I haven't felt like "ME" for so long I wonder if I'm even still in there.

For Documentation

My little girl, 4 years old, reminded me again tonight for like the 100th time,

"Mom, I sleep with my eyes open!"

when I told her to close her eyes and go to sleep. I think she really believes this is true. Perhaps it is, who am I to argue with a four year old?

Pumpkin Rolls

I don't have many absolutely Grrrrrreat recipes, but as I was engaged today in making my annual pumpkin rolls, I thought - "now this is one of my few awesome recipes", and so decided I'd share it with you all just in case you're dying for something that will become a tradition in your family. Seriously, there's not one single holiday occasion that this dessert isn't included in. And it's way easier than it might look - really. You know me, I'm just not that gifted in the kitchen.

Here goes:

Pumpkin Roll

Batter:
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 tsp lemon juice
2/3 cup pumpkin
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg
1 tsp ginger
½ tsp salt

Beat eggs for 5 minutes. Add sugar, lemon juice and pumpkin. Mix. Add dry ingredients and mix until wet. Line a 11”x16” jelly roll or cookie sheet with waxed paper sprayed with non-stick (this year I used thick tin foil but the non-stick is equally important - the tin foil is my favorite option so far). Pour batter onto paper and smooth until even right up to the edges. Bake at 375˚ for appx. 15 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Let cool.

Can you see how the cake is lifting from the tin foil? That is a very good sign - meaning it will separate from foil well as it rolls up.

Filling:

1 8oz pkg cream cheese

1 cup powdered sugar

4 Tbs. butter

1 tsp vanilla

For filling, cream all together in mixer.

Spread evenly over the top of the cooled cake. Starting at the short end (11” end), start rolling cake, removing paper as you roll. This can be tricky but the best way is to hold the foil/paper with both hands to start the first roll or two and then turn the whole thing around to face you and roll the whole thing as one piece with both hands trying to keep it uniform as you go. It sounds harder than it is! If you see cracking like you can see on my roll, just try to hold the crack together and roll over it. It happens occasionally but only slightly if you've non-sticked your paper really good.

When rolled up, cut off ends until smooth. Cut in half, and wrap in cellophane.

Makes appx. (2) 7” pumpkin rolls.

The Witches Are Better

SP, my mother and I hit Gardner Village this morning to check out the elves. It was a beautiful, and not too cold morning and we had a great time checking out all of the elf exhibits.


I'm not sure why but it seems like the witches are better. Perhaps it's the cooling weather and change of seasons, the anticipation of the first "holiday" of The Holidays, or that they are truly just better - but the elves left me feeling a little ...I don't know - wanting???

But, who can complain right? It's free to walk around and look at them, take some pictures and enjoy the fresh air. All in all, I'm glad Gardner Village does up their seasons so spectacularly.

Gardner Village in December

For my Utah readers...

There's lots of fun stuff happening at Gardner Village in December. We're headed there to check out the elves this week. They do them similar to the fashion that they arranged the witches at Halloween.

There's an elf scavenger hunt with a prize, photos with Santa, rides with Mrs. Claus, a cocoa party for kids and the list goes on. Go here to check out a list of fun stuff you can go do with your kids...or date-night!

Family Christmas

My side of the family usually does a get-together dinner a few weeks early each year to sort of get it out of the way. It sounds sort of bad but it works. We had the get-together last night. We went to Tuscany - a fairly nice Italian restaurant in Salt Lake. For the first time I was disappointed in our dinner.

We had a large group and I had specifically reserved a large round table. When we got there, we'd been inadvertently been booted for a larger party, and no one had called me. I made a stink about it of course and probably got some spit in my meal as a result. At least that's what The Marshmallow projected.

The calamari tasted like undercooked fries. The menu didn't have a great deal of selection.

However, the sea bass was incredible! And that was the highpoint.

On another note, I'm sick now for like the 4th day in a row. I think it is now officially bronchitis - I get it very easily. A tiny little cold inevitably goes straight to my lungs, and the asthma didn't help me a bit. I'm probably on the tail end of it which is good because my weeks are busy and right now being pregnant is all I can really handle.

Sorry no pics of our family dinner - I was lazy.

Decorating Christmas

This was the first year SP actually was able to put decorations on the tree herself. The Marshmallow put the hooks on, and SP toted them to the tree and hung them wherever she wanted.

Let's just say the tree was a little bottom-heavy. I only moved a few of them because I think it's adorable and very personal. I love the way her tongue stuck out whenever she was really concentrating on putting the ornament in the exact place.

An Un-made Bed

Why does an un-made bed look so much more appealing than a made bed? I typically always make my bed but on days like today when I don't, if I so much as glimpse the blankets and pillows in mass array, it's like an invitation for more coziness - something I can hardly resist.

Am I the only one who feels like this about their un-made bed?

Homemade Ice Cream: I'm a Hero

We had a little Family Home Evening time ... this afternoon mainly because I've been procrastinating and finally decided I shouldn't put it off anymore.

Our activity at the end was homemade ice cream, something I've never done before. But it was a lot of fun and a huge success. We made Oreo ice cream and it seriously came out just like one of those Oreo Frosty's at Wendy's or McDonald's. It was so yummy!

So What? I'm Easily Distracted

So, where have I been lately that's caused me not to blog? Scrabbling. I'm a hopeless junkie and have been for years.

When I graduated from the U of U, I got my first Scrabble board game from my older sister, Renee, and even though I'd always loved the game, I was soon completely addicted, and could be found playing against myself (you know, rotating the board each turn just to have an opponent). Since then I've purchased several software versions. And, for the past two weeks, I've been scrabbling each night, late into the night, against the computer (and might I add, beating Mavin every single time!)

I'm ready to branch out though, I think. I know there are tons of on-line games going on all of the time where you can play actual people! People that actually WANT to play Scrabble, and don't just feel coerced into playing because I'm begging and crying. No one in my life likes to play except my little sister and since she lives in Idaho, I don't get to play her much. I thought that since she was an English major, she'd have kicked my butt - but no. I'd been practicing! I'm not sure she'd play me anymore though. I hope so!

So, if anyone out there is up for a great game of Scrabble and would like to play against me (a player who can sort of hold her own), then I welcome you to an online game - anytime!