Pappy & Nanny

There are so many reasons why I am thankful for my parents. They spent years leading and guiding me and teaching me to be the woman I am today. They continued to do this through the brat years for which I am extremely grateful. It must have seemed endless. They have been supportive, understanding and loving. They welcomed Lindsay into the family and consider him a true son and I now have the pleasure of watching them love their grandchildren to bits. These pictures were taken on the day of Grandma's funeral. We had just returned from the church and were getting ready to go out to spend time with family at my aunt and uncle's house. As I stood in the living room holding Libby it occurred to me that I should try to document that day for Libby. One does not usually bring a camera to a funeral...that I am aware of anyway...so I thought I would take pictures of her with my parents so that some day as we are looking at pictures together I can explain to her what had happened the day these pictures were taken. The thought occurs to me now that I maybe should have done the same thing with Liam but I doubt I would have been able to pry him away from the Piston Cup 500 race track we got him for Christmas. Especially after sitting through a funeral. He did very well by the way. Not an easy feat for a three year old.

Visiting with Auntie Jen

It worked to see Jen just before we left Saskatoon to come back to Nipawin this last week. The visit was short but we were thankful to catch up and for Jen to meet Libby.

Our little cowgirl is 6 weeks old!

Libby is wearing a cow onesie from her Uncle Chris and Auntie Sam for this 6 week photo shoot.

LIAM TURNS 3!

Liam turned three on December 20th but we had a party for him on campus on the 17th. He's got a lot of little friends so we decided to have the party in the gym here on campus complete with wide open space to play, a Lightning McQueen ice cream cake, friends (and their mothers...thanks ladies for staying and keeping me sane), and some great gifts. We were in the gym for 2 hours and there were about 14 kids (including little siblings). Liam had fun.




When we arrived in Saskatoon for Christmas Lindsay's parents had us all over for Lindsay's and Liam's birthdays. We had fun catching up with family and of course eating cake and watching Liam open his gifts. It was definitely a Cars Movie birthday and Christmas for Liam. Thanks to all who made this birthday a special one for him.

Family Pictures

It's becoming a family tradition to take pictures before we open gifts with the Skeldon side of the family on Christmas Eve. This year was no exception. Here's the result.





A little explanation needs to go with this last picture. While waiting for Lindsay to get the timer set on the camera we realized that Libby was deep in la la land and she had her eyes closed and mouth wide open. We decided that we would take a picture to match her.

Grandma

I recently wrote about my Grandma's passing and since then we have stood by her graveside while her pastor read scripture and attended her memorial service. It was a cold day (especially for the internment) but it was warm inside. About 250 people attended her service and the service was beautiful. Our cousins Janine and Jared read the eulogy and did a fantastic job. Grandma had a chance to plan the service before she died and it was very special to sing the hymns that we knew she had picked out. The last one was "God Be With You". Very fitting. God be with you, till we meet again.

In preparation for the service our family went through a lot of photos so that my Dad could put together a picture board. These are some of my favorites of my Grandma.


Grandma as a teenager.


Grandpa and Grandma by the river bank enjoying each others company in the early years.


Grandma with Libby. Libby was only a day old and because we delivered in Saskatoon Grandma was able to meet her first Great Granddaughter once before she passed away. Libby was just over a month old when Grandma died and when I was a month old my great grandma (this Grandma's mother) passed away. We have a very similar picture of Grandma Nelson holding me.

Saying Goodbye

On Sunday, December 21 my Grandmother, Irene Skeldon passed away. After a long and courageous fight with cancer she passed from this life and a body that had caused her much grief in these last months to a place where there is no more tears or pain. As I write this I can picture her worshiping her Saviour in heaven surrounded by those that have gone before her. What a blessing to know that she is at complete peace.

I have learned a little more about grief in the last few years and I realize that while it is a necessary thing in this life, it is not my favorite part. I really don't think it's anybody's favorite. We would much rather spend more time with our friends and loved ones and make more memories together. I know that God's timing is perfect but I tend to cling tightly to the precious people in my life so letting go is tough. As family and friends we will continue to say goodbye to Grandma this coming Saturday at her memorial service.

My Dad is great at writing and he put together Grandma's obituary. I thought I would post it below.

We miss you Grandma. You have been a blessing to us and countless others. We love you.

LILIAN IRENE SKELDON — It is with sadness but also with a sense of God’s peace, and celebration of a life well-lived that we announce the home-going of Lilian Irene Skeldon (nee Nelson) of Saskatoon on Saturday 21 December 2008. Irene is survived by her beloved husband of 55 years, Roy Skeldon and two daughters and a son: Elaine (Aaron) Bond of Saskatoon, Lois (Geof) Derksen of Leduc, AB and Glenn (Deborah) Skeldon of Saskatoon. Irene will also be fondly remembered by seven grandchildren, Janine (Kelly) Sikorski, Jared Bond, Braden Derksen, Amber (Ian) Love, Jordan Derksen, Brad Skeldon and Amanda (Lindsay) Anderson. Irene was also blessed with two great-grandchildren, Liam Anderson (3 years) and Libby Anderson (1 month), who Irene had the pleasure of seeing the day after she was born. She is also survived by a sister Dorothy Rependa and many nieces, nephews and cousins. Irene was predeceased by her mother and father, Charles & Lilian Nelson, a sister Verna Nelson and brother Norman Nelson. Irene was born in Saskatoon on 25 November 1926 and grew up in the Pike Lake district. Upon moving to Saskatoon as a teen, she was employed with Shelly Brothers Warehouse where she met Roy Skeldon. On 13 June 1953 Roy & Irene were married. Irene was always very involved in church ministries, singing in the choir, playing the piano and in later years ministered to shut-ins and the sick with cards and visits. She had the gift of hospitality and her cooking and baking were appreciated by a wide circle of friends and family who had the pleasure of partaking. Irene loved to travel and enjoyed trips with Roy to Israel in 1969, Australia in 1984 and numerous bus tours around North America. She loved life and lived with passion. Twenty-three years ago she battled and beat breast cancer and for the last four years fought bravely against lung, liver and bone cancer, surprising doctors and family alike with her feisty spirit and determination. The family would like to express deepest appreciation for the kind and gentle care provided by the Saskatoon Cancer Clinic and the Palliative Care Unit at St. Paul’s Hospital. In lieu of flowers the family requests that donations be made to either Gideons International or the Canadian Cancer Society. Funeral services will be held at Fellowship Baptist Church, 905 Taylor Street East on Saturday 27 December at 11 am. A lunch will follow in the church basement.

Libby's Baby Shower

On December 7, the ladies at our church put on a baby shower for Libby. Libby had a great time. She slept through the whole thing as she was passed from arm to arm. I also had a great time but managed to stay awake. :) I was very thankful for all the beautiful gifts and the fun we had together. As I sat and opened gifts I realized something about myself in the context of showers...bridal or baby. While feeling very thankful for the generosity of those present, I end up feeling really awkward at showers. I am asked to sit in a chair that is usually on its own in the room and sometimes is complete with balloons. Sometimes the guest of honour is asked to wear something weird like a hat with all the bows on top. Everyone spends a good junk of the time staring at you. This is the part that weirds me out a bit. Not being one that lives to steal the spotlight, I find this much attention to be a little unnerving. Once the gifts are opened and I have done my best to figure out how to best show my sincere appreciation, I am asked to start out the line to the food. Oh...all the attention...Brittney Spears or Paris Hilton would be in their glory :) but not this female. I like to blend in a little more.



I should mention that I was not the only one being watched. We all had a great time watching Diane, Maggie and Harmony drink milk from bottles. They were doing this to win a gift basket. What women do for free stuff. Tina, my friend who organized the games, mentioned as she handed out the bottles that Amanda was very kind to donate milk for the game! Of course that got some laughs and playing along I mentioned that I had been up all night pumping. :) Speaking of milk, Libby has just got up from a nap and is waiting for some milk from the milk machine...aka me! Love my job.

Chillin' with Daddy

Evenings are typically Libby's grumpy time so we end up just hanging out with her a lot after Liam goes to bed. That and watch season two of The West Wing (politically drama that ran on HBO several years ago for about 9 seasons). Friends of ours have been purchasing the seasons, watching them and then lending them to us. So the three of us have been having West Wing dates most evenings.

Bath Time

Just like Liam, Libby doesn't mind having a bath...she just doesn't like getting out of the bathtub. Who does? Now when I go to bathe Liam he seems so huge compared to the little girl in the portable bath basin.

The New Look

Yesterday I got to go hang out in a salon chair for an hour and relax. The result is what you see in these pictures. This is the first time since my college years at Briercrest that I have not had hair on my neck. I'm still getting used to it but I think I like it. Special mention to Alysun who inspired me when she came to visit sporting a stylish and fun hair cut. I just hope she doesn't feel like I copied her too much. :)

HE'S HUGE!!

Now that little Libby has graced us with her presence I am a lot more aware of how big Liam is getting.

He's Enjoying Being a Big Brother

Many people have been asking, "what does Liam think of Libby". Aside from a few disciplinary thins now and then, I think he's doing really well. Just this morning we were at library story time and he was showering her with hugs and kisses. He is always telling people "this is my baby sister, her (sometimes he says "his") name is Libby".

Libby's First Photo Shoot

Yesterday afternoon Liam and I set to work taking pictures of Libby. Liam was a great assistant. His part in it all consisted of looking at the pictures after I took them and while I was changing Libby into her next outfit. What is with this kid and electronics?

I never was really into dolls a lot as a kid but I had fun dressing Libby up yesterday and taking the pictures. Thankfully I still have some time to learn about hair styling. I must admit I am a little worried about that stage, having never been good at doing anything with my own hair that looked remotely cute or in style. For those of you that did not grow up with me, all you need to do is look down through the years at my yearbook pictures to know that what I tell you is true. :)

The Story

I've been wanting to sit down at the computer for days now and write about Libby coming into the world but you know how it is. I am just learning myself how it is with two kids. Liam is in bed and Libby is crying from her crib. Linds is at the gym playing soccer but should be home within the hour. We'll see how much I get done before I have to run.

Tuesday, November 18 my water broke at around 6:30 pm. Uncle Brad promptly came over to hang out with Liam and we drove to the Nipawin hospital. Once there they did the usual checking and called my doctor. We soon found out that the C-section back up that we had requested in case of emergency would not be available as planned. All three doctors able to administer anesthetic were out at a conference in BC. How handy. We didn't anticipate needing a section but in case of emergency you just never know. Our doctor suggested that because I wasn't yet in labour that we would have time to drive to Prince Albert or Saskatoon. We decided on Saskatoon because our families are there and Liam would be able to hang out with my parents. So two weeks ago tonight we were on our way to Saskatoon with Liam, luggage and a slightly nervous and excited me. I didn't feel any contractions until about 40 minutes outside Saskatoon. We met my parents at the hospital and switched a sleeping Liam into my parents vehicle. I was admitted around 12:30 am. After spending some time in the assessment room I still wasn't in active labour so I sent Linds home to get some sleep. They put me in a different room on the assessment wing and I was able to rest for a couple hours but soon the contractions were waking me up. I called Lindsay and he got into the hospital around 4 am. At this point the contractions were coming on stronger and closer together. At around 5:30 they moved us to the Labor and Delivery ward and at that point I was 6 cm. We weighed the options concerning an epidural and I decided that I was coping okay and went for a soak in the jacuzzi tub to see how much worse they would get. Around 45 minutes later and still in the tub I felt a very intense contraction and felt the urge to push. They got me out of the tub in a hurry and I spent about 1/2 hour to 45 minutes trying not to push with each contraction. The doctor showed up not long after that and declared the time to push was upon us. YEAH!!! What followed was more intense than I remember with Liam. Thankfully it only lasted 14 minutes instead of the 45 with Liam. A possible benefit of not having the epidural. The pain...words don't quite do it justice...I am still remembering quite clearly what it felt like. But what I also remember clearly is hearing them say, "it's a girl", feeling Libby's body in my hands for the first time and feeling a sense of relief as I hear those first cries. Libby was born at 7:09 am on the 19th and we had a good day in the hospital. The night wasn't that bad either but she spent sometime in the nursery so we could get some sleep. We were discharged from the hospital on the 20th and drove home that evening after visiting with my grandparents.

All in all it was a blessed experience. Tonight I am feeling very good physically. Nursing is going very well and I am healing nicely...it helps that I only had a few stitches this time in comparison to the 3rd degree tearing with Liam. There are moments in each day so far that I need to stop and ask God for strength and peace as the hormones and nerves take over, but I am trusting that God will help life get to a new normal. Libby is doing well. She was up to her birth weight only a week after her arrival...something the health nurse says she likes to see within two weeks. She spits up a lot more than Liam ever did and sometimes more projectile. Fun times. Right now she is trying to latch onto my arm as a type so I think I better run.

My wonderful husband

Yesterday was Lindsay's birthday. Not many people realized this fact because of all the other happenings taking place lately. The arrival of Libby being the biggest but most recently, NBC's alumni weekend. With all the on campus guests and the busyness of having a newborn with days and nights confused I felt bad that his special day was a bit underwhelming. If you know Lindsay, you probably already know that this did not bother him that much at all. He is of course happy to have a healthy baby girl sleeping down the hall, to be able to be with his family and share some fun moments with friends from past years at NBC. This is just one of the things that sets Lindsay apart. His care and concern for others. Liam and I feel this at home and we have the privilege of seeing it in his relationships with students and staff on campus. He has a deep desire to see himself and others grow into a deeper relationship with Christ. He is perfectly ready to admit that he may never completely grasp the female mind, but he does a wonderful job trying. He stops to listen and seeks to understand. Of course we don't always agree and I know that my attitudes and points of view can sometimes frustrate him but he again and again he is patient and waits to hear all that I have to say...and sometimes is just silent, waiting for me to figure it out. On a practical note, he is more patient with me than I am with myself when it comes to keeping it all together at home. I may be the one that is home all day and looks the work square in the face but he sees us as a team in that area too. I could go on and on about the things that I appreciate about Lindsay but the dear man is starting to put up the Christmas tree and I know is now wondering why I am not in there helping when it was my idea to put it up early. ;) I'll wrap this up soon.

On September 23 we celebrated 8 years of marriage and I am so thankful for the time that God has given us. His birthday marks 29 years of life on this earth. With all my heart I celebrate a man that is so much what I had hoped and prayed for as a young teen. Thankfully God knows what we need and he has not disappointed. We celebrate Lindsay for who he is...a man of God, a wonderful husband, a loving daddy, a son, a friend...

Thank you God for this special gift.

Introducing...

Libby Corrine Doris Anderson was born on Wednesday, November 19 at 7:09 am. She was 7 lbs, 7 oz and 21 inches long.





I will share the whole story on here soon but not this morning. We are home now but didn't have a great night as Libby decided to cry until about 4:30 this morning. Oh yeah...it's good to have a newborn in the house again. :) Besides being tired, we are all doing well. I'll try to get on here again soon.

39 weeks!

The countdown is really on now. With a week to go until my official due date the anticipation is building. Besides feeling like a rotisserie chicken at time while I try to find a comfortable position for sleeping, I'm feeling fairly good. I go for another doctor's appointment on Wednesday but it would be great if I had the baby by then. I was four days overdue with Liam and I remember not being that anxious at all to get him out. I kept thinking about the pain that would ensue when that process started. I wouldn't say that I am completely worry free about the pain this time, but I'm getting tired of being big and chasing after a toddler. For some reason with this attitude it seems that I think life will be much easier after the baby is out...but I will still be chasing after a toddler...but then it will be with a sore bottom and while holding a baby in a car seat. :)

Maybe I have the toddler thing more on the brain today because I think the last time Liam stopped to breath in between talking was sometime this morning. This kid has been chatting it up for most of the day and for some reason it's not as cute as it can sometimes be. It reminds me a lot of my brother Brad. He would talk all the time and often to no one in particular. My mom just informed me this afternoon over the phone that I also went through a chatty stage. With Brad is was more than a stage though...maybe all of childhood. :) Of course this opinion is from the perspective of a once annoyed older sister. I do, however remember that I was not the only one that picked up on the annoying past time of my brother. I remember on a trip once my dad turned around while he was driving and looking Brad in the eye said, "Brad, do you have an off switch?" These days, when you get Brad going it's hard to get him to stop (much like his sister), but now what comes out of his mouth brings joy and much laughter to us. I guess all that time as a kid was just warm up for a career as a funny and awesome brother, son and uncle!

A Special Visit

On October 31st Liam and I walked into our house after coming home from a campus event and hanging out in our playroom was Alysun, my roommate from college and her family (her husband, Jeff and two little girls, Emma & Mandy)...all the way from Oregon! We knew they were coming that night but they didn't take as long to get here as we had thought. We had given them directions to our house once they got on campus and they felt they were in the right house when they saw pictures of Liam around. Oops.







Despite the somewhat silly beginning to the visit, we had a great time catching up and meeting their youngest girl, Mandy, for the first time. Our weekend consisted of taking them on a tour of campus and town, going out for Poutine (a must, considering that Alysun and I had several poutine outings in our college days), going to church, going for a walk to the point (the spot behind campus that overlooks the Saskatchewan river), visiting and watching a couple movies. We enjoy their company so much and that makes it extra difficult to live so far away from them. We are so thankful they came this far to visit...and just like last time, the temperature was warmer than normal. So far Jeff hasn't had to experience the -40 degrees Celsius that Alysun experienced several times down at Briercrest. Winters are just a bit different in Oregon than they are here...just a bit. :)

Baby's still keeping warm in the oven...

I was getting pretty good at keeping up with blogging and lately haven't been able to grab the time as readily. Some of you are probably wondering if that's because the baby has arrived. It hasn't, but we are getting excited as we await the day. The hospital bag is packed, I've gone to the hospital for the pre-admission session, there are a few meals in the freezer and I'm waddling and not able to bend over anymore. Things are definitely progressing.

It's also snowing today. I love snow. I guess not so much when I am set to travel a long distance or want to get through town quickly, but I love being able to sit inside or go for a quiet walk and have the snow quietly falling. We've had a long fall which has been great but with that means it's been brown/gray for a while. If it's going to be cold I would much rather it be white and cold. Snow makes me want to borrow my parents old Bing Crosby Christmas album (and we are talking album, as in record...those things that crackle when they are played...I love it) and bake cookies...and then eat cookies and drink eggnog or coffee. I love Christmas. I actually am pretty fond of winter all together as long as I have a warm place to be when it gets to be -40 degrees Celsius. I have so many fun memories of Christmas' past. It's always been a great time with family and friends. I'm excited to start some traditions with Liam and the little one as the years go on. Like anything else in life though I can find myself each year getting caught up in the Christmas baking, the music, the gatherings, the snow, and the beauty of the season and take for granted the reason why all of those things are around us this time of year. While all these things are wonderful gifts for us to enjoy, I also desire to remember the gift that God gave us in Jesus, coming to earth as a little baby...what we celebrate in a few weeks. I guess I starting writing this blog entry to let you know how we were doing and it has turned out to be a reminder for me not to get too wrapped up in all the "wrapping" and to remember the reason we celebrate. As the Christmas season approaches, I hope you have a great time and are able to pause and thank God for the gift of his Son.

Under Construction

My friend Alysun (AKA the Martha Stewart of Blogging) :) was just here this weekend and showed me how to update my blog. I thought it had switched over to the new format but I was still living in the old version of blogger. Now that I have been enlightened, I'm excited to add and change things. This may take a while because I'm a mile behind the rest of you, so your patience is appreciated. :) I'll get creative as I have time to.

Obah Night

Each fall the students and staff of NBC get together for supper and dress up. For some reason they call it Obah Night. I believe "Obah" is a Low German expression but I am still not clear as to what exactly it means. Anyway, each year is a different theme and this year was black and white masquerade. We decided to go as caterpillars and not knowing exactly what a caterpillar's face looks like...this is what we ended up with.

Helping Daddy

It was a chilly Saturday afternoon but that didn't stop Liam from dressing up enthusiastically and running to help Linds rake up some of our leaves. He was out there for a lot longer than I though he would be and he had fun helping.

Thanksgiving

We were able to go to Saskatoon for Thanksgiving weekend this year and spent some time with both families. Here are the Anderson grandkids. The cute new addition is Isabella Rose, Chris and Sam's little one.

What's Kickin'...at 36 weeks!

I found this shirt last week and couldn't resist. I haven't bought much in the way of maternity clothes this time and have recently felt very frumpy. I think that has more to do with my expanding size than the lack of "in" clothing I have. :) If my due date of November 24 is anywhere close to when this baby will arrive, I have less than a month to go!

I am...

I am... half Canadian, half American

I want... to always have a great servant attitude when our ministry at NBC means extra hours of work for Lindsay away from us.

I have... a wonderful husband, a 2 year old and a pregnant belly

I wish... Liam's skin irritations would clear up now or at least as he gets older

I know... that my Redeemer lives and his mercies are new every morning. Great is His faithfulness!

I hate... opening my fridge and realizing by the smell that it's time to find that tupperware containing the scary remnants of a meal gone by.

I fear... heights and creepy crawly things.

I hear... Liam walking around the house holding books that he wants me to read to him

I crave... chocolate

I search... for that balance between family and ministry.

I always... love a good book and a cup of java

I usually... try to do things first in my own strength before I stop to trust, lean and acknowledge God.

I am not... an extrovert, but maybe not an introvert either...somewhere inbetween.

I miss... Liam taking naps, which means I got to nap once in a while too

I love... my life

I never... have cheered for the Dallas Cowboys, nor will I ever!

I rarely... turn down the opportunity to watch a football game.

I cry... when I've had a rough day or when I am mad about something

I lose... my temper when too many frustrating things take place in a day

I am confused... about why there must be three to four evenings a week dedicated to dancing competitions on our two channels (sorry Jen).

I should... fold the laundry I did two days ago...and then iron. ;)

I worry... about the labour pain coming up in a few weeks.

I dream... about seeing friends and loved ones again that have gone to heaven.

I tag... Brad (my brother) & Jen (my wonderful friend)...but I don't know how to put links to their blogs in this posting...thought I did, but it didn't work.

Can you tell me how to get...how to get to Sesame Street?

We were recently at my parents house where, besides my parents, live a few of the most annoying toys made with kids in mind. There's the Leap Frog counting train guaraunteed to not only teach your child how to count but is able to get a song in your head that may take weeks and certain over the counter drugs to exit your brain. And if it's not bad enough in English, it just happens to be smarter than most and is bilingual. Yes, that's right...you can sit in my parents living room on any given weekend and hear a very annoying rendition of the train song in French. I won't even "sing" it for you as the drugs and several weeks of counseling have cleared it from my brain. :)

Oh, and then there are my personal favorites and the reason I write this post this evening. My parents have great neighbours that have handed down some toys for Liam. This was a great idea until my parents decided that two of these toys should go home with us the last time we visited. The two I am referring to are the Sesame Street violin and electric guitar. I can picture you cringing already. These two have so many different buttons on them it is impossible for Liam or anyone his age and size to walk past and resist the temptation to push them. Now, he isn't content with just sitting there and pushing a button, listening to the song and then pushing the next one. No, he has to find a couple buttons he likes and pushes them almost at the same time and continues to do so until you think you just went through a portal and our now standing inside a Sesame Street night club with Ernie in the corner scratching some records. To add to this loveliness, there is a button on the electric guitar that changes the key as it plays. This is my favorite button. Sometimes to live it up a little, Liam will play both instruments at the same time. What a talented young man we have hey?! And what, you may ask, I am doing while Liam is showing off his great musical ability? I am in the next room trying a new recipe that requires sticking a bunch of different veggies into a food processor so there are pieces of veggie all over the counter and the floor. I'm also half way through making a batch of cookies that Liam was helping me with before he decided to enter into the Sesame Street night club scene. Into this scene walks Lindsay after work today. Poor man. Instead of being greeted by a happy wife holding his slippers (this doesn't usually happen) and ready with a kiss ;) he gets to walk into veggie chernobyl where his wife is about ready to grab the two afore mentioned toys, walk outside and place them on the drive way and then proceed to back the CRV over them. Thankfully this does not happen and we eventually clean up the kitchen, eat supper and laugh about the toys later in the evening. I believe the words, "devil incarnate" were used regarding these toys but now that they are safely tucked away on the shelf and Liam is sleeping I have a better attitude.

I'm still trying to figure out however, why my parents figured it was best to have the Sesame Street band here 24/7 when they only have to hear them when Liam comes over. Maybe it's because Dad just couldn't resist the urge to push those buttons when walking past the toy box. I know first hand how this could be slightly annoying for mom. It is more likely though that they are getting back at me for the years of frustrating and annoying things I did while at home, especially those during the years we now call the brat years (3-9). I guess when I put it that way, I should probably ask if we can bring the Leap Frog train home with us too. I do owe them...a lot.

For those of you who are interested...

Crunchy-Top Pumpkin Cheesecake (pictured below)
Welcome a dramatic new dessert to your fall table this year. Our creamy pumpkin cheesecake, glowing russet brown with easy-to-make caramel topping or shards, will add pizzazz to a bountiful feast.

Servings: 12

Ingredients:

1 cup (250 mL) gingersnap cookie crumbs (about 9 large cookies)
1/2 cup (125 mL) finely chopped pecans
1/4 cup (50 mL) butter, melted
2 Pkg (each 8 oz/250 g) cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup (175 mL) granulated sugar
3 eggs
1/2 cup (125 mL) sour cream
1-1/2 cups (375 mL) pumpkin purée
1 tsp (5 mL) each cinnamon and vanilla
1/2 tsp (2 mL) each ground ginger and nutmeg
Pinch ground cloves
1/3 cup (75 mL) packed brown sugar

Preparation:
1. Grease 9-inch (2.5 L) springform pan; line side with waxed or parchment paper. Centre pan on square of heavy-duty foil; press to side of pan.

2. In bowl, combine cookie crumbs, pecans and butter; press evenly over bottom of pan. Bake in centre of 350F (180C) oven for 10 minutes or until firm to the touch. Let cool on rack.

3. Meanwhile, in large bowl, beat cream cheese with granulated sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time; beat in sour cream. Beat in pumpkin, cinnamon, vanilla, ginger, nutmeg and cloves; pour over crust smoothing top.

4. Place pan in roasting pan; pour in enough hot water to come 1 inch (2.5 cm) up sides of pans. Bake in centre of 350F (180C) oven for about 50 minutes or until edge is puffed and centre is just set.

5. Turn oven off; let cool in water bath in oven, with door closed, for 1 hour. Remove pan from water. Remove foil; let cool completely in pan on rack. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or until chilled, or for up to 24 hours. Score into 12 servings.

On greased foil-lined baking sheet, trace 9-inch (23 cm) circle; with spatula, spread brown sugar evenly over circle.

6. With oven door ajar and watching closely, broil sugar for 2 to 3 minutes or until bubbling and starting to darken, rotating pan to melt evenly. With greased knife, immediately cut into 12 triangles; let harden. To serve, break along cuts; with tips at centre, stand long edge of each at 45-degree angle on scored lines.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

As I sit at the computer tonight...tired from a long day and trying to keep my mind off sweet treats (which I have lately been craving...a lot)...I decide to post about a cheesecake I made last week. Really brilliant pregnant one! Thankfully it takes longer than I have tonight to make another cheesecake. I will just try to keep my paws out of the chipits bag in the pantry. :) I had a few ladies over last week and thought I would use the Fall theme and put together a pumpkin cheesecake. I tried a new recipe off the Internet and overall I was impressed. Lindsay caught me taking pictures of it before they arrived and just laughed at me. I told him the pictures were an attempt to keep me blogging more often. Looks like it worked this time. Now where are those chipits? :)