Well at least we still spend the time together. Sometimes we like hot tea, but really if we have cocoa in the house that is the preference.  And of course we must pile it high with whipped cream and then pour over it-caramel and chocolate.  I like mine with a cappuccino mixture. Sort of like a hot cocoa cappuccino latte!

Yum!

The children and I outside enjoying a nice fall afternoon tea.

We decided to read some poetry and also do some nature/leaf rubbings

during our tea time. It was alot of fun, and they really came out great!

Well the dc are loving tea time! They cannot wait each day for us to meet. I am thinking it is mostly for the snacks, but I am glad they look forward to it. We usually read a poem or a short story and then talk.

In fact yesterday during our poetry project we read the poem "Star Light, Star bright" and they drew pictures of their wishes. (Being a tea party with friends.) Ds wanted Spiderman, Batman and Superman to attend. Dd had the whole family there including daddy. Perhaps we should include him in one of our tea times soon!

 Tea Around the World

In Ireland tea is cozy.

In Russia tea is strong.

In China tea is served to guests

and sipped the whole day long.

In Burma tea is pickled.

In Turkey, sold on streets.

In England tea comes on a tray

with sandwiches and sweets.

Japan has rules for formal tea

and one is wear your socks.

Go to Tibet and you would have

To chip your tea from blocks.

Morroccans favor green tea

with mint and sugar, too.

My favorite place in all the world

For tea is HOME WITH YOU!

(taken From tea Party Today-Poems to Sip and Savor)

Here are some other great books we have been using:

For fun poems:

Tea Party Today Eileen Spinelli

I asked a Tiger to Tea

(We also do our poetry project during tea about once or twice a week.)

For learning more about teas, the custom and snacks and tea party ideas:

Time for Tea -Mary Engelbright

The Tea Party Book- Lucille Recht Penner

Tea with Friends -Elizabeth Knight

Fun Storytime books:

Miss Spider's Tea Party

Childcraft Excerpts and stories.

 We have been faithful during the week to get in our Tea Time all except for today! When we got home from skating it was almost dinner time. So we had dinner instead!

The dc always look forward to it. Yesterday we read Miss Spider's Tea Party-it is a cute rhyming book.

We had apple cinamon tea, of course I was the only one that liked it. DD changed hers to peppermint tea and ds had plain tea. We had on hand a few golden oreos.  I think it is fun to plan for special tea times and make special desserts and teas for it. But it's okay if it is just really about spending time together.

Well today we began another new thing! Tea Time. I have been inspired by my friend Candace, who has been doing this with her dc. So I have been thinking on it now for a week or two. I got some books from the library on tea time, so I could educate myself on it a little. etc.

I must admit that I don't think any of my ancestors had tea time. We have been big iced tea drinkers for ever! (It really doesn't come natural for us and after our trial run today, I say we have a long way to go!) 

So I began by stopping by the local dollar store for some cute cookies and what do you know, I found some great ones! They are shaped like Maple leaf's and have a yummy cream filled center. And can you believe it they only cost $1.00.  (Of course I was thinking they were perfect too because of the shape being so fall festive and all.)

So we get home and I begin to prepare the tea. Actually I just pour a little tea from our already made tea for the day and put it in a pot on the stove to heat a little, then I added a splash of Juicy Juice Orange/Tangerine Juice.

Then I transferred it to my cute little tea pot. Which required a funnel to do so. Since the cute little tea pot can't really be put on the stove and heated.

So then I commence to pouring the tea for everyone. And the lid falls off splash into ds's cup and chips a little. So then I have to rush to the kitchen to get tongs to dig it out. And I have to pour out the tea, since a porcelin chip is now in the cup.  Then I go back and wipe up the tea that spilled in the process.

So then I commence to pouring once again and this time only a little manages onto the table but poor dd does not get as much b/c the cute little pot really does not hold much. :(  (Okay but we are still having some quality family time.)

So then we pray and I read a poem from a book.

Now this is really a cute poetry book. I just ran across it at my library and now I ordered it from Paperbackswap.  Anyway we talked about the poem and other animals and what their excuses for not coming to tea might be. Then we just chit chatted a little.

So anyway dd and I loved the tea and ds hated it and poured his out and got regular tea and put ice in it. The cookies were Delish! I cannot hardly believe for $1.00. But I had to brace myself 20 minutes later when the sugar rush had me Flying! 

So we ended our tea time and as ds was taking his plate and tea to the sink he dropped his cup and spilled tea (sweet, sticky tea mind you) all over the wood floors. So then I was left cleaning up for another 20 mintues because it took several moppings to get it all up.

But who knows perhaps our next tea time will be divine!