Battle Proms at Highclere Castle (Downton Abbey)

I'm counting down the days!  Two weeks from today my Mom and stepdad, Bob will be here!  We haven't had visitors from home in far too long and I'm aching to be with family.  They visited last in 2012, I can't even believe it's been four years.  One of the things that we did when they were here was attend Proms in the Park.  We've been a few times and it's one of my very favorite British things to do.  So a few weeks ago when we got an invitation from Branston to attend Battle Proms, we jumped at the chance.  When we found out that it was at Highclere Castle, otherwise known as Downton Abbey, I was giddy with excitement. 

A Very British Day

On Saturday, we had a very wonderful and very British day. 

We started at Buckingham Palace with pre-purchased tickets in hand.

First, was the Queen's Gallery for the Leonardo da Vinci: Anatomist Exhibit.

 

 Then to the Royal Mews (stables) to see the royal carriages.

The Glass Coach is traditionally used in weddings and is the coach Princess Diana rode to her wedding. 

The Gold State Coach was built in 1762 and is used for coronations.

It is pulled by 8 horses and it's fantastic. 

We then visited the State Rooms of Buckingham Palace.

They are beautiful as you can imagine.

All three parts of the Buckingham Palace Tour had audio tours included.

Security was tight at the palace and no pictures were allowed inside.

We did stop in the gardens for a scone with strawberries and cream.

After a short respite at home, we loaded up and headed to Hyde Park

for the BBC Proms in the Park.

The Proms is a British institution.

The first Proms were held in 1895 and it's goal is to bring music to the masses.

In 1927, the BBC took over the Promenade Concerts.

Each Summer, there are a series of Proms Concerts at Royal Albert Hall.

The last night of the concert series is a huge celebration.

Alongside the concert at Royal Albert Hall there are Proms in the Park

set up in London, Caerphilly, Belfast and Glasgow.

We joined 40,000 of our closest friends in Hyde Park for a little party.

After a short wait in line, we staked out our spot.

It was going to be a long day so we brought some reading material.  

TE has been watching the final night of Proms on TV since he was a little boy.

He was so excited to be here in person this year.

We started with a picnic, of course.  

Wraps, salads, veggies and chips from Leon Restaurants... nummy (and healthy)!!

Momma enjoying her Tonic Water Moscato (no glass containers, so we improvised)...

and making new friends.

Plastic bag hair ties are the latest rage, have you heard?

The music line up was varied and fun! 

 Alfie Boe (Tenor), Il Divo, London Community Gospel Choir, The Chicago Blues Brothers and much more.  

 This one got everyone singing and made me just a little homesick. 

 Our favorite was Bjorn Again which is an Abba Tribute Band.

They were so good and I have to go see them again!

We were about halfway back and couldn't really see the stage and could just barely see the big screens.  But it was all about the atmosphere and the people.  There were plenty of amenities.

Everyone was enjoying a drink but they were a happy lot and nobody got out of hand.

 

From Sleeping Beauty...

to Dancing Queen!!

(You can't blame her for a little cat nap, we were there for about 7 hours.)

There was also a Beatles Tribute Band and Kylie Minogue was the headliner.

For my American friends,

you know her from back in the day...

Loco-motion and Can't Get You Out of My Head (la la la, la la la la la) 

She is from Australia and quite a big deal over here.  

 Check out that sunset!!!

At the end they had in a live feed from the Royal Albert Hall

and played a selection of traditional British Patriotic songs.

The crowd was up on it's feet and singing their hearts out.

How else do you end such a fantastic day?

 

 I can't even tell you how much fun we had!

It was a brilliant experience and I want to go every year from now on.  

And how precious is she?!?!

 We are having a blast!

As I type this, Momma & Mr. B are sitting

on the couch patiently waiting for me to get done so we can get going for the day.  

So much more to do and see!

xoxo

Selena

As always, all pictures are mine and this is not a sponsored post.  And sorry if there are more typos than usual.  Momma is ready to go!

And just like that...

And just like that, Jessica's visit has ended.
Ten wonderful days will never be enough, but I'm so incredibly thankful for every second.
It's such an odd dynamic, these short visits from my daughter.
Stressful, exciting, wonderful and soul nourishing.





As her arrival got closer, I got more and more wound up.
I was so tightly strung that I would burst into tears at the most random times for months before she arrived.  I think we waited way too long between visits.  Fifteen months is the longest I've ever gone between hugs and it was unbearable.




And then finally she was here!  I was once again complete.
I no longer held on to my phone as a lifeline and connection. 
If I wanted to know that she was okay, I just had to glance over at that gorgeous smile.
I laughed a little more freely and slept a little more deeply while she was so close.

We kept pretty busy.  Brunch to introduce her to our London friends.  BBC Proms in the Park.  Paris!

Charlie & the Chocolate Factory.  Pub Dinners.  London Scavenger Hunt.

But we also just spent a few days relaxing at home and doing nothing.

I tried not to feel guilty that we weren't filling every minute with London attractions,

but I think we both just needed to be together with nothing else happening.

We fell right back into normal patterns that we've been spent her lifetime developing.
I nagged.  She pushed my buttons.  There may have been some eye-rolling on both our parts.
We both spent time looking at our phones that we could have spent talking to each other instead.
We slept.  (Girl can sleep!)  Again, I tried not to feel guilty that every second wasn't spent intently focused on each other.  But, that's just not realistic, is it?




From the minute I spotted her walking through the doors of arrivals at Heathrow,
I felt like a clock the size of Big Ben had lodged itself in my heart.
Tick.  She's here!   Tock.  She's leaving soon.
Tick.  I can breathe!   Tock.  Only ten days.
Of course, they flew by.  She's now home in Texas living her life.
I'm here living mine, admittedly after a low few days of readjusting to her absence.

And there is a new quiet, steady ticking in my heart.
Tick.  She's not here.  Tock.  I'll see her soon.
Tick.  I can't breathe.  Tock.  Only 12 weeks.

I love you madly, Child of MIne!!!
I'll see you soon.

xoxo
Mom

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