The Festivities

After being escorted into the tea room and seated at the table,

the official tea party began.

There was a wide variety of food

and plenty of tea to go around. 

Joe prepared the cheese plate and it was by far the most spectacular of all the dishes.

Our tea party guests also dined on other little known tea party food like, pigs in a blanket, grapes, butterfly fruit pizzas, cheese sandwiches and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches in the shape of flowers.

The tea was also served cold and was sweetened with fruit juices and was eventually replaced in all tea cups with water before the tea was over, as our guests' palette preferred the latter.

After each guest was filled to the brim with food and drink, we painted fingernails.

The girls requested that each nail be painted a different color. 

Once the original coat of polish was dry, we applied white designs over top on some of the nails.  Favorite requests were hearts, smiley faces, and flowers.

The end result was sheer beauty.

Once the nails were complete

we brought out the birthday cake

Xandra made a birthday wish

and blew out all five candles.

Unlike most tea parties, ours came complete with entertainment.

The guests gave our entertainer

rave reviews.

I gave him the boot when he brought out knives for juggling.

We played some high stakes tea party bingo

where everyone won but Joe.

After bingo, Xandra opened her presents from Jillian.

She was delighted to receive Connect Four and a raccoon.

Jillian's mommy also gave Xandra the box set of Little House on the Prarie.

We look forward to reading it together!  After Jillian and Lauren left, all the girls settled in for naptime, I cleaned the kitchen and Xandra and Joe decided to work on professor phonics.  A reading program he had used to learn to read when he was a child.

After naptime refreshed the girls they were again ready to play

and open a few more presents.

Among Xandra's favorites were a Furreal Honey Bear from Grandma Mary,

a butterfly pillow pet from Grandma DeShon, and a baby bee pillow pet from Grandma Mary,

handmade twirly skirts from our neighbor, Ms. Carol and Marbleworks from mommy and daddy.

It was a fantastic day and now we have an official five year old strutting around our house. 

  Happy Birthday, sweet porcupine of mine!