Monday, February 02, 2009

Bella's Weekly Tea


Lately Bella has taken to serving formal teas whenver she has friends over to play. Before she and her friends hit the dress-up trunk, game cabinet, or the muddy creek, we find them sitting in low chairs around the round table, dining on things like crepes from scratch, lemon-scented scones, and tangerines. She carries out her plans all independently, uses the irreplaceable fancy china (and washes it and puts it away), and happily includes six or eight guests, if she can get them.


She even shines the silver. What a girl!

28 comments:

  1. Wow...would Bella like to come host teas for me? ;-)

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  2. I am here waiting for my invitation! :~} I love to dress up, play games and play in a muddy creek! But I especially love to have a "tea". I will even help wash the china and polish the silver!

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  3. Sounds like tons of fun--esp. the creek! ;-)

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  4. I wish I had developed such great hosting and cooking skills when I was girl. The learning curve is so steep now.

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  5. Bella sets a beautifully delicious table.

    And kudos to you for being hands-off and allowing her to use and be responsible for the special china! This is something I have to be deliberate about...certainly not something I find easy to do.

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  6. This is a marvelous post. The beautiful spirit that this young lady surrounds herself and her friends with has blessed me tonight. Thank you Bella.

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  7. Your family is blessed with amazing children. I would love to have been friends with you all.

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  8. What an absolute blessing, as a mother, to watch such lovely beauty in your daughter. WOW!!!

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  9. I'm amazed and inspired. Good for you, Bella!

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  10. Wow, how inviting this looks!
    I hope my girls will have skills like that at that age.
    And hopefully they will make crepes and lovely tea, too. Yummy!

    Greetings from Germany,
    Isla

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  11. Beautiful and what a mature young lady. She has learned from the best though..her mom! The setting is perfect, you'd think it was high tea in a London tea room.

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  12. Me too, I would like to come for tea.
    I am trying to slow down and build in these sweet times for my little ladies.

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  14. I think you, Clara, and Bella could open "The Pleasant View School of Domestic Arts". I would so be there.

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  15. When our youngest was about to have her fifth birthday she wanted a formal tea party to celebrate. She planned the menu of cucumber sandwiches,cheese biscuits,lemonade[her tea]and a mountain of chocalate dipped strawberries.She is now 26 and still loves to have tea parties, sometimes it's just her and I.File under lifes little pleasures.

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  16. You have such an intriguing family ... great memories are being made!

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  17. Crepes.......I wish I knew how to make them. Sounds lovely.

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  18. What a girl indeed! Sounds like she has a wonderful role model in her life.

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  19. A girl after my own heart :) It's wonderful that she has so many friends willing to participate. I only had a small handful of girlfriends who would do this with me when I was young.
    ~Bethany

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  20. What a beautiful heart for serving others. You have taught her well. I hope that I can instill the same qualities in my own children.

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  21. That is just the coolest thing ever!

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  22. Anna, do you have any Russian blood in you by any chance? These crepes look exactly like the Russian blini we make. What a girl, though!

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  23. Oh, how sweet. She must spend a lot of time looking for recipes and planning her guest list...learning to take on big projects and see them through, even to the clean up. Bella is learning some valuable life lessons here, and I'm glad that you can stand back away from the good china and let her.

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  24. Wow! Hope my daughter is like that at eleven. I taught middle school for many years and am familiar with that stage. I think you are very blessed to have such a gem!

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