the trip (which included zip-lining and chili-tasting and jacuzzi fun). BUT...I cannot find the pictures ANYWHERE. I'm ticked!

Isaac and I have come to the conclusion that their lives were taken at the hands of  the "Ol' Bessie" crash. i.e. Isaac's Mac book. I'm picturing these photos in my head, as we speak, envisioning that weekend and those nights like we were there yesterday: early morning coffee on the deck overlooking autumn trees, gliding across the peaks of the smoky mountain ropes, giggling up and down the town as we tried all the different kinds of chili and bounced from store to store to find perfect memorable sweatshirts.

As Isaac and I sit here now he tells me "they're on a CD somewhere."

"Did you label the CD, hun?" I said.

"No, I don't think so."

"Well where is it?" I probe.

"I dunno."

So that concludes my looking for them any further. At least for tonight.

What I WILL post are photos of that pasta extravaganza last week and a few other things. I don't know why I decided to make two pasta dishes in one week, but I did. Needless to say, I am a bit pasta'd out. Although I did make a mean baked ziti, as the photos of Levi smothering his face with it will tell.

 Baked Ziti

 Bath had called shortly after.

 Pepperoni Pasta Bake

 

We also had a lovely date night on Friday. Mom watched Levi so we could go out for a movie. It was our second one only, since Levi was born! My my my, does life change. We watched "Lincoln." It was a good history lesson for me, but I must admit I'd rather have watched a lighter movie, on a Friday night, for a date night I haven't had in months.

Daniel Day-Lewis was spectacular though.

Gosh Isaac looks tall. And we really look 30ish here. I'm holding on to my last four months of 20s until depression starts, though.

And lastly, I made two desserts: one last week and one today. 

I am now the "birthday person" at work, which means I have to provide the cards and "treat" for each person's birthday in our department as the time arises. 

I made a Caramel Glazed Applesauce Cake on Thursday night and it was a big hit! I was mad the caramel glaze didn't look the recipe picture though. In fact it doesn't even look like the CAKE! But at least it was moist.

And Libby's Pumpkin Roll...

As I finish this post, we have just come home a few hours ago from a membership class for church. We sat at the table at our pastor's home with other joining couples, investing in fellowship and drinking coffee.

What a great way to wrap up the weekend. And it's a short week ahead, folks. Woo-hoo!!