Yum, it's pumpkin time!

I am NOT a morning person.  I have been habitually late this summer to work, yet Friday I learned why it may be nice to be on-time.  I raced Abby to school, we barely made it, but we did.  After I dropped her off, I looked at my clock and I still had 10 minutes to get to work.  Since I only work 3 minutes from Abby's school, I decided to go and get some breakfast.  I splurged on an Einstein bagel.  It was pumpkin.  As I bit into it, I felt the heavens open and angels singing "Ahhhhhhhhhhh".  Yes it was THAT good.  Once again I am benefiting from my favorite part of the year, fall.  I know, I know, yesterday was 98 degrees, today won't be any cooler but in the retail world, it's officially fall!  The pumpkin cavalry has come to save the day!  The pumpkin shakes, pumpkin rolls, pumpkin pie, pumpkin chai, pumpkin bread, pumpkin cookies, and pumpkin cheesecake will carry me through the rest of the summer, where soon I will be able to walk outside and feel the crispness of the air on my cheeks and layer my clothing to my hearts content!

Here is one of my favorite pumpkin recipes:

Libby's® Pumpkin Roll with Cream Cheese Filling

By: Libby's® 

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup powdered sugar (to sprinkle on towel)
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2/3 cup LIBBY'S® 100% Pure Pumpkin
• 1 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
• 6 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar (optional)

Directions 

PREHEAT oven to 375 degrees F. Grease 15 x 10-inch jelly-roll pan; line with wax paper. Grease and flour paper. Sprinkle towel with powdered sugar.

1. COMBINE flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt in small bowl. Beat eggs and sugar in large mixer bowl until thick. Beat in pumpkin. Stir in flour mixture. Spread evenly into prepared pan. Sprinkle with nuts.
2. BAKE for 13 to 15 minutes or until top of cake springs back when touched. Immediately loosen and turn cake onto prepared towel. Carefully peel off paper. Roll up cake and towel together, starting with narrow end. Cool on wire rack.
3. BEAT cream cheese, powdered sugar, butter and vanilla extract in small mixer bowl until smooth. Carefully unroll cake; remove towel. Spread cream cheese mixture over cake. Reroll cake. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least one hour. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving, if desired.

A Sigh of Relief!

I will tell you, I was worried!  Last year during Abby's IEP meeting, it was determined by the "experts" that she should take kindergarten over.  I didn't like that at all, their reason was even though she was the highest achieving student in the USDB kindergarten program (Utah School for the Deaf and Blind) at Mill Creek Elementary, they thought she was a bit immature and young to move up.  (She missed the cut-off date by two days)  We agreed that she would go to kindergarten in the morning and 1st grade in the afternoon. 

Two weeks before school started, I went into Abby's school to confirm the prior meeting's agenda for her.  I spoke with the new principal who did not attend the meeting in May.  She sounded like it was a go but had to check with Student Services before moving forward.  To make a long story short, Abby was placed in 1st grade.

Here comes the apprehension...  In my conversations with neighbors, other teachers, and family they all expressed concern that she was moving forward and not ready to be main-streamed.  My reasoning was that I wanted her challenged and not feeling bored at school.  She had friends going to kindergarten AND 1st grade so I wasn't worried that way.  I feel like Abby's challenge is expressing herself.  She still is hard to understand at times and worried that meeting new friends would be a struggle.

Last night we went to "Parent Teacher Night".  I had requested Mrs Zakowski because neighbors said she was the best.  She told us that Abby is fitting in beautifully.  She is academically where she needs to be and hasn't had problems finding friends in class.  We also found out that she has a sister who is deaf.  Finding people who know the deaf world and their hardships are rare.  Mrs Z knows first hand all about it!

Mrs Z told a funny story about Abby; Wednesday morning she dressed in a skirt and top.  She accessoried with a fur vest.  The classroom was very warm (no air).  Abby took it off during class.  In the afternoon, the warmest part of the day, Abby was asked to stand and read in front of the class.  The story was cowboy themed.  Before Abby read the page, she asked Mrs. Z if she should put the vest on (because it was western looking?)  Mrs. Z said she was very cute and animated in everything she does. 

Yes, it's going to be a great year!

1st Day of 1st Grade

Look how huge that back-pack is!  I'm not sure if it's extra big or she is extra small.  Someone got the proportions wrong.

This is my favorite picture of today.  She is telling me that we need to get in the car.  I guess she wanted to be there EXTRA early.  For the record, I was 15 minutes early to school today (miracle).  I wanted to make sure I didn't rush her and stress her out.

I couldn't leave out Alex.  Aren't they cute!  They were excited they were at the same school.

Abby and her 1st grade teacher, Mrs. Z.  She impressed Abby.  On our way home Abby told me she was SOOO nice.  They were on-top of Abby's hearing, before I could get into the class they were already hooking her headset up so Mrs. Z could talk into Abby's hearing aids.

Looks like another great year!

Only a penny?

I am a "reformed" (self-induced) addicted shopper.  Can I say self-induced if my husband and I sat down on Sunday and had our own "coming to Jesus budget-meeting?"  Okay, okay I'm feeling kindof guilty, but I've got cool stuff!  Where am I going with this, you ask???


So I was on Amazon.com (my new fav...  okay, I've liked the site for quite a while, but now I truly appreciate it!)  Flirting with the devil, you might say...  I think I can look, just can't touch, right?  Ok, I did more than look...   Well, I was looking up all sorts of things.  Low and behold you can buy makeup for 1 cent.  I thought it was a hoax but then, it's just one penny (shipping was $3.99).  So I placed an order.  A couple days later I received this: tinted moisturizer!  Even with the shipping it was much cheaper than in the store.

I'm pretty proud of my purchase; however, I did confess to Mike....  maybe I'm still on the first step of recovery! 


BTW, DO NOT GOOGLE FOR A PICTURE OF "PENNY!"  I didn't realize so many naked women were named "Penny."