We're looking forward to spending Christmas and New Year's back in America with our families and friends. In the meantime, here are a few pictures from the last month or so.
Thanksgiving
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| We did lots of fall crafts in November. Here's Craig and Maya working on a Thanksgiving cornucopia. |
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| The finished cornucopia. |
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Thanksgiving Day.
Maya wearing her traditional English Thanksgiving headwear (a.k.a. pilgrim hat). Time to dig in! |
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| Cheese! |
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| Apple pie and ice cream |
Maya Dancing
I showed Maya how to work the record player the other day and she got up on a chair and started movin' and groovin'. It's the same way that my mother dances!
Note: I don't know what she's saying half-way through this video either. I think she might have been speaking in tongues!
Lights in Leicester
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| Another rainy, winter day. We decided to brave the weather and head downtown Leicester to see the Christmas decorations. Here's Maya and me by the city hall dioramas. |
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| Maya likes it. |
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| The theme was 12 days of Christmas. |
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| Maya and me waving in front of City Hall. |
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| Maya and Craig in front of City Hall. |
Winston Lights "Switch-On"
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| Instead of having "tree lightings" in England they have "lights switch-ons." Apologies for the terrible photos - I blame it on that big old fire truck in our way. Behind the cab of the firetruck is the "tree" (a metal candy-cane-colored cone with lights on in. You will also have to imagine the crazy winter carnival behind the truck with everything from a scary house to tea cup rides to cotton candy. |
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| Craig and Maya waiting for the lights to turn on. |
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| Ta-da. The Christmas cone and storefronts are now switched on. |
Decorating our Tree
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| Maya "helped" straighten out the tangled lights. |
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| She then abandoned decorating in favor of two newly-discovered boxes of dominoes. |
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| She says the two ornaments are kissing. |
Mince Pies
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On Thanksgiving, my sisters and I had a whole Skype discussion over whether mince pies contain meat. Verdict - some do, some don't. With this in mind, I figured it was high time that Maya and I taste-tested the quintessential flavor of British Christmas (vegetarian blend).
Maya took little mouse bites all around the edges and then stuffed the whole pie in her mouth whole. Verdict, "de-wish-ious." |
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More "star pie" please!
My verdict: it's like spreading apricot jam on a cinnamon-y Christmas cookie and then sprinkling it with raisins. A little strange in the flavor and texture department, but I can see why people like them. |
