And thus the pumpkin season begins

Sunday started out like this:

I gave a talk in front of the congregation of our church and it went splendidly.

Then, I got home and the afternoon started to look like this:

Annnnnddddd it stayed like that until Tuesday morning. I never actually threw up, but it was one of those times you wish you would so you could feel better. (But then of course whenever you DO puke, you realize that it's much worse than just feeling like you gotta). Anyhoo - we went to the doc and I was half hoping he would say: you're in labor! I'll meet you at the hospital! But no, instead he said: not sure what's going on....lets do some tests. The other part of me was relieved since I did NOT feel in any shape to go through 10 hours of contractions and pushing. I was just too sick and exhausted. So I ate nothing besides 5 saltine crackers and half a cup of jello for about 48 hours and I laid down in bed pretty much the entire time. I don't remember the last time I felt SO sick. On the upside, I gotta stay in my bathrobe for two days straight, which is always awesome.

Then on Tuesday morning I woke up feeling mucho better. Not 100%, but close enough. I tried not to push it, and physically my body was pretty beat. So I got some work done and laid back down every hour or so to rest. For a girl that knows a baby is coming soon and not having the apartment ready yet - it was a struggle to not try to be all wonder woman and go crazy. But whenever I tried my body was like, yeah right. 

So then by Wednesday I was feeling mucho mucho better, which led to a 2 hour trip to Target (bad idea) and baking these cookies (excellent idea). Also, I managed to make homemade pot pies for dinner. Then I promptly pooped out at 9p and slept like a log until 8am this morning. But back to the cookies. They're a recipe from one of my besties here in LA - and they are AMAZING. Every year I must force myself to wait until October to start cranking them out. Because once I do, there's no going back. Consider yourself warned.

Pumpkin Cookies w/ Cream Cheese Frosting:

 Cookies:
1/2 c Butter, softened
 1 1/2 c Canned Pumpkin
1 Egg
1 1/2 tsp Vanilla
2 1/2 c Flour
1 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Baking Soda
3 tsp Pumpkin Spice
1/2 tsp Salt
1 1/2 c Sugar

Frosting:
8 oz Cream Cheese
2 c Powdered Sugar
1/2 c Butter, softened
1/2 tsp Vanilla

1) Mix the butter, canned pumpkin, egg & vanilla in large bowl.

2) In another bowl, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin spice, salt & sugar together. 

3) Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet.

4) Drop by spoonfuls onto parchment paper lined cookie sheet.

5) Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. 

6) Make the frosting by mixing the cream cheese, butter & sugar on low speed until mixed. 7) Increase the speed to high and mix until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. 

8) Reduce the speed to low & add vanilla, mixing until mixed through.

9) Frost cooled cookies and try not to eat every. single. one.