Today is one of those days where I’m totally exhausted, and I have tons of photos, so we’ll just let the photos do most of the talking today. Wore “matching” Valentine’s inspired outfits with my girls for church today.
It was actually my turn to volunteer teaching in Emerson’s Sunday school class this morning. We were the first ones there and colored a little bit, before the others got there.
After church, we ran into Firehouse to take subs home, ate really fast, and then got both girls down for their naps. Then Jeff and I worked on the last things on my to-do list before my 5th Annual Galentine’s Tea Party! We got everything done and looking great, then he headed over to hang out with his dad, before all the ladies started showing up.
I’ve been collecting mis-matched tea pots and tea cups and saucers through the years, and I used our regular dinner plates, and I love the pretty, eclectic look of everything all together.
Our first year (in 2017), we only had six ladies, and no children. Now, in 2022, we have seven ladies, and five little girls, for 12 people total, and it was so great! This is the first year the triplets have been able to come, and it was fun having such a big group this year. All the little girls only sat at the table for about 5-10 minutes, and then spent the rest of the time exploding Emerson’s room and playing 😉
We planned to go “lighter” on the food today, but that plan went out the window, and we still went crazy with too much food. I’m very thankful that everyone pitches in, and we do it all potluck-style, with everyone bringing something. I did it all myself the first year (while pregnant with Emerson at that!), and it was a LOT. But now I love that everyone offers to bring something 🙂
My Mama got me this beautiful new floral tea pot for my birthday this year. I always put flowers in a tea pot every year, and this bouquet my grandmother “loaned” me (that one of her church friends gave her this morning), just matched so perfectly, and I loved it all together.
Everyone pitched in helping to put away leftovers, making to-go boxes for all to take home, and washing all the dishes and cleaning the kitchen. Everyone kind of trickled out after that, and then it was just me and my girls again. Emmie sat down with her Kindle, and I gave Addie a bottle and then held her while she slept and I watched “Sweet Magnolias.”
When she sat down, she said, “I think I deserve a snack, right?” And got a bag of grapes from the fridge and sat on the couch eating them. She’s just so precious when she does little things like that.
Look at all these clean dishes and clean tea pots! All I have to do is put it all away tomorrow, once it’s all dry.
Jeff got us a pizza for dinner once he got home, but I was still so full from afternoon tea, I only had one piece, even though it was stuffed crust which I haven’t had in years, and it was so stinking good.
Jeff helped Emerson clean up her room while I held Addison. Then Jeff worked on getting Addison down to sleep, while I did Emerson’s bedtime routine.
I always end up writing more than I plan to on these tired nights, but I just can’t help it sometimes. It was such a great afternoon, but good grief I’m tired! Gonna put the leftover pizza away, and then pass out!
And if you missed it yesterday, you can check out all our past years of tea parties here: 2017 was before I started blogging, but here’s 2018, 2019 & 2020; and then 2021 was cancelled because of covid issues… So glad it all worked out again this year!!