Intruder!

Warning: Intruder Alert!

With a little help from Professor Pingree I managed to hack in...

...this proves my sneaky nature applies to more than just hoarding food...

You girls had urged me to do a post earlier but I've never felt blog-inclined or clever enough to make a worthwhile post. But, as our time together has ended I think it's necessary to give a little tribute to a few girls that made my stay in London ever more meaningful...

So--- here's to the gigglefests on the tube, to hobnobs outside the church, to grumpy awakenings that turn into beautiful morning runs, here's to not wasting one day, one breath, one moment. Here's to the games while waiting at the station, bus sleeping positions, spending 7 pounds for one bag of candy at overpriced tourist shops, Stay's lullabies, and sing-alongs. here's to cereal chow fests, English accent imitations (even cockfosters), eating too many sweets & sharing top bunks for fear of mice. Here's to hostel breakfasts, Claire's kisses, and Looney's laugher. Here's to sharing dreams of our future & experiences of our past. Here's to spending too much money but also spending just about as much time you can with people in an 7-week period & loving every minute. Here's to the restaurant conversations that lasted hours, here's to everything we saw, heard, & tasted. But most of all....

here's to the nights that turned into mornings,

and the friends that turned into family.

"If ever there is a tomorrow when we're not together...there is something you must always remember. You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think. But the most important thing is, even if we're apart; I'll always be with you."

Christopher Robin to Winnie the Pooh

We all know I'm a cheeseball but I love ya'll with all my heart. I do believe I have been changed for the better.

Love, Jess

Exhaustion: extreme weakness or fatigue

"Ruling during a revolution is hard. But ruling after a revolution is even harder."

-Professor Cooper at our midnight review session for our final tonight

A parallel interpretation:

Staying awake during an all-nighter is hard, but staying awake the day after an all-nighter is even harder.

We are all starting to show clear signs of exhaustion. My favorite one so far:

"One time I made a song to remember the presidents of the U.S. in order. It goes, American presidents are number one! G-" (confused face and long pause)

Staley couldn't remember our first president's name. If we can't remember George Washington I don't know how we are going to remember 2,000 years of British history for a final monday.

"Oh my gosh, oh my gosh you guys!"

Thursday night could have been the best night of my life! Okay well maybe that is a little bit dramatic but it definitely was up there. 

I have been a Legally Blonde fan since the movie came out back in 2001. I even dressed up as Elle in 8th grade to give a speech when I was running for class treasurer. Embarrassing? Maybe. But did I win? Yes.

My family (aka Hans) always had a flood of Legally Blonde jokes for me and would call me Elle from time to time. He thought he was pretty clever.

I've been dying to see the musical since we got here but it was definitely worth the wait! Even my friends who weren't that excited abou it, loved it.

It was absolutely HILARIOUS. I've never laughed so hard or been so entertained in my entire life. Seriously, I'm not kidding. We walked out of that theatre so giddy, I couldn't stop smiling all night. 

And thank goodness for that because we had a lot of homework waiting for us at home. Let's just say we didn't sleep that night. Literally. 

Even the boys loved it so much, they couldn't contain themselves  

I've never been so proud to be a blonde <3

The Clocks a ticking

1 day until our mythology notebooks and papers are due

2 days until our history papers and timelines are due

3 days until Stay and I are giving talks in our ward (that were assigned this morning) and giving a lesson

4 days until finals

6 days left in London

13 days left in Europe!!!!!!!!!

Holy moly people. Holy moly.

Dear Mr. Looney,

The Beatles are not overrated. In fact they are incredible and your daughter is their newest fan.

Thank you and Goodnight

Staley, Ringo, Paul, George and John

school shmool

Yes its true...not everything is fun and games here in London town. There have been multiple all nighters and too many late nights spent working on homework. And I will admit that occasionally blogging and facebook breaks do occur, but there is always some serious reading, studying, and writing going on.

Greek and Roman Mythology and British History and Politics, whether we like it or not, we are slowly but surely learning your ways. However, we are also learning a few other important tidbits of knowledge. Here are a few examples... 

How to build a castle using only people

What kinds of substances keep you awake in the wee hours of the morning

Taking pictures of yourself at Oxford pretending to studying is a great way to procrastinate actually studying

Taking pictures of yourself going crazy at night while studying is a great way to procrastinate actually studying...

And best of all how dance breaks work wonders when you're starting to lose focus...video will be posted asap

All I have to say is that studying with Stales and ClaireBear by your side is much better than studying all by your lonesome. Well that is if you don't plan on getting much done...;)

When you give a Looney ice cream...

When you give a Looney ice cream...

she will ask for more. Or your spoonful.

After she has a little more, she will do a jig.

Once she has done a little jig she will ask to make a fort at our hostel with materials that you didn't even know could be used for forts:

...hair ties

...suitcase straps

....belts

...hostel sheets

...scriptures for weights (and a firm foundation)

We decided that despite our bunk beds, we would all rather smoosh onto mattresses pushed together on the floor.

SLEEP OVER!!!

Snuggly

Party people

JESSICA TROUT!!!!

...and here we are on a school night, sitting around the dining room table at 1:27 AM blogging. Life is a party, i tell ya what.

-Claire