The remains of our second turkey!! Both actually turned out quite well and were very tasty!
Here we are eating dinner. We went around the circle and everyone took turns saying what they were grateful for. I'm grateful no one got food poisoning!! (Among many other things!)
So my flatmates and I decided to throw a Thanksgiving Dinner Party...which then snowballed into a Thanksgiving Dinner Party for 25 people! It was a ton of work and we couldn't have done it without our mothers (who we called frequently in the days running up to the affair) but it turned out extremely well!! Here I am finishing up dressing our two turkeys!! We had to borrow the oven of our friends flat who live 10 minutes away to cook one of the turkeys. We got some pretty strange looks from people when we got on the bus with a fully dressed raw turkey but it was fun and hilarious!

Natalie and I went to Blenheim for their Christmas craft fair!! It was great fun! The palace was decked out for Christmas and the fair was huge! Gratefully all the stalls were covered or indoors because the weather was very uncooperative! We had a great time - the crafts and gifts were beautiful! And of course the treats were amazing! We had fudge, truffles and chestnuts!

Here's Natalie showing off our warm, freshly roasted chestnuts!! Yum! After eating chestnuts roasted on an open fire I have a greater appreciation for The Christmas Song!

My second Guy Fawkes Day! I celebrated Guy Fawkes Day last year in New Zealand but that was small stuff compared with the show I went to this year! We went with a group from the ward to a fireworks and pyrotechnics show in Tower Hamlets. It was really fun! During the fireworks, the music playing was very funny. All the songs were fire related like 'Great Balls of Fire,' and 'Ring of Fire' - very different from our traditional patriotic music but a lot of fun!
They also had a carnival in addition to the fireworks and pyrotechnics. Here I am enjoying a carnival necessity - candy floss!! (Aka cotton candy)

Here I am at the Harrod's Christmas Parade!! Wow, Harrod's really knows how to put on a party! The parade was on a Saturday morning, even though we arrived early it was packed! It was really cute because the kids were so excited. It is a small parade but very lavish. They handed out free balloons, water, juice, cookies, pins, headbands, and other treats! I was too far back to get any but oh well. The theme was The Wizard of Oz and all the characters paraded by followed of course by Santa! It was a lot of fun and a good kick off for the Christmas season.

Natalie, Katherine and I went to to Blenheim Palace up near Oxford on Friday. It was an incredible day. I really enjoyed getting out of London for the day and taking in some of the beautiful countryside. This was our first view of Blenheim and the grounds as we entered the gate. We arrived just as they were opening and it was a cool clear morning. It really was breathtaking. I enjoyed it so much that I can't wait to go back!

Strolling down the lane.

A view of the grounds.

Blenheim Palace and gardens, we had lunch overlooking the terrace!

The Secret Garden at Blenheim! Wow!

Blenheim has a real hedge maze!!! This is another thing I have always wanted to do, it was so much fun! It was a dream come true, I can't wait to go back and do it again!

Fun on the putting green at Blenheim!!!

Katherine, Natalie and me overlooking the Oxford skyline.

Sarah, Natalie and myself went to the changing of the guard. It was very funny because we were standing in pretty much the worst spot we could have picked. We really saw pretty much nothing aside from a couple of carriages that drove by!! It was so hilarious we were completely foiled!! We followed the band after it finished and got a couple of pics. We have to go again and now we know where to stand!
Guess what!!! I've done something that I can mark off my list of things to do before I die!! I went to the Globe Theatre in London!!! Natalie and I went to see Loves Labours Lost, it was beyond amazing!! Seriously we had the best time ever!! We were 'groundlings' meaning we only paid 5 pounds and had to stand through the performance. But we went super early so we were some of the first ones in and we were literally leaning against the stage in the front center. It really was incredible! I even got hit in the head by a flying loaf of bread in one scene! Excellent!!
Ahh.....the beautiful London skyline!
A lazy afternoon stroll through Hyde Park.

Walking along the south bank of the Thames at twilight.
Optimus Prime on a budget!!! On weekends there are so many street performers! Covent Garden is an especially popular area, every fifty feet there was another act dressed up or performing, very entertaining!!!
Here I am at the Portabello Road market enjoying a scrumptious mushroom and cheese crepe!!
This is Regent's Canal just down the street from my house. Quite picturesque!
Here I am at Kew Gardens, my new favorite spot!!! I've been to many botanical gardens but this place is huge!! My flatmate, Natalie, and I went one day. We spent six hours walking the gardens and we didn't come close to really seeing everything!! Yay for plants!! I'm going to have to spend a lot more time exploring the gardens!

So here I am with the London Eye in the background! Even with a year I don't know how I will see everything on my list, there are so many things to see and do!!!

So I'm back! Or I'm off again depending how you look at it! I've settled into London and am having a great time so far. Classes start on Monday and I'm just finishing up my orientation meetings. I've already done some really fun things and have many more on my to do list. Here I am welcoming you into my flat in London! (Okay so it is Kew Palace but whatever, mine is a bit more humble but a great place).