The "Catch Up" Post

I have gotten really lazy in my blogging latley so this will update you on several things that happened this week. For OXTA this week we toured the Botanical Gardens, the Radcliffe Camera(Camera just means chamber) and then we went to St. Mary's. The tower at St. Mary's is the highest view in Oxford. Karissa, Cole, and I paid to 2 pounds to go up there. There is a nice tea room connecting to the church so a group of us had pastries and tea after we toured the Church. By the way, I am still mixing up the order in which i upload the pictures on here, so right now everything is in backwards order of when it happened, sorry!

For Valentine's Day the guys went all out here. They have been planning since they got here to do something. So when we woke up on Thursday morning all the girls had a printed out invitation by their door that told to be ready(we got all dressed up) at 5:50 and that their escort would pick them up to take them to dinner downstairs. Us girls were VERY impressed. They had set up dinner tables with candles, and served us salad, spaghetti, and chocolate cake. Jeremey came in and sang, You're Beautiful by James Blunt on his guitar. They then took us to the other house in the common room, and after we had sat down, they brought a band in that they had paid for. The band, Joe Allen, was this guy who could sing REALLY well and play the guitar and a girl who played the violin. They were SO good and I bought their 4 song CD on itunes later that night. Then we ended the night by watching Love Actually. It was surprisingly a very good Valentine's Day.

We spent the day in London again on Friday. It was very cold! A group of us went to the changing of the guards ceremony right outside of Buckingham Palace. It was mobbed, and it was hard to see. It did not last very long either. We were glad we had gone for the experience but it was not something that we would choose to go to again. It was kinda funny being behind a mob of people and raising your camera as high as you could, and then just snapping it, not even knowing what you were taking it of. My favorite thing about London on Friday was touring Parliament. It was really cool. We had a good tour guide, and she told us everything in a very interesting way. We got to see the Lords and the Commons Chamber, the room where the Queen comes to get ready right before she gives her speech every year, her throne. The building was beautiful and filled with 24 karat gold everywhere. Since we have been required to watch PMQs, it was really neat to stand and be in the room that that takes place every week.

Today I have been doing homework all day long. I am trying to catch up and get everything done before I leave for Prague on Wed. I am SO excited!

I can't believe its already Feb. 18th. We have about a week and half until March, or something like that. It's so crazy how fast this experience is flying by.

Jessica and I went to a pub tonight, the Rose and Crown. It was very tiny, but it was pretty good. I got a brie cheese sandwich with apples and walnuts, with chips(french fries). We sat there and talked for a long time, and it was good to get out of the house since Ive been doing homework all day.

I love and miss all of you so much! I hope all is well.

Cheers!!

St. Paul's Cathedral while I was walking on the London bridge
Big Ben
outside of Parliament
on top of St. Marys
Krisann and I at the Valentine's dinner
Joe Allen
my grand view from the changing of the guards ceremony
pretty tulips. for mom