Sharing Time- Pumpkin Rolls!

There's a story that goes along with these. Its been three years since my mom has been gone. And it is true, time heals a little. But sometimes the pain is just as fresh as the day it happened. I have wonderful friends that have been my family. And some of my friends have gone through the same experiences as myself all shortly, sadly within the same year. As you grieve and live your life, I guess you find what I like to call your new normal. Holidays are not easy for me. I love the reason for the season, but sometimes I wish I could hit a fast forward button. Like two weeks ago, for instance. I had just worked all night, it was my fourth shift of five in one week! Anyways, needed to go into walmart for something. And I walked into a christmas wonderland, complete with the christmas music. As I went shopping for what I needed, I started to cry, and I did this last year at walmart during the holidays, sheesh. I cried and went home and started a new day that night. I think for me, the intial holiday sentiment leaves me choked up sometimes. But as I said, you find your new normal. In Relief Society today, there was a lesson and a question was asked, what are your talents? I am a work in progress, as far as my talents go. But in finding my new normal, I try things that maybe I haven't thought to do before, because its too hard. Or, I don't have the patience for. My friends Theresa, Joeleene and I, are all trying to find the new normal. We have had all had the moment in the walmart or wherever.."What was in that recipe? Mom would know....I wish I could call."

So the recipe I have to share is our pulling our creativeness, or our willingness to try and get in to the holiday spirit. I was the glad recipient a couple of years ago. Now I spent five hours making and giving these away to those that have made my life better. I may not make these until next year, LOL. So much work! But so worth it. If I don't make it to your home with pumpkin rolls, please use the recipe and know I was thinking of you! :)

This comes from the inside label of the libby pumpkin can, plus something extra from theresa-

Cake-

Powdered sugar

3/4 c flour

1/2 tsp each baking powder and baking soda

1/2 tsp each ground cinnamon and cloves

1 tsp ginger

1 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp lemon juice

1/4 tsp salt

3 large eggs

1 c granulated sugar

2/3 c libby's pumpkin

1 c chopped walnuts or pecans

Filling

1 pkg cream cheese 8 oz

1 c powdered sugar

6 tbsp butter or margarine

1 tsp vanilla

Extra powdered sugar for rolling

Flour sacs to roll the cake, they are very thin, and Theresa said you can find them where you find kitchen towels. But I didn't see them, LOL.

For the cake: Pre heat oven to 375. Combine dry ingredients into bowl. Beat eggs and sugar in bowl until thick, stir in pumpkin then dry ingredients. Pour batter in pan then sprinkle with nuts...Grease and flour cookie sheet like we did, or a 15x10 jelly roll pan that has wax paper and oil on it. Bake for 13-15 minutes until cake springs back when touched. Immediately loosen and flip on to flour sac or kitchen towel that is covered with powdered sugar. Roll cake and towel together, then cool for twenty minutes on wire rack.

Next, make your filling-

Combine butter, cream cheese and vanilla in mixer. Beat that first, then gradually add the powdered sugar, or you will have a fun mess!

Carefully, unroll your cake!

Spread filling all over the cake, then reroll the cake again, making sure its tight. Sprinkle with more powdered sugar. Wrap tightly in saran wrap and refrigerate for an hr before cutting. I heard you can freeze for easier cutting, but I'm not sure how true that is. Good luck!

You've Been Tagged!

I was blog surfing tonight and I stumbled on this. Thought it might be fun to do. If you read this, consider yourself tagged. If you do it great, if not too bad. Here goes nothin'! :)

Some facts about me, some are funny but true!

1. My birthday is January 6, I don't want to put my year down. But its always nice celebrating Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years and 6 days later mine. Ever since my 30th birthday, which was honestly awful....I intend to do something fun every year, life is just to short to sit home and be depressed and cry. Paarrrtay! :) So far, The last two birthdays have been fantastic. 31 I saw the Beatles Love at the Mirage, one of my favorites! I think sometimes I was born in the wrong era, LOL. Year 32 brought me to the Lion King at Mandalay Bay, amazing. I love living in Las Vegas sometimes! Parties are ok, but if no one is throwing me one, then I'm still going to celebrate, darn it! :)

2. I am a native of Las Vegas. And being the native girl that I am, who happens to love to travel. I still have not been to the Grand Canyon. Now isn't that just sad? I've been to most of the united states and two countries, but not to one of the 7 wonders of the world in my backyard, and while I'm at it....not northern nevada either. :)

3. My middle name is Calista. Its a family tradition, in a way. From my mother, grandmother, greatgrandmother and maybe even great great. I felt pretty special until Ally McBeal and Calista Flockhart came around, LOL.

4. I set my stove on fire. Ok, I'll explain. I was at home helping with some housework. Thought it would be nice to clean the stove. Stove had a self cleaner on it. I put broiler pan with grease from chicken dinner night before, which I forgot. Five- Ten minutes later...black smoke is billowing out and I am still in the kitchen with my dog, Fire department and ambulance followed. Bought a new stove with a ding from Best Buy. To this day, I won't use the self cleaner.

5. I am a orphan. :( But I am thankful to know that I will be reunited with my family someday. If you want to learn more, just click on my temple pic above!

6. I am a good listener. Sometimes whether I want to or not. I just have that look about me. LOL ;) Its true, I can be standing in line, and strangers start talking to me. Even when I don't feel like it.

7. The year before my mom passed away, I won a $5,000 spree at Christmas to the mall. It was one of the best I ever had, and even sweeter that it was my Mom's also.

Well, thats me in a nutshell. I would love to learn more about you!

I Wish You Enough

I Wish You Enough

Recently I overheard Mother and Daughter in their last moments together at the airport. They had announced the departure. Standing near the security gate, they hugged and the Mother said 'I love you and wish you enough'. The daughter replied 'Mom, our life has been more than enough. Your love is all I ever needed. I wish you enough too, Mom! They kissed and the daughter left. The Mother walked over to the window where I was seated. Standing there, I could see she wanted and needed to cry. I tried not to intrude on her privacy, but she had welcomed me in by asking 'Did you ever say goodbye to someone knowing that it would be more forever?' 'Yes I have' I replied. 'Forgive me for asking, but why is forever a goodbye?' 'I am old and she lives so far away. I have challenges ahead and the reality is the next trip will be for my funeral', she said. 'When your were saying goodbye, I heard you say 'I wish you enough.'
May I ask what that means? She began to smile. 'Thats a wish that has been handed down from other generations. My parents used to say it to everyone.' She paused a moment and looked up as if trying to remember in detail, and smiled even more. 'When we were saying ''I wish you enough" we were wanting the other person to have a life filled with just enough good things to sustain them.' Then turning toward me, she shared the following as if reciting from memory.

"I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright, no matter how gray the day may appear. I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun even more. I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive and everlasting. I wish you enough pain so that even the smallest of joys in life may appear bigger. I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting. I wish you enough loss to appreciate all you possess. I wish you enough hellos to get through the final goodbye. "

She then began to cry and walked away. They say it takes five minutes to find a special person, an hour to appreciate them, and a day to love them; but it takes an entire lifetime to forget them.

** TAKE TIME TO LIVE**

**To all my friends and family, I wish you enough.**

I Love you Mom

My Book Club- Have you read these? If not...you should!

A warning: You might need some of these!

Are you looking for a good read? First I need to tell you about one of my favorite sites, GOODREADS. If you like to read its a great site to go to and review books and review books that you would like to read. My friend Kim introduced Hush Hush to me, I was instantly hooked. And I discovered that the sequel Crescendo came out a few days ago. Oh, how I love the instant gratification of the Kindle. I only have it on my PC though, but its fantastic, I love it. I loved Crescendo, gave it 5 stars. I read it in one day. Now I some cucumbers for my peepers! It was a non stop thrill, and it didn't go the way I would expect...and yes there will be a book three, or at least there better be! Time to turn my computer off, its about to burn my thighs. :)

I'm so mean.....

So....Halloween landed on a Sunday night this year. I didn't buy candy to give out to the little (and BIG) goblins. I spent most of Sunday asleep, then woke and spent time with my Grandma. We ate dinner, and I came back to my house for a couple of minutes. Now, while I was gone..I had the lights out, to you know, say I'm not open? Well, I turned the light on so we could see. And I forgot to turn it off. And not even two minutes later, I hear the kiddos running up to my door..."TRICK OR TREAT"! I'm thinking..."oh crap!" NO CANDY!! They were knocking and even wiggling my door knob?! So what did I do? I turned the light off while they were there. Then I heard a big...."AWWWW!" :( I felt kinda bad.....I'm evil. I'll make it up next year, goblins.