Thanksgiving & Holidays

Although it seems like old news by now, we're finally catching up from the holidays and the new year. Although the Brits don't celebrate Thanksgiving, we made a turkey and all the trimmings and had a few American & British friends over to celebrate--and a family member too to follow tradition. My dad arrived the week before to celebrate his birthday and visit us, so we were really lucky and felt a little less homesick at the beginning of the holiday season.
sitting down for Thanksgiving dinner
grandpa carving the turkey

London during the holidays is so festive and gorgeous. There's always lots to see and do. Here we are feeding the birds at Hyde Park after seeing a debutante exhibit at Kensington Palace. We found out that British swans are quite brave and bold when you have good bread....


but Rome had them eating out of the palm of his hand-- literally.
We went on a ride up in the London Eye and were lucky to time it right in-between rain storms to capture sweeping views and clear blue skies...
and went to see the holiday displays on Carnaby Street
and the stunning window displays of Fortnum & Mason.

Unfortunately, grandpa couldn't stay for Christmas but we made the most of it with a pre-Christmas gastropub dinner and lots of present opening on Christmas morning after a visit from Santa

Rome couldn't wait to play with his toys and started composing music on his keyboard and recording it on his mini ipod

Then we went to Christmas dinner at our friends Sid, Louise & baby Ashwin's house.

Rome had fun playing with the other children

and wore the crown from the Christmas cracker. The day after Christmas, Boxing Day is also a holiday here in the UK and so we headed up to Edinburgh, Scotland for "Hogmanay" the largest new years celebration in Europe! Stay tuned for more photos and videos soon !!!