London with The Queen Mum

This week confirmed my suspicion that I was indeed born in the wrong century and quite possibly, on the wrong continent.  My own “happily ever after” began 18 years ago when I met my beloved in England while we were at school, and the beauty of this country still holds a special piece of my heart with a thousand magical memories which we added to this week…..my sweet mother, turning 70, invited her girls to celebrate this monumental birthday with “tea in London”.  I was made for this life (well, aside from the cold!).… The astounding architecture, rich history, romance and relics, pomp and circumstance, those adorable British accents!!…it still takes my breath away!

The plan has been in the works for a year.  Our Daddy sourced a perfect flat in the heart of London to rent for 4 nights putting his girls within walking distance of Hyde park and Oxford street window shopping.  The time flew past, but not a moment was wasted from evening strolls along the Thames River at sunset, to gusty, breezy double decker bus rides, sitting through mass in St. Pauls and gallivanting around galleries.

Being quite the versatile ladies, we spent leisurely afternoons in tea rooms, and visited local evening pubs where we we’d discard layers and warm ourselves by way of roaring fires and hearty food.

After walking home and thawing, we’d don our pjs, pour some wine and prop up our feet for The Crown series – giving substance and meaning to all the attractions and landmarks we were seeing!

Our mother is the queen of tea parties….and the queen of parties for that matter!  It was the tradition growing up that she’d bring a tea tray with rock sugar and a cute creamer pitcher and something sweet up to our bedroom for slumber parties with friends or on birthday eves or when we were sick and bedridden.  That tea tray has served us thousands of times.  How fitting to have a 4 day celebration and see her waited on and treated like the “queen mum” that she is!  High tea was a must!  Check out our review posts on the a charming morning spent at Betty Blythe Tea Room and high society afternoon tea at The Dorchester!

  Because, “when in Rome”!!

Hard to imagine a more extravagant, memorable, enjoyable 4 days with some of the people I love most! These opportunities dont come around every day, so we made the most of every moment and are combing through thousands of photographs. (Kindly indulge me as I download here.) Tho Ive made a handful of stops in London over the years of living here, there and everywhere, this was the first time I felt I properly got to “do” London!

Id say the only low-light was nearly getting my camera confiscated and us kicked out of St. Pauls Cathedral.  Overcome by the beauty, I failed to take note of the dozens of “NO PHOTOGRAPHY” signs posted everywhere! oops!  Yep, that’d be me embarrassing everyone raising a scene in a 300 year old cathedral!   Note to self….must pay better attention!  I was however, not the only one whose camera was a nuisance.  My sister managed to bring our bus screeching to a halt and the driver came huffing up the stairs to the top to scold her for standing and taking photos (which we’d already been doing for 2 days straight!)  Apparently these sisters are a bit camera crazy – but the pictures are worth it!

So thankful for my sweet man who was a single parent for a few days to give me this time with my mom and sisters (Eden’s first night away from Mommy!!)…..and for my daddy who gifted us this stay….and especially for our mother – for the 70 years she’s so intentionally poured into the lives of those around her and the devotion and dedication to her family. If anyone deserved the royal treatment, it was her!  Trip of a lifetime for all four of us!  Sweetest mother-daughter-sister memories!