Make Me Smile Monday

Our daughter S turned 8 this month. S has many typical first born traits. She's responsible and loves to take care of her younger siblings. She loves being the oldest child in our family and the first one to go out and do more "grown-up" things. I've learned a lot over the past 8 years about letting go and trusting God. The longing of my heart is that by the grace of God Jason and I will find that balance between providing a safe, secure place for her to thrive in while walking her through difficult discoveries and life lessons, the kind that unfortunately are inevitable. Jason and I have already discovered that what's involved in this is an ever changing and growing thing as she gets older.

I was so excited when S asked for a Tinkerbell Tea Party for her birthday. I was happy that she wasn't worried about having a "grown-up" party but simply having fun with her friends while remainig true to herself. I love seeing kids be kids. I don't want my children to be too eager to grow old, I want them to enjoy being young while they have the chance.

The two of us had fun picking colours and brainstorming ideas. In the end, we decided on making flower garlands with artificial flowers (she and her friends would make them together once they got here) and providing fairy wings (which I tied to the top of the chairs to also work as decorations) for everyone before they sat down to their tea party. I love the idea of using the party "supplies" as decorations.


I didn't get a picture of this table before the guests arrived but this is the aftermath. This is where I set up little Tinkerbell boxes I found at the dollar store to display the artificial flowers for making their garlands. In the foreground is one of the flower garlands we made.  



I set up extra flowers in vases around the room.     



I set up the goody bags on this table by the front door.

 

We used real tea cups and saucers I found at Value Village a few years ago, a teal blue table cloth, lilac coloured plastic forks and Tinkerbell plates and napkins. I found these sparkly blue "branches" at the dollar store and thought they made a perfect centerpiece.



These cupcakes came at the end of the party in lieu of cake after enjoying mini tarts, mini muffins grapes and white cheddar popcorn, apple juice and raspberry punch. 


P.S. I should add that the highlight of everything for me was when S came home from school the day before the party and all of the flowers and the table (minus the food and the dishes) were set up and the look of awe on her face, and the "WOW!" she exclaimed when she saw it. It was priceless! :)

Make Me Smile Monday

Whenever we went to visit my grandpa and grandma Hooysma  growing up (who we called Pake and Beppa) I could always count on some Dutch treats. It's incredible how strongly our memories can be tied to food. Jason and I moved to the Durham Region in May 2005. So we've lived here for almost 6 years. Sadly I hadn't set foot in a Dutch store in almost as many years. Both the grocery stores I use here in town have a selection of dutch food (mostly desserts) and I've indulged a few times but I do find there is something special about an entire store devoted to Dutch things. After we'd live here for a while I discovered that there's is in fact a Dutch store close by I'd been missing out on.

The winter just before Jakob was born my Beppe passed away. (Pake had already passed away several years before.)  We drove down to the funeral, had a really hard time finding the church and almost didn't make it. I'm so glad we did.

The week before Christmas I was out running errands and decided to take a few extra minutes to stop by this store. I walked in and was immediately overwhelmed by the familiarity of it all. I suppose because Beppe always had something Dutch on the table and this was my one real connection with these things I just walked in and felt like I was back with Pake and Beppe again.

I took my time and just soaked it all in, narrowing down my choices. Here's what I left with:

After picking out these three items I made my way around the rest of the room and came across a plate. It was one my Beppe used to have in her house. The funny thing is that if you'd asked me about her house I would have mentioned the Delfts Blue decorations she had everywhere and the beautiful wooden clock she had on her mantel. But this plate when I saw it it almost made me gasp!  I saw it and I could immediately imagine putting it up on the wall in my kitchen. Not because it's perfectly my style or anything, because in all honestly it isn't. But simply for the memory and the connection. I still can't believe how special the sight of this plate was to me. It made me me feel very strongly connected to my grandmother's memory. I was so tempted to buy it, they were selling it for a reasonable price but it was Christmas and we'd already spent enough. I went home and told Jason all about it and showed the kids what I'd found sharing with them the history behind it all.   

Fast forward to Christmas morning and Jason is handing me a rather conspicuous looking/feeling present. When I opened it, sure enough, this is what was inside:

Make Me Smile Monday

As you probably know by now, in addition to caring for my own three children I care for the two children of friends of ours. A little girl who's seven and a boy who's four. I avoid saying I run an at home daycare, simply because I prefer to see it as them coming and being a part of our family. The two of them have become incredibly close to our own children and both hold a very special place in my heart. Despite the fact that it may not be seen as the most glamorous job in the world, I find a great sense of purpose both in being a work-at-home mom and a care giver for these two children. It's really important to me that they both know how much I love them and that I have their best interest at heart.

Sometime over the past year the little boy I babysit (let's call him "B") began doing something really sweet. It's something he says to me on a regular basis - I'd say several times a week. One of those things that makes it all worth it and confirms to me that what I'm doing really matters.

"Mrs. Brenna"

"Yes?"

"Can I tell you a question?"

"Ok." He looks at me with a sweet look on his face and by now I know what's coming.

"I love you."

"I love you, too B!"

It never ceases to me make me smile!