Thankful Thursday

1. It's National Pumpkin Muffin Day! I'm gonna make me some pumpkin muffins complete with chocolate chips. Here's the recipe since I know you're all gonna ask me for it:

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread

From: Laura Ward (Sam's sister)

3 1/3 c. flour

1 t. salt

3 c. sugar

2 t. baking soda

2 t. nutmeg (optional)*

3 t. cinnamon

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4 eggs

1 c. vegetable oil

2 c. pumpkin

2/3 c. water

2/3 c. (or more) chocolate chips

Sift first part then add second part. Make a sort of well in the dry ingredients and pour in second part. Mix together until well blended. Pour into 3 well greased and floured loaf pans. Bake @ 350 degrees for 50 minutes - 1 hour. Cool in pans. This tastes great served either warm or chilled.

You can also bake a loaf of bread and put the rest of the batter in a glass 9x13" pan. Bake the 9x13" pan @ 350 degrees for 35 minutes.

***I haven't made these into muffins before, but I'm sure they'd turn out great. Just check on the muffins periodically. Poke them in the center with a toothpick. When the toothpick comes out clean, they're done. Enjoy!

2. General Relief Society Meeting. Last Saturday, I went to the General Relief Society Meeting at my Stake Center. I took my second cousin, Angela with me. A couple of Angela's friends came too and I met my Grandma Hallstrom there. (Grandma is in my stake). We enjoyed the nice dinner followed by watching the General Relief Society Meeting in the chapel. It was nice to spend the evening with these ladies and to be uplifted by the words of our church leaders. My favorite message of the night was given by Barbara Thompson, the Second Counselor of the General Relief Society Board. She spoke about "Minding the Gap." The three "gaps" she spoke of were: 1) Believing you're a daughter of God and knowing you're a precious, beloved daughter of God. 2) Completing the Young Women's program and fully participating in Relief Society. 3) Believing in Jesus Christ and being valiant in the testimony of Christ. This is a wonderful message to ponder.

3. Lindsay. My good friend, Lindsay came to visit me from Pocatello yesterday. She got married a month ago and made the time to come see me. We had fun catching up over lunch at my house. We had BLT bagel sandwiches. Can't wait for our next visit!