Oh how I love fall. It means the holidays are coming,
Starbucks starts carrying Pumpkin Spice, and I can force the kids to watch Nightmare Before Christmas at least a dozen times between October and December. I used to look forward to pulling out my moccasins and beanies, leaves changing, the smell of fireplaces in the air.
But alas, not here. I know it's horrible to complain about living in Hawaii but one of the hardest parts for me has always been the lack of seasons. Sure, Summer is fun, once a year when you've been waiting to go swimming and BBQ and if you're lucky, someone you know has a boat. When every month is pretty much the same temperature: give or take humidity, Vog, or a rainbow it's not so fun.
[No, no, nope, no, none, & no.]
It's weird cause I always get slightly depressed just missing the gray cold weather, the overcast days and chilly nights. So for now, while we're here, I guess I'll just have to pretend...I'll pretty much make anything involving pumpkin. Cook soup in my crock pot and act like we're not sweating as we eat it and without an air conditioner I can't even pretend it's cold!
Maybe cause I've just had a baby and I'm all sappy or whatever but the holidays always remind me of extended family. Of taking the kids to Apple Hill to pick fresh apples and jump in leaf piles. Watching A Christmas Story all bundled up, cooking Mexican food with Andy's family or stopping by all the relatives houses on Halloween so the kid's can score extra candy. All of it just makes me miss home.
Then I remember what I have. My FOUR beautiful children. Going to the beach in October.
Flip flops in December, which I would do anyways in San Francisco and then cry for Andy to give me his socks cause I made a "bad choice."
[Our little Jack-O-Lantern! Lily Pax at the Waimanalo Country Farms Pumpkin Patch.]
So yes, I miss the Fall. And I hope to experience it again someday, and at that point I will probably complain about something else. But for now I will be happy with what I have, with searching for Halloween costumes that won't give the kids heat rash, for baking Pumpkin muffins in my sweltering kitchen, for the changing of seasons to mean only bigger waves, painting our pumpkins instead of carving them cause the heat makes them rot in about a day, for bringing my favorite sweaters to class because it's my only chance to wear them.
I have a wonderful [hot] life that I get to share with the people I love more than anyone in this world.
I miss Northern California. I miss a lot of the people there. I miss spending holidays with them but I am so thankful for the opportunities we have here, to grow as a family, to be active in our church, for the kids to be in a Christmas Choir thats says "Mele Kalikimaka!" That I can wear a sundress on New Year's Eve, without a coat. That I can match my Halloween to my black flip flops.
So be happy with where you are while you're there. && if you're not, do something to change it.
Otherwise don't complain to me, cause that's just annoying.
[Fall Truffles! No-Bake Deliciousness.]
Fall Truffles
1/2 cup Pumpkin Puree
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 8 oz. block of Cream Cheese
2 cups Graham Cracker Crumbs
2 cups Chocolate Chips
Pumpkin Pie Spice [optional]
[1] In a food processor or plastic bag crush your graham crackers to equal 2 cups, it took me a little less than 3 sleeves out of the graham cracker box.
[2] In a large mixing bowl beat together the pumpkin puree, powdered sugar, cream cheese & graham cracker crumbs.
[3] I would refrigerate this mixture for at least an hour, overnight would be fine. I didn't and the mixture was hard to work with.
[4] When mixture is cold scoop out tablespoons, or so...make them however small or big you want them to be! Roll into balls.
[5] Dip balls into melted chocolate. I just melted my chocolate chips in the microwave on 25 second intervals, stirring after every time. You could also use a double boiler if you have a bunch of extra time on your hands or something.
[6] Make sure balls are completely covered in chocolate and drop onto waxed paper to cool. They are supposed to look like truffles, the fungus, so not perfect is good in this case!
[7] Sprinkle tops with a little pumpkin pie spice.
[8] Refrigerate again && enjoy!
No comments:
Post a Comment