THANKSGIVING: LONDON TOWN THE UPS AND THE DOWNS

this week i've been missing new york like crazy. maybe it was this weeks episode of the apprentice? or maybe it was london city that grated on me? london has the habit of doing that.... 

it might be the rain, the incessant rain. it never stops. or maybe its the travelling, all the travelling. so much time wasted on the tube. the hot, stuffy, packed commuter tube. or maybe its all the bike stealing. i've had my fair share of stolen bike wheels, stolen bike seats, but this week had my whole bike stolen. all of it. it was all gone. they didn't even leave a wheel! 

but seeing as its thanksgiving next week here are just a few things i'm thankful for in this new city....

-the neighbourhood we live in. we've had some weekends exploring, taking walks along the canal, trying some local restaurants, running in regents park, making friends with our new neighbours.....

-our new flat. one where we can stand up without hitting our head-no more sloped ceilings!

-living close to our family again meaning we can spend more time together and have fun spoiling our nieces and nephews.

-my new job, where i'm learning so much, i walk to work (which is pretty useful considering i can't cycle anymore!) and get nhs discount again!

its far too easy to fall into the trap of complaining about everything we dislike here in london, comparing it to our life in new york, especially as as our time there drifts further into the past. but this is a new season, a time for new challenges, new triumphs, new things to learn. we're having to make active choices at times to embrace it, to be thankful for it and excited for all that it holds. we're chasing those dreams we so boldly dreamt back in nyc, slowly putting one foot in front of the other, walking them out in the mundane day to day. its not easy, but this is a new season and i'm thankful for it. 

*SNEAK PEEK.....WHERE WE LIVE

looking for somewhere to live when we moved back from nyc was quite a task. one of things that we loved about new york was living within the same neighbourhood that we went to church and where many of our friends lived, it was like our own community, which was so refreshing in such a crazy and transient city.
london on the other hand spans such a vast area that it can be very difficult to feel grounded as it feels that you spend so much time travelling across the city from neighbourhood to neighbourhood.

moving to london we were desperate to set ourselves up to live more in community; living, working and going to church within a smaller radius; to really be able to put down roots.

after a rather disillusioning month of flat hunting we eventually walked into a newly refurbished basement studio flat in kings cross, st pancras and were moved in within two weeks. we had great fun getting creative with the layout of our studio and it was rather enlightening for me to see nicks creative side and it turns out i don't always know best, that in fact nick has some pretty good ideas when it comes to making our flat a home!

kings cross is definitely up and coming, but isn't everywhere?! theres a tonne of regeneration that has happened in this area over the past few years with google offices soon to be moving in! theres some great restaurants we want to try and regents canal that leads to regency park.

we're still getting to grips with our new neighbourhood and flat but for now heres a sneak peek
into our new life...enjoy.......

CAMBRIDGE

we live just a 5 minute walk from a mainline station. so last weekend we decided to get on a train and head out of london for the day. and we ended up here. cambridge. nick's sister, megan, who lives in cambridge took us on a little tour of the colleges. cambridge is such a pretty city, steeped in history with incredible architecture. 

i don't think i need to say much more about this city, the photos speak for themselves....

PETER RABBIT

two weekends ago was my nieces third birthday. living in the same country and only an hour away meant i could come to her party! my sister did such an incredible job putting together a peter rabbit extravaganza for little beatrice. 4 cakes later and we were left with an amazing vegetable patch cake, complete with carrots, pumpkins, leeks and cabbages! the  party included a game of pass the parcel, sleeping bunnies and i even caught a cheeky birthday girl licking jelly from the jelly mould!!

giving presents to beatrice  this year was just the best because she was so excited by them! we bought her two little peter rabbit figurines (that she took everywhere with her including to bed!) and an ariel barbie doll. the excitement when she opened them was so sweet and then seeing her care and play with them was so delightful and these pictures capture the moment so well! 

oh...and lets not forget jossy, who was such a trooper the whole weekend, despite being sick. 

CYRMU AM BYTH

for those of you who don't know me, you may be shocked to find out that i'm not actually english, but welsh! i grew up in glorious north wales, surrounded by mountains and sea.  and yes i do speak (some) welsh! unfortunately, i didn't realise until age eighteen just how beautiful this place is, despite the awful weather....it really does rain a lot of the time! 

so this weekend we took our first trip in over two years up to wales to visit family. it was so refreshing to get out of the city and go hiking, taking in the fresh mountain air. 

do you remember when we went to the bahamas and our floridian friends felt so natural and at ease in the sea, snorkelling with all those weird and wonderful fish? well....this place is my place. this is my natural habitat! this is where i feel most me, most alive. a pair of wellies or walking boots, a dog (this dog was a rather special puppy called charlie), on a long walk taking in the beauty of this country. i really don't think theres anywhere more stunning than here....the views.....well i'll let you judge them for yourselves!

*my natural habitat also consists of jellyfish the size of nick that are washed up on the shore!