A Spot For Tea - A Sweet Life Poured Out: September 2008

Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Happy 45th Birthday!

Two cakes and 3 day of celebrating...my 45th birthday!

My son, Benjamin, asked me yesterday morning, "Mom, how does 45 feel?"

My reply, "45 feels great! When you are your age (he turned 11 on September 19th) you don't know how the big questions of your life will be answered: Where you will go to college? What you will become? Who you will marry? How many kids will you have? Where will you live? What will you value? When you are 45 so many of life's questions are settled.

My mom wrote in my birthday card, "I was reminded last night by your dad how anxious we were about your birth. First baby, little knowledge of process, but you finally arrived. What a joyful time. You were so small 7lbs 12 oz and I think 17 1/2 inches long. I was 22 years old. I have seen you grow and mature into a fine Christian woman, friend, mother, daughter, vendor in our business. Wow! May this day be a great one as it has been each September 29th."

My dad wrote, "45 years ago today was a long day while we waited your arrival at 9:40pm. It was a great day! Today is a great day! You have accomplished so much, good husband, three good boys, and built a business. But the most important of all is who you are! Your walk with God is the best your daddy could believe for. Keep going!"

Eric made me a

Graham Cracker Cake

(a favorite recipe from his mom, Helene Seibert)

that I will share with you.

6 egg whites

1/2 tsp salt

(Beat until stiff - set aside)

6 egg yolks

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 cups graham cracker crumbs

1 cup walnut chopped fine

1 tsp baking powder

2 tsp vanilla

1 tsp almond extract

(Fold into egg yolk misture together with beaten egg whites. Divide evenly into 2 8" or 9" round cake pans that have been lined with wax or parchment paper. Bake 350 degrees about 20 minutes. Cool in pan for 10 minutes. Remove. Layers may be split in two to make 4 layers.)

2 cups whipped cream

(whip until stiff add 2 tsp. confectioners sugar)

Spread each layer with whipped cream.

Frost outside of cake with cream.

Sprinkle with chopped nuts if desired.

Enjoy.

My sons were so excited because they picked out a pink (mom's favorite color) Ipod (they will have to teach me how to use it) and I had so many wonderful gifts, cards and phone calls from family, friends and staff. Eric grill my favorite food Pink Salmon Steaks..yummy! It truly was a great weekend and a great birthday. Thanks everyone who made it so special for me.

The book I read in the Rose Cottage "Lady Lupin's Book of Etiqutte" has an etiquette question about not asking an older woman her age. Its not good manners. But they usually ask me and I always tell them and we giggle. I'm not getting older...I'm getting better. I tell my boys....I will not have plastic surgery...I will be happy with each laugh line that I've earned and one day when your mom is in her nineties...I will be the one in the big floppy hat out in her garden sipping a good cup of tea. Hey, I'm 5 months older than the Vice President nominee for the United States, Sarah Palin. This is a great day to be a woman in her forties!

Phillipians 1:6 "And I am convinced and sure of this very thing, that He Who began a good work in you will continue until the day of Jesus Christ (right up to the time of His return), developing (that good work) and perfecting and bringing it to full completion in you."

God always finishes what He starts. Thank God! He has called us unto Himself and started a good work in us, and He will finish it.

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Heart Story by Carolee Maxwell

Pink striped child's tea set with roses.

Wayne & Carolee Maxwell enjoying A Spot For Tea.

Not only do I experience that which I enjoy about a tearoom; the cuisine, the overall dining atmosphere but I have made a friend in Tammy Seibert. That in itself has blessed me so.

I am glad to share a special memory I had at her tearoom. One day as I was enjoying my lunch I noticed this young family of three; father, mother and daughter. Not too often do you see a young father taking his family to a tearoom, which is very sad to me. Nonetheless, they had such a loving spirit to one another.

Tammy has a little gift area that offers every item for a tea lover's need. She has several small tea sets for little girls. As I was starting to check out, I noticed this daughter asking her dad for a tea set. He told her maybe next time.

I asked her dad and mother if they would allow a stranger to buy this tea set for their daughter. They were hesitant but saw the joy in their daughter's face and gave me the opportunity to give. I do believe I enjoyed that experience more than the child.

Please never pass up the opportunity to give the gift of a tea set to a little girl. You may be a part of instilling the grace, etiquette and hospitality of tea serving; a somewhat lost art in our society. I must say, I am drawn to the sweet spirit that Tammy possesses.

Thank you Tammy for the giving of yourself to all.

Hebrews 13:6 "Do not forget or neglect to do kindness and good,
to be generous and distribute and contribute to
the needy...for such sacrifices are pleasing to God."

Thank you Wayne and Carolee for knowing the secret...one of the fastest ways to
increase your own joy is to make someone else happy!
The world is filled with hurting people who need our encouragement and
you never know when you can be used by God to brighten
someone else's day and perhaps even change their life!

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Heart Story by Charlotte Nease

Aunt Jimmielou and Aunty on Mother's Day 2006.

Janet Overton and her daughter Lesli.

All the Aunts and cousins in the Rose Cottage!

My favorite heart story from the tearoom (by the way I have many) happened the first month after opening, April 19th, 2003.

My husband, Gene Nease, is the youngest of eleven children and our niece Janet Overton decided to christen A Spot For tea with an Aunt Appreciation Tea. She sent out beautiful teacup invitations saying:

"In honor of our Dear Aunts, Please join me for, A sip of tea, a bite to eat, picture taking and memory making. Our own Tammy Lyn will be our guide to An Afternoon in Days Gone By, Saturday, April nineteenth at noon, Queens Tea Room, Given by love by Janet."

Janet planned every detail and hand cross-stiched our place cards, made exquisite cream photo albums, silver tussie mussies with fresh flowers and wrote a special poem that made us cry.

Cousins came all the way from California to help us celebrate. One cousin Mill Nease from Arkansas even sent flowers with love because she couldn't attend. I enjoyed myself because I got to spend it with my daughter, daugher-in-law Misty and granddaughter, Cierra. We had three generations represented.

It was a wonderful day filled with laughter and tears. Since that tea we have lost Viola and Aunty but on that day we celebrated family, love and each other. Thank you Janet and Tammy for helping us make memories.

Aunts Galore

When I was little I thought all children had aunts

Not just one but many.

I later learned some children

Didn't have any!

No Aunty to make them turkey and dressing

A barn to swing from the loft in

Or all-day Easter egg hunting.

No Aunt Viola to wipe their tears to take them for stitches

And not even faint, thanks to Virginia's help and good wishes.

Not an Aunt Wanda ready with hugs and kisses

And stories of pigs on road trips,

"somone" thought were dishes.

No Aunt Jeanell to curl their hair and make them feel special

An no chocolate pie? Oh my goodness, how dreadful!

No Boodie, with Gunkels coming and going

To visit with while she keeps right on sewing

Always making something for those she loves

And hoping you are the one she is thinking of!

No Aunt Charlotte, barely sixteen,

when she joined the Neases back when

She wore bobby socks and saddle shoes and rolled her hair with bobby pins

So sweet to us all, we've loved her since then.

No Aunt Stella or Aunt Louella who left us too soon.

Or Aunt Alene who was like no other - we all miss you Mother.

So Aunties dear, on this day,

how grateful we are to have you in our lives.

For being wonderful examples of ladies, mothers and wives.

You've made all our lives richer, better and fuller.

We are blessed to keep you each in our hearts

forever and ever.

By Janet Overton

Grandmother Nease use to say "Beauty's only skin deep and ugly's to the bone....Beauty fades away but ugly holds it's own."

1 Peter 3:3-4 "Let not yours be the merely external adorning but let it be the inward adorning and beauty of the hidden person of the heart."

Monday, September 8, 2008

Happy Birthday Blake

Blake and my best friend Jody's daughter Tory...Fall 1999

Blake and little brother Benjamin with me at a fashion show
at the Cowboy Hall of Fame (June 2001). Always ready to help out mom.

Blake and Benjamin escorting two cute girls. (June 2001)

Blake and Benjamin have a birthday party with their
cousins and Mimi and Papa in the Rose Cottage (September 2002)

Blake's Birthday is September 8th and Benjamin's is September 19th.
We shared a blue teapot cake. (September 2002)

This picture was taken this summer with his baseball team

PCO Thunder (#1) in their division.

He plays second base and got 1st runner up for "Most Hits."

Blake is standing to the left of the kid holding the bat with his arms crossed in front.

My how time flies by.....Blake is 13 years old today.

It's official...we have a teenager in the house.

He has been my joy and my delight every step of the way.

I pray great things for his future.

Joel 2:28 "And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people.

Your sons and daughters will prophesy

your old men will dream dreams

your young men will see visions."

Sunday, September 7, 2008

A Loving Recipe for a Perfect Cup of Tea

1 - willing friend who loves to sit and share

1 - grateful heart to have a friend that cares

1 - beautiful garden to show us God is near

Click here to enter the Prayer Garden where you can set aside some quality time with your cup of tea and feel God's presence.

First, click on the center of the door. Unlock the door with the key (drag the key to the lock), follow the bug, open the book....When you enter the Garden, click on the little lightning bug and follow instructions. Keep clicking as you go to make changes and experience everything.
To start follow the firefly and click on it. After you are through with each page, click on the firefly to go to the next page. Click on each of the stones, on the fountain, the cross, the sticks, each of the scrolls.

Psalm 42:1 "As the deer pants for the water brooks,

So my soul pants for thee, O God.

Saturday, September 6, 2008

Labor Day Weekend

Labor Day Weekend

Saturday, August 30th

A Spot For Tea was rocking and rolling with 2 Rose Cottage tea parties, 2 Queen's Teas, 2 showers in the Red Room, a group in the green room, a full lunch crowd and 2 weddings. Here are a few highlights of the weekend.