Pumpkin Pancakes

Since today is Halloween, I wanted to make something special for one of our meals today. I decided I would make Pumpkin Pancakes for breakfast. I hardly ever make breakfast, especially not during the week. We always have cereal because it is quick and easy when the kids are fussing that they are hungry. To minimize grouchiness and make sure the pancakes were done early enough that Rich could eat them before he went to work, I planned ahead. I set out all the dry ingredients and utensils last night and then I got up earlier than usual this morning to have the pancakes done before the kids woke up. It all went quite smoothly and we were all able to eat without any fussing. Everyone was quite happy, for once, and the pancakes were delicious!

*

Pumpkin Pancake Recipe:

• 2 cups flour
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1.5 cups milk
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons vinegar

1. In a separate bowl, mix together the milk, pumpkin, egg, oil and vinegar. Combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, allspice, cinnamon, ginger and salt. Stir into the pumpkin mixture-just enough to combine.

2. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan to medium heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot.

Thanks to All Recipes for the wonderful recipe.

Happy Halloween!

Our 3rd Anniversary

Rich and I have been married for three years today. Time has really flown and, at the same time, it seems like it's been longer for everything that has happened. We hadn't even been dating for a year when we got married. Before our second anniversary we had already had two children. Marriage alone was a huge adjustment, let alone adding two pregnancies and two babies to our new lives together. Through all our trials, and there have been many, Rich has stayed by my side and worked through them with me. I tease that if we could make it through what we've been through so far, we can make it through anything. I don't know what else God has planned for us, but I know He sent me a great friend to enjoy life with. I couldn't have asked for a better man for my husband or a better father for my children.

I love you, Rich! Happy Anniversary!

More Pumpkin Goodness

Since I am such a huge fan of pumpkin baked goods and I personally have several pumpkins that I need to cook up, I plan on making a couple of my favorite pumpkin recipes in the next couple weeks. I have already cooked one pumpkin and made a Pumpkin Cake that I blogged about here. Besides that, I also want to make a Pumpkin Coconut Bread and a Pumpkin Upside-down Cake. I'm sure I'm not the only pumpkin lover. I know there are others who would love to try these recipes, so I posted them below. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Coconut Bread

• 2 cups flour
• 1.5 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 cups pumpkin
• 4 well-beaten eggs
• 1/4 cup oil
• 2 packages (3 oz. each) instant Coconut Cream Pie filling

Mix all ingredients together. Pour into 2 loaf pans. Bake @ 350 for 1 hour.

Pumpkin Upside-down Cake

Filling

• 3 eggs
• 2 cans (1 pound size) pumpkin
• 1.25 cups sugar
• 1 can (12 oz.) evaporated milk
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp ginger

Topping

• 1 package yellow cake mix
• 3/4 cup melted oleo
• 1 cup walnuts (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Make filling: beat eggs, add remaining ingredients. Pour into ungreased 13x9x2 pan.

2. For the topping, sprinkle the dry cake mix evenly over the filling. Drizzle butter evenly over cake mix.

3. Bake 30 minutes. Remove from oven, sprinkle nuts on top and return to oven. Bake 30 minutes longer or until top is golden brown.

Pumpkin Animals

I thought it would be fun to paint pumpkins this year with the kids. Painting would allow them to be creative and be more involved than they would be if we carved a pumpkin. I thought for sure there must be pumpkin painting kits, and there probably are, just not in the store I was in. The store did carry sets to decorate pumpkins as either monsters or animals, though. The kits were face pieces that are pushed into the pumpkin like making a Mr. Potato Head. I thought they were really cute, so I picked up an animal kit and decided we could try painting another year.

We decided to make our animal pumpkins last night, but it didn't work like I thought it would. The pieces were really hard to push into the pumpkins. So hard that Rich and I had to decorate the pumpkins while Morgan and Blake watched. Blake was already tired, got bored quickly and ended up was fussy through most of the decorating. Morgan tried pushing a couple pieces in, but when that didn't work, she was content seeing the animals take shape. It wasn't exactly what I had planned for getting them involved. Even if we had carved a pumpkin, they could have at least taken the insides out. I guess we'll have to stick to pushing face pieces into Mr. Potato Head, for now, and be sure to try painting or carving pumpkins next year.

The animal pumpkins did turn out super cute-check out the pics!

Reaching New Heights

Blake has begun a new adventure in climbing. He hasn't made it too high yet, but I thought it was pretty cute when I caught the following picture of him the other day.

This picture reminded me of a couple that I took of Morgan this time last year.

*

Here, Morgan is standing on the end table to get to the phone. I love the 'Uh-oh' look from being caught.

*

In this picture, she is on another table looking at her new little brother in his Pack 'N Play.

Blake has a little ways to go to catch up with the heights Morgan was reaching this time last year. He is learning quickly, though, and I'm sure he'll be climbing all sorts of things before I know it.