Just Wed!

All Wedding Photos from Hello Magazine

Like most wedding guests, I've now got my feet up on the couch, (well, make that on the foot rest under my computer desk) and I am reminiscing about the fun I had today watching the wedding of the century.

These photos from Hello Magazine capture some of the best parts of the day for me.




Seeing these two princes leave Clarence House and arriving at Westminster Abbey was my most emotional moment.  In fact, I tear up thinking about it because I remember when they were born (It saddens me to think I'm now at the age to remember this), and I vividly remember them walking behind their mother's casket in 1997.  It's nice to see happiness in their lives.   Don't you agree? The story of a royal marrying a commoner is what makes the headlines and is truly what fairytales are made of, but for me, the greatest story today is not so much about the bride's story, but rather, a public prince finds the same happiness that we all want and seek in our lives.  I think this is why I got so emotional today when Prince William and Prince Harry made their first appearance out of the cathedral.   They also looked dashing!



I love this shot of Catherine as she steps out of the car where we get to see her dress for the first time, and her exquisite bouquet.   When you think of a princess on her wedding day, this image depicts that beauty for me.   Classic! Regal! Beautiful!

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As a mom, I love the children.





The grandeur of this carriage, the tiara, the military uniform, and the smiles of a new Duke and Duchess of Cambridge is why we Americans say that no one does pomp and circumstance better than the British royal family.



As my mother-in-law and I watched the news while everyone was inside Buckingham having canapes and champagne, we couldn't help, but wish there was an inside camera.  Luckily, Hello Magazine now features the two wedding cakes.  They look so yummy!

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Once they ate cake, the day was sealed with a kiss.

Courtesy of Hello

I was  glad that my mother-in-law had me as her house guest so that I could watch this royal wedding without the interruption of little ones, and I even got my own something blue today in honor of this wedding of the century.   I'm having tea in my new Burleigh china royal wedding cup.


Burleigh, est. 1851



She purchased one entire set for each one of us and surprised me with it when I arrived at her home.   One on of her trips to London, she bought a few pieces of china by Burleigh while at Harrods, and the wedding pieces match the china pattern that she bought to the "tea".

Well, it's been a great day and I have been up since 3:00 a.m.   Guess I was too excited too sleep.

Until next time, I'm off to count the minutes until bedtime.   But before I go off into dreamland, visit my friend, Happy Homemaker U.K, for her Post of the Month Club which will run this weekend.   I will be participating. And since I like doing travel pieces the most in my blog.  My favorite post is "It was already on my List".





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A Day Off

The bride is at her hotel.


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My bags are packed.  (She doesn't know it, but she's not going!)




And the Scones are made. (He doesn't know it, but he's not going either!)





As I stated in one of my very first blog posts, "With This Ring, I'll Take a Day and A Cup of Tea", I would like to be away from my children to watch the royal wedding.   I love them, but prepping breakfast when the royal newlyweds take their first kiss just isn't my cup of tea.

My mother-in-law graciously invited me to come and spend the night with her and together, we'll rise at 4 am to watch the big event LIVE.  Yes, it's early, but I wouldn't have it any other way.  I was a news reporter, after all.  LIVE is in my blood even if the hour is terrible.   But, truthfully, I've awakened at 5 a.m. on my many mornings since I've started blogging just so I could communicate with you.  Otherwise, I don't have the time with two needy children so what's an extra hour when you've got great company  (I hope she is not like her son, and is more of a morning morning), and a beautiful wedding on TV in a city I adore?    I'm most excited about the processional and recessional.   My mother-in-law may actually have to nudge me during the long wedding ceremony!   As an Episcopalian, she will be all into the cermony and I am sure I will be, too, but it will be lengthy. 

In a few hours, I'm going across town, taking my scones, and will be back sometime in the morning so my husband can go into the office.   By the time, some of you may read this, I may be back on-line or at least on Facebook.  Join me there!

Before I sign off, I want to let you in on my quick scone secret.  I've got lots of recipes for homemade scones including one from the late Princess of Wale's butler, but when in a time pinch (Who am I kidding? I always go for the ease.) I buy a wonderful all natural, no preservatives scone mix from Sticky Fingers Bakeries.  I find it at my local World Market, but it can be found in gourmet specialty stores.   I like the traditional flavor, but they have 12 different scone mixes in all.   

They are so easy to make.  My son made ours yesterday.   We just added water, put them on a baking sheet, and in 15 minutes, we were eating the most delicious scones. 


I bet Diana's butler couldn't make them any better.

Until next time, enjoy your royal wedding parties and I'll see you after everyone says, "I do!"


Pack Your Bags: We're Heading to the Fairmont St. Andrews, Scotland


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This week, I watched the cheesy "William and Kate" movie on Lifetime which I will probably one day regret revealing.  My mother-in-law suggested that I watch it in preparation for our royal wedding viewing.   It was interesting, and probably a lot more fiction than fact.  This tidbit may shock you as much as I have talked about the royal wedding this month on my blog, but I must have been preoccupied with my own life this century and just "wasn't in the know" a lot about Will's romance with Kate Middleton.   You see, my subscriptions to Majesty Magazine ran out last century, and after Princess Diana's death, I no longer kept up with the royals comings and goings.   In fact, I didn't even watch Charles and Camilla's wedding, but I was on vacation in British Columbia so that may not have been the case if I had been at home.   Nonetheless, I knew very little about their romance except seeing a few snapshots and reading a few headlines.  Of course, their engagement pulled me right back in to the royal hoopla I so loved in my teens and college.  I will be one of the crazy billion of people who will wake up at 4 a.m. this week to see all the events unfold live in London. 



Hotel Photos courtesy of Fairmont St. Andrews Website
After seeing the royal movie Monday night, I found myself wanting to learn more about the lovely town of St. Andrews, Scotland where the couple studied together at the University.  If you love castles, ruins, and golf then I think you would love St. Andrew's Fife. As usual, I have looked at the hotels in the town, and if I were packing my bags today I would choose to stay at the Fairmont St. Andrews.  It just so happens that this hotel was the site of the charity fashion show where Prince William saw Kate Middleton in a new romantic light as she walked the runway in that now famous see-through dress.  The hotel also says that Prince William was a regular visitor of the spa during his time at the University. 

Here's that now famous spa.


The guest rooms look delightful.


And is where I would have my afternoon tea.



The Squire Restaurant at the Fairmont
This is a great destination to watch the royal nuptials on Friday.  The Fairmont thinks so, too.  They have a royal wedding weekend package where you watch the wedding on a big screen, and dine in the very same room where the fashion show was held.  You also get to check out the spa with a one hour treatment.  I think I would much rather be here than on the busy streets of London.

Fairmont Golf Course

But since I'm announcing this package with just two days until the wedding, you may want to think about following package instead if you travel to Scotland between now and the end of the year.  It's called, "Spend the Kid's Inheritance".   I love the name!  This package includes overnight accommodations, full Scottish Breakfast, and 25 percent off spa treatments and green fees.  The Fairmont St. Andrews wants you to have the time of your life spending your kid's inheritance and enjoy maximum freedom during your retirement.

This is going to be my motto for the future.  Not that I'm rushing things, but I'll be approaching 60 by the time my youngest goes to college and I will be ready to travel, and do some of the things I can't do right now with the little ones.  However, I know my hubby will remind me that we have to pay college in our sixties.  Ouch!

Until next time, I'm off to get a cup of tea and pack my bags.  You'll hear about my little road trip on Thursday.

Also, I invite you to join the blog's Facebook page if you have not done so yet.  I love interacting with people on the page.  You can join here.
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If you can't get enough of the royal wedding then head over to Decor to Adore for her Royal Wedding Linky Party.

It was already on my List...

No one is going to believe me now, but for the record, the Goring Hotel was on my "hotel list" long before a future princess chose it as the place to spend her last night as a commoner.  Catherine Middleton along with the Middleton family have chosen this family operated hotel adjacent to Buckingham Palace as their base for the royal nuptials.

All Images from The Goring Hotel Website

Likely story, you say!  But, it's so true and it's so me.  You see, my mother-in-law has been to England more times than I can count on my fingers since I've known my husband.   I think she may be even more of an Anglophile than me.  Since I'm stuck, oh...I mean have commitments at home, I live vicariously through her trips.  I'm probably the only one in the family who goes through all of her hotel links when she sends them before a trip in case of an emergency.   She has not stayed at the Goring Hotel, but she had lunch there followed by a tour.  Her travel companion that year was a good friend who is also a travel agent.   Look carefully at the gorgeous rooms.




Do you notice anything that is just....well....Baaautiful?  Look again.


Adorable little sheep footstools are found everywhere in the hotel.  Catherine Middleton may just prop her feet on one of these fuzzy delights the night before her wedding.  Upon returning from her trip, my mother-in-law talked about these sheep footstools, and how she wanted to buy one.  The hotel even gave her the name of the company who makes them.  To make a long story short, she decided that she didn't know where to put one in her house and never placed an order.   We talked about these footstools this week since The Goring Hotel is in the news a lot these days.  I asked her if she regretted not placing that order, and her immediate answer was, "YES!"   Too bad I won't be able to put my own feet on her sheep footstool as I watch the royal wedding at her house on Friday!  She should have placed that order!





Since my blog is a very kid-friendly blog, I have to tell you that this hotel rolls out the red carpet for the little ones.  The hotel hosts a bedtime story library, children can go to the kitchen where their own apron and chef hat awaits them which they will use to help decorate cookies and cakes while parents enjoy afternoon tea alone.

However, the best perk for the little ones is on their pillows, there will be a gift pack that includes their very own cuddly "Baaa-bara sheep." I wonder if Catherine will get one, too as a little memento of her stay before transforming into a Princess?

Before I say until next time, there will be one lucky Hines-Sight Blog reader who can feel like a princess when she visits the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC.  This morning, my son woke way before he should have on a Monday.  I guess he is prepping me for the royal wedding this week because when he tapped me on the shoulder, my clock said 5:00 AM.   He never went back to sleep.

I put him to work.



Congratulations, Stacy Reynolds! You have just won two estate passes to the Biltmore House in Asheville, NC.

I thank everyone for becoming new Facebook fans and Google followers during this give-away.   I hope to have another give-away soon, and I thank everyone who reads my blog.  You are the reason I keep writing.

Until next time, I'll be waiting to hear from Stacy so I can send her on her way to the Biltmore.


I am participating in the Post of the Month Club from Happy Homemaker U.K. If you are hopping over from this site.  Welcome!



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Easter Smiles

There is so much to smile about on Easter.  I wish you and your family a very blessed Easter day!  This little story is about my trying to capture some Easter smiles of my children while dressed in something other than t-shirts and shorts.  Let me be the first one to say that professional photographers are worth their weight in gold.





I was able to capture a silly face!  That was it for my son. 
His allergies were bothering him, and he was just miserable.

My daughter did better if I dangled her pacifier over my head!


So that is my story of trying to capture Easter smiles.  The good news is that these clothes will remain in their closets and can be used for a photo shoot on another day by a PROFESSIONAL.   When I want some really good photos then I can call on our friend, Sara, with Grow Photography.  Sometimes it is better to let the professionals capture those framable moments!

I hope you have had a wonderful Easter!





When A Sitter Marries...

Wedding experts predict that we will start to see more and more children walk down the aisle with brides in the U.S. since seven children will part of Prince William and Catherine Middleton's wedding party on Friday.  What little girl wouldn't want to be part of a wedding?  Perhaps if I had been in a wedding as a child then it would have curtailed my desire to be a bridesmaid so badly when the first of my friends became engaged.   The role of flower girls, junior bridesmaids, and ring-bearers are often times reserved for family members of the bride and groom, but sometimes little boys and girls get lucky, and a special babysitter becomes a bride.

This was the case for my 10-year old nephew, and 7-year old niece.  Their longtime babysitter married last September in a beautiful outdoor wedding on a farm near Greensboro, NC.  The two were thrilled to be part of this special occasion.   Their relationship with the bride goes back to her college years, and I remember her bringing my nephew who was then my daughter's age to my own wedding.

This was a special time for my niece and nephew, and this wedding was just too gorgeous not to share with all of you. 









Alea Moore Photography

My niece and nephew had a wonderful time in this wedding.  Seeing these photos make me want do what they do in the soaps. I'll marry husband again, and put my own children in it.  

Don't forget to enter my give-away!  I'm giving away two free passes to the Biltmore Estate  and the deadline to enter is April 23 at 8 p.m. EST.  A winner will be announced on Monday.

Until next time, I'm off to grab a cup of tea, and wait for the Easter bunny to arrive.  Happy Easter!









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