Hello Fall

These pumpkin cupcukes can help you experience fall wherever you may be. It is still 90 degrees here most days. I made the pumpkin cupcakes and what happened? Boom, instant fall, right there in my kitchen. Honestly, though, they are very simple, and they taste delicious. The recipe comes from a Real Simple Magazine that came out in Fall 2009.

1 18.5 oz box yellow cake mix
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
15 oz can pumpkin puree
2 8 oz bars cream cheese, softened at room temperature
2 cups confectioners' sugar
24 pieces of candy corn

Heat the oven to 350. Prepare the cake mix as instructed on the box, substituting the amount of water required for the can of pumpkin puree. Line the muffin tins with paper cups, filling each 3/4 full.

Bake for 18-22 minutes, when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

For the frosting, use an electric mixer to beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar together until creamy. Top each cooled cupcake with the frosting and piece of candy corn. Voila!

The longer I sit here, the more I am thinking about that ridiculous topic on the news about "Toasted Leg Syndrome". Did anyone else here about that? There was a woman that said she spent 5 hours a day or something crazy like that on her laptop. She ended up with this condition. I guess it is similar to a sunburn. It is caused by the heat that the computer generates and blows out the bottom to try to remain cool. I just keep thinking to myself, "Why don't you just find a flat surface besides your legs? If your legs feel hot, move the computer". I think that, and then I realize that my own legs feel a little warm. If end up with Toasted Leg Syndrome I will have to admit that my common sense has expired.

There has been a little bit of mold behind the faucet of my kitchen sink for weeks. I kept saying I was going to take care of it, but it took me awhile to get around to it. By the time I finished with all the day to day cleaning, I would stare at it, and go sit on the couch. I should have received avoidance points. Avoidance points for that, cleaning the oven, and wiping down the top of the refrigerator. Once those things get done, you realize it wasn't so bad, but for me, they are always the chores I stare down, think about, and turn away from. Anyway, the mold problem was so pleasingly simple. I soaked four or five cottom balls in bleach and lined them along the back of the sink. I let the bleach soak in the area for a good 20 minutes. I removed the cottom balls and wiped the surface to reveal a clean and polished looking sink. So very easy.

We are making our way to the beach today for the "Music, Seafood and Wine Festival" at Panama City Beach. R.E.O. Speedwagon is performing as musical guest. I could not be more excited. This time last year Jacob was at SERE for three weeks, so, I am treating all of these events like precious gold. I bought pumpkins at the Commissary for us to carve. Ours sat out on the porch last year, sad and lonely little pumpkins. This fall is a beautiful new season.