Christmas 2009- A Yuletide Mission!

With the year scurrying to an end, we decided to hold a yuletide Christmas, complete with all the festivities we could find in e-town. Janice, Sean, Stephanie, Meghan, Bonnie and I began our quest with an attempt to see Christmas Reflections at Fort Edmonton Park, a cute, old fashioned Christmas complete with sleigh ride and bakeries. Nearly sold out a month in advance, we were forced to skip this event - who would have thought old-fashioned Christmas was fashionable?

Christmas Baking Night - Sapna's Place, Dec. 20th


From Christmas bake sales and markets to attempts at skating in -19 degree Celsius weather, our mission was a half-success. Baking at my place was a blast - armed with an assembly of kitchen gifts, five recipes and puppy treats for Kiara, we concocted a smorgasbord of cookies - most of which we conveniently donated to office lunch rooms. Too many calories for more than one night! We ended the night watching the classic The Grinch Who Stole Christmas and Charlie Brown Christmas after eating too many treats and red wine.

Kiara and the gang watching on our Grouchy Wine Night (Meghan, Janice, Bonnie, Steph B, Bonnie, Sapna, Meghan, Sean)

Christmas Day, December 25th - Kiara opens her first gifts

I think her visit to Santa was by far the cutest picture!

Boxing Day Heaven!

Of course, the best part of the Christmas season -- after cranberry jelly -- is the free time to shop until you drop. With a two week hiatus from tutoring, and nearly a week off work, I had time to shop, read, cook, eat, and enjoy my puppy. 8 am on the 26th, Janice, Sean and I were at West Edmonton Mall, clearing out Firoz's discontinued Sicily line - 90% off $200 sweaters!!! Not to mention the superior service, including the fashionistas that showed us exactly how to "bunch" a sweater at the ends and keep us looking taller and skinnier.

Rutherford House, Edmonton's historic site is last on the list - and takes most of us back to the our elementary school field trip days. A piece of Edmonton's history with a Christmas holiday touch - we're meeting tomorrow afternoon in the Arbour Restaurant for High Tea.


Happy New Year everyone - here's to a great start to the next decade!