The Best Pumpkin Cookies

Hands down these are the best pumpkin cookies EVER!  The frosting makes these cookies the bomb.  You've got to make these this weekend.  They will be your new favorites - I promise!  My sister-in-law gave me this recipe years ago, and I can't get enough of them.

Pumpkin Cookies

• 1 cup butter
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt

Cream sugars and butter.  Add pumpkin, egg, and vanilla.  Add remaining ingredients.  Drop spoonfuls onto non-greased cookie sheet.  Cook at 350* for 10 to 12 minutes.

Frosting:

Boil 3 TBLS butter and 1/2 cup brown sugar until mostly smooth. (Approx. 2 to 3 min.)  Cool and add 1/4 cup milk and 2 cups powdered sugar or until desired consistency, and whip with hand mixer until smooth. Spread onto cookies.

Jakelle's Birthday Cake

I love the zebra print on this cake!  I was worried how it would turn out as I cut out each zebra stripe by hand, and because I had never done an animal print before -  but I really like it!

Chowder anyone?

What is it about traveling with your kids and throw up? It seems you can't have one without the other.
Today we enjoyed the sights at the Wharf and Pier 39. We had clam chowder in a sour dough bread bowl for lunch, Ghirardelli's chocolate for dessert, and sour dough pizza for dinner.

Around 10 pm this evening, Jeff and I got to enjoy all this lovely food yet again via our son Nathan. The children were all asleep, Jeff and I begin to doze off, when all of the sudden - BAM!! You guessed it. Throw up all over the bed, the bed spread, the floor, the pj's, the chair, and the sink in the bathroom.

I don't think I will ever enjoy another bowl of chowder again - really.

• Flight for 5 with frequent flyer miles - $50 in security fees
• Nice hotel room on fisherman's wharf - $150 a night
• Tossing the vomit stained sheets into the hallway to be hauled away by housekeeping, who then came and re-maid the beds with clean sheets and blankets - priceless
  
  

SSSHHHHHHH!

The kids have a half day of school today to kick off fall break - one whole week of no school.  When they get home at noon, they will be told to pack their bags - but they won't be told where we are going.  They will have to figure that out when we get to the airport.

One week in San Francisco - no rental car (cable cars only).  Alcatraz island, Pier 39, Fisherman's Wharf, Golden Gate Bridge, Lombard Street, and China town are all on the menu!

I am so giddy I can hardly contain my excitement.  I love surprises and this one is going to be so much fun!  

I hope I can keep my mouth shut until then!  Yippee!

Rusty the Kleenix

Nathan and I took Rusty the dog for a walk yesterday.  I love these one on one moments with my kids.  It's a great time to really get to know them and understand their world better.

Nathan insisted he hold the leash.  I looked at him as he proudly walked his dog.  "Nathan, you don't love that dog do you?" I asked.

"Of course I love him mom, he licks my boogers when my nose is runny".  

And there you have it.

If only

If only I had more time in the day, I would spend it making these spooky cake pops.  I really want to make these - but when?  Plus, then I would have to eat them and that wouldn't be good for the thighs.  I will just keep looking at them and wishing.

If back then, why not now?

When I was first married and living in a small apartment, I made friends with my neighbor, also a newly wed.  She discovered that I was of the mormon faith and was extremely bothered by it.  One day she pulled me aside and asked me a question.  "Melissa, if I were about to walk off a cliff and didn't know it, would you stop me?"  "Of course I would stop you" I told her.  "Well, Melissa, you are headed off a cliff with your religion, and I feel like I need to stop you".

I was so taken back by her comment, I really didn't know how to respond.  She proceeded to tell me that there was no prophet of God on the earth today.   I don't exactly remember the details of our conversation after that, but I do remember that I didn't have the courage to respond the her the way I wished I would have.

It has always bothered me that I didn't ask her a question in return.  Why would God call prophets and apostles in the olden days but not today?  Where in the scriptures does it say that God will never again have a prophet on the earth?

I believe that God has not forsaken His people.  I believe that he has called a living prophet in our day and time.  That is how it was in the scriptures, why not now?   Were not the prophets of old scorned and mocked by the people?  Were they not ridiculed and made fun of.  Christ himself was mocked and scorned by those who did not believe.

I have the rare opportunity this weekend to attend a general meeting of my church, where the prophet and his 12 apostles will speak the good word of God.  If you are not familiar with the mormon religion, you might be surprised by the quiet natures of these men.  They are not dressed in the latest fashion, they make no money for their service, and they don't wave their hands in the air and heal people on the spot.

But if you listen closely, you will feel the power in their words.  If you open your heart you will be touched by the love God still has for His people on the earth today. 

So to my friend out there, I am sorry if you think I am headed off a cliff.  But I wish you could know as I do, that there really is a living prophet.  He speaks the will of God to the people.  I am so grateful to have this knowledge in times such as these.  I know in my heart these things are true. And so to all the world out there - I pray you also will find the truth that you seek in your life.

If you are curious about the idea of a prophet, click here and decide for yourself.