For a few weeks, Lacy has been planning a Back to School Tea Party. She even has a pin board full of ideas. As the day approached, I planned on taking her thrift shopping for some dishes because we don’t have any fancy tea cups. But it never *quite* happened. I thought the nearest thrift shop was over an hour away, and every time we went anywhere near it, we didn’t have time or patience to walk inside with Alice.
Alice has a way of scaring Mom over the “you break it, you buy it” rule.
We went to Winslow to wash my Dad’s truck -he loaned it to us while we went camping, and we wanted to return it spiffy clean. Nature had the same idea and POUNDED us with rain.
We cleaned the inside out REALLY well and returned it with an IOU. We’ll wash it when the floods cease, Dad.
While in Winslow, I googled thrift shops, thinking there weren’t any. We found a little flea market that was over-crowded and severely over-priced, and then we hit the jack pot with Alice’s Attic.
It was spacious and organized. We had found three tea cups in the flea market, each marked at $4/each. Since the tea party was going to be for little girls, it seemed ridiculous to pay $4 for a fragile tea cup knowing that it was being hired to PLAY not be pretty.
In Alice’s Attic, we found a set of dishes with tea-ish cups.
“How much for just the cups?” I asked.
“We want to sell the set…”
“How much for the set?” I held my breath.
“$10.”
SOLD.
We will take that ENTIRE SET.
And we did. In Wal-Mart while it flooded wildly outside, we picked out sugar wafers, tea and sugar cubes. I’m a simple girl. When it comes to tea parties or any parties, I get no fulfillment in going ALL OUT. If anything, it just stresses beyond what God ever had planned for me.
Lacy wanted MORE (cookies, doughnuts, cakes, oh my!) but I just kept reminding her that tea parties are about COMPANY not eating.
For decorations, we used what we had: tablecloths from my sister’s reception, milk vase gifted from my cousin filled with what we found outside + a few leftovers from the bouquet Danny gave me a few weeks ago, doilies from around the house…
Grandma’s beautiful yard provided the perfect atmosphere, and she has the cutest metal tables and chairs… and waterfalls!
Grandmas are the best.
Lacy invited her cousins, and we all set up together.
Lacy picked out the tea. 
After the party was over, there was about 10 of these sugar cubes left… #hummingbirds
The girls were so excited to brew their own tea. But having tea is sort of like growing up… we all fantasize about what it will be like, we romanticize the idea of it, wait in anticipation while it brews and then?
We take a huge gulp and are completely underwhelmed at least and disgusted at most.
My niece threw in two sugar cubes, then four, then ten… I quit counting after that. She took a sip and said, “THERE. NOW it tastes okay. Would you like me to make you some like mine?” She hated the thought of her aunt STILL DRINKING the Nasty Tea.
“No,” I said, “I’m okay.”
She took a deep breath and then offered her own tea, deciding it would be better to sacrifice her own happiness for mine.
“No,” I smiled, “I actually really LIKE my tea.”
“Oh,” she sipped on her “tea” for a few more minutes and then asked, “Alicia, can I go inside and get a real drink?”
HA!
That line made my entire day.
And this is why I simplify -if there’s no planned activities, the girls will make their own! Where there is no expectations, there is imagination, adventure, freedom and red wagons at the tea party:
Attire was also Come As You Will. This includes oversize costumes and sparkly tennis shoes.
I think we’ll have to make a tradition out of our propriety-optional Tea Party. Because the company was pretty fabulous:
After we came home, I finally brought a little dream I’ve had into fruition… it isn’t *exactly* what I have in mind, but it will work for now! I want a little tea and hot chocolate station so our family can enjoy them easily. We’re in a tiny living space right now, so this is what we’ve got. I didn’t mean for so much yellow to happen, but it did. I also didn’t mean for it to look so old lady or so cottage-ish, but it does.
But it does what it’s asked, so we like it:
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