Another Grand Tea Party

I had a tea party for the two granddaughters when they were seven and eight. Now they are 12 and 13. I didn’t think they’d go for it when I suggested we have another tea party, but they were excited about it.

This time, we did things a little differently than we did the first time. And you can see how much they have grown since the first time.

Until I read the blog from five years ago, I didn’t realize, I had them help with the food. But with this tea party, I prepared the food ahead of time, so there’d be more time for fun.

I picked them both up after school. We had dinner with Grandpa and then went shopping for our outfits. We went to a thrift store where they tried on a ga-zillion outfits. Here are a few shots. I’m sure the employees loved us having to hang up all those clothes.

Lots of giggling took place. After they settled on the perfect outfit (which you’ll see later as it’s not any of the above), we hit the shoe rack, then the hat rack, and then the jewelry rack. They picked out a purple outfit for me and found me some matching shoes.

We came home and they were so excited that they changed clothes to show Grandpa. Since Lily had a birthday the day before, I had made some panda bear cupcakes and we sang Happy Birthday!

 

 

We then made lipstick to match our outfits. 

After that, we painted nails.

Once the nails were dry, we headed to the bedroom to play Pass the Pigs, and finally to sleep.

Morning came and we began make up. Then hair and we had an oopsy with Lily’s hair as I didn’t realize a brush curling iron would tangle in long hair… 

Lily was a good sport about it and after trying every trick in the book to untangle the mess (even demolishing the curling iron), we ended up cutting her hair. However, you can’t even tell. So there.

We got dressed and headed to the “Tea Room.” I had saved some old dishes of my mom’s. I split the set and “dished” them to my kids, nieces and sisters. Two of the sets were still here, so I dug them out and we used those for our tea.

Talking in our finest British accent, we commenced with the tea party. Princess Flame (aka Logan) 

 

and Princess Frost (aka Lily) 

behaved themselves in the finest manner, even when an unexpected guest showed up. They were gracious in allowing Auntie Jessica (who was not in proper attire) join in for a spot of tea. 

Queen Grandma-ma Purple Plum invited both Princess Frost and Princess Flame to join me for tea on an annual basis, with the stipulation that two other princesses would be invited (if not more). It was “quitely” divine. Quitely was a new British word we created.

Here we are posing to show off our shoes. Oh, the shoes. I don’t know how the heels could be any taller. You can’t see Princess Frost’s heels, but they are taller than Princess Flame’s or mine.

Guess how quickly my fur, hat and shoes came off? Before the tea party was over.

A dear friend shipped some fine Teddy Bears to me to be included in the tea party and here they are with Princes Frost and Princess Flame. Have you ever seen two more angelic princesses?

I shoo’d the girls off to play while I cleaned up. Grandpa-pa took us out to eat again—while in route, Princess Flame and Princess Frost sang to … ack, a popular singer that escapes me. Country and Western, if I recall. Ah... Taylor Swift.  They knew every word and they both sang just as good as Taylor, if you ask me.

 

Back home, we continued to play—making bouncy balls from Auntie Rita, and teaching Auntie Rita how to play Pass the Pigs. After Auntie Rita left, we learned how to zentangle. Both Princesses are quite artistic.

The princesses stayed the night again and Grandpa-pa chauffeured them home the next day while I was at church.

Ahh, what's not to love about a tea party?
 

Fifth and Forty-Fifth Anniversary

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It is the 5th anniversary of my blog! Can you believe it? I remember when I first posted, dedicating this blog to my mother on the 40th anniversary of her death. I blogged daily! Now I'm lucky to blog monthly. I'm not sure what happened... life got super-dooper busy.

Did I mention Mom died on a Friday the 13th and today is Friday the 13th – the 45th anniversary of her death?

I suppose it can be kind of strange to celebrate the anniversary of someone’s death, but her death did so much for me in so many ways. Writing to her, the way I started this blog, helped me to get out of my shell and expose myself as a writer. I remember how petrified I was. With that came publication. And joining a critique group. That was even more petrifying. However, friendships have formed and I just LOVE those gals! They've been the best thing for my writing soul. And then I thought I might be performing my story about my mother, for Listen To Your Mother, but I didn't make it. And it's really okay. I've been to the first two shows and they were fabulous. I am going to this year's show, which will take place Saturday, May 9th. There are two shows—tickets on sale now. You might want to check it out.

Each step has brought me to another step to another part of my life that I’m incredibly grateful for…

So Mom, although you’ve been gone for 45 years now, thank you for all that you have done and continue to do as you journey on.

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And if you’d like, take a look at my first blog post five years ago!