Fearsome foursome...

Today Anna hosted a Princess Party for her three friends: Ava, Cedra & Emily. These girls were her fabulous friends at Tonya's daycare and they saw each other a few times a week. However since Tonya has gone back to teaching, today was the first time all four were able to play altogether again.

Now, I hadn't planned on a Princess Party. Originally, it was a regular old playdate. But those plans changed when we hosted Aunt Annie's going away party before she left for Rwanda. That day we celebrated 3 years worth of Aunt Annie's birthdays, since that is how long she'd be gone. Of course to send her off in style, we needed 3 birthday cakes. Henry and Anna were each able to pick out one cake for Aunt Annie. And Anna picked a princess cake. But, since 3 cakes were just a little too much dessert for the evening, I told Anna we'd freeze her princess cake for another day. Anna said "I know...It's for my playdate!! It will be a Princess Party!"

So, today was a party that started with a cake... (And I guess most really good parties do start with cake - - at least my kind of party!)

Of course, we needed more than just cake. Clearly the best part of a Princess Party is dress-up. You've got to LOOK like a princess. Thankfully Emily and Cedra both brought a bag full of princess clothes to share. Within 10 minutes of arrival, the floor was littered with tulle and lace and frills and beads and satin. Donned in her favorite dress or tutu, each girl looked the part.

Then the real fun began - - running, squealing, hugging, posing, twirling, dancing, laughing....





Next, a royal lunch fit for a princess - - well at least for 3 year old princesses. Grapes, carrots, turkey roll-ups, jelly sandwiches (no crusts, of course) and pink lemonade.

And we used Great Grandma Helen's dishes and tea cups. (Why keep the good dishes stacked away in a china cabinet when their are 4 princesses in the house...)







Gorgeous girls....







Of course, what is a party without treat bags?







That's some serious bling, Ava!!





So here was the best part of the whole play date (well, at least for me...).

The girls were sitting on the floor, checking out their treat bags. Suddenly a box elder bug scurried across the floor. Now, you might think a princess would run off, screaming for a prince on a mighty steed.

NO WAY! Not my princesses....

Cedra jumped right up and stomped on the bug (yes, she was wearing shoes!). Ava ran over and kicked it. Then Anna and Emily (with fingers covered in jewels) wanted to pick it up and see if it was really dead!

These girls were clearly "The Fearsome Foursome!" If they would have had swords - - well you can imagine the carnage.

(I love a girl who isn't afraid to take matters into her own hands! Look out world!!)





Besides helping the girls with their multiple wardrobe changes, I spent the afternoon just watching.... The girls played and played and played. They were amazing. (They are amazing!) I had games planned, but they didn't need me. They had each other. They had really missed each other.

After seeing them together, it was hard not to fast-forward twenty years from now....

I imagine these four girls, sitting somewhere in front of a warm fireplace going through these pictures, laughing and remembering their long friendship. Maybe someone is ready to get married, or is moving to a new country, or having a baby, or starting a fabulous new career....

And they'll tell stories about how they met at Tonya's house when they were only babies.



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Within 10 minutes of arriving home after dropping off all the girls, this was Anna. Curled up and sound asleep. (Not surprisingly, I have it on good source that the other girls did exactly the same when they got home).

You know, a girl needs her beauty sleep.

(If Papa was sitting on a pea, Princess Anna was much to tired to notice....)