Dog vs. Cookies

I am always trying to learn new things. I most recently learned to decoupage and made this really cute stool for my nephew's first birthday. We thought it turned out pretty cute!
My newest mountain to climb is making sugar cookies with royal icing. We were at a family birthday party where this kind of cookie was given as party favors. They were adorable. My dad asked if I could do that. I said sure. However, the more I thought about it, the more I wondered if I had lied. So, in an effort to NOT be a liar, and after much Internet research, I decided to give it a try. I made the cookies, the icing and started the "base coat" of icing on the cookies.

Let me pause here and mention just how much fun it is to learn something new with 4 "instructors" adding their help, suggestions, ideas, and criticism. While I really enjoyed making jam and tomato sauce with my kids, these cookies were another thing all together! I had something to PROVE with these cookies, both to my self and to my kids.
So, as I said, I had my "base coat" on the cookies. I wasn't thrilled, but it was ok for my first try. The thing is, royal icing has to "dry" between base coat and decorations...over night. My kids, being kids, are not thrilled with the wait. In order to keep my sanity, I decided to put the cookies on the dining room table. Little did I know, the dog can stand up and reach the middle of the dining room table! He ATE or LICKED the icing off at least 6 cookies! I could've killed him! These were not just run of the mill drop chocolate chip cookies. They were labor intensive, rolled out, iced cookies!

Let's just say, Chip was lucky to get out of his crate for good behavior so he could eat dinner. The kids were really upset that Chip got to eat the cookies before they did. Claire told me she "felt just terrible" for me. Oh well, I guess I need to keep the cookies a little higher and out of reach of not only the children, but the dog too.