Wheatie & Student Love

Daisy and I are officially on Christmas vacation.  It was quite a week with 34 exuberant first graders!  I gave 83 presents out this week to my students, volunteers, co-workers, support staff, and former first graders who still like to help out in my room.  Daisy and I will be back to commenting and visiting blogs now that things have calmed down over here!
I received such lovely presents from my class.  I had to share the Wheatie ones.  The students were SO PROUD to give me a Daisy themed gift.  Really, it doesn't get better than this...

Cozy

It's actually cold enough to have a fire!

Look For An Evergreen Day

December is filled with such fun days!!!  Daisy and I live on a street called White Fir.  I always have to clarify f-i-r like the Christmas tree, not f-u-r like my dog.  Daisy investigated some evergreen trees at the Christmas tree lot.  She wasn't sure about them at first, but then she realized they are filled with great sniffs!

 

 

 

The flocked ones were her favorite. 

Bake Cookies Day Blog Hop

It's finally here...the sweetest day in December!  Ranger posted a wacky holiday list and December 18 is Bake Cookies Day!  In honor of such a tasty day, we are having a Christmas Cookie Recipe Exchange Blog Hop.  All you need to do is post your recipe and join in the hop below!!  We can't wait to discover some tasty cookie recipes!

Here are Daisy's two picks...they are filled with butter - her favorite ingredient!

Spritz

1 cup butter

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

2 1/2 cups sifted flour

 

Cream butter until soft.  Blend in sugar, 1/4 cup at a time till mixture is fluffy.  Beat in egg, vanilla, and almond extracts.  Stir in flour.  Pack dough into cookie press; press shapes on ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake at 400 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes.  Cookies should be set, not brown.  Makes 6 dozen.

 We made daisies, of course!

Fairy Drops

1 cup butter

3 oz. cream cheese

1 cup sugar

1 egg yolk

2 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

optional: add chopped cherries

 

Cream butter and cream cheese.  Slowly add sugar and beat until fluffy. Beat in egg yolk, add flour and vanilla.  Chill dough for at least one hour.  Shape into one inch balls.  Place on greased cookie sheet.  Bake at 325 degrees for 12 - 15 minutes.

  Frosting

2 cups powdered sugar

 2 teaspoons almond extract

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 tablespoons butter

Add milk until desired consistency

 

Cream butter and powdered sugar.  Add extracts and milk.  Spread on warm cookies.

 

 

 

Getting Ready For Cookie Day!

Daisy and I spent the afternoon getting everything ready for tomorrow's Cookie Recipe Exchange Blog Hop.  We sure hope you'll be able to join us!  All you need to do is post your favorite recipe and the blog hop info.  We're visual bakers over here. So, if you can post a picture, too, that would be fantastic!
Bake to baking we go...

Cards and Gratefulness

This is how Daisy's mail gets delivered now.  She is just getting way too many cards for our mailbox!

Even though it was hot and windy today, our mailman came through.  I can't imagine delivering the mail in the snow!!

 

After I put up all the cards, Daisy had to read the new ones. 

We now have four categories for the card contest:

1. Daisy's Cards - 43!

2. Daisy's Scottie Dog cards - 10!

3. My cards - 4

4. Cards that make you so grateful for what you have - 1

I'm not sure who posted June Cagley's information, but I can't thank you enough.  Mailing her a card was such an small act to do and obviously meant so much.  These are the things that really matter, right?!  I can't stop thinking about her and hope she will be surrounded by loved ones on Christmas!



10 Months Old

Daisy is 10 months and 1 day old today!  I didn't post this yesterday because we were at my cousin's college graduation - yippee!

At 10 months, Daisy-

~Weighs 17.5 pounds

~Had a Thanksgiving Vacation with her favorite friends at the vet's office

~Is a big fan of Christmas Cookies

~Now pushes chairs to the counter so she can get a snack when no one's around

~Threw up behind the Christmas tree because she had too many counter snacks

~Loves to play fetch with squeaky toys not tennis balls

~Sent out Christmas Cards for the first time

~Is getting eleventy billion Christmas Cards from her blog friends

~Went to Petsmart shopping for the first time to get gifts

~Met Santa Paws (very scary)

~~Cuddles up on my lap while I read

~Has not taken one ornament off the tree

~Checked out all the Christmas decorations and helped put them up

~Has a party with any box she comes across and turns it into confetti