December 9 & 10

my favorite new Christmas cookie: Christmas bewbies! (story below)

I love that we left the grasses long this year. They sway ever nicely in the breeze, and when the sun is going down they look like feathers. Beautiful. Although I have been fooled at night when they move, thinking someone is sneaking up on our porch.

My brand new cookie cutter from Frankenmuth. It's ginormous!

• The temperature has plummeted and it's absolutely freezing. Today's high was 16 degrees. Way too cold way too soon. I have not gone out willingly all day.
• We got our first snow of the season, but with the 50 mile an hour winds, there's no way to know how much we got. Less than an inch, my guess. Some nice fluffy, light snow would be welcom right now.
• Set up our winter outdoor entertainment system. i.e. 2 bird feeders. I have spooted a few cardinals today. I wonder how long it will be before fat squirrel discovers them??
• Baked some regular shortbread and the candy cane thumbprints (above). The recipe calls for using a mellon baller or something similar to press into the warm dough to make the thumbprint. I don't have a mellon baller, so I used a cherry pitter. It left a little indent. Until I had them all cooling on the plate I didn't notice their resemblance to boobs. Of course I thought it was hilarious. When I add the frosting and the candy cane pieces, no one will ever see the 'nips'. They will be my little secret :)
• Printed out the labels for Christmas cards & bought stamps. Just need to fill them out.
• I started some colored ice luminaries outside the other day, and the wind carried them away. :(
• Almost finished with my Christmas special order. I have decided to make a hat for Evan. Just need to go through my stash and find the right yarn...