Is everyone busy preparing for Thanksgiving? It will be here next week. Hard to believe. If you are hosting, now’s the time to start preparations if you haven’t already.

Next week is always such a crazy week, and it’s not just because my husband and I are hosting Thanksgiving.

First are parent-teacher conferences. Out of all the weeks they are in school, I always thought it was the crappiest week to have them. It’s a major holiday week, and we throw parent-teacher conferences into the mix. *enter eye roll here*

These poor teachers are trying to see all these parents right before Thanksgiving, and parents are trying to squeeze in to check to see how their children are doing in school. Gee whiz. Who thought this was a good idea for teachers and parents?? God bless you, teachers, for real. I am thankful for you! You deal with way more than you should. I couldn’t do your job. Y’all are saints. I’d be fired for poppin’ some mouthy kid upside the head.

My kids don’t talk to me that way, and there is no way I would allow another kid to do it. They’d be learning some respect real quick. This is why the good Lord gives us all “special talents” and we all have different jobs.

I’m so blessed to absolutely love what I do and work for the most incredible families. I am thankful for them all. No poppin’ anyone on the noggin at my job! Haha!!

Besides parent-teacher conferences and prepping for Thanksgiving, there is still more that will happen next week.

One of them is one of my favorite Thanksgiving traditions I started, I bet, thirteen or more years ago. I have been doing it for a long time. Tyler, my son, was pretty little; he is fifteen now.

I started to make pumpkin rolls for a few people. My dad loves them. And I mean LOVES them — especially his daughter’s. *wink wink* He would tell his boss how good they were, and I started to make one for him and his boss every Thanksgiving. (My dad is retired now.)

That same year, I thought about making my pastor one for pastor appreciation. I was a little late, but they loved it for Thanksgiving. So, each year, I continue to make them one for their Thanksgiving to show my appreciation for him and his family.

Let’s fast forward to a few years ago.

Kenzy asked to help me on pumpkin roll day. She was eight years old, and I was just elated that she wanted to help me. I was surprised she helped a good part of the day.

She couldn’t wait till the evening though, that’s the best part!

We spend all day making pumpkin rolls on Thanksgiving Eve. (On top of making everything I need for Thanksgiving.)

I typically have soup going on the stove that day for dinner. Something quick we can grab on a busy evening.

After dinner, we load the car with lots of pumpkin rolls and make deliveries. Our pastor, my dad, of course, and others.

Each year, we pick new people to surprise with a pumpkin roll and wish them a Happy Thanksgiving. To me, it is the start of the holiday season. I just love it. Kenzy carries the pumpkin roll to the door, and it’s just the sweetest thing. She is so proud because she helps make them. Last year, she was seriously the biggest help, and she never left my side. Right down to the very last pumpkin roll.

A few weeks ago, she asked, “Momma. When is our pumpkin roll day?” I love that she looks forward to it. It teaches her, one, how to bake. Second, spending quality time together, mother/daughter, is so important. Third, just surprising someone with simple baked goods can completely make someone’s day. I love that I can now share this day with my daughter each year. Thanksgiving week is so busy, but I love it. Then, comes that Friday after Thanksgiving — it’s time to deck those halls, baby! Take a deep breath, y’all; it’s about to be that crazy time of year.

Pumpkin Roll
Ingredients:
• 3 eggs
• 1 cups sugar
• 2/3 canned pumpkin
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 3/4 cup flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
Directions:

Cream all the ingredients listed together with a mixer. Spread on a jelly roll pan lined with wax paper and greased. Bake at 375 for 15 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes, then turn into a tea towel sprinkled with powdered sugar. Roll up and let sit in the refrigerator. When cooled, unroll and spread with filling. I like putting some icing in a sandwich bag, cutting the corner off to make a tip, and decorating the top with drizzled icing and fall sprinkles.
Filling:
• 1 (8) ounce cream cheese
• 1 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla

After spreading with filling, roll up jelly-roll style.