Big Girl Tea Party

Before we left Louisville, I was determined to take the girls to the Sister Tea Parlor where my sisters, Olivia, Madeline and I went one summer.  As much as my girls love to have their own tea parties at home, I knew that a "big girl" tea party at a real tea parlor would be a big hit.

So when Olivia came down to help us pack, she watched Maximus one afternoon so we could go. The girls dressed up in their favorite fancy dresses and shoes and some of mom's jewelry and we were on our way.  The whole way there they were talking about what it was going to be like and asking me lots of questions.  They could hardly contain their excitement.

When we got there, we had a ball going through their shelves of hats, boas, and gloves to find just the right ones to complete our looks.  Of course Ella would pick a top hat ;)

Everyone had a turn getting their picture taken in the fancy portrait chair...one smiling and one serious.  I don't think Ella knows what a serious face is!  Haha!

Just the girls

There are 3 or 4 different rooms in the parlor where you can be seated for tea.  They put us in our own little nook with polka dot curtains we could close for more privacy.

The pretty blue room

The pink room where Olivia, Madeline and I were last time we came.

Our little nook :)

We each got our own bottomless pot of tea filled with a tea of our choice.  They had over 30 different kinds of tea to choose from!  I think our favorite was the Almond Cookie Green Tea!

We also got 2 three-tiered trays of tea treats with little sandwiches, scones, mini cupcakes, cookies, cheese and crackers...a perfect compliment to our tea!

Ella cracked me up.  She doctored up her tea with four sugar cubes and cream, took one sip and said, "This tea is GROSS!"  Needless to say, the tea was not her favorite part of the trip!

After we had our fill, we had some fun with the camera.

It was such a fun girly afternoon!  I am so glad I got to take them there before we moved!

  

NSCA Talent Show

Last Thursday, Rose and Ava's school had their biannual talent show.  As soon as Rose heard about it, she started planning her act.  She chose to sing "Let it Go" from Frozen.  She practiced her moves and planned her hair and make up to make sure she looked just like Elsa.

For being such a small school, I thought they put on a great show.  They did a vaudeville theme and added in a little history about how variety shows came about.  The room was decorated with big red curtains and the transitions between the acts went very smoothly.  They had a few short intermissions involving participation by some of the parents and the teachers even filled in with a few humorous acts themselves.

Rose did a great job.  She had planned to do some motions to go along with the song, but was a little too nervous to move around very much.  But we were very proud of her.  Here is a clip of her performance:

Then all the talent show participants did a coordinated dance for the grand finale.  

It was the perfect ending to a great show!

Rose assisted her classmate, Seth, by turning the pages of the book he read.

I was very impressed with the support all the students had for each other.  Any student who wanted to perform in the talent show was able to do so as long as their talent was appropriate, so there was quite a variety of acts.  But no one made fun of anyone...instead they complimented each other on a job well done.  We have been grateful to have had New Song as a part-time school option for our girls for the past two years.  They have provided a very loving and accepting environment, giving our girls the confidence to be themselves.  We will be sad to leave this little gem of a school when we move.

Rose and some of her friends: Hunter, Meredith, and Lucy

Rose's Elsa hair from the back

Rose with her favorite boys

Rose's fan club

Photobooth

It was a great night!  I was so glad that Rose got her chance in the spotlight,
(where she sure seems to be so comfortable)!

Friday Funnies

Rose:
"This is not even halfway decent."
was Rose's unhappy response to the outfit I picked out for her to wear to
mass this morning.  When we have somewhere to go, I tell them to put
on something halfway decent...meaning, I'd prefer you don't look like a
slob.  Now she is using those words against me.

Rose played piano when our homeschool group went to the Little Sisters
of the Poor Home.

Ava:
"When did Jesus learn to blow his nose?"
Well, child, I don't think I ever learned that fact in school, so you are
going to have to ask Jesus that when you get to Heaven.


Rose, Ava, and all the other little girls in the homeschool group also
did a little ballet dance made up by the older girls.  It was so cute!

Madeline:
"We just had customers over yesterday, and now we are having customers over again?!"
I think the word you are looking for is guests...and yes we are!

Madeline and Ella eating lunch with the big girls at their school

Ella:
I asked Ella if she played with Max while I was gone today and she said,
"No.  I was trying to watch a show and he was distracting me!"

2 little photobombers

Maximus:
Baby checking out all his options in the fridge before deciding on his next meal.

HAPPY  Friday!