What Am I Going To Do Without Thanksgiving?

I've confessed my not so secret indifference about Halloween.

But the one good thing about Halloween was that when it was over, it meant this:

STARBUCKS RED CUPS! This is me creeping a picture last year on November 1st. That's how much these red cups please me. Don't mind the terrible "I'm using an Android phone and I'm late for my sociology class" quality of this picture.

Starbucks red cups = Christmas. So in case you didn't get the memo, if you have received a red cup or have seen the red cups, it's Christmas. If not, go get yourself one. Hot bevs only, people, don't go crazy getting frappacinos; you'll be given an ordinary clear cup.

The time frame goes like this:

October = Pumpkin, pumpkin, and more pumpkin and a little bit of Halloween.
November before Thanksgiving = Also known as "Nearly Christmas", the start of Starbucks red cups, more pumpkin with a side of pumpkin. But now it's acceptable to drink Peppermint Mocha and Peppermint Hot Chocolate.
Thanksgiving = Parade, last acceptable day to eat pumpkin (so get as much in as you can!), fighting off the tryptophan effect, and if you're my family, a hefty buffet of Thanksgiving appropriate foods (we don't do the whole "sit down and be thankful thing").
After Thanksgiving = Christmas. I don't care what anyone says... Every single day after Thanksgiving is Christmas. It just is. 

So, now that I'm in England, my time frame is all messed up!

They don't celebrate Thanksgiving here! What am I going to do about my pumpkin and peppermint ingesting time frame? WHEN WILL I KNOW IT'S APPROPRIATELY CHRISTMAS?!

I asked some cool English peeps.... They all agreed that Christmas begins with the first viewing of the "Holidays are comin'" Coca Cola advert. If you are not familiar with it, go on YouTube and type that in. If you're not smiling and dancing while it's playing, you've clicked the wrong video.

I'm sad I can't properly celebrate Thanksgiving with the Parade and a day of binge eating, but at least I have the Coca Cola advert to look forward to!

Sidenote, the trees are putting on their autumn outfits.

Don't mind me, just running around a car park taking pictures of the trees. They don't change colors where I'm from!

Florida trees keep the same outfits year round, kind of like Florida people! No cold weather to deal with for us! Trees, can you change to green and red so that I know when it's Christmas here please? Just sprout some antlers while you're at it too.

Have a great weekend! 

Which is your favorite autumn/winter holiday to celebrate? Halloween? Thanksgiving? Christmas? Hanukkah? When do you start getting into the holiday spirit? Any expats know how to deal with the lack of Thanksgiving across the pond??

Packing 101 For Beginners

Everyone keeps talking about October. Probably because it's October 1st. Didn't you know?! Yay for pumpkins. Yay for riding boots. Yay for being one month closer to Christmas.

But for the first time, October means MORE to me than candy and fall fashion. I KNOW RIGHT?? Shocker!

This month.... well actually this week.... I move to England!

And if I could go back in time and tell the 12 year old Taylor that this was really going to happen ten years later, I so would, just to see my reaction. This has been my dream for as long as I can remember.

So let's get to the important stuff.

I'm kinda sorta not done packing, but in all seriousness I've had my airplane outfit picked out for about a month. And THAT'S what's important, right?? Screw packing for the rest of my life, those 14+ traveling hours are more crucial! 

In my defense, this is 99% of the reason I can't pack. Because ask anyone with a cat, you can't just move them! It doesn't work like that...

After the airplane outfit, the second most important thing is stuffing my face with as much American food as possible. Yes, I'm excited to order a curry, get pub food, and go to Nando's. But right now I need to eat my body weight in frozen yogurt.

English junk food, you're a close second to the American variety. But you're not quite there yet.

And finally, I'd rather complain about how much stuff I own to anyone willing to listen. That is more important than the actual packing part. You really don't know all of the pointless things you've accumulated until you have to squeeze it into 2 suitcases. Needless to say my Disney pins and my entire bookcase aren't necessities. Damn.

What are your favorite things to do before a long trip, or in my case a long move? Do you pick out your airplane outfit and eat like crazy or do you actually get down to business?

Goodbye, Summer!

Tomorrow is the first official day of autumn, even though you'd never know it in Florida. It's still muggy and gross and HOT. None of that "oh my run was actually a bit cool and brisk today" for us. That won't happen until..... well... NEVER.

But it dawned on me that this was my last summer in Florida. Tomorrow is the start of the season where my whole life literally changes. And what better season for such a change? Everything is transitioning: the weather (of course not where I live), the seasonal aisles at Target, Starbucks coffee flavors...and now my home!

I reflected on everything that happened this summer. And even though I didn't travel the world, swim with sharks, or compete in the Olympics, a lot did happen that made this a great summer!

I got off a ship that I lived on for 4 and a half months! Okay, so this was technically in the spring time, but I'm counting it as the beginning of my summer time, because it kind of felt like a semester away at school. Except instead of classes and studying it was working and more working. And instead of getting excited over school spirit and football games, it was getting excited over your favorite Disney princess. (Team Rapunzel in case anyone cares)

I kid you not, that is where I lived... My address was "the middle of the freakin' ocean, Planet Earth"

I got engaged! I flew to Canada on one hour of sleep to visit Fiance's family in Alberta. I spent the entire drive to the romantic destination complaining about how hungry and tired I was from flying, not knowing he was about to propose in front of the "mountains I've already seen before... why are we here and not getting food?!"

That's really what it looked like, I promise! And yes it's summer time... In Canada... eh?

It was a moment I will never forget. And it was perfect. And fun fact, my reaction was recorded by his uncle and brother. And it's hilarious!

I ran a whole bunch! A lot of it felt great! And a lot of it felt like crap! Running on a moving, breezy ship is a hell of a lot different than running in hot, still, humidity. I felt like everything I worked toward since my initial new years resolution 2 years ago was all for nothing. I felt so weak, like I'd never get back to the way I was before. I logged a lot of dreadful miles, and then suddenly I felt okay again. I still have bad runs every once in a while, but who doesn't??

I turned 22! And I wrote a list of 22 things I had learned from being alive. Most of it is probably absolute crap, but it was fun to look back and think of everything I learned. I use "everything" quite loosely.

I went to the beach... a lot! I probably went more this summer than in my whole life. And I live like 10 minutes drive from the beach. It was relaxing. And it's definitely one thing I'm going to miss once I'm settled in England. I mean, you can't do this kind of stuff on Brighton's beaches!

Lots of sand and lots of sun. Complete opposite of England.

I got a visa to live in the UK! Waiting for that was so nerve racking! There was always that possibility that it wouldn't go through and I'd be stuck here. But it got approved, and I can move to England as long as I get married to a British person next year. Alright, if you insist!

And now, here we are. It's the end of summer and everyone's drinking their body weight in pumpkin spice latte's and lighting vanilla scented candles. Oh and I can't forget buying endless amounts of candy corn even though you can't get through a handful of it... Or am I the only one who does that?

Are you sad to see summer go? What was your favorite part of Summer 2012? Or maybe you're like me and are already in the pumpkin, scarves, and boots mentality! If so, what are you looking forward to most this coming season?