What A Character

Thomas was in rare form today...and it all happened in just a few hours. First, I was trying to tape up a box to take to the post office this afternoon. Thomas was resting after school and watching a little TV. Apparently I was making too much noise with the tape because Thomas yelled, "Be quiet I trying to watch Diego!" Now the parent in me had to stay firm and discuss with him how we do and do not talk to other people, but inside I was cracking up at my two year old telling me to shut up for the first time.

As we were coming home from the post office, the sun kept getting into Thomas' eyes. He started yelling, "No sun! Don't get in my eyes! Go down sun!!" All of this sounded even funnier because he can't say his "s" sounds yet so what I heard was "No hon!" We came home for a few minutes before heading to my parents' house for dinner. He got both his hat and his sunglasses before he'd step foot in the car. He put them both on and almost as if he were issuing a challenge said, "Come on sun!"

Although none of you ever post any comments (ok, Mike did once), I do know at least a few people read this blog and I have received a special request for my trifle recipe mentioned in a previous post. I got the recipe at MOPS the other day and have already made it twice. David can't believe I like it because I don't like gingerbread or pumpkin and yet somehow I can't get enough of them in this recipe. Weird. Anyway, here you go Tina!

AUTUMN TRIFLE WITH WARM CARAMEL CREAM SAUCE

Gingerbread layer: Bake purchased gingerbread mix accoring to box instructions and cool completely. For added flavor, pour sweetened condensed milk over cake while still warm (poke holes in cake for quicker absorption). After cooling, cut into 2 inch cubes.

Pumpkin cheesecake layer: While gingerbread is baking/cooling, mix 1 1/4 cups cold milk with 1 cup canned pumpkin until smooth. Add 2 small packages of Jello Instant Cheesecake pudding, 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice, and 4 oz. Cool Whip. Stir and refrigerate until set, 1-2 hours.

Streusel Layer: While pumpkin cheesecake sets, mix 1 cup chopped walnuts (we like 1 1/2 cups walnuts and adjust other ingredients accordingly), 4 Tbsp brown sugar, and 3 Tbsp butter and microwave until bubbly, approx 2 1/2 minutes. Stir once and cool.

In trifle bowl, (or other deep bowl) layer gingerbread, pumpkin cheesecake, and streusel and repeat until bowl is almost full. Cover top layer with remaining Cool Whip and top with a little streusel.

Caramel Cream Sauce: Stir together 1 jar caramel topping and 1 jar butterscotch topping. Heat until warm and spoon over each scoop immediately before serving.

For best results, make trifle one day before serving to allow flavors to meld.