Hello Pumpkins

Read to the birthday song tune:

"Congratulations to you, congratulations to you,
Congratulations everyone on their joooobs...
Congratulations to you!"

a continuance...

"I'm so proud of yoooou and what you doooo
Congratulations to you! Yay!"

Yay indeed. I'm just tickled pink for all of us....being all grown up and such! I made a public scene when Kelli announced that Mandy and Hollie had jobs. Casey T. Allen was quite excited too...but I made an actual scene. After which, I was mocked by Kelli. ;) How degrading. But anything for you, my loves. Nessa, (This is your new nickname.) I would kill for a job at the Met!!! I'll be crossing my fat little toes!

Not much is happening in my life. We are extraordinarily poor. Not for long though, since I am working for Shae instead of USU....we will climb on top of our finances eventually. As for now, we cannot afford any extra activities....not even fast food. (Which is good considering I have gained a substantial amount of weight and am taking the Special K challenge.)

Since I eat cereal for two of my meals, I have an excuse to continue on my cooking adventures into scrumptious dinners by Chelsi Land. I'm a good cook, actually. Not without help though. Last night I made a pumpkin themed dinner. I made JeriLynn's Pumpkin Curry Soup (Which is to absolutely DIE for!!!!!!!!!!!!!) in pumpkin shaped bread bowls (courtesy of Great Harvest) and pumpkin icecream with a divine pumpkin swirl cheesecake. I'll post the recipe below...it's fabulous.

Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake

Crust:
25 gingersnaps, crumbled
1/4 stick of butter, melted
1/2 c chopped pecans

Filling:
4 cream cheeses, softened
1 c sugar, divided
2 tsp vanilla
4 eggs
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
dash of ground cloves

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Combine all ingredients for crust and press onto bottom of a 9 or 10 inch springform pan. Set Aside.

Beat Cream Cheese, 3/4 c. Sugar and Vanilla just until smooth. Add eggs and mix in one at a time. Remove 1 1/2 cups of the filling and put in a small bowl. Set aside.

Add remaining 1/4 c. sugar, pumpkin and spices and mix until well-blended.

Pour half of the pumpkin filling onto crust and top with spoonfuls of white filling. Repeat layers. Cut through the layers of filling slowly with a knife to create a marbling effect.

Bake 55 minutes or until center is set. Place a container of water in the oven with the cheesecake. (Not glass...it explodes...kneeh!) This way, your cheesecake won't crack. DON'T OPEN THE OVEN!

Let cool completely and then refridgerate for 4 hours or overnight. To serve, place the bottom of the pan in hot water for a few seconds. Remove from water and then open the pan. Tada!

Enjoy! I used two fat free cream cheeses and two light cream cheeses....it was still divine. Alter according to your Special K challenge status.

I saw Leisl yesterday. She's gorgeous and very strong, physically and emotionally (I can tell) just like her mommy. She liked my Red Sox hat. She enjoys Jay's receding, but very becoming, hairline. Frankly, I think she likes heads.

The Johnston's are throwing a Halloween After party after the Howl on the 28th of Oct. Clear your calendars!

We have an extra room and comfy couches if anyone needs to lodge. There will be a great pumpkin cake, a witches brew and green fondue.....Hooray!!!!!!!!!! (And that's only the food part.) Come one and all! Well, that's all for now everyone. Much Love and affection.