My kind of Tea Party

Adell the Witch

Fiona the Elephant

I know there's a lot of talk these days about the Tea Party people and their politics.
I just want to go on record as a grandma who thinks a Tea Party should be full of fun and sugar and sweet grandchildren.

Justice Berrylicious

On Saturday, we had such an event with eight little girls from ages 3-11.

Hannah the Fairy

They came in finery and costume and lined up to toss candy kisses into bowls, pound graham crackers into dust for crust and string beads on twine for a necklace.

Alyson the Puppy

They looked for buried treasure and found Barbie dolls at the end of each journey.
Several promptly took their Barbies swimming in the tiny toy pool. A couple tried to negotiate a trade for a blonde doll or vice versa but most of the kids were just amazed to get a real Barbie for a prize. (I found a great sale.)
It was hectic and funny and made do-able because Marc and a couple of my daughters who are now mommys stayed to help.

Austyn the Starlet

(It's amazing how hard it can be to get a 6-year-old to layer ice cream over a graham cracker crust or to get a 9-year-old NOT to use up all the Reddi-Whip on one pie.)

"Tangled" Emma

We went all over the house looking for the dolls, each wrapped in brown paper sacking. We opened drawers and cupboards and even checked the fridge when the clue said to look for a place for dirty sox? (One suspicious child asked me if there really was anything inside the wrapping or if I had just hidden boxes.?)
In the end everybody seemed happy with their booty and I'm putting a wrap on another successful grandma event. (In my mind, successful includes no one getting seriously injured or throwing a fit.)
Cousins and siblings made friends.
Big kids helped little kids. (Who knew a 3-year-old couldn't read a typewritten clue?)
Patience ruled the day and everyone went out the door with a doll, a ring, a necklace and a tummy full of ice cream pie.

Sleek Samantha

The only complaints I'm getting are from the boys who weren't invited to the girl's Tea Party.
Their party comes next.