Weekend Recap

This weekend was full. Bursting, even.Friday night Karen and I made dinner together and did some baking together: Peppermint Fudge and Peppermint Bark. Then I took to tidying the house – and it was BURSTING with Christmas (as you can see in the previous post ). We had friends over for dessert and games and then I happily blogged. 


Saturday I was up at 10am to fix breakfast for Paul and I, and at 11 I started the Christmas Dinner prep. I always cook my turkey’s in an oven bag. It always cooks within 2 hours (I had a 23lb bird) and is soooo tender. Once the turkey is in the bag I grope it with Margarine, try to evenly put onion, garlic and seasoning salts on it, spread out some garlic and diced onions, do up the tie and cook it! I had it in the oven at 11:40 and it was done by 2:30. Awesome.

Karen helped me set and decorate the tables with the name tags we’d made Friday during our crafting time. So awesome. Dinner was ready by 3pm…except for the gravy, which I saved for last since Dinner wasn’t to be served until 3:30. Except I discovered that I was out of gravy packs…and I don’t actually know how to make real gravy. I grabbed my iPad and google…and ended up with some SUPER tasty gravy. Yes technology for the win!

The International Dinner was awesome. We had my sister’s family (Colin, Jenna and kids Connor and Austin), our friend Kristina (with baby Ella), and our friend Gabe join us. On top of that as usual we had our homestay student Karen. We had 5 International Students come to our dinner. 5 Asian students (Japan and China) who had never been in a Canadian home before and NEVER had a traditional holiday dinner. They thought Christmas celebrated the birth of Santa Claus. We had some fun teaching them about our food, our traditions and the roots of the holiday. We played a giant game of Chaboo and laughed a lot.

After everyone left, Paul, Karen and I did the dishes and cleaned the house. It was spotless. So much easier with three people! Then Paul and I headed out to a friends house for a 30th birthday party…we were there until 1, so it was obviously a good time!
Sunday we had to be up for a 10am planning meeting. We were doing the sermon at church and needed one last meeting before to cement our plan. Afterwards I did all the shopping I hope to need until after Christmas and we headed to church. I was SOOOO nervous. Being in front of people makes me terrified. Apparently I did not look nervous, but OH did I feel it.
After church I had my sister’s family and my parents over again for dinner. It was my mom’s 58th birthday. Or 59th. Dang, I forget. She was born in 1953, so what does that make her?
I make Bruschetta Chicken, which was well received. The evening was lovely, though I’ll admit the busy couple weeks before started to hit me and I was pretty exhausted, emotionally and physically. Thankfully today I woke up bright and early, feeling refreshed again. The exhaustion a distant memory. Tonight we are having some of our great friends over for dinner (Pizza, Wings & Hot Crab Dip) and games and I cannot wait! So on that note, I’m off!