Thank You Friend

Our Women's Church Group having our

Christmas tea at Allisha's Tea Room

(Stephanie & I pictured in black up front)

hosted in December 1996.
My friend Stephanie Palen

Bringing beautiful pink roses to mark the date.

After I posted the previous blog about yesterday's ten year anniversary I called my friend Stephanie that I said had helped me with my first tea party and left her a message. After 3:00pm today she showed up with these beautiful pink roses and made me cry. After all sentimental moments are my favorite.

Stephanie is my friend that shared in the dream of A Spot For Tea. I can still vividly remember the three of us (Stephanie, myself and Shelley Pruitt) sitting at a Stephanie's kitchen table dreaming up names for a tea booth at the Bethany Craft Mall in March 1996. We were three girls that attended Women's Bible Study together. We supported and helped each other through being stay-at-home moms with a dream and a hot glue gun. She really helped me in the throes of being a new mom and all the changes feeling isolated and alone. I still have the blue sheet of paper that we wrote all of our ideas on. Down at the bottom it has a picture of teddy bears having tea and it says, "When you have a friend, you have everything."

I don't know how it happens but you each get going in different directions and your kids get older. Life just keeps flying on by...Stephanie went on to work for Putnam City Schools and is a director over many cafeterias in our school's district. We both ended up working with children and food (hehehe!) It is so sweet to share the dream with someone who remembers. Thanks again Stephanie for the roses but more importantly, thanks for being my friend and for sharing the memories of the beginning.

Ten Year Anniversary Tea Parties

I'm a big person about celebrating anniversaries. Secret anniversaries that no one knows about but me are ones really worth remembering. Yesterday was TEN YEARS doing dress up tea parties. When I first started doing the parties I took it to the girl's homes before the Rose Cottage was built. I had time to hand-make the invitations back then. This was the first invitation I designed.

This was my first official tea party.

Brittany Atterbury

Saturday, February 26, 2000

It was her 14th Birthday party (which means now she is 24 years old). Is that possible?

Brittany and her mom Tamara.

The funny story was I was having my brochures printed up at Kinko's and Tamara saw my brochure and just knew she wanted to give her daughter the gift of a tea party.

She had nine girls in attendance. My good friend Stephanie Palen went and helped me with this first party. Thank you Stephanie I haven't forgotten those first 2 tea parties that you helped me with.

All day yesterday I wanted to celebrate by doing something special but we had a rehearsal dinner last night in the Red Room for a wedding we are doing at Walnut Creek on Sunday afternoon.

So I had to take this moment to make it official. TEN YEARS and today I have 2 more parties. One at 11:00 and the other at 1:30. I think about all those families and girls that have had their party with A Spot For Tea. Its just amazing when you start out on a journey. You just never know where it will take you.

Heart Story - W.W.A.D. by Jennifer Bader

Tea Server Extraordinare Ann Simonton
Heart Story and hand-made W.W.A.D. bracelet

Ann Simonton giving instructions at the Valentine's Dinner

Heart Story - W.W.A.D.

by Jennifer Bader

Since I've started working here at A Spot For Tea, I have made some great friends. We all laugh, cry and worry together. While talking with the other wait staff I realized we all think the same thing when we run into a problem. What would Ann do?

See, Ann is the lady who trains the wait staff. She is kind and funny. She has an Eagle Eye for detail. She is reliable and steadfast. She is always willing to give advice and puts us back in line in a second. We all love her very, very much and would do anything for her; even if she insists that she is old and grumpy. She inspired W.W.A.D! What would Ann do? So in honor of W.W.A.D., I decided to make the waitstaff, and whoever else wanted one, a bracelet with those initials.

"No person has ever been honored for what he received. Honor is our reward when we give."

- Calvin Coolidge

Rose Cottage Tea Parties 2-13-10

Georgia West's 6th Birthday

Saturday, February 13, 2010 11:00am

Georgia and her mom Jamie

Georgia and her guests

Kylie Hill's 6th Birthday

Saturday, February 13, 2010 1:30pm

Kylie and her mom Kari

Kylie's guests

Avery Roark's 7th Birthday

Saturday, February 13, 2010 4:00pm

Avery and her mom Krisie and her sister

Avery and her guests

The Children's Center Gifts

Thank you so much to those who generously gave and for participating in the 2009 Holiday Baby Basics Campaign and for the donations resulting from our Gingerbread Tea. We were able to fill up a pack n play with diapers, and supplies to the children because of your willingness to give.

The Children's Center is grateful for your kindness and involvement.

Pictured above is Heather Walter, Foundation & Corporate Grants Manager for The Children's Center, Amy Coldren, Special Events Coordinator. Also pictured Sherry Sloan and Tammy Seibert from A Spot For Tea.

The health of the apple tells the health of the tree.

You must begin with your own life-giving lives.

It's who you are, not what you say and do, that counts.

Your true being brims over into true words and deeds.

- Luke 6:44-45 (The Message Bible)

Chilled Champagne Pear Soup

For those of you who have been asking for the recipe for the Chilled Champagne Pear Soup here it is:

8 pears, peeled cored, cubed
24 oz. pear nectar
1/2 c. sugar
8 oz. cream cheese
1 c. heavy cream
1 c. champagne
1 1/2 c. raspberries

Place pears in a food processor or blender; process until smooth.

Add nectar, sugar, cream cheese, heavy cream and champagne; process until well blended. Pour into medium bowl; cover and chill.

When ready to serve, place raspberries in food processor. Process until smooth. Strain and set aside.

Spoon soup into individual serving bowls (we used glass punch cups). We drizzled the raspberry puree in the shape of a heart.

Enjoy!

Valentine's Dinner 2010

Front cover of our menu

Inside of the menu


Chocolate covered strawberries

Chilled Champagne Pear Soup

Stuffed Beef Tenderloin being seared

Tea servers receiving marching orders

Pierce reservation

Stump reservation

Adams reservation

Hoshall reservation

Moore reservation

Wills reservation

Schimmer reservation

Freeman reservation

Toval reservation

Toval reservation

Mitchell reservation

Tom Nix is a local pianist who has played for many special events

at Coles Garden. His music lended a romantic touch to our special evening.

Tarlton reservation

Raspberry heart in the Chilled Champagne Soup

Strawberry Spinach Salad dressed with Raspberry Vinaigrette

Wilson reservation

Swindell reservation

Sosnowski reservation

Chilled shrimp in bed of lettuce served with cocktail sauce

Couples enjoying the atmosphere

Chicken Cordon Bleu, Lemon Parsley New Potato, Fresh Steamed Vegetables

Stuffed Beef Tenderloin, Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Fresh Steamed Vegetables

Nease reservation

Sweet Chocolate Temptations Dessert Trays

Grachik reservation

Jennings reservation

Walker reservation

Finley reservation

reservation

Simmons reservation

reservation

Hyde reservation

Cannon reservation

Gatten reservation

Brasier reservation

Bergner reservation

Thank you to everyone who attended our

Valentine's Dinner 2010.

If I didn't get your picture posted I apologize.

I truly tried to get a picture of every couple that night,

but I know I didn't succeed with all the festivities.

Eric and I appreciated all of your kind thoughts and feedback about how much you love our Valentine's Dinner. We hope we helped you show that special someone in your life how much you care about them by making your reservation with us at A Spot For Tea.