the honorary swedish citizen

This is letter writing attempt number seven.  Or is it eight?  I have written and rewritten this letter so many times that if I was doing it on a typewriter, there would be a wastebasket overflowing with crumpled paper next to my desk.  I am notoriously long winded, and I am trying to keep this letter brief, but so many things have happened this year that when I look back over it, I keep thinking, Did all that really happen this year? 

Suffice it to say, we’ve had a really busy/crazy/exciting/happy/frustrating/amazing year that’s not easy to sum up in a few (or not so few) paragraphs.  We moved from Minnesota to Michigan, and had lots of other changes.  I’ve blogged about a lot of it and have more blogs about it ready to go.  So, in place of the long “So and so did this” and “You know who did that” I’ll just share the pretty amazing pictures I took during our annual “Day After Thanksgiving Christmas Letter Photo Shoot.” 

The pictures are pretty cool, and yes, I’m pretty proud of them (not to mention the people in them.) 

If you feel like you need more depth and insight into what happened and what led to our big move, feel free to write to me.  I love writing letters and love hearing from you all.

Thanks to everyone for stopping by to read my (not long winded) letter and see the photos.  Enjoy!  

Oh, and leave a note if you stop by, I’d love to hear from you. <3

Pumpkin Surprise Muffins

Makes 1 dozen

1 beaten egg

1/2 cup canned pumpkin (Don’t throw the rest away, freeze the extra for later!!)

1/2 cup milk

1/3 cup canola oil

1 3/4 cup flour

1/2 cup sugar

1 tbsp baking powder

1/2 salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

3 oz cream cheese

Struesel topping:

1/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 tbsp flour

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1 tbsp melted butter

Combine egg, milk, pumpkin, and oil.  Mix well.  Stir in remaining ingredients (except the struesel ingredients and the cream cheese.)  The batter will be lumpy- don’t over mix! 

Fill 12 greased muffin cups 1/2 full.  Cut the cream cheese into 12 equal parts and place in each of the muffin cups.  Fill with remaining batter and top with struesel topping.  Bake at 400º for 18-22 minutes.  Enjoy!