I’m ready for the weekend.  I have a few more nesting projects that I want to get done like cleaning out the hall closet and buying all new makeup (both very important things to do before having a new baby!).  Thankfully, I think both Maxwell and I are on the tail end of our colds.  He took a 3.5 hour nap yesterday and I know that did him good.  It also gave me a chance to lie down for 45 minutes which definitely did me good!

A little something different for you on this Friday…  Here are 43 interesting Sesame Street facts in honor of the 43rd season of Sesame Street.  We sure do love us some Sesame Street around here!  Did you know that Cookie Monster’s first name was Sid before he started eating cookies?  Learn something new every day…

And now to leave you with a little laugh hopefully – when we got the Fire Chief outfit at Bed, Bath & Beyond last weekend, I also got Maxwell this Construction Worker outfit…

He got it out yesterday and put it on and those glasses were cracking me up!!

Safety first!  Hope you all have a great weekend!

Yes, I sometimes call Maxwell my little pumpkin…of course it’s more like pun’kin.  🙂  That’s partly because I LOVE all things pumpkin.  Now that fall is starting to creep in, I’ve been upping my pumpkin intake!  That means making pumpkin bread of course!

Last year and many years before, I made this pumpkin bread.  So delicious but not exactly healthy.  I decided to go with a slightly more nutritious recipe this year and found one that tastes just as good but is made with whole wheat flour and honey instead of white sugar.  It makes me feel just a little better giving it to Maxwell…and he loves it!

Whole Wheat Pumpkin Bread (click title for the link)

 Ingredients
1 ½ cups whole-wheat flour (I used King Arthur’s white whole-wheat flour)
1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
2 eggs
½ cup oil
½ cup honey
½ teaspoon vanilla
1 cup pumpkin puree

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl whisk together the dry ingredients (from the flour down to the salt). Make a well (hole) in the center and throw in the eggs, oil, honey, and vanilla. Stir together thoroughly with a fork, but do not overmix. Fold in the pumpkin puree and nuts (if using). Generously grease a large loaf pan or put muffin liners in a muffin pan and then pour in the batter. For a loaf bake for approximately 30 – 40 minutes and for muffins bake for approximately 18 – 22 minutes. Check for doneness by making sure a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

I’ve been making mini muffins because they’re great to put in Maxwell’s lunch for school.  yum!  By the way, love this girl’s site where the recipe came from – 100 Days of Real Food.  She’s really made me be more conscious about reading labels and trying to make smarter choices!

One pumpkin thing I don’t like?  Pumpkin Spice Lattes from Starbucks.  I’m a big Starbucks fan but these just don’t taste right to me.  I know people go crazy over them but I tried one and just wasn’t sold.  I’ll stick with my mocha or chai tea latte please!

The one pumpkin I can never do without?  This little pumpkin of course!!  🙂

Any other good pumpkin recipes I need to know about? Would love your ideas!

As I’ve mentioned before, our local library has GREAT programs for kids and Susan and Maxwell try to never miss a week.  This fall, he’s going to Together Time and they’re learning all about the alphabet.  Maxwell is getting pretty good with his letters, thanks in part to this book – B is for Bulldozer – that GJ sent him last week!

Each week at the library they focus on a different letter and this week was D!  D as in, what else, DOG!  Or, D as in puppies which is what Maxwell told me last night! 🙂 Susan says that Maxwell is SO engaged during the class and is always up front mimicking what Ms. Nay Nay does the whole time!

He likes to be in on the action!  Not sure why he’s not doing his dance moves there though…  

I guess those pockets were too tempting!

Since D was for Dog, all the kids got to pick a stuffed dog to play with.  Of course Maxwell picked the little dachshund just like Ms. Susan’s dog!

Fun times at the library!

and, yes GJ, that shaggy do is getting cut this week!  🙂