Victoria 2009 (Our Tea Party)

So one thing that really attracted me to Victoria was the Empress Hotel and the thought of going to a REAL tea party. Ava loves to get dressed up and have tea parties, so it seemed like a fun activity. Afternoon tea at the Empress is one of the grandest traditions in Victoria. And I wanted to experience the grand=ness of it all, even if it did conflict with nap times. Silly me.

Let me first say, those were the most expensive little cakes I have ever eaten! Second, our two little girls are not ready for a real tea party. We tried to be polite and sophisticated, but in true South Pasadena Dorny fashion, we couldn't help but be ourselves. Ava turned her nose up at the cucumber sandwiches and refused to sit like a lady with her skirt down. Senya was sitting is this gorgeous Victorian-style wooden high chair, doing the Senya-dactyl and throwing the little cucumber sandwiches all over the place. At one point, as Ammon and I were sweating profusely and trying to wrap things up so we could make our exit, our server came over to the table and looked down his nose at the utter mess we were sitting in. Just then, Senya passed gas on her wooden high chair that sounded like a machine gun going off. The look on his face was priceless.

So it was not the experience I had imagined, but it was an experience none the less!



The Empress Hotel. It is a beautiful place.



Ava pouring her milk into her tea cup.



Senya copying Ava ... oh wait, Senya doesn't have a tea cup.



Family photo - don't we all look happy?