Sweet 16 Lunch at the Tea Room

Today was our Texas celebration of the Sweet 16th birthday for A's niece L. We had reserved the prettiest table at the tea room in League City for the six of us-- A, me, the birthday girl, her sister and mom, and my teenaged friend C. There we sat, at a round table in the garden room, underneath an umbrella decorated with vines and roses and white twinkling lights.

There were three huge baskets filled with dress-up clothes for young girls, feather boas, rhinestone tiaras, fancy bonnets and frilly shawls. L's younger sister J held up each of the pretty outfits for us to see, but we all decided that we were dressed up enough as it was. C and L found some faux-jeweled tiaras to wear during lunch, and J gave me two feather boas to wear-- one in pink and one in purple and silver. I couldn't convince J to wear the pink one, even though it matched her pretty dress, so I just wrapped both of them around my neck.

Lunch was delicious... we picked sandwiches and salads or homemade soup from the menu... (9-yr-old J was disappointed that the menu didn't offer anything close to a McDonald's burger and fries)....... but she perked right up when they brought out the chocolate birthday cake.

We sang Happy Birthday to L, but with a twist--- in between each stanza of Happy Birthday, J chimed in with a rousing Cha! Cha! Cha! --- It surprised all of us, because she had been rather quiet during lunch, but one thing is for sure.... from now on, all of us will be adding that Cha! Cha! Cha! to every birthday song we sing from now on.

This is the second year in a row that L has celebrated her birthday in Texas. She loves it here..... so I think we've started a new tradition for L when her birthday rolls around. Sweet 16......... for a very sweet girl.