2017 Crocus Tea

Traditionally, our crocus teas are in March, when the determined little purple and yellow flowers poke up through the crusty white snow.  We bustle around the house, enjoying the warmth from cookies baking and feeling the cozy togetherness of being inside.  This year, however, due to a bunch of crazy schedule conflicts, our Crocus Tea was last Sunday!  Yep, October 1st!  I didn’t mention to the girls ahead of time that this would be the plan. I stocked up the day before, and kept the plans to myself.

We were on our way home from church and I asked them if they could agree on chicken nuggets from McDonalds, even though they each had their ‘favorite’ fast-food choices.  They did agree, and after the nuggets were safely tucked into the spare seat, I told them we were going home to have the tea.  And they were excited!  We bustled around getting ready – the lacy white tablecloth, the good China, water goblets, and fancy serving plates.  Christina decorated the pre-made sugar cookies, while Autmn cut the Colby cheese into fancy shapes. 

We had M&M’s, Vienna Sausages, Snowflake Ritz crackers, a mini pizza, the nuggets, pineapple tidbits, apple sauce, ranch dressing, chocolate donuts, and crinkle cut French fries.  I tried pushing the hot tea, but they ended up choosing Coke for the drinks.  It took us about an hour to get everything ready, including the fact that we had to salvage the pizza. 

There must not have been enough crust in the middle, because the bottom dissolved and all the cheese dripped onto the oven bottom and burned – smoking like crazy and making the pizza crust black.  Not the most appetizing!  But we trudged forward and enjoyed the tradition – our sixth annual Crocus tea! 

I’m so blessed that they are still excited to have it, and hope that none of us ever grow too old or become uninterested.  They both appreciated the event and thanked me for making it happen.  And since part of the excitement is not knowing when it will happen, I can’t even hint as to when it will be in 2018.  Even if I knew myself!