Snowflake Feasts and List-Making

Can anyone really believe that today was our last day in the library until January? I mean, we've been talking schedules and time frames since we arrived on July 10th... but here we are, almost five months to the day later, and I (at least) can't believe it. Maybe it's the fact that it's still hot enough to catch some rays on the roof or that there's a serious lack of Christmas decor in Conocoto... but either way, I just can't believe it's mid-December already.

This holiday season, the Manna House inhabitants have an extra day to mark on the celebrations calendar: December 15th. What happens on December 15th, you might be asking yourself... WINTER (or "snowflake," if your name is Chet) BREAK! Most of us are heading home for the holidays... back to the States, the cold weather, and most importantly, the food. Others (coughMIKEandKRYSTAcough) are staying around Ecuador and going on adventures with their family and friends. Either way, we're all looking forward to a few weeks of break and time spent with family and friends (and maybe even time spent away from each other for essentially the first time since July...). :)

In the spirit of going home and countdowns (which I usually cannot stand), here is a brief sampling of things that are on our lists of things to do/eat during break (well, the lists of those who responded...):

1. Drink milk (Erik and Haley)
2. Sleep in an amazing bed (Haley)
3. Not wash dishes (Shawn)
4. Play with blue footed boobies in the Galapagos (Krysta)
5. Enjoy chill time with the fam (Haley)
6. Two (maybe 2.5?) words: Steak 'n Shake (Sarah)
7. Buy packaged chicken breasts (Shawn)
8. Flush toilet paper down the toilet (Haley)
9. Shower somewhat regularly... with WATER PRESSURE (Haley and Sarah)
10. Enjoy NOT cooking (Erik)
11. Get carried up the Inca Trail to Machu Pichu by Chester (Krysta)
12. Drink fountain Diet Coke with crushed ice until I explode (Sarah)

Most things revolve around food. Coincidence? I think not.

In the continuing spirit of all things food and celebration, Haley and Chet decided to go all out and make an enormous Snowflake Feast for tonight's dinner. The menu included two whole chickens (kudos to Chet for that...), mashed potatoes (6kg worth...), corn bread stuffing, green beans, gravy, and TWO desserts (apple pie and peppermint chocolate cake). IT WAS SO GOOD. After eating more than our body weight, we promptly collapsed into movie-watching, anticipating our last weekend before break, and trying to figure out who has whom in THE Secret Snowflake gift exchange, which is set to take place on Sunday.

Here are some pictures from the Snowflake Feast:

The set dining room table... complete with curtain-turned-table-cloth and candles

Fancy table (with our fancy multi-colored plastic cups)

Pre-making ourselves sick from eating too much

A more accurate depiction of what goes on during dinner

The spread... post-dinner...

Sarah joined the Clean Plate Club... Krysta, sadly, did not

DESSERT TIME!

Plotting our next food-induced coma move...

Thanks for checking in!
Sarah