A Surprise Tea

Many of you know that just days prior to Christmas, we traveled to Arizona to visit my mom....

While the 'boys' watched some sports on the television, mom and I ventured out to some of the stores just to get into the spirit of things.  Even though my mom gets around fairly well, 'Pop' doesn't walk easily now and so store visits are fewer and shorter.  'Pop' is my step-dad as my father passed when I was only twenty.

Here's mom at Pottery Barn....we didn't buy anything on this day, but we had fun looking.

It was quite chilly...highs were in the 50's, so we had warm jackets and scarves on....

On the first night there, my mom roasted a capon with stuffing and mashed potatoes.  On the second night, we took them out to a local Italian restaurant....here is mom studying the menu....

My mom had lots of Christmas decorations out.  She LOVES jeweled fruit and put together this dish of fruit with a candle...

She also put together this arrangement with some live flowers

She hung glass ornaments from her light fixture in the dining area

Every table had a little something on it for Christmas

The circular lacy thing on the window is edelweiss I brought her back from a trip to Germany and Austria a few years ago.....that's where my mom was born.

We don't wear shoes in the house; this 'tradition' or house rule came from my upbringing.  Here, at the front door, is a set of slippers for guests to wear in lieu of their shoes....

                                           I wanted to do something special for my mom for Christmas and gifts aren't something she likes.  I did get her some face oil and a new lipstick, but the real gift was a Christmas tea....We went to Loew's Ventana Canyon Christmas Tea....     
Here's mom and Pop walking in....

                                                                                   They had a large gingerbread house          

There's the ramp to the area where we had the tea....in the center, far into the photograph, is the huge REAL Christmas tree....

They served Champagne with the tea as well...

Chantilly cream and raspberry preserves for the scones

                                                               Cactus for the centerpiece (well, it IS the desert)         
                                                                      

Here's mom and I.....

the little tea sandwiches

Mom pouring some tea

and all of us in front of the big tree

                                                                                    
some of the decorations in the hotel lobby

looking into the tea room area

Even though it was quite cold and gloomy, flowers were blooming everywhere

                                                                     It was really hard to leave, knowing that mom and Pop would be alone for Christmas as I'm an only child......we spoke on Christmas Eve and on Christmas Day.....but I KNOW she had a great time at the tea and loved getting dressed up as that is something they never do anymore.....she's STILL talking about it.....so I consider that a blessing!!!  And yes.....she was very surprised!