4th Annual

I love our Christmas pajama exchange sleepovers.  I can't believe we have already had four annual parties?!  We're so old (relatively speaking haha).  This year was so much fun!  Shlyn found us a super cool Swiss Resort style lodge in Midway.  We picked everyone up Monday evening, drove up to Park City together for dinner, and then finished driving up to Midway.  We arrived while it was snowing extremely hard, which added to the Christmas magic ;D  For the rest of the night we explored the lodge, exchanged pajamas, ate treats, did facemasks, and just chatted and caught up.  In the morning we sat outside in the hot tub while it snowed and talked about the upcoming year and what it has in store for us.  It was the perfect girls' night with my best friends <3

Carly --> Zoe

Zoe --> me

I --> Taylor

Taylor --> Ashlyn; Ashlyn --> Carly

We missed you, Ruby and Tessa!!! Let's plan on getting the WHOLE CREW next year :D <3 <3 xoxox

Let it Snow

So, I am home.  And what better way to enjoy Utah's beauty than a morning in the mountains?  I arrived home Saturday night and spent the rest of the evening catching up with my family, giving souvenirs, and introducing everyone to English chocolates and sweets.  Sunday we went to church (the Christmas program and Mom spoke!  She gave a wonderful talk!) and played Settlers of Catan as a family.  In the evening, I went to Taylor's house and showed Taylor, Lisa, and Roger (my second family) my pictures from my study abroad.  By Monday I was dying to get outside and in the snow, so Taylor took me snowshoeing :)  Welcome home, to the most beaUTAHful mountains.

Self-timer struggles.

Goodbye Bristol

Sarah's family was so kind and invited me to stay the night at their house and then offered to take me to the airport Saturday morning so that I wouldn't have to take a train or taxi all the way from Bristol to London with all of my luggage.  Thank you, Mann family!!  Honestly, my bags were so heavy, I don't know how I would have made it without them.  Plus, I loved having one more night with Sarah.  I got to see her home, meet her family, and get to know her hometown.  And in the evening, she surprised me with taking us ice skating at Hampton Court Palace :D  We had such a fun night together.  In the morning, Sarah and her dad took me to the airport and I said goodbye to Sarah and goodbye to England...
Thank you to everyone who made my experience absolutely incredible...I'll be back to visit as soon as I can! xxx

"You're so British, it's unreal." -Sarah

Hampton Court Palace

We only got told off three times for taking pictures on the rink...luckily, we captured this one.

Sarah is obsessed with this cat.  It is not her's.  It is her neighbor's.

America, here I come.

Finishing Up The Term

So my time to Bristol has come to an end...I literally cannot believe how fast it has come and gone.  During the summer, when I was planning my trip, I imagined getting to this point in my study abroad and have had fun but to be done and ready to leave.  I was wrong.  I am not ready to leave!  I love Bristol and have had such a wonderful experience here.  But mostly, I love all the people I met and I can't cope with having to leave them... D: I have truly made some lifelong friends while studying here and intend to see them all again as soon as possible!

This week has been the classic "last week."  Last classes, last meal with everyone, last night out as a block, last (and first haha) sleepover, etc. etc. etc.  Most of my block was here through today (Friday), which made it fun because although it felt like the entire school had already gone home for the holidays, we were all together and enjoyed a few more classic J Block nights.  I love my block and my fellow Jadies!!  I don't know how he did it, but when the Warden chose who would be in which rooms, he made one perfect block, and that was ours.  I love these girls so much and would not have wanted to live with anyone else this term!

The random mural

Road to the Christmas Steps

The Harbourside

Wills Memorial Library at the top of the street

Morning run to the Gorge

Remember those free pizzas we won in the first week?
We finally got them delivered!

St. Mary's Cathedral in Redcliffe - the place where my great-great-great-grandfather was Christened.

Typical night with Sarah.

First time eating at Wagamama's!  So naturally, Hux decorated me as a Christmas tree.

Last night out with the Jadies.

Nikki and me <3

I <3 Anna

At first we were 5 out of the 12 people on the dance floor.

Me, Annable, and Sarah

Nikki, Anna, me, Sarah, Hux

What am I going to do without this girl??

Spent our last night together by having a sleepover :D

Nikki, me, and Anna 

One last selfie in the quad to end things right.

Last Weekend in Bristol

Secret Santas, last (and best) formal, and heading out on the town for a JK night out.

Do you like all our presents under the tree? ;)

Sophie left Saturday morning, so this was my last night with her! :(

We decided to upgrade from the classic formal selfie.

Nikki, Anna, and Sophie 

Christmas crackers = paper crowns 

Singing Christmas Carols (our line was "3 French Hens!") 

JK Secret Santa (missing a couple): Alex, me, Barnaby, Sam, Sophie, Sarah, Hux, Jimmy, Chris, James, and Ollie

It was cold.  So Nikki and I shared my jumper :)