I'm LESs MISerable than you.

I don't know how to start this post.... this week has gone from lunch to Les Mis to afternoon Tea to a countryside hike. Talk about diverse.

Sunday was another LOOOOOONG day at church. We left at 8:15 in the morning and didn't get back until 5:00. We're getting really good at the actually travelling part of it. We made it all of the way to church without any major tube or bus mistakes and even got there 15 minutes early. About 3 minutes before church started I realized that nobody was playing prelude... maybe the pianist inside me helps with that.. and one minute later I was sitting at the piano as Sacrament Meeting pianist. No problem, right? Ha! Our closing hymn=never heard of before. Also - The TINY ward I go to here sounds 1 million times better than my family ward back home. Which isn't hard to do, but still. After church a cute couple in our ward had us over for lunch. We travelled about another hour to get there and then stayed making/eating the food until 3:45. THEN we had another hour and a half journey home. I guess you could say Sundays here are just very different than what I'm used to! Not in a bad way though. I'm learning and growing a lot from the experience. It's amazing to see and feel the same spirit and gospel even on the other side of the world.

Okay I need to make this shorter or this post is gonna be massive.

Monday was a Kaylee and Elise day! We worked out, had class, ate lunch, and then went adventuring to a museum. It was an ABSOLUTELY beautiful day, so we walked around afterwards and then took the bus back to the center. To top off the day we went to Les Mis that night! I've only seen it once, and while Tuachan did a fantastic job... Holy. It was better. Much better. Elise and I truly sat in wonder the entire time. The scene that got me the most was the battle at the end when everyone dies. I was crying so hard I was almost shaking. I kept thinking about all of the people who have really died throughout history trying to make the lives of those after them better.

 Tuesday was Tea day! We went to the Kensington Palace at 3 and had tea. I'm talking hard core black tea stuff. BYU okayed it because they think it's good for us to be cultured. Fooled? didn't think so. It was herbal tea. Plus they gave us these super cute 3-layered platters with sandwiches and pastries. I didn't actually drink the tea.. but the sandwiches and pastries were good! I mostly had fun stirring like 10 things of sugar into my drink. Sooo entertaining to watch sugar dissolve! bahahaha jk....  but seriously.

Today was a different kind of day trip than we've had yet! We left at 9 this morning and traveled to the countryside. We met 3 men who apparently have a tradition of taking the study abroad students on a hike through the woods and fields. It was a 9 mile walk/hike with a castle and cute shops on the way. It was so different in the most beautiful way!! So many of the things here are too picture-perfect. It kinda creeps me out sometimes. I'll see things that look just like the movies or just how I always pictured things.... it basically rocks  tea and crumpets.

Oh, we also learned some cockney slang from these old guys. I may start using them on a regular basis.
Trouble and Strife = your wife
Apples and Pears = stairs
Barnet Fair = hair
Red Rose = nose

So they say these things, but a lot of times they just cut off the second word. So for wife, they just say trouble. So if an Englishman ever says somethings about your Trouble, he's probably referring to your wife! Unless you're a woman... in which case I can't really help ya. Maybe you look like a man or something.

 Classic phone booth picture: Check! Big Ben in the background: added bonus. 

Sunday Lunch with Matt and Anna. They made us DELISH chicken chili. YUM!

 Our first experience with Tea! It's all downhill from here. Bring on the alcohol.

 Sandwiches, orange biscuit, and banana and lemon cakes. I dine in high fashion over here. 

 Elise, Liz and I in front of the lovely Kensington Palace. It's TEA TIME!

 Behind me is a house where they used to "dry" their beer. Like I said - tea was just the beginning. 

 Heather and I in front of an old castle during our hike today. 

 Countryside hike... 

 This is the tower that inspired the original Rapunzel Fairy Tale! 

 A cool train bridge on our hike. And yes we saw a train go over it. 

A cute village we walked through on our hike today. 

I have to hurry and post this so it will be at 11:11!!!!! Luckiest post EVER!