Not ALL of our Christmas Day was quiet...

The cause of my joyous and high-pitched squealing on Christmas Day.

Dear Neighbors,

I know we don't talk much (it's because you're painfully shy) but I just wanted to say Merry Christmas and sorry for the 10 minutes of extreme noise the other day. My awesome sister is coming to visit and if you knew her you'd understand the fuss.

Girl was stylin' from the early days!

The shades have changed, but she's still got it.

Did I mention she can pretty much fly?

I'd also like to apologize in advance for the jumping up and down and squealing that will undoubtably ensue when she arrives next Sunday morning. Don't worry--we'll make it up to you by being out of the apartment most days having adventures.

There will probably be some frolicking, too. We like to frolic.

While I'm apologizing I might as well apologize for the late-night juggling. Yes, my husband does have some rather unique and noisy hobbies, but in his defense he drops the balls a lot less frequently now than he did a few months ago.

Maybe it would help if he used tennis balls again, instead of lacrosse balls...

Also, keep in mind that we have yet to be the cause of the ear-splitting fire alarm evacuations. That's right, I'm talking to you, Mr. "I can't make toast without burning the bread and forcing the entire building to evacuate into the snow at night." All in all, we're not a bad deal.

Happy New Year, neighbors!

Caitlin

Christmas Recap

You know you're a grown up when your favorite Christmas gift is a kitchen appliance. That's right--I got a blender for Christmas and I'm gosh darn proud of it! I loved making smoothies back in the States and had been telling Will how much I missed those fruity concoctions and lo and behold the wonderful man bought me a blender. Now that's love, folks. It's currently 12:34 on Monday, I've already had two blueberry/pomogranate/yogurt blends, and I'm not slowing down anytime soon. In fact, I've already trekked into town to purchase more fruit. It's a party in the Brian apartment!

Aside from the general excitement over the blender, we had a very casual, very relaxed Christmas. This being our first Christmas alone as a couple we decided to review our mutual family holiday traditions and pick and choose those we liked best. Good news Mom, the Christmas breakfast pancakes made the cut! Will, being the understanding man that he is, decided to uphold a very famous Hess family Christmas tradition by getting sick. Poor fella has been under the weather for several days prior to Christmas and is still not feeling 100% like his usual self. So we lounged in our pjs, watched West Wing episodes and movies, opened boxes from our families, stuffed our faces with delicious Christmas-y food (Bob, your Cajun stuffed potatoes are a MUST at Christmas!), talked to family members on skype, and enjoyed our low-key, snuggly Christmas.

Of course, we missed each one of you but I have to admit--there was something pretty special about our first Christmas with just the two of us. Who knows, it may also be our last!

Brief Update

Dear Blog Friends,

I am sorry for leaving you hanging. It's not you--it's me. It's me and it's us and it's our new super-duper busy social life. That's right. We have friends!!

We have girlfriends

We have man friends

We have friends that have welcomed us like family

We have friends with lovely Irish accents

We have friends with crisp British accents

We have suddenly become social butterflies. And because of our new friends I think it would be safe to say that we are happily adjusting. And who doesn't love a happy adjustment?

More later. . .

Caitlin

This is What Fun Looks Like...

...When it is 29 degrees Fahrenheit outside and your head and chest are more congested than Beltway 8 at rush hour.

That's right, folks. My goal for this post is to categorically destroy any fantastical notions you have of our glamorous life in Oxford. Because for the past week our life has consisted of these four basic routines:

1. Caitlin blowing her nose

2. Caitlin coughing

3. Caitlin blowing her nose again

4. Will taking care of absolutely everything else like the wonderful husband/nurse he is

The cold of all colds is still with me, although slightly weaker today than some days earlier, and I'm now considering naming it like meteorologists name hurricanes. As it is the first epic cold of my life here in Oxford I'm thinking I should start at the beginning of the alphabet--Amelia. Lest you be confused by the personification of this malady, allow me to be clear: Amelia and I are not friends. Amelia has given me sleepless nights, a nose that would make Rudolph feel less self-conscious and an addiction to that yummy tasting decongestant they sell at the drug store. I even went to the doctor to see if they could help but apparently nasty colds (even named ones) are meant to be suffered through here in England and I was turned away without any pharmaceutical aid. I suppose that if I was of the mindset of Calvin's dad I would thank Amelia for all the good she is doing to me...

With Amelia working a number on my immune system and with temperatures hovering below freezing I was forced into hibernation. Until church today I had only ventured outside to change a load of laundry and to return/pick up some library books. The couch and my bum have become very well acquainted. So when Will announced that No Shave November was over I did what any other people-starved, decongestant-high, super-bored couch potato would do. I grabbed my camera.

The beard in all it's glory...

Can't you see the delirium (or is it a touch of fever?) in my eyes? This is the most excitement I've had all week!

Attacking the beard with scissors first. Let the devolution begin.

Every time I see a goatee I think 90s Major League Baseball...

Major League Creeper.

The finished product! What a chin! What a jaw! What a face!

I just love smooth cheek kisses. Hope he doesn't catch anything.

So there you have it--the highlight of my week! I promise that once my head fully clears we'll have more exciting things to post about. Until then, I'm going to gaze adoringly at my hubby's clean shaven face and try to kill off Amelia with high doses of Vitamin C.

Because I Can

Readers! I have just realized that I completely forgot to post my list of things-I-am-thankful-for-here-in-Oxford! And even though it is December and Thanksgiving was last week, I'm going to post it now. Can I do this extremely belated post? See title. Oh yes I can.

1. Modern Technology.

Merciful heavens where would I be without modern technology? I'll tell you where--stuck on a freezing cold island thousands of miles away from family and dear friends, relying on pigeons or ponies or something like that to hear news from my beloved homeland. Why yes, I am the dramatic first born child, however did you know? Even though I am married to a man who would gladly give up such modern luxuries as cell phones, laptops and modern medicine and move to the seclusion of an Amish community I must say that we both have loved how easy it is to keep in touch with you wonderful people.

Chatting with the parents on iChat!

These people have a 24 hour online web cam. We stand in front of it and wave like idiots seemingly to nobody. Later, we get excited emails from relatives and requests to "do it again!" and comments such as "man you guys looked awkward!" (thanks, Pete).

2. Starbucks.

Good news, my coffee-addict friends. Starbucks is in Oxford! Yes, their drinks are even more ridiculously overpriced here when you figure the dollar to pound ratio, however, their wifi got us through the first week here. And for that I am eternally thankful. I am also eternally thankful for their grande caramel macchiato, despite Will's attempt to wean me of them by sneaking the Starbucks nutrition pamphlet into my latest read.

This place could probably be considered our first home in Oxford.

Like I said, eternally grateful...

3. The Clarendon Foundation.

This seems to be an appropriate time to remind you all of how wickedly smart my hubby is. :) Because he's brilliant. And I am ever so thankful to the Clarendon Foundation for recognizing said brilliance and paying for Will to come to Oxford and for supporting us financially for the next three years. If Mr. Clarendon were still around I'd hug him... assuming that there ever was a Mr. Clarendon. Mrs. Clarendon? Who knows. Will says I could just google it but I fear it would break my "flow."

The Clarendon Foundation, along with paying for England, has a mall named after them. So they give us money and then I can go shopping!

4. Mr. Smarty Pants Himself.

He's smart and handsome and runs out to the drug store early in the freezing cold morning to buy me all of the items on my "no-I-can-cure-myself-of-this-cold-without-modern-medicine-just-buy-me-Vitamin-C-and-Cat's-Claw-Tea" list (and it's working, thankyouverymuch!). I have been incredibly blessed in marrying my best friend (and in my humble and unbiased opinion, probably the best guy ever) and this adventure, though challenging at times, makes me appreciate him all the more. I mean, how can you not love this face?

Wait...maybe not this face...

THIS is the face!

5. Overseas Business Trips.

That's right--I support the decision to outsource American labor to other countries! Especially when it brings my Daddy to Oxford. :) Dad's visit was such fun and I can't wait for the next one. Especially if he brings me Mom. Hint hint.

I have a whole list of new adventures for us next time you come, Pops. But on one condition...

BRING MOM! That's right, Ted, I have demands.

I have many more things that I am thankful for; however, I have run out of pictures that match my thanks. So for now, the thankfulness (and this post) ends here.