Happy Fall Ya'all

Okay that's so cliche but I couldn't help it. I love Fall! Who doesn't right? Scarecrows on the front porch, pumpkins by the front door begging to be carved, and actually being able to pull the sweaters out of the closet (here in SoCal that only last for a few days so we really take advantage). Can't you just smell that pumpkin pie cooking in the oven...or maybe not!

One of my favorite Fall traditions is making my favorite Pumpkin Bars recipe courtesy of our long lost blogger friend Annie. I love these things! I make them every year - several times in fact. I love giving them out to neighbors and taking them to any Fall Festivities we might be attending. Imagine my surprise when I went to Vons last week to stock up on my canned pumpkin for the season only to find out there is a NATIONWIDE CANNED PUMPKIN SHORTAGE! Whaaat? At first I thought the teenage clerk helping me just didn't know what aisle the pumpkin was on (I couldn't find it anywhere) and was trying to brush me off. But after he confirmed with his manager that the shelves were empty and he didn't know when any would be coming in - I was shocked. One more thing to add to my food storage - canned pumpkin. Who would have thought.

I looked it up on the Internet when I got home and sure enough there is a shortage. "They" say not to worry, production will catch up but I'm not taking any chances. I bought the last three cans they had a Stater Brothers and I'm keeping my eyes open for more. Have you tried to pie canned pumpkin this year? Am I being punked or is there really a shortage?

Trees

Remember the age old question "If a tree falls in the forest, and there is nobody around to hear it, does it still make a sound?

A favorite song around here is

Trick or treat
Smell my feet
Give me something good to eat
If you don't, I don't care...

And then the line is supposed to say I'll pull down your underwear.

Being the mean mom that I am I don't allow my kids to say the line about pulling down underwear. To get around that they've been creative about inserting different silly things like "I'll knock down your silly door" or "I'll take your rocket for a week or two" (they make no sense) This song is sung any time of year whether it's Halloween or not. On occasion I have heard them whispering into friends ears what the forbidden line is and everybody giggles.

Tonight Emma was walking into the kitchen singing the song and caught herself before belting out the line about underwear. She quickly inserted some silly phrase about rockets for the sake of her mother who was listening (me). Then she asked "mom, if I sing it to a tree than is it okay since they don't wear underwear anyway?" I gave her a funny look and said "huh?" She replied "If I sing to a tree, and nobody is standing by me, than is it okay since the trees don't have underwear ?"

So...the question isn't whether a tree falling in the forest makes a sound. The real question is: if you sing to a tree about pulling down it's underwear does it really count as something naughty since trees don't wear underwear?