Giving Life through Celebrations

We officially enter what I like to call "The Season of Celebration" in May.  I guess that is because the string of family birthdays begins.  We have sort of a pause for a few months, and then a succession of birthdays.  But honestly, celebration is a theme in my life.  I suppose I would call it a "life message" that God uses to speak to others.  So celebration is really a theme all year-round, and there never really is a pause.  It is a primary way I give life to others, especially my own family.

Every year May is a "crazy month."  End of school year activities, birthdays, recitals.....just plenty of activity, and a little more than I prefer all at once.  Yet lots of opportunity for memory-making as well.  This year, we added a graduation to the mix.  That took months of energy, time, and planning, but was a tremendous blessing.

It has become a tradition for the birthday daughters to get to go out to tea with Mommy in honor of their birthday.  This year we found a new and oh, SO lovely spot run by a sweet older woman who loves Jesus!  You can also tell she is fond of the color purple, or rather, lavender.  I wish I had a photo of her darling sparkly purple apron (I want one!).  When I complimented her on it, she remarked, "I tell people it's because I am the daughter of a King!"  Love that!

The tea was perfect, the food was beautiful and scrumptious, and the environment so lovely and peaceful.  My Princess Girl soaked up every minute.  Even the food has a lavender theme--lavender cookies, lavender-almond cake, lavender scones.  But there were strawberry tarts!  Delightful!

Princess Girl took this picture of me with my tea.

On the day of her birthday, one of her gifts was a book on ballet.  She just cannot wait to take ballet lessons!  For the time being she is learning some at home and this book is so lovely and inspiring.  She has spent hours creating her own little ballet studio in the room with a wooden floor and a wardrobe with a mirror.

Parties with friends are a big deal with little girls.  I have done these for years, but have had some seasons with less "party activity" than others, particularly when these ones were younger.  Now I can hardly escape the "I'm planning for my NEXT year's birthday party!"  Yes, some times I wish for a little less activity, but I usually find that even the simplest little gathering is a tremendous blessing to these girls.  And I know my own birthdays are some of my biggest memories (maybe that's because I'm a "celebration girl?"  It did NOT sit well with me the year that, as an older teenager, I felt like my whole family forgot my birthday!  But that's another story...)

So.....even with graduation planning in full swing and on the immediate horizon, we found a way to make a simple party with just a couple of friends.  It was a sewing themed party, though these cute little cupcakes don't have much to do with sewing.  They were something I "pinned" and Princess Girl loved them and thought they were the perfect thing for her birthday!

We also had these button cookies.  Cute and easy! (And wheat-free to accommodate a guest)

The girls made these embroidery hoop art projects with their own initials and embellishments.

All in all, a very successful party without a lot of stress!

Now we move on to the big graduation!  This was our first time through this.  It all came together so well, and I think was a wonderful blessing to Country Girl.  It was a precious time for her Daddy and me too!  After all, it marked not only a new season of life for her, but the fact that we had guided one child all the way through her home education years!

I suppose it could be easy to not mark graduation by any special ceremony or recognition when you home educate.  After all, we teach them that learning is lifelong and doesn't really end.  One season can easily blend into another and sometimes the child may not seem to care too much about all the "pomp and circumstance."  But I believe it is an important marker--for BOTH the parent and the child.  I have had a few moms confirm this.  Ones who have had children commemorate the occasion, and ones that haven't.  The ones that haven't usually wish they had.  Again, it is an opportunity to mark and celebrate life.  And I don't pass those up!

We had a two-part celebration, as is common for many graduation celebrations.  There is the Open House for family and friends, and then the actual ceremony itself.  Our Open House had a bit of a garden theme to it, as it is the primary pursuit and delight of Country Girl.  This rocking chair arrangement greeted our guests upon their arrival.

Just a small part of  the table display that showed some of her accomplishments over the years.  In the place of a regular guest book, we chose to have guests sign a "real" book--a lovely gardening book about methods used at Colonial Williamsburg.  It was one of those perfect provisions, combining both her love of American history and her love of gardening.  The basket was just the right holder for cards and small gifts.

We had a dessert reception, which was so much fun to make even if a bit of work.  You could say this table was a lot about Country Girl's accomplishments too.  For she loves to bake, and she helped me with a significant amount of the work here.  We always like to look our for our wheat-free and gluten-free guests, so we adapted some recipes.  Strawberry lemon cake, fruit bouquets and skewers, strawberry-rhubarb tarts, fruit pizza cookies, graduation cap chocolates (very fun for all children to help make!), oreo chocolate mini cheesecakes, and lavender cookies.  Plus a couple of cookie bar selections contributed by friends!

A lovely and blessed evening to share with family and friends!

Now onto the ceremony.  This was put on by our state Christian home education association and they did a most fabulous job!  I really like how there is room, with a small group, to read a biography on each student and to see each student's life in a few photos.  And that the parents presented their own students with their diploma (and that the students presented Mom with a rose :)  Who can argue with roses?)  Everything was meaningful and beautiful.

Fixing the collar

Class of 2014

The reception.

Table display for all of the graduates

After the flurry of graduation activity, it was time for some relaxation and fun with friends for the girls.  So Country Girl and Adventure Girl invited a couple of friends over for a "Pride and Prejudice" movie marathon.  It was a bit of training for my girls in hospitality, event planning, and caring for guests as well.  They did a lovely job putting together some fun food ideas and making it all beautiful.  And I think they had a wonderful time together.

I encourage you to take a little extra time to bless someone you love with a memorable little outing, gift, or celebration.  Even if you aren't a "Celebration Girl" like me, you will certainly bless someone by a little extra love and attention shown by giving someone life in the simplest way that you choose to celebrate.

A Royal Birthday Tea

My Tender Warrior recently spent some time in Hawaii.  Yes, it was for work.  No, I didn't get to go with him.  Don't ask me how hard that was sometimes most of the time!  It fell during the time of my birthday even, which never sits very well with me. 

I had been wanting to have a tea party with friends for quite some time.  When all of the Diamond Jubilee and Titanic celebrations were taking place this year, I kept thinking of hosting an England-themed party.  So, I determined to host my own birthday party!

Birthdays have always been a big deal to me.  I wish I could think of something grand to do for every one of my dear one's and friend's birthdays all the time, but the truth is I can't.  So if you've ever felt slighted by me on your birthday, please don't take it personally.  Know that I probably thought very much about it but didn't have time to implement what I thought about!  I do have limits.

I do, however, do my best to make birthdays special for my husband and children.  We have had so many fun themed-birthday parties over the years.  The memories of them fill me with joy and make me smile!  I'm pretty sure they made my loved ones smile too.

So, I was determined to create something fun that would help me not to pout over the fact that my husband was missing my birthday this year (and spending it in Hawaii).  I may not have entirely escaped the pouting, but this did accomplish my purpose of bringing joy and something to anticipate!  It was great fun to plan.  I wanted to give all my friends the gift of delectable food and a sweet ambience with laughter and fellowship.  I did end up taking a few friends' offers to bring food because I started to realize that things were a little hectic without Warrior.  It WAS a busy week, and a crazy one for me.  But so worth putting this party together!

My party had a mixed theme of British royalty and Jane Austen.  There are so many lovely ideas out there for Jane Austen-themed parties.  To begin with, I made these invitations, combining my themes by giving the Jane Austen silhouette a crown!

I spent a fair amount of time considering how to decorate.  I was really pleased with the final results. 

The Jane Austen banner tutorial came from here.  I half-envisioned it being a backdrop for friends to take fun photos.  I had a bench with some lovely props to go with it.  But I neglected to tell people early on.  Conversations were so lively among the ladies that I didn't want to break them up.  So by the time I thought to mention photos it was getting dark and I didn't think flash photography would be so nice.  Oh well!  It was a nice idea.

I created a welcoming spot on the front porch as guests arrived.

The table is always my favorite part to dress-up for tea time.  I borrowed my Country Girl's crown from one of her past birthdays and set it around a vase of roses which my children had picked from our garden for my birthday.  After all, one cannot have an England theme party without roses, in my opinion! 

Each guest had a place card with the title of "Lady" in keeping with a Royal theme.  I also used these little Jane Austen mini-books to decorate the table.

And then, there's the food! Some of my treats included finger sandwiches (which friends helped with), blueberry cream scones, lavender tea cookies, fresh raspberries, a tossed green salad, a wonderful chicken curry salad brought by a friend, and chocolate-dipped strawberries.

The teas?  Well, since this was a Royal Party, none other than my English-themed Harney and Sons teas, of course.  The Royal Wedding Tea, which I mentioned here, and the Chocolate and Roses Tea were perfect for the occasion.  I also served a raspberry-infused Coconut-Lime Juice.

My little crowning glory was this Strawberry-Rhubarb Trifle.  Oh, almost anything strawberry-rhubarb is my favorite! 

One of my sweet friends gifted me by starting a round of blessings on my behalf.  How dear and encouraging it was to be uplifted by their dear words--even more so when it was a particularly difficult week!

And they insisted I get a candle for the trifle so all could sing "Happy Birthday."

We rounded out our evening with a couple of party games in keeping with our theme.  One was a Royal Family quiz.  Yes, I even had a guest who remembered Queen Elizabeth II's coronation day when she was a little girl.  I thought that was very sweet.  She won the Royal Family quiz, by the way.  We also played a little Jane Austen quiz.  I read quotes from her books and all had to guess which book the quote came from.

It was a late night full of laughter, fun, beauty, fellowship with people I love, food and drink, and even a few tears.  I couldn't have asked for more blessings!  Even if part of my heart was in Hawaii with my Beloved. 

Tea with My Princess

My Princess Girl recently had a birthday.  One of the highlights of our children's birthdays is that they have a lunch date at Daddy's work.  I also carve out a special time with the birthday child.  For my girls, we have often gone out to tea.  Princess Girl was beyond delighted to anticipate that when I returned from my trip with Daddy, she would get to go out to tea with Mommy.

I took along my smaller point-and-shoot camera and she was eager to snap pictures as often as I would allow her.  There is this lovely tea shop downtown, which has a little store in the front part and a tea room in the back.  Princess Girl thought everything was so pretty, she wanted to take pictures of it all!

This lovely arrangement was on our little table.

We shared the Queen's Tea on the menu.  I would say the menu has improved from the former owner.   But I still think the portions are small for the price.  The nice thing about tea time though, is you're not expecting to fill up entirely on these little dainties (even though it's nice sometimes).  My favorite tea place ever is in Asheville, North Carolina!  Oh, I miss it!

This strawberry angel food cake dessert (which WAS topped with whipped cream and looked so lovely) was Princess Girl's favorite.

 And she doesn't quite appreciate the taste of most teas yet, so while Mama had her pot of huckleberry tea, Princess Girl was allowed her own little pot of hot cocoa.  She loved pouring it herself.

Isn't this little couch adorable?  If I had my own "girly room" to place it in and read, I would love it!  Though Tender Warrior appreciates flowers, I think this is a little much for him.

I think this little buffet table with all of these glass cake domes looks so attractive for displaying layer cakes and tea dainties (sorry, it's a little dark--this little camera was harder to set right for the lighting).

We will surely be enjoying more about tea as we study a bit about England amidst the Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebration this week.  My Little Princesses, upon reading the American Girl Molly books, set in World War II, are quite enamored with learning about "the Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret Rose."  Last night, they wanted to see the pictures in the biography I am reading.  They wanted to know where Queen Elizabeth II was in every photo and who all of the Princes and Princesses were.  It was quite fun.

Making special memories together is so important.  Our sweet little time together is a reminder to keep at those things which speak beauty and love into the hearts of my family.

"It's not the tea, in other words, that makes teatime special, it's the spirit of the tea party. 

It's what happens when women or men or children make a place in their life for the rituals of sharing.  It's what happens when we bother with the little extras that feed the soul and nurture the senses and make a space for unhurried conversation.  And when that happens, it doesn't really matter what fills the cup or holds the liquid. 

It really isn't the tea.

It's the spirit of the tea party."

~Emilie Barnes, "If Teacups Could Talk"