Cookie Crew

As the holidays have rapidly approached, mom and I have been getting ready.

I made my wish list for Santa:

Bones,
Balls,
and a Winter coat.

Mom has done all of her shopping (and let me surf the net so that I could do some of my own ---MS. DEB, DO NOT OPEN THAT PRESENT) and wrapping. Glenn has, well, we hope he has started his shopping... so that means only one thing is left: COOKIES!

Mom tried to make Gingersnap Butterscotch cookies, but those turned to stone shortly after they emerged form the oven. So she decided to go back to the basics. My great,great grandma's Molasses Cookie Recipe. Yum. I wuff cookies, and if they taste like meat, all the better.

We invited Ms. Cara over to, um, "help" (really she was just a taste tester), and the baking began. Mom, keeper of the recipes, assembled the ingredients, Glenn stirred and helped form the molasses balls. And I was on alert for falling cookies. To me, this is the perfect set-up.

Once the cookies came out of the oven, and we all got to sample at least 3 each (well I had a doggie biscuit), it was time to clean up and hit the hay.

A perfect night of family ad friends -- just what the holiday season is about.

Home Again

This weekend, Mom, Glenn and I are heading to Mutti and Poppa-Dino's house for some Holiday prep. We are planning on cutting down our Christmas tree (remember the photo from last year??) and doing a little shopping in downtown Bethlehem. That sounds wonderful.

Did you know Bethlehem, PA is know as the Christmas City? They even pipe in holiday carols for the shoppers. And since it is such an old-fashioned city, the downtown area reminds me of A Christmas Carol by Charels Dickens.

I plan on reading that this December!

I Wuff Christmas

Poppa-Dino had his camera poised as I opened my first gift! He should be known as Poppa-Razzi!

















My first gift is from Great Grandma Spinney... Let me just rip off this wrapping...













It's an AKC Pheasant! What a present! Now I will work on my hunting skills....














I'll find some more presents!
















Now where could they be???
















Mom got me a Glow-Ball so we can play fetch in the park after dark!















Thanks, Santa, for my wonderful new collar!


















Later on we met up with the rest of the family. I wuff Aunt Linda!

Jingle Bells

Mom and I left the city yesterday to come home to PA for something Mom has called Christmas. It has something to do with the tree in our apartment and some little tike named Jesus, but beyond that I don't have a clue only that Mom thinks I am going to be "pooped" afterwards.

Mom, Mutti and Poppa-Dino all got showers and dressed in their fancy attire because they were going to "Church". I didn't understand why I couldn't come along, especially when The Nelsons showed up and I knew that Caroline was going to be there. I love that sweet little girl. she loves to give me hugs and pet my back very gently. What a wonderful cousin.

They all left and I got busy figuring out which ornament I should eat off the tree. once I had my target picked out I decided to take a nap so I could save my strength to devour it later.

After about an hour everyone returned home! yay! But they all seemed busy - hustling back and forth cooking and gathering up parcels. I realized right then and there they were going OUT! WITHOUT ME! People? Don't you realize nothing can be fun unless I am along? They were setting themselves up for a boring night.

Once they left, I took to figuring out the height and angle of the perfect jump that would allow me to reach that pre-determined ornament. I made some calculations, missed a couple times, but eventually got that lil' bugger down. Since I figured I would have about four hours to complete my mission before I was found out, I took my time perfecting my leap, then enjoyed thoroughly ripping the ornament (a handmade "toy box" with a fuzzy bear inside) to shreds and littering it all over the kitchen and family room. I figured if I spread out the evidence, it would be that much harder to pin the crime on me! HA!

After all the hard work, I settled down for a nap and waited for Mom to get home.

Tree Snacks

Isn't my mom's tree just delicious, I mean, beautiful?