Grandma's no-tea Tea Party

Adell

Alyson

Fiona

Kaitlyn

Emma

Justice

Ellie

Malia

Keslie

I may have to change the name of my annual summer party for my grand-daughters.
"Grandma's Tea Party" suggest we're having tea when in fact it's frappe served with cut-out raspberry and cream cheese finger sandwiches, fruit kabobs, Lindt chocolates and Cake Bites from the Sweet Tooth Fairy.

Rachael

We dine on fine cut-crystal plastic plates and sip from our Zurcher's plastic snifters.
We get all gussied up with makeup, tattoos and hairdos and nail polish to match our party dresses.
The tattoos are glittery colors in fun shapes and designs and will wash off in the bathtub.
I'm still sporting mine. I like how it sparkles on my arm.

Samantha

We had to assure one 7-year-old that she wasn't going against the prophet with one of these tattoos. (Even then, we had to call her mother to get the OK.)

Kari the tattoo queen

Laura doing Alyson's nails

The girls each got their nails done by Laura, our resident professional expert, and their hair done by Kristy and 12-year-old Samantha who has been practicing fancy braiding for the past year.

Austyn who wouldn't pose later

They got a chance to get made up by Bonnie who's handy with the eyeliner, the lip gloss, the body glitter and the blush. (Again, we ran up against some concerns when a couple of grandkids previously deemed too young for makeup were able to show off their new look to mom with a "See? It looks fine, right?")

Shannan doing purses

We had an interesting three hours as this collection of 14 girls from ages 4-15 tried on new looks, new persona and interacted with cousins they don't see on a regular basis. (Since Marc and I have a blended family, we have children on both sides who are always discovering a new cousin or two. At one point in the clapping game, 7-year-old Malia looked at the girls next to her and said, "I can't know their names!")
Grandpa took some fine portraits and I think everyone went home happy with their new purses and beauty products and sophisticated faces.

Hannah after

Hannah before

I just hope they all realize they were all as beautiful and cute when they arrived as they were when they left.