This weekend mom and dad drove up to celebrate her birthday!

We had such a wonderful time and it was altogether too short.

If I had been more organized, I would have asked my dear friend, Leslie, to plan the tea, but the date crept up on me.

My mom collects tea cups. She loves a wonderful cup of tea and a good book of poetry.

When I was little, my dad would take us to antique stores to search for a new cup and saucer to add to her collection. I didn’t know anything about fine china, but I knew that she liked roses and the color purple. We would wander downtown Plano and I tried to pick out the prettiest ones I could find to wrap up in a brown paper bag. I would color the bag and wrap it with a disproportionate amount of scotch tape to be sure it didn’t break. I’d line up my bag on the fireplace and carefully deliver my gift.

She saved all of those teacups in a tall, grand china cabinet. Now she pulls them out for her granddaughters and we celebrate all the little things.

I found a place in Lake Dallas called The Beatitudes Tea Room. Everything was peaceful and charming and delicious! We had such a great time. They were wonderful with mom and so sweet with Mary Alice. The quiche was my favorite!

We asked dad if there was anything he wanted to do and he told us he had never been to the Fort Worth Stockyards! I couldn’t believe it! But it makes sense – all those times we went for field trips or I took kids in the summer – he was working. We piled in the van and took off!

Seeing the cattle drive is always short and sweet, but it’s always fun!

We stopped at Babe’s in Roanoke for dinner (oh. my. yum!).

Happy birthday, mom! We sure do love you!