The Royal Wedding

Did you wake up eaarlllly this morning and watch? Did you record it? Or just wait for the snippets on the evening news?  I think the Royal Family is fascinating (History nerd and an aspiring teacher...), so I knew I would be following the story all day. 

(photo credit: Oprah.com)

I was up at 4:30, and settled in on the couch with a blanket, coffee, and Boo Radley.  Poor Boo was very confused and thought it was time for breakfast and play, but alas, I wanted to curl up on the couch and see a handsome prince marry a beautiful commoner.  It's a fairy tale, and--whether we choose to admit it or not--a lot of us dreamed of that when we were little. 

My all-time favorite Disney movie is Beauty and Beast.  What's better than an intelligent, tough, no-nonsense girl getting the prince in the end?  Kate (Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge) is smart, has a good work ethic, gorgeous, and seems down-to-earth.  Who better than to marry the oldest son of Princess Diana--the People's Princess? Diana was poised, compassionate, and brought attention to important issues that no other Royal wanted to acknowledge.  Let's hope Kate picks up some of Diana's gumption!

(photo credit: US Magazine)

Kate's dress was absolutely gorgeous. It was a throwback to Grace Kelly; I love the long lace sleeves with the sweetheart neckline of the bodice.  I'm sure that in no time, we'll be seeing replicas in weddings all over the world, as with Princess Diana's dress in the 80s.  Sara Burton for Alexander McQueen was an unexpected, but perfect, choice for the young bride, and it showed her willingness to be a modern influence.  

Grace Kelly on her wedding day in 1956 to Prince Rainier of Monaco
(photo credit: www.fashion-era.com)

The ceremony was sweet and family-oriented.  It was obvious to all that the prince and his beautiful bride are deeply in love. 

The Archbishop of Canterbury said these words at the beginning of the service, and I thought they were a beautiful, true statement, necessary to put the hoopla into perspective.

"Every wedding is a royal wedding for we are all subjects of the King of Creation."

What was your favorite part of the ceremony?

Love,

Scout and Boo 

Let me introduce you to a few of my friends...

Did you ever watch the TV series "FRIENDS"?  I own the DVDs from the series, and every so often I find myself re-watching all 10 seasons.  All. 10. Seasons. 

I love it.  

Ross. Monica. Chandler. Phoebe. Joey. Rachel. 

They're fun, loud, witty, and awkward.  They have cool jobs, fun clothes from the late 90s and early 2000s, and crazy relationships.  Monica's a quirky, neat-freak, chef and sister to Ross--a paleontologist who's in love with Rachel.  Rachel, a runaway bride turned waitress turned buyer for Bloomingdale's/Ralph Lauren, is a Daddy's girl from Long Island.  Joey and Chandler are the "boys across the hall."  Joey, an actor whose big break is acting on "Days of Our Lives<' and Chandler, the funny, sarcastic awkward friend (no one actually knows what his job is...).  AND they have a chick and a duck! 

The characters are well-developed and the back story is consistent.  Good dialog, witty comebacks, and fun times.  

What are some of your favorite shows?

love, 

Scout and Boo

Water for Elephants: A Book Review

I started reading Water for Elephants (by Sara Gruen) on Monday afternoon.  By Tuesday night, I had 20 pages left.  I finished it this afternoon while waiting at the doctor's office, and I can honestly say it's a real page turner.

The narrator, Jacob, flashes back and forth between his present-day life (in assisted living) and his past working as a veterinarian in a traveling circus.  The author weaves a magical and beautifully written tale filled with wild animals, sequined costumes, and circus acts within prohibition-era America.  The book is riveting, and provides adventure, romance, and  a little bit of danger.  

Sara Gruen has created vivid characters that are well-developed and full of life.  She makes me want to befriend an elephant and be in the circus, hop on a train and find romance. 

The movie version of Water for Elephants comes out soon, but I highly recommend reading the book first.  There's something magical about books, and the movies never seem to do them justice.  Go to the library, bookstore, or somewhere.  Buy it, borrow it, just don't steal it.

Happy reading!

Love,

Scout and Boo

SPRINGTIME

Hey all! It's springtime in Nashville! Complete with pollen, sunshine, Sonic Happy Hour, flowers, and gorgeous weather!

Happy for Spring:

-finally moving to the new office space at work.  (We've been displaced since the flood last May)

-Coffee

-new book! Water for Elephants.  I'll do a post about that later...

-red velvet cheesecake and a lifetime movie date (William and Kate. So cheesy, but so worth it)

-baking fun! A friend just moved into a new place...so he's getting a Coca-Cola Cake!

Hope you all get a chance to go outside and play in the pretty Spring weather!

Love, 

Scout and Boo

Momma's Double Chocolate Coca-Cola Cake

My momma makes the best Double Chocolate Coca-Cola cake ever. It's better than Cracker Barrel's. (Not that I'm biased.)  It's been my favorite dessert since I was a little bitty girl, and I'm planning to have it at my (eventual) wedding as the wedding cake!  

Ingredients:

• FOR THE CAKE:
• 2 cups Cake Flour (I Recommend Swan's Down...it comes in a red box)
• 2 cups Sugar
• 1 cup Butter
• 3 Tablespoons (heaping) Baking Cocoa
• 1 cup Coca Cola
• 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
• ½ cups Buttermilk
• 2 whole Eggs Beaten
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• _____
• FOR THE ICING:
• 1 cup Butter
• 6 Tablespoons Baking Cocoa
• 12 Tablespoons Coca Cola
• 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
• 2 pounds Confectioner's Sugar

Directions:

For the cake:
1. Preheat oven to 350F. Sift flour and sugar together; set aside.

2. Combine the butter, cocoa, and Coca-Cola in a saucepan and bring to a low boil.

3. Pour the liquid mixture over the flour/sugar mixture. In another bowl, dissolve the baking soda in the buttermilk (careful! It rises quickly! Also, don’t use a metal spoon; it messes up the reaction.) and pour into the mixing bowl with everything else. Blend in the eggs and vanilla extract.

4. Pour the batter into a greased 9×13 pan and bake for approximately 45 minutes at 350 degrees.

For the icing:

1. Bring to a boil the butter, baking cocoa, and Coca-Cola. 

2. Stir in vanilla and confectioner’s sugar, and keep stirring until all the sugar is dissolved.

3. Pour icing over the cake while the cake AND icing are still hot. (The icing will seep into the cake and make your life wonderful!)

Allow iced cake to cool, then place in the fridge for at least 2 hours before serving.

Enjoy!

Love, 

Scout and Boo