The Fox and the For Real Tea Party

This morning we woke up to this in the backyard...

A mangy looking fox with a gibbled hind leg chomping down on an old dog bone.  But it wasn't the fox that bothered me this morning...it was the snow.  Enough already Mother Nature.  We know you are in charge.  But on your own weekend?  The one that shares your first name.  Callie says, "Mom, the trees have icing on them just like the cupcakes."  Yes, I guess they do.

So when Mother Nature dishes out some snow for Mother's Day weekend what's a girl to do?

Make a snowman, of course.

Well, we tried to make a snowman.  Despite the snow being heavy and saturated with moisture, it was not the right recipe for snowman building.  Callie rolled the necessary parts but and when it came time to assemble Frosty, the body parts crumbled to pieces leaving nothing but a frustrated four year old.  Even Frosty knows that May is not supposed to be seeing snowmen.

Since Frosty didn't work out we headed indoors to get ready for our party.

Today we had a tea party.  I like tea parties.  Of all the pretend play activities that a mom must partake in, I think tea parties are one of my faves.  So when I was thinking about what to do to ensure that Mother's Day didn't fall into the category of  "inbetween day" I thought why not a real... for real tea party with real people, real snacks, and real tea? 

I had this very inspiring professor when I was in university.  The continuing theme in her teaching was...when you don't know where to start...start with a story.  So I took her advice and went to the library and found Fancy Nancy Tea Parties.  Callie and I read all of Nancy's tips and ideas for hosting the bestest tea party ever.  We basically came up with three things we needed.  Tea.  Snacks.  People. 

 I didn't really need a book to tell me this but it was a fun read and it had some great ideas if you're ever in a tea party contest and had to throw one heck of a tea party. 

I had mentioned to a colleague at work that I was having Nana and Grandma B over for a Mother's Day tea party and in the conversation I said that maybe I will buy some tea cups for the event.  Because a for real tea party should have for real tea cups.  I don't own any tea cups.  When I drink tea, I just use a coffee mug...probably because I don't have a tea cup. 

So this colleague of mine turns around and hands me a box of the most beautiful tea cups and saucers.  Each one different and unique.  Each one with its own story I'm sure.  She just happened to have them on hand from the recent royal wedding celebrations that had been happening. 

I like pretty things.  And these cups and saucers made the bestest tea party... even better.

We had a very delightful afternoon of tea and cupcakes and lemon square and little sandwiches that Callie helped me cut with a flower shaped cookie cutter.  And I will say, there is something special about drinking tea from a for real tea cup and then hearing the satisfying clink of placing it back on its saucer.  Callie served herself and her cousin some juice from her own little breakable tea set.  I remember loving using my play dishes for real when I was little.

I think it's important to celebrate.  It's important to celebrate the small things and the big things.  And I think being a mom falls into the big things category.  Mother's Day is the time to make formal all the love and appreciation and gratitude we have for the women in our life.  To honor the mom's before me who have raised their children often with little outside help.  In the time before dads were hands on and entitled to paternity leave.  Before support groups and playgroups and instant messaging.  And to my moms and grandmas...I am humbled by the fact that even though you've long ago earned your mom badges of honor you continue to be here to help and love and care for Jon, me and our girls.

(ps.  missed you at the tea party, mom.  see you when you get back home:)

 Happy Mother's Day.