STILL Fascinated!

Yep, I'll admit it.  I'm STILL extremely obsessed fascinated by all the wedding shenanigans.  I KEEP watching the tv specials.  I KEEP reading the articles online.  And I KEEP looking at fascinators when I walk through Eldon Square.  Someone get me out of the UK before I do something crazy like buy a fascinator or try to crash a Royal Wedding so I can wear one!  Just Kidding!  Actually, not really. 

Speaking of leaving the UK, three weeks from today, Josh and I will be flying out of Newcastle bound for the western shores of California!  I can't believe we are almost done living in England and more importantly, Josh is less than two weeks away from being done with year 1 of medical school.  Crazy!  I am going to miss our flat and our little town of Jesmond, I'll miss walking through Jesmond Dene, but most importantly, I'll miss my BFF Julie.  She has made this term in Newcastle so amazing for me. 

We have become such close friends especially considering that until last November, we were total strangers.  It seems like most days some days, we spend more time with each other than we do with our significant others, which explains why our friendship has grown so much.  I seriously don't know what I will do without her once we get to Grenada in June.  Luckily, she and Kevin will be meeting up with us again in January 2012 in Grenada!  And if this year is any indication of how quickly our time in Grenada will fly by, then it won't seem like long before they are there too.

Anyway, back to fascinating fascinators.  Julie and I had a girl's day on the town today.  We had lunch in Jesmond at a quaint little cafe. After, we headed into city center for some errands and then a movie at The Gate.  We saw Water for Elephants.  It was great and I would definitely recommend it to everyone.  I read the book which I think is a MUST before seeing the movie, but if you aren't really into reading, the movie is still worth seeing.  While we were out shopping running errands, we tried on some fun fascinators at T K Maxx.  Yes, it's T K Maxx, like T J Maxx.  I don't know why they switch out the "J" for the "K" here but then again, I don't understand why they do a lot of the things they do here.  We had lots of fun putting on the different ones. 

I shoulda bought it!

Notice the "TK Maxx" sign in the background.

I think I really NEED to have one of these.  What do you think?   A girl's necessity?!?

Fascinated by Fascinators..And All Things Royal

I have been so obsessed with the Royal Wedding these last few weeks. 
Maybe it's because I LOVE fairy tales and this is a real life one. 
Maybe it's because my wedding was only a mere 10 months ago and so weddings are fresh in my mind.  Maybe it's because I currently live in England and so I feel so much more connected to it all then I would living anywhere else in the world. 
Or, maybe it's all of the above. 
Whatever the case may be, I have been completely and totally fascinated with all things royal.

I have watched all the documentaries, specials, and Lifetime movies about Prince William and Kate.  And yesterday, I barely took my eyes off of the television all day.  I went out and bought UK newspapers yesterday and today, and I have read so many articles online about the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge as well as the Royal family that I could practically write a biography on them.

My poor poor husband just can't understand my obsession.  I think he thinks it is bordering on crazy.  Buuuut that's okay with me, there are worse things to be addicted to.  And how can you not be anything but captivated by this family and their legacy?

I know we can't and won't ever have a King and Queen of America (though that might be a lot of fun), but can we please, please, PLEASE start wearing fascinators to weddings!!!   Julie and I almost bought one at Eldon Square to wear to my tea party, but they were expensive and I think Josh might have killed me.  I don't think I saw one person at the Royal Wedding not wearing a hat or a fascinator and now I know why.  It's part of the Royal Wedding dress code that all females wear a headpiece of some sort.  These were some of my favorites of the day.



Ahhh the Beckhams....FAB-U-LOUS



The blue fascinator is to die for!

But as with most things, there has to be a worst list.  And I think Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie absolutely take the cake.  I read online somewhere that one person thought Princess Beatrice's fascinator "looked like she had an octopus on her head."  I think they got it spot on.  Who is her stylist?  It's terrible.

Who wants to start a "Let's Get Fascinators in the USA" club?!?!?

A Day For The History Books

Once upon a time there was a common country girl named Kate.  But far away in a castle in London, there lived a handsome royal Prince named William.  All the girls in all the land wished and prayed that they could become William's Princess.  Fate brought country girl Kate and the handsome Prince together.  They fell in love and nine years later, on April 29, 2011, the Prince made Kate his Princess while billions watched.  And they lived happily ever after.

The End

I guess it's not the end.  It's actually more like the beginning.  It's a fairy tale story that touches the heartstrings of any girl who has ever watched Sleeping Beauty, Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, Cinderella, or The Little Mermaid.  We've all done it.  Hoped and dreamed that our Prince Charming would one day find us and sweep us off our feet.  And some of us, like me, were even able to find him.

As I watched the Royal Wedding of William Prince of Wales and Kate Middleton yesterday, I couldn't help but feel like I was witnessing one of the most historical moments of my lifetime so far.  When I think back to where I was during some big moments in history during my lifetime, only a handful come to mind.

1. The day O.J. Simpson was pronounced not guilty of murder.  I know this seems strange, but it WAS a big deal.  I hardly understood what was going on, but I remember being in my fourth grade teacher Mr. McCall's classroom.  Lots of the teachers had the news on their television and were extremely upset and surprised about the final verdict.
2. September 11, 2001.  I doubt anyone in the world, but especially anyone living in the United States will ever forget this day.  I found out right after I got to Stockdale High School that morning by friends in front of my locker.  It was scary and there was a lot of uncertainty about what would happen after that day.
3. The day Barack Obama became President of the United States of America.  I may not have voted for him and I may not agree with all of his policys and actions as President, but no one can deny that it was a big day in the history books when Obama became the first African American President of the USA.

And now, I will always remember that I was living in Newcastle upon Tyne, England when Kate Middleton became The Duchess of Cambrige by marrying Prince William of Wales in what was the most watched wedding in the world's history.

As fun as it might have been to go down to London to be part of the chaos that was the Royal Wedding, I quite enjoyed just watching it live from the comfort of my flat with all of my fellow SGU SO's and their children.  It was especially fun since I was just in London in March with my siblings, and I not only recognize the famous places passed on the Royal Route from Westminster Abbey to Buckingham Palace, but I have walked along almost exactly the same route.

I invited all of the SO's over to my flat for a Royal Wedding Tea Party complete with tea, scones, cakes, and finger sandwhiches.  It was a lot of fun "oohing" and "ahhing" over Kate's absolutely stunning wedding gown.  Which, by the way, looks surpisingly similar to my Mom's wedding gown worn almost 27 years ago.  Apparently, Mama's got good taste.


Mama may not be a Royal, but she sure looked like a Princess on her wedding day.

My contribution to the tea party was a homemade Union Jack cake.  Although, I felt a little unpatriotic making a red, white, and blue cake that wasn't an American flag.  But, it turned out perfect and I am constantly surprised at my ever increasing abilites in the kitchen.

That's "made from scratch" whipped frosting too!

I did a little decorating for the party, because honestly, how could you not when all the stores are full of wedding paraphernalia.

It was a really fun day with the girls.  I am sure that we will all remember where we were the day the Prince and Kate were married.  It's a day that will be put in the history books....well at least the UK history books!

One big group!!